As he started his car and pulled away from the curb, he asked, “How do you get to the hospital? It’s seven miles away. Surely you don’t walk that far?”
“Of course not, I take the bus.”
Sam’s jaw tightened. The bus stop is a three-mile walk from her house.
“Don’t worry,” she said in a plucky voice, “the walk’s not bad.”
He shook his head. “It’s not safe either. You’ve been walking alone—at times, close to midnight. That’s way too far and way too dangerous.”
“I haven’t had much choice,” she replied. “I meant to buy a used car when I came to Charlesberg, but the move was more expensive than I anticipated and my refrigerator didn’t survive the trip. When things didn’t pan out at the hospital, I couldn’t cover all my bases. But honestly, it doesn’t matter. I’ve almost saved enough money to buy a bicycle and then I’ll ride to Stubby’s and the bus stop in style. Besides, as long as it’s not snowing, I enjoy the walk.”
Sam stopped at a red light and said grimly, “Winter’s just around the corner, and walking alone isn’t safe for you, especially right now. Grandpop has an old Plymouth he’d be happy to lend you. I’ll tune it up this weekend.”
“Thank you, but I can’t accept your offer. I don’t have a driver’s license.”
“You let it lapse? That’s all right, we’ll get it renewed.”
“No, Sam, I’ve never had one. I was planning to take a driver’s education class when I moved here, but there wasn’t any point when I couldn’t afford a car.”
Silence stretched before Sue answered the question he was too polite to ask. “I suppose it seems strange that I don’t have a license, but when my father left my mother, he took the car. Our money never stretched enough to buy another, and later when Bill and I married, the same was true. Getting a driver’s license just wasn’t a priority.” She sighed. “I suppose with my transportation issues, I should’ve found a house closer to the hospital, but I wanted Danny to grow up next to the woods. I loved wandering around the forest when I was his age.”
Sam suddenly pulled into a deserted parking lot. Without a word, he got out and walked to Sue’s side of the car. When he opened her door, she looked at him in surprise.
“Scoot over,” he said in a firm voice.
Sue blinked. “What?”
“Scoot over. We have some time before Danny gets home, and you’re getting your first driving lesson.”
Sue blinked again and chuckled. “Don’t I need a learner’s permit first? Are you getting ready to break the law, Pastor?”
“I sure am. Scooch.”
As Sue slid behind the wheel, Sam sat beside her and asked, “Have you driven before?”
“Does a bumper car count? I ruled at bumper cars when I was a kid.”
Sam’s blue eyes danced. “The concept’s a tad different. On the road, one tries to avoid cars—not run into them.”
“But what’s the fun in that?”
* * *
Gil watched through the portal as Director Matthews picked up a stack of files and enclosed them in an expandable folder. “Gil, get ready to play catch,” he said. “I’m sending you information about Rick’s homicides.”
“What kind of information?” she asked.
“Crime-scene photographs, case notes, and DNA evidence collected from the bodies of Rick’s victims. I’ve also enclosed a copy of Rick’s fingerprints and DNA profile. They can be matched against the serial killer’s. Are you ready?”
As Gil nodded, the director tossed the bundle through the portal. The folder slipped through her fingers and hit the floor with a solid thunk. “Sorry,” she said. “What’s next?”
“I’m sending back the beer bottle. The police can use it for additional testing.”
“I hope I don’t drop it.”
“Me too…” Gil watched as the director passed the bagged bottle to William. “You throw it. You have the better arm.”
William nodded and gently tossed the bag to Gil. When she caught it easily, she crowed, “Maybe I’d better go out for baseball too!”
“Say the word,” William smiled, “and I’ll sign you up for TEMCO’s softball team.”
The director cleared his throat. “Gil, tell Danny to give the evidence to Nathan.”
“But shouldn’t he give it to a Charlesberg police officer?” she asked.
Director Matthews shook his head. “Nathan’s Westfield Precinct has an impeccable reputation. The Charlesberg Precinct is negligent and corrupt. The evidence must get into the right hands.”
“But how will Nathan be able to see the files? After all, they’re coming through a temporal portal like I did.”
Gil watched as Director Matthews peered at William with a raised eyebrow.
“Tell her,” William said. “She can be trusted.”
The director turned to Gil. “The inventor of GAP has been working on a top secret device that will enable people in the past to see an object from the future without being subjected to temporal scans. Considering the circumstances, a verbal go-ahead has been given to use the technology on the files. This will be the prototype’s first field test.”
“You actually spoke to the Wonderful Wizard?”
“Pardon me?”
“That’s what the cadets call the inventor of GAP—the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, because he’s in charge, but none of us has seen him. We have a betting pool about his identity.” Gil smirked. “And I’m gonna win it!”
“Oh?”
“Yep, it’s Dr. Moosly. He’s a dead ringer for an eccentric inventor.”
“You may be right, and you may be wrong,” the director said, “but now’s not the time to get into a guessing game. It’s enough for you to know that the inventor wishes to remain anonymous, but is willing to help. Now, do you have any more questions about the files?”
“How should I transport them?” she asked. “If I put them beneath my sweater, will they be hidden to the people on the street?”
“You didn’t read the manuals, did you?”
Gil lapsed into shamed silence.
“Anything wrapped in your clothing will be as invisible as you are.”
Feeling relieved that she hadn’t received a lecture, Gil quickly changed the subject. “Can you tell me anything else about Rick?”
The director nodded. “Autopsy photographs show he’s careful not to leave bruises on his victims’ bodies. When he strikes, he strikes fast. There won’t be a long struggle when he attacks Sue today. You won’t have much time to save her.”
“What else?”
“It takes several days for the bodies of Rick’s victims to be discovered.”
“Why’s that important?” she asked.
“Because his victims lived in small towns where domestic disturbances are usually reported. No one hears his attacks. He takes his victims by surprise and prevents them from screaming.”
“That’s bad, isn’t it?”
“Extremely. The lack of crime-scene evidence shows he’s a planner. He probably has things hidden or set up around Sue’s house to expedite his attack.”
Exhaling slowly to calm her nerves, Gil asked, “Anything else I should know?”
The director looked grim. “I’ve tried to find instances in which women have escaped a red-cord strangler, but there aren’t any. If Rick gets his hands on Sue—or on you—the chances are high the outcome won’t be favorable.”
Gil swallowed the lump in her throat. “What about Danny? How do I increase his odds of escaping death row?”
“All I can suggest is keeping him out of his house and away from knives. I’m afraid I can’t be more helpful. Events are changing on a second-by-second basis, and GAP’s acting so erratic that if it were a person, I’d say it was experiencing a psychotic break. Danny’s fate may rest on a split-second decision, and I don’t want to lie to you—from what GAP’s telling me, that decision may cost you your life.”
Looking down at her hands, Gil said hesitantly
, “If I don’t go through with this—if I come home now—what will happen to everyone?”
“Danny will end up on death row, Sue will be murdered, and there’s a 99.2 percent chance that Sam will vanish, and years later, his skeleton will be found in the forest behind Sue’s house.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
“Technically,” the director said, “Sam and the Winstons met their fate almost a quarter of a century ago. There’s no shame in coming home. In fact, I think it’s highly advisable.”
“Maybe so,” Gil said quietly, “but I’m staying here regardless.”
“I can’t change your mind?” As Gil gave an adamant shake of her head, the director said, “In that case, Godspeed and good luck. I’ll be praying for you this afternoon. And for what it’s worth, if you succeed, you won’t have to worry about journals or review boards, you’ll have your Time-Counselor License.”
“Really?”
The director smiled. “Absolutely. And, Gil, it’ll be a Class-One Alpha-Blue License. If you make it through this, you’ll have a position on staff.”
* * *
Sam peeled himself off the dashboard and sat back down next to Sue. “That was a good stop, but next time, don’t press the brake so hard. If you ease into a stop, you won’t feel a jolt.”
Sue nodded. Her brow was furrowed, and she was biting her bottom lip in concentration. Sam smiled at the sight. She looked incredibly cute.
“Let’s try it again,” he said patiently. “Drive in a circle around the light poles and park by that dumpster over there. Ready?”
She nodded.
“Slowly step on the gas,” he instructed.
The car lurched forward.
“See that light pole? Go around it. That’s right...you’re doing great.”
“Am I going too fast?” Sue asked anxiously.
Sam swallowed a chuckle. She was going three miles per hour. “Your speed’s fine. When you get comfortable you can increase it...okay, you’re getting close to the dumpster. Gradually start to slow—”
Sue tromped on the brake and Sam ended up glued to the dashboard again. “That was better. Still a little hard, but you’re doing fine.”
“Liar,” she groaned. “If I was doing fine, you wouldn’t look like a bug squashed on the windshield.” As Sam settled into his seat, she chided, “You need to wear your seatbelt.”
He shook his head. “I want to be able to grab the wheel if I need to. Besides, we aren’t going fast enough to be dangerous.”
“It feels like we’re going eighty miles an hour.”
“Trust me, it’s more like five. You’ll get used to it. You have natural aptitude.”
“Really? How many people have you taught?”
“Counting you?” he asked.
She nodded.
“One.”
Sue looked at him and began to laugh. As Sam smiled, he grabbed a flashlight out of the glove box and set it on the floor behind her heel.
“What’s that for?” she asked curiously.
“It’ll help you judge your stops. If you stop too fast, the flashlight will hit your heel. If you stop gradually, it’ll stay in place. Now, let’s try again. Circle the parking lot and park by that brick wall.”
Sam watched as Sue anxiously bit her lip and swung the car around in a wide circle. “You’ve mastered the art of steering,” he said encouragingly. “Your form couldn’t be better.”
“Really?”
“You bet. You’re the best pupil I’ve had today. Okay, get ready to stop—slowly.”
Sue nodded and gently stepped on the brake. As she approached the brick wall, the car slid to a controlled, perfect stop. The flashlight stayed in place—so did Sam.
“See?” he said jubilantly. “What’d I tell you? Natural aptitude!”
“I think I’m getting the hang of this.”
“I knew you would.”
Sue smiled and took her foot off the brake. Immediately, the car lurched forward and hit the brick wall with a thud. Sam chuckled as Sue looked over at him in guilty disbelief.
“What’d I do?” she gasped.
His lips twitched. “You forgot to put it in park.”
“What do I do now?” she asked in a nervous voice.
“Put it in reverse and go around the parking lot again. This time, park next to that tree.”
“But your car...did I break it?”
“You only gave it a love tap. That’s what bumpers are for. It’s about time I got my money out of mine. Come on, Sue, let’s try it again.”
* * *
Gil jumped as the GAP computer began to beep. “I have to go,” the director said hastily. “That’s information about red-cord related suicides.”
As the director moved out of earshot, Gil looked through the portal at William. Seeing his tense posture, she said softly, “You’ve been awfully quiet. What are you thinking?”
William brushed a shaking hand over his face. “That I’m proud of you, but I’m terrified for you. I wish I knew if you’re putting yourself in danger for nothing.”
“It’s my decision,” she said gently. “You have nothing to do with it.”
“I have more to do with it than you realize.”
“You may’ve recommended me for this assignment, but it was my decision to come—just as it’s my decision to stay. If I went home now, I’d never forgive myself.”
“I know, but please be careful. I’ve arranged for a portal to be fixed to your temporal position. If things get out of control, you can use Extreme Exam to surf home without waiting for lab authorization.”
“I didn’t know GAP could do that,” she said.
“There’s much you don’t know. If you’re in danger, don’t hesitate—just come home!”
“You sound like you’re anxious to see me.”
“I am,” he replied, giving her a crooked smile. “But until then, stay invisible and don’t play with knives.”
“Fair enough.” She laughed.
“Contact us at the usual time—sooner if needed. We’ll be in the lab until D-day’s over.”
Hearing the concern in his voice, Gil said softly, “Oh, Doc, everything’s gonna be fine. God hasn’t brought us this far to drop us. He—” Her voice came to an abrupt halt.
“What’s wrong?” William demanded.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “Did you hear that noise?” Her body tensed as she stared at the bedroom door. “There it is again...I gotta go. Someone’s in the house.”
With a swift movement, Gil stopped Extreme Exam and flattened herself against the wall.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
William stared anxiously at the Staging Platform. Since the connection between the lab and Charlesberg was still viable, Gil had obviously forgotten to turn off power to the gaming console. He knew the connection would fade quickly, but at least in a tentative way he was still with her. Suddenly, he heard a sharp sound coming from beyond Danny’s bedroom, and as he did, the blue light surrounding the Staging Platform began to dissipate.
As the timewave swirled and vanished, Director Matthews put a hand on his shoulder. “We knew it would come down to Gil’s decision, and her decision alone. There’s still a fifty-fifty chance, and that’s worth fighting for.”
William took a shuddering breath. “I keep thinking there’s something we overlooked—some other way to handle things. The risk to Gil is too great. I should’ve brought her home.”
“She wouldn’t have come.”
“Then I should’ve gone in after her!”
The director shook his head. “GAP’s indicated with one hundred percent certainty that if you involve yourself in D-day, Danny will die by lethal injection and Gil will die at Rick’s hands.”
* * *
Beads of sweat rolled down Gil’s forehead as her heart hammered in her chest. Knowing she should discover where the sounds were coming from, she tiptoed to Danny’s doorway. As she cautiously peeped around the corner, she saw
Sue and Sam talking in the entryway. Gil sagged against the wall in relief.
* * *
Sue smiled at Sam and tossed her purse on the couch. “I can’t believe we survived.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” Sam replied, twirling his car keys. “You did great. When I drive you to work tomorrow, we’ll get your learner’s permit and a manual.”
“Is the written test hard?” she asked.
“Not if you study. Don’t worry, I’ll help you prepare. You’ll ace it.”
“What about the driving part of the exam?”
“That’s a different kettle of fish, but you’ll do fine. All you need is practice. After your shift tomorrow, we’ll drive some country roads—you’ve graduated from parking lots.”
“Even though I dented your bumper and scratched your paint job?”
Sam’s eyes twinkled. “A few dents and scratches just give a car character.”
“I still say that light pole moved,” she groaned.
“It’s possible. I’ve heard poles can sprout legs. But cheer up, tomorrow you won’t have to face light poles, just cows.”
“I hope I don’t flatten one.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it.” He grinned, putting his keys in his pocket. “At the speeds you travel, even a blind, arthritic cow should have plenty of time to meander out of your way. And if it doesn’t, it’s dumb enough to deserve to be road kill.” As Sue gave a bubbling spurt of laughter, Sam asked, “What time should I pick you up tomorrow?”
“7:30, but you really don’t have to drive me to work.”
“Yes, I do. Safety first is our new motto. Speaking of which, now that you’re sure the coffee pot’s off are you ready to go to Grandpop’s?”
“Can I have a minute to freshen up?” she asked, fingering her messy braid.
“Of course,” he replied. “But let me search the house first. I don’t want you out of my sight unless I know you’re safe.”
“If the house is getting searched, we’re doing it together,” she said firmly, opening the hall closet and handing Sam a baseball bat. “I’m not letting you face danger alone.”
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