Subj: Shadows of the Past part 11
Date: 8/31/00 10:01:41 PM Central Daylight Time
From: KimD
Vicki’s first thought was to tell Barnabas what she had found out from Mrs. Johnson, but remembered her last conversation with him. She had said that she wouldn’t bother him again, and after the way things had went, she intended to keep her word.
Could the stranger really be Paul Stoddard? It would explain why Roger had been so irritable lately. She had to find out for sure. She was sure that Bob Rooney would know.
When late afternoon Vicki went to the Blue Whale. Few people were scattered around the tables and booths. She walked up to the counter where Bob Stood. “Hello Bob,” Vicki said as she approached the counter. They exchanged the usual small talk. “There was a man in here yesterday that I talked to. Was that Paul Stodard?”
“Yes, it was,” Bob said as he leaned over the counter. “That man’s trouble. I’ve known that since I first seen him come in here looking for that girl.”
“What girl?”
“She was a dark haired girl with a baby. I think her name was Moreen. It seemed odd to me at the time because not long after that another guy came looking for her. I don’t remember much about him, except that he said he was her.”
“Thank you,” Vicki said as she turned toward the door.
As she stepped out onto the street Barnabas approached her. “I was told you were her,” he said.
“Then you were looking for me. Why? I’ve already said that I would leave you alone.”
“Vicki, I’m sorry for last night. I was only trying to think of what was best. But I can’t stay away from you any longer.”
“I can’t keep doing this. Whenever I get to close you push me away. You have to make up your mind. I know we can’t really be together. But you can ’t keep pushing me away. I want to be there for you. But you won’t let me.”
“I didn’t come here to continue this fight. Friends?”
“Friends.” She smiled happy that she was no longer being shut out of his life. She told him what she had found out about Paul Stoddard.
They went to the Collinsport Inn, in hopes of finding Paul. The desk clerk pointed them to room 308. They went up the steps to the third floor. They found room 308, knock, and received no answer. “I’m sure that he knows something about Moreen,” Vicki said.
After finding that the door was locked Barnabas said, “Wait here. I’ll get us in.” He walked down the hall, and a few minutes later he opened the door from inside the room. Vicki didn’t ask how he got in. She already knew that he came in through the window. She looked around the hall, afraid of being seen. She quickly stepped inside and locked the door behind her.
A breeze was coming from the open window blowing the curtains around. The room was cream colored with shag carpeting and dull green curtains and bedding. A suitcase laid open on the bed as if Paul was in the process of packing to leave. As they lifted the clothes out of the suitcase a flash of a gold chain could be seen in one of the pants pockets. Vicki reached in the pocket and removed a gold locket. “Moreen’s locket,” Vicki said as she held it. “He took this out of my room.” They finished looking through the suitcase but found nothing else unusual. They replaced the clothes, and looked around the room. A picture laid face down on the nightstand. Barnabas turned it face up. They were shocked at the wedding photo they saw. The couples seemed happy, in spite of what would be a disastrous future. The picture was of Paul and Moreen.