“Anybody can tell from a mile away that fire done you in, Angela, and you need a little help to get you started again.”
“How do you know my name?” I didn’t feel threatened by this woman, but I had to question how she knew me. It wasn’t like she made herself known during the week I spent in Wisp.
“I checked you into the hotel when you first got here, remember?”
I nodded fully remembering her now. I recalled how disorganized she was. She couldn’t find the book for me to sign in, and she couldn’t find any of the room keys. She tore up the front counter, the back office, and even checked the janitor’s closet. Eventually, she found them in a safe under the front counter.
She stated, “My name is Beth Jenner, just in case I forgot to introduce myself. My car is over here. I’ll take you to my house, but I have to go after my little brother first.”
Beth was a little taller than me with a narrow face, freckles, and with a thin nose and mouth. Her eyes were the color of chestnuts, and she had blonde hair styled into a messy pony-tail on top of her head. She wasn’t wearing make-up, and she was dressed down in calf length sweats and a t-shirt.
Beth’s car was parked behind the fire truck, and she had to honk the horn for people to move out of the way. She cringed at what use to be the hotel before backing away.
Beth drove in the direction her little brother ran. When she finally caught up with him, she noticed he was looking down at the ground. Beth knew exactly what he was about to do. To me, it looked like he lost something. He soon found what he was looking for: a rock. She was out of the car and running to him when he was about to throw it into a store window. Beth caught his arm just in time, and she spanked his butt. The little boy screamed and tried to get away, but this time she held on to him tight.
Beth pulled him to the car by his arm, opened the back door and put him inside the car. She pointed at him and yelled, “Boy, I will skin your hide if you try that again!”
He stuck his tongue out at her defiantly. This little boy was no taller than my waist, and he was raising hell worse than a grown man about to start a bar fight.
I looked back at him. My guess he had to be around 6 years old. The little boy peeked at me with his arms crossed and snapped his head back towards the window. I turned right back around not saying a word.
Beth said in a calm voice, “He is going to put our entire family in the grave. I’m sorry you had to see that, Angela.”
“That’s quite alright, Beth.” I had no reaction either way to his spanking.
“Walter, try to be nice for once and speak to my new friend Angela.” Beth buckled her seat belt and started down the road.
Walter stuck his tongue out as a hello. Nice. I wanted to berate him, but I decided against it. He didn’t know me, and I didn’t know him. I was going to leave the brat alone.
The moment Beth pulled into her mother’s driveway, Walter was out of the car and gone again. She didn’t even bother to chase him down. Beth wanted me to come inside and meet her mom. I didn’t want to be rude. So, I went with her.
She entered without knocking, and her mother jumped up from the sofa. A man who was sitting beside her started fumbling with his shirt.
Beth cordially spoke, “Hello, Cecil.”
Cecil tried to wave, but he was still trying to button his shirt. His face was crimson from embarrassment.
“What are you doing here?” Beth’s mom asked as she rushed around the sofa to Beth. “I need for you and your friend to leave, and take your brother with you.”
“Mom, Walter burned down the hotel.” Beth bluntly stated.
I was shocked to hear this. That little boy burned down the entire hotel?
Beth’s mom didn’t believe her and asked, “What did you say?”
Cecil repeated, “Walter burned down the hotel.”
Beth’s mom gave him the evil eye. He stood and turned away from everyone to tuck in his shirt.
“Beth, why don’t we talk about this tomorrow?”
“Mom, I’m being serious. He could have killed somebody, including himself.”
Walter came running into the living room from the back door in the kitchen. When he saw everyone watching him, he slid to a stop nearly landing on his butt.
“Come here, boy!” His mother commanded.
Walter slowly went over to her.
She asked him, “Did you burn down the hotel?”
I only stared. Was he going to admit to doing something that major? I wouldn’t.
“No, ma’am,” he answered.
“He’s a terrible liar.” Cecil remarked as he glared down at Walter.
Shannon grabbed Walter finally realizing the seriousness of what he did and shouted, “Why did you do that?”
Beth asked before Walter could say a word, “Why did you drop him off at the hotel, anyway?”
“Stay out of this, Beth! Walter, I asked you a question. You better answer me, or I’m going to tear your hide with my inch leather!”
Walter was in full breakdown and tears as he declared, “There were huge spiders in there, and I was scared of ‘em! So I lit ‘em up with firecrackers!”
“You ain’t got one lick of sense!” Shannon dragged him to the back bedroom. Walter was screaming and crying as he was getting the worse kind of whipping. I knew what that felt like.
I walked out leaving the drama of that house to itself. I couldn’t take hearing the little boy cry with every hit. As mad as I was because he destroyed everything I had, it was obvious that little boy had big problems. I mean this kid burned down a hotel and was willing to throw a rock in a store window all in the same day. What else was he willing to do? The thought was scary. I waited for Beth in the car.
CHAPTER TWO
Beth’s little green house set in the far end of a cul-de-sac sandwiched between tall wooden fences and two willow trees. All of the lights were out, much like most of the houses that populated the street, and the neighborhood was quiet. The sun just set, and it looked like everyone was in bed. In my old neighborhood, people would be coming out of their homes around this time. This was a nice change. Even though I could barely see the characteristics of this neighborhood in the dark, I still loved it. The tranquility and the fact that it was tucked away made the place more comfortable and warm.
Beth parked in front of her house instead of in the driveway. I guess she preferred to park in the cul-de-sac. When we were on our way to the porch, I heard someone singing ‘yoo-hoo’. I glanced at the house to the right, and a frail pale hand was waving a pink handkerchief from just inside the screen door.
Beth waved and shouted, “Hello, Ms. Emma! How are you feeling today?”
Ms. Emma poked her head outside the door and answered, “I’m fine, dear! I wanted you to know that I’m at my last portion of manicotti.”
“How was it? Did you like it?”
“I absolutely loved it. You know, I love anything you make.”
“Thank you, Ms. Emma. What do you want next time?” Beth asked.
“I would love your pasta salad.”
“Are you sure you want more pasta?”
“Oh, I can’t get enough of pasta.” Ms. Emma giggled.
“I’ll bring it over tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”
“That’ll be perfect, dear! Okay, I have to go! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Ms. Emma slammed the front door closed. That was very strange. I didn’t know whether to take that as a good or bad thing.
Beth explained, “Don’t take it personal when she slams the door like that. She means no harm. Ms. Emma is an eccentric old lady, but she’s really nice. I try to help her out by cooking her meals and running errands for her.”
“Okay.”
“She never goes past her front porch. So, I try to do all I can for her.”
“Why not,” I asked curiously.
“She’s afraid of leaving her house. I don’t know why, but she is.”
I nodded. I had a feeling Beth knew why, but she wasn’t going to tell me. I wasn’
t going to worry about it.
We entered her home, and I followed Beth to the kitchen. She threw her purse on the counter and remarked, “I’ll introduce you to her soon. You’ll love her, Angela. It’s late, and she doesn’t want anyone in her house after six o’clock. She has very strange rules.”
I watched Beth as she started moving items around on the counter. I got the impression she was looking for something. I asked, “What are you doing?”
“I’ve lost my cell phone. I know I left it here...I found it!” Beth lifted the gray phone like it was a trophy. She flipped it open and started reading her messages and then dialed a number to listen to her voice mail. Once she was finished, she set it right back down where she found it.
“Angela, have you eaten yet?”
“I had peanuts and soda.”
“Geez, that’s not a meal. I’ll order pizza. First, let me show you to your room.” Beth grabbed my wrist, and she led me out of the kitchen, through the living room to the hallway on the immediate right. There were two small bedrooms on the left and a linen closet and a master bedroom on the right. The only bathroom in the house was at the end of the hallway.
Beth took a towel and a face cloth out of the linen closet, and she set the items in the bathroom. She opened the door to the second guest bedroom closest to the bathroom and said, “This is your room. My room is across from yours.”
I liked it. The bed was full size with a beige blanket, and the headboard was against the left wall. Old wooden night stands were on each side of the bed. The dresser was against the far right wall next to the closet door. The walls were eggshell and were bare of pictures. A pretty pink doll house set right next to the bedroom door with its tiny furniture and dolls in complete disarray.
“So do you like it?” Beth asked.
“It’s really nice, Beth. I love it.” I did think it was plain with no personal touches, but still it was better than the hotel. I didn’t feel like I was intruding into a life that was already built in the room. It simply felt like a foundation to the beginning of a life.
Beth explained, “I have clothes in the closet. I got new underwear in the dresser, too. They’re still in the packaging. So, you don’t have to worry about second hand undies. I didn’t want to gross you out there.” Beth was amused by her own words. I smiled, but I was relieved she had clean, unopened underwear for me.
“Thank you, Beth, I truly appreciate this. When I get a job and some money, I’ll pay you back.”
“Take your time, Angela. I know you lost everything in the fire thanks to my brother, and I’m really sorry about that. Look, take a shower, and I’ll call for the pizza. You want anything on it?”
I couldn’t remember the last time I had pizza. I answered, “Whatever you get is fine with me.”
“Cool beans. Okay, just come out when you ready.” Beth closed the door leaving me alone to take in my surroundings.
I sat on the bed and bounced gently. It was very soft. I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes for just a moment. My body eased up. Ah, comfort. I was looking forward to a good night’s sleep. I hated to admit it, but maybe it was a blessing that Walter burned down the hotel.
I sat up and went over to search through the clothes in the closet. Beth’s closet mostly consisted of summer dresses. I loved all of them. I couldn’t wait to wear the pink strapless one. I peeped in the dresser and found a drawer full of folded shirts. The next drawer had shorts and capris, and then I found the clean underwear Beth spoke about. I opened the package, pulled out the black boy cut panty, picked out shorts and a shirt, and went to take a shower. I began to feel better as the soap and water washed away a day of dirt and stress.
Once I was finished, I gazed at myself in the full length mirror. I had bags under my dark brown eyes. I touched my wide nose, my soft almond color lips, and my narrow chin. My short crop hair needed combing and brushing, but I decided do it later. I moved my hands passed my boney rib cage to my hips, taking in my unhealthy frame. I was still malnourished. Maybe, if I stayed with Beth for a while, I can eat better and gain more weight. I hated being hungry and not being able to find food. It’s the worse feeling in the world. When I reached for my underwear, I thought I saw an eyeball outside the window. I got dressed quickly and rushed over to peek out the slit in the curtains. I opened them entirely to get a good view. Nothing and nobody, but a fence and a tiny lone bush that was turning brown. Okay, I was just seeing things, but I could have sworn I saw someone outside the window.
I picked up my dirty laundry and walked out of the bathroom. Once I saw the bed again, I wanted to crawl in it and go to sleep instead of eating. But I knew Beth would be waiting for me.
I went back to the kitchen, and the box of pizza and two plates set in the middle of the table. Beth announced, “It just got here.”
“That was fast.” The food smelled good, and I was starving.
“The pizza place isn’t too far from here. What do you want to drink?”
I asked, “What do you have?”
“I have water, orange juice, and ginger ale.”
“I’ll take ginger ale.”
“I love ginger ale.” Beth took two bottles from the refrigerator and joined me at the table.
I opened the box and was about to grab a slice when Beth stopped me. She asked, “Do you say grace first?”
I answered, “No.”
“You believe in God, right?”
“I do believe in God.”
“I like to pray before I eat my meals, Angela. Would you pray with me?”
“Of course, I will.” I put my hands together. I can’t remember the last time I really prayed. I don’t think God will listen to me anyway. After my past and not feeling bad about it, I know I’m not worthy of answered prayers.
Beth cleared her throat and began, “Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the meal we are about to receive this evening. I would like to thank you for bringing Angela to my home. She is in need of your healing. Please, look after her. In your holy name we pray, Amen.”
“Amen,” I repeated.
Beth grabbed a slice and I followed suit.
“That was nice, Beth.” I complimented. I don’t remember my family praying, even when my mother was alive.
“I do my best, Angela. Even if I don’t do anything else right in this world, I make sure I pray right.” Beth continued, “I hope you like pepperoni and sausage, and I always get extra cheese when I order.”
I nodded as I bit into the pizza. It tasted like food to me and that’s all that mattered.
“So, where did you come from?”
I chewed my food before answering, which also gave me a chance to think of a lie. “I’m from Miami, Florida.” I hated lying.
“Wow, I’ve never been to Miami. I’ve never been passed Threshold actually. What’s Miami like?”
Now, I had to back up the lie with another lie. I hope I don’t forget what I told her in the future. I shrugged my shoulders slightly and said, “It’s hot.”
“I bet it is. I’ve heard the weather people say that Miami is like 80 degrees in November, and people wear bikinis like regular clothes all the time, and they go to the beach year round.”
Of course, I had no idea if that was true or not. I asked Beth, “Why haven’t you ever gone anywhere?”
She answered, “I haven’t found a way to leave. As soon as I get a chance, I’m out of here. I got dreams, big plans, Angela. I want to be a singing star.”
She was trapped here like I was trapped in Colum at one time.
“What about your family, Angela? Are they still in Miami, too?”
I wasn’t going to lie about them. There wasn’t any need. “My family is gone. My mom is dead. My older sister is dead, and my youngest sister moved to Virginia.”
“I’m sorry about your mom and sister.”
“My mom died a couple of years ago. So, I’m a little better with that, but my sister died just recently. It’s really difficult to talk about my sister.”
/> “I completely understand, Angela. Well, I am so glad I prayed for you. You have been through a lot. So, did you plan on staying here or was Wisp just another stop along the way?”
“At first it was just a stop along the way, but now I have no choice but to stay for a while.”
“Well, I’m hoping you’ll stay longer than a while. Wisp is not a bad place to live. We have a beach, plenty of shopping, and rarely do we have strangers come through. Most people that visit Wisp are family members of the people that live here. I could tell you were here alone.”
“It was that obvious, huh?”
“It’s a small town. Everyone kind of knows everyone, kind of.”
I asked, “Do you have any other roommates?” That was important to know if I was going to have to share space.
“No, it’s just me. I used to have a roommate, but she moved away.” Beth wiped her mouth and continued, “She was such a horrible person, Angela. She was such a troublemaker. I was glad to get rid of her.”
I wasn’t about to ask about her prior roommate. I didn’t know her, and without a face and a name, it didn’t matter. So, I changed the subject. I asked, “Beth, I hate to pry, but I was wondering what are you going to do about work since the hotel is gone?”
“You’re not prying. I got another job. I work as a cook at the Wisp Whiskey Diner in town during the day, and like four days a week I worked at the hotel checking in guests. I’ll find someplace else to work soon. I’m not too worried about it, and with my rent being so cheap, I can just take my time.”
“You’re renting this house?” I thought it was hers.
“Yep,” Beth answered, “Dillon’s uncle owns this house.”
“Dillon?” She was speaking like I knew who she was talking about, like I’ve been in Wisp for years.
“Dillon is my boyfriend. He came by to drop off some stuff when you were in the shower. You’ll probably get to meet him tomorrow.”
“I’ll be glad to meet him. Well, I plan on helping you with rent once I get a job.”
“I might have a job lined up if you’re looking for work. I need to make a phone call, though.”
I couldn’t be that lucky, but I sure needed as much help as I could get. I was beginning to feel tired. I only ate one slice of pizza, and my belly felt like it had a brick in it. I said, “I’m going to bed, Beth, if you don’t mind.”
The Ex Killer Series Page 33
