The Raven Mocker (21 page)

Goddamn it, Walter!

He almost turned around, since he had a new reason to worry what would become of the prized necklace tied to old Roanoke. The images of being honored in the more important forensic and other scientific journals already less assured, they would become nonexistent if some unforeseen misfortune threatened the excellent condition of the necklace. He even started to slow down. What changed his mind and convinced him to speed up instead was the fact the shadow grew much larger, deepening into a thick, black cloud. It veered swiftly in his direction, gaining on the jeep that now raced in haste down the driveway.

At first, all he could do was stare incredulous at the reflection of the eerie object through the Jeep’s mirrors. But then rising panic reclaimed his attention and he pushed the pedal to the floor, desperate in his determination to make it to the main road still a half-mile away. The huge specter quickly closed the gap, and as it did, the unmistakable sound of hornets filled the air behind the Jeep.

“
No way!” he whispered in disbelief, turning down the heater’s blower to listen to the growing noise while unable to remove his eyes from either mirror for long. “No
fucking
way!”

Logic wasn’t helping, since no matter how he tried to assure himself that this cloudlike thing was just a natural phenomenon that only looked and sounded frightening, his heart remained gripped by the same intense fear. The noise dreadful…what the hell could sound like an enormous nest of pissed-off hornets in the dead of winter?

Less than a quarter of a mile left to navigate until he reached the main road. Meanwhile, he kept a vigilant eye on both the side and rearview mirrors. Without warning, the thing dramatically increased its speed, and the size of the cloud got much, much bigger. The cacophony of hornets became so loud that Peter could hardly hear himself think. In terror, he floored the gas pedal again, trying to shove his boot into the floor of the Jeep, nearly spinning off the slick driveway in the process.

Less than a hundred feet from the road, the reflective ‘Ruben Road’ street sign became visible. But the ear-splitting clamor and enormous wave of blackness overtook him. Unable to see anything, Peter slammed on the brakes, the vehicle sliding to a stop with one tire leaning over into a ditch. Unable to drive the Jeep further, without first getting out and pushing it back onto the paved driveway, he prepared for the worst. For the first time in many years, he prayed. He prayed earnestly to get out of this unharmed by whatever pursued him…to make it back to his dearest Darlene, and climb into their soft warm bed later tonight and snuggle together until either she or he fell asleep.

With his eyes closed, the terrifying noise ceased, and when he cautiously opened them, the darkness that had surrounded him had left. Under the moonlight’s glow, he could clearly see the glistening snow-covered trees and landscape of this portion of the Pollack estate, as well as the yellow lined roadway just ahead.

He looked around him, to confirm he was truly alone. When he didn’t see or hear anything strange, only his labored breaths and the water trickling through the nearby ice-covered stream that ran along the border of the estate property, he began to smile. He thanked God that his prayer had been heard, and vowed to look into rejoining the Methodist church his wife had been after him about for the past several years.

He prepared to get out of the vehicle, to calculate how best to get it back on the road again. This time, he casually glanced in the rearview mirror, not expecting to see anything.

Peter had time to gasp and that was all. Before he could muster a scream or mount any type of self-defense, the owner of the two glowing green eyes that stared back at him through the mirror’s reflection fell upon him, pulling its thick dark cloak along with it as the monster invaded the Jeep’s front seat.

Chapter Twenty

“
With everything going on, it might be best to hold off until Thursday for the trip up to Breckenridge,” said Ruth, returning to her preferred spot on the sofa. She carried a mug of hot cocoa in her hands, and took a moment to blow on it. The heat from her homemade recipe had already melted the tiny marshmallows to where they disintegrated into bubbling white foam.

Nearing nine o’clock, she had just checked on Tyler, Jillian, and Christopher in the kitchen. All three were engaged in a lively game of ‘Blockus’, Tyler’s Christmas gift from Miriam’s younger sister, Marlene, living in California. Their laughter erupted behind her, and provided a powerful contrast to the somber mood in the living room.

“
Are you sure ya’ll wouldn’t like some Southern cocoa?” she asked.

David waved off the offer. Miriam told her it sounded tempting, and that she would help herself to some in a little while. For the moment, they snuggled together on the loveseat, though neither one smiled. Both had spent the evening with watchful eyes on the telephone sitting nearby, waiting to hear either the latest news on Sara’s condition or John’s missing granddaughter.

“
I’ve got enough cash on hand to reimburse you for what you’d lose on the first night’s reservation,” offered Ruth, resuming her first thought. “I can tell that neither of you have the heart for taking a vacation right now.”

“
That’s awfully sweet of you, Ruth,” Miriam told her, smiling weakly. “Your presence alone has made the craziness around here bearable. Our holiday season would be a
very
difficult time—definitely, without the bright spots that you’ve made happen.”

Touched by this, tears filled Ruth’s eyes. She nodded her appreciation, as a worded response would surely bring a deluge of emotion beyond her control. After so many holiday seasons spent with just her beloved companion, Max, the twelve-year old Cocker Spaniel she was forced to put down just a few weeks ago, to feel like a valued family member filled her entire being with incredible joy.

“
I feel the same way, Auntie,” said David, nodding toward Miriam. “And while we appreciate your offer, should we decide to cancel tomorrow’s trip, I’ve got it covered. Besides, the lodge manager is a buddy of mine from college. I’m sure Mark and I can work it out, if we need to postpone or even cancel the ski trip.”

“
Well… if it turns out that you do need my help to pay for anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know,” she said, her countenance aglow while she sipped her cocoa.

***

Relieved that his aunt’s disposition had improved, it gave David the opportunity to broach a different subject with her, where several questions nagged at him. All revolved around the mysterious ruby discovered under her pillow. Especially curious as to how the precious stone escaped the entity’s notice, and yet drew the attention of his great grandfather’s spirit instead.

The most recent urge to bring it up had been inspired by what happened that afternoon, when he held the ruby, admiring its perfect shape and near-flawless clarity. Its only imperfection was a unique cloudiness inside the jewel, most noticeable when exposed to a strong light source.

While waiting for Miriam to join him in the parking lot adjacent to St. Anthony’s ER, he remembered he still had the ruby safely secured inside his wallet. He took it out and held it up to the sun, disregarding the fact some miscreant might accost him and take it. Even now as he reflected on what happened, his imprudence surprised him. He recalled feeling a strange calm take over his being, only interrupted by Miriam’s hurried approach and urgings for him to jump inside the BMW so they could get going. That seemed strange, too…like her only worry was to get the heck out of a rough neighborhood, scarcely noticing the shiny red gemstone he held toward the sky.

The most remarkable thing about this experience, though, came from what he saw inside the ruby. He could’ve sworn the cloudiness moved, but it stopped when he tried to get a closer look….

“
Auntie, I’ve been meaning to ask you some questions about the ruby,” said David. “Would you mind if we talk about it?”

“
What sort of questions do you have?” Her smile faded, and she seemed to tense up where she sat.

“
Just general stuff,” he assured her, softening his voice. “Really, it’s just a couple of questions. I promise to make this as painless as possible.” He smiled tenderly, hoping she would relax.

“I guess it’ll be all right,’ she said, grimacing as if the mere thought of the jewel induced more arthritic pain. “I sort of wish it’d stayed lost, or that I had the dumb sense to leave it and the others in the bank’s safety deposit box for ya’ll to claim later.”

She steadied her cocoa mug on her lap, absently kneading her left arm with her right hand.

“
I can see why you’d think that, Auntie,” he agreed, frowning slightly while he watched her massage her sudden soreness. “And I certainly don’t wish to open old wounds. If what I’m about to ask you doesn’t sit well for any reason, I’ll respect your right to decline an answer.”

“
All right.”

“
The five gemstones have been in the family for nearly a hundred years...correct?”

“
Yes.”

“
Has there been anything strange or unusual concerning them down through the years?” He tried to remain casual while observing her reaction.

“
Do you mean ‘anything strange’ like what happened this past weekend and again on Christmas Day?”

He didn’t expect her straightforward reply. “Yes,” he said, sitting up straight in the loveseat, hoping for more definitive answers than he originally believed possible.

Ruth nodded knowingly. A wan smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“
It’s been said that ever since Grandpa Will came into possession of the jewels, our family’s been cursed.” She set her mug upon a ceramic coaster on the coffee table before continuing. “Uncle Zach once told my pa and his sisters that they were stolen from a sacred location in the Smoky Mountains. And, truth be told, we’ve had our share of bad luck down through the years.”

“
What kind of unlucky things have happened, especially prior to when I came along, if you don’t mind my asking, Auntie?” David’s curiosity piqued, he silently prayed she wouldn’t clam up like she often did with him.

“
Just a few odd things now and then…. The frequency has varied throughout the years, and the ‘events’ haven’t been as bad as they used to be, before you were born,” she replied, clearing her throat while repositioning herself on the sofa. “But our house in Chattanooga would be visited by something… something cold and mean—even meaner than Grandpa Will. I often thought he had something to do with it all, like whatever the thing was came to the house on his account. After he died, I figured we’d be free…. But, the visitations were just as frightful as they’d been when he was alive.

“
Often someone would get hurt. Or, some heirloom, like Grandma Bev’s bone china serving plate, would fly across a room and smash against a wall. We learned to stay clear of the cold presence that would move through the darkened halls of our old house late at night, and even during the day sometimes.”

She paused to take another sip of cocoa, while David and Miriam waited patiently for her to continue.

“
Grandpa used to laugh at us when he was alive, telling Pa, Momma, your daddy, and our older brother, Marvin, that we were a bunch of fools for being frightened by a harmless phantom—especially one that wasn’t around on a daily basis.” Ruth chuckled sadly as she reminisced.

“
So, could Great Grandpa Will see or hear the spirit’s presence?” David remembered the cold spots and creaking footsteps going up and down the stairs, but he always assumed it was just an old drafty house and his family members didn’t sleep so well, being up and about at odd hours of the night. He figured crashing plates and such were merely byproducts of the dysfunctional family he grew up in.

“
I’m sure he could hear
and
see it,” she said. “I recall a number of occasions when Bobby and I caught him talking and hissing at something. Neither of us could discern anything around him, other than the air around us turning quite chilly.”

“
I take it that you and Dad had some experiences, too, then,” said David, his voice hushed.

Waiting for her to share some of those encounters, the phone rang. It sounded more shrill than usual, which startled both him and Miriam. He got up from the loveseat to find out who called.

“
It’s John,” he announced, as soon as he recognized John’s home number from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

He immediately picked up the receiver and brought it close to his ear. Greeted by a loud crackle, it forced him to pull the phone away from his face. As he did, the noise faded, replaced by the sound of a woman crying.

“
John?” he asked, tentative, once he brought the handset close to his ear again.

“
He’s in jail, David!” the voice sobbed. “Two deputies arrested him tonight and took him away—he didn’t kill anyone!!”

“
What??
... Is that you, Evelyn?”

Miriam got up from the loveseat and ran over to him. He mouthed to her that John had been arrested.

“
Oh, my God!”
she whispered, moving closer. She tilted her head to where she could hear most of what he listened to.

“
David, are you
there??”
Evelyn sounded panicked, and her voice resounded loud enough for Ruth to hear it clearly from the sofa. “They say he killed
three
men, including Dr. Pollack from the University…. I-I don’t know what to do!
I’m so
scared!!”