| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted September 18, 2021 | Chapters: |
...55 56 -57- 58... 
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Voodoo takes center stage
A chapter in the book Secrets in the Wind
Secrets in the Wind - Chap 57
by Begin Again
| Background Jack McKinley's recent death appears to be suspicious. The investigation of one crime leads to another and so many other secrets in the wind. |
The Hayden sheriff’s department was a small but complex facility. It housed the police officers, Department of Child Services, and the Office of the Fire Investigators. The interrogation room was in a tightly contained area, so all criminals, suspects, and witnesses entered or left the facility through a series of locked bars and steel doors.
Cassidy hadn’t prepared herself for the emotions that engulfed her as Allie wheeled her inside. As she sat outside the first set of locked gates, her heart raced, and she struggled for air.
Alerted by Cassidy’s small, quick gasps, Allie asked, “Cassidy, are you okay?”
Cassidy jerked her head around and looked up at her friend. “I hadn’t expected this rush of fear. Crazy, huh?”
“No, it’s not crazy. You were traumatized and almost lost your life. It’s a normal emotion. We don’t have to do this.”
“Of course, I have to do it, Allie. If I can help find Annie before it’s too late, I’m giving it my all. Besides, Sofia believes I am dead, remember?”
Allie chuckled, “Oh my God, I forgot. You are going to give this woman a heart attack.”
“Payback! She deserves it,” Allie grinned. “Let’s go play ghost.”
Allie pushed the wheelchair through the gates while Cassidy took a deep breath and exhaled. “You’ve got this, Cassidy.”
A police officer escorted the women down a hallway to a small cafeteria. Allie positioned the wheelchair near the bullet-proof window with Cassidy’s back facing the tables. Garth, Hank, and the Sheriff were in an adjoining room behind a one-way window. Two officers escorted Sofia to the table where Allie waited. Her eyes darted to the woman in the wheelchair, to Allie, and around the room.
Allie couldn’t help but notice how unkempt Sofia appeared. Her gray hair was windblown, and smears of dirt dotted her tan face. The morning’s escape fiasco claimed a ripped dress-sleeve as a reminder of Sofia’s failed attempt to flee.
Allie wore her investigative reporter face. Her expressions didn’t reveal any emotions except a hard, icy stare. “Do you know who I am, Mrs. Sanchez?”
Sofia nodded her head. “Si.” Sofia fidgeted with her hands, continuously glancing toward the person in the wheelchair. An officer standing nearby restricted her view.
“Your no comprendo will not work with me. I was in the courtroom when you spoke fluent English.” Allie smiled. “When you testified in the murder trial. The testimony responsible for sending Cassidy to prison.”
Sofia’s eyes widened, and the muscles in her throat tightened as she swallowed the unpleasant taste in her mouth. “That woman—she did a bad thing.”
“You know what I think, Sofia? I think you did the bad thing, not Cassidy. I believe you lied for your employer and sent an innocent woman to prison where another inmate stabbed her.”
Frightened, Sofia snapped at Allie, “No, she argued with Mrs. Caldwell over her husband.” Remembering her claim of no comprendo, she hesitated and then added, “She poisoned her drink.”
A satisfied grin replaced Allie’s icy stare. “We both know that’s not true, don’t we, Sofia?”
“It’s the truth. If Cassidy were alive, you could make her tell—”
“What would I say, Sofia?” Cassidy spun the wheelchair around and rolled it toward the table. Sofia’s eyes were wide as saucers, and she leaned sideways in her chair. Cassidy approached the table. “I’d say you lied for Mason. Maybe you slipped the poison in the drink.”
“You—Mason said—you’re dead.” Sofia’s words were choppy. “How?”
“Maybe I’m not dead or—” A burst of laughter exploded from deep inside Cassidy’s chest. “I’m a spirit.” She leaned toward the terrified woman. “Seeking revenge.”
Allie struggled to conceal her amusement with Cassidy’s play on Sofia’s beliefs about spirits. The housekeeper was trembling.
“No! Senor Mason made me. He threatened—” Sofia looked away and focused on the floor.
Cassidy saw her advantage and reached out to touch the woman, but Sofia jerked her hand away. “You’re afraid of a dead woman in a wheelchair?”
“Si! You want my soul.” Sofia’s upper eyelids raised, and the lower ones were tight as her fear turned to frantic apprehension. “Please, forgive me.”
Cassidy glanced at Allie and then at the guards. She closed her eyes, chanting. Sofia screamed, “Stop her. Save me.” She pushed her chair from the table, but the guard’s hand was firm on her shoulder. “Oh. Dio Mio! I am sorry.”
Cassidy knew of Sofia’s voodoo beliefs, but the woman’s vehement reaction still stunned her. Cassidy chanted a string of strange words before asking, “Your son?” She opened her eyes slowly, murmuring “Miguel.” Speaking louder, she added, “Where is he?”
“Miguel? He ran away.” Sofia’s voice quivered. “It was not Miguel who poisoned the wife.”
Cassidy chanted her strange mumblings, but louder. She jerked her head toward Sofia. “I need your son.”
“Not Miguel,” she wailed. “I do not know where he is. Not my son.”
Cassidy screamed the chant and the wide-eyed Sofia screamed in fear for her life.
Allie moved to the chair beside Sofia and reached for her hand. “Sofia, you’ve angered the spirits.”
“No, no, senora, I do not know where Miguel is. I would tell her if I did.” Sofia’s body was trembling.
“Is there a cabin in the foothills?” Allie pressed Sofia while Cassidy rolled the wheelchair back and forth, moaning.
“Si, Mr. Mason has a cabin.”
“Where? Tell me where it is?” Allie bit her lower lip, waiting for Sofia to share the precious information.
“There is no address, just a cabin hidden in the foothills.” Cassidy spun the wheelchair and rolled toward Sofia. The terrified woman wailed, “I can take you! I can take you.”
Garth tapped his knuckles on the one-way window, and the door opened. He entered the room, followed by Hank and the Sheriff. Allie smiled, “Good.”
Allie walked to Cassidy and pushed the wheelchair toward the exit door. She stopped, leaned down to Cassidy, and then turned back to Sofia. “She says you better be telling the truth or she’ll be back. You understand?”
“Si!”
“Good. Go with these men. Show them the cabin.”
Allie exited the room, pushing Cassidy down the hall before they burst into wild, hysterical laughter. Allie leaned against the wall, holding her sides.
When Allie could finally catch her breath, she asked, “Girl, you scared that woman to death. I thought she was going to have a heart attack. Where did all that come from?”
A huge grin crossed Cassidy’s face. “The voodoo? I starred as Marie Laveau, a voodoo priestess, in ‘Voodoo Queen in New Orleans’ when I was in college. Drama was one of my majors.”
“You were outstanding. Now let’s hope Miguel is at the cabin.”
Cassidy exhaled as they left the sheriff’s department. “I’m glad we tricked her, but I never want to go back to that place.”
“Right! Let’s go back to the ranch. The guys will take it from here.”
 Recognized |
Theodore (Ted) and Meredith Cranston - previous owners of Sweet Haven Estates
Jack McKinley - present owner of Sweet Haven Estates - deceased
Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley - Jack's widow and owner of Sweet Haven Estates
Alyssa Shelton - (Allie) Liz's best friend and an Investigative Journalist
Darryl Pennington - Estate Foreman for past and previous owners
Mary Hunter - Retired nurse and current caregiver of Faith and Annie
Faith Cranston-Newton - daughter of the Ted and Meredith Cranston
Annie Cranston-Newton - Faith's daughter
Sebastian - the lovable St. Bernard and Annie's companion
Dr. Eugene Copeland - the local physician
Sofia Sanchez - Mason Caldwell's housekeeper
Miguel Sanchez - vineyard supervisor
Jon Saladino - Priest and much more
Cassidy Rotello - assistant of Mason Caldwell
Mason Caldwell - rancher and owner of a gambling casino
Garth Woodman - (Jeremy) Undercover FBI
Hank Armato - Private Investigator
Emmy Armato - Hank's wife and also retired detective
Cynthia - librarian, historian, town gossip, and wanna-be detective
Michael - realtor and Cynthia's nephew
Tango, Poppa, Howard, Pete - FBI agents
Tito - one of Mason's henchmen
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Jack McKinley - present owner of Sweet Haven Estates - deceased
Elizabeth (Liz) McKinley - Jack's widow and owner of Sweet Haven Estates
Alyssa Shelton - (Allie) Liz's best friend and an Investigative Journalist
Darryl Pennington - Estate Foreman for past and previous owners
Mary Hunter - Retired nurse and current caregiver of Faith and Annie
Faith Cranston-Newton - daughter of the Ted and Meredith Cranston
Annie Cranston-Newton - Faith's daughter
Sebastian - the lovable St. Bernard and Annie's companion
Dr. Eugene Copeland - the local physician
Sofia Sanchez - Mason Caldwell's housekeeper
Miguel Sanchez - vineyard supervisor
Jon Saladino - Priest and much more
Cassidy Rotello - assistant of Mason Caldwell
Mason Caldwell - rancher and owner of a gambling casino
Garth Woodman - (Jeremy) Undercover FBI
Hank Armato - Private Investigator
Emmy Armato - Hank's wife and also retired detective
Cynthia - librarian, historian, town gossip, and wanna-be detective
Michael - realtor and Cynthia's nephew
Tango, Poppa, Howard, Pete - FBI agents
Tito - one of Mason's henchmen
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