Authors: Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick
Caraliza (21 page)
When the door closed, he felt something else in the room. When the door closed behind him, he did not know why, unless it bounced back as he rushed in, but the door closed on a presence that paralyzed him. It was a horrid feeling, something was deeply satisfied he had been found at last. Something told him she would be gone soon, never to return, never to be touched again. When he felt it, and understood what it meant, he fought back. Evan said it laughed when he was taken, and he fought to stay where Shelly should have been.
Grandma Sareta said nothing at all as Evan stumbled painfully through the entire event.
He was shaking, angry again, at what the presence told him. Angry something would want to take Shelly from him. Sareta still said nothing, and he told her what troubled him the most. He was not really the person in danger; it was Shelly. Another long moment passed before Sareta spoke again.
“
Would you like to speak to her?”
Would you like to speak to her?”
“
What?” he was dumbstruck.
What?” he was dumbstruck.
“
She’s right here. She wants to know what time to come over this evening.”
She’s right here. She wants to know what time to come over this evening.”
“
Tell her to come now, please. I’d like her to come over now,” Evan said weakly, and hung up the phone.
Tell her to come now, please. I’d like her to come over now,” Evan said weakly, and hung up the phone.
Shelly promised she had not known Sareta was about to pester Evan with those questions, and she apologized, kissing him, and telling him she felt awful about the call. He opened the door and received her kisses and explanation, but walked silently back to the bathroom and turned on the tub. She stood in the doorway, sad he’d not even said hello. He came back a moment later and wore considerably less clothing than before. He still said nothing to her, as he took her hand, and led her back to the tub. She was settling into the steaming water behind him when he took some oils and scented the bath, then spoke to her, as he eased back against her skin, and pulled her hands around to his stomach.
“
I will only go back in there if you promise we will never be alone in any room, never separated. They can do what they wish, if I can have you next to me, if I can see you.”
I will only go back in there if you promise we will never be alone in any room, never separated. They can do what they wish, if I can have you next to me, if I can see you.”
“
Fraidy-cat,” she whispered into his ear as she began to explore under the water.
Fraidy-cat,” she whispered into his ear as she began to explore under the water.
“
Shelly, whatever is in that building - it wants you all to itself. Anyone else is just in the way. I hurt myself by lashing out at a feeling, and tangled up in the shelves. But something was laughing at me, saying it had you already. Do you understand what that means?”
Shelly, whatever is in that building - it wants you all to itself. Anyone else is just in the way. I hurt myself by lashing out at a feeling, and tangled up in the shelves. But something was laughing at me, saying it had you already. Do you understand what that means?”
“
That it wants me naked in a tub of hot water like you have?” she nibbled at his ear.
That it wants me naked in a tub of hot water like you have?” she nibbled at his ear.
“
If you act like that at the wrong time in there Shelly, no one may be able to help. Oh, and keep the heavier stuff on the bottom shelves upstairs from now on, please. It could have been you.”
If you act like that at the wrong time in there Shelly, no one may be able to help. Oh, and keep the heavier stuff on the bottom shelves upstairs from now on, please. It could have been you.”
“
I promise. What are you going to do to me after the bath?”
I promise. What are you going to do to me after the bath?”
“
Exactly what I told your grandmother when she called.”
Exactly what I told your grandmother when she called.”
Dinner was delicious, sweet, and comfortable. They were tangled up together in his den on the floor with the windows open, feeding each other Chinese. The evening sounds, from the street below, were still noticeable, but not bothersome. Shelly lived in a quieter neighborhood; Evan lived above a major thoroughfare, with shops and restaurants all over beneath them. During the day the open windows would be making it difficult to even speak to each other, but when the city slowed down a little, it was a nice white-noise and nothing more. There was a hint of a breeze, and they were finishing up the dinner when Evan asked if they could change their small talk into something more serious.
He asked her if she had been told about the complaint. He did not seem happy she was assaulted with it. He canceled it with an angry call to the family lawyer soon as he heard it was sent. But it was not the sort of thing his mother would let loose so quickly. He was fairly sure, she wanted to cause more trouble.
Shelly did not express any concern, and she even told him her father cautioned her about talking to Evan about any legal matters which might get tossed at them. But Evan knew his mother. She wanted something more than just the hospital bills paid. He was pretty sure they were going to try to get in the way of the renovation somehow.
“
You have got to be joking!” Shelly glared at him as though he had turned into a certain female Bryant.
You have got to be joking!” Shelly glared at him as though he had turned into a certain female Bryant.
“
No, all they have to do is pester your family enough that the building is unsafe for public use, whatever that might be, and you will have trouble with her, and your family. They are already halfway there now, according to the way Sareta talks.”
No, all they have to do is pester your family enough that the building is unsafe for public use, whatever that might be, and you will have trouble with her, and your family. They are already halfway there now, according to the way Sareta talks.”
“
Evan they can’t stop me from doing what I want in my own building!” Shelly protested.
Evan they can’t stop me from doing what I want in my own building!” Shelly protested.
“
You aren’t the owner any more than I am. It is your plaything, nothing else. Too many other people can be frightened enough and your ideas are toast. When are you going to tell me the final plan?”
You aren’t the owner any more than I am. It is your plaything, nothing else. Too many other people can be frightened enough and your ideas are toast. When are you going to tell me the final plan?”
“
Right after we find out what the ghosts want.”
Right after we find out what the ghosts want.”
“
Now you are joking, right?”
Now you are joking, right?”
“
Not for a minute. They are controlling everything now. Because of the image we took with the Waterbury, they have stopped me from even setting foot in the door when I want to.”
Not for a minute. They are controlling everything now. Because of the image we took with the Waterbury, they have stopped me from even setting foot in the door when I want to.”
She wanted desperately to tell him about the horrible dreams she was having, of waking up in the shop terrified and not understanding how she managed to get there. She had no control anymore, but she would lose the place if anyone knew. She could not even tell him. Shelly could not do a thing with her building now, not until Evan was able to go back with her.
“
I know I don’t want you to answer this, but did you bring Papa’s chest with you?” he asked.
I know I don’t want you to answer this, but did you bring Papa’s chest with you?” he asked.
“
Yes, it is in the back of my car. I left it there after the hospital the other day. Why?”
Yes, it is in the back of my car. I left it there after the hospital the other day. Why?”
“
We should look at every piece of paper in that box, and I think I’m ready to see Yousep’s two plates.”
We should look at every piece of paper in that box, and I think I’m ready to see Yousep’s two plates.”
“
Wow, that was sudden!” she widened her eyes.
Wow, that was sudden!” she widened her eyes.
“
I’m just not happy being controlled. You?”
I’m just not happy being controlled. You?”
Shelly looked at him for a very long moment, and almost told him about the dreams, but shook her head and grabbed for her jeans and blouse so she could go downstairs for the chest.
The box would have been heavier if the Waterbury had been inside. It was really light otherwise, but the old hinges made it sound like a great, yawning cellar door when opened. Evan had forgotten about that, and laughed, it was somehow creepy and fitting. They were messing with history again, on purpose again, not just accidentally, like the plate of Shelly and the dead girl.
Evan looked inside for the first time, and saw the two plates Yousep exposed, in their holders, just where Papa Reisman placed them before he lost his mind. If Menashe ever touched them again, there was no way to know. They were held safe in place, upright in their holders to one side, and they took up that entire end. A few papers slipped between them and in the gap against the side of the box, but they did not seem to have moved at all in the passing years.
It took an hour on Evan’s bed, but they removed and looked at all the photos. There were nearly a hundred. Evan supposed Menashe himself made them all, he could not be found in even one. Three were of the same young boy, just inside the shop, Shelly guessed it might be Yousep, but Evan pointed out the windows were filled with light. They were photos taken in the first five or six years.
Only one other photo might have been Yousep, but it was impossible to be sure. It was in the sunlit back garden. This boy was planting a rose bush in a small plot. There was no way to tell what period in the shop’s life this image had even been taken. The boy was tall, very dark, and looked very much a person of the early nineteen hundreds. He looked very happy to Shelly.
“
Oh, shit, Sweetheart. Look at this,” Evan thrust over an image and was trembling slightly. “This is you!”
Oh, shit, Sweetheart. Look at this,” Evan thrust over an image and was trembling slightly. “This is you!”
“
You’ve seen too many spooky movies, this is not me! We know this woman, Sarah. I look like her because she’s Papa’s wife. We owe all our history to her. She kept the family running when Papa was not able to. That’s the earliest photo I’ve ever seen of her. She’s beautiful!”
You’ve seen too many spooky movies, this is not me! We know this woman, Sarah. I look like her because she’s Papa’s wife. We owe all our history to her. She kept the family running when Papa was not able to. That’s the earliest photo I’ve ever seen of her. She’s beautiful!”
Evan seemed relieved. Another ghost would have been a bit too much for him.
“
She’s hot,” he mistakenly admitted.
She’s hot,” he mistakenly admitted.
Shelly bit him on the arm and called him a slut.
They studied every printed image in the box, but it was making them tired, and Evan had a headache nagging him, but they were anxious to look over all the papers inside as well. It did not take long, they seemed as useless as old phonebooks listings. The deeds were the most exciting thing in there. They were about to turn their attention to the plates, Evan was taking a few deep breaths in mock horror when he scrunched his eyebrows, and reached for one of the topmost bits of paper, lying in the pile where they tossed them.
“
What would Papa have been doing with windows in the place in 1919?” he asked. “This is a receipt for a lot of work in late June.”
What would Papa have been doing with windows in the place in 1919?” he asked. “This is a receipt for a lot of work in late June.”
“
That would have been Yousep’s idea to restore light to the studios.”
That would have been Yousep’s idea to restore light to the studios.”
Evan did not understand what she was talking about. She remembered, he only knew as much of the Reisman history as she had taken the time to tell. She leaned back on the pillows and let him lay his aching head on her stomach, and she told him about Yousep suggesting the windows in the rear, so light could be restored to the studios for portraits again, afternoon portraits.
“
It was brilliant. The room is magical because of his windows. Papa would have been nearly back to his prime if Yousep hadn’t been pulled from the room upstairs and killed.”
It was brilliant. The room is magical because of his windows. Papa would have been nearly back to his prime if Yousep hadn’t been pulled from the room upstairs and killed.”
Evan was properly impressed. Yousep was on the edge of greatness, leading two great families along with him when his life was taken. No wonder Papa mourned the boy, until he was insane with grief. Evan was absently tickling Shelly’s breasts with the faded receipt when he looked at the back side of the slip.
“
What would Papa have been doing with the windows in early August? This is a doubled work receipt,” he handed the slip to her and continued the tickling with his fingertips. She read the two sides and pursed her lips.
What would Papa have been doing with the windows in early August? This is a doubled work receipt,” he handed the slip to her and continued the tickling with his fingertips. She read the two sides and pursed her lips.
“
I don’t know. This says ‘front window’ and nothing else.”
I don’t know. This says ‘front window’ and nothing else.”
“
Well then, when we go back tomorrow, we will have to investigate a front window which needed work in 1919, after the murders. That is suspicious to the point of distraction, and it takes a lot to distract me from these,” he said as he rolled a bit to kiss her.
Well then, when we go back tomorrow, we will have to investigate a front window which needed work in 1919, after the murders. That is suspicious to the point of distraction, and it takes a lot to distract me from these,” he said as he rolled a bit to kiss her.
“
What are you going to tell your family? If I go back to work, there is a lot that will start happening. I cannot let them halt construction on me, once we start tearing out space.”
What are you going to tell your family? If I go back to work, there is a lot that will start happening. I cannot let them halt construction on me, once we start tearing out space.”
“
I’m going to tell them you have my help in the Reisman Portraits for as long as you want me there. They can’t keep me out. They may as well give up now.”
I’m going to tell them you have my help in the Reisman Portraits for as long as you want me there. They can’t keep me out. They may as well give up now.”
Shelly knew they had stopped all their investigations, as playfulness interrupted; they had not seen Yousep’s plates. But the night was more pleasant without any more spooks, and when she woke up the next morning, cradling Evan’s wounded brow, she no longer cared about the plates at all. They could wait until he said he was ready.
He walked into the bath, still very sleepy a few minutes later, and was shocked to find her timidly sitting on the basin. He apologized and hurried out, but she felt the urge to call him back. It took a few moments and he protested, but she was so relieved when he was close enough for her to reach and take his hand. As she held it, and kissed it, she surprised him by how relaxed she really was. He stood there terribly embarrassed while she wet the basin and kissed his fingers. She smiled at him, and she blushed brightly red, but the kisses did not stop for another moment.
“
Mag ik je kussen?”
she whispered to him as she kissed.
Mag ik je kussen?”
she whispered to him as she kissed.
“
What?”
What?”
“
What?” she whispered back.
What?” she whispered back.
“
You just said something I didn’t understand. What did you just say?” His worried look prompted her to look worried right back.
You just said something I didn’t understand. What did you just say?” His worried look prompted her to look worried right back.
“
I asked you if you were hungry, if you wanted to eat.”
I asked you if you were hungry, if you wanted to eat.”
“
We get to be in the bathroom alone, Shelly. That’s kind of a rule now, okay?” and she blushed again, but smiled the same smile.
We get to be in the bathroom alone, Shelly. That’s kind of a rule now, okay?” and she blushed again, but smiled the same smile.
When she returned to his bed, she still wore the blush on her cheeks, but the smile was gone again. She wanted to stay with him, do nothing but touch him all day, but she was actually afraid to ask. As he welcomed her back, and they renewed their embrace, he told her he wanted her to stay until she could not bear the sight of him naked any more. As she giggled against his neck, he understood, she would likely be right there the rest of the week.
Evan was only partly right, about the depth of trouble his mother would likely dredge up, in her fevered march to revenge. They could not actually stop anything Shelly wanted to do with the place, but they could sure raise a lot of noise against it. As Shelly arrived at the building a few mornings later, a reporter, who looked to have waited on her the entire week, met her at the door. The second call she made, after she put her finger in the reporters face – was to Evan, to warn him, his clan was stepping up the nasty stuff. The first call was to Grandma Sareta. The Reismans would be prepared by the end of the day.
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