Cimarron, Denver Cereal Volume 4

by Claudia Hall Christian

  “This is my sister?” the woman asked.

  “Yes, ma’am,” the Coroner said.

  “You’re sure?” the woman asked again.

  “I’m very sorry but we are,” the Coroner said. “We’ve been able to match the dental records you provided.”

  “All these years…I told myself that she was off on some exotic journey. She always wanted to see the world. She wallpapered her room with pictures from the National Geographic,” the woman said. “She woke me up… in the middle of the night. She told me she was going on an adventure… I’ll be back, she said. I won’t leave you, she said. But… How long has she been…?”

  “About twenty years,” the Coroner said. “Based on the history of the building, the soil and the condition of the body, we can’t be more exact. We wanted to tell you as soon as possible.”

  “She died that night!” the woman said. “Oh God…”

  The woman tucked into the man and began to cry. The coroner glanced at Delphie. She had identified nineteen of the twenty-one bodies they had found. So far, she’d only been unable to identify the two bodies they now called ‘The Lovers,’ found under the Castle together. The Coroner’s office had matched the dental records, descriptions and dates of disappearance on fifteen of the bodies. Seth believed they would confirm the identification of the remaining four by the end of the weekend.

  The man and woman were the fifth family they’d talked to today. They had ten more to go. The entire building reeked with grief.

  “May I see her whole body?” the woman asked. “I…”

  The coroner pulled back more of the sheet. Every family had insisted on seeing the remains. Some families had waited decades to find out what had happened to their loved one. They needed the physical body to make their loved one’s death feel real. The woman’s hand moved toward the body on the table and then retreated. She shook her head and turned tucked into the man again. The Coroner covered the body.

  “How?” the woman asked from her nest in the man’s chest.

  “Due to the condition of the remains, we haven’t determined the cause of death yet,” the Coroner said.

  The woman grabbed the Coroner’s arm.

  “You will find the person who killed my sister,” the woman said. “You won’t let her become one of those cold cases that I read about in the Denver Post. Promise me.”

  “We are doing everything in our power,” the Coroner said. “Detective O’Malley will keep you in the loop on this investigation.”

  “Who?” the woman asked. Her eyes flicked to Delphie for the first time.

  “Detective O’Malley,” the man said. “You remember, Louise, we spoke to him yesterday. He picked up the dental records. We have his card at home.”

  The woman nodded before her shoulders hunched again. Her tight fists moved near her face.

  “Thank you,” the woman said.

  The man negotiated the woman out of the morgue. When the door closed, the morgue attendants came to move the body. Across the morgue, the Coroner pointed at Delphie.

  “Yes?” Delphie asked.

  “You will figure this out,” the Coroner said.

  “We will figure it out,” Delphie said. “Together.”

  “These families…”

  “They’ve waited a long time,” Delphie said. “They can find peace now.”

  “And the dead?” the Coroner asked.

  “We’ll find peace for them,” Delphie said. “It helps knowing that their families are treated with respect and kindness. That’s the first step to letting go of this world.”

  The attendants brought out another body.

  “Ready?” the Coroner asked.

  Delphie nodded.

  “You may send the next family in,” the Coroner said.

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED and SIX

  Men with plans

  Saturday evening — 5:45 P.M.

  “There you are,” Sam said.

  Delphie entered the door to their second floor Castle apartment. He helped her with her coat and kissed her hello. Still wet from a post-work shower, he had a towel wrapped around his hips.

  “I was getting worried,” he said. He walked back to the bathroom.

  “Worried?” Delphie asked.

  Delphie went into the small galley kitchen and opened a bottle of red wine. She’d just poured two glassed when Sam came out wearing jeans and a T-shirt. He took the glasses and wine from her.

  “All of this.” Sam carried the wine to their sitting area. “I worry that it’s too much.”

  Sam waited for her to sit down and he gave her a glass of wine.

  “I’m having a great time,” Delphie said. “I mean, not a great time… People are dead and their loved ones… But I like feeling useful.”

  “Yes, I know,” Sam said.

  “What are you worried about?” Delphie asked.

  “So much death,” Sam said. “There are… How many bodies?”

  “Twenty-one bodies so far,” Delphie said. “They span the last three decades.”

  “That’s a lot of death,” Sam said.

  Sam looked away from Delphie. They sat in silence for a moment.

  “You can just say what you need to say,” Delphie said. “I’m not reading your mind.”

  Knowing the effort it took to for her to stay out of his head, Sam smiled at her.

  “You’ve been happier, more active, and involved with everyone since this whole thing happened,” Sam said. “Like marrying Aden and Sandy. I don’t think you would have done that before. You would have left it up to the Goddess or waited until someone asked you.”

  “I wouldn’t have married them like that before,” Delphie said. “I’m glad I did though.”

  “I’m glad too,” Sam said. “It makes me happy to see you so alive. Especially after all that happened and after almost losing you…”

  “Why are you worried?” Delphie asked.

  “You’re very sensitive and this is so dark,” Sam said. “I worry the dark will…”

  “I have lots of experience with darkness, Sam,” Delphie said.

  “I know.” Sam looked away from her. “I know.”

  He fell silent. Delphie touched his chin and he looked over at her again.

  “I understand what you’re saying,” Delphie said. “And I hear the wisdom in it. I am sensitive. I’ve always walked the line between dark and light. It’s been a rough journey.”

  Sam nodded.

  “I don’t think I was aware of how much Levi had affected me,” Delphie said.

  “He had a hold on you all this time,” Sam said.

  “I wasn’t aware of that,” Delphie said. “I always discounted his influence.”

  “You used to talk as if you knew he was affecting you.”

  “I knew and I didn’t,” Delphie said. “Now that he’s gone, I feel as light as a feather. There’s nothing in the way of the light now. I wake up every morning flooded with joy and light. I’ve never had so much energy or been as happy. I’ve wondered if it’s something Jill did to me.”

  “Have you asked her?”

  “I have,” Delphie said. “She said she can only restore what is there, not create something that wasn’t there.”

  “Levi took a lot from you,” Sam said.

  “Yes he did,” Delphie said. “He also kept me from enjoying a lot of my life by blocking me from the light. I belong in the light.”

  “Will you tell me if it gets too much?” Sam asked.

  “I will,” Delphie said. “But I may not know. I have a pretty high tolerance for darkness so… Your concern is a helpful reminder to me.”

  “You’re not a police officer,” Sam said. “You never said you wanted to work like this.”

  “I don’t,” Delphie said. “But I’m not quite sure what I want to do with this half of my life. With the girls helping out at the Castle, I have more time to do other things. The freedom and light is new to me.”

  Sam put his arm around her and she rested on
his shoulder.

  “I’ll tell you,” Delphie said. “I love helping these families. We met with fifteen families today. It was hard work, exhausting, but at the end, I felt like I had made a real difference in people’s lives. The Coroner said that without my help, they might have never figured out these kids’ identities. Their families would have been in limbo forever.”

  “I always feel really good when I help people,” Sam said.

  Delphie nodded.

  “It’s hard to be out in the world though,” Delphie said. “I’ve lived most of my adult life within these few blocks. I walk a block to work and come home. The dogs and I walk to the park every day. Outside of three or four trips to Maine, City Park was the farthest place I ever went. In the last week, I’ve been to all kinds of places. It’s uncomfortable and a little scary.”

  “Do you want to learn to drive?” Sam asked.

  “I was thinking about it,” Delphie said. “Would that be all right?”

  “Sure,” Sam smiled. “You’re like a new Delphie.”

  “Is that bad?” Delphie asked.

  “I think it’s pretty normal,” Sam said. “I’m just excited to get to know this new adventurous Delphie.”

  Delphie laughed.

  “Shall we join the kids for dinner?” Sam asked. “Jill said we’re having…”

  “Val’s Green Chili stew,” Delphie said. “I’m not that far out of the loop!”

  “Sandy made homemade tortillas,” Sam said.

  “Sounds wonderful,” Delphie said.

  Setting down his empty wine glass, Sam stood. He held his hands out to her and pulled her into his arms.

  “Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself,” he said.

  “I promise,” Delphie said. “One near death experience is enough.”

  He kissed her forehead. Taking her hand, they walked toward the door.

  “Does this new Delphie want to get married?” he asked.

  Delphie laughed.

  “I had to ask,” he said.

  “I love that about you,” she said.

  Smiling, he opened the door to their apartment.

  “This Delphie says…” she said.

  “You’re so traditional!” they said in unison.

  Laughing, they went down the hall to join the others for dinner.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday evening — 5:50 P.M.

  “We’re just waiting for your Dad,” Sandy said. “Val made her fabulous green chili and Jill ordered the cake. You can go down if you want to.”

  “We’ll wait with you, Mom,” Nash said.

  “Can you check on Noelle?” Sandy asked.

  Noelle had a rough afternoon. Around three, Noelle had a lack of sleep meltdown. Sandy, Jill, and Katy had persuaded Noelle to take a long nap. Noelle had been sleeping since then.

  “I’m here,” Noelle’s eyes were swollen from tears but her smile was bright. “I feel better.”

  Sandy held out her arms and Noelle came to give her a hug.

  “Where’s Dad?” Noelle asked.

  “I don’t know,” Sandy said. “Sam got home about an hour ago. Your Dad was supposed to come with him. Let’s go down to dinner. I’m sure he’ll show up. Can you help me carry the tortillas down?”

  Sandy loaded Nash up with a stack of flour tortillas wrapped in aluminum foil. She gave another stack to Noelle.

  “These smell yummy,” Noelle said.

  “They are!” Nash said. “I helped Mom make them.”

  “I miss everything!” Noelle whined.

  “We’ll have plenty of time to do everything,” Sandy said. “There’s never enough time to rest. Ok, let’s go before we’re late.”

  Nash opened the door and started down the hall with his stack of tortillas. Noelle was about to follow when they heard: “Dad!” Nash followed Aden back to the apartment. Noelle hugged her father. Nash joined their hug.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Aden said. “I got called in to Department of Corrections for a drug test. I’ve been there for the last couple of hours. I tried to call but you didn’t answer.”

  “We had the phones off so Noelle could sleep,” Sandy said. “Sorry.”

  “I had a meltdown this afternoon. That’s what Sandy, I mean Mom, calls them. A ‘meltdown’,” Noelle said. “Mrs. Jill told me that Katy gets them when she doesn’t sleep enough too.”

  “Sorry sweetie.” Aden kissed the top of her head. “What made you so upset?”

  “I was upset because I thought Sandy married another guy,” Noelle said.

  “Instead, she became our Mom!” Nash said.

  Aden flushed at his words. He looked at Sandy and she nodded.

  “They’ve been calling me Mom all day,” Sandy said. “Now, we don’t want to be late for dinner because Big Sam loves green chili. We might not get any.”

  Nash started out the door with his tortillas.

  “Wait!” Aden said.

  Nash turned around.

  “I had to get my drug test because I got permission to take your Mom to dinner,” Aden said.

  “Fancy dinner?” Noelle asked.

  “Kevin Taylor’s fancy dinner,” Aden said.

  “Nice,” Sandy said.

  “Then we’re going to stay the night at the Hotel Teatro,” Aden said.

  “Wow, really?” Sandy asked. “Are you sure you won’t get in trouble?”

  “I have to call at each stop and go in again tomorrow morning. I figured it was worth it,” Aden said. “Jill said she’d be happy to take care of Nash and Noelle. Is that okay with you guys?”

  “Sure,” Noelle said. “It’s so romantic!”

  “Will you ask Mr. Jake…?” Nash started to ask.

  “I’ll ask him,” Sandy said.

  “What?”

  “Nash wants to play some X-Box 360 game with Jake,” Sandy said. “Jake said he would play with Nash but he hasn’t had a lot of time.”

  Aden gave her an infectious smile. She smiled in return.

  “I need to change and pack a bag,” Sandy said.

  “I’ll take the kids down to dinner,” Aden said. “And do the same. Meet you back here. Fifteen minutes?”

  Sandy nodded. She gave Aden her stack of warm tortillas. Following Nash, Aden and Noelle carried their tortillas down to dinner. Standing in the little apartment, Sandy spun in place with joy.

  Her husband was taking her to dinner tonight. Her husband was taking her to the gorgeous Hotel Teatro. She ran to her bedroom. After a two-minute shower, she slipped into a dress she’d bought to entice Aden before the awfulness took away her joy. Even pregnant, she knew she still looked great. She flew through doing her hair. She put on just enough makeup to cover the bruise under her eye without looking too fake. Into the stilettos and…

  “Oh my God,” Aden said. “You’re a vision.”

  Sandy turned around to see that he’d put on one of his good suits

  “So are you,” she said.

  He kissed her and held her close.

  “I’d planned on giving you the earrings as a wedding present but you already have them.” Aden touched the dangling diamonds. “I owe you one.”

  “Tonight is enough,” Sandy smiled.

  “Come on, my love,” Aden said. “The night awaits us.”

  Aden took her travel bag from her. Taking her hand, they hurried from the apartment to start their night.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Sunday night — 8:37 P.M.

  “You’re very quiet,” Valerie said.

  She came around their couch to sit next to him. Mike smiled at her and took her bare foot in his hands. He began rubbing her foot.

  “How was fishing?” she asked.

  He smiled at her.

  “How was Beaujos pizza?” she asked.

  He nodded. She wrinkled her nose.

  “How was the green chili?”

  He nodded.

  “Are you going to say something?” she asked.

  “I’m waiting to see how man
y questions you’re going to ask,” he said.

  She punched him. He gestured for her other foot and she complied.

  “Let’s see,” Mike said. “Fishing was good. We were in the water for about two hours before Jake returned to normal. This crap with that secretary has really gotten to him.”

  “Jake’s never cared what anyone said about him,” Valerie said.

  “Yeah,” Mike said. “I guess this is different. He feels stupid at getting trapped by her. Mostly, he’s terrified he’ll lose Jill over this.”

  “He told you that?”

  “Over pizza,” Mike said. “Even when he was the high school heartbreaker, he’s always had such integrity in his relationships with women. It’s important to him. This is something he would never do and has never done.”

  “Poor Jake,” Valerie said.

  Mike nodded. He tugged on Val’s feet. She scotched over to sit on his lap.

  “The green chili was awesome,” Mike said. “I love that Delphie had the chilies ready for roasting. That’s different.”

  “I like the new Delphie,” Valerie said. “Where’d you go this afternoon?”

  “Fishing? Pizza?”

  “Jake roasted the chilies for me,” Valerie said. “He said you had to take care of something.”

  Mike buried his face in her hair.

  “I love the way your hair smells,” Mike said.

  “You’re not going to tell me?”

  “I’m trying to increase the anticipation,” he said.

  “Of what?”

  “I made something for you,” Mike said.

  “You did?”

  He nodded.

  “Can I have it?”

  He gave her a taunting smile. She laughed. He patted her hip and she got off his lap. He went to his large leather canvas bag and pulled out a medium sized frame. The frame and painting were wrapped in brown paper. Valerie popped to her feet. He held the painting out to her. When she reached for it, he pulled it back. She put her hands on her hips and he laughed. He gave her the painting. She ripped the paper off.

  Before her were two chubby toddler boys sitting in a field of red poppies. The boys wore blue denim overalls. As if to give the flower to someone, one boy held out a white Shasta daisy. The other boy was laughing so hard he’d fallen over. The painting had an infectious bright light to it.