The Snake and The Rabbit

The Dark Man

There was a knock at the door, “what now?” Holmes growled.

He opened the door to Mrs. Hudson. She said not a word but handed him a card. Holmes thrust it at me. It read, Jamaal Xeteal Carib. I handed the card to Lizzie, “is this a real person?” I asked. “What kind of name is this?”

“Let us find out,” she smiled a weak smile.

Holmes walked away from the door and Mrs. Hudson. Before we knew it there was a dark man standing in our living room. Lizzie stood, looking at the man as if she had seen a ghost.

This man had a thick accent but spoke the Queen’s English, “gentle-men,” he bowed. “My lady.”

“Not used to wearing a suit?” Holmes asked.

He smiled, “no” pulling at the jacket.

Lizzie walked backwards to Holmes’ arm chair.

“Please sit down,” I motioned to the couch. “How can we help you?”

Holmes remained leaning up against the window.

Our visitor had a scar across his face. He was indeed dark. His skin had been kissed by the sun every day of his life. His hair was black. He had it pulled into a tail behind his head.

“Please be,” he thought for a moment. “Patient – with me. I speak – English. Not first tongue.” He looked at each of us for a moment before continuing. “I have been in country this four time. Time one; to find sister. Time two; to bring sister home. Time three; to find sister again.”

“Your sister has gone missing twice.” I asked.

“No, first time – I find place. Know by words on paper.”

“An address?” I asked.

He smiled, “yes, address. Found. Sister much with child. Already have four by local man. Live in big house near water. Much happy. Not come home. Next time I come, no find sister home. Go search, not find. Go back to big house, no sister. Take babies back home with me. Five now. Three time, come back to get sister, bring her home. Man angry – not with me.” He stopped and made a face. It looked to me as if he was confused. “Not find sister. House mess, like storm. Man run me off. This time find you. Local say you good at find.”

I looked at Holmes who had both eyebrows raised as he looked at me.

He asked, “Your sister, how did she meet this Englishman?”

“He come to island. Sister like different,” he spread his hands out in the air as if he was spreading out a rug. “Land. Find strang-er fun. They spend all time as one. He leave but make words to come back. In two calendars, he come back.”

“Do you still have the address to this place?”

Our visitor reached inside his coat and pulled out a very worn piece of paper. Holmes eyes got as big as saucers. I walked over to him reading the address. “Holmes,” I whispered.

“Your sister,” Lizzie spoke. “Was her name Arawak?”

The man jumped his face full of surprise. “You see sister?”

“Oh yes, I killed your sister.”

I grew weak in the knees. Holmes just stared at her with a blank expression on his face. Our guest just sat there. He finally spoke, “why?”

“The stranger that came to your land: in the two years that he was absent from your sister married me. The big house by the water that you went to was a gift from my father when we got married. He told me that your sister was hired as a governess for children that he and I didn’t have. But apparently your sister was able to reproduce. A LOT. This man and your sister tried every way in the world to kill me. But I just refused to die.” She scoffed, “just imagine how frustrating for them it must have been. So one night I left. Left them to their little play house. Twenty-five years later he finds me, of no power of my own takes me back to the big house by the water. When your sister tries to kill me again, I killed her instead. The man is enraged and tried to kill me. But I got away.” She smiled.

“The things you tell me true?”

“I have no reason to lie to you, nor desire. If you have good memories of your sister, remember her that way. Do not take my memories as your own. Raise her children with the good ones you have.”  

Our visitor sat there for a long time not moving. I wanted to go over and hug Lizzie. Holmes was lost somewhere I know not where.

He finally spoke, “can you show me sister in ground?”

“I know not where to show you.” Again there was a long silence. “If I may suggest, make a memorial for her on your island. Let that be her marker. I know not where the man buried her. Honestly, I care not. But your family will need a spot to grieve for your lost.”

Our visitor left, with his head hung in grieve or shame, I know not. After Lizzie went to bed that night, Holmes asked me to write down all that was said. I agreed with his logic, we needed to give Inspector Hopkins an account of what happened.

Holmes and I spent a long time that night talking about all that had happened in our lives in the last year; trying to piece together the events. My heart bled for Lizzie. I left Holmes in silence.

As I was closing the door behind me, I heard her voice. It was soft and gentle, “unable to sleep?” I peeked back inside the room. She looked like an angel in her white night dress. Holmes opened his arms for her as she sat in his lap, then laid her head on his shoulder. I smiled as I closed the door remembering the great smile on his face the evening Mycroft came over. It warmed my heart to know that Holmes could show such compassion. Lizzie is an amazing woman.

The Snake and The Rabbit