When the Shadows Come

by Breck, Alyssa

Carolina shook her head. “Not yet.”

  Nathan watched the guests arriving in small clusters and disappearing out of frame as they climbed the stairs to the chapel. By the end of the hour-long clip, he had seen approximately thirty-five men, including himself, who fit the vague description that Mallory had given Carolina. Mallory hadn’t seen him.

  He set up the second clip which captured the front of the chapel. He watched as people filed out. He saw Carolina walk out and down the stairs. “Show me the part when Mallory tells you she sees him.”

  “Okay.” Carolina moved closer to the screen then jumped in her chair. She looked to her left and lowered her forehead into her palm. “You scared the shit out of me, Mallory.”

  “What happened?” Nathan asked.

  “She saw him. Can you go back a few frames?”

  “Yes.” Nathan stopped the clip and began backing up frame by frame. “Tell me when to stop.”

  Carolina looked to her left again. “Here? Mallory says to stop here.”

  He froze the frame.

  “Go forward two frames.”

  Carolina leaned forward and pointed to the partial profile of a man wearing sunglasses and a black suit. “Mallory says that’s him.”

  Nathan looked closely. There was nothing remarkable about the perp. He advanced the video frame by frame as the man blended into the crowd and disappeared at the top of the screen.

  “Damn. I was hoping we’d get a front view of his face or see what car he got into.”

  Carolina looked at him. “Let’s watch the other footage and see if it catches a better angle of him.”

  Nathan marked the frames that the man appeared in and uploaded the last video which yielded nothing.

  “She’s gone,” Carolina said, getting up and stretching her arms above her head.

  “Did she say anything else?”

  “No. She didn’t even say goodbye. She just disappeared. But she was disappointed she couldn’t be more helpful.”

  Nathan shook his head. “She did great. We at least have something to look at now. When you see her again, please tell her I said thank you.” The words sounded strange leaving his mouth. He was asking her to thank a ghost.

  “I will.”

  Nathan saved the files and powered off the laptop. “What are you doing now? Any plans.”

  “No. Not really. Probably look for something to eat. It’s past dinner time.”

  Nathan looked at his watch. “Do you want to order takeout or go grab something?”

  “Nobody delivers in this neck of the woods, but we could run into town and get burgers or there’s a good little Mexican place about twenty miles away.”

  “Mexican sounds good.” He stood. “Shall we?”

  She smiled. “Sure.”

  THE CHIPS WERE FRESHLY fried, and the salsa was spicy. Not too many Mexican restaurants in Arkansas measured up to the eateries in Mexico, but this little hole in the wall was actually really good. The tables were lacquered wood, and the bench seats were comfortable. Yellow shaded lamps hung from the ceiling over each table. The waitress was a shapely Hispanic woman with a Texas accent.

  “What can I get y’all?” Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail.

  Carolina looked up from the plastic-coated menu. “I’ll have the cheese enchilada plate, please.”

  “You got it.” The waitress looked at Nathan. “And for you?”

  “I’ll try the taco salad with carne asada.”

  She collected the menus. “It’ll be out shortly.”

  “Thank you,” Nathan replied.

  Carolina dipped a chip in the salsa. “What happens next? Now that you have the killer on video.”

  “Well, we need to try and figure out who he is. His image is grainy on the films but it’s another piece of the puzzle.” He couldn’t reveal too much about the investigation, but so far every clue he had had come from Carolina, so he wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know.

  She sighed and spread out a napkin in front of her then broke two chips into smaller pieces.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “You seem a little down.”

  “I’m just tired. I’m not used to being this deeply involved with a ghost. It’s usually simpler, more cut and dry. You know, someone died without saying they were sorry or they didn’t tell someone they loved them. Mallory is complicated. She needs me to help her in a bigger way. I’m emotionally invested more than usual.”

  “I get that. How do they find you?”

  Carolina popped a chip into her mouth. When she finished chewing, she replied, “The easiest way to describe it is that I’m like a lighthouse. I’m sure you’ve heard that when people die they have an urgency to go into the light. Sometimes that light isn’t there for them for whatever reason. When that happens, they’re drawn to me or someone else they see as a beacon. I can’t control who comes to me. They just show up, and I try to help them if I can.”

  “I’ve never thought of it that way, but it makes sense. Do you ever wish it would stop?”

  “I think I might be lonely if it did. I really don’t know anything else.”

  “When did this start? The ghosts, I mean.”

  “The first one I remember was another child. I was about four and she was six. Her name was Maya.”

  He smiled. “There’s something so sad, but also sweet about that.”

  “I didn’t realize she was dead. To me she was another little girl to play with, kind of like a sister. We used to have tea parties and play with dolls. It never really occurred to me that she never drank the tea or picked up a toy. We talked and giggled. She was my best friend and then I lost her. She was my first heartbreak.” Carolina sipped her soda. “I loved her.”

  “I’m sorry. Dealing with death is hard enough as an adult. I can’t imagine how tough it would be for a four-year-old.”

  She shrugged. “I always say my childhood could’ve been worse.”

  “I think that’s true for everyone.”

  The waitress brought out their plates. The taco salad was a little smaller than he expected but it was good.

  Carolina sprinkled salt onto her enchiladas and took a big bite. It was nice to sit across from a woman who wasn’t afraid to eat.

  They finished their dinner and Nathan paid the bill. Then he drove her home and headed back to Little Rock. Maybe between the partial license plate and the images on the videos he could close in on this asshole. The only thing there wasn’t a pattern for was the frequency.

  Chapter 8

  The flashing lights up ahead explained the traffic. Carolina looked over at Mallory in the passenger seat. “Fatality.”

  Mallory craned her neck to get a better look. She gasped. “Oh no.”

  “What is it?” Carolina couldn’t see beyond the big, red pickup in front of her.

  “I see a bicycle sticking out from under a car.” Mallory frowned. “I can’t see this. Can you turn around? Can we go back home, please? I don’t want to see this.” Ironically, Mallory had become soft since she died. The living version of her probably would’ve bitched that she had to wait while a child was being scooped off the road.

  Traffic was being merged into one lane. Carolina put on her turn signal and inched toward the left. After moving slowly, she finally got over and she was afforded a clearer view of the scene. The sulfur-tinged smoke from the emergency flares filtered through the vents of her Honda and tickled her nose.

  The little boy stood on the side of the road peering down at the mangled bicycle. A little silver bell was attached to the handlebar. The frame was bent and the bright red paint was cracked. Blood pooled beside the wheel. Maybe he was staring at the blood.

  A woman covered her face and leaned her hip against the fender of the white Buick while a police officer patted her shoulder. Carolina’s heart ached for that woman. She couldn’t imagine feeling responsible for taking a life, even if it was an unavoidable accident. It was u
nnatural for a child to die before they discovered what life really was.

  The little boy in the blue t-shirt and jeans looked up and made eye contact with Carolina. The blare of the siren from the ambulance as it pulled away from the scene startled her, but the child showed no reaction and walked toward her car with a curious expression on his face. It was windy but his hair didn’t move in the breeze.

  Mallory shook her head. “This isn’t going to end well.”

  “It’s already ended, for him at least.”

  “If he’s dead, why did the paramedics take him away?”

  “Maybe they think they can bring him back. It’s possible he’s not completely gone yet. But I can see him clearly. That’s not a good sign. People have hope with children. It’s hard to let them go.”

  “How old do you think he is? I mean was ... is?”

  “He looks maybe six or seven. I’m not sure. But I think we’re about to find out a whole lot about him.”

  Mallory jerked in her seat when she turned and found him standing outside the passenger window. He smiled.

  “Oh, dear God. If I wasn’t already dead, he would’ve given me a heart attack.” She rolled her window down.

  Carolina leaned forward. “Hi.”

  Hello,” he said, his tiny fingers gripped the edge of the window.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Gabriel. My mom calls me Gabe.” He looked toward the accident scene. “She doesn’t know yet.” In a flash, he was sitting in the back seat of the Honda and he was trying to fasten the seatbelt across his lap. His little fingers just slid through the metal clasps. “I always wear my seatbelt but there’s something wrong with this one. It’s not working.” He looked up with a perplexed look on his face.

  “Uh, Gabe, what are you doing?” Carolina watched him in the rearview mirror. “Surely, your mother told you about not getting in a stranger’s car.”

  He grinned revealing he was missing his two front teeth. “You’re not a stranger. You’re the ghost girl.” He pointed a skinny finger at Mallory. “And she’s a ghost. I figured you were here for me, like the ghost carpool. My mom drives carpool every Friday.”

  Carolina couldn’t really argue with his logic. A second cop car pulled up and a portly officer got out to direct traffic. He waved them around the still sobbing woman and Gabe’s twisted up bike.

  “I wasn’t supposed to ride my bike on this road. My dad is going to be mad at me.” Gabe turned his head to watch the scene as they slowly drove past it.

  Carolina waved at the cop and picked up speed on the open road. Driving to the mall didn’t seem like such a great idea now, and she made a right on the next road to head back toward home. She hadn’t seen many children in the afterlife since she was an adult. Most children seemed to gravitate to other children, someone they’d figure was a playmate. She glanced in the rearview mirror. Gabe was gone, and he’d taken Mallory with him.

  Carolina headed home anyway. Her mood was dark and she was tired. Having both Gabe and Mallory pulling on her energy had worn her out. She fought the urge to pull over and close her eyes. Fresh death drained her faster, especially being on the scene of the event. Her eyes drooped, and she pressed the accelerator.

  CAROLINA CLUTCHED THE broom in her hand and reached into her pocket to turn down the volume on her music. She heard it clearly now, a child’s laughter. She walked into the kitchen where Mallory stood at the double hung door that opened onto the patio.

  “Hey, Mal.”

  Mallory looked over her shoulder. “Hey.”

  “Did you bring a guest with you today?”

  Mallory shook her head. “Nope. He was here when I got here. But I’ve been talking to him.”

  Carolina approached the door and looked inside the patio. Gabe skipped across the concrete while Stellaluna watched. The child stopped to bend down and look the goat in the face before he continued to skip. Then he saw Carolina.

  She waved at him. “Hello, Gabe.”

  “Hi.” His face took on a confused look. “Where am I again, Miss Mallory?”

  “You’re in transition, sweetie.”

  He touched a finger to his temple. “That’s right. I keep forgetting. I don’t have a very good memory. When I was small, I was good at playing Memory. I used to beat my dad all the time. Since I died, it’s hard to remember stuff.” He turned away and jumped his way back to Stellaluna.

  Carolina looked at Mallory and sighed. “The kids always make me sad.”

  “He needs someplace to be until his parents take him off the respirator. They need to let go of him before he can cross over.”

  Carolina put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. Tears burned her eyes.

  “I wonder sometimes if I ever would have had children.” Mallory looked at Carolina. “I didn’t want any, but you know, people change as they get older. Maybe I would have changed.”

  Carolina didn’t say it, but she doubted that Mallory would’ve changed. She’d been such a shitty human being. “You would have been a good mom.”

  Mallory shook her head and laughed. “You’re still not a good liar.”

  “Okay, I’m being nice,” Carolina admitted. “You probably would’ve married some high-profile stockbroker and led a charmed but bitchy life.”

  Mallory looked at her hands. “You’re right. I don’t know if I would call it a charmed life. Although, who I was in life ... that girl, would have been content with the money. How sad is it that I had to die to realize how important life is?”

  “It’s kind of like that saying, ‘hindsight is twenty-twenty.’”

  Mallory nodded. “Yeah. Exactly.”

  They both looked back to Gabe who now sat on the ground beside Stellaluna and chattered away like there was no tomorrow. Well, for him, there probably wouldn’t be. Mallory disappeared and Carolina went back inside to finish cleaning.

  COOKIE’S TAVERN WAS an old, wooden building. Nathan sat in his car and watched the smoke billowing out of the red-brick chimney. A lot of cops had a tendency to drink too much, and Nathan was no exception. He turned off the car and tucked the keys into his front pocket. The inside of the bar was pretty much what he’d expected. The bartender was a young woman who didn’t look too different from Mallory.

  Technically, no one was supposed to smoke indoors. Regardless, a man sitting at the end of the bar took a long drag on a cigarette before crushing it out in an ashtray. The bartender smiled and popped her gum.

  “What can I get you?” She wiped down the counter with a white dishtowel.

  “Maker’s Mark, straight up.”

  “You got it, sweetheart.” She set a beveled glass on the counter and filled it with the amber liquid.

  Nathan took a sip and then turned around to survey the interior of the bar. A line of booths with tacky red vinyl benches were situated against the back wall. None of the men in the bar looked much like the suspect.

  While Nathan had some questions for the bartender, he decided to hang out for a while before broaching the subject. He had a hard time imagining Mallory hanging out and enjoying herself in a bar like this. It was the kind of place that attracted roughnecks who worked in the oil fields and the women who were drawn to that sort of man. Then again, maybe she had a secret like for roughnecks.

  “You’re not from around here, are you?”

  The fans on the ceiling turned slowly, but didn’t do much too cool the stale air inside. Nathan turned around to face the bartender. “No. I’m in town on business.”

  The woman smiled and propped her elbows on the bar. “And, what kind of business would that be?”

  Satisfied that the man he was looking for wasn’t in the bar, Nathan engaged the waitress. “Actually, I’m with the Arkansas State Police. We’re investigating the murder of Mallory Kramer. It’s my understanding this was the last place she was seen alive.”

  The color drained from the woman’s face. She took a step back. “I saw her that night. She’d had a few drinks. But she wasn’t
drunk.”

  “Did you see her talking to anyone that night?”

  “We don’t see a lot of women like her in this place. She caught the eye of a lot of men that night.”

  “Anyone in particular stand out in your mind?”

  She bit her lip and shook her head. “Not really.”

  “What about credit card slips for that night?”

  “Most of the people in this bar pay cash.”

  “Do you know any of them by name?”

  “I know a few of them. They’ve been coming in here for years. But these guys aren’t killers.”

  “Are you sure?” Nathan took another drink of whiskey. “Sometimes it’s the person you least expect.”

  Without asking, she refilled his glass. “We get a few people from out of the area, kind of like you. Maybe it was one of them.”

  Nathan pulled an FI card out of his pocket. “Well, why don’t we start with you giving me the names of people you do know?”

  The woman rattled off a few names. None of them were familiar to Nathan in the investigation so far.

  “It’s my understanding that Mallory rebuffed a young man in particular. Do you remember seeing that?”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t.”

  “Did you happen to see anyone driving a gray sedan?”

  “Mallory was already gone by the time I went out to the parking lot that night. I don’t remember seeing a gray car. The lot was nearly empty by then.”

  Nathan rubbed his thumb around the rim of the glass. “Is there anyone here tonight that you remember seeing that night?”

  She pointed across the bar at the burly man seated in a booth. He had a bushy, gray beard and thick glasses sat on a reddish, bulbous nose. He wore a blue coverall like a mechanic. “Larry was here that night. Do you want me to call him over here?”

  “Sure. I didn’t catch your name.”

  “I’m Lorraine. Lorraine Butcher.”

  Nathan nodded, but didn’t comment on the nature of her name. That would be impolite. Especially while he was investigating a murder.

  Lorraine waved her hand in Larry’s direction. “Come over here for minute.”