Hazy View: Souls of the Vanished (16 page)

“
So he was you high school
sweetheart?”

“
Yes, talking from
experience, when you’re young, you should first test the water
before you jump right in.”

“
Good advice I think.”
Andrew said smiling.

“
Well the only good thing
that came from the marriage is Olivia. I don’t know what I would’ve
done if he didn’t have all his money. I mean if he only had an
average job. I probably would’ve stayed with him just for Olivia’s
sake. If I did she still would’ve had a home and meals. I know I’m
one of the very few lucky women. So many women put themselves
through hell to keep their children happy.” Helen replied still
chewing on the stick of meat.

“
It does more damage than
good. Children are never happy in an unhappy situation. If parents
split up and struggled to pay bills, it would still be better than
having children around constant fighting.”

“
Yes, and then you split
up and battle to put food on the table. You work two or maybe three
jobs and the children starts acting out because they don’t get
enough attention. Although you break your back because it’s better
for them, you can’t win. So you stay in the marriage so the
children suffer under the stress but they still get attention, or
you leave and they hate you for not being home.”

“
Olivia seems
fine.”

“
Because I don’t have to
work, I am home with her all-day. I feel sorry for single
parents.”

Andrew nodded at her. Clearly he was
developing a liking for Olivia.

“
She’s a little angel. I
can see why Christopher has attached himself to her. She doesn’t
like to see another child suffer. It’s not in her nature to turn a
blind eye. She’d rather give the last of what she has to make
someone feel better, no matter what she’s going
through.”

Helen pulled into a garage with a
small shop and rest rooms. Andrew grabbed his wallet out of the
clove compartment and opened the door.

Helen left the vehicle and said.
“Would you like some coffee for the trip ahead maybe something to
eat? This one’s on me.”

“
That’s great, thanks. I’m
feeling a little skinny around the middle.” Andrew
joked.

“
I’ll have a look at what
they got and let you know.”

“
Its fine, get whatever
you’re getting, I’m not fussy.”

Andrew walked to the pump and started
to fill the tank. Moments later Helen came out of the shop and
placed the food on the hood of the vehicle.

“
They don’t have tables in
there. I got ham and cheese, chicken and mayonnaise sandwiches,
some chips and coffee.”

“
Sounds like a feast.”
Andrew said and replaced the nozzle of the pump.

“
That energy tonic really
works, I feel like I’ve slept for more than eight hours.” Andrew
remarked before collecting a chicken and mayonnaise
sandwich.

He opened the top of the coffee and
sipped at it slowly. It was hot and sweet. Clearly Helen added
sugar and creamer and stirred it. The little shop didn’t offer much
but at least the bread was fresh and the lettuce still
crunchy.

“
I’m glad you like the
tonic, there’s more in the car.” Helen offered.

“
Great, it makes me all
jumpy inside. I can take on the whole world at once and it wouldn’t
even bring me down.”

“
Ah.”

“
The chicken isn’t too bad
either, I expected less from it. How are you ham and cheese?”
Andrew asked.

“
You can try it now, I
bought two of each. I hope the coffee isn’t too sweet, had to guess
on the sugar.”

“
Smooth like honey on the
tongue.”

Andrew finished his ham and cheese
sandwich and excused himself before heading to the restroom.
Moments later he returned and got ready to take on the rest of the
journey without any further stops. With the gas paid and a full
stomach he felt less tired and refreshed. He had another three
hundred and twenty miles to go. He might get Martin around midday
without incident. The journey from Hazy View was long and hard, at
least now the end’s in sight.

“
So what do you think we
should do first when we get there?” Helen asked.

Andrew pulled out of the gas station
and headed for the highway leading to Dayton.

“
I’d like to keep my
choices open, just in case things aren’t what I expect once I get
there. But most of all I’d like the sheriff or some of the law
enforcement officers to escort me for the first time I see Martin.
Things might get out of hand, something I don’t really
want.”

“
Do you expect him to put
up a fight?” Helen asked nervously.

“
Maybe, it would be a
shock if I suddenly and unexpectedly arrive at his doorstep, don’t
you think?”

“
Maybe he would feel too
intimidated.”

“
He’ll feel intimidated
only if he has something to hide. But your right, maybe I should
keep the officers close but not too close. You see that’s why I
thought of bringing you along. You have a sharp mind, but I’m
afraid mine had been taking a beating lately.”

“
Flattery won’t get you
anywhere.” Helen said smiling.

“
No punt
intended.”

The road slipped by with music playing
a little louder and small conversation revealed more about both of
them. Helen has interested in forensics but not in actually doing
the work. The things people found by testing the smallest of
particles interested her. It amazed her more than interested her.
If you considered all that a computer can do these days alone.
Twenty years ago a person would never have dreamed that a small
molecule could distinguish truth from fiction. It would be amazing
to see what people would do next.

Buildings dwindled into nothingness
and trees became closer together. Fields with long grass and
untamed played in the breeze. The sun was hiding behind small
cotton like clouds. The road opened into four lanes and snaked
across the country heading North with fewer and fewer traffic to
slowed them down. At this rate they might reach Martin long before
noon.

They drove in silence, listening to
the music.

Helen changed the CD in the player and
waited for the music to start playing. She grew tired as the energy
tonic had evidently worn off. The music started to play softly. The
golden oldie brought back memories from ones youth and rebellious
days. It played through the cab. It made you smile after recalling
the simple things you’ve done as a child.

She yawn
ed and tucked
her head into the side of the seat, between the window and the
headpiece. She adjusted a pillow they had brought with and got
comfortable. She was still moments away from sleep.

The silence started to
mount.

She kicked off her shoes again and
pushed the blanket off her as the sun shone through the clouds,
warming her through the closed window.

Andrew opened the window and lit a
cigarette. She didn’t complain about the smell, her husband also
smoked. She only asked that the window was open a little to allow
for fresh air.

After finishing his cigarette Andrew
turned to Helen. He started an idol conversation but soon realized
that she had already fallen asleep and he didn’t want to wake her.
He turned the music down and hummed softly to a tune.

Miles passed and his hums grew silent
his mind started to wonder.

*~*~*

*VI*

Martin woke up and called for a home
delivery of beer, food and painkillers. The rain had stopped and
the sun started to brighten. All the doors and windows remained
closed.

Martin hid under a blanket when the
courier knocked. He ignored it.

“
Hello, is anyone home?”
The courier called through the door.

Martin stood up.

“
Hello I’ve got your
delivery.”

Martin’s relieved and moved cautiously
and slowly to the door. “Wait just a minute. What time’s
it?”

“
It’s nine-twenty.” He
replied.

“
What do I owe you?”
Martin asked.

Martin moved to the window and looked
through the corner of the lace curtain.

“
You can leave it right
there, thank you.” He commanded.

“
What about the money?”
The man called, more annoyed than worried.

“
Here, I’ll push it
through the mail slot. I can’t find the key right now.” Martin
lied.

Martin folded two notes and pushed it
through the mail slot and held it. He felt the courier taking the
notes and released it. He heard the courier putting down the paper
bags and footsteps led off the porch. He stood for a moment and
listened through the door.

“
Freak…!” The man called
back as his voice faded.

Martin opened the door a crack and
grabbed the bags before slamming the door shut again. He grabbed a
beer and emptied it into his mouth in one sip. He opened another
and found the painkillers. He popped four into his mouth and
swallowed it down with another warm beer. Finally he
relaxed.

*~*~*

*VII*

Rain fell on the windscreen. The
clouds hung heavy. Trees at the edge of the highway swayed wildly.
It picked up from a light breeze to a strong wind. It looked cold
and unpleasant. A signboard passed read seventy four miles to
Oakwood, their destination. Andrew was still driving. Helen awoke
after a two-hour nap.

“
I wonder if it was
deliberately or an accident?” Andrew said softly.

“
I thought you’re so angry
at him and you’re convinced he did this hideous crime.”

“
I’m angry, and I still
believe he did it, but I don’t believe it’s
premeditated.”

“
What made you think
that?” Helen asked confused.

“
He couldn’t handle what
he’d done.”

“
Why didn’t he say
anything?”

“
No. Because I think he’s
scared.”

“
Scared of what, going to
jail?”

“
No. I think he feared the
people in town would judge him, or maybe he wasn’t thinking
straight.”

“
Do you really believe
that?” Helen asked after a brief silence.

“
Maybe, being the sheriff
was his whole life. If he lost that it would be like he lost his
whole life. Some people get weird about their jobs. I just don’t
know.”

“
What changed your
mind?”

“
I was sure he did it
deliberately, but I think the trip have given me enough time to
think. Martin and I had been as close as two men could get, without
it being weird, there’s no way he would’ve done this in cold
blood.”

“
Now what, do you feel
sorry for him?”

“
To a degree, there’s
nothing natural to the way he broke down.”

“
I don’t think so.” Helen
said coldly.

“
Why you didn’t have a
chance to know him?”

“
The times I saw him he
was fine, normal.”

“
Your right, there was
moments that he was his old self. Even on the day he left, smiling
and joking.” Andrew admitted thoughtfully.

“
Maybe he was pretending.”
Helen suggested.

“
Make us believe he’s
suffering. Trying to get everyone feeling sorry for him, then when
the truth comes out they’ll take pity on him.” He fell silent and
kept his eyes on the road ahead.

“
He could’ve done it
deliberately.”

“
I still can’t understand
why.” Andrew paused.

“
Everything he did was to
keep us from wondering. He was thinking clear enough to cover his
tracks. His supposable brake down, using Janet’s credit cards,
making everyone believe they had left town, getting someone else
call the office pretending to be Janet. People don’t go to that
extend if it’s an accident. They do that when they know they did
something wrong.” Helen pointed out.

“
I use to be able to read
his mind, look into his soul. I could’ve finished his sentences and
he mine. Lately we’d grown apart. He blamed me for everything. I
thought he was trying to get rid of me. Meanwhile he was trying to
get away from me because I knew him so well. Everything‘s starting
to make sense to me now.” Andrew said with more clarity.

“
But you still don’t
believe he planned it.”

“
No.”

“
It might’ve been an
accident.”

“
Maybe… Maybe not, it’s
hard to say at this moment. I don’t have enough evidence to suggest
otherwise.”

“
Do you think he did it
himself?”

“
Most likely, I can’t
think he would’ve hired someone to do the dirty work.”

“
So what’s your
theory?”

“
My theory…?” Andrew asked
shocked.

“
Yes, police usually have
one during an investigation.”