Town Haunts

by Cathy Spencer

  Anna picked up her hot chocolate and was about to head to her friends’ table when something thumped against the outside of the restaurant window. Everyone looked up as Henry Fellows flung the door open and stormed inside. Henry was gangly and habitually neat, dressed in a tie and a tweed jacket, but he wore neither today. His normally pristine shirt and pants were clinging to him, wet from the rain, and his straw-coloured hair was plastered to his face. He glanced around the room, pausing to wipe his dripping nose and push the hair out of his eyes, before darting behind the cashier’s station next to the window.

  “Hey!” Judy shouted, rushing to intercept him. Henry ripped the notice advertising the cleansing ritual from the glass and waved it in Judy’s face. The room quieted.

  “What the hell is this? Where’s Frank?” Not waiting for an answer, he shoved her into the cash register and bolted through the swinging door into the kitchen. Judy rebounded and ran after him.

  A moment too late, Clive shouted, “Hey, wait just one minute, Henry,” before jumping to his feet. Together, he and Anna rushed to the swinging door to see what was happening.

  The kitchen was small, really only big enough for Frank. The centre of the room was filled with a large butcher-block island, with cupboards, a preparation counter, and appliances crowding the walls. Henry had Frank pinned against the counter and was shoving the flyer into his face. Henry was slim compared to Frank, but there was something desperate about his eyes that made Anna fear for her friend.

  “What’s this all about, you backstabber?” Henry was yelling. “A cleansing ceremony! Does that mean that I’m so foul that the new owner has to cleanse the store of my presence before she can take over?”

  Frank straightened and pushed the flier out of his face. “Just calm down. I’m sure the new owner didn’t mean it that way,” he said.

  Henry scowled. “Don’t think that I don’t realize how you’ve all been laughing at me. I paid my fine and I went to prison for two months. Two months – that was no picnic!” his voice climbing until he was shrieking.

  Frank held up his hands in a placatory gesture. “I know, Henry. It’s been rough on you.”

  “Well, I’ve got nowhere else to go until I can sell my house and get out of Crane. But how can I do that when you’re encouraging people to laugh at me? You deliberately put one of these flyers in your window where everyone going down Main Street could see it. Damn it, Frank, you’re trying to destroy me!” His eyes rolled around the room as Frank said, “That’s just not true.”

  “You calling me a liar?” Henry grabbed a boning knife from the cutting board and jabbed it at Frank. Judy screamed.

  “Hang on now,” Clive yelled, pushing into the kitchen.

  “Get back, Clive,” Henry shouted, swinging the knife at him. Clive jumped out of the way and collided with Anna. Turning back to Frank, Henry was grasping the knife handle so hard that his knuckles turned white.

  Frank slid over to put the island between them. “No one’s laughing at you, Henry,” he said, his eyes wary. “They’re feeling real sorry about the predicament you’re in.”

  Henry wiped his damp face. “It was a good idea. That drive-through window would have been a goldmine. I put every nickel I had into that restaurant.”

  “I know. It was a real shame that things didn’t work out,” Frank said in a soothing tone.

  “It’s just been so hard,” Henry said, his voice cracking. “Clearances. Zoning laws. The town office prevented me from installing it. What harm would a drive-through window have done? When I think of how hard I’ve worked for the town council, I could kill myself.” He stared at Frank through teary eyes.

  “No one’s worked harder than you.”

  Henry nodded. “That’s right. But no matter how hard I worked, no one listened to me. Everyone listens to you, though. ‘Good old Frank and The Diner. He brings all the tourists into town. That Frank, he sure knows what he’s doing. Not Henry, though. Henry’s a joke.’ You said that about me, didn’t you, Frank? You made me into a laughing stock!” He waved his knife at Frank while Judy sobbed in a corner. “But I’m not a joke now, am I? Am I!” He slashed at Frank, and Frank jumped back.

  “Henry Ernest Fellows, you put down that knife this instant!” a stern voice commanded from the doorway.

  Henry cringed. “Miss Dombrosky?” he muttered. He turned to look at Erna, who stood just past Anna and Clive in the kitchen entrance. She was a tiny bird of a woman, but drawn to her full height of five feet, two inches, with a purse clenched beneath her left arm, she was every inch the high school history teacher she had once been.

  “How dare you threaten Franklin with that knife. Shame on you, Henry. Your mother didn’t raise you to behave like a hoodlum. Give me that knife this very instant.” She held out her hand, but Henry was immobilised with dread and just stared at her. “This instant, young man!” she demanded. Henry cringed and slowly gave her the knife, handle first. She snatched it from him and said, “I’m very disappointed in you.”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” he said, his head hanging.

  “I really think that you ought to apologize to Franklin, too,” she added. Henry raised his eyes to Frank’s face, but instead of apologizing, he burst into sobs and fled out the back door.

  “Well,” Erna said with a sniff, dropping the knife onto the counter with distaste. Anna ran forward to put her arm around her shoulders, while Judy hugged Frank. Mr. Andrews, who had slipped unnoticed into the kitchen, removed a cell phone from his corduroy jacket and calmly dialled 911.

  “Police, please. Cecilia, that you? Yup, this is Tom Andrews. I’m at The Diner. Better send Corporal Fox Child right over. Henry Fellows was just in here trying to kill Frank. Yeah, that’s what I said. What? Nope, no one’s hurt. Uh huh. Right.” Mr. Andrews snapped his cell shut and dropped it into his pocket.

  Mary crept up behind him, her face incredulous. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” she said. “Mr. Andrews, when did you get a cell phone?”

  “Bought it for myself last summer from the drugstore. On sale. Bought it as a birthday present.”

  “Well, I never!” Mary said in astonishment.

  Chapter Four

  Corporal John Fox Child sat on a stool at The Diner’s counter taking notes. A newcomer to the Crane RCMP detachment, he was a clean-shaven, compact man with a wife and two young sons. Anna had seen him playing basketball in the park with a group of guys from the subdivision, and had noticed that he was quick and wily.

  Judy and Frank sat on stools beside him, while Anna and the other witnesses sat at a nearby table. The Diner’s sign was turned to “Closed,” but that didn’t stop curious passersby from pressing their faces against the foggy window to peer inside.

  “You quoted Henry as saying something about clearances and zoning laws when he was threatening you, Frank. What was that about?” John asked, referring to his notes.

  “Yeah, seemed like someone at the town office gave him a hard time when he wanted a building permit for his drive-through window. He came by last spring to talk to me about changing the bylaw, but then he got arrested, and nothing ever came of it.”

  Steve entered the restaurant through the kitchen backdoor and nodded to the corporal. “There’s no sign of Henry, John. I searched up and down the alley, checked his house, and drove all around town. It’s as if he disappeared.”

  “Is his car parked out front of his house?”

  “No, it was gone. I called in for the model and the licence number, and had Cecilia radio out a report to all cars.”

  “Good work.”

  Steve nodded and took a seat at the table next to Anna while John turned back to Frank. “You might want to stay closed for the rest of the day. If we haven’t found him by nightfall, we’ll have a car outside your house tonight.”

  “Ah, I’m not going to do that. I doubt Henry’ll come back to bother us. Looks to me like he just blew a fuse.”

  Judy interrupted him. “
Well, I’m worried. What if he comes back with a gun and starts shooting? He could kill everyone in the restaurant.”

  Frank put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Okay, I guess we could stay closed for the rest of the day if it’ll make you feel better, honey. How about we do a little shopping in Calgary and go out for supper? John can always reach me on the cell if he needs me.”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” John said. “Drop by the station on the way out of town to sign your statement, Frank.”

  “Sure. I’ll be by once we’ve closed up here.”

  John nodded and looked over his shoulder at Steve. “We’d better get a uniform to attend this cleansing ceremony at the Healing Hands tonight. From what Frank says, Henry might hold a grudge against the Raes, too.” He picked up the flyer and studied it. “The ceremony starts at six.”

  “I’ll go,” Steve said. “I’m sort of a friend of Tiernay’s. I was thinking of going, anyway.”

  “Okay, that works. Stick close to the Raes tonight. Escort them home, too. Why don’t you walk over there and tell them what’s happening while I finish here. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “Sure, John.” The corporal turned back to Frank and Judy, and Steve said, “You coming tonight, Anna?”

  “I wasn’t going to, but now that all this has happened with Henry, I wouldn’t miss it. Erna and May were thinking of coming, too, weren’t you?” She looked at her friends, who nodded. “Do you think it’ll be safe, Steve?”

  “Oh, I don’t think Henry will give us any trouble. I can’t see him coming into the store if he sees me inside. Hopefully, we’ll have found him by then, anyway,” Steve replied, rising from the table.

  “Right. I guess we’ll see you there,” Anna said. Steve nodded at his friends and left.

  “John, there’s something else I think you should know,” Erna said, raising her voice to catch the corporal’s attention.

  “What’s that, Miss Dombrosky?” he asked, swivelling on his stool to face her.

  “Today wasn’t an isolated instance. Henry Fellows has been acting strangely for a couple of weeks. My bedroom faces the street, and I’ve seen him roaming up and down peoples’ front yards at night, muttering to himself. You’ve seen him too, haven’t you, May?”

  “That’s right,” May said. “I’ve seen him from my apartment across the street from the Healing Hands store. He’s been staring into their window at night when no one’s around. I don’t think he’s right in his mind.”

  Erna added, “His embarrassment at returning to Crane after serving a prison sentence seems to have unbalanced him.”

  John nodded. “Thank you, ladies. I appreciate the information. We’ll have a cruiser out looking for him tonight. You’ll be perfectly safe in your homes, but make sure you keep your doors and windows locked.”

  Erna smiled. “Of course, John. It’s good to see that you’re a cautious boy.” The corporal smiled at her comment and returned to his conversation with Frank.

  Anna arranged to meet her two friends at six o’clock at May’s Groceries and More. The small grocery store stayed open until nine on Saturday nights, but it was Gerry’s turn to work that evening. Gerry was May’s son. He had been helping her to run the store since his father‘s unexpected death from a heart attack six years earlier. May continued to live in the apartment she and her husband had shared over the store, while Gerry lived a few blocks away with his own family.

  When Anna arrived, Erna was waiting just inside the door while May had a last-minute conversation with Gerry. The weather hadn’t improved much; it was still chilly and overcast, and night was falling quickly. Erna was dressed in a navy trench coat with a floral kerchief tied over her hair, while May was still wearing jeans and her jack-o’-lantern sweater. Anna had been tempted to wear a black dress and a witch’s hat to the ceremony, but good manners had triumphed over her sense of humour, and she had worn jeans and a red sweater instead.

  Chatting about Henry’s bizarre behaviour that morning, the three women crossed the street for the Healing Hands store. A bunch of yellow happy-face balloons tied to an Adirondack chair snapped in the wind, trying to escape. The sign in the store window said “Closed,” but Tiernay opened the door before the women had a chance to knock, greeting them with a cool smile.

  “Nice of you to come,” she said before standing aside. She wore a floor-length green caftan with a plunging neckline and long, trailing sleeves.

  “Thank you for inviting us,” Erna responded with a genuine smile.

  Entering the store, Anna was overwhelmed by a jumble of bright colours and spicy scents. The walls were painted a fresh mint green, and woven mats in vibrant primary colours were scattered across the floor. Trays heaped with incense, candles, and organic teas sat on display tables next to miniature iron cauldrons and carved figures of Buddha and voluptuous Earth Mothers. Near the back of the store, a white cotton couch with plump, melon-coloured cushions was angled next to a wall of bookcases, creating a reading nook.

  May elbowed Anna in the side. “Did you get a look at those, doll?” she asked, pointing past the other guests to the wall behind the cash register. Anna turned and saw three studies of a female nude done in ink: one full-faced with arms out-flung toward the sun, another in profile leaning back against a tree, and a third kneeling in shadow on a forest floor.

  “They’re all of Tiernay!” Anna exclaimed. It was impossible not to recognize the subject’s body and hair. How could Tiernay work with nude pictures of herself on such prominent display? Taking a closer look, Anna muttered, “I think that someone has flattered her a little.”

  All three women turned to appraise the real Tiernay still greeting people at the door.

  “No, dear. I think the drawings are quite accurate,” Erna said. “She has a lovely figure, don’t you think?”

  “Humph,” Anna replied.

  The room was filling with townspeople, about thirty in all, most probably hoping that Henry would make an appearance after his thrilling performance in The Diner that morning. Greg, barefoot in a white cotton tunic and pants, was serving tea from a kitchenette at the back of the store. Steve, who was still in uniform, leaned on the wall beside the front window. He waved at Anna and her friends before strolling over to join them.

  “Any sign of Henry yet?” Anna asked.

  “Nope, none. My guess is that he’s already left town.”

  “I don’t think so,” Erna said. “Henry seemed so obsessed with the sale of his house and tonight’s cleansing ceremony that I just can’t believe he would leave until everything was settled.”

  Steve shrugged. “Maybe. We’ll see.”

  “Hello again, lovely lady,” Greg said, appearing unexpectedly behind Anna. He reached for her hand, but she scuttled back out of his reach. Grinning, Greg said, “Introduce me to your charming friends.”

  “Greg, this is Erna Dombrosky and May Weston,” she said.

  “Delighted, ladies,” he replied, bowing with a flourish. “So happy to see you tonight. May I get you a cup of tea? We’ve got a lovely brand of blueberry spice, something hot on a cold night.”

  “I’ll have a cup,” May said, but just then Tiernay clapped her hands to gather everyone’s attention. Soft music featuring drums and violins began to play from a hidden speaker.

  “All right everyone, I think we’ll begin,” she said, indicating a medium-sized table carved out of driftwood in the centre of the room. There were several items upon it; a particularly handsome knife with a pentagram carved in its handle caught Anna’s eye.

  “Let me explain what we’ll be doing tonight. The cleansing technique I use has been culled from a variety of ancient rituals. We’ll begin by burning sage and pinyon pine needles ‒ sage to chase away evil, and pine needles to cleanse. My brother, Greg, will be assisting me. You’ve all met Greg, haven’t you?”

  Greg waved as he threaded through the crowd to join his sister at the table. While she waited, Tiernay lit a bundle of sage and bl
ew it out, allowing the smoke to curl toward the ceiling. Greg lit an incense burner containing the pine needles and followed his sister as they walked along the four walls, brushing the smoke before them with large, white feathers and pushing it toward the open door. Anna was glad of the fresh air because the burning scent was reminiscent of a sweaty man who had eaten too many onions.

  “Now that that’s done,” Tiernay said, shutting the door and returning with Greg to the table, “we come to the noisy part of our ceremony. Loud noise drives out evil spirits. Greg and I are going to beat on the instruments you see here on the table, and we ask that you shout and clap your hands with us. Ready, everyone? Let’s begin!”

  Tiernay picked up a gong and began hammering on it with a mallet, while Greg beat a staccato rhythm on a drum with his hands. Everyone made some sort of noise: yelling, whistling, hand clapping, or feet stamping. Anna smiled at May, who yodelled beside her, while Erna genteelly patted her hands together.

  After two or three minutes of this, Tiernay held up her hand for silence. “That was terrific, everyone! I’m sure we chased away all the evil spirits with that noise. For the next part of the ceremony . . .”

  But she never got the opportunity to finish her sentence because the music suddenly stopped and the lights went out. It was black inside the store, the only illumination coming from a street light outside the front window. People began to mutter, and someone shoved past Anna, knocking her into a table.

  “Hey!” she exclaimed.

  “Everybody stay where you are,” Steve called from behind her.

  “Greg, what happened to the emergency lights?” Tiernay shouted.

  The bell on the store door chimed, and a fresh blast of chilly air rushed into the room. Anna looked up from rubbing her knee as everyone fell silent. The dim light from the street lamp illuminated a shadowy figure hovering on the door step. It paused, turning its head slowly, as if searching for someone. Pulling a slender cylinder from its pocket, the figure stepped into the room. The crowd recoiled and a woman gasped. Someone barrelled past Anna and tackled the intruder, knocking him to the floor. People started shouting and pushing, squirming to see what was happening. Then the lights flashed back on, and the music started to play.