The Girl in the Wych Elm (VII)

 

VII. The Green Knight & the Jungle ( re-upload)

The wallet size photo of Gail Weathers, Addy Banks kept on her person served as a reminder of the goal she hoped to achieve. Any time the budding journalist felt discouraged or found herself up against a wall, she looked at the photo and asked herself, “What would Gail Weathers do in this situation?” “How would Gail Weathers approach this problem?” Those questions motivated Addy to persevere and continue forward. Those questions motivated Addy to persevere and continue forward. The world of journalism was cutthroat, tedious, and dangerous, which was why Addy chose it; she loved the thrill of a challenge. But the young and tenacious woman had a long way to go before she reached even a fraction of Weathers’ success.

Journalism was a craft as much as it was a career, which Addy failed to understand. It took time and patience to build and sculpt. A journalist needed to be level-headed, attentive, interpersonal, and among a slew of other traits. Addy, sadly, possessed none of them. She was still immature and impulsive, too driven by the hunger of her personal goals. Addy’s mentors and peers always cautioned her to slow down, to allow her career to develop naturally. Certain corners just couldn’t be rushed. “A dead journalist is a bad journalist.” Addy was often told by her mentors, though she rarely listened. She felt like the people around her wanted to keep her on the ground. She believed no one wanted to see her shine. Addy wouldn’t stand for it. She wouldn’t stay on the ground. She refused to dim her light so others could shine.

 

The face of the melancholic woman hovering over her frightened Addy when she opened her eyes. She was deeply disturbed by the behavior. Addy studied Juniper who was dressed in a tattered smock over her clothes and carried a wicker backpack. The plainly dressed woman looked like she came from another time period, at least to Addy. The black abysses that were Juniper’s eyes seemed to reach her soul. “Um…do you need something?” She asked Juniper, groggy and irritated. Poor Addy had spent an uncomfortable night on a park bench because the inns and motels refused her lodging. She was in no mood to be bothered, especially early in the morning.

Juniper ignored Addy’s question. “The streets of Wych Elm aren’t safe for women.” She told her in a rather grim tone.

The moody woman scoffed in response. “It’s not like I had another alternative.” Addy finally moved into an upright position. Her body from the head down ached terribly. Sleeping on a metal bench for seven hours was not the brightest decision. The only thing she wanted at that moment was a long, hot Epsom salt bath. “And you never answered my question.” Addy asked the woman again who she was and wanted she wanted. If not, she needed to get out of her face.

Juniper continued watching Addy closely with her dark, expressionless eyes. “It’s dangerous and foolish to wander into a place without doing proper research. You’re not much of a bright journalist, are you?” She called Addy a novice which infuriated her. In the nastiest tone she could muster, Addy told Juniper to piss off, but the woman didn’t budge.

Addy gathered her jacket and her satchel. “If you’re not going to leave, I’ll go then.” Juniper pushed her back down on the bench, leaving Addy bewildered. The gloomy woman wasn’t as harmless as she appeared. The split second change in Juniper’s demeanor had unnerved Addy.

“You’ll go, where? Didn’t you hear what I said?” She repeated how Wych Elm wasn’t safe for a woman like Addy Banks. It wasn’t even safe for the people who lived there either. Juniper described Wych Elm as a monster with an insatiable hunger that would devour Addy without hesitation. “The only place you need to go.” The dark-eyed woman pointed in the direction of the town’s entrance.

Addy swatted Juniper’s hand away. She wasn’t going anywhere. She told Juniper she wouldn’t be run out of town by some weird woman with a kink for voyeurism. “I’m exactly where I need to be.” Addy told Juniper with an unwavering resolve. She would not be intimidated. The response, however, disappointed Juniper greatly.

Juniper warned Addy that the path she was headed down was more dangerous than she could ever fathom. “This mission you’re on is a fool’s journey.” A journey that would lead her to damnation. “You need to leave Wych Elm. Immediately.” She stressed with urgency. Addy looked at the woman mystified. Something about Juniper’s words sounded eerily prophetic. Regardless, Addy dismissed the claim as an overreaction. She was certain she would be all right. “I see.” Juniper reached into her pocket and removed a rosary. “Keep this on you at all times.” She told Addy the rosary would protect her. “Please… Knowing you have this on you will ease my worries.” Addy could keep the rosary if she wanted or return it to Juniper when she was done in Wych Elm.

Addy stared at the rosary. She was mildly apprehensive about accepting the sentimental object but also weirded out by a stranger randomly offering her a token of protection. “Um, thanks… I guess?” Addy wound the rosary around her wrist like a bracelet. She looked up to see Juniper smiling. Even her smile is creepy. Juniper’s smile gave Addy “Uncanny Valley” vibes. “So, what now?”

Juniper informed the woman she had a vacant room at her home. “That’s unless you prefer the metal bench.” She motioned to the seat underneath Addy. “You’ll be safer with me than here on the streets.” Addy initially declined Juniper’s offer. She wasn’t going anywhere with a stranger. “Understandable.” Juniper wasn’t forcing the matter. “Please, take care.” She then walked off leaving a puzzled Addy behind on the bench.

As Juniper moved further and further away, Addy started having second thoughts. She looked down at the rosary again. “Maybe she is trying to be a kind Samaritan…” Addy dug into her satchel and removed the small handgun she kept on her person. It was a gift from her late uncle. The gun had only been fired twice since it came into Addy’s possession. She always hoped she would never have to use the weapon. Addy subsequently changed her mind about Juniper’s offer. Even though the woman unsettled her, Addy concluded that Juniper really posed no threat to her. She returned the handgun to her satchel, pulled on her jacket, and caught up to Juniper before the woman disappeared from her sight.

 

The atmosphere of Juniper’s house had a dismal aura about it which made Addy second guess her decision to stay there. The park bench didn’t seem all that bad compared to the energy that haunted the woman’s home. Addy, the nosy person that she was, lurked around Juniper’s living room, scanning every object that crossed her vision. “Is this your family?” She picked up a photo and cleaned the dust from it. The photo was of a young couple standing behind an older seated woman. The younger woman and the older woman favored each other heavily. Addy never thought to question why Juniper didn’t look like them. “You must have had a problem with the camera man or something?” She playfully teased.

“Actually, I’ve never liked having my photo taken.” Juniper replied somberly. Addy jokingly asked if Juniper was afraid the camera would steal her soul. The melancholic woman only shrugged. Embarrassed, Addy returned the photo to its place on the shelf.

“I’ll show you to your room.” As they made their way to the second floor, she requested for Addy to be mindful of her noise levels. “I’m lodging another guest here as well.” Juniper told her the other guest was still asleep. When they arrived at the top of the stairs, Hollis’ door flung open. He was wide awake. “Well…never mind.” Juniper corrected herself. She then greeted Hollis. “Good morning, Detective Alexander.”

A frustrated groan escaped his lips. “The detective part isn’t necessary, Juniper. I’ve told you this before.” He chastised the woman again about using the honorific. Hollis didn’t want to be associated with his disgraced past. The man raised his arms above his head and stretched.

Addy stared at the man, wondering where she had heard his name before. “Hollis…as in Hollis Alexander?” Her eyes went big when it struck her. Addy remembered who he was. “I know you!” She told Hollis who looked at her skeptically. Addy gently moved Juniper off to the side as if she were a fragile statue. “I know exactly who you are. You… You’re that detective who was involved in the Pembrook Incident.” She pointed her finger at him.

The words Pembrook Incident elicited a hostile response from Hollis. Addy had immediately ruined his day even though it hadn’t started yet. Hollis coldly reprimanded the young woman before he dismissed her. But Addy remained persistent. She hounded Hollis about the Incident, wanting to know what he had been up to since his resignation. He sneered at Addy in response.  “The moment you start digging up graves, the ghosts rise up to haunt you.”

The pair went back and forth; Juniper was forced to intervene in their heated conversation. She touched Addy’s shoulder. “The bathroom is at the end of the hallway.” Juniper informed her she was more than happy to wash her clothes. Addy accepted the offer without hesitation. “If I were you, I would hurry and bathe while the water is still hot.” The house was older than the asphalt streets around it. The water took a long time to heat up, but it was quick to cool down.

Addy brazenly told Hollis their conversation wasn’t over and would resume when she was done with her bath. She grabbed her satchel and darted towards the bathroom, “I can already tell she’s going to be quite the headache.” Hollis sighed heavily. 

“If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen.” Breakfast would be ready in thirty minutes. He watched Juniper as she quietly descended down the steps.

Hollis was long gone when Addy finished her bath. She went downstairs and placed her balled up clothes in the laundry room for Juniper. “Do you know where Hollis is?” Addy asked, walking into the kitchen. She came upon Juniper breaking eggs into a bowl.

The dark-eyed woman answered the question without taking her eyes away from her task. “He’s out in the garden.” Though Juniper advised Addy not to bother him. “He’s not the sociable type. And you shouldn’t force someone to talk about their trauma either.” She began whisking the eggs.

Addy gathered the shells into her hand and dumped them into the trash bin. “My goal as a journalist isn’t to re-traumatize a person.” She told Juniper her goal was to search for and uncover the truth.

“Then you should try being a human first and a journalist third.” She counterargued Addy. Juniper told her that part of being a journalist was also respecting boundaries. Hollis had made his boundary very clear, and Addy shouldn’t step over it.

She leaned against the counter. “Maybe I can step around it?” She wriggled her eyebrows. Juniper found no humor in the joke. The smile slowly vanished from Addy’s face. “Do you need help with breakfast?”

Juniper looked over at Addy smiling. “No thank you.” Addy offered to help with other household chores, but Juniper declined. It wasn’t personal. She just didn’t like people in her space. Juniper found peace in chores and housework. 

“Well…just call if you need me.”

“I shouldn’t need to.” Juniper replied. The words came off rudely than intended. Addy left the kitchen and went out into the garden despite Juniper’s warning.

She came upon Hollis reclining in an Adirondack chair. His eyes were closed and it appeared he was sunbathing. “Not the best day to work on your tan.” She joked, trying to break the ice. The day was cloudy. The entire region was expecting another storm to roll in. Hollis told Addy not to bother him with unnecessary small talk. He politely requested for her to go away. Addy’s cheerful smile morphed into a hard scowl. No one wanted her around. “There’s nothing to do around here.” She argued back. “I offered my help to Juniper, but she turned me down.”

“There’s always something to do.” The annoyed man fired off a list of activities Addy could immerse herself in. She could read, draw, or nap all of which didn’t involve bothering him. Addy pouted like a little girl, irritating an already aggravated Hollis. “I’m going back to my room then.” A locked door was the only other solution to Hollis’ problem.

As Hollis brushed past her dismissively, Addy asked him, “Why are you here in Wych Elm, Det. Hollis Alexander?” He ignored her question and continued walking away. Addy fired off another question. “What’s your end goal here, detective?” She spun around, her arms behind her back.

At his limit with Addy’s annoying and incessant questions, Hollis snapped at her. Juniper observed the scene through the kitchen window. “I’m not a detective anymore.” Hollis had moved on from that dark part of his life. It was all water under the bridge. He was simply Hollis and nothing more. “And my business in this town doesn’t concern you, neither does my end goal.” He continued berating her, hoping Addy would get the point. The irate man told Addy to find her own business so she could stay out of his. The nosy woman had fried his last nerve.

Unfazed by Hollis’ (justified) outburst, Addy defiantly crossed her arms. She had experienced much worse, comparing his anger to that of a kitten. Instead of leaving Hollis alone like he demanded, Addy stormed up to him, cutting him off from the back door. “Did you come here, hoping to redeem yourself?” The question blindsided Hollis. He took a step backwards. His irritation and anger subsided, though they quickly resurfaced. Who was she to question his motives? “You didn’t make the wrong decision. Det. Alexander.” Addy stared deeply into his weathered eyes. “No matter what choice you made, people were going to die regardless. It was a ruse from the start.” Addy had deceived Hollis earlier when she asked about the Pembrook Incident initially. She had already done extensive research about it yet chose to ask Hollis about it anyways.

Hollis wondered what Addy attempted to gain from the deceit. Who is this woman exactly? He found himself asking. Is she another form of punishment?

“There was never a solution from the start. Someone was going to die.” Addy told Hollis what he already knew, however. He had spent years in denial about the Incident. No matter what the outcome was, Hollis would have still felt guilty about it. He would have still felt like a failure.

Hollis loomed over Addy like an intimidating tower. He asked her, “Has anyone ever told you, you’re a nosy little weasel.” She smiled proudly at the remark. “That wasn’t a compliment.” He mumbled. Hollis bumped her aside, resuming his trek to the kitchen door.

“Richard Penn killed himself.” Addy blurted out, knowing it would stop Hollis. Her plan worked too.

Richard Penn was the grief-stricken grandfather of Karlee Penn. The young girl who was killed alongside Nicolai during the Pembrooke Incident. A prominent politician, Richard had raised Karlee from birth after her mother died in childbirth and his son in a freak accident. Karlee was all Richard had left of his late son and loved her dearly. On the seventh anniversary of the girl’s death, Richard took his life, unable to continue living without his beloved son and cherished granddaughter. He spent every moment of his remaining years cursing Hollis’ name. Richard was also partly responsible for Hollis’ forced resignation, having relentlessly hounded the Police Captain to fire Hollis.

Hollis, who wasn’t even a religious man, made the Sign of the Cross in Richard’s honor. “I pray he’s at peace with his son and his granddaughter.” He continued towards the door.

Addy darted in front of Hollis, using her body as a blockade in front of the door. “We came here for the same reason, you and I.” She suggested they worked together to solve the mystery of the body in the tree. He was an ex-detective; she was a journalist. From Addy’s perspective, they were an ideal team.

Hollis responded to the suggestion by crudely laughing in her face. Addy grimaced. “I don’t need your help and I damn sure don’t want it.” Hollis called her a liability. “You should go home, like Juniper advised you to.” The young journalist severely underestimated the dangers that lurked around Wych Elm.

Addy fired back, which Hollis expected would become a reoccurring theme with her. “I can be a little impulsive, I won’t deny that.” She tried her hardest to convince the old detective she was valuable. Addy knew the risks and understood them. However, she wouldn’t be deterred.

Hollis cut his eyes disrespectfully at the woman. “This place-this town is a jungle.” And the High Families were dangerous predators lurking in the shadows for someone reckless like Addy to cross their path. Hollis thought she was in way over her head. He told Addy she would get herself hurt or killed.

Juniper poked her head out the kitchen window. “Breakfast is ready.” She announced in her signature monotone voice. Hollis moved Addy out of his way and entered in the house.

The trio gathered at the dining table to eat, although Juniper was the only person without a plate which baffled Addy. “Soooo…you’re not going to eat anything?” She informed Addy she was  (supposedly) fasting. Her concerns for Juniper increased; she was already concerningly thin as it was. Addy wondered if Juniper had an eating disorder or something. Anymore fasting and she would have disappeared from existence. “May I ask why you’re fasting?” Addy bit into the smoke country ham.

“I haven’t had much of an appetite in years.” Juniper told Addy not to worry about her, but the latter found it difficult not to. She looked over at Hollis who was engrossed in his meal and hadn’t paid a word of attention to their conversation. Addy suspected Juniper wasn’t well physically or mentally. “You’re more than welcome to a second helping.” Juniper told Hollis when he finished his food. He replied that he was full.

Hollis thanked Juniper for the meal and excused himself upstairs. It was time to start his day. Juniper quietly got up from the table and followed the man to his room. “Can I help you with something, Juniper?” Hollis asked as he donned his navy blue jacket.

“Would you like your clothes washed?” Hollis replied that he didn’t care. The choice was hers. Juniper already did enough for him. He didn’t want to feel like he was taking advantage of her hospitality. Juniper nodded and gathered up the pile of dirty clothes in the corner. “She’ll never take ‘no’ for an answer.” Juniper told Hollis unprovoked. “You’re not going to get rid of her so easily.” Juniper had already tried to no avail.

“I’ll just ignore her like I do the ghosts.” He replied, lacing up his boots.

Juniper looked around the room as if she were searching for something or someone. Her attention returned to Hollis the second he raised his head and met her eyes. “Please be safe out there, Hollis.” She worried for his safety as much as she did Addy’s. Hollis thanked Juniper for her concern.

The old detective chuckled. “No honorific this time?” About damn time. He thought.

Juniper headed for the door. “Will you be back by lunchtime?” She asked, standing in the doorway. Hollis was unsure. He told Juniper the task would more than likely take up his entire day and afternoon. Hollis told her not to wait up for him. “Understood.” She nodded with a smile. Despite the answer, Juniper would keep a meal warm of Hollis just in case.

 

No matter how long or how hard Hollis pounded on the door, no one came to answer. He peered through the dirty window only to see a house shrouded in darkness. Hollis wondered if the family was merely hiding until he left or if the house was abandoned. “Lorenzo Wilson (45), married to Rowena Wilson (40). They have two children: Isabel Wilson (12), and Joshua Wilson (10).” He read the words scrawled in the pocket notepad. The old detective had a dreadful feeling boiling in the pit of his stomach. He looked towards the darkening sky. Something malicious happened to the Wilson Family. Hollis was undoubtedly certain that was the case. He quickly scanned the area to make sure it was clear before he hopped the fence and went around back. Hollis discovered the house had a cellar. He shattered the rickety lock with a brick.

The cellar was nothing remarkable to Hollis. The space was sparsely littered with boxes and crates filled with an assortment of miscellaneous items. One of the items in a box caught Hollis’ eye. He picked up a medieval wind-up knight which looked exactly like the one he had as a child except in blue. The toy knight Hollis was gifted was a sea-green color. It was a present from his older sister, Holly, on his eleventh birthday. Unfortunately, the green knight was long gone, destroyed in a house fire six years later. Hollis respectfully placed the knight back in its box before he headed upstairs to the first level.

When Hollis opened the door, he suddenly became lightheaded and nauseous from the pungent cleaning solution. Specifically, industrial grade cleaning solution. The entire main level reeked of the smell. Hollis released an emotionally exhausted sigh. He loathed when he was right. The Wilson Family was dead. And he didn’t need their bodies as proof. Hollis’ search of the Wilson home yielded poor results. He moved his investigation to the next house, though Hollis expected the same outcome.