Resurrecting Harry (27 page)

The mild concern that had tempered Martin’s irritation grew and deepened. Hard lines framed his eyes and mouth. “Where could they be?”

“Bess is angry at me right now. I’m not surprised she’s hiding out. Did Gail have a favorite place to go when she was upset?”

“Yes. To Bess.”

Bess. Not just his angel, but a true angel of mercy.

Martin paced the room, as if he expected the woman to jump out from behind the closet door. “Where ever they are, I’m sure they’re together. Do you think Bess went to look through the rubble at the house?”

“She already got the only thing from there that mattered to her. All that is left, besides destruction, is painful memories.”

Martin gave him a quizzical look, like he expected Erich to explain, but that was something he couldn’t do.

Was there anything else these two had in common? Only one that Erich held suspect. “Maybe it
was
Joseph all along.”

“What are you saying?”

Bess’s faith in Joseph had been just as unwavering as it had been in the Coopers, but she knew Martin and Gail longer, spent more time in their company — too much time to be wrong.

Instead of fighting her on this for his own satisfaction, Erich should have been listening to her. “Would Joseph try to hurt Gail?”

Martin stepped back and dropped his head, as if he could hide behind a veil of shame. “Joseph helped me by caring for Louise in her later days. I could have kept her comfortable with Morphine, but she wouldn’t have been as alert as she was with the herbal and Indian medications he used. Watching her die was the hardest thing I’ll ever do, Erich, and I’ll be the first to admit I handled it like a rotten S.O.B. Joseph grew quite fond of her. How could he not? She was so kind to everyone. So, to answer your question, he didn’t care for Gail at all. Like the rest of this town, he blamed her for my lack of attention to Louise in her final days.”

That had to be it. Erich had put blame in Martin’s direction, because that is where Joseph led him. “Where did he go when you kicked him out?”

“To the reservation, I guess.  He’s always had a small cabin out there he’d retreat to at times.”

“But he used to live on your grounds?”

“I gave him lodging in the servant’s quarters while he was studying medicine. One of the last things Louise asked of me was to make sure I treated him well, just like Joseph had treated her. I gave him everything I could, until he pushed me too far.”

The entire premise that all Joseph had ever wanted was to learn traditional medicine had always seemed fishy to Erich. He’d done nothing but praise his people’s herbal treatments and run down hospitals and doctors as the ones who practiced witchcraft. It seemed to him, Joseph would be insulted by Martin’s teachings and demeaned by a room in the servant’s quarters. Add that to his dislike for Gail and suddenly there was a mound of evidence — albeit circumstantial — piling up against Joseph for everything that had gone wrong, including the disappearance of two women. “I think both Gail and Bess are with him, and I’m not thinking it’s for a good reason.”

“Joseph? He may dislike Gail, but he’s very serious about his role as a healer. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

“Love can make a man do things he never thought he would before.”

“Love? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Sure it does.”

Martin shook his head. “Joseph has gone back to the reservation. I think you were right about Bess and Gail being together though. If Bess isn’t at the deli or with you, then my money is on her being at the hospital, volunteering. I bet Gail is there talking to her. That’s where I’m headed.”

Erich shook his head. “I told you we had a fight. Why would she go on to the hospital?”

“The same reason she’s been there twice a week for the last eleven months, to get her mind off Harry. Are you going to come with me?”

“No. I don’t think she’s there.”

“Do you have another idea?”

“Actually, I do.”

***

Erich turned from Martin and left the hotel. He started walking toward the far edge of town, the opposite end from where Bess’s house used to stand.

The more he thought about his conversation with Martin, the more Harry’s memories came crashing down on him: good memories of time spent with a dear friend. It seemed like Erich’s new understanding of recent events had given Harry’s soul some clarity and regrets.

Would they be in a different place now had Erich not used Harry’s memories as a barometer of Bess’s life? She’d insisted time and again that Martin and Gail were true friends and innocent of trying to hurt either of them. Of course, she’d felt the same way about Joseph.

He was sure that the root tea had been tainted, and Jaden had confirmed it. If it wasn’t Martin who’d tried to poison him, then it had to be Joseph. The idea that Joseph may have tried to hurt Bess, like he had Erich, drove him to break out in a full run.

From the time he’d been gifted this body, Erich hadn’t been well enough to exert himself as he was, but as he sprinted toward the Cooper estate, the pain that had never really left his side evaporated. His chest heaved, and his lungs burned, but it only took a few blocks for him to tap into Harry’s memories and remember how to control his breathing and pace himself.

The further he ran, the more he reflected over everything that had happened. His heart broke for Bess. He cursed himself for ever letting her walk away from him and turned onto the road the Cooper’s lived on. With the house in sight, he dug deep and pushed harder, running even faster.

As he neared the house, he saw Martin’s black Studebaker – the one Gail had driven to the house the other day — sitting back by the servant quarters. It made no sense, and seemed to confirm Erich’s worst fears.

Erich sprinted across the finely manicured lawn, jumping over a patch of daisies to land on the concrete pad. He pushed the door open, screaming Bess’s name. He stumbled into the room, gasping for breath and bending at the waist. He scanned, hoping to see Bess visiting with her friend; instead he saw Gail sprawled out on the couch, very pale.

He fell to his knees at her side and put his cheek down near her face. Feeling a light exhale against his skin, he forced himself to his feet and slipped one arm beneath her neck and the other under her hips. Erich picked her up and carried her toward the car. One of the servants, a gardener Erich would guess by the way he was dressed, met him at the car and opened the back door. “Is Mrs. Cooper okay?”

“No, her breathing is really shallow.” Erich rounded the car and slipped behind the wheel. Relieved to see the keys in the ignition, he called to the man who had helped him. “I’m taking her to the hospital. Martin is there already. Call ahead and tell them I’m on the way with Gail.”

Bess tried to ignore the knots twisting in her gut as she walked into the police station. Erich hadn’t shown up at the deli or the hotel. She’d even gone back to the park, thinking he might still be waiting for her on that bench. For a moment, she wondered if the awful argument had put him on an east bound train without her, but realized neither Harry or Erich would leave her. The only logical conclusion she could draw was Stanley had arrested him again.

“I need to see Sergeant Fisher. Right away.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Houdini. He’s with a suspect in connection to your fire. If you’d like to have a seat, I’m sure he’ll give you an update as soon as he’s done.”

Her suspicions proved right, she said, “I told him yesterday not to waste any more time with Mr. Welch. He’s innocent.”

“It’s not Mr. Welch, ma’am.”

“No?” Where in the world was Erich?

“Ma’am, take a seat. Sergeant Fisher should be available soon.”

She nodded and walked toward the bench in a fog. The idea of losing Erich ripped through her and shredded her heart. Her weakened knees dipped, and she lowered herself to the bench, cursing herself for sending him away.

He wouldn’t leave me. Only give me time and space.

But then, she’d said such nasty things about Harry. She’d been brutally honest and directed all of her anger on the man who’d defied death to return to her side.

“Okay, Joseph,” Stanley’s voice came from the back of the room. Bess looked up to see the two men coming toward her and met them in front of the desk. Stanley addressed the officer who’d helped her. “Send two units out to the Cooper estate. I want Martin brought in and Gail taken into protective custody.”

She couldn’t be hearing this conversation right. Had everyone in town lost their mind? “Joseph is innocent. He’s a healer.”

“I agree with you, Mrs. Houdini.” Stanley then spoke to Joseph. “Thank you for talking to us. You’re free to go.”

Joseph nodded, pushing his hands into the pockets of his pants. “Ma’am, if I may offer some advice? Take that old soul who’s made a place for himself in your life and run. Get as far as you can from here before Dr. Cooper finds a way to destroy you too.”

As she contemplated his words, Bess watched him fidget, shifting his weight from heel to heel. His worn pants, the same pair he always wore, were now adorned with white spots, as if he’d tried to bleach away some stains and in the process had ruined the fabric.
That old soul. Harry within Erich.
“You’ve known the truth about Erich from the first moment, haven’t you?”

He nodded. “True love, my dear, comes your way but once, and when two souls bind, they are each other’s for an eternity. They’ll always find one another no matter the flesh that encases them.”

Her teeth clenched as she tugged on the collar of her blouse. Joseph had told her old souls were walking among the living and still she couldn’t listen to the voice in her heart that knew. “I’ve pushed him away.”

“He’ll be back.”

Bess smiled and leaned in hugging the man. “I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“It’s not necessary.” Joseph answered, before leaving the station.

Only then did it hit Bess what Stanley had said. “Did you say you want Martin arrested and Gail taken in for her own protection? From who?”

“Her husband.”

Bess’s jaw dropped, and her lips parted. “That’s crazy. Martin loves Gail.”

“Like he loved Louise? According to that Joseph fellow, Martin hired him to administer a lethal dose of painkillers to Louise to clear the way for Gail, but now their love has faded and Martin didn’t think his reputation could take another hit like a divorce.”

“That’s preposterous. They are my friends.”

“I think a lot of people have been fooled by Dr. Cooper, Bess. Don’t feel bad. Why don’t you go back to the hotel. When this is all over, I’ll come and talk to you and Mr. Welch and let you know what’s going on.”

Bess nodded and watched Stanley walk away. She thought about all the pieces of the puzzle; she slid them around in her mind and tried to make them fit. Erich — or was it Harry’s soul inside of him — had accused Martin of trying to kill him. Just like Joseph said Martin had done with Louise, but that couldn’t be true.

She’d sat with Martin while he talked about his first wife. He wouldn’t hurt either woman, and she didn’t believe he’d hurt Erich either. Martin loved Gail. Maybe it wasn’t the same soul-consuming love Bess had shared with Harry, but it wasn’t any less real.

Joseph was blinded by his anger, because he loved Louise too.

He loved Louise.

He hated Martin for falling in love again so fast, and Gail for the way she took over Louise’s home. Hate and revenge can be as powerful a motivator as love. Martin hadn’t laced the brandy or tea. He hadn’t burnt down her house either.

Joseph had. All to frame Martin.

It was a good fifteen miles to the reservation, but Bess doubted he was headed there. The look in his eyes and the words he’d said about love and final resting place told her Joseph wanted to be with Louise, and he believed she’d gone on to her ever-after. Now that he’d exacted his revenge, Bess was sure Joseph believed his soul could rest too.

But where would he go to be close to Louise? She knew his faith wouldn’t look to a rotting body for physical closeness. He wanted a spiritual connection.

The Seaside Daisies.

When Gail threatened to turn over his herbal garden and Louise’s flowers, she’d pushed Joseph over the edge. Like Harry’s ring had been for her, those daisies were a physical connection to the woman he loved. It had to be where Joseph was headed.

***

It was a short two block walk to the cab company, and a fifteen minute wait for an available driver. Now, as the car rolled through the gates and rounded Martin’s house, she saw Joseph moving through the flower garden on his knees.

Thank Heavens I’m not too late.

Bess paid the cab driver and told him there was no need to wait. As she crossed the short distance to Joseph, she forced herself to act calm and collected; knowing anything else might upset the other man.    

“What are you doing here, Mrs. Houdini?” he asked as she approached.

“After you left the police station I started thinking about what you said the other day. You’ve done so much for Erich, I wanted to do something for you and thought I’d come care for Louise’s flowers.”

“That’s very kind.” A wistful smile graced his lips, and he moved his hands through the flowers, stopping to pick weeds. He used a gentle touch, like a lover’s, and paused every so often to lower his face and inhale their scent. “I’ve taken care of everything. Nothing’s going to happen to Louie’s flowers now.”

“Louise was lucky to have you, Joseph. You’re a good man.”

“I told you Gail would turn up her gardens. I came by earlier and she’d just given the order to the gardeners. I couldn’t stand by and let her do that. I had to stop her.”

Bess could see fragility in him that she’d never noticed and lowered herself to the grass, kneeling there. “Gail can be insensitive at times.”

His lips curled. “She’s a whore and has no right in that house.”

“She’s Martin’s wife.”

“Louie was his wife first. Martin broke his vow to love her alone until death and left the sweetest woman in the world to suffer alone while he desecrated their marriage bed with that trollop.”

Such anger. Such passion. Bess suppressed a tremble and laid her hand on his arm. Joseph trusted her, and if she handled this right, she’d get a confession for everything out of him. “Martin tried to help her. He took her to all the best doctors and then found you to help her with the pain.”

“God must have been watching out for her,” he answered as he continued to finger the flowers surrounding him.  After a moment, he pulled a silver flask from his pocket, unscrewed the lid and drank long from it.

“Where is Gail? She let you stay and changed her mind about digging up the gardens?”

He shook his head, laughing under his breath. “She cursed me and tried to throw me off the property herself.” He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and turned his head toward the sky. “I’m sorry, Louise. You would have wanted me to just let her be. But it was grand, watching her eyes roll back in her head, knowing she’d never say another reproachful word.”

Something inside Bess seized as if her heart had stopped beating. She couldn’t show her pain and confusion to Joseph though, even if he’d just admitted to killing Gail.

She’d been such a faithful friend over the past year, and Bess had acted ungrateful in the past few days. But she wouldn’t allow herself to grieve until she had the proof the police needed. “I’m sure Gail was jealous of Louise, felt like she had huge shoes to fill among Martin’s friends and the people in town.”

“She never aspired to be anything like Louise. Couldn’t have. The only way that woman could ever have anyone’s respect is to have a man like Martin and his money. But you put a pig in a Sunday dress and it’s still a pig. People knew better, and she hated them for it. That’s why she tried to hang her name on Mr. Houdini’s star, but he saw through her too.”

“When Harry’s mother passed away, he was lost in his grief for quite some time.” Ironic. Joseph and Harry had done the same thing. “He said things to Gail he probably shouldn’t have. Probably wouldn’t have if he let some time pass and his heart heal.”

“Gail had no right to try and use Mr. Houdini’s reputation in such a self-serving way.”

“Who am I to judge? Harry and I—”

He turned his gaze to her and reached out, taking her hand. “Mrs. Houdini. The two of you may have made mistakes, but your heart is good. You saw the errors and changed your ways. Mr. Houdini even warned others. The new lady of the house had a coal-black heart filled with envy.”

“Did she have to die for that?” Bess waited for an answer, but his stare was vacant, as if everything inside him was gone. She’d sensed pain and torment before, but now, he was numb.

“With her gone, the trouble that’s surrounding you is going to lift and go away. Your soul’s mate is back. He will stand by you, protect you and love you. You’ll never have to be alone again, not in this existence or any other.”  He looked away from her and toward the flowers.

Maybe Bess should have been scared. Here she sat with a man who’d just admitted to killing her friend in the name of everlasting love, but all she could feel was overwhelming sadness. Maybe Joseph had a point. Maybe Martin should have honored Louise a little every now and then. Gail certainly should have allowed him to. They both should have realized the heart’s capacity for love.

Joseph moved from his knees to sit in the grass next to her.  He folded his legs and drank again from the flask. Bess let her eyes wander to the flowers, but her attention was caught by the dark, oily stains on his shoes.

Just like the rags on her back porch the previous morning.

“Did you burn down my house?” she asked.

“No one was paying attention to the little things, Mrs. Houdini. I had to do something big, something that would cause everyone to suspect Martin.”

She had to lift her hand to her face to block the strong odor on his breath — licorice. Like the tea Erich accused Joseph of tainting.

“I don’t know how that man of yours survived the poison, but that proved to me he was here for you. I couldn’t make another attempt on his life after the angel came to me.”

“An angel?”
The same one that Erich spoke of?