Excerpt:
Billy said, “I am seeing someone tied up in the back of a red van. I think it is Paulster. He is still alive but he is in danger.” In Billy’s mind he could see Dioson driving the van. Billy said, “He is damn witch hunter.”
Daniel cocked his head at Billy’s words and the angry emotion in his voice when he said, “Damn witch hunter.” In a questioning tone Daniel whispered, “Witch hunter?”
Arthur smiled at Billy’s words. He understood Billy’s sentiment all so well. Arthur guessed that Billy was more than just a psychic.
Hearthville Serial 4
Book 4 : A Paranormal Suspense Gangster Horror
By Charles Peters
Copyright 2019
All Rights Reserved
Chapter 6
(Victor’s other personality) and Dioson.
Nat stared at Daniel and Daniel stared at Nat as he walked closer to Nat. Daniel smelled the moonshine on Nat’s breath. He smelled the cigar.
Nat asked, “Are you angry at me for going on the Ramsey property? I know we are trespassing.”
Daniel said, “I come over here all the time and also I check on the mansion. Arthur is fine with that. I will let him know that you are part of the family and you can be trusted.”
Billy asked, “What about the moonshiner operating on the Ramsey land?” Billy giggled.
Nat said, “Your psychic ability is really starting to piss me off.”
Billy said, “Tell me about it. I don’t ever know when I am right or wrong. I could have sworn that Victor there was fighting with someone, but then he wasn’t.”
Nat thought a second. There was a flash in his mind. He stared at Victor. He couldn’t quite remember but he knew there was something to what Billy said. He shook the thought from his head with a shiver that ran down his spine to his toes. Nat repeated something his granny often said, “I feel like someone just stepped on my grave.”
To read more please enter the password. The password is 456sayata
[passster password="456sayata"]
Daniel said, “Okay, no matter of you trying to change the subject, what about the moonshiner.”
Nat said, “He is just a sweet old man. I should be ashamed that I stole the jug from him. I am ashamed that I stole the jug and cigar from him. Please do not be causing him any harm.”
Daniel asked, “Do you know who he is?”
“I am not going to squeal.”
Daniel nodded. He handed Nat a ten dollar bill. “Next time you see old Walter, give him the $10 as reparations for your thievery.”
Nat grinned. He asked, “Which side of the law are you on?”
“I am on the side that treats people right. There are certain lines that should never be crossed and there are certain lines, just go tell it to the Preacher because I don’t give a dang.” Daniel turned his attention to Victor. “So Victor, I see you’ve met my future stepson.”
Nat cocked his head. “Seriously.”
“Seriously.”
Victor said, “I’ve met Natalina a few times. With Nat, you are going to have a good family. I am happy for you.”
Nat smiled at Victor. Nat knew that the Duddley family was a big deal around town. Nat had heard Laurie Toro tell his mom that her stepbrother would take a bullet for Victor though she didn’t really explain why David Losovito felt that way.
Suddenly there was the sound of a helicopter in the air. George knew he needed to put Victor back in a dream and emerge. He guessed the helicopter was Arthur.
Billy stared up at the helicopter that was circling around the distant Mausoleum. “I think a ladder has been dropped from the helicopter.”
Daniel said, “I am pretty sure that is the helicopter of Arthur Ramsey. I wonder what his aircraft is doing hovering above the cemetery. That is odd.”
Everyone watched the helicopter sink from view for a moment. It then raised back into the air and began flying toward them. As it reached closer to them, the helicopter began to turn around in the air. A safe distance from where everyone was standing, it began to lower to the ground. Once landed, the motor to the helicopter was turned off and Arthur emerged from inside of it. Arthur wasn’t sure what kind of situation he was walking into. With a slight reluctance, he walked up to where Daniel, Billy, Nat, and either Victor or George stood. Arthur wished he knew for sure if George was still in control.
Arthur said, “Hey, Daniel, what is going on?”
“First, what was that at the cemetery.”
“I lowered some of my men to investigate a report I got. It has to do with that private matter that happened at my son’s place. We will talk.” Arthur looked at Victor. “So was anything unusual happening around here?”
Daniel said, “Nat got into a bit of trouble that his cousin Billy somehow psychically knew about. By the time Billy and I got here, luckily Victor was where he could rescue Nat.”
Arthur said, “I see. I am glad Nat is okay. You are Natalina’s son, right?”
“Yes sir. I am very pleased to meet you. Daniel said it would be okay if I come onto your property. Do I have your permission?”
Arthur smiled. “Sure. Just don’t get hurt. Victor might not always be around to rescue you.”
Daniel said, “By the way, Walter is back brewing moonshine on your property.”
“As far as I am concerned, I didn’t just hear that from you. I am not really upset about his activity on my property, but if you feel you need to arrest him then do what you must.”
Daniel nodded. “No. I will pretend I don’t know about it as well. I just thought I should mention.”
Arthur’s phone began to ring. He answered. He listened. He replied. “So someone was being held in the secret room at the mausoleum but there is no sign of Paulster McCluskey. Okay.” Arthur disconnected and put his phone away.
Daniel questioned, “You thought Paulster McCluskey was being held at the mausoleum?”
Arthur stared at Victor. He considered his words. “I got a tip that he might be held in the secret room inside of your family’s crypt at the cemetery. Someone was being kept there but they are gone.”
Daniel frowned. “So you are saying that Paulster McCluskey has been kidnapped?”
“I don’t know. I have not been able to contact him and you know the situation, that private matter.”
“Yeah.” Daniel looked at Victor and the boys. “Private matter.”
Words echoed in Nat’s mind. He remembered the man telling Victor, “You are saved this time but I am going to kill your Lazarus ass, even if it is the last thing I do.” Nat remembered Victor saying, “If I don’t kill you first.” Even as the words echoed in Nat’s mind the words didn’t make sense. They didn’t fit with his memory of what had happened. But still Nat wondered about the words as he remembered his cousin Billy suggesting Victor had been fighting with a man.
Nat stared at Victor who was now back George. Nat asked, “Was Billy right? Were you fighting with a man before you rescued me?”
George wasn’t sure what to say. He looked at Arthur. He hesitated. Then George said, “Yeah. I had driven to the Bare Family cemetery to visit Donny Maxtone’s grave and I saw someone at the mausoleum and he chased me and we got into a fight. I didn’t think it was really a big deal. I didn’t know that Paulster McCluskey might have been kidnapped.”
Daniel scratched his head. “But still why didn’t you mention that someone had attacked you?”
George said, “I didn’t think it was a big deal but I planned to mention it. I seriously do not want to have to file a formal police report though, unless it is totally necessary.”
Daniel said, “We will need to know what you can tell us about the man but we will keep the reports secret.”
Arthur said, “I was told the man who might be holding Paulster McCluskey is named Dioson. Just Dioson. I don’t know what his last name might be. I was told that he was the one pretending to be the fake Jess.”
Billy elbowed Nat. “They keep talking, that private matter is not going to be so private. We are going to know all about it.”
Nat grinned at his younger cousin. “You are a mess.”
There was a humming sound in the air and a strange wind. Daniel, George, Arthur, Nat, and Billy thought they saw something hovering above the area where the Bare Mausoleum was but then it was like it had vanished into thin air. They all seemed to notice the strangeness but then all but Arthur shrugged it off as nothing. Arthur guessed that after his call to Alice Malokey she had sent people to investigate and at least one invisible spaceship was in the area.
Daniel told Victor, “Take the boys back to the mansion if you don’t mind. I am going to fly with Arthur in the helicopter to the mausoleum to see what his men found.”
George/Victor said, “Sure. I wish Paulster had still been there. I hope I didn’t spook whoever into moving him.”
Billy said, “I am seeing someone tied up in the back of a red van. I think it is Paulster. He is still alive but he is in danger.” In Billy’s mind he could see Dioson driving the van. Billy said, “He is damn witch hunter.”
Daniel cocked his head at Billy’s words and the angry emotion in his voice when he said, “Damn witch hunter.” In a questioning tone Daniel whispered, “Witch hunter?”
Arthur smiled at Billy’s words. He understood Billy’s sentiment all so well. Arthur guessed that Billy was more than just a psychic.
Billy continued, “But I don’t think Paulster is a witch.” Billy squinted his eyes as he looked intently at the vision playing inside of his head. He rubbed his forehead as he tried to read the thoughts of the men inside of the racing vehicle that was changing lanes and dodging traffic. Billy said, “Woe, Victor, that man seriously hates you. In his mind he is still cussing that he didn’t kill you. He is so angry.” Billy could not maintain his vision coming from inside of the fleeing van. There were other thoughts trying to dance inside of Billy’s head. Those thoughts caused Billy to look at Victor and yet see more than the Victor who was presently standing in front of him. Billy saw into the past. Billy saw Victor dying in the boot of the car. That image caused Billy to gasp for air and to start to sweat from the heat he felt burning from the past.
Nat saw the pain in Billy’s face. They all saw it. They saw the sweat begin to bead on Billy’s face which was starting to turn red. Nat put his hand on Billy to try to gently break him from his seeming trance. Nat had seen his granny do similar when Billy was having what his granny had called one of Billy’s “spells.”
Billy screamed, “No. Stop.” Billy pushed Nat’s hand away.
The vision was painful for Billy but he refused to block it from his mind. Even as much as it hurt, Billy wanted to know Victor’s pain, so that he might could understand it. Then Billy partially broke from the trance and he stared with love into George’s eyes. Billy took George’s hand and cradled it to his face. Billy felt the love that Victor had for Jossette. Billy said, “I know your story now. I understand. I understand the duality for I know something of that myself.”
George knew that Billy was the Legman and the Legman was now talking through Billy. George knew that Billy was a supernatural creature. George whispered, “And I understand.”
Nat said, “Well, I don’t. What the hell?”
Daniel shook his head. He thought, “He knows Victor’s story? Earlier Billy was calling Dioson a witch hunter?” Daniel remembered Earl saying that Donny Maxtone’s murder had been about a gypsy artifact. Daniel looked hard at Nat’s cousin Billy Bingo who was holding Victor’s hand close to his face. There was such emotion on Billy’s face. Daniel patted Nat on the back. “Yeah, I am also confused.” Daniel looked at Arthur. Blankly, he asked, “Is there such a thing as witches?”
Arthur looked about. He wanted to answer Daniel’s question honestly even though he wasn’t sure Daniel was really ready to believe him. Also there was a risk that an honest answer might cause their memories to be erased. Arthur guessed the best answer was just to nod his head in the affirmative but say, “I don’t know.”
Nat puzzled. “Witches? What is Victor’s story?”
Billy let go of George’s hand and told Nat, “Victor was in love with a girl by the name of Jossette and he suffered for that love more than any man should.”
George asked, “Can you see Jossette?”
Billy said, “I am sorry.”
George said, “Sure. What about the red van with Paulster?
Billy said, “It is still traveling.”
Daniel and Arthur stared at one another. Arthur said, “I want to get my chopper back in the air and look for that red van.”
Daniel had never thought he would use a psychic in a criminal investigation. He had scoffed at the idea when the idea had been mentioned to him in the past. But there he was knowing that Billy did have true psychic ability. Daniel looked at Nat. “Would your mom and Aunt kill me if we take Billy with us?”
Nat said, “I am going also.”
Riding the four wheeler, Natalina and Hollis bounced across the pasture. Hollis skid sideways as he brought what he called the “mean machine” to a halt. Natalina jumped off the four wheeler and grabbed Nat. “Thank God you are okay.” Natalina turned to Daniel, “So Billy was wrong. Nat was not in any danger.”
Nat said, “I had fell from the ravine and I was holding on to a bush. Victor here rescued me.”
Daniel said, “Yeah, Billy was right. Nat was in trouble. But there is something else going on. Arthur and I need to get the chopper in the air to locate a suspect. We need Billy with us.”
Nat said, “I am going also.”
Natalina said, “Then so am I.”
Hollis said, “I will go back and stay with Maureen and Bess. Daniel. Don’t you let these kids get hurt.”
“I know dad. I know. But we need Billy with us.”
Hollis said, “Nat. Natalina. Why don’t you come back with me? Daniel will make sure Billy is okay.”
Arthur said, “Well. Actually. It might be good if Natalina is there to stay with Billy if we land and need to leave the helicopter.”
Nat repeated, “I am going.”
Hollis shook his head. “Okay. Whatever.”
[/passster]