Beauty and the Beast

by Laurel Cain Haws

  “Look Vincent! They named the hospital for you.” She tried to sound reassuring for him, but he could tell she was still very frightened. She went into the alley behind the hospital to where there were several dumpsters.

  There, she caught sight of an abandoned baby doll, and she knew what she must do. She checked the dumpsters and finally found some old linen bedding that had been thrown out. Vincent’s mother quickly took his clothes off him and wrapped him securely in the ragged bedding. Then she dressed the baby doll in his clothes. Next, she found a window-well behind the hospital where the window was heavily curtained, so no one could see what was outside. She placed Vincent, wrapped up like a present, down inside the window-well so he would be safe.

  She told him to be very still and quiet, and she would come back to get him just as quickly as she could. She had kissed and hugged him, and that was the last time Vincent ever saw his mother.

  The next time someone picked Vincent up and pulled the bedding back from his face, he found himself looking up into the surprised but smiling face of Narcissa. She exclaimed, “There you are!”

  Suddenly, Vincent was no longer a baby. He was standing by a pink rosebush in full bloom with honeysuckle vines growing up through the center of it twining around the branches with white and yellow blossoms. The blended scent of those two flowers blooming together smelled like—Catherine! Then Vincent remembered. These were the flowers his mother had taken him to see from the time they began blooming together in the solarium. He loved them so much that she took him to see them nearly every day. It had been an happy memory at the edge of his mind that he had not been able to quite reach until now, and he understood why. It was a memory which was also associated with the terrifying attack on his family.

  More than thirty years later, Vincent had been drawn out of the Central Park drainage tunnel by that same smell of roses and honeysuckle, but he didn’t know why that sweet scent seemed so familiar. That was how he had found Catherine. The perfume she always wore smelled of

  roses and honeysuckle. That day that wonderful scent of her perfume was mixed with the smell of blood from her facial wounds. That same scent of flowers in the solarium was also mixed with the smell of blood when Vincent’s father was shot.

  He heard a woman’s voice speak softly to his mind, and it wasn’t Catherine or anyone else he knew. She said, “You are not some failed experiment dreamed up in the tortured mind of Paracelsus. You are a Tandin.”

  Vincent awakened with a start and exclaimed, “Narcissa!”

  Diana was watching Vincent as she rocked Little Jacob in the rocking chair. “That was some wild dream you were having. Are you OK?”

  Vincent didn’t say a word. He sat up on the edge of the bed, pulled his boots on and stood up. He took the baby out of Diana’s arms, took her hand, and pulled her to her feet. “Come with me! We need to go see Father.” Diana was barely able to snatch her coat off Vincent’s table before he dragged her out the door.

  Diana could clearly see that Vincent was too distracted to talk, so she just let him pull her by the hand through the tunnels toward Father’s chambers. When Mary came

  upon them headed that way and saw the look on Vincent’s face she said, “I was just coming to get Little Jacob for his bath. Peter is sending down another bottle of breast milk. Why don’t you let me take him for now, and 111 bring him to you when he is all fed and bathed?”

  Vincent smiled at her. “Thank you, Mary. That would be wonderful.” He handed the baby to her, and she headed for the bathing chambers.

  When Vincent and Diana arrived at Father’s chambers, Vincent asked him, “Why didn’t you ever tell me that it was Narcissa who brought me to Anna?”

  Father couldn’t conceal his surprise at the question. “Frankly, I’m surprised she never told you herself. You were forever sneaking down there to see her. I just figured if she wanted you to know, she would tell you. You actually remembered that?”

  Vincent replied, “I just had another dream. This one was about how I came to be abandoned outside of St. Vincent’s Hospital above our world in Manhattan. No wonder I’ve always felt so close to Narcissa. I must go see her, but before I do that, I need to ask you if you have ever heard of the Tandins.”

  Father wrinkled his forehead and queried, “Tandins?” Diana spoke up at that point. “That is actually why I am here, to tell you about what I found, and also to warn you about what I heard.” Vincent and Father watched her reach into the inside pocket of her coat and pull out the small journal. “You both need to sit down. My mind was

  completely blown by what I read in this little book, but the information is both wonderful and tragic. Vincent, did I understand correctly that you just now dreamed about being abandoned at St. Vincent’s Hospital?”

  Father and Vincent sat down in chairs around the table, and Diana sat down in the armchair next to it. Vincent answered her. “Yes, and it was a very vivid dream with details that were as clear as being here with the two of you.”

  Father looked at Vincent intently. “Vincent, tell us what you saw!”

  Vincent related his dream to Father and Diana, and then he said, “I can’t understand why I am remembering that now. I have never been able to remember anything about how I ended up being here before.”

  Diana offered an explanation. “Vincent, I think you had help remembering that. According to what I discovered at Gabriel’s mansion, you are not alone. What I mean is that you are not the only one of your kind. In fact, you have a very rich heritage. Your people are telepaths, and I think they are trying to help you recover your lost memories now. I found a secret room behind an hidden wall panel in Gabriel’s mansion, and this journal was in it. It gives a very detailed explanation for Gabriel’s obsession with you and Little Jacob.”

  Diana then read them the entries from Dr. Dominik Vlas’journal. When she had finished she said, “Vincent, your dream completes that tragic tale. I think it is also apparent that your Uncle Tanimus knew about Father’s world before you and your mother were attacked. He must have contacted Narcissa telepathically to rescue you, because he was too far away to get to you in time. Also, he would have had the same handicap you have with the danger of being discovered above ground.”

  Vincent stared at her trying to absorb it all. Hearing his dream confirmed by the journal gave him a feeling of peace he had never experienced before. “I have another family. I have a twin sister! I wonder if it was her voice I heard in my dream. I actually have an history and heritage to offer my son.”

  Diana and Father looked at one another, and both of them were thinking the same thing, “And your wife.”

  Diana said with sadness in her voice, “Remember when you gave me Snow’s opal ring to research, so I could try to find out who Gabriel was? It’s unfortunate that Gabriel took that opal ring away from me. I know that Dr. Vlas would have wanted you to have it.”

  Vincent looked at her and smiled. “Actually, I do have that ring, Diana. Gabriel gave it to me as proof that he had killed you. Seeing you alive was all that saved him from me.”

  Diana closed her eyes in relief. “That ring actually belonged to Dr. Vlas, Vincent.” She then related to them the sordid details of the murder of Dr. Vlas by Gabriel as she had heard them from Adrian while she was in the secret room. “That ring was a family heirloom meant to

  inspire the search for truth, not evil crimes. It certainly was never intended as a means to reward an assassin for covering up Dr. Vlas’ murder! I know he would be really happy to know that you have it. His final wish before he was killed was that the crimes against your family would somehow be made right.”

  Father looked at Vincent and said, “Vincent, that journal answers the question you have always had about whether you are a man or not.”

  Diana nodded her head. “You’re a man all right. You are just human plus! We are ordinary. You and your people are extraordinary!”

  Father added, “That also explains why Little Jacob looks so human. He is only one
-quarter Tandin. It also explains why you became so sick after Narcissa brought you to us and why you cried for three days straight. I was sure you were going to die. I held you and talked to you almost non-stop, and then on the fourth day you suddenly became well. Without understanding what I was doing, I guess I managed to make an empathic connection with you which you needed. You haven’t had the telepathic support and training you would have received if you had grown up with the Tandins. It is no wonder you have had such terrible mental struggles all of your life.”

  Vincent smiled at Father. “No child was ever more loved and supported than I was, Father. Apparently Uncle Tanimus had confidence that you were providing me with what I needed, because he decided that it wasn’t

  necessary to interfere.”

  Diana smiled at Vincent as something else occurred to her. “You know, Vincent, your dream about the rosebush explains all of the pressed roses I found at Catherine’s apartment when I was profiling her. I think she must have kept every rose you ever gave to her, and they weren’t just a few. Many of the books you inscribed for her had passages marked with pressed roses.”

  Vincent smiled at the memories. “Yes, any time the rosebushes in Central Park were blooming I would pick one to take to her or would press one to save. I always marked my favorite passages in the books I gave to her with those pressed roses.”

  Diana then dropped the bad news on them. “Unfortunately, Gabriel’s empire didn’t disintegrate with his death. As I told you, his older brother, Adrian, is very much alive and well. He is even worse than Gabriel and is still obsessed with finding you, Vincent. I saw that one of the police officers who escorted me yesterday morning is on his payroll. They have my apartment staked out with orders to report to Adrian as soon as they locate me.” Diana deliberately left out the personal threat Adrian had made against her life. If Vincent knew about that, he wouldn’t let her out of his sight, and then he would be in dire danger.

  “We have that problem covered now.” The three of them looked at the doorway where the voice was coming from. In stepped Chuck Johnson. He came down the

  stairs to them and sat at the table.

  Diana looked at Father with her eyebrows raised and Father explained. “We sent a message to Chuck early this morning about the nasty surveillance situation at your loft. What did you come up with, Chuck?”

  Chuck explained the plan. “I had Peter set up an account with your Helpers who own the Ocean View Bed and Breakfast,” Polly and Curtis Walker. He pulled a receipt and a brochure out of his pocket and handed them to Diana. “This is where you were registered last night, because you needed a break!”

  Diana giggled and took the receipt and brochure from him. “I sure did!” She looked at the colorful brochure. “Wow, you can send me there anytime!”

  Chuck laughed and went on. “I had our people check on how many have been assigned to watch your loft.

  Right now there is only one car with two people in it. Central Park is not being watched at all, so I can safely transport you to and from there when you need to come to the tunnels. That is where I am parked now ready to take you back to your loft. We have set up shifts of Helpers to watch those who are watching you, so they don’t get any ideas about doing more than just watch.” He took a business card out of the breast pocket of his coat and handed it to Diana. “I am now your personal cab driver. Just call me if you need for me to come somewhere we haven’t already scheduled.”

  Diana nodded her head. “Thank you so much, Chuck.

  This is all such a relief! There is one more thing I need to discuss with Father and Vincent before we go, though.” She looked from one to the other and then said, “You two are not going to like this, but I need help in my world from someone who will need to know about your world. I need Joe Maxwell’s help. Now that he has been elected as the official District Attorney permanently, he is the only one with the resources available to help us take down this new madman, and he can’t help us if he doesn’t know about whom Adrian is a danger to and why. I can’t even tell him about the dirty cop, Steve Palmer, without explaining why I was in Gabriel’s mansion alone. I need for you to hold a Council meeting and see if you can get permission for me to bring him down here and solicit his help.”

  Vincent asked her, “Do you trust this man, Diana?” Diana answered him emphatically. “Vincent, I would trust him with my life! Besides, he loved Cathy too.” Father also spoke to Vincent. “Vincent, the only question he asked me when I took Diana’s drawing of the tile pattern from Gabriel’s mansion to him was why he should listen to me. When I told him because Cathy would have wanted him to, he didn’t ask anything else, and he trusted me. I am also certain we can trust him. Diana, we will call a Council meeting and then send a message to you with the results. When will you see Mr. Maxwell again?”

  Diana answered him. “I’m going to type up my report tomorrow at my loft. I then plan to give Joe my official report that there was nothing to continue investigating, and to return the envelope of keys and codes he gave me for the mansion, the day after tomorrow. I should be able to be there about 1:00 in the afternoon at his office.”

  Father nodded his head. “Well, you will be receiving a couple of delicious sandwiches delivered by our courier, Benny, promptly at 1:00 in the afternoon two days from now then.”

  Diana giggled. “That sounds delightful!”

  Chuck stood up, went to Diana’s chair, and offered her his arm. “Your chariot awaits Miss!”

  Diana smiled, took his arm, and stood up. Vincent and Father stood up as well. Chuck helped her with her coat. She giggled again. “I feel like a princess surrounded by Knights-of-the-Round-Table.” Father’s table was round, and the men all laughed at the comparison. She said, “Well, gentlemen, I bid you adieu! Oh, and before I forget, Vincent, you need to keep this.” She handed Vincent Dr. Vlas’journal.

  “Thank you, Diana. I can’t begin to tell you what this means to me.” Vincent smiled down at her.

  Diana smiled back at him. “I know that, Vincent. I have a feeling we will all get to meet your people in the not-to-distant future.”

  Father said, “Good-bye, Diana,” and she smiled at him. Then Diana and Chuck walked out of the Council chamber arm-in-arm. After they left, Father looked at Vincent and shook his head. “I guess Narcissa isn’t such

  a superstitious old woman after all!”

  Vincent chuckled. “She must have been the only one in our community with a mind open enough to receive Uncle Tanimus’ telepathic message. I need to go and see her to find out exactly what happened from her perspective.”

  While Vincent was talking, Mary came into the chamber with a freshly-bathed-and-fed Little Jacob. Vincent smiled and took him from her. The baby smiled up at his father.

  Mary looked at Father. “I just saw Diana leaving with Chuck Johnson. Was he able to fix her problem at her loft?”

  Father assured her. “He set things up perfectly so she will be safe. Stay here and 111 tell you about everything Diana found out. Vincent needs to go and visit Narcissa. Wherever she is, the round trip will probably take him too long to take Little Jacob with him. Do we have plenty of babysitters available to take care of him for Vincent while he is gone?”

  Mary gave him an exasperated look and shook her head. “Father, you know perfectly well that is a very silly question! There isn’t enough of Little Jacob to go around for everyone who wants to babysit him!”

  Father chuckled. “I know that. I just wanted to see what you would say.”

  Father stepped over to Vincent and took Little Jacob from him. “Come to Grandfather. Well take good care of you.” He looked at Vincent. “As soon as you get back, please come and tell me what Narcissa said. I am really curious to know the rest of the story.”

  Vincent kissed Father and his baby. “I will, Father.”

  He looked at Mary. “Thank you for taking such good care of Little Jacob, Mary. Ill be back as quickly as possible.” Mary laughed. “Don’t hurry, Vincent!” I
t seemed like everyone was always telling him that when he handed his son over to them, and he chuckled.

  When Vincent finally located Narcissa not far from the burial catacombs, she acted surprised to see him, but he had a sneaking suspicion that she was never surprised by anyone’s visit. She liked living apart from the rest of the community, but she welcomed the occasional visitor. Her favorite visitor, though, was always Vincent. Narcissa was an African-American woman with an ageless beauty. The only evidence of her advanced age was the formation of cataracts on her eyes which nearly blinded her. She could navigate as well as any bat, however, and she had an amazing sixth sense about people and a spiritual wisdom which Vincent enjoyed drawing upon.

  Narcissa greeted him with, “Vincent, child! What are you doing here now? You know I am still a crazy old woman! Surely Father has told you so.”

  Vincent laughed. “Father is in the process of readjusting his thinking, Narcissa. Why didn’t you ever tell me that you were the one who rescued me when I was

  left in a window-well in the alley behind St. Vincent’s Hospital?”

  Narcissa was clearly surprised. “I wondered if you would ever remember that terrible day when you were left helpless there and all alone in the bitter cold. I never knew who prompted me to find you, but whoever it was had a very powerful mind which I couldn’t ignore. It was clear in my mind, as I was prompted, that the matter was most urgent and I must hurry. I ran out of here and knew exactly where to go every step of the way. Then I found you in the window-well just where I was led. I was also prompted to look at the sign on the back of the building which told me it was St. Vincent’s Hospital. I suggested that name to Anna when I laid you in her arms, and I told her that was where I found you. I always thought that was really your name, though. The last prompting I received from that powerful mind was to get you out of there and into Father’s world as fast as I could go, and then I took you to Anna. I’ve never felt that presence again, and I never told you about it, because I couldn’t figure out how to explain it to you. Anna had just suffered her miscarriage, so I thought it was perfect to give you to her. I was so wrong! I wish that I had given you directly to Father, and then perhaps Paracelsus wouldn’t have poisoned Anna when she worried for your safety with him, and she gave you to Father.”