by Wilson, Maer
Chapter 22
I woke up to another sunny day and the smell of coffee and frying bacon winding its way up to me. I showered and got dressed in jeans and a sleeveless top before going downstairs. The shower helped, since I'm not a morning person. Everyone was in the kitchen.
“There's Sleeping Beauty,” Reo said from the breakfast nook. Jenna thought that was hysterical and shrieked with laughter. It was too early for my head to take that, but I didn't want to upset her, so I hid my headache behind a wavering smile. I got my morning coke from the fridge and downed the first few swallows quickly. Parker took pity on me and said they were going to go exploring.
I joined Reo at the table. He and Thulu were both dressed for the day. Reo wore fresh khakis from his closet and Thulu was in jeans. Both wore colored T shirts.
The nook was cozy. Booth style padded benches attached to the wall. Their backs allowed for a view through the bay windows onto our deck and garden.
Thulu was at the stove, removing the last of the bacon from the pan. He set aside that skillet and put another on the glass topped stove. He poured the eggs he'd already mixed up to scramble into the pan. He added peppers, onions and ham from other bowls, stirring everything in a slow swirl. It was hypnotic.
The toaster popped up four slices of toast. I went over, took them out and added four more. I got the whipped butter and started buttering.
While I waited for the next batch, I finished my coke and poured a large glass of ice cold tomato juice. Reo had gotten out the orange juice and poured two glasses for himself and Thulu.
We were all so used to each other there wasn't a lot of conversation. Just companionable silence, with a comment once in a while or a request to pass something. Soon we were in the breakfast nook, eating and drinking. Thulu had added slices of provolone to the top of the eggs. The simple meal was one we often had after a night of drinking, and it was quite satisfying.
After breakfast, we loaded up the dishwasher and turned it on. Thulu went into the study to see what he could find about pageants. He didn't have much luck, and I could tell he was having one of those moments. He was sensing things, but they were just out of his grasp.
Soon it was time to leave for the medical facility where the Masons were treated. Thulu went downstairs and retrieved the cup. We put the chest containing it into an innocuous looking bag to hand over to Jones. We untied the key from the journal, put it in the lock and taped it in place.
A sense of purpose, still keeping us rather quiet, seemed to hang over us on the drive. The facility was a bit far out of the city. It was gated, and we were stopped at a guard gate.
“I wonder if the fence is to keep people in or keep others out,” I said.
Reo said, “Both, I think.” He pointed to a building set apart from the others by quite a bit. It was almost hidden away by hedges and trees. The windows seemed to be of that heavy duty reinforced glass I usually associated with mental hospitals.
We pulled into a parking lot next to what was the main building. Jones's limo was already parked at the far end. Stuart leaned against the car, reading something. When he recognized us, he gave a wave. We waved back.
The grounds and buildings were very well kept. The buildings seemed older, made of red brick with white trim. They felt substantial, but without that institutional feel.
Inside the main doors was a reception desk with a few chairs against the wall. Several sets of double doors were set into the walls to our left and right, and a single door was behind the reception area. Everything seemed modern and recently decorated.
Jones sat in one of the chairs against one wall. When we came in, he rose with a nod. His usual charm was subdued, but he managed a smile when we introduced him to Reo. Jones went to the desk and said something quietly to the receptionist, a heavyset woman in her late forties. He pointed to us. She nodded.
Jones joined us, and I handed him the bag. He looked puzzled for a moment, but smiled as he realized what it held. He motioned for us to follow him to the door on the right. The receptionist buzzed us through, and we entered a wide area with a nursing hub. Doors and hallways led off in different directions.
“These folks are with me,” he said, motioning to us. “Has there been any change?”
A nurse in her forties looked up, smiled at Jones and shook her head. Jones continued around the hub to the farthest door. We followed after him.
He opened the door to a room with a view of a garden. We filed in, and Jones closed the door behind us. A door to our right led to the bathroom. The room was bright, cheery and sunny, with light filtering in from the windows. Several chairs and a table stood nearby, and fresh flowers were placed around the room. There were two beds, one on either side of the room. The curtains to both beds were opened all the way.
A young woman occupied the bed to our right. Her short blond hair was tousled, and I recognized the woman from the pictures on the web. Even in sleep, though, Carolyn seemed drawn. IVs were hooked up, and one went into her arm. I frowned when I saw this.
“Jones, you need to wake her up.”
He sighed. “To what purpose? She has no one.”
Thulu had been looking at Matt and now turned to face us.
“That's for her to decide, Jones. Not you. She's an adult. She deserves to be allowed to make her own decisions. Besides, maybe her husband will respond to her.”
Reo looked at Jones thoughtfully. “Are you afraid she'll recognize you?”
Jones seemed surprised. “No, not at all. I will adjust her memory.”
Thulu, Reo and I looked at each other. Thulu and Reo had matching frowns, and I was sure we each had the same thoughts. Adjusting memories? Would he do the same to us? Thulu gave a slight shake of his head, and Reo shrugged. We'd chat about it later; I'd make sure of that.
We stared at Jones. He sighed again.
“Very well, after we talk to Mason, I'll make arrangements for the doctors to begin the process to wake her up. Will that suffice?”
The three of us exchanged looks.
When I turned to the other bed, I was surprised to see Matt sitting up. I realized that I could see through him slightly.
“Hi, Matt, I'm Fiona –” I started.
“No! Fi, stop!”
I froze at the restrained panic in Reo's voice. Matt had turned toward me when I spoke, but changed his focus to Reo.
Reo took a deep breath, adopted a very calm tone, very low. “Matt, you need to lie back down and connect to your body.” Matt looked at him enquiringly, and then he looked down at his body. He looked up in shock and opened his mouth, but Reo cut him off.
“No, don't talk yet. I'll help you, but you must lie back. Can you still feel your body? Nod or shake your head.”
Matt closed his eyes for what seemed a long time, but it was only about ten seconds. He opened his eyes and nodded once slowly.
“Okay, Matt, that's great, you're doing fantastic! Now, I need you to lie down and completely connect to your body.”
Reo kept up a steady stream of soft instructions and encouragement, and Matt obeyed. I realized that the heart monitor had been beeping at a very, very slow rate. It picked up speed until it reached a more normal rate as Matt reconnected to his body.
Reo had broken into a sweat. He reached for a tissue and wiped his forehead. His hand was shaking as he looked at me apologetically.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you.”
“No need to apologize, sweets. I should apologize. I'm so used to the dead, I didn't even think to stop what was happening."
“Well, looks like we got here just in time. I wonder what triggered that.” He glanced at the door, and I wondered why the nurses hadn't come in, but I was glad they hadn't. Getting Matt back into his body would have been awkward with others there.
Reo helped himself to a glass of water from the table. He sat down and took deep, steadying breaths. The rest of us waited while he regained his composure.
I watched Jones. His expression was impa
ssive. I wondered if he was disappointed that Reo had saved Matt.
Reo gathered himself and said to me, “We're going to go in. I'll lead and you'll observe, if you can. If not, I'll do my best to see what's going on and to find out where the dagger is.”
He pulled a chair over to Matt and motioned for me to move another. Jones got to it first and set it beside Reo's before I could move.
Matt seemed pale. His dark hair was flat to his head, and his beard had been shaved since the last picture we'd seen. Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes, and his cheeks seemed sunken.
Reo took my hand and Matt's. He closed his eyes. I followed suit, not sure what to expect.
At first, there was nothing but red-tinged darkness. I heard Reo's voice, as if from a distance, “Fi? Can you hear me?”
I nodded, waited and nodded again.
“Fi, can you hear me?” I nodded once more. A pause. “You're nodding your head, aren't you? I can't see it with my eyes closed, silly girl. Just think at me.”
“Yes, I hear you. And I'm not silly.”
“Excellent!” He drew out the word. “What do you see?”
“Dark. I see darkness, with a hint of red.” It was getting lighter, and I saw a figure that became clearer. It was Reo. “Oh, I see you.”
“Good. Now take my hand.” I looked down and saw nothing.
“Concentrate, Fi. Imagine your body, and it will be there for you.”
I thought and finally managed a vague form. I don't think it looked much like me because I heard Reo snort. It was the best I could do under the circumstances. I was too nervous at the thought of being in someone else's head. Hell, I wasn't the telepath.
“Okay, that'll work. Now we try for Matt.”
I felt Reo's hand in mine, very solid, as he moved and pulled me along with him. We passed something. I'm not sure what it was, but I felt a blast of ice cold, which quickly turned hot, before settling into a more comfortable temperature. The darkness had also returned.
“Matt? Hi, it's Reo. We met a few minutes ago. Matt?”
“I hear you. I don't know where I am, though. Was that a hospital room?”
“Very good, Matt, yes it was. You're in a coma, and we're here to help you.”
“A coma? Was I in an accident? I don't remember one.” A figure started to form. I was pleased to see that his was even worse than mine. The blackness lightened. Objects took form around us. We were in a pleasant family room, comfy sofa and chairs, widescreen TV, and aquarium in one corner. Matt's form became more solid, and suddenly all three of us were there in that room. It felt bizarre and as real as anything else. I was disappointed to see I still hadn't managed more than an amorphous, shadowy figure. Oh, well.
“I'm an architect. There was something on our job site. They called me in. Did I get hurt there?” Matt said from beside the aquarium.
I squeezed Reo's hand. “Job site?” I thought at him.
“What job site, Matt?”
He smiled, and we heard the pride in his voice. “We landed a very lucrative job – my partner and I. Our design was chosen for the Grant Corporation.”
“That's great, Matt. They're a big deal, huh?”
He gave a soft laugh. “You must be new to Chicago. Yeah, they're a very big deal.”
“Chicago?” I squeezed again.
“So, you live in Chicago?”
“Well, of course I do. Where else would I live?” He paused as he frowned in thought. “Aren't we in Chicago now?”
I felt Reo's concern. “No, Matt, we're in San Francisco.”
“Wow, really? I love San Francisco. I don't get to visit as often as I'd like to. We're planning our next vacation there, though.” Another pause as he connected the dots. “So, how did I get to San Francisco?”
“Matt, what's the last thing you remember?”
“I was at the office going over the project with Paul. We got a call to go to the site, but I don't remember why.” This time the pause was much longer. “I'm sorry, I don't remember anything after that.”
Reo asked softly, “Do you remember the dagger?”
“No. What dagger?” Matt seemed uneasy, though.
“Do you remember the date?”
“May 14th? I think the 14th.”
Over two months before.
Reo's voice took on a firmer tone. “Matt, the doctors have said there's no permanent damage to your head. There's no brain damage. What damage there was has healed. You need to wake up. You need to open your eyes and start living again.”
“I don't want to.” Matt's face and voice were agonized.
“Why, Matt? Why don't you want to wake up?” Reo's voice was full of concern and caring. I could feel him start to project, though.
“I don't know. I'm – look, I'm a standup guy, but I'm – afraid. There is something – I don't know – I'm just afraid.”
“Matt, your wife is here. You must wake up, now. I know you're afraid, guy, but you've got to think of her.” Reo was fully projecting concern, safety, love.
“We need to leave now, Matt.”
“Leave? No, please, you just got here.”
“You can come with us, though.”
Matt paced, undecided, each stride becoming a bit more frantic. He started to fade along with the room. We heard his voice, forlorn, with tears, “I can't.”
Reo's voice called after him. “I'll be back, Matt. I promise.”
I faintly heard from the distance, “Yes, please.”
Reo released my hand. I opened my eyes to see him give Matt's hand a gentle pat. “We'll try again later on, guy. You hang in there.”
We turned to Jones and Thulu, both of us shaking our heads.
“What?” asked Jones.
“He doesn't remember,” I said. “He thinks it's over two months ago, before the dagger was found.”
Reo added, thoughtfully, “For now, anyway. I'm sure the memories are locked away somewhere in his mind, but the part we could connect to is very superficial. He's afraid, and he doesn't want to wake up.”
Jones took the news much better than I would have expected. “So, it's a process. When would you try again?”
Reo thought a moment. “Not for several days at least. Give him some time to think things over.”
I kept my mouth shut. I thought Matt was a bit weak and resented his retreat into his own mind. Sure he'd had it rough recently, but he didn't even know about Jenna yet, and the coma was pretty unfair to his wife. Especially since I knew he was staying there on purpose. Something must have shown on my face because Thulu and Jones both looked at me questioningly. I just shook my head in disgust, walked out of the room and waited for the others.
They followed, and Jones stopped at the desk to tell the nurse to add all of our names as visitors. We were cousins, he claimed. We all tried to look cousin-ish.
In the parking lot, we stood together by our car.
“What next?” asked Thulu. “Do you have any leads at all on the pitcher or the other panels or the scroll? Anything for me to go on? I'm not sure why, but I'm still coming up blank.”
Jones shook his head. “I'm working on it.”
“I'm going to go back to work on the locket. Maybe something will break if I try to work on something else.” Thulu’s voice held only a hint of irritation.
Jones seemed a bit surprised. “Does that happen often?”
“Storm's a-comin',” Reo said, interrupting whatever Thulu had been about to say.
We all looked up into a clear, cloudless blue sky. We looked back at Reo expectantly. He shrugged. Thulu and I were used to his cryptic remarks, but we still usually gave him a hard time over them. This time he got a pass, since Jones was present.
We said goodbye to Jones, who strode to his car, carrying the bag with the cup. Stuart held open the back door for him and waved to us before getting into the driver's seat.
We drove back to our house, mostly in silence. Once we got there, Reo went in for his bag and left. He said he had to get hi
s head clear for his show.
Chapter 23
The house was quiet. No ghost kids or dog. Thulu and I turned on our monitors. I checked Jane's email to find the jeweler had answered. I printed a copy of the receipt, as well as the picture. The jeweler had even included the original order, so I printed that, as well. I sent back a “thank you” email, as I believed Jane would have done.
I joined Thulu in the search for pageants. Since Jane had bought the locket recently, we knew we didn't have to go back very far. The problem was combing through the crap to find the one connection we needed. That was where Thulu let his intuition carry him, quickly eliminating the unconnected. I was much slower since I had to actually read a bit to see if something fit.
The initial search of “Cara” and “pageant” brought almost two hundred thousand hits. Lovely. Thulu looked at the first few pages, trying to get a sense of things. Sometimes they triggered his finder sense, even if they had nothing to do with what we were working on.
While I surfed through Caras, I pulled out my phone and checked my voice mail. I had turned the phone off before we went in to see the Masons and had forgotten to turn it back on. Nana Fae had left a message reminding us we had a barbeque this weekend at Thulu's parents' house and, by the way, what was new on our case.
I left the room, so I wouldn't disturb Thulu and returned her call. I brought her up to speed on the case. She said she didn't have any ideas, but that she did feel “weird.” I told her what Reo had said, both his genie comment and the storm one. She said that was exactly how she felt, especially the storm one. We ended with plans to discuss it more at the barbeque.
“Got it!” Thulu called triumphantly from the other room.
I went back to Thulu. I didn't bother asking what convoluted path he had wandered to get to it. Once when he tried to explain how he “found” things, I fell asleep in the middle of his explanation. He never let me forget that one, either. Something will make him think of something else – A leads to B, sometimes to C, sometimes to G or F or X. I simply can't keep it straight. It works. That's the important thing, as far as I'm concerned.