Another Deception (6 page)

“No, it’s okay. I have three more weeks before going home.”

“I see.”

      She reached her car and as she went to open the door, he said,

“If you go around the bend from where that trail starts, there is a farm house sitting back a ways from the road. My Granny would love the company if you have time to kill sometimes…and if you want, I could show you some even better trails than that one you took …if you want me to.”

“Thank you. That is very nice of you.”

     She did not wait for a response, but left him standing where he was, feeling a bit foolish.

     He made a face and went back in to see if he could find out something more about the woman. Nettie was impressed for Hidey was a favorite of hers and had shown no interest in anyone since Jillian.

“Hidey, she is here writing and will be leaving soon.”

“She said three more weeks.”

“She will still go home in the end. Are you interested in her?”

     He shrugged.

“I could be.”

     Looking at him from over her glasses, she reasoned.

“Be careful Hidey. You are my friend and I don’t want to see you get hurt… again.”

     He responded wryly,

“If you’re talking about Jill, don’t.”

    Nettie said defiantly,

“She was my best friend Hidey. I know how she really hurt you.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. I am just curious. There is something about her…I don’t know what, just something.”

     Someone came in and while Nettie busied herself helping the customer, Hidey slipped out the door and left. He knew Nettie meant well and she was probably the only other person who did know what really happened when he went into New York to surprise his girlfriend.                                          

5

    
T
he fair was in full swing and Brenda’s cabin was continuously flowing with family and friends with Honey being the gracious host. Jacks met many people for the first time and realized that even though Honey did not have immediate family living, there was an abundance of more relatives, who came back to Neshoba County for the fair and reunion with other members of the family. He and Honey were staying at the cabin for the duration while their house in town housed another cousin from Colorado.

     Food was the major happening amongst the fair cabins and dishes, as well as recipes,
were shared
during this time.

     Jacks’ growing up as he did an orphan, was overwhelmed by this sort of interaction with such a large gathering of people. He slipped out on occasion just to walk around the grounds, watching as people rode rides, ate food from the venders or just having fun.

     On the third day, the fair grounds were full of activities going on and he wandered around to the livestock competition. The 4H club was in process of the judging of the year’s projects. He was enjoying the kids’ enthusiasm as they anticipated receiving ribbons of winning colors, so he slipped into a bleacher seat to wait for the results. Almost immediately, another man sat next to him with only a nod for a greeting and Jacks gave him a friendly nod back. He did not notice the man left until a younger person asked about the seat next to him.

“There was someone, but I think he must have left.”

“Thanks. Is this yours?”

     Jacks frowned as he looked at a small box the kid picked up in order to sit down. He started to say no, when his eyes fell to a marking on the package. He reached and took it, as his face paled for it was one he recognized. One that someone knew he would know and he was sure where it had come from. Sitting for a few minutes before getting up, he realized the previous man had left it for him. Glancing around to see if there was anyone watching he got up and
left
.

     His insides were shaking as he maneuvered his way back to the cabin through the throngs of people, all the while searching to see if he could spot the man who had left the package. It was useless, for he was most likely long gone.

    Returning to the cabin, he found it filled with people and lots of laughing and joking going on, so it was easy to disappear to the bedroom he and Honey were occupying. With the door closed and securely locked, he sat on the edge of the bed with the box, both anxious and hesitant to open it.
Do I really want to do this?
He asked himself
. If I do, am I ready for what it may be? What if this is just another trick to lure me back to him?  If I do not open it and it is true about my mother, then I will be responsible for whatever happens to her… Jacks, you have to do this. Remember, you are not alone, you belong to a great family, and God is your Father.
He still could not bring himself to open it and it dawned on him that Honey should be with him when he did. He shoved the package underneath the pillow and decisively went to the door.
What if it is a danger to her?
I should protect her!
  He turned and started back to retrieve the thing but just as he was about to pull it out, his voice of reason within him warned.
She is your wife, your partner in all things and to keep this from her could cause a separation of your oneness. You have to wait for her.
Again, he went to the door and this time with purpose, he opened it and went in search of Honey.

     It was Friday and there were more people in and out than before. By bedtime, he still had not had a moment alone with Honey. When they were both finally in the room for the night, he retrieved the package from under the pillow and turning a grave face to her, said bluntly,

“This is what we have been waiting for. A stranger gave it to me today or at least he left it for me to find. I have not opened it.”

     Honey stared at the small brown paper wrapped package with interest tinged with dread before taking it from his hands. There was nothing on it except for a red mark she recognized as the same marking as his birthmark. She sat down beside him on the bed where he sat and handed it back to him.

“You should open it.”

“I wanted to be with you when I did.”

“I am glad you waited. You should not be alone when you see what is in it.”

“What if I wished I hadn’t?”

“What if you don’t and wished you had? Jacks, I know how important it is for you to finally know the truth. We know what Asa is capable of so we will not fall for his tricks this time. Open it!”

    Jacks tore the paper off the box and slowly lifted the lid. There was a piece of paper and Honey reached to take it out. Honey gasped in horror but quickly calmed seeing that Jacks face was stark white. There was a portion of someone’s pinky finger still moist with blood.

“What in the world?”

    Jacks exclaimed as he replaced the lid and pushed the box to the rear of the chest. He then reached for the paper Honey threw down when she saw that it
was splattered
with blood. It was small and the words were typed. He read aloud,

“Lips of red and hair like coal, who could be this lovely soul?”

      Looking up at her husband, she whispered,

“What does this mean?”

      He turned the paper over but there was nothing else.

“Why does he torment me so?”

     Jacks put his head down with his hands covering his face. Honey put her arm around him. She knew his strengths were many and his one weakness was his family…or lack of one.

“Jacks, it will be okay, I think he intends for us to use this to do a DNA. I know someone who works in a lab who we can trust to do it and then if it is a match with your own, we can go from there. It could be another one of his lies. Just remember, he had you believing you were his grandson before, so we cannot let him manipulate us again!”

     She got up going to where he had put the box and put it out of sight in the bureau and sitting back down next to her husband, she wrapped her arms around him in an attempt to comfort him. Listening as he mocked himself.

“All my life I wished for a mother and father like normal kids. Now, I would rather she be dead than to be under his control. Is that such a horrible, unchristian thing to feel?”

“No.”

     Honey whispered back, full of compassion for the little boy who never knew mother or father.

“No, I think it is a very understandable feeling…we will get through this I promise, together and with God.”

“How long will it take for you to get lab results back? If this is a match and my mother is still out there, we have to find her, Honey. All my life I have expected her to be the one to find me. You know, I must have dreamed a thousand different scenarios of how that would happen.”

     Jacks was calmer by the time they got into bed but sleep eluded them both until the early morning when talked out, they both fell into a restless sleep. Jacks’ dreaming of
Asa’s
face before him, as it was in the beginning of their relationship. He was motioning for Jacks to jump from a cliff, his beguiling voice proclaiming that if he did, he would discover he could surely fly. Honey dreamed of angels but one in particular. He said his name was Ragas and she felt the warmth of his safe presence.

     Like a cloud of billowing brown smoke, surrounding the little fair cabin and the grounds around it, were demonic entities causing as much havoc as they could manage, which were great considering that prayers were few and thus their restrictions low.
It was exactly the kind of conditions they loved to work in.
While most people came with good intentions of having good family fun during the fair, there were always the ones who came with alcohol and drugs, causing more than one fight and illicit sex of every sort abounded.

     This made their master very happy.

6

“
H
ey man, look at the size of this file I found on this case. I figured since I was not around for most of all this creepy stuff happening that I should review it. You know, catch up and all.”

     Cranford looked up from his own work sheet he was doing from the day before and teased.

“Help yourself, but if you are not careful one of those bogeymen might just jump out of there and on you.”

     Cranford chuckled at the look Frank gave him.

“Just kidding.”

     Frank ignored him. After the first few days breaking in with Cranford, he had mostly lost his intimidation of him. He was sure the man was one of the good people and could be trusted, yet…he had been surprised before.

“You did most of these interviews, what do you think was going on with these people? Do you believe that it is even possible that it could all be because of aliens? Or, as it states in one place here…let me find it…here, this one person believed the perpetrators were of demonic origins.”

     Cranford considered the question thoughtfully. There were the facts in those files, and then there were things he knew, that was not. Better to leave personal suppositions out of the equation though. Purcell was gone and nothing would bring him back.

“I think that what I think doesn’t matter. We will just stick to the facts, just as they are on those papers. Didn’t someone tell you that everything you got in your hands is on your computer?”

“Yes, I know that. There is just something about holding these papers in my hand and reading it that works for me. Like, I can read something on the computer and it does not jump out at me, while I can hold these papers, pace the floor at the same time and bam! I see things that I just do not see on the computer.”

      Frank sensed that Cranford could tell him much more so he pushed.

“Look, I know you lost your partner about the time all this was going down in a…hmmm, random burglary, so it says here.”

     At his words, Cranford quickly got up and walked over to the open door of their office. After making sure no one was close by, he shut it and turned around.

“Whatever you do, do not mention Purcell here…ever!”

     He walked closer to the desk Frank was sitting at and when Frank would have spoken, the stern look Cranford gave him caused him to listen intently to what the older man was saying in low tones, barely above a whisper.