“Now, no one knew much about Aaron except that he talked to himself and had scars on his wrists from being strapped down at whatever hospital he was most recently kept at,” I continued. “Mental health in Michigan underwent quite the upheaval in the years right before that happened and a lot of people were turned out on the streets.
“Aaron was quiet and kept to himself most of the time,” I said. “No one knew his story … until one night Big Joey told him he couldn’t stand next to the fire and Aaron decided he was done doing what Big Joey wanted.
“Aaron might have been small, but he was terrifying,” I said. “He knocked Big Joey out, threatened anyone who tried to come near him with a knife, and then drove spikes through Big Joey’s wrists and ankles … just like what I saw on Katie Dobbins’ body. They were almost identical marks.”
Walker pursed his lips. “Do you know why he did that?”
“No, but I figured out why when I woke the next morning and saw Big Joey’s body hanging off the side of the bridge. He used the holes to run rope through the wounds and strung him up like a marionette.”
“But … why?”
“To serve as a message,” I replied. “He wanted everyone to know there was a new sheriff in town.”
“What happened then?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea. I got out of there as soon as I could and found a different park to live in. There’s crazy … and then there’s crazy.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Walker tucked his notepad in his pocket. “I doubt very much the cause of death was accidental. That doesn’t mean I’m willing to theorize on it right now.”
I saw another flash in his mind and this time I forced the fissure wider so I could see what he was really hiding. I almost reeled back at the images, but I managed to hold my footing with a little help from Kade, who wrapped his arm around my waist to lend me a bit of his strength.
Walker furrowed his brow. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Well, that was an interesting story.” Walker forced a smile. “I’ll keep it in mind and ask the medical examiner if someone could have been trying to hang the body. If that’s all … .”
Kade opened his mouth to argue, but I offered up an almost imperceptible shake of my head to still him. Now was not the time. He caught on to my non-verbal cue and instead returned Walker’s tight smile. “I guess we’ll see you around.”
“I’m certain you will.”
KADE WAITED UNTIL WE WERE far enough away that there was no risk of Walker hearing before questioning me.
“First, that was a horrible story and I’m glad we both stuffed our faces with endless piles of food tonight because otherwise I would have to take you someplace and fill you with warm soup right now,” he said. “Second, what did you see in his head? I know you saw something.”
“Katie’s is the third body found. They have at least fifteen other missing girls – the ones we saw on the bulletin board – and Walker is convinced more than that are missing. Apparently the mayor doesn’t want people to think this is an unsafe area, so he’s forcing the cops to rule most of the missing person cases as runaways even though there’s no evidence to support that.”
“That’s … not unexpected.” Kade slid a strand of hair behind my ear. “What else did you see?”
“All three bodies were marked the same way Katie was.”
“And you think it’s because someone wanted to string her up?”
“Or tie her down so she couldn’t move,” I replied. “I lied a little bit at the end there because I didn’t want to draw things out. I did hear what happened to Aaron after Big Joey’s death. It was the talk of the streets for a month straight.”
Kade grimaced. “I’m almost afraid to hear it. If you think the rest of the story was okay to tell and this last part somehow isn’t, it must be bad.”
“It is.” I swallowed hard. “There was this girl under the bridge named Crystal. She was mentally ill, too. She needed medication to balance her moods, but she couldn’t get it. When we left the bridge, we tried to get her to go with us, but she wouldn’t. She didn’t do well with change, got confused and lost easily.”
Kade ran his hand over the top of my hair to smooth it, perhaps sensing the story couldn’t possibly have a happy ending. “And what happened to Crystal?”
“Aaron thought she was too loud and active. He didn’t like her, so he decided to keep her quiet while tying her down,” I replied. “He put the same holes in her wrists and ankles and tried to use wire to pin her down. Apparently she lived twenty-four hours like that because he missed her major arteries by going in at those locations.”
“Oh, geez.” Kade pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t see it. I only heard about it.”
“And yet it tortured you all the same.” He pulled me in for a hug. “I still kind of want to feed you. How do you feel about dessert?”
I chuckled at his determination. “If I eat another thing I’ll throw up. Instead, how about you promise to buy me ice cream tomorrow and we head home? I’m tired … and I want to run everything I saw in Walker’s mind through my head. I might’ve missed something.”
“I doubt you did.”
“He thinks they have a serial killer,” I supplied. “He thinks that all the girls are dead and were dumped in the ocean. They simply lucked out when the three washed to shore.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure the answer is as easy as he wants to believe it is.”
“Then we’ll find the truth.” Kade released me and linked his fingers with mine as we turned back toward the circus grounds, pulling up short when Paige and Melissa popped into view.
The two young women, each clutching an ice cream cone, stood about twenty feet away as they watched the police officers and medical examiner work. As if sensing my presence, Melissa slowly turned her eyes in my direction.
“What’s going on?” Melissa asked nervously.
“The girl from earlier today, the one who went missing, she washed up on the beach,” Kade replied. “She’s dead.”
“Oh.” Melissa’s voice was barely audible. “I guess she didn’t take off after all, huh?”
“No.” Kade glanced at me and then squared his shoulders. “You should come back to the circus grounds with us. We’re calling it a night.”
Melissa looked as if that was the last thing she wanted, and when she turned to Paige to see what the other girl thought of the idea Paige merely rolled her eyes.
“I’m not in the mood to go back,” Melissa said. “It’s not as if we’re in danger. We’re together, so … I think I’ll stick with Paige.”
“But … .”
Kade shook his head to cut me off. “She’s an adult. She wants to be treated like an adult.”
“Yeah, she’s an adult,” Paige echoed, her voice so high and girly it was like nails on a chalkboard. “She doesn’t need a mommy.”
I ground my teeth to keep from lashing out.
“We’re going back.” Kade squeezed my hand as we started walking. “Be safe. I expect you to be on time for work tomorrow morning, Melissa. If that’s not part of your plan, don’t bother showing up at all.”
Melissa’s eyes widened. “Are you firing me?”
Kade shook his head. “No, I’m treating you like an adult. Adults have to turn up to work on time. You haven’t been on time for work since … well … ever. You don’t want to be treated like a kid. Congratulations, you’re officially an adult. That means you’re responsible for your own actions.”
“I’ll be on time,” Melissa said. “I won’t be late. You don’t need to worry. I can handle myself.”
“Oh, I’m not worried.” Kade’s tone was breezy. “If you’re late, we’ll simply replace you. You wouldn’t believe the stack of applications we get every week from people who want to join our outfit. It’s not as if you’ll be hard to replace.”
Meliss
a balked. “I’m not just any worker.”
“No, but you’re hardly special given the group we’ve already put together,” I said. “Kade’s right. Be on time tomorrow or don’t bother coming at all. Do you understand?”
Melissa mutely nodded.
“Great.” I turned my full attention to Kade. “Believe it or not, now I think I could eat some ice cream.”
“You read my mind.”
12
Twelve
Kade wrapped himself around me so tightly when we climbed into bed that I thought he might squeeze the life out of me. Neither of us were in the mood to frolic – stumbling across a dead teenager on the beach basically kills the idea of romance – but I was grateful he was close because I thought I might need his proximity to beat back the nightmares.
As if sensing my worry, Kade rolled behind me and pressed his body flush against mine. He kissed the back of my neck and gathered me close, not moving the entire night and serving as something of an anchor.
I did dream, but the fear was nowhere near as overwhelming compared to the previous night, and it allowed me the chance to explore the nightmare landscape rather than run from it. I woke with the odd giggling echoing in my ear and a sense of dread coursing through my stomach. I wasn’t alone, though, and Kade’s breath was warm on my ear as I stirred.
“Morning,” Kade murmured, kissing the ridge of my ear and causing a chill to shoot down my spine. “How did you sleep?”
“Okay.” That wasn’t a lie. “The dolls were back, but … I wasn’t as afraid of them this time.”
“Why do you think that is?” Kade moved my hair away from my neck so he could rest his chin on my shoulder.
“I think it was you being close.”
“I think that was a good answer, but you don’t need to placate me.”
“I’m not placating you. I honestly think that.” I rolled to face him, smirking when he nudged up my leg so we could snuggle. “I felt you the entire night and somehow I knew I wasn’t alone. It was weird. I mean … I was in a different place and yet I knew you were there.”
“I don’t want you to ever feel alone.” Kade was earnest. “That story you told last night … .”
I cut him off. “It doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago.”
“It matters to me. I didn’t even know things like that were real until you told the story. I was so angry when I found out about Max being my father that I convinced myself no one had ever suffered as much as me.”
“That was jarring for you.”
“Yeah, but it was hardly the end of the world. You lived on the streets after both of your parents died when you were a kid. The freaking streets!” His eyes went so wide it was almost comical. “They weren’t just any streets either. They were streets in Detroit. You’re lucky to be alive.”
“I think you’re being a bit dramatic, but I get what you’re saying … and I appreciate it.”
He opened his mouth to say something more, but I waved him off. If we weren’t careful, this would turn into something of a mutual admiration society and we’d lose the entire morning. “The truth is, I had an edge over the other kids who were out there. I could read minds and safely steal to survive.”
“You still slept under a bridge.”
“I did, but I managed to get out. How many of the people I knew back then do you think are still out there?” I involuntarily shuddered. “Even worse, how many do you think are still alive?”
“Poet, I don’t like this conversation.” Kade made a face as he kissed my forehead and stroked the back of my head. “It makes me uncomfortable.”
“Good. It makes me uncomfortable, too.” I forced a bright smile. “Are you up for breakfast?”
Kade knew I was purposely changing the subject, but he didn’t fight the effort. “I could eat. It’s funny, after all the food we chowed down on last night I thought we’d never eat again. Now I’m actually hungry.”
As if on cue, his stomach growled, causing us both to burst out laughing.
“I’m a little hungry, too,” I admitted, tilting up my chin. “We should probably check on Melissa before stuffing our faces.”
Kade didn’t overtly react, but I felt an agitated ripple run up his flank.
“We’re not checking on her,” Kade said after a beat. “I told her to be on time for work. If she’s not, she’s fired.”
I balked. “I thought you were just threatening her to threaten her.”
“That’s not really how I roll.”
“But … she’s a kid.”
Kade cocked a challenging eyebrow. “Is she? I thought she was an adult. That’s what she’s been whining about. It’s time we treated her like one.”
He was obviously agitated, although I couldn’t figure out why. “Did she say something to you yesterday when I wasn’t around?”
Kade shook his head. “No. That doesn’t mean I’m happy with her.”
“But … she’s young. You make mistakes when you’re young.” I had no idea why I was standing up for Melissa. I was sick of her mouth and attitude. Still, I remembered what it was like to be that age and make a mistake. It felt as if the world was ending. That’s not what I wanted for Melissa. “I don’t think she should have to pay for a mistake for the rest of her life.”
“No, but she needs to learn from her mistakes,” Kade countered. “She wants to be treated like an adult. That’s what she says even though, in reality, she really wants to be treated like a kid. She wants all of us to bow down and treat her as if she’s special. Well, she’s not special.”
“She is, though,” I hedged. “She has a gift. She might be stronger than me when it comes to some of her abilities.”
“I don’t believe that, but it’s hardly important. She needs to learn respect. You went out of your way for her. You invited her along. Heck, you’ve been trying to come up with something to keep her mentally engaged during circus showings because she wants something of her own to do. You didn’t have to do any of that.”
“No, but … .”
Kade shook his head. “I grew up privileged, or at least not wanting. You clearly had some rough years. I don’t think Melissa understands what it’s like to suffer, even though she acts as if she’s suffering now. I’m not going to put up with it. She needs to face some consequences.”
I licked my lips, uncertain. “But you can’t just abandon her here. I mean … she doesn’t know anyone. We’re all she has.”
Kade stared into my eyes, his expression unreadable. “You don’t want her to end up under a bridge.”
“No, it’s just … .”
“It’s okay.” Kade ran his thumb over my cheek. “I didn’t consider what you were really worried about. I wouldn’t just abandon her, Poet. But she needs to own up to her responsibilities. If she’s not on time for work, she’s fired. I’m holding firm on that. I won’t leave her here. I’ll arrange for her to get a flight home.”
Well, that at least was something. “She’s just going through something. She’ll get better.”
“You have a big and giving heart. I like that about you. She’s still an adult and she wants to be treated like one, so … she needs to suck it up.”
I pursed my lips and nodded. Apparently that made my mouth a target because Kade swooped in and gave me a kiss.
“I don’t want you worrying about this,” he said. “Melissa will either shape up or ship out. That’s something my mother used to say when I wouldn’t clean my room.” He adopted what I’m sure he considered a feminine voice. “‘You’re going to either shape up or ship out, Mister.’ She thought that was an original saying.”
“I’m sorry I never got the chance to meet her.” I meant it. “As for Melissa … .”
Kade pressed a finger to my lips to silence me. “We’re not going to argue about Melissa. It’s going to be okay. I need you to trust me on this.”
“I do.”
“Good.” Kade gave me another kiss. “So … where did we land on breakfast?�
�
“We should definitely have some.” I rolled to a sitting position and shifted my legs so they were hanging over the edge of the bed. “It’s kind of weird, huh?”
“What?”
“We went from deciding to move in together to having a teenage daughter almost overnight.”
Kade poked my side. “Don’t rush things. I want to enjoy living together before we even talk about stuff like that.”
His reaction gave me pause. “I’m not ready to just wash my hands of Melissa. I know you want me to be strong and do that tough love thing, but I can’t just abandon her.”
“You wouldn’t be who you are if you could. Don’t worry about it. I promise everything will be fine.”
I hoped he was right. I wasn’t sure I was equipped to deal with more than what was already on my plate.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR GROUP was already at the picnic table when we joined them. A quick look at Luke told me he was a little worse for wear – his eyes red-rimmed and his skin pale – and I instantly knew he’d been out carousing until late into the night.
“Hungover?”
Luke shot me a derisive look. “What do you think?”
I leaned closer so my hand brushed against his. He wasn’t interested in shielding his mind, so it was easy to get a glimpse. “It seems you, Nellie and Dolph had quite the night. How exactly did they talk you into going to a strip club?”
“It wasn’t all that hard,” Nellie said dryly, sipping his coffee as he offered a lazy grin. “I told him there were free drinks, good food and some really interesting body glitter designs. He was all for it.”
I patted Luke’s shoulder while making sympathetic sounds. “I’ll make you a big breakfast. How does that sound?”
“Like you’d better make sure I have sausage and bacon,” Luke replied, rubbing his forehead. “Seriously, I haven’t been this hungover since … I can’t even remember when.”
“I can.” Nellie hopped to his feet, his eyes sparkling. “I believe it was the morning after you did that keg stand last week.”
[Mystic Caravan Mystery 05.0] Freaky Places Page 11