by J. G. Sumner
“If you don’t mind me asking, where is home?”
“We live in Frohna, Missouri. It’s a small town, and we know everyone. This stuff would never happen there.”
Officer Neal rubbed his chin. “I see. If you don’t mind, I have more questions for you.”
“I figured you would,” Herb stated.
“Thank you. Can you please explain to me the events leading up to you finding this letter?”
Herb and Eileen looked at each other. Eileen nodded to Herb to continue. “We had just finished getting ready, and we were heading out.” Herb repeated how he found the letter.
“Did it come in an envelope or anything?”
“No, it was just sitting there face-up on the doorstep.”
“Did you notice any people or cars around that didn’t look like they belonged there?”
“I wouldn’t be able to tell you if anything were different from normal. We don’t visit Laney’s apartment very often since we moved out of state. She usually comes to us.”
“All right, please keep an eye on your surroundings while you’re staying there. If you notice anything suspicious, please let me know. Also, I’ll continue with the around-the-clock surveillance. I’ll need to know right away if you find any more letters or anything that might be considered threatening toward Miss Pearson.”
Eileen stopped dead in her tracks. “Is it safe for us to stay at Laney’s, or do we need to stay at a hotel?”
“At this time I have no reason to believe you’re in danger. The letters have all been directed toward Miss Pearson. Since we’re keeping an eye on her apartment, I believe it is safe for you to stay there.”
“I see.” Eileen crossed her arms and glared at Herb.
“Are there any further questions the two of you might have?”
Herb glanced at Eileen who continued to glare at him. “No, Detective. I believe you have answered all of our questions. We’ll make sure to contact you if anything comes up.”
“Please, if you think of something after I leave, feel free to call. I believe you have my number, correct?”
“Yes, Dr. Stone provided us with your card.”
“Great. I hope the next conversation we have is to inform you we have a suspect in custody.”
“We do too. Thank you for your time today, Detective.” Herb stood up and shook Detective Neal’s hand and watched as he left the room.
Chapter 16
Jillian
Josh called Jillian to let her know he would able to go to the movie with her. Jillian was somewhat surprised but elated. Since Josh’s schedule was erratic, she never knew when he would be coming home.
When he arrived, it didn’t take long for him to change clothes. It was good because they didn’t have a lot of time to spare. He had mentioned on the phone how he’d gotten tied up with Laney, and she wasn’t doing very well. He didn’t give specifics. She figured she’d hear about it on the drive to the movie.
Since they didn’t have very much time, Jillian walked Duke before Josh got home. That way if they were unable to make it to the park, Duke would be able to sit through the entire movie. As Jillian loaded the dog in the car, Josh grabbed a couple of blankets and secured them in the back seat.
The drive down the I-5 freeway wasn’t too far. At this time of day, they were going against the traffic.
“Tell me about Laney. What happened today?” Jillian didn’t really want to talk about Laney but figured it was best to get it out of the way so Josh could enjoy their night together. The vein popping out the side of his forehead told Jillian how stressed he was. If she had to guess, he would rather be back at the hospital than with her. Damn Laney for ruining another special night.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about it.”
“You need to talk to someone. It might as well be me. I want to be your sounding board.”
“So many things went wrong today. I just don’t know where to start.”
“How about we start with your morning? You got up early and you went in to spend some time with her. How did that go?”
“Actually, it was very comforting being next to her.” Jillian saw Josh was in some other place. If she had to guess, it was at Laney’s bedside. “When I’m with her, it feels like I’m home. If feels like that’s where I’m supposed to be. There’s an energy connecting us, a force that brings us together. She makes me feel whole.”
“How can someone you’ve only known for a short amount of time make you feel that way?”
“I’ve actually known her for a while. Even though we’ve only been dating a short time, the feeling I have when I’m with her or thinking about her assures me she’s the woman I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with. I need her. Without her I can’t function, my thoughts aren’t clear, and I have knots in my stomach until I see her again.” Josh had a childlike exuberance about him and a grin as big as the Cheshire cat’s.
“I think it’s just gas.”
“What is?”
“The feeling you have. I think it’s gas.”
“You’re starting to sound like Mom. Gas is not the answer to all problems.”
Jillian laughed. “No, but it’s the cause of a lot of problems.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“Wow, I can’t believe you’re acknowledging I’m right about something! Are pigs flying?” Jillian looked around at the sky.
“Ha! Ha! Very funny.”
“So, what else happened today? Certainly, your time with Laney couldn’t have caused all this tension I see in your face.”
Josh sighed before he spoke. “Laney isn’t doing well. I had to start her on dialysis today. She lost too much blood from the gunshots. Her kidneys took a hit, and now they aren’t working.”
“Can that be fixed?”
“Hopefully. I’m keeping my fingers crossed the dialysis will jumpstart her kidneys.”
“What’s the likelihood of that?”
“Pretty good. She’s young and she has, for the most part, done well since the surgery. I think there’s about a ninety-five percent chance she’ll pull through.”
“Well, that’s good. Right?”
“I suppose. Then there’s the issue with the stalker and her parents.”
“What about them?” Jillian didn’t really give a rat’s ass about Laney or her parents. But, even she was curious what they all thought about Laney’s stalker.
“The stalker left another note on Laney’s doorstep last night. Her parents found it.”
“Oh. I thought they caught the guy.”
“Yeah, so did we. Apparently, there’s another nut-job out there torturing her.”
“If she’s unconscious in a hospital bed, she’s hardly being tortured.”
“Fortunately, she doesn’t know about the stalker’s latest letter. But now, her parents are more adamant about taking her back to Missouri.”
“Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.”
Josh looked at Jillian as though she had four heads. “What are you talking about? It’s a horrible idea.”
“Hear me out. Laney could recover there. She can get away from the stalker and not have to deal with any stress. Bad things have happened since you two started dating. Maybe it’s a sign.”
“You sound an awful lot like Laney’s mother. And I don’t like that woman at all!”
“All I’m saying is you should keep an open mind. They may know what’s best for her.”
“Laney doesn’t want to go! If they can’t see that, then clearly they don’t know her very well.”
“Whoa.” Jillian threw her hands in the air. “I didn’t mean to upset you. Did anything else happen today?”
“No, I think that’s enough. I’m sorry for snapping at you. Thanks for listening.” Josh was short and his voice gruff.
“That’s my job. I’m happy to have the opportunity to be your rock for once.” Jillian squeezed Josh’s hand.
“Jillian, there’s something different about you lately. You seem
happier. Is there someone special in your life?”
Jillian contemplated what she should share with Josh. “You could say that.”
Josh turned and grinned at her. “Oh, man! You’ve been holding out on me! What’s his name?”
“I’d rather not say right now. When the time is right, you’ll know.”
“Well, hopefully, I won’t have to wait too long. I’d like to meet this person who’s had a positive impact on my sister’s life.”
“Soon enough.”
“So, how’s everything else going? Have you been taking your medications like you’re supposed to?”
“Geez. Way to spoil a good moment between us.”
“I’m sorry. I just want to make sure everything is still on track. And, I would love to see things work out between you and this guy.”
“I’ve told you before I don’t need to take those medications. I can control the voices with my supplements. Besides, I hate that they make me feel like I’m in a fog all of the time.”
“You didn’t.” Josh looked to Jillian. She could see the worry in his eyes and the recently formed lines. He was stressed and worried. Not just about Laney but about her as well.
“What?”
“When was the last time you took your medications?”
“Josh!”
“Answer me.”
“About three weeks. You said yourself I’m like a whole new person. I’m really doing okay without them.”
“Have you discussed this with your doctor?”
“No, my appointment isn’t for another couple of weeks. Besides, he’ll just say to keep taking them. He likes to pump me up on drugs. It keeps him in practice.”
“I’m calling him tomorrow, and we’re going to get in and meet with him together. I want the doctor to evaluate you to see if it’s okay for you to stop taking your meds. Maybe he can give you something else that doesn’t make you feel so foggy.”
“I don’t need you to call the doctor. I can call him myself. I’m a big girl. I’m even taking care of you lately.”
“I don’t like this one bit. I’ve seen this disorder take over your life for far too long. Things seem to be going really well for you. I don’t want that to stop.”
“Everything is okay. Look, we’re taking Duke to the movies tonight. Can’t we just enjoy the moment? This is supposed to be a fun night to do something we’ve never done before. Let’s just focus on that. It’ll be just like when we were kids and we put a tent up in front of the TV to watch a movie.”
“Fine. Just know this conversation is not over.”
“We can worry about it later. Let’s talk about something else.”
“All right. So what’s up with your hair?”
“What do you mean?”
“It looks like you put too much gel or something in it. What do you have going on there?”
“Oh, that. It’s mayonnaise.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“No, why?”
“Why in the world would you put mayonnaise in your hair?”
“Because it’s good for it. It makes it healthy and works as a styling product.”
“That’s gross. Couldn’t you figure something else out?”
“You’re a dude. You just don’t get it.”
“Yeah, you chicks are weird.”
“Hey, you never asked what movie we’re seeing.”
“Nice change of subject.”
“What can I tell you?”
“Enlighten me. What are we watching this evening?”
“We’re seeing that new movie Turbo. I thought it would be cute and lighthearted.”
“I don’t know anything about it.”
“From what I can tell, it’s about a snail who dreams of being fast and competing as a race car. Somehow he gets submersed in some nitrous oxide or some shit like that and it changes him and makes him fast. It looked cute.”
“I could certainly use a couple of hours with a lighthearted movie. This drive-in, when did it open?”
“I’m not sure exactly, a few months ago maybe? Unfortunately, it looks as though it’s going to close at the end of the month. Not enough business, I guess.”
Josh pulled off the highway at the Grand Exit. The traffic was especially heavy but not uncommon for Pacific Beach. Even though it was only a few miles from Encinitas, Pacific Beach was an entirely different atmosphere. The crowd was typically younger with a large bar scene. Whereas in Encinitas, one found an eclectic mix of young and older surfers. When Josh was younger, he enjoyed the partying in Pacific Beach. Those days were long gone. Now, Josh was entirely too focused on work and Laney.
“Where do I turn?”
“Hold on. I’m looking up the address right now.” Jillian typed away on her phone until she got directions. “Turn right on Ingraham Street and it should be on your left after about four blocks.”
They pulled up to the drive-in with about a half an hour to spare. Josh parked at the community park, and they took Duke out for a quick bathroom break. Once they had let him sniff around for a few minutes, Jillian and Josh got back in the car and pulled into the drive-in parking lot.
“Full Moon Drive-Inn, huh? That’s a cute name.”
“I thought so when I looked it up on the internet. They have snacks at that building. Do you want to get some before the movie starts?”
“No, I’m not really hungry. Go ahead, though. I’ll stay here with Duke.”
“Are you sure? I can bring you something if you’d like.”
“No, I’m good. Go ahead.”
Jillian took off to the snack bar. The parking lot was fairly empty and there was hardly anyone at the concession stand allowing her to move through quickly. She grabbed an extra-large popcorn to share with Duke and a soda. The previews had started by the time she got back to the car. Josh was staring forward and not really paying attention. He looked completely lost in his thoughts.
“Turn on the speaker.” Jillian waved a hand in front of his face. “Hey, Josh. Are you there?”
“Huh?”
“Where were you just now? The movie started. Turn on the speaker so we can hear it. Oh, and I got you a Coke. I figured you could use the caffeine to help you stay awake.”
“Oh, uh thanks.” Josh took the drink and put it in his cup holder. He reached for the radio and turned up the volume.
“Want some popcorn?”
“Ah sure. Josh took a handful and threw it in his mouth. “Holy crap! This is all butter. Did you pour the popcorn in the butter or did you put the butter on the popcorn?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. They have the butter canister by the napkins. I was able to help myself. It’s good, isn’t it?”
“Jilly, it’s disgusting and unhealthy. You shouldn’t eat that. You definitely shouldn’t feed it to my dog.”
“Whatever. Your loss.”
Jillian happily settled in her seat and continued to feed popcorn to Duke. She’d always loved the snack. Even as a kid. The more butter on it the better. Josh never really cared for it, and he usually complained about how much butter she used.
Jillian looked over at Josh. He still wasn’t paying any attention to the movie. He was definitely in some other world. Even though she wanted his undivided attention, it was probably better to let him work through what was going on in his head. Jillian let Josh be and focused on the movie.
***
Josh
Josh reflected back to the conversation he had earlier with Jillian. God, this is not what I want to be dealing with right now. He had enough on his plate with Laney and all the issues surrounding her. There were so many things going on in his life he had no control over, and he just wasn’t sure what to do about any of them. The one thing he was sure of was how to take care of Laney. He could do that. He could fix her and make her better. If only her parents weren’t such a pain-in-the-ass. He could be at her bedside right now instead of seeing a stupid movie he had no interest in. Seriously, what’s up with Jillian’s popcor
n? It’s disgusting. What was she thinking?
Josh had been the one who found Jillian that fateful day. She was fifteen years old. He had just finished his homework and decided to go out back to get some fresh air. He had been walking around drinking a soda when he heard someone crying near the big oak tree where he and Jillian talked for hours. When Josh approached the tree, he found her sobbing. After pleading with her to tell him what was wrong, she confided that she was pregnant.
Josh had recoiled as though he had been kicked in the stomach. He choked and was unable to breathe. Jillian was too young to have a baby. Not knowing what else to do, he convinced her to have an abortion. He even drove her to the clinic. The guilt Josh felt plagued him to this day. He was sure this was the breaking point for Jillian because, seven months later, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Josh’s thoughts quickly went back to Laney. How did things go so terribly wrong? A few weeks ago, I was blissfully happy preparing for my first date with her. Things were going so well. Now, his entire life was crumbling before him. He wasn’t quite sure what he could do to win over Laney’s parents. The whole dialysis thing. Laney didn’t need that added to everything else. She needed to catch a break. Which brought him back to the stalker. Who was responsible for this? What did they want with Laney? Why couldn’t they just leave her alone?
Before Josh left the hospital, he had checked to see how she was doing. Of course her parents were stationed next to her bedside. He had expected it. He didn’t expect the cold response from her mother. He thought they had come to an understanding and things were improving. It was as if she had blamed him for everything that had happened to Laney when really, he was doing everything in his power to keep her safe. Sometimes, his job was thankless. He just didn’t expect Laney’s parents to be those people.
Laney had started on dialysis. Josh had looked through the chart and saw Dr. Arnold had been there. According to Dr. Arnold’s note, Laney would probably only need the machine for a couple of days. Thank goodness. He had asked Laney’s parents how they liked Dr. Arnold, and they were at least positive about that. He got the sense they liked the nephrologist more than him at the moment, even though Dr. Arnold was one of the most antisocial people he’d ever met.