The Leafing: the 2nd book in The Green Man series

by Sharon Brubaker

  Sylvia looked at her quizzically, licking the last of the chocolate caramel cream off her spoon. “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “C’mon,” Carol urged.

  Sylvia shrugged, “Same story, different day,” she said to Carol, “actually, I’m kind of getting tired of it myself. I am so confused about the situation with Owen that I don’t know what to do. He’s being so nice…” she trailed off.

  There was a loud knock at the door and they both jumped. Percy went to the kitchen and barked and then whined. Sylvia looked puzzled. She listened thinking it was the wind, but the loud knock came again.

  “If he’s whining,” she whispered to Carol, “It must be someone I know.”

  Tipsy, they staggered out to the kitchen together. Sylvia saw Joe’s blond head in the window of the kitchen door and she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Joe!” she cried as she opened up the kitchen door and staggered back.

  “Whoa, there!” Joe said and caught Sylvia’s wrist before she fell over.

  She just giggled.

  “Sylvia!” Joe admonished, “You’re drunk.”

  “Not quite,” she said, “Just a little tipsy. Dessert pushed me over the edge and standing up certainly didn’t help!” She giggled again.

  He raised an eyebrow and then looked at Carol who was standing and steadying herself on the kitchen chair.

  “I’m Joe,” he introduced himself, and held out his hand to Carol.

  “Sorry, sorry,” Sylvia said, “It all hit me when we stood up,” she told Joe and Carol again. “Carol, meet Joe Collins, detective extraordinaire. Joe, meet my friend Carol.”

  “And let’s help our friend Sylvia into a chair,” Joe said drily. “Do you need some coffee?” he asked.

  Sylvia shook her head slowly. She looked up at him and was puzzled, “Why are you here?” she asked him.

  “Just checking to see that you were safe,” he told her. “I knew Owen was teaching tonight and thought I would drop by.”

  “Oh,” Sylvia said, sobering a little.

  “That’s why I’m here,” Carol offered looking directly at Joe.

  “Why you little sneak,” Sylvia teased Carol.

  Carol said smugly, “Owen and I had it all figured out.”

  Joe grinned at Carol and nodded before he said, “Owen and I discussed it briefly. Glad he followed through.”

  Sylvia shook her head. Then she turned to Joe, “Do you want something to eat or drink?” she asked him. “Are you on duty?”

  “Actually,” he told her, “I just got off duty.”

  “Carol’s Mom made this awesome macaroni and cheese,” Sylvia told him.

  Carol spooned out a large portion onto a plate and popped it into the microwave for a couple of minutes. “Beer?” she asked Joe and he nodded. She brought the hot, bubbling pasta and the cold beer over to him at the kitchen table.

  “We were watching old movies,” Sylvia told him. “Chick flicks.”

  “Don’t let me keep you from the movies,” Joe told her.

  “Nothing we haven’t seen a hundred times,” Carol assured him.

  The girls sat on either side of him. Joe was thoroughly enjoying the pasta.

  “This is fabulous,” Joe said. “Please tell your Mom thank you.”

  “Okay,” she said with a silly grin on her face that Sylvia couldn’t quite read, “I will.”

  “Is there any word on the case or should I say cases?” Sylvia asked before a pregnant pause, “yet?”

  Joe shook his head, “No,” he said, “Sorry. We seem to be at a stalemate.”

  “What about Kenny?” she asked softly.

  “He was released,” Joe told her. “His cell phone calls placed him at other locations later that evening.”

  Sylvia started in surprised. “Good!” she said enthusiastically. “That’s great I told you I had a gut feeling he was innocent!”

  “Yeah, except that we’re back at square one,” Joe said wryly.

  “With the recent robberies complicating the situation, right?” Carol asked.

  “Yes,” Joe stated, “and we’re looking for evidence to see if they are linked.”

  “But, nothing yet?” Carol asked.

  “Nothing,” Joe stated grimly.

  “So, Kenny wasn’t the last person to see Joyce alive then,” Sylvia sorted out.

  The wind blew more gusts that rattled the windows. Sylvia shivered. What was happening? They all sat quietly for a moment. The wind buffeted the house again.

  “Where are my manners,” Sylvia said. “I forgot to get you dessert,” she told Joe. Sylvia removed a wine glass filled with the whipped cream dessert from the refrigerator. Joe took a bite and raised his eyebrows.

  “No wonder you two are tipsy,” he said. “This is wicked!”

  “Wicked good!” Carol interjected.

  He nodded. They all sat quietly in thought.

  “What’s next with the cases?” Sylvia finally asked softly.

  Joe’s blue eyes were unfathomable. “Working on it,” he said.

  “Do you think I’m in danger?” she asked her voice almost a squeak.

  He hesitated a few minutes before answering, “I think it’s a good possibility,” he said quietly.

  Sylvia sobered up at this. The violence towards Joyce and the break-ins didn’t make any sense. But, did any violent act make sense?

  Owen came in the kitchen door, the wind taking the door from him and banging loudly. Sylvia and Carol jumped. Joe stood up, ready to action.

  “Wow,” Owen commented, “some party. You all look as though you are at a funeral!”

  “Pensive,” Joe answered and Sylvia and Carol nodded.

  Percy came over to Owen and whined softly.

  “Will you look at that,” Sylvia said, “He knows you are his late night walker.”

  “Perc, it’s cold outside!” Owen said, “Can I get warmed up first?”

  Percy whined again.

  “Okay, okay,” Owen sighed.

  Joe laughed. “I’ll join you,” he said.

  Once the boys closed the door Carol turned to Sylvia, “Good God, Syl! Where have you been hiding him?”

  “Joe?” Sylvia asked.

  “Yes!” Carol said, “What a hunk! Wow! Be still my heart!”

  “Carol!” Sylvia cried, “Calm down! You just met him!”

  “I know, I know,” Carol said. She twisted the dishcloth in her hand and she sighed an ecstatic sigh before she said, ‘but, I can’t help it.”

  Sylvia smiled at her starry eyed friend. “Turn down the glow, my friend,” she said, “the boys will be back any moment.”

  Joe and Owen came back with Percy. Carol busied herself filling the wine glasses for Sylvia and herself. Sylvia noticed her cheeks were flaming red.

  “Boy, its cold outside,” Owen said,

  “The wind bites right through you!” Joe commented.

  “Come in and get warm,” Sylvia told them. She had pulled two beers from the refrigerator and handed them over. She also carried another glass of the whipped cream dessert in for Owen.

  “That dessert is why the girls are tipsy,” Joe nodded to Owen.

  They followed Sylvia to the living room. The banter was general. Carol, Sylvia noticed, was quieter than usual. Owen yawned. Carol yawned. Sylvia yawned. Joe finished his beer.

  “This was good,” Joe said, “I never expected dinner and a nice evening. My plan was a pizza and beer at home. Thanks.” He flashed a grin. He turned to Carol, “I’m still thinking you shouldn’t drive.”

  She looked up at him, nearly fluttering her lashes Sylvia noticed. “I should be fine,” she said, but when she tried to stand up, she tilted back and sat suddenly on the couch. She giggled.

  “I do have another guest room,” Sylvia told her. “You can spend the night here, Carol and head home in the morning before work,” she suggested.

  “That’s a really good idea,” Joe said, “You know what the commercial says – friends don’t l
et friends drive drunk.”

  ‘”Nuff said,” Carol agreed and she yawned from her spot on the couch.

  “Thanks for coming over, Joe,” Sylvia told him. “I’m going to help Carol up the stairs and into bed.”

  “Nice meeting you, Carol,” Joe told her. “I hope I see you again sometime.”

  Carol blushed, “same here,” she almost stuttered. “Good night.”

  Sylvia took Carol’s arm and led her to the guest room, loaned her a nightie and tucked her friend in. Carol was still swooning over Joe when Sylvia turned off the light.

  “Like a ton of bricks,” she told her friend. “Pleasant dreams.”

  “Oh, you know I will,” Carol insisted, “and you know who I will be dreaming about.” She sighed a contented sigh.

  Sylvia shook her head and quietly shut the door. She went back downstairs where Owen was tidying up that last of the evening’s revelries.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “No problem,” he told her. “More wine?” he asked her.

  Sylvia shook her head, “No thanks, I’ve had enough.”

  “Not a surprise after imbibing that dessert,” Owen commented, “Poor Carol, I think she’s going to be hurting tomorrow.”

  Sylvia nodded, “I agree,” she said as they made their good nights.

  Morning dawned with Carol and her usual sense of humor only slightly curbed by the alcohol the previous evening. She downed coffee and aspirin and went home telling Sylvia she would be slightly late, and to please explain to Mr. Carter.

  The week flew past. Owen and Sylvia were settling into a comfortable routine once again. Before she knew it, Saturday came and she was looking forward to meeting Bill on campus mid-afternoon. Owen walked her from the parking lot across the quad where Bill waited anxiously outside the library. He grinned when he saw them and asked Owen again if he would join them.

  “No thanks,” Owen said, “I’ll be inside,” and he jerked his head towards the library. “Take good care of her,” he told Bill.

  Sylvia laughed, “No bogeymen here,” she said.

  Owen walked up the steps to the massive library. Bill pulled off his backpack and reached in for a couple of pieces of what looked like bent wire to Sylvia.

  “So tell me what you know about dowsing,” he said.

  Briefly she told him of her experience with the ring and Shannon’s baby. She also shared that she had tried dowsing with the ring to ask a couple of questions. He nodded in satisfaction.

  “I think you have the gist of it,” he told Sylvia. “That’s actually a form of pendulum dowsing. People use it to locate things like water and gold, to heal things, to find lost objects…”

  “Heal things?” Sylvia interrupted with her question, “What do you mean? Do you mean like changing negative energy into positive energy?”

  “Y-yes,” Bill hesitated and glanced at her sideways to see if she was serious. “There are some healers that use pendulums to find and heal disease. Some doctors use it, but I think they’re mostly in Europe. Many, many people are skeptical about this.”

  “But what about the energy?” Sylvia pestered.

  “Well, it’s all vibrational energy, like Dr. McInnis stated,” Bill told her. “There is good and bad energy.”

  Sylvia nodded impatiently, wanting him to go on.

  “There are some people,” he said slowly, “you probably think of them to be the ‘new age’ people, but they ask their spirit guides to help them change negative energies to positive energies and to heal and clear their chakras. It’s called spiritual dowsing.” He looked at her again, to see her reaction to this. When she didn’t react, he asked, “Are you into all of that stuff?”

  Sylvia shrugged, “A bit,” she admitted. She thought of Gwen’s mother and wondered if she was aware of this kind of dowsing. She had commented to Sylvia during the wedding shower that Sylvia’s chakras were cloudy and she should get them cleared. Sylvia didn’t think about it at the time, but wondered if this is how Be cleared her chakras. She wouldn’t be surprised. “I’m curious,” she told him. “How is it done – this clearing?” she asked.

  “Hmm,” Bill said. “You ask your spirit guide to clear away any negative energy and ask it to neutralize the negative energies and the patterns that attract them,” he told her. He continued, “your pendulum would probably swing in the ‘no’ position until the negative energies clear and then it will swing in the yes position.” He stopped and looked at Sylvia’s reaction to all of this.

  Sylvia was listening seriously. She didn’t react in positive or negative way, but gently held the ring from Gran.

  . “Let’s get back to dowsing class,” Bill said. “Most people are familiar with dowsing as water witching.”

  Sylvia looked confused now.

  Bill explained, “Finding water for wells. In fact there are dowsers who volunteer to find water in those countries that have difficulty finding water. You’ve probably seen movies where the old bearded guys use a forked stick to find water.”

  Sylvia nodded.

  “Well, you can still use that, but most people use these dowsing rods nowadays. Here, I made you some,” Bill told her as he handed her some bent wires.

  “Wow, Bill! Thanks!” Sylvia told him, surprised.

  He looked a little embarrassed, but proceeded to show her how to hold the wires and demonstrated walking with them.

  “Be sure to ask your intent,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s aloud or silently in your head,” he advised.

  She was surprised to see the wires take on a life of their own. He stopped when the wires swung together and crossed. He told her there was water beneath them – likely pipes of some sort. Sylvia nodded. She felt a bit silly when she asked the rods to help her find water. She tried it herself walking a bit further from Bill in a slightly different direction. The wires crossed easily in what could easily be the path of the underground water piping on campus. He smiled a triumphant smile as he led her over to a bench and they sat down. From the cavernous backpack he pulled a map. He pointed to where they were walking and showed her on the map of the water pipes on campus where her dowsing rods crossed.

  “We’ll need to go out in the wild next,” Bill suggested.

  Sylvia nodded in agreement.

  Ever the teacher, he handed her a list of books and websites she should investigate. She thanked him and folded it carefully before putting it in her pocket.

  “Owen’s going to be looking for us,” Bill commented glancing up at the setting sun and at his watch.

  They walked back towards the library where Owen was outside on the steps looking around for them.

  “Have fun?” he asked Sylvia.

  She nodded before she answered, “I learned a lot.”

  Bill smiled. They walked across campus with Bill asking Owen about dowsing. Owen shook his head, “I don’t know, Bill,” he told him skeptically, “it’s a little too far out for me to believe.”

  Sylvia rolled her eyes at Bill who smiled.

  “Owen,” Bill insisted, “This isn’t just ‘new age’ stuff. There are many medical doctors in the world who use a form of dowsing in their diagnosis,” he told Owen. “Engineers use it. Public utilities keep dowsers on their payroll, it was successfully used in the wars of the 20th century to find bombs, tunnels, submarine wolf packs, booby-traps and supplies. There are armies around the world who keep a corps of dowsers!” Bill’s passionate diatribe continued until they reached a table at the pub.

  “Okay, okay,” Owen said, “maybe I’ll look into it one day. Just not right now.”

  Bill was satisfied. “Sylvia’s a natural,” he said. “She has good instincts and takes to dowsing like a duck to water.”

  Sylvia blushed.

  The pub was noisy and crowded with many shamrock hats and inexpensive trinkets dangling from many necks. The beer had been tinted green and a trio playing Irish music was trying to sing above the noise level.

  Their waitress came over with a bowl o
f pretzels. She was wearing a very form fitting T-shirt that loudly stated “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” and wore a headband with attached blinking shamrocks.

  “What can I get you?” she asked. “Green beer?”

  Bill violently shook his head. “Black and Tans and bowls of Irish stew,” he told the waitress.

  “For everyone?” she asked.

  Owen and Sylvia nodded. Bill had told them of the pub’s traditional fare for St. Patrick’s Day. Sylvia wasn’t overly hungry, but traipsing about the quad with the dowsing rods had inspired some hunger. Spring was coming, but there was a stubborn streak of chill in the air and she wanted something to warm her insides. Thank goodness she had worn her boots. They were guaranteed to keep your feet warm in sub-zero temperatures and she felt she had put them to the test today. She rubbed her arms.

  “Cold?” Owen asked.

  “Chilled,” Sylvia said.

  Owen put his arm around Sylvia and she did not flinch. She did not pull away. The thought came to her in wonderment if she had possibly cleared her chakras and her confusion about Owen as she was dowsing. She was thinking about it, but had she intended this to happen? Owen didn’t comment. Bill had a poker face. She decided to relax and enjoy the evening. The waitress brought their black and tans.

  Bill raised his tankard, “Slainte!” he toasted.

  They all clinked glasses.

  Bill asked Owen how his classes were going. They both complained about how many of the students did not seem to care, but instead texted through class or played on their computers and the high percentage that just cut class.

  “No answer for you, buddy,” Bill said. “Some years are worse than others. You know I do my own version of ‘Bill Nye, the Science guy,” to keep the troops entertained. Your curriculum for your course doesn’t lead to much creativity. Get through this semester and maybe we can brainstorm for next semester or you can vie to get a better course title to work with.

  The waitress brought them their stew. It was piping hot and Sylvia was happy to get something warm in her tummy. The waitress had also brought a bowl of mashed potatoes with something green in it. Sylvia looked at it skeptically and Bill laughed at her.