Mystery of the Dark Tower (7 page)

“Baby Sister, get up here right now,” Aunt Esther shouted, ignoring Bessie.

“W-w-we were cleaning under th-th-the b-b-bed,” Eddie said, looking like he'd eaten a mouse.

“You what? Don't tell lies, boy. I can't abide liars in my house. And why are you stuttering so terribly? Slow down, and you can talk clearer.”

“We're sorry, Aunt Esther,” Bessie said. “Eddie was just making a joke.”

Aunt Nellie walked in. She looked different—tired. “Yes, what is it?” she asked Aunt Esther.

“I want to know why these children were hiding under Little Ed's bed. And I want to know why you haven't helped this boy stop his stuttering. You know I can't abide a person who can't speak plainly.”

“Maybe you just make him nervous,” Aunt Nellie said. She looked like she knew what the weary blues were, too, Bessie thought.

“Well, right now I want to know why you allowed these children to be snooping all over my house.”

Aunt Nellie tugged her ear. “I told them to hide under the bed to surprise their papa when he came back.”

Bessie closed her eyes. Aunt Nellie couldn't fib at all. She was worse than Eddie. Who was going to believe that a grown-up sent them under the bed to surprise Papa?

“You did, did you? Uh-huh,” Aunt Esther said. “Well, all this nonsense is going to stop. And look at all that dust that was under the bed. Nellie, all I ask in exchange for you staying here is to help keep the house clean. You know I don't abide dust.”

“Esther, why don't you let the children go get ready for breakfast?” Aunt Nellie said, sighing.

“Don't tell me what to do in my house, Baby Sister,” Aunt Esther said. “No wonder Little Ed wanted me here. I told him you would let the children run all over you.” She turned to Bessie and Eddie. “You children are out of control. Get downstairs right now. I'll deal with you in a minute.”

Bessie shivered. She felt like the coldest freeze of winter was inside her body. She imagined she was the tobacco when the ice takes it over, turning it dry and not fit for use. She couldn't believe it, but Aunt Esther must be worse than Mama and Papa about not letting you grow up. She still called Papa “Little Ed.” Even Grandma hadn't called him that.

Downstairs at breakfast, Aunt Esther served them something white that sort of looked like grits. “Aunt Esther,” Bessie asked, “what is this?”

Aunt Esther stopped scrubbing the counter and turned to stare at Bessie. “What
is
it? Girl, what have you been eating for breakfast?”

Eddie spoke up. “B-b-bacon and s-s-sausage and stuff.”

“Bacon? Sausage? Lord, that girl knows how expensive meat is. That's rich folks' eating. What in the world else did you eat?”

Now Bessie was sorry she'd asked the question. She might get Aunt Nellie in trouble. “It's all right,” Bessie said. “We ate this. I just forgot what it's called.”

“Uh-huh,” Aunt Esther said, eyeing Bessie like she didn't believe a word of it. “It's Cream of Wheat. It's healthy and it's cheap. I can't believe Baby Sister would be giving you children meat every day like we got money to burn. She's going to put me in the poorhouse.”

Bessie watched Aunt Esther mumbling around the kitchen. She and Eddie ate the strange cereal in silence. Finally, Aunt Esther sat down at the table. “I have something to tell you children. Your papa had to leave. He's gone away to work for a while. He'll be back, though. Don't worry. He wired me to come home so I could take care of you. Now that I'm here, you children will be taken care of the way you ought to be.”

Bessie didn't lower her spoon from her mouth. She felt like she would cry any second.

Aunt Esther reached over and patted Bessie's other hand. “Now, now, you two don't get upset. It'll be all right. I'm going to be right here.”

“I-I-I-I-I w-w-want M-m-mama,” Eddie said.

Bessie dropped the spoon into her bowl and took his hand in hers. “Don't cry, please,” she pleaded, shifting her eyes to Aunt Esther.

“It ain't no need to be crying, boy,” Aunt Esther said. “I raised Baby Sister and your papa when our mama was away working as a live-in maid. And they both turned out all right. What you crying for?”

Now Eddie sniffled and rubbed his eyes. “B-B-Bessie, I-I-I-I w-want Mama
now
.”

“Don't cry. Mama will be here soon. Papa said so,” Bessie reassured him, hoping that what she was saying was the truth.

“Children, there ain't no reason for you to start acting up. Even if your mama or papa doesn't come, I'm going to take good care of you.”

Aunt Esther's words cut Bessie's heart like a knife. Mama might not come. True, Bessie had thought to herself that Mama and Papa were separated, but she didn't really believe that it was for good. And she never considered that the Dark Tower woman could take Papa from her and Eddie. Mama and Papa both gone—neither of them ever coming back? It couldn't be.

Bessie jumped up from the table. “I want to know when Mama is coming,” Bessie demanded. She didn't care if Aunt Esther scolded her. “And where is Papa working, Aunt Esther?”

“First of all, don't take that tone with me, girl,” Aunt Esther said.

Bessie wanted to take a different tone. She didn't want to sound disrespectful, but she couldn't help it. She felt light-headed and unsteady on her feet. She wanted to scream,
Where's Mama and Papa?
She felt her body trembling all over, like leaves in a storm. She clenched her fists tightly at her sides. Her breath came quick and short.

“Girl, you better sit down,” Aunt Esther said, standing up and walking to the sink. “What's gotten into you? I told you, your papa is away working, and that's all you need to know. Now, here,” she said, turning and handing them a brown bottle and two rags.

Bessie didn't flinch. She glared at the bottle and rags. “Aunt Esther, when is Mama coming to be with us in Harlem? When is Papa coming back?” she asked again. But this time Bessie was so close to crying, the words came out like a whisper of wind in the trees.

Aunt Esther acted as though she didn't even hear her question now. “Don't tell me that Baby Sister didn't make you do your chores. You're to polish the furniture in the sitting room every morning. And then you can go outside for a stretch and play. But don't go off this block.”

Aunt Esther set the bottle and rags down on the table. “You won't go out until it's done. It's up to you how long you're inside.” Then she walked out, leaving them standing in the room.

“B-B-Bessie, the quicker we d-d-dust, the faster we can g-go outside. I want to g-g-get out of here,” Eddie said.

“You're right,” Bessie said. “We need to go out so we can talk and come up with a plan. We can't let Papa stay with that woman in the Dark Tower. If we do, then we won't have anyone.”

C
HAPTER
6

H
ALF
-T
RUTHS

It took three inspections before Aunt Esther could see her reflection in the furniture and allowed Bessie and Eddie to go outside. Once they were settled on the stoop, Bessie reached into her dress pocket and pulled out the note from Miss A. that she had found in Papa's suitcase. Bessie
had
to discover where the Dark Tower was and find this woman. There was no doubt in her mind that Miss A. had put some kind of spell on Papa to make him act the way he was acting.

“Eddie, I have a note from the woman Papa likes. I need you to help me figure out how to find her,” Bessie said. She was just showing the crumpled note to Eddie when Lillian walked out on the stoop. Bessie slipped the note back into her pocket.

“B-B-Bessie f-found a note,” Eddie blurted out.

Bessie gave Eddie a stern look. She didn't want Lillian to read the note. Even though Lillian was supposed to help them, Bessie felt embarrassed by a woman writing to Papa.

“Where is the note?” Lillian asked.

Bessie looked at her friend. Lillian
had
said that she'd help, and she did already know about the woman. She'd even seen the woman's face. And if they were going to look for Miss A., Lillian knew her way around Harlem better than Bessie and Eddie did.

“Here it is,” Bessie said, pulling the note out and showing it to Lillian.

“See,” Lillian said, “I told you, she's very rich. This is real gold around the edges of the note. Those leaf patterns on the border are gold, too. And that's engraving there at the top where the initials are.”

Bessie looked at the fancy engraved letters. “Her initials must be A.W. Now all we have to do is find her,” Bessie said. “Or find out where that Dark Tower is.”

“How?” Lillian asked.

“Well, maybe we could walk around the neighborhood and ask people if they know a rich woman with the initials A.W.,” Bessie said.

“H-how can we g-get away from Aunt Esther?” Eddie said.

“Your other aunt is back?” Lillian asked. “Oh, no.”

“Yes,” Bessie said. “She must have come back last night sometime. And she's very strict. She told us not to leave the block.”

“I think I have an idea to help you get away. If it works, I'll see you after lunch,” Lillian said, getting up to go back inside. “I must start working on Mother.”

Bessie and Eddie ate their lunch in silence. Aunt Esther had cooked them some collard greens and rice. Bessie loved collard greens, but she didn't feel much like eating. She wondered what Lillian had meant by “working on Mother.”

When they were almost finished eating, the sound of the door knocker echoed through the house. Aunt Esther stopped stringing beans and went to the door. Bessie and Eddie snuck just far enough into the hallway to see who was at the door. They were surprised to hear Lillian's mother talking to Aunt Esther.

As soon as Aunt Esther closed the door, she called Bessie and Eddie. “You children didn't tell me you'd made such an impressive friend,” Aunt Esther said. “Lillian Moore's mother came over herself to ask if you would go with Lillian to her uncle's bookstore. I told her you would love to do that. Richard Moore is a respected businessman. Go on now. Hurry and wash up. Don't keep Lillian waiting.”

By the time they got out to the stoop, Lillian was already there.

“Thanks, Lillian. Good work,” Bessie said.

“Let's go. We don't have much time,” Lillian said. “I have to be back by supper.”

They walked up the street and turned the corner.

“Who should we ask about Miss A.W. first?” Lillian asked.

“Ask th-that lady,” Eddie said, pointing to a woman just leaving the butcher shop. “Aunt Esther says that in Harlem only r-r-rich p-people eat a lot of meat.”

They walked over to the butcher shop. The sign in the window read, “Pig's Feet, Pig Snout, Hog Mawls, and Chitlins.” Bessie's mouth watered—it reminded her of the good food back home.

“Excuse me, ma'am,” Bessie said. “Do you know a rich colored woman who has the initials A.W.?” The woman shook her head no and turned down the sidewalk.

Next Lillian asked the shoe-shine man. “Sir, may I bother you to inquire about a woman? Do you happen to know a rich colored woman with a fancy black car?”

“Girl, if I had me a frail-eel like that, don't you know, me and her would be on the first thing smoking,” the old man said.

“Excuse me, sir, but I don't understand,” Lillian said, frowning.

“Come on, Lillian,” Bessie said, pulling her away.

“What did he say?” Lillian asked as they walked down the street.

“I think he was saying if he had a pretty woman like that, he'd take her away from Harlem,” Bessie said.

“How do you know that's what he said?” Lillian asked.

“I guessed,” Bessie said, smiling for the first time in a while. They made a good team. Lillian had the book smarts, and Bessie and Eddie had the everyday smarts.

They continued several blocks, asking people about the woman. Finally they were almost at the corner where Lillian's uncle had a bookstore.

“Do you think any of the books in your uncle's store can help us?” Bessie asked.

“They might,” Lillian said as they stepped up on the curb. Suddenly Lillian grabbed Bessie and Eddie and pulled them down behind a truck. “Wait,” she said. “I think we have a problem.” Lillian peered out from around the truck. “Yes. It is my father's car. He is visiting with my uncle. We can't go in there now. My father will surely offer to drive us back home.”

“Then what should we do?” asked Bessie. “I'm not going back until I find out about Miss A.W.”

“Why d-d-don't we go on the other s-side of the street and sneak p-p-past your uncle's store?” Eddie said. “Then we can ask m-m-more p-people in the next block.”

Bessie was disappointed that they couldn't go inside the bookstore. She had never been inside a place full of books before.