A Cold Day in Hell

by Stella Cameron

  The next time Angel got one of his bad feelings, maybe she’d take more notice—whether she believed in such possibilities or not. When she’d pushed him about what he’d meant, he looked distant, the way he could when he had decided he didn’t feel like talking about something anymore. That habit needed fixing.

  She shook her head—not a good idea. Angel DeAngelo wouldn’t change anything about himself unless he wanted to.

  Locum stopped again and she caught up with him. A tinkling sound came to her, as if the breeze jostled little bells. In the distance she thought she saw the sheen of light high up between trees and leaned against a cypress, fighting panic in case she was losing consciousness again.

  Sudden baying from the dog shook her. Locum raised his head and howled. If she could, Eileen would hide.

  Someone or something came in her direction. The dog sat quiet, sniffing the air. Rather than just the tinkling bells Eileen continued to hear, dull clacking and the jangle of different bells joined the cacophony. The noise approached her. She couldn’t move at all, could only stare in front of herself and wait, unable to take a breath.

  A figure appeared, shifting through tree trunks, walking as if the way were smooth with no obstacles in its path. “Don’t be afraid,” a great, deep voice called. “It’s Chuzah.”

  Relief made her weak. She swayed, but bent over until blood returned to her head. Now she saw him almost clearly. What rattled was a belt of tiny bones and bells fasted loosely around a voluminous kaftan. He wore a tall turban and when he was close enough, his white teeth showed in a wide smile.

  On his hands were tight white gloves, and white socks were his only footwear. Eileen thought that out-of-character for a man who liked to go barefoot out here and who delighted in showing off his dramatic fingernails.

  “Thank you for coming to help me,” she said and worried she would start crying and never stop. “Locum found me.”

  Chuzah nodded and took a final stride, bending to pick her up at the same time. “I will take you home. It’s close. Then we will let everyone know you are safe. Those who wish you harm are still abroad and we must all be watchful.”

  “What do they want?” Eileen said, happy to be carried.

  “They confuse me,” Chuzah said. “I mean the possible motives for what’s going on confuse me, but you might have died in the swamp. Whoever left you there made no attempt to ensure your eventual safety.”

  Her teeth chattered together. “No,” she agreed.

  Chuzah fell silent and rapidly covered the way until he broke from the trees near to his house on stilts. The fairy lights shone in their uneven loops and a glow showed inside the windows. “You will soon feel much improved,” Chuzah said.

  “I already do.”

  “There are things I must deal with to make sure there is no real damage,” he responded. “And then I have more work. I hope I have the strength or someone else may not be as fortunate as you. The next victim might die.”

  30

  Matt’s office felt stuffy. Jalousies on the high windows were open but air wasn’t circulating. Voices bounced between angry people; each had a point to make, for or against. Most were for Angel taking Aaron and Sonny and going out to Chuzah’s to pick up Eileen. But they were also against anyone going without Matt and Officer Sampson and even more backup.

  And Matt demanded to go in first, in case they met with force.

  Matt was ready to arrest Chuzah for attacking and abducting Eileen.

  “We’ll go alone,” Angel said, not for the first time. He was incensed by Matt’s hasty judgment. “We know Chuzah and he cares about people—he doesn’t look for ways to hurt them. Eileen said Locum found her and barked until Chuzah came to see what was up. How do you get from there to Chuzah being a criminal?”

  “Chuzah shows up wherever there’s trouble.” Matt banged a fist on his desk. “You’re not thinking. You don’t want to face the probable truth. Chuzah is crazy—I told you that already. We know how he supposedly found Aaron out there and made sure he was okay. Now it’s Eileen. He—or his damn dog, for God’s sake—found her. This time it was Eileen who was unconscious and came around in time to be rescued by that voodoo peddler. Know what I think? I think this is all a publicity stunt. The man’s reputation must be slipping, so he’s doing this stuff to grab the limelight.”

  “Have you finished?” Angel said. “If so, I’m leaving.”

  “I agree with Matt,” Chuck shouted angrily.

  Angel hadn’t seen him come into the office. A glance around showed there were a number of people Angel hadn’t realized were there.

  He bent over Matt. “Can we get rid of folks who don’t need to be here?”

  “You can’t blame the town for getting riled up. We’ve had a lot of events that scared people pretty badly.”

  Using Matt’s pen, Angel jabbed at the pages of an open notebook. “There’s been a murder,” he said, keeping his voice down. “That was the same night Emma got pushed around. Have you figured out if that killing was connected to Emma? Or if it could be connected to what happened with Aaron and Sonny, then Eileen and me? Or to Eileen tonight?”

  “Have you?” Matt glared at ink dots all over his notes and yanked the pen out of Angel’s hand.

  “No, I haven’t,” Angel said. “But I asked you first.”

  “We’re pursuing leads.” Matt tossed down the pen. “I’d like the room cleared,” he said loudly.

  “In other words you’ve figured out squat and now you’re grasping for anything that could make sure you’re not accused of failing on the job. And you’re finally agreeing to getting rid of the rubberneckers in here because you don’t want them to figure out you haven’t made any progress.”

  “If you and I were on our own, I’d make you wish you hadn’t said that,” Matt told him.

  Angel didn’t doubt Matt would make a serious opponent, but he was darn sure the cop wouldn’t win.

  “We’re leaving,” Aaron said, standing in front of Matt. “Now.”

  “You should have sent that Chuzah packing years ago,” Lobelia Forestier said. “He’s the one who’s causin’ all this trouble.”

  “That’s all hearsay,” Angel said. “Old wives’ tales. People love to pretend there’s all kind of stuff going on and then say Chuzah did it. Drop it. It’s getting old.”

  “Miz Forestier, you go ahead and leave now, please,” Matt said. “And the rest of you. We’ve got work to do. Let’s all be grateful Eileen’s okay.”

  “I’m coming out there with you,” Chuck said. “Eileen’s my wife.”

  Angel whirled to look at him. “She was your wife, Moggeridge. Was. Stay away from her. Take a hint. She doesn’t want you around.”

  “Hey,” Matt said, shooting to his feet. “Break it up. Moggeridge, out.”

  Matt watched Chuck struggle with wanting to stay where he was, and then bottle his anger. He didn’t say anything else before he left.

  “If you want to talk to Chuzah, I’ll invite him to come in,” Angel told Matt. “Let’s go, boys.”

  A welcome breeze drifted through the window propped open by a skull. Eileen got her eyes fully open. She didn’t remember falling asleep on the comfortable couch or having pillows placed behind her head and a soft, light blanket spread on top of her. The deep blue blanket seemed to be made of hand-spun angora.

  This, Eileen thought, was a peaceful place as long as you didn’t dwell on some of the decor. Even the incense burning on the candlelit altar spread a sensation of calm.

  She really did like the herb cabinet that covered most of one wall. One of those would make a great conversation piece if she could ever move into a bigger, less conventional house.

  Chuzah’s kaftan was lime green and shiny. A kind of silk. The turban was the same color, but striped with bright yellow. He was possibly the kindest man she’d ever met. At the moment he was talking to Locum, or making sounds the dog listened to while looking into his master’s face. Dishes, one of food and one of fre
sh water, were put down.

  “How do you feel?” Chuzah asked without looking at Eileen.

  “Good.” But she had no inclination to sit up. “How long have I slept?”

  “Not so long. Angel and the boys will be here to pick you up soon.” He came to sit in a chair beside her. “Do you have pain?”

  “Almost nothing. I woke up when I was in the swamp—before Locum came—and my head hurt so much I didn’t think it would ever stop.” Very carefully, she put fingers to the left side of her brow. “It hardly even stings anymore and it’s a big wound.”

  “When Angel takes you home, you should have that Dr. Mitch Halpern put in sutures. He is a good man. Running from something, but ready to have more than medicine in his life.”

  Eileen looked at Chuzah with interest. “Mitch running from something? He seems fine to me.”

  “He is fine, because he keeps busy and doesn’t allow himself to think too much. One day he’ll stop to evaluate and then he—Enough. As I said, he is a good man and he’ll do a good job with that.” He indicated Eileen’s forehead.

  She might have pushed him to say more about Mitch but was sure it would be a waste of time. Once his mind was made up, Chuzah wasn’t a man to be pushed.

  “I can tell you are strong,” he said. “You’ll be yourself in no time, and whatever happens, trust that you are never alone.”

  He made comments that were unusual, but generally unremarkable. But what did he mean when he said she could trust she’d never be alone? How could he begin to know that? She’d been alone plenty of times.

  “So quiet?” His smile had it’s usual warming effect on Eileen. “You may be a woman who analyzes everything too much. Sometimes it’s best to accept and move on. Never be foolish, but be confident.”

  “Yes,” she said. He wanted her to be strong and deal with whatever came her way. She hoped she could.

  “Move your head from side to side. The instant you feel any pain, stop. Never move beyond pain because it means that you have moved enough.”

  Dutifully, Eileen moved her head from side to side, then up and down. “My neck is a bit stiff, that’s all.”

  “The injury wasn’t bad, other than on the surface. You were suffering from being cold and damp—which makes you feel so much worse. Now you are warm and safe again.”

  “I should get out of your hair and go home.”

  His bass laughter filled the place. “Out of my hair, hmm. Getting into my hair would be too difficult for you to have to get out. Relax until your man comes.” Tilting his head, he regarded her intently.

  Eileen felt herself blush. She sank deeper beneath the luxurious angora blanket.

  Chuzah’s eyebrows rose and he laughed again. “What did I say to embarrass you? And don’t tell me you aren’t embarrassed.”

  “When you look at me like you just did, I imagine you can see inside my head.”

  He cleared his throat. “I was sensing is all.” He got up and walked to the window. Locum loped to his side. “We shall have company,” Chuzah said.

  “Angel’s here? And Aaron and Sonny?”

  “They are on their way.” With that he returned to the kitchen and moved so languidly that when he returned with a plate of cubed cheese with walnuts, and a mug of something hot, Eileen couldn’t help thinking the man could do anything, and do it faster than anyone she knew, without appearing to hurry at all.

  Cautiously at first, but quickly gaining confidence, she scooted to sit up. Chuzah put the plate on her lap and turned the mug so she could take it by the handle. “A good green tea,” he said. “My own blend.”

  She drank, and it was so good, and ate with a feeling she had never been more hungry. “Thank you,” she said and looked at her watch. If Angel had been close to this house when Chuzah said he was, he’d have been inside for several minutes by now.

  “There have been some unusual events leading up to what happened today. The shots at Aaron in the swamp, and behind your house, I know about. And I understood there was another shooting at Angel’s house. I’d like you to tell me all about that, and anything else you think might help in solving this puzzle. You fell asleep when you started to talk about how you got from the fair to the swamp.”

  He put a finger to his lips and listened. “We will talk of this later perhaps.”

  The footsteps of more than one person climbed the steps outside and a solid knock landed on the door. Chuzah boomed, “Come right on in.”

  Eileen grinned at the sight of Angel. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you,” she said, putting her mug on the floor and holding out her hands to him. He looked tired and anxious. “I’m fine, really I am. Thanks to Chuzah.”

  As if he didn’t hear a word she said, Angel crossed the room and grasped her hands, knocking what remained of her food to the floor. He didn’t notice that, either, but a snap of Chuzah’s fingers brought Locum to deal with the cheese.

  “Hey, Mom,” Aaron said from behind Angel. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Sonny said. “What happened?”

  “I’m great,” Eileen said, chuckling. “Boy, what a woman has to do to get some real attention.” She swung her feet to the floor but gathered the blanket about herself again.

  “She was very cold and damp when I found her,” Chuzah said. “Getting warm and dry made her feel human again.”

  Angel sat beside her and held her face gently in his hands. He smiled a little, catching her off guard. “This needs stitches,” he said looking at the wound near her hairline, “but wait till you see your van.”

  “It’s bad?” she said, not amused.

  “The damages will probably be best paid out-of-pocket, if you don’t want your insurance rates to go through the roof,” Angel said.

  “Stinkin’ creep,” she said with feeling.

  “They’re everywhere,” Sonny said in his slightly nasal voice. “If you got any sense, you only drive a junker in New York. A few bullet holes in it don’t hurt. Nobody wants to steal a thing like that.”

  “I’ll remember that next time,” Eileen said. “Maybe I won’t have the van fixed. Maybe I’ll mess it up completely instead.”

  Angel pulled her close and eased her head onto his shoulder. “I don’t think you should be getting excited over all this. Do you, Chuzah?”

  “Nope. Good call. She does feel really good but she needs a couple of days of taking it easy. And when you get back, see if you can get Mitch Halpern to put some stitches in that head.”

  “Looks like you got beaten up with a baseball bat, Mom,” Aaron said.

  “Thanks. I already know it feels bad but I haven’t looked at it yet.”

  “You hit the back of the van real hard, Eileen,” Sonny said. “Matt said a whole lot of stuff inside got broken.”

  “Terrific. Any more good news?”

  Angel kissed the corner of her mouth and stroked her shoulder and upper arm. “Hush. Getting upset won’t change a thing. Relax. I’ll take you home soon. Could you run through what you remember first?”

  She didn’t feel like repeating everything she’d already told Chuzah but did it anyway. Angel’s gray eyes never left her face until she talked about Locum. At that point he and the boys stared at the dog who lay at Chuzah’s feet.

  “He’s a sweetie,” Eileen said.

  “Careful he doesn’t hear you saying soppy stuff like that,” Chuzah said. “He’s all male.”

  She felt Angel’s fixed attention again and felt his breath on her cheek. If they’d been alone she would have suggested they go to bed—only to cuddle, of course.

  “I’m glad,” Chuzah said suddenly.

  Eileen and Angel stared at him blankly.

  “That things are working out,” Chuzah continued and Eileen noted he was speaking to Angel alone. “A lot of that anxiety is gone. You know, what I talked about before?”

  Angel knew. Who could forget Chuzah’s straight talk about how Angel and Eileen should consummate their relationship. The man’s comfort with d
iscussing really personal things blew Angel away.

  “Any thoughts about who we’re looking for?” Chuzah asked. “Seen anything worth going after?”

  He meant: had Angel come to any conclusions about who was turning Pointe Judah into a one shaky, frightened town? And he also hinted, unless Angel was completely mistaken, that he might be able to see things others didn’t. Or it could be that Angel was putting ideas in the other man’s head.

  “We need to talk,” he told Chuzah. “I learned a thing or two about myself when I was in the CIA. I thought all that was behind me, but I was wrong.”

  “What are you talking about?” Eileen asked predictably.

  Angel fished around for the right words to explain himself without really explaining himself at all.

  “The CIA teaches how to use perceptive powers and Angel’s probably thinking some of them may be trying to come back,” Chuzah said.

  Turning sideways on the couch and pulling up her legs, Eileen waited until Angel looked back at her. There was no way out for him. “What Chuzah says is true. I’m starting to think like an agent again.” He smiled but Eileen didn’t look convinced. She also didn’t pursue the topic.

  “We’ve still got some work to do,” Chuzah said.

  The door blasted open. If the hinges hadn’t been strong, the entire thing would have fallen in.

  “Okay?” Matt said stepping inside. “Everyone okay here?”

  “Very okay, thank you, Matt,” Eileen said. She couldn’t believe the way he was behaving.

  Chuzah got to his feet, smiling a little tightly at Matt and at Officer Sampson who had followed him in. Both had drawn guns.

  “For God’s sake put those things away,” Angel said, surging to his feet. “Someone could get hurt.”

  Matt’s expression showed nothing. “Not if everyone does as they’re told.”

  “Why don’t you boys find a couple of seats,” Sampson said. “It’s been a long day. You’ve got to be tired.”

  Wordlessly, Aaron and Sonny backed to another couch and sank slowly onto it.

  “Read him his rights,” Matt said to Sampson who droned them out to Chuzah.

  “If there’s something you want to ask,” Chuzah said, “ask away.”