“I’ll be there for her no matter what happens,” he said, and although he didn’t fully comprehend the burden that accompanied this promise, he meant what he said from the bottom of his heart.
“Good,” said Richard. “Josh, I’m sorry I was so aggressive with you. I lost my head, but I should have remembered you’re still extremely young. I think you’ve learned enough for one night. You should go back upstairs and check on your mom. I know you don’t trust me right now, but I promise to get Lisa back in one piece.”
Josh left the office and its odious occupants, but instead of returning to the intensive care unit where his mother continued to struggle for her life, he walked outside and wandered aimlessly among the landscaped paths that traversed the hospital grounds. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still veiled with clouds.
The more he thought about Lisa, the more he wanted to take matters into his own hands. It would be the simplest thing in the world to call the police and tell them what he knew about Graham, but he was afraid he would never see Lisa again if he did. Finally, as he surrendered to his own helplessness, guilt overwhelmed him. He sat down on a bench in the shadows and put his head in his hands.
∞∞∞
At the appointed time, Richard arrived at the park. Lisa’s father had given him detailed instructions about where to go. A damp wind was blowing in from the sea. Richard wrapped his tattered jacket more tightly around him. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to the encounter, but he was sure he would have the upper hand. Peterson was a worthy opponent, but Graham was not.
Finally, he saw a pair of headlights winding slowly along the road. They eventually stopped some distance away, and Graham emerged from the car. Not wanting Graham to recognize him right away, Richard turned his back on him and listened to him squelching through the puddles in the grass as he approached. He felt like seizing him by the throat and strangling him, but the opportunity to gather information about Peterson was too valuable to waste.
When Graham was only a few paces away, Richard stepped into the light. Graham yelped in surprise when he recognized him.
“You?” he said. “I didn’t expect—”
“I know,” said Richard. “You’ve gone too far this time, Graham.”
“You can’t threaten me,” said Graham, grinning at Richard despite the panic on his face. With his bloodshot eyes and slicked back hair, the effect was ghastly. “Something bad might happen to the little girl if you don’t watch your step.”
“Lisa?” said Richard. “Yes, her father mentioned something about her. Sadly for you, I’m ambivalent about her. If you’d grabbed one of my own grandchildren, we might’ve had something to talk about, but I’m not going to trade the notebook for Lisa’s inconsequential life. It’s just too valuable.”
Graham’s eyes widened.
“You’re having me on,” he said. “How can you be so heartless?”
“I’ve changed,” said Richard. “The only way to survive in this rotten world is to stop caring so much. What difference does it make to me if Lisa dies? She’s completely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Besides, it would be morally unconscionable for me to give you the notebook. You and your precious boss would start stacking up bodies as soon as you got your hands on it.”
Graham flinched.
“I see your point,” he said. “Of course. You’re an idealist, Richard. You feel obligated to protect the greater good. This is an unfortunate situation.” He began to fidget, and the distress on his face was palpable. “Poor Lisa. She doesn’t deserve this. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her, but you aren’t giving me much of a choice. You’re really going to make me kill her, aren’t you?”
“I’m not going to make you do anything,” said Richard. “It’s your decision, but it seems to me like you’re in over your head. I wonder how you’re planning to avoid the consequences. Lisa’s parents aren’t going to be very happy when they find out she’s dead. You must be planning to eliminate them, too.”
“Do you think that’s really necessary?” said Graham.
Richard shrugged.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t want to take any chances,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s all part of the game. Your boss probably has the details worked out already.”
“My boss doesn’t know,” said Graham. He became frantic, pacing up and down and wringing his hands. His voice shook. “I’m done for. What am I going to do? My future depends on that information. I’m not trying to cause grief for anyone. I don’t want Lisa to get hurt. I’m so worried about her.” He clutched Richard’s jacket. “You’re a genius. Think! There must be some sort of compromise that would be acceptable for both of us.”
“Maybe there is,” said Richard. He disentangled Graham. “Let’s forget about Lisa. Presumably, you’re in this fix because your boss wants information you don’t have. Well, I want information, too. I’ve got about a thousand questions I’d like to ask you. Why don’t we sit down like civilized people and talk? When we’re both satisfied, you’ll give Lisa to me and we’ll go our separate ways.”
Graham narrowed his eyes.
“You might not tell me the truth,” he said.
“In that case, you wouldn’t be any worse off than you are now,” said Richard. “Graham, on my honor, I’ll do my best to provide you with sufficient knowledge to make this agreement worth your while. Now, do we have a deal?”
“Okay, but I get to interrogate you first,” said Graham. For the first time since his arrival, he relaxed. “As a token of good faith, please come with me. It would be inexcusable for me to keep an old man such as yourself standing out here in the gloom. We’ll carry on this conversation in a more hospitable place.”
“Where are we going?” said Richard.
“Hamilton Estate,” said Graham with a smile. “My favorite place in the entire world. Owen isn’t expecting us, but I’m sure he won’t object. You’re worth the inconvenience. In fact, it’s an enormous honor to have such a distinguished guest. Perhaps I’ll take it upon myself to offer you a glass of wine.”
“Perhaps not,” said Richard.
They climbed into the car, and less than twenty minutes later, they found themselves standing before the imposing edifice of Hamilton Estate. The windows were dark, and water dripped off the moldy eaves. Graham pounded on the door until Owen appeared, wearing a robe and slippers.
“I apologize for interrupting your sleep,” said Graham with an ingratiating grin. “As you can see, my intrusion is completely justified. Richard and I have important business to conduct. We’ll be upstairs in George Hamilton’s study. Maybe you could bring us whatever you have lying about in the kitchen. We’re famished.”
He hurried upstairs before Owen could reply. Richard followed him. They went into the study. Graham sat down behind the desk in George Hamilton’s chair and gestured at Richard to make himself comfortable. Removing a pen from his pocket, he fixed Richard with a hypnotic stare and prepared to write.
∞∞∞
For the next hour, Graham questioned Richard about the drug. No detail escaped his attention, and when he finally put down his pen, Richard felt as if his brain had been turned inside out. He hadn’t intended to tell Graham anything useful, but he felt so drained that he couldn’t remember exactly what he had said. He was shocked by the extent of Graham’s knowledge about the drug, and more than a little worried that he had underestimated him. Graham leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his head.
“It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Richard,” he said. “I think you’ve held up your end of the bargain. Now, what would you like to know?”
Richard didn’t hesitate. Of all the mysterious things that remained to be discovered, there was only one that mattered. Everything else was of secondary importance. He didn’t want to sound too eager, but he couldn’t stifle the nervous excitement that revealed itself in his voice.
“Is your boss Peterson?” he said.
Graha
m stiffened in his chair and stared at Richard with wide eyes. Slowly, a smile spread across his face and he began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” said Richard.
“Oh, nothing,” said Graham. “It amuses me how you always pretend to know everything when you actually know nothing at all. I’m afraid you’ve been laboring under a misconception. My boss is not Peterson. There. Now you know.”
“You’re lying,” said Richard. “I’ve been able to predict your every move for the past four months. You’ve followed in his footsteps, played his games, and used his tricks. I know it’s him, so just admit it. No one else would be so fanatical about the drug or have such an obvious vendetta against my family. Besides, what about the timing? This all started when he got released from prison. Are you trying to convince me it was a coincidence?”
“Not a coincidence,” said Graham. “The secrets locked inside that damaged brain of his are priceless, but so far, we haven’t been able to access them. Oh, don’t worry. We won’t give up. We’ll figure out how to get them if we have to cut his skull open and take them out with our bare hands.”
Richard shook his head.
“No,” he said. “This is just the sort of trick he would play. Graham, if you’re not his minion, I don’t know what you are. You brought Hamilton Estate back from the dead—and what about the murder? That man was Peterson’s son-in-law.”
“Peterson’s daughter swooped in the moment he got released from prison and offered to take care of him,” said Graham. “We couldn’t let her have him, though. We needed him more than she did. My boss finally got sick of dealing with her, so we sent her a warning. She won’t cause any more trouble.”
Richard stared at the floor with unseeing eyes.
“I was wrong,” he said. “All this time, I thought it was him.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” said Graham. “Maybe a generous dose of humility will help you repair some of the damage you’ve done to your family. You don’t have to worry about losing them anymore. No one is trying to destroy them. It’s all in your head.” He stood up. “I think we’re done here. Let me take you back to the park.”
Richard was convinced. More than anything, he was certain Peterson would have gloated over him if he were the true criminal mastermind. He followed Graham downstairs, feeling only half alive. They drove away from Hamilton Estate without saying a word and returned to the park where Richard had left his truck.
“I’ll call you with instructions about Lisa once I get everything squared away,” said Graham. “I apologize for destroying your frame of reference. I don’t think you’ll recover. Goodbye, Richard. I’ll probably never see you again. I won’t forget about you, though, and I’ll always be grateful to you.” He leaned over as Richard exited the car. “It’s ironic. You’ve actually been more useful to us than Peterson.”
Richard watched until Graham’s car vanished around the corner. He felt defeated. Graham had manipulated him more than he had thought possible, but he was mostly angry with himself for being so wrong. He feared he had misjudged Graham completely, and he hoped Graham would be honorable enough to let Lisa go.
Chapter 20
As the night ended, Lisa gradually became aware of herself again. The first thing she noticed was that she was exhausted—not that she wanted to sleep, but that she had no physical strength. She was also freezing. Her clothes and her hair were still damp from the rain, and she shivered, even though she felt paralyzed.
She heard the faint sound of the television from the other room, but there was no other indication of Sophie’s presence. Lisa knew Sophie wouldn’t leave her alone forever. It was only a matter of time before the nightmare came to its hideous conclusion. She listened to the steady beating of her heart, marveling at its leisurely rhythm, and wondered if she was imagining it. A bleak thought entered her mind: maybe she was cold because her body had already died.
She sat up, wrapping her arms around her torso and feeling the warmth of her flesh. Pain flowed through her stiff muscles, and she felt the sensation of pins and needles pricking her skin. Still, whether or not she was actually alive was purely a matter of definition. Like a fleeting memory, she sensed the presence of her former self cowering in the untouchable depths of her mind behind a wall of horror, but she couldn’t reach it. It was almost as if it had never existed at all.
When she heard Graham and Sophie’s footsteps outside the door, she didn’t bother to move. She knew she couldn’t save herself anyway. They barged in, Graham flushed with triumph and Sophie scowling with contempt. Lisa heard them arguing about what to do with her.
“You’re too sentimental, Graham,” said Sophie. “There’s only one way to make sure the boss never finds out about this. Let’s kill her and be done with it. She’s going to talk eventually if we don’t.”
“No, she knows how to keep a secret,” said Graham. “She suspected I was camping out at the fort near her house months ago, but she didn’t say a word. She’s harmless. That’s why I decided to go ahead with this crazy scheme when the opportunity presented itself. Come on, give me some credit. I knew she wouldn’t put up a fight. I’m not afraid of her, and you shouldn’t be either.”
“Oh, I’m not afraid of her,” said Sophie. “I just want to guarantee this doesn’t come back to bite us. What if she tells the cops?”
“She won’t,” said Graham with a hint of irritation. He pulled Lisa to her feet. With an effort, she focused on his face. “It’s time for you to go home. I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough time, but it had to be done. I hope you know it wasn’t your fault. I’ve never had anything against you personally. If you keep it to yourself, you’ll never have to see us again, but if you don’t—”
“We’ll bring you back here and reunite you with your dead friend,” said Sophie, leering at her. “Think you’ve had it bad this time around? Just wait until we get our hands on you again.”
“You should listen to her,” said Graham. “She’s telling you this for your own good. Just go about your business and pretend this was all a dream. It’s what Molly would have wanted for you. The best way for you to honor her is to live your life. It’s what you deserve. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
Lisa nodded. She didn’t doubt Sophie was telling the truth.
“Good,” said Graham. “Then we’re all on the same page. I knew you’d understand. Isn’t it nice when everyone agrees? Now, let’s get you back to your family. Your father will be delighted to see you. We’d better hurry. It’ll be morning soon.”
Lisa realized she wasn’t going to die. To her surprise, she was devastated. She didn’t want to leave Molly behind, and the idea of returning to the chaotic world with its endless expectations was excruciating. As Graham and Sophie took her out to the car, the bitter truth became abundantly clear: the numbness that had settled over her wasn’t able to protect her from pain.
They drove away from the trailer. Lisa leaned her head against the seat and stared through the window into the darkness. She had never been so tired before. The road was deserted. It wasn’t long before they reached the bridge. Graham slowed down as the car approached the summit and pulled into the emergency lane. Beyond a low concrete barrier, Lisa saw a pedestrian walkway with a narrow railing made from metal bars that overlooked the river eighty feet below.
“This is a stupid place to leave her,” said Sophie. “Someone’s going to notice her up here. It’s not dark enough anymore. Are you trying to get us caught? I bet there are cameras everywhere. If we’re going to take such a risk, why don’t we just throw her off? It’ll look like an accident.”
“No, I don’t want to do that,” said Graham. “It’s too late to change it now. I already told Richard where to find her. He’ll be here soon.” He walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door. Taking Lisa by the arm, he helped her out.
“You’ll be okay,” he said. “You’re a survivor. Remember that. If you tell anyone what happened to you, we’ll have to elimina
te you and them. You don’t want to have that on your conscience. Oh, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention: you should probably stay away from your boyfriend and his family. My boss doesn’t like them, and I’d hate to see you get caught in the crossfire.”
He left her slumped against the railing and drove away without another word. Lisa gazed through the metal bars at the river roaring beneath her. She began to imagine herself tumbling down into the dark water. What was the point of continuing? She couldn’t be the girl she had been before.
She stood up, ignoring the weakness in her legs. It would be simpler if she took matters into her own hands. She wanted to be with Molly. Molly was the only person who had tried to defend her. Not daring to breathe, she leaned over the railing, feeling a sudden rush of dizziness. The drop itself would probably kill her instantly, and if it didn’t, she would drown. There was no possibility of failure.
Suddenly, she heard Richard’s voice calling her name. She turned. He was there, and her father was with him. She had been so fixated on the river below that she hadn’t noticed their approach. Her father hurried toward her, but Lisa clutched the railing.
“Andrew, be careful,” said Richard.
Lisa’s father stopped. So did Richard. As the morning light flooded the bridge, Lisa saw the anguish on their faces, but it was nothing compared to the agony in her heart. In her estimation, they were no different than Graham and Sophie. She hadn’t been released after all; she had merely been handed over to another group of criminals.
“Lisa, I’m here,” said her father. “I’m sorry for everything. I should have taken better care of you. I’ll do things right from now on. I’ll be a better father. I’ll put you first, like I should have done a long time ago.”
The Patient from Silvertree: Book One in the Silvertree Series Page 26