Chapter 3: Chapter 3
I had the arrowhead placed somewhere where Robert
would never find it. At least I hope he doesn’t I’m getting
sick and tired of his childish games but if I say anything
to anyone my wife will think I’m crazy again and send me
away again. It was fun when I was a kid but now I could
do without all his nonsense. My wife is wanting kids and
I’m scared that Robert might do something to hurt them.
I can’t live my life in constant fear of what Robert will do
to the ones I love so I think I need to get rid of him. Or at
least put him somewhere where he can’t hurt anyone the
question is where is a place like that. I should go look for
a place to put him and if he wants I can give him the
arrowhead back so he can play with it or something.
I frowned down at the journal once I finished reading the entry. It was obvious Robert was beginning to be too much for him. I didn’t know if I should read another entry and was trying to decide if I should when my phone rang.
I picked it up without looking at the caller id “ Yello ”.
“ Have you been ignoring me, Bella ”?
I nearly groaned out loud when I heard my sister's voice on the phone.
“ What do you want, Cece ”?
I could hear the frown in her voice as she said “ maybe I want to know how it’s going with Mimi’s case. I mean she’s my Grandmother too you know ”.
I sighed and debated whether I should tell her the truth or not then decided against it.
“ When I went to the police station they said that whoever called was not them because there were no new leads in the case, I’m still going to stay here a couple of weeks to visit old places I’ve been to though ”.
Cece was quiet for a moment before she asked softly “ are you ok ”?
I couldn’t help the wince that went through me as I thought ‘ I’m able to see ghosts with a pair of reading glasses I left here years ago, a ghost man with a hook is following me everywhere, I was able to talk to a doll that spoke back to me, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to break into at least one of the places on a list given to me by a ghost because I don’t think every place on this list has a ghost that will let me in and I only have a certain time to find an object for a doll that has been lost for centuries, not in that order of course so no not I’m pretty sure I’m going crazy ,.
Of course, I couldn’t say all that so I just said: “ I’ll be fine ”.
Before she could say or ask anything else I hung up and turned my phone on silent, I then noticed I was near the butterfly conservatory. It was a place I went to with Mimi when we were here ten years ago, it took us a while to find because supposedly Key West messes up the GPS. I debated with myself for a second before I went inside, I was stressed out from everything that had happened and I'm hoping walking through here will help me relax and clear my mind so I can think.
I approached the lady at the front and said " one adult ticket please ".
She smiled at me " that would be $15 ".
I opened my purse the only thing that I brought with me because I was in such a hurry to get here and was taking out my wallet when she asked.
" Wait are you the author I. R. Klos "?
I blinked at her in surprise " umm yeah how did you know "?
She gave me an excited smile while reaching down and pulling something out from under the counter, it was my book Jack the Copycat.
" I just recently started reading your copycat series and I can't seem to be able to put it down it's a great book and I have to ask are you writing another book I'm told there are only two "?
I nodded " yeah there's fourteen I'm in the middle of writing the third one though I decided to take a break for a little bit ".
Her eyes widened " fourteen wow that's a lot I better finish reading the first two before you finish writing the third ".
I nodded not saying anything as I handed her the money before putting my wallet back in my purse, she smiled at me as she said.
" Have a great time ".
I didn't respond back as I walked into the first room, you're probably wondering what was that back there. Well after Mimi disappeared I stopped procrastinating on my writing and actually started doing it. I guess Mimi disappearing was my motivation or something like that.
I finished writing book after book kinda like I was obsessed Or something. Then I would self-publish on Amazon and it went off from there. I still make my own book covers though I do have some made by my friend Husky and I make sure to credit her in the book that she made the cover for. My book Jack the Copycat was spotted by a publisher and they wanted to publish it in paperback.
A lot has happened in the years that have passed though something that didn't change is Gigi and Papa are still alive, Gigi is still up and cleaning. Though Papa needs a little more help than he use to but he's still alive, I didn't hesitate when the police called to come over here. Of course, it wasn't the police but I didn't know that at the time anyway, I made sure Uncle was there to help Gigi with Papa if she needed it.
Cece well surprisingly she did become a special ed teacher, at least I think that's what you call it I'm not sure though. I thought she would change her mind like she did when she said she didn't want to go into the military anymore, let's be honest with ourselves Cece would never be able to be in the military. I'm not saying that as if it was a bad thing it's not I'm saying that because it's true.
Me and Cece have never really seen eye to eye as some say but at least we talk a lot more on the phone than we use to, it's not much but it's something right. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice I had walked out into the butterfly enclosure until I heard a voice ask.
" Quite peaceful isn't "?
I spun around so fast that I nearly fell but I was able to right myself and glared at the person I turned too which of course was the man with a hook for a hand.
" Do you have to keep appearing like that "?
He just chucked before he grew somber " this is the first time you took more than a ten-minute break from writing in ten years isn't it "?
I shrugged " I guess readers are brutal and if you don't publish at a certain date they will get restless ".
He nodded " I guess you're right but when did you starting writing for your readers and not yourself "?
Getting irritated from all his questions I glared at him " I don't see why it matters ".
He was quiet for a moment before he asked " where are you going to next "?
I pulled the list out " I think I should go to the lighthouse museum next ".
" Hmm, it's light out so you should probably go do something until dark maybe get some sleep, though I think you should answer your phone first your Grandmother Gigi has called you quite a few times ".
Before I could say anything else he already disappeared so I fished my phone out of my pocket and saw that Gigi has called me five times. I instantly called her back hoping that something bad didn't happen for her to call me so many times in a row.
" Hey, Gigi is something wrong "?
" Shouldn't I be asking you that "?
I frowned " what do you mean "?
She sighed " Cece told me that the call was a prank call or something like that and there were no new leads in the case but you are still staying ".
I winced " I'm fine Gigi I needed a break from writing anyways ".
" Yes I've been telling you that you needed a break for a while," she said agreeing with me.
" Yeah I know Gigi as I said I'm fine and I'll see you in a week or two ".
"All right stay safe," she said before hanging up.
I wasn't sure what I wanted to do before nightfall but I knew I was hungry so first I would finish up in here before walking around to look for something to eat. I fished my phone out of my pocket and was about to look up a place to eat when my phone rang, the caller id said it was Doc so I decided to answer.
" Hey Doc what's up "?
" I was wondering if you want to have breakfast with me at Harpoon Harry's "?
"All right I have nothing else to do at the moment, what's the address I'll meet you there "?
He listed off the address before pausing for a second and then asking " so what's the new lead on Betty's case "?
I sighed " there was no lead the police said it might have been a prank call ".
I could hear the frown in his voice as he said " people must be sick to do something as messed up like that ".
I nodded in agreement before realizing he actually couldn't see me " yeah I'm still staying for a week or two though, anyways I'll meet you at the restaurant ".
"All right I'll see you there and Bella I'm sure Betty will turn up sooner or later though I'm not sure in what condition ".
I frowned " what do you mean "?
He sighed " it has been ten years Bella and you have to expect the worse after all these years ".
I glared at the phone " I'll see you there Doc ".
Before he could say anything I had hung up the phone and not wanting to walk I ordered a cab on my phone and sat on the bench in front of the enclosure waiting for it. After a minute or two I got bored so I pulled out one of the books I brought with me and put on my reading glasses, I had forgotten that it was converted to allow me to see ghosts so when I looked up I nearly screamed in fright. In the middle of the road was a ghost with tire tracks through it, the image of the ghost was kind of hazy so I couldn't see if it was a girl or boy but I could clearly see the blood dripping from a gash on its head.
" Hey, are you ok "?
I look towards the voice to see that the driver of the cab was leaning over his passenger seat with his window open looking at me with a concerned face. I must have had some reaction to the ghost to make him worried so I gave him a forced grin and a nod before throwing my reading glasses into my purse and getting into the back of the cab. He was quite plain compared to what I saw which is the best for me right now, what did stand out though was the New York cap he was wearing.
" I'm fine I thought I had seen something ".
He shook his head as he started driving " yeah it looks like you saw a ghost ".
I winced and forced a laugh " nope ghosts aren't real ".
He chuckled " maybe so but as my Ma always said there's truth behind the legends ".
I nodded " I was told something like that once though it was based on books, I love to read ".
" Yeah, I saw you reading something when I pulled up, what was it about "?
" It was based in the olden days and the dead are coming to life, I was at the part where she went to these people who might be able to help get her brother back from the person who was raising the dead when the alarm to alert people of the dead rang ".
He hummed " I'm not one to read but that does sound interesting "?
I nodded in agreement " it is I was searching for a book to read in the library to read while I took a break from writing, I've had it since I was a kid but didn't want to read it then it was at the very back of my bookshelf ".
" So your an author I should have known my Ma always said reading and writing are always together ".
I laughed " sometimes yes but not always, I know at least one person who loves writing who hates reading I thought them crazy at first but you must never judge people by their preferences ".
He nodded " wise words for someone so young but then again you must have lived many lives within your books ".
I nodded " I was once told that I had an old soul ".
Having nothing else to say we both fell into silence and I started surveying the world outside the cab, there were tourists, families, etc walking around. They were going into the different stores and having a great time, it was hard not to feel pain when I was seeing that because only ten years ago I was here walking around with Mimi having fun. Now I'm here trying to find her and after what Doc said hoping she was alive.
I guess it was hard not to expect she's dead after all these years but I have to hope she's alive, I also hope Doc won't bring up the possibility of Mimi being dead. I was so lost in thoughts about Mimi and our time here ten years ago I didn't know we had arrived until the cab driver said.
" Were here ".
His voice jolted me out of my thoughts and I gave him a forced smile " how much "?
" Twenty also a title of one of the books you wrote my Ma has always said I should start reading maybe one of your books will make me more interested ".
I handed him the money and was about to give him the name of one of my books when I remembered something.
" I have a couple of copies of one of my books with me, it had come in the mail as I was about to leave so I stuffed them into my purse, " I said while I pulled out the book and gave it to him.
" Jack the Copycat sounds interesting and the cover makes it mysterious I'll give it a try ".
I nodded before getting out and saying " it was nice meeting you and I hope you like the book ".
" You too " he called back as he was driving away.
I turned to the restaurant that Doc wanted to meet at and saw a two-story building with reddish-orange paint and a white roof and overhang. The top floor looked to be some kind of apartment or something but I couldn't be sure, the bottom floor had three doors that I swear looked like a window. In front of the door to the left and the middle was a table and chairs and the one on the right was pulled completely open.
Above the middle door was the sign the read Harpoon Harry's, I walked to the door and looked around for Doc he was in the booth closest to the door reading a menu. I sat down across from him and studied the inside of the restaurant there were about four other booths, a light hanging over each booth with beautiful glass designs, there were two light blue counters with different deserts on display, the lights above it was plain compared to the ones above the booths, behind the two counters was a bar though they did have other drinks besides alcohol. When I finished studying the restaurant I studied Doc his skin was tan from the sun in Key West his hair was as white as it was the last time I saw him.
He seemed a little bit older than when I last saw him though it has been ten years so that was expected, he didn't notice me until he put the menu down.
He blinked in surprise before smiling " hey Bella it's been a while ".
I nodded in agreement " yeah ten years is quite a long time ".
He cleared his throat " yes which is why I think you should be e- ".
" Can we talk about anything else " I asked interrupting what he was about to say?
He sighed "all right how is your writing going Betty always talked a lot about your writing when she talked about you ".
I smiled " it's going great actually I self-published my books and a publisher picked up my Copycat series ".
" Really what's that about "?
" Well, the first book Jack the Copycat is where a Copycat killer started killing prostitutes in Jack the Ripper's MO, and in the first victim's mouth is the note to these two detectives in the Florida police station. Though somehow the killer knows the name they gave each other which is Wonderland and Devil boy. They were brought into the case because supposedly on they were the only one that could crack the code but the thing is they both hate each other so they have to put aside their differences and solve the case before the Copycat is able to kill as many people as Jack the Ripper ".
I handed him one of the books in my purse and he took a pair of reading glasses to read the inside sleeve.
" It looks interesting maybe I'll read it ".
I nodded but before either of us can say anything else the waiter came and asked for our order, I ordered some biscuits and gravy. It didn't take that long to get our food and for the rest of the time, we made small talk. Thankfully the subject of Mimi didn't come up again because I wasn't sure I could take him suggesting she's dead.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone