Redemption (Desire Never Dies)

by Clara Grace Walker

  “Let me knock on Isabelle’s door,” Charlotte said, racing down the hall in the direction of the Tyler’s room.

  “I don’t think that’s going to be necessary, sweetheart.” She pointed at the elevator where Maggie and Isabelle already waited.

  Charlotte quickly changed direction, racing past Jamie toward the elevator. “Isabelle! We’re going to see the princesses!”

  “I know! I know! I know!” They squealed, hugged each other and jumped up and down, tiny faces glowing with joy.

  Jamie nodded and smiled at Maggie. “Hate to see them on caffeine.”

  Maggie laughed. “The combination of caffeine and princesses might send them into orbit.”

  Jamie relaxed further. The burden of fear eased from her heart. Everything was going to be fine.

  “I can’t believe how much luggage one little girl can travel with,” Maggie said, rolling twin suitcases into the elevator, her purse and an overnight bag stacked on top of one, and a blanket, a stuffed monkey and an doll case on top of the other.

  Looking at her own two suitcases, purse, camera case and beach bag stuffed with towels, swim goggles, dolls and other beach products, Jamie could only sigh. “Why didn’t anyone warn me one of the hardest parts of motherhood would be transporting my progeny from Point A to Point B?”

  “Probably because non-parents tend to drift off whenever parents bring up the subject of children.”

  Jamie laughed. “I think I remember doing that myself before Charlotte came along.”

  The elevator doors opened and Jamie followed Maggie and the two girls out, rolling her belongings behind her.

  As they approached the checkout desk, they were met by Patty’s intense stare and non-smiling face. Once more warning bells went off in Jamie’s head.

  “May I help you?” Patty asked.

  “Checking out,” Maggie answered pleasantly.

  She frowned. “Names?”

  “Seriously?” Jamie couldn’t help but ask. Given the small number of guests, Patty’s question made no sense. “Maggie and Isabelle Tyler and Jamie Jennings and Charlotte Beck.”

  Patty flipped through a notebook on her desk. “Rooms 201 and 207?”

  Jamie nodded, convinced now she wouldn’t fully relax until she was looking at the gates to the Coral Reef Center in her rearview mirror. “That’s correct. We need to pick up our electronics, also.”

  Patty nodded at the bags and wheeled suitcases. “Can I get you some assistance with your luggage?”

  Maggie smiled, tucking a strand of long, black hair behind one ear. “That would be lovely.”

  “A staff member will be here for your bags in just a minute.”

  “Great.” Jamie tried hard to sound as breezy and carefree as Maggie, sure she would never pull it off quite as well. “I’d like to settle my bill while we wait.”

  “And what about you, Mrs. Tyler?”

  “Oh, just Isabelle and I are checking out. Mr. Tyler is staying on until Scott finishes the program.”

  Patty eyed them skeptically. “He is?”

  “Charlotte and I are going to Disney World,” Isabelle piped in.

  Jamie could have kissed her for making everything seem so normal.

  “Alright then.” Patty stepped out from behind the desk. “Follow me, please.”

  Warning bells sounded louder. “Why?” Jamie asked. She sounded neither breezy, nor carefree.

  Patty looked at her like she was brain dead. “Paperwork.”

  “Paperwork?”

  “There are no computers or means for paying your bill at the reception desk. And you did want your electronics?”

  Glancing again at the counter, Jamie was surprised to see nothing tucked underneath but a phone, a calendar, the notebook Patty had found their room numbers in and a pad of paper and pen. How had she missed the absence of a computer here when she’d checked in?

  Patty smiled, motioning them to follow her with a wave of her hand. “Usually when our hotel guests leave, they’re taking a discharged patient with them, and we like to give them their discharge instructions in private. Government regulations and all, you know?”

  She sounded overly patient, which only served to annoy Jamie and increase her warning bells.

  Maggie touched her on the shoulder. “Let’s get your bill paid, grab our gadgets, and hit the road. The Grand Floridian awaits.”

  “Right this way.” Patty motioned them down a hall to the right of the reception area. Jamie followed, taking Charlotte by the hand. The pit in her stomach tightened to the point of nausea. She wanted out of this god-forsaken place.

  “Right in here.” Patty opened the door and Jamie stepped inside, stilling holding Charlotte’s hand, with Maggie and Isabelle close behind.

  It seemed to happen in slow motion, as if she were only dreaming. She stepped inside the room; saw the desk and two chairs. Almost started to relax. Then wondered why there was nothing on the desk. Warning bells thrummed like a pounding drum. She spun around. Prepared to run. And saw the door close behind them. Heard a lock click into place. And knew she’d listened to her instincts too late.

  Chapter 56

  Shirley sat at her desk, eyeing Ryan carefully as he entered the room. “Well?” she asked.

  “They tried to check out. Just like you knew they would.”

  “All of them?”

  “No. Just Mrs. Tyler and her daughter and Jamie Jennings and her little girl.”

  “Only them?” That didn’t make any sense.

  Ryan shrugged, as though he hadn’t given it any thought. “Just them.”

  “Why just them?”

  Ryan gave a second shrug. “Who knows? They told Patty they were taking the girls to Disney World.”

  Could that possibly be true? Had she drawn the wrong conclusion from what she’d heard last night? Fear clouded her thoughts. “Where are they now?”

  “Patty locked them in a spare office.”

  “That won’t do.” She needed time to think; to figure this out. She thought of them locked inside an office and knew she couldn’t keep them there. But what could she do with them? The girls were so little. So innocent. Killing them would be difficult. Not like offing that nosy, big-mouth slut Regina, or…. She cut off her thoughts and the memory of a man with a handsome face from so many years before. It wasn’t like she was a serial killer or anything. She’d only killed twice before. And really, she hadn’t killed the Mance girl. Ryan had taken care of that for her. All she’d done was give the order. No. She’d only ever done what was necessary. Never resorting to killing unless there was no other way. What was she supposed to do about the two little girls? She wasn’t a monster.

  She took a breath. And then another. Emotions tumbled; fear smacking into sorrow and regret. Adding to her confusion. She couldn’t think clearly.

  “Ms. Cantwise.” Ryan spoke softly. “What do you want me to do with them?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Damn it! She should not have said that. She would bring order to the world. The words I don’t know should never come from her lips.

  She looked at Ryan and smiled. “This is going to require some thought.”

  “Of course, Ms. Cantwise.” He stood silently in front of her.

  She let out a long sigh. She always told her patients not to make decisions when they were feeling pressured or stressed or overly emotional. She needed to take her own advice. “Take four guards and move them to an empty staff room.”

  He glanced around the room before bringing his gaze back to hers. “How should I explain their presence to my guards?”

  “Tell them they were caught trying to steal drugs from the pharmacy and we’re holding them until the police come.” Was it possible other people would believe that, too? Hard to say.

  Ryan nodded. “That should work.”

  Arthur wouldn’t like it. He’d want to pack up. Move again. Maybe to a different state this time. Change both their identities. But she didn’t want to act rashly. She�
�d worked hard establishing this center.

  And there was still the matter of Earl. “Has Patty prepared the patient room for Mr. Grayson?” she asked.

  Ryan nodded. “She finished with it a few minutes ago. Shall I have Mr. Grayson escorted to his new accommodations?”

  “As soon as you’ve finished moving the others. Try not to alert him to what you’re doing until he’s already in the room. He may try to change his mind. And, well, we need to do what’s best for Mr. Grayson.”

  “Of course. People rarely know what’s best for them. You’ve taught me that, Ms. Cantwise.”

  At least Ryan understood. “Very well. See that Dr. Belanger isn’t bothered with this matter.”

  “Of course. We’ll keep this on a need-to-know basis.”

  Shirley relaxed into her easy chair. Ryan was her greatest success story. He reminded her how important her work was. And why no one could be allowed to interfere.

  She closed her eyes and began meditating to clear her mind of emotions and think more rationally. She’d barely begun the exercise when a knock at her door interrupted her. Irritation, unbidden and unwelcome, gripped her. “What is it?” she snapped.

  Patty poked her head inside the door. “I’m sorry, Ms. Cantwise. I tried to tell him he needed to make an appointment, but he insisted on coming here.”

  Shirley looked past the girl to the thin, pale face standing behind her. Anthony Howard. He looked angry, and a little scared. Stifling a groan, she nodded. “Send him in.”

  “You see, sweetheart.” He slapped Patty on the backside as he moved past her, but the slight tremble in his voice gave away his unease. “I told you she’d see me.”

  Patty stepped out of the doorway, disappearing down the hall, while Anthony let himself into the room. The man wasn’t fooling anyone, Shirley thought. Particularly her. Disheveled hair, loosened rope and the slight jitter in his hand as he closed the door, confirmed his anxiety. Not remembering his CRC teachings at all. She smiled pleasantly. “Anthony, you’re normally so put together. What’s upsetting you?”

  “Seriously?” All pretense of relaxation left his voice. “You need to ask? There’s a fucking hurricane headed toward the Keys. What are you all still doing here? Why the hell aren’t you evacuating?”

  “Possibly headed in this direction.” She corrected him, choosing to ignore his rough language. “I’ve been following the weather reports closely.”

  “Okay. Possibly headed for the Keys,” he said. “Don’t you think the responsible thing to do would be to get your patients out of here?”

  So now he knew better than her? “An evacuation has not been ordered for Key Largo,” she said calmly. “It’s merely being advised.”

  “Advised? Ordered?” He threw his hands in the air. “What the fuck difference does it make? Do you think it’s wise to wait until the last possible minute to start moving people out? Frankly, I’m surprised people aren’t already fucking leaving.”

  He did think he knew better than her. “Anthony.” She took a disapproving tone to her voice. “We’ve talked about your use of coarse language.”

  “My coarse language isn’t my top fucking priority right now. What the hell is the matter with you?”

  “How dare you speak to me like that?!” She jumped from her chair, all pleasantness gone from her voice. “Nothing is wrong with me. I’ve devoted my life to making the world a better place. Helping other people with their weaknesses and their problems. How dare you throw accusations at me?”

  She’d lost control of him. Worse still, she’d lost control of herself. She took a deep breath and stared out the window at a cloudless blue sky. A hurricane couldn’t possibly be headed this way. She forced calm back into her voice. “You should try your breathing techniques.”

  The words barely left her mouth before he erupted. “To hell with your breathing techniques!” He eyed her contemptuously, fingers playing at the loosened tie around his neck.

  The sight of his fingers, at the tie around his neck, coaxed back a memory she’d forced out of her conscious mind many years ago. A tie. A neck. A face, looking strange and distorted. Make it go away. Make it stop. “Try breathing,” she said. She tried breathing. Her father’s bulging eyes stared out at her.

  “No.” He spoke defiantly. “If I can’t get you to evacuate this facility, I can at least get Mindy and Vince out of here.”

  Shirley considered the possibilities. With Earl signed in as a patient, she could let Mindy and Vince go. But Mindy had never been converted. And she would tell lies. And Anthony had completely forgotten his training. Control slipped away even as she struggled to hold on. And it was because she’d given people too much leeway. Control couldn’t exist where freedom still reigned. “Very well.” Calm returned as she picked up her walkie-talkie. “Ryan, could you please come to my office?”

  “Yes, Ms. Cantwise.”

  The sound of his voice reassured her. Everything would be fine. The dream fate had brought to her doorstep could still come true. “Mr. Howard is here to check out Ms. LePage and Mr. Allan. I’m sending him over to the hotel to do the paperwork. Could you please get whomever and whatever is needed to handle this matter?”

  “Of course, Ms. Cantwise. I’m just finishing my first task. I’ll be there when he arrives.”

  “Perfect. Thank you so much, Ryan.”

  She looked back to Anthony and smiled. “Will that be all?”

  He nodded, relaxing, smiling back at her. “Yeah. That’s perfect. Thanks, Shirley. And, no hard feelings, eh?”

  “Of course not.” Again with the Shirley. Was it really so difficult to call her Ms. Cantwise? Things were considerably more laid back in L.A., but he’d spent four weeks here learning proper manners and respect for people in positions of authority. Under different circumstances, she’d be suggesting a refresher course for him.

  Anthony smiled heading out the door. “Great. Thanks. Have Mindy and Vince ready to go when I’m done signing the papers.”

  Shirley smiled. “Of course. I’ll see that everything goes smoothly.”

  Chapter 57

  Earl stepped off the elevator and strolled down the first floor of the hotel, his mind focused as though acting a movie role. He was calm. He was in control.

  “I don’t understand why I can’t fill out the paperwork later.”

  Earl heard the strained voice and changed course, heading away from the back door and toward the lobby. His steps faltered, though just for a moment. Anthony Howard. When had he come back? He’d high-tailed it back to L.A. as soon as he’d learned about the challenge for Mindy’s guardianship. Did he really think he could beat back a lawsuit by moving Mindy someplace else?

  Earl ignored the tight feeling in his gut and resumed his calm demeanor, picking up his pace as he continued toward the lobby. When he reached the front desk, however, he saw only Anthony’s back as two CRC security staffers escorted him out the front door. The guard on the right caressed the gun in his holster like a lover. Creepy. Earl thought of following, but a quick glance at his watch told him there wasn’t time. He headed back toward the pool, and a meeting with Mindy and Nick that Shirley would never know about.

  Outside the day was hot and already humid. Thick with the stickiness of too much sun and not enough breeze. Overhead the sky boasted a cloudless expanse of blue. A golf cart zipped along the asphalt parking lot to his right. Glancing over his shoulder, he made out Anthony and two guards heading in the direction of the rehab building. The tight feeling in his gut knotted further. The sneaky son-of-a-bitch was up to something.

  Earl looked away from the disappearing golf cart and off to his left; to a tangle of greenery and the concrete walkway leading to the pool. The hotel map showed only the grounds servicing the hotel and the walkway connecting the hotel grounds with the visiting room of the treatment facility. He’d been to the rehab building enough times, however, and studied what wasn’t on the map well enough, to discern a quick walk to the water would connect him with the
vegetation growing between the guest pool and patient pool. He hustled toward the trees and the sound of the ocean.

  Grey muck, mixed with low-growing scrub and the occasional mangrove made up the shoreline. The Atlantic Ocean ran like a plate of glass toward the horizon, almost supernatural in its serenity. Perspiration beaded on his brow and upper lip. He ducked into the thick growth of trees, picking his way through the foliage in what he judged to be the general direction of their planned meeting spot.

  “Mindy,” he called softly, after covering what felt like the right distance. “It’s Earl. Are you here?”

  Stopping to listen, he heard nothing. No wind tickling leaves, no chirping birds. Nothing. He might as well have stepped into The Twilight Zone. “Mindy,” he called again. “Are you here?”

  He checked his watch. 1:44. She should have been at the meeting spot fourteen minutes ago. Mindy running late was not an option he’d considered. And given Anthony’s sudden appearance, not one he wanted to consider.

  When no response came after a third call, he started off in a new direction. His newly-chosen path brought the faint sounds of whispering. “Mindy,” he called quietly. “Is that you?”

  “Earl?”

  “Finally.” Exhaling, he hastened toward her voice, relaxing only when he saw her. “I was beginning to think I’d miscalculated where the rehab center’s pool was.” He hugged her close, running his fingers through the dyed blonde hair that now showed dark roots. “You look beautiful.”

  A small smiled crooked the corner of her mouth. “You made it out of the hotel without anyone noticing?”

  Earl glanced at Nick and found himself wishing the man hadn’t come. What he really wanted was to be alone with her. “It’s not like there’s anyone over there to notice. The hotel’s not as tightly guarded as the rehab center.”

  Nick leaned with his back against the trunk of a tree. “I’m surprised about that actually. Sounds unusual for Shirley. She strikes me as someone who wants her nose in everyone else’s business.”