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Cape Point Inn, ME
September 23, 2017
Once they were safely locked away in their own room Faith’s phone began to vibrate.
“Ugh, more messages that are just coming through. This almost makes me wish I had stayed on the island. Not being in constant contact with the world is not a bad thing.”
“What’s that?” Shawn wearily inquired.
“Texts from my Dad, who is deeply disappointed that he is not going to walk Carey down the aisle. Then there is Carey who is getting fed up with Rishi’s mother and our father because no one is happy that they eloped. The only good message I got was from Rishi, apparently the police didn’t know Neumann and Schmidt’s true identities or affiliations until after they were dead.”
“Makes sense it was 1952, people didn’t have information at their fingertips the way we do.” Shawn surmised. “Don’t let the family get to you.” She added when she caught the pensive look Faith was sporting.
“I feel bad for Carey. She is getting a mountain of crap tossed at her for doing something that made her incredibly happy. It’s not fair.”
“They’ll get over it once they hear about the baby.” As soon as the words were out Shawn blanched. She could only hope that Faith was far too agitated to notice.
“You’re right, I mean – wait what did you just say?”
“I wasn’t supposed to.” She nervously squeaked. “It’s too soon. When I left town she hadn’t even told Rishi yet. I don’t know if they’ve gone to the doctor yet.”
“Then why did she tell you? Oh wait, she didn’t did she?”
“No, I hugged her and that was that. I can’t believe I just spilled the beans.”
“I’m going to be an Aunt?”
“Please don’t tell her I told you.”
“Oh, come on it won’t be that bad.”
“Right, it’s not like Carey has a little bit of a temper or carries a gun.” Shawn scoffed. “Oh, and her hormones are going to be out of sorts.”
“You have a point, armed and hormonal isn’t a good combination. I promise to act surprised. This will be our little secret.”
Shawn nodded as she released a hearty yawn.
“You need sleep,” Faith scolded Shawn who was trying to coax her into taking off her clothes.
“I know,” Shawn grumbled.
“Need I remind you that Farrah ended up in the emergency room after that entity in Louisville tried to jump her?”
“No, you don’t. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“That’s my job. I’ll run you a hot bath.”
“Thank you, but since we’re in a hotel I think I’ll take a shower.”
After the both of them had showered and settled into bed, Faith broke out her laptop and got to work.
“You’re working?”
“Nope,” Faith quickly closed the computer and set aside. “Tell me about them? Ella and Temperance, you’ve met both of them. What are they like?”
“I don’t think they talked a lot. Not to one another anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“They were together for twelve or thirteen years and neither understood how deeply the other loved them. It was like they both afraid to confess their feelings. I get that in the beginning maybe there are things you don’t delve into. But when you’re together for over a decade and just can’t say the words. I do not understand that.”
“That’s sad.”
“I think you’d like the both of them, Temperance especially. She drank, smoked and earlier today informed me that her sister in law was a walking social disease.”
“You’re right, I’d like her.”
“Ella is at the point in her life where she doesn’t give a hoot what anyone thinks,” Shawn brightly stated. “I just can’t imagine what it was like for them to fall in love when they did. There were so few people they could tell. Maybe that is why they were afraid.”
“Or they were just cowardly,” Faith leaned over and kissed Shawn on the cheek. “I’d like to believe that love conquers fear. We certainly had our ups and downs when we first started out. Look at us now. I can’t go a whole day without hearing your voice. What are you planning on doing with the eye and the scorpion?”
“I am thinking that we need all the help that we can get. First thing in the morning I’ll call Milo.”
“Oh, yippee.”
––––––––
Shawn rubbed her eyes before she opened them. The hotel room was dark with exception of the light illuminating off of Faith’s laptop. She smiled at the sight of her lover seated at the small desk, toiling away. Although, she didn’t enjoy waking up to find herself alone in bed. Shawn shivered, her skin prickled alerting her to the fact that they weren’t alone. She glanced over at the edge of the bed.
Sitting on the end with her legs crossed and her head resting in her hand was a woman. She was thin to the point of being emaciated. Her long scraggly hair was multi colored. The sight reminded Shawn of a circus clown.
“Oh.” She grunted the realization of who the woman was upset her. She sat up glancing over at Faith only mildly surprise that she hadn’t heard her.
‘She can’t hear you.’
“She will,” Shawn whispered.
‘No, you’re asleep, Shawn.’ The woman informed her.
“So, this is just a vivid dream?”
‘More or less. I thought it would be the easiest way to talk to you.’
“Oh, you’re in the mood for a little chit chat,” Shawn grumbled. “You’ve had over forty years to strike up a conversation with me.”
‘And you’ve have had the same amount of time to forgive me. I did what I did, because I truly believed that it was the best thing to do for you. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you. The Williams seem like nice people.’
“Yes, my parents are good people.”
‘And they are your parents. I couldn’t raise you. I couldn’t give you the life they gave you. I can’t say, that it didn’t hurt to give you up. I am happy that you had a happy childhood. You may not know this but I used to drive up to their farm and watch you. I watched you laughing, playing and calling her Momma. There was so much space for you to run and play. You were loved which is all I wanted for you. But, I couldn’t stay away. I had to see you. I needed to know if you were okay. To reassure myself that I had made the right choice. How much do you know about me? Other than I gave you up.’
“I know that your first name was Lilly. You were only nineteen when you had me and you worked in a traveling carnival. You also had a dependency problem. You died when you were only twenty four.”
‘Dependency problem?’ She laughed heartily. ‘That is polite. I was drug addict. I want you to know the moment I found out I was pregnant with you, I went cold turkey. I didn’t use once during my pregnancy.’
“Cold turkey? That couldn’t have been easy.”
‘It was hell. But, I understood that life wasn’t about me anymore. It was about you. I never planned on giving you up. I thought I had everything under control. Until I slipped and used. You were only six weeks old the first time I slipped. Then it happened again and again. You were only thirteen weeks old when I was so high I forget that you were in the trailer. I left and went to score drugs. I had already been warned by the other travelers that if I screwed up again they wouldn’t cover for me. When I got back the cops were there. I lied thinking us carnies stick together. They threw me under the bus. Somehow I didn’t lose custody of you. But it was made clear that I clean up my act or I’d be on my own. A few weeks went by. I was clean by the time we hit upstate. Everything was good, then I got the crazy idea that doing a few lines was no big deal. I did and the world didn’t stop spinning. A few days later I was dropping acid and forgetting there was a small child that depended on me. The boss cut me loose and called the cops. It didn’t help my case that when they found me I was passed out in my own vomit. They took you. I promised you that I’d get you back. I’d get clean and you’d be coming home with me.’
“It never happened.”
‘Lucky for you, the Williams fostered you. They wanted to adopt you from the very beginning. It was almost two years later when I finally agreed to sign the papers. I had come to visit. You were happy and didn’t have a clue as to who I was. I knew I had to do the right thing. I knew then you had the gift. Just like me, my mother and my grandmother.’
“I long suspected that it was a family trait. It took a long time for my parents to understand.”
‘They didn’t grow up with it like I did. Your father had the gift as well.’
“What happened to him?”
‘Motorcycle accident. He did stunts at the motordrome. I didn’t get the chance to tell him about you.’
“What about my grandparents, did they know?”
‘Yes, they were the ones that called the cops. They wanted to take you but the court didn’t deem a couple of old carnies suitable to raise a baby. They were pissed when social services took you away. My mother never forgave me for giving you up. That’s right baby girl you’re from a long line of carnies. Of course with your fine education and manners if you walked onto the midway, everyone would know that you’re a Gilly.’
“A gilly?”
‘An outsider. No way you’d be working the Mitt Camp like me and your grandmother did. Before you ask what a mitt camp is, the tent marks go to have their cards read or fortunes told. Your grandfather was a pitchman. He could make more money working his way up and down the midway than anyone else. I know none of this is what you expected to hear.’
“Not even close.” She confessed stealing a glance of Faith who was still focused on her work.
‘She’s a good one.’
“Yes, she is.”
‘Of course I wasn’t sure the way the two of you clashed when you first met.’
“It’s funny now,” Shawn confessed. “Did you name me?”
‘Yes! I named you after Shaun Cassidy. I adored him. I changed the spelling of course.’
“Oh, my God. That’s horrible.”
‘That’s horrible? Not, I was a junkie who left you on your own when you were just an infant? But naming you after my favorite singer is a bad thing?’
“Why are you here? Why now?”
‘Because you are in way over your head, baby girl. If you are going up against this thing you can’t do it alone.’
“I can do this. It’s just another job.”
‘Your jobs are wearing you down. Don’t think she hasn’t noticed.’ She jerked her thumb towards Faith. ‘She’s worried and she should be. That’s probably why you didn’t tell her about the headaches in Chicago. Or the back spasms in New Orleans and of course there were the constant nose bleeds in Fall River. How much longer do you think you can keep this up? I’ve been happy watching you grow, love and laugh all at a distance. You didn’t know and you were fine not knowing. I’m here now, to warn you. If you are going to take this bastard on, get help. Get all the help you can find. She wouldn’t fare well without you. Oh, and I know you know about the ring she has hidden in her sock drawer. If you get through this unharmed maybe you should ask her. Just a thought.’
Shawn parted her lips, fully prepared to argue only to see Faith stepping out of the shower.
“Good morning,” she cheerfully greeted her with a kiss. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No, my mother did that.” Shawn grumbled as she picked up her phone and checked the time.
“Did she call? Texted?”
“No, not my Mom,” she confessed before yawning. “My bio Mom.”
“Didn’t she die a long time ago?”
“Yes, she did.”
“And she’s visiting you now because?”
“Because she wanted to give me some advice. And to tell me that I come from a long line of Carnies. Also, she felt a need to inform me that she named me after one of the Hardy Boys. Don’t laugh. It’s not funny.”
“You’re right, it’s not funny,” Faith seemed to agree. “It’s freaking hysterical!”
Muraille Island
The following morning
“I have a picture of the cauldron. Milo included it in his book. I asked him to send it to me.”
“Did he have anything to offer in the way of help?” Faith asked as they climbed onto the dock.
“He said to be extremely careful.”
“As helpful as ever,” Faith snorted with disdain.
“He’s making some calls. Gathering up a prayer circle if you will.”
“A what?”
“He’s sending out the call for reinforcements. When we find this thing, we won’t be trying to get rid of it on our own.”
“Good to know. After you fell asleep I did a quick internet search. The diameter of the Gundestrup Cauldron was 69cm or 27” and 42cm or 17” in height. However, according to what I read last night that one was the largest example of European Iron Age silver work. So, this one would be smaller.”
“I picked up on something Temperance had said when she first saw it,” Shawn explained. “That it was bigger than she thought.”
“Well, if the specs we’re looking at are correct then it is about the size of that gaudy punchbowl your mother is constantly trying to unload on us.”
“You don’t like the punchbowl?” Shawn gasped.
“What? No. I love it.” Faith quickly blurted out before darting out a head of them.
“Why did you do that?” Ro shook her head. “You don’t like the punchbowl either.”
“Of course not, it’s awful! Teasing Faith on the other hand, a whole lot of fun.”
“Unless the next time your mother offers it to you, Faith says yes.”
“Well, crap. Didn’t think of that.”
“What’s your hurry?” Delia asked when Faith caught up with her.
“You never said, how did you get Doug to help out with the new crew?”
“He said he felt bad about the way things had gone and so long as he didn’t have to come back here he was more than happy to help. In addition to the women who already work for him, he had some contacts that helped fill in the gap.”
“So, some of the ladies are the same ones that walked because the men were off the charts?”
“Yeah. In addition to them he has an outreach program in place with Windham.”
“Windham?”
“The Women’s correction facility. I like giving people a second chance.” Delia explained. “This is the first time I’ve hired convicts as a way to cut cost. I don’t feel good about that.”
“You’re still giving these women a chance to learn a skill aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then you have nothing to feel guilty about.”
“I hate the way this is going. I’m worried that if things keep circling the drain, I’m not going to be able to meet my payroll or I’m going to come up short with the vendors.”
“We will find it.” Faith promised.
The moment they passed through the gate, they laid down salt and holy water in order to prepare for the crew. Delia went off to go over her plans. The others headed towards the woods.
“Hold on the two of you,” Shawn called for their attention just as they were about to split up. “I’m glad each of you are carrying a bag.”
“My camera,” Ro explained holding up the small bag. “I feel naked if I don’t have at least one with me.”
“I brought my notes and some salt.” Faith tapped the messenger bag hanging from her shoulder.
“Good,” Shawn reached into the equipment bag she was carrying. She handed the Scorpion to Faith and The Eye of Horus to Ro. “I’d feel better if you had these with you. If you find the cauldron, place the bobble on it.”
“What about you?” Faith demanded.
“I have my crystals and training.”
“I don’t like this.” Faith fumed.
“I’ll be fine,” Shawn argued. “It is playing on our fears. Just remember, none of it is real.”
“It grabbed me!” Faith shouted, scaring the birds that had been lingering by the fence “Grabbed me and dragged me to the ground. I seriously doubt staring it down and calling it a poser is going to stop it.”
“It plays with your mind,” Shawn asserted. “Just be careful. Please?”
“Fine,” Faith growled. “But you need to promise to do the same.”
“I promise.”