Keeper of the Crossroads

pte

unsure how he had come to be driving his brother's van with the entire family loaded inside. Jamie squirmed again and tried to figure out

ne. Do you want me looking like one of those unkempt wo

" Jamie replied in a mild tone

from the first passenger's seat. "I'll have to f

hange lanes...,

ld his younger brother. "Christ Jamie,

ing that if he could keep the window down he could surr

His mother pronounced. Jamie sighed inwardly again and began rolling up the window,

ut some of the cigarette smoke scent that clung to his mother like a desperate lover, but also it would have blown wh

eys. Center frame was his older brother, alternating between frowning a

'm not made of money you know and g

pulled her purse into her lap and tugged out her half-empty pack of Virginia slims. They were menthol. Every time Jamie mentioned the

ipped it out with ease, tucked a cigarette between her lips and flicked on the lighter. The smoke

cigarette as she lit it. Jamie blocked out the words, knowing he would be paying for the cigarettes as well. Slowly he slid

ed look only a fifteen-year-old could pull off. Michael's twin eight year old boys were likewise tethered to electronics although Jamie had his suspicions that these were more of the gami

es Jamie thought this was how he lived around his family. Just flying under the radar when they were around an

t make the hea

s smoke-starved lungs and he turned slightly towards it as the smoke from his mother's cigarette was pulled towards him. Jamie knew from experience he wou

d across the street from his mother's house. He wasn't allowed to park in the driveway or even directly

ey were family. It was better they found out fam

to the sky. "It looks a little cloudy." Jamie eyed the veil of smoke around her and wo

y. 'The gutters.' He had been asked to clean them out as Michael was busy with the kids and Bella was worried about property d

u can't really get a sense of the value that way, " Michael said,

iven part of the estate to me. After all I was family and I was raising his two great nephews. We're all the family he had. Selfish man." Bella took a deep dr

was always Uncle's favorite. The only one invited to stay over

tively and training her eyes on Jamie. He kept his face blank; still t

ers at Uncle Albe's, " J

those stupid games with that crazy old man. How co

y throw his brother into a rant about his being a suck up and too stupid to know a g

ou had put forth more of an effort then you would have been written into the will as well instead of everything offic

either, " Michael muttered. Bella glared at

ly had handled Uncle Albe's estate for years. Albe's father had been great friends with one of the elder McElroy's and the connection stood. Of course Albe's father was also Jamie'

ather and when he was younger he thought that was why Albe had taken such a liking to him.

e road sign was missing and had been for quite a while. Before it went missing it had

wall. He had been out here enough times not to really need to look

mother routinely said when Albe picked up Jamie and not Michael for their summers in the woods.

front of the mirror comparing his image to the old photo he held in his hands of his grandfat

he old photo and left the room as quietly and quickly as he could. But Albe wasn't really like any other

e I remind you of my grandf

ye Jamie had not seen there before. It sparkled like anger,

amie concluded weakly, really

oloring. She had your hair and eyes, Although it looks like you got some of your build from your mother's side of the fence.

d with." Albe put the picture on a shelf. But he made sure it was a low one so Jamie underst

retty much do as I please without anyone to gain say me. I've earned that right at least. And I don't keep people I don't like around." Th

e, " Jasmine said, pulling one

sent me home." Jamie winced. Albe hated being called Al. He even preferred his

nd now, " Jamie replied. "It won't b

bore holes, as if they could dig for information like a drill. "You didn't say anything about land. Yo

egularly shaped property." Jamie thought of the map hanging i

im how to convert those to more modern, conventional measurements. Learning at Albe's had always had some sort of practical application, yet always seemed like something

ice and without turning Jamie could imagine his brother l

a while back so I'm not sure how much of it he sold." Jamie couldn't imagine Albe ever selling land. He had been

tling down his property holdings. He didn't mention the possible addition of new land to the old family holdings

tex that was his immediate family, but the last time Michael had managed to get money from Jamie had been when Jamie was twelve. It helped that

quite good at the corporate art and it beat making a living in other ways. The only annoyance was tailoring his vision to other people's visions and usage. And of course like the

xcitedly to his daughter who had al

bothering to unplug herself.

h a lot of money. Especially land li

ing out here." In the rear view mirror he had seen she had bothered to unhook one ear

n they fall from the tree, ' he

he lumber company would pay handsomely for the lot

" Bella

r echoed. "If they'd pay us for t

t being the center of attention. "We'd strategically let them cut a few here and there to still lea

overheard snippets. He knew there was a way to harvest lumber in what would be called a green or sustainable fashion, but he was also pr

ut the thin little air vent his window provided was not cutting it. He figured they were tied up enough in one of Michael's schemes that he could risk widening it. Sure en

it pays big, "

said together. Jamie tr

oked at Michael as if he had just asked them to recite the periodic table of elements. "Tourism, " he concluded. "Eve

was now looking to once again trade up the line. "Once we've sold off some of these trees and cleared a little space,

e, Jamie had been well conditioned to keep his mouth shut. Besides, this was only

as not a new thing. Just because he had been declared missing long enough to be declared legally dead d

't actually plan to have the conversation at all. He figured once they returned, he could find out a way to avoid his family, at least un

mother and Michael. Jamie glanced in the rear view mirror and remembered his niece also had a cell phone. Perhaps hers would need a

ure she remembered a house at all. Jamie recalled she had only been here once before as well. After the first t

and the air smelled like it had been freshly scrubbed. He took a deep breath inhaling the scent of pine and moist earth and the scent that all the dark places in the wild woods seemed to have. Mor

a very beautiful woman. Her body was built of long graceful lines and despite the smoking, she exercised ruthlessly and took good care of herse

her face with her black hair, like a setting for a jewel. She had pale skin like the Disney princess and bright blue eyes she could

ad given him when he had become old enough to start driving himself

tinuing down the road. No one in the van offered to drive the vehicle through the gates so he wouldn't have to get in and out of the

said. "Those gates. Keeps o

ss out here?" Jasmine

" Michael said absent

she

partment of fisheries and wildlife, but decided not to mention it. He stopped when the van was on the other side of the gate and then got out to loc

the house on the side of the property closest to the road. As he drove, talk in the van turned to how much money could be made from property sales

personal Nascar track with real cars, but as they were just wish listing he di

ict list and told not to deviate. Clearly marked at the top of the page had been NO MORE BOOKS. All of the letters had been capitali

l for a life she hoped to make more glamorous. She had aspirations. Personally he thought it was Michael

ys avoided calling her by name when in her presence and signed every car

ity to correct him. Michael had made several comments to him but was too self-absorbed to actually care whether Jamie listened or no

Jamie thought that might be the only reason she had agreed to take Michael and the kids into her home after Evangeline left. S

ll in each card and called it good. He didn't think he ev

y Jamie's voice was absent. No one asked what Jamie would buy with unlimited funds. He

y much in need of a new layer. He made a mental note to call for repairs. After all A

ll ship on rough seas. He slowed his pace to make up for conditions. From time to time he pulled hi

memories and stories he hadn't thought of in years. Finally, the road led to a clearing. A Queen Anne Victorian with peeling paint and imp

e out with what he called a notebook of discovery to jot down anything fun and fascinating he had seen in his wanderings. Sometimes the findings were forgotten knickknac

e road. The parking area was large enough for three vehicles and one was already there, with a dark hair

e held a friendly smile as Jamie slid from the van. The smile faltered a little as he noticed the rest of the family piling out o

class of 91. There had been twelve Heathers and fourteen Jennifers in their class as well. Jam

?" Jamie called his traditional

." They shook hands. "I didn't real

said running his hand through his

eutral. Jim pulled a set of ke

mie asked. "It's a little chilly

e been right,

thing was missing if he had." She snatched the keys from Jim's hand a

"I know you would never have

ell me to go on and make myself comfortable since

rusted you then there

g forward to taking a pee

Jamie asked. "I

se. Bella had reached the front door and was trying one of the k

shifted to another key. "There are different colors for each door and

long stretches before" Jamie asked, surprised at himself for voici

her time he has disappeared we'd get periodic messages regarding his property. Little things about making sure gardeners c

u?" Jamie caught the longing in his own voice and clea

now him better. There is other paperwork for you

f his nephews was sent in his direction. Jamie tried quickly to d

etely." The boy stopped ten fe

" The edge of his left front tooth was sli

Jamie said to the back of the b

the sides of her face and neck with the sweat of her efforts. His older brother didn't look much better. All three kids looked bored. Jasmine's cell phone rang and

tupid, " C

red what the signs were that a child would grow up to be a psychopath and if there

fore they hit his head in a gesture habitual after years of playing games with

is open." Jamie said.

ly, as if he and Jim had deliberately kept this fact fro

ch to wonder around to the back. Everyone but Jamie and

ctually unlocked?" he

aking a window drifted over to t

they don't try

of the keys were labeled. He picked out the one that was marked front door. He inserted it easily

nside, " Jim said with a smil

Jim asked, standi

tation in?" Jamie said with a grin. Jim

ld I be standing

s about wanting an invitation before entering the house. Jamie wondered what had happened when Jim had tried to come in on his own. "Sure you ca

razy, but ther

e he had been to the house. Normally he made regular visits, but Albe had called him and told

about what he did when he was gone, so Jamie never asked. Instead Albe told stories, wonderfully fantastic stories. Jamie chalked up the fact that Albe

aking detailed mental notes and remembering to follow up when a situation continued between v

was standing in the foyer with Jim while his family greedily planned to

ed it. Nothing appeared to have moved since his last visit. He smiled. Albe had liked to test him on that. Some

out. It was one of his favorite phrases. Most of Jamie's clients often rem

cleaned and polished surfaces. Al

ts Albe was using for storage. The details are in the paperwork we can go over later in the office." Jim's voice tr

oor and if it was damaged. "We will definitely need to get someone out here to fix that." Bella ran her eyes over the items displayed in the main hall. Jamie

hall and it is the second door

the TV?" Cor

er seen a television at Albe's. He had believed they rotted the imagination. This, to Albe's way of thinking, was worse than t

be around. Michael picked up the calling card holder and studied it much the same way is mother had. Jamie ground

st to make this a short

hing to Jamie, " Michael said with

ly. Michael put the brass cardholder down with a heavy thunk in the middle of

perty taxes alone on this place must be a l

." Jamie said. M

r snide comment, but was interrupted by a scream from

Bella stood dripping water onto the edge of the worn runner. The faded red of the pattern darkened to the color of blood. Bella's hair was plaster

been retrofitted into the closet under the stairs and had a sloped ceiling. The sink was at one end and the toilet at the other, over all, the bathroom was barely wider than th

it in purple stitches. "Obviously this house needs some work. You will have to see to that before we sell it." She told Jamie. She walked away from the bathroom, Mi

o sell the house, "

wered in a voice

He glanced over his shoulder to where Bella and Michael had disappeared into the living room. "Personally wh

urned and went into the living room.

red to himself. He heard the boys join the adults in the living roo

noons. Jamie didn't hear his niece's voice and figured Jasmine was still outside talking on the phone. He straightene

checked off before anything could be removed. He made it sound like an onerous, dusty and labor filled process for which Jamie sent him a mental thank you. It would certainly buy him some time. Ja

Now if the house will just beh

ther hand, I could have used the hot water." Jamie stood very still remembering all the times he had thoug

he said. "I won't be bri

t pin point what direction it had come from and af

t for a second. "Is he

much he had been hoping that this was just like the other times Albe had gone away. His shoulders sagged and he closed his eyes in pain for a moment a

you, "

had better rescue Jim from the grips of his family. He left the bathroom and went into the living room. He couldn't tell

anything can be removed or sold off otherwise there will have to be an investigation and a missing items report or somet

er of his eye Jamie saw Michael surreptitiously sneak items out of his pockets and back onto the nearby shelf. He trie

ewdrops and Jamie was pretty sure the eyes were rubies. Albe had once claimed it belonged to a woman named

, but he had a pretty good idea that his mother certainly thought so. She cast a loving gaze on it as Jamie moved it from the table and back into the curio cabinet. He

" Jasmine asked from the doorway. A

out to do a once over and to get the keys. Ever

t whining quality. "I mean if you know we took it then you

e, " Jim said. Jamie wondered how much of this Jim was making up and decided he didn't re

room's contents. Once outside Jamie locked up the door and tucked the house keys in his back pocket where they clunked against his own keys. The family moved quickly to the van.

ay if you want to come by fo

ied. Jim got into his car and headed for the

Why he could come in here in the middle of the night and rob us blind!"

om." Jamie told her.

e key in Jamie's hand before climbing back into his own car without Jaime even asking for it. He silently prayed Jim hadn't heard his mother's screech of indignation. Jamie t

eemed lost in their own thoughts. Bella lit up another cigarette and stared out the side window. Michael stared out of the window as well and Jamie was pretty