I completely forgot he was here.
Garrett smiles softly at me and asks, “You okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. It was just a dream. They’ve been kinda off lately, what with people I love missing, and everyone out to kill me.” I say it, now I just have to mean it. I have to be fine.
“I just think it’s incredible that you can sleep. I’d heard that some of us still could, but you are the first one I’ve actually met.” He leans in and kisses me on the forehead before he gets up and walks to the bathroom.
He’s certainly nice to watch walk away.
I hear the shower start, and then he calls back to me, “Are we going out hunting for a drink, or do you have something in the house?”
“I have some here. That should save us some time.”
I wonder for a moment if it would be horribly out of place to join him, but then I consider that I took a shower right before I went to sleep and I don’t want to seem clingy.
Picking out clothes I remember what it felt like to have him inside me, inside my mind, and being inside his. This could really be the death of me.
I have on the thin maroon dress I was wearing when I met him. The cleaners managed to get out all the splinters and drywall dust. I think I’ll wear that with fishnets and my twenty-two hole boots. I want him to think I’m sexy, but he has to know that I’m not afraid to get dirty.
I step into the bathroom and try to use the mirror in the fog of steam. I brush out my hair, and put on some of my scent. I can come back and do my make up when it won’t melt off me.
It’s almost evening and aside from his shower running the house is quiet. It doesn’t seem right.
Peeking my head out into the hallway, I can tell that no one is upstairs, not even sleeping. There are people moving around in the kitchen downstairs, but not many, and they sound like they are being hushed on purpose. Odd.
If I take the back stairs I should be able to get to the kitchen without getting sunburned in these last few minutes of daylight. I walk quietly and slowly, listening to the voices until I can tell it is Leslie and Piper. They’re talking to someone, but I haven’t heard another voice. Maybe it’s Frank, and he’s pouting about something.
I get to the point where I’m still in the shadows of the staircase but I can see into the room and I’m in shock. Piper and Leslie, in bandages, are sitting at the new kitchen table, trying to talk to Julie. My heart leaps at the sight of her, but something is wrong.
She looks tired, but recently bathed, and is staring at her hands folded in front of her. She’s not responding to them and their concern for her is palpable.
Seeing them like this I can’t help but feel like I’ve won the battle of bringing them together like a family, but why does it take something horrible happening to make them react this way?
Frank leans around the corner into the stairway door and scares me, almost to the point of making me jump. He smiles at me, but we both know it’s forced.
“She’s been back almost all day. She wandered in nearly naked and dehydrated, but we gave her a bath and dressed her. She still won’t eat or talk though.” He looks back at her sitting heavily in the chair, then at me. “You shouldn’t linger in the shadows. Some of us can smell your perfume and think it’s rude. Just sayin’.”
He walks over to the counter and pours two cups of coffee, as I walk to the table and sit. He’s even got my favorite mug. Frank can be so good to me.
Piper looks at me and then back at Julie but Leslie can’t take her eyes off me. She’s looking to me for answers and direction and I don’t have any. These girls have faith in me, and I keep letting them down.
I sit down at the table next to Julie and put my hand on hers, nudging her. She doesn’t even look up. This is my fault. If I had left her as I found her she might well have ended up dead, but is this any better?
“Julie?” I say her name and she looks at me, and my heart breaks. She’s so empty.
I enter her mind, or what’s left in there, and it’s worse than Calvin was. Julie is blank; she has no mind to speak of at all. No thoughts or will to do anything.
She has a vague sense that this place is home, and none of us are threatening her, but there are no real memories at all. It’s not just the attack, or what happened after it that’s missing, it’s her whole life.
That beautifully sharp mind and deep sea of emotion that she carries around inside her are gone, and the vacant hole that’s left tears me apart inside.
I stay in her head long enough to help her eat some food and that’s all I can take. She’s here but completely gone. Whatever did this to her frightens me.
Picking up my coffee I leave the room. I’m going to cry and that won’t be good for Piper and Leslie. I’ll have Garrett look at her, and see if he knows something or can do something. I feel so powerless.
The basement seems as it did the last time I saw Rachel. I can see in my mind’s eye where she sat reading. This place is beginning to hold heartbreak like Tupperware, keeping it nice and fresh for me.
I retrieve a bottle to share with Garrett and head back up to the third floor.
Step by step up the stairs I keep repeating in my head, things are getting better. I’ve got Garrett, and Frank. I’ve gotten Rachel’s body back from those sick fuckers. Julie is home, even if she’s not right. Maybe the tide is finally turning in my favor.
Frank follows me up to the third floor and stops me. He knows I’m not taking this well, and usually I’d confide in him. But I can’t give this to him. It’s just too much.
He fills me in on his progress so far. After tracking down all the information he could find on the two clients who were in the house when Calvin showed up, he’s learned that neither of them ever made it home.
“They weren’t in the house when we cleaned it up, but we don’t know what happened to them after they left here. No one has seen them at home or work. It’s like they just vanished.” His diligence is above and beyond.
I tell him to stay on top of it, and to pay some extra eyes and ears on the street to look as well. I have to really try to keep my voice from wavering. Then I tell him I have to go get ready.
It’s as good an excuse as any and he goes back downstairs. As soon as the door closes to my room the tears start. I barely have time to put my coffee and blood on the dressing table before I start shaking. What have I done? What have I gotten the people closest to me into?
Garrett comes out of the bathroom. I can hear him, but I don’t look up. He pulls me up to him and holds me. I can feel him filling me with what strength he has to give.
He’s searching my thoughts and it doesn’t take long to find the source of my pain. He comforts me, letting me know that all of this isn’t my fault, and that he’ll help find out who did that to Julie, and fix it if he can.
It does little to make my guilt subside, but it does make me feel less alone. I didn’t know how much I could need someone else, let alone another of my kind, in my life.
***
Frank’s phone rings as he’s headed back downstairs. He takes it out and sees it’s Lewis calling, so he excuses himself to Piper and Leslie and steps out into the back yard before answering.
“David, before you say anything. I just want you to know that I’ve thought about what you had to say. I think there are some facts you are unaware of that might change your perspective on this, facts I can’t give you, but perception is nine tenths of reality. So I understand why you’ve been upset with me.” He says it all so fast that he’s not sure Lewis had actually understood him.
There’s an awkward pause, a lull on the line between them before Lewis finally takes a deep breath and responds. “Wow. I’m not going to do this now, Frank. I didn’t call you to have this conversation.”
“Why did you call if you didn’t want to talk to me?”
His tone is that of exasperation, and a little sadness. He obviously didn’t want to get any more personal than he had to. “It was a courtesy call, b
ecause I know you. Don’t take this the wrong way, Frank. I’m just calling to give you a heads up so you don’t get shot or worse.”
“What are you talking about?”Now Frank was confused.
“Look, I have no desire to help Veronica Fischer out of any mess she’s gotten herself into, but we got some information, from two sources now, that there’s a hit out on her.” He left a million questions in the air as he made the mad dash to get facts out and nothing more.
“Okay? Who’s picking up the tab?”
“Some guy name Molder; we’ve got next to nothing on him. I think it’s probably an alias, but his money’s real.”
“Is it local, regional? What are we looking at?”
“I can’t tell you everything we’ve got, Frank, it’s not my case, but the best we can tell is he’s tried to hire local and has been unsuccessful. That’s due to her reputation, we believe, but who knows how long he’ll have that luck.” Every statement he made had goodbye implied, but Frank just kept talking.
“Yeah, some moron is always gonna try to make the money. Is he looking at outside professionals?” Digging for more than someone wanted to say had always been one of his strong suits but now he was using it on someone he cared about. He felt like an asshole, knowing that he was exploiting Lewis’ emotions for information, even if it was to potentially save his life.
“Worse, he’s open to all takers, and he’s practically advertising. She’s gonna have psycho hillbillies and rednecks from states away trying to kill her in a cornfield somewhere.”
This was something to be filed under worst case scenarios, and forgotten about. Not something to try to live through. Both of them knew it, and neither of them liked where they sat in this mess, or the hands they’d been dealt.
“Shit. That’s crazy. You don’t know what it’s about or who this guy is?”
“I don’t really care what this is all about. Not my case, not my problem. I just don’t want you getting caught in the middle of it, that’s all. I just, damn it, you know.” He’s pleading with Frank the only way he knows how.
A deep sigh escapes him as he realizes why Lewis is really calling. This is a tangled mess.
“How much is he paying?” He tries to keep the conversation on the facts, get as much on the situation as he can. It’s the only way to keep the emotions out of it.
“Last we heard of, fifty grand. But the price may go up to get more fish to bite.”
Another long pause and Frank almost thought he’d been hung up on when Lewis finally continued. “Look, Frank, you’re gonna get shot or worse, you keep running with this Veronica Fischer. We both know that. I care about you, maybe ‘cause I’m stupid, I don’t know. But you gotta walk away from her.”
“I can’t do that, Dave. I couldn’t walk away from you either.” He knew he meant it, but how could he ever hope to convince Lewis of it.
“Whatever you say, Frank. You already did.”
This time the line did go dead, and Frank went inside to be the bearer of bad news yet again.
CHAPTER 17
I FEEL LIKE A CAGED ANIMAL. I’ve been essentially locked up in my tower with Garrett hiding from the world. Feeling guilty for what I’ve done, or let happen, to those I care about. It is my fault, and I get that, but I’m all done with the pity party. I need to focus on solving my problems and not just crying over what they’ve cost me.
I put on my makeup like I was going to work and check myself in the mirror. Garrett tells me I look beautiful but I know that. I’ve refined my appearance over decades to know exactly how to get what I want.
Right now, I want my life back.
I have my handsome new beau follow me downstairs and I take control back of my house. I have Leslie and Piper take Julie to the bedroom off of my office in the basement to rest. I tell them that she needs the rest, not that I need her out of sight to ease my guilt.
I call Frank over and let him know that I’m going to do another sweep of the city for Lucy and Rachel. I know that Garrett has been tracking spirit activity in town so I inform him that if he’d like to help me I’d appreciate it.
I’m getting back on top of my game when Frank tells me that we need to talk.
There’s that phrase again. It really should have some punishment attached to it.
He gives me the details of his conversation with Lewis, and Molder’s price on my head. I tell him that we’ve already put it together that Calvin was working for Molder. Garrett is pretty sure that Calvin was acting on Molder’s behalf when he hired Carl and Jake to go and collect Rachel’s remains.
I would just chalk all this up as some pissed off breather I’ve stepped on in the past coming back to try to hurt me. Problem with that is that no breather I’ve ever known was good enough at doing their homework to have known about my attachment to Rachel.
When I consider Jake and how his body had been used, Julie’s lack of memory, and the fact that I couldn’t find Lucy, it started to make me feel like something dead was fucking with me.
Garrett suggests that there seems to be some tie between what was happening in my life and the unnatural amount of unquiet spirit activity. He thinks that there may be some greater impure spirit on the other side that I’ve angered in the past. This thing may be making its move on Pekin, setting up shop, and it may be settling some kind of score with me in the process.
While I don’t like that idea, I have to admit that it does fit the events.
Then I get a curve ball. My phone rings. It’s Paco. I answer the phone apprehensively. I know he still owes me information that I’ve already paid for, but I really don’t want to talk to that scab tonight.
“Make it quick, I’m busy.”
He doesn’t seem to be prepared for my greeting. It actually takes him a few seconds of odd sounds to be able to find the words he wants.
“I have information that you requested. I found where your Lucy is being held. The things that have her are no friends of mine either. For a nominal fee I might be able to help you get her back.” He sounds like more of a beggar tonight than the big strong bag of rot I dealt with last time.
“Where do you want to meet?”
“The storm sewers, by the treatment plant.” A little arrogance starts to creep back into his voice. “You remember the place, right?”
“I’ll be there in half an hour, you’d better be telling the truth.” I hang up before he can spit out whatever assurances he has for me. Even if he were outright lying to me I couldn’t afford not to check on it. Not for Lucy.
“Garrett, I’m going to meet Paco. He claims he’s found where Lucy is being held. Evidently he has no love for the spirits that are holding her so he’s agreed to help me get her out. You wanna give me a hand?”
Frank jumps in before Garrett can answer. “Are you out of your fucking mind? It’s a setup! C’mon, V, you’re smarter than this. People are trying to kill you, and this Paco guy may want to collect the reward.”
“It’s for Lucy. She’d do it for me. I have to, Frank. I’m sorry.”
“Well if you’re going then I’ll go with you. Maybe I can watch your back if it is a trap.” Garrett doesn’t seem completely behind the idea, but he’s with me.
“V, this is a bad idea. You’re gonna go with this guy who, no offense, we don’t know that much about and I really don’t trust, back to the guy who set you up before?”
“Garrett is the one who got me out last time I had to deal with those things, and I do trust him. Paco may not be the most honest of people, but I deal with a lot of slimy people in my line of business, and because of what I am.” I don’t expect him to like it, but he has to understand it’s my decision.
“A lot of people count on you, and care about you. We don’t want to lose you too.”
“I have to do what I think is right, for everyone. I still run this show, Frank. You still work for me.”
He’s at a loss. He turns and walks to the basement door. I assume he’s going to check on Julie. I love that ma
n like the little brother I never had but I have too many lives in my hands to let things keep going the way they have. If I can get Lucy back she can help me turn all of this around.
Garrett and I walk out to the garage and I can see on his face that he’s not comfortable. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I’m committed, you’re not.”
“No. I’m with you. Just let me call home first. I want Sunny to know what the plan is.” His words are confident, but he’s keeping me out of his feelings. I think he’s just hoping to keep me alive if things go south.
He wanders off on the phone for a few minutes. I get in the car, start it up and turn on the radio. I don’t want him to think I’m eavesdropping.
When he gets in he smiles at me and nods, and we’re off, streaking across town to meet the rotting scumbag who may hold the key to bringing my life back to normal.
***
Pulling up through the chain link fence to the sewage treatment plant, I’m awash with memories of my last visit here and I shudder. I can see by Garrett’s reaction that he can tell a little too much about what’s going on in my mind, so I do all I can to shift my thoughts to Lucy and what it means to me to have her back.
Just like last time, I begin to question my sanity as Garrett and I walk over to the overflow tunnels. There’s that same disgusting smell. I can feel my skin crawl just to be here.
We just begin to walk down the steps when I see Paco off to the right on a metal platform motioning us over. We make our way across the rusted metal floor grates that threaten to give way under us with every step and wonder how it is that a creature of Paco’s size is able to traverse them regularly.
“I didn’t know you were bringing a friend.” He says it pleasantly enough, but we can both tell he’s not pleased to see that I’m not alone.
“Come inside. I’ve prepared the ritual for you. There’s not much time now, we must hurry.” He seems genuine enough but I can’t help being nervous when I hear the word ritual.
We follow him into the dirty old controllers room, and down another set of stairs into what must have, at one point in the ‘50’s, been a fallout shelter.