Double Threat

by F. Paul Wilson

  Daley looked at Juana. “I’m heading to Arturo’s. You up for some coffee? My treat.”

  She smiled. “Well, in that case, get me a large, two sugars, lots of cream.”

  “You got it.”

  As she crossed the street, Daley noticed a lot of pedestrians about—people from the spa, no doubt, and Pendry clanners she recognized by the women’s Mennonite-style dress.

  (“Out to survey the damage, no doubt,”) Pard said.

  Some people love destruction.

  (“Disaster porn.”)

  At least we haven’t heard of any deaths in town.

  A mild aftershock rolled down the street, triggering a surprised “Eeek!” or two and nervous laughter.

  Arturo’s front window was only cracked—a big crack but at least it was holding together—just like Jason had said. Inside she was hailed by all the breakfast regulars—after all, she’d become one. She didn’t know why, but she took inordinate pleasure in the friendly greetings. It felt good to be known, but even better to be accepted so quickly as part of the town. She’d never dreamed it would happen, but Nespodee Springs was becoming her town.

  While waiting for the two coffees to go, she heard a high-pitched scream from out on the street. She stepped out to see a teenage clan girl, mid-teens by the look of her, lying on the boardwalk one door down, clutching her chest. Another girl crouched beside her, screaming.

  “Wynny can’t breathe! Somebody help her!”

  Daley ran up and dropped to her knees on the other side.

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know!” the other girl wailed. “She just dropped!”

  Wynny was cloud white, writhing, pressing a hand against her right ribs. Daley grabbed her free hand at the wrist to make skin contact.

  Pard, can you check her out?

  (“Do my best.”)

  Daley leaned over the girl. “Wynny, is it? Wynny, what’s wrong?”

  “Hurts,” she said through a gasping breath. “Can’t breathe!”

  “Don’t touch her!” cried her friend. “Get your hands off her now!”

  Her vehemence shocked Daley. “What’s your problem, kid?”

  She screamed, “Don’t you touch her!”

  Arturo pounded up behind Daley. “Shut up, you little shit! She’s only trying to help. Get Doc Llewelyn. Go on, goddamn it! Git!”

  She glared at Daley and Arturo, then ran off.

  “Damn weird-ass clanners,” Arturo muttered. “Can’t stand them.”

  (“Going in.”)

  Wynny sobbed. “Hurts when I breathe…”

  “Try to breathe slower,” Daley told her. “Slow breaths … slowwww…”

  She did manage to slow her breathing but Daley could tell by her expression she was still in pain.

  What was taking Pard so long?

  (“Okay, I did what I could.”)

  At last. What’s up?

  (“She has a pulmonary embolism.”)

  Which is?

  (“A clot in the lung—her right lung in this case. Came from her left leg. She’s got phlebitis there.”)

  Can you help her?

  (“I activated a load of plasmin to start dissolving the clot, but it’s a slow process. She should notice a little improvement soon.”)

  Doc Llewelyn, string tie and all, hurried up. “Where’s it hurt, Wynny?”

  She showed him.

  “Pulmonary embolism?” Daley said, looking up at him with a questioning expression. She didn’t want to seem too sure.

  His gaze stayed fixed on the girl. “One of your legs been sore and swollen lately?”

  She pointed to her left calf.

  Llewelyn nodded and said, “Yep. PE. I’ll get my car.”

  What happened to examining the patient—you know, listening to her chest and all that?

  (“I’m sure he’s seen a few in his day.”)

  “Shouldn’t we call an ambulance?” Daley said.

  “By the time they get here, I’ll already have her in the ER.”

  Wynny sobbed. “I don’t wanna go!”

  “I can’t take care of this here, child.”

  He hurried off and returned a couple of minutes later behind the wheel of a big black Tahoe.

  “I feel better,” she said as Arturo and Daley helped stretch her out on the backseat. She took a deep breath. “See?”

  (“Plasmin effect kicking in.”)

  Yay you.

  The doc shook his head. “You might throw another clot any minute. I’ll phone your folks on the way.”

  After Daley snapped a seat belt around her waist, Llewelyn roared off in a cloud of dust. She watched for a moment, then turned to the other girl, who glared then spun on her heel and stomped off.

  She hadn’t expected profuse thanks, but maybe a bit of gratitude for trying to help.

  Did I forget my deodorant this morning?

  (“Something else going on. She was half hysterical that you touched her friend.”)

  Daley remembered the local kids fleeing from the shop door whenever she said hello.

  I think you’re right, but I’ve no clue as to why.

  “Come on,” Arturo said, moving away toward the café. “I’ll finish making your coffees.”

  4

  Rhys stopped in shortly after the drama on the street. He looked good in khakis and a light-blue button-down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

  “Wow,” he said, looking around. “I had no idea.”

  “Well, we were out back.”

  “Got an extra broom? I’ll give you a hand.”

  “You can have mine,” Juana said. “I’ve got to get over to the reservation.”

  Daley thanked her for coming by and soon she was roaring away on her Harley.

  As Rhys started sweeping, he said, “I can’t stop thinking about last night.”

  “It was nice, wasn’t it?”

  And it was, but there had to be something else they could talk about.

  “It was extraordinary. I would have brought you flowers but, as I’m sure you’ve realized by now, Nespodee Springs doesn’t have a florist.”

  She put on a disappointed expression. “Well, Brawley does. What’s the matter with Brawley? I mean, if you really cared…”

  He looked stricken. “I do, I really—oh, wait.”

  Unable to hold it back, she started to laugh.

  He joined her. “You rat! You had me going there.”

  “You should have seen your face.”

  “My mind was racing, thinking if I push it I can be in Brawley in twenty minutes, find a florist, maybe buy some chocolates too, and be back within the hour.”

  “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”

  He stepped closer. “You owe me a hug for that.”

  She opened her arms. “I probably do. But only a quick one. I’m not into PDAs.” As they embraced, she said, “Poor boy, you’re going to have to get used to me.”

  (“He’s not the only one.”)

  Hush.

  (“Is this where you drag him upstairs to bed?”)

  Too much work to do down here.

  “I’d love to get used to you,” Rhys said. “Very used to you.”

  “Okay.” She broke the clinch. “That’s a good hug.”

  He backed up a step but kept his hands on her upper arms, saying, “This isn’t going to discourage you, is it?”

  “What—a hug?”

  “No, the wreckage. I mean, you’re not going to get disgusted and close the place and pack it in, are you?”

  “No way. You don’t get rid of me that easy.”

  (“Easily”)

  Grrrrr!

  (“Sorry.”)

  An odd look she couldn’t decipher flitted across his face and was gone.

  “The last thing I want is to get rid of you. I want you around a long time.”

  “Well, then, let’s get sweeping.”

  Between the two of them they filled a garbage can with shards of gl
ass and got Healerina—the interior as well as the boardwalk outside—cleaned up and into fairly presentable shape. That done, they had burgers at Arturo’s which Daley paid for over Rhys’s protests. After that, he had to get back to the Lodge.

  5

  Doc Llewelyn stopped by in the afternoon.

  “That was a pretty good snap diagnosis on Wynny.”

  (“Thank him for me.”)

  “Thank you.”

  “You had any medical training besides an online degree in homeopathy?”

  Ad lib time: “No, but my mother had an embolism once.”

  “She okay?”

  “Died of cancer.”

  He nodded. “Clotting can get screwed up in cancer.”

  “Oh, no. You don’t think Wynny—”

  “No-no. The clan women are prone to them. Probably the inbreeding. But she’s going to be fine. Her parents are there and she’s going to stay the night while she’s started on anticoagulants.” He turned to go. “Just wanted to let you know.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that. Can I ask you a question?”

  “Depends on the subject. Shoot.”

  “When I took hold of Wynny’s wrist, her friend—”

  “Catrin.”

  “Okay, Catrin. She got all upset, practically hysterical, screaming ‘Don’t touch her!’ What’s up with that?”

  He looked embarrassed. After a brief hesitation he said, “The clan children have been told to stay away from you. Don’t buy from you, don’t even talk to you.”

  “Oh.”

  (“I can feel your hurt.”)

  I’m not hurt. I don’t get hurt. It’s just that … well, I feel like I have a disease or something.

  She said, “Is it because of all the New Age stuff here?”

  He shrugged. “I couldn’t say, but that’s the most likely reason.”

  “Don’t you know?”

  “The clan Elders have access to esoteric knowledge that guides their opinions. Shortly after you arrived they put out the word that you were to be avoided by the children. They don’t explain their decisions, just hand them down.”

  “I met Elis Pendry last night. Isn’t he…?”

  A nod. “The head Elder. You can bet he’s behind it.”

  “He didn’t seem hostile.”

  (“Well, he wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy.”)

  “I’m sure it’s not personal. The clan has its own unique religion and it’s not the least bit New Agey. We’re very self-contained up there in the hills and they don’t want the kids exposed to outside influences.”

  I’ve been called a lot of things but never “an outside influence.”

  (“Maybe you should scrap “Healerina” and rename the shop “Outside Influence.”)

  Maybe I will.

  “Can you tell me about this religion?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. We keep that to ourselves too. Good day to you.”

  I bet Rhys will tell me.

  (“I think he’ll tell you anything.”)

  6

  Rhys had texted that he’d be tied up with clan business until late, but he wanted to get together with her tomorrow. She wasn’t happy, though, with the way he’d closed the text:

  Just a heads up. Its out that

  we were together last night

  and I mean =together=. After the

  quake we were seen outside

  together in the not-so-

  put-together. If you know what

  Im saying.

  Well, damn. She’d wanted to ask him face-to-face about his father’s problem with her.

  Some other time. Tonight would be a TV night with Pard. She wasn’t feeling very sociable anyway.

  After a microwaved dinner—a spicy chicken and black bean bowl—she settled on the couch and caught up on the news. Nothing good going on out there, especially the word that the horrors was a spreading Southern California epidemic and nobody had a clue yet how to treat it.

  Putting that comforting news on hold, she entered her Netflix ID and password and started searching the films. Pard popped into view, seated in the easy chair.

  (“Not a rom-com, I hope.”)

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  (“You have to be one of the least romantic women in the world. Why do you like romantic comedies?”)

  “They always costar a good-looking guy.”

  (“Well, if that’s your major criterion, let’s find something with a handsome male lead for you and a little oomph for me.”)

  “‘Oomph’?”

  (“Something beyond boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. May I suggest A Knight’s Tale?”)

  “That sounds familiar.”

  (“You’ve seen it. Stars Heath Ledger.”)

  Now she remembered.

  “He was gorgeous.”

  (“He still is—in the film, that is.”)

  He suddenly morphed into a chubby guy in a wrinkled corduroy jacket.

  “Who’s that supposed to be?”

  (“A deceased film critic named Roger Ebert.”) His voice changed as he raised his thumb in the air. (“I give A Knight’s Tale a thumbs-up and three out of four stars!”)

  “You had me at Heath Ledger.” She grabbed the remote. “Let me see if I can find it.”

  A knock on the back door aborted her Netflix search before it started.

  “Really?” she said, rising, annoyed at the interruption. “Really?”

  (“That knock sounds familiar,”) Pard said as she headed through the kitchen.

  You think it might be—?

  Then she saw the slip of paper under the door.

  Note Man is back!

  (“Knew it!”)

  Let’s see what he wants.

  She dropped to a cross-legged position by the door and picked up the note.

  Care to chat?

  “Sure. What’s up?”

  You came through

  The quake okay?

  “Me, okay. Healerina not so well.”

  meet Elis Pendry then quake

  Rough night

  She laughed. “Yeah, he’s what you might call ‘intense.’ Does that mean you’ve met him?”

  At least he didn’t mention her hooking up with Rhys, although she had a sneaking suspicion that might just be good manners on his part. She doubted much went on in this town without Note Man knowing.

  Everyone here

  knows E.P.

  A thought struck.

  “Hey, wait. How did you know I was up at the Lodge?”

  I watch

  Oh, yeah … he def knew about her and Rhys.

  “Like I told you before, that’s creepy.”

  I know

  But have nothing else

  She went from feeling creeped out to feeling sorry for him. Like before, his loneliness and isolation seeped through the door.

  “Too bad. We were just going to watch a movie.”

  We?

  (“You slipped!”)

  I know!

  “I meant I was just going to watch a movie.”

  You’re not alone?

  “I’m never alone. I’m always with myself. You know: me, myself, and I?”

  (“Careful there.”)

  “If you want you can come in and join me.”

  (“Are you crazy?”)

  I need to throw him off. He’ll think I’m just being friendly.

  (“You?”)

  Ha. Ha. And deflecting. Don’t worry. He won’t accept.

  That won’t

  Work for me

  Told ya!

  “I promise I won’t look.”

  She waited for his response. And waited.

  “You still there?”

  Thinking

  (“That means he’s considering it!”)

  Daley was thinking that wasn’t necessarily bad, but it could be.

  Finally a note slipped through.

  You need to

  See a film

  “Well, th
at’s been the plan for tonight.”

  Specific film

  Okay. What’s the title?”

  Private film

  (“Uh-oh.”)

  Yeah.

  “We’re not talking a porno, are we?”

  Ha! No.

  Home movie

  “Whose home?”

  The clan

  “Are you in the clan?”

  Regrettably yes

  (“This could be interesting.”)

  “All right. I’m game. When?”

  Tonight?

  “Are you telling me you have it with you?”

  Must see it at Lodge

  Only plays on player there

  “You must be a Pendry if you’re inviting me up to the Lodge.”

  Sneak in

  (“Oh, I don’t like this, Daley. Don’t like it at all.”)

  I’m with you there.

  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

  Will change your life

  “I’ll ask Rhys about it next time I see him.”

  No!

  Must not tell

  You know!

  (“That’s odd.”)

  No kidding.

  “Don’t tell him I know about the film? Why not?”

  Hasn’t seen it

  “You’re telling me the son of the head of the clan hasn’t seen a family film?”

  Only 1st half

  Too young. Must wait.

  “Till when?”

  Age 30

  “But you’ve seen it all?”

  I sneak & hide

  He’s offering to let me see a family film Rhys hasn’t seen? How weird is that?

  (“Too dangerous, Daley. You could get caught.”)

  What are they going to do? Shoot me?

  (“Call the cops.”)

  Remember what Sam Alvarez said: I’ve got a friend. Aren’t you the least bit curious?

  (“I’m damn near dying of curiosity.”)

  Then let’s do it.

  (“No!”)

  Fraidy-cat.

  “Okay,” she said, “how do we work this?”

  (“No-no-no!”)

  At 2am go to lodge

  Same door as yesterday

  “Two in the morning? Seriously?”

  (“Much too late, Daley. Your beauty sleep!”)

  I will be near.

  If you don’t show, OK

  “I’ll be there.”

  (“You’ll be so ugly tomorrow.”)

  C.U. then.

  Notes please

  She bundled them up but had so many this time she had to split the pile to fit them back under the door.

  (“I wish to formally register my absolute total disapproval of this idiot, harebrained scheme.”)

  Noted.