“You remember Alice’s younger sister, Eve?”
“Yes. She died when she was eighteen, if I recall. I remember her from your wedding to Alice. She was a bridesmaid.” Jane’s eyes bored into her brother’s. “What has that got to do with Dr. Stone?”
“He was her doctor, Jane. You never knew, but Eve became pregnant. She didn’t want to have a baby, not with her being accepted at college with her life ahead of her.” He looked away for a moment silently before continuing, “We got the call from her landlady, that Eve was dead. An autopsy showed that she’d hemorrhaged to death and bled out.”
“A botched abortion?”
“Yeah. No.” Mike shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “It couldn’t have been that! This was in the ’80’s for crying out loud! She could have gone to one of a bunch of places to get it done!”
Jane adjusted herself in the bed. “So what are you saying, Mike?”
Mike took a breath. “Eve had a back alley abortion.” He pointed at the door. “And it was that son of a bitch who did it.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I ran that case, Jane. It was my wife’s sister. We went through her personal effects and found her datebook calendar. Three days before she died, she had an appointment with her family doc.” He looked at the closed room door. “And you got three guesses as to what that guy’s name was.”
“Ryan Stone?”
“Yep. So we went to see him.” Mike’s eyes narrowed. “He told us he gave her a referral, and showed us the notes in Eve’s patient file to back it up.” He sighed. “Which also was the last note in her file.”
“What’s the problem then?”
“Eve never went to that clinic. When we checked, they said they had never been contacted at all.” Mike ground his teeth. “And then things really got odd. My Spidey Sense was twitching, so I went back to see Stone.”
“What happened?”
“The son of a bitch kicked me out of his office and lawyered up. We couldn’t talk to him without his attorney present, period. The investigation hit a dead end.” He looked at the doorway to the room again. “I’m damn positive that if I had him alone in an interview room I would have gotten the truth out of him in no time flat, but my hands were tied.” He pointed at the door. “That bastard killed Eve, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
“He got away with it?”
Mike nodded. “Yeah. Scot free. The coroner figured that she went to some back alley and marked the case as ‘Death By Misadventure’. The same classification as when some yahoo gets himself killed doing something stupid when drunk; you know, like trying to jump from one roof top to another or something like that? That’s how it was closed.” Mike’s eyes shut and he shook his head slowly. “Eve wasn’t stupid. She was killed.”
“You sound so damn sure…”
“I’ll tell you why. Stone’s lawyer hounded us and the coroner’s office, pushing for that finding.” Mike grimaced. “All on behalf of his client’s good name of course.” He faced Jane. “So guess what happened? The coroner signed off, and good ol’ Doc Stone disappeared right after. He closed his practice, sent letters to his patients and fell off the face of the earth.” He put his hands on his waist and turned back to the door. “And here he is, almost forty years later, and has hardly aged a day!”
“That’s nuts!”
Mike turned back to his sister. “Nope. Not nuts.” He took a breath. “Eerie.”
A faded picture of Eve’s funeral so soon after his own wedding to her sister flitted through his mind. She was just a kid. Way too young to die at the hands of some butcher.
“I’m sorry, Mike but it isn’t possible. Maybe our Dr. Stone is a doppelganger or something. They say everyone has someone who looks just like them.”
On one level Mike couldn’t dispute what Jane was saying. The dates and ages just didn’t add up. But he’d seen too many other things in the last couple of years that defied reality. He never forgot a face or...voice for that matter. He stared down at the floor, thinking hard.
Eve’s doctor was in his mid 40’s back in 1982. Yet the doctor he’d just seen was in his early fifties. And that guy was Carmel Turner’s doctor. Carmel Turner, who Jane was convinced had pushed her from her bed.
The two of them being together could be a coincidence. But he’d didn’t believe in coincidence. His years as a cop, then a detective rubbed out most of that. And what was left after he retired and opened his own private investigation business… Nope. Not anymore. Not after meeting Adam and that old gypsy woman, Margot.
He could feel the restless itch take hold of him—what they called a Spidey Sense when he’d worked the job. Carmel wasn’t the only one who warranted looking into. Add Dr. Ryan Stone to the strange little brew.
TWENTY
IT WAS ALL RYAN COULD DO NOT TO SHOVE CARMEL INTO THE WALL as he pushed her wheelchair down the hallway, but patience had served him well over the years. It was best not to blow it all at this late date. The old crone would be seventy-one next month and her time was running out. He had the upper hand and he intended to use it.
Carmel turned her head and looked up at him, “You need to discharge me, Ryan. There’s no reason for all these foolish tests. We both know what I need. But I can’t stay here while I wait for that to happen.”
He maneuvered her through the door going back to her room. “You made a promise to me Carmel. You told me if I helped you through all these years you would teach me. How many times have you performed Metempsychosis now? It’s time that you let me in on your little secret.”
“Huh! You and your science words. The French term ‘Renaissance’ is much more eloquent...”
Even though Carmel’s tone was dismissive, Ryan could see her gaze dart over the entire room and the fear in her eyes. She was starting to lose it, seeing things that weren’t there. Perhaps one could only rebirth so many times before the natural deterioration process—aging—prevented another round. This might be the last chance he’d ever get to learn it from her.
After seeing Delores in the ICU at the hospital, it was obvious that the formula he’d spent the last few months working on was a bust. What had looked promising when he’d first tried it on the old goats was too short lived—the burst of energy had short circuited her weakened arteries.
Metempsychosis or ‘Renaissance’ as Carmel called it was the only way to prolong if not avoid entirely the inevitable end.
“It’s time you taught me how you overcome and use a young person’s soul. I’ve seen you do this but I still don’t know how you did it. Your time to ‘reset’ is getting closer. You need me to find your victim. But this time, it will be two victims. I have to do this too!”
He wheeled her over to the bed and helped her to sit on it. He felt her neck after noticing the bruises there.”How did you manage to injure yourself like this? It worked though, You got that stupid nurse to call me in, which is exactly what you planned.”
Carmel grasped his fingers and flung them off her, “Why won’t you believe me? These shadow things are real, Ryan! They attacked me!” She looked into his eyes, “Amanda, the nurse who contacted you today... She agrees that I can’t stay here. She’s seen the dark shadow people too! She’ll let me stay with her until I find someplace to go.”
“That’s not about to happen anytime soon, Carmel. Just tell me how you do it. You’re in no position to secure the subject who you need for your rebirth.” Why the hell was she being so stubborn about this? If she could transform into her younger self then surely she could teach him the skill. She’d promised she would!
“That’s where you’re wrong Ryan. You think I’d ever let myself become totally dependent on you? I have other ways to accomplish my transformation.” Her smile became coy. “That nurse happens to have a thirteen-year-old daughter. And…” Her hand rose to cup his cheek, “...she also happens to be pregnant. Isn’t that convenient for both of us? A virgin for me and a fetus to recharge you once more.”
“Not. This. Time. I want the complete package—Renaissance! I’m still aging in case you hadn’t noticed. Slowing the process isn’t enough. You’re able to live forever! With each Renaissance, you’re young again!” He pointed at his chest. “The best you’ve done for me is slow aging down. Well, that’s not good enough anymore, Carmel. Unlike you, there is an end for me.” If he had to face death then he’d make damned sure she did too.
She gazed at him silently for a few beats the two of them refusing to back down. He took a deep breath when he saw her look away sinking lower into the bed. “Fine.” It came out barely above a whisper from her withered lips.
Stone stiffened with excitement. “You will?” At last he’d learn her final secret! He would be young—
Carmel cut him off with a sharp wave of her hand. “There’s a condition, Ryan. You have to get me out of here today.”
His eyes narrowed as he watched her. If he signed her release and she in turn convinced that nurse to take her into her home, what was stopping her from the Renaissance without him knowing? She could be gone the next day transformed into a much younger version of herself. This could easily be a trick.
However, two could play at that game.
“No. It can’t be today. You must give me time to line up a subject for my own Renaissance.” When Carmel tried to object, he cut her off. “No! I’m not going to continue to have my own aging process merely slowed down while you’re able to completely regain your youth!”
“But Ryan—”
“No Carmel!” he spat the words out in a quiet hiss. “For the last two hundred years, I’ve had to grow older, but twice now I’ve seen you completely renew! I want that too!” He let out a sigh. “I’m tired of growing old and watching you be able to completely erase those years.”
Stepping back from her, he put his hands on his hips, peering down his nose. “There’s nothing stopping me from doing this right now. I don’t have to wait for a specific date as you do. As you told me, you have to rebirth on Halloween because it’s the anniversary of your first time. You’ve been doing that for centuries now. As this will be my first rebirth I can choose any day I want. Isn’t that so?”
She struggled getting up on her feet, her finger pointing like a spear. “You will never learn if I’m dead, Ryan! Keeping me here where these shadow things threaten my life...It’s a mistake. You need me alive or you’ll never know how to do this.”
The muscles in his jaw twitched as he glared at her. Damn it. She was really losing it about these so-called shadow things, but he needed her.. “I’ll see that you have round-the-clock care even if I have to pay for it myself. It’s the best you’re gonna get out of me.”
Her chin rose acknowledging the point she’d scored. “You’re not going to foist just anyone on me. I demand that you arrange Amanda’s schedule so that she spends all her time with me. She is to care for me exclusively.”
“Are you crazy? I was thinking of a private duty aide from an outside agency.” The cost of a nurse would be exorbitant. Besides which he couldn’t expect the home’s Director Of Nursing to accommodate this request.
“You will arrange it. You have some pull with the administration here. Furthermore, you will pay Amanda twice the hourly rate she currently gets.” Carmel sunk down on the bed again, “This is not an ideal situation for me or Amanda. We have both experienced these shadow people. But if this is the only way, it’s only for another day or so. After all, Halloween’s just a couple of days away, right?”
Ryan decided to press his advantage. “For you. But getting back to me…I assume that a pubescent boy is needed for my own Metempsychosis.” His eyes narrowed; he was sure he had this all figured out. “You’ve always used a girl on the verge of puberty, so I’ll have to get a boy that age.” He watched Carmel’s face stiffen. Good. She might not want to share her secret spell, but what choice does she have? “Once I have my subject I will arrange for you to come to my home. By that time, your nurse will be ready for a few days off anyway. This will work.”
He was already plotting where he would find a young pre-teen to kidnap. It shouldn’t be that difficult. There were runaways and lots of boys who lacked any parental oversight. It would be easy pickings and then he would be free of his aged body.
“I’ll make the arrangements today for your nursing care.” For the first time that day he felt a lightness in his chest. It didn’t matter about the experimental drug or the fact that Evelyn Winters was close to death. Forget the investigation that would follow. He’d be a young man again, living far, far away from here.
He looked at Carmel before he left. She looked beaten. Perhaps she saw through his whole plan; knowing that after he had the secret of Renaissance he wouldn’t need her anymore. This would happen before Halloween. Her date would come and go and she’d be stuck in the nursing home, left to finally die.
It had turned out to be a much better day than how it had started.
TWENTY ONE
AMANDA STOOD AT THE NURSING STATION WATCHING the door to Carmel’s room while Dr. Stone was inside. It was like pulling teeth to get him to come back to Serenity—she probably destroyed any chance at the promotion with her veiled threat to the man. She sighed in frustration. If that was the case, so be it.
Carmel was in genuine danger. That…thing tried to choke the poor woman and vanished into a wall. She saw that happen as clearly as she saw the bruises on Carmel’s neck!
And she knew if she so much as breathed a word of that to anyone, losing the promotion would be the least of her worries. Unh-unh—she’d be shelved as a stress case so fast it’d make her head spin. She’d be suspended on the spot and who the hell would blame them? A nurse who sees demonic spirits? That’s insane. They’d blame her for hurting Carmel. Shit, she’d probably lose her license! A nurse that sees spirits that attack residents? That was absolutely nuts.
Except it was the truth.
What a great way to start the work week. The attending physician was well and truly pissed off at her, one of her favorite clients was being attacked by ghosts, she was about to lose a promotion she was counting on to that flaming bitch Linda. Pile on top of that, the icing on the shit cake this week was becoming, was that she was pregnant! Could the day get any worse?
“Hi Mom.”
Amanda jumped at the sound of Kelly’s voice behind her. She spun around and blinked a few times seeing Kelly and her childhood friend Neil standing at her side.
Kelly snickered. “Sorry I scared you, but the look on your face is priceless.”
“What the hell are you—” oh yeah, that stupid make-up test. She gathered herself. “Hi Neil.” Turing once more to her daughter she asked, “How’d the test go?”
Kelly shrugged. “I passed, if that’s what you mean. Can Neil catch a ride with us too?”
Amanda looked from one to the other. On one hand it was good to see her daughter hanging out with Neil again but there was still all this stuff with Stone to confront. She pointed down the hall. “I have to finish my shift. Cool your heels in the waiting room, okay, you guys? Grab a snack or something; we’ll head home in about an hour.”
Kelly rolled her eyes. “Why didn’t you just have Dad pick me up?”
Before Amanda could reply, a tap on her shoulder made her jump again. She spun around to see Dr. Damn Stone blinking at her. Behind her Kelly snickered again.
“I need to speak with you, Amanda,” he said, gesturing to the conference room off the nursing station.
“Okay.” She turned to her daughter and gave Kelly a full blown ‘Don’t Mess With Mom’ look. “I’ll see you later, Kelly.”
“Can I have some money for that snack you promised?”
Amanda sighed. She’d put her purse and wallet in the desk..
“I got this,” Dr. Stone said. He pulled out his billfold. “Here’s a five. The soda machine makes change, and you should have enough for a bag of chips or something, okay?” He gave the girl a small wave. “Keep whatever’s left over.”<
br />
Amanda’s jaw dropped watching Kelly take the money and Stone smile as the pair walked away. What the hell was going on? When Stone turned back to her, holding his hand out towards the conference room, his face was friendly. When he showed up to see Carmel, the daggers he sent her way before entering her room were pure fury. Now he was buying her kid and her friend soda and chips? What the hell—?
“She seems like a nice young girl,” he said, watching Kelly go into the waiting room. “What is she? Twelve? Thirteen? That her boyfriend?”
Amanda felt her head swirl. “Uh…twelve—no, she turned thirteen last week. She’s thirteen…” Her mouth turned down. “Going on twenty-one and no Neil is just a friend, more like a brother really.”
“I’ve seen it before, Amanda. Girls at this stage are a handful.”
She just decided to go with the flow for now as they stepped around the counter to the conference room. “Yeah, and the hormone train’s about to arrive any time now…” she shook her head. “I’m so not looking forward to that time of the month…”
Stone paused for a second. “Oh really? She acts so mature, I would have thought that event already happened.” His eyes darted back to the waiting area and a bemused smile crossed his lips.
“Nope. They’re both still children even though they think otherwise, I’m sure.”
“I hear you.”
When they entered the room, Stone flopped into one of the chairs and gestured for her to take a seat. He put a hand on his chest and sighed. “Sorry for being so brusque with you earlier, Amanda. You were absolutely right to insist I come in.”
She shook her head slowly in disbelief. Stone was now apologizing? What the hell happened in that room? She opened and closed her mouth before saying, “It’s okay…I came on pretty strong, but I’m really worried about Carmel.”
“As am I.” He patted the side of his neck. “Those bruises on her. Obviously self inflicted…did you see her doing that to herself?”
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