Chapter59 Too Early to Tell

When Professor Rhyies and Cindy enter the living room, Sheriff Faulkner and Martin are standing by the fireplace watching Beth; who hasn't uttered a word for hours. She's rocking back and forth on the edge of the couch; cradling Jean-Louise Wadell in her arms just the way Anna would. They walk past Beth to Martin and the sheriff. "How is she, Martin?" Cindy asks. Martin reaches out and points to Beth while slowly shaking his head, "That's all she's been doing for hours. I don't know. God, I don't know. This is all just…just too much. I don't understand this. How's this even possible? I mean, how does a person just vanish? How could this thing take away our baby girl? Where is she? Where is she?!" Martin folds his arms on the fireplace mantle, puts his head down on them and cries. Sheriff Faulkner pats him on the back. Cindy puts her hand on Martin's shoulder briefly as she looks over to Beth…who appears to be oblivious to what's going on around her… then, walks over to the couch and sits down next to her. Sheriff Faulkner asks, "Where's Mike, Professor?' The professor replies, "He said he had something to pick up at some place called the Feather Horse Inn in Broward County?" "Whoa! Hold on there a minute, Professor; what day is it?" "Wednesday." "Holy armadillo shit!" The sheriff shakes his head laughing. "He wouldn't!" "Who wouldn't what?" Cindy asks from the couch after hearing the sheriff. "Your uncle, Ms. Cindy. Hopefully he isn't doing what I think he's doing. And, if he is…well then, Ms. Cindy…and, please pardon my French…your uncle has more balls than any pool hall or bowling alley I've ever been in!" He starts shaking his head again. "Did he mention anything else before going, Professor?" "Yes. It didn't make any sense to Ms. Lidestrom or myself; but, I suppose it would make sense to you. He mentioned something about ‘having the lemonade ready' when he gets back?" "That son of a gun! Whooey! Ms. Cindy; your uncle has the spirit of a wild mustang. I do believe when this is all taken care of…and, a certain group of politicians are removed from office…I just may have to hand this here Sheriff's badge over to your uncle. He truly deserves it." "What's he doing, Sheriff?" Cindy's extremely curious now. "I reckon yawl find out soon enough." He shakes his head and laughs again. "So, any hooey; what did you find out up in Boston today, Professor?" "First off, I believe you were right, Ms. Lidestrom; about that rape image being phony." "What makes you say that, Professor?" Sheriff Faulkner leans back against the wall next to the fireplace. "Because, Chelsea was never at the hospital." "How do you know that, Professor Rhyies?" Cindy asks. "My colleague informed us that the institute once located here was in actuality the official state asylum for the criminally insane during that time. And, due to the type of patients it tended to; for safety concerns, there were no female patients kept there. So, even if Chelsea had been committed to an institution somewhere; it certainly wasn't the one on these premises." "Yeah, well; if Dr. Robert Steinman was telling me the truth…which I seriously doubt…then, it would really be impossible for Chelsea or Charles to be locked up in any mental hospital." "Why's that, Sheriff?" Professor Rhyies asks. "Well, now according to ‘Doc'; Charles and Chelsea died while their mother was giving birth to them." Cindy interjects, "But; according to the obituary, Charles died at age three from pneumonia?" "Now, that there's one of the reasons why I don't believe ‘Doc' was telling me the truth. Speaking of Ms. Delilah, Professor; what did your people up at the university say about her death?" "Other than the obvious signs of rigor mortis; there were no visible signs of external trauma subjected to her. They'll be running a more extensive autopsy on her over the weekend. They said due to our circumstances out here, they'll try to hurry with the results." "Alrighty then; what do yawl say to us going back to the subject of Charles and Chelsea. What do you think, Professor?" "What do you mean, Sheriff?" The professor removes his glasses. "When do you think they died, Professor? At birth? Three? Seven? As adults? When?" "I'm afraid it may still be too early to determine that, Sheriff." "Okay, Professor; then what about this Mary gal? Who the hell is she really?" "Again; it's too early to tell?" "God damn it then, Professor; what in the tar nations isn't too early to tell yet?!" "I'm afraid nothing that I can see." "Well ain't that a spur in the ol' skivvies!" There's silence for a couple of minutes in the room; then, Beth comes to from her catatonic state and hands Jean-Louise Wadell over to Cindy. Beth orders Cindy… "Ask her." Cindy's not sure what Beth means. "What Beth?" "Ask her." "Beth, what are you…" Beth screams, "Ask her! Ask her where Anna is! You could talk to her! Anna heard her! Damn it, Cindy; you know it's Chelsea in there! Ask her! Please; ask her where my baby is!"