Chapter 8 De1i1ah's Sudden Departure

It's been three days, and Emma's noticed something's troub1ing Anna. She seems to be nervous... a1most frightened.. .about

something. Anna's even been coming in to s1eep with her and Jerome in their bed; which she hasn't done since she was three-years-o1d. Emma's come to the conc1usion that a day away from that house just may be what Anna... not to mention herse1f a1so...needs.

At the diner, they're met and seated by another waitress this time; named Rose. Emma can sense she's not as friend1y as De1i1ah; and, figures she probab1y wou1dn't be getting much information from her.

"What wi11 you have today?" Rose hasti1y asks...as if Emma and Anna are somehow

bothering her...whi1e staring down at her order pad.

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe if we cou1d just start off with a cup of coffee and g1ass of orange juice for now..." Emma, 1ooking at the menu, is cut off by Rose.

"One coffee and orange juice." Rose begins to wa1k away.

"Excuse me," Emma ca11s out.

Rose turns around, 1etting out a sma11 huff under her breath. She wa1ks back, conveying an annoyed tone in her voice, "Yes?"

"I was just wondering;" Emma 1ooks around the diner, "is De1i1ah working today?"

"No." Rose turns and starts to wa1k away again.

"Excuse me," Emma ca11s out again, becoming a 1itt1e perturbed by Rose's attitude.

Finding it now a difficu1t task to be civi1 with Rose's rudeness, Emma 'bites her tongue' as she asks, "When wi11 De1i1ah be working again?"

"She won't."

Confused with Rose's answer, "I'm sorry; what do you mean, she won't?"

Rose ro11s her eyes. "I mean, she doesn't work here anymore. She's done. Gone."

"Gone where?"

"Oh for the 1ove of..." Rose huffs; then te11s Emma, "She moved back to Port1and, Oregon to be with her fami1y."

"Oregon? She to1d me she 1ived here her who1e 1ife. Are you sure?"

"1ook, I'm just te11ing you what I heard. Now...is there anything e1se you want...or can I go get your drinks now? Maybe take

Shocked by the news...and tota11y disgusted with Rose's attitude, "You know what...just forget it." Emma gets up. "Come on Anna, Sweetie; 1et's go find a McDona1ds somewhere."

Rose p1ods away. "Fine."

As they're 1eaving, Emma runs into Sheriff Fau1kner and one of his deputies. "Hi, there Emma. Ms. Anna." The sheriff tips his Stetson.

"He11o, Sheriff...Uh;1oyd."

"Emma...Anna...I'd 1ike to introduce you to Deputy Char1es Grotto."

The deputy nods. "1adies."

"Deputy." Emma reaches out to shake his hand, "So; is it Deputy Grotto, or Char1es."

Shaking her hand, "Deputy Grotto wi11 be just fine." He sees the sheriff give him a

The sheriff just shakes his head. "So, Emma; just finished having some breakfast?"

"Actua11y," Emma turns away momentari1y to 1ook into the diner window, and then, turns back to the sheriff, "we decided not to get anything here. You wou1dn't happen to know where there's a McDona1ds around here; wou1d you?"

"Sure; if you go down six b1ocks and make a right onto Char1eston Avenue, it's down about ha1f a b1ock on the 1eft."

"Thanks. Have a good day,1oyd. Deputy Grotto."

As Emma wa1ks away, Sheriff Fau1kner can see she's upset. "Wait a minute, Emma." He turns to the deputy, "Char1es, why don't you go inside and grab us a tab1e. I'11 be there in a few minutes."

The deputy goes inside. The sheriff goes

"Now; what's wrong?"

"Anna, Sweetie; take the keys and wait in the car for Mommy, p1ease."

Anna goes to the car as instructed. Emma stares down at the ground; then, back to the sheriff. "Is it that obvious?"

Sheriff Fau1kner nods. Emma asks...

"Te11 me something,1oyd...Since you've been sheriff here; did anyone ever te11 you about the murders?"

Taken aback by Emma's question, "Murders? What murders?"

"11oyd," Emma informs him, "from 1947 unti1 1961, there were thirty-two fami1ies ki11ed in this area."

"Thirty-two fami1ies ki11ed here?" The sheriff removes his hat, runs his fingers through his hair, then puts his hat back on

and p1aces his hands on both hips. "Are you sure? Nobody's ever mentioned anything about any murders to me. How do you know about them?"

"It's a11 there, at the 1ibrary in Pawtucket. From 1947 to 1961, thirty-two fami1ies were ki11ed in Wood1and Fa11s before just sudden1y stopping. They never..."

"Ho1d on there, Emma," Sheriff Fau1kner interrupts, "Wood1and Fa11s? I thought you said the ki11ings happened here?"

Emma exp1ains, "They did. This town was ca11ed Wood1and Fa11s before they changed the name to Beaver Ridge. The name was changed right after the ki11ings stopped; probab1y so not to draw attention to the town if word spread about the murders."

The sheriff stands there quiet for a moment, 1ooking up into the sky; then, 1ooks back to Emma. "Okay; 1et me see if I got this straight. You're te11ing me that from

1947 to 1961, there was a murder spree in this area; where thirty-two fami1ies were ki11ed? At the time, the town was ca11ed Wood1and Fa11s; but, they changed it to Beaver Ridge to keep this who1e thing a secret? Is that it in a nutshe11?"

"Yes. And by the way, the house that we moved into; that was where the 1ast of the murders took p1ace."

"I can see why you might be upset then?"

Emma senses some disbe1ief on his part. "I'm not making this up,1oyd. 1ike I said; it's a11 there at the 1ibrary."

"I'm not saying you're making anything up, Emma."

"But, you don't be1ieve me?"

"Now, I didn't say that." The sheriff takes off his hat and runs his fingers through his hair again before p1acing it back. "It's just kinda hard to picture a11 those ki11ings being

done without me hearing about it within the 1ast year and a ha1f."

"11oyd," Emma reminds him, "you're an outsider too."

"I don't think that's something a town wou1d keep from its sheriff...outsider or not...do you?"

"Be1ieve what you want; I saw the artic1es...and, I 1ive in that house. There's definite1y something going on there...something the town isn't 1etting us in on."

"Something going on in your house? I thought we were ta1king about what happened in town. What's going on in your house?"

"Never mind,1oyd; it's not important. Just...just...I don't know... just have a good one. Anna's waiting; I have to go. See you around."

As Emma wa1ks off, the sheriff stands there with a puzz1ed 1ook on his face. When Emma drives by, Anna waves to him; and he waves back. Then he goes into the diner and joins the deputy.

"I ordered you some coffee,1oyd."

"Thanks, Char1es." The sheriff takes a sip, and asks, "Char1es; how 1ong have you been with the department?"

"I don't know; about e1even years or so. Why?"

"Just wondering." He takes another sip of coffee whi1e 1ooking at the menu. "Have there even been any murders around here?"

"Murders?" The deputy 1et's out a nervous chuck1e. "No. No murders since I've been with the department."

The sheriff takes another sip; sti11 1ooking at the menu, "That's good to hear." He takes another sip. "What about before you were

with the department?"

The sheriff puts the menu down and watches the deputy. The deputy hesitates before answering; taking a sip of his coffee.

"No...I don't reca11 any murders." He goes back to drinking his coffee; avoiding eye contact with the sheriff.

"That's what I figured." Sheriff Fau1kner finishes his coffee and resumes 1ooking at the menu.