Waiting and Watching (20 page)

"It's going to be a small wedding party and we are all going to be staying at the Tilden Park Inn for two nights at our expense.”

“I always wanted to be a real guest at the inn, but it's just too expensive for me. I hope when we're staying there the staff won't expect me to do any work,” Lily said.

“If so, you'll just have to tell them to go to hell,” Earl said. “It's your holiday. If you're too nice, some people just don't get the message. Sometimes Lily, you just have to be firm and nasty.”

“Well, I'll make sure that doesn't happen, Lily,” Connie said. “But I do have another favor to ask of you. Would you make the arrangements for transportation to and from the rehearsal dinner, Christmas Eve service and of course the wedding ceremony? What do you think—one stretch limo or two regular limos?”

“Hell, we don't need to be driven around like a bunch of old farts. I have a perfectly good car and we can fit at least six people in it, seven if you don't mind a tight squeeze.”

Connie looked at Julio. “Julio is inviting a special friend from Miami.” She switched her attention to Lily and said, “She's a much older lady. She has been so helpful in our attempt to locate Beth Vreeland. Her name is Sylvia, and I hear she enjoys a good party, but sometimes can get a bit out of control. So I think it would be best if I hired a professional driver.”

“Amen to that,” Julio said. “She's a firecracker.”

“Bring her on! I like my women wild and woolly!” Earl grinned.

Lily said she hadn't had many happy Christmases since her mother died and this definitely gave her something she could look forward to enjoying. Earl had felt the same way ever since he had lost his cherished wife, Sue. They all agreed this was going to be a very merry Christmas for them all.

As Connie and Julio were leaving the next day, all four retired to the lobby for a final after-dinner drink. There the staff was preparing the inn for the upcoming Christmas holiday. They sat around a tall, willowy blue spruce Christmas tree that was being decorated with white lights and silver ornaments. Everyone agreed the holiday atmosphere at the inn was a positive omen of things to come in December. The last good-byes were a bit teary, but the group would all be together again quite soon.

In the parking lot, Earl whispered to Lily that he had a plan to sneak into the Harriman house. He suspected Martin might be hiding out there. As soon as it came out of his mouth, he regretted the confidence, wondering if the illegality of the activity would alarm her. Perhaps she would even tell Connie and they would attempt to convince him not to do it. But Lily surprised him with her enthusiasm for the scheme, convinced that if she was in the house she could pick up some paranormal visions.

Saturday—November 29, 1986

A few nights after Thanksgiving, Earl called Lily. “I'm ready to execute combat mission Sierra Foxtrot Mike. Are you still in? My reconnaissance expedition uncovered a basement window slightly ajar. I think you're skinny enough to get through and unlock the back door so I can get into the house. Are you up for our mission—searching for Martin?”

“On it, Earl, and you can count on me. When and where?”

“Tonight, my house, any time after twenty hundred hours. That's eight o'clock military time. We're operating incognito, so wear dark clothes and a hat. Remember, I have nosey neighbors.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” Lily said giggling with excitement.

* * * *

Lily arrived at Earl's house at eight-fifteen. She wore black sweat pants a black sweatshirt and a knit cap that totally covered up her long reddish-blonde hair. In her hand dangled the watch that had belonged to Mr. Harriman.

“Are you planning some kind of hocus pocus?” Earl asked.

“It certainly can't hurt,” she replied.

“What do you think you're gonna find—some kind of ghost or something? You know the house has been renovated and cleaned up.”

“It doesn't matter if the house has been remodeled. It won't affect any existing energy or dormant energies. Even if a house is torn down, the aura still remains, especially if the death was of a violent nature.”

“Aura, my ass; just get us in there. You can do your voodoo while I do some serious snooping.”

Earl cautioned Lily to be careful getting into the house. They didn't want to attract Nola's attention or that of the Tilden Park cops who regularly cruised the neighborhood. He hadn't seen any signs of Martin coming or going the last few days, but he could show up at any time. “We want to enter while Nola is on the other side of her house in the family room watching TV. That woman always has her antenna up,” Earl said.

Fifteen minutes later, the two of them snuck off across the yard as if they were in a war zone.

Earl managed to crack open the basement window. With a lot of struggling and pushing, Lily wiggled her way into the basement. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. The basement was filled with boxes so she had to creep carefully and avoid knocking any of them over. Fortunately, there was some moonlight and she had a small flashlight with her.

Once Lily got the back door open for Earl, he took the lead and brought them to the study, where both Dr. and Mrs. Harriman died.

“Lily, I'm going to plant some little listening devices—bugs—around the house so I can monitor any comings or goings around here. It's illegal, but then, so is breaking and entering.”

“I love it. We're co-conspirators, so your secret is safe with me,” she said, smiling.

Earl planted two bugs in the study and then left Lily alone to do her thing. He searched the house for places to hide his listening devices and while doing this, he also kept a sharp eye out for signs of Martin. The house was empty, except for stacks of boxes covered with a thick film of dust. They looked as though no one had touched or moved them in years and he assumed they belonged to the present mysterious new owners. The only sign that Martin had been using the house was fresh food in the refrigerator.

Earl climbed the back staircase up to the bedrooms. He opened the first door and discovered a large room with a connecting bath. He assumed this was the master bedroom. It was empty. He continued down the hallway to the next door. When he entered the room, it was apparent it had been recently used. A chill went down his spine as he saw a butcher knife and two pieces of cut rope lying beside the bed. This must have been Connie's old bedroom and the scene of her kidnapping ordeal. The room took on an eerie atmosphere when his eyes caught sight of a woman's green dress dangling from some kind of stand. Laid out neatly under the dress was a pair of high heels and a small lady's purse. A sinister undercurrent swept through the room as if a dark presence were lurking somewhere in the shadows. When Earl bent down to place a listening device under the bed frame, something swooshed past the back of his head. The sensation was hair-raising and evoked images of blood sucking bats and ghostly apparitions. Whatever it was, he wasn't about to search it out. No rational, common sense person should feel the way he did in that room. Quickly securing the bug to the bedframe, he literally ran down the back stairs.

Safely down the dark staircase, he began feeling quite foolish. He wasn't a believer in spirits and ghosts and surely it was his imagination that had gotten the better of him. Earl's belief that evil in this world was due to earthly beings, triggered the thought that Martin could enter the house at any moment. He suddenly became worried about Lily alone in the study.

Earl found her still in the study, sitting on the floor with Dr. Harriman's watch in her lap. She took one look at Earl and said, “What's the matter? You look as though you've seen a ghost.”

“You and your ghosts,” he grumbled. “I'm fine. What about you? Are you feeling anything in this room?” he asked, wanting to change the subject.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

“Well, don't start speaking in tongues or anything or I'll have to call the loony bin,” he said, beginning to regain some of his customary bravado.

“No. I'm hearing words and seeing pictures. The pictures are like flashes on a fast slideshow in front of my eyes. It's like I'm looking through a window, and everything is speeding by.”

“Very weird,” Earl said.

“There's more. I see money and pale blonde hair. I see Dr. Harriman involved in an argument with the person who has pale blonde hair. I've got to call Connie when I get home.”

“I don't think you'd better tell her about our little escapade. She could tell Sgt. Reynolds and then he'll arrest us for breaking and entering,” Earl said.

“I'll just tell Connie I got these visions in my apartment while I was focusing on her father's watch.”

“That's fine, as long as you keep our little adventure a secret, Miss Swami.”

“Absolutely, Earl. We are co-conspirators. But now I need to go to Connie's room.”

“I don't think that's a good idea. We've been here long enough and if Martin comes in, I'm not sure I can defend you from a guy hopped up on drugs or even from one of your evil spirits.”

“This may be my only chance. Please, Earl. Take me up there.”

“All right, but I need to warn you, there's something strange going on in there.”

“Oh Earl, don't tell me you're becoming a believer now.”

“No. This is none of your mumbo jumbo, Lily. There are ugly reminders of Martin's attack on Connie and I would swear that there is something alive in that bedroom.”

“Well. I'm not afraid and I'm going up there with or without you.”

With that, Lily led Earl up the staircase.

“Connie's room is the second door on your right.”

As Lily turned the doorknob. Earl placed his gnarled hand firmly on hers and said, “Please, Lily. We really need to be careful.”

Lily discounted the concerned look on his face and opened the door.

The room was deathly quiet. The bed had been neatly made up with a pillow enclosed in a white lacey sham and a pink bedspread edged with a white ruffle. Clearly, it was the decorating choice of a young high school girl. Beside it, on the floor, lay a large butcher knife and two pieces of roughly cut rope. The juxtaposition of the frilly feminine bedding and the stark steel blade was jarring. Lily bent down to get a closer look at the knife and out of the corner of her eye saw something green and familiar. She gasped. “Earl that's Connie's reunion dress. Oh my God, it looks like it's been slashed with a knife.”

“Don't touch anything. Somehow we've got to get Sgt. Reynolds in here to see this.”

“I can't believe the police didn't find all this,” said Lily.

“Since Connie wouldn't press charges, there was no reason for the police to come in here. We all know the old witch wouldn't let the cops in without a warrant.”

They had both turned to leave when Lily noticed an open closet door. “There's a box in there. Let's see what's in it.”

The box was full of high school memorabilia belonging to Connie. There were pictures of Connie with Martin, Connie's family, Connie with her girlfriends, and a picture of Nola, Martin and Dr. Harriman. Lily sifted through the pictures and was shocked to find one with the eyes of Dr. Harriman poked out. They both looked at each other. Under the photos they found an envelope printed in embossed gold, the words, ‘Tilden Park Cotillion, 1959'. Inside was a pressed corsage. On the back was handwritten the words, ‘Connie and I,' December 20, 1959.They also found a scarab bracelet, a gold circle pin, a silver charm bracelet and a 45 record of the song,
Good Night My Love
. It looked like a yellow throw pillow at the bottom of the box. Together they slid the box halfway out of the closet. Before they could move it fully into the bedroom, they heard a loud rustling noise and something black flew right at them. Earl yelled, “Duck!” as the sound of flapping wings soared over their heads. When it stopped they turned to see a huge black bird perched on the neck of Connie's green dress.

“It's only a bird,” Lily exclaimed.

“I can see that, but how in the hell did it get into this room, and how long has it been here? I don't see any bird shit, so it either just got in, or someone's been feeding and cleaning up after it. I think it's time we left. This room is giving me the creeps.”

“I want to take a piece of the jewelry and a few other mementos with me.”

“Take what you want, but make it snappy,” Earl grumbled.

Tuesday—December 2, 1986

Julio phoned Earl to ask him if he had any Realtor friends.

“There is a guy I used to play cards with. He didn't work at the same agency that sold your house. What do you want him to do?” Earl asked.

“I need someone who has access to the multiple listings. I'm hoping to get the sales history of our old house. Although, maybe it's through tax records, I'm not sure. But a good realtor will know how to get the information. We need to find out who bought the house after my parents and contact them.”

“I'll get right on it,” Earl said.

Later that day, while dutifully monitoring the listening devices he had planted in the Harriman house, Earl's phone rang again. It was his realtor friend, and he had the names of the people who bought the house from the Harriman estate. The surname was Ridenhour and the first names, Louis and Marcia. The house was sold again to a corporation and the records showed no forwarding address for the Ridenhours. Earl called Julio right away with the information and Julio immediately contacted P.I. Max Ferguson to see if he could locate the Ridenhours.

Several hours later Max had located their current address and phone number in New Jersey. Julio was impressed with Max's quick work and made a mental note to himself to use Max whenever possible. He then picked up the phone and made the phone call that he hoped would shed some additional insight into Beth Vreeland.