Free The Apparition by Wayne Greenough Page B

decided to walk off, the person I know is all alone and quite helpless. She needs an accomplished cook. She also must have a housekeeper, an errand boy, a driver, and at times an assistant doing unusual errands for her. Edgar Wells, my study of you convinces me that you are able to meet all the needs my friend will ask of you.”
    “What am I, some sort of an open book to you?”
    “Yes, in a way you are. Will you accept my offer?”
    “I don’t know. This all sounds suspicious and illegal.”
    “It isn’t. You’re thirty-five, a young age, and my offer will give you the opportunity for a chance to start a different life, one I feel you will learn to enjoy.”
    “I hope you’re right. I accept.” Silently Edgar Wells said, God help me, I’m working for The Apparition!
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    It started decades ago with Mike Johnson, the original crime fighting Apparition. He sat in a comfortable chair while waiting to be judged. One wall of the small room was a window. He could see earth. He could see his granddaughter Alicia struggling with the wheelchair that had forever captured her body.
    “Your granddaughter’s to be admired, Mr. Johnson. She keeps trying to walk in spite of the fact many doctors informed her otherwise. Sadly, six bullets forever shattered her spine.”
    Mike Johnson turned to see Mr. Know. The man always wore a gray suit, shirt, tie, socks, and shoes. His hair was pure white, his eyes piercingly blue.
    “Where’s your halo?”
    Mr. Know grimaced. “Happily, I’m not required to wear one. You’re depressed today.”
    “I’m depressed every day. I’m here and Alicia needs my help.”
    “What could you do, Mr. Johnson?”
    “I don’t know. She needs to be released from that wheelchair. It’s killing her.”
    “Yes, I’m afraid it will, and shortly.”
    “Then something has to be done. Mr. Know, do something. I don’t want her to end up being dead like me.”
    “What happened to you was inevitable, running around as a pulp hero, solving crime, hiding your real identity for decades.”
    “The Apparition was my real identity. Mike Johnson was my disguise. “
    “You should have retired.”
    “I got old and careless.”
    “You were murdered, shot down in the street. You ended up face down in a gutter. That was not a pleasant way for you to meet me, Mr. Johnson.”
    “Is there a pleasant way, Mr. Know? Stray machine gun bullets put my granddaughter, Alicia, in a wheel chair for life. She was helping me walk that day.”
    “Do you feel your efforts as a crime fighter helped society?”
    “Not really. Crime is even worse now. Still, I wish I could fight for justice all over again.”
    “Perhaps you can.”
    “Oh, tell me how? Wait a minute! Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting? Yes, you are! Mr. Know, don’t do it. That would put Alicia in dire danger.”
    “Yes, she would be facing countless unknown dangers when she assumes your crime fighting identity of The Apparition. But only during the nighttime hours, which are the hours you fought crime. During the day she will be Alicia in a wheelchair. I’m sure you realize how very much she resembles your exhaustless tenacity of decades ago. She will be a great crime fighter.”
    “I hope you’re right. Okay, get her out of that wheelchair. Free her during the night. Make her into The Apparition.”
    “You know the rules.”
    “Yeah, I know them. If you ask a favor of Mr. Know, he will ask a favor of you. So I’ll owe you.”
    Mr. Know smiled and blinked. “Your request has been granted.”
    “Good, I hope she has my guns.”
    “Why give her your guns? They’re only western six shooters. Modern day guns hold more bullets.”
    “The Apparition was a dead shot. I always used six shooters, throwing knives and bullet proof armor. In my old age I found them uncomfortable. I stopped using them and got careless, got killed, and caused what happened to my granddaughter.”
    Mr. Know glanced upward. “All