A Shaft of Light

by Amy Gaudette

  Doug refused to squirm. Richard hated weakness.

  “No. I believe that covers it.”

  “What are you going to do about it?”

  “I will talk with Brady. He won’t be meeting with her anymore. Nor will I allow him to return to the picnic area. My wife knows that Megan is not welcome. She’ll take care of the home front.”

  “That’s a start. Why don’t you head home early, think things over, and come back tomorrow with an update. Megan has had a troubled past. I think it is in everyone’s best interest if she saw a psychiatrist sooner rather than later. Understood?”

  Doug never understood why this small red-haired girl, woman now, threatened him so much. He also didn’t like the fact that Brady was not only being followed but his phone was being tapped. He did, however, fully understand what was required of him. He had taken care of clean up before and didn’t ask questions. After the picnic, he assumed Richard really had wanted to help her. Now he wasn’t quite so sure. But, Doug would do what he did best, and that was to do whatever his boss wanted done.

  “I’ll get the job done.”

  “I’m sure you will. I’ll see you after my meetings tomorrow. Have some good news for me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Doug headed back home. In spite of everything, his discomfort at being under Richard’s scrutiny was minimal. He hadn’t felt much of anything for a long time. Truth was, he didn’t care about much anymore. His mind drifted back to the days when he and Brady would take off on weekends and head to the campsite, do some sailing, water skiing. Scuba diving was their favorite. After hours in the water they’d sit on the beach and watch the sunset cruise boats and yachts gently sail across the evening waters. They’d pick out their favorites, dreaming about the day they would have their own.

  Sometimes they would hike for miles, camp by a river, and head back the next day. Doug wondered what had happened. And Beverly. He didn’t even know his wife anymore. She performed her part as well as he did his. They were paid well, and had everything they could want. After what happened that day at the picnic, Richard had been so pleased with how well he wrapped things up that he donated over a million dollars and created The Elms, a place where Doug and others under Richard’s umbrella could comfortably live. Donated might be too nice a word. More apt would be purchased loyalty.

  Doug felt an unwanted stirring inside of him. Why? Why now? He had been quarantined with the walking dead for years. Was it the return of Megan? And on top of that, why did it matter to him? Nothing Richard had asked of him ever mattered to him one way or another. Richard said jump and Doug asked how high.

  Richard wanted Megan out of the way. Megan had to pose some sort of threat. But why? After Megan had stopped screaming about someone being murdered, she passed out. Later, at the hospital, she didn’t even remember what had happened that evening, let alone her encounter with Richard when he was out jogging. In fact, she stopped talking altogether. The police had checked out the whole area. It was clean. Did the police department also bow to Richard? Maybe. It had taken an hour to get them out there, — something Doug had always found odd. But it wasn’t his business anyway. He did what he was told, he got paid. This had been his job for over a decade. He couldn’t allow his conscience to get in the way, especially now.

  Doug pulled into his garage, looking forward to a swim in the pool before a nice hot meal. It wasn’t every night he could eat with his family. In fact, it almost never happened. He would have a chance to talk to Brady about Megan. He was sure Brady would understand once he explained that whole story.

  As he walked inside, his wife hurried past him, her arms full of decorations. “You’re home early.” She kept moving.

  “Yeah. I thought I’d take a dip in the pool, relax and have supper with my family.”

  Beverly stopped in her tracks. “What? Supper? I have a meeting with Ellie and Sue, we’re setting up the Rally for Richard, remember? I invited a few others over, I thought we would work out at the tables by the pool. You may want to swim another day. Oh, and Brady is out.”

  Doug felt like cold water had been thrown on a pile of embers. “Where is Brady?”

  “Where is he usually? Out with his friends.”

  Doug’s expression soured. Welcome home. I don’t know why I thought tonight would be different. Maybe I need a vacation.

  He sighed, pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called Brady. No surprise there, he didn’t answer and had never set up a mailbox.

  Strike two. Doug went to the kitchen and pulled out a slice of roast beef, cheese and two slices of bread. The cook wasn’t even here. He sat at the counter, trying to enjoy his sandwich, when the french doors opened and Brady strolled in.

  “Hey.”

  “Brady. Pull up a stool and make yourself a sandwich.”

  Brady stared at the food on the counter as if it might bite him. “Uh . . . no thanks. What are you doing home?”

  “It’s not that unusual for me to come home early, is it?”

  “Yeah. Did Richard can you?”

  “Very funny. I had some things to take care of, I came home early. End of story.” Doug took a few more bites from his dry roast beef sandwich.

  Brady pushed. “A few things to take care of, or a few people?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Doug felt irritation rising up.

  “I know what you do, Dad. I’ve been around a while. I’ve never said anything about it, ’cause I never really cared. Maybe now I do. Especially when I see Marie watching where I go, even following me. I know she was sent here after Megan left eight years ago, a gift from your boss. I know Marie doesn’t just cook our meals, she watches our every move. Ever since Megan came back she’s been acting bizarre. I’m not stupid. She runs things here, making sure we line up and do what we’re supposed to. Then she reports back to Richard.”

  Brady’s face was deep red. Doug hadn’t heard him say that much at one time since . . . Before . . .

  Doug stared at his son. “Since you know so much, how about this. Your spending time with Megan is over. She is not well, and I don’t want her influencing you.”

  “She isn’t well because she has been through so much. She needs to remember what happened the day we went up to the park for the picnic . . . Dad, she isn’t the only one who needs to remember. I mean, I can remember but . . . I see a monster with eyes floating around in the woods. I freaked. I need to go back and . . . well . . . I need to face what happened. Can you understand that? I need to face the monster. I stopped living that day. I . . . can’t tell you everything . . . I just . . . I need you to trust me. Please.”

  Brady’s last word came out as a plea. His eyes would not look away from his dad’s. Doug was speechless. What was going on?

  He knew, in his heart, what Brady said was true. He knew it in his soul. Brady had given him a rare peek into a hidden place within him. He held his gaze as long as he could, then dropped it. Doug looked away.

  “Megan is sick. She needs help and I’ll see that she gets it. For now, you are forbidden from spending any more time with her.” He stood up to walk off, then turned back. “I hear you, Son. But for the greater good, yours as well, you must obey me in this.” The door between them closed, and Doug could hear the invisible bolt slide over and lock in place. He briefly wondered what that had cost him and his son.

  Chapter 20

  Brady stared after his dad. It was the most interaction he’d had with him in months, maybe even years. Anger coursed through his body. He felt tears of frustration trying to overpower his self-control. He heard his dad head back out the door. He was going out to find Megan, he knew it. Brady picked up his dad’s half-eaten sandwich from the counter and threw it into the sink. Determination swept him up. He knew where Megan was. His dad didn’t. He would warn her about what was coming.

  Brady knew he had to proceed cautiously or he could lead them to where she was staying. That was not going to happen. He went out the rarely-used back door and
cut through the backyard. Over a fence and through the garden beds. After reaching the street, he jogged towards the West Gate. His dad never came this way.

  Brady felt like a secret agent in some movie. Somehow it wasn’t quite the same as watching it on a big screen. He moved as rapidly as he could without drawing attention to himself and made as direct a route as possible to the hotel. He would go find Megan and tell her all he knew. She would know what to do.

  Marie waited in an old red pickup truck a few cars down from the West Gate. Anticipating Brady’s move was easy. She followed the camera’s track of him, first out back door, and through their neighbors’ yard, and then picked him up again on the security cameras installed on West Gate. She watched as he turned and headed up the street, and out of view on her laptop. Just as I figured. She gloated. Good job, Brady. Lead me right to Megan now.

  Brady didn’t disappoint. Marie watched him from her truck, making a few passes, as he lead her to 7th and Baker Street. Sleeping Inn was an obvious choice. Marie waited until he had gone in before pulling into the parking lot. She pulled out her cell phone, and called Doug.

  “I’m at Sleeping Inn, Doug. Your son has lead me right to Megan. Shall I go in?”

  “No. Thank you, Marie. I’ll take it from here.”

  “Okay, Doug. I’ll wait out here in case you need me.”

  Doug thought about firing her, getting her busybody nose out of their house. Just as quickly, he remembered he hadn’t hired her, Richard had. Richard hired, Richard fired. That’s the way it was.

  Doug parked his car and made his way into the hotel. He approached the receptionist and asked for Megan’s room number, indicating that he was to meet her here.

  “I’m sorry, but there is no one by that name here.”

  “Are you sure? Check again.”

  Doug heard the click of keys. “No. Sorry.”

  It dawned on him that her room could have been rented under the doctor’s name. He could be paying for her stay here.

  “Could you check one more person? A Dr. Sam Timmons. The room could be under his name.”

  “I’m sorry, but no one is listed by that name either.”

  Brady had purposely misled them.

  Doug could see the impatience creeping up her face, as well as suspicion.

  He had seen Dr. Timmons here, and he knew the doctor had found Megan. They had been outwitted, and Doug knew it. He turned and walked out of the hotel. They were one step ahead of him. What he found most interesting of all was the fact that he wasn’t furious. He knew how Marie would report this back to Mayor Richard. Normally, he would be figuring out how to spin this. Inside, he actually found himself rooting for Brady. They had no grounds to forcibly admit Megan into a psychiatric ward. Richard could do it, but it wasn’t going to be easy, especially if the doctor sided with her.

  Doug knew what he needed to do. He would find the doctor, learn what he could and go from there.

  He reached Marie’s truck and let her know she’d been had. Her demeanor went from smug to furious in record time.

  “This is your son’s doing. It’s your head, not mine.”

  With that she screeched out of the parking lot.

  Doug made a few calls until he had the doctor’s cell phone number. One more quick call and he would be on his way.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Doctor Sam. This is Doug Stanton. I met you in Richard’s office.”

  “Yes. What can I do for you?”

  “I was wondering if you would be willing to meet with me. It’s important. I would rather not talk about it over the phone.”

  Sam was silent for a moment. “Okay. I’m free tomorrow after lunch. Say around two. Can we meet at the Cabernet Cafe?”

  “Yes, that sounds fine. Thank you, Dr. Timmons. I’ll see you then.”

  Doug was amused at how the doctor made sure they met in a public place. He couldn’t blame him really. There is no way he didn’t know about the search for Megan. He was too smart for that. Doug looked forward to their meeting. In the meantime, he needed to go find his son. It was time to play all his cards.

  Chapter 21

  Megan drew in a sharp breath. Why? She didn’t doubt Brady’s word, only that it was possible he misunderstood his father. Why would they want to put her in a psych ward for evaluation? She hadn’t lost her mind. In fact, since she had been back, she felt as though things were becoming more and more clear. They were going to visit with Nancy in the morning. She needed to see her, even if Nancy couldn’t communicate. There were things Megan needed to say.

  “Brady. Thank you for telling me all this. I don’t know why your father or the mayor would see me as a threat. It almost seems as though I really did see something I shouldn’t have in the woods that day.”

  “They don’t know where you are. I knew they were following me, so I led them right into Sleeping Inn.” Brady gave a little laugh, sounding quite pleased with himself. “I watched them when they got to the parking lot then slipped out the back, made it over here to Hampsons Inn in record time . . . Megan, don’t let my dad find you . . .”

  “Brady. Your dad loves you, I’m sure of that. He was a wonderful man when I lived with you. Remember the games, the hikes, and that nasty old dog he let you keep?”

  “He was a different man back then. A lot has changed.”

  “Hold on to the dad you knew. At some point, he may need you to remind him of who he was.”

  “Are you sure you can’t take me with you when you go? I want to go with you. I need to see the place again. I promised I would never let you go in there alone.”

  “I wish you could. I want you to, but Dr. Timmons doesn’t think it’s a good idea. Your parents would be furious with him. I don’t want to get him in trouble.”

  Brady said nothing. His eyes stayed fixed on the floor.

  “I’ll be waiting here for you when you get back, Megan.”

  “Okay. You should head back to your house, now. I’m sure your dad is looking for you.”

  Brady gave Megan a quick hug, and headed out the door. One glance back and he was gone.

  Megan had seen such a transformation in him since a week ago when she first arrived. He could make eye contact now. He had opened up to both her and Dr. Timmons. He was bold enough to really talk to his dad for the first time since the picnic.

  Megan wished she could relax. The tension had been growing steadily over the past few days. It was as though the darkness of the woods was coming, looking for her, and she hadn’t even gone out there yet.

  Knock. Knock. “Megan, it’s Sam. Are you in?”

  Megan unlocked the hotel room door and let Dr. Timmons in. He didn’t even try to smile — something was wrong.

  “Sam? Is everything okay?”

  “Can we talk?”

  “Of course, come in.”

  Sam took a seat on the couch next to Megan. It was the first time she had noticed how tired he was. He hadn’t been able to shake the cough he’d had since she had first seen him here. Now she noticed how pale he was.

  “Sam, are you getting sick?”

  “Just a little cold. Nothing to worry about. Look,” Sam continued. “I got a call from Doug.”

  “Mr. Stanton?”

  “Yes. He wants to meet with me after lunch tomorrow. I don’t know what he has to say, but I can imagine it has to do with you. I’m worried that they won’t quit until they find you.”

  “But even if they do, what can they do to me? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “Megan,” Sam began gently. “I don’t know what you saw that day in the woods, but I know men of power. If Mayor Richard is not a man of integrity, whether you saw something or not, he seems to perceive you as a threat. He has a lot at stake.”

  Megan was quiet. “Do you believe me?” Her voice was no louder than a whisper.

  “I do not believe you are unstable. It sure seems like you saw something in the woods that day, and if you did, you need to face it. What you saw, I have
no idea. It does seem to have someone running scared. I really wish you would go back to Rose’s, and I could have Gabe put police out at the house.”

  Megan felt panic. She was so close to opening the door that, up until that point, had been bolted shut. But it had controlled her for too long. She had to stay.

  “You understand why I have to stay, even if it is just a few more days.”

  “Yes. But we need a backup plan. A ‘what if’ scenario. That is the only way I will go through with this.”

  Megan nodded her head, wondering what he had in mind. Despite her insistence on remaining here and seeing this through, she felt small and helpless. She didn’t know what she would do without Dr. Timmons.

  Next morning, Megan rode with him to the nursing home. She kept trying to squelch the uprising in her stomach, but it persisted. She hadn’t seen this woman in so long, and not very long ago, had remembered nothing of her. But this was the woman who had given her so many gifts — including Bear.

  Sam remembered what room she was in, so getting there took no time at all. Nancy sat alone in her bed, rocking slowly back and forth, her eyes focused on nothing in particular.

  Megan could not believe how much she had aged. Hunched over, droopy bags under her eyes. Her ancient hands fluttered this way and that. Despite willing herself to be strong as Nancy had always been for her, Megan could feel herself breaking down. It was now or never. She walked over and sat on the bed beside her former counselor. Nancy had been like a mother to her. Her sweet, gentle strength lifted Megan up time and again. Megan gently took her fragile hand and held it. Her dear friend seemed so alone in her own world.

  “Nancy. It’s Megan. I know it’s hard for you to understand what I am saying, but I wanted to say thank you. You did more for me than I can ever repay. You were there for me when I needed someone, and when you couldn’t be, you sent Bear. I love that dog.” Tears unhindered flowed down Megan’s face. She didn’t stop.