Chapter 16 #3
Skye walked to the passenger seat and Zach took the wheel.
“This is getting scarier and scarier. I mean, the master apparently wants to be king of the world. Now, I love Salem, Massachusetts, but it’s not the Hague, Paris, London, DC, New York, or Tokyo—though I hardly think the master is a linguist. And if he’s trying to instill fear into the heart of every country, then it might be a horrific weapon he’s after,” Skye said, leaning back and closing her eyes.
But she spoke softly again, saying, “This is … I mean, I thought we were looking for a simple murderer. There’s really no such thing as a ‘simple’ murderer, but I still …
a person or persons, maybe horrific cult killings, but to think that someone might start out in such a way, converting some, killing some, and seeking something that’s much bigger, even more horrific … ”
“Michelle has had the director speaking with the top brass in the military,” he reminded her.
She nodded. “It’s just that … there’s something. Something big.”
“We’ll see what Connie knows,” he said.
“And then eat!” She cast a glance his way. “I can’t believe that you—and your determination we all need fuel—have been so patient!”
“Oh, I’m hungry. Today has been one thing after another, with no time to give in; and therefore, I’ve been ordering my growling stomach to be silent,” he told her.
“And that works?”
He laughed. “No. One more stop, then food,” he promised.
And then? he wondered. We’d both be ready to crash, of course. That is … if something else didn’t happen!
“Let’s get in there. Connie telling us what’s happened to her might be the best break we get yet,” he said.
They parked at the hospital. Of course, the visiting hours were over and they had to produce their credentials. They had arrived right behind Gavin and entered together. They were led to the room where Connie was alone—guarded by an officer in a chair just outside her door.
“You’re back!” he said to Gavin. “Sir!”
Gavin smiled. “We’ll just be a few minutes. Has she been in any distress?”
“I heard her mumbling a bit, but not in the last twenty minutes or so,” the officer said.
Gavin thanked him and they went into the room.
She appeared to be sleeping peacefully.
Gavin perched at her side on the bed. He touched her arm gently, nudging her and saying, “Connie?”
She seemed to whimper; he shook her gently and her eyes opened. She stared from him to Zach and Skye. She let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m still so …” Connie began, her voice trailing.
“I know. Confused,” Gavin said.
“Scared! Oh, my God, it was so awful. I mean, someone knew something! I thought I was going to meet Vince, but I was kind of irritable, so I went home. I had started to settle in for the night, and then decided I’d head back to the shop and meet him and try to make more discoveries, as he had suggested.
I got there, figured maybe he hadn’t come yet, and I’d give it a few minutes.
Then I was at the register playing with some stupid thing there, and I looked up and …
I saw … it! Big and green and whipping an AK-47 around, and I realized I’d stupidly put my gun in the safe at home.
I ran and I heard this cackling, and I knew it was behind me.
I couldn’t go to my car, because it was cackling and swearing that I shouldn’t worry, I’d just explode, so …
I ran into the forest. I threw my phone away because Vince and I had both thought of the possibility a cop was involved, and another cop could have traced me …
and … I got lost in the forest. I wandered and wandered; and by the time a whole day had gone by, and I saw the café, I figured I’d get coffee and ask the waitress if I could borrow her phone.
I could call in and run back and hide in the forest again until someone could come out for me …
It really wants to kill me! That awful creature wants me dead! ”
“And there’s no chance the awful creature can get you now,” Gavin promised her. “We have a man at your door, and we have backup outside and in the waiting room. You’re all right.”
Tears streamed down her cheek. “Gavin, I don’t deserve to be a detective!”
“Yeah, you do. You’re still alive,” Gavin said gently, reaching down to squeeze her hand.
“Why didn’t I immediately ask to borrow the woman’s phone?
Why did I feel I’d be better and sound sane if I could just have coffee?
I don’t know where I walked from. I’m lucky I didn’t startle any creatures …
but I was terrified of being on the road where I couldn’t hide!
And then at the café … I sipped the coffee, and it was strong and good, and I thought I’d be all right until … ”
“Connie,” Skye said gently, “are you able to tell now if you were frightened of something on the TV—or something real? We know your coffee was drugged. Did you see a movie, or—”
She smiled. “I was aware of the television! I was thinking of the irony. But no, the coffee hadn’t really gotten to me; yet … he was there in the back.”
“The same witch?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I just really don’t know!” she said with dismay.
“And that’s all right, it’s all right,” Gavin assured her. “That’s the point—dress everyone up in the same costume, and no one knows which witch is which.”
“The important thing is you’re all right,” Zach said.
“Vince hasn’t been in to see me yet!” she said, and she frowned, studying Gavin’s face. “Oh, no! Has something happened to Vince, too? Oh, my God, did the witch get him at the costume shop before I got there?” she demanded, growing more and more distressed.
“Hey, we think he’s in hiding, too,” Gavin told her. “He’s smart; he’s careful. He’s going to be all right.”
His words didn’t convince her. She lay back again and closed her eyes, her face a mask of misery.
Zach squeezed her hand. “No, no, Connie. We heard from him after that—he was on a search for you. And now? We’re going to find him. I promise you.”
Was that something he was supposed to say? No. Something he needed to say at that moment? Yes.
“Connie, have faith in the man you work with!” Skye told her quietly. “He knew you would survive; you just needed the right people to find you, and we did. We’ll find Vince, too, I promise.”
They needed to leave; to let the patient go back to sleep.
“Rest,” Gavin told her. “You’ve worked this; you’ve worked it hard. Now rest and let us do some of the heavy lifting.”
She gave him a weak smile.
As they started to file from the room, Connie caught Zach’s hand.
“Someone … Be careful!” she whispered.
He realized she didn’t want Gavin to hear her words.
“Someone in the department is involved!” she said.
He gave her a smile, eased his hand from her grip, and assured her, “We know!”
He quickly rejoined Skye and Gavin.
Connie hadn’t wanted anyone else to hear her—and that anyone else had included Gavin. Did she suspect him?
They were informed that the cook, Sam Astrella, and the waitress, Ona Patterson, were still sedated.
Cathy O’Hara had been released; her parents had determined that they should take her on a long trip out of state.
They said their good nights to Gavin, knowing they’d all meet again in the morning; hopefully, they would know more at that time, with tech crews and others working through the night.
In the car, Skye asked Zach, “What was she warning you about? That she wouldn’t say in front of Gavin. Does she suspect him of being involved?”
“Probably,” he told her.
“It’s just not possible.”
“We don’t want it to be possible.”
“I don’t even want to think about it right now!” she told him, groaning softly. “Wouldn’t it be cool if our brains came with on and off buttons, and we could rest our minds when we needed to?”
“That’s what sleep is for,” he assured her.
“But we’re both starving.”
“Get out your phone—find us something open all night in the area,” he told her.
She did so, then smiled. “I didn’t find an all-night restaurant that’s close to us—there is one in Peabody. But there is a sandwich shop, with tables and chairs, right on our way, that’s opened until two in the morning, so—”
“Put the coordinates into the car,” he told her. “Please.”
“Uh, not necessary. Just ahead, at the end of the block!”
There were a few diners in the sandwich shop, but not many. They were able to order quickly, and their food came fast. Besides sandwiches, it offered several platters as well; they both opted for seafood, with salads, rice, and corn on the cob.
Zach was hungry, but it was fun to see that Skye might have been even hungrier. Of course, she might tend to be more of a “grazer,” and they hadn’t had much of a chance to graze that day.
They didn’t talk much; they were too busy eating.
Then they finished up, leaving the restaurant with two large cups of iced tea. And in another few minutes, they were at their quarters.
Skye looked at him as she tossed her bag on the sofa.
“Maybe we also need to feed our sanity!” she said softly.
She had a hell of an effect on him. He smiled.
“Who would I be to refuse to fuel our sanity?” he asked. “But …”
Long day. Playing in forests again, being at the hospital …
“My shower or yours?” she asked.
And it was good, because she made him laugh while sending little lightning bolts to sweep through him.
Later, holding her, he smiled to himself.
The days were brutal and long.
But the nights were amazing—a time when they could find a sweet sanity; and in the ugly world they were struggling against, moments of sheer beauty.