by Mayer, Dale
He shuffled through the documents looking for the start of the problems. There it was. Four years before her death. That was the first time suspicion of abuse was noted in the file. She'd died thirteen years ago.
That fit the timeline, too.
This then, is where the whole mess started – years ago.
***
Alexis could feel the mounting pressure. Nothing specific, but the heavy atmosphere and constant tension drained her. It was the same for the townspeople. Everywhere she went, people looked suspiciously at each other, seldom maintaining eye contact or stopping to talk.
After finishing lunch with Scott, they returned to the gardens. Alexis heaved a sigh when she saw Rick waiting for her. What could he want now?
"As you refuse to leave town, I have the perfect job for you. It will keep you safe and out of sight. I want you to clean up last year's paperwork." Rick smiled at her evilly.
Alexis spluttered. She couldn't even form a protest, because her mind had frozen. Paperwork. A year's worth! He knew she hated that type of work.
Scott's lips twitched. When he finally grinned at her, Alexis shot him a look of disgust. He could at least help her out of this mess.
"I know you'd like to stay here and have Scott as your babysitter, but believe it or not, he has other jobs to do. And one of them is a meeting now with the city planners for the new building that's to start next month."
"Ach hell, I forgot." Scott groaned. "Sorry, Alexis. It's not something I should miss."
"Why can't I go with you?" She'd enjoy being in on some of the planning decisions for the new section. Actually, that idea perked her up.
"No need. You'll be totally safe in the office. No one could find you under all that filing." Rick was savage with his satisfaction. Turning back to Scott, he said, "Take her down and leave her there. Call the detective and let him know."
Filing? Oh hell no.
***
It was an unbelievably long afternoon. No one had filed the time cards, supply lists, or the myriad of other papers in months. By the end of the day, she was the ready to scream.
"Arrgh!" Alexis threw her pen across the room. Dry laughter hit her ears from the doorway. She looked up to see Kevin leaning casually against the doorframe.
"Have you come to rescue me?" she demanded. "Otherwise, I might just have to hurt you."
"I think this job suits you." Kevin took a seat on the one chair that wasn't fully covered in reams of papers. "A desk job."
"Like hell."
He sat across from her with a cheeky grin, but heavy lines creased his face. He opened an envelope he'd brought, and slid out several photocopied pictures. "Can you look at these and tell me if any of them look familiar?"
Alexis frowned. They were pictures of children. There were a good half dozen, but the quality was poor. She shifted them apart so she could see them better…and froze. Tapping the picture of one young boy, her heart ached as she whispered, "Him. I saw him in one vision."
Kevin nodded, his face grim. "Any others?"
She studied the others, before singling out the photo of a young, curly haired girl. "Her, I think. But I am not as sure of her as I am of the little boy. She looks different in the picture."
"How about the rest?"
"I haven't seen all that many clearly. There are several always hanging around in the background, but I haven't been able to get a good look at them." She managed to separate three more out. "I think these ones as well. But," she cautioned, "I can't be sure."
Kevin smiled. "Don't worry about it. These children all disappeared over twenty years ago. Their cases were never solved. A serial killer was suspected to be in the area, but the information back then didn't travel as quickly as it does now. The killer was never caught. Instead, he just went quiet."
"And he never resurfaced?" How odd. She watched as he collected the pictures – the first tangible evidence of her visions. Until now, the children in them had faces but no names. That kept them in the realm of being almost imaginary, as if she hadn't really seen them. Now there was no refuting the facts. She pointed at the one. "What's his name?" she asked, suddenly needing to know.
He narrowed his gaze, considering what he'd been asked. "Eric. Eric Mason."
That fit, sort of. "These kids I see, were they all murdered?"
He shook his head. "Not necessarily. Spirits can stay here for many reasons. It's possible you are connected to any child that is lost."
That made her feel better.
A sudden smile brightened Kevin's face. "There was one good thing that happened this morning."
At her sudden interest, he nodded smugly and said, "Yup, I talked to Stefan."
"He's awake?" she asked, jumping out of her chair and reaching for her purse. "Let's go!"
But Kevin didn't move. "No, he's not awake."
Confused, she moved to stand in front of him. "But you spoke to him?"
"Yes, but only telepathically." Kevin slowly stood up and stretched, the envelope in hand.
"How is he?" She studied the fleeting nuances on his face.
"He's fine. Very tired and he'll need several more days of rest – but considering what he's been through, he sounded okay. He wants to speak with you." He walked to the office door before glancing over at her. "Aren't you coming?"
She preceded him out of the building.
"Don't you have to lock up or something?"
"I hope someone steals it all," she snapped. "It would serve Rick right."
***
Once inside the hospital, they came face to face with Scott's beautiful Moira.
"Hello, Moira." Alexis walked up to her and held out her hand. "We haven't been introduced but I'm—"
"Alexis. Scott's bin telling me about ye." The Scottish woman smiled a friendly greeting. The two women shook hands. Moira turned to Kevin. "Good day to ye again, Detective Sutherland."
"Hello, Moira. How's our patient?"
"He's the same. No change as far as I know. You're welcome to go and visit." She waved them in the direction of the room, then grabbed her charts and headed down the hall.
Stefan lay in the same position as when Alexis'd last seen him.
"He looks better." A wealth of satisfaction wove through Kevin's voice.
"Does he?" Alexis studied the prone body, curiously. "He doesn't look any different to me."
Kevin glanced at her in amusement. "That's because you're looking with your eyes."
Embarrassed to be reminded, Alexis checked out Stefan's energy. It was much stronger, a smooth, calm whiteness that spoke of peace and gentleness. It wasn't back to its full vibrancy, but if he continued to improve he wouldn't need to be here too much longer. "He's pretty vulnerable like this, isn't he?"
Her wording caught his attention. "He wasn't attacked or anything. I doubt he's in danger here. Are you picking up something?"
"No. Not really. He just looks so vulnerable." She walked closer to the bed, taking up Stefan's fine artistic hand. His skin was warm and smooth with a healthy pink color. She curled the long fingers around hers, as if he were grasping her hand on his own.
You don't need touch to know that we're together.
Alexis laughed aloud. "Now that's where you're wrong. I do; it's you who doesn't need to touch."
Nonsense. If you'd wanted to, you could have spoken to me anytime. You just need more confidence in your abilities.
Alexis listened to Stefan's warm, teasing voice in her head. She lifted his hand and dropped a kiss on the knuckles. "It's good to hear your voice again."
Not half as good as it is to hear yours. Are you okay after your trip in to find me?
Alexis smiled at what already seemed like a week-old memory. "I am, and thanks for showing me some of your much more advanced skills."
No problem. I thought I could accomplish something over there. But I overestimated my abilities.
"Or you just burned up faster than normal because it was new, and a more difficult attempt than anythi
ng else you'd done." Alexis backed up a bit. "At least, I find things go better on the second attempt."
I needed you here to warn you. This bastard checks in on you all the time.
What! Kevin's voice ripped through Alexis's mental space, making her wince at the tone and volume. Damn, that hurt.
You heard me.
"In what way is he watching?" Alexis asked curiously. Just what was this asshole capable of? "And why?"
He likes to know where you are, what you're doing. Not only on an energy level. He's often out physically keeping an eye on you.
That sent shivers down her spine. A stalker. That added a whole new dimension of creepy to this mess. "But why? Why me?"
He's scared of you, of what you can do to hurt him.
Alexis was stunned. "I can hardly do anything compared to you. Even Kevin's abilities exceed mine."
"I'm not so sure about that," Kevin said quietly. "You don't realize how far you've come and just how many areas you've just barely touched on…so far."
It had never occurred to her that her abilities might worry a predator. It wasn't something she even wanted to think about. Stefan overrode her worries with a completely different observation.
It's your ability to communicate with his victims that disturbs him. He's afraid of what they could tell you. Stefan's voice became even fainter. Information that will give him away.
"Why? It's not like they've told me anything useful. Why would he start worrying now?"
"Actually, you've helped quite a lot," Kevin said. "You're the one who pinpointed the license plate that allowed us to rescue the child. And it was you who recognized that Stefan was in trouble."
He knows he was careless in the beginning, before he learned to hide his tracks. He's scared you might find something from back then that could give him away.
Alexis didn't know what to think.
For whatever reason, those that passed at his hand are contacting you. Stefan's voice weakened, became thin and reedy. His ability to converse was almost gone.
Kevin stepped in to take control of the conversation. Stefan, is this why you asked to see Alexis, or is there something else?
She…she needs to meet the rookies. With that, Stefan's voice faded into the distance, leaving a blank emptiness in the room.
CHAPTER 21
"Rookies?" Alexis was puzzled. She looked to Kevin for understanding. "What did he mean?"
"Come on, let's go. I'll explain on the way." He gently untangled Stefan's hands from hers, tugging her toward the hallway. Outside, they headed for the parking lot, almost running.
Kevin slid into the driver's side and started up the engine. Without saying anything, he pulled out of the lot and drove through the main part of town. The sun shone heavy in the late afternoon sky, giving everything a wavy, surreal look as glimpses of it flashed by. Suspicious, Alexis studied Kevin's sassy grin. He was up to something.
While she contemplated just what that could be, Kevin pulled up to a Chinese restaurant. Alexis started to get out, but he stopped her.
"I'll go in and pick it up."
Surprised at that, she watched him exit the truck then come back a few minutes later with the food. Takeout worked. They needed to talk, and he'd said it was easier to do that at home. This probably meant his home, given the circumstances. But he continued to surprise her as he drove through town and headed on out again. With rising delight, Alexis realized where they were headed.
Relief, greater than she could have imagined, settled inside her as Kevin turned onto the well-worn dirt road leading to his lakefront property. She needed this, had craved it even. The natural surroundings filled her with peace, and not only because of the memories of their passionate interlude. Simply said, the beauty of the place suited her soul.
Once there, they parked and got out. The layers of tension dropped off as they made their way to the water's edge. Alexis sighed happily as she dropped down onto a flat rock and divested herself of shoes and socks.
"Brrr." The water chilled her hot, sore feet. She couldn't ignore the impulse to roll up her jeans and let her toes dangle in the water. Dropping her jacket on the rock behind her, she proceeded to use it as a pillow.
"Oh, this feels so good." Alexis moaned in delight. She even went so far as to pull her tank top up to her ribs and loosen the button on her jeans.
"Don't let me stop you from stripping down to the skin. Have a swim if you want."
"Nope, don't want to, but neither do I feel like moving again for a while. Do you mind bringing dinner over here?" Alexis never even opened her eyes as she spoke, but seconds later she heard him approach with the rustle of the paper bags. The rich aroma of Chinese food caused her stomach to growl, loudly announcing its neglected state to a very amused Kevin.
"Dinner is served, m'lady."
"Uhmmm," she murmured sleepily, refusing to move.
"Eat first, nap later." Kevin opened the various tubs and boxes.
She rolled over and reached for the plate he held out. It was the perfect picnic.
Working through her dinner, she realized that Stefan's continued improvement had given her peace of mind. She couldn't imagine moving forward with this psychic stuff without him. Besides he'd claimed a spot in her heart, too.
How quickly she'd adjusted to this new reality. She munched on her dinner thoughtfully. She hadn't given much thought to her future since Lissa's passing. At the time, she felt her continuous existence was a punishment, not a gift.
For the first time in a year, she understood just how many gifts she'd been given. It was sobering to realize how long she'd walked around in a fog of grief. Lissa's death may have been the reason, but it was no excuse to continue.
"Heavy thoughts again, huh? You're the darnedest one for those."
She eyed him wryly. "It's that time of life for me."
"You're too young to have a mid-life crisis. So what's the issue here?" Kevin's voice took on a coaxing tone. "Come on, spill the beans."
"I've already lived a lifetime in many ways. If I want to have a mid-mid-life crisis, I will," she said in a light voice. "Actually, I've decided it's time to move."
Kevin straightened at her unexpected announcement. "You mentioned something like that before. But where?" he asked cautiously.
"I don't know yet, but I know I need a change," she mused. "Being here makes me realize how a space can improve or dampen a state of mind. My apartment's doing nothing for me. I need a welcoming space again. Maybe I'll start my business back up, or start a different one. I need to think on it a bit more. Do I keep my job, go to part time or find something different altogether?" She watched him fill his plate for the second time. "Suggestions?"
"Don't make a major change until this mess is cleared up," he advised. "Everything is out of whack for you right now."
"This isn't a new idea." She gazed over the sparkling pools of water, glistening in front of them. The cooler evening, combined with the slight breeze off the water, dampened any desire she might have had to swim. Even so, the amazing view soothed her aching soul. It was such a spectacular view that healing energy literally surged through her, leaving peace and contentment in its wake.
"I need something like this. There's been so much pain and sorrow in my life to date. This..." She motioned with her arms. "Or something like this would help me heal when I come home." She could tell from his face that he understood what she was trying to say. "My heart needs a place to rest and rejuvenate."
"That's partly why I'm building here. Some days, because of my job, I feel like I have nothing more to give." He stared down at his half-eaten food. "The things I've seen..." He shook his head. "Many evenings, I've driven out here to just sit and forget." He smiled with deep understanding. "It makes the rest of what I do, easier to deal with."
Alexis stood up suddenly and brushed her pants off. "I thought about contacting a real estate agent to see if there is something comparable out there. Preferably with a house already standing on it." She surveye
d the area. "Are there any trails to walk here?" She slid a teasing sidelong glance at him. "You never did show me around the last time we were here."
He got up, grinning at her lighthearted reminder. "There were more pressing issues then. Let's go this way and I'll show you my world."
***
The hospital visiting hours were winding down. Slowly, groups of people made their way to exits all over the vast building. It had been an ordinary evening for most people. It was a welcome chance to say 'hi' to loved ones, and bring them something to brighten their stay.
Dressed casually, the tall, slim man walked through the hallways. He knew how the system worked here. The nurses tended to ignore the comings and goings at this hour, for they knew that visitors could be the bright spot in the day for the people forced to stay behind. If there were one or two laggards coming in during the evenings, anyone with half a heart turned a blind eye for a little bit longer. Their rounds would start soon enough and then they could chase the last stragglers out the door. So, finding someone walking around the halls past visiting hour, wasn't exactly a suspicious event.
Which was unfortunate.
He strode down the halls with purpose. As he passed the nurses' station, he didn't even receive a questioning glance. Perfect.
There was a large set of metal shelves at the far end of the hall. Both clean laundry and dirty laundry sat heaped in their respective places. As he approached, he saw a white lab coat tossed over the edge of the 'dirty bin.' Without a thought, he snagged it up, and quickly put it on.
Look at that, it wasn't even a bad fit. If not knowing who'd worn it, or where, made his skin crawl, he ignored that. It was necessary and he'd be damned if he'd turn down the unexpected gift.
When he reached the correct door, he glanced about surreptitiously, and saw the hallway was empty. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was empty but for the single occupant. It appeared to be the right man. Tonight's visit was all about removing what could be a potential problem. It didn't matter so much if he killed the wrong man, but if he left the right man alive because of uncertainty, that would be a serious error in judgment.