The White Carnation

by Susanne Matthews

  Déjà vu flooded her as Faye struggled to make sense of her surroundings. “Fine, I feel fine. Where am I?”

  “In the ER at Mount Auburn. We brought you in about two hours ago.”

  “I had the strangest dream.” Faye stared at the doctor, realized the woman was wearing what appeared to be army gear, and screwed up her face. “Or did I?”

  The curtain parted, and Rob entered, his face covered in black and green camouflage paint, his smile a white slash against the dark makeup.

  “I didn’t think I’d be able to keep you out of here once you heard her voice.” Dr. Chong chuckled.

  “No, ma’am.” He reached for Faye, pulling her into his arms.

  “That’s my cue to exit,” Dr. Chong said. “You’ve got twenty minutes, Detective. No more. She needs rest.”

  The doctor stepped through the opening in the curtains and closed them behind her, giving them as much privacy as possible considering the circumstances.

  “I thought I’d never see you again,” Rob said softly as he bent his head and captured her lips.

  Faye returned the kiss hungrily, desperately, pouring all of her pent-up emotions into her response. When Rob ended the kiss and pulled away, his eyes shining with unshed tears, the last thing she expected was his laughter.

  “Oops. I guess I should have removed the camo paint first, but I couldn’t wait to see you. It’s a nice look, very avant-garde. Maybe you can start a new fashion trend, but believe me, the Little House on the Prairie dress has to go, and I won’t even mention the unmentionables. Victoria’s Secrets are safe.”

  She pouted. “But I made it myself.” At the look of horror on Rob’s face, she chuckled. “I’m not that attached to it. I did make it, and it’ll be a great Halloween costume if I ever want to relive the worst time of my life.”

  He reached for some tissues in the box beside the bed and gently wiped her face. “It’s not that bad … On you, it looks great.”

  She touched the side of his face, his stubble rough against her palm. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “I thought you were dead. Jimmy said they’d set a trap for you …”

  Her sobs intensified, and Rob sat on the edge of the bed holding her tightly. The strong, steady beat of his heart reassured her. He was alive, and so was she. Sniffling, she raised her head.

  “It’s not over, is it?”

  “No, but the harvest is. We’ll get them and put an end to whatever this is once and for all. You’re safe.”

  “For now,” she said, shivering. “What if he comes after me, after Mary, Ruth, and Elisa? They’re here, too, right? And the babies—Ruth’s twins?”

  “They’re here, all of them. The doctors are just checking them over. Jimmy won’t come after you, Faye. He and three of his men are dead. I’ll take you down to the morgue, and you can see for yourself. This monster won’t haunt your dreams again.”

  “But the Harvester is still out there.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Jimmy’s not the Harvester. That job belongs to someone they call the Prophet. Those people are convinced that killing these women and the others is acceptable—honorable even. They’re releasing them for rebirth. He has to be stopped. They all have to be stopped.”

  “Hey, relax. Dr. Chong will have my hide if you get all worked up. Trevor and I will debrief you in a few hours. It’s still the middle of the night, and you need some sleep. I’ve got another ten minutes, and I want to spend them holding you.”

  “I can live with that.” She snuggled into his shoulder. “I’m glad Jimmy’s dead and you’re not. How come you weren’t blown to bits like he said you’d be?”

  “Because I’m smarter than he was. When we realized Slocum was a trap, we sent in the bomb squad, and they dismantled all the explosives and arrested the half-dozen guys left there to watch the place.” He kissed her temple.

  “But how did you know? Jimmy was so sure the Prophet had outsmarted you.”

  “He did for a while, but we found the mole and baited a trap of our own. If I’d known who he was the day you disappeared, I’d have killed the son of a bitch with my bare hands, and if I had, we might never have found you. Trevor is a hell of an agent.”

  “I thought it might be Tom.”

  “It wasn’t, although I’ll probably be buying the guy coffee and donuts until he retires. I said some pretty nasty things when I thought it might be him.”

  “So, who was the leak?”

  “There were several actually, but the biggest problem was the one man Tom had never trusted: Pierce.”

  She frowned. “The FBI liaison was the mole?” He nodded. “Don’t they vet their operatives?”

  “They do, and so do we. We found a dispatch clerk, an evidence clerk, and a 9-1-1 operator who have a hell of a lot of explaining to do. So far, no one’s talking. Whoever this Prophet is, he’s convinced these people he’s the second coming. Look at Pierce. The guy’s a decorated war hero, and he committed murder and rape and betrayed his oath to the FBI and this country ... The son of a bitch has disappeared, but there’s an all-points bulletin out on him. He’s finished. When I get my hands on the bastard, he’ll wish he’d died in that rescue attempt, too. We don’t know who killed the Williamsons, Lucy Green, or Eloise Colchester. It could’ve been Jimmy …”

  “No. Jimmy didn’t kill anyone. He was very clear on that. It wasn’t his job. Who’s Eloise Colchester?”

  “She’s the girl from the Fotomat. It turns out she was Jimmy’s sister.”

  She gasped. “He let them kill his own sister?”

  “Looks that way.”

  “She must’ve violated some rule,” Faye said and frowned, snuggling deeper into his arms. “They’re insane, Rob, and far more dangerous than we suspected. They plan to detonate bombs, maybe even nuclear ones. They seem to think they’re part of God’s greater plan—modern-day survivors of God’s wrath. Mother Kate talked about the Great Burning …”

  “Mother Kate would be the bitch in black?”

  Faye nodded.

  “She’s dead. Cyanide capsule in her teeth.”

  Faye shuddered. Mother’s release wouldn’t have been a pretty sight. “How did you get us out? I remember smoke.”

  “That was sleeping gas. Dr. Chong put together something that would knock you all out but wouldn’t hurt the pregnant women or the babies. Trevor put a locator on Pierce a couple of days ago when the man’s information didn’t match the satellite reports Trevor was getting from Langley. By tracking Pierce, they realized he didn’t go to Slocum each day, but to New Hampshire. We fed him false information and then helicoptered to the New Boston Air Force Station and staged our rescue from there.

  “We watched and waited until everyone was inside except the four on the roof. Sharpshooters had to take them out; it was the only way we’d be able to carry you out safely. I can tell you my heart almost stopped beating when we saw how few heat signatures there were. I carried you out myself. Believe me, finding you in that stall was the best thing I’d seen in four days. We brought you to a triage area where Dr. Chong checked you all and then transported you here. We’ve sedated the cult members until we decide what to do with them. There are some excellent deprogrammers out there, but …”

  “I don’t know that they’ll adapt. Some of those younger women have never seen the outside world. They have no education. They trusted the Prophet to show them the way. It’s sad.”

  He kissed her hair. “It’s always sad when the strong take advantage of the weak like that.”

  She hiccupped. “When I saw Jimmy in the cabin, I was terrified, but thoughts of you and the fact you’d be back soon kept me going, gave me the courage to keep him talking—well, at least until he used the scopolamine again.”

  “You’ll never know how much I blame myself for leaving you.”

  Faye touched his face, his rusty stubble partially hidden under the cream camouflage paint he still wore. “It doesn’t matter now. I should’ve asked you
to wait and take me with you. Oh, Rob. I was so stupid, so foolish to believe you’d betray me all those months ago.”

  “And if you hadn’t, he’d have found another way. What happened wasn’t our agenda, it was his. When I look back now, seeing all the people who’ve died because of this sick bastard, I wonder why he didn’t just kill me.”

  “Because it wasn’t part of their plan. Lucy and Meredith weren’t supposed to die. Things got all messed up. You said it yourself: they always make a mistake. Killing you back then would’ve killed me. I may be more like my father than I thought, because when I believed you were dead, I didn’t want to go on. I welcomed the smoke and the thought of dying. I looked forward to my release.” Tears filled her eyes. “We were leaving in a couple of hours. If you hadn’t come when you did, I’d have lost you forever.”

  He rocked her gently. “Well, you didn’t.” After kissing the top of her head, he moved her slightly away from him. “I’ve got something for you. I swore I’d give it to you the minute I saw you.” He held out her engagement ring. “I know this isn’t the best time and place, but I love you, Faye. I have all these months. I don’t want to lose you again. Will you take this back? Will you marry me?”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she kissed him tenderly, ignoring the ring in his hand.

  “I love you more than I’d ever have thought possible, and I want to marry you, but you have to know I’m pregnant.” She waited for his reaction, but the one she expected wasn’t the one she got.

  He kissed her soundly.

  “You’ll make a wonderful mother, and I intend to be an excellent dad. We wanted children. I don’t want to waste another minute of my life without you.”

  “It might not be yours,” she whispered hesitantly.

  He shrugged. “So what? It’ll definitely be yours, and I’ll love it as much as I love you.”

  He reached for her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. “We’ll talk later. My twenty minutes are up for now, but we’ve got the rest of our lives.” His mouth claimed hers, and Faye sighed, letting his love wash over her.

  More from This Author

  (From On His Watch by Susanne Matthews)

  “You’ve grown at least three inches taller this summer. Grandma won’t recognize you when she sees you at Christmas.” Nikki Hart smiled down at her daughter, Mandy, all arms and legs, reminding her of a new foal who had yet to adjust to its body. She pulled the pink princess nightgown over the child’s head. The sleeves didn’t reach her wrists. Something else she’s outgrown. Sam’s not going to like this, but what can I do?

  She was starting kindergarten tomorrow! The family had moved to Larosa, California, almost six months ago. Where had the time gone? Mandy’s shoulder-length, sun-bleached tresses gleamed in the soft bedroom light, their strawberry scent filling the room with freshness. Since she’d turned five two weeks ago, her daughter had grown an independent streak a mile long; if anyone tried to take away the strawberry-scented shampoo and body wash named after her favorite doll, they’d be in for a battle. She might have given up her blanket, but some things were sacrosanct.

  “I’m older now. I’m supposed to get bigger,” Mandy replied seriously, staring at her with her father’s dark brown eyes. She reached out and patted Nikki’s belly. “I’m going to be a big sister, not just a little one. Daddy said only babies are afraid of the dark. I’m not a baby. I can do this.”

  Mandy took a deep breath and stared down at the child-size sleeping bag on the guest room floor beside the bed covered with a navy and white handmade quilt.

  “Are you sure you want to do this tonight? There isn’t any hurry. You have a big day tomorrow.”

  The stubborn set of her daughter’s shoulders was all the answer she needed. With her arms crossed over her chest, she looked so much like her father in one of his moods, Nikki couldn’t help but laugh. She shook her head.

  “Do you have everything you need?”

  Mandy nodded and crawled into the sleeping bag, pulling her doll in beside her and picking up the flashlight she’d set on the pillow earlier. “I have the big flashlight and Benji.” She indicated the baby doll.

  “Tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll push you under the bed. I still don’t understand why you have to sleep under this bed.”

  “Because it’s the darkest place in the house, Mommy. I checked everywhere, even the basement. There are too many spiders and yucky bugs down there. I don’t want Lily, Megan, and Sally to think I’m a baby. That’s why I have to practice, so I won’t be scared.”

  I should have guessed. Only the power of a sleepover invitation could have pushed her out of her comfort zone. Nikki could empathize. At thirty-eight, she was still uncomfortable in dark, unfamiliar places. Maybe such fears were hereditary.

  “You’ll be fine, sweetie. I doubt Lily’s living room will be completely dark anyway, and you won’t be alone.”

  “Joey says the puppies can leave their mother soon. Please can you ask Daddy again if we can have one? Joey says it’ll be free. I wouldn’t need any other birthday presents—not even a party. Danny and I will take care of it, I promise. Daddy isn’t home much. We could keep the puppy out of his way.”

  Nikki shook her head. “You know, honey, just because you want something doesn’t mean that you can have it. Even a free puppy is a lot of work . . .” She stopped as the joy faded from her daughter’s eyes.

  I’m starting to sound like Sam! Would it really be too much work? Maybe for once, I should put my foot down.

  “I know, Mommy.” She sighed deeply. Nikki bent down and gave her daughter a loud, smacking kiss. Maybe the Sheltie pup would stay small.

  “Let me talk to Daddy. I’m not promising anything.”

  Mandy jumped out of the sleeping bag and showered her face with kisses. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’re the bestest mommy in the whole world. I’ll take really good care of the puppy.”

  “I didn’t say we’d get one for sure,” Nikki continued, knowing full well she’d advocate for her daughter. “Pleasant dreams. I love you.”

  She pushed the sleeping bag full of child under the double bed and dropped the bed skirt.

  “’Night, Mommy. Love you, too.”

  Nikki smiled and closed the bedroom door. She crossed the hall to the children’s bathroom. How could one small girl make such a mess? She took the basket hanging from a hook on the wall and tossed in the dolls and other essentials Mandy needed to take a bath. She hung the forest-green towels on the bar, sprayed and wiped down the tub, and put away the hair dryer, her mind traveling a mile a minute as she worked.

  She glanced at the clock on the counter. Eight-fifty. Normally, her husband’s clinic closed at eight, but Sam had called earlier and said an emergency had come in. He’d sounded tense, so she suspected the injury must have been a bad one.

  Satisfied the children’s bathroom was as clean as she could get it, she turned on the nightlight and went down the hall to the master bedroom. She removed her clothes and donned the new royal blue silk lounge pajamas she’d bought last week in Santa Rosa when she’d gone in for her prenatal visit. The baby bump was barely visible beneath the loose, flowing top.

  She hadn’t gained a lot of weight with this pregnancy, but she was older, and everything seemed a little harder than five years ago when she’d carried Mandy. She was tired a lot of the time—too tired to spend much time on her artwork—but she rested a bit during the day while Mandy and her older brother, Danny, played quietly indoors.

  This child, whom they’d tentatively named Kylie Elizabeth, was unexpected, and although Sam had been upset when he’d learned she was pregnant again, he’d slowly come around. He seemed happy about the prospect of another daughter. She smiled.

  Sam seemed more relaxed than he’d been since before they’d left San Francisco. He’d let her help decorate the clinic, and she handled the reception on his secretary’s day off. They were almost a team again, the way they’d been before they’d married.
He worked hard to make the clinic a success and while she admired her husband’s skills as a physician, as a father he had a lot to learn.

  Could his age have something to do with that? He was welcoming daughters when his friends were welcoming granddaughters. There’d been a few of his colleagues from the hospital at their wedding, but she didn’t think she’d ever met a friend of Sam’s who wasn’t involved with the hospital or the clinic in some way. He didn’t golf or fish, and he wasn’t much of a sports fan. Before moving to Larosa, he’d spent most of his time at the hospital. Now, he spent his days at the clinic. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a weekend off. He needed to spend more time with his kids and get to know them.

  She stepped into the adjacent bathroom, brushed her chin-length copper hair, checked it for signs of tell-tale gray, and pushed it behind her ears. One of the perks of being a redhead was her hair would lighten, but not necessarily turn gray. She’d taken a chance, cut a foot off it a few weeks back, and liked it this way. Nikki added a fresh coat of mascara to her hazel eyes and touched up her lipstick. Slight swelling was part and parcel of this pregnancy, and her hands and feet were puffy tonight. When she tried to remove her rings, they wouldn’t budge. I’ll take them off in the morning and have Sam put the diamond in the safe until the baby comes. As an afterthought, she spritzed the air with her favorite perfume and walked through the mist. If Sam wasn’t too tired, maybe they could talk about getting away as a family for a few days next month, maybe plan a visit to the San Francisco Zoo over the Columbus Day Weekend. There was a new baby orangutan the kids would love to see.

  The sound of breaking glass coming from downstairs shattered the stillness. Nikki tensed. Had the sound come from the kitchen? Had she left a window open? She’d shut the bedroom window a few moments ago because the wind had picked up and its whistling sound bothered her. Could it have knocked over the crystal vase of roses Sam had sent her this morning? Perhaps Mrs. Olsen’s tabby had jumped in the window and knocked the vase over. The cat had been a regular visitor when the previous owners had lived here, and he saw no reason to curtail his visits. She’d almost had a heart attack the last time he entered, bringing her a gift—a dead mouse—and Danny had laughed himself silly at “Mommy’s girliness.” Sam, not an animal lover, had threatened to poison the animal if it came into the house again. If the cat had broken the vase, its days were numbered.