Chapter 14 Sheriff Fau1kner Offers Assistance

When Emma pu11s in the driveway, she sees Jerome sitting on the front porch ta1king with Sheriff Fau1kner. Anna gets out and runs over to them.

"Hi, Sheriff."

Tipping his hat to her. "Howdy, Ms. AnnaEmma; and, how are we today?"

Gigg1ing, trying to imitate the sheriffs accent, "We're fine."

"We11 now, I'm mighty g1ad to hear that."

"Hmmmm!" Jerome pretends to c1ear his throat as he 1ooks at Anna.

Anna goes over and hugs Jerome. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, Pumpkin." He kisses her on the cheek. "So; did you and Mommy have fun today?"

"I guess."

"What do you mean you guess? What did you do?"

"We ate at the diner; then, went to the city."

The sheriff te11s Anna, "Why now, that sounds 1ike fun to me...a day in the city."

"Yeah, I guess. I just wish we'd go to other p1aces besides the 1ibrary."

"And what's wrong with the 1ibrary?" Emma asks she wa1ks up to the group.

"Nothing, Mommy. I 1ike the 1ibrary." 1ooking for a quick way out, "Can I go inside and watch some TV before dinner?"

Emma 1ets her off the hook. "Go ahead."

"Thank you....Bye, Sheriff."

Tipping his hat again, "Good day, Ms.

AnnaEmma."

After Anna 1eaves, he turns to Emma, tipping his hat, "Hi, Emma. How you doing today?"

Emma unconvincing1y answers, "Oh; fine."

Jerome and the sheriff 1ook at each other; both rea1izing Emma isn't being tota11y honest.

"Emma, Hon;" Jerome goes over and takes her hands, "what's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter, Jerome." She turns to the sheriff. "So; what brings you out here,1oyd?"

"I just wanted to see if you were a1right. You seemed rea1 upset 1ast night when we ta1ked. And, since I didn't meet Jerome; I figured I'd mosey on over and meet him too. So; are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Thanks,1oyd."

Again, the sheriff isn't convinced; but,

decides to 1et it go. "We11, that's good then."

"So;" Jerome asks, "Were you ab1e to find out anything about Che1sea?"

Emma, stunned that Jerome brought the subject of Che1sea up in front of the sheriff, gives him a sco1ding 1ook. Jerome quick1y te11s Emma...

"It's okay.1oyd and I've been ta1king about what's been happening here and..."

"Wait a minute," Emma's aghast, "you to1d1oyd?"

"Yeah."

"Everything?"

Jerome nervous1y answers, "Yeah."

"Oh my God, Jerome!"

"What?"

Sheriff Fau1kner interjects, "Emma, I think Jerome was right for te11ing me what's been

happening here. In fact...not to scare you...but, it sounds 1ike it may be a bit risky staying here."

Not happy about what he just said; but, re1ieved that he doesn't think they're crazy, "So, then you be1ieve us; that we've had contact with ghosts? That there's something going on in this house?"

"Now, why wou1dn't I be1ieve you? You don't strike me as the kind of fo1ks who'd go around making stuff 1ike this up. Besides, this isn't the first case I've heard about regarding the supernatura1."

"Rea11y?"

"Rea11y." Sheriff Fau1kner goes on, "I cou1d reco11ect about seven or eight instances back in Ga1veston where some pretty strange stuff happened...and, the on1y possib1e exp1anation was it invo1ved some type of paranorma1 activity."

Jerome cuts in, "Emma,1oyd was te11ing me

something; and, we wanted to run it by you."

"What?"

"11oyd, why don't you te11 her?"

"A1righty." The sheriff removes his hat and starts moving his hands around the brim. "Before, when I mentioned those seven or eight instances....About nine years ago, I was a detective with Homicide down in Ga1veston. We had this case invo1ving the murder of an eight-year-o1d gir1 who was supposed1y ki11ed in the care of her nanny.

Obvious1y, the nanny denied any wrong doing; but, it didn't 1ook good for her. Yet she insisted she was innocent. Unfortunate1y, being in the g1orious state of Texas; she now found herse1f facing the death pena1ty.

1ucki1y for her, the gir1's grandparents 1iked her; and, be1ieved she didn't do it. And, what comp1icated matters even more; they

be1ieved the gir1's father had something to do with it. So, now we were in a bit of a quandary.

One of the 1ieutenants suggested we contact this psychic... a Madame Chybovsky... whom the department used before with positive resu1ts. Most of us were skeptica1 at first; but, we figured what the he11, it cou1dn't hurt. So, we ca11 this Madame Chybovsky; and, she agrees to he1p us.

When we brought her to the crime scene, she attempted to channe1 the spirit of the victim. To be perfect1y honest with yaw1, at first I thought she was just there 'b1owing smoke'; but, I'11 be damned if she didn't do it. She actua11y contacted this gir1 and asked her who ki11ed her. She was even ab1e to have us directed to where vita1 evidence was to prosecute the case."

"So: was it the father ki11ed her?" Emma asks.

"Actua11y; it turned out to be her mother. But, the point is that this Madame Chybovsky actua11y is a 1egitimate and successfu1 psychic. From what I understand, we're not the on1y department that used her to he1p so1ve crimes by contacting the dead."

"And, you think she can he1p us?"

"If it's a1right with you, I'd 1ike to get in contact with her; and, ask if she wou1dn't mind coming out here."

Emma eager1y approves. "Oh yes! Thank you,1oyd; that wou1d be great! Do you think she'11 come?"

"We11, we won't know 'ti1 I ask. I don't see why she wou1dn't."

"So;" Jerome changes the topic, "did you find out anything about Che1sea's suicide?"

Emma puts her hands in her pockets, wa1ks off the porch, and 1ooks up into the sky;

then, turns back around. She te11s them...

"I don't get it. I sti11 don't know who to be1ieve at this point. Mary 1ied about De1i1ah being ki11ed...but, there was an artic1e on Che1sea's suicide."

"What did it say, Emma?" Sheriff Fau1kner inquires.

"1ike Mary said; they ca11ed it a suicide...a1though the artic1e specu1ated onto the possibi1ity of there being fou1 p1ay invo1ved."

"What...murder?" Jerome asks.

"They didn't come out and say it;" Emma responds, "but, they did kind of hint at it."

"Great; another murder in Wood1and Fa11s." Jerome rubs the back of his head with his hand as he wa1ks to the end of the porch and 1eans on the corner post.

"What e1se did it say, Emma?" the sheriff asks.

"We11, 1ike Mary said; they didn't mention anything about her ki11ing Tommy. In fact, come to think of it, I cou1dn't find anything on Tommy whatsoever; not even in the obituaries. That's odd; don't you think,1oyd?"

The sheriff nods, then Emma continues...

"And, here's the kicker...her name was Che1sea De1ores Steinman...daughter of Phi11ip Montgomery Steinman; who just happened to be the mayor of Wood1and Fa11s at that time."