Town Without Pity

Town Without Pity

Ariel Izzard arrived at the only hotel in the small mountainous town, a long single story with doors of the rooms opening out to the parking lot in front, late in the sodden afternoon. The dreariness of the old place matched the depressed mood the whole trip back to her roots took on from the beginning. She didn't want to be here. She swore she never wanted to return to this, her home town, twenty-five years ago when she was forced to leave.

'Forced' may be too strong of a description. 'Highly encouraged' or 'not given any other choice' may be more worthy of the truth. Whatever one calls the situation it was bleak and she was definitely unwelcome to remain in the only home she ever knew. Then again she was merely ten years old and without options.

Resigned to her fate she unfolded herself from her rented car, stretched, patted down her skirt and her hair then headed to the door stating 'OFFICE'. A bell tinkled as she passed the threshold. Inside the tiny space depicted old decor but it seemed clean. The bell had summoned a cheerful woman of indistinguishable age with a white crisp apron tied around her slim waist covering a blue and white checkered shirt waist dress which accentuated her bountiful bosom. Perfectly coiffed blond curls crowned her pretty face.

“How may I help you?” the proprietor asked.

“I need a room.” Ariel stated what she thought should be obvious.

“How many people and how long of a stay?”

“Just one person and hopefully only two nights but that may be subject to change. May I leave that open ended for now?”

“Of course. So a single bed will work?”

“Ideally. Do you take credit cards.”

“Oh, yes! We may look original from the fifties but we are modern in many ways.” She grinned. “I'll take the card information now but only charge the length of your stay to it.

“Oh, my! Ariel Izzard! Is it really you?” She exclaimed when she read the card holder's name.

“I'm sorry. You have me at a disadvantage. Do I know you? Who are you?”

“I'm nobody you would expect to remember but we were in the same class at school eons ago. Annabelle, Annabelle Ivy. Well, Annabelle Iverson now. I married Alex Iverson. You remember him don't you? He was always so-o-o good looking. Still is if you ask me. Maybe you'll see him around here sometime. We own this place together. His mom runs the cafe next door and we live in the trailers out back. But you don't care about all of that.

“You look terrific, by the way. I should have recognized you right away. Long sleek black hair and still so slender. Of course, we all were back in those days. Ha, Ha.

“Oh, oh! I bet you're back in town because of your father. Right? Been all over the news. Discovered after all these years. You must be devastated! And I better simply give you your key and let you get some rest. You must be exhausted.”

“Well, yes. Been to see the sheriff and the funeral home but can't get much done today so its been a trying time.”

“Sure. I understand. Welcome back and if you ever want to talk I'll be around. Oh. One warning. We have some news people from out of town staying here and they may be on the look out for you.”

“Thanks for the warning. Not that I wouldn't want to sample your mother-in-law's cooking but is there any other place to eat in town away from prying eyes?”

“Aurora's across from the town square. Not as good as Mom's but you may see some familiar faces.”

“I probably wouldn't remember anyone and no one was exactly kind to me after... you know.”

“You certainly got the short end and now for the truth to come out... Hope things settle down for you soon. I'll give you number twelve at the end of the row so you can slip in and out unnoticed. Better yet, why don't you take this menu with you and call an order in to me and I'll bring your supper to you tonight. ”

“Thanks. That sounds wonderful. You're the only one who's been kind.”

“I was only a kid myself back then and didn't know why you left school so suddenly until I heard about your mother. So sorry.”

“She'd made arrangements in a will for me to go with her uncle. I was raised at his home in Florida. I took over his jewelry business and expanded it to the internet so do okay.”

“I believe I know the line. Very elegant and classy. You model it well. Catch you later.”

Ariel got waylaid by news hounds spilling out of a van before she reached her room.

“Look! She's here! Anyway I think that's her.”

“Oh, Ms. Izzard, Ms. Izzard. Could we get a statement from you? Please.”

“Arthur Ian from Amalgamated Inc. What does finding your father's remains mean to you?” A nosy journalist rammed a microphone in her face as a cameraman aimed his lens.

“I, I can lay him to rest along side my mother.” 'What's wrong with these vultures?' Ariel wondered.

“Finding his bones in the trunk of a car in a mountain lake speaks to his innocence in embezzling the bank's money. Does it not? Adam Ingels, Allied I-Witness. What became of the quarter-million dollars?”

“You people are the investigative journalists why don't you find out the truth? I was a child when he disappeared. Looks more like he was a victim than a perpetrator. An unfortunate coincident the money went missing at the same time. Everyone assumed he stole it. The whole town shunned my mother and me and the pain and shame killed her. No one ever looked at any other possibilities. Now please leave me alone. The sheriff will hold a press conference tomorrow. So far this town without pity is full of nothing but artificial intelligence!”