The Dark Corner

by Easton Livingston

  “Any history of mental illness? Depression?”

  “Not sure. The wife mentioned that they were having marriage problems for months now. I didn't ask about the details but she hinted pretty strongly that there was some infidelity going on. They had been separated. I guess it was official as of today. She served him with divorce papers earlier this evening.”

  Neff nodded in acknowledgment. He wouldn't be certain until C.S.U. made it official. The position of the body, blood spatter placement and pattern all pointed to the victim standing towards the north wall. Right in front of the bathroom mirror.

  “Hmmph. Guy was looking at himself,” he said, thinking out loud.

  “Sorry sir?”

  “The victim. He was looking at himself in the mirror when he pulled the trigger.”

  Downey's expression soured.

  “Why would he do that?”

  Neff got to his feet.

  “Probably because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't run away from himself.”

  Neff looked down at Dana Johansen again then turned and walked out of the bathroom.

  “Crying shame.”

  Part III - Confirmation

  Tiny droplets of rain pattered on the windshield of the black BMW. Light from the Johansen home and the various police cars and ambulance lined up on the street forced Tawny to park a good distance away. She understood what was going on. This was good news. To be the bearer of good news eased the burden and pressure of making sure everything performed to perfection. She expected it. Tawny was there as a backup in case things didn't work out so well.

  Through the chucking cadence of the windshield wipers she saw the gurney. She recognized the black bag on it. That was her cue.

  She took out her cell phone and navigated to her favorites, pressing the name she wanted to call. The small screen went green, illuminating the darkness of the inside of her car, signaling a call being placed.

  “You have news for me?”

  “Yes. It worked. He's gone.”

  Silence responded at the other end.

  “Good. Pack your bags. Let me know how it goes as soon as possible.”

  No goodbyes. A silent but serious understanding at what needed to be done next. The silent, mutual understanding clear, they both hung up the phone.

  Turning the ignition key, Tawny crept past the Johansen residence peering out her driver's-side window, a final assurance for her own sake. She spotted her at the front door, standing and sobbing. Mrs. . . . Miss Johansen.

  She smiled.

  Part I - I Need A Vacation

  Everyone stared down at the body on the floor.

  “Hal? Hal? You O.K.?”

  Hal Baker struggled to open his eyes, hearing the familiar voice calling to him. It sounded like his supervisor. As the blurriness faded, the cratered fiber pulp of the drop ceiling was the first thing that came into focus.

  “You gave us a scare there.”

  His eyes shifted left to the face of his boss, Gary, who was kneeling over him. That’s when he saw all the rest of the faces surrounding him, gawking with puzzled or alarmed expressions. He gave a heavy sigh and attempted to sit up, the room shifting against his desire.

  “Hey. Take it easy there. I don’t want you falling out again.”

  Hal steadied himself on the floor, waiting for the room to stop swaying.

  “What happened?”

  “They said you came into the break room, walked toward the refrigerator, and passed out. You’re lucky you didn’t crack your head on the floor.”

  Gary helped him to a nearby chair.

  “How long was I out?”

  Felicia Brewer, Gary's secretary, put a hand on his shoulder. “A couple minutes. You sure you okay?”

  Hal nodded his affirmation.

  “You have to go to the hospital. I’ll take you there.”

  “No,” Hal insisted. “Just give me a minute here and I’ll drive straight there.”

  Gary looked at him with an annoyed smirk.

  “What is wrong with you? You pass out on the floor and you want to drive yourself across town to the hospital. That honestly make any sense to you? Like I said, I’ll drive.”

  Hal capitulated with a sigh and a nod. He tried to recall what happened. All he remembered was entering the break room before things faded out of focus.

  He felt much better on the drive to the hospital though he was still a little woozy. Once there, Gary worked on his Acer tablet in the hospital waiting area while the doctor examined him. Forty-five minutes later, they emerged from the back.

  “Are you his boss?” the doctor said, a moderate trace of an Indian accent in his voice.

  “Yes. Yes I am. Is everything O.K.?”

  “Well… no. Not exactly. Physically, Mr. Baker is not in too bad of shape. His cholesterol is a bit high, but that's manageable by losing about ten pounds and having a healthier diet. My concern is his work schedule. He’s not getting the proper rest. He says he only sleeps three to four hours a night. I’m surprised he has functioned as long as he has.”

  Gary nodded a slow acknowledgment.

  “He passed out because of stress. His body can’t handle the long hours and little sleep. He needs time off to recuperate.”

  Hal saw Gary nodding but caught his lips pursing. He wasn't fond of Hal not being able to work. Gary counted on him and he didn’t mind that. He took the position because he knew he could do it and he did. He performed well as the regional manager. It called for a lot of traveling, a lot of late nights slaving over store records and double checking figures. A lot of eating bad food because it was the only thing that wouldn’t impede his work. He held in there as long as possible. Seven years long but it had caught up to him.

  “Minimum a week. Better if it were two. How you work it out is up to you.”

  With that, the doctor shook hands, reminded Hal to fill his prescription, told him the date of his follow up appointment, and scurried off into the office.

  The first five minutes driving back to work were in silence. Hal glanced over at Gary a few times to get a quick read on his face.

  “Hal,” Gary said, “I’m sorry.”

  A sinking feeling gripped Hal's stomach. Sentences that started with those two words always portended bad news.

  “I’m sorry that I’ve been working you so hard. I never thought… I never thought something like this would happen. Never crossed my mind. Too wrapped up in business.”

  Hal let out a small sigh of relief.

  “Oh… don’t worry about it Gary. I’ll be fine.”

  “No,” Gary said, shaking his head. “It’s not O.K. You won't do me any good if you’re not able to function right. I don’t want the job to kill you. We've already lost Dana. I don't want to lose you as well.”

  Hal didn’t argue. Dana Johansen's sudden death had taken everyone at the plant by surprise. Hal wasn't acquainted with him that well but the few encounters he had were not impressive. Guy was full of himself. For Gary it was hard on two fronts because he was friends with him. One of the few he had.1

  Hal realized he had been burning the candle at both ends for too long. Overworked, or more accurate, worked over. He put on a good act and got the job done but he sensed it coming on for a while. Falling asleep at the wheel, existing on caffeine by the bucket loads—it was a miracle he lasted as long as he did.

  Gary’s face transformed, grinning from ear to ear.

  “I have an idea. I just acquired this cottage in Meechum Forest in Pennsylvania. Dana shocked me by naming me the beneficiary in his will. Didn't believe it. Only been up there to check out the property. It’s fantastic. I could flip it without doing a thing and make a great profit. But I kept it out of respect.” He paused in reflective contemplation before continuing. “It’s secluded, near a river I hear has great bass, beautiful forest. Be a great place for you, Veronica, and the kids to get away. Be perfect.”

  “Oh Gary, you don’t have to do that. Really, I’ll be fine with just a
solid, good night’s sleep.”

  Gary gave slow nods, not taking his eyes off the road.

  “You do realize I’m not asking you to do this, right?

  “Yeah, I know.”

  Part II - Are We There Yet?

  The drive to the cottage was exhilarating, every other mile a scenic barrage of incessant green trees and rolling hills. Maples, oaks, birches, and aspens were the stars of the natural theater. The verdant foliage spread across the canvas of white clouds and blue sky creating a panorama of inherent beauty. More than once they pulled over to take pictures. The tranquility of it was infectious. Aside from the occasional bicker battle between his son and daughter, Sean and Donna, the trip started off well.

  He had to admit it. It felt like a burden was lifted. It was only the first day and just the thought of not going to work and being with his family made him feel much better if not somewhat strange. He wasn't something he was accustomed to. His mind wanted to think about what they would do at work while he was away but he forced those thoughts out of his head as soon as they came. His mind needed a rest as well which was the hard part. He’d forgotten what it was like since it had been twelve years since he had taken a vacation. One where he relaxed. The free time he had was spent around the house on projects that needed to completion. There was never any actual relaxing for him. There was always something to do.

  They had been on the road for four hours. The GPS navigator had been active for the last two miles, a woman’s electronic voice alerting them to their location.

  “You have arrived.”

  Hal pulled off to the side of the road. It stretched on in front and behind him, a long gray, two-lane stretch with nothing but trees bordering it. The cottage wasn’t in sight.

  “You think there’s something wrong with the navigator?” his wife Veronica said.

  “I don’t know. I don’t see any side roads anywhere.”

  A black Ford pickup truck approached in the opposite lane, slowing down until it came to a stop next to them. A chunky woman in her fifties rolled down her window in the driver’s seat. Hal hesitated rolling down his window but succumbed to his less cautious side.

  “You guys lost?”

  “I don’t believe we are. We have a friend who has a cottage around here. He sent us to check on it and call him when we’re done.”

  It was a lie, but she was a stranger and he wasn’t taking any chances. “My GPS says we’re here but I don’t see a cottage out here.

  “A cottage out here?” the woman said, trying to recall the place in her mind. “I’m not sure there’s a…”

  Recognition awakened her, her eyes widening.

  “Wait… there is a cottage up here. Up on Adena Point. The road ain’t on no map. You have to go up about a quarter of a mile and they’ll be a turn off to the right. Dirt road. Take that road. It'll lead you to Adena Point.”

  Hal nodded.

  “Thanks. Appreciate it.”

  Waving out the window, he put the car in drive when the woman called out to him.

  “Say… when did your friend buy that cottage?”

  “I’m not sure. Not too long ago. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, as far as I know, don’t nobody go up there.”

  “Oh. Why is that?”

  The woman stared for a moment before looking back at him.

  “Because… not real sure. I just know don’t nobody go up there.”

  Hal took that as a sign to end the conversation.

  “Well, that’s probably the reason why he bought the place. He likes his privacy. Thanks again.”

  She gave a short wave as he spurred the car down the asphalt freeway.

  “That was nice of her to stop and help us out like that.”

  “Yes it was.”

  Hal couldn’t stop thinking of the movie The Hills Have Eyes and pressed his foot down on the pedal.

  True to the woman’s word, a little more than a quarter mile was a turn off onto a gravel and dirt road which was more of a trail. The minivan pushed through the overhanging branches on the narrow one-lane driveway, its treaded heels kicking up earth and pebbles. Hal put his fingers on the main control panel for the power windows to roll up as the branches raked at the car on both sides.

  “Put your head and hands in the car you guys,” he said to his kids looking in the rearview mirror. Soon the windows made a lethargic ascent, the low whine of the electric window motor filling the van.

  The road went on at a steady and slight incline before they could make out the cottage.

  “This goes just a tad beyond private,” Veronica said looking around at the forest spread out in front of them. “Are we going to be able to get a cell phone signal out here?”

  “I think he said something about a land line in there.”

  “Out here?” she said, incredulous. “I highly doubt that.”

  Hal took her dubiousness into consideration. He had seen no telephone poles on the main road but he wasn't looking for them either. He'd have to check when they settled in.

  Reaching their destination, they stopped in the open area in front of the cottage.

  The cottage was a log cabin, equipped with a handicap ramp and addition. A stone chimney inlaid with granite protruded from the top, its light color standing out against the dark wood stain of the cottage walls. The front door was solid black except for the top which is where a small window was inset.

  Hal put the van in park and shut the engine off.

  “O.K. This is much nicer than what I thought it was going to be.”

  “Says Mr. Pessimism.”

  Veronica turned and smiled at him as everyone got out of the van. Hal scrutinized the cottage, taking in every detail. He walked in front of the van, eyes fixed. Veronica was right. He was pessimistic to an extent. That was only because he was a perfectionist. It was his personality. Everything had to be right and up to Hal standard. It wasn’t for him as much as it was for his family and friends. It was the reason he insisted on packing. He wanted to make sure they were prepared and had everything thing they needed. As much as he trusted his wife, he knew she wouldn’t have packed half of the things he did. Two extra cans of gasoline, a machete his grandfather had given him (and Veronica hated), compass, binoculars, shovel, and other paraphernalia. None of that wouldn’t have even been a part of Veronica’s list.

  “Mom. Do I have to sleep with Donna? I wanted my own room.”

  “I don’t know honey. We’ll have to wait and see.”

  Hal stood in front of everyone facing the cottage for silent moments, taking it all in. Gary had got him good. This was way more than he expected.

  That’s when he noticed it.

  “You hear that?”

  “Hear what daddy?” said Donna.

  “The birds. I don’t hear any birds.”

  Everyone turned or craned their heads to hear a warble, a tweet, a whistle from high atop in the trees. None came.

  “Maybe they’re taking a nap?”

  “All of them? I mean, I don’t hear anything.”

  “Hal. Really?” Veronica said, a hint of exasperation entering her tone. “Are we going to stand here and discuss the lack of bird chirping on our vacation? They could just not like that we’re here and took off.”

  He turned around to face them and stopped. This was his family. A six-year-old princess that was the apple of his eye, her sandy blonde bangs falling into her eyes as she held her teddy lion. An eleven-year-old son who was getting at that age where parents were definitely uncool. A beautiful wife of twelve years and companion for fourteen. He didn’t understand how she put up with him or why. Unlike many marriages, one thing they meant at the altar was until death do us part. Being there with them in this gorgeous place was a blessing. He needed to learn how to enjoy it.

  “Well pardners,” he said in the best cowboy accent he could muster. “Let’s move ‘em out doggies! Everyone grab a load out the back and I’ll get the door to this here rancheroo.”

 
The children scurried to the back, Sean opening the door, intent on demonstrating he was no longer a little boy. Hal shot Veronica a quick wink, and she rolled her eyes with a small chuckle as she moved to help the children.

  Hal trotted over to the front door full of renewed excitement. This would not be too bad. Grabbing the keys, he flipped through them as he walked. Right before he got to the small landing, his feet hit something, and he nearly fell face down. If not for the railing, the hospital may have been his next stop.

  Looking down, he noticed an overgrown, gnarly root growing up out of the ground.

  “Watch this root here guys,” he warned.

  Reaching the front door, he inserted the key into the patterned grooves of the lock. It had to be worked a bit but after a small protest, the deadbolt finally gave. Opening the door, a brisk gust of stale air exited as he surveyed the inside.

  The cabin was clean and homey, furnished with log cabin chairs and tables. A distinct smell of wood filled his nostrils. It was apparent no one had been there in a while, minute strands of cobwebs suspended from the ceiling corners and blanketing the light fixtures. The modernized kitchen set off to the left, the counters made of the same log decor.

  “Does it pass inspection hoss?” said Veronica as she carried her purse and travel bags inside.

  “It could use a little dusting but this is really not bad. Go check the bedroom out and I’ll go grab some stuff.”

  As he turned around, he saw Donna approaching with a bag of food in her arms, her vision partially obscured by the top.

  “Hey honey. Watch your step. There’s a big root right there at the landing.”

  Donna paused and turned her body sideways to maneuver around the hazard.

  “Where dad?”

  Hal walked forward.

  “It’s right her…”

  Hal looked down. Nothing. The dirt was loose but there was no sign of any root.

  “What the…”

  Looking up and down the area, he tried to ascertain where the wooden appendage had gone. Had he actually tripped over something or was it just his feet? He was sure it wasn’t just his feet. Something was there but somehow, it had disappeared. He didn’t know how that was possible.