‘That’s the creature that attacked us the other night!’ His eyes widened, ‘what is it?’
‘It has many names; there are literally hundreds of references to it in English, Scandinavian, Norse, European and American folklore. Its known as a Grim, a black dog, a dip, a black shuck, even a bearer of death but the most common translation is Hell Hound.’
‘A Hell Hound?’ Theo repeated slowly.
‘Yeah,’ she replied tightly.
‘What would a Hell Hound be doing in the woods?’
‘Your guess is as good as mine,’ she shrugged. ‘There could be a dozen different reasons it was in the woods. Most of the mythologies say they are assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds.’
‘Well there were two bodies found in the woods, could that have been enough to attract one?’
‘I don’t see how,’ Olivia frowned, ‘I mean it was only two bodies. If that was enough to attract a Hell Hound most graveyards and burial grounds would be crawling with them.’
‘Yes,’ Theo argued, ‘but didn’t Jake say both the bodies had been branded with some sort of seal?’
‘You think it might be some sort of supernatural seal? she mused.
‘It’s a possibility, what else does the lore say?’
‘It says they often undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting lost souls or guarding supernatural treasure. In European legends seeing a Hell Hound or even hearing it, is supposed to be an omen or even a cause of death. But seeing as neither of us are dead yet I’m going to discard that theory. It’s more likely its some sort of protector of the supernatural.’
The doorbell suddenly rang.
‘I’ll get it,’ Theo patted her legs.
Tucking them up under her so he could get to his feet she turned back to the book. He left the room and she found herself pondering what had enough power to summon a Hell Hound. The trouble was she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to know the answer to that question.
‘You have a package,’ he wandered back into the room and dropped a thick rectangular parcel in her lap.
Placing the book carefully down on the floor she sat up and ripped it open.
‘What is it?’ Theo asked at her puzzled expression.
‘It’s some sort of file,’ she checked inside but there was no note just a shabby manila folder, browned with age and bursting at the seams with paperwork.
Her mouth fell open as she scanned through the first several sheets of notes.
‘Oh my God,’
‘What is it?’
‘It’s the case notes from the original murders back in 1994,’ she breathed picking up the packaging and studying the markings on it. ‘Who the hell would send me this?’
‘You should call Jake,’ Theo frowned.
‘Yeah,’ she murmured absently as she continued to flick through the untidy notes and gruesome photos.
Ignoring the photos for the moment she scanned through the victims, there appeared to be four in total. The first two matched Adam’s and Brody’s injuries but it was the third one that turned her stomach, so much that she had to avert her eyes from the photos paper clipped to the top right hand corner of the notes. The third victim appeared to have had his flesh peeled from his body, flayed alive like some sort of grim medieval torture. But it was the last victim that caught her attention because there was a post-it note stuck to the top of the page, with an arrow pointing down to his details.
His name was James Talbot; he had only been in his twenties when he was killed and it appeared from his notes that his head had been cut open and his brain removed. Fighting down the bile forcing itself up her throat, she grimly read on. James seemed to be the only one of the four victims who hadn’t lived in Mercy, he’d come from Salem. Further down the page Olivia noticed his mother’s name and address had been circled in thick red pen with another arrow pointing towards it.
‘What is it?’ Theo asked.
‘The fourth victim from the original murders, he’s the only one who didn’t live in Mercy.’
‘Is that important?’
‘I don’t know,’ Olivia frowned, ‘maybe, I mean I’m no cop but I guess it could mean that the victims weren’t pre-selected by the killer. It could have just been a crime of opportunity.’
‘What are you thinking?’
‘I was just wondering,’ she trailed off thoughtfully
‘Wondering what?’
‘He lived with his mother, it gives their address. I was just wondering if she still lives there?’
‘You want to go and speak with her?’
‘Yeah I do,’ Olivia turned her attention to Theo. ‘Whoever sent me this file went out of their way to make sure I had this information without the cops knowing and they seem to be very insistent that I look at this victim in particular. He’s the odd one out, he’s important somehow I just know it.’
‘Olivia,’ Theo sighed, ‘it could just as easily be some kind of trap. Have you thought that maybe this was the file that was stolen from Wallace Grady’s house?’
‘Yes I have,’ she admitted, ‘it seems the most likely explanation at this point.’
‘Then have you also considered that the pale haired man who is working with your father was the one who probably sent you the file, as it looks as if he’s the one who stole it and I’m sorry but I just don’t trust his motives.’
‘I know,’ she nodded, ‘I know you’re right but I have to know the truth. I can’t ignore it any longer.’
He studied her face for a moment before nodding grudgingly.
‘Alright but you’re not going alone.’
‘I didn’t intend to,’ she stood and wandered back in the direction of the kitchen towards the laundry room.
‘You should call Jake,’ Theo followed her frowning slightly.
‘I will,’ she re-emerged from the laundry room with a clean pair of socks and grabbed her sneakers.
‘You will?’ he repeated suspiciously.
‘Yes, of course I will,’ she shrugged as she sat down and slipped her socks and sneakers on, ‘just not yet.’
‘Olivia,’ Theo voice held a note of warning.
‘Theo, I’ve caused him enough trouble right now, work has become a nightmare for him because of Chief Walcott’s fixation with me. It will be too difficult for him to slip out unnoticed to speak with Mrs Talbot. The second the Chief figures out we want to speak with James Talbot’s mother he’ll know we have access to the original case files. It will raise too many questions and make me look guiltier than I already do. I also wouldn’t put it past the Chief to suspend Jake and right now we need him on the inside.’
‘Alright,’ he conceded, ‘but how are we going to slip out unnoticed? In case you hadn’t noticed you have a more or less permanent police shadow sitting at the end of your drive.’
‘That’s true,’ she sat staring thoughtfully. ‘Theo go look in the top drawer of the left hand cabinet in the kitchen and get me two bandages.’
Curiously he did as she asked, while she pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialled.
‘Good morning Mercy Cab Company, how may I help?’
‘I’d like a cab from The Stick House, Lakeside drive going to the medical centre.’
‘And when would you like it booked?’
‘As soon as possible’ Olivia asked as she took the bandages from Theo.
‘Very well, your cab will be with you in fifteen minutes.’
‘Thanks,’ Olivia hung up the phone.
‘You have a very devious look on your face.’
‘Like you said we need to lose that tail, the second I drive out of here they’ll be all over us and the roads just aren’t busy enough to shake them off’ She pulled off one of her sneakers and began to wrap her ankle making it look twice as big as it actually was, ‘when the cab turns up I need you to carry me out to the car and
with any luck the cops will see you do it and follow us to the medical centre. We can lose them there.’
‘Like I said devious,’ he shook his head in amusement.
She grinned up at him holding out her hand so he could help her to her feet. Hobbling back into the library she scooped up the file and her spare sneaker and shoved them down into her bag while Theo retrieved their jackets.
Theo waited out on the front porch for the cab while Olivia took a moment for herself. She had a heaviness in her chest like she was about to find out something she really didn’t want to know and not for the first time she cursed herself for ever having come back to Mercy. Unfortunately there was no way out now, she didn’t have the luxury of running away this time. She had to see it through, even if it did mean finding out her father was not just a murderer but a serial killer.
She wasn’t safe she knew that and if the police weren’t going to do their job and find out what really happened. She would have to do it herself. Thank God she had Jake and Theo.
She was startled out of her reverie by her phone ringing. Pulling it out of her pocket she glanced down at the screen and frowned, it was Mags calling again. She’d have to talk to her sooner or later but the fact was she didn’t want her getting caught up in this mess. Mags wasn’t just her agent she was her family and there was no way she was going to put her in danger.
‘Cab’s here,’
She looked up at Theo standing in the doorway.
‘Are you going to get that?’
Olivia took one last look at the screen and sighed as she hit the reject call button.
‘No, let’s get going.’
She limped out into the hall and slipped her jacket on. Grabbing her bag in one hand and her keys in the other Theo swept her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing. She couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach as she looked up into those dark chocolate coloured eyes.
What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn’t one of these women who got all fluttery over a guy and it made her feel like an idiot.
‘You sure about this?’
She nodded slowly.
‘Alright then,’ Theo turned and stepped out of the door as she leaned down and pulled it closed behind them.
They were so blatant it was almost laughable. Gazing out of the back window of the cab Olivia could clearly see the squad car brazenly tailing them down the empty roads into town. Whilst the cab driver chose wisely not to comment he seemed to be uncharacteristically quiet for a cabbie and wore an expression of extreme discomfort. When they finally pulled up outside the medical centre Theo once again lifted her gently into his arms and carried her through the main entrance.
Olivia watched quietly as the cab pulled away and the police car parked across the street. After a moment Deputy Helga emerged from the car and crossed the street to the medical centre.
‘What the hell Olivia?’ Louisa slipped the chart she’d been signing back into the holder at the front desk and walked over.
‘My ankles still playing up,’ Olivia told her slowly her eyes widening a fraction in warning.
Louisa’s gaze suddenly swept over her friend’s shoulder and noted the tall blonde deputy walking in. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth tightened in disapproval.
‘Come with me,’ Louisa answered abruptly turning towards a small cubicle.
Theo followed obediently dropping Olivia gently onto the bed as Louisa closed the curtain.
‘What’s going on?’ Louisa whispered.
‘I need your help,’ Olivia whispered back, ‘we need to lose Deputy Barbie out there.’
‘Why? Where are you going?’ she frowned.
‘I don’t have time to explain right now,’ Olivia shook her head as she started unwinding the bandages. ‘I promise I’ll tell you everything later but for now I need a way out of here, without the cops knowing and I need to borrow your car.’
Louisa sighed.
‘Why do I feel like I’m caught up in an episode of Twenty Four?’
‘I love that show,’ Theo’s face brightened.
‘Twenty four? Really?’ Olivia turned to face Theo.
‘Jack Bauer is incredible.’
‘No, he’s the most unlucky guy in the history of the universe.’ Olivia shook her head incredulously.
‘Guys save it for later,’ Louisa pulled her car keys out of the pocket of her white doctor’s coat and handed them to Olivia. ‘Leave the deputy to me, once I distract her slip into the next cubicle. There’s a door next to the bed which leads into a trauma room that’s not being used right now. Head straight through to the double doors at the other side of the room. You’ll find yourself in one of the main corridors, take a left and head to the end of the corridor and through the next set of double doors on your right is the stairwell that will take you down to the parking levels, my code is 324769. That’ll get you out of the parking garage.’
‘Thanks Louisa I really owe you.’
‘Yeah well I expect a full explanation and a spaghetti dinner in return.’
‘Done,’ Olivia grinned.
‘What’s spaghetti?’ Theo whispered.
‘It actually hurts me to hear you say that,’ Louisa replied dryly.
Olivia smiled as she pulled her other sneaker out of her bag and put it on.
‘Ready?’ Louisa asked picking up an empty chart tucked into a plastic holder at the foot of the bed.
Theo and Olivia both nodded.
‘Just keep the weight off that ankle, we’re a bit backed up in x-ray today so you may be here a while.’ Louisa stepped out of the cubicle speaking loudly enough for the deputy to hear her.
Satisfied she had her attention Louisa wandered out onto the main floor, keeping her head down and her gaze firmly fixed on the chart in her hands studying it intently. Heading straight for the deputy she ran smack into her and they both went down in a tangle of limbs.
‘Oh my God I am so sorry deputy,’ Louisa moved, effectively blocking her view of the cubicle, ‘I didn’t see you there.’
Deputy Hanson grunted as the wind was knocked out of her and Louisa clambered over her trying to climb to her feet but merely succeeding in elbowing her in the stomach.
Louisa stood awkwardly as she held her hand out and helped the blonde to her feet.
‘Are you alright deputy?’
‘I’m fine,’ Helga brushed herself off as she stood.
‘So sorry again, Jake always said I should come with turning signals,’ she smiled brightly, ‘anyway what can we do for you? Are you unwell?’
‘No,’ Helga replied tightly, her cheeks blazed, although whether from embarrassment or indignation Louisa wasn’t entirely sure. ‘I’m here on official police business.’
‘Oh,’ Louisa answered innocently, ‘anything I can help with.’
‘That won’t be necessary Dr Linden,’ she said stiffly.
‘Suit yourself,’ she shrugged, ‘can I get one of the interns to get you a coffee?’
‘No thank you,’
‘Well, if you’ll excuse me then I have patients to attend to.’
Helga nodded and Louisa made herself scarce, a small smile curving her lips.
Theo and Olivia made it down to the parking garage without any other interference and before long found themselves on the road to Salem. The journey itself hadn’t taken long being only an hour and a half drive from Mercy. They’d amused themselves by debating the finer points of Twenty Four and other TV shows Jake had introduced Theo to. When they’d finally exhausted the subject, Theo studied the police file on the original murders and Olivia cranked up the radio, just content to be out of Mercy for a few hours. She felt like she could breathe for the first time in days.
She’d forgotten how much she liked Salem she smiled to herself as they crossed the city limits. It was true she didn’t visit often as it had always been a little too close to Mercy for comfort but she had spent some good times there promoting her books and gues
t speaking at the university. Despite her young age she was very respected in her field.
‘This is it Theo.’
Theo looked up from the file as Olivia pulled up to the curb. A single storey bungalow nestled back behind a rusty wire fence. The shutters which were once a vibrant red had faded to an unpleasant dusky pink, the paint peeling away from the wood. The lawn was dry and brown and patchy and needed a good tidy up. Weeds choked the ancient flowerbeds and the gravel path was littered with more weeds. The building looked so sad and neglected as they opened the gate and walked slowly down the path, wondering if anyone still actually lived there.
Theo rung the bell and they waited patiently. A few minutes passed by and nothing. Olivia tried again and still they waited. Nothing. Theo stepped back off the stoop and looked towards the windows.
‘The place is in a state of disrepair, maybe she no longer lives here,’ Theo mused.
‘I guess,’ Olivia sighed in disappointment.
She stepped back off the stoop to join Theo.
‘It was worth a try,’ Theo turned to her running his hands down her arms comfortingly.
Suddenly the front door creaked open slowly and a little old woman stood on the other side of the screen door.
Olivia stepped back up to the door.
‘Mrs Talbot?’
‘Who wants to know?’ the old woman rasped.
‘Mrs Talbot my name is Olivia West and this is my friend Theodore Beckett.’
‘West?’ Her eyes narrowed as she studied Olivia speculatively.
‘We were wondering if we could speak to you about your son James.’
Her eyes moved from Olivia to Theo and back to Olivia before pushing open the screen door with her twisted walking cane.
‘Better come in then,’ she said by way of invitation before turning slowly and shuffling back into the darkened room.
She walked slowly and painfully, hunched over her cane and dragging a wheeled cylinder of oxygen behind her. A long translucent tube hooked over her oxygen tank and attached to an elasticated arm band and then hooked over her ears and under her nose. She lowered herself into her well worn chair and primly tucked her flowered dress over her knees, before taking her patchwork blanket and laying it across her legs. Taking the TV remote from the table next to her chair she turned the volume down and absently patted her hair as if to make sure it was still in place.
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