Splitsville.com by Tonya Kappes Page B

hacked off at Carl. Never having heard my aunt speak to anyone in this tone, I want to stay and listen a little longer. Not that I’m eavesdropping. It is my house and wait. . .why is he here?
    I keep silent, watching the ping-pong game going on between them.
    “How have you been?” He takes his hat off in a well-mannered Park City man way.
    “Fine. I don’t believe you told me why you’re here.” She’s so suspicious. Interesting.
    “I didn’t know you lived here.” He looks back at me and then right back at Aunt Matilda. “And I didn’t tell you why I’m here.”
    He glances over her shoulder to take another look at me.
    “I don’t. You remember Olivia don’t you?” she asks. To me she says, “Do you remember Carl, one of the police officers I used to work with?”
    I vaguely remember him giving me a doughnut once and him being one of the few nice auras around that place, but other than that, no. The muddy blue aura surrounds him causing me to wonder what he’s scared to say.
    I smile, trying to hide my nervousness, but my lip starts to twitch. “Hi, Carl. Good to see you.” I nod, and have to close my eyes and steady myself by holding onto my aunt. His aura begins to radiate around me causing me to become dizzy and nauseous.
    Not now. I repeat over and over in my head for this feeling to go away.
    “I’m sorry Carl, my niece isn’t feeling well.” Aunt Matilda steps back in holding onto my arm. She begins to shut the door and I focus on her aura, not his. “We will have to continue our chat later.”
    He catches the door and pushes it a little wider. “I’m sorry, Matilda, I need to speak to your niece.”
    “Don’t worry honey. I’ve been taking notes.” Her eyes narrow letting Carl know she’s not happy about this. Aunt Matilda can tell I’ve seen something, and walk me to the couch.
    “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well Olivia, but can you answer a couple questions for me?” Carl tries to be as nice as a policeman can be.
    “I’m fine,” I assure my aunt. It’s not like I wasn’t expecting them.
    Aunt Matilda jingles her way back into the family room with a cup of sweet tea for me. “Extra sugar, just like you.” She pats my head.
    Carl sits in the chair closest to the couch. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the murder.”
    Dabi Stone? What’s this got to do with Dabi? I’m a bit confused, but I’m not about to confess to anything.
    “I heard about it on the news.” I have to admit I know about it, because I could fart and everyone in Park City would know about it.
    “Did you know Ms. Stone?” Carl pulls out his little notebook. He clicks his pen and is ready to take some notes.
    I tilt my head and give Carl a questioning look.
    “Dabi Stone, the victim.” Carl reminds me. “Did you know Ms. Stone?”
    “Dabi?” I roll my eyes in my head. “Um…no.”
    “Really? You’ve lived in Park City all your life and don’t know Ms. Stone? Dabi as you call her.”
    “Of course I know who she is, but I don’t know- know her.” I take a gulp of tea to get the knot down my throat. “We went to school together.”
    “I see.”
    I strain my neck a little to see if I can make out what he’s writing on his little pad.
    “I mean…” I sit a little taller. This is completely the truth if I don’t count a few weeks back when I saw her at the coffee shop. “I haven’t spoken to her in years.”  
    Really it’s not a lie because she’s the one who said hello to me and I didn’t say anything back. I take another drink of tea.
    “So how does Splitsville.com work?”
    I choke on my tea and spray it all over Carl’s face.
    “Oh,” I grab a shirt from the pile of clothes on the floor, and wipe at his face. “I’m so sorry.”
    Carl moves away from my dirty- well I really can’t tell if it’s dirty- shirt. “I’ve got it.” He pulls a big hanky from his pocket and wipes off the dribbles of tea and pieces of lemon peel.
    “Now, I guess you might have some