Shadow Face.



Although he is close enough this time to see the frost of her breath as it weaves its way through the cold damp air, he feels no immediate danger here. She stands with both arms at her side, her head slightly crooked to one side. she almost seems as if smiling at him. He smiles back.
“I now know why it was me Jen. And I think that I know who is responsible for this. But there is more that I need to know. The book Jen, why can’t you just tell me-”
Before he can get his answer, the image of his beautiful young sister begins to slowly fade into the night.
“No wait! Not yet you can’t go yet There’s so much more-”
“Daniel?”
At first it comes to him like a whisper.
“Daniel. Wake up sweetie. Your dreaming again.”
He opens his eyes to see the face of Sharon Milner staring down at him. He is lying on Angela Watson’s sofa.
“Danny. There is someone here to see you.”
Daniel Vickers rises from the sofa and moves to the front door where outside he sees the figure of a mans back, and when he turns around to face him he sees that it is not Tyler Malloy, but an older man whom he guesses to be Sheriff Leonard Davis, and when he introduces himself the suspicion becomes confirmed.
“Son. Your Name is Daniel Vickers?”
“Yes sir sheriff that’s me, what can I do for you?”
Sheriff Leonard Davis looks cautiously up and down the street before answering.
“Son.. You and I need to talk.”

Sheriff Leonard Davis.



He tells him that earlier in the day, Angela Watson had confided in him as to who Daniel Vickers was and what he was doing in Pleasantville, and much to the delight of Miss Watson, Leonard Davis seemed genuinely relieved to learn that he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t given up on Jennifer’s disappearance. He and Daniel sit on Angela’s back porch and speak in careful tones.
“Angie tells me that your room at the motel was ransacked?”
“Yeah.” Daniel tells him. “But nothing was taken, they just rummaged through my belongings.”
“Son.. Can I trust you?”
“Implicitly.” Daniel answers.
Leonard Davis hangs his head slightly, and begins to rub his palms together slowly.
“I’ve been trying to give that girl justice for that past five years Mr. Vickers. And though I didn’t want to have to face it, I’ve always suspected in the back of my mind that my son-in law Tyler Malloy was involved in her disappearance.”
“Can I trust YOU sheriff Davis?”
He nods.
“I think you are absolutely right about the good deputy. And I’m not certain of it but I think that he has been following me.”
Sheriff Leonard Davis nods to the affirmative.
“He has. We tailed him to the front of this house last night. He was parked across the street for three hours.”
Daniel studies him for any signs of deceit. But detects nothing.
“Of course you realize sheriff that all I have are the clues left to me by Jennifer in my dreams. I can’t prove anything yet with any certainty.”
Leonard Davis leans forward.
“Forget what you can prove son, tell me what you feel in your gut.”
“I think that Jennifer Watson and Tyler Malloy were involved intimately. I think that something happened that made Jennifer feel as though she needed to defend herself. So she wrote intimate details about the affair in a book, and then tried to use it as leverage in some way against Tyler Malloy. And I think he killed her over it.”
Leonard Davis raises his eyes in surprise.
“Do you think that he has the book?”
“No. She hid it. I think that he’s been keeping tabs on Angela Watson in the hopes that she would lead him to it somehow. He wouldn’t have the interest that he does now if he’d already found the book, he would have destroyed it already. We were getting ready to go to the library today to see if there may be any leads there. Maybe someone would remember her many visits there.”
“Annie Clark.” Sheriff Davis tells him. “She’s been the librarian there for years, she may very well remember Jennifer visiting.”
They both rise to their feet, and shake hands before parting.
“Mr. Vickers.. You do what you have to do at the library, get a picture from Angela, she has a lot of head shots of Jennifer. Show Annie Clark. She’ll remember.”
“What are you Going to do Sheriff Davis?”
“I’m going to keep an eye on Tyler. I have an idea that may keep him away from you for awhile anyways.”

Unsettled.



It isn’t until 10:30 am that Daniel Vickers and Sharon Milner arrive at the Pleasantville public library. It is a rather unpleasant looking structure that is made of red brick, and has small square windows on either side of the large old oak door that serves as the main entrance. As they open the door it feels as cold and dreary inside as it does on the outside. They approach the front desk where a slightly faded blond haired woman sits writing in a ledger. The stereo typical looking forty- something looking librarian Daniel thinks, until her warm and bright smile seems to light up the room as she greets them.
“OOHHH.. People!” She squeals. “How may I help you?”
Daniel and Sharon both smile before introducing themselves.
“Ma’am? Are you Annie Clark?”
She nods. Daniel slides the picture of Jennifer Watson across the face of the desk. And when Annie Clark sees the photo, the lines of her near perfect smile slowly sink to the sides of her face, giving her a suddenly sad appearance.
“Miss Clark.. Do you know this young lady?”
She nods again. This time more slowly.
“That’s Jennifer Watson.”
She tells them that she remembers the lovely teenager quite well, she would come to the library several times a week to visit with Annie Clark to talk about books and just engage in all around girl talk. She told them that Jennifer had helped her organize a used obsolete book sale just before she had disappeared and in return Annie Clark gave her the books in question for her help.
“Miss Clark.. Did Jennifer just come here to visit with you and talk, or did she spend any time reading the books here?”
“She would come in mostly on Tuesdays after school and sometimes on Thursday’s when she didn’t have soccer practice. But she always came on Saturdays. And yes she loved to read. In fact she would always sit in the same section every time. I would always try to get her interested in the classics like Melville and Twain and such. but she was more interested it seems in the metaphysical books, like the ones on reincarnation, life after death.. Strange stuff like that.”
The lights were becoming brighter for Daniel Vickers. it suddenly became clear to him. Annie Clark directed them to the metaphysical section. And Daniel told her that he was looking for a particular book that wasn’t in her registry. And he would be taking it with them. She nervously agreed. Both she and Sharon Milner curiously watched as he slowly moved along the isle patiently going over each book. Finally he looked at the two women.
“When a person wants to get lost.. Where is the first place they head?”
They both shrug.
“They Find a crowd.. Of other people. So. Where would be the best place to hide a book Sharon?”
“Amongst other books.”
They tell Annie Clark what exactly it is that they are looking for and she anxiously begins to aide in the search painstakingly looking for anything out of place. Sharon Milner’s cell phone rings and she pauses to answer. It is Angela Watson.
“Something has happened to Sheriff Leonard Davis, an unknown Vehicle forced him off of the road. He is in the hospital with minor injuries.” she tells them. Annie Clark will continue to search for the book that doesn’t belong, Daniel and Sharon must temporarily abort their search efforts to see to the safety of Angela Watson.

~Scratch. A.B.T. Copyright © 2008. ~