Shadows Between the Lines

She sat in the back seat of the bus. Her long, brown hair was up in a messy bun, clothes haggard, shoes scuffed from a long day working at the hotel. She was looking forward to a bath, pizza and relaxing, watching her favorite show to unwind. Her hungry stomach growls caught the attention of the other passengers. She smiled weakly, looking down at her feet.

Her phone vibrated. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Four more times the phone vibrated. She wished the driver would hurry. Finally, after 38 minutes, she saw her building through the window. Standing up, she prepared to depart the bus. Until tomorrow, when she'd have to do it all over again.

It was getting dark. The "Golden Hour" as they say. The beautiful sky in that moment took her breath away. She enjoyed the moment, closing her eyes, soaking it in. She took a deep breath and continued her way inside. As her foot reached the second step, her phone started vibrating again. "Mom". Six times she'd called. What could be wrong?

She stepped inside, kicked off her uncomfortable shoes and called back. On the second ring, Mom picked up. "Will? It's your sister Lin. They found her unconscious in her artist studio. There was blood everywhere. She's in the hospital in a coma. No one knows what happened. You need to come home!" Will said, "Of course, Mom, I'll figure something out. First thing, I need to call the hotel. OK. Love you too. Yes, I wish I was there already. I know, I'm coming, Mom. Love you."

Willow and her sister, Linden, were inseparable when they were growing up. Linden, an artist, was four years older and more outgoing. Will was more analytical, reserved, and quiet. She used to follow her sister around like a lost puppy. As adults, they grew apart. 600 miles apart and she hadn't spoken to Lin in 6 months. After she called the hotel, she started packing. She forgot about her relaxing evening. Her only thoughts were of sister. She took a quick shower, ate a sandwich, set her alarm and fell asleep thinking of Lin. Who would want to hurt her?

When she awoke, she paced, dazed, brainstorming how to make the 600 mile journey on a maid's salary. It hit her. Greyhound. She used her phone to make a reservation. She called Mom. "Hi Mom. Yes, it's Will. I got a Greyhound bus ticket. Well, I don't have hundreds of dollars to purchase a flight! Yes, it'll take longer. 9am. Two stops. Arrival at 4pm. Can someone pick me up? I'll call you along the way. I'll sleep on the bus. OK. I gotta go so I can get ready. Love you too, Mom. OK Bye."

Boarding the Greyhound, she looked around, trying to find the best seat. She ended up on the 14th row. "How fitting", she thought as she sat down. "Fourteen. Lin's birthday." As the bus rolled out, the brakes screeched. She rested her head on her pillow. She must have drifted off. When she opened her eyes, they were about 150 miles from home. She sleepily asked her neighbor, “did the bus make a stop already?” The older, white-haired lady said in a hushed whisper, “Yes, dear. Two stops. We should be there in about two hours.”

Will checked her phone. Mom called 5 times. She plugged her ear while she returned her mom's call. “Ugh”, she said. Sent to voicemail, she left a message, “Hi Mom, I'm about 2 hours away, sorry I missed your call, I was sleeping on the bus.” and hung up. She watched the world go by as they traveled down the road. It’s been 11 years since she’d been home. She was nervous, but her concern for her sister kept her going. An hour later, her phone vibrated again. “Hi Mom.” Between cries of anguish, her mom said, “Will. I'm so sorry… she didn’t make it." “What happened!!??”, Will replied. “There was a lot of blood loss. They think someone attacked her or she fell.” Fearing the worst, Will asked, “Mom, was she... hurt in any other way?” “They had to relieve the bleeding on her brain. She had emergency surgery. They did everything they could. She's gone.” Will sunk in her seat, shriveling to a fetal position. Shivering, eyes filling with tears, she cried. The white-haired lady sat next to her, resting her hand on Will's shoulder. Her kind touch was all it took for Will to break down. They were still an hour away.

Her Uncle was there as the bus arrived. She thanked the white-haired lady, hugging her as she departed. She ran to Gerard. He scooped her up in a hug. It was a quiet drive. She stared out the window. They drove past the places in town with childhood memories. The diner they used to go to after church on Sundays, first. Then the park, and the Boys and Girls Club she and Lin would go to after school. The memories were too much. She welled up with tears. Uncle Gerard held her hand as they pulled into Mom's driveway. “Are you ready?" She breathed deep, wiped her tears and said, “Yes, I need to be strong for Mom” as they approached the door. One more deep breath and she opened it to see her mother and aunt weeping and kneeling at the coffee table, praying. She wished her Dad was still alive in that moment. He was always the one she could talk to. Not her mom.

She waited, not wanting to interrupt. She stood up, walking towards Will with outstretched arms. “Oh, Will, I'm so glad you're here. Come. Sit down. I'm sure you're worn out.” “How are you holding up, Mom?” “I wish your Daddy was here, Will. He always knew how to comfort me.” “I know Mom, me too. So fill me in. What happened?” “Well, they found her, you know, in the studio on the floor. The police officer showed me the photos. They are investigating, thinking foul play.” Will looked down at her lap, twisting her fingers. “Mom, I asked you earlier... you didn't answer. Was she.... hurt anywhere else?” “You mean...” “Yes,” “No thank God, Detective Walden said there was only evidence of head trauma.” “Well, that's comforting. Did she suffer?” “No, the examiner said she was knocked out quickly. He gave me her clothes, everything she had on her. This was, he said, in her bra.” She handed Will a small, worn, black book. It was so little it reminded Will of their old doll house.

“This was in her bra?” “Yes. We don't know why... look inside. Might you know what any of this means? He asked me to show you, hoping you'd know... maybe it's related to her attack? Why else would she be hiding it in her bra?” Will opened the tiny little black book. It was Lin's handwriting and what looked like...codes... dates... She wasn't sure. Then it hit her. It was the language they made up as kids! “Mom! Remember when Lin and I were little we'd talk to each other in our own language? This is it.” “Oh my God, Will, really? If she wrote this in a language only she and you could understand...” “Yes... there might be a clue. Let me sit down and study it. It's tiny. Do you have a magnifying glass?” As she sat at the table, she wondered... what could all this mean?

Will was 5, Lin 8. All they did was replace vowels. A's for E's, O's for I's and so on. “Simple enough”, she thought. Will slowly put sentences and words together.

FARUPLECU became FIREPLACE.

SHENNINDIEH DRAVU became SHANNONDOAH DRIVE

ILD HASTIRY BIIK became OLD HISTORY BOOK

The next page was smudged. Will could make out a number... 20 and partial words... ...SEND and ...LLERS. The next page was blank. Shoot. Turning pages, she finally saw writing on the last page. Even smaller than the first pages. Squinting her eyes through the magnifying glass, she could make out TOUS and the number 18. Tuesday the 18th. What'd that mean? Today was Saturday the 21st. They found Lin on the 20th... what happened between those dates? One thing she knew... Shannondoah Drive was the street they grew up on a few blocks away.

Will put the tiny book in her purse. “Uncle, c'mon.” “Where are you going, Will?”, asked mom. “I have a hunch... I'll be back... Wait here.” Getting in the car, she said, “Unc, you remember the old house on Shannondoah?” They parked. No one's lived there since they sold. She went around back to her old window. She remembered how to open it from her teen years sneaking out.

Inside, she headed to the fireplace. She stared at it. "What are you telling me, Lin?" She didn't see an old history book. She used her phone flashlight to look up into the flue. It was hard to see. Then she saw something wrapped in fabric. She took it out, unwrapping the soot stained fabric. Realizing she held Lin's old history book, she started flipping through the pages, looking for anything out of place.

A few papers fell out. Will picked them up. Bank account ledgers. Copies of bank CDs. Life Insurance. All in Lin's name. The last page was Lin's last wishes, dated Thursday the 13th. She paused. 5 days before her death. She named Will as the beneficiary of everything, including her life's savings and insurance. She also read, “If anything happens to me, Everett Longham is the only one who knows about my savings. He has threatened me recently.” Will read through the ledgers again. $876,208?! Could this be right? The CD's and insurance totaled another $720,000! Could this money be what she was killed over? Is that what Lin meant when she wrote 'if anything happens to me'?

She gathered everything... climbed out the window... closing it tight... smudged her footprints and ran to the car. “Uncle Gerard, we need to go to the police right away. Look what I found.” He flipped the pages, paused and said, “I've met this guy Everett, Will. He was at a showing at the art studio a month ago.” “That's it. Let's go, Uncle Gerard.” “Should we pick up your mom first?” “Yes, of course.” They picked her up and showed her the paperwork on the way to the police station. “Mom, Uncle Gerard knows the guy. And look what she did. Is this a legal document?” “She left you everything, Will. Yes, I believe it is, there's a seal from the court right here.”

At the station, Will asked to speak to Walden. She showed him what she had found and told him everything she'd learned. Uncle Gerard told him he could pick Everett out in a lineup. He spoke about the art studio show the month before. Detective Walden said the will was, in fact, legit. $1,596,208. She needed to visit her sister's lawyer. Mom was in tears, which made Will well up. She hugged her as she asked, “What do we need to do to get this guy?” “Leave me your notes on the little black book, the history book, and take the papers to the lawyer. I'll get this guy. Gerard, come with me. I'll take your statement.” Gerard tossed Will his keys. "Go to the lawyer with your Mom. Pick me up when you're done.”

At the lawyer's, Will signed everything. “Mom, I'll send for my things. I'll buy our old house and move home. That's what Lin would've wanted. Move in with me?” Within a week, Will's life was completely different. They lost Lin, but she and mom took care of each other. She was there for the trial and started a new life in her hometown.