Chapter25 The Other Delilah

"Mrs. Lazinski," the deputy approaches her while flipping through some reports in his hand, "is there a problem?" Beth nervously shakes her head. "No. No problem. I'm just here to ask Lloyd something; that's all." "I see." The deputy continues looking through the reports. "Well, then…if that's all…I guess I'll go back to my desk now. Have a good day, Mrs. Lazinski." "Thanks…You, too; Deputy." When Sheriff Faulkner comes out to get Beth, she has Anna wait out front where the deputies are, while she goes to talk with the sheriff. The sheriff can see Beth's anxious. "You okay, Beth? Something the matter?" "Lloyd; I think Delilah really was killed." The sheriff leans back in his chair, crosses his legs, and takes in a breath. "Beth, we've gone over this before. Delilah's fine. Heck, I've seen her this morning at the diner." "Yeah well, I saw her there too; this afternoon while getting lunch." "Now, you see…" Beth cuts in, "But, I don't think that's her." The sheriff rubs the back of his head and neck. "What do you mean you don't think it was her, Beth?" "Lloyd, I was talking with Rose…" Now the sheriff cuts in, "‘Crazy' ol' Rose? Beth; everyone knows she hasn't been playing with a full deck, so to speak, for years." "Maybe not; but, she told me to check out something at the county records hall which you may find quite interesting, Lloyd." "Go ahead." "She told me to look up birth certificates with the last name of Wedgeworth. Care to guess what Delilah's last name is?" "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say Wedgeworth? Am I right?" "Bull's-eye." The sheriff interlaces his fingers behind his head, and leans back further; putting his feet on the desk. "And?" "And…" Beth pulls out photo copies of two birth certificates and gives them to the sheriff. "Delilah's sister also has the last name of Wedgeworth." Sheriff Faulkner quickly glances at them; then, looks to Beth. "I still don't get it, Beth. I mean, I don't see anything strange about sisters having the same last name; do you?" "Check out the dates, Lloyd." The sheriff takes a closer look as she explains, "They were born on the same day, Lloyd…March 2, 1963. They're twins…Delilah and Delores Wedgeworth…identical twins." "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking; are you now; Beth?" "Yes, Lloyd; I believe Delilah…the real Delilah…was killed and buried out at the old Johnston farm, just like Mary said; and, Delores is taking her place so nobody suspects anything." "Wait a minute." The sheriff stands up and comes out from behind the desk, "You never told me Mary told you this." "I'm sorry; I thought you'd think I was crazy if I told you that a ghost told me that Delilah was killed. But, that was before I knew that you had experience yourself with the supernatural." The sheriff's silent for a moment; rubbing the back of his head and neck with his hand before asking, "Did Mary tell you anything else?" "Yeah." Beth gets quiet and stares at the picture on the wall off to her right. "Beth; what else did she say?" She turns back to the sheriff, "She said that there was a deputy there that night. He brought the body in the trunk of his patrol car and helped them bury her." "A deputy? Is she sure?" "That's what she said, Lloyd. I think she's talking about…" Beth becomes silent again. "Who, Beth?" Beth makes sure the door was still closed before whispering to the sheriff, "I think it was Deputy Hopkins, Lloyd." "So, then Mary's been telling the truth?" "I don't know…maybe." Beth faces Martin and shrugs her shoulders before going back to brushing her hair. "What do you mean maybe?" Martin's standing behind Beth, looking at her face via her reflection in the mirror. Beth looks at Martin, also using the mirror, "I mean maybe. I don't know." "But, she was the one who told you about Delilah…and, about Chelsea killing Tommy." "I know." She continues brushing her hair. "Well?" "Well, what?" Martin's bewildered. "Beth, Mary's told you the truth about everything so far; so, why don't you believe her?" "I didn't say I don't believe her, Martin." "Finally. Then we're agreed; Mary's telling the truth." "I never said I believed her either." Martin's flustered. "Damn it, Beth; come on! Do you think she's telling the truth or not?" Beth puts the brush down and faces Martin. "If you're asking me if Mary's telling the truth about things; I have to say, honestly…at this point…I don't know. It looks like she might be. But, if you're asking me if I personally think Mary's telling us the truth….No; I don't." Beth turns back around and resumes brushing her hair. Martin…at a temporary loss of words…throws up his arms and walks away. After a minute or two of silence, he asks… "Why, Beth?" "Why, what?" "Why don't you think Mary's telling us the truth?" Beth's silent for a moment before answering, "I don't know; there's just this feeling I get around her. It's hard to explain. Then, there are her eyes." Martin walks over and sits on the bed. "What about her eyes?" Beth faces Martin, still holding the brush in her hand, crosses her arms across her chest, and leans on the bureau as she tries to explain. "Take Anna for instance; when she's lying, or trying to hide something from me, all I have to do is look in her eyes, and I can tell. The same goes for when she's telling the truth. The eyes give it away, Martin." "And, Mary's eyes tell you she's lying?" "No; they don't tell me anything…and, that's what scares me." "And, what do Chelsea's eyes tell you?" Beth looks down at the top of the bureau. "Please, don't even bring that up. She looks so awful. Every time I see her, I…I don't want to think about it." Beth takes a breath and starts brushing her hair again; then, notices the slight discoloration on the side of her face where Martin slapped her the other day. "Martin; the bruise on my face." Martin quickly apologizes, "Beth, Hon, I'm so, so sorry…I don't know what came over me; I swear…" "No, Martin;" looking in the mirror, "the bruise is still showing." "Beth, I'm lost here, help me out; what are you talking about?" Beth puts the brush down and walks over to the window; looking out at the barn. "I don't understand." "Understand what?" "Chelsea supposedly killed herself by jumping off a hill onto some rocks. When I first saw Chelsea, I told you she was bloody and had wounds on her body; remember?" "Yeah." "And, Mary was murdered by some axe-wielding psychopath who literally chopped her parents apart; right?" "Right." "And, Tommy said that Chelsea kept hitting him in his head with a hammer; right?" "That's what you said." "I don't get it then." "Get what?" "Chelsea's body's damaged from when she was killed; but, Mary and Tommy's aren't. Why don't they have any markings on them…why only Chelsea?"