by Trinity Crow
Those disappearances. . . How much was truth? How much was rumor? These thoughts plagued me. I found myself wondering if Nikki's connection with the spirit world could get some answers for me.
***
The sound of cars arriving pulled me from my worried thoughts. I put the papers away inside the drawer and then stood waiting for what these new visitors would bring. A train of vehicles descended upon my house. Police, unmarked cars, and trucks filled with men trailed into the drive, raising a cloud of dust. Suddenly I wished Nikki was back or Cassie and Adam weren't gone for the weekend. My anxiety eased a little as I recognized Officers Burton and Jackson.
I smiled back at Officer Jackson as he swung his long length easily out of the car and returned Officer Burton's brisk nod.
"Good morning, Miss Jones," Officer Jackson said, still smiling at me. He pulled off his hat and ran a hand over his buzzed cut hair, then as he cleared his throat, his face grew solemn. "I wish we were here on more pleasant business," he said apologetically. "I have the warrants here for the search. This is your copy."
He offered the papers to me and I took them awkwardly-was I supposed to read them?-but the officer kept talking.
"We've brought some men to do a search of the property. I understand you have four acres here."
"Four point five seven," I told him, the brief from the binder fresh in my mind. The smile flickered across his face again.
"We brought in a canine cadaver team from Austin. Officer Jordan over there," he pointed to a tall man wearing sunglasses, "will be in charge of the outdoor search. Officer Burton and I will search the interior of the house."
I nodded and backed out the way. "Almost everything in the house was here when I got here," I told him. "There are a few food items in the kitchen and our personal belongings are upstairs on our beds."
"You understand we might need to go through those as well?" Officer Jackson said gently, his dark brown eyes searching mine.
I nodded. They wouldn't find anything among my things. And Nikki had known the officers would be here to search that morning. If she had something to hide, I hoped she had taken it with her.
As if he had caught my thought, Officer Burton raised an eyebrow and asked: "Are you here alone, Miss Jones?"
"My roommate Nikki is taking a walk," I said. "Across the field to Tasmyn's house. Our friend is expected out of the hospital soon and Nikki just wanted to check her new house hadn't been disturbed."
"Have you made any changes to the house?" Officer Burton asked. "Thrown anything away?"
I told him briefly about removing the door and putting it in the shed out back. And then I explained moving the furniture so Nikki's room would have direct access to the stairs. Both officers nodded. And instead of finding this behavior strange, Officer Burton seem to think that we had been sensible.
"I've started clearing the garden out back," I told him, "but all the pulled weeds are stacked to the side of the path."
"We'll make a note of that."
"Is it alright if I just sit on the porch and read while you search?" I asked hesitantly.
Officer Jackson nodded as Burton motioned to a few men standing discreetly to the side to move inside. "That would probably be helpful," he said.
I followed them in and took the binder from the drawer. Officer Burton leaned over my shoulder, looking over the papers.
"Finn Bishop, huh?" he said. "He seems to have an interest in these disappearances as well."
Officer Jackson laughed. "Come on, Burton. You know Finn has always been a weird kid. And he's been talking up this haunted tour idea to anyone who will listen. Finn has the Mayor chasing his own tail, worried about what it will do to the town's reputation."
Burton snorted. "I highly doubt a touristy ghost attraction would dent the reputation this town already has."
Jackson laughed again, shaking his head with amusement.
What reputation did the town have that made the young officer laugh but the older, more experienced one frown so deeply, I wondered. Was it tied to all these empty houses?
"Those papers are clear, Miss Jones," Burton said, frowning at my interest in their conversation. "You're welcome to go sit outside now."
Since I was clearly dismissed, I took my papers and a glass of tea onto the porch to arm myself with as much knowledge as I could.
The sounds of the men and dogs faded away into the background and except for low murmurs coming from the house, I might as well have been alone. Finn's packet included pages on all the other dollar houses as well. I amused myself by comparing which one of us had gotten the best deal. The growl of a rough engine made me look up as a small, beat-up, red hatchback pulled in. And my surprise was complete when Nikki climbed out and walked slowly up to the porch.
"Hey," she said, her manner awkward. "Um, Tasmyn's back."
The pink-haired girl leaned out the window and gave me a brief wave. Even at this distance, I could see the worry in her eyes.
"I'm going to run into town with her and help her get some things for her house." Nikki shifted uneasily. "The thing is, uh, Abby. . . You know that Tasmyn and I, we had planned to be roommates from the beginning and well, now that she's back. . ."
My heart sank. I knew they had planned to be roommates, but then Tasmyn had either ignored Nikki's plea for help or been too sick to care. And I had thought Nikki and I were roommates now. She had known Tas for little less than three hours, but she and I, we had spent days together. We had escaped danger together.
Maybe that was it. My house was too weird or too full of the stuff she was trying to escape. I tried not to feel bitter as I nodded, but now I just wondered if she had planned that whole speech in the field so she had a reason to walk away.
"I know it looked bad," Nikki said, "when she wouldn't answer me that day of the raffle and walked away." Nikki lowered her voice. "But she's just really sensitive about her epilepsy and didn't want to have an attack in front of us. Abby, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you giving me a place to stay these past couple days. And I'm not just going to abandon you or anything. I can always split my time between you and Tas's house. But. . .I'm not sure she's well enough to be on her own, to be honest."
I nodded again, giving her the "everything's fine" smile. Maybe it was better this way, I thought, my heart hardening. Maybe Nikki with her crazy stories of native land spirits and witch talk would be better suited to living with Tasmyn, who, judging from her strange appearance, was obviously more open-minded than me.
"It's fine, Nikki," I said, keeping the betrayed feeling out of my voice. "Really. I never figured this would be a long term arrangement. But it will be nice to still have you as a neighbor."
Nikki tried for a return smile, but failed utterly. She looked back at Tasmyn and the car longingly and then sighed. "I'm sorry, Abby. I feel like a rat."
How many times was I suppose to say it was okay, I thought angrily. The longer she stood there looking uncomfortable but obviously impatient to leave with her friend, the more it was okay and the less badly I felt about her leaving.
"You might want to stop by for your stuff on the way back," I told her, striving for outward calm. "The police are still going through our things."
"Right," Nikki said, her face pained. "I'll do that. Do you need anything from town?"
I shook my head. I was already worried about money and had no intention of spending any more for a while. I was sure I could make do with what we had in the house for a couple of weeks.
"Tas said to tell you she can take you to town anytime you want to go," Nikki offered.
"Thank her for me," I said, leaning around Nikki to wave at the car. "It's really nice of her to offer."
"She is nice," Nikki told me, a genuine smile breaking across her face. "I think you'll like her."
"I'm sure I will," I said, trying not to roll my eyes as she ran back to the car. It wasn't like Nikki had known Tasmyn much longer than I had. And I had been the one who cared enough to follow Tasmyn
around the corner when she had been taken ill. I waved again to the pink-haired girl and then sat down on the steps. So that was that. Nikki was trading in my devil house for whatever lay across the fields. As I watched them drive away, a fierce feeling of independence rose inside of me.
I didn't need Nikki.
I didn't need any of them.
Then, slightly curious and a touch wickedly, I paged through Finn's packet until I found the sheet that described Tasmyn's house. Eagerly, I bent my head and began to read.
Chapter 19
I wasn't sure how I had found myself in this position, dragged from the peace and quiet of my house to my first ever slumber party. The morning had been filled with people and noise. Though the police officers had search the property from one end to the other, even bringing the dogs inside of the house to sniff for the scent of dead bodies, they had found nothing. And before I had a chance to catch my breath, Cassie had showed up in a bright, yellow Beetle. She hadn't said much, but I gathered there had been a fight with Adam and she was desperate for some space.
When she had unloaded several suitcases filled with clothes, it became apparent she meant to stay awhile. Of course, being Cassie, she never stopped to ask if that was okay, or even to wonder if maybe I needed space of my own. But with Nikki's defection still smarting, I had no objections to my new guest. I would not even have a home if not for Cassie's inclination to barrel through life.
Next, Tasmyn and Nikki stopped by on their return from town, Nikki was almost bubbling over. I wondered how much of her good spirits and excitement was because she no longer lived here at Rickrack House.
And then, because trouble always comes in threes, yet another car pulled into the drive, a shiny blue car which even my ignorant eye could tell was expensive.
Out popped a pasty, non-descript man who trotted briskly towards me, leaving his younger, less polished driver to hurry in his wake.
“Ms. Jones?” The pale, little man held out a hand. “I'm Nelson Delacourt, a lawyer with the city of Spicewood.”
My eyes widened. What was going on now?
He smiled at me, the expression warming his plain face. “I am actually here to throw some incentives your way so you don't sue us over the actions of Mr Hansen, actions which put you and your housemate in danger.”
He held up a hand. “Now, don't say anything just yet. Let me tell you what we are willing to offer. We'd like to have a crew come out and fix your roof at no cost to you. What?” he said quickly before I even opened my mouth. “No deal, you say? My, you do play hardball, Miss Jones. Well, I'm also authorized to have your windows replaced and a city crew come clear the land.”
He smiled and wiggled his pale, almost missing eyebrows, looking very much like a happy turtle, then immediately frowned and raised his voice. “Be reasonable, Miss Jones, no one wants to see this go to court."
I opened my mouth to agree that I did not wish to go to court, but he barreled over me.
"Yes, yes! You have a very strong case, and you might win a large cash settlement, but who knows what a jury might decide? Let me see if I can't get you what you need to help make you a happy member of our community.”
“A car, electricity and septic.” Nikki leaned in and smiled sweetly at the little lawyer. “Mr. Delacourt, I am not sure you were informed that Abby suffered a panic attack and was unconscious for over fifteen minutes, and then she and her roommate were forced to crawl across that unstable roof to free themselves.” Nikki narrowed her eyes. “And then after all that trauma, she had to clean up bio-hazardous body waste from your employee!”
The man's mouth twitched. “Former employee, Miss, ah. . .?”
“Hernandez,” she said, smugly. “The roommate. And I'm prepared to testify.”
“Oh, I like you,” the man said in a low voice. “You're quite the vicious little thing, aren't you? Behind that doe-eyed look." He held up a hand at her astonished look. "Never said such a thing! How dare you and you can't prove it." With a shark-like grin, he swung back to me. "Here's the deal: the roof, the windows, a greywater system and solar, not city power . . . the house has some historical regulations apparently. I can't swing a car, but we can find an additional $5000 in grant money with no restrictions allowing you, Ms. Jones, to purchase your own car.”
“Deal,” I said quickly, sticking out my hand. Mr Delacourt snatched it up and gave three, vigorous pumps. For a moment, I imagined I felt the cool, sinuous slide of snake scales against my skin.
“Abby!” Nikki protested. “Not so fast.”
“Binding verbal agreement,” the man trilled and he waved the young driver forward who was typing madly on a small, square screen.
“Sign here, please. The document states the city of Spicewood will provide the agreed upon considerations and you, in turn, agree not to discuss the incident with anyone except your psychiatrist and to give up all rights to sue us.”
I took the small stick of plastic and pressed it against the screen, my eyes widening as a mark appeared.
“Just use it like a pen,” Nikki said in a low voice. I pressed as I wrote and something looking close to my name appeared.
“Trevor, here, will print you out a copy and set up a work schedule with you."
Trevor gave me a cheeky smile, his fingers flying across the screen. I watched amazed as paper started spooling from the pack on his hip.
"Now then, Miss Hernandez, is it possible we could come to an agreementas well?”
Nikki smiled and I stepped back. I had not known bare teeth could seem . . . hungry.
“Perhaps, Mr. Delacourt, you were not aware that I was already considering suing the city for improper raffle procedures. As the box of tickets for house I bid on was never shaken and could have, in all likelihood, been rigged.”
Mr. Delacourt gave a throaty chuckle. "Oh, you, sweet, little poppet, I am going to enjoy this . . . "
As they walked away, I heard her add in a smug voice: “There's video, you know, and I have a copy.”
When I turned dazedly around, I saw familiar pink hair leaning against the red hatchback car. The Tasmyn looked all in. Slowly, I walked down the stairs.
“Tasmyn?” I said, hesitantly.
“Hey.” She gave me a small smile. “Nikki and me got you some water. She said something is wrong with your well?"
“Oh,” I said. "Thank you." It felt kind of weird to hear her say Nikki and me. Somehow in two days, it had become Nikki and me.
Never mind, I thought as I watched Nikki arguing with the lawyer, maybe it was better this way.
I didn't need her, not when I had my own house. A house that needed me just as much as I needed it.
***
It was Nikki who issued the invitation to have a slumber party at Tasmyn's. I watched the quiet girl's face fall and the surprised, slightly resentful look she threw at the clueless Nikki. It was clear they had not discussed it beforehand. Cassie, of course, was gung-ho at the idea.
"I can't wait to see Tasmyn's house," she gushed, not noticing the sudden tension.
I took a deep breath and spoke up."Maybe Tasmyn would like some quiet time, having just got out of the hospital?" I suggested quietly.
Nikki and Cassie looked at me round-eyed as if my comment was somehow rude. Tasmyn gave me a small flicker of a smile and then shrugged resignedly. The droop in her shoulders and the dark shadows under her eyes made me relent and offer to help. The last thing I wanted was leave my own house and go spend the night at another strange place. I'd had enough new experiences in the last few days to last a lifetime, but Tasmyn stood there, wilting under the late afternoon sun while Nikki and Cassie chattered on about other slumber parties they had been to and other girls they had known. How could I just ignore the exhaustion the Tasmyn was wearing like a too large coat?
"If you like," I said, hesitantly, "we could just come help you set up. Help you unload the car and get a bed set up. You probably should rest."
Tasmyn's eyes met mine and I saw the depth of weari
ness in them. Horror crossed the her face as tears sprung to her eyes. She looked away quickly.
"That would be. . ." Tasmyn started to say and then gulped hard. "That would be very neighborly of you, Abby." She offered a weak smile.
It was settled then. I returned the smile as best I could. Life at New Eden had imprinted on me the habit of seeing to the needs of other before my own.
Would the day come, I wondered, when I would put myself first?
But I was here now and I knew I had done a good thing. As soon as we had the new air mattresses set up and the linens on, Tasmyn collapsed into bed. We barely managed to get her to eat and take her medication before she fell asleep. Nikki and Cassie were off exploring the house while I sat by the window, staring at Rickrack House in the distance.
Across the fields, the sunset bathed my house with fiery light. The house glowed in the last intense rays before the sun dipped below the horizon. But already, I thought uneasily, the shadows would have fallen behind the house, sweeping darkness across the garden, the struggling orchard and the wicker-enclosed spiral beyond. It occurred to me that I felt less safe sitting here in Tas's house, over a half mile away, then I would have curled up in my new bedroom.
There had been no strange pull or supernatural warning that I mustn't leave as I climbed into Cassie's car for the drive over. How much of what Nikki said was nonsense? And how much did I already believe?
This house, Tasmyn's house, felt unfamiliar to me and unwelcoming. Something about the stark and empty rooms unsettled me. The plain and functional construction reminded me too much of New Eden's policy against the frivolities of the world. Too harsh. Too Puritan. Perhaps Tas could turn it into a welcoming home. After all, she probably didn't come with the same fears and dislikes my past had ingrained in me.
Maybe Tas liked simple things and a minimalist life. A smile twitched at my lips as I looked around the room holding only two new air mattresses and the small pile of belongings the girls had purchased that day. It was certainly minimalist at the moment.
