Gypsy Spirits (35 page)

He thought he could risk calling Nancy during the dinner rush at Ray’s. She answered, reporting everything was quiet. She hadn’t seen the black pick up
again but was nervous it would return.

“Nancy, try and relax. Think we can execute our plan pretty soon,” he said. 

Annamarie and Daniel enjoyed a quiet dinner as did the rest of Timmus Woods. The sheriff thought it was almost too quiet in town. This is how it was before Ben Hanson was murdered, but since then it seems there was always something going on. The sheriff hoped this was the beginning of a return to normalcy, and not the quiet before another storm.

Daniel helped Annamarie with the dishes and she said, “Since we’re getting new appliances and cabinets in the kitchen, we should get a nice, new dishwasher, too.”

Daniel hated doing dishes. He said, “That’ll be perfect.”

“I’d also like a new washing machine and dryer,” Annamarie said.

“All those things we hoped for someday we can have now thanks to grandfather. I think he knew we would find those bonds somehow.” 

“Oh, I forgot about all those pretty wooden boxes in that drawer. Let’s go see.” 

Annamarie opened the drawer and pulled out the first small carved wooden box. 

“Isn’t this little box beautiful?”

“I remember these,” Daniel said, “Grandfather used to have a lot of them.” 

Annamarie opened the
box and inside was a small pewter statue of Abraham Lincoln, standing on a pedestal with his name carved on it. 

Pulling out the other boxes, she said, “Look, here are William Shakespeare, Napoleon, Mark Twain, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci.” 

“I remember grandfather had about fifty of the little statues. They were all of important men of history. Grandfather told me that he used to keep them out on the shelf because he liked to look at them. My grandmother would tease him and say they were only dust collectors. After she had passed away, he put them in the boxes and stored them away. The rest must be somewhere.” 

“They’re not in the desk because I looked in all the drawers for typing paper. That’s how I found them in the first place, and then accidentally the bonds.

Daniel opened the wood cabinet where his grandfather kept his treasured things, letters from Margaret, other keepsakes and on the bottom shelf were close to fifty little wooden boxes stacked neatly in rows. 

While Annamarie carefully put the first six away she said, “We’re going to have to examine all of them, but I’m tired now. We should get some sleep. We have to work tomorrow.” 

Daniel beat Annamarie to the shower. When he was through, he found her standing in the nursery. 

“What are you doing?”  

“I was wondering what we should do with the antique furniture. Since we aren’t decorating the room until we need it, your mom and dad might want the furniture. Your mom loves antiques, and they would have furniture when our child visits.” 

“I can ask them, but no rush on the ‘our child’ part.” 

“The room is lovely, and someday our child will sleep here. I agree no rush.” 

Suddenly changing the subject, she said, “When we’re doing all the work on the house, do you think we could get a plumber to remove the claw-foot tub from the big bathroom, and put in a shower like they had in
the hotel? You remember--the one with two shower heads and no tub.” 

Daniel knew Annamarie preferred showers, and said, “I’ll look for a contractor and plumber who can answer your question.”

“I would love a big shower,” she said and held out her arms and twirled. Winking at him, she added, “Then we can take a shower together every day.”

“That doesn’t sound like an impossible job. I’ll make sure we get one somehow,” he grinned at the thought of sharing
a shower.

She hugged him and went to take her shower. 

While the warm water ran over her body, she wondered if she should tell Daniel the real reason she was interested in the nursery. She remembered that warm night, in early June, when they went to the outbuilding on grandpa’s property. They had been there before and fooled around, but Daniel seemed more intense that night. He said they would be married in less than a month, and it didn’t matter if they waited. The longer he kissed and touched her, the more she began to agree with him. When he said he didn’t bring a condom, she didn’t care. Forgetting that condom was going to change their lives. She knew she was pregnant, but had no idea how to tell Daniel. Neither was ready for a child. They were both still children themselves, but Mother Nature had other ideas. It was the first night in their new home. Maybe it’s the right time, she thought. Daniel was sound asleep when she walked into the bedroom. She’d have to wait.

***    

The Grandfather clock in the parlor downstairs had just announced four o’clock when Daniel woke with a start. He quickly woke Annamarie and told her they were after him again. 

“What, who,” she mumbled, half asleep. 

“The spirits, I saw them all in the woods.” 

“You were asleep Daniel and had a nightmare.”  

“No,” he said. “I was in the woods alone, and the spirits are there.”

“Then you can tell me what they look like.”

“I don’t know, misty things floating around between the trees.”

“That sounds like things we see in movies.”

“,” Daniel yelled jumping out of bed. “They’re real and I could see their eyes staring at me.”

“Eyes, are you serious?”

“Yes, I saw them clearly.”  

Annamarie couldn’t believe it was beginning again. The entire time they were in Oaklin Daniel was well. No nightmares, no spirits. One night back in Timmus Woods and he was having nightmares. 

“Maybe Dr. Norse can give you sleeping pills,” Annamarie suggested, “It might help with the nightmares.” 

Daniel refused to tell any doctor about the spirits, and Annamarie felt helpless about what to do now. Maureen would be of no help, and George thought locking Daniel in a psychiatric ward was the only answer. Grandpa was gone, and she couldn’t tell her parents. They could move out of town, but Grandpa’s house would become a museum. He’d wanted Daniel and
Annamarie to live in the house. However, they did have the bonds and could buy a house anywhere, and let the town have the house. 

She was so confused her head hurt. She would have to deal with this alone. She did her best to calm Daniel, and they both finally fell back to sleep.

At breakfast, Daniel didn’t mention the nightmare or the spirits. He admitted the stress he felt facing his mother’s anger yesterday. 

Annamarie said maybe the stress might have brought on bad dreams, and Daniel ignored her comment. Annamarie knew he was beginning to believe the spirits were after him again. She didn’t think it would be long before he blamed them for his mother’s actions, and every other thing that went wrong in his life. Annamarie was relieved Daniel was asleep last night, and she didn’t tell him she thought she was pregnant. He would only worry more about the spirits and
the baby. He might even compare her to his grandmother. Annamarie knew she had to find help for Daniel and the sooner, the better, but had no idea where to look.

They left for work in separate vehicles since their schedules weren’t meshing. Daniel asked her not to go to the big house alone, but to pack at the ranch house until he could be with her. She agreed because there was a lot to do before they could move everything they needed into grandpa’s house. 

***

Maureen and George ignored Daniel for the most part at the office, and Annamarie found more work for her to do than usual. Mr. Hanson was slowly trying to get the
dairy back up to running full time the way it was before Ben died. His goal was the following Monday, and Annamarie said she would do whatever she could to help.

A little before eleven-thirty Daniel phoned Annamarie. He said Mr. Townsend called to tell him a messenger had just delivered their check. He told her they had a one o’clock appointment.

“I’ll meet you there.”

Able to leave at noon, she stopped in at Ray’s to kill some time and eat lunch before leaving for Mr. Townsend’s.

Upon their arrival, Mr. Townsend handed them an envelope containing the check and had them sign a receipt for it. He also gave them a card for the financial counselor he had mentioned. He told them they could make an appointment with him, and ask questions before making any decisions.

Thanking him for his
help, they walked to the bank. They both signed the back of the check in front of the teller and said they wanted to deposit fifteen thousand into their account and have five thousand in cash. The teller needed to get her supervisor for the transaction.

Annamarie was nervous because she knew the money was a payoff for Garret’s partner, and she felt like a criminal again. She wished it was all over.

The supervisor seemed a bit suspicious even with Daniel as the person requesting the cash. It was a lot of money. Daniel quickly explained they were going to Oaklin to hire a contractor, plumber, and electrician plus order new kitchen cabinets and appliances for the Logan house, and needed the money for all the different down payments. 

“Of course, Mr. Logan,” He smiled. 

The teller counted out the money in one hundred dollar bills and placed them in an envelope. Daniel put the envelope in his inside suit pocket and thanked the teller. By the time they left, Annamarie’s hands were shaking. 

Daniel said, “Now we can put my plan into motion. Go home, I’ll get Nancy.”

Annamarie was afraid, but she needed to be somewhere she felt safe, and even the ranch house was a sanctuary at this point.

***

Daniel saw Greta’s car at the sheriff’s station and knew it was safe to get Nancy. He went to a pay phone outside the gas station and called Greta’s number. Nancy answered, and he told her it was time for the plan. He would be there in five minutes to pick her up.

Stuffing what little she had into her bag, she ran out to Daniel’s Jeep when it pulled up outside Greta’s house.

“Do you have the phone number?”

“Yes, but I’m scared.”

“Things will be okay. I worked out all the details.”

This time Daniel drove to
a pay phone outside the Tangledbranch Saloon. It was empty at this time of day, and Nancy could easily make and receive a call without being noticed.  

She dialed the number she was given when
the man looking for her had tracked down her girlfriend. A male voice answered, and Nancy said what she’d been instructed to say.

“My name is Nancy. I have his money,” and gave him the number of the phone. Nancy went back to the Jeep to wait with Daniel for the return call. Their wait was less than ten minutes. 

Daniel said, “You know what to do. It’s in your hands now.” 

He went with her, she picked up the receiver.

***

Annamarie paced up and down instead of packing. She knew Daniel and Nancy would come to the house first, and then the three of them would head for the pines. She thought she should tell Daniel about the baby, but he might make her stay home, and they needed three for
his plan. She could call the sheriff, Steve or even George. She needed someone, anyone that might help Daniel deal with the situation. Was she crazy to go along with the plan?

Daniel thought killing this man was his only way to be free of him and the danger. If she called the sheriff, he could be there and arrest the man. In
prison, he would be away from them. They would be safe. She had to call and reaching for the phone, she heard the Jeep pull up. It was too late.

Daniel and Nancy walked in the back-door. Nancy looked fearful while Daniel had the look of a man on his way to a sporting event. He was happy and excited. 

“Baby,” he said to Annamarie, “did you remember to leave clothes here for me to change into?” 

“Yes, they’re on the bed.” 

Annamarie also had a change of clothes ready for their trip into the pines. Jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and hiking boots were important when you were walking near the bluff in the evening, both for stability and to keep the mosquitoes off. Annamarie didn’t have hiking boots, and her old gym tennis shoes would have to do. She didn’t plan on getting near the edge. Nancy’s knee high boots didn’t look like hiking boots either, but then she also wouldn’t be close enough to need non-skid boots. 

Daniel, on the other hand, needed them since he intended to be right at the edge to either push Garret’s partner over
alive or toss his body after he’d been shot. Either scenario worked for Daniel. 

He said he felt the plan was working out perfectly up to this point. Nancy was able to convince Garret’s partner she found the money Garret owed him, and she’d give it back to him. She explained he had to come to Timmus Woods by telling him the sheriff had been keeping her under house arrest with a crazy lady. She’d finally been able to escape, but couldn’t get back to Oaklin without being seen.

Nancy said she would be waiting for the man if he took Prairie Road to where it ended at the pine grove. She told him it was a short walk into the pines to an open area where they could meet. The man said he would be there at seven that evening.