"No," Sylvia said. "There was someone else there that night. Rachel said something about him not being right in the head."
"I hit him," Walker said. He rocked urgently, tears glistening in his eyes. "He hurt Rachel. He hit her and called her names. S-said he was going to take all the alien weapons. Rachel started to c-cry. So I hit him. Then she screamed and ran away through the tunnel and never came back."
"It's okay, Walker," Isabella said gently. She looked at Sylvia. "Thanks to Rachel Stewart, you knew the clock was somewhere in the Zander mansion and that the rest of the curiosities might still be in the shelter."
"Exactly. I set up as a real estate agent in Willow Creek and used my cover to search the mansion. I could sense the clock in the house but I couldn't find it."
"Because it was hidden beneath the new floor the killer had constructed in the basement," Isabella said. "He stored it there."
"I knew that even if I did locate the clock, there was no way I could get into the bomb shelter to get the rest of the curiosities. It was too well guarded by the good folk of Scargill Cove, not to mention a pack of dogs and a very serious lock. I could not find the tunnel entrance, either. I lacked Rachel's talent for sensing the glass psi at a distance."
"So you called in Jones & Jones," Isabella said. "You knew that Fallon would probably sense the clock if he went into the house and that he would tear the place apart to find it."
"Jones & Jones has a history with the Bridewell curiosities. I was quite sure that once Fallon Jones was on the trail, he would keep going until he turned up the rest of the artifacts in the shelter. I was prepared to drop a few hints about the events in the Cove twenty-two years ago if necessary, but as I expected, Jones was inside the shelter within twenty-four hours and the artifacts were trucked off to L.A. twenty-four after that. He's good."
"He wasn't working alone," Isabella said. This was hardly the time to get defensive, but an investigator had a professional reputation to consider, even when looking down the barrel of a gun.
"I'm well aware that you're a strong talent in your own right," Sylvia said. "Jones would never have hired you otherwise. If it's any consolation, I didn't know a serial killer was using the house as a dumping ground."
"Thanks for that. It's a wonder he didn't catch you inside the mansion."
"I was only in the Zander house once."
"You plan to return from your sabbatical and join Rafanelli in his research on the curiosities," Isabella said. "After a discreet amount of time has passed, you will arrange for the gadgets to disappear from the museum vault."
"I'm afraid poor Dr. Rafanelli will get the blame when the Joneses discover that the artifacts are gone," Sylvia said. "Can't be helped, though. Someone has to take the fall. I will eventually resign in due course and disappear."
"Why on earth are you so obsessed with the curiosities?"
Sylvia blinked at the question. "Of course, I forgot, you have no idea, do you? I'm a direct descendant of Millicent Bridewell, and my talent is similar to hers. I can handle the psi in those artifacts."
"You mean you hope you can handle it. According to Fallon Jones, no one understands what Bridewell did with glass and psi."
Sylvia was clearly annoyed. "Now that I have access to a large number of her original creations, I can reverse-engineer them. My goal is to learn enough from them to be able to construct modern versions that will work even better than the originals. Instead of clockwork mechanisms, my curiosities will be powered by state-of-the-art technology."
"That kind of project would be a very expensive undertaking."
"Yes, it will be." Sylvia's expression tightened. "It is also an undertaking that Arcane would refuse to fund, given its ridiculous prohibition against weapons research. But my new associate has very deep pockets and is willing to finance a first-class lab for me."
"Where did you get the music box?"
"Family heirloom," Sylvia said. "Created by Millicent Bridewell herself."
"Why couldn't you just study that artifact to learn what you want to know?"
"It's not that simple," Sylvia said. Anger simmered in the words. "The music box was one of the more complicated examples of Bridewell's work. I've studied it for years and never figured out how she infused the energy into the glass."
"I'll bet you don't have any more luck with the other gadgets, either. How is your new business associate going to like it when she finds out you can't deliver?"
Outrage flashed across Sylvia's face. "All I need is time and a decent lab."
"Alien technology," Walker said. He rocked some more. "Too dangerous. Can't let the g-government have it."
Sylvia glanced at him, irritated. "Don't worry, the Feds will never get their hands on those curiosities."
For the first time Vogel spoke.
"Dogs," he said. He looked toward the window.
Sylvia frowned. "I don't hear anything."
Walker concentrated hard on Vogel.
"You're using a-alien drugs," Walker announced. "Poison."
"What the hell?" Vogel swung around, his face flushed a dark red with sudden fury. "Shut up."
"Yes, you are." Walker rocked fiercely. "You're on a-alien drugs."
"If you won't close your mouth, I'll do it for you," Vogel snarled. He pulled a roll of duct tape out of his pocket.
"Oh, wow," Isabella said. "Is this what they mean by 'roid rage? I've heard it's a major problem with guys who use steroids. No self-control whatsoever."
"Shut up, bitch." Vogel's voice rose. Face twisting, he changed course and went toward her.
"Vogel, stop right now," Sylvia said sharply. "You take orders from me, remember."
Vogel ignored her. He reached down to grab Isabella's arms and started to yank her to her feet.
She got her focus and poured everything she had into an electrifying charge of energy.
"Get lost," she said softly.
Vogel froze. He released her, his expression going slack. He turned toward the door and started walking at a steady, deliberate pace.
"Vogel." Sylvia was alarmed now. "Come back here. Where are you going? What's wrong with you?"
Vogel did not respond. He opened the door, crossed the porch and went down the steps.
"Come back here," Sylvia shouted.
Vogel was in the yard. He disappeared from view, walking off into the driving rain. Somewhere in the distance dogs barked.
Sylvia spun back around to face Isabella. Fury contorted her features. "What did you do to him? You're just a finder-talent."
"I think he must have snapped," Isabella said. "Sorry about that. Maybe he's on drugs like Walker said."
Sylvia stared at Walker. "How did you know?"
Walker rocked.
Something went ping in Isabella's head. It sounded a lot like the ping on Fallon's computer.
"Oh, crap," she whispered. "You're right, Walker."
"Tell me how you know about the drugs," Sylvia hissed.
"Leave him alone," Isabella said.
Sylvia moved toward her. "What did you do to Vogel to turn him into a zombie?"
The storm was at nightmare pitch now. Lightning lit up the sky. It silhouetted the dark figure of Fallon. He came through the doorway on a floodtide of energy.
"No." Sylvia crouched directly behind Isabella and aimed the gun at Isabella's head.
"Make one more move and I'll kill her," Sylvia said. "I swear I will. Stay back."
Isabella sensed the rising heat in the atmosphere. She knew what Fallon was about to do. Sylvia must have sensed the threat as well.
"Stop it," she shouted. "I don't know what's going on here, but I swear I'll kill her before you can do anything to me. It only takes a fraction of a second to pull the trigger. She'll be dead before I will."
Isabella looked at Fallon. "It's okay. Trust me on this."
He stopped.
"That's right," Sylvia said. She seemed to pull herself together. "That's smart, Jones. Very smart. Isabella and I are g
oing to leave now. She stays alive as long as no one follows us. Understood?"
"Understood," Fallon said. But in his eyes there was the promise of death.
"Good." Sylvia straightened slowly. "There's a knife on the floor, Jones. Use it to cut her ankles free."
The dogs were closer now. To Isabella's ears they sounded like a pack of hellhounds.
Fallon walked across the room, picked up the pocket knife and slashed the duct tape that bound Isabella's legs.
"You're sure you want to do it this way?" he said softly.
"I'm sure," she said.
"Shut up, both of you," Sylvia said. "On your feet, Isabella."
Isabella staggered awkwardly to her feet, aware of another kind of energy heightening the atmosphere. She knew then that Sylvia was going to try to kill Fallon.
"Can't stand," Isabella gasped. "My legs are numb."
Sylvia put a hand on her back and shoved her violently toward the door. "Move."
The physical contact gave Isabella the focus she needed. She pulsed energy into Sylvia's aura, more energy than she had ever used in the past. She was suddenly on fire with power. It roared through her, filling the room.
The nexus energy, she thought. I'm drawing on some of the natural power in the vicinity.
"Run," she whispered. "Straight ahead."
Sylvia went absolutely still for an instant. The gun fell from her hand. Once again invisible lightning crackled in the atmosphere. Fallon had a fix.
"No," Isabella repeated.
Sylvia launched herself through the door and fled into the pounding rain.
The dogs were closer now, barking furiously.
Somewhere out in the storm a thin, high scream rose above the roaring wind and waves. It ended abruptly a few seconds later.
The dogs stopped barking.
Fallon pulled Isabella into his arms and held her as if he would never let her go.
A moment later Poppy and Clyde and the rest of the dogs rushed through the door of the cabin. They were delirious at the sight of Isabella. Henry and Vera and several other familiar faces raced up onto the porch and came through the door.
"Everybody okay here?" Henry asked.
Isabella raised her head from Fallon's shoulder and looked at her friends and neighbors.
"Yes," she said. "Everything is okay now."
35
Isabella and Fallon sat in the front of the black SUV. Walker rocked gently in the rear seat. They watched the sheriff and two deputies load Sylvia Tremont's body into a van.
In her mad flight from the cabin, Sylvia Tremont had fallen from the top of the bluffs onto the rocks below, breaking her neck.
"You knew she would run off the top of the bluffs," Fallon said quietly. It was not a question. "That's why you told me not to stop her."
"Yes." Isabella shivered. The full shock of what she had done was hitting her now. "I knew that would take her to the top of the bluffs."
Fallon took his right hand off the steering wheel and gripped her left hand very tightly.
"First time you've ever used your talent like that," he said. Again, it was not a question.
"I told you, I've encountered my share of dead bodies."
"But you were never the one who made them dead."
"No," she agreed.
"You didn't want me to do it," he said.
"No."
"Because you thought I'd have a problem with killing a woman?"
"No." Isabella shivered. "Because it was my responsibility. I'm the one who brought her down on us. If I hadn't insisted on taking the Zander house case--"
"She would have found another way to get J&J involved in digging up the cache of curiosities," Fallon said. "The artifacts were highly volatile, unpredictable time bombs just waiting to go off. She needed us to get into the shelter, stabilize the objects and ship them safely back to the lab. Once they were well secured in L.A., she would have been able to arrange to steal them and let Rafanelli take the blame for the theft."
"Think so?"
"I know so," Fallon said. "Sylvia Tremont was a very determined woman. She killed Sloan in cold blood, and she was prepared to kill you and Walker, as well."
"Yes," Isabella said. "You're right."
"Should have let me handle it."
"No," Isabella said. Time to change the subject, she thought. "Any sign of the bodyguard?"
"Not yet."
"He's probably still walking," Isabella said. "I told him to get lost. He'll do just that."
"Alien drugs," Walker muttered. "Poison."
Fallon glanced at Walker in the rearview mirror. "What drugs?"
"I told you, a-alien drugs," Walker said urgently.
Isabella looked at Fallon. "The bodyguard looked like a steroid freak. Walker thinks Vogel was using drugs."
"I knew it." Fallon tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Nightshade."
36
They sat side by side on the lumpy sofa, feet propped on the small coffee table, and drank some whiskey together.
"We're decompressing again," Fallon said.
"Yes."
"Twice in one week."
Isabella studied the contents of her glass. "It has been a very complicated week."
"It has," Fallon said.
"What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that one of the remaining Nightshade circles decided to try to acquire some para-weapons. When they got into that market they encountered the broker, Orville Stone."
"Who, in turn, led them to Sylvia Tremont," Isabella said, "who was busily selling off para-weapons from the Arcane museum basement. It must have been obvious that if she was already willing to risk stealing from Arcane, she was ripe for recruitment. Someone in Nightshade made her an offer."
Fallon turned the glass between his palms. "Tremont was thrilled because her new business associate promised her a lab of her own and unlimited funding for her experiments in glass psi."
"Yep."
"Operating a state-of-the-art lab costs money. Sounds like at least one of the Nightshade circles is still going strong. We need to find it fast."
"Any idea where to look?" Isabella asked.
"Maybe."
"You never say maybe."
"A connection to Portland, Oregon, came up not long ago when Jack Winters and Chloe Harper nearly got themselves killed in Seattle. One of the Nightshade people who died, a guy named John Stillwell Nash, was the CEO of a vitamin and health supplements company named Cascadia Dawn."
"A company that sells supplements and vitamins would make an excellent cover for an illicit drug lab. Did you check it out?"
"I've had people watching it. A new CEO took over shortly after Nash died. She used another name, but I think she might have been Victoria Knight. Before that I think she was Niki Plumer."
"Who was Niki Plumer?"
"A Nightshade operative. Figured in the case in which Zack and Raine were involved. She wound up in a psychiatric hospital. Supposedly she committed suicide but I've had my doubts."
"You think she became Victoria Knight."
"If I'm right, she's the para-hypnotist who showed up in Las Vegas in the Burning Lamp case a few weeks ago. My talent tells me she was the new CEO of Cascadia Dawn. But the first thing she did was sell the company and disappear again."
"Why sell it?"
"She probably realized that we were aware of the company. Also, she needs money. I think she sold a very profitable business, pocketed the cash and went somewhere else to fire up another circle. I've been waiting for her to pop up again. I believe she may have done just that."
"That fits. I told you that Sylvia mentioned that her new business associate was a woman who thought I should be neutralized."
"I realize it would have been very hard to poison you," Fallon said. "You would have detected the bad energy in the vicinity of the stuff. But I am very grateful to Walker. I owe him."
"We all do."
"We lost Knight's trail, but we know one thin
g for certain," Fallon continued. "Like everything else that has happened in the Nightshade case, the weapons procurement operation was centered here on the West Coast. For whatever reason, the organization, or what's left of it, appears to be based on this side of the country."
"Maybe because this is where Craigmore established it?"
"That could be it," Fallon said. "But I'm starting to wonder if perhaps it has something to do with the natural energy grids that run from Washington down through Oregon, California and Arizona. There aren't many nexus points as strong as the Cove, at least not that have been mapped, but there are a number of vortex sites like those in Sedona. Maybe there's one in Portland that hasn't been charted."
"You think Dr. Hulsey is trying to use the power of the grid to enhance the formula?"
"That's how it feels. If I'm right, it narrows the scope of the search somewhat."
"Lot of country between Washington and Arizona."
"True. But over the years several of the hot spots have been mapped. And there are talents who are good at sensing nexus and vortex points. We might be able to construct a map of the most likely locations for a Nightshade lab."
Isabella sipped some more whiskey and lowered the glass.
"Something happened today, when I put Tremont into the trance," she said. "I don't know how I did it, but I think that, just for a second, I tapped into the nexus energy in this area. I'm strong, but I've never felt anything like that before in my life. It was very strange."
"It wouldn't be the first time that a strong talent managed to pull some nexus energy. But it's a very high-risk pastime. It's like picking up a live electrical wire. The currents could short out your senses or even kill you. Promise me you won't make a habit of it."
A chill went through her at the memory. "You have my word on it," she said. "What's our next step?"
"If someone was running a research lab out of Cascadia Dawn, there has to be some trace of it left in the building. I'm going to send an agent inside to take a look around."
"Who?"
"The same one who helped clean up things in Seattle a while back. He's an illusion-talent. The guy's as cold as ice, but he gets the job done. I've learned not to ask for details afterward, though."
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