by Phil Edwards
Charlotte started to lean toward her walker. Jake stood up again.
“Can I get you something?”
“I’m fine.” She reached her walker and took the glass over to the sink. She dropped it in and slowly wheeled back to them.
“Well, I’m glad you’re ok.”
“It was all for you, Jacob. I risk my life for you. For this job.”
It wasn’t worth fighting.
“Yes, yes you do.”
Charlotte pushed the walker aside and sat down again. She seemed calm now and looked at both of them. She had her hair down. It was long, and though it was gray, it made her look like a girl the way it outlined her pale face. She sat with her legs crossed at the ankles. She was waiting for an introduction.
“Charlotte, do you have something to say?”
“I do.”
“Let’s hear it.”
She pursed her lips and spoke.
“Now Mr. Russo, I have a story for you. It’s why I wanted to speak with you today.”
“How did you know my last name?”
“I looked you up. I know your work.”
“He’s a real writer,” Gary said. He seemed resuscitated—he was talking enough. “Jacob can take sentences and spin them into gold. Or at least newspapers.”
She kept going.
“Mr. Russo, I have a story. But you’ll have to promise confidentiality. Or that I’ll be protected until it’s published.”
He almost laughed. But she looked serious sitting there, her hair falling down.
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem Charlotte. But I can promise you that I won’t tell anyone anything. And if I write an article, I’ll ask your consent. That goes for Gary and his photos, too.”
“Thank you.”
Gary looked at Jake and arched his eyebrows. Theatrically. Jake didn’t respond. He did it again. Jake tried to nod a bit, but it wasn’t enough. Gary kept going and Charlotte looked over.
“Sir, what are you doing?”
“I’m sorry. It must be a spasm from my near death experience.”
She waited until he stopped.
“Well, Mr. Russo, I’d like to tell you my story now.”
Suddenly, Gary sat up straight.
“Remember, I died for this story!”
Jake and Charlotte looked over. She looked back at Jake and leaned forward further in her chair. Her hair fell down past her knees.
“I think this story could change conditions in every building in Sunset Cove. I know that some people don’t want me to talk about it. But I will talk about it, whether they like it or not. And Mr. Russo, I’m not going to be silent any longer.”
Gary stopped raising his eyebrows. Jake looked at Charlotte. She was serious. Her eyelids were wrinkled but her eyes were bright. Shining. She didn’t blink. He got out his notebook and pen again. He was ready to write. All they could hear was their own breathing and the air conditioner.
Then Gary shouted and almost fell out of his chair.
Someone was at the door.
They knocked three times. And they knocked harder each time.
CHAPTER 5:
“Jake, what are you doing here?”
Mel stood at the door with her hands on her hips. Her hair was mussed and she had a folder in her arms. They stared at each other for a moment and then he let her by.
“I was here to speak with Charlotte. We met the other day.”
“She’s the resident you’re interviewing?”
Charlotte nodded.
“Hello Melissa. How are you?”
“I’m good.”
Jake looked at Charlotte. She didn’t seem nervous or upset. She carried the same posture she’d had before. Then Mel turned right and saw Gary.
“Oh. You’re here. How are you, Gary?”
“I have a new lease on life!”
“OK. Well…that’s good.” She looked left again. “Charlotte, I’m sorry—I just got here. I didn’t even realize an ambulance had shown up until a few minutes ago. Usually, Eddie calls me when he arrives, but this time he called me once he left. What happened? He said everyone was all right. Did you fall?”
She was speaking quickly and breathing heavily. Jake wanted to go to her and comfort her, to touch her bare arm and feel the goose bumps. He stood still.
“I’m fine,” Charlotte said. “Actually, nothing happened to me. This man, Gary, fainted.”
“Oh. That makes a lot of sense.”
Gary looked up.
“Melissa, I never asked you if your ankle healed. Are you doing well? Such a nice young lady shouldn’t have any handicaps.”
“What happened?” Charlotte asked. Jake sighed.
“Gary was taking a photo for the paper. He kept telling Mel to take a step back. She took a few steps too many and ended up falling into a five-foot ditch.”
Mel looked at her leg.
“I’ve healed up well, Gary. I haven’t been able to run. I, uh, was growing tired of it anyway.”
“Wonderful!”
“You run?” Jake asked.
“Yes, I did.”
“So do I. I run.”
They smiled. Charlotte and Gary looked at each other. Gary started arching his eyebrows again, and Mel took it as her cue to leave. She said goodbye and walked out the door. Gary seemed pleased.
“I’m glad her ankle’s better.”
Charlotte frowned.
“That was interesting timing, wasn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
Jake opened his notebook again.
“It was interesting that she would choose to burst in at that moment, exactly when I was going to reveal my story. I think she is a well-intentioned girl. But she isn’t beyond stopping a woman like me from telling the truth.”
“I’m sure it was a coincidence.”
“You’re compromised.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw you two smile. You’re on her side. I don’t know if I can trust you.”
“Of course you can.”
“Can I?”
“Yes.”
“Then check if she is outside.”
He sighed. Gary swallowed and Jake could see his Adam’s apple rise and fall from across the room. He heard the air conditioner humming as he got up and walked to the door. Right before he looked in the peephole, he realized something. He wasn’t sure what he would see.
He saw nothing.
Nobody.
“It’s fine. No one’s there.”
“Good. Perhaps I was being overly suspicious.”
“When I was on the other side, in heaven,” Gary announced, “they told me not to hold grudges. They said I should trust in my fellow man.”
Jake tried not to laugh.
“You think you went to heaven?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t realize you’d had time for conversations.”
“Many.”
“So you really think you died?”
“If I didn’t, then how would I have known to trust my fellow man? Logic, Jacob. Wisdom.”
Charlotte coughed again and Jake looked at his empty notebook. She focused her eyes on his.
“Trust is good. But sometimes, certain parties have interests that are more important than trust. Like money. Power. Jealousy. Those are all the things I’ve encountered in the past month.”
“I see.”
“Are you willing to be a part of this?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“So will I,” Gary said. “By the way, do you have any cookies?”
“Cookies?”
“Yes, Or crackers. Anything will do. You see, I am a diabetic.”
“Oh.” She looked toward her kitchen. “I can check if I have anything.”
“He’s not a diabetic,” Jake said. “He just says that when he’s hungry.”
“No, I will find you something.”
When she used her walker it changed her. She seemed alive when she was sitting, lea
ning forward. But her back didn’t straighten when she stood. It was stuck that way. When she stood she looked as old as she was, and the effort made her seem tired. Jake wanted her to keep sitting.
“Don’t worry about him. Tell us your story.”
She complied and breathed in. She looked scared but started talking.
“Recently, Sheryl Goldfein hasn’t invited me to play bridge. I’ve played bridge with them for the past five years, every single week. Now they won’t let me play with them anymore. It’s an outrage.”
Jake sighed. He rested his pen on his notebook, but she just sped up.
“I have gotten better, if anything.” She was excited. “And they just got an extra day each week to use the common building. It’s unfair. I don’t know why she did it, but quite a few things I’ve found are suspicious.”
“I see.” Jake closed the notebook. “Gary, what do you think?”
“This is the story I died for?”
Charlotte sniffed.
“I think you should write a story about this Mr. Russo. It has betrayal. All of a sudden, everyone hates me. It’s Shakespearian.”
“Everyone hates you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I’m sorry.” He stood up. “I should probably be going.”
He was too busy to be nice. He had to be aggressive. He couldn’t waste the day listening to stories about bridge games.
“I don’t understand.” She was shaking. “I’m making waves in this community, and nobody else here likes it. Your readers should know.”
“Right, I’m sure.” Being tough was as hard as he remembered. “Gary, I can get your stuff.”
“Thank you Jacob.”
Charlotte stayed seated, leaning forward. She held her arm out one last time.
“There’s more.”
Her eyes were shinier now. It seemed like she might cry.
“Yes?”
“I received a threat on my life.”
He put down Gary’s camera case and sat down in the chair.
This was worth getting out his notebook.
CHAPTER 6:
Charlotte waited until he was ready. She spoke in a whisper.
“It all began a week ago. I was about to go to sleep. Before I go to bed, I always close the blinds for the night. A week ago, I was closing the blinds when the telephone rang.”
He wrote it down in shorthand.
“I answered the telephone and I heard a clicking noise. My hearing has stayed sharp over the past few years, and I remember hearing that noise. The next thing I heard was a very deep voice.”
Her own voice shook a little and her eyes shone. Jake reached out to her.
“What did it say?”
“I…I can’t….repeat it. I wrote down what he said.”
A white note emerged from the purple fabric of her dress. She handed it to Jake. It was folded at least four times, and he uncreased it slowly so he wouldn’t rip it. He read it silently.
I see you closing your blinds. If you want us to stop watching you, then you have to stop watching us. Or else.
She was shaking. Jake folded up the piece of paper and looked at her. He recorded the words in his notebook.
“What does it say?” Gary asked.
“Gary, please. It’s sensitive.”
“What does it say?”
“Here.”
Charlotte was still shaking. He slipped Gary the piece of paper.
“I’m sorry about him. He’s just curious.”
“The voice hung up after that.” She seemed calm again. “I haven’t heard anything since.”
“Jacob!” Gary shouted.
“What Gary?”
“I don’t have my reading glasses.”
He was rotating the paper in his hands.
“Jacob, I can’t read this note without them.”
“Charlotte, let’s get back to your story.”
Gary was holding the note up to the light. Upside down.
“What does it say? Just tell me.”
“Later.”
“It won’t make sense if it’s later.”
“Not now.”
“Why won’t you tell me?”
Charlotte looked worried again. Jake stood up and Gary followed. Jake cupped his hands over Gary’s ear and whispered. Gary shouted back.
“Why are you whispering?”
“Come here.” He led him to the hallway. Jake closed the door and told Gary what the note said. When they walked back in, Gary began arching his eyebrows uncontrollably.
“Some note, Charlotte. That’s very scary stuff!”
“It was very frightening,” she continued. “I’ve been fine since then. But I haven’t…”
“What?”
“I used to like sunlight in the daytime.”
She looked down at the floor and Jake looked up at the shut blinds. That’s why they were closed. She didn’t want the man who called to see her again.
“I’m so sorry. Do you want me to open them?”
“No. It’s fine.”
“Did you tell Mel?”
“No, I haven’t told anyone. I don’t know who I can trust.”
Her hair fell in front of her face, gray lines like a pencil sketch. Gary touched her shoulder and whispered that she’d be OK. Jake tapped his notebook with his pen.
“Well, I think you will be fine. One prank call can’t mean anything. Let’s try to figure out who made it.”
She looked up.
“How will we do that?”
“We have to figure out what’s really happening. If we don’t do that, then we’ll just be scared.”
“I don’t know who the voice was.”
“Right. But who might it have been?”
“I don’t know.” She crossed her arms over her knees again.
“You think this started because of bridge?”
“Yes, I know it.”
“Well, why would they be upset if they kicked you out?”
“I suppose I’ve been making trouble since then. I’ve made some noise about starting my own game, and I’ve also been making some investigations. Private investigations. I admit it.”
“I see. And who would be upset about that?”
“Everyone. Everyone plays bridge.”
“I play bridge,” Gary said proudly. He swallowed. “Oh, but I’m not mad at you.”
“Thank you.” She smiled faintly. “I just know it must have to do with bridge. I’ve started getting very, very good. But then when I came home one day, I received a call from Sheryl.”
“Who is that?” He wrote down the name.
“Sheryl Goldfein. I had already changed my dress for the night’s game, but then she called and said that they had filled up for bridge that night. I know they always have room for more people in bridge. She thinks that just because she heads up the council she can do anything.”
He tapped his pen on the side of his notebook. Gary’s head nodded back and then he snapped awake.
“Charlotte, what is this council you’ve mentioned?”
“Oh.” She blushed, her pale cheeks spotted red. “We all make decisions about the community. There are eight of us and Sheryl is the chair. She’s very bossy, and I’m sure that’s why she was able to kick me out of bridge.”
“Right. So what do you do on the council?”
“For one of our recent projects, we helped decide where our new garden would be.”
He smiled.
“I saw that spot. Mel showed me.”
“Yes. It will be lovely. We chose relatively rare flowers. They will be an interesting mix.”
“Do you remember the name?”
“I don’t remember right now.”
“That’s fine.” He wanted Mel to tell him anyway. “Does the council work on anything else?”
“We have many projects.” She was getting excited again. “I’ve always ensured Sheryl doesn’t roll over everyone else. She can do that.”
“How so?”
“What happened?”
“Well,” she began, “every year, we make a donation to a local charity. It has been a tradition for years.”
“Did she try to stop the donation?”
“No. However, she pushed very hard for her charity to receive the money. Every year since I have lived here, we have donated to a charity called Ducks Unlimited.”
“What do they do?”
“They preserve wetlands. I just know that it has been a tradition here. Sheryl, however, decided that we should change to a different charity this year.”
“Did you mind?”
“I wouldn’t have minded. Though I do love ducks.”
She pointed to the left side of the room. A small painted wooden duck sat against the wall. It was swimming in the blue carpet.
“Isn’t he cute?” She sounded happy again.
“I can see you like them.”
“My husband made me that one.”
“He made that?”
“He was very handy.” She touched her face, letting her hand linger on the side of her cheek. “He could carve a piece of wood easily. He carved pumpkins for Halloween. He could hollow them out in a few minutes. The skin would be so thin you could see the candle.”
“I can’t imagine Halloween in this weather.”
“Oh yes. We used to live in the North. He made the pumpkin as thin as paper. Our daughter made the designs.”
“You love ducks.” He looked at the green wooden one again. “Did you like that charity?”
“Honestly, I’m not particularly attached to the one we’ve used in the past. There are so many good causes. Still, Sheryl nearly forced us to donate to the Saving Tomorrow Initiative.”
“What is that?”
“None of us knew. It was very vague. Eventually, she told us it was an educational charity to help save the wetlands. I believe the wetlands are important, but I had not heard of the Initiative. I didn’t see why we had to switch from the ducks.”
“I see.” He looked at his notebook. A full page. He hadn’t had that in a while. Then he looked at Gary, who was gently snoring in the chair. Charlotte didn’t notice.
“I challenged Sheryl at the meeting, in front of everyone. I told her that I would be willing to switch, but I needed evidence of the group’s quality. Almost all of them voted against me, except for Abram. She’s unstoppable.”
