by Anne Patrick
His eyes widened, "You saw him?"
"Yes. He brought her here in a van; her body was wrapped in a blue tarp. He carried her down here through the woods and placed her here against this tree. He carries the string in a plastic bag in his right pocket."
"You're freaking me out here, Jo." He turned and walked down the slope, his hands burrowed in the pockets of his uniform slacks.
His reaction was all too familiar. In ten years experience, she could count on one hand the number of people who she'd told who weren't afraid of her ability. She had hoped Austin would be added to that number. But watching him now, his refusal to face her, she had her doubts. Not bothering to acknowledge his reaction, she left him to his thoughts and returned through the woods to his Jeep Cherokee.
Jo found the vehicle locked and she was improving her aim by throwing rocks at a nearby pop can when he returned.
He unlocked her door. "Why didn't you wait for me?"
"I was freaking you out, remember," she snapped, not bothering to mask her feelings. His reaction had hurt her; she'd hoped he was going to be different than the other men she had trusted with her secret.
His gaze held hers momentarily. Then, with a shake of his head he walked around the SUV and climbed in. "Do you want me to drop you off at your motel or do you have somewhere else you need to go?"
"No. The motel's fine."
Neither spoke on the way back into town. It wasn't until he'd pulled into the motel parking lot that he even acknowledged her presence. "You still up for tomorrow?" he asked, reminding her of her earlier suggestion of returning to Portland to see the other victims.
"That's what I'm here for."
"I need to go into the office for a while, so it'll be around ten before I can pick you up."
"Okay." She got out of the car and headed to her room.
"Hey, Jo."
She turned to see him leaning out the window.
"You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied before entering her room.
*****
A hot shower and carry out pizza did little to ease the tension of the day. After turning on the television and finding nothing interesting, she decided a run was her only option. After slipping into a pair of shorts, a sports bra, and long sleeved sweatshirt, she did her stretches, locked her motel room and took off running toward the center of town.
The sun was just beginning to set, the streets emptying of the day's tourists, the locals either retiring to their porches to enjoy the cool northern breeze or mowing their yards. Almost everyone she passed spoke or waved in greeting and it reminded Jo of the friendly atmosphere the town had always shown to strangers, and how safe and secure she'd felt living there.
The steady rhythm of her feet slapping against the pavement coincided with the pounding of her heart, and slowly, the tension began to fade.
She'd first taken up running in junior high, mostly to steal some of the attention away from Billy, a star football player throughout high school. Her father, consumed mostly in his work, had little time to spare for either of their sporting events. It didn't matter though, by the time she'd reached high school, track had taken a backseat to the new star quarterback of Claremont High.
Kyle Freeman. Geez, she hadn't thought of him in years. He'd transferred midterm from Santa Barbara his sophomore year, and within a month, had acquired a name for himself, not only in football but also in every girl's diary. Including Jo's. He'd reminded her of a young John Elway. They'd started dating that summer and were inseparable even after he'd accepted a full scholarship to Washington State. They undoubtedly would have gotten married if he hadn't been killed in a tragic car accident his freshman year, an event which forever changed Jo's life. In the course of a day she'd gone from a rebellious teenager to a woman with a mission.
When Jo passed the high school she remembered her freshman year, and how horrified she'd been at the thought of her mother taking up teaching again. As it turned out, though, she'd been a hit with Jo's classmates who had her as their history teacher, and it was that experience that brought her closer to her mother, at least until Jo had decided to change careers.
She was near the main part of town when she saw Slim leaving the sheriff's office and quickened her pace to catch up to him.
"Don't tell me you do that for enjoyment?" he commented as she came to a halt at the front of his patrol car.
She reached over and patted his belly that hung over his utility belt. "You should try it sometime," she replied in labored breaths.
"Get in the car, smart aleck, and I'll buy you dinner at Bertha's."
"Done ate…carry out pizza…could go for a glass of iced tea, though."
"And a piece of coconut pie?"
"No pie, just tea." She stretched the screaming muscles in her calves and thighs.
"Well get in then, I only have a half hour for dinner break."
"I've still got a mile. I'll meet you there in a few minutes."
He nodded, then she took off back toward the park.
Caught by a train going through town it was closer to ten minutes when she arrived at the restaurant to find Slim already digging into his cheeseburger.
"It's about time. I thought maybe you'd got run over or something." He pushed a glass of iced tea towards her. "Here, you look like you could use this."
Jo collapsed in the booth across from him and downed half the glass of iced tea in one gulp.
"So how was your trip to Salt Lake City today?"
"We met with the parents, then dropped their blood samples off with the victim's bone marrow at the field office. We should hear something in a few days."
"Sure hope they're a match. We could use a break on the case."
"I didn't get any faxes today, did I?" Jo asked, hoping Lindsey was putting in her usual overtime.
"No. You expecting one?" he asked, just as a teenage waitress appeared with a piece of coconut cream pie and a pitcher of iced tea.
Jo shoved her glass forward for a refill, then waited till the girl had walked off before answering; "I'm expecting the results on the urine sample I sent to Washington on our latest victim."
"I'll keep an eye out for it and let you know. You still staying at the Motel 6?"
She smiled at his hidden inquiry. "If she wants to talk to me, she has my number. I check my messages daily."
"She's your mother, Jo, and she's getting on in years."
"Are you kidding? She'll probably out live me."
"Stuff happens. You know that as well as I do. You should go see her, Jo, make amends."
"It's not that simple."
"You know the last couple of years, before your daddy died, there was hardly a week that went by that he didn't bring some newspaper clipping about you into the office and show it around. He may have never said it, but he was very proud of you."
"Yeah, well he had a funny way of showing it."
"You could have picked up the telephone just as easily as he could."
"Let's not get into this, okay?"
"All I'm saying is ten years is a long time to carry around a grudge. Don't blame your momma for something that wasn't her fault. Go see her Jo, before it's too late."
"I'll think about it."
"Fair enough. Now eat your pie." He pushed the large helping of dessert towards her.
"I didn't just run six miles so I could put those calories back on in a matter of seconds."
"You're as thin as a post. What are you worrying about calories for?"
"Because I want to live long enough to enjoy my retirement."
He shook his head and drew the plate toward him. "You don't know what you're missing."
She laughed as he placed a heaping spoonful in his mouth. He closed his eyes and gave a deep moan of satisfaction. "You keep that up, you'll be finishing your meal by yourself."
"All right, I'll stop," he promised. "So what do you think of our sheriff?"
Jo shrugged her shoulder. "He seems competent enough."
>
"That isn't what I meant, Jo. Is work all you ever think about?"
"My work pretty much fills up my life. To answer your question, though, I guess he's okay. He doesn't offer much about himself."
"He is somewhat of a loner. Have you met his daughter?"
"You make it sound like we're dating, Slim."
"Well, you two did have dinner together last night."
"How did you know we had dinner together?"
"You forget how small Claremont is, Jo. People have nothing else to do but talk."
"And the sheriff and I was today's topic?"
"Pretty much. So have you met his daughter?"
"No, I haven't met his daughter. I barely know him."
"She's a good kid, you'll like her."
"I like most of the people I meet, excluding the ones I help track down of course."
"You need to get yourself a life, Jo. You need to get yourself a man."
"I don't need a man, and I do have a life. One I enjoy very much, thank you."
"I don't know, I think a man might help to take that edge off you."
"Isn't your break over with yet? I know it's been more than half an hour."
With a chuckle, he pulled out his billfold and placed a ten on the table. "Can I give you a lift back to the motel?"
"No, thanks. I think I'll run." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the tea."
"You're welcome. Thanks for the company. And don't forget to call your momma."
Slim's comments lingered on Jo's mind on her run back to the motel. Deep down she knew he was right. Ten years was too long to carry a grudge. Though she had done well pretending that the estrangement from her family didn't weigh heavily on her mind, the truth was, it did. If it weren't for her pride, she would have tried to mend the relationship with her mother and brother a long time ago.
Jo recalled a sermon she'd heard in church as a kid; the pastor had declared pride one of Satan's most powerful weapons in his arsenal. It didn't seem fair though that she be expected to make the first move. If they had understood anything about her, they'd have known she would have come home if she'd been able to.
Memories of that day began to filter through her mind. Horrible images of small bodies, the sense of pure evil, terror like she'd never known, played out in her mind.
Don't go there. It's over, done with.
But she knew it wasn't over. There was a fine line between sanity and insanity, a breaking point where a person loses their grasp on reality. She had reached hers two years ago, the day of her father's funeral, and the fear of going back to that dark place in her mind would always be with her.
She shook the disturbing memories from her mind and ran faster, her thoughts shifting to what lie ahead of her. She wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. She recalled the look on Austin's face after her vision, the disbelief in his eyes. He too thought she was crazy, and that saddened her. She liked him, and for the first time in a long time, she found herself wondering what it would be like to have a normal relationship with a man again. Someone who understood her, understood what she did, and supported her. Was that too much to ask?
CHAPTER NINE
As promised, Austin arrived shortly before ten o'clock the following morning. Though his mood seemed somewhat lighter, Jo continued to sense a change in him. The casual banter they'd shared the past two days seemed inappropriate now, as he appeared almost somber. As much as it bothered her, she knew she couldn't afford to dwell on it. She'd need her strength with the other victims.
Jo was relieved when they arrived at the morgue and were informed Brad had been called out of town. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty at her behavior toward him the past two days, knowing she couldn't really blame him for being offended by her interference. Had she been in his shoes she'd probably be upset too. She had a job to do, though, and women's lives were at stake.
Ted Frasier, Brad's assistant, set aside one of the autopsy rooms, as a viewing area for Jo, so that she wouldn't be interrupted. Taking a moment to gather her strength she turned to Austin, who stood nearby. "You're free to wait out here."
"I'd like to be present."
"Suit yourself, but I can't have you interfering."
"I won't."
At his promise, Jo entered the autopsy room and stared at the three bodies a few feet apart from one another. Sucking in a deep breath and exhaling, she stepped slowly to the first body, Jane Doe number two. The moment she took the woman's hand, she immediately thought of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and had to force the image from her mind. After several tries, she finally succeeded.
Her mind clear now, she waited. A luxuriously carpeted hallway came into view. Doors with gold-plated numbers skidded past. It wasn't but a few seconds before she began to feel a creepy sensation that soon turned into fear. She then started to feel dizzy and disoriented, followed by the feeling she was paralyzed. The fear raged as she saw a piece of thin white cord come toward her, and as it tightened around her neck, she felt herself struggling against him subconsciously with a desperate will to live. She fought until she felt the blood vessels in her neck start to give way and the beat of her heart slowly cease. There was an extreme sadness that followed, not so much for herself, but for those she'd left behind and she was angered they'd have to experience such grief.
Jo's eyes filled with tears as she shared those emotions. She forced the vision from her mind, tried to regain her composure, and moved on to the next body.
The third and fourth victims showed strength as well as a desperate desire to live. With the fourth victim, Jo experienced a greater sadness than with the others, greater responsibilities and a deep sense of regret. Tears filled her eyes again as she shared the woman's guilt for leaving her loved ones behind. Completely drained emotionally, and exhausted physically, Jo fought her way back to the present.
"Well?" Austin asked as she stepped away from the last victim.
"Not yet," she barely managed. "I want to go back to the last dump site first, then the third one. I don't need to see Stephanie's." She'd told Jo all she could. It was up to the others now.
*****
They drove in silence to the location Jo had visited shortly after her arrival. As she'd done the day before, Jo stepped to the spot where the body had first been found. Kneeling beside the flagged area, she positioned herself against the tree and closed her eyes. It wasn't but a few minutes and a vision came to mind.
She watched as the killer carried the victim in a blue tarp through the woods to the tree. He carefully unwrapped the body and positioned it against the large trunk. As he placed the victim's hands palms down at her sides, he recoiled momentarily as if frightened, then quickened his pace.
Jo pushed the image from her mind and rose. A wave of nausea quickly overwhelmed her and she placed her hand against the tree for support. The moment she touched the rough surface a feeling of extreme hatred came over her, so intense it frightened her. It was an experience she had felt before, on many occasions, only not so soon into a journey.
She'd just been introduced to the killer.
"You okay?" Austin's voice startled her. He offered her a handkerchief.
Jo took it and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yes. Just give me a minute." She forced herself to take slow even breaths, praying all along she wouldn't vomit in front of him. 'Come on there's only one more. You can do it,' she prodded herself. 'One more and you can go back to your motel and puke all night in the privacy of your own room.'
She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of the forest around her, gaining new strength. "Okay, let's go."
*****
It seemed like they hadn't gone but a couple of miles when Austin pulled the Jeep Cherokee to a halt. As with all the dumpsites, a yellow crime scene tape roped off the entrance from the highway and Jo wondered how many people with a morbid curiosity had already ventured into the area; some purely snooping, others driven by the need to understand why such unspeakable acts take place.
Nothing happened.
Jo shifted her position against the tree. Again, nothing happened.
Something wasn't right.
Confused, she turned to Austin, who stood several feet away, his eyes fixed on her every move. "I'm not getting anything, are you sure this is the right spot?"
He nodded and buried his hands in his uniform slacks.
Jo closed her eyes again and thought of nothing but the victim. Still, there was nothing. "I don't understand it." She looked up at Austin. "The vision was so strong back at the morgue. The fear. The anger. She was like the others."
"Maybe you're just tired." He shifted his position, barely looking at her now. "You've had a long day."
Jo stood. She hated the thought of giving up but knew he was probably right. "I guess we could come back tomorrow."
He gave no reply as he turned and started back up the hill.
Jo glanced around her surroundings. All the dumpsites were similar in appearance, all were well-traveled areas near the highway, but something that was identical in all of them was the fact the bodies had been placed at the end of a steep decline, and none showed evidence that the body was dragged. In her visions, the killer was seen carrying them, which meant their guy probably works out to keep in shape.
Jo was about to point out her theory when she picked up on something familiar. She glanced around at the different trees; most were either oak or pine. Taking a circular path she searched the clearing and it wasn't long till the feelings grew stronger. Stopping at a tree several yards from the one Austin had pointed out, the emotions became stronger. She knelt at its trunk and a familiar vision came to mind.
Her stomach churned violently as she struggled with the emotions of all the victims: their fear, their anguish, their desperate yet silent pleas for their lives. Unable to take any more she attempted to stand, but the overwhelming nausea halted any further movement and before she knew it, she was vomiting, the day's events taking their toll.