Page 119 of Eldritch

“It’s true,” Letisha said.

Sybil continued with, “Rich survived. People shunned me in town. Wouldn’t have anything to do with me in school. City officials examined Letisha’s house and said it was some sort of structural fault that caused the whole thing.”

“My parents and I moved out of the while the house while it was repaired,” Letisha said. “They didn’t…my parents didn’t want me to hang out with Sybil. But I did anyway.”

Sybil’s heart warmed at the memory of her friend’s loyalty and managed a smile.

“I can’t believe they did that to you,” Maria said with a gasp. “They actually believed you caused all of that havoc?”

Sybil felt calmer relating the story. “Oh, they wouldn’t put it down officially as poltergeist. I mean, who would’ve believed that? The strain of being treated like an outcast in town…well, I couldn’t do it anymore. I refused to go to school. My mother took me in for an assessment at the hospital and a psychiatrist convinced my mother that I had some severe issues. And in a way, I did. I’d grown up in a household with mental abuse as a daily thing, and my father had just been thrown in jail for being a serial killer. My mother signed the paperwork for me to be placed in a facility for teens with mental illness and off I went. Maybe the best thing that happened to me. I completed the rest of my junior year in the facility. It was like a rescue for me because no more teasing or bullying. You can imagine what my life would’ve been like if I’d been back in school. When I got out after six months, I studied for my GED and completed the rest of high school that way. I never had to step into that place again.”

“Has it happened since?” Pauline asked. “I mean, damage to a structure?”

“Not until we got here,” Sybil said.

“Are the…” Maria cleared her throat. “Are the trees part of that whole…I mean, your abilities?”

Sybil glanced out the window. The trees had moved no closer, thank goodness. “I don’t think so.”

The room went deathly silent. Sybil realized that she’d dropped a bombshell on everyone. None of it erased what could still happen, with Taggert holding a gun on everyone.

Taggert heaved an exaggerated sigh. “I swear to God, Sybil. You are crazy. You and this nutty old lady made all this shit up to stall the inevitable.”

“Clarice, you said it wasn’t in the newspapers about Sybil’s background?” Doug asked as he moved nearer to Sybil. “When I did the background check, I didn’t find anything. And I went pretty deep on the investigation.”

Clarice shrugged. “But I also just know things. I can see things in people. Sense them.” Clarice stood and walked toward Sybil. When she stood in front of her, Clarice said, “This girl is unique indeed. Talented. Strong. There need to be more women like her in the world, Doug.”

Sybil couldn’t appreciate or absorb the compliments.

“Why did you want me to tell that story? To bring up all that pain, Clarice?” Sybil asked. “What was the point?”

Clarice’s broad smile made her white teeth look extra large again, as if the smile belonged to a mask. “Because I wanted you to remember it for the next few minutes. You might need it. I think it’s good to hang on to some anger. What your father did to women and to you. What Taggert did to you.” Clarice cleared her throat. “Well, I think now is the time to take Mr. Taggert down to the cellar and show him where the pirate loot is. Maybe then he’ll see reason.”

Everyone went still as mannequins in a shop window.

Then Taggert said, “Pirate loot. You said money.” He sneered. “I’m not waiting much longer because I’m leaving with Sybil.”

Clarice shook her head, and she stood. She took a few steps toward him until she was within only a few feet of him. Taggert’s right eye twitched a bit. Sybil had witnessed his right eyelid quiver when he was uncertain and floundering to make sense of the world and maintain his power base.

“The wealth and success of my family isn’t only from accumulating paper money,” Clarice said. “We gained many valuables. Jewelry is one of them.” She pulled down the collar of her sweater and displayed a necklace.

The strange necklace from the portraits in the octagon and Annapolis’s necklace.

Clarice continued. “I believe in hiding my wealth in plain sight.” She chuckled. “Well, there are a couple of things that are so precious to me I couldn’t possibly keep them on display. But there’s a price to pay for seeing it. I don’t skip that step for anyone. Not even you, Mr. Taggert. But it will all be worth it when you see it. And you’ll be rewarded handsomely.”

Taggert’s eye twitched again. Fluttering in a way that only enhanced his already out-of-control-fanatic aura. Sybil half expected Taggert to go to thermonuclear.

Taggert sagged the tiniest bit, but he kept the gun pointed at Clarice. She didn’t appear the least intimidated. At her age, though, maybe she’d stopped worrying or caring about death.

“Whatever, lady. We’re heading to the cellar to get the valuables,” Taggert said. “Now.”

Sybil’s mind ran in circles. What valuables could possibly be hidden in the cellar? Wouldn’t the cleaning crew have found it? If Clarice had hidden something down there, why would she have offered it to Taggert?

“You don’t have to do this, Clarice,” Sybil said. “I’ll just go with Taggert now.”

“No,” Taggert said. “I want to see this treasure. But I promise you, old lady, if this is some trick, I’m going to make you all suffer.”

Sybil’s body went cold, then hot. All the vigor seemed to leave her, the fragment of her she’d hoped could find the strength to battle this man.

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