by J A Whiting
“I thought about that. She doesn’t seem like a kook. She worked as a lawyer until retiring recently. I could give a ring to the local police in her hometown just to be sure.” Chief Martin looked up at the cats perched on the China cabinet. “The cats don’t seem concerned.”
“Well, you are reporting on the behavior of a dog.” Courtney held the chief’s eyes. “Euclid and Circe, they like dogs, but they’re of the opinion that dogs tend to be kind of silly.”
“Oh,” the chief said, then narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that?”
Courtney shrugged a shoulder. “It’s just how they are.”
Angie leaned forward. “Do you give this woman’s reports any weight? Do you think something’s going on?”
“I can’t outright dismiss the reports. That’s why I sent the officer out to check the area.” The chief cleared his throat. “I wondered if any of you, you know, felt something.”
“Do you want us to go walk the trails?” Angie asked. “See if we can pick up on anything?”
Relief showed on Chief Martin’s face. “It might be helpful. If you don’t mind doing it. I’d come along, of course.”
“Do you need all of us?” Ellie often preferred to leave such things to her sisters.
“Whoever has the time. It isn’t necessary for all of you to go.”
“Angie and I can do it.” Courtney looked at Finch. “Would the trails be too hard for you, Mr. Finch?”
“I would be happy to come along if you could drive over and park beside the trails. I’d wait for you there while you hike around. I will walk around the car a little bit.”
“When would you like to make the visit?” Angie asked.
“How about right now?” Chief Martin asked.
The cats jumped down to the floor as Mr. Finch stood up and said, “No time like the present. I will get my jacket.”
Angie drove Mr. Finch, Courtney, Circe, and Euclid in Ellie’s van following behind Chief Martin’s patrol car several miles to the north to the wooded section of town where bike and walking trails meandered through the forest. The paths had once been railways used by former passenger and freight trains and the lines had been abandoned many years ago. A volunteer group had reclaimed the rail beds and over time had turned them into an extensive system of trails that were now enjoyed for passive recreation.
The van bumped along the dirt path to a small parking area near an entrance to the trails and came to a stop. Euclid stood tall on the center console peering out the front window.
Chief Martin emerged from his car and joined Finch and the sisters. “Here’s where we can enter the area. It’s not too far down the path where the woman claims her dog starts to have a fit.”
The van door was still open and the cats sat staring out at the woods. Euclid’s hair stood up along his ruff. Circe’s black tail swished back and forth across the short carpet on the vehicle’s floor as she turned her face to pick up on the smells floating on the air.
“I’ll stay with the cats,” Mr. Finch said. “I might walk around a little, but I will stay in sight of the van.”
“Do you have your phone, Mr. Finch?” Angie asked. “In case you need to call us or we need to call you.”
Finch patted his jacket pocket. “Right here, Miss Angie. I have you on speed dial.”
After confirming that they wouldn’t be out of touch with Mr. Finch, the walkers headed down the trail. The setting sun caused looming shadows to lean over the paths and a chill settled in the air.
“Was this the best time to come out here?” Angie took a quick look over her shoulder and ran her hands over her bare arms. “Maybe we should have waited until tomorrow.”
Courtney led the way down the trail. “Don’t worry. It’s fine, Sis. Chief Martin will protect us from the bogey-man.”
The chief pointed to a brook off to the side of the trail. “Here we are. This is where the woman said the dog gets upset. Up ahead there’s a fork in the path. Officer Talbot walked in both directions for quite a while. He checked the area of woods on both sides from here to the fork. Nothing.”
Angie moved a little further up the footpath looking from side to side as she walked. Courtney did the same, strolling along, gazing into the woods.
“Have you got your bearings?” the chief asked as he pointed. “This way heads towards the center of town. Silver Cove is that way.” He gestured in the opposite direction. “Walking in this direction would bring you to the small neighborhoods off of North Way.”
Angie stopped and turned. “That would include Wildewood Road, where Rachel is going to rent.”
The chief nodded.
“Maybe there’s a nest of squirrels or something up in one of these trees and the dog smells them.” Courtney had her head tilted back and her hands on her hips. “Just because the dog goes nuts here doesn’t mean that something evil is lurking. The dog probably sniffs something interesting when he reaches this spot.”
“Something interesting, huh?” Unease pulsed through Angie’s body and she knew it wasn’t because the light was fading and she didn’t like being in the woods at dusk.
The chief picked up on Angie’s nervous energy. “Shall we go back?”
“I think so. It will be dark soon.”
The chief and Angie walked for several yards next to each other when Angie noticed Courtney wasn’t with them. Glancing back to where they’d come from, she could see her sister standing still on the trail peering into the woods.
“Courtney?”
The youngest Roseland sister shook herself. “I’m coming.”
Approaching the small lot, the three could hear the cats howling in the van. Mr. Finch stood next to the open door with his phone in his hand when he noticed the trio emerge from the trail. “I was about to call you.” He nodded towards the cats. “This just started, but I don’t know what precipitated it.”
Angie hurried to the van. “Stop it, you two. Carrying on like this doesn’t help anything. Hush now.”
“Did somebody walk by?” Courtney questioned. “Could that have set them off?”
“I saw no one.” Finch appeared dumbfounded. “I’ve been alone. No hikers, no animals, no cars. It seems they began to howl without provocation.”
“Without provocation by anything we can see or sense,” Courtney pointed out.
Mr. Finch said, “They always have a reason when they behave this way. I am baffled as to the cause, however.”
The cats let out one last hiss and then were quiet.
Chief Martin spoke up as a worried look washed over his face. “Could it be the same reason why that woman’s dog starts acting up when they go on the trail?” He eyed the cats.
“You know….” Courtney took a look at the entrance to the trails. “When we were about to head back, I got a funny feeling. I can’t explain it. A breeze picked up and my skin started to feel odd.”
“I felt the odd sensation, too.” Angie took a step towards her sister. “I had a powerful urge to come back to the van.”
“It’s a good thing you did.” Finch nodded to the cats sitting on the second row of seats in the van. “Otherwise, I might have lost some of my hearing from the howling.”
“If anyone was lurking around here,” the chief noted, “then the cats probably scared them away.” Chief Martin made plans to meet the sisters and Finch at the Victorian the next day to talk. “Thanks for coming out. I appreciate it.”
On the drive back to the B and B, Courtney asked in a near whisper, “Did your skin feel funny back there?”
Angie nodded, not taking her eyes from the road. “It felt uncomfortable, tight. Almost like I had a bad sunburn.”
“What does it mean?” Courtney asked running her hands up and down her arms.
“I don’t know.” Angie narrowed her eyes. “But I bet we won’t have to wait long to find out.”
5
Rachel raced into the foyer. “My car won’t start and I’m supposed to meet the person to get the key to the rental h
ouse. Would anyone be able to give me a ride over there?”
Angie was coming down the staircase when Rachel burst through the front door. She’d closed the bake shop for the day and had just showered and changed. “I can drive you over.”
Wearing her apron from the candy store, Courtney walked in behind Rachel. “Where’s the fire?”
Rachel looked confused. “What?”
“You seem like you’re in a hurry.” Courtney pulled the apron over her head.
“Her car won’t start. I’m going to drive her over to the rental house.” Angie gave her sister a pointed look. “Why don’t you come along?”
Courtney was about to answer in the negative when she saw the expression on Angie’s face. The rental house wasn’t far from the rail trails they’d explored the previous evening. Courtney knew her sister would feel better to have a family member along when she drove over to the house. “Sure, I’ll come. Mr. Finch and I were going to watch a crime movie, but I’ll tell him to come by a little later.”
It only took ten minutes to drive to Wildewood Road and when Angie made the turn, Rachel leaned forward and pointed. “There it is.”
A small, neatly tended ranch house with an attached apartment sat nestled amid pine trees on a good-sized lot at the end of a long driveway. A blue sedan was parked near the house and a tall, slim red-haired woman came out from the side door of the house when Angie pulled in next to the car.
“I’m Rachel.” Rachel extended her hand to shake with the red-head.
“Elise Wender. I checked out the house. Everything is in order.”
When she first saw Elise come out of the ranch, Angie had underestimated the woman’s age. Elise’s slim build and perky, energetic step caused Angie to think she was probably in her thirties, but seeing her up close it was more likely that Elise was in her mid to late-fifties. Angie didn’t recognize the woman from town and wondered if she was the owner of the home or maybe a property manager.
“Here are the keys.” Elise smiled at Rachel and gestured to the door. “Why don’t we go inside and you can sign the papers.”
Everyone entered a huge country kitchen that opened to a large living room with a stone fireplace. Half the space had comfortable sofas and chairs clustered around the fireplace and on the other side of the room was a long wooden dining table near a wall of windows.
“This is great.” Rachel’s eyes widened with surprise. “It’s so much nicer than the photos. Who lives on the other side, in the apartment?”
Elise took a pen from her purse and put it on the counter. “No one lives there so you won’t be disturbed by any noise coming from that side. My brother kept the apartment for me when I came up to visit. I used it only occasionally.” Elise’s nose crinkled. “It’s too small. I usually stayed in a hotel.”
Paperwork was spread over the kitchen island and Elise indicated where Rachel needed to sign. Courtney and Angie wandered around the rooms while Rachel read the pages and initialed and signed her name.
“How do you feel?” Courtney whispered.
“On edge,” Angie nodded to the kitchen door. “Want to walk around outside?”
The sisters told Rachel they’d meet her in the yard and then stepped out and strolled around the front of the house.
“It’s been kept up nicely even though it’s a rental,” Courtney observed. “The yard’s really big. I hope Rachel doesn’t have to do the mowing.”
The girls turned around when they heard Elise’s voice rattling on to Rachel about where to put the trash cans and which days the trash was picked up. Courtney and Angie fell in behind the two women as they walked to the rear of the house. A growing sense of anxiety nagged at Angie making her want to get out of there and go home.
“Do you live in the area?” Angie asked Elise trying to focus her mind on something other than her odd feelings of discomfort.
“I just arrived today. My brother owned this place and three other houses in Silver Cove. He recently passed away and I inherited his properties. I decided to continue to rent some of the places until I decide what to do with everything. This house’s renter didn’t renew the lease so I advertised it as available for the summer.”
“Where are you from?” Courtney asked.
“Boston. This is too far away for me to properly keep an eye on things. I’ll either sell off the houses or I’ll hire a property manager. We’ll see how the next few months go.” Elise pointed to a shed and said to Rachel, “The mower is in there along with some gardening tools. You can keep what you want to in the shed, a bike or whatever. I’m setting up with a landscaper to take care of the grass. He’ll need to have access to the mower so don’t block it with your things.”
“Oh, there’s a garage.” Rachel noticed the large three-car garage at the side of the yard. “Am I allowed to park in there?”
“I’m afraid not. The thing is full of junk. The last tenant told me it’s been locked up for ages. My brother used it as a workshop and to store some cars. It’s locked up now and I’d appreciate it if you don’t try to go in there. When I get around to it, I’m going to arrange to have it cleaned out so don’t be alarmed if you see someone back there working on it.” Elise sighed. “But I have so much to do, it probably won’t happen until you’ve moved out.”
Elise asked Rachel if she had any questions, and when Rachel shook her head, the older woman shook hands and started for her car. “My number is on the paperwork. I’ll be in the area for the next five days, then I’ll leave you a number for a caretaker should there be any problems. Give me a call if you need anything.”
Rachel had a grin from ear to ear. “I love it. I’ve never had such a good-sized house and such a big yard.” She turned in a circle. “I’m going to plant a vegetable garden and I’ll get some chairs so I can sit out here under the shade trees.”
Angie couldn’t help but smile at how happy Rachel was.
“Do you mind if I take a few minutes to look around inside the house? I want to make some notes about what I need to pick up at the store.”
“That’s fine.” Angie nodded. “Courtney and I will stay outside. Let us know when you’re ready to leave.”
When the sisters sat down on a stone wall that marked the right side boundary of the property, Courtney asked in a low voice, “What do you feel, Sis?”
“Like I’d like to get out of here.”
“I feel the same.” Courtney breathed deeply attempting to shake off the sense of increasing dread she was experiencing. “I wish we brought the cats.”
“What is it that’s picking at us?” Angie glanced around. “This is a peaceful spot, it’s a well-taken care of house. What could be wrong?”
“Well, maybe a dead body buried in the basement?” Courtney tried to be jovial.
Angie groaned. “Why would that woman’s dog get all jumpy on the trail? The spot where it happens isn’t far from here.” She stood up. “I wonder if there’s access to the trail from the woods.”
“Oh, no.” Courtney stayed sitting. “I don’t want to go in the woods.”
“Just a little way. We can peek through the bushes for an entry point. The trails must run parallel to this yard.” Angie pulled on her sister’s arm. “Come on.”
The girls walked along the back edge of the property looking for a path that might lead to the rail trails. “Right here.” Angie’s voice held a tinge of excitement as she stepped into the brush. “It’s overgrown, but I bet this leads back to the trail system.”
“I think we should stay in the yard.” Courtney looked back hoping to see Rachel emerge from the house.
“Just a little ways.”
After walking about two hundred yards pushing back tree limbs and bushes, the sisters reached the trails. “That was easy,” Angie said. “You can see Rachel’s house through the growth. Let’s walk a bit down the path.”
After following Angie for less than five minutes and not seeing anything of note, Courtney suggested they return to the yard and the two headed
back to the rental house. Coming through the woods closer to the right-side property line than when they first left the yard, the sisters walked towards the old garage and Courtney stopped short. “Oh,” she said lifting her hand to her forehead. “I feel funny, dizzy.”
Angie gripped her arm. “Do you want to sit down?”
“Let’s keep going.” Courtney’s voice shook. “I want to get out of here.” Tears showed at the corners of her eyes.
Helping Courtney move past the garage, a sudden sense of impending doom washed over Angie and she stumbled.
“Are you okay?” Courtney whispered.
“I feel weird.” Thinking something may have happened to Rachel, Angie called out for her and a few seconds later, the young woman opened the back door of the house.
“Did you call me?”
Relieved to see her, Angie forced a smile. “We need to get back to the Victorian soon.”
“I’ll just be another minute.” Rachel ducked back inside.
Courtney sank onto the stone wall near the driveway and looked back to the woods. “What the heck is going on?”
“Sit tight. I’m going to walk around the garage.”
“Don’t leave my line of sight.” Courtney rubbed at her temple.
Trying to calm her breathing, Angie moved towards the garage, but the closer she got, the harder her heart pounded. She could see that the doors on the building didn’t go up like regular garage doors, these seemed to open by sliding to the sides like barn doors. A large, rusty metal lock was attached to the shank that swung over both of the handles and looked like it hadn’t been opened in some time.
Angie reached her hand out to touch the lock, but she pulled back before her fingers could make contact. She blew out a breath, annoyed by the cold grip of fear that had hold of her, and she walked around the side of the structure.
Overgrown bushes pressed against the large garage causing Angie to have to push at them in order to get close to a grimy window set in the wall. With slow steps, she sidled up to the building and stood on tiptoes to peer inside.
The space was packed with old tools, a broken-down snow blower, boxes piled high, a table saw, a couple of beat-up bicycles, lawn tools, a motorcycle missing its front tire, and an old sedan parked amid the rubble at the far end of the garage. Angie’s throat tightened and she lifted her hand to her Adam’s apple. Thinking the dust and pollen was the cause of the feeling, she coughed several times to clear her throat. Her tongue seemed to be swelling at the back of her mouth and panic flooded her body. Stumbling past the bushes, Angie rushed away from the building sucking in breaths of air trying to reverse the constriction of her membranes.
