by Clare Revell
“It’s fine. I’ve only just got here myself.”
“I wasn’t sure you’d be coming with Jasmine, like, dying and everything. It’s terrible. Do you think they’ll catch who did it?”
“Of course they will. Susie, this is—” She broke off realizing she didn’t know his first name.
Agent Debone extended a hand to Susie. “Debone, Agent Gladstone Debone.”
“Well, pleased to meet you, Debone, Agent Gladstone Debone. I’m Susie Vickers. I man the front desk. How do you know Dr. A? Are you her boyfriend? Because I thought she was seeing that cop.” Susie shook his hand, speaking quickly.
Adeline shook her head. “I’m not seeing Nate. And I only met Agent Debone yesterday.”
“Speaking of yesterday. It was so cool seeing you on the TV like that. It must have been so neat meeting the Prime Minister. Not neat having her die on you, like, but being the last person to talk to her. That’s like deep, really deep.”
“Deep?” Adeline ran her gaze over Susie’s attire. “You’ve been spending too much time with that new hippy fellow of yours. What’s his name?”
“Storm. Isn’t that cool?” A soppy, wistful expression crossed Susie’s face. “I think I should change my name. I fancy Rainbow. Goes well with Storm.”
“His mother named him Storm?”
Susie beamed and started setting up the desk. “Yeah. He was born during, like, a really bad thunderstorm. He’s kind, chatty, loves kids and animals. He has these, like, really intense eyes and—”
“Susie,” Adeline interrupted her. “Do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Stop saying like and really. And put the gum in the bin.”
“But I’ve been, like—”
Adeline held up a hand. “It’s unprofessional.” Not to mention extremely irritating.
“Sure thing, Dr. A.”
Adeline headed into the back room to begin work.
Ben settled at her feet, and Agent Debone sat opposite her.
She spent ten minutes gluing the pieces of a broken doll back together. She glanced across the room. “Agent Debone, are you just going to sit there all day?”
“Pretty much.”
“And when I need the bathroom? Are you going to sit outside the door, too?”
“Pretty much.”
“Is that all you can say?”
There was a long pause.
Agent Debone rested a finger on his chin. “Pretty much.” He sat impassively for a moment and then smiled.
Adeline shook her head with a grin and pulled a drawer open. She flipped through the top file. Jasmine’s neat handwriting covered the page. Unexpected emotion flooded and eyes burning, she ran for the small bathroom, locking the door.
10
Time slowed to a point where Adeline didn’t know anything but grief. She poured her heart out in prayer. Fervent, wordless cries rose from the depths of her soul, to the feet of the One whom she knew understood even though she couldn’t voice them.
Ben nudged her.
She rubbed the top of his head. “What is it?”
He ran to the door and hit it with a paw.
Reluctantly Adeline moved to the bathroom door. She opened it to find Nate standing there holding a takeout cup. “Oh…”
Adeline dragged her sleeve over her face. She must look a sight. “Hi…”
“We were passing and thought you’d like this.” He offered the cup.
She slid into the hallway and shut the door behind her. “Thank you.” Taking it from him, the scent of chocolate and steam hit her, like a breath of fresh air. The sheer comfort factor of chocolate was already working its magic.
“It has cream and marshmallows in it.”
“Just the way I like it. Thank you.”
“I owe you an apology.”
Adeline looked at him. For the life of her she couldn’t think what he had to apologize for. “No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do. For kissing you before I went to work.”
“Oh.” Shaking hands almost dropped the chocolate. “You don’t need to apologize. It was as much me as it was you.”
“I’m not apologizing for kissing you, you silly girl. I’m apologizing for breaking off as abruptly as I did and then walking out on you. The only reason I did, was because we were being watched.”
“Agent Debone. I caught a glimpse of him in the mirror after you left.”
“Yes. And my spare bedroom isn’t really the place for that kind of affection. I have to take Vianne into consideration.” He let out a deep breath. “Besides, I’m only human. If I keep kissing you like that, I might not be able to stop, and I can’t allow that to happen, for either of our sakes. I like you, Adeline. I like you a lot.”
“I like you, too.” More than like you.
Something in his eyes flickered. She could so easily get swallowed in the depths of his gaze. She wanted to dive into the safety of his arms and never come out. To lean her head against his firm chest as it rose and fell with his breath, and feel his heart beating. His hand gently brushed tears from her cheeks. Electricity sparked from his fingers sending warmth flooding through her body. She shook herself mentally. It couldn’t happen.
“You said we were passing?”
“Yeah. Dane’s here, too. He wanted to come in to see you. He said something about clearing Jas’s desk, but I don’t know if he’s up to that yet.”
“There’s no rush on that. Her stuff isn’t going anywhere.”
They walked into her office where Dane stood by her desk.
She set the cup on the side of the desk and wrapped her arms tightly around him. “I’m really sorry. I loved her so much.”
Huge sobs welled up from within him as he hugged her back. “Me, too. I can’t believe she’s not coming home.”
She stood there, holding him tightly, then guided him to a chair by her desk. “There’s no rush on Jas’s things. They can stay here until you’re ready.”
“Thanks.”
Adeline glanced up as a tray set down on her desk. Susie had brought in a flask of tea, papers tucked under her arm.
“Thanks Susie.”
“No problem, Dr. A. There are three visitors in the main ward. There’s, like, one discharge for you to sign, and one admission. I’ve, like, done all the paperwork.” She put the papers on the desk and held out a pen. “I said the repairs would, like, take about a week, and you’d call if they’d be any different. They were fine once I explained we were short staffed right now.”
“Thanks.” Adeline signed the papers and handed them back.
“Is it all right if I leave early, like? I know I was late, but I, like, have a date and—”
Adeline held up a hand. Unable to put off a certain conversation any longer, she wasn’t about to have it in front of the others. Not only would that show a lack of respect and leadership, Dane didn’t need any of Susie’s off-hand comments. “Susie, let’s step into the hall for a moment.”
She glanced at the three men. “Excuse us. I’ll be right outside, not going anywhere.”
Adeline closed the office door for a bit of privacy then turned to address her wayward employee. “You’ll have to make up time tomorrow, or I’ll dock your wages. As you pointed out, we are shorthanded as it is right now, without you coming and going as you please. You’ve been late in and late back from every break for the past two or three weeks. That’s if you come in at all.”
“Sorry, but, like, you know how it is—”
“No, actually I don’t.”
Jasmine was dead and Susie wanted time off—for a date? She pushed a hand through her hair and fiddled with the cross around her neck. Perhaps Susie’s need to leave was no different than her insisting on coming into work. Just a different way of dealing with things.
“Yeah all right, Susie. Ring for the end of visiting in fifteen minutes and then go. Lock up on your way out. Have fun on your date. Just be on time tomorrow. Otherwise, it’ll go down in your file as
a warning.”
Susie nodded, not losing the glazed expression or looking in the least bit repentant, and headed down the hallway.
Adeline returned to the office. She sat and picked up her drink in trembling hands. She took a small sip then slammed her cup down, spilling cocoa across the papers spread over her desk.
****
Nate’s hands clenched and unclenched as he watched Adeline struggle for composure. He found it incredibly hard being a silent witness to her distress. He wanted to hold and comfort her, take her in his arms, kiss her, and assure her that everything would be all right, but Agent Debone’s presence forbade it. As did his common sense.
Lord, give her the comfort I am unable to. Help me keep my sense of propriety around her, until such a time that I can openly show my feelings for her. Let us find the Herbalist soon, before any more lives are lost.
Everyone sat squashed in Adeline’s office. Big enough for one, it was not designed to seat four.
Nate put a hand on her clenched fist. He rubbed it gently, his other hand pulling out a handkerchief to mop up with. “Adeline—”
“Sorry.”
Adeline buried her head in her hands. Nate rubbed her back, ignoring the black looks Agent Debone shot him. She needed the comfort, and he would give it. He squeezed her hand as Dane started to speak, smiling as he noticed Ben nudge her at the same time.
“I want to go over everything you know about the Herbalist. Every dream, case, vision, every detail. Maybe we missed something, or there’s something you didn’t remember before. Something that could help us catch him.”
Agent Debone glared at him. “You’re off the case. Shouldn’t you be at home with your kids? Or did you send them to school for the last day of term?”
“Jodie insisted on going to school. Her class is having a teddy bears picnic and Jas had made cakes for her to take in. My parents have taken Vicky out somewhere with them—probably to the park. Jas’s parents have gone to the undertaker and manse. I have nothing else to do, except sit in an empty house and remember what I’ve lost. Let me help find her killer. I’ll beg if I have to.”
Nate exchanged a long look with Agent Debone.
Dane needed this.
Nate nodded. “No need to beg though, mate. You can take notes. Might keep your mind focused. And if the Guv asks, you were never here.”
“That’s not a problem. I’m not going to jeopardize this case in any way.” Dane pulled out his notebook. “Now you said the Herbalist was protecting them from something or someone in every case.”
Nate held up a hand. “Just take notes, mate. Let us ask the questions.” He glanced at Adeline. “What he asked.”
“Yeah. He’d tell them as he strangled them that this was for their own good, and that they’d be safe now. Sometimes he’d say they deserved it.”
“Did you see all eight of the murders?” Agent Debone asked.
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t go to the police sooner? Why not?”
Nate didn’t like the agent’s tone of voice but Adeline didn’t hear the snide inflection and he was not about to point it out.
Adeline answered the question. “I didn’t think they’d believe me. I mean, look what kind of press psychics get. They get laughed at and slammed for being too late. I’ve never had visions or anything like this before. I had no idea what was happening. So, I put it down to coincidence, too much cheese before bed or a bad curry, but after a few more and they were so accurate, I knew what I had to do and spoke to Nate.”
“You did the right thing,” Nate said. “And we believed you. You knew things we hadn’t released to the press. Dane and I knew there was no way you were faking it.”
Getting up, he crossed over to the whiteboard with the list of patients and picked up the cloth. “May I?” As Adeline nodded, he cleaned the board and began writing. “OK, we have parsley, ragwort, onion, tamarisk, euphorbia, clover, toadflax, and ivy.”
Dane pulled his reading glasses off and chewed the ends. “There’s no connection. It doesn’t even make a pattern on a map.”
“And it’s no recipe I’ve ever come across,” Agent Debone added. “The wife’s a chef so I know a fair few.”
Nate studied the words. Suddenly the penny dropped, and it made perfect sense. He wiped the board and rewrote them in a bullet list. He circled the first letter of each word, joining them together as if he were playing a word search. “Yes, there is. We have P. R. O. T. E. C. T. I. It could be protective, but if I were a betting man, I would put next month’s pay on the fact he’s spelling protection. I have no idea what the herbs mean, but I can make an educated guess.”
“Protection,” they all chorused.
Nate couldn’t understand why he hadn’t seen it sooner. “That leaves O and N. Does anyone have a map?”
“At home,” Adeline said. “I don’t need one here.”
“I have one in the car. I’ll go get it.” Agent Debone hurried from the room.
Dane raised his gaze heavenward. “But why kill Jas? What was he protecting her from? I never laid a hand on her, or the girls.”
Adeline wrung her hands together. A haunted look filled her eyes, and she shrank in her seat. Her pale skin was almost translucent, and if Nate put any stock in the ‘looks like she’s seen a ghost’ line, that’s how he’d describe her.
“He’s after me,” she managed. “Because I know who he is. He was in my house waiting for me and killed her by mistake. That’s why I’m in protective custody, isn’t it?”
Nate sat on the corner of the desk and put a hand on her shoulder. “Officially, it’s because you know who killed the Prime Minister, but unofficially, yeah. That is the way we’re looking at this now.”
“It’s my fault Jas died, just like it’s my fault the Prime Minister died. I shouldn’t have said anything about the visions. I shouldn’t have gone out. I don’t deserve you protecting me. I should just let him finish the job. Then these people wouldn’t have died for me.”
Grabbing her face, Nate gently held it in place so she didn’t miss anything he said. “No. Don’t ever say that or wish yourself dead.” He let go, copying her signs as he spoke. “It’s not your fault. No one asked Jas to be in your house last night. I don’t know why she had to die. I don’t suppose even Pastor Jack could tell us that. Only God knows why this happened. I know this is hard on all of us, but we have to find this bloke and see justice done. For Jas and all the others.”
He shot Dane a quick glance. “And I’m sure Dane doesn’t blame you, either.”
Adeline turned to face Dane.
“No I don’t,” he managed. “I wish God hadn’t taken her, but it’s not your fault. Pastor Jack came over last night. He said, he said that as much as the girls and I needed Jas, that she had finished her task here on Earth and that God had more need of her. You…” his voice shook, but he didn’t drop his gaze. “…are, and always will be, a dear friend. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t kill her.”
“OK,” she whispered.
“Why are these things always in the last place you look?” Agent Debone came back with the map. “There is one road named for a plant starting with N and four with O. I have no idea what they mean, but we have oak, orange, orchid, olive and nettle. Nettle is a given as that’s the only N.”
Adeline took a deep breath. “We’ll need an internet connection or medicinal plant or symbolism book. I don’t have either here. The internet is too much of a temptation for Susie to spend all day on social networking sites.”
“You could just block them like they have at work.” Nate winked at her. “Dane was always on there, uploading photos or checking the latest celebrity gossip.”
His partner shot him a half smile. “That’s a tad less destructive than eating at the desk and dropping crumbs and half a mug of coffee on the keyboard.”
“Only ever did it on your keyboard. I’ll ring the Guv. We’ll need to put unmarked cars on all those roads around the clock.” He pulled out h
is phone and dialed. “Guv it’s Nate. Can you do a search on herb meanings for me? Adeline has no ‘net.” He rolled his eyes at Dane and mimed winding a handle to speed things up. “Unless you want to waste manpower by staking out five roads when you don’t need to? Yes, we worked out the link and know what the Herbalist is doing. We need definitions for the following roads. Oak, orange, orchid, and olive. We’re looking for ones meaning protection, that’s what he’s spelling out.”
Pacing over to the white board, he wiped out the ones they didn’t need. “Right. So those two and nettle. Yeah, Adeline’s right here. Why?” His stomach twisted and skin crawled. Never mind any other form of protection, right now they needed the Lord’s protection.
He turned around and faced the window. “Are you sure?” he barked into the phone. His mind whirled. That possibility hadn’t occurred to him. Was it just coincidence or was there some darker force at work here? Whatever it was, it worried him deeply.
“OK, will do. Yes, a car outside my place and here as well is a sensible precaution. And before you suggest it, no we’re not going to find a new safe house.” He listened for a moment, and then let out a deep breath. “Fine. If that’s what you want. Yeah, see you later.” He closed the phone and slid it into his jacket pocket.
Dane studied the board. “Oak and olive?”
He spun around and nodded. “Yeah, both mean protection, amongst other things. The guv is putting a watch on all three of them until further notice. Adeline, who named this place Datura?”
“Dad did when he founded it. I kept the name when I bought this place and moved the doll hospital here. Why?”
“Datura is an herb. Did you know?”
“Yeah. The doll hospital was originally on Datura Drive, hence its name. Why? What does it mean?”
“Datura, like all the rest of these plants, means several things. But one of the meanings is protection.” He took in the shock on the faces around him. “So as well as having Agent Debone or myself around all the time, there will be a car out at the front of the building. You’re also going back to my place, right now. No argument. I’m going to ring Cassie and get her to bring Vianne home. Would you mind keeping an eye on her until I get back?”