Few Are Angels (16 page)

Sarah placed the note and dish towel in her lap. “God, do they know who she is, Ella?” She held her hand to her mouth.

I explained the whole story about how the body was found, that her name was Anna, and that she used to work at Knope’s. Eric was surprised that Mr. Knope hadn’t called him, but I explained I only knew what I did from Brett Dauwde. Eric knew his father, Elmwood City’s sheriff. After Eric and Sarah discussed a few changes they would make for safety purposes, he called Lakefront Lodge and managed to book three rooms. They had four rooms left, and the last one was booked as Eric was on the phone making our reservation.

Sarah, Lea, and I prepared dinner, which was odd because we’d never done that before, but it gave Eric and Alex time to catch up. A few times, I heard Alex comparing Tech to the college in New York he’d picked and how he wondered if he’d made the right choice. I didn't know Alex had been having second thoughts about the college in New York. Last year when he talked to me about his decision, he was super excited and thought moving away to be on his own was a good idea. He even wanted to go to grad school in California and stay there after graduating. I thought it was a great idea even though it meant we wouldn’t see each other for months and maybe even a couple of years. Since Alex hadn’t come to me with his concern about school, I decided I wouldn’t bring it up. I’d just wait until he was ready to talk to me about it. Lea and Sarah were talking about skiing and it reminded me that I wasn’t prepared for our trip.

“I don’t have any ski gear here,” I remembered aloud, as I chopped cucumbers for the salad. Lea and I were in charge of the salad and potatoes while Sarah handled the big stuff like meatloaf and baked macaroni.

She looked up from the stove, puzzled at my revelation, but soon realized that it was true. On top of that, I wasn’t expecting us to go to the lodge, so I would have to postpone starting my paper. I wasn’t too upset about that, but I still worried about staying on schedule in the accelerated program. Sarah placed the food in the oven, then turned around and examined me. “You’re right. It’s too bad you’re so skinny, or you could wear something of mine.”

She was probably smaller than me since my regular size seemed to be snug these days, so I could probably fit into her things. ”I could buy something there,” I said. My bank account wasn’t lacking, so it wasn’t an issue to buy new ski gear.

“You could do that, but try mine first just in case. I don’t want you wasting your money if you don’t have to.”

We sat down to dinner around eight thirty, which was really late for us. My poor stomach cried at such a long wait. It wasn’t exactly like old times, but a close replica I was willing to take. It was too bad Alex was only here for a week. I thought back to my parents’ funeral and applauded myself for not flipping out. But I knew it wasn’t just my strength that helped me; it was Alex and his knowledge of what I needed to be okay in that moment. I never thought of him as anything other than a best friend. I didn’t have many of those back at home, but whenever I was in Cedar Grove, Alex, Bo, and Lorie were people I felt I could be myself around. Alex’s old high school friends accepted me into their group. They had all left for school, so I was alone. That was good, in a way. I needed to get my stuff together, and that meant Brett and Mia would have to hang out without me.

After dinner, Alex and I took Max outside. I didn’t know if he’d heard about my face plant in the snow when I had first arrived, and I wasn’t going to spoil our time by filling him in on such an embarrassing story. However, I hoped he would talk to me about his concerns about college. Avoiding the shed completely, I headed toward the other side of the house, wiped off the chair, and sat down. Alex followed, laughing as I slipped and slid on the ice. It hadn’t snowed in four years, and the frequently travelled snow was turning into packed ice. He’d always said I didn’t know anything about snow, like how to walk in it or what it was made of. His silly little joke couldn't have been closer to the truth. Virginia Beach had probably had ten inches of snowfall the entire time I’d lived there.

“So you made some new friends, huh?” He kicked frozen ice-snow. “They’re from Elmwood City, right?” He looked over at me.

His smile was shy and sweet and I wondered if he was being shy or if he was playing with me. He sat down beside me, ignoring the snow on the seat.

“Yea, Mia and Brett. Mia is a brat, and Brett is a jock,” I said, as if that should’ve explained it all. “They knew the girl Anna that was killed.”

His smile disappeared and was replaced by something more serious. “You sure it’s cool that you hang with them? I mean, with all that is going on?”

His worry for my safety warmed my heart, but I wasn’t worried that letting Mia and Brett into my life was going to get me hurt. It was Kale and his secrets that I was worried about. The thought of him pulled my eyes to the shed, and I was reminded of him bleeding on the floor and treating me badly. “No, I’m not worried about them. I mean, Mia has a bad attitude, and Brett speaks in the third person, but as for them being killers or running in the wrong crowd, I highly doubt it.” I leaned over to get a closer view of the shed. It was dark and menacing, and I was amazed I’d ever had the courage to go near it.

Alex followed my gaze and though I couldn't see his face, I felt his body tense. “Dad told me about what happened back there.” He turned toward me and shook my shoulder tenderly. It was like he was trying to pull me out of the world I’d created for myself, and when he spoke, I realized just how much I’d been shutting everyone out.

“You don’t have to go through this alone. I know they were your parents, but we all loved them and we all lost them.” Alex sighed.

I sat silent and waited, hoping the tears burning my eyes would obey me and not fall.

Alex shifted again and continued to speak. “I guess what I am trying to say is, if you are feeling like things are getting too hard to handle, call me.” He took my hand and tugged at it to get my attention. “I don’t know want it’s like to lose parents, but I know how to listen.”

I could feel his warmth through our gloves, and I was grateful for it. He let go of my hand and stood up. The back of his pants were wet from sitting in the snow that I hadn’t wiped away. The sight heaved us from our intense one-way conversation and into a small fit of laughter. I’d spent summers and weekends here years before, and the one thing I could always count on was Alex’s ability to listen and make me laugh when I needed it most. It was going to be hard when he left to go back to New York, but I would be able to handle it. What choice did I have?

On the way back in, Alex told me he would take me to and from work and that he would probably spend the day there with me since he and Mr. Knope were close. That was a pleasant surprise, though I wondered if Mia would act same way she did around Mike, the delivery driver, or the way she did around Brett. I would be training on the register, so I told Alex that for the most part he should hang low until I got the hang of it. I didn’t like being distracted around money, especially when it was someone else’s.

Upstairs in my bathroom, I swallowed a yellow pill, cursing myself for staying up so late studying after talking with Alex. It was almost two a.m. and I’d promised Alex I’d ride over with him to Stan’s Garage in the morning to pick up his car. After showering, I braided my hair, hoping the normally lifeless jet black strands would turn into waves or something other than what they were. Sleep came quick and deep in the form of a dream. It was odd how vivid my dreams had become. They actually felt more like memories.

***

A much younger version of my mother, face unlined and smooth, sat in a wooden chair with me at her knees, playing with a doll. The doll seemed familiar with its blazing red hair and freckles. The name Becky came to mind. I wondered if that was the name I’d given the doll as a child. My mother shifted uncomfortably in her chair as the man in front of her cleared his throat. The room was large, well-lit, and behind the man plaques and certifications cluttered the wall, probably giving those who entered a sense of hope in his intellect.

“Mrs. Monroe, I think we may have a slight problem with Ella,” he said in a concerned voice. His brow furrowed, causing his eyebrows to look like a large black caterpillar on the top of his face. “Ella has been saying some very disturbing things to the other students, and I think we need to address this now before it goes any further.” He looked at my mother and gauged her reaction carefully.

“What do you mean?” My mother looked down at me with alarm, her soft face lined with worry, aging her at least ten years. She placed a hand on the top of my head, and I looked up at her.

Her eyes were sad, and even as a child, I’d known something was wrong. I felt myself frown. I reached up to her to touch and comfort her.

My mother smiled and looked back at the doctor. “What is going on with Ella?” She seemed calmer as a result of my touch.

The doctor shifted in his chair uncomfortably. He informed my mother I’d told another student her father was going to die.

My mother’s eyes widened into two big orbs centered with blue-green shine. She took my hand and squeezed it lightly, but this time I didn't look up at her.

“See, Mrs. Monroe, Ella not only predicted that—" he was cut short by my mother.

She moved closer to the edge of her chair as though she could change the words he was speaking by getting closer to him. I could feel the concern and fear rolling off of her in waves that heated the air. I sat silently, staring at the red-headed doll, wishing I could escape.

“Predicted? What in the world do you mean by predicted, Mr. Davidson?” My mother seemed to awaken with fear and a hint of anger.

Mr. Davidson smiled uneasily, hoping to lessen the blow and calm my mother down a bit. “Well, Mrs. Monroe, not only did she predict that Miss Mellon’s father would die, she also predicted the date and time.” He saw the confusion on my mother’s face. “We are sure that it is merely a coincidence, but it still has a few of the staff concerned, and of course the Mellons want the situation attended to.” His fat, round face was covered in a thin sheen of nervous sweat. He kept his hands busy by twisting his wedding band around on his finger.

My mother sat back in her chair, defeated. She let out an aggravated sigh. “What do you suggest we do, Mr. Davidson?” She looked at me.

When I looked into her green-blue eyes, I could see the fear and defeat take over. In that moment, I decided I would never tell anyone else about the dreams I’d had, no matter how important they seemed.

***

“You look like hell,” Alex joked, taking in my puffy face and eyes.

I was sure the dark circles around my eyes spoke volumes about my lack of sleep, and maybe Alex would let me off of the hook and sleep in—but he didn't.

“But your hair looks cool.” He peeked at me over the counter, smiling like a square-jawed bandit.

Of course, I blushed. I felt silly and couldn’t think of anything to say.

“So, we’ll head out to Stan’s, and then if he is done, we’ll go to Knope’s. My dad is gonna drop us off at the garage, so we need to leave in ten minutes.” He shoveled some grainy cereal into his mouth.

I bit back my early-morning-not-enough-sleep attitude and smiled at Alex while I buttered a muffin. Even if I had gotten enough sleep last night, I still wouldn’t have wanted to get up so early. Stan’s Garage was in Elmwood City. Eric wanted to leave early because his forty-five-minute commute to work would be stretched to an hour and fifteen minutes. Alex told me Cedar Grove had once had a mechanic, but he moved, along with Jerry’s Auto Store, so the closest car repair place was Stan’s.

“Why did you leave your car there instead of at the house?” It seemed odd for him to have left it thirty minutes away instead of in the shed.

“It was leaking oil everywhere. My mom told me to get rid of it, but I couldn’t; you know, it being my first car and all.” Alex took his bowl to the sink and walked back to me.

“Thanks for letting me use it, Alex,” I said gratefully. “I mean, it’s not a long walk to Knope’s, but it is a cold one.” I bit into my blueberry muffin. It was warm and buttery, and I was glad I hadn’t chosen the bowl of grainy stuff Alex had offered.

“Yeah, it’s no problem. I know that girl was found in the Elmwoods, but I still don’t want you walking around out there by yourself.” He grabbed his wallet off the counter and shoved it in his back pocket.

Before I could say anything, Eric walked around the corner, fully jacketed and ready to go. “She was found in the Elmwoods, but they are not sure where she was murdered,” he said.

I knew that from Brett, but I hadn’t told Eric.

“I called Charlie last night to see if he knew anything, and he filled me in on a few things. Alex, I want you to stay close with Ella today. No one knows who this person is or what their motive for killing Anna was, so just pay attention,” Eric said as he made his way over to the coffee pot. “On a better note, I want you all to be packed and ready to leave for Stony Bridge by six a.m. on Friday. It’s gonna take an hour to get to the lodge.”

I was so busy thinking about the Anna situation, I didn’t realize Eric and Alex were already heading for the door while I stood over the sink, daydreaming.

“Ella!” Alex called. “Let’s go.” He disappeared out the door.

I grabbed my coat, scarf, and gloves, and headed out the door after them, shoving them on as best as I could. We were the only people at Stan’s, so I thought we would be in and out, but of course I was wrong. By time we left, I only had an hour before I was supposed to arrive at work. Alex sped down the road, struggling to get comfortable in the driver’s seat. The little Acura Integra seemed not to like that he’d grown since the last time he’d driven it. The wheels skidded and slid across the road while Alex smiled and moved to the music, and I held on for dear life. The trees whizzed by us so fast I thought I would be sick, but just as I was about to turn away, I saw a flash of black move alongside us farther out in the woods. I blinked and checked again, seeing nothing but a bit of green and tons of white.