by Denise Daisy
“You know something you’re not telling me. What is it?”
He took in a deep breath before he answered. “You mentioned she said she saw someone before she jumped.”
“Yeah.”
“She shouldn’t have run after what she saw.”
Sudden panic flooded over Esther.
“Okay, now you’re scaring me. What do you mean?”
Reed didn’t answer.
It took some time for the boys to get their bearings. They had chased Felicitas far deeper into the woods than they realized. All the years growing up in the boy scouts paid off for Danny. He pulled a compass from his pocket and reasoned the estate would be southeast. He was right; within minutes he and David emerged from the woods.
Both tractors had long since returned and everyone was gathered around the fire, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. The boys scanned the group. She wasn‘t there.
“Hey, anyone seen Taz?”
No one had.
David spotted Mr. Reddick tending the fire and bolted for him, unloading the story as he arrived. Upon hearing what happened, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and made a call. The boys stood close by and listened in on his conversation.
“Reed, what’s going on? How long? Where are you now? You alone? Okay, well keep her close to you and make your way back. I’ll send a search party.” he placed the phone in his pocket and turned to walk away.
“Hey Mr. Redick.” David called after him.
“So what’s up? We want to help.”
Mr. Reddick stopped a moment and faced the boys. “You boys go ahead and enjoy the fire. I got some hired hands that can take care of this.”
David didn’t give up. “We don’t mind. Taz is a good friend. I want to help.”
“You can help by stayin’ out of the woods. I already have one person lost; I don’t want it to be three. These woods are dense and treacherous.”
David and Danny watched him walk over and talk to the two men who had driven the tractors earlier. They grabbed a couple of flashlights, and then the three of them headed down the dirt path and disappeared into the woods. David stood watching, feeling a bit perturbed at being treated like a child.
“Want to follow them?”
Danny gave an evil grin. “Let’s go.”
“Was that your dad?”
Reed closed his phone. “Yeah. He’s bringing help.”
“So, she’s not back there?”
“No.”
Esther forced back tears. Her concern was escalating by the minute. How could Felicitas have disappeared into thin air? A growing fear gnawed at the pit of her stomach. She could sense something was not right. She looked at Reed who seemed to be lost in thought as well.
“So what do we do now?”
“Dad wants us to head back to the fire, but there’s one more place I want to check before we do. Is that okay with you?”
Esther was not ready to give up the search. She would comb every inch of the woods even if it took all night.
“It’s more than fine with me. What’s the place?”
“Just an old well.”
“My God. Do you think she could have fallen into a well?”
“I don’t think she could have fallen into this one.”
“Why not?”
“You’ll see. Come on.”
Reed led the way. The trees thickened while they walked. Esther high stepped across the deep brush, climbing over fallen trunks and tree limbs. The way grew perilous and their path black. She groped about in the darkness grabbing at anything to keep herself from stumbling.
“I can’t see a thing.”
“Here take my hand.”
Esther’s heart raced at the thrill of holding Reed’s hand, although she wished it was under different circumstances. Reed slipped his hand over hers and walked a bit father before stopping at a peculiar group of trees.
“We’re here", he said, continuing to hold onto her hand clenching it tighter than before. Esther strained her eyes to see in the blackness of the woods. She could barely see her hand in front of her face.
“I can’t see a thing.”
“You’ll be able to in a minute.” Reed moved his free hand along the trunk of a large tree. He reached up and pulled out what looked like a limb. He released Esther’s hand and pulled a book of matches from his jeans. He lit the end of the limb which actually turned out to be a torch. The glowing fame dispelled the darkness. Esther looked at Reed in disbelief.
“You keep torches in your trees?”
He didn’t answer. Instead he held the flame high lighting the grove of ghostly looking trees. Their massive gnarled trunks grew within inches of each other creating a large circle impossible for anyone or anything to enter. The thick branches void of any leaves entwined with the boughs from the neighboring tree creating an impenetrable barricade. An ancient well sat in the center protected by the trees. A fog hugged the ground surrounding the well. Water spilled softly over the top like a fountain. Esther realized what Reed meant by no one being able to fall into this well. It was impossible to get anywhere near it.
“What is this place?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? You have to know, you brought me here.”
“I don’t know what it is though. I have my ideas, but….”
“What do you mean you have your ideas? Do you think it has something to do with Taz disappearing?”
“I don’t know.”
Esther was becoming impatient. Her quest for answers superseded any crush or would-be relationship. Now was not the time to be charming. She would grab him around the neck and choke the answers from him if need be.
“You do too know. You thought it was important enough to check out. I want to know why. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Reed continued to hold the torch in his hand. It lit his face, outlining his strong features. Usually Esther would be nervous in his presence; tonight it was Reed that seemed anxious.
He stepped up close forcing her against the trunk of a tree his face directly in front of hers. She swallowed hard, taken back by the unintended intimacy of the moment.
“Promise me you will not tell anyone about this place.”
Emotion choked the voice from her throat. She managed a hoarse whisper.
“I promise.”
“I think it’s some sort of gateway.”
She swallowed hard.
“Gateway to where?”
Reed bit down hard clenching his jaw. “I know it sounds crazy, but I think it is a passageway to the afterlife.”
A cold chill passed through Esther as terror invaded her. She glanced at the vapor hovering near the well and the gnarled trees standing vigil and she began to tremble. This was too much. She wanted to turn and run as fast as she could, removing herself as far from this bizarre place as possible. Instead she grabbed Reed’s hand.
“Okay, I am scared to death right now…I may pass out at any minute.”
Reed’s lips gave way to a smile.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t bring you here to scare you.”
“Then why did you being me here?”
Reed moved in pinning her closer against the tree. He placed his mouth close to her ear and whispered as if he feared being heard.
“To see if there was water. When there is water there is activity…..it means they have come.”
Esther wanted to scream and run like a banshee through the woods. Reeds words made her legs shake uncontrollably. She wished she were anywhere but where she was, yet the intimacy of the moment made a fire burn in her belly.
“Who are they?” she whispered back
She didn’t know why, but his next words chilled her to the bone, and for some reason she wished she had not asked the question. It’s better not to know some things, because sometimes with certain knowledge comes great misfortune. Yet, she had asked; and, he had whispered back into her ear. She never could have dreamed that the two words
he spoke would change her life forever.
“The Harets.”
She didn’t know what Harets were, but before she found her voice to ask, Reed extinguished the torch and placed it back into the limbs of the trees as if he were in a hurry to leave
“We should head back before they find us here.”
He grabbed her hand again leading her away from the eerie well. She glanced back into the blinding darkness, the passageway, as Reed had called it was not visible.
“Why did you want to check it out? Do you think it has to do with Taz disappearing?”
“You said she saw someone before she jumped from the trailer.”
“Uh huh….she said, My God it’s him.”
“Do you know who she was talking about?”
“No. I thought maybe Ian had surprised her and came after all.”
“Maybe it was him. Maybe they ran off together.”
Esther eyed Reed. They both knew that wasn’t the case. He continued.
“I’ve lived on this property since I was nine. I used to see things from time to time.”
“What kind of things?”
“You know, people in the woods…ghosts. Nine years ago, I chased one and discovered the well. It looked the same as tonight. Water spilling over. Sometimes it’s dry. That’s the time of no activity. But, the times I see a ghost, the well is brimming over with water. I tried to cut the trees down that surround it, but every time, my saw would break. It’s like carving through stone. It’s impenetrable.”
“So you never told anyone about it?”
“Of course I did. But I was nine years old, my parents didn’t believe me. So I kept the secret to myself.”
Esther thought a moment. “So do you think Taz chased a ghost?”
“It’s possible.”
“Then we should find her soon.”
Reed didn’t reply.
“So why do you call them Harets?”
Reed stopped abruptly and placed his hand over Esther’s lips.
“You shouldn’t say it out loud…never say it out loud, especially in these woods.”
CHAPTER SIX
By 1:00 AM, the Rebolds were called and arrived at the scene. The dread they were feeling was apparent in their faces. Melvin Rebold being the influential man of the community that he was pretty much took over the search asking more questions than the police.
Ian arrived by 1:30 visibly upset and on edge; Catlin arrived with him. They were both questioned and after their brief interrogation by the local law enforcement Ian entered the woods to search and Catlin sat by the fire and waited with the others.
By 2:00 AM, the Reddick estate was alive with activity. Emergency vehicles surrounded the area, their red and blue lights rotating, penetrating the blackness of the night. A search copter flew overhead casting its bright beam of light over the area. Esther sat with Felicitas' mother and sisters near the fire and waited trying to keep her mind off the dire imaginations that consumed her thoughts. Esther felt for Felicitas' mother sitting there alone staring into the fire. She could only imagine what she must be feeling. Every now and then when she thought of the things Reed told her in the woods, a terror would find its way up her spine chilling her in spite of the warm blanket wrapped around her.
David and Danny stayed beside her, their playful antics replaced by a somber spirit.
Everyone waited while the police and the canine unit combed the woods. Reed rejoined the search party along with his dad and the hired men. A news reporter showed up eager to question the officer in charge. Her stomach churned while she listened to the reporter announce that the daughter of a well-known local minister had gone missing.
Esther stared into the dying flames wishing she hadn’t suggested coming tonight. Felicitas had not wanted to come. She had wanted to talk to her about something. There was a deep fear growing within her that whatever it was that Felicitas wanted to disclose had something to do with her disappearance. She mentioned it to the officer, but he seemed to dismiss it. He was more interested in hearing about Felicitas relationship with Ian. Esther could tell he had already made up his mind that whatever happened to her had something to do with Ian. His suspicion fell short when Ian and Catlin arrived with an alibi.
By 4:00 AM, only a few faithful friends remained. The search party emerged from the woods empty handed. There was no trace of Felicitas. Esther held back her tears for the sake of Felicitas' parents. She would cry when she got home.
Reed made his way over to the fire and sat down beside her.
“I’ll drive you home.”
At 4:30 AM, Reed pulled his truck into Esther’s driveway. She didn’t make a move for the door handle; instead she sat staring out of the windshield. He turned off the engine and waited.
“Taz was supposed to spend the night with me tonight. I never dreamed I’d be coming home alone. How does something like this happen? It’s so frustrating not to know anything. How could she have disappeared in plain view?”
Reed didn’t answer. Instead he turned and looked out of his window.
She never knew him to be a loud talkative type of guy anyway. It was his silence that made him mysterious and sexy to the girls. His dark eyes would conceal his thoughts as he scanned the crowd never revealing what he was thinking. Tonight, however, his silence made her uneasy.
“What are you thinking about? The well?”
“Uh huh.”
“You think it has to do with her disappearing don’t you? Why do you think that?”
Reed turned away from the window and cast his black eyes on her. Even in the dark of the night it took her breath away.
“I lost something to that well once.”
Esther felt the trembling begin again so she wrapped her arms around her body to try and keep from shivering.
“What are you talking about?”
“The night I discovered the well, I was in the woods playing with my dog, Lancer. He saw something and began barking like crazy. Then he took off running. I chased him but couldn’t keep up. Then his barking stopped. I looked everywhere, called his name over and over. Nothing. I kept searching and that’s when I found the well. It looked just like it did tonight with the water running over the top. I had a flashlight on me and I shined it past the trees and I saw Lancer's collar broken off lying near the well.”
“Did he fall in?”
“Lancer was a bull mastiff. He weighed over a hundred and eighty pounds. He would have never fit past the tight space between the trees.”
Esther shifted in her seat disturbed at what she was hearing. “So what do you think happened?”
“I wish I knew. I loved that dog and he loved me. He would have never just abandoned me like that. The next day I went to the well and it was completely dry, no water at all. There were paw prints in the mud around it. That was nine years ago and he never came home.”
Tears burned at Esther’s eyes but she held them back, refusing to cry until she was certain the worst had happened.
At 5:30 AM, the sprinklers raised their spinning heads and watered the grass hitting the side of Reed’s truck just as the morning paper landed in the driveway. Esther raised her head from Reed’s shoulder and looked around. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep let alone spend the night in Reed’s truck. They had talked for some time neither one aware when they drifted off to sleep. Esther invited him in for breakfast. Reed picked up the paper and handed it to her as they entered the house. Opening it, she saw Felicita's picture plastered on the front page with the caption: Local Teen disappears at backyard party. She scanned the article; suddenly her appetite diminished.
At 7:00 AM, the elderly doctor swallowed a bite of his eggs and put down his coffee mug. He folded the morning paper and laid it aside to pick up his phone, and then he punched a series of numbers with his chubby finger.
“Hello, Murfreesboro Police Department, how may I direct your call?”
“Hello, this is Dr. Garrison down at the Regenwood Clinic. I believe I have some ne
ws on the missing teen.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Esther was furious and talked back to her radio as if the announcer could hear her verbal assault. The reporter was saying that due to a recent development the authorities declared Felicitas Rebold to be a runaway. Esther fumed at the accusation as she pulled her jeep into the large circle drive and parked near the bubbling fountain. She slammed her door unknowingly catching the sleeve of the jacket she carried. She walked forward with determination only to be yanked backward. She bit her lip to keep from cursing. She didn’t curse often but there were some occasions that called for it and this certainly was one but she dare not curse on the property of a minister. Knowing Melvin Rebold as she did she was certain he would have captured the entire scene on his security cameras and replay the incident in front if the entire congregation next Sunday morning and then preach against swearing.
She freed her jacket sleeve from the grip of the door and tossed it inside. She was heated and had worked up such a sweat she doubted she would need it anyway. With determination she walked toward the house passing Ian’s car and then several others she did not recognize.
Felicitas mother, Sharon, had phoned Esther earlier and asked her to come over and told her a detective was at their home and had some questions to ask her concerning Felicitas. Esther took a quick shower and hurried over. Now hearing the latest news on the radio she had a few questions of her own. One being what in the world would make the police think Felicitas had run away?
Sharon hugged Esther tightly before escorting her into the house. She was a stunning woman looking much younger than forty-three. She was a typical southern belle, her highlighted hair flawlessly coiffed brushing the top of her shoulders and her makeup applied to perfection. Today; however, Esther noticed tear stained smudges had erased most of it.
Felicitas two sisters Lisette and Hayley, the grandparents on her father’s side and some of her aunts and cousins were gathered in the family room. Ian was there too sitting on the floor. Esther fumed all over again when she saw Catlin leaning on his shoulder. If the police had any suspicion of foul play Esther would be sure to mention Catlin. It would be a thrill to see her interrogated and watch her admit under pressure that she had a thing for the missing girl’s boyfriend.
