Bonnie and Paula packed three backpacks with large water bottles and foods they could eat easily while walking through the woods. Paula had tears in her eyes as she watched her son, son-in-law, and husband leave to search for her daughter. They were her life and she worried. Bonnie took her arm and said, “They’ll be okay. I saw Sam take the rifle from the study. He tried to hide it from us, but I caught a glimpse.”
Paula hugged her. “Thanks, I do feel better knowing they have a weapon against the wolves.”
Sheriff Richardson read Steve’s report about the man found at the Wescott’s. He called him into his office.
“What’s your gut feeling about this guy they found at Sam’s?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. He has no memory of getting there after working in Oaklin. He came to fairly quickly although he appeared a bit groggy. It didn’t appear to me that he was drunk or on drugs.” Steve sat in the chair across from the sheriff’s desk and took a long slow breath. He hoped the sheriff would believe him. He couldn’t tell him the truth.
“No one at the house knows him?”
Steve shook his head, “I asked everyone. He was a stranger.”
“Okay, let’s say he was drugged in Oaklin. We’ll know if he was when the tox screen comes back. It seems the only reasonable explanation. However, the million dollar question is why was he dumped in Sam and Annamarie’s backyard?” The sheriff pushed back in his chair placing his hands on his upper thighs. He drummed his fingers as he looked at Steve.
Steve’s mind raced. He felt his heart rate increase and hoped he could keep his body calm in front of the sheriff. Steve stood and walked around the small office. “I don’t have any ideas. It frustrates and worries me. Deb, Brian, and I are staying in their north wing while we have our house painted.” It was a small lie Steve would have rectified as soon as he could call a painting company. “I don’t like the idea some strange guy was dumped there. We have no idea who dumped him. He was too out of it to walk. At least he was alive and not another dead body, like the one that showed up at Mrs. Graysbe’s.”
Steve sat down again hoping he gave the sheriff enough to think about to move his thoughts away from him. The sheriff nodded.
“We’ll know more when we hear from the hospital. You’ve been up all night, your shift ended hours ago. Go home, get some sleep.” The sheriff sat upright in his chair and began to go through some papers on his desk.
Steve said, “Thanks, sheriff,” as he left the office.
The sheriff pulled a new bright yellow #2 pencil out of his drawer and pushed the end into the sharpener. He pulled it out and grabbed a blank piece of paper. Holding the pencil between his right thumb and forefinger he tapped it back and forth on his desk. Ready to make a list of the odd things going on in town he sighed.
He jotted down the first weird occurrence mumbling as he wrote. “Mr. Rondell’s dead body found on Doris Graysbe’s front porch supposedly after he stood there, rang the doorbell, and spoke to her.” He shook his head as he added. “Mrs. Graysbe’s and Mrs. Loretta’s husband’s tombstones placed in Mrs. Loretta’s front yard.”
“Two young men burned to death in an accident on the edge of the cemetery. No apparent reason for accident,” he jotted down next.
He rubbed his head and mumbled, “This is getting too strange.” Then he added “Annamarie Wescott receives 30 hate notes referring to her as a witch.” He skipped a line and wrote “Maureen Logan and her friends verbally attack Annamarie at the Founder’s Day picnic calling her a witch.” Finally he wrote, “Unconscious man found in Annamarie’s backyard.” He tossed the pencil on his desk, picked up the list, and leaned back in his chair. He sat up and added one last entry, “Rumor has it Maureen is ill and says Annamarie has cursed her.”
Hearing Greta in the front office, he called her name. She hurried into the office, “What’s up?”
“Read this and tell me what you think.”
Her eyes scanned the paper. She squinted and looked over the top of the sheet at the sheriff, “If I didn’t know better, I would say it’s the plot for a horror movie.”
Sam called work and stayed home, but Bonnie needed to report for her shift at the hospital. Paula decided to watch the twins at Annamarie’s. She promised to call Bonnie as soon as Carl returned. Deb would keep Paula company. Brian, Michael, and the girls would entertain themselves. Lena had disappeared into her room. Steve was sound asleep.
Lena was sitting quietly on her bed. She concentrated as hard as she could. Her amulet would warm a little and Lena could see a mist in her mind. The amulet would cool and the mist would disappear. Lena tried for over two hours. Each time the amulet would be a bit warmer and the mist less heavy, but she still couldn’t see her mom. Frustrated and hungry, she went downstairs for lunch.
Paula was busy in the kitchen baking. Deb whispered that it took her mind off worrying about Annamarie. Lena said, “I’ve seen Grandma bake when she’s worried. We may have to open a bakery.” Lena wasn’t wrong. Paula had three loaves of bread rising, a double batch of sugar cookie dough firming in the refrigerator, a fruit strudel in the oven, and was busy twisting a cinnamon coffee cake when Deb and Lena walked into the kitchen.
Paula looked up, “When the strudel is finished, we need to bake the meatballs. Then they need to simmer in the sauce while the coffee cake and bread bakes.”
“Grandma, who are you feeding?” Lena twisted her lip when she looked at all the food covering her mom’s counters.
“Steve has to eat before he goes back to work and the men will be hungry when they get home. The strudel is for Annamarie, it’s her favorite. I want her to have it when she comes home.” Tears began to flow down Paula’s cheeks. She brushed them away and reached for a big bowl. “It’s time to make marshmallow squares for the kids. Lena can you melt the marshmallows?” Lena nodded.
Deb watched Paula move around the kitchen wishing she had something to keep her busy. Her hands were shaking and it took all her energy to keep from breaking down.
Lena picked up the marshmallows from the counter and walked toward the stove. She stopped and all the color drained from her face. Deb said, “Lena, what’s wrong.”
Lena dropped the bag on the floor and ran out the backdoor. She fell to the ground and pressed her right cheek into the dirt.
“What’s she doing,” Paula asked. Deb shrugged.
Emmy and Lizzy ran outside. Each twin sat on one side of Lena. When Lena raised her arms above her head and laid them on the ground, the twins each placed their hands on her arms. A purple light began to emanate under Lena’s body. It became a thin stream of light that ran out in front of Lena. Paula and Deb could see it move across the meadow and disappear into the woods. Lena remained motionless.
Although it was a bright and warm summer day, the cave was cool and damp. Annamarie sat as close to the sunlight coming in the cave to keep warm. She closed her eyes and tried to communicate with Lena, Magdalena, and Josef. She needed help, she was cold. The water and crackers fed her, but nothing offered her any warmth. She became aware that the cave was a bit warmer. She glanced out the small opening hoping the sun was in a position to shine into the cave, but nothing had changed.
Within minutes, the cave was comfortable and the dampness disappeared. A light caught Annamarie’s eye. She turned and saw a medium size round rock glowing purple lying near her. She picked it up and immediately felt warm and safe. “Lena,” she called. “Can you hear me? I’m in a cave by the river.” She held the rock close to her and felt its warmth. She and Lena had connected. Annamarie concentrated on connecting again.
Lena sat up, her face pale and the amulet around her neck glowed bright purple. “What just happened?” Paula asked. “We saw purple light travel across the meadow and into the woods.”
“I heard mom, she told me where she is, but her words were garbled. The light connected us. Part of my amulet’s power stayed with her to keep her safe. I think she’s near the river. I could hear and smell the water
.” Lena looked up at Deb and her grandma. She was pale and trembling. Deb helped her to her feet.
The sun set over the small town. Paula had cooked enough food for an army, but the men didn’t return by supper time. Bonnie, Deb, and Paula ate with the kids. The kids babbled on about their day while the women were quiet. Fear crossed all their faces. Steve walked into the kitchen and filled his plate.
“What?” he said when Deb looked at him. “I’m hungry and I have to work tonight.”
She smiled, “I know, I just don’t understand how you can eat so much.” She watched him add a second helping to his plate.
Bonnie asked, “Carl, Theo, and Sam didn’t come home. Do you think they’re okay? I’m worried.” She propped her head onto her hand and stared at Steve.
“If I were with them, I wouldn’t be coming home yet either. There are a lot of woods to cover and there are only three of them. They also need to stick together for safety which means it’ll take them longer to search,” Steve said as he slathered butter on another piece of warm, fresh bread.
“You are probably right, but I’m worried, too,” said Paula. “The longer they’re gone, the longer Annamarie’s lost.” She fought the tears in her eyes.
Lena broke into the conversation, “They’re okay. I can sense Uncle Carl and grandpa. We share some blood so I can sense what they feel if I concentrate hard. Uncle Carl’s frustrated, but not overly stressed. He would be if any of them were hurt.” She smiled at her grandma and reached for another cupcake. “These are great, Grandma.”
“Just don’t tell your mom I let you eat all these sweets,” Paula smiled at Lena.
“It’s our secret, Grandma.” Lena bit into the cupcake.
Steve kissed Deb and said he had to report to work for a couple of hours. “The sheriff is trying to keep an eye on the town. He and I are going to share the patrol shift while the new deputy mans the phone. I’ll be home in a few hours.”
Chapter Twenty
Annamarie hated to see the sun go down. As it disappeared so did the warmth. The cave became cool. She remembered the stone. When she picked it up, it began to warm and emit a beautiful purple glow. The cave warmed and Annamarie could see a few inches around her. She sighed, “This is so much better than the pitch black. Lena sent this somehow. I hope she’s able to find me.”
Daniel was restless. “I’m bored. Let’s go party in Oaklin. Annamarie is safely tucked away in the cave. They’ll never find her. I like the idea she’s cold and afraid. It’s the least she deserves.”
Garret laughed, “She’ll pay. I know you’ll see to it. I like the idea of partying while she suffers”
Their spirits flew toward town looking for a vehicle heading toward Oaklin and a night of fun.
Steve arrived home minutes before sunrise. He wandered into the main house hoping to find a piece of left over strudel. He found Bonnie in the kitchen awake for an early shift at the hospital.
“Good morning,” said Bonnie, “there’s fresh coffee.”
“Thanks, but I need to get some sleep as soon as I eat something.”
Bonnie looked out the kitchen window and jumped up, “The guys are back.”
She ran to the back door and hugged Carl. His somber face told her they hadn’t found anything.
Theo dragging his backpack behind him said, “We’re going to get a few hours of decent sleep and go back out. Sleeping on the ground doesn’t give us enough rest to keep looking. We’re going to find her soon.”
Paula heard his voice and hurried downstairs, but stopped when she saw the sad, empty look in his eyes. She knew he hadn’t found their daughter. She hugged him and said, “I’m going to make a good breakfast for all of you. You need more than the food you’ve been carrying around. Then you can sleep.” She kissed Theo on his forehead and smiled, “You taste like dirt. You should shower, too.”
A black sports car pulled into the parking area of Acorn Lake. A tall, muscular man parked the car and got out. He was talking aloud to no one. It would appear that way if anyone saw him, but the park was empty. The man speaking to the air was speaking to Garret. Garret, still in spirit form, spoke to Daniel who had retained the body he possessed the night before. After a nap in the car on the side of a country road, he was wide awake. He had decided to visit Annamarie in human form. He was in the mood for some fun. After all she was his wife or would have been if he was still alive. He deserved to be with her.
While Garret’s spirit flew back to the cabin, Daniel walked his body on a straight line to the cave. He knew the only way to get into the cave. Annamarie would be surprised. He was getting excited about taking what belonged to him.
Annamarie peered out of the cave opening into the darkness. It was a cloudy night and the moonlight was barely visible. The sun began to rise bringing a small amount of light into the cave. She clutched the rock to her chest giving her warmth and a bit more light. She heard a noise outside the cave. Fearful it was a wild animal, she kept quiet. The purple glow on the stone disappeared and the cave became cold again. When she saw the man peering into the cave opening, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness you found me. I’ve been kidnapped by a crazy man.” She smiled at the man as tears began to fall onto her cheeks.
He smiled at her and then she heard Daniel’s voice speak. Her heart began to race and fear tightened in her chest. She tried to move away, but her back hit the wall in the small cave. “No,” she cried. “It can’t be you.”
“What’s the matter baby, did you forget how good it was with us. Last time we were nearly together, I was in spirit form. This time I have a young strong body. We’re going to have a fun day.”
He grabbed her legs and yanked her toward him. She fell onto her back and the rock she was holding rolled away. With her hands tied, she wasn’t able to grab it. Daniel knelt down next to her. She could see the eyes of the man’s body change from hazel to black. She closed her eyes knowing there was no hope for her. She opened them again when she heard him unbuckle his pants and unzip them.
Her mind raced trying to find a way to keep from being raped and possibly killed. He pushed her arms above her head and leaned close to her. “Be a good girl and we’ll both have fun. No one can hear you if you scream, but it’ll annoy me and I might have to hit you.” He saw the fear in her eyes and said, “I guess I got your attention, now don’t move until I tell you what I want you to do.” His evil laughter filled the cave and Annamarie could hear the birds outside the cave fly away.
She bent her arms at the elbow and interlaced her fingers. When Daniel rose up a bit to move his pants down his hips, she hit him in the nose as hard as she could with her hands still tied.
“You, bitch! My nose is bleeding.” He pulled his shirt up to his face to try and stop the bleeding. When he buried his face in the shirt to stop the bleeding, Annamarie pulled her legs back as far as she could and kicked Daniel in the chest. He fell backwards and fell out of the cave. Daniel disappeared from sight.
Annamarie crawled to the opening afraid Daniel was right outside when she heard the shout. It was more like a terrified scream, but not in Daniel’s voice. She knew Daniel’s spirit had left the body and the man was waking into a horrid situation. She looked out the cave opening in time to see the man hit the water. She watched him swim to the other side of the river where a small area of sand was visible. He crawled onto the sand and lay there. Annamarie prayed he wouldn’t die. Even though it was Daniel she kicked, she felt responsible for the possessed stranger’s wellbeing.
Daniel flew straight back to the cabin. He related his experience with Garret and Garret shared his anger. Daniel’s rage grew. He felt as if he would explode, but there was no way to work out his frustration. The pain he felt when Annamarie broke the man’s nose and kicked him out of the cave was not something he wanted to experience again. Possessing a body to fight someone was out of the question. An idea dawned on him.
“Garret, I need to rid myself of this rage before I burst. L
et’s drive the town crazy.”
“Sure, what’ll we do?”
“We’ll fly through town and add rage into the mind of every animal we find. Dogs, cats, squirrels, mice, other rodents, and anything else we find. They’ll begin to fight. The town will go crazy. We’ll be sure to get Mrs. Loretta’s cats so she goes nuts and blames Annamarie. The sheriff will look for Annamarie and it’ll appear as if she’s hiding. Then later I’m going back and getting what I wanted this morning. She’ll be mine one last time before the end.”
Garret followed Daniel as their spirits flew toward town in search of the first unsuspecting animals.
Annamarie watched the young man lying on the shore sit up and shake his head. “Thank God he’s alive,” she said. As she watched him she realized the foggy mist was gone. She turned around and saw the stone glowing brighter than it ever had. Could Daniel have forgotten to keep the fog in place when he left? He was angry and he never thought straight when he was angry.
She picked up the rock and clutched it to her chest. “Lena,” she yelled. “Lena, can you hear me?”
Lena was lying on her bed trying to concentrate on locating Annamarie. She bolted upright at the sound of her mom’s voice.
“Mom, is that you?”
“Lena, yes, I can hear you. The mist is gone.”
“Daniel messed up, but he could be back. Do you know where you are?”
“Yes, in a cave above the river.”
Lena (Gypsy Spirits Book 3) Page 18
