The Girl in the Wych Elm (IV)

 

 

IV. The Girl in the Wych Elm (re-upload)

“Not trying to pry in your business and all sir, but what on Earth has brought you to this isolated corner of the region?” Hollis told the driver he came to visit some family. “Uh…huh…” He noticed the driver’s skeptical look in the rearview mirror.

“Something…wrong?” Hollis told the driver to speak his mind; his eyes returned to the road.

“Sir, I know you’re lying.” The man predicted the next words from Hollis’ mouth. “‘What gave my lie away?’” Simple observation. Hollis’ demeanor and manner of speech. “That town geographically is isolated compared to the other places in and around this region. The average Wych Elmite don’t talk like you. You grew up in the city, correct? Or at least within proximity to a city.” The driver’s keen deductive reasoning impressed Hollis. He couldn’t help but smile.

Though he had been discovered, Hollis refused to divulge the reason behind his travel to the town. “I’m a private person, especially when it comes to strangers.” The driver merely nodded. Hollis was a little surprised he wasn’t pressed for further information.

“The last outsider that came to Wych Elm was about ten years ago.” The driver recounted to Hollis. “Not sure of what happened to the big fella’. I dropped him off at the bridge,” the vehicle came to a stop in front of the bridge, “and never saw him again.” That was the end of his anecdote. Hollis reached for the door handle, but the driver quickly turned on the Child Lock feature. The two men locked eyes with each other, glaring intensely. Hollis was prepared for whatever fight the driver had in store for him. “Some parting words of caution to you. Outsiders aren’t welcomed in Wych Elm.” Hollis was told ominously. He asked why that was only to be dismissed. “Enjoy your visit. Maybe we’ll meet again.” The driver’s tone made a reunion sound unlikely, however.

The town of Wych Elm was just across the rusted footbridge. Hollis was unnerved by the lack of natural sounds. No birds chirped. No leaves or bushes rustled. Even the water under the bridge seemed rather still. He found the area haunting but proceeded anyways. When Hollis reached the halfway point of the bridge, he paused in his tracks. “Huh?” The words carved into the railing had piqued his interest. “‘The road to damnation lies between two Towers.’” An arrow pointed in the direction of town. Hollis chuckled softly to himself. “Well, let’s see what lies in store for me at the end of his damned road.”

The exact moment Hollis crossed into town every set of eyes were immediately on him like insects to honey. Their creepy reactions to his presence made Hollis feel like a fish in an aquarium. He was extremely uncomfortable by the unwarranted attention. Some of the eyes looked upon him with astonishment because they hadn’t seen or encountered an outsider in a long time. Hollis also picked up on some of the animosity from the townspeople as well. The words of the driver began to make sense given the situation. “This is worst than the ghosts…” He whispered and shuddered simultaneously. But an agreement was an agreement, and Hollis never went back on his word when he gave it (unless there were circumstances beyond his control).

Wysteria had arranged lodging accommodations with her relative, Juniper, prior to Hollis’ arrival to Wych Elm. He was instructed to head to her house immediately when he got there. Juniper’s house was a quaint, two-story cottage located near the Old Cahawba estate. Hollis was amazed by how startlingly accurate Wysteria’s description of the house was in her instructions. The place was easy to locate. Before he had the opportunity to knock, the door swung open and he almost fell off the porch steps. “You’re Det. Hollis Alexander? Welcome.” Juniper greeted Hollis with reservation.

“What kind of morbid ass joke are you playing, Wysteria?” He snapped at Juniper, turning red with anger. She was confused by the accusatory question, furrowing her eyebrows at him. Juniper and Wysteria looked like the same people, no exaggeration. Hollis truly believed it was Wysteria when Juniper opened the door. They were not the same person, however, because Juniper’s beauty mark was on her chin instead of under her eye. “You and Wysteria…you have to be twins… I mean, are you? There’s-there’s no way you’re not!”

A smile stretched across Juniper’s face, though it lacked the warmth of friendliness. “Wysteria and I used to get that a lot as children. Unfortunately, we’re not twins.” She giggled in a childlike manner. “It’s challenging to explain. So, to keep it simple, let’s just say the women in our family have prominent phenotypical features.” Wysteria had told Hollis that Juniper was a distant and estranged relative. But the exact nature of their direct relationship remained shrouded in mystery. She opened the door wider, inviting Hollis inside. “Please, come inside.” Hollis placed his skepticism to the side (temporarily) and stepped inside the house. However, he remained cautious and on alert around Juniper

“Not a fan of home décor, are you?” Hollis dryly told Juniper as she led the way upstairs. The inside of Juniper’s house was plain and dismal. She had only the essential things and nothing else.

Juniper’s face lit up with another smile. “I don’t intend to be here much longer.” She told Hollis she was preparing to leave Wych Elm forever because she had lived in that town her entire life. And that life had been miserable. “Once your affairs here are done, I won’t be far behind you.” Hollis then asked the woman where she was headed to after Wych Elm. Juniper cryptically replied, “to a kinder place.” The answer left him stumped.

The room prepared for Hollis was just as bare and empty as the rest of Juniper’s house. He didn’t mind though. The room had everything he would need for his stay: a bed, a chifforobe with a mirror, a desk and chair. Hollis was content with his temporary space. He didn’t need anything else beyond what he had. The old detective hoped to solve the murder quickly and then get out of town. Wych Elm’s residents gave him the creeps. Hollis slung his heavy suitcase onto the bed. Juniper told him to make himself at home, but Hollis was reluctant about that. He didn’t want to get too comfortable and debated over whether to unpack completely or just live out of his suitcase for the time being. I’m really not trying to be here long. Hollis thought. But I really hate living out of a suitcase. He ultimately decided to unpack his stuff in the end. He hadn’t brought much to begin with.

“The bathroom is at the end of the hallway.” Dinner was underway. Juniper informed Hollis it would be another hour or so, which was fine with him. He wanted to scope out the town and talk to people. Juniper stepped in front of the doorway, blocking his exit. “Det. Alexander… It goes without saying but please be careful out there.” Juniper reiterated the previous statement told to Hollis by the taxi driver.

Outsiders aren't welcome in Wych Elm.

“So, I’ve been told.” Hollis had also witnessed that statement firsthand upon his arrival. “Before I leave out, I have a question.” He asked Juniper for more information about the body. “I wasn’t sure if Wysteria told you or not but that’s why I’m here in the first place. She asked me to solve that girl’s murder.” Why exactly? Wysteria wouldn’t say. The dead girl had clearly been someone important to her though.

Juniper replied that she only knew as much as Hollis did. “The tree used to border the Hightower estate and toppled over onto the property after a storm passed through. They say the body has been dead for a very long time. How long? No one knows. That information hasn’t been revealed. I also heard that her wrists and ankles were bound with rosaries.” She gave Hollis all the information she knew and had. The mayor and his clan had been suppressing all the information they could about the girl and the circumstances of her death. Hollis was told by Wysteria how the High Families, particularly the twin Hightower families, would pose as obstacles in his investigation. Juniper cautioned Hollis to tread carefully while out in town.

In a sarcastic tone, Hollis replied, “Guess I can go ahead and cross ‘Interview with the High Families’ off my to-do list.” He rolled his eyes out of frustration. Not a Juniper but at the situation.

“An ideal place to start, in my opinion, would be the town pub.” Juniper looked at the clock. It was a quarter till four in the evening. “It’s almost Happy Hour. The men that frequent Sam’s pub are quite boisterous and loose-lipped when they’ve gotten enough alcohol in their stomachs.” She hinted to Hollis that some of the men there had close ties to the High Families.

Hollis touched her shoulder gently. “Thank you, Juniper.” He promised the young woman he would be careful and would return before sunset.

 

Sam’s pub was packed from the front door to the back of the house, dangerously over legal capacity. The harsh stench of cigarette smoke, sweat, and musk terrorized Hollis’ nose. He quickly switched to mouth breathing, though it brought him little relief. The excessive body heat that circulated around the building made the air hot, heavy, and humid. “Still would rather deal with the ghosts over this…” He remarked in a repulsed, nasally tone.

Hollis caught several vicious glances from the patrons around him as he made his way to the bar counter. “Can I get a glass of Bourbon, please?” He asked the first bartender who crossed his line of sight. She was a greasy-haired woman with a round face and unflattering eyes. The woman ignored Hollis and continued on to the opposite end of the bar. He tried another bartender. The man was on the shorter side; he had a thick unibrow and a gold tooth. The short bartender man asked for a minute, and he would be with Hollis shortly.

Some minutes passed and the bartender hadn’t taken Hollis’ order. Every time he flagged the bartender down, the man had an excuse and then scurried off. It was painfully honest to Hollis that the bartender didn’t want to serve him either. He tried one last time. If they ignored him, he would return to the cottage. A third bartender passed by who coldly dismissed Hollis and turned his back on the former detective. Hollis slammed his hands down on the bar in a fit of rage. “You town full of ass-”

“-Jonah!” Hollis looked to his right and saw a hand out waiting for him. The friendly man repeated his name again to the bewildered Hollis. “My name is Jonah.” He said with a kindness Hollis would never again encounter during his time in Wych Elm.

Hollis shook the man’s hand. “My name’s Hollis.” He responded cautiously. Hollis was uncertain if the friendly introduction was genuine or a ruse. Nevertheless, he put on a front, acting as if Jonah had won over his trust.

“Daisy!” She was the first bartender who had ignored Hollis. Daisy and Jonah were on good terms with one another. Her face lit up with joy when she saw it was Jonah who had called for her. Daisy came scurrying over to where Jonah sat at the bar and leaned across the counter. The shirt she wore was too small for her large bosom; Hollis saw everything but the imagination. “What can I get ya’, babe?” She asked, batting her long lashes at Jonah. Hollis could tell Daisy was smitten with his acquaintance, but her feelings were unrequited. The woman’s desperate attempts at flirtation were embarrassing to watch.

“Give me usual, please.” He winked at her. Jonah looked over at Hollis. “This my cousin Hollis. He’s in town for a visit. Please get him whatever he wants.” Daisy’s smile faded away like paint down a sink’s drain.

She shifted her weight to the other side. “You say he’s your cousin, yeah?” Daisy squinted at Hollis hard. She knew Jonah was lying. The two had known each other since their high school days. Jonah didn’t have any male cousins.

Jonah removed a crisp $10 bill and handed it over to Daisy who tucked the money down in her bra. “Don’t make a scene, please.” Jonah begged nicely.

“So, whaddya want?” Daisy sounded like serving Hollis was an inconvenience to her.

The tactless question made Hollis rethink his decision on a drink. She looks like the type of woman who would spit in my drink then turn around and serve it to me with a smile. Hollis thought to himself. “Bour-” Daisy stalked away before Hollis finished his order. She returned, still wearing a sour expression, and slammed the bottle and glass down on the counter. Everyone who heard the loud noise turned around.

The rude woman slid the drink and glass over to Hollis. “Enjoy.” She then walked off.

“What a delightful woman…” Hollis remarked sarcastically, pouring a full glass of Bourbon. He drank two huge gulps but suddenly spat the liquid back into the glass. “Urgh… What kind of shit Bourbon is this?!” Hollis had never drunk a Bourbon so…foul in taste. “Prison Hooch tastes a lot better than this.” Jonah curiously raised his eyebrow at Hollis over the statement. “My neighbor across the street… He did a couple years in Federal awhile back.” Jonah simply nodded. Hollis pushed the bottle and glass away from him. “I’m having a fantastic evening so far. Can’t wait to see what else is in store for me in this place.” Hollis wasn’t having a fantastic evening.

Jonah swallowed his pint of beer in almost one go. He gently sat the glass down on the counter. “So, what’s your reason behind this unwarranted visit, cousin?” Jonah slyly motioned to the three men sitting to his left. The trio listened in on their conversation and made no attempt at being discrete. They wanted Hollis and Jonah to know they were eavesdropping.

Hollis exhaled heavily, leaning onto the counter. “I’m here to see Rebecca. You remember her, right? lived two houses down from me. She crossed my mind awhile back and I decided to pop in and see how she was doing.”

“Her brothers won’t be excited to hear you’re back in town. Remember, you did break their sister’s heart all those years ago.” Jonah finished his beer. Daisy refilled his glass on her way to the other side of the bar.

Hollis lit up with a smile. Jonah had caught on to his game. “I never forgot what I did to Rebecca. The guilt has been eating me up for a long time. That’s also the other reason I came back to Wych Elm. I owe her a long overdue apology.” Jonah shook his head disapprovingly. The smile on Hollis’ face dimmed when he noticed the man’s body language.

“Can I give you some advice, cousin?” Hollis shrugged. “A long overdue apology isn’t worth trouble with Rebecca’s brothers.” He told his cousin to leave and head back home. “Rebecca’s brothers…” Jonah shook his head again. “They’re a different kind of dangerous.” Jonah’s tone was foreboding. The fear in his eyes shone brightly like stars in a dark sky.

Hollis looked down at his palms. “I’m dying, cousin...” He clenched his hands. “Don’t have long to live. I need to see Rebecca one last time and apologize. She deserves to know why I broke her heart. I can’t leave this world with any regrets on my conscience.” Up until that point, Jonah knew their casual conversation was just to deceive listening ears. He wondered if Hollis was still going along with that or if he was serious about the dying comment.

Jonah picked up the glass refilled by Daisy a third time. “Nothing about you has changed since we were children. You’re still the same stubborn jackass I knew even now as a dying man.” He chortled. Maybe it was the alcohol but for a split second, Jonah saw a younger version of himself in place of Hollis. “Your mind is made up, I see.” Hollis nodded in confirmation which worried Jonah terribly. “Let’s go take a walk and get some fresh air. It’s getting too hot in here.” Hollis pulled out his wallet, but Jonah said the drinks were on him. “You can pay the next time we see each other.” He winked. Hollis tipped Daisy a ten, even though the foul woman didn’t deserve a cent from him.

The ocean of eyes followed Hollis again as he and Jonah headed towards the exit. The three men who had eavesdropped on them at the bar never moved from their spots. Hollis couldn’t gauge if their deception had worked or if they had been deceived by the men.

“Look, son, you really don’t want to cross the High Families.” Jonah told Hollis once they were out of earshot. He spoke to Hollis sternly like the man was his own son. Hollis found it off-putting when they weren’t that far apart in age, it appeared. “You’d be better off trying to cheat the Devil in Monopoly and walking away than you are with crossing the High Families.” Hollis made a joke about the town treating the High Families like they were Boogeymen. “They’re a lot worse.” Jonah, with eyes as wide as dinner plates, responded. He expressed extreme worry for Hollis’ safety. Enemies of the High Families always vanished without a trace. “I’m telling you one last time, Hollis. Go home, please.” Jonah pleaded with him that time.

Unfortunately, Hollis wouldn’t yield. His mind was firm on staying. Although he appreciated Jonah’s concerns, he told the man not to worry about him. “I’ve encountered a lot of wicked and dangerous people in my past. I’m certain the High Families are no eviler than they were.” Jonah’s expression became blank. Hollis was a fool to him, but a noble one at that.

“You’re an intelligent man, Mr. Hollis. And it shows in the way you speak and carry yourself. But you are really barking up the wrong tree here.” No pun intended. Hollis wasn’t leaving Wych Elm until he resolved his affairs. As their conversation drew to its end, Jonah began praying and grieving for Hollis. “I guess…this is where we part ways.” Before Jonah disappeared under the cover of night, he gave Hollis a list of names. The men who discovered the body in the tree.

“Thank you, Jonah.” Hollis shook his hand one final time. “If we meet again before I leave town, the first two rounds are on me.” But Jonah found it difficult to force a smile. He had a feeling he would never see Hollis again. Jonah expected Hollis would be dead before sunrise.

“Be well, Hollis…” In the end, Jonah managed to force a smile even though there was nothing to smile about. That kind, worried smile was his parting gift to his doomed “cousin.”

“And you also, Jonah.” Their first meeting was also their last one. Hollis never saw Jonah again after that night nor learned what became of his acquaintance. Hollis had a strong idea as to what might have happened, but he chose to convince himself that Jonah merely left Wych Elm after their conversation.

 

The same warning that was told to Hollis some hours earlier was also given to Addy. “Outsiders aren’t welcome in Wych Elm.” The young woman, however, shrugged off the warning. She gathered her bag and tipped the driver before stepping out of the car.

“So, I’ve heard.” She replied flippantly, shutting the door behind her. The driver could only shake his head. His words had gone in one ear and out the other. He prayed for the young woman’s safety as his car rolled off into the night, leaving her behind at the bridge.

Another visitor had arrived in Wych Elm. That one was a novice journalist hungry for her big story. Addy already had the headline chosen; she just needed the truth so she could write it. Bella: The Girl in the Wych Elm. The tenacious journalist intended to shed light on Wych Elm’s darkest secret.