Grandma Dot reads my intentions. “They probably won’t let you in again. At least not unless Lucas or Dustin goes with you.”
“Dustin for sure won’t and I got Lucas in enough trouble already.”
“Lucas Hartley can take care of himself,” Grandma says smugly.
“I don’t understand where Lacey got her information from. Only Lucas and I were here this morning.”
“Maybe one of the nurses overheard you talking? Called Lacey?”
“Brinkstone,” I say.
“Who?”
“The guard at her door. He doesn’t like me and I kind of made him look stupid this morning.”
“Gabriella,” Grandma chastises.
“It was funny at the time. Crap on a cracker, this whole mess is my fault.”
Grandma thinks about this for a moment. “It will all work out in the end, it always does.”
“Uhhhggg,” I exclaim and get out of her truck.
The front step light at Preston’s house glows in the afternoon sun. It’s several hours until dark, but the light is our code for he’s home and available for a visit. I never turn my light on for him, I realize now. The pale beacon welcomes.
He opens the door the shortest moment after I knock.
“Hey stranger,” he says.
“I’m finally home.”
“I see. Want to come in, or do you just like my front step?”
“Shut up,” I giggle and push past him into the house.
I take a moment to soak in the energy of his house. The décor of my house can best be described as minimalist. I don’t like excess items which might make me see things when I touch them.
Preston’s house overflows with an eclectic mix of antiques, folk art and collectibles. Everything neat and organized, but overwhelming just the same. I’ve never taken my gloves off in here.
A football game plays on his big screen TV. “I was watching the Colts stomp Green Bay. Wanna join?”
“Sounds wonderful.” I plop on the couch, help myself to the open bag of chips on the coffee table.
Preston settles in close to me and I lean against his warmth. We watch the game in silence until a commercial break. Preston mutes the TV. “I don’t want to pry, but how’d this morning go?”
“You’re not prying.” I tell him about the visions from Addlynn, and about my conversation with Lacey. He listens carefully, doesn’t interrupt my train of thought. The game comes back from commercial break, but he doesn’t turn the volume back on.
“You have an interesting life, I’ll say that for you,” he says. “All I’ve done today is watch football.”
“I’d rather have been doing that.”
“You’re here now, so enjoy.” He pulls me against his side so my head is on his shoulder and his arm encircles me. “Just stop thinking for a while.” He un-mutes the TV.
The players on the screen run their plays and the announcers say their words. I make no effort to follow the action. I let the moving colors soothe my jagged nerves. Let the sounds wash me into a state of relaxation. I tuck my legs and snuggle closer to Preston, listen to his heartbeat under my ear.
The afternoon passes in a comfortable blur. I doze off and on, hovering at the edge of consciousness. Preston makes occasional loud comments at the game, which startle me awake. I don’t mind. I get to enjoy the slow slide back to sleep again.
“Gabby?” Preston shakes me awake. I blink a few times adjusting to the darkness which has replaced the afternoon sunshine.
“Huh?” I grumble.
“The news is coming on in a few minutes.”
Fully awake, I sit upright. Worried flushes of adrenaline course through my veins. “Maybe we shouldn’t watch it.”
“Better to know what we’re up against.”
Fear flutters in my chest and my face feels hot.
“It’s just the evening news, no one watches it anyway,” Preston attempts to soothe.
My phone rings, distracting me.
“Hopefully it’s Lucas.” I hurry to where I sat my phone on the kitchen table. “Maybe he has an update.”
The caller ID says Dustin. “Crap on a cracker,” I say, then answer. He doesn’t wait for me to say hello.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Gabby?” he barks.
“Good to hear from you, too.” My voice drips with sarcasm. Preston lifts his eyebrows in question. I mouth Dustin to him. Preston lets out an audible groan.
“This isn’t a joke. I said I didn’t want you near her again. And you went behind my back.”
“I’m a grown woman, I don’t have to ask your permission to do things.”
“You do when it involves my investigation.”
“I took a detective with me, made sure it was all documented,” I force my voice to sound reasonable, my words to sound rational.
“Lucas knows I didn’t want you going. I don’t understand this hold you have over him. He does anything you ask.”
“This isn’t Lucas’ fault. Anyway, it’s his investigation, too. If he chooses to use all the tools available, then more power to him.”
Dustin makes a sound of disgust. “I’m not happy about this.”
Preston motions to the TV to tell me Lacey is on.
“Are you near a TV?” I ask.
“Yeah, why?”
“You’re really not going to be happy. Turn on the news.”
I hang up on my brother and join Preston on the couch. My palms sweat inside my gloves, as Lacey begins her story.
“Are girls being kidnapped and held captive in a cult near River Bend? According to local psychic, Gabby McAllister, they are. McAllister found the woman stabbed nearly to death yesterday morning, along with her newborn infant. The mystery woman was taken to the hospital where she now remains in a coma. Psychic Gabby McAllister was brought in to glean information from the comatose woman. A source close to the investigation says, according to Gabby McAllister, the woman’s name is Addlynn and was part of a local cult which allegedly kidnaps girls to live on their compound. No information has been obtained on the murder attempt of Addlynn. The baby’s father is a person of interest in the case. Neither McAllister nor the police department returned our request for statements. We have to wonder, do they know more about the evil happenings at this compound and are unwilling to share it with the public?” Lacey gives a self-satisfied smirk at the camera. It feels like a personal dare directed at me.
The accompanying video rolls are basic shots of Lacey at the church where I found Addlynn and of her in front of the hospital. Lacey managed to piece in the most un-flattering shots of me from last time. Yelling at the camera, without sound to make sense of the scene, I look like the crazy woman she makes me out to be.
Neither Preston nor I know what to say at first, just stare at the continuing news program in silence. After Lacey’s segment, the desk anchor looks a little ashamed of the piece. No doubt confused how something so blatantly based on conjecture made it to air. He quickly moves on to actual news.
“Wow,” Preston says. “Just, wow.”
“Told you she hates me.” I feel sick and disgusted. “How in the world does that pass for news? It was a personal attack at me. And Dustin and Lucas,” I add.
My phone rings, and I don’t even look at the caller ID. “I had nothing to do with it.” I say before Dustin can yell at me.
“What the hell? Even I didn’t know most of that information until Lucas told me a few hours ago. What happened?” His tone is a strange mix of anger and concern.
“No idea. I haven’t talked to anyone except Lucas and Grandma Dot. And Preston, but that was after Lacey called.”
“She called?”
“Earlier today. It’s how I knew the story was coming. She wanted me to tell her what I knew, but she already had all the info. I refused to help her.”
“Where did she get the information?” The anger part of his tone takes over.
“Brinkstone was guarding the door. He may have overheard Lucas and me talki
ng.”
“The rookie? Why would he do this? He’s on our team.”
“How should I know, ask him. He was angry with me.”
“This is bad, real bad.” He sounds hollow.
“I’m sorry, Dustin, but I didn’t tell anyone, I promise.”
“I know you wouldn’t. This is why I didn’t want you involved. You attract trouble like a magnet.”
The words sting. “It’s not my fault Lacey hates me, if you recall.”
“That was high school. This is serious.”
“Hate is hate, Dustin.”
He changes the subject. “I’ve got a lot of damage control to do now. And catch a mysterious killer. Do me a favor and stay away from the hospital. Don’t cause any more trouble.”
“I didn’t cause this trouble,” I point out.
Chapter 13
Gabby
No one likes Monday’s, and this Monday sucks worse than others. Going to work and acting like everything is fine, feels disloyal to Addlynn. She has more to tell me, I’m sure of it, but Dustin made it very clear I was not welcome to visit her. Amidst all the horrors I’ve seen, I still have to pay the mortgage.
My job as a customer service rep for a catalog call-in center demands little of my attention. Helping lonely women place orders by phone that they could easily place online comes easily for me. Helping them pick out a color of bath robe is a natural extension of my abilities. I don’t have to talk to people in person, don’t have to touch things. I just have to be friendly to strangers.
On the phone, I’m good with strangers.
Friends, on the other hand, I struggle with. Another side effect of being kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer is people who don’t know me well avoid me.
My cubicle neighbor, Haley, defies the rule. She finds me interesting in an open, honest way. She knows all about my abilities, and accepts them without judgment. She’s the bright spot in my humdrum job. We’re not close, exactly, but I always appreciate her smile and ready “Good morning.” With my reputation as the town crazy to be avoided, this is what passes for a social life.
Haley takes her break when I take mine and sits next to me in the dingy break room.
“How was your weekend?” She cracks open a can of soda, the sound loud in the empty room.
I eye her suspiciously, on guard out of habit. She seems genuinely curious, and oblivious of the weekend’s events.
“Okay, I guess,” I hedge. “How about you?”
“It was the greatest. My sister and I took the train to Chicago and shopped all weekend. The train took forever getting back, though. I didn’t make it back home until after midnight. I’m beat.”
She doesn’t know.
“So you haven’t heard about the attempted murder?” I make the words sound casual.
Her eyes grow wide with excitement. “Murder? Ahh, tell me everything.” She claps her hands like a little girl about to hear a good story.
Her contagious excitement catches me. “It’s a long story, but a good one. Want to go out for our lunch break and I can tell you all about it?” The invitation falling from my lips surprises me.
It surprises Haley, too, but she readily accepts. “Ooh, can’t wait. You’re helping with the investigation, right?”
“I’m involved, but not sure I’m helping.”
She raises her eyebrows in question. I open my mouth to answer, but a group of co-workers enter. I snap my mouth shut again.
She sips her soda, looks around at the others, understanding my secrecy.
“What did you buy in Chicago?” I ask to change the subject.
As our lunch break approaches, nervous apprehension grows. Lunch with a friend might come easily to others, but the simple intimacy terrifies me. I consider cancelling, but I don’t want to disappoint Haley. My stomach bubbles, and I toy with the idea of faking sick.
Haley’s “Ready for lunch?” and friendly curiosity force me to go along with it.
“I’ll drive,” I tell her. At least in my own car, I have some semblance of control.
Haley climbs in and shuts her door against the gray day, so different from yesterday’s bright sunshine. “Spill it,” she demands.
The forced closeness of my car sets my nerves on high alert. It’s just Haley. It’s just lunch. I tell myself, ashamed at my reaction to my friend.
“Want to go to the little sandwich shop around the corner?” I ask, stalling.
“Sure. Now tell me, already.” Her laugh does me in. Clear notes I involuntarily laugh along with.
I pull out of the parking spot and start my story. “Saturday morning, I was donating some clothes at a church….” After a few sentences, I get into the story and forget my nerves.
We’re settled at a corner booth at the sandwich shop, and I’m eating my last French fry when I finish telling Haley everything. She’s listened intently, interrupting only to ask pertinent questions. I’d told the same story to Preston, and he had listened, but Haley’s intense interest drew the story out of me in much greater detail.
“Lacey Aniston is a menace,” Haley comments after I finish with Lacey’s news story.
“I don’t know how she stays on the air,” I agree.
“Probably sleeping with the station manager,” Haley says with her bright laugh.
“That would explain it,” I concede, laughing along.
My phone rings, and I see Lucas on the ID. “I’d better take this. It’s Lucas.” Haley nods and looks out the window.
“Are you still talking to me?” I ask by way of greeting.
“Of course. I know this mess isn’t your fault.”
“Tell my brother.” I fish for a stray fry in the basket, only find a tiny crispy one.
“Actually, he already knows. We questioned Brinkstone about the information leak to Lacey. He finally admitted to it. He’d listened to us through the door and ran to her with the story.”
“I knew it. The jerk.” My sharp tone pulls Haley’s eyes from the window.
“He’s on administrative leave right now, but he’s in a lot of trouble. His first loyalty should have been to the investigation, not to hurting you.”
“Hope you fire him.”
“It’s not up to me, but I hope so too.”
Uncomfortable silence stretches.
“Thanks for letting me know,” I say to fill the space.
“Do me a favor and stay away from the hospital.” Almost the exact words Dustin used.
“You sound like Dustin. He said the same thing.”
“Because we agree on this. Stay away and let us handle it from here.”
A sudden flash of anger surges through me. “Is that an order, Detective?”
He makes an exasperated noise. “It’s a request, Gabby. This is dangerous. I need you safe.” His concern sounds genuine, but I’m mad anyway.
“I’ll be careful,” I say and hang up without promising anything.
Haley sips her soda, looks through her lashes innocently. “Trouble with the handsome detective?”
“I hate how he and Dustin use me when they need me to find things out for them. But then they push me aside and tell me to stay out of it. I’m not a party trick.” I sound petulant even to myself.
“It must be hard for them to need your help, but also want to keep you away from killers.”
“I can take care of myself,” I whine.
“I’d rather have the hot detective take care of me,” Haley laughs, breaking my tense mood.
“He’s not that hot.” Heat creeps into my cheeks.
“What part of him aren’t you looking at?” I shift uncomfortably. “How do you two know each other? If he was just your brother’s partner, you wouldn’t snap at him like that.”
“Lucas and I go way back. I was friends with his sister, Crystal, before…,” I pause, hoping she’ll get the reference. She doesn’t. “Before what happened with my parents, and my new skills.”
“And?” She warms up to the story.
“You sure are curious today.”
“You’re full of interesting stories. So you were friends with his sister,” she leads.
“As little girls, yes. So I knew him, but not well. He and Dustin weren’t friends yet. Anyway, after, you know, Crystal and I drifted apart. It wasn’t her fault. Most of the friends I had before drifted away. Especially after the basketball game incident.”
“The infamous basketball game,” Haley says with a smile.
“Shut up,” I laugh and the last of my tension disappears.
“Anyway, Lucas was a few years older than me and Crystal. One day he was waiting for me outside the school and said he needed my help.”
I haven’t thought about that day for a long time. Have never put a beginning to Lucas and I’s friendship.
“Help with what?” Haley prompts me out of my memories.
“Nothing too exciting. Apparently, he’d bought Crystal a necklace for her sixteenth birthday. He’d saved up for a real gold necklace with a bird pendant and her birthstone in it. He’d spent a lot of money on it.”
“For his little sister? How sweet.”
“He’d lost the necklace. Her birthday was the next day and he couldn’t find it anywhere. Desperate, he came to me to find it.”
“With your gift?” Haley leans forward excited.
“He said he didn’t really believe I had a gift, but was willing to try anything to find the necklace. So I took his hand, and tried to see where he had put it. It was the first time I had done anything like that on purpose. Mostly, I avoided seeing things.”
“What did you see?”
“Wood. The necklace was surrounded by wood.”
“Wood?”
“It didn’t mean anything to him, either, so I tried harder. This time I saw him put the necklace box in a drawer, and again the wood. He said he’d already searched every drawer. I asked if he’d looked behind the drawer. It would explain the wood surrounding it.”
“Did he find it?” Haley is almost breathless now.
“He did.” I lean back in the booth, satisfied with myself.
“I bet he freaked out.”
“He told me he found it and Crystal loved the necklace. She wore it all the time to school. It’s not like Lucas and I were best friends after. I was the weird girl people avoided and he was the popular athlete. I was on his radar, though. He’d step in and stop kids from picking on me occasionally. High school sucked, but it was easier with him around. Then he left for the academy, got married and settled here eventually.”
Message in the Fire Page 8