Subj: Dark Light -- 6
Date: 3/26/99
From: Flashman
Chapter 6-The House Across the Street
Blake arose at 7:00 a.m., showered, and dressed. The process took only thirty minutes. It usually took longer but Blake hurried this time because she wanted to check out the new neighbors across the street. A fruitcake had been sent to her yesterday as a gift from her father's new wife, Amanda Spaulding, in California. When it had arrived Blake hadn't known what to do with it. she hated fruitcakes. Probably why Amanda had sent it. Now, she thought, it could be put to good use. She'd take it across the street and use it as a welcoming gift.
Blake put on a jacket, grabbed the fruitcake, and walked across the street to the house. She rang the doorbell. The dissheveled man whom she had observed last night answered the door. He smelled of cheap liquor. Blake had been hoping for the other man.
"Hello," she said. "I'm Blake Marler. I live in the house across the street." She pointed to her house.
"I just happened to see you unloading things into this house last night and I thought I'd come over this morning and welcome you to the neighborhood. I brought this fruitcake over as a gift."
"Thanks lady," the man replied.
"Are you buying this house or renting it?" asked Blake. "It's been empty for a long time."
"Just renting. Only I'm not the one renting it. My friend, Barnabas Collins, is the one. I'm only helping him move in. My name's Willie. Willie Loomis."
"Pleased to meet you, Willie Loomis."
Blake offered her hand and Willie shook it. His hand was very sweaty and he looked like he had a bad hangover. Still, no need to offend him. From what he had said his friend was the one moving in. Blake didn't want to get off on the wrong foot. She had always tried to be a good neighbor.
Blake glanced inside the house. There didn't appear to be any furniture inside except for a few fixtures.
"How come the house is empty? It doesn't look like you've moved much of anything in," noticed Blake.
"Just a few personal belongings. The rest of Mr. Collins' stuff is being shipped from Maine. That's where we came from," was the response.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I should have guessed that. I saw you guys carrying in some things last night. I just assumed you had more. Oh, were you bringing them in coffins?"
"Coffins," Willie laughed nervously. "What would we be doing with coffins? Those were just trunks full of personal stuff for Mr. Collins."
"Well, it was dark when I saw you. They kinda looked like coffins to me. Just thought I'd ask. By the way, is Mr. Collins awake? I'd like to meet him, too."
"No, he got up earlier and left. He does that. He's an early riser."
"But I only saw one vehicle pull up last night and it's still parked in your driveway," observed Blake.
"Oh Mr. Collins, he don't drive. He has a depth perception problem or something. He either walks or takes the bus," replied Willie. Annie was right, he thought to himself. This woman sure is nosy.
"Well, we have a fine public transportation system here in Springfield. Be sure and tell him that I stopped by to welcome him to the neighborhood. Is he going to be home tonight? Maybe I can stop by then."
"I don't know for sure. I'm just the one who drove him out here. He'll be home when he gets home, I guess," Willie sure wished this woman would leave. All her questions were making him nervous.
"Oh, one more thing," said Blake.
Jeez, this woman is beginning to sound like Columbo, thought Willie.
"What does Mr. Collins do, for a living, I mean," asked Blake.
"He's going to work for Spaulding. Sales, I think," was the response.
"That's nice. Tell him that I'll try to stop by tonight and introduce myself," said Blake, who then turned and walked away in the direction of her house.
"Bye lady, thanks for the fruitcake. I'll tell Mr. Collins you stopped by."
Whew, Willie thought the woman would never leave. Just our luck we have a nosy neighbor like that snooping around. Kinda like David was when he was a kid and used to sneak around the old house in Collinsport. Then again, what did he care?
Soon, he'd be on his way back to Collinsport. He sure hoped Gary Johnson, Harry's son, was taking care of the grounds at Collinwood like he was supposed to. Willie had called David in Florida from Carolyn's house and informed him that Gary might be there when David returned from vacation. Maybe I'll just keep Gary and get rid of you, had been David's response.
They'd gotten lucky getting this particular house on the same night they arrived in Springfield. A real estate office had happened to be open late and Barnabas quickly closed the deal. The agent must have been desperate to do something with this house. Barnabas had signed the rental agreement and was handed the keys to the house, sight unseen. Barnabas told the agent that he would only need the house for about six months and it didn't really matter to him what condition the house was in.
They had plenty of money now, too. Willie planned to leave soon and see if he could buy or rent some furniture. He'd see about buying some new clothes for Barnabas and Annie, too. Willie had managed to hock a couple of the more expensive pieces of jewelry for a good price in New York. He'd pocketed a little of the money for himself. Barnabas wouldn't mind, he was sure.
The drive to Springfield had been mercifully uneventful. Annie did most of the driving because she said his made her nervous. Barnabas had agreed with Annie. They would stop in campgrounds and stay during the day and drive mostly at night. A couple of the campground people had looked at Willie funny when he would explain what he wanted but there hadn't been any problems.
They had moved in the coffins last night. Him and Barnabas. Annie had shape-shifted into a bat. She didn't want to be recognized on her first night back in Springfield. Once everything from the van had been unloaded and the doors were locked, Annie had shape-shifted back into her human form. Annie informed Barnabas about going over to Blake Marler's house and chasing her around it.
Barnabas had chided Annie about that. This business is very serious. It's not a game. Doing something silly like that could have repercussions. Annie had bowed her head and promised not to do something like that again. But still, it was fun, she had said. Willie knew Annie didn't care much for her new neighbor. That woman sure was nosy.
Willie decided to head into Springfield and take a look around. It may be the only chance he would have to get a look at the place. Besides, he still had to get some furniture and some clothes. To be accurate he had written down both Barnabas and Annie's measurements. Both Annie and Barnabas were in their coffins. The door to the basement was securely locked, he had made sure of that. He pulled the van out of the driveway onto the street. The woman who'd rung his doorbell earlier, Blake Marler, that's what she said her name was, was walking out her door and heading to her car. A Volvo. She smiled and waived at Willie. He smiled and waived back. No need to make her suspicious by acting surly. She appeared to be heading off to work. That meant she wouldn't be snooping around during the daytime. Good, Willie thought.
Willie drove into downtown Springfield until he found a furniture store. He parked the van, walked inside, and began to talk turkey with the salesman. Willie picked out several pieces including a couch, two chests of drawers, and dining room furniture. He pulled out a wad of cash and paid for them on the spot. He informed the salesman he would return the following day to purchase some more. He told the man that his boss was redecorating his home. Which was true. Willie had some of the pieces loaded into his van. He gave the man in the store the delivery address and told him to deliver the rest after five o'clock. There wouldn't be anyone home until then, he said. Fine, the man had replied.
Willie drove around town and finally ended up on 5th Street. This was in the older, working class section of Springfield. It was now 11:45 a.m. He saw a diner on the street. Buzz's, the neon sign in the window said. Good a place as any for a bite to eat. Willie parked the van on the street just down from Buzz's and entered the place.
He ordered a cheeseburger, some fries, and a beer. The waitress who served him had short, blonde hair. Kinda dorky looking but she had a nice ass. The waitress said her name was Harley and that her father owned the place and she helped out part-time. When she wasn't at the diner she said she co-owned and operated a small private detective agency. Good to know, thought Willie. He was alert to any potential trouble. He'd talk to Annie and see if she knew this woman.
Willie had always had an easy going way with waitresses and barmaids. They would talk to him freely and openly. Maybe he did look gentle as a lamb, like Maggie had said a few nights ago, the night Annie had freed Barnabas. Willie then looked up at the counter. Behind the cash register stood the best looking woman he'd seen in a long while. Even better looking than Annie. She had brown hair and was tall and slender. Like a model on the cover of a magazine. He immediately flagged down Harley, his waitress.
"Hey Harley, who's that chick behind the cash register? Is she single? I'd sure like to meet her."
"Sorry, mister. That's Eleni. She's my sister-in-law. She manages this place. Her husband's a cop," revealed Harley.
Good to know, thought Willie. He sure didn't want to bring down any trouble by hitting on a cop's wife. Willie finished his food, downed his beer, and paid his tab. The good looking woman at the cash register told him to have a nice day and to come again. As he walked out into the street, Willie once again thought about what might have been.
Once on the street, Willie decided to continue his jaunt around Springfield. He asked directions to the Spaulding place. When he arrived there he idled the van and took a long look at it. Some spread. Almost as big as Collinwood. That's where Annie and Barnabas would be spending a lot of time if everything worked out. Willie soon moved on. He didn't want to have to be told by the cops. They might think he was casing the place for a robbery.
Willie decided to head back to the house Barnabas had rented. The furniture guys might be there earlier than he told them to. If that happened he wanted to make sure they didn't stumble onto anything they weren't supposed to. He then turned on the radio in the van. It was a miracle it was still working after all these years. He listened to a news broadcast that said there was still no trace of the notorious Annie Dutton, who had recently escaped from an Ohio prison. The report then gave a brief history of her escapades while she was in Springfield. Boy, thought Willie. She sure shook this place up. She'd shake things up again unless he missed his guess.
Willie pulled into the driveway, got out of the van, and went into the house. He unloaded the pieces of furniture that had been put in the back of his van earlier. After that he simply waited. The furniture delivery men showed up at 4:30. Early, just like he figured. Probably wanted to get off work as soon as possible and drink some beer. Willie couldn't blame them. He let them inside and they moved in the furniture. They finished quickly, before sundown. The longest part was getting the two chests of drawers upstairs to the bedrooms. Willie gave both men a $10.00 tip. They smiled, said thanks, and departed.
At sundown Barnabas and Annie both appeared. Annie spoke first, "So Willie, how was your day? What do you think about the fair city of Springfield?"
Willie informed them about his adventures of the day. He told Annie and Barnabas about Blake Marler's visit in the morning.
"She could be trouble," said Annie. "She's the biggest snoop and busybody in town. Always sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. Ask my friend Dinah."
"Perhaps I'd better pay a call on our Mrs. Marler. No need to act suspicious. We want her to think I'm just an ordinary, garden variety neighbor," said Barnabas.
Annie agreed. Barnabs would call on Blake. Be a good neighbor. Perhaps even win
her confidence.
