Paranormal Case 9

Chapter Sixteen

Once the excitement subsided and Valeria's father removed the head and body of the dead snake, he hosed down the deck, not to let any of the strange presence of the deadly visitor interfere with their daughter's homecoming meal.

"Yeah, sweetie. They'll come out of the mountains like this in the summer sometimes" he told hi daughter, trying to make light of a very tense situation.

"But Dad, we never had a rattlesnake in our yard before," Valaria said, still shaken. Of course, she had more to be upset about than her parents, which she promised herself she would not alarm them with. When her mother somewhat cautiously brought the food out, Valeria and her father had moved the table to a new location. Along with the presentation of typical New Mexico cuisine: chili rellenos, pasole, sopapias, and cold beers, the previous tension and frantic moments had all but subsided.

"So, I assume you'll stay for at least a couple of weeks with us this summer, baby?" Her mother asked this with a certain trepidation as to what she would say.

"Maybe more, Mom. I just have to go back to California in week or so to follow up on that very important case. I'll be back here to enjoy our home soon enough. Especially all these new additions."

"Must be something very far out and interesting." her father said, ironically.

"Yeah Dad, it's some pretty significant fieldwork for my thesis."

"So, what's it all about exactly, Val?" Her mother now seemed more curious about her work than usual.

"Well, it's about . . . a presence in a hotel, actually. Seems there's a lot of material there for me to gather. And some related things that are frankly quite compelling. The kind of things I study, basically."

"A presence?" her father asked. "Can you give us some specifics?" I mean, what are we talking about here, a ghost or something?"

"Specifics, Dad? No not really. You would only try to debunk it and . . . frankly I need this time to get away from those things a while."

"OK, fair enough."

"So, when's the funeral, Mom. For Emily?"

"Tuesday afternoon. Four o'clock," she said. "In the Old Town basilica. I'm sure many will come."

"Well, I definitely want to go."

"Yes. Good, Baby. " Her mother was dishing out the food onto each of their plates. " I can't imagine what that girl's parents are going through. Just the terrible way she . . ."

"Yes, Mom, we know."

"Well, so what do you want to do while you're here," her father asked to change the subject."

"Oh, you know. Sleep a lot. Do some running in the evening when it cools down. Maybe arrange to see some friends. Do you realize there are people in this town . . . former friends from school, I have not seen in like, five or six years?"

"That's a great plan," her mother advised while finally beginning to eat. "And did you meet anyone on your little trip to the coast you could call . . . a friend now?"

"You mean like a guy, mom?" Valeria hated it when her mother pried into her social affairs like that. "As a matter of fact, the professor who brought me into the case is very nice. I could call him a friend, I guess."

"And is he . . . older? Close to the same age?"

"Mom! I'm not in high school anymore. You don't have to check on me."

Her father smiled. "That's right Olivia. Val's a big girl now. I'm sure she has her private life."

"Thanks Dad. Geeze, Mom!"