INTERVIEWS
“…Yeah, that’s the place right over there.” Said Deputy John Cort, as he self-conscientiously pointed over his shoulder at the Big Kay Burger restaurant across the street. In front of him was Jamal behind the camera with Shawn kneeling to his side monitoring the sound equipment. To Cort’s right was Carol Martinez holding a microphone in front of her and looking at Cort with total interest. “That’s where Joey B’s Diner used to be.”
“Is it true, deputy, that only Steven Freeman, Jessica Kimble, and her baby daughter survived the massacre?” Carol asked
“That‘s what I heard, Mam. But, I wasn’t assigned to the Cunningham County Sheriff Department at that time.”
“From what I heard that’s a lucky thing for you, deputy, because wasn’t it that TV celebrity Robert Campbell murdered everyone in the sheriff’s office except, of course, Sheriff Landis himself.”
“No, actually the sheriff, Deputy Randy Dorin, and our fileclerk Deputy Ed Marlin survived the massacre.Course, Randy actually died at the Voorhees house later on.”
“Don’t you mean he was murdered by Steven Freeman, who cut his head off?”
“Mam, Randy was possessed by Jason. The sheriff, himself, said that after Steven cut his head off some sort of hideous critter came out of his neck.” Cort said, defensively.
“And you believe what Sheriff Landis tells you, even something as incredible as that?”
Cort gave her a confused look. “I…I…Of course I believe the sheriff. The sheriff doesn’t have any reason to lie about this.”
“I would say trying to help his girlfriend’s daughter from getting charged as an accomplice to murder is a good reason.”
“And I would say you are crossing the boundaries of a simple documentary about a local legend.” said Sheriff Landis as he walked towards the film crew from his patrol car, which was parked at the corner.
Nervously, Jamal and Shawn began to shut their equipment down, but Carol motioned for them to continue.
“Then I feel it’s only fair that we get your perspective on what happened.” Carol said, pointing her microphone in the sheriff’s direction.
“Miss Martinez, I didn’t come here to become part of your trashy documentary. I came here to issue you with a warning about harassing members of this community and making statements bordering on slander.” Then he looked over at Jamal and Shawn. “I would suggest you boys better shut that stuff off before I order my deputy to drag your asses in.”
Deputy Cort gave Jamal and Shawn a warning glance. That seemed to be enough for them because they immediately shut down the equipment.
“Excuse me, Sheriff, I was right in the middle of an interview.” Carol told him.
“Your interview is over.”
“Is this about your buddy Steven Freeman?” Carol asked, now annoyed.
“Steven?” The sheriff asked, surprised. “No. But now I’ll have to get Steven on the horn and ask him what you’re talking about.” Then the sheriff smiled at her; but it didn’t look friendly. “No, actually this is about Betty Loomis.”
Carol looked undisturbed.
“From what she told me she agreed to do a simple interview and ended up having the memory of her husband trashed on camera by you.”
“Mrs. Loomis signed a waver before she was interviewed.” Carol pointed out. “If she doesn’t like the way the interview turned out that’s tough luck. If I choose to use the interview in my documentary there’s nothing either you or her can do about it.”
“Legally you’re right.” The sheriff admitted. “But you see in a small town like Crystal Lake the community expects more from their sheriff than just being somebody to enforce the law; they want someone who will protect them from troublesome elements that disturb their peace. You and your friends just crossed that line.”
“You can’t arrest us for bad taste.” Carol told him.
“Did I say anything about arresting you?”
“Actually….” Shawn began, but stopped when the sheriff shot him a warning glance.
“No. I’m just here to inform you that your welcome here in Crystal Lake is growing a bit thin and I would suggest that you consider packing up your show and moving on.”
“And if we don’t?” Carol challenged.
“Then you risk becoming one of those troublesome elements I mentioned.” The sheriff said.
“Then what are you going to do?” Carol challenged. “You just said you couldn’t arrest us.”
“Actually, Miss Martinez, I didn’t say that.” The sheriff said, with cold confidence. “What I said was that I couldn’t arrest you for bad taste. But, if I had a suspicion about another violation of the law, such as the use of illegal drugs, I could bring you in on that.” The sheriff looked over at Jamal, but the cameraman was nervously fiddling with the controls of the camera and avoiding his gaze.
“You don’t have to worry about anymore trouble, Sheriff.” Carol said. “We’re done doing interviews and we’ll be finished shooting by tomorrow.”
“I would recommend you finish as fast as possible.” Landis said, turning and heading back to his patrol car.
Deputy Cort looked over at Carol. “We’re still on for tomorrow? Right?” he asked.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Carol told him seductively and snapped her teeth at him.
“You got some place you need to be, Cort?” The sheriff yelled angrily from where he stood in front of his patrol car. Cort stiffened.
“I’m on my way, Sheriff.” Cort said, giving Carol an apologetic look as he headed off towards his own patrol car, which was parked down the street.
“You really amaze me, Chief.” Shawn said, as he and Jamal started breaking down the equipment. “You’ll do anything to get an interview, even go out with a geek like that deputy. Shame you didn’t get to finish the interview at least.”
“To hell with the interview.” Carol said with a smug look on her face. “We got what we needed. And, as for Deputy Do Right, by the time he realizes he’s been stood up we’ll be on our way back to California.”
Both Shawn and Jamal looked at her in total confusion. “Excuse me for being totally ignorant, Chief, but what the hell did we get out of this except a rather short introduction to the massacre at Joey B’s and a very slanderous and, unsubstantiated, accusation against the sheriff?”
Carol pulled a piece of paper out of the pocket of her blue jean jacket and handed it to Shawn.
Shawn looked over the paper, but still looked confused. “Yeah, these look like directions. But directions to where?”
Carol looked pleased by his confusion. “Our next destination…the Voorhees residence.”
“No shit.” This came from Jamal.
“As I said, you amaze me, Chief.” Shawn said.
“All it takes is knowing when to provide a little gentle persuasion.” She said, before she started to help them pack up the equipment.
“Back again I see, Steven.” Betty said pleasantly as she approached the counter. “What can I tempt you with? One of my special egg salad and ham sandwiches?”
“Actually, Betty, I’m looking for information.” Ryan said, as Betty filled his cup with coffee from the pot she was carrying.
“I’m surprised at you Steven Freeman.” Betty said. “This is the first time you’ve turned down one of my egg salad sandwiches. This information you want must be very important to you.”
“It’s very important.” Ryan admitted. Ryan looked around at the crowded coffee shop. This thing was though what he wanted to know wasn’t something the general public needed to know. “Could we go someplace more private to talk?”
“Actually, I’m due for a break. Give me a few minutes.” She said. Then she took an apple pastry from behind the counter, put it on a plate, and set it in front of him. “Here… eat something while you wait. I know a hungry boy when I see one.”
Ryan had to admit he was a little hungry. He had taken off from the house without eating breakfast. Hungrily, he tore into the confection.
“You don't look so good, Hon.” Mary, the waitress said, concerned, to Phil, who was sitting in the booth in front of her. “Are you sure you wouldn't like something more than coffee?”
Would you please tell that fat cow to fuck off! The voice in his head said, annoyed.
“I'm fine, Mary. I've already had something to eat.” Phil said.
“Then maybe some orange juice?” She asked, looking concerned.
Just tell that bitch to mind her own business. The voice complained. Fucking hicks, don't know when to mind their own business. That's one reason why I hate this fucking town so much!
“Ok, that'll be fine.” Phil said, with a charming smile.”Please make that and my coffee to go, would you honey.”
“No problem, Hon.”Mary said, returning his smile.
After Mary went off to fill his order, Phil's expression darkened and he said under his breath, “Will you please stop yelling in my head. Between you and that bitch I can barely concentrate on what I'm doing.” He said, looking over at Steven Freeman, who was just ten feet away, eating on the pastry that old bitch, Betty, had given him. He'd been trying to listen in on their conversation, figuring that Steven had come back to the coffee shop for more than something to eat. He'd been right.
Then he saw that Betty was returning.Now the game begins, he thought.
“Here, put your coffee in this and meet me out back.” Betty said to Ryan, handing him a Styrofoam cup.
After pouring his coffee in the cup, Ryan left the coffee shop, headed into the alleyway along the side of the building, and went around to the kitchen door of the coffee shop.
About ten minutes later, Betty came strolling out the kitchen door carrying a tea cupon a small plate with a couple of cookies sitting on it. “Ok, young man, what is it that you needed to know that was so important that it had to interfere with my morning tea?”
“Why didn't you tell Micki and me before that you'd been a close friend with Pamela Voorhees?” Ryan asked.
“It was none of your business.” Betty said simply. “I may have the reputation of being the town gossip, but my personal business is just that, my business.”
“But we had told you that this was important.”
“Your cousin's book is not a good enough reason to further tarnish my dear friend's memory.” Betty said, sternly.
“I guess that wouldn't be.” Ryan admitted. “But what if I told you that Micki wasn't writing a book but was here to end the curse put on this town by Lewis Vendredi.”
“I never gave you Lewis' name.” she said, surprised. “How do you know about Lewis?”
“Because Lewis is my uncle.” Ryan said. “And, I know for a fact that he had something to do with bringing Jason back from the dead.”
“But, Steven, the curse is already over.” Betty said. “You sent Jason to Hell.”
“What? You must be kidding me.” Ryan said, surprised. “What about the recent murders?”
“But the sheriff said the murders weren't connected and were done by copycat murderers.”
“And knowing what you know about all this you actually believed that?”Ryan said.
“I guess I honestly wanted to believe you and Jessica had ended the curse.” Betty admitted, looking much older and tired.
“What about the rumors about Jason's mask?” Ryan asked.
“I thought people were just trying to keep the legend alive.”Betty admitted.
“Micki and I have been looking into these murders and can assure you these are not simple copycat murders.Micki has actually seen a pattern to these murders that indicates that they're building towards something major.”
“My stars, have you any idea what that might be?”
“We're not too sure at this time,” Ryan admitted, “But we know we need to be ready and knowledge is power.”
“Quite true, young man.” Betty agreed. “How can I be of help?”
“I asked Will Peters about what he knew about Elias Voorhees' death. What he told me didn't ring true. He mentioned that your husband, Ralph, was with him at the time.I was wondering if he told you anything about it?”
Betty took another sip of her tea and looked down at her cup in disgust. “If I had known you were going to ask me about something like this I would have added something stronger to this.” Then Betty downed the rest of the tea in one gulp.She sat down on the stoop in front of the kitchen door and placed the empty cup, saucer, and untouched cookies down beside her. “Ralph told me what happened.He was never the same after the incident. You're right when you say that the story that was passed around town wasn't true. The sheriff and Ralph came up with it because the truth was far more hideous.”
“Did Jason kill his own father?” Ryan asked, pointedly.
“Yes. He killed Elias because Elias was trying to stop him from killing his mother.”
“What!” Ryan said, stunned by this revelation. “But Jason loved his mother. Why the hell would he try to kill her? And what the hell was Pamela doing there?”
“Well, you see, Elias, Pamela, and Ralph had all gone into those woods to kill Jason.” Betty told him. “So you can see in some ways you could say it was self defense on his part.”
Phil quickly peeked around the side of the building at Steven Freeman and that old hag, Betty. He'd been listening intently to Betty's account when the voice in his head distracted him.I should've gotten rid of that old biddy years ago.
“Would you please shut up. I can't hear with you bitching in my head.” Phil said, under his breath.
That old bitch's burbling is of no concern to us. The voice said.
“It certainly got you going.” Phil said, quietly, amused. But his amusement ended when a bolt of mind numbing pain shot through his head. “Ok, ok, I get the picture. You're the boss.” Phil said, hoping his voice hadn't gone too high. Spittle dribbled from his mouth and he could taste the flavor of bloody snot touch his lips.He slapped his hand over his mouth to stifle the scream he was about to release. Then the pain ended.
I hope I don't have to remind you of your position again. The voice said.
“No,... no.” Phil said, breathlessly. Then Phil quickly glance around the corner again, hoping Steven and the old woman didn't hear him. Luckily, he saw they were still deep in their conversation.
I need to remember to have you butcher that old bitch once we get the mask. The voice said, absently.
Phil slowly slid down the side of the wall and tried to keep from puking.
“That doesn't make sense.” Ryan said. “Pamela went to all the trouble of bringing Jason back and then decided to kill him.”
“You have no idea what that poor woman went through.All she wanted was to have her son back, not that monster that came out of the lake. She spent years in fear, thinking that that thing might be watching her from the woods. Once she had Diana her fear increased because now she had to worry that he might do something to her baby. Finally, she'd had enough and contacted Lewis and asked for his help to end it.”
“And what did Lewis do?” Ryan asked.
“Not much.”Betty said, with disgust. “The bastard sent that black boy of his with a knife and basically told her to kill him herself.”
Ryan was intrigued by this piece of information.“Did he give her any specifics about how to kill him?”
“As I said I got this information from Ralph and I don't think he knew too many specifics.” Betty reminded him.
“Well did he tell you anything about the knife?” Ryan asked.
“All Ralph told me was it was big and fancy.”
Ryan went over to a pile of boxes and ripped a flap off one of them. Rummaging through the pockets of his jeans he pulled out a pen and began to draw. It had been over three years since he saw the dagger Creighton Duke had given to Jessica, but he had the image of it burned into his memory.
When he was finished he showed it to Betty. “Could this be the knife?”
“As I said, I never saw the knife.” She said, squinting at the picture. “But, Ralph also said it was magic, that it changed from a hunting knife into a knife straight out of Hell itself. So this could definitely be the knife.”
“Then this gives me yet another mystery to solve.” Ryan said. “Did Ralph tell you if Pamela actually stabbed Jason with the knife?”
“Actually, he did.” Betty said. “He told me that she drove that accursed thing right into that boy's heart. The only result was that Jason went into a rage and attacked his poor mother.”
“That's odd.” Ryan said, looking down at the picture in his hand again as if it held his answers. “If this is the same dagger Pamela used why didn't it destroy Jason then.”
Betty looked at him quizzically. Ryan noticed this.
“This is the dagger that Jessica used to send Jason to Hell. Why didn't it work for Pamela? Creighton Duke told Jessica that only a Voorhees could kill Jason with the dagger. But if that is the case something is very odd here.”
“And once again, Steven, you run into a problem. Creighton Duke is dead and any secrets he had died with him.”
“That doesn't mean he can't tell us anything.” Ryan said, dropping the picture and heading for the alleyway. “Sorry Betty, gotta rush. I need to see a lady about a ghost.”
“I don't understand.” Betty said, looking totally baffled.
“Good. It's safer that way.” Ryan said, as he turned around the corner of the building and headed into the alleyway.
Then as he headed out of the alley and around the front of the building he nearly ran face first into Phil Raman. “Shit.” he said, startled. “Sorry about that, Phil. I didn't see you.”
“I get that a lot.” Phil commented, humorlessly.
“My God, man, you should go home and get some rest.You look awful.What? Is Doctor Bob that much of a task master?”
“That was right where I was going when you so rudely ran into me.” he said, with false sounding irritation.
“Well, I guess I owe you a coffee once you feel up to it.” Ryan said, with a friendly smile.
“I'll hold you to that.” Phil said, amused.
“I'll look forward to it.” Ryan said, as he continued down the street and back to his car.
Could you have been anymore clumsy? The voice asked. Freeman nearly caught us back there.
“But he didn't.” Phil said, under his breath. “And if he had, you heard him, I look sick. I could easily make the excuse that I'd ran into the alley to puke. No law against a sick person puking.”
Still, it would be unwise for your continued health to take anymore foolish risks. The voice said coldly.
“But then Jason would have anyone to do his killing for him.” Phil reminded the voice.
Remember this, fool, you're not inexpendable. The voice reminded him. There's always another candidate somewhere who could be more worthy than you to wear Jason's mask.
“No.” Phil said, excitedly. “You said the mask was mine!”
These things aren't carved in stone. The voice said. You will wear the mask if you prove yourself worthy.
“Damn you, I am worthy.” Phil said, enraged.
Then stop whining,. the voice said, and stop tasking my patience. We have work to do. Freeman is getting away.
“Anything you say, Mastah, sah.” he said, sarcastically. “I is your nigger,sah.”