Member Blog Post

The Other Delilah

            “Mrs. Lazinski,” the deputy approaches her while flipping through some reports in his hand, “is there a problem?”

            Beth nervously shakes her head. “No.  No problem.  I’m just here to ask Lloyd something; that’s all.”

            “I see.”  The deputy continues looking through the reports. “Well, then…if that’s all…I guess I’ll go back to my desk now.  Have a good day, Mrs. Lazinski.”

            “Thanks…You too, Deputy.”

            When Sheriff Faulkner comes out to get Beth, she has Anna wait out front where the deputies are, while she goes to talk with the sheriff.  After Beth sits, the sheriff sits behind his desk and offers Beth a glass of water; which she refuses.  The sheriff can see Beth’s anxious.

            “You okay, Beth?  Something the matter?”

            “Lloyd, I think Delilah really was killed.”

            The sheriff leans back in his chair, crosses his legs and takes in a breath. “Beth, we’ve gone over this before.  Delilah’s fine. Heck, I’ve seen her this morning at the diner.”

            “Yeah well, I saw her there too; this afternoon while getting lunch.”

            “Now you see…”

            Beth cuts in, “But I don’t think that’s her.”

            The sheriff rubs the back of his head and neck. “What do you mean you don’t think it was her, Beth?”

            “Lloyd, I was talking with Rose…”

            Now the sheriff cuts in, “‘Crazy’ ol’ Rose?  Beth, everyone knows she hasn’t been playing with a full deck, so to speak, for years.”

            “Maybe not; but she told me to check out something at the county records hall which you may find quite interesting, Lloyd.”

            “Go ahead.”

            “She told me to look up birth certificates with the last name of Wedgeworth. Care to guess what Delilah’s last name is?”

            “I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say Wedgeworth?  Am I right?”

            “Bull’s-eye.” 

            The sheriff interlaces his fingers behind his head and leans back further; putting his feet on the desk.  “And?”

            “And…” Beth pulls out photo copies of two birth certificates and gives them to the sheriff, “Delilah’s sister also has the last name of Wedgeworth.”

            Sheriff Faulkner quickly glances at them; then looks to Beth. “I still don’t get it, Beth.  I mean, I don’t see anything strange about sisters having the same last name; do you?”

            “Check out the dates, Lloyd.” The sheriff takes a closer look as she explains, “They were born on the same day, Lloyd;  March 2, 1963.  They’re twins…Delilah and Delores Wedgeworth…identical twins.”

            “You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking; are you now, Beth?”

            “Yes, Lloyd, I believe Delilah…the real Delilah…was killed and buried out at the old Johnston farm, just like Mary said; and Delores is taking her place so nobody suspects anything.”

            “Wait a minute, Beth.”  The sheriff stands up and comes out from behind the desk, “You never told me Mary told you this.”

            “I’m sorry, Lloyd; I thought you’d think I was crazy if I told you that a ghost told me that Delilah was killed.  But that was before I knew that you had experience yourself with the supernatural.”

            The sheriff’s silent for a moment, rubbing the back of his head and neck with his hand before asking, “Did Mary tell you anything else?”

            “Yeah.”  Beth gets quiet and stares at the picture on the wall off to her right.

            “Beth, what else did she say?”

            She turns back to the sheriff, “She said that there was a deputy there that night.  He brought the body in the trunk of his patrol car and helped them bury her.”

            “A deputy?  Is she sure?”

            “That’s what she said, Lloyd.  I think she’s talking about…” Beth becomes silent again.

            “Who Beth?”

            Beth makes sure the door was still closed before whispering to the sheriff, “I think it was Deputy Hopkins, Lloyd.”