by R E Gauthier
“Thanks Nikki. I think I will just take a shower and try some of those breathing exercises you told me about.”
“Good Idea. Sweet Dreams and don’t worry about it. If you are or you aren’t it won’t matter to me. I’ll always love you. Besides if you are we can go out on the town one day soon, maybe even go out on a double-date.” She winked teasing her. “Everything will work itself out and if you need to talk to me; I’ll be right here.” With that Nikki left the room and Kelsey was left to her thoughts.
Their discussion had calmed her nerves somewhat but then she thought of the phone call and her head spun and a deep feeling of dread engulfed her.
Chapter Nine
Thursday September 1, 2011
“Don’t get too close to me; it’s dark in here, where my monsters like to hide.”
Kelsey woke up the next morning feeling drained emotionally but physically energized. She had blown through her morning workout and was ready to start the day investigating and that is exactly what she did.
By the afternoon she was exhausted but invigorated, she had spoke to Nikki and there had been some headway in finding out more about the possible murder weapon. She had located an expert who was flying in from California who had extensive experience locating rare and collectible weaponry. Nikki had also used the GSP tracking software to track down Miranda Gauthier’s whereabouts to a rural area in Southwest Quebec, but with few cell towers in the area; there wasn’t a way to reach the author until she called. Nikki had even tried contacting the cell phone provider but discover that the phone was a burner phone or a prepaid phone with no way to trace it or the owner. Even though Rachel had spoken to Sara; she was cornered by the blonde PIO outside her hotel room. The conversation seemed light until she caught Sara staring at her and she felt a great sense of unease creep over her. She really didn’t like the way Sara looked at her. Maybe Nikki had been wrong about her being a lesbian because she didn’t seem attracted to the young PIO. After that uncomfortable encounter Kelsey had gone back to the Canton Street Condo where Katherine Montgomery was killed and shared with her ex-lover. She canvassed neighbors and tried to get a sense of who Miss Montgomery was before she died. She learned the woman wasn’t much liked by neighbors but the quiet girlfriend had been friendly and helpful.
Driving back to the hotel her cell phone buzzed and she turned on her Bluetooth to answer it. “Hello.” She said more impatiently than she meant to and was rewarded with a loud chuckle.
“Hey Mack you must be driving again, I hear that Agent MacGregor brogue coming through.”
A stream of expletives and then her own chuckle bubbled out before she blew out her reply. “Nikki if I had a dollar for every idiot who has cut me off or made an illegal turn in this infernal city; I’d be a millionaire and could retire!”
Nikki chuckled again and then cleared her throat; “Well then maybe I’ll let you go and we can talk over dinner tonight?”
“That would be great but I thought you wanted to cruise the town for a date for the weekend.”
“Naw I think that maybe I should be a good little agent like you and keep my mind on the case.”
Kelsey couldn’t hold in her chuckle and blew out another string of colorful swear words that made her friend laugh again.
“Well in that case let’s get some dinner and then we’ll talk about anything but the case; because that’s the kind of weekend ‘this good little agent’ is planning on having.”
The next day began with a bustle of investigating and checking all the boxes off on Kelsey’s ‘to-do’ list before she hoped to get away on the weekend. She had been trying not to think about the mysterious and still elusive Miranda Gauthier, but that changed when the Summit Detective Freeman approached her and asked if she had located Miranda Gauthier. He had returned to town last night leaving enough competent investigators to do the grunt work, as he called it, in Summit.
“Agent MacGregor, can I have a word with you about your investigation into Miranda GAW-their?” The red-faced detective mumbled.
Kelsey hid her grin as he once again bungled the author’s last name and nodded and indicated he could join her at her table in the restaurant. “What seems to be the problem Detective Freeman, I haven’t located her as yet but I’m getting close.”
The detective looked irritated and angry as his red face actually got redder.
“Well I don’t think it is very professional nor is it very polite to step on someone else’s investigation.”
“I’m sorry. I was under the impression that this is a ‘joint’ taskforce case and as I am the lead on this case I am privy to all of the investigations as well as how I see fit to investigate them.” Kelsey said with as much control as possible. Confusion flooded her mind. Why was the detective upset? He knew she was searching for Miss Gauthier; so why did that bother him?
Nikki came up to the table and couldn’t help but overhear the heated exchange between the Summit Detective and her best friend. She could see the veins clearly in Mack’s neck as she struggled to keep her anger in check. Knowing how her anger could implode; she chose to intervene before the two butted heads and said something that they would regret.
“Hey Mack, Detective Freeman; just thought I’d come over and see if I could maybe help in diffusing this heated debate you’re having.”
Both looked at her and only Mack’s face slackened and smiled.
“Thank you Nikki. I am going to leave this conversation here because you know my position now Detective Freeman and if you have any further questions or concerns you can bring them to Rachel or Nikki.” Kelsey stood up and left as graciously as she could.
Detective Freeman was cursing under his breath and shaking his head when Nikki decided it was time to let the detective in on the FBI secret of Mack’s nickname.
“John, can I call you John? I think we need to talk and I need you to listen and listen well. Senior Special Agent Kelsey MacGregor or as we love to call her Mack is not a woman you want as an enemy. You see in the FBI Academy there was this dude and he was a redneck ass and he thought that women like Mack didn’t belong in the FBI. He was sadly mistaken on many levels but one day in particular he learned not to get in her way. To make a long story short he was ‘schooled’ that day on how she deals with a sexist bigot and she also got her nickname. This redneck fellow looked like he had been hit by a Mack truck after Mack was finished with him during our suspect takedown training. I don’t need to explain it fully but let’s say she was the agent and he wasn’t. Since she is also from the state where the Mack truck originated...well the nickname stuck and unless you want to find out just how Mack ‘schooled’ that bigot; you had better back down now.”
The detective seemed to mull those words over and then shook his head.
“I’m upset because she’s treating us detectives like beat cops. We’re quite capable of doing more than question witnesses and take notes.”
“What you and the other detectives are doing is essential to this investigation right now. We cannot logistically be in three places at once interviewing people in this case. Finding Arlene Collins will make our job much easier, we’ve got high hopes she’ll shed the light on our killer’s motive for murder. So everything everyone does right now is essential. Please return to Summit with your fellow detectives and complete the task given to you.”
“Well is she having any luck locating her?” Detective Freeman asked.
“Detective I’m sure once she has found her she will let us all know.”
***
“Hello.” Kelsey said expectantly when her phone rang and a familiar number came up on the screen. The number she had asked Nikki to track and the number she couldn’t get out of her head.
“Hello is this FBI Senior Special Agent MacGregor I’m speaking with?” A quiet, polite woman’s voice asked.
“This is she can I ask who I am speaking with, please?”
“Yes this is Miranda Gauthier; my agent told me that you wanted to speak to me abou
t a case the FBI is working on.”
Kelsey hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until she tried to talk and her words came out in a rush.
“Thank you for calling Miss Gauthier I have been expecting your call and yes I or I mean we need you to come to Baltimore and answer some questions concerning a case.” She tried to regulate her breathing and heart rate but she had difficulties and then she heard the dead silence cut by muffled cursing.
“I am sorry but that won’t be possible Senior Special Agent MacGregor, you can ask me anything you need to over the phone. I’m afraid I cannot go to Baltimore at this time.”
Feeling her patience slipping her calmly tried to convince the author of the importance of her coming to Baltimore. Doc had said to speak calmly and not divulge much information so not to spook her.
“It won’t take that long Miss Gauthier but it is imperative that you are here in Baltimore for questioning. The case we are working on is time sensitive and it has come to our attention you may be a person of interest.”
“Well if I am wanted for questioning I do have a right to ask on what matter this questioning relates to, do I not, am I being arrested for a crime?”
“You do that right but I’m afraid I cannot divulge the information over the phone, and you are not being arrested.” She gave Miss Gauthier ample time to explain why she couldn’t come to Baltimore but hearing none she continued.
“Miss Gauthier, I can understand if this is an inconvenience for you at this time and I wouldn’t ask you to come if it weren‘t necessary. I would like to settle this without having to threaten you with charges of obstructing justice.” She had not planned to go there with the quiet author but her impatience reared up and her head pounded relentlessly. She knew Doc wouldn’t think this was a wise tactic but she didn’t know how else she could convince the woman the importance of her presence for questioning without telling her why. She heard more muffled expletives and then a loud sigh before the woman continued.
“When would you need me to be there? I cannot possibly get there much before Monday and that is only if I can arrange everything in time.”
Taking a deep breath and relaxing her shoulders she was relieved her scare tactic worked. I would never have charged her with obstruction. Thinking that Monday was almost a week away, she wanted to argue but thought she had better not push her luck.
“Monday will be fine, just let me know what flight you’ll be in on and I’ll have an agent pick you up at the airport.”
“That won’t be necessary; I’ll be coming by bus early Monday morning, I won’t know exactly when until I can arrange everything.”
How could that be? Miranda Gauthier was supposed to be somewhere in rural Quebec or at least that is what Nikki’s GPS tracking on her cell phone had last pinged.
“Did I hear you correctly? Did you say bus? Where are you exactly?”
“Senior… can I call you SSA MacGregor? Your handle is certainly a mouthful.”
“Of course you may,” Kelsey said wondering why she hadn’t corrected her earlier.
“Well, I don’t think I owe you an explanation on where I am or how I plan on getting to Baltimore, as long as I get there Monday should be your only concern, SSA MacGregor. The voice no longer sounded quiet or polite.
“Of course I never meant to intrude but I was only asking because the FBI would be happy to reimburse you for your airfare as well as your stay here in Baltimore will also be paid in full by the FBI.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary...well I mean the flight, if the FBI wants to pay for my bus fare that is quite all right. As for staying in Baltimore I do hope it won’t be for long...I would really like to get back here as soon as possible.”
Kelsey didn’t have much time to think before Miranda Gauthier was saying in a broken voice that she would call her as soon as she had finalized her itinerary and ETA and then the connection ended. She now heard a cell phone operator telling her that the call had been disconnected.
She swore, tapping the phone to end the call. Taking in a deep breath and blowing it out calmness came over her. As suddenly as the headache had come it was now gone. Staring at the quiet phone she mulled over the conversation she had with the author. What’s with these headaches? I never have them but I had a head-splitting one while talking to Miranda Gauthier and now it’s gone. Maybe it’s just all this emotional turmoil and stress about going home this weekend. She thought she was a pretty patient woman but while speaking to the author she had felt her patience fail and she even threatened to charge her. Blowing out yet another held breath she said a silent prayer that all would go well and the author would be here on Monday.
Chapter Ten
Friday September 2, 2011
“When I say, ‘I’m okay’ I’m not and I need someone to hold me tight and tell me: ‘I know you’re not’.”
Kelsey managed to get through the rest of the day with more confusing thoughts her dreams the night before coming back to her in vivid color and clarity. The petite woman’s face appeared clearer and she adamantly pleaded for her help. What did she want me to help with?
She had left Baltimore at exactly 7:30pm and after two hours of driving decided she needed to stop, eat a snack and clear her head. She pulled into a truck stop and got a quick bite and sat in her car trying to mull over the last few days. This trip home had been her first in several months but unlike other trips she wasn’t just visiting her grandmother, she would see her entire family. Dealing with the emotions she had buried many years ago, she felt overwhelmed; the last thing she needed now is to be dealing with other buried issues. One thing at a time, one thing at a time, she repeated over and over in her head like a mantra.
The stop had revived her but she still had about an hour or so left to drive, but doing so later at night helped immensely. She didn’t have the traffic of earlier in the day and the construction crews had stopped working so she had clear sailing all the way into North Strabane Township just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
As she saw the signs for her exit draw her closer to her hometown she felt anxiety engulf her. Coming home always did that to her, she didn’t like remembering the bad times and the good times seem so long ago. She took the exit 146-2 and saw the coming signs for yet another toll stop. Groaning, maybe flying would have been better.
Driving for a few miles she neared the exits for Pittsburgh and the weight of that fact settled down on her. Being home should have brought her comfort but it was always mixed for Kelsey. This time she was coming home to spend time with her Nanna and be there to comfort her through a difficult time. She would also be part of the family once again and that worried her. Pushing the anxiety out and trying some breathing exercises Nikki had told her to try when she got upset she changed the radio to a local country station and let the guitar tune strum away the tension.
She spent the remainder of her trip listening to local news, weather and music that brought her back to a simpler time in her life. When she pulled into her Nanna Mackenzie’s driveway on McGregor Avenue, she smiled and a chuckle ebbed out of her mouth. Her Nanna had been so upset when they messed up the signage for the road many years ago. It was supposed to be MacGregor not McGregor but to change it would cost more money, so Nanna left it as it was.
Since the day her grandmother moved her residence to the house on McGregor, the neighborhood had grown up immensely, leaving her Nanna’s house slightly isolated from the others on a larger parcel of land. She slid the car into a parking space and let her eyes scan the darkened immaculately groomed yard. Her grandmother had people who took care of her property and although the ninety year old woman was quite capable of doing much on her own, she liked that she didn’t have to. Kelsey smiled when she caught sight of her tall and rather spry grandmother approaching her down the walkway.
“Mo Chridhe, oh how I have missed you.” Kelsey’s Nanna said in her thick Scottish brogue. Mo Chridhe was her term of endearment that meant ‘my heart’ in Gaelic
and was pronounced ‘Mo CHree-yuh’ with the ‘CH’ having a hard sound as in loch and Bach. Kelsey smiled but happy tears came to her eyes because her grandmother was ‘her heart’ too. She had never loved anyone as much as this woman except for her own mother. It had been too long since her last trip home, she made a promise to herself she would visit more often.
“Nanna I have missed you so much too, I only wish I could visit you more.” The last was hushed against her grandmother’s sweater.
“Well you are here now, so let me get a good look at you.” She drew her away from her so she could look into her eyes. “You have lost more weight and look so very tired. I wish you would take better care of yourself. You must find your Anam-Charaid so that your soul and heart will be one.”
She grimaced because her grandmother’s beliefs always went back to the fact she didn’t have someone she loved or who could care for her. Anam-Charaid translated to soul-friend, the male or female person in your life you would truly be one with, who would accept you as you are and be with you always. She had always thought that person was her cousin Aisling, but her grandmother had assured her that she would have known if her beloved granddaughter had met her soul mate.
Her Nanna Mackenzie was said to have been blessed with the Second Sight a form of extrasensory perception. She just knew things or could feel things. Kelsey had always found it eerie that her grandmother had this ability. When she was very young, she and her cousin Aisling were regaled in stories of their grandmother being a Gaelic witch, having powers to see into the future, and could ‘read’ people. She could always tell when she and Aisling were up to something and she always knew when they were not truthful. She had even dreamed about a horrible event before the family had been killed but didn’t know the specifics or how to prevent it from happening. Kelsey always thought her grandmother’s gift was nothing more than a silly parlor trick and just as useless. Her own dreams about her cases at least garnered real clues and evidence, but that didn’t mean she also had the Second Sight, I just use the deductive skills and profiling all my schooling and experience has given me. She wasn’t about to tell Nanna about her other dreams of the woman because her grandmother would only tell her she was like her a Seer and was predicting the future through her dreams.