Hazy View: Souls of the Vanished (23 page)

“
Yes that’s true. A
terrible crime’s committed that took the lives of two of our
residents. There’s a very big possibility that their bodies are in
the lake near the rock face. Now they’re attacking anyone that
comes within reach. This’s the same reason I closed it.”

“
Why didn’t you tell us
about this?”

“
I didn’t want more people
getting hurt. The rumors have reached the city and two paranormal
investigators came to investigate and so lost their lives. Would it
be wise to lure more people to fall victim to the
entity?”

“
Why is Sheriff Parker in
handcuffs?”

“
I’ll explain all that
soon. Please I’m asking you to stay away from the lake and be
patient. I will explain everything soon.”

Martin stood up and walked to the
counter.

“
Sheriff Parker what’s
going on?”

“
Everything Sheriff Foster
had said is true. I’m afraid that I’ve done something hideous and
I’ve lost both my wife and son…”

“
He was not your son.” A
man called from the rear.

“
Yes he was. DNA proofed
it. I fell victim of a hateful gossip and acted on it in a way that
was wrong and unlawful. I went too far and it cost lives. This I’ll
pay for, but I feel sorry for the people hurt and even killed
because of my actions.”

“
What did you do?” A
weeping mother called standing in front of the counter her voice
wasn’t sympathetic.

“
I can’t recall the
details, but I can recall throwing their bodies into the lake.”
Martin dropped his head.

Brat walked closer, took Martin by the
arm and led him back to his chair. Anger grew in the crowd. Their
cries for justice to the full extent of the law echoed loudly. For
some reason Andrew didn’t think they could understand what was
really wrong.

“
Sheriff, how can we
remove these things from the lake?”

“
We need to find the
bodies and give them a proper burial. If we can find the bodies and
rebury them they could finally come to rest and the haunting will
stop.”

A man in the group stepped forward. He
looked hard and long at Martin his eyes filling with hate for him
the longer he looked at him. He turned his attention to Andrew.
“Would you need help finding them?”

“At this moment I hadn’t have the time
to form a plan of action. I’ll need as many abled body and strong
people as I can get. We need to work together and offer each other
support. It would be dangerous because the entities are strong and
very angry.”

“
If it doesn’t work will
the lake stay closed forever?”

“
No, it’ll
work.”

Mr. Craft walked into the office
carrying a laptop and some other equipment, Tom followed. The crowd
parted to let them through.

“
Please I’m asking you
now, go home and give us just a little space to complete our work
so we can bring this to an end.” Andrew said and waited for the
group to disperse.

*~*~*

*III*

Andrew sat at Yvonne’s desk as he
waited for Mr. Craft to set up his equipment in his office. At
least the office was quieter. Yvonne filled a large order of coffee
as Andrew and Mayor Gibbs spoke. Andrew filled him in on the
investigator and the report from the forensics lab.

While sipping on the coffee Andrew
used the phone on Yvonne’s desk and called Doctor Phillip at the
hospital. He asked to evaluate Martin to confirm that he was fit to
stand trial. Dr. Phillip expressed his shock when he heard that
Martin’s arrested and back in town. Something he couldn’t believe
as many in town.

“
I am glad things turn out
the way they did, at least it looks like these close minded people
won’t be too hard on you, but at least hear you out. Let’s hope
they support you in bringing to justice a man they had respected
for so long.” Mayor Gibbs said as he still sipped the last of his
coffee.

“
Are you going, don’t you
want to see the footage from the house?”

“
I’ll turn back later. Mr.
Craft will let me know when he’s ready. He told me it’ll take a
while to set it up. In the meantime you need to take Martin to the
hospital? It’ll make your case stronger when people start
sympathizes with Martin because he can’t remember. They’ll say
because he suffered a serious shock you’re picking on him and he
didn’t know what he was doing.”

“
Well I did want to get
the unpleasant bits out the way first, and then I’ve got time to
deal with more pressing matters.”

“
What do you think the
motive was?”

“
Jalousie I’m sure and I
don’t even need his drunken buddy or that woman from the trailer
park. I do believe Martin’s busy making his statement as we
speak.”

“
If I were you I’ll get
their statements weather it’s needed or not. It won’t hurt would
it?”

“
No I guess
not.”

“
Have you already charged
him with the murders?”

“
As we speak the deputy’s
taking care of that. I’m just waiting for him then I’ll take Martin
to the hospital myself.”

“
Good, then you don’t need
me to stand in your way.” Mayor Gibbs said and headed for the door.
He paused and turned to Andrew. “You did well.”

He left the office and into the bright
sunlight beyond.

“
Did you hear that, the
mayor said I did well?” Andrew boasted to Yvonne.

“
I also think you did.”
Yvonne said.

“
It was more luck then
muscle or brains.”

“
Whatever it was, you
puzzled crimes together that we didn’t even think happened. Do you
mind if I take my desk back now. Some of us have work to do you
know.”

“
Sure. It’s not like I
don’t have anything to do myself.” Andrew said and stood up feeling
better about him as he thought he would. At least the residents
didn’t throw him with rotten egg, yet.

“
Here you can start on
this.” Yvonne said and handed him a small pile of complaints that
happened while he was away.

“
Never a dull moment is
it.” He said.

He took the files to his old desk now
used by the deputy and glanced through them. “It looks like I can
go on holiday more often. You guys can cope well without
me.”

“
Don’t flatter yourself.
The locals didn’t know you were gone until the children drowned,
the case is there too.” Yvonne informed.

“
Ghee thanks.” Andrew
remarked and started reading statements and complaints, most
already resolved.

Andrew soaked up the incident report
of the attack on a group of youngsters that disobeyed the
restrictions. They had dared two children, wanting to fit into a
class group of wannabe popular kids. They swim in nothing more than
their birthday suits. The two thirteen year olds swam to the rock
face and back before they could be part of a click. Never the less
it was when they had reached about halve way that they disappeared
under the water, never to reappear.

Franticly the horrified bystanders
were too scared to enter the water and ran away. They decided to
keep it quiet. Tom and Mr. Craft found the bodies of the two
children in the early hours of this morning. A girl from the group
broke down because she couldn’t deal with what they did. She felt
she pushed into a corner by the other children and told her parents
what had really happened. The other children involved in the
initiation finally confessed. The children weren’t charges yet,
although their parents would deal with them they would still have
to endure lots of community service.

Martin’s return from the holding cells
startled Andrew. His finger still black with the ink used to take
his prints. Still handcuffed he sat into one of the chairs at the
desk.

Andrew, Martin and Davis left the
office and drove three blocks to the hospital. Andrew’s service
vehicle was still at Helen’s house so he was happy to drive with
Davis. Sitting next to Martin he felt the glare from passersby.
Martin also seemed to share this feeling as he always kept his head
down. He was clearly feeling remorse for his deeds to the point
that he could not look anyone in the eye. Weather he was weeping
could only be guest.

This was about as much thought Andrew
could spare him. He didn’t feel pity and was no longer saddened by
Martin was appearance. He will deserve everything that comes his
way. It would make the suffering that Janet and Christopher had to
endure like a walk in the park.

They reach the hospital and stopped in
the casualty parking.

Andrew and Davis led Martin through the
casualty department’s entrance where several Hazy View residences
met them. It was clear that the word had spread like a wildfire
just as Andrew had thought. People congratulated Andrew on a job
well done and cursed Martin. Some outraged people threw papers at
him angered that a man of his standing in the community could do
what he did. An elderly woman stood up and blocked Martin’s way.
Andrew tried to get the woman to step aside when she suddenly spat
in Martins face and cursed him.

“
Is this really
necessary?” Andrew asked.

“
Are you standing up for
him?” She asked in a quivering voice.

“
No, but
please.”

“
He’s a murderer who took
two lovely people from us. They were like angles in this community,
how could you.” She said and spat again.

“
That’s enough now, you
might mess my uniform.” Andrew said and gently guided the woman
back to her chair.

“
Make sure he rots in
jail, sheriff.”

Martin said nothing. He just
discretely wiped his face on his shoulder his hands now bound
behind his back. He never looked up, just walked as he’s led down a
long passage and to the elevator. Too many people crowded the hall
for his liking and he’s glad to leave. As they turned the corner
leading to the elevator they could still hear the cursing and
remarks from the people waiting for the doctor.

Andrew pressed the button and waited
for the elevator.

“
I know you don’t have any
more respect for me, but is it necessary to drag me through as many
people as you can?”

“
To the contrary of what
you might think it’s necessary.”

“
Is it that necessary for
your ego or for me embarrassment?”

“
No, for the case of
course....” Andrew said and looked hard and Martin.

Martin met his eyes.

“
How would humiliating me
help your case?”

“
When the time comes that
you feel you need to draw sympathy from these people they would’ve
turned on you like a beast on its prey.”

“
How would that help you,
there people already hates me?”

“
Just because they don’t
know everything yet and later you can’t play the crime of passion
card. It you do, they‘ll won’t feel sorry for you.”

The elevator bell sounded.

“
That’s not my
intention.”

“
What’s your
intention?”

The doors opened and two nurses and a
patient stepped out.

“
To pay for what I’ve
done.”

Without a further word Andrew, Martin
and Davis stepped into the elevator.

Andrew pressed the button to the
fourth floor and waited till the doors close.

He turned back to Martin.

“
I’ve read your so called
confession. I think you’re trying to play me for a fool. There’s
nothing about how you did it. Only that you came home and blanked
out. You later realized that your wife and son was dead and tried
to conceal it be disposing of the bodies. I know you’re aware of
what you were doing the whole time. You’re just trying to get a
lighter sentence.” Andrew turned away from Martin.

“
No, that’s not
true.”

“
The doctor will soon
brake through all you nonsense.”

The elevator gently jerked to a
halt.

The three men stepped out and walked
to the nurse’s station. A group of student doctors passed but paid
no attention to Martin and his escort. They were visiting from the
city and this event was a regular thing there.

Andrew reached the nurse’s station and
was about to ask her to page Doctor Phillip when he exited one of
the wards opposite the station. He smiled and greeted them warmly
extending his hand to Andrew and Deputy Davis.

“
I’ve called for the
psychologist. He’s waiting for you in the ward.”

“
Thank you, doctor.”
Andrew said.

Andrew followed the doctor down the
passage to the psychology department. Deputy Davis and Martin
followed close by.

“
What happened to Bobby?”
Andrew asked looking at Phillips briefly.

“
After hearing that his
father died of the infection he had a nervous breakdown. We kept
him here for a few days and then transferred him to the psychic
ward. He’s still there, but I must say he’s doing a lot better. He
battles to deal with the ghost. I assume it’s the ghost that
attracted them.”