Black Water Tales: The Secret Keepers (11 page)

“What’s wrong?” Nikki asked.

“Nothing. Glen DeFrank is dead?” Regina asked again as if she had not heard the first time.

“Yes,
he
is,” Nikki repeated with ice on her tongue. She stopped grooming her mother’s grave in order to review the concerned look on Regina’s face.

“Don’t tell me you’re upset about this, Regina? After his parents died he became a weirdo and he probably put Lola in that hole,” Nikki argued. Unharnessed frustration rose in Regina’s chest and was on the tip of her tongue before she was able to find the root of it and tame her reckless emotion which resulted in her not being able to get any words out at all only a vexing stutter.

“I…I…I am not upset…it is just, Jesus!” Regina spit, shuddering. “This just keeps getting more and more interesting, for lack of a better term.” Regina quieted herself so that she could hear more clearly the voices that were mingled with the abrupt gusts of wind that billowed the leaves across the cemetery ground. Nikki read her friend’s face and jerked her head around in both directions trying to get a quick overview of their surroundings.

“What?” Nikki raised her voice. “You are
FREAKIN’
me out, Regina!” Nikki scolded.

“Sorry. I just thought that I heard something,” she fired back.

“Heard what?”

The two stared at each other in silence for a moment listening for something, some validation that neither of them was going crazy. A moment before they resumed their sanity they heard a rushed scrambling noise that made them both jump. Their eyes focused on a flash of movement to their right. Two squirrels were
chasing each other around one of the old trees. Both girls sighed and they may have even laughed if their conversation had not been so heavy.

“How did he die?” Regina asked.

“Some kind of condition, he had a stroke or enlarged heart or something. It took about a week for anyone to even find him. His sister moved to Johnson City a couple of years before it happened and she would come to visit him on the weekends sometime. When she came home one weekend, he was laid out on the couch, cold, or at least that is how Michelle tells it. You know Michelle couldn’t hold water if she were a bucket. You would think after all this time, that Handow would not talk business in front of his niece for not wanting the entire population of Harrisburg County knowing all of the details of his investigations. DeFrank had become a total recluse by then and had gotten really …” Nikki took her index finger and made circular motions around her ear to finish her point.

Regina raised her eyebrow at the politically incorrect charade.

Across the grounds, Regina pointed out a man, probably in his late forties, wearing dirty jeans, a denim jacket, and a trucker hat. Even from where they sat, Regina and Nikki could see that the man’s lower face was covered in hair that needed to be shaved. A cigarette hung limply out of the corner of his mouth. Behind him, he was dragging a long canvas bag and telling from the amount of effort he put into the feat, it must have been weighty.

“I’m sure those are just his tools.” Regina said, comforting herself.

“Yeah…his tools,” Nikki agreed still not taking her eyes off of the slovenly man as he marched across the field of death.

The eyes of both girls caught one another and Regina felt an undeniable sense that she, Nikki, and the gravedigger were no longer alone. Maybe she had heard a hard step on the ground nearby or heavy breath close in the air, but she was sure that there was something evil near. Regina looked across the field again and the gravedigger was gone.

Nikki’s shrill screams rang out in the cemetery. Cold, strong hands grabbed both women from behind and Regina looked up over her head to see a dark man standing over her with a sharp metal tool that he had raised high into the dank cemetery air that was now coming down straight toward her head. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain, the inevitable stillness that was to come.

When no immediate pain came, Regina opened her eyes to hear the gruff sounds of attack melt into childish whoops.

“Assholes!” Nikki screamed as she wrenched herself out of what they were sure, just moments ago, were the hands of death. Nikki regained her balance with aggravation firing on all circuits as she dusted dirt off her colorful jogging suit.

Regina stood up on her own rejecting the hand that one of the laughing men extended. It was Barron Forte, Regina’s high school sweetheart and his younger brother Carter. Barron’s boyish good looks had grown into dead-on handsome and she knew that he knew it. He was tall and of medium build, his skin was smooth, but bristled with a goatee that he had been growing; his lips were full and opened every now and then to reveal the smile fit for a game show host.

“Barron.” Regina yelled as she jumped on the refined young man wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He whirled her around. She was so thrilled to see him that she almost failed to notice how disrespectful such glee seemed in a place like this and immediately released the man from her grips.

Carter Forte held his hands stiffly out in front of him and moved toward Nikki like a zombie and managed to chant, “We’re coming to get you, Barbara.” One good time before breaking into laughter again.

“I second that asshole comment,” Regina said, directing her quip at both men. Barron was holding a long silver screwdriver in his hand.

“What are you doing with that?” she asked, pointing at the weapon.

“We went to get it from my grandmother’s house, we were putting together an entertainment center for my mom, but we needed a screwdriver so we had to walk over to my grandmother’s to get hers,” he explained, directing his head toward his grandmother’s home, which was just on the other side of the cemetery.

“We always cut through the cemetery,” Carter reminded them.

“You guys are too old to be jumping from behind tombstones and scaring people. I almost peed my pants!” Regina scolded them as she punched Barron in the chest playfully.

Barron’s little brother Carter was still bursting with laughter as he held his stomach.

“You two are NOT funny! I’m trying to grieve my mother. Don’t you idiots have any respect for the dead?” Nikki was still pissed and took a girlish swing at Carter, missing.

“Awwwwww, c’mon Nikki. Of course, I respect the dead, but when we saw you two here, we just couldn’t resist. I apologize.” Barron said, bowing at the waist in a charming gesture. Everyone settled down, but they retained slight grins as they were on the edge of crazy laughter, but managed to fight it back so as not to get cursed by Nikki again. The group stood in silence waiting for Nikki’s forgiveness. After a few seconds, she rolled her eyes and spoke in a calm and collected manner.

“Fine, but you guys are still idiots.” Nikki narrowed her animal-like green eyes at the men.

“Awwwwwww, don’t be that way,” the two brothers wailed as each of them covered the girls in bear hugs.

“Since when are you two such handymen anyway?” Nikki asked.

“A man knows his tools,” Barron spoke with an exaggerated arrogance.

“Especially if he
is
a tool.” Nikki joked. “What are you guys doing here?”

“I told you we had to go to my grandmother’s house,” Barron said. Nikki rolled her eyes deeply.

“… In Black Water, genius?” Regina clarified.

“Lola’s funeral, what do you think? She was our friend too; besides, my mom asked us to come.” Barron explained.

“This is crazy, huh?” Carter intervened. “So Glen DeFrank killed her?” He asked.

“Yes.” Nikki answered his question quickly.

“We don’t know that for sure.” Regina corrected her friend. Regina put her hands on her shoulders and rubbed them to create some heat. She was starting to get a chill and wished that she had listened to her mother and put on a scarf. Barron must have noticed her discomfort.

“You want my jacket?” he offered.

“No, I’m OK. Let’s get out of here,” Regina said to the group.

“You guys want to get some coffee at the OC?” Carter offered. “My treat.”

“You always were a big spender,” Nikki joked.

“Sounds good,” Regina confirmed.

“We just have to drop this screwdriver at home, get the car and we’ll meet you guys there.” Barron outlined the plan. The Forte brothers set out across the cemetery toward their mother’s home, which was just on the other side of the cemetery, opposite their grandmother’s house. Regina picked up her father’s bike and walked alongside it following Nikki down the gravel path; she stopped for a moment and turned and looked one last time for the gravedigger and his bag.

R
egina could hardly wait to wrap her thin fingers around a steaming cup of coffee to melt the frost that had covered her body on the bike ride over. Slumped over the counter was a fiery-headed waitress that Regina instantly recognized as Michelle Sears. In high school, Michelle was well known because her mother and father ran the OC and her uncle was the sheriff but it would have been hardly accurate to call her popular. She had been the editor and number one reporter for the
Oakley High School Times
. Lusty venetian red hair sat on the top of her head in a tussled bun, her green eyes lacked sparkle and were more matte like brambles of a forest. More than anything she loved to talk and was known to not be able to keep a secret even if her life depended on it, which was just another reason why people liked being around her, but no one really wanted to be friends with her. Getting the secrets from her was one thing, but telling her one was like writing your business on a billboard.

Michelle must have recognized Regina because she fondled her lightly with her eyes, but was much too proud to immediately reveal unfettered recognition of Regina with a wave. Michelle nodded subtly, letting the girls know that it would be a moment until she came over, acknowledging them nonetheless. Regina gave her a slight wave and struggled to muster half of a sincere smile. The girls sat in a booth along the wall of windows so that they could people watch on Main Street, which is something that they had often done as kids, it was something everyone does in places like Black Water. An eighteen-wheeler truck zipped by the popular eatery, sending up a massive wind that ruffled everything on either side of Main Street. Nikki stared out the window for a moment before turning to her friend, leaning forward and piercing Regina with the scintillating green eyes that told of her French Creole heritage.

“It’s Halloween, you know,” she said in a seductive whisper.

“I know.” Regina reeled back in her booth cringing in anticipation of what words were about to spring forth from the lips of the infamous Nikki Valentine.

“Well …” Nikki said as she unlocked the tension in the moment and relaxed back against the booth. “I think you got your seasons mixed up, little girl,” she said.

“Do tell?” Regina tempted, leaning over the table. Nikki hummed to herself in a low bewitching tone before allowing the words to slip off her lips like honey.

“You sure lit up like the Times Square Christmas tree when Mr. Forte put his arms around you,” she taunted. Regina pulled napkins from the dispenser and threw them at Nikki, feeling the warm burning sensation of embarrassment fill her cheeks.

“Nooooooo!” She rebutted playfully. Nikki broke into a grossly exaggerated imitation of her friend.

“Oh Barron, what bright eyes you have.”
Nikki began.

“The better to see you with.” Regina furthered the joke at her own expense by assisting her friend in the recounting of the fairy tale in a monotone voice.

“Oh Barron, what nice teeth you have.”
Nikki began again.

At this point Regina could see exactly where her friend’s sick humor was going. She had not changed; even in high school, her personality encompassed a likable perversion.

“The better to
eat
you with.” Regina finished the joke before both girls were consumed in an adolescent guffaw.

“You are absolutely sick, you know.” Regina laughed with the back of her hand covering her mouth, as if that would reduce the level of girlish immaturity.

Just as they had in the graveyard, the Forte brothers appeared out of thin air and they were sliding into the booth next to the girls before they had even a moment to quell their snickering.

“What’s so funny?” Carter asked.

“Little Red Riding Hood,” Nikki told them, revealing at least one layer of honesty.

Both girls began giggling again.

“What?” Barron asked before the conversation was interrupted.

“Well, well, well, look at the little crew all together again.” Michelle stood over the table tapping her lower lip with the pen she held in her hand. The tall girl eyed the group enviously.

“I think I remember you kids.” Michelle’s words struck as slightly condescending, considering all four of them were adults.

“Did someone order a redheaded slut?” Nikki spoke first. The entire table burst into simmered laughter. Regina pressed her hand over her face amusingly exasperated by the fact that this petty feud continued into adulthood. Nikki and Michelle had become sworn frenemies when Michelle began dating one of Nikki’s high school boyfriends before Nikki had a chance to break his heart by dumping him when the relationship began to get serious, as was her routine method of operation. The group did their best to sweep up the laughter that was left lingering in the air after a couple of seconds. Michelle eyed a Nikki that appeared very proud of herself for making the group laugh.

“Always a pleasure to see you, Nikki. What can I get you for breakfast? A cup of coffee with a shot of brandy and eggs with a side of lifelong regret?” Michelle fired back as if she had been prepared for the trivial battle before approaching the table. As awkward as Barron, Carter and Regina felt being caught in the cross fire of this conversation, it was undeniable that they were sincerely entertained.

Nikki flashed a captivating smile. “That coffee sounds great, but I will have a shot of Bailey’s in my coffee instead of brandy and hold the food.”

“I would ask to see your ID, but since you look forty, I’ll chance it.”