Sleight of Hand

By Deanne Blackhurst

Is it possible to con your way out of hell? Fifty-two year old Daniel Cabrero thinks so and why wouldn’t he? That’s how he spent his entire life. But Jonah his spirit guide has reasons of his own for making sure Daniel pays for all the suffering and misery he’s caused others. Still sometimes people can change, even in hell. And maybe Daniel can keep his son from following the same path.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Deanne Blackhurst
• Release date: Jul 15, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452346519

Deanne Blackhurst

Deanne Blackhurst has been writing for over ten years. She is the author of two published novels with several more in the works.

Book preview

Sleight of Hand

A Novel By

Deanne M Blackhurst

Copyright 2010 Deanne Blackhurst

Published at Smashwords

Is it possible to con your way out of hell? Fifty-two year old Daniel Cabrero thinks so and why wouldn’t he? That’s how he spent his entire life. But Jonah his spirit guide has reasons of his own for making sure Daniel pays for all the suffering and misery he’s caused others. Still sometimes people can change, and maybe Daniel can keep his son from following in the same path.

Chapter 1

Though he didn’t realize it at the time, today was the day that Daniel would die.

Daniel Cabrero pulled a beat-up suitcase from the back of the motel closet and tossed it on to the faded yellow bedspread. He had few clothes, and it didn’t take long to pack. In his line of work, traveling light could mean the difference between freedom on the road and a nine-by-nine jail cell.

He grabbed his toothbrush and razor from the sink, then looked up and studied his reflection in the mottled bathroom mirror.

At fifty-five, Daniel was still in pretty good shape. His light brown hair now streaked with white was thick, and the lines at the corner of his grey-green eyes suited him.

His old man had keeled over from a bum heart at forty-nine, not that Daniel was sorry to see the creep go. Still, he tried to take care of himself. When you’re conning lonely old women, the trimmer you look, the more eager they are to trust you.

No doubt Daniel could have kept the game up for another ten years, but what was the point? It was time to get out, settle down and maybe find a wife. Of course it wouldn’t be like the first time, but at his age the idea of a well cooked meal and a little female company sounded pretty inviting.

Daniel double-checked the room for any forgotten belongings then picked up his jacket.

He’d been suffering from a case of heartburn most of the night, probably the greasy ribs he’d eaten the evening before, but he didn’t have any antacid pills on him. He could stop and buy some on his way out of town, but Daniel knew that he wouldn’t. All he wanted was to check out of this run-down motel, drive onto Highway 5 and get out of Mississippi, never to be heard from again.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at the door. It’s me, Tony. I need to talk to you.

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the nightstand clock. He was anxious to get on the road and he felt sick. The last thing he needed was an encounter with Tony Greenly.

The pounding came again and the door shuddered under the onslaught. Open up.

If there’d been a way to slip out unseen, Daniel would have done it. But all the motel windows had bolts installed and wouldn’t open more than a few inches. He had no choice but to deal with Tony.

He took a few seconds to prepare, standing up a little straighter and assuming a professional demeanor before kicking the suitcase out of sight and answering the door.

Tony’s frame was large, filling the doorway as he stepped in. He had short cropped brown hair and small eyes that peered out from a large puffy face. He was the twenty-five-year-old son of Phyllis Greenly, but mentally Tony was probably nine or ten.

The big man seemed ill at ease, shifting from one foot to the other. My ma’s money. She wants it back.

Daniel closed the door to the motel room quickly. Now Tony, your ma purchased an excellent piece of real estate, he said, adopting a slight Southern drawl. This time next year it’ll be worth four times what she paid for it. You tell her not to worry.

She needs the money. Doc says she needs some operation on her knees. She done told me to say she changed her mind.

Daniel chose his words carefully. Tony was as stubborn as he was dumb, but if he was riled up, Daniel knew he could be dangerous.

Tell her she signed a contract. The land is bought. I can’t get the money back.

She needs it now, Tony repeated, his face set in a mulish frown. I’m not leavin’ till I get ma’s money.

Daniel was getting impatient. I don’t have the money with me, but I’ll tell you what. Let me make a few phone calls and see what I can do. I’ll drop by tomorrow and we can talk.

Tony folded his beefy arms and stood his ground. Ten thousand dollars, right now. Ma needs it.

I don’t have time for this, Daniel said, his heart beating fast in his chest. I have an appointment and I’m already late. You need to leave. He tried pushing the young man out the door but it was like trying to move a semi truck.

Gimme the money. Now!

The sound of police sirens in the distance made Daniel break a cold sweat. A scene like this could bring the whole house of cards down around him. He had to get out while he still could.

In a rush of panic, Daniel tucked his chin against his chest and charged at Tony with all his strength. The big man staggered back a pace at the blow, but then lunged at Daniel grabbing his arms in a crushing grasp and shaking him like a rag doll. Daniel could feel the blood rushing to his face, and his heart pounding loudly in his ears. I want ma’s money.

Struggling to break free, Daniel’s breath was coming in short gasps. I told you, I don’t have it.

Tony released his grip on Daniel’s arms, only to wrap him in a bone crushing hug. He lifted Daniel off the ground and shook him again, but the man was no longer struggling.

Daniel was having a hard time breathing and a crushing pain in his chest made him cry out.

At the sound, Tony let go dropping Daniel to his knees where he doubled over onto the floor, the room spinning around him.

I didn’t mean nothin’. I just wanted my ma’s money. Tony backed up until his hand found the door. Opening it, he rushed out letting it slam closed behind him.

Sharp pains shot through Daniel’s left shoulder as he clawed at his chest, struggling for breath. It was his heart, just like the old man.

He had to get to a phone and call 911 he thought desperately struggling to his feet, but the pain was too much. He pitched to the side hitting his head on the metal corner of the bed-frame as he fell, and slipped into a sea of blackness.

Lying there alone and unconscious on the worn out motel rug, Daniel’s heart skipped a beat, and then another, before finally stopping altogether.

Chapter 2

His body lay crumpled on the floor below him and Daniel stared at it, feeling nothing. At first, he hadn’t recognized the face. Not surprising. He’d never viewed it from this angle before. As the realization dawned on him, Daniel studied his own lifeless body with more interest.

A pragmatic man in life, Daniel found that in death, he possessed the same quality. He was dead; there was no denying that. He’d never believed in an afterlife, but evidently he’d been wrong. Did this mean that there was actually a heaven and a hell? If so, Daniel had no doubt that he was headed for the latter.

Oh well, he said aloud. At least it was a damn good ride.

His body grew smaller as Daniel found himself slowly floating away from it. He looked up, expecting to crash into the ceiling at any moment, but it had dissolved into a dense gray haze that enveloped him completely. He was reminded of a thick fog he’d once seen rolling in from the ocean on a chilly winter evening. But this mist was neither cold nor wet. It stretched out around him, undulating as far as he could see.

So this was the afterlife, this great empty sea of gray. No gust of wind stirred against his face, and no scent registered in his nostrils.

The floating sensation disconcerted him, and he tried moving one direction and then another. Daniel felt his legs stirring, but there was no pressure against his feet and his eyes could not discern any change in his location. A feeling of annoyance began deep in his chest. Was this vast emptiness all there was?

At first, Daniel didn’t notice the shaft of light. Its arrival had been subtle, and it wasn’t until the glow was fairly intense that it finally caught his attention. It pierced through the nothingness like the bright beam from a lighthouse into the dark of a storm. Daniel found himself drawn toward the radiance by an irresistible force.

The closer he drew, the more he felt the light and its effects on his stimulus deprived senses. It was warm, and though its intensity dazzled him, it caused his eyes no pain. Even more peculiar, the light seemed to evoke unusual emotions within him.

Memories, jumbled and disjointed, flashed through his mind. Warm cookies on a cold afternoon, a soft cozy blanket wrapped around him as he sat in front of a crackling fire, and a gentle loving hand brushing his hair as he lay half asleep on a cool, soft pillow. These were extraordinary thoughts for Daniel, and yet he found them comforting.

He couldn’t say exactly when he entered the light, or perhaps it was the light that entered him. Whatever the case, Daniel was at once surrounded, filled and lifted. It carried him forward, deep into its depth. Time seemed to stop as the gray nothingness was left far behind. Daniel shut his eyes and allowed himself to be swallowed up in the joy that encircled him.

* * * *

The bottom of Jonah Washington’s bare feet made soft slapping sounds against the warm paving stones as he walked through the garden. The pale blue sky, unbroken by a sun like orb or even a cloud, spanned the expanse overhead reflecting the light that came from the planet itself.

Lush vegetation surrounded the trail, each plant emanating a radiance of its own. Lacy green ferns glimmered as they danced in the breeze. Leaves from thick waxy shrubbery exuded a pale lime colored sheen as they brushed against shadowy russet branches. Even the tiny yellow and pink wild-flowers flickered like fireflies among the tall blades of grass.

Jonah stopped to watch a multi-colored bird, its wings outstretched, fly into the air above him, leaving a rainbow smear in its wake.

Ahead, the path widened and a fountain bubbled musically in the center. It was covered in a mosaic of tiny green and teal tiles, the sound of the splashing water echoed in the air like a hundred crystal wind chimes.

As he approached and looked down into the water-filled basin, Jonah saw a school of iridescent silver fish flicker in and out of sight.

Next to the fountain was a simple wooden bench that faced a tall round tunnel the mouth of which emerged from the surrounding foliage like a black stain among the leaves. Jonah settled himself on the bench and tried to ignore the sense of irritation he always felt when waiting for a new arrival.

He pulled a chunk of oak wood and a knife from his pocket and began to whittle. At first he flicked the knife with sharp hard cuts, but eventually the peace of the spot overtook him, and the blade began to move slowly and smoothly.

Jonah had been a guide, escorting the souls of the recently deceased to their eternal penance for a very long time now. But lately, though he tried not to let it show, the stress was getting to him. Dealing with the refuse of humanity, day after day, had made him jaded and bitter.

He shifted his position on the seat. No one ever knew how long it would take for a new arrival to let go of the earth and find their way up through the light. For some, the trip took only a few moments but for others a millennia. Let’s hope Daniel is one of the faster ones, Jonah said under his breath.

He’d been waiting for a long time when at last a soft whooshing sound from deep within the tunnel announced the presence of the new arrival and Daniel stepped out of the opening, looking dazed and confused.

Jonah slipping the wood and knife back into his pocket as he studied the man before him. Some would have considered Daniel’s rugged features attractive, but what Jonah noticed first, what he always noticed first, was the man’s age. Daniel appeared too young to be dead, not that age made any difference where death was concerned, Jonah thought bitterly.

Welcome. Jonah stood, pasted a smile on his face and extended his hand. He knew all about Daniel. He knew that the man had been born during a wild thunderstorm in September of 1955 and that he had a small birth mark on the inside of his left elbow. Guides had to know everything about their followers down to the minutest detail. It was required for the job. He also knew where Daniel was headed for.

Ignoring the offered handshake, Daniel looked around. Where am I? he asked.

Jonah frowned and let his hand drop back to his side. Where do you think you are?

Heaven?

Is that how it appears to you? Jonah asked the question even though he already knew what the other’s answer would be.

Daniel nodded, his voice filled with amazement. It must be heaven. It’s so beautiful I’ve never seen anything like it.

Come on, Jonah said, trying hard not to let the disgust he felt for this man show in his voice. We have a long way to go.

Daniel hesitated. He turned and looked back into the mouth of the tunnel from which he’d so recently emerged. It’s dark now, but only a moment ago it was full of light.

Jonah cocked his head to the side and studied the other man for a moment. In all his years as a spirit guide, no one had ever looked back the way they’d come. Usually his followers were only interested in the future, impatient to move on to their next destination.

When you look up from earth the portal reflects all the light that’s here, Jonah explained. But if you look down from here, there’s nothing to see but darkness. Earth is too far away from the source of all light. Let’s go.

This time Daniel followed without discussion.

* * * *

The path they traveled curved slightly to the right and then to the left, Daniel noticed, as it meandered its way through the greenery. The foliage was dense, sometimes creating a canopy above their heads, but there was nothing dark or shadowy about the place. In fact, there were no shadows at all, and when he looked up, Daniel could find to trace of a sun above them.

We don’t require a burning star for light or warmth here, Jonah said, as if reading Daniel’s thoughts. Each living thing has a light within itself. The purpose of the sky is simply to reflect that light.

Daniel made no comment, but followed closely behind the young man studying him with interest. The boy was clean shaven with coffee colored skin and short black curly hair. No wings, no halo, just a normal kid in jeans and an open neck pullover like a hundred other kids Daniel had passed on the street while he was alive. Jonah’s hands were shoved into his pockets and he was whistling quietly to himself.

Are you an angel?

The young man shrugged without turning around, his voice was cool and impatient. My official title is Guide Level Two but you can call me Jonah.

Guide to what?

Jonah stopped and turned to face Daniel. To the after-life of course.

Chapter 3

Could you beat that? Daniel found himself walking with a bit of a swagger in his steps. He’d made it into Heaven after all. He could think of quite a few people he’d known in his life who would be shocked to see him here.

The thick vegetation that surrounded them, now gave way to an open meadow dotted with white and purple blossoms. Large winged butterflies drifted dreamily from one bloom to the next, as if they had all the time in the universe.

So, buddy, where are we going? Daniel asked.

You’ll see soon enough.

Daniel chuckled. Where I come from, everyone says that Heaven is full of angel’s sitting on clouds and playing harps.

Jonah stopped and pulled a long blade of grass from a patch growing on the side of the road and stuck the end of it in his mouth. That’s because few people from earth have ever been here and then gone back to tell about it.

The landscape had changed again. Now their path seemed to be leading them upward amid rocky outcroppings and stately evergreen trees. I’ll admit I thought it sounded boring as hell. I can say that right?

When the other didn’t respond, Daniel took a deep breath of the crisp, pine scented air. But this place, I could stay here forever.

That’s the idea, Jonah replied without turning.

The wind had picked up and the branches swayed back and forth. A patch of aspens, their disk-shaped leaves shimmering in the current, surrounded a pile of moss-covered boulders.

We’re close now, Jonah said.

After walking for a little while longer, they stopped and Jonah pointed down the road. Over there.

Daniel found himself staring at a small cabin situated a little off the road. It was built of redwood logs, each fitted seamlessly together. A covered porch wrapped around the front and sides of the structure, and small curls of smoke rose lazily from a rustic brick chimney at the back. A tub of red geraniums bloomed at the bottom of the stairs, and a cane-back rocking chair looked inviting by the front door.

Daniel stared in amazement. All his life, he’d dreamed of owning a cabin like this; not that he’d been in the mountains much. He was a born and bred city kid, but he’d seen a place like this on TV once, and the image had always stayed with him.

Welcome to your inheritance.

If there was a lack of enthusiasm in Jonah’s voice, Daniel didn’t notice it. This is really mine?

Jonah pulled the blade