Chapter69 Final Visit to Roy's

When he arrives at the bungalow, Deputy Hopkins notices the station wagon parked out front; filled to capacity with bags and boxes. Evidently, the ex-sheriff has packed his belongings and is getting ready to leave. The deputy looks over at the screened porch and smiles; figuring he caught good old Roy just in time. The screen and storm doors to the enclosed porch are unlocked; but, the front door's locked. The deputy knocks repeatedly on the door while calling out. "Roy! You in there, Roy? It's Mike! You in there, Roy? You okay? It's Mike! Open up, Roy!" There's no answer. He's getting the feeling that something isn't quite right. The deputy pulls out his 9mm Berretta from its holster and slowly walks around the bungalow, attempting to look into the windows; but, all the curtains have been drawn shut. The deputy returns to the porch and tries calling for the former sheriff again. Again, there's no response from inside; so, he kicks open the door and cautiously enters. He moves methodically through the rooms. Once he opens the door leading down to the basement, the deputy gets a whiff of an all too familiar odor; and, is certain Roy's body has been left down there. Moving slowly down the steps, Deputy Hopkins tries to mentally prepare himself. When he reaches the bottom, he looks over to the right far corner of the basement; discovering ex-sheriff Roy Jameson's lifeless corpse dangling in a noose that's been tied around a water pipe. "You've got to be shitting me, Lloyd!" "Nope." "All four of them?" "Yup." "A week fishing trip in Maine, huh?" "That's what I was told." "Gus I could see; he owns the diner. But, Phil lived at home with his mom; while Petey and George stayed in a back room at the bowling alley. There's no way those bums could afford a fishing trip to Maine for a week. Like I said, Gus yeah; but, I don't see that tightwad footing the bill for the other three, Lloyd." "Me neither, Mike." "Steinman?" "I reckon." "So; he sends the four assholes…which he more than likely ordered to kill Delilah…on a week's fishing trip up in Maine. Then, while up there living it up; the cabin they're staying in mysteriously catches fire and kills them all. Now, would you say this is more a case of irony; or, poetic justice?" "Well now; I reckon it's a little of both." "Any word on Grotto yet?" "Nope. But, I reckon if Steinman's trying to eliminate his ties with Ms. Delilah's murder; ol' Charlie boy will be turning belly up somewhere himself." "Got to hand it to old Jackie boy, Lloyd; so far, he's taken out Roy, Gus, Petey, George and Phil…not to mention the fact that he pushed Al over the edge far enough to have him blow his brains out all over his favorite desk." Beth asks, "Is this Steinman person responsible for Delores' car crash, too?" After the sheriff and deputy give each other a quick glance, the sheriff informs her, "Well, Beth; the jury's still out on that one. As of now; we'd have to say no." "If it wasn't him; then it was it an accident." "That hasn't been determined yet, either." "Huh?" "Look, Beth; that crash has them ol' State Boys running around in circles chasing their tails. They're baffled themselves with this one." "Why's that, Lloyd?" Martin asks. "Corporal Nyce told us that according to their investigative unit, there was no physical evidence found indicating a definitive starting point at the accident scene. No skid marks from the highway to the side of the road. No indentations in the grass or dirt going down the embankment to where the car was found. Nada! It's as if her car went from driving down 382 to being upside down at the bottom of that ditch; like it was just plum picked up and dropped there. Ms. Cindy, Professor; do yawl think our little ghostly friends could have something to do with this?" "It sounds like it's a possibility; I guess. What do you think, Professor?" "They could have had their hand in it; so, to speak. It definitely sounds like a supernatural phenomenon." The deputy's curious. "But; how could that be, Professor? That car was miles from here. I thought ghosts were limited to where they could haunt; or, am I wrong?" "That would be a yes and no, Deputy." "Okay…care to elaborate on that, Professor?" "Certainly. Ghosts; spirits; entities; apparitions…however you want to refer to them as…are limited to their haunting; true. However…and, this is where most people misconstrue the concept behind their limitations…when dealing with a haunting; the limit imposed upon the presence…or presences…involved shouldn't be considered in terms of locality; but rather, relativity." The sheriff joins in. "Oh, I see…not locality; but, relativity…of course. Professor; what in the tar nations is that suppose to mean?" "Simply put, Sheriff; it wouldn't have mattered how far away the car was from this house. If this Delores woman was somehow involved with this particular haunting in any way, shape or form; then, our spirit here has the capability to interact with her in any manner it deems necessary." "So, then Beth was right;" Martin points out, "even if we had taken Anna away from here, this thing would still be able to get her…because it needs her." The professor nods. "That's correct, Martin." "So, then how do we get our baby back? And, how do we keep them from coming after her?" "We need to come up with a means of retrieving her from their world." The professor continues, "I'm sorry to say I still don't know how to go about this; but, we still have some time. As far as keeping them away…we'll have to resolve these spirits' issues; whatever they may be. That's the only way to truly end this ordeal, Beth." "All I want is my baby back! Can somebody please help me do that?" Beth turns and falls into Martin's arms, pressing her face into his chest, and cries. Martin gently pats her back and slowly sways her side to side. Just then, the phone rings. "Lazinski residence; can I help you?" Suddenly, Cindy collapses into a nearby chair shaking. "I'm sorry; who's this?" Cindy pulls some of her hair over behind her ear, as she nods; and, sporadically let's out an "uh-huh". Then she finishes the call…. "That'll be great; my Uncle Mike can pick you up at the airport Thursday. We'll see you then. Thank you so much. And please, be careful." Cindy hangs up the receiver and gets a glass of water. Beth, while wiping away her tears, walks up beside Cindy. "Who was that, Cindy?" Cindy guzzles the water down, puts the glass in the sink and wipes her mouth with her forearm. "You're not going to believe it…that was Vivian Steinman. She said she had a feeling something was wrong out here; and, that her brothers were up to no good. She said she'll be flying in from Montreal next Thursday to help us out however she can. Beth, I have a feeling with her help, we're going to get Anna back"