Chapter17 Trisha's Discovery

"Hello?" "Beth; it's Trish." "Trish? Hi…I…" There's evident concern in her voice. "Beth…you guys have to get out of there. You're right; something's definitely been going on with that house." Figuring she was talking about the murders, "Trish, we know. I did some research and…" "You know?" Trish's confused by her cousin's reply. "Yeah;" Beth continues, "we know all about the murders…and, that the last one happened right here in this house. What I don't understand is that if they stopped back in 1961, why did they find it necessary to have the house on the market so low?" Trish's totally lost. "Murders? What murders? God, Beth; what's going on out there?" Now Beth's confused. "Wait a minute; I thought you were calling because you found out about the murders in Woodland Falls?" "No; I didn't hear anything about any murders. And, I thought you said you live in Beaver Ridge." Beth explains, "We do. Beaver Ridge used to be called Woodland Falls when the murders happened; then, they changed the name to keep things quiet." "What murders, Beth?" "Back between 1947 and 1961, thirty-two families were killed out in this area…the last family was killed in this house." There's silence. "Trish? You still there?" "Yeah; I'm here." Trish takes a breath. "Beth; listen Sweetheart…you guys need to get the hell out of that place…like yesterday. Do you hear me?" "Trish, believe me; I'd love to get out of here, but…" Trish's highly upset and starts yelling, "Damn it, Beth; get the fuck away from that house!" Beth's extremely anxious now. "Trish, what? What did you find out about this place? If it's not about the murders, then what?" Trish softly repeats, starting to cry as she pleads with her cousin, "Please, Beth; just get away from there. You guys have to leave that house." Her anxiousness is now turning into impatience. "Trish, God damn it, what did you find out about this place?!" Again, there's a brief pause in the cousins' conversation as Trish composes herself. "Look, Beth; I had some of my associates look into that place. There's something strange going on out there." Beth wants to say ‘No shit'; but, instead asks, "Strange? Like how?" Trish pauses briefly again before continuing, "Beth, the furthest they were able to go back was 1972. Since 1972, that house was sold twenty-three times." "Okay…and?" "Out of the twenty-three buyers; seventeen were families having young children. The other six were either single owners or couples without children." "Go on." "Well, those six only lived in the house for a few months before putting the house back on the market." Trish becomes quiet again. "Trish," Beth nervously asks, "what about the seventeen families? How long before they put the house back on the market?" Trish answers in a low, rasp tone, "They didn't." Beth's silent for a minute before building up enough nerve to ask, "What do you mean they didn't? I thought you said the house was sold twenty-three times?" "It was." Trish clears her throat, and goes on to explain, "But, the family home owners didn't put the house back on the market; the bank did…after the foreclosures." "Foreclosures?" "Yeah. Beth, the bank foreclosed on the house when their payments stopped." "They all just decided to stop paying? Why?" Trish's momentarily quiet before answering, "They disappeared." "Disappeared?" "The bank claims the house was abandoned….That they just up and left." "Could that have happened?" "Come on, Beth; seventeen families up and leave their home without telling anyone? Gone without a trace?" "What about relatives, didn't they say anything…report it?" "I don't know…I mean I'm sure they did. They would have to if they disappeared; right? We didn't look into it that far…all we know is what the bank claimed happened after putting the house back on the market." "Christ, Trish; what happened?" "I don't know. What I do know is you better get out of there before becoming another mysterious foreclosure. Sweetheart, I'm begging you, please, just get out." Beth hesitates a moment before telling Trish, "I can't." "Beth, if you guys need money, I've got more than enough…" "No. Thanks anyway. It's not about money." Beth looks up at the ceiling and continues, "There's more to it, Trish. There's been a lot going on here." "What?" "There's too much to go into now; I'll explain some other time. But, I have to find out what happened here…what's happening now. I can't leave yet. I want to…I really do…but, I can't. I need to know." Trish cries softly as tears run down her face. She wipes them away; taking a swallow while trying to compose herself. "Okay, Beth. I don't get it; but, okay. Do what you think you have to do; but, please, be careful." "I will. Thanks for your help. Take care. Love you. Goodbye." "Love you too. Goodbye." Trish hangs up, not taking her eyes off the phone, as she prays under her breath, "God, please look over my cousin and her family. Please don't let any harm come to them. God, please take care of them out there in that house."