Cats in the Belfry

by Patricia Fry

  “It will,” Iris murmured.

  “Here we are,” Savannah said. “Turn in here.” She looked around. “Not many cars.”

  Rochelle nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t expect a big turnout. There usually isn’t for things like this. They try to keep it exclusive.”

  “What now?” Iris asked.

  “We wait in our car until we see the shuttle pull in.”

  Savannah pointed. “Hey, is that the shuttle?” She shivered. “I’m so nervous, I have to pee.”

  “Oh, you have to pee every five minutes, anyway,” Iris said.

  “I know. I hope there’s a working bathroom out there.”

  “Didn’t you go before you left?” Iris asked.

  Savannah nodded. “Yes. Three times.”

  “Come on,” Rochelle urged. “And no giggling.”

  “Okay, straight faces,” Iris said, stepping out and walking with the others toward the shuttle. “There’s another gal,” she noticed. “And two more getting out of that blue car. Did you bring money, Savannah?”

  “Yes,” she hissed. “And my name’s Beverly, LeeAnn.”

  Iris grabbed Rochelle’s arm and whispered, “What’s your name?”

  “Rochelle.” She then said, “Shhh.”

  Once the six women were lined up near the shuttle, they were asked to hand over the fee or a piece of fine jewelry and a note with their question for the leader. As the driver and his helper collected, another woman passenger joined them.

  “Sit wherever you wish,” the driver directed. He gestured toward an older man with a shock of white hair and thick, Coke-bottle glasses. “Nelson will hand out the blindfolds.”

  This caught Savannah’s attention. She stared hard at the man. Nelson? Could he be? No, Craig said he was dead. She frowned, thinking, This is just too weird.

  Once each passenger had a blindfold, the driver, a tan forty-something man with a buzz haircut instructed, “Put these on and keep them on. Nelson will ride back here with you and if you’re seen lifting your blindfold at any time during the ride, you’ll be dropped off the shuttle. I’ll be watching through the rearview mirror, as well.”

  Before she put on her blindfold, Savannah strained to get another look at the man named Nelson. Good gosh, she thought. I hope I’m not in over my head. She felt an uncomfortable rush of panic and decided to bolt. But before she could make her body follow her mind’s desire, the door to the van slid closed with a thud.

  “Put that on and make it tight,” Nelson said, indicating the blindfold.

  Before she complied, she took a good look at him. He doesn’t look familiar—but I didn’t see that other man’s face. And this guy doesn’t sound like the other Nelson. Just a coincidence, she thought, as she adjusted the blindfold over her eyes.

  “Here we are,” the driver said after what seemed close to a ten-minute ride. “Keep the blindfolds on. We’ll lead you in.”

  Once everyone had exited the shuttle, Savannah heard it drive away. Only the driver returned shortly and he helped Nelson lead the group across a dirt area, then through a door and up a long flight of stairs. Savannah was aware that they were being led down a hallway and through another door. At that point, they were told they could remove the blindfolds.

  “Take that spiral staircase,” the shuttle driver instructed. “Step into the room at the top and take a seat. Your leader will be with you momentarily.”

  It’s much lighter in here, Savannah thought. I can actually see the top of the staircase. It sure looks rickety. Before beginning her ascent she noticed several battery-operated lanterns illuminating the area.

  Once the three women had stepped off the spiral staircase, Savannah glanced around. Ahhh, so this is the belfry room. She noticed several candles burning and two of the black cats were wandering around. Each guest was instructed to sit in one of the mismatched chairs around a large oblong table. A chair with arms was occupied by an ornate crown atop a flowered seat cushion. Savannah, Iris, and Rochelle slipped into seats on the far side of the table, facing the chair they assumed would be the leader’s. Savannah looked around at the others and wondered, Which one is Craig’s plant? She squinted to see the faces in the dimly-lit room. All women, she thought. So the plant is obviously a woman detective. Gads, I sure hope she’s here. Let’s see, there’s a frumpy-looking woman with way too much hair. Can’t even see her face. Could be her, I guess. If so, it’s a darn good disguise. There’s a nervous-seeming executive-type woman. Savannah laughed inwardly at herself, thinking, She’s kind of out of place in Hammond. Looks like she belongs on Wall Street. Maybe she’s the detective. Her friend looks meek and frightened. She studied the woman sitting closest to the leader’s chair. Now that’s the type of person I can imagine coming to one of these things—older, well-dressed, maybe well-to-do. She looks like someone who has lost a family member and is chasing all over the place trying to make contact with them. She smiled inwardly at her overactive imagination, then glanced around the table at the others again. This is crazy. I can’t even believe I’m here. She looked at Iris. She looks excited. That’s Iris. She loves this sort of thing.

  Just then, the women heard a commotion and they all turned toward the spiral staircase. Gosh, Savannah thought, is it a raid? Are the sheriffs here already? I wouldn’t mind getting out of here, but I’d kind of like to see what happens at one of these things. I’m curious. She noticed that the others were also curious, because they turned in their chairs and searched the shadows for a glimpse of what was going on. Then Savannah heard a familiar voice.

  “Let go of me! Let me go! I don’t want to go up there. No!”

  Oh my gosh, Savannah thought. That sounds like my aunt! She waited and watched until the two men—the shuttle driver and Nelson—entered the room holding Margaret between them.

  The driver pulled out a chair next to Savannah while Nelson instructed, “Sit down and be quiet.”

  In shock, Savannah asked quietly, “How did you get here? What are you doing?”

  “They dragged me out of the grocery store parking lot, the thugs.”

  “Quiet!!” Nelson hissed.

  Just then the candles flickered and Nelson announced, “Aviana is here.”

  Everyone gazed into the shadows and glimpsed a woman who appeared to glide into the room. They watched as she practically floated around the room behind the chairs, tossing something in the vicinity of each individual.

  “Fairy dust,” she announced fancifully. She giggled, then removed the large crown from the armed chair, put it on, and sat down. She closed her eyes for a moment and chanted. She then looked at the guests, studying each of them before beginning to chant again. She looked straight ahead and said in a deeper voice, “I must speak to Traci.”

  The nervous woman with the Wall-Street look let out a whine.

  “Traci, it’s okay. I’m okay. You must move on. I chose to be here. I was done. You had nothing to do with it. Don’t flatter yourself with guilt over my demise. Know that it was my choice.”

  At that, the leader slumped in her chair. Traci put her face in her hands and began to weep.

  After a few minutes, Aviana sat up and spoke quietly in a slightly different voice, “Angela, I’m still with you. Don’t doubt it. Don’t ever doubt it. Just know that I can’t direct every circumstance around you. You have free will and you have things to learn. But know that I am with you and I love you. You are safe as long as you follow the right road. You know what that is.”

  The younger woman gasped. She quickly asked, “Mom, is that you? Mom, should I take the job or marry Beryl? Please, Mom. What should I do?”

  As everyone waited and watched, Aviana said, “She is gone, Angela. As she has told you, you need to learn how to follow the right road.”

  “What a rip-off,” Angela said under her breath.

  “And it’s that attitude that has gotten you into trouble before, isn’t it, Angela?” Aviana said sternly.

  “How do you know?” she argued.r />
  “Take charge, Angela, like your mother has asked you to do. You’re in charge. Just know that while the joys and pleasures of your choices are yours, so are the consequences. Make good choices.”

  The young woman sat back in her chair and appeared to be pouting.

  Just then everyone became aware of something overhead.

  “Look!” shouted the well-dressed woman. “A bird. It came through that window. It’s an omen. Oh God, what does it mean?”

  “Damn bird,” Aviana said. She shouted, “Get him out of here!” She then announced, “That’s it. I’m through for tonight.” She glared at Savannah, then Margaret and said, “Take them all out of here, will you Nelson and Leroy…except that one.” She pointed at Savannah, then at Margaret. “And that one.”

  Rochelle and Iris looked at each other, then glanced at the leader and the men, not knowing what to do.

  “All the rest of you go…go,” Aviana said dramatically.

  Savannah made eye contact with Iris, then Rochelle. Remembering what Oma had told her about not being frightened, she nodded at her friends, indicating that they should do what Aviana had asked. She watched as they followed the driver toward the spiral staircase. She then looked around the room at the others wondering, which one is going to save us? Her eyes rested on the older woman. Do something, she willed. But the woman simply stood and obediently followed the others as Nelson escorted them out. Savannah looked at the Wall-Street woman, who also filed out with the others. It’s certainly not the spoiled young girl. When she looked at her aunt and saw fear reflected in her eyes, she grabbed her hand. Margaret squeezed it.

  “Hurry back,” the leader said as the men headed for the door. “I will need your help.”

  “Sure thing, Rita,” Leroy said. He slapped his hand over his mouth and quickly said, “Aviana.”

  Savannah gasped. Oh my gosh, she thought. Rita! That’s the woman who tried to poison me. Where’s Craig? God, what are we going to do? I’ve got to think of something! Savannah kept her eye on the woman named Rita while trying to calm herself so she could think more clearly.

  Rita walked toward the bell tower windows. She looked out into the darkness, then turned and faced Savannah. “It is such a shame that you will fall. This is an old building and I can tell you the framework up here isn’t the strongest.” She glared at Savannah. “It wouldn’t take much for it to give way and for you to fall to your death.” Her eyes wide, she said, “And of course, your friend there will try to save you. But, oh dear,” she became more dramatic, “the old floor might give way and down you’ll go too. Two at once.” She cackled. “I love it! Two at once and no more disruptions.” Just then a black cat jumped up onto the table. “And the cats,” the woman said excitedly, “they can go with you on your free fall. One, two, and all of those ghastly cats.”

  “You know that won’t do you any good,” Savannah said. When Rita looked at her, she continued, “Others will come. You’re not safe here from the world.”

  Rita stared daggers at Savannah and sneered. “But you’ll be gone. That’s all I’m concerned about right now.” She addressed both women. “You won’t demonize me from the other side will you?”

  Momentarily caught off guard, Savannah froze. Then she looked sideways at the crazed woman. “Oh yes, I will. You won’t have a moment of peace. If you let us go, we’ll promise to leave you alone, but if you continue with your little plan, yes! I will haunt you forever. Forever!” she shouted.

  The woman thought for a moment, then said, “Naw, that’s not true. I know how to protect myself from your kind. Now get up, both of you.” When the women didn’t move, Rita rushed to them and took their arms, pulling them up from their chairs and pushing them toward the windows. She stopped and said whimsically, “Look, it’s raining. Perfect.” She then snarled, “You’ll just lie there and rot away all night in the rain. Goodie! Goodie! This is better than I expected.” She released the women and ran around the room, unfurling shades to cover all the open windows, except for one. She sneered. “This one’s for you.”

  Meanwhile Savannah and Margaret crept back to the other side of the table and each moved to stand behind a chair. This time, when Rita came for them, Savannah lifted her chair and swung it at her, hitting her across the back. Rita fell to the floor. Margaret threw her chair on top of Rita and leaned on it to hold her down. Then they heard voices coming from the spiral stairwell. “What in the hell’s going on?”

  Craig, Savannah thought. However, when she turned toward the staircase, she saw Nelson and Leroy. She reached for another chair, but Leroy grabbed her before she could get a grip on it and he held her.

  Nelson, in the meantime, pushed Margaret off Rita, removed the chair, and attempted to help her up.

  “My clavicle is broken. My clavicle! I’m sure of it!” Rita screeched. She pointed to the open window and shouted, “Toss them out! Toss them out!”

  “Out the window?” Nelson asked. “Hey, I’m no killer. No way. I just came along to help with the joke you were pulling on someone.” He squinted at her. “It was a joke, wasn’t it?”

  “A joke?” Margaret said.

  Nelson looked at her, then at Rita. He took off his glasses and removed a white wig. “Yeah, my name’s not even Nelson.”

  “Useless piece of trash,” Rita snarled. She turned to the driver. “Leroy, you toss them out.”

  He started to back away. “Not me. You got the wrong guy, Rita.”

  When Savannah saw the men step back, she shouted. “She has killed before. None of us is safe. We have to stop her.”

  “Not me!” the man known as Nelson said, heading for the stairs. Just then, they heard another voice. “Outta the way!”

  “Craig,” Savannah called, “she’s trying to kill us!” When the detective entered the room and Savannah saw what he was wearing, she began to chuckle nervously. He’d removed the wig, but he still wore the frumpy, old-woman dress. He glanced at Savannah and Margaret, then approached the psychic and helped her to her feet.

  She looked him up and down before snarling, “You cheated me. You’re a fake. How dare you!”

  He laughed. “You’re calling me a fake?”

  He started to cuff her when she shouted, “Ouch! They broke my clavicle. You can’t cuff me; that’s torture.”

  Craig stared at Rita for a moment, then pulled her arms in front of her and said, “How about this?” as he fastened the handcuffs around her wrists.

  Before he could lead Rita out of the room, Margaret said, “Wait, I’d really like to know why we were targeted.”

  By then, two officers had ushered the driver and his sidekick back into the room. “Yeah, I’d like to know what’s going on here too,” the driver said.

  Craig tightened his grip on Rita’s arm. “Tell them,” he insisted.

  “Gladly,” she snarled. She scowled at Margaret and then at Savannah. “You were in my way. I had this good thing going here—well, once I got rid of that witch, Charmaine. I was going to take over and then you started coming around and disrupting everything. Didn’t you get the hint that I don’t want you here? This is my domain.” She spoke more loudly, “I’m the queen.”

  “So you killed Charmaine?” Savannah asked.

  She glared at Savannah. “This whole thing was my idea. That little witchy woman snuck in and took over. She stole my idea. When I got wind of it and confronted her, she refused to get out of my way.” She suddenly looked serene. “I had to get her out of my way.”

  “And the man in the pond?” Margaret asked.

  Flippantly, Rita said, “Oh, I hired him to do a job—wasn’t sure I could trust him. He had to go.” She glared again at the two women. “And you were next, you meddlers. You and that awful cat of yours.” She let out a shrill laugh, then she looked at Craig and said sweetly, “Please, the cuffs are cutting off my circulation, can you loosen them?”

  As Craig examined the cuffs, Rita took look that opportunity to dive through one of the windows of the bell to
wer to her death.

  Savannah gasped.

  Margaret grabbed Savannah’s arm and pushed her head against her shoulder.

  “Damn,” Craig said under his breath. He instructed the officers to escort the men down the stairs, then he asked Margaret and Savannah, “Are you okay?”

  They nodded.

  “Let me help you ladies down those stairs. I have a couple of calls to make, then I’ll drive you home.”

  Savannah nodded. “I suppose we’ll have to tell our husbands what happened here tonight.”

  “That’s up to you. But yeah, I’m sure you can’t keep this from them.”

  “Michael will never let me out of the house again,” Savannah lamented.

  “Oh, come on,” Margaret said, “he’s not that protective.”

  Savannah looked at Margaret. “How did you get here, anyway?”

  “Good question.” She nodded toward the doorway. “Those two animals tracked me down and found me at the grocery store. I guess she really wanted to do away with both of us.”

  Chapter 7

  The following morning while Michael, Savannah, Peter, and Rochelle enjoyed breakfast around the Iveys’ kitchen table, Michael’s phone chimed. He looked at the screen. “It’s Aggie.”

  When he walked into the other room to take the call, Savannah explained to the others, “She’s Michael’s newly discovered grandmother.”

  “Oh, yes. So they’re staying in touch,” Rochelle stated. “That’s nice.”

  Savannah nodded. “They sure are. They talk at least every week. I enjoy her calls too. She’s an interesting woman—fun to be with.”

  “How old is she?”

  “Ninety-two—a spry, active ninety-two. Savannah took a sip of her orange juice and chuckled. “You know, she probably would have gone with us last night on our…um…adventure. She’s one game woman.”

  Rochelle smiled. “I hope I get to meet her sometime. Sounds like my kind of gal.”