A Week in the Country

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The Detectives spend a few days in the country with an unexpected visitor.

 

With thanks to some very good friends for their endless encouragement! And for one particularly good buddy whose birthday is tomorrow!

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The ball rolled down the hall bouncing off the skirting boards and came to a stop at Starsky’s feet.

“Hutch?”

“Hmm.” Came the reply from the kitchen.

“You see that?”

“See what?” Hutch’s head peered round the doorframe.

“The ball. It came from nowhere. Just rolled down here from the other end of the hall.”

Hutch frowned. “Probably just fell off a shelf. A truck went by a while back, probably just the vibrations. Now you going to give me a hand with this dinner or do I have to do everything myself?”

Starsky picked the small blue and white ball up and just stood staring at it.

“Starsk, hey come on, come and give me a hand with these vegetables.” Hutch squeezed his partner on the shoulder. “Its nothing sinister, honestly, its just a ball.”

“And yesterday I nearly fell over that damned pair of roller-skates. You know as well as I do, they weren’t beside the bed when we climbed in to it.”

Hutch sighed. “Well it was dark. We could have just stepped over them. My mind was not exactly on what was on the floor. I seem to remember we were a little preoccupied with other things at the time.”

Starsky smiled. “Yeah and who’s fault was that?”

“So you going to help me with the vegetables or not then?”

“I thought you were doing dinner in any case, I said I’d wash up.” Starsky replied, still fingering the ball.

Hutch took it from him and tossed it back down the hall, gently putting his arm round his partner. “I thought we’d share. I’ll scrub and you peel, OK?”

Starsky frowned. “Sorry?”

“The potatoes.” Hutch said, steering him in to the kitchen.

Both Detectives were busy at the large kitchen sink. Hutch had his hands in the bowl of lukewarm water, scrupulously scrubbing every blight from the potatoes. Starsky waited poised with a knife waiting for him to finish and pass the next victim along for dicing.

“Two more days and then its home. This has been the best vacation I have had for years. It was a great idea to come here. Your friend of a friend of a friend couldn’t have recommended a better place.” Starsky said, staring out of the window.

“I was expecting you to hate it here.” Hutch said, turning to face his partner. “It’s not like there is a lot to do.”

Starsky smiled. “Just occasionally there are times when I don’t want a lot to do. Relax, spend time alone with you and get some good clean country fresh air. It’s enough Hutch. Honestly.”

Their peaceful idyll was disturbed by a loud thud from behind them. The small blue and white ball bounced off the kitchen table and landed on the floor. It rolled to the far corner of the kitchen and stopped.

Outside the sound of rubber rolling on wood came from the hall. Starsky skirted round the edge of the kitchen, his eyes fixed on the ball. A roller-skate stopped just outside the kitchen door.

Both men then stood rooted to their respective spots. The sound of giggling echoed round the house. Then it was silent again.

“Tell me you heard that too?” Starsky said finally managing to tear his eyes away from the roller-skate.

“Yeah I heard it. You want to go upstairs and take a look around? I’ll check out down here.” Hutch joined his partner by the door.

“Why do I get upstairs?”

Hutch sighed. “Look if it bothers you that much, we’ll check it out together.”

“That sounds a better plan. If there is some hoard of children up there, I don’t want to be tackling them alone.” Starsky replied smiling.

They thoroughly searched the entire house from top to bottom and found nothing. Sitting downstairs again, dinner completely forgotten, both partners said nothing. The house was silent again now, the ball and roller-skate where still where they had last seen them. Starsky stretched out in an armchair.

“It doesn’t make sense.” He said finally.

“Things sometimes don’t.” Hutch replied. “How about we go up to the farm and ask?”

“You want Mr and Mrs Schultz thinking that their temporary tenants have got screws loose?”

“You got a better suggestion then?”

Starsky shook his head. “No actually, I got to admit that does look like our only option. Either that or we ignore the whole incident and forget it ever happened.”

“But it did happen and I want to know why.” Hutch said hauling himself to his feet from the deep fireside chair. “You coming?”

Starsky stretched again and then stood up. “Sure. Why not. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.”

The walk to the farmhouse took about ten minutes. It was a beautiful autumn day, the leaves crackled under their feet and the sun shone low in the sky. Two of the farm cows watched the men’s progress up the path with interest; one mooed as Starsky passed by.

Mrs Schultz was tending a flowerbox, sitting on the edge of the wraparound porch.

“Ah, Mr Hutchinson.” She said as Starsky approached. “No problems, I hope. Enjoying your stay?” She brushed the mud off her hands on to her pinafore dress.

Starsky let the mistake slip and smiled at the woman who seemed genuinely pleased to see them.

Hutch, who had lagged a little behind, joined his partner. “What a beautiful sunset.” He said finally, glancing back over his shoulder.

Mrs Schultz nodded. “Why Grandpa had the house built facing that direction, I guess. When we get a chance we often sit out here of an afternoon till sunset. God’s own country.” Her thoughts seemed to be drifting far away, perhaps back to her childhood where she had run and played in the fields outside the house.

“You grow up in the country?” She said, dragging herself back to the present.

Starsky shook his head. “No, city born and bred. Hutch, here though, different matter entirely.”

The woman smiled at Hutch. “You’d understand about our love of the land then. There is nothing like coming home to a place like this after a spell away.” The porch door opened and Mr Schultz appeared. “We were about to eat, you care to join us?”

Starsky leant on the porch railing. “Its really kind of you, in fact we were about to eat ourselves and then something strange happened. We wondered if you could shed any light on it for us.”

The elderly couple looked at each other almost in unison. “Strange?” Mrs Schultz said finally.

“It was the ball to start with.” Starsky continued. “We thought perhaps a truck on the road had caused a vibration. But then there was the roller-skate.”

“And a child’s laugh,” Hutch butted in. “We both heard it.”

The Schultz’s still said nothing for several moments. Starsky looked at the ground, unsure how to proceed.

Finally, Mrs Schultz looked straight at him. “Come on in and let me explain.” She turned and walked to the door before Starsky had a chance to reply. The elderly couple walked in to the brightly lit kitchen, Mr Schultz holding the door open for the two detectives.

“Please have a seat.” She waved in the direction of the two chairs near the fireplace.

“Its Anna’s rather odd sense of humour. It doesn’t usually happen when we have just adults here but she has played havoc when a couple have brought their children in the past. She finds a like-minded spirit, you see. Someone she thinks she can play with. Someone who likes pranks, hide and seek, that kind of thing. She must have seen something in one of you two, I suppose.”

“Tea?” Mr Schultz interrupted.

“No, thank you,” Hutch said, his attention fully on the elderly woman. “We didn’t see anyone though?”

Mrs Schultz smiled. “Oh no, you won’t see Anna. No one ever does. But that doesn’t alter the fact that she is always there. Hiding behind a door, watching, waiting. She doesn’t mean any harm. You have to understand that, she’s just a child. She just wants to have a little fun like children do. There is no malice there.”

Starsky felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to prickle. “We heard her though.”

“Oh, then you really have been fortunate. I wish she would trust me that much. I don’t know of anyone who has actually heard her before, do you Hal?”

The old man shook his head.

Hal sat down by the kitchen table. “Anna was apparently a beautiful child, long blonde hair, big blue eyes. Sadie’s mother talked about her all the time when she was alive, didn’t she dear?”

Sadie nodded. “I don’t think they ever quite got over her death. One of those illnesses that struck down so many back then. I don’t think she even realises that she is dead, you know. The children who have stayed in the house have no fear of her at all. They come back year after year with their parents. They seem to understand so much more than adults. So much more willing to accept, I suppose.”

Hutch said nothing, totally enthralled. His partner sat in silence too.

“It’s just so strange that you have heard her when no one else has. Is either of you a bit of a prankster? I hope you don’t mind me asking, I don’t mean to pry.”

Starsky finally looked up. “I guess we both are. We did play a game of hide and seek once with nearly deadly consequences. We never did try that one again. There have been plenty of other instances though.”

Hutch smiled fondly at him.

“You see if I had thought for one moment that Anna would be a problem for you both, I would have warned you. It just never occurred to me.”

“Anna is not a problem.” Hutch said. “Far from it, now that we know what we are dealing with, I am sure my partner here will be more than willing to join in her fun, if she’ll let us.”

Sadie smiled. “Such a wonderful attitude. I wish more people had your outlook on life. Very refreshing.”

Starsky looked round the kitchen. “Are there any photographs of her?”

“Yes, we have one in the other room. It’s very old, of course, very fragile but if you would like to see it I’ll go and get it. We only have the one. Photography was so expensive then.”

“If its no bother,” Hutch added as the elderly lady struggled to her feet.

“No, none. I could talk about Anna for days. My mother said she was such a happy child. The toys at the house have been left by children who came to stay as playthings for her. The house is empty so much of the time. They like to think that she has something to while away the time she is on her own. I know it is silly but I often spend my afternoons down there in the winter talking to her. She never talks back though. Such a shame. Not even a childish laugh.” Sadie disappeared into the other room.

“We never had any children of our own, that’s why my wife likes her company so much,” Hal said once his wife had gone from view. “I am glad you aren’t worried by her presence. You won’t be wanting to leave early then?”

Starsky smiled. “No, in fact we were only saying earlier how we wish we could stay longer. It has been the most wonderful vacation.”

Hal nodded. “I am glad. We rarely let the property in the winter. People don’t want to come all the way out here with snow on the ground. We have a wonderful old sleigh and the horse could do with the exercise. We would be pleased to have you as our guests if you would like to come back out of season.”

“We would love to,” Starsky said, without giving his partner a chance to reply. “Wouldn’t we, Hutch?”

“We would,” Hutch replied. “Thank you.”

Sadie wandered back in to the kitchen, an old photograph frame in her hand. She dusted the glass with the back of her hand and then gave it to Starsky.

“This is our Anna.”

The child that stared at Starsky was indeed very beautiful. The old sepia picture had been creased during its life but fortunately the main damage to the picture was away from the child’s face. Hutch leaned closer and asked, “She is just as you described. How old was she when this was taken?”

“Eight I believe. It was taken one Christmas. They went in to town and had her picture taken for a special treat.”

Starsky gave the picture back, handling it almost with reverence. “Thank you. Now I shall be able to picture her impish smile when I next see a roller-skate heading in my direction. We had better be going, it’s getting dark. I can’t thank you enough for sharing all this with us, Mrs Schultz.”

She smiled warmly at Starsky. “Her smile is not too dissimilar to yours, if you don’t mind me saying so. I heard my husband asking you to join us up here in the winter. We would love that…Anna would love that too. I do hope that you can make it for a week or so.”

Starsky stood up. “I hope that we can too. My partner and I rarely get any time off but when we do a place like this is ideal. Not too far from the city but far enough that we can have some time to relax. I would love to bring a camera up here and take some pictures too. Tonight’s sunset would have been spectacular.”

Mrs Schultz watched as the two men walked to the kitchen door. “Enjoy the rest of your stay. Would you like a lamp to find your way back?”

Hutch shook his head. “I am sure we will be fine. It isn’t that far and I am sure we left the light on in the kitchen. Good Evening.”

The Schultz’s watched as the two men strolled back down the path, disappearing in to the gathering twilight and then shut the door.

By the time they reached the house it was dark. The house was silent. Anna had evidently decided to leave the partners in peace. Hutch made his way to the kitchen, calling back over his shoulder.

“You still want to eat?”

Starsky picked the roller-skate up that lay in the middle of the hall and put it back down near the front door.

“To be honest, no. I am really tired. You want to just have an early night?”

Hutch walked back out in to the hall. “Fine by me. You go on up. I’ll check the lights are all off and come up and join you.” He heard Starsky’s footsteps on the stairs and locked the back door. Habit, he thought. No one was going to break in out here. Even so as he turned out the kitchen light and walked back up the hall he reached up and slid the bolt across the top of the front door.

He stood for a moment listening to Starsky humming upstairs, getting ready for bed. “Good Night, Anna.” He said to the empty hall and then went to join his partner.