Worship You

Chapter Twenty-two - Visitation

"Harper," Edwards yelled, "You have a visitor. Let's go." 

I wasn't expecting anybody but I was excited to get out of the block and into the Out Buildings, the connection between Juvee Dee and the world.  

Edwards waved at me impatiently and I put out my hands to be cuffed. Edwards squeezed them so tight that they hurt. He was like my old guard Cummings that way. 

The only time we're ever handcuffed is when we go to see visitors. Then we have to cross an open area that's very near the woods. Long time ago a guy ran at the fence, went over it and disappeared. They caught him later, but they never got over it and we have to pay. 

They took the cuffs off before I went in. When I was well inside the room I saw there was only one person at the plexi windows. It was one of the Weird Sisters, the two women that supported Cassie during the trial. It was the one with the white streak in her hair. She was sitting perfectly still. Not moving. Those little fidgets and twitches that the ordinary person does when they're waiting and nervous about meeting someone or bored waiting for a train or a bus, she didn't do that. She sat still and calm as a stone, her eyes fixed on something in the middle distance only she could see. Totally still.  

I walked across the room and sat down in the chair at the window. I picked up the phone. I tapped on the window and pointed at her phone. She seemed to wake up and picked up the receiver and put it to her ear. 

"Hello David," she said, "how are you feeling?" 

"How do I look?" 

"Not so bad for somebody who's been confined for six months." 

"Who are you? They didn't say." 

"You know who I am." 

I ignored that.  

"We haven't been introduced." 

"You figured it out right away. I'm Elaine. Cassie's mother's sister. Cassie's aunt. Cassie asked me to visit you, tell you that she is all right. And tell you that she's very grateful to you." 

"She should be. Why haven't I heard from her? From Cassie herself, I mean." 

"She can't communicate with you. You must understand that. They tried to show that there was some guilty knowledge between you, that you planned the murder together. They failed. Cassie does not want to give them any reason to suspect otherwise. She wants to be left alone. She wants the authorities to forget about her." 

"That's great for her. Meanwhile I'm here in jail." 

"She understands. She asked me to get you anything you need. There is a lot we can do for you, even in here." 

"We?" 

"Yes. We. My sister and I. And Cassie." 

"Doesn't Cassie have a message for me? Anything?" 

"She says be patient. Be calm. You mustn't get into any trouble. Have you had trouble in here?" 

"Not that much." 

"That's good. Keep it up. The only thing they understand here is obedience. It's what they like. So give it to them. They need to like you. They need to think you like them. Then they'll let you go." 

"I'm working on it." 

"Good. We want to help you. We're very grateful. I personally am very grateful." 

"Why's that?" 

She shrugged. "I'm glad he's dead. Aside from the horrible way he treated Cassie, I've always suspected that he murdered my sister Helen." 

"Cassie's mom?" 

"Helen. That's right. Helen would never have disappeared like that. Without a word to us. We suspected it at the time. But we couldn't prove anything. They never found a body. She might be alive, but I doubt it. I know he seemed like a stupid drunk. But he was sly and cunning. That's how he caught Helen. He was very attractive when he was young. And she fell for it. She never looked deep. She was the baby and she was trusting. And he got away with it. Until you came along." 

I started getting a little paranoid, her talking this way in the middle of a corrections facility. They listen in, you know. Not always, but they listen. 

"Well thanks, but there's nothing I need." 

"We'll send you some things anyway. In your mother's name." 

"I just want to get out of here." 

"Then be patient and calm. Behave yourself. That's all they understand. If you're smart, you'll be out of here in another six months." 

And she was almost right.