Chapter 3 #3
“No,” Devyn clarified. “She was drugged by her assailant. Tied up and hidden down here in the boat,” she added. “Her husband did this.” She gave Nell’s home address. “That’s where it started earlier this morning.”
There was a soft clicking in the background. She assumed the operator was checking her story. “I see the report. I’m notifying the police about this connection.” There was another brief pause. “Are you both safe?”
“We’re together,” Devyn reported. “There doesn’t seem to be an immediate threat. Nell needs medical attention.”
“Help is on the way,” he assured them. “Hang in there.” The operator kept Devyn talking, asking about Nell’s condition and their location, seemingly satisfied that Nell was breathing and they remained alone. “Watch for any shivering,” the operator said. “That could be a sign of shock.”
As if on cue, Nell’s teeth began to chatter. “What do we do for that?” Devyn queried.
“Find a blanket or sit close to calm her nervous system.”
“Okay.” Devyn looked around, but nothing was immediately obvious. In moments like this, she often wished for a gift of healing instead of sight.
Nell lifted a quivering hand. “Cabinet. First aid kit. Emergency blanket. Flat, silver foil thing,” she managed.
Devyn followed Nell’s cues and found the small packet. “Got it.” She unfurled it and tucked it around Nell, from her chin down to her toes. Then she eased down, settling close and putting her arm around Nell. “It’ll be over soon.”
They were still on speaker when the 911 operator gave them an update. “There’s a doctor on staff at the yacht club. I’ve made contact and he’s on the way to you.”
“Great.” That was fabulous news. The sooner Nell had medical assistance, the better. He gave them the name and once he heard the doctor’s arrival and Devyn’s confirmation of the man’s identity, he allowed them to end the call.
She made a mental note to find him and thank him when this was all over.
Dr. Timothy Collins looked to be in his mid-fifties, his hair graying at the temples, his brown eyes compassionate and sharp, framed by crow’s feet. He pulled out a recorder and quickly took in the scene. He made notes and rattled off questions while he started an IV and checked Nell over.
Her ankle was injured and more bruises were starting to show along her arms, throat, and face. After taking photos with his cell phone, he and Devyn helped Nell up to the deck for some fresh air and to elevate her ankle.
“You two rest here,” the doctor told them. “I’ll go meet the police and paramedics.”
When they were alone again, Devyn ignored the curious gazes from folks nearby on boats or moving around the dock. She needed as much information as Nell could provide about Daniel’s attack and plan. And if there was time, they needed to come up with a plausible explanation for how Devyn found her.
“He went crazy, Devyn. I’ve never seen him so angry.”
“I’m sorry.” She pulled the emergency blanket tighter around Nell’s shoulders. Doing her best to blot out the vision she’d picked up at the house, she asked, “How did he get you through the yacht club?”
“Drugged me. At the car. I couldn’t talk,” Nell said. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Gave me more once he got me down there.”
Devyn adjusted the elevation on her ankle. It helped to keep her hands busy. “It’s over now. You’re safe.” The words sounded strong, which was a big plus, considering the glimpse she’d had of Daniel’s plans to kill his wife.
Of course, the hard part, the major life changes, the recovery from the betrayal and shock from the terrible attack were still to come.
“How did you find me?” Nell wondered.
“About that.” Devyn leaned back and gave her a look. “I’m your psychic, we both know the answer,” she chided gently. The blaring sirens suddenly went quiet. The police and ambulance must have arrived.
“I guess maybe part of me didn’t really believe it was true.”
“I get that a lot,” Devyn said with a smile. “Which is a good reason to give the police something easier to digest, okay?”
“Like what?”
Sticking as close to the truth as possible, Devyn suggested a plausible explanation.
“You’ve been my client for some time and we discuss aspects of your life.
Including your personal life, general schedule, and Daniel’s obsession with this boat.
Let’s say I followed a hunch, knowing you hadn’t gone to the spa today. ”
“Because you and I had an appointment.”
“Exactly.” Devyn smiled, pleased with Nell’s willingness to adjust the truth for everyone’s comfort. “You never miss our appointments.”
Devyn didn’t have long to wait before they had to put the story into action. The paramedics came on board with the doctor and got Nell situated for transport. Devyn followed along, but she didn’t get too far before Detective Laurier stopped her.
“Why am I not surprised to see you?” he groused.
“Because you’re intelligent.” She meant it as a compliment, but the scowl on his face proved he hadn’t received it that way. Not something she could correct.
“How did you get here?”
She was tempted to be snarky and point out her car and her driving ability. Something in his eyes tempered that urge. The man was hurting, and although she didn’t want to see it or acknowledge it, she could be kind.
“I knew Nell hadn’t gone to the spa or anywhere else. We had an appointment this morning.” She gave him the rest of the story she’d worked out with Nell. “I mentioned she doesn’t miss our appointments. On the rare occasions when she has a conflict, she reschedules.”
“Yeah.” He looked around. “I heard you earlier.”
Devyn nodded. There was no reason to gloat.
“What exactly are you to her?” Detective Laurier asked.
“A sounding board, mostly. A counselor of sorts.”
“Uh-huh. I looked you up, found your website.”
And likely more than he bargained for. She waited.
“You claim to be a psychic.”
“Psychic or counselor.” She shrugged. “Isn’t that the same thing?
” She braced herself for a repeat of his earlier accusations.
When he hesitated, she filled the gap. “People reach out. I listen and help where I can. My answers haven’t changed from earlier.
I am more of a counselor. I don’t make guarantees.
Me being psychic isn’t the same thing as being a fortune teller.
” That was more in line with Marlene’s skill set.
He rolled his eyes, and she chose to ignore it. Her gifts had saved a woman, and she wouldn’t cheapen that by arguing over it.
“How did you find her here?”
“Nell mentioned her husband’s boat in previous conversations. When I remembered that, I took a chance and came looking.” She eyed him. “Tell me, did you find Nell’s car at the spa?”
“We did.”
“But she didn’t have any services scheduled, did she?”
“No.” His jaw set as he gazed out over the lake. Then he pinned her with a stern look. “I’m not done with you.”
No. He wasn’t. That was already clear to her as well. Of course, he wouldn’t appreciate how she’d reached that conclusion. “That is certainly your choice.” Best to appear cooperative. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s been quite a day, and I’m going home.”
“One second, Ms. Norris.”
She straightened her shoulders, refusing to be intimidated. His pain rippled around him like heat rising from the pavement on a summer day. It was tempting to sweep it away and give him a respite, if only for a few minutes.
He wasn’t her client and his issues weren’t her problem. She chanted the reminder in her head while he verified the contact information she’d provided hours ago at Nell’s house.
But he stopped her once more. “What really happened here?”
“I believe I saved a woman’s life,” she replied with cold, hard honesty. “Is there a reason that doesn’t sit well with you?”
“You can’t expect...”
She cut him off, too tired to be polite any longer. Closing the distance between them, she lifted her chin and met his gaze. “Understand this, Detective. Nell’s husband was determined to kill her today. You can go in search of motives and a confession. Those issues don’t matter to me.”
“What does matter?”
The sincerity in his voice surprised her. She managed to hide the reaction. “For Nell, right now? Justice.” she snapped. “Life. And shame on you if you have different priorities.”
“Life is always a priority,” he muttered. “Justice requires evidence.”
“That’s a you problem. Nell’s life is the most important factor for me.
” She shoved her hands in her pockets to keep from shaking the man.
Or pushing him into the water. “I hope with every fiber of my being that you do the work correctly and find the evidence you need so her husband spends the rest of his days behind bars.”
“My hope is that you didn’t contaminate any crime scenes.”
“Don’t you dare blame me for finding her.” She checked herself before she started shouting. “Or fault me for rescuing a victim of attempted murder.” The sooner he accepted this wasn’t a kidnapping case, the better.
He towered over her. “I blame you for how you did it, Ms. Norris.” He glanced around. “This feels too neat and tidy. Almost like a setup.”
“Should I have tossed things about as if the boat had been robbed too?” She caught the flicker in his eyes. He’d recognized the scene at the house for the farce it was.
She recognized the moment he decided to play hardball and bit back an untimely retort.
“Could be you’re helping the victim frame the husband,” he accused.
She rolled her eyes. “I guarantee there isn’t a shred of evidence to corroborate that theory.
” It made her sad when she crossed paths with people—like the detective—who just were not worth the effort.
A pity really. Meeting him, he’d given her a spark of hopeful potential that he might accept her as she was, accept the help she could offer.
Until he’d decided she wasn’t normal and everything deteriorated.
“Nell’s husband is the only villain here. He’s the charlatan. He’s the one wearing the mask. Because whatever he told you at the house, whatever nonsensical scene he staged there, his intention was to kill her.”
“Careful,” the detective warned.
She was way past careful. “He drugged her to get her on this boat. He dumped more drugs into her system once he had her in the cabin, out of sight. And tonight, he had every intention of taking the boat out to the middle of the lake and dumping her body. Without me, you never would have found Nell in time to save her.”
“You can’t know that,” Cade argued.
“Oh really?” The man made her want to pull out her hair. “When was the last time we dragged Lake Michigan for a missing woman?” A woman who probably wouldn’t have ever been reported missing at all if things hadn’t gone awry this morning.
Devyn was proud of Nell for fighting back and leaving a psychic trail bright enough for Devyn to follow. Of course that hadn’t been intentional, but her extraordinary senses had come through in a big way, independent of the official investigation.
“Good luck.” Devyn walked away, ignoring him when he called after her. If the man had more to say, he could make an appointment.