Wild Keepers

by Dee Bridgnorth

  About how she had deliberately gotten to know him and invited him on the hike. She had needed his expertise to find the amoeba. Because she wasn’t a doctor of biology, or a doctor of anything. She was a fraud. It had all been part of a master plan to get him to do this. To become a killer.

  With shaking hands, Dr. Morgan permanently deleted the email he had just written to them, leaving no trail. As they had instructed.

  He stood up. It had been hard, getting this Caleb Stone and the new girl, Allie, to stop investigating their theory about a parasite. He had taken care of Frances, and Davey. He hadn’t expected that the new girl would be so thorough, and besides, he had thought that she would be easily controlled. But Caleb Stone, who had shown up so unexpectedly, had spurred her on. Who would have thought that they would have gotten so far, by themselves?

  He had told them about him. They were very interested and wanted updates as to what he was doing. And the girl, as well.

  He hadn’t requested a water analysis, of course. When Allie came to him, he would tell her that it had come back clear. She would accept it—she didn’t suspect him. Caleb Stone, though…well, he was different. Dr. Morgan knew he wouldn’t believe him. He had seen the way Mr. Stone looked at him when he kept insisting that they focus on pathogens as the cause of the illness.

  And where had he gone now? Rushing down the corridor, with a frown on his face. Intent on something. No, Caleb Stone had to be contained, permanently. And probably the girl, for good measure. With all his key staff fallen to this mystery illness, it would take even longer for anyone to discover the cause. Which meant more people dying, which was obviously what they wanted.

  Dr. Morgan shuddered. Who were they? How could people be so evil as to want to kill people on a mass scale like this? Innocent people, who had done nothing to them? It wasn’t human. And the fact that his beloved Mariana had been a part of this from the beginning, and had calculatingly enlisted him to do this on their behalf, almost beggared belief.

  But it was too late now. He had blood on his hands, and they knew it. They had gotten him to do their dirty work for them, and they left no trail. If he was discovered, he had no proof that they had forced him to do it. The woman he thought was missing and that was being ransomed didn’t actually exist. There was no Mariana de Salles and never had been.

  It was foolproof. And he had been the patsy.

  There was no fool like an old fool, he thought, bitterly. A silly lovesick fool. His whole career, his life’s devotion, gone. And now, he was a murderer.

  His face darkened at the thought of Caleb Stone.

  If it was a fight Mr. Stone wanted, well, he had nothing to lose anymore.

  Chapter Eleven

  Allie walked down the corridor, towards Dr. Morgan’s office. All around her, people were gathering their coats and bags, ready to leave for the day.

  Another day gone. She had thought that Dr. Morgan would have come to her by now with the results of the water analysis. He had told her that he was putting it under top priority. But she hadn’t heard anything yet. She hadn’t seen Caleb since this morning, when he had inexplicably rushed out. She had seen him striding down the corridor at one stage, but he hadn’t returned from wherever he had gone.

  She knocked softly on the door. Dr. Morgan was sitting at his desk, frowning. He had what appeared to be a photograph in his hand, which he was staring at intently. He hastily put it in a drawer underneath his desk when he heard her knock.

  “Allie,” he said. “Leaving for the day?”

  She stepped into the office, gazing around. Dr. Morgan was usually meticulous; there was never anything out of place in here. But today, the desk was strewn with papers. And the doctor himself looked distracted and more dishevelled than usual.

  “I just wanted to check,” she said.

  “Oh?” He gave her an enquiring look, as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

  “The water analysis,” she prompted.

  Dr. Morgan sighed. “Yes, of course. I was just about to pack up and come to see you before you left for the day.” He smiled wanly. “The analysis came back negative for any suspect pathogens or other organisms. It was a dead end, as I predicted.”

  Allie felt a crushing blow of disappointment. “I was so hoping that there would be a solution, with the water. I felt certain that there must be something within it that was causing all this.”

  The doctor took off his glasses, gazing at her. “It was a long shot, Allie. As I said, our city water supply is rigorously filtered. It would be unlikely in the extreme for something to get through it, especially something that would cause this outbreak.” He paused. “You should leave for the day, my dear. You look tired, and nothing more is going to be accomplished at this late stage.”

  She sighed, nodding. “I guess you’re right.” She turned to leave then glanced back at him. “Mr. Stone hasn’t returned?”

  “Not as far as I am aware,” he said.

  “Did he say where he was going?” she asked. “I saw him rush out this morning, and I would have thought he would have been back by now.”

  Dr. Morgan shook his head. “He didn’t inform me,” he said crisply. “Probably following another suspect lead. I must say, I am a little disappointed in him. He seems to be stubbornly pursuing lines of enquiry even when I try to point him in the right direction.”

  Allie stared at him. “Mr. Stone is just investigating all avenues, Dr. Morgan. The pathogen angle seems to be going nowhere.”

  “Yes, well.” He put his glasses back on and stood up. “I am far more experienced in this field, and my expertise must count for something, Allie.” He started to pack up the papers on his desk. “If there isn’t anything else?”

  She shook her head, walking to the door. She was being dismissed. He seemed keen for her to go.

  “Be careful driving this evening,” he said, suddenly. “Much of the city is blocked off for the Harvest Parade tomorrow, and then there is the festival tonight.”

  “Festival?” she said, frowning. “I wasn’t aware of any festival the night before the parade.”

  “Oh, yes,” he said. “It is tradition. Revellers come out in the thousands, dressed up in all number of costumes. It is a big weekend for the city.”

  Allie frowned. “I’m surprised they let it go ahead, under the circumstances. Thousands of people on the streets with an unknown sickness besieging the city? It seems irresponsible on behalf of City Hall.”

  The doctor smiled. “I’m not sure even the threat of a nuclear bomb would halt the proceedings,” he said dryly. “The parade and the festival are sacrosanct. Covenester has been celebrating it since its founding. And as Paul Walker said, it brings a lot of money into the city. People come from everywhere to join in.”

  “Of course,” said Allie grimly. “Money. It makes the world go round.”

  “Indeed,” said the doctor. “Perhaps you should go. A distraction from all of this would be good for you, and you only recently moved to the city. It might be nice to see some of our traditions.”

  Allie shook her head, clutching her bag. “I’m intending a night in, I’m afraid. A book and hot chocolate for me. And I wouldn’t walk these streets with so many people and the threat of the illness.”

  Dr. Morgan nodded. “Good night, then, Allie.”

  She walked off, closing the door behind her. The office was almost empty, and she could see that the sky had darkened considerably while she had been talking to Dr. Morgan. She put on her coat, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

  She walked out of the building, noticing that Carol had already left for the day. She glanced to her left. The parking spot that Caleb usually parked in was empty.

  Where had he gone in such a rush? She pursed her lips, taking herself to task. He was an independent consultant; he didn’t have to account for his movements to anyone. Still, she would have thought that he would be back by now. And she had already grown accustomed to seeing him every day, and working alongside him
. Once this was over, she would have to get used to the fact that he wasn’t usually around. She tried to suppress the stab of dismay she felt at that thought.

  ***

  Allie squinted through the windshield, trying to get her bearings. She had been forced to take a route that she wasn’t familiar with, because of the festival, and now her cell phone, which had been feeding her the directions, had died.

  She bit her lip, turning right. She didn’t recognise any of these streets, and there were people everywhere, heading into the city for the festival. Some of the revellers were spilling out onto the roads, even though they were still open to traffic. She had to swerve to avoid some, tooting her horn angrily. They merely stared at her, as if she were the interloper, not them.

  They were dressed in colourful costumes, and many had their faces painted to match, or wore masks that obscured their faces entirely. She jumped as a man dressed as some kind of a goblin leered at her through the driver’s side window. His face was covered in a black and red mask with an elongated nose. His eyes were black and eerie, like pebbles.

  Her heart started to pound. This was a nightmare. She was hopelessly lost and had no way of knowing which way to go with her cell phone battery dead. She stared at the car phone charger. She needed to pull over and connect her phone, but where? The streets were clogged, there was no hope of finding a parking spot.

  She turned down a side road and saw a free space further down. She pulled into it, putting the car into neutral, and connected the phone to the charger. She waited impatiently for it to charge, glancing down the street.

  The car suddenly died, completely. The engine turned off, and all the auxiliary connections flickered to a halt. She gasped, desperately turning the key in the ignition. Nothing, not even a clicking of the engine turning over.

  What on earth was she going to do?

  She pressed her phone, desperately willing it to spring to life. Nothing. It had not been charging for long enough.

  She was stuck here. On an unknown street, in an unknown area of the city, with a broken down car, and a phone that wouldn’t work. What else could go wrong?

  Allie sat there for a few minutes, in the dark car, as if it would suddenly fix itself. She forced herself to wait then turned the ignition again. Nothing. The battery? What else would cause the car to completely die like this?

  She couldn’t call for assistance. She would have to leave the car and try to find a public telephone box. Did they even exist anymore? She realised how much she relied on her phone, now that it wasn’t working.

  She grabbed her bag and got out of the car, locking it manually. She didn’t want to leave it here, but what else could she do?

  Her heart thudding, she walked down the street, turning into another. The crowds were increasing; she tried to dodge them, but she was swept along by them. Where were they heading? She glanced anxiously at the pavements, looking for a telephone booth. Nothing.

  People surrounded her, looming over her like phantoms. She was in the thick of it; there were hundreds of people, all dressed up. They laughed and shouted, swigging back drinks, their eyes almost manic. Again, she had the sensation that she was in a nightmare. It was almost surreal.

  She could hear drums beating rhythmically. People were dancing, swaying to the beat.

  Suddenly, a large figure clothed entirely in black loomed in front of her. A person in a mask, obscuring their face entirely. She gasped, stepping back. The person looked like some kind of…demon. The mask was completely black, with strange symbols painted on it in gold.

  “I know you,” the figure whispered, leering at her. “I know who you are, and you can’t escape.”

  “What?” she stammered, her eyes widening.

  Opaque black eyes stared at her, coldly, through the mask. She felt a chill come over her, from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet.

  She turned and ran, bumping into people in her haste. She looked over her shoulder and could see that the figure in the black mask was following her.

  Her heart thudding painfully as she dodged the crowds, trying to escape. But every time she turned her head, she could see the figure in black pursuing her.

  What was she going to do? She saw now that she really had stepped into a nightmare. A strange person was pursuing her for some unfathomable reason. Was he wanting to mug her? But then, why hadn’t he just tried to grab her bag and run?

  And what had he meant when he said that he knew her, and that she couldn’t escape?

  The world started to tilt slightly, and her head was spinning. She could see the fairy lights that hung in strands above her, like strings of stars, start to blur. She crashed into people, staring fearfully at them. They cursed her, frowning, but she no longer cared. She felt like she was about to suffocate in this crowd. She couldn’t breathe.

  She felt herself start to fall. Oh, no. She was fainting, in this crowded city street. She was about to fall to the ground, and the figure would be upon her. No one knew where she was. She couldn’t call anyone. And she had no way of getting home. There were no cabs that she could hail on this street.

  She braced herself for the impact of slamming into the ground.

  But she never got there. Instead, someone had grabbed her, arresting her fall. Strong arms. Someone was helping her, or were they about to take advantage?

  She looked up, into the person’s face, and gasped. Caleb stared down at her, his brow knotted in concern. She could see his vivid green eyes clouded with worry.

  And then, everything went black.

  ***

  Allie opened her eyes, slowly. She sat up, staring around her. What had happened?

  She was in her own flat, lying on the sofa. A blanket had been placed over her. The lamp on the table next to her was on, and she could feel the warmth from the heater.

  Memory started to flood back through her mind. She had been in that crowd, on that unknown street, after breaking down. Trying to get through it, desperately. Running away from something. But what? As hard as she tried, she couldn’t remember. It was as if her mind shut down entirely at the very thought of it.

  How had she gotten here?

  “You’re awake.”

  She turned her head so suddenly she almost gave herself whiplash.

  Caleb was standing over her, staring down.

  She sat up straighter, confused. How was he here, in her flat?

  He knelt beside her, taking her hand.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, gently. “I was so worried about you.”

  “I’m…fine.” She stared at him, her eyes wide. “I think. What happened? I’m finding it difficult to remember.”

  He gazed at her, his green eyes glistening. “You collapsed in the street. I was out walking, when I saw your car. I thought you had to be close, and I wasn’t sure why you were there. I didn’t think that you would park in that area or want to join the revellers in the festival.” He took a deep breath. “I was looking for you, and I’m glad I found you when I did.”

  She sighed. “I was lost. My cell phone died, and I found a spot to pull over and put it on the charger, when my car suddenly stopped working. I didn’t know what to do.”

  He nodded, frowning. “I thought it might be something like that. I really didn’t think you would be feeling up to joining in the revelry, with the sickness around and how hard you’ve been working.”

  She stared at him, suddenly self-conscious. Her shoes were missing; he must have taken them off before he laid her down on the sofa. And her coat had been removed, too.

  “How long have I been unconscious?” she whispered.

  “Not that long,” he said. “I think you fainted because of the press of the crowds. It was pretty intense there.”

  She blinked, rapidly, trying to clear her mind. “How did you get in, and for that matter, know where I lived?”

  He smiled gently. “I’m afraid I had to do some snooping. I looked in your bag. Your licence told me your address, and I found your
keys. I hope I did the right thing, Allie. I thought about taking you to the hospital, but they are so overrun at the moment, and I thought it was probably better to get you home and monitor you from here.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “I don’t know what would have happened to me if you hadn’t have come along when you did. There was something…” she frowned, her voice trailing away.

  “What do you mean?” He stared at her, his eyes intense.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I know that I felt in danger, in some way. From something, but I can’t remember what.”

  “Did someone attack you again?” His voice was hard.

  “I’m not sure,” she said hesitatingly. “I’m sure it will come back to me, in a while.”

  “You should rest,” he said gently. “You are overwhelmed. I made you a drink.”

  She stared at the cooling cup on the coffee table. “If you think so.”

  “I do,” he said. He picked up the cup and handed it to her. She took a few sips then gave it back to him. “I’m alright, Caleb. Really. I’m so sorry I’ve put you out like this. You probably were going to head out to the festival for the night.”

  “Don’t say sorry,” he said intently. “I’m just so grateful I found you. The thought of you collapsed in that street, all alone…” he took a deep breath. “I couldn’t bear it, Allie. Anything happening to you.”

  She stared at him. The air was charged with some strong emotion that she couldn’t put her finger on. He leaned closer towards her, squeezing her hand in his.

  His eyes were so beautiful, she thought, dreamily. They were the colour of a green lake, when the sun shines onto it. And his lips were like an invitation. She remembered the feel of them on her own, vividly. She so wanted him to kiss her like that again.

  “I missed you today,” she whispered. “Where did you rush off to?”