An Ordinary Fairy (13 page)

Willow waited a moment and then continued. “I don’t have a phone, so when I need Louie’s help I email the Anders and they call him. I don’t need to call though. He comes out about once a week to check on me, to see if I need anything.

“During this working phase, we didn’t see or hear anything of Armstrong. That makes me feel all the more sure he killed my parents. I asked the deputies to question him and they did, but he had a strong alibi—from Chester, of course.

“After a few months, in the early winter, I was out one night with Shadow and felt someone’s presence. I ran to the Big House and didn’t see anyone, but then I heard loud cursing from the shed. I ran there and found Armstrong trying all the shutters. He was pissed, to say the least.

“‘What do you think you’re doing?’ I yelled. He jumped and looked as if he had seen a ghost. I didn’t have a flashlight since fairies have excellent night vision, so I really spooked him. ‘Where did you come from?’ he said. Before I could say anything, he rushed toward me, screaming. ‘What’s wrong with you people? Why did you take my house?’ He raged at me. I kept my distance, and made Shadow bark and growl. That got his attention and he calmed down some.

“‘You’re violating the restraining order,’ I told him, ‘and I’m going to call the sheriff if you don’t leave right now. I may call him anyway. He might be interested to know you were here.’ When I said that, he decided to try the civil approach.

“‘I’m sorry, my dear,’ he said. ‘You startled me in the dark. I just wanted to see the place again for old times’ sake. I left in a hurry, you know. Perhaps I could take time someday and walk through the old house once?’

“‘Absolutely not,’ I said. ‘Now get off my property before I turn the dog loose.’ Shadow assisted with a good growl. Armstrong couldn’t see his tail wagging in the dark. He grumbled under his breath and turned away, walking south. I followed him far enough to convince myself he was leaving and to let him know I was watching.

“I caught him two other times snooping, but always before he could figure a way into the house or shed. I never left the property at night. I would only leave for short times during the day.

“One night the following January the problem with Armstrong resolved itself. Do you remember the string of bad winters in the seventies? That was one of those years and heavy snow was on the ground, fifteen inches or so. One night I had been cooped up too long, so late, around midnight, I let Shadow out to play and went for a buzz.” She smiled at the unspoken question on Noah’s face. “That’s fairyspeak for flying. It was brutally cold, about ten degrees, and the sky was clear with a big full moon, one of those stunning Illinois winter nights. I flew around the property several times at treetop level, and then stopped where our house had been and walked for a few minutes. I left there, flew in a big circle across the surrounding fields, and turned toward the Big House. As soon as I came close, I could sense someone’s presence. I shifted over to what I like to call stealth mode. Like an Apache helicopter. I’ll have to demonstrate sometime. First, you wink and then you slow your wing frequency way down and increase your cupping ratio. It’s very effective at night.” Noah nodded in appreciation.

“I circled the house and spotted the intruder. A ladder leaned against the front porch roof and someone was lying in the snow at the bottom. A big slice of snow had slid off the steel roof. I landed and of course, it was Armstrong. The old fool had tried to get in a second floor window. He was alive, but the way he gasped and the way he was bent, I could see he’d broken his neck and wouldn’t live long. He heard me and opened his eyes. I reappeared, wings and all, and I bet he thought I was an angel. Just to help the effect … and to be mean … I turned on a little glow. I was breathing hard from flying so my breath looked like smoke.

“‘Armstrong, what have you done?’ I asked. He knew he was dying and seeing me sent him into complete terror.

“‘It’s me, Willow Brown,’ I said. That calmed him, though he was still foggy. ‘Did you kill my parents?’ I demanded.

“‘No one will ever know,’ he gasped out.

“‘You’re dying Armstrong, you can tell me now,’ I said. He didn’t answer.

“‘Fool!’ I said. ‘What was of such great importance to you in the house?’

He struggled to continue speaking, choking out the words.

“‘No one will ever know’ he said and grinned the most evil smile I’ve ever seen. It vanished into a look of agony and he stopped breathing.

“I flew to the cottage and walked back to Armstrong so my tracks would look as if I found him while I was walking. Then I ran to the county road and went to the house down the road to get help. It took over an hour for the deputies and the paramedics to get to the house with all the snow. They traipsed around the property all night, following both our tracks. They satisfied themselves it was an accident. So ended the issues with Armstrong.

“For the last thirty years I’ve lived quietly on the property. I don’t do much. I read. I do some Internet consulting. Louie and I maintain the Big House, keep it painted, roofed, and cleaned inside and out. Every few weeks in the winter, we light the boiler for a day or so. We air it out in the summer. I care for the animals. I make sure they have enough to eat. And I love to garden. I grow almost all my own food over the summer. I have three gardens. One is for my food, a second for the mammals and birds, and a third where I send all the bugs. They have to eat, too.”

Noah raised his eyebrows. “Is this communication with animals you do a fairy thing or a Willow thing? It’s amazing.”

“It’s a fairy thing. We do it with mental pictures. Most animals don’t understand words, but they all know pictures. We use our hands to direct the images. Some fairies are better at it. I’m good, but my friend Rowan is a real pro. She can read images from animals as well, with one she’s known for a time.”

“Wow. Where did you say Rowan lives? Kentucky?”

“Yes. She’s lived there most of her life.”

“How do you stay in touch with no phones? Do you like, send an owl or something?”

“Actually, these days we rely on the magic of email,” Willow said with a grin. “Hoopeston has a good wireless Internet system so I don’t need a cable. We fairies have a sophisticated network for communications. All secure and encrypted. More reliable than owls and much less mess. We call it FairyNet. It’s revolutionized being a fairy. Community has come to the most reclusive of our people.”

“Really? You’re not pulling my leg?” Noah asked.

“Not this time. That’s where I do my consulting. I’m on the FairyNet security team. We’re off the subject again.”

“Sorry. You were talking about living on the property the last thirty years. Sounds lonely.”

“Yes, it can be, even for someone who likes solitude.” She stopped for a moment and looked at the floor, deep in thought. “I’ve never been a sociable person, less so after we moved to Hoopeston. Since Mother and Father died, I’ve become a recluse. I’ve had trust issues for a long time.” She raised her head and looked at Noah. “Until you came along. I’ve not talked to anyone like this for many years, except Rowan.”

“I’m glad you trust me. I think your trust is from the fairy friend magic, though. I hope someday you can trust me just because I’m me. You’ve talked a lot tonight, and I appreciate you sharing all this with me, but you’ve not told me everything, have you? Something else is hanging over you. What happened to make you feel grotesque, as you put it?”

Willow shifted in her chair and avoided his gaze. He could sense confusion, fear, and irritation. She spoke, her voice almost too quiet to hear. “I’ve only ever told one person. My mother. Not even Rowan.” She raised her head and looked into Noah’s eyes. “I’ll not tell you. Not yet.”

At least you said ‘Not yet.’

“I’m tired,” Willow said. “I should be going home.” She stood up, reached for her sweatshirt, and pulled it on.

“I’ll drive you home,” Noah said.

“Thanks, but you don’t need to.”

“I know, but I want to. It would be better than worrying about you flying into a tree in this fog.”

“Okay,” she said and smiled.

“So, where does this fairy friend thing go from here?” Noah asked.

Willow shrugged. “I guess we go about our business and … be friends. We visit, we email, whatever. How long will you be around Hoopeston?”

“About another week. I have to work most days, but we can get together a couple of times in the evening.”

May I see you
every
evening?

“I would like that. Is my coat dry?”

Noah retrieved her coat and helped her into it. She grabbed her hat from the ventilator and pulled it on. Noah went to the closet for his own coat and hat.

“I have another nosy question,” Noah said as he donned his things. “You said your parents did okay financially. I wondered … if … how do I say this. I don’t want to pry or make you mad or anything. Are you okay financially? I mean, do you have enough money to take care of yourself and the property?”

Willow looked confused. “Yes. My father did quite well, and I’ve continued to manage by his methods. I’m worth about—”

Noah held up a hand. “That’s okay. I don’t need to know. I just wondered why your property taxes haven’t been paid. I thought you might be in some difficulty.”

“What are you talking about?” Willow asked.

“Remember, I told you I looked at the tax records? The records show the payment history for each tract, back ten years or so. The tract for the woods shows this year’s taxes unpaid. The property is listed for the tax sale on November twelfth.”

Concern crossed Willow’s face. “That can’t be. Of course they’re paid. Bill Anders always pays the tax bill for me from the property maintenance account. I don’t even take advantage of the two installment payments. I always have them pay it all when we get the bill. I’ll have to email Bill tonight.” She paused, and grimaced. “Shoot! He’s not here. He always takes a family vacation in October and shuts the office down.”

“Do you have the receipt?” Noah asked.

“Yes, it’s at the cottage in a lockbox.”

“Well, we’ll drive down to the courthouse in Danville tomorrow morning and straighten it all out.”

“I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve work to do.”

“I’m an independent contractor so I set my own work schedule. I’ll take the morning off.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep. On one condition.”

“What?”

“That you grant me permission to shoot your pond a second time.”

Willow grinned. “Granted. Perhaps we’ll make a day of it. I’d like to show you around the property … if you’re interested.”

What man wouldn’t want to spend a day with you?

“Sure. Now we better get you home.”

After riding in silence for a few blocks, Willow spoke.

“Oh, by the way, I looked up your magazine on the Internet, as well as your website. You do beautiful work. The article about horses was wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Noah said, feeling quite pleased.

“And I should apologize, too, for accusing you of working for Chester Jones. I don’t trust him an inch. He’s been making trouble for me the last few months.”

“What sort of trouble?”

“Making continual offers to buy the property or the house. Starting rumors that I’m a Satan worshipper or a prostitute. There have even been rumors about Louie and me having an affair. That’s why he’s out at the woods every week, they say. At least I assume it’s been Chester. Ever since his father, Anthony, died last year, Chester has taken an interest in the Big House. I caught him on the property one day last summer, nosing around. He pretended he had come to see me but I know better.”

When they reached the missing sign, Noah swung wide to the left to pull through the trees.

“You can let me out here,” Willow said.

“No, I’m taking you home.”

Willow didn’t object. They soon came to the tree across the lane. Noah jockeyed the truck around until it headed out toward the road, and then killed the engine. He popped the glove box open, grabbed a flashlight, and flipped it on.

“Let’s go,” he said, and climbed out as Willow did.

“You don’t need to walk me to my door. I’ll be fine from here. Fairies can see very well in the dark.”

“It’s late and dark and foggy. I’m going with you, little fairy.”

“Noah, really, I’ll be fine. Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”

Noah hesitated.

You’re an independent little fairy, aren’t you?

“I’ll have Shadow walk with me,” Willow said. “I let him out when I left. Watch this.” Facing toward the cottage path, she raised her right arm and pointed it straight out with her hand upright, palm facing forward. The hand glowed with a pure white light. Within a few seconds, Shadow’s happy bark sounded in the distance. Willow kept her arm raised a few seconds longer, and then dropped it to her side. She wore a satisfied smirk. “Fairy magic,” she said, as if any explanation was necessary.

Amazing.

“Thank you for tonight,” Willow said. “Thanks for listening.”

“I never thought I would hear you say that after this morning. Thank
you
for tonight, too. It was fascinating, to say the least.”