Crowley's Window (Novella) (8 page)

“Relax. It’s only me,” David said. “Calm down. You’re okay.”

Abby fell into his arms for a second time that afternoon, only this time didn’t feel like a fool for being there. This time it was exactly where she wanted to be. “Just hold me for a minute, okay? I’m so scared.”

“Of course. What happened? Did you find him?”

“Yes. He’s holed up in an abandoned country church. It’s white and badly in need of a new paint job but I don’t know where it is. Not close, but it can’t be too far either. A few hours away, I think.”

“Any idea who he is?”

“No. Not a clue.” Abby was exhausted, physically as well and mentally and felt the onset of a killer migraine coming on. All she wanted to do was lie down, go to sleep, and try forgetting all this madness for a while. “I’m tired. Can you take me home now?”

“Absolutely. You’ve done great, Abby. Be proud of yourself. I’ll have men start making some calls, see if we can work up a list of all the abandoned churches in this part of the state. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

The drive home was a quiet one, with Abby dozing in the passenger seat and David trying to make heads or tails of the things she’d seen in her visions. He believed every word she said, but didn’t have a clue how he was going to convince his partner and the other policemen. Abby half slept, half daydreamed about the man in black, who he might be, and how she was connected to him somewhere in her mysterious past. If only she could remember what his name was, David and the rest of the police might actually be able to catch him before any more innocent people were harmed. First the girl, then the teenage ruffian; how many more lives would be lost if Abby couldn’t remember. The memory just wasn’t there, though, and the harder she tried to pull it free from her subconscious the deeper it seemed to hide. All she was doing was making her throbbing headache worse so she stopped thinking about it and tried to relax.

Back at the carnival, David pulled the squad car up to the main entrance and seemed ready but reluctant to say goodbye. Abby wasn’t looking at him, though. She was staring up at the large plastic banner with the name TOWNSEND written in block letters spanning the entryway. She stared at it for a long time.

“You okay?” David asked.

“Crowley. The son of a bitch’s name is Crowley.”

* * *

Officer Beck had set off to see if he could dig up a hit using the police databases on any men named Crowley and although he was physically gone, the lingering shadow of David’s aura remained with Abby for a long time, providing her with at least a small measure of comfort in the troubling hours ahead. She’d never felt so confused and so alone since leaving home three years ago to join the Townsend Traveling Show. Everything she thought she’d known about her illness and the way she’d been blinded was obviously a lie but for the life of her Abby couldn’t figure why her family had lied to her or worse still, how they were somehow tied up with this maniac Crowley? And how did any of it connect with the recent murders here at the carnival? None of it made any sense. Was she the connecting factor? That was crazy talk, wasn’t it? After all, she didn’t know any of these people, so what could this possibly have to do with her?

There was a knock on the trailer door, but Abby ignored it. A few seconds later, a familiar voice called out to her from the doorstep. “Excuse me, Princess,” Mister Chollo said, the little man waiting for a response before barging in uninvited.

“Go away,” Abby said, her voice a bit harsher than she’d intended. “Sorry, my friend. I just need a little time alone today. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Sorry to disturb, my lady, but this very important I’m afraid. Don’t think it can vait…wait. Please, I come in and speak to you now, yes?”

Abby sighed but agreed to see him. She was hoping her old friend could perhaps cheer her up but Mister Chollo came in looking smaller than ever, his head down, shoulders hunched, carrying a dark blue baseball cap in his tiny trembling hands.

“What’s the matter? Are you okay?”

“Yes, Chollo fine, but I bring you bad news.”

“Bad news? What happened?”

“While you were gone with the policeman there was a phone call for you. Mr. Townsend sent for me to answer it, to tell them you not here. It was your mother.”

“My mother?” Abby said, shocked. She barely had any contact with her family anymore and it seemed strange to get a call from them today of all days. “What did she want? Did she leave a message?”

“Yes. I…I not know how to tell you though.”

“Just tell me. What is it?”

“I’m so sorry, Abby. Your father is dead.”

* * *

The following afternoon Abby found herself once again in the passenger seat of Officer Beck’s car, only this time it was David’s day off and they were driving in his personal vehicle, a silver Buick Century. Abby had called him to ask for permission to attend her father’s funeral and not only had he immediately agreed, but insisted he be the one to drive her. Deep down, even in her grief, Abby had been hoping he’d do exactly that. From Westchester, Pennsylvania, it was a five and a half or six hour journey to Millbridge, the small town in Western New York where Abby had lived in relative obscurity until she’d turned sixteen and her growing talents had caught the eye of Mr. Townsend. Since joining the carnival, she’d only been home a handful of times and even then it was only when the traveling show made its yearly visit to her neighboring state. She missed her parents of course; especially her mom, but things had changed around her house after she’d lost her sight. Her mother had suffered a mental breakdown from all the stress and her father had become increasingly cold and distant. Abby was only beginning to understand that there was more to it that just her phantom illness, but maybe now with her father’s passing, she could finally talk to her mother and get her to open up about what was really going on in their lives. She might not get any answers, but she could at least try.

“Were you close to your dad?” David asked.

“Not really. When I was small, sure, but we kind of drifted apart as I grew up. He worked at the local steel company making chain link fences and he put in a lot of overtime. I loved him but just kind of got used to not seeing him around much. It was mostly just me and my mom.”

“I know how that feels. My mother raised me, with the help of the grandmother I told you about. Once mom died, grandma was all I had. I never even knew my father. He was long gone before I was out of diapers.”

“Dead?”

“Nope, just gone. Mom told me he went out for a jug of milk and a pack of cigarettes one night and never came home. I have no idea where he went or whether he’s still alive. He must have just decided to walk away and start his life new without us.”

“That’s terrible. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I can’t miss someone I’ve never known. Be thankful you at least have memories of your father. There must have been some good times to hold onto, right?”

“For sure. Lots of them.” Abby smiled, thinking back on better days. “Thanks for cheering me up. Seems you do that a lot when you’re around.”

“That’s what I’m here for, little lady. At your service anytime you need me.”

“Anytime?” Abby brazenly asked, heat rushing to her cheeks.

“If you’ll have me,” David said in a whisper.

“What about your wife?”

“Believe it or not, she’s already talking about moving in with her boyfriend. Seems she was fooling around behind my back too. She’s a decent person too. We just weren’t right for each other. Never were. We were just too young to realize it.”

“And we are?”

“I think there’s a good chance, yeah. I’m up for trying if you are?”

“You don’t want me, David. I’m…I’m damaged goods.”

David reached over and gently held her hand. “So am I, beautiful. So am I.”

Abby didn’t need to be psychic to know David was telling the truth about his feelings for her, or eyes to know that he was smiling.

* * *

It was suppertime when they finally made it to Millbridge. Abby was still on cloud nine that the mutual attraction she’d thought simmered between David and her hadn’t been imagined. It was real and for once in her life she might actually have a chance for a relationship with someone who truly understood her special powers and could see past her disabilities. She couldn’t wait to tell her mother about him.

That thought brought Abby crashing back to reality and it hit her hard that she was acting like a silly schoolgirl infatuated with the high school quarterback, when what she should really be thinking about was her poor dead father. It was hard though. She’d been around too much death lately and a big part of her wanted to just drive by the funeral home and start celebrating life again with David. Sure she’d loved her father and would miss him, but in truth he’d died to her several years ago when he’d no longer taken any interest in her life and urged her to move out to join the carnival. Since that day, she’d hardly spoken a word to him. Still, her mother would be sick with grief and would need some help getting through this loss. For her, Abby would be strong and do the right thing. And when the time was right, she fully intended to ask her mother about their family’s possible involvement with the man named Crowley. Grieving or not, Abby wasn’t leaving here without some answers.

David pulled up out front of the Halderson Funeral Home and put the Buick in park. They’d already agreed he wasn’t coming with her tonight. It just didn’t seem like the right thing to do, having Abby show up with her new man for her father’s funeral. No, David would get a hotel room and let Abby spend the night alone with her mother. Although unspoken, both of them wanted to spend the night together but it was best to let Abby take care of her mother tonight and wait until after her father was decently buried before they worried about their own needs.

“Okay, this is Bank Street, the main drag in town,” Abby said. “Just keep going down Bank for about three stop lights and there’s a Red Roof Inn on the left side. You can’t miss it.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll find it. When do I pick you up?”

“The funeral is tomorrow at noon, so maybe give me until about three o’clock and drop by my mom’s place so I can properly introduce you. She’ll be having a bit of a wake there, I’m sure, but I promise not to embarrass you too much. You remember the directions?”

“Easy. Twenty-two Mavis Road, also off Bank Street but back the way we just came.”

“Okay. See you then.” Abby started to open her door, but paused. “Thanks David…for everything.” She leaned over and by instinct alone knew where his lips would be. Their kiss was short but wonderful, a mere hint of things to come. Abby climbed out of the car before she changed her mind and went with him.

Abby listened until the sound of David’s Buick disappeared uptown then turned to face the funeral home at last. Holding her hands out, she received a series of quick mental flashes that told her the old brick house hadn’t changed a bit in the years she’d been away. It was still dark and gloomy and the gardens along its front were as overgrown and wild as usual. Seemed to her a funeral home should be bright and festive, a cozy place to worship a loved one’s life, but nearly every one she’d ever been to had that same quiet, somber quality about it. Abby sighed and headed for the front door.

Her mother met her just inside the entranceway, throwing her arms around Abby’s neck and holding on as if she never intended to let go. She kissed and hugged and cried unabashedly into her only child’s neck, and Abby let her do it, talking quietly to her and telling her things would be okay. Eventually Abby coaxed her mom into letting go and she got a chance to take a quick mind’s eye picture of her. She was shocked to see how much weight her mother had lost. Ingrid Hawkins had never been a heavy woman, not even close, but today she was positively skeletal. Her red hair, which had always been so thick and beautiful, was cut short and lay in a tangled mess that hung over her sore bloodshot eyes. Abby’s heart went out to her. The poor woman would be lost without dad to dote on. Looking after him was all she’d ever known.

“Oh, mom! I’m so sorry. You should have called earlier. I would have come and stayed with you. I didn’t even know dad was sick. What happened?”

“Cancer, Abby. He’d had it for about a year but made me promise I wouldn’t worry you with the news. You know the way he was?”

“Cancer? That’s terrible,” Abby said, but couldn’t deny the nagging little voice in her head that wanted to say,
You mean like the Cancer you and dad told me I had
? She didn’t say that, of course. Instead, she merely repeated, “You should have called me anyway. I could have at least been here to say goodbye.”

“I planned on it, but when the end came, it took him so quick. I…I just didn’t know what to do? I’m sorry, Abby.” Ingrid burst into tears again.

“It’s okay, mom. Calm down, I’m just glad I’m here now. Come on, let’s go in and see dad.”

“Certainly, but who was that handsome young man I saw you pull up here with? You didn’t think I’d miss that, did you? Do you finally have a boyfriend?”

Mothers!
Abby thought. “Something like that, yes. His name’s David and he’s a wonderful man but I’ll tell you all about him later. Right now I’m here with you.”

Together, they walked arm in arm into the viewing room and Abby was surprised to find she hardly heard anyone else in the room. Her senses told her there were only a handful of people sitting upfront, near the casket surrounded by flowers.

“Where is everyone, mom? I thought more people than this would show up.”

“It’s still early, Sweetie. More people will show up. Don’t worry.”

Abby knew she hadn’t arrived early; if anything she’d been late but kept her opinion to herself. Maybe her dad had alienated himself from a lot more people in town than just her in the last few years?

“Take me to him, mom. I want to pay my respects.”

Jarrett Hawkins lay peacefully on an overstuffed white silk pillow wearing his best Sunday suit. Abby couldn’t always rely on the mental images that she received, but to her, he looked healthier now than she remembered him being the last time she’d seen him alive. This was a man who’d been ravished by cancer? He looked stronger and younger than she remembered and Abby found herself wondering who it was that had done such a masterful job making him look this way for his family and friends to see. Whoever it was, they deserved a medal.