The Dregs of Murder

She nodded to the back of the house as she began opening the dampers to allow the stove to crank out the heat. "In each bathroom, beside the tub, there should be a five-gallon bucket. Go get them. Since it's just the two of us, we'll heat all five at the same time."

By the time I returned with the four metal buckets, Vicki already had one filled, probably from Jim's bathroom, and on the stove heating. We quickly filled the other four and placed them on top of the stove.

"Now..." she said dramatically, "we wait."

I'd filled the tub about a quarter full from the pump while waiting for the water to heat. Adding the twelve gallons of nearly boiling water to what was already in the tub made the water uncomfortably warm, so I added more from the well to cool it. By the time I had the water to my liking, I had a surprisingly large amount of warm water to bathe in.

I was finishing dressing when I heard the roar of an approaching boat. Not knowing what to do, I joined Aunt Vicki, and we walked down to the dock.

As we arrived, a tall, imperious looking man was helping a rotund woman out of the boat by the hand. "Watch your step," he said, the woman about as graceful getting out of the boat as I was.

"Keller... Lena," Vicki said as she extended her hand.

"Victoria," the man said, taking her hand, his voice surprisingly deep for such a gaunt man. Taken as a whole, his appearance, voice, and accent, I easily imagined him as Sherlock Holmes.

"Vicki, so good to see you again," the woman said as she pulled my aunt into a hug. Like the man, the woman wasn't from the United States, but she wasn't English... at least not if the man was. Irish? Scottish maybe?

"Good to see you too," Vicki said as they hugged. After a moment, Vicki pulled out of the woman's embrace. "Let me introduce you to my niece, Camille. Camille Wicker, Keller Helliwell and Lena Mulligan."

"Nice to meet you," I said to each as I took their hands in turn.

"I understand, young lady, that you claim to have a most remarkable talent," Keller said.

"I guess."

"And you can see both the past and the future?"

"I don't know about the future, but maybe. Probably the past."

"Probably?" he asked, fixing me with a stare.

I swallowed hard. "I think so. I don't know anything to be honest. I can't control what I see, or when, so..."

"We'll help you with that," Lena said with a smile, and I was grateful for her support. I found Keller slightly intimidating.

"Come on," Vicki said, picking up one of the four bags. I picked up one of the larger ones, leaving one each for Keller and Lena. "We'll need to start preparing dinner soon."

Vicki escorted the new guests to their rooms, then later, after they'd unpacked and settled in, Keller and Lena peppered me with questions as I peeled potatoes. What had I seen? When did my gift first appear? How did I start my visions? How did I stop them? Did I have to be alone... along with a hundred more. Those I could answer I did, but I said, 'I can't', 'I don't', or 'I don't know' to far more of the questions than I answered.

Keller hummed as he tapped his pen against the pad he'd been taking notes on. "This is very irregular. Victoria, are you sure she actually saw these things and didn't learn the facts afterwards and think she'd seen them?"

Vicki glared at him. "I'm sure."

"How? How can you be so sure. Nothing I've heard proves she has the ability to see past, much less, future events." I said nothing.

"How do you explain what she did for Ken?" Vicki asked, her voice cool.

"Is that the young man accused of murder?" I nodded. "I have little doubt you're a clever girl. Are you sure you didn't figure it all out on your own?"

"That I am sure of," I said. "I mean, come on, knowing where the axe was?"

"But you didn't, did you? You said so yourself."

"I knew it was under a tree."

"Are you sure you knew that before the murderer led you to it?"

"I'm sure."

He held my gaze for a long moment. "Do you want to be gifted?"

I shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. Not if it's going to make me sick all the time."

He pursed his lips. "Camille... look at me." I did. "What did I have for lunch on the flight from England?"

"How would I know that? A sandwich?"

"Are you guessing?"

"Yes."

"Don't guess. Look back. British Airways, flight 117, from Heathrow to New York."

"I told you, it doesn't work like that. My visions happen when they happen, and I can't control it."

"Have you tried?" he asked.

"Yes."

"When?"

"When I was trying to help Ken."

"What did you do? How did you try to access your gift?"

"I don't know," I said, trying to not let my annoyance get to me. I didn't like him badgering me. "I tried to clear my mind, to let anything that would happen, happen." I stared at him. "Isn't this what you're supposed to be teaching me?"

"Cam... be nice," Vicki said softly.

"What does he want from me?" I demanded, trying to reel in my annoyance. "I said upfront I couldn't control my gift, if I even have one."

"I think that's enough for tonight," Lena said softly with a smile. "We'll try to access your gift tomorrow. We have some drills you can do that might help you."

As Aunt Vicki and I finished preparing a dinner of baked chicken and potatoes the banter moved on to other news, but over dinner, the conversation circled back to me and my gift. I was beginning to dislike Mr. Keller what's-his-name, and I had a clear impression he didn't believe me, or Aunt Vicki, when she said I had a gift. Well, screw him and the English horse he rode in on. I didn't care if I had a gift or not. I'd lived twenty years without my gift, and I could live the next fifty or sixty without it too.

After dinner, as soon as I was finished eating, I picked up my plate, placed it in the sink, and stomped out of the room and out of the house. "Call me with it's time to wash the dishes," I said before I slammed the door.

"Cam?" Aunt Vicki said softly as she approached.

I was sitting on the dock, staring across the lake at Grand Island. It was too far away to make out details, but I could see homes lighting up as the sun set.

"What?" I asked. My tone was sharper than I meant for it to be. "Sorry," I said more softly. "What?"

"You okay?" she asked as she sat down beside me.

"Yeah."

"Don't let Keller get to you. I know he came across a little abrasive back there, but he will do anything he can to help you."

"Yeah... I can tell he's a great guy," I grumbled.

She patted my hand with a smile. "He's just a stuffy old fart, but once he accepts you have a gift, you can't ask for a better ally."

"He's not like that Malfoy guy in Harry Potter is he... with that pure blood stuff?"

"Not at all, but he has a tough job to do. He's one of the very few people in the world that can... let's say... manipulate memories. He has to--"

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means his gift allows him to modify, manipulate, change, edit, whatever you want to call it, memories."

"You don't find that scary?"

"No. He has to be close, almost as close as you and I are right now, to do it. He uses his gift to protect us."

"Us?"

"The gifted. That's why he was drilling in so hard on you. Hundreds of years ago, it was easy for someone to hide their gift. Now, it's much harder with the internet and everyone having a phone in their pocket. If news were to get out that there a people like us, like you and me... well... the best we could hope for is we're rounded up and studied."

"That's the best? What's the worst?"

"The worst would be the nogs are afraid of us and start killing us."

"You really think that could happen?"

"Absolutely. It's happened before."

"The witch trials," I murmured.

"Yes. I have little doubt that not only were the gifted killed, but nogs as well. How can you prove you don't have a gift?"

"And you think that could happen again?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes... unfortunately."

"So how does Keller protect the gifted from that?"

"Those that won't follow the rules, those who won't keep their gift a secret, he can block their gift so the person can no longer access it."

I swallowed hard, a cold lump forming in my stomach. "How does that work?"

"I don't know. Maybe he changes your memories so you don't know you have the gift, or maybe he does something else. I don't know how he does it, but I know he can."

"Is that why he's here... to block my gift?"

"No. He's here to teach you to control it."

I turned from the lights across the water. "So why was he beating up on me?"

"Because the other thing he does is contain leaks."

"Leaks?"

She nodded slowly. "If someone realizes there are gifted in the world, he, or the few others like him... modifies... the person's memory so they don't remember it, or if necessary, causes them to believe what they saw was a prank." She paused as she squeezed my hand. "So many people want to feel special they will do or say anything. Just like Cathy knew Liz and I were gifted, if someone knows, it's not uncommon for them to try to pretend to be gifted themselves. While that, in and of itself, doesn't hurt anyone, people who want to be gifted but aren't, tend to advertise themselves... and that brings scrutiny that we don't want."

"I never asked for this, and I don't care if I have a gift or not."

"I know, Kiddo, and Cathy was the same way. Unfortunately, not everyone is as strong and well-adjusted as you and your mother."

I huffed as I slumped. "Are you mad at me?"

She bumped my shoulder with hers. "Of course not. After you left, Lena scolded Keller for being an ass. I know she believes you have a gift, and they simply need to teach you to use it."

"And Keller?"

"Honestly?" she asked. I nodded. It was getting almost too dark to see. "I don't think he disbelieves us."

"High praise."

She smiled in the gloom. "Your gift is so rare that nobody alive has seen it. Imagine if someone popped up and said they were Santa Clause, or a leprechaun. That would require--"

"Yeah, but those are legends."

"So is your gift."

I sat for a moment as I contemplated. "So, what do I do?"

"Nothing. Be yourself. Don't let Keller get to you. If you can learn to access your gift... great! If not, you said yourself you don't care if you have a gift or not."

"And if I don't?"

"Then you don't."

"Will he rip my brains out?"

"Cam... don't be like that. He's not going to 'rip your brains out.' If you will keep our secret, like Cathy did, then he'll do nothing... or... he can modify your memories if that makes it easier."

"Modify how?"

I felt her shrug. "I don't know, but I'm sure you'll never know it happened."

"Will I remember you and Aunt Liz?"

"What kind of question is that?" she said, her voice slightly teasing. "Of course you will. You just won't remember that we have a gift." She paused a moment. "I don't know how he will handle you remembering finding Cathy's killer, and helping Ken, but I'm sure you will remember all of that... but in a different way."

"I'm scared," I admitted.

"Of what?"

"Of having him erasing my memories."

"Then he won't... so long as you keep our secret."

"How will you know?"

"Because you're a good girl, Cam, and I trust you."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Ready to go back to the house? It's getting chilly out here."

"I guess," I said, but I made no move to rise. Vicki didn't either. "You won't let him do anything to me, will you?" I finally asked.

"No." She paused a moment. "Remember I said he had to be close to you?" I nodded. "If I so much as even think he's putting the mojo on you, he'll find his ass back in England... and he won't enjoy his flight."

I felt a smile tug at my lips. "Like me ending up in the lake?"

"Exactly! The difference is, because you're my niece, I'd take you outside first. Keller... he just better hope there's nothing between him and England."

I snickered and then sighed heavily. "Okay."

"So, you're okay?"

"Yeah, I think so."

She stood, holding her hand down for me. "Good. I'm getting cold."

I took her hand, and she pulled me to my feet. "Yeah... me too."

As we began walking back to the house, the cart tracks and gravel barely visible, I considered everything she'd said. Having my memories changed scared the crap out of me, and I'd do almost anything to avoid that. If keeping my aunts' secret was all that was required, that would be easy.

"Do you need help with the dishes?" I asked as we slowly walked along.

"Already done. Landon helped Lena and me."

I nodded, though she probably didn't see me. "Should I apologize to Keller?"

"I wouldn't. I don't think you did anything that deserves an apology."

I smiled, her support chasing away my lingering apprehension. "Okay. I'll try not to be so grouchy the next time. I must have not gotten enough sleep last night."

"Don't worry about it. By the time we get to the house, Jim for sure will be in bed. Maybe everyone will, so you can turn in early and get a good night's sleep."

"Is that what you're going to do?"

"Yeah... I think so," she said softly. I smiled, wondering if she was blushing.

When we arrived at the house, only one window on our side had any light in it. I knew Jim's room was on the back side of the house, along with Landon's and Keller's, so the lit room was either Lena's room or mine. I knew it wasn't Vicki's, because hers was on the opposite side of the house from us... plus I had a good idea where she'd be sleeping tonight.

We silently made our way through the great room and into the kitchen. Down the hall that contained my room, I could see a faint glow spilling into the hall from the first doorway. My room was the first one, the one closest to the kitchen.

"Good night," Vicki whispered, breaking away from me in the kitchen as she angled to the hall on the opposite side of the house.

"Night," I replied just as softly.

I paused at my door. Down the hall, in one of the bathrooms, I could see light seeping around the partially closed door. As I was turning away, a ghostly figure emerged from the room, lamp in hand. It was Lena. She nodded to me before entering the corner room.

Using the other bathroom, I brushed my teeth and made myself ready for bed. I was back in my room, changing into my pajamas, when I heard a soft knock on my door. I yanked my pants up and hurried to the door. It was Lena.

"May I come in?" she asked.

I stepped back and she entered, placing her lamp on the stove. She settled on the edge of my bed and then patted the mattress beside her. I'd have preferred to sit in the rocking chair, but it seemed rude to ignore her request, so I joined her on the bed.

"I wanted to ask if you're feeling okay?" she said without hesitation.

"I suppose."

"That's good. Don't worry about Keller. He can be a grouchy old badger when he's tired, and we're both tired from our trip."

"Okay."

She nodded. "Tomorrow we'll see what we can do about unlocking your gift."

"If I have one," I muttered.

"Dear... you have one. Of that I have no doubt."

"How can you be sure?"

"If everything Vicki told us is true, how could you not?"

"Keller didn't seem convinced."

She sputtered as she waved a hand dismissively. "He's just being obstinate. Did everything happen just the way you told your aunts?"

I nodded slowly. "To the best of my memory."

She smiled. "Then you must have the gift. Just because you can't use it yet..." she shrugged. "I supposed that shouldn't be surprising considering your age, and the fact that your gift seemed to have appeared fully formed."

"Is that unusual?" I asked.

"Very... but even more unusual is the nature of your gift. I've worked with other seers, but none, none, claim to have the clarity that you do... and the ability to interact with the past?" She beamed. "That's the stuff of legends. Have you heard of Caomhainn?"

"He's the guy that could do what I might can do, right?"

"That's him. Nobody knows for sure if he was real, but if he was, we haven't seen his gift again for centuries." She smiled at me. "I can't tell you how excited I am to work with you and to help you develop your gift."

"Thank you," I said, my face heating.

"First thing tomorrow, you and I will go somewhere quiet, and we'll make something happen, okay?"

"Will Keller be there?"

"Do you want him to be?" I shrugged but said nothing. "Okay... then no. Just you and me. We'll show him that Caomhainn's gift could have been real."

"He doesn't think it was?"

She shook her head. "No. He thinks Caomhainn's gift is a legend."

"Like Santa Clause."

"Yes. Saint Nicholas was almost certainly real, but he has taken on legendary status to become Santa Clause. Keller believes Caomhainn is the same... a real man, but one where his feats are more legend than fact."

"What do you believe?" I asked.

"I believe... that Caomhainn's abilities may in fact be a legend because we've never seen them since... but if you truly have the abilities I think you do, then I'm willing to change my mind."

"Do you think I do?"

She smiled as she rose and moved to her lamp. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow, won't we?"

"Anything?" I murmured as I slowly rocked with my eyes closed.

The two of us were in the large family room at the front of the house. Vicki, Landon, and Keller had gone into town to do laundry and buy groceries, Jim was doing something outside, and Lena and I were left alone to work on my gift.

"No." I could tell Lena was becoming as frustrated as I was with my lack of progress. All day yesterday and this morning she'd been endlessly patient with me, but everything she'd had me try made no difference. "Okay... let's try this. Think about your mother's death. Maybe that's the key. I want you to imagine being there to warn her."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to do things like that."

"Don't worry about that for now. I want you to think about saving her. If you could just be there, you could warn her about the man you told me about. I'm looking for anything at all from you, so if this is what it takes for your gift to appear, so be it. If I see it start to show, I can pull you back before you can do anything... but at least we'll have made progress."

"Okay... I'll try..."

I began slowly rocking in the chair again because the motion relaxed me, and I thought about Mom, allowing my memories of her to fill me. I hadn't cried over her death in months, but the sadness of her loss settled over me like a weight. If I could just see her one more time...

"Cam... that's enough," Lena said after a long moment of rocking.

"Still nothing?"

"No." She sat quietly as she watched me. "Maybe we're approaching this all wrong. Most people need to be relaxed to access their gift in the beginning, but maybe you're different. You said your gift appears in moments of stress?"

"Kind of," I said. "I mean, with Mom, I wasn't stressed about her dying because I had no idea, but--"

"Didn't you say you had a dream the night before?" she interrupted.

"Yes, but that didn't seem to have anything to do with her death, and I've decided that maybe it was just that... a dream."

"But it could have been a precursor?"

"Maybe..." I allowed.

As Lena had explained to me, when someone's gift first started appearing, they were often chaotic and uncontrollable. When Aunt Vicki was young, stuff would move around while she was sleeping, and if someone startled her, she would either throw things, or lash out. Because her power was still developing, she couldn't move things very well, and her pushes were weak and ineffectual. Lena said it was like being hit with a sudden gust of wind. She called those types of things precursors because the gifted had no control over how, when, or where the gift was expressed. Technically, I supposed, all my visions were precursors, but they were different in that they seemed to express the full power of my gift.