Blue Light by Night

by Gerald Lopez

  I wasn’t surprised to hear that she knew about Jimmy and me, she was Miss Lucy’s cousin after all. None of this was helping me in my case though.

  “Mother Watkins, if I may call you that?”

  “You’ve given me my time to speak, so go ahead and ask your questions now, detective.”

  There was a question that I had in mind, but instead something else came out of my mouth.

  “Is this really all about inheriting an estate? Are the estate and this religion that everyone keeps talking about connected in some way?”

  “Baby, I think you may have just hit this situation on the nose. The way I figure things, there must be some connection; and the good Lord knows there are lots of rumors about it. But the truth is that no one completely understands what’s going on here. I mean the people involved know things, sure, but they aren’t talking. There’s a lot of fear about this religion. It’s not voodoo, but it sure does scare people the same way. People are scared of those they even suspect may be in that religion,”

  “Is the Kennedy family involved in this religion?” I said.

  “I don’t know anything for sure. Those sisters have always been a li’l on the strange side. You know I was their family cook since they were little girls up until a short time before their parents died. That Jessica’s always been a wild one, but also pretty smart. She always picked up things faster than her older sister. Mind you, Margo always ran the show, but she wasn’t as smart or as quick to get things as Jessica.”

  “And the son Alex. How does he fit into the family dynamics?”

  Mother Watkins watched my face carefully as she spoke.

  “He’s the golden prince Lucy told you about, but I bet you’ve guessed that already. He’s my sweet little boy—maybe not so little anymore—but still all sunshine and light. The Kennedy family always treated him like he was something special, their own crown prince. Even his sisters always watched out over him. Funny enough though, he didn’t come out spoiled like some rich kids. He learned to make his own way in the world despite his family. He’s his own man and good to me and my little granddaughter.”

  Just then I heard a young girl’s voice shouting.

  “Grandma!”

  “I’ll be right there! Keep your uncle Alex company for a minute!”

  Mother Watkins stood up and opened her arms for a hug.

  “You’re not gonna slap me like Miss Lucy did, are you?” I said.

  She grabbed me and gave me a big hug while laughing then walked out of the room and I followed behind.

  “You are funny, detective. I can see why Lucy likes you. Make sure you come visit me again,” Mother Watkins said with a big smile on her face.

  I reached into my back pocket and grabbed my wallet. Pulling out a business card I handed it to Mother Watkins. She took it and read it.

  “In case you need me, my number’s on there,” I said. “If you happen to see any strange blue lights or anything, give me a call.”

  “I’ve heard stories about that blue light for years and I hope to God never to see it.”

  “Can’t say that I ever want to see it again either.”

  We were out on the porch when I saw Alex speaking with a little girl who sat in the rocking chair next to him. She wore a pretty, white cotton dress and had her hair in rows of small braids accented with colorful ribbons. I held my hand out for her to shake, and she did with a large smile that was missing a front tooth.

  “My name is Esther,” she said. “I’m named after a famous queen, I just lost my front tooth, see.” She spoke in the rapid fire way kids talk when they’re happy or excited.

  Esther opened her mouth and smiled while pointing to a space once inhabited by a tooth.

  “Well, you still look like a queen to me,” I said.

  I bowed to her in mock reverence while Alex got up.

  “Time we were going, Layton.”

  “Nooo,” Esther said. “Come with us to church, tonight’s praise night and we’re gonna eat there too.”

  She looked up at Alex and then me. Alex looked at me and shrugged his shoulders as if to say what do we do now. I winked at him then turned to Esther and smiled.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve been to a praise service—last time was when me and the guys went with someone in our platoon to his church. It was a wild time, and you say there’ll be food there too, huh,” I said.

  “Yes, sir and it’s gonna be good food too. I helped Grandma cook.”

  “I don’t see how we can say no, if it’s okay with your Uncle Alex and your grandma.”

  “I’ve got no set plans,” Alex said.

  “And I’ve never been one to dissuade people from going to church,” Mother Watkins said. “Alex, you and Esther go to the kitchen and get us some lemonade and cookies.”

  They left, Mother Watkins sat in a chair, and I sat next to her.

  “It’s been a while since Alex has visited our church. I snuck him with me a couple times when he was a boy and he visited a few times when he was grown. Are you a church going man, Layton?”

  “My ex and I used to go to the Episcopal church. I haven’t been to church lately.”

  “You and Alex seem close for having just met,” she said.

  “That’s cause we are close, is that a problem?”

  “Naw, my youngest son’s been with his partner Rodney for five years. I’m happy for them, they’re living their truth. It wouldn’t be right to live any other way. I’ve known men who’ve married women and put them through hell because of trying to deny their true nature. It doesn’t do to live in denial of who you are.”

  “I agree. And don’t worry, I’ll look after Alex. This isn’t just a quickie for me.”

  “Well that’s good to know.”

  Alex and Esther entered with glasses of lemonade and a plate of cookies which they put on the table in front of us.

  “Is Mother Watkins trying to convert you?” Alex said.

  “No, she’s just checking me out to make sure I’m on the up and up,” I said picking up a cookie. “That’s cool.”

  “I’ve heard that men often find God on the battlefield,” Mother Watkins said. “Is that true from your experiences, Layton.”

  I finished my cookie before speaking. “When your life is on the line it makes you think. I’ve seen some men find God or remember God from when they were kids and went to church,” I smiled at Esther. “In most men I think it just strengthens the faith they already have. You have your fellow soldiers you can count on and you have your training but in the midst of the battle you turn to your faith in the end.” The lemonade in front of me was calling my name so I got it.

  “Wow,” Alex said. “How do you come back to a normal life after all that?”

  “You just do,” I said.

  “Unless you’re crazy like some of those people that come back,” Esther said.

  “Esther! Girl, you are too free with your tongue,” Mother Watkins said.

  “She’s just making an observation,” I said. “I think probably those people were crazy to begin with, Esther. The military tries to make sure such people don’t get in, but a few slip by. I’m not saying that some people can’t handle it, but we get a lot of training to deal with those things. Most of us have the strength and inner resources to come back okay.”

  “Thank the good Lord for those of you that come back safe and sound,” Mother Watkins said.

  “Sometimes there’s a lot of fighting right here,” Esther said. “There’s bad people in the United States too, even in Shelby.”

  “You’re right,” I said. “Have you seen a lot of battles here, little lady.”

  “I’ve seen people fightin’ but they don’t bother me or my friends. I’m going inside to watch my show before we go.”

  “Don’t go getting all messed up before we leave,” Mother Watkins said.

  “I won’t get messed up, don’t you worry, Grandma.”

  I thought about something watching Esther go back insi
de while I drank the rest of my lemonade. As she was gone I shared that thought with Mother Watkins.

  “Did Nia die because her faith wasn’t strong enough?” I said.

  “Who told you that?” She said.

  “Her brother,” I said.

  “Hmph,” Mother Watkins said. “Her brother and the rest of her family were into voodoo big time.”

  “He said that Nia’s god wasn’t as strong as the god or gods of Shelby,” I said.

  “That fool didn’t know what he was talking about,” Mother Watkins said.

  “The man’s dead now,” Alex said.

  “And I’m not gonna sit here and be a hypocrite in my own home, ya hear me,” Mother Watkins said. “I won’t speak good of a man just cause he’s dead. Death doesn’t make anyone a saint in my eyes.”

  “Why do you think he said what he did?” I said.

  “I suppose some of it was true, especially in his mind. Nia was new to our church, she was what we call a baby Christian. New to the faith. It took a lot for her to leave the voodoo and she was still wary. Maybe she didn’t have as much faith in her new god as her brother did in his gods.”

  “Or the gods of Shelby, whoever they may or may not be,” I said. “Heck even in the new Kennedy home there were statues of female goddesses from different cultures.”

  “My sisters have always been interested in different religions and their goddesses,” Alex said.

  “Unfortunately,” Mother Watkins said. “At least you never got caught up in their foolishness.”

  “No I didn’t,” Alex said laughing. “They never really wanted me bothering them or tagging along.”

  “Be grateful for that,” Mother Watkins said. “The good Lord was protecting you.”

  “Probably,” Alex said, “but he didn’t keep them from following me everywhere.”

  “What other gods would DeLonn have been talking about here?” I said.

  “In this area, God only knows,” Mother Watkins said. There are religions and offshoots of religions, it’s all we can do to raise our babies without having them swayed to the dark side.”

  “But what defense do they have against the dark side,” I said.

  “God is their best defense. Speaking of whom we’d better be heading to the church so you two strong men can help with set up in the social hall.” She stood. “Esther, c’mon we’re leaving.”

  “How many churches are in this town?” I said.

  “Not many,” Mother Watkins said. “There’s my church and then there’s one the rich folks use.”

  “My family built a non-denominational church, but it’s being renovated right now,” Alex said.

  * * * *

  At Alex’s suggestion we took two cars with he and I in the Jag and Mother Watkins and Esther in their car. It was only a short drive to the church which was small and made of cement blocks painted white. There was a cute small steeple which gave it personality. A separate building connected to the side of the church housed the social hall. When we walked into the hall there were children running around, a couple of men in back, one of whom had a clerical collar on, and some women talking in an open kitchen to the side.

  I was suddenly approached by someone who was all attitude and demanding answers from me.

  “You here to find out about that freakin blue light,” he said.

  Chapter 18

  The Boss Man

  I looked down into the face of a little boy dressed in a vest, long-sleeved shirt, bow tie long pants, and spotless, shiny dress shoes.

  “I’m talkin’ to you, mister man,” the boy said.

  “Don’t you talk to him like that,” Esther said. “Don’t mind him, Mr. Layton, it’s just Georgie being sassy. He acts like he’s all that but he’s a year younger than me and his sister Donetta. Uh-oh she’s coming over now.”

  Donetta, dressed in a white cotton dress came running over with her hand on her hip and her other hand held out with a finger pointing toward Georgie.

  “Ooo! I’m gonna tell Momma and Daddy that you’ve been sassing grown ups again, Georgie.”

  “He’s alright,” I said, “he was just asking me a question.”

  “Humph, being sassy is more like it,” Donetta said.

  Alex put his hand on my shoulder then spoke. “I’ll leave you to diffuse this situation while I go and find out how we can be of help.”

  Before he left, he looked back at me with a grin. This felt familiar. Nice of him to help me out, I thought.

  “What do you know about that blue light, boss man,” I said to Georgie, crouching down so I didn’t tower over him.

  “Heck, everybody knows about that blue light. It’s evil, but I ain’ t scared of it.”

  “What’s everybody say about that light?” I said.

  “That it’s bad news and it’ll kill people who see it,” Georgie said.

  “That light’s been around here forever,” Donetta said. “But folks don’t like talkin’ about it.”

  “Why,” I said.

  “What’re you, crazy, man?” Georgie said. “You don’t talk about evil things or they’ll come looking for you.”

  “That’s true,” Donetta said.

  “Y’up,” Esther said.

  “Where’s the light come from?” I said.

  “If people knew that, then they would’ve gotten rid of it or the people who control it a long time ago,” Georgie said.

  “Okay, I hear ya, boss,” I said. “But why’s it so hard to figure out who controls it.”

  “Cause people ‘round here are too scared to do anything’ about it,” Georgie said. “You were a soldier right, Mr. Layton?”

  “Hey, you don’t know him to be calling him Mr. Layton like I do,” Esther said.

  “There’s men talkin’ here,” Georgie said. “You two little girls, go play.”

  Donetta gave him a wallop on the side of the face that made him jump and then the two of them started yelling at one another.

  “Don’t make me go over there you two!” A man talking to the preacher said.

  “Boss man, calm down,” I said. “You know there are female soldiers too, it doesn’t pay to aggravate the women folk.”

  “That’s for sure,” Donetta said.

  “You two are acting like babies and we’re trying to talk seriously here,” Esther said.

  “You’re right,” Georgie said. “Alls I got left to say is that I’m not afraid of that blue light. Evil can’t touch this,” he strutted around in a small circle. “If you need help, Mr. Layton you just come and find me.”

  “I’ll remember that, boss man,” I said before shaking his hand and walking toward Alex and the other grown-ups.”

  We helped set up tables and chairs for people to use and then I walked outside to talk to Joe, the preacher, a while. He was tall and thin with gray hair and brown eyes that were filled with life. We talked about Nia and her brother before I asked about other things which he was happy to address.

  “Yeah,” Joe said. “I agree with Mother Watkins, things in this town all tend to tie in together. The Kennedy parents must’ve had a reason for doing the wills the way they did, but I’ve got no idea why.”

  “What’s your opinion of the family on a whole?”

  “They’re sort of loners most of the time unless they need people to fill a space at one of their functions and then they’re nice enough. But I don’t know if they’ve ever let folks in this town get close to them. For the most part they don’t bother much with others. The founder of Shelby was supposed to be a deeply religious man with a true calling on his life. From everything I’ve discovered in my research he was a good, Godly man. I’d say the same thing about Alex Kennedy.”

  “And the founder’s wife?”

  “You sound like you don’t think much of her, Layton. Have you done a lot of research on the family?”

  “Not a lot, but I have some suspicions.”

  “Follow up on them, detective. There have always been a lot of questions abou
t the wife and how she suddenly showed up and brought her people over from Europe. Then there’s the founder’s will to look at, now that was kind of funny. Leaving a will like that, the man must not have thought a whole lot of his wife. Oh well, we’d better go in and get a bite to eat.”

  Something in what he said made me freeze and think. But we were being called away, I’d have to think on it later.

  We enjoyed a meal that was delicious and filling. After a rest we headed into the church for a praise service that was more like a gospel concert which shook the rafters. Alex and I clapped and sung along with the rest of the people. It was one heck of a service.

  We said our good-byes and walked to the Jag. I waved back to Esther and the other kids who were waving good-bye to us and saw Mother Watkins making the sign of the cross as if sending us a blessing.

  Alex and I got in the car and I was backing up when he turned to me.

  “What did you think of Mother Watkins? She’s very typical of some of the praying mothers in the South. They can be a bit much for people but well meaning.”

  “She speaks better than her cousin—no cussing,” I laughed. “Seriously though, she seems like a nice woman and her granddaughter’s a little sweetheart. Where to now?” I looked at Alex and shot him a smile.

  “The old mansion. My sisters’ guest got to town early and we may run into her.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No. But there are people coming to hear her speak and to visit that you may find strange or bizarre.”

  “I’m sure I can deal with it,” I said. “What else is there?”

  “Layton, you don’t scare or freak out easily, do you?

  Chapter 19

  Mysterious Evening

  “No, I don’t frighten easily and I try not to freak out either,” I said. “Why do you ask?”

  “It’s dark out and our next stop is the haunted mansion,” Alex said.

  “Oh, so that’s it. Do you believe in ghosts, Alex?”

  “Not necessarily ghosts, but then I never believed in energized blue lights either. We’ve both seen the lights so who’s to say what’s real.”