Back to Salem

by Alex Marcoux

  Jessie had tried to keep a safe distance between herself and Taylor. Initially, she didn’t want to put herself through the pain of seeing her and not having her. Then after hearing Taylor’s reading she didn’t want to take any unnecessary chances of being a threat to her. But now, she felt the wall she had built between them tearing down.

  It unnerved her that Taylor was being harassed. Somehow, she wanted to protect her. Thoughts of the blue Mustang and disturbing letters danced in her head. There was a part of Jessie that wanted to set things straight with Taylor. She tossed and turned in bed, knowing that disclosing the truth to Taylor was impossible.

  It was just before dawn when Jessie fell into a deep sleep, exhausted from the restless night.

  Jessie’s body floated outside her own skin to the ceiling in her bedroom. As her back rubbed against the ceiling, she looked down upon her bed where she saw Maxwell and herself sleeping. “Oh, isn’t this interesting. Is this one of those out-of-body experiences?” she wondered. “Maybe it’s just a dream.”

  Jessie’s body started floating around the room. How will I know if this really happened or if it’s just a dream? With the thought, her body floated to a wall where a picture hung. She gently removed the painting from the wall. Her body slowly floated to the floor where she leaned the art against the wall.

  Jessie had read about out-of-body experiences and recalled that supposedly one could go anyplace they wanted to while out of body. Where would I like to—

  Before Jessie completed the thought, brightness engulfed her. She felt as if she was traveling at incredible speeds, then somehow landed and was now walking on a mountaintop. It was foggy and she felt as if she was walking in the clouds. She couldn’t see the ground or her feet. There was moisture in the air, but she was not cold.

  “Jessie?”

  She turned and saw Taylor running to her. Taylor slowed her pace as she came within a couple feet of Jessie. Her eyes seemed to smile at Jessie, the way she remembered Rebecca’s eyes.

  Taylor studied Jessie’s eyes, then her lips, and without warning, Taylor gently placed her lips on Jessie’s. Moments later Taylor backed away.

  “It’s me, Rebecca.”

  “Rebecca?”

  “Yes. I want you to know that I know.”

  “You know what?”

  “About us…about everything. Don’t get frustrated with me, Jessie. I need time and patience. I need lots of patience. I miss you so. Please be patient.”

  “Is this real? Or is this a dream?”

  Taylor smiled. “I need your help. We need to break the cycle.”

  “What cycle?”

  The piercing noise from the alarm jarred Jessie back into her body. She sat up. “Rebecca?” she cried out. But she found only Maxwell curled up against her body. Jessie’s heart pounded within her chest. She rubbed her eyes. “God. It was just a dream.” As she reached for her glass of water on the nightstand, she realized something was not right. She turned the light on. The painting that had hung on her wall was on the floor leaning against the wall.

  Chapter 15

  With new insight, Jessie was determined to continue the friendship with Taylor, no matter how painful it was at times. Her primary interest was Taylor’s safety. After the incident with the Mustang, the letters stopped. Most of the time, Jessie stayed in Taylor’s shadows, playing a secondary figure in her life. Occasionally that chasm between the two would shrink, and then Jessie would put up a wall and back away.

  Filming for Deceptions finished as scheduled, right before Thanksgiving, with a cast wrap-up party the first week of December at the Four Seasons Hotel. The banquet room was set up perfectly for the celebration. A band entertained the guests while an extensive wait staff mingled, pushing cocktails and appetizers. The cast and crew, along with their spouses, appeared to be enjoying themselves.

  When Jessie arrived, Taylor quickly scouted her out. “Hi,” she came up behind Jessie. Taylor’s eyes naturally combed over Jessie’s new dress that accentuated her figure. “Nice dress.”

  “Thank you,” Jessie said.

  Kurk came up behind Taylor and surprised her with a kiss to her neck. Then he turned his attention to Jessie. “Why, Jessie, you look beautiful this evening.”

  “Thank you, Kurk, and I can honestly say that you do, too.” Kurk was impeccably dressed in a tuxedo with all the trimmings.

  He smiled.

  Travis and his wife, Dana, joined the small group. “I need to talk with you,” Travis said to Kurk.

  “Not now. We’re here to enjoy ourselves.” Kurk smiled at all the people in the group.

  “Yes, now,” Travis said abrasively.

  The men stared at each other before Kurk gave in. “Five minutes. That’s all the time you have tonight.”

  Kurk and Travis left the others and went to an unoccupied bar. Dana excused herself and mingled with other people she knew.

  “Hello ladies,” Mark said. “You look spectacular tonight, Taylor.” Mark hugged her then turned to Jessie. While he embraced Jessie he whispered, “You look wonderful, also.”

  “So do you, Mark.” Jessie smelled the familiar cologne. After all these years, he hadn’t changed from Aramis, but he was wearing it heavier than he used to.

  “So are you ladies going to miss working on the set?” Mark asked. Taylor looked at Jessie then back at Mark. “Yes. I will miss it. Most of it was a lot of fun.”

  Jessie knew her time with Taylor would be substantially cut back now that the filming had stopped. She had mixed feelings about this. “I’ve been putting off a project,” she said. “It’ll be good to get back to work.”

  “I’ll miss seeing you, Jessie,” Mark said.

  “This isn’t goodbye, Mark. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other.”

  Travis and Kurk returned to the group. Mark offered his hand to the two men. Travis was quiet, while Kurk appeared to be his regular happy self.

  Jennifer Kendrick came by with her husband. Travis was quick to say, “Great job, Jennifer.” Then he turned to Taylor. “Taylor, you were a surprise from the start. You did very well.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I have a good feeling about this film. It’s going to do great at the box office,” Travis said.

  “Of course it’s going to do great,” Kurk interrupted. “Every man is going to want to see these two ladies kiss.” Kurk’s comment caught Jessie off guard. Although she knew he said it in fun, there was a demeaning tone in his voice.

  After cocktails and appetizers, a bountiful buffet was set up. The group got their dinner and sat at a table away from the band, where it was quieter.

  Jessie was sandwiched between Taylor and Mark. Two bottles of wine sat on the table. Mark offered to pour everyone a glass and made his way around the table.

  Taylor turned to Jessie. “I’m going to miss seeing you.”

  Kurk overheard the comment. “The two of you have gotten pretty chummy. If I didn’t know you better, Taylor, I would wonder about you two.” Kurk’s voice seemed to change slightly. He placed his hand over his mouth and coughed, trying to clear his throat.

  Taylor smiled at her fiancé, not quite sure what to say. “Are you okay, Kurk?”

  Kurk nodded affirmatively, but even Jessie noticed that he was uncomfortable. He rubbed his throat and chest, took a deep breath, then rested his head within his arm on the table.

  “Kurk, what’s wrong?” Taylor asked.

  Kurk looked up at Taylor. He coughed, then gasped for air. His lips were swollen and his eyes were rolling back into his head.

  “Oh, God,” Taylor cried.

  “What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.

  “I think he’s having an allergic reaction,” Taylor said. “He needs epinephrine.” Instinctively she reached under the table for her purse. “My purse. I need my purse.”

  “I’ll find it,” Jessie said.

  “Call for an ambulance,” Taylor yelled out.

  Mark rushed to Kurk and helped Taylor lay him do
wn on the floor as Jessie searched for the purse. He opened Kurk’s mouth. Kurk’s tongue was swollen and was blocking his throat. He pulled his neck up to help facilitate his breathing. Kurk gasped desperately for air.

  Jessie found the purse, removed the EpiPen, and gave it to Taylor. She skillfully plunged the drug into his subcutaneous muscle, but there was no reaction. Kurk’s eyes still were rolling back into his head, his gasps becoming increasingly desperate.

  Mark opened Kurk’s mouth again. “His tongue is more swollen. He can’t breathe.” With his fingers, he attempted to depress the enlarged tongue away from his throat.

  “It usually works by now. How come it’s not working?” Taylor whispered. Kurk suddenly stopped struggling, and he was still.

  “Kurk?” Taylor yelled.

  “He’s lost consciousness,” Mark said. He continued to pull the enlarged tongue away from his throat.

  “Where’s the ambulance?” Taylor shouted. She started groping his tuxedo jacket.

  “What are you looking for?” Jessie asked.

  “Another EpiPen. He usually carries one. Mine’s a backup. Damn you, Kurk, didn’t you bring one?”

  Jessie helped Taylor search for another EpiPen, but they didn’t find one.

  Kurk’s breathing was barely noticeable when the paramedics arrived. “He’s in anaphylactic shock,” one of the EMTs said.

  The other medic administered an additional dose of epinephrine.

  “He’s coding,” a paramedic said. The two EMTs worked hurriedly to recover Kurk’s pulse and breathing.

  Jessie knew the situation was grim. Taylor was still on her knees holding onto Kurk’s hand. Jessie put her hands on Taylor’s shoulders, leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Taylor, come with me.”

  Taylor wouldn’t budge and shook her head.

  “We need to let the medics work,” Jessie suggested.

  To Taylor, everything moved in slow motion. One paramedic was trying to put a tube down Kurk’s throat. Blood now stained his face and tuxedo. The other medic compressed his heart. Travis and Mark had cleared most people from the small banquet room. A couple of police officers were now watching what appeared to be futile efforts by the paramedics.

  Taylor gazed on, numb, though sensing Jessie’s hands on her shoulders. Tears filled her eyes, distorting the movements of the medics. She heard the men speak with the doctor on the radio and couldn’t understand much of what was being said, until she heard the voice on the radio pronounce, “Time of death—8:38 P.M.”

  “No! He can’t be dead,” Taylor sobbed, trying to convince the medics. “Please try more.”

  “I’m sorry, there’s nothing more we can do,” one of the medics said.

  Jessie slid to the floor beside Taylor, her arm around Taylor’s shoulders. Taylor diverted her eyes away from Kurk to meet Jessie’s eyes.

  Overwhelmed by the pain and grief she saw in Taylor’s eyes she pulled her to her. “I’m so sorry, Taylor,” she whispered.

  Jessie knew Taylor was in shock, so she led her away from Kurk’s body.

  Twenty minutes of chaos followed until a man approached them. “Ms. Andrews?”

  Taylor wiped tears from her cheeks. “Yes.”

  “I’m Detective Bradley from Homicide Special Section. I need to ask you some questions.”

  “Homicide?” Taylor asked.

  “Is this necessary right now?” Jessie asked.

  “Yes, it is, Miss?”

  “Mercer, Jessica Mercer.”

  “Were you sitting at the table that Mr. Warner was sitting at?” the detective asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I will need to interview each of you separately. Let me speak with Ms. Andrews first. Why don’t you join Detective Roth over there? She’s detaining those who sat at the victim’s table.”

  Jessie joined the people from her table. They were instructed not to speak with each other about what had happened.

  Taylor remained with the officer.

  “Ms. Andrews, what happened tonight?” The detective asked.

  “Kurk is…was very allergic to nuts, peanuts, actually. He must have had some in his food.”

  “So you believe it was an allergic reaction?”

  Taylor nodded.

  “And your relationship with Mr. Warner was….”

  “He was my fiancé.”

  “And after you believed he had an allergic reaction, you administered epinephrine?”

  “I did.”

  “Have you given this drug to Mr. Warner before?”

  “Yes, twice before. But this time was different.”

  “How so, Ms. Andrews?”

  “The EpiPen had always worked very quickly. This time it didn’t give him any relief. He just got worse.”

  “Do you know anybody who would want him dead Ms. Andrews?”

  “Murder?” Taylor shook her head in disbelief. “No.”

  The detective took Taylor’s address and phone number as Taylor watched from the side of the room a team of criminologists taped off the area where Kurk lay and they had sat, snapped photographs and collected samples.

  “I’m sure it must have been his allergy.”

  “Let us do our job and you’ll be the first to know. I know this must be difficult for you. Is there anyone here that can take you home? Or should I have an officer escort you?”

  “Jessie will take me home,” Taylor said.

  “Ms. Mercer?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, why don’t you take a seat, and I’ll talk with her next.”

  While Bradley spoke with Jessie, Taylor watched a man photograph Kurk’s body from every possible angle. She was numb and couldn’t believe what had happened. A group of plain-clothes officers taped off the buffet table. Then two men from the coroner’s office wheeled Kurk’s body away.

  After twenty minutes of questioning, Jessie returned with two police officers. “We can leave, Taylor. The valet is pulling up my car.” Jessie took hold of Taylor’s hand. “Let’s get out of here.” One officer walked in front of them, while another took the rear.

  The lobby was swarming with reporters. Television cameras were shoved in the women’s faces. With the help the officers’ help, Jessie pushed her way through the cameras without letting go of Taylor’s hand. At the entry, Jessie saw the Lexus parked at the bottom of the stairs, next to the curb.

  Jessie opened the passenger-side door and Taylor got in, then she managed to get around the car. The officers cleared the press from the car and the two sped away.

  Taylor and Jessie were silent most of the trip to Malibu. At the security gate a smaller group from the press had gathered. Jessie pulled up to the security pad.

  “Taylor, what’s your password?” Jessie asked.

  “Ankh,” Taylor said.

  “Ankh?”

  “A—N—K—H,” Taylor spelled the word.

  Jessie punched in the password. She ignored questions from reporters shouting at her, drove through the gate then waited while it closed shut, assuring no one had followed.

  When the women entered the home, Taylor went to a bar in the living area. She poured scotch into a tumbler. “Would you like some?” she asked.

  “No. I’ve never known you to drink scotch.”

  She took a bottle of spring water from the bar refrigerator. “Want one of these?”

  “Sure.”

  They both sat on the sofa. Taylor flicked the remote and the gas fireplace flared to life.

  “How are you doing?” Jessie asked.

  “I just can’t believe all this has happened.” She sipped the alcohol. “He couldn’t have been murdered. It had to have been an allergic reaction.”

  Taylor and Jessie sat silently with their drinks. When Taylor finished her scotch, she poured herself another and returned to the sofa. She set the glass on the coffee table, near a picture of Kurk. Taylor picked up the picture and held it in her lap. With a finger she traced Kurk’s perfect features, until tears fell onto the glas
s of the picture frame. She covered her face with her hands.

  Jessie removed the frame and set it back on the table. She took Taylor in her arms, cradling her as she cried softly.

  For quite some time, Taylor remained cradled in Jessie’s arms. Neither spoke as Taylor wept with her head against Jessie’s chest. Taylor didn’t understand the comfort she found from listening to the rhythmic beat of Jessie’s heart. She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

  Hours later Taylor woke, she remained lying against Jessie’s chest, and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered not knowing if Jessie also had fallen asleep.

  “Don’t be.”

  “It did happen, didn’t it? It wasn’t a nightmare, was it?”

  “It did happen,” Jessie confirmed.

  Taylor sat up, her eyes meeting Jessie’s. “Would you stay? We have…there’s a guest room.”

  Jessie nodded.

  In the morning, Jessie found Taylor asleep on the sofa in the living room. She spread a blanket over her and went to the kitchen to make coffee.

  It was about ten o’clock that morning when the buzzer sounded from the security gate. Taylor answered it, “Who’s there?”

  “Detective Bradley. May I come up?”

  Minutes later, Jessie opened the door, permitting Bradley to enter. He stared at Jessie for a second before he came in. Bradley was a tall man, with distinguished graying sideburns and receding hairline.

  “Detective, good morning. May I offer you some coffee?” Taylor asked.

  “No, thank you. May we sit and talk?”

  “Yes. Please…” Taylor motioned him to a chair in the living room. The three sat. “Do you have any news?”

  “Our preliminary investigation looks like it was an allergic reaction to peanuts.”

  Taylor wasn’t surprised and nodded.

  “We found traces of peanut protein in Mr. Warner’s mouth. We’re unclear where the peanuts came from though. I understand he was at the bar and there was a bowl of mixed snacks there, a combination that included peanuts. Also, although the banquet wasn’t serving nuts in any of the dishes, the restaurant at the hotel served almonds in a vegetable medley. We’re looking into the possibility that somehow the medley mixed in with the vegetables served at the buffet. But we didn’t see any evidence of this by the food on his plate.