Read Online The Charity by Connie Johnson Hambley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Connie Johnson Hambley
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think. There must be something about last night that stands out. I know it’s hard, but just think.”
Jessica covered her face, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. She stared absently toward the knees of the young officer. The battle in her head waged on. Images swam, leaving confusion in their wakes. “I want to help you, I really do,” her voice thin and shaky. “I th-think I saw something on the arm of a man, b-but I j-just don’t know. A scar or bruise or something. Right about here.” She motioned with her right hand toward a spot high up on her inner left arm. Nausea boiled in her stomach.
“My God, Jessica! You saw the guy?” Anna exclaimed.
Shea interrupted her. “A man? Take it easy now, Miss Wyeth. Tell me anything about that one man.” He brought himself to her eye level. Slowly, gently, he urged her to talk. His pale blue eyes looked directly at her with concern from beneath the broad rim of his hat. Tufts of shortly cropped curly hair escaped from underneath.
“No. Not one man. Two. And Gus.” Another surge of bile stuck in her throat and she sputtered. Almost a reflex, Shea reached out and took her hand. It was like ice in her panic. He enveloped it in both of his hands and tried to warm it. For an instant, Jessica felt safe and tried to make sense of the molten visions.
“I was looking through the door. I could see them both. One man, well, one just seemed familiar, somehow. I... I could barely see him. But I did see him just reach out and it w-was n-nothing to him.” Her face reddened in the effort to get the words out. “He just stood there while Gus died. It w-was... It was more than that, but I just can’t remember!”
“Try. You’ve got to tell me what you saw.”
“I’m trying... It’s just too much. I can’t think about this anymore. Please leave me alone!”
At that, Coogan reappeared at the door, visibly angry. “I thought I made it clear that I was going to talk with her alone .”
Shea stammered, then seemed to make a decision. “Yes sir.” He dropped his gaze and stood up. He used his most professional tone. “Please call Detective Coogan if you want to talk about this. You can reach him at the station if you need to. Good day, Miss Wyeth. I’m sorry to have upset you.” He walked to the door and looked out. Coogan had returned to the car and the crackle of the radio and Coogan’s voice filled the silence. Shea turned back to face Jessica.
“Look Miss. Take care of yourself. Events like these don’t happen around here and rumors travel fast. A shock like this can bury memories pretty effectively if you don’t talk about it with someone you trust. If you do remember anything more about the men or about last night, don’t talk to anyone but me, Okay? Be careful.” And with that said, he left.
Anna brought Jessica back to the Black Swan to retrieve her car. The hangover Jessica had was not abating even with the water and aspirin regimen Anna thrust upon her. Jessica decided that she did not want to return to her home right away. The farm was crawling with people and the phone was ringing off the hook. She just couldn’t cope with the chaos. What she really wanted to do was jump on a horse and ride like hell, but what she decided to do was to drive around a while to gather her thoughts. She drove around in circles for what felt like hours and eventually began to get hungry. She was not that surprised to realize she ended up at one of her and Anna’s favorite getaways.
The tavern was in an old building situated at the outskirts of a town not too far from Hamilton. Paint on the tavern was old and faded, and the shutters covering its paned windows were missing slats and in need of repair. The few upper windows were dark and Jessica could just make out the whispers of a curtain or two. The faint light from the dining room filtered out of dirty windows. One gritty spot light shone on the front door where the word “L O B S T E R” was slowly peeling
Jessica covered her face, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. She stared absently toward the knees of the young officer. The battle in her head waged on. Images swam, leaving confusion in their wakes. “I want to help you, I really do,” her voice thin and shaky. “I th-think I saw something on the arm of a man, b-but I j-just don’t know. A scar or bruise or something. Right about here.” She motioned with her right hand toward a spot high up on her inner left arm. Nausea boiled in her stomach.
“My God, Jessica! You saw the guy?” Anna exclaimed.
Shea interrupted her. “A man? Take it easy now, Miss Wyeth. Tell me anything about that one man.” He brought himself to her eye level. Slowly, gently, he urged her to talk. His pale blue eyes looked directly at her with concern from beneath the broad rim of his hat. Tufts of shortly cropped curly hair escaped from underneath.
“No. Not one man. Two. And Gus.” Another surge of bile stuck in her throat and she sputtered. Almost a reflex, Shea reached out and took her hand. It was like ice in her panic. He enveloped it in both of his hands and tried to warm it. For an instant, Jessica felt safe and tried to make sense of the molten visions.
“I was looking through the door. I could see them both. One man, well, one just seemed familiar, somehow. I... I could barely see him. But I did see him just reach out and it w-was n-nothing to him.” Her face reddened in the effort to get the words out. “He just stood there while Gus died. It w-was... It was more than that, but I just can’t remember!”
“Try. You’ve got to tell me what you saw.”
“I’m trying... It’s just too much. I can’t think about this anymore. Please leave me alone!”
At that, Coogan reappeared at the door, visibly angry. “I thought I made it clear that I was going to talk with her alone .”
Shea stammered, then seemed to make a decision. “Yes sir.” He dropped his gaze and stood up. He used his most professional tone. “Please call Detective Coogan if you want to talk about this. You can reach him at the station if you need to. Good day, Miss Wyeth. I’m sorry to have upset you.” He walked to the door and looked out. Coogan had returned to the car and the crackle of the radio and Coogan’s voice filled the silence. Shea turned back to face Jessica.
“Look Miss. Take care of yourself. Events like these don’t happen around here and rumors travel fast. A shock like this can bury memories pretty effectively if you don’t talk about it with someone you trust. If you do remember anything more about the men or about last night, don’t talk to anyone but me, Okay? Be careful.” And with that said, he left.
Anna brought Jessica back to the Black Swan to retrieve her car. The hangover Jessica had was not abating even with the water and aspirin regimen Anna thrust upon her. Jessica decided that she did not want to return to her home right away. The farm was crawling with people and the phone was ringing off the hook. She just couldn’t cope with the chaos. What she really wanted to do was jump on a horse and ride like hell, but what she decided to do was to drive around a while to gather her thoughts. She drove around in circles for what felt like hours and eventually began to get hungry. She was not that surprised to realize she ended up at one of her and Anna’s favorite getaways.
The tavern was in an old building situated at the outskirts of a town not too far from Hamilton. Paint on the tavern was old and faded, and the shutters covering its paned windows were missing slats and in need of repair. The few upper windows were dark and Jessica could just make out the whispers of a curtain or two. The faint light from the dining room filtered out of dirty windows. One gritty spot light shone on the front door where the word “L O B S T E R” was slowly peeling
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