Chapter 6
Elva held the lamp up high as Willie squatted down over the body. The rain came down sideways trying to reach them underneath the shelter of the porch. “Willie, looks like you caught VD again.”
“Elva!” Agnes protested. “I swear Willie I didn’t know. The shadow crossed the window just as the lightning flashed and silhouetted that horrible image. I swear I didn’t mean to shoot her. I thought she was dead already. What was she doing outside the window? Is she dead? Was she dead?”
“Here I brought some towels.” Sarah handed them down to him. “Is she going to be okay?”
“No Sarah, she’s dead.” Willie answered. “Her body is like ice. I thought tropical storms brought warm rain. This rain is cold.”
“Oh no! Oh god,” Agnes wailed. “I’m going to jail. I’m a murderer!”
“Do tell Agnes dear.” Elva interjected. “If you were going to be so upset about being a murderess I think you should have thought about that, years ago.”
“What do you mean by that remark?” Agnes responded with anger. “Elva I’m so tired of your mouth. If you don’t back up I’m going to do something I will regret.”
“Well Agnes, you are finally showing your true colors. You heard that Willie. She threatened me and she was the one that said I threatened her. Now who’s the animal?” Elva said loudly to be heard above the noise of the wind and hail.
“Now ― now,” Willie interrupted them. “Agnes you didn’t kill her. She was already dead. Her body is cold.”
“How did she cross in front of the window? She looked like she was spinning in midair outside the window. It was horrible.”
“It looks like your shot probably didn’t even hit her, Agnes.” Willie added. “As for the spinning… I’m not sure. I can’t figure that out. I didn’t see it. Maybe your eyes and the light played tricks on your mind. The lightning keeps flashing and the rain is coming in sideways. Even here on the porch with the rain it’s hard to tell much because her body is so wet and cold. I don’t see any ropes or signs of ropes that might have held her up.”
“Listen, I’m going to throw her body over my shoulder and put her in my squad car. That way we won’t lose it again. You ladies go back to the parlor and I’ll be back in the house in a few minutes.”
“How will you carry her and be able to see to get to your car in this rain with no lights?” Elva asked.
“I’ll just have to fumble my way there and back.” He yelled loud above the now howling wind.
“Why don’t we just lock her body up in the hall closet? I have a key that you can hold and nothing should be able to move her this time.” Elva shouted. “The storm is getting worse.”
Willie stared into the wind and rain of the storm and nodded. “Okay, thanks I just can’t keep losing bodies.”
Elva handed Sarah the lamp she had and bent down, grabbed the Deputy’s feet and started dragging her body across the porch like it was nothing.
“Hold on Elva!” Willie hurried over and picked up the upper body as Elva stopped, bent down the best she could and picked up the feet. They headed towards the entrance.
After several awkward tries they finally got her body in the closet. Elva closed the door, turned a skeleton key in the lock and then pulled out the long heavy key and handed it to Willie.
Sarah handed Elva a lamp and said, “Let’s get back to the parlor.”
After several minutes they entered the parlor.
“There you are.” Elva called out. “Oh my look at this Willie, the Rocking Randy is alive. He takes a licking and keeps on kicking. Whoever built the fire, thank you. It feels great right now.”
“We’ve been wondering where you were. Where were you?” Tamika quizzed. “We heard a gunshot. Then when we got back here no one was here. The window over there was broke and Randy was outside in the rain.”
“Oh, broken glass,” Elva answered, “was Agnes murdering the dead Deputy, again?”
“Murdering the deputy again? Really Elva, you have lost all your senses.” Agnes carped.
“It’s the truth. Agnes tried to kill VD. But VD was already dead. Agnes said VD was dancing outside the window but Willie said VD was already dead. See what I mean… she tried to murder a dead deputy.”
“Elva, would you quit babbling.” Agnes turned to Randy. “Randy I can’t believe you’re okay. What happen to you? Why are you wet?”
Randy pulled the crochet spread up over his head and tucked his head down with a shrug.
“Randy’s tired now. We’ve been grilling him. I’ll give you the 411.” Tamika inhaled quickly. “He woke up on the floor and nobody was here. He couldn’t see but he felt the air coming through the window and he walked towards it. I guess he was still drunk and he tripped against the French doors and they pushed open, he flopped down on the deck and the wind blew the doors shut and they locked. That is where he was when we got back from the bathroom ― nose stuck against the pane looking like a drowned zombie.”
“Tamika,” Elva began, “sometimes I think Randy’s head is made of cork.”
“Why’s that?” Tamika asked.
“Because it’s always connected to a bottle,” Everyone in the room laughed even Randy as he grabbed his head.
Willie walked over and sat down beside Randy. “Do you feel like answering a couple questions?”
“Sure.” Randy nodded.
“Did you drink any white wine?”
Randy sat there a moment, thinking then finally he shrugged. “I can’t remember. If it was setting out I probably did.”
“Willie, we still need to find Nicholas.” Elva declared. “I can’t believe you didn’t have enough sense to tell us about his body being missing.”
“Elva’s right,” Sarah spoke up. “You had no right not to tell us about that. We don’t think he’s really dead, especially now after seeing the Reverend is alive. We found a knife in the kitchen that had peanut butter on it. I just don’t understand where he is. Why doesn’t he come here to us? I’m starting to worry again.”
“I know Sarah, you’re right. I should have told you. I just didn’t want to stress you out until I found out something.” Willie offered the reason in hopes it would pacify her. “Guess that’s too late.”
Willie stood up looked around the room at the people and cleared his throat. “Here’s what I understand and I am going to be frank with you.”
“Why would you be frank,” Elva chimed in, “you’re Willie?”
“You know Elva sometimes you push the last nerve on people.” Willie grumbled. “I will be open and forthcoming….” When Willie saw her mouth open he clarified himself again. “Enough Elva, please try to stay with us. I know it’s been a hell of a long day. It has for all of us.” He paused as she closed her mouth and then he continued.
“Finding Nicholas is our primary. We don’t know what’s going on. My first suspicion is someone put something in the wine.”
“Wine,” Sarah interjected. “I drank some red wine. Who would put something into the wine? That just doesn’t make any sense.”
“Sense or not,” Willie continued, “That’s what I suspect. It was the white wine.” He walked over to Patrick and said, “You broke the decanter the wine was in so you are my number one suspect.”
Patrick opened his mouth to protest but Willie, put his hand up, palm out indicating he wanted him to say nothing and then he continued. “Now Patrick, I can’t think of any reason for you to put something in the wine. That’s what has me thrown.” Willie then walked over and stopped in front of the chair Karalina was sitting in. Her eyes half closed from fatigue.
“Now Karalina, you also are suspicious. You stated that you worked for a drug company that would explain where the drug, if there was a drug, could have come from.”
“You’re one crazy old man.” She said and continued even after he put his hand up indicating he wanted to
finish. “If you think there’s someone trying to kill somebody look around you. That one,” she pointed at Tamika, “has every reason to kill that one.” She then pointed to Agnes.
Willie whipped around and confronted Tamika. “What is she saying?”
Tamika stood up and walked over to Karalina. “Listen you skanky over painted whore, you mess with me and I’ll whoop your ass.”
“That’s enough Tamika!” Willie ordered. “Sit down, now!” He paused and waited for her to comply and then said, “Be civil and continue, Tamika. What does she mean?”
Tamika exhaled angrily pressed her lips together tightly then inhaled. “It’s the inheritance my father left Agnes. She got it all. We were talking earlier when we went to the bathroom and I mentioned to the bitch there, that Agnes got it all, and if something happened to Agnes then it reverted to me.” Tamika turned to Karalina and flashed her teeth at her in an angry grimace.
Willie nodded and then turned to Agnes. “Now Agnes, everything has quieted down. What did you do with the gun? And why the hell did you take it in the first place?”
Agnes stiffened her back and looked hatefully at Tamika. “Well Willie, I took the gun for obvious reasons. That thing,” Agnes pointed at Tamika, “is apparently out to get me. She even told the trollop over there her plan and she doesn’t know her from Adam.”
“Trollop?” Karalina asked, “What is this trollop?”
“It’s a whore, you skank-a-zoid.” Tamika spit out.
“Sheriff,” Karalina cried as she pointed at Tamika, “You need to protect me from that one.”
“Sheriff!” Elva jumped up and started spinning slowly around in a circle. Her breathing became harsh and rapid.
Sarah hurried over to her sister, and started humming an unidentifiable tune to her.
Karalina eyed the two and said, “If you’re after somebody, try those two. They just exude criminal behavior. The fat one is loony as they come.”
“Now on that comment I can agree.” Agnes added.
“And the other one is an anal retentive enabler.” Karalina finished.
The room got quiet as they watched the quieting of Elva.
After several eternal moments, Sarah seemed to have Elva under control. Willie then turned back to Agnes. “Where is the gun?”
Agnes walked over picked up a lamp and continued to a high back chair near the bar. She leaned over and looked under the chair. “It should be over here somewhere. After I pulled the trigger and it went off I dropped it on the floor.”
“Now Aggie, if I recall, the gun went bang, bang. That’s two shots. You’re trying to make it sound accidental.” Elva said as she snapped back to her attack mode rapidly.
“I heard two shots too.” Tamika agreed.
“What the hell were you thinking anyway? Shooting a damn gun off and not knowing where everybody was.” Willie walked over got down on his knees and looked up under the chair, around the table and then scanned the area.
Willie stood up and rubbed his hands together. “Well it’s nowhere to be found now.” He turned to look around at the group. “So who’s got the gun now?”
They each began looking around at each other and wondering who had the gun.
“Constable,” Sarah interrupted, “We still need to find Nicholas.”
“I know, I’m just not sure how. If he’s hiding from us in this house we will never find him in the dark; which takes me back to what I was saying earlier. The biggest question I can think of now is who was at the door to begin with. We all were in here when the pounding at the door happened. Nicholas took off to answer it and then ended up in the attic. Somebody took the boy and put him in the attic and it wasn’t one of us.”
“Well, what I want to know is he dead or not?” Sarah wrung her hands. “I’m pretty sure that knife wasn’t there before he disappeared.”
“Did anybody here see him drink some wine?” Willie asked point blank.
“He’s a boy. He wouldn’t dare.” She paused and thought a moment. “I can’t say that. I remember Papa and his elixir. It was so tasty when he used blackberries.” She paused again and then said, “I didn’t see Nicholas drink any.”
Everybody there indicated they hadn’t seen anything.
“Could anybody use some coffee?” Elva asked.
“Now how are you going to make coffee?” Agnes said flippantly.
“I have a percolator coffee pot and a propane camp stove. Agnes you know this isn’t the first time we’ve lost power. You could have had coffee earlier if you hadn’t been rooting around like a pig in the mud.” Elva answered. “Now then, who would like coffee?” After several said they would Elva added, “Sarah would you help me dear?”
“Certainly,” Sarah picked up a lamp and followed Elva out of the room, through the dining room and into the kitchen.
Elva busied herself setting the coffee up and had it ready in short order, grabbed a long stem strike anywhere match and lit the gas stove. She then turned and stared at her sister.
“Sarah, I’m starting to worry about our gentlemen in the basement and the possibility that there is something in the wine that imitates death.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Elva centered the coffee pot on the blue flame. “What if they weren’t dead? Like Randy, he seemed dead but he wasn’t. Then there was Agnes, we don’t know if she passed out or did she have the like death thing.”
“What are you saying?
“Sister, I think maybe those guys weren’t dead or at least they weren’t dead until we buried them.”
“Oh my word, that’s a horrible thing to think much less say. That would make us murderers.”
“Murderesses,” Elva corrected her. “Let’s see, there were the two in February, then Mr. Berkinbuss, and Mr. Smythe. Mr. Smythe was yesterday and Mr. Berkinbuss was the day before that. Remember Willie saying there was someone else here. That’s why Nicholas went to the door, someone was banging. What if it was Mr. Smythe or maybe even Mr. Berkinbuss, they woke up.”
“No! That’s a ghastly thought.” Sarah’s eyes grew wide.
“Yes dear. They were each in a garment bag. Maybe they woke up. Whoever left the basement door open let the rain in. It could have washed the dirt we had. They weren’t buried that deep.” Elva’s eyes got huge as she speculated.
Sarah noticed the change. “What is it Elva?”
“They were both naked!” Then she cackled and grinned.
“Oh my, what are we going to do?”
Elva quit laughing and then said, “Even if they aren’t wandering around, their bodies might have washed up in all that water.”
“Well we have to keep everybody out of the basement.” Sarah agreed.
“Coffee’s ready, would you grab some cups. I believe all the ones we had in the parlor have been used. I’ll carry the pot and lamp, you grab the cups.”
Sarah gathered the cups on a tray, adding extra packets of sugar and artificial sweetener.
“Now don’t say anything about the gentlemen.” Elva reminded her sister.
“As if I would,” Sarah responded as they crossed through the dining room and then into the parlor.
They set the coffee pot and tray down on the bar.
“We will let you serve yourself,” Elva said. “Sarah, I think we should leave them one lamp and we should take the other three and refill their oil. I do hate it when they burn low it causes the wick to crisp up.”
“Of course,” Sarah answered picked up two lamps while Elva picked up the other one and followed Elva.
“As soon as they left the parlor Elva walked over to the dining room table and placed her lamp down.
“What is it now?” Sarah asked as they left the room.
Elva lifted the hem of her dress and reached up under and pulled out the gun.
“Where did you get that and why did you sneak it out of there?” Sarah whisp
ered.
“When I sat the coffee pot down I saw it. It was tucked up behind some bottles in the bar. Agnes lied to Willie.”
“Why would she do that?”
“She’s Agnes ― enough said. Now, I need somewhere to hide it.”
“How on earth did you carry that heavy thing out of there?”
“I’ve got fat thighs, use your imagination!” Elva snapped. “Now I’ve got to find a place to hide it.”
“Why don’t you give it to Willie?”
“Because I like having a little protection, and Willie couldn’t even protect his Deputy so help me find a place to put it.”
Sarah thought for a moment, she set one of the lamps on the table, went over to the china cabinet and opened a drawer. She reached in pulled out a long elastic band and handed to Elva. “Tie one end through the trigger loop and then tie it under your dress around your waist and let it hang down.”
“You’re not serious?”
“Well you carried it out of there like that. At least this time you won’t have to keep your thighs together.”
Elva worked with it for several minutes and then lowered her dress and then she giggled. “If I don’t shoot my knee caps off it might just work.”
“Let’s get the oil.” Sarah suggested.
“In a moment but first we must check the basement to see if there are any bodies floating. Now set one of those lamps down and follow me.”
They made their way down the long steps, shadows moving across the closed stair cases. The water was still almost as high as the work bench.
“What’s that?” Elva pointed towards the concrete stairs leading to the outside exit.
“It’s so dark, I can’t tell but I think it’s a garment bag.” Sarah speculated.
“I agree. I think that is exactly what it is. Which means somebody is wandering around for sure.”
Sarah shivered at the damp coolness. “You would think that by now whichever one it is would have presented his self to us. And where is Nicholas? He should have showed up by now.”
“I guess we had better get back.” Elva followed slowly behind Sarah up the steps back to the dining room.
“I just remembered where a flashlight is at in the kitchen.” Elva said surprised. “I have an idea. Grab those lamps and bring them into the kitchen. I’m going to make a short trip to the front hall table through the breezeway. While I’m gone if you will fill the lamps, I’ll explain when I get back.”
Sarah put the flame out of two of the lamps and wiped down the sink while she waited for them to cool. After she finished the sink she opened the flatware drawer and began straightening.
“Are you two alright?” Willie said walking in holding one of the candles. “Where’s Elva?
“Willie you startled me.” Sarah’s hand went up to her chest.
“I’m sorry. You were taking so long I thought I would check on you.”
“She….”
“Hey Willie boy, I’m here.” Elva called from the doorway. ”Even an old woman has to pee.”
“I was concerned. I see you found a flashlight. Hope it lasts longer than mine. I’m going to go call the station and see if they have any updates on the storm or the power. My phone’s dead so I’m going to use the hall phone. I just thought I would check on you first. I can still go through the enclosed external porches can’t I?”
“Of course Willie, we sat out on those porches many a day when we were young didn’t we?” Sarah said. “But we always called it the breezeway. Elva likes to call it the Florida room.”
“Here Willie, take the flashlight.” Elva offered it out. “It will be easier than walking with that candle.
“Thanks, I’ll meet you back in the parlor.” Willie blew out the candle and left the room carrying the unlit candle and the flashlight.
Sarah finished filling the two lamps and then relit them. She then blew out the other one, picked up a rag to protect her hand, unscrewed it then filled it up.
“Where did you go?”
“Just an errand,” Elva answered. “Speaking of bathrooms, let’s make a stop on our way back.”
Sarah nodded agreement.