by Rose Pressey
Kitty wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “Take care. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” I smiled and waved as she trudged back down the stairs.
I closed the door, thankful to be alone. My stomach rumbled so I trudged to the kitchen and opened the fridge. After a minute when nothing appeared in it, I went to the pantry and pulled out the peanut butter and bread. Even if I were good with magic, I still needed to shop for groceries. They never just appeared like on Bewitched. Maybe I should have gone with Kitty. But with Danny along, I’d feel like a third wheel.
I grabbed a knife and spread the creamy concoction across the two slices of wheat bread, then cut it in the middle just like mom used to. After refilling my lemonade, I sat at the small kitchen table tucked into the corner. The window over the sink—although small—provided the best view of the park. Lots of foliage and a few people walking their dogs. Sunlight filtered through the windows, mixing with the sage and beige tones. It was the one comforting thing I had at the moment and I was thankful for it.
As I studied the scenery, movement to the right caught my eye. I looked in that direction and spotted a man dart behind a tree. His movement seemed odd. Out of place and not as if he was jogging in the park. After a second, he didn't appear on the other side though, so I assumed he was still standing behind the trunk. It was as if he was hiding. Was he playing hide-and-seek? I didn't see any children around.
At that moment, the only person around was a woman in the distance, walking her black lab. Was there something more sinister to his motives? Why did I get that sensation? A flash of the dark figure ran through my mind—the one from my vision. My temples hurt and I tossed my sandwich back on the plate. Was he waiting to attack someone? What if I saw the whole thing play-out from my kitchen window? What would I do?
I pushed the plate aside, not looking away from the window. I didn't want to let this guy out of my sight. Was it a guy? The glimpse I’d caught looked like a man, but I wasn't sure. I'd assumed by the height and stance. But I hadn't gotten a good look. After what seemed like an eternity, the man reappeared and darted to the left, moving behind a line of trees. Even more suspicious, he appeared to be dressed all in black. The mystery person sprinted into the wooded area and disappeared into the darkness as if swallowed by a black hole. What had he been doing? I wasn't sure if I should call the police. He hadn't really done anything. I couldn’t tell the cops I sensed he was up to something no good. It wasn’t an emergency. But it could definitely be considered suspicious behavior. Reporting odd behavior from crazies in the park was my civil duty, right?
I remembered the card Detective Walker had given me. I pried my gaze away from the window and grabbed my purse, fishing his number out of my bag. He’d probably think I’d lost my marbles, or was just being paranoid because of recent events. I didn’t care though, I couldn’t take any chances. What if this person was attacking someone in the park right now? He could be some pervert—maybe Kitty had been right. I picked up my cell and dialed the number. My hand trembled as I punched the buttons. My heart rate spiked and I let out a pent-up breath. As I waited for Detective Walker to pick up, I stood in the kitchen and tapped my fingernail against the countertop. Rolling the words around in my head, I contemplated what I would say when he picked up.
“Hello?” The detective was brusque in his greeting.
“Detective, this is Veronica Mason.”
“Yes, Ms. Mason. Is something else wrong?”
“Well, I’m not sure. Maybe. Possibly.”
He was silent, waiting for me to spill the details, I guessed.
I finally spoke. “Okay. I’m in my apartment. I just saw someone running in the park.”
Okay, that didn’t come out quite right. Of course someone was running in the park. That’s what people do. I've been known to do it on rare occasions myself. Like the second day of January and the day after Thanksgiving.
I knew what his response would be before it left his lips. “Wow, someone running in the park? Now that’s not something you see every day. What’s next, children playing in the park? And this is important because?”
Smart-ass.
Chapter 30
“Forgive me. I worded it wrong. I saw someone duck behind a tree. He stayed there for quite a while. In fact he hid there, then darted out and ran behind more trees. After that, I couldn’t see him anymore. I don’t know if he's still there or not. And I say he, because I think it was a male. He was about six foot two. He wore all black.”
“Did the person look at your building? Did he notice you?”
“No, not that I know of.”
“All right, I'll have someone check the park, Ms. Mason.”
“Thanks. Oh, and have them look in the wooded area behind it, too.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
He hung up. I guess I’d caught him in the middle of something more important. Polishing his fangs, perhaps? At least I felt I’d done my job. Since I’d reported what I saw, if anything happened, I knew I’d tried to stop it the only way I knew how. I wondered if they’d really check it out.
My watch read six. Time to go. My feelings were jumbled. Being in the apartment alone made an uneasy feeling take up residence in the pit of my stomach, but I felt on edge leaving it, too. I don’t fear much. Clowns, they’re creepy. Oh, and spiders, snakes, heights. Okay, I was headed for a bubble room soon if I didn’t knock it off. No more living in fear, I had to remind myself. Life went on. No more panic attacks. No more worrying over things I couldn’t control. I’d just started making progress on not having a panic attack at the mere thought of being on stage in front of hundreds, even thousands of people. Adding the fear of being bludgeoned to death in my own home wouldn’t help matters.
I grabbed my purse, makeup bag and headed out the door. Much to my surprise, when I pulled the door shut and twisted the lock, it worked. I sighed with relief when the key worked, too. Danny may need to move on from music to being a locksmith. It seemed he was greatly better at the latter.
Maybe now there’d be no more intruders. Tonight, after practice, to be on the safe side, I’d have someone walk me to my door. Why Buzz flashed through my mind at that moment, I had no idea. Really. I didn’t. Okay, it didn’t hurt to get to know the new band member better, right? But that’s all it was, getting better acquainted with a co-worker.
With my luck, I’d be stuck with Danny seeing me to my door. Sounds exactly like something Kitty would volunteer him to do. He didn’t instill confidence. Sure, he was a vampire, too, but the way he slogged around made him look a pint short of a full blood bank.
The foyer had a permanent odor of Ben Gay attached to the walls, so I held my breath as I walked through. The vapors rose to the top floor and hung in the air like fog over a swamp. Lucky me. It did keep my sinuses clear, though. Before being cornered by either of the meddlesome geriatrics, I made the hike back down the stairs for what seemed like the millionth time and slipped out the front door. I locked the main door, and prayed I found it that way when I returned. It would be dark and late when I got home. The building was spooky enough in the daytime; I didn't need more creepiness during the night.
By the tone of Detective Walker’s voice when I’d called, I figured my request wasn’t high on his priority list. So before I left I decided to have a little look in the park myself. Just on the outer edge, I’d be safe there, right? Besides, it was probably my overly alert senses making me jittery at the moment, anyway.
A sidewalk lined the perimeter of the park. Park benches and trashcans were set at evenly spaced intervals. Anticipation grew in my stomach as I inched my way to the location where I’d seen the man. If he had sinister intentions, I prayed he didn’t return. No one was around when I made it to the tree where I’d spotted him. I gazed around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just as I’d decided the search was pointless, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.
Chapter 31
I knew what
the object was right away—a Voodoo doll. My name was pinned to the front, letting me know it was intended for me. Looking around to see if anyone was watching me, I knelt and picked it up. There was another pin in the doll—this one black—and it was stuck in the middle of the neck. This wasn’t a mass produced doll, someone had made it by hand. The Spanish moss stuck haphazardly from its sides. It was dressed in red and white. I stuffed the effigy in my pocket when I heard the roar of an engine. The police had pulled into the parking lot. I hadn’t really expected for them to show up. The policeman climbed out of his Ford Crown Victoria with Memphis Paranormal Police written on the side and I waved.
“I’m the person who called, Officer Barnes,” I said, as I glanced at his name tag.
“You want to walk over here beside my car for a second?” He asked.
“Um, sure, but don’t you want to check out the park first?” I gestured over my shoulder. “Maybe the guy is still hanging around.” I waved my hand toward the tree line.
He stood ramrod straight as I leaned against the car. He pulled a small notepad from his uniform shirt pocket.
“Can you explain exactly what happened, please? What was the exact location of the incident? What’s your name again?” He asked tersely.
Great. Another smart-ass. Just what I needed.
“Veronica Mason.”
“Veronica Mason?” He eyed me up and down, then gave a smirk.
“Yes, that’s my name, Veronica.”
“Uh-huh.” He scribbled in his pad.
Fantastic investigative work, so far.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Didn’t Detective Walker already tell you?”
“No.” He stared. He seemed less than interested, with the familiar I-don’t-give-a-damn glare in his eyes.
“Fine. I was in my kitchen when I looked out the window and someone was hiding behind the tree over there.”
“Hiding behind a tree? In the park? That’s it?” He lifted his wrist and examined his watch.
“Well…no. He ran away. He was just acting suspicious in general.”
“Are you just calling to waste our time? That’s a crime, you know?” he scolded.
Was he serious? I stared at him for a minute. I’m sure my mouth hung wide open. His gaze never left mine.
“Well,” I snapped, “I thought it was a good idea to call since someone broke into my apartment. I’m sure the neighbors would appreciate me being vigilant so perhaps it won’t happen to one of them.”
He frowned and glanced at his watch again. “Now, don’t fly off the handle. Calm down.”
“I’m calm.” I tried to keep my voice at an even level. This guy was obviously delusional.
“You’re not acting calm.”
I wouldn’t argue with him. His actions were loud and clear, he was not interested in a word I said. As far as he was concerned, my encounter was insignificant.
“Did you get a good look at this guy? Do you have a description?”
“No. It was kind of far away. Tall and average weight, I guess.”
He furrowed his brow and folded up his notepad.
No way would I tell him what I found. I’d keep it to myself. The chances of me finding info with it were vastly greater than his. I picked a piece of fuzz off my top. “Sorry, I got nothing else.”
“Well, that narrows it down quite a bit,” he quipped. “And you didn’t see them get into a vehicle?” He blew out a breath and pulled out his notepad yet again.
“No. I told you, the guy ran into the wooded area. Or I told Detective Walker and I assumed he would fill you in.” What part of my story didn’t he understand?
He shoved the pad and pen in his pocket, then walked toward the park. His shiny black shoes squeaked with each step. My clue that the interview was over.
He paused when he reached the sidewalk. “Okay. We’ll keep an eye out for an average height and weight male hiding behind the trees.”
Wise-ass.
“Thank you, Officer Barnes.” Sugar wouldn’t melt in my mouth.
“You do realize we’re dealing with a murder investigation.” His dark eyes narrowed and his eyebrows pinched together in a frown. “After all, you were the one at the scene of the crime.”
“Are you insinuating something?”
“We’ll be in touch, Ms. Mason.” He gestured, then turned with his back facing me, walking away. He shook his head and mumbled, “Witches. Ever’ one of ’em’s crazy.” He turned his head to the side, allowing me to see the side of his face. He grinned with his fangs poking out slightly, then faced away again, trudging across the park.
Officer Barnes never looked back again, although he probably felt my stare on his back. I slipped into my car, took the doll out of my pocket, and shoved it into my purse. Something told me the person had dropped it, whether on purpose or not, I didn’t know.
Chapter 32
After thrusting the thing into the dark depths of my bag, I pulled out my ruby red lipstick and slicked on a new coat. It wasn’t because I was trying to impress anyone or anything. My lips needed moisturizer. With the park directly behind me, I glanced back, hoping I wouldn't spot the stranger again and praying the police actually looked for him. Maybe it was just another weird harmless person. People could be weird and harmless. My great-aunt Judith—on my father’s side by marriage—believed everyone she saw on her television screen was her best friend, but she was harmless…so far. A few homeless people had been known to hang out in the park on occasion.
Nothing unusual stood out and Officer Barnes had obviously taken off, so I turned the ignition. I pulled the car onto the street, cutting off a little old man in a big blue Cadillac in the process. I glanced in the rear-view mirror, spying his petite head peering over the steering wheel. How did he even remember what that finger was for? He should be ashamed of himself. I turned down a side road.
My car was pointed in the direction of my parents’ home. They lived on the outskirts of town, but it was only about a twenty-minute drive. Trying to clear my head of the racing thoughts, I flipped on the radio to the oldies station and sang along. As I steered, I daydreamed about my future. Visions of performing in front of large audiences with people clapping and chanting for an encore danced through my head. My future had endless possibilities, open just like the road in front of me, but I felt pressure to succeed. I wasn’t getting any younger—okay, twenty-six wasn’t old, but still—and I wanted to prove to my family that I was good at something. With my brother gone, I was my parents’ only child and now the need to make them happy seemed somehow more important than before.
No matter how much I sang along to the radio, my thoughts kept going back to Johnny. At first, I liked to hope it was a random act, as if someone just wanted to mug him. But when I saw the bass in my living room today, I knew that couldn't be the case. But who and why? There was no way for me to find out. The vision only added to the puzzle. I needed to ask my grandmother about what I’d seen. Why had it happened? And the vision of the dark shadow today, what was that all about? My mind hurt just thinking of it.
Detective Walker sure wouldn't help me. The police didn’t care as long as they solved the murder. I turned right and noticed a car in the distance behind me. My heart rate immediately spiked. When I looked closer, I realized it was the same car—the mystery hot rod. Not a coincidence. This person was definitely following me, and without a doubt, I knew it was connected to the break-in and murder. It had to be. Did this person want me dead, too?
Whoever this was, I wasn't going to let them follow me. No way did they know the back roads like I did. I was willing to bet on it. I’d learned how to drive on those roads. Not an easy feat with Grandpa Bart spittin’ tobacco out the window as I attempted to shift from fourth to fifth gear. I turned again and punched the gas. Within a couple of seconds, the car appeared behind me again. No doubt about it now, they were trailing me worse than a private eye tracking a cheating spouse. They'd stepped on the gas pedal the same as me.
Within a couple of miles, I knew of an old road almost hidden by trees. If I sped up enough, I figured I might be able to make the turn and lose them before they realized what had happened.
My heart raced. My hands slipped on the steering wheel from sweating. I didn't want to wreck my car. That would be an almost worse fate than being caught by the deranged person following me. I spotted the tree up ahead that served as my marker. Gauging my speed and distance, I knew I had to time it just right. There would be no time to slow down. Not much, anyway. My mind raced with thoughts of what would happen if I wrecked. An accident might kill me, but if it didn't, when the person behind me got a hold of me, I'd be dead. This seemed like a lose-lose situation. They had a cure for my life—death.
I glanced in the mirror. The car was gaining on me, fast. As I watched the old Cadillac, I realized I needed to do the same thing as before. Let it get close enough that it couldn't turn too, or put enough distance so it wouldn't see me veer off. It was too late, though. There wasn't enough time. My turn was coming up. In my mind, I braced myself for what was either going to be a brilliant move or a really, really stupid one. I had a feeling it was the latter. My hands shook, but I managed to grip the steering wheel. I counted in my mind. Three, two, one. Turn. I eased off the gas and whipped the wheel. The Bel-Air hugged the curve with a fury. Tires squealed and I struggled to remain control of the four thousand pounds of steel.
When I thought for sure I’d crash, I righted the car and peered through the mirror again. The unidentified hot rod zoomed past, and the screech of its tires echoed in its wake. My leg trembled from anxiety, but I punched the accelerator and made the next left. Up ahead I spotted an old house with a long tree-lined driveway. I didn't know these people and prayed they didn't have a no trespassing sign because I was about to hide out in their backyard. I zipped my car onto the pathway.
The driveway was about four hundred feet long. Some gravel, but mostly dirt that whipped behind the car as I eased down the long trail. Tall oak trees lined the path—their vibrant green limbs shooting high into the sky. They blocked part of my view of the little pond just beyond their edge. I didn't want to speed on a stranger’s property, but no other vehicles were around and not a soul in sight, so maybe I’d get lucky and take cover for a while without a complaint. People had been known to point shotguns at unfamiliar people who had the nerve to creep onto their property. The panic over being caught by the crazy driver was enough; I didn’t need to add the fear of taking a slug. I’d driven into an isolated world—so close, yet so far from the bustle of downtown.
