Dark Witness

by Rebecca Forster

  "No. In fact, he might have done something very good. We think he might have helped this girl and her friend."

  Archer passed the photograph of Hannah to Andre who held it out to Duncan. Duncan couldn't believe he was looking at the same girl. Hannah had deteriorated since coming to Duncan's house when she should have thrived; Melody and Teresa had come broken and become stronger.

  "Sir? Sir," Andre called.

  "She's very beautiful," Duncan muttered.

  "She would look different now. Her hair would be shorter and probably dyed blond."

  Archer added: "She would have been traveling with a young man. About six feet tall. Long, light colored hair."

  Duncan said nothing. Andre tried again to get a rise out of him.

  "We found Robert's glove at the scene." Archer held out his cell phone with the picture of the glove. "We also found his fingerprints on a key that unlocked the container. We know he was on site, sir. We believe he might have taken something from the truck besides these two people."

  "So you believe he is a thief? Or a kidnapper?"

  Andre shook his head, "No, sir. I know how it is out here. I understand that what a body finds is sometimes critical to survival. In this case, the cargo is lethal if it isn't used properly. I'd simply like to recover it. Our main concern, though, is the two teenagers who we believe were in the back of the truck."

  "So you don't have a warrant for his arrest?" Duncan asked.

  "I'm just hoping for your cooperation, Mr. . .," Andre answered.

  "Brother Thoth. Duncan Thoth," he answered.

  Andre smiled, but Archer didn't bother to play the game. That was Guillard's job. Archer was busy cataloguing the area and there was a lot he didn't like.

  The compound was spread out. On the way up they had passed a shed stuffed with tools: axes and shovels, a scythe and a wheelbarrow. There was a sharpening wheel. By the huge pile of split wood there were two sledge hammers and more axes. None of it was unusual for a place in the wilderness, but all of it could be turned into weapons. There was another structure about fifty feet from the main house. Its front door must face east because Archer couldn't see a backdoor and there seemed to be only two windows. There was a path that intersected the one he and Andre had taken. Something important must be down that way since it was well traveled.

  Then there was the main house. Duncan was guarding it like there was a harem behind those walls. Three stories. Old. Dry as tinder. There was probably a root cellar and an attic. There were also people inside. At a minimum there was one woman and two men. Archer could see the woman through the picture window on the first floor. It wasn't Hannah. On the second floor a man had looked through old drapes only to pull away when Archer looked up. He saw the man's silhouette behind the lace curtains and it was big enough to fill the window. That was probably their man, Robert Butt. The other guy looked straight at Archer, but Archer couldn't have given a description of him for a million bucks.

  "Excuse me," Duncan called. "You. What are you looking at?"

  "Just admiring the house," Archer said. He didn't mind that this man was a little annoyed. Archer was getting a little annoyed himself and it was with Andre's soft sell. It wasn't getting them anywhere, so Archer took a chance. "Are they here or not? We'll take any or all. Maybe we can start with Robert, but Hannah or Billy will do, too. Just one of them."

  Archer started walking, stopping only when he reached the stairs. Since Duncan hadn't moved and was giving him a stinking, lazy-eyed look, Archer forced the issue. He put his foot on the bottom step.

  "This is a private residence," Duncan said. He looked toward Andre. As much as he hated the man – his good looks, his uniform, his false authority – Duncan was happy to use that authority to his own benefit. "Trooper Guillard, I feel threatened by this man. I would appreciate it if you would remove him from the property. And yourself, if you don't mind."

  "Archer." Guillard called, but Archer didn't move. Andre raised his voice. "Archer."

  This time Archer listened. His foot landed back on the ground. There wasn't much to be seen in Duncan's eyes: some arrogance, not as much confidence as Duncan pretended, but not as much stupidity as Archer would have liked.

  "Thanks for the hospitality," Archer said and turned his back.

  "I just want to protect my people. I'm sure you understand that," Duncan answered. "Come back tomorrow. After we've prayed."

  Archer went back to Andre who gave him a clap on the back as he passed. Andre tipped his hand to Duncan.

  "Thank you for your time. We've got a boat just down–”

  Before Andre could finish making nice, Archer spun around and bellowed:

  "Hannah! Billy! Hannah! We're here!"

  "Damn!"

  Andre was on him, taking his arm, moving him out. Archer tried to shake him off but Andre had a good hold of him so he walked backward, calling out until the trooper forced him to silence. The only thing Archer saw before the Trooper turned him around was Duncan's back just before he closed the front door.

  ***

  Hannah rolled over.

  She opened her eyes wide.

  She thought someone was calling her name. She thought Archer had been calling her name. She rolled out of bed and onto her knees. Breathing deep, gulping air, she pulled on the bedclothes, got herself upright and, hand-over-hand, managed to get to the window. Once there, all she saw was outside: grey sky and white snow, the trunks of the trees brown and black, Glenn's woodpile, Duncan's house. Her head was spinning. She put it against the old window glass. Her stomach heaved. She draped one arm at her waist and closed her eyes. The icy cold glass felt wonderful on her forehead, but it wasn't enough to make her feel well. She wanted Billy to come through the door and get her downstairs and out into the snow. She wanted to breathe fresh air. But he wasn't there. She didn't know where he was. She didn't know if he was coming back. When the door of her room opened, Hannah shut her eyes. She didn't want Melody to fawn over her; she didn't want Teresa to check her stitches.

  "I'm fine. I don't need help," she said.

  When no one answered and the door didn't close, Hannah lifted her head and opened her eyes. She straightened up, intending to show Melody that she didn't need help. Instead, Hannah looked out the window again. She caught only a glimpse of two men walking into the forest and they weren't a part of the congregation. She knew one of them. She knew his walk and the breadth of his shoulders.

  "Archer," she whispered.

  If Archer had tracked her all the way to Alaska, Josie couldn't be far behind. They would help her find Billy. Hannah turned around to tell Melody of this miracle but her smile faltered. It was Duncan, not Melody, who stood behind her.

  "There's someone you need to see, Hannah."

  Then Duncan's face split into two happy parts that to Hannah's eye, if she'd bothered to think about it, looked a little cruel.

  ***

  Oki wore his cape of hide and needles and the shaman hat. Cecilia sat in the chair and waited for good words. The shaman had none to give her. He shook his head.

  "I journeyed to the fifth level and the spirits have all hidden themselves. This is not good business."

  Mama Cecilia was sad. If a shaman could not figure out what should be done then the situation was troubling, indeed. She wondered if her spirits were bad and the failure was not in Oki's abilities. Perhaps she was not meant to have a son. And yet her spirits told her that this one, Billy, was kind of heart and in need of her attention.

  "He is troubled," she said.

  "His soul is lost." Oki sat back and waved his hand wearily. "If I had known, I would have requested assistance when I was journeying. I would have called out the spirits of his ancestors, but I did not know his soul needed retrieving. I should have guessed, Cecilia. All the signs are there."

  "Can you restore his soul just a little? If you could do that, then perhaps he could find his friend and that would restore the rest of it," Mama Cecilia suggested, but Oki shook his head.
He was so sad.

  "It takes much strength and power to go to the otherworld. I cannot go back again." Oki sighed. "I have been a shaman all my life, Cecilia. Even if I could restore this boy, how do I know that he would not cause hurt and harm anyway?"

  Mama Cecilia thought about the questions Oki raised. Finally, she said:

  "Oki, if he has done as you told him – waiting to allow us time to discuss him – and he has not stolen from you, or hurt you, or said bad things even about the devil who hurt him, he must be a good person."

  Oki nodded.

  "If he is going to return to where the devil is to help his friend, does this not prove that his spirits are good even if his soul is harmed?"

  Oki nodded again.

  "Oki," Mama Cecilia said. "If I have found him does that not mean I must journey with him as I did not journey with my own son? Perhaps, this journey would show I am a good mother, and for Billy to prove he is a good man. Could it not be as simple as that, Oki?"

  Oki shook his head, "No, Cecilia. I don't believe so. However, you have said wise things. But you are old, also. Perhaps, we should stay here and send him on his way."

  Cecilia stood up. Her arms hung at her sides. She felt the warmth of her good moccasins.

  "If he got lost and died, Oki, then why should I have found him at all?"

  "This is true, Cecilia."

  And it was settled. When they went to the room where Billy sat with his head shaved and his hurt hand hanging down between his knees, Mama Cecilia spoke to the boy.

  "I will take you where you need to go."

  CHAPTER 28

  Andre talked to his captain on the Satellite phone and gave her an update while Archer watched the river for any sign of Nell and Josie.

  It was now two hours past their anticipated time of arrival. Despite Andre's assurances that, one way or the other the two women would get to Clara's Landing, Archer didn't like it. He didn't like the fact that there was no way to communicate with Josie. And he sure didn’t like the fact that Andre wanted to do things by the book; Archer wanted to sit on Duncan's holy doorstep. A little intimidation never hurt anyone. Andre pointed out that in Alaska a little intimidation could get you dead. While he stewed, Archer watched the river. Finally, he said:

  "They're here."

  Up river the canoe slalomed across the wide water. There were three people in it: two were paddling and Josie Bates, taller than both, was in the middle.

  "She's upright," Andre noted.

  "She'd be upright in a body bag," Archer said.

  "Good point."

  The two men stood on shore watching the strange progress of the canoe. To pass the time Andre went over what he had.

  "Robert Butt was released, clean bill of health, no probation. No warrants in Alaska or Colorado. Duncan Thoth has no record, but he did ministry at the hospital."

  "Same year Robert Butt was there?" Archer asked.

  "Yes."

  "And what about getting in the house?"

  "They suggested charm. We have no cause to pull rank or use force," Andre answered as he broke away from Archer when Nell called to him.

  "Are they checking if Thoth owns the house?" Archer asked while he followed the trooper to the bank as the canoe drifted to shore.

  "They'll look at land records tomorrow," Andre said and then he didn't want to talk about Duncan Thoth anymore. The canoe had made it across the water and through the ice and was now at the riverbank. He pulled Nell up and out of the canoe. Nell passed the paddle back to Josie who stowed it before she reached for Archer.

  Just as he took her in his arms and she said, 'good to see you', the guy in the canoe with the bird on his hat hollered:

  "Watch it fella! No bear hugs for Miss Josie."

  ***

  Billy walked behind Mama Cecilia even though he would have preferred to run ahead. He had the weird idea that Hannah's spirit would lead him back to her. He thought Duncan's evilness would be like breadcrumbs dropped along the way. But neither Hannah's goodness or Duncan's wickedness were anywhere to be found. There were only trees and cold and an old woman in front of him. Without her, he would be lost.

  In Billy's boots, scraps of leather covered the holes in his soles. Oki had put a scarf around Billy's neck. He found mittens that didn't match and he put them on Billy's hands. He gave them food and worried that they would not have a place to sleep, but Billy said they would not need a place to sleep. When they were close, he would send Mama Cecilia back. Billy had thought it would be easier if she just brought him to the river and he could follow that but Mama Cecilia said it was too far. A straight line would get him where he was going sooner.

  They walked a long way and it was only when Mama Cecilia stumbled that Billy realized he had been lost in his own fantasies about what he would do and say to Duncan when he saw him again. He skipped ahead a few paces and took her arm.

  "You should sit down."

  Mama did not disagree and they sat together on some rocks. He took out some food to give her, and some water. They ate and listened to the nothing until Mama said:

  "Is your friend a good person?"

  Billy nodded. "You are, too, Mama Cecilia."

  "My son has left me," she admitted.

  "Sons do that sometimes," Billy said.

  "Did you leave your mother?"

  Billy shook his head and his sadness was so great that Mama Cecilia did not ask about his mother. Instead, she said:

  "Will you come see me? You and your friend?

  "Yes," he said. "I promise."

  They ate some more and rested longer than Billy wanted to. But that was how he thought it should be. Worrying about Mama Cecilia instead of only about Hannah made Billy think that maybe Oki had retrieved just a little bit of his soul after all.

  ***

  Nell was on the big boat Andre and Archer had rented. Andre was on the phone yet again. Stu had gotten himself off somewhere. Josie and Archer had tired of waiting on them and walked up the path so she could see the house. Now they stood at the edge of the forest looking at it.

  "There are at least four people inside. Two upstairs in separate rooms when last I saw them. I saw one woman. She looked like she was probably young."

  "Young like Hannah?"

  Archer shook his head, "No, babe. Chin length hair. Bigger than Hannah. She was watching Duncan from the room downstairs. I assume that's a living room."

  "So what's up on the third floor? One of the dormers is boarded up."

  "Your guess is as good as mine," Archer said. Josie took his hand. He turned her so they were facing one another. His hands hovered around her waist but he didn't touch her. "Do you hurt?"

  "Yes," she said and then she kissed him. "I want to go home. I want to go home with Hannah. I want to get married on a warm beach."

  "I'm with you, babe," he said.

  "I know. You always are, always will be." Josie kissed him lightly. "Watch my back, will you?"

  Archer laughed as she slipped away and walked across the clearing. No one looked out the windows. No one came to the door and Josie wouldn't have slowed down if they had. She took the steps, knocked, waited what she considered a decent amount of time and then looked over her shoulder at Archer as she turned the knob and walked into a time warp.

  The place was at least a hundred years old if it was a day. Upstairs, all was quiet. She looked down the hall to the side of the staircase and saw a dining room table. To her left was the living room where Archer thought he had seen the woman. The room was empty.

  Josie walked into the room and looked at every inch. There were chairs, a couch, a low table, but no television, magazines, or books. There were pictures on the walls, beautifully, gruesomely executed pictures of religious suffering. As she passed the window, she looked to see if Archer was where she left him.

  He saw her and raised a hand. She turned to the far corner of the room. There were more pictures on the long wall and one that was particularly well done over a deep-seated chair.
It was a cozy corner with the painting, the chair, a standing lamp and two baskets. The small one on the side table was a basket of threads and buttons and even a darning egg. The other one on the floor was filled with clothes.

  Josie figured to push her luck and try upstairs, but she changed her mind, bent down, and balanced on the balls of her feet. Carefully, she folded back the clothes on top of the mending pile until she found the pair of jeans that had caught her eye. They were small, narrow in the hip and boot cut at the hem. They had recently been washed, but the bloodstains on them were forever. They were ripped up the left leg. Josie took the other clothes out of the basket, set them aside, and then looked at the label in the jeans.

  Size 2.

  7 For All Mankind.

  "What are you doing in here?"

  Josie pivoted. In the doorway stood a young woman dressed in a high-necked shirt and a long full skirt. In one hand she held a pair of gigantic scissors. Her other hand was empty, deformed and twitching. On her face was a look of utter hatred. Still holding the jeans, Josie stood up.

  "Where is Hannah?"

  "She's not here," the woman replied.

  "Is she dead?" Josie advanced but the woman did not retreat. Her good hand clutched the scissors like a dagger.

  "Don't try it," Josie warned.

  "God is on my side."

  "Then he better step up his game, because I'm coming through."

  CHAPTER 29

  I thought I had seen Archer out the window. I thought Duncan was taking me to see him. I was wrong – at least about where he was taking me.

  He put his arm around me and I leaned against him. We walked out of my room but instead of going down the stairs, he opened the door of the room next to mine; the one where the prophetess, Pea, lived.

  When he locked the door I knew three things. One, Archer was here, two Duncan was pulling a Flowers in the Attic trick to keep me right where he wanted me, and three, I was screwed.