20
By the time Madeline
came back from the ladies’ room, Dan was ready to hit the
road.
“It’s time to
talk to Hilton,†he told Madeline, “but not until I stop at a
library and check out these names. I’m guessing you don’t want
to come along. I’ll call you when I’m done.†He gave her a
peck on the cheek that was loving enough, but when he looked into
her eyes, it was to send an unspoken message. “We’re going to
get this thing settled once and for all.â€
I knew what this
meant. Dan was headed out to do research, and research—it goes
without saying—is boring. Something told me it would be far more
interesting to tag along with Madeline.
I was glad I did.
When she hailed a cab, I crawled into the backseat next to her, and
when she gave the cab driver the address of the Gerard Clinic...
well, I can’t really say I was surprised. I was curious, though.
She wasn’t carrying a briefcase or a file, so I didn’t think
she had the proof with her that she was supposed to have when she
met Agent Baskins, so that’s not why she was headed to the
clinic. So what trick did Madeline have up her polyester
sleeve?
Anxious to find out,
I stuck close, even when she marched right past the receptionist
and walked into Hilton Gerard’s office without
knocking.
When he saw the
woman he thought was Pepper Martin walk in, his surprise couldn’t
have been more complete. (Well, maybe it would have been if he knew
she wasn’t me and I was right next to her.)
For a couple
moments, he simply sat there behind his desk, his mouth opening and
closing like a fish that had been hooked and dragged onto dry
land.
But hey, the guy is
an expert, right? I mean, about brains and research and psychology.
And also about cheating the government, hiding money, and, oh yeah,
murder, too.
He wasn’t about to
be caught off guard for long.
When the
receptionist came running in on Madeline’s heels, falling over
herself to apologize, Doctor Gerard told her not to worry, got up,
and closed the door in the poor woman’s face. He stood with his
back to it, his eyes hooded as he sized up his guest.
“Miss Martin. I
must say, I’m surprised to see you. I can’t believe you’d
have the nerve to walk back in here. Not after—â€
“Cut the crap,
Hilton.†Madeline breezed behind his desk and took the seat
he’d just vacated. Not wanting to miss any of the fun, I sat on
the edge of the desk and watched the show. “We’ve got more
important things to talk about than how you tried to snatch that
stupid girl’s brain and how she got away from
you.â€
He smiled in a way
that said he didn’t actually trust that he was safe in a closed
room with the woman. “You’re talking about yourself as if
you’re someone else. You’re so stressed that you can’t handle
reality. You’re having what we call a dissociative
fugue.â€
Madeline was one
step ahead of him. She clicked her tongue and waved off the
bullshit explanation. “I know exactly who I am,†she said.
“That’s what I’m here to talk to you about.â€
“The hospital
experience?†Hilton’s smile faded. His laugh sounded as
uncomfortable as he suddenly looked. “You remember what happened
to you there?â€
“Not what happened
to Pepper. Who the hell cares what happened to Pepper! I do
remember, though, what happened to the others. You know, Oscar
Zmeskis, Becka Chance, Alan Grankowski, and the rest of
them.â€
Hilton was back to
the fish impersonation. While he stood there staring with his mouth
open, Madeline laughed.
“Surprised?†she
asked. “You shouldn’t be.â€
“You’re
bluffing.â€
“Are you willing
to take that chance?â€
He thought about
this while he walked over to the desk and dropped into one of his
own guest chairs. “What do you want?†he asked.
“The same thing I
wanted before. A million ought to do it. At least to start. That
will keep me quiet about what I already know. You know, about all
those brains you’ve been studying out in Winnetka. And about how
you murdered Madeline Tremayne when she found out what you were up
to.â€
“Huh?†Still
sitting on the desk, I spun around so I could give Madeline a
closer look. Then I glanced the other way to catch Doctor
Gerard’s reaction. She was looking happy. And him? He was as
guilty as hell. I could tell, and I wondered why I’d never seen
the truth before.
“Madeline was
killed by a mentally ill patient,†Doctor Gerard said, and if I
hadn’t seen that fleeting look that told me he’d been caught
with his pants down (only proverbially, of course, thank goodness),
I actually might have believed him.
Madeline didn’t.
Then again, no one knew this part of the story better than she did.
“Madeline was in on it from the start. She knew exactly what you
were doing to those homeless lowlifes. She wanted you to pay her in
return for her silence. A million dollars, right? The same thing
I’m asking for.†She let this sink in before she went on.
“You didn’t want to share. You paid John Wilson to kill her,
and then you supplied him with enough drugs to make sure he OD’d.
It was the perfect way to keep him quiet.â€
Hilton’s voice was
breathy. “You can’t know that.â€
“But I do.†Her
smile was sleek. “And if you think about it, you’ll know how I
know. Remember, Hilton, I did a lot of research for
you.â€
The truth of the
matter dawned, but just as quickly, he dismissed the possibility
with a shake of his head. “No. It isn’t possible. You . . . er
. . . Madeline . . . Madeline was the only one who knew what was
really happening in Winnetka. No one else knew. You couldn’t
know.â€
“You think?â€
Stretching like a cat, she rose from the chair. “Remember,
Hilton, there’s more in those books of yours than just
information on ghosts. Shape-shifting, body switching. Did you ever
think it was really possible?â€
Honestly, I almost
felt sorry for the guy. That’s how upset he looked. Before he had
a chance to say anything, though, the door banged open again, and
Dan raced into the office. He rushed around the desk, grabbed
Madeline’s hand, dragged her toward the door, and tried to push
her out into the hallway toward the receptionist who was, again,
stuttering out her apologies to the doctor.
“Out,†Dan said,
and when Madeline wouldn’t budge, he tugged her again. “Out,
now. It’s too dangerous here for you. Hilton and I have things we
need to talk about.â€
“Not you, too.â€
Doctor Gerard groaned. “Your friend here has been telling me some
fantastic stories, Dan. I hope she doesn’t have you believing
them.â€
“I’ve got some
stories of my own.†Dan had a piece of paper clutched in one
hand, and I was sitting close enough to see that it was a computer
printout of the same two articles I’d found about the missing
homeless men. “What do you do with them, Hilton?†he asked,
poking the paper in Hilton’s direction as if he could see it.
“Where are the people who’ve gone into your study? Please tell
me that it’s not true that you—â€
“Can’t you keep
your mouth shut?†It was Madeline’s turn to slam the door in
the face of the receptionist. When she was done, she turned to Dan
with fire in her eyes. “I was taking care of everything. Why did
you have to show up and ruin it all?â€
“What?†He
looked at her as if he’d never seen her before. “What are you
talking about? Ruining everything? Terrible things are happening
out in Winnetka. I’ve got documentation.†He waved the
newspaper articles at her, too. “It’s not proof, but it’s a
start.†He turned to Hilton. “You owe me some
answers.â€
“You think so?â€
This time when Hilton laughed, it sent chills up my spine. To put
some distance between myself and him, I walked to the other side of
the room and stood near the bookcases there. Too bad Madeline had
the same idea. She came to join me, and I sidled into the corner,
the better to avoid the bad vibrations that rose off her like the
electrical charge from a thundercloud.
“I’ve got news
for you, Dan.†Hilton strolled back around his desk and stopped
behind it. “I don’t owe you anything, and I don’t owe
anything to your friend here, either. So when she tells me I’ve
got to pay her a cool million—â€
“What!†Dan spun
to stare at Madeline, and I was busy staring at him staring at
her.
Which is why none of
us noticed when Hilton Gerard opened his desk drawer. By the time
we realized what was happening, he already had the gun in his
hand.
Hilton pointed with
the gun, encouraging Dan and Madeline to stand closer together.
“Don’t you get it?†the doctor asked. “Don’t you see what
happened before your very eyes? She isn’t Pepper Martin. She’s
Madeline. She has to be. It’s the only way she could know
everything she does.â€
“Then it is
true!†Dan’s eyes misted. He grabbed her arm and looked into
Madeline’s eyes, and for a moment, I thought he’d actually be
corny enough to kiss her, even while Doctor Gerard was pointing
that gun at them. Big points for Dan, he didn’t go for the
obvious. Then again, Dan never did.
“What did you do
with her?†he asked, and since I knew he was talking about me, I
perked right up. “Where’s Pepper? Is she safe?â€
“Oh please!â€
Madeline yanked her arm away. “You always were a
sucker.â€
“A sucker to
believe that you really loved me? A sucker to miss you for three
long years?†Dan could barely choke out the words. “Are you
telling me—â€
“She knows
everything,†Doctor Gerard said. He stepped closer. “You see,
Dan, Madeline was part of my scheme. It was working pretty well,
too, until she got greedy.â€
“No.†Dan
dismissed the very idea with a shake of his head that sent his
shaggy hair flying. “It can’t be true. Maddy
wouldn’t—â€
“But I would. I
did!†Her laugh was almost a shriek. “And I had you fooled
since day one,†she told him. “I had you all
fooled.â€
“It’s an
unfortunate situation.†Doctor Gerard trained the gun on Dan, and
I tensed, wondering if I could spring at him and knock the weapon
away. Before I could, though, he swiveled toward Madeline and
fired.
After that,
everything moved so fast, it’s hard to say what happened when.
Even over the noise of the deafening gunshot, I heard Madeline
scream and watched her crumple to the floor. I wasn’t taking any
chances. When the doctor turned toward Dan, I launched myself
through the air and knocked into his gun hand. At the same moment,
the office door burst open and Agent Baskins rushed in. He tackled
the doctor and had him handcuffed before Dan could recover and
help, and when some of the clinic employees ran in to see what was
happening, he ordered them to call 911 and hurried over to where
Madeline lay, a trickle of blood pooling on the floor around
her.
“Hang on,†Agent
Baskins told her, and it was weird, but I kind of wondered if he
was talking to me. Because even as I watched, the scene in front of
my eyes blurred and faded. Then again, that was apt to happen since
I was watching myself bleed to death right before my very
eyes.
When Agent Baskins
spoke again, his voice sounded like it came from a million miles
away. “Hang in, Pepper,†he said. “You’re my star witness
against these guys, remember.â€
Dan knelt on the
floor and took Madeline’s hand in his. He pressed it to his
heart.
“You heard this
guy,†he told her. “You’ve got to hang in. You can’t leave
yet. You’ve got to tell me what you did with
Pepper.â€
Something told me
that Agent Baskins would have liked to ask what the hell Dan was
talking about, but he never had the chance. Outside, we heard the
pulsing sound of police car sirens. Inside, well, something really
weird happened. While they knelt there and hung on to Madeline, the
floor beneath my feet shifted and disappeared, and I couldn’t
tell if I was right side up or upside down. I looked down at my
ugly outfit just as it—and I—faded. Pretty soon I was nothing
but a mist hanging high above the scene.
That’s why I had a
bird’s-eye view when Madeline’s spirit swooped out of my body,
kicking her clunky black shoes and screaming all the
way.
“Oh no,†she
shouted, her angel face twisted with anger. “I’m not giving up
this body. I’m staying here. I’m staying alive. I’m not going
anywhere.â€
Apparently, somebody
had other ideas.
I heard a noise that
sounded like thunder, and I’ll tell you what, though I suspect
Agent Baskins would never admit it, I think he heard it, too. His
head came up and he listened closely. Dan, of course, was another
story, and an intuitive thinker if I ever met one. Both men felt a
shift in the air, just like I did, and just like I did, they looked
at the far wall of the office just as that spooky black shadow
exploded right through it.
Did Dan and Agent
Baskins know the thing was there?
I can’t say, but
maybe they didn’t have to. I was scared enough for all of
us.
Shaking in my chunky
shoes, I watched as the creature reached a hand out to Madeline.
She automatically jumped back.
“No. Don’t take
me,†her spirit screamed. “I’m alive. I have this body. Take
the girl it belongs to. She must be here.†She looked around, and
for the first time, she spotted me. She stabbed a finger toward me.
“Take her spirit in exchange for mine.â€
The shadow turned
its fiery eyes toward me. “Don’t want you,†it said, and
while it was still looking in my direction and Madeline was caught
off guard, it snaked one arm around her and pulled her
closer.
Her scream was like
nothing I’d ever heard before and hope to never hear again. The
closer she got to the massive creature, the more muffled her cries
became, and when it put both its arms around her and she was folded
into the black cloud, the screaming stopped
altogether.
I barely had time to
breathe a sigh of relief. The next thing I knew, that invisible
hand was on me again, yanking me through time and space. The world
around me faded and blurred, and I moved a thousand miles an hour
toward I-don’t-know-where.
I did know that when
the spinning stopped, my left side felt as if it were on fire and
there was something hot and wet and sticky all around
me.
When my eyes
fluttered open, I found myself in a position similar to where I’d
been when Madeline snatched my body—looking up into Dan’s blue
eyes.
Â
Â
By the time I
stepped foot in Garden View again, the last of the daffodils were
up and the tulips outside the administration building were starting
to bloom.
Ordinarily, I would
not even have noticed.
But a funny thing
happened once I had my body snatched and I got it back only because
somebody shot me: I started paying more attention to the little
things.
Like the looks of
genuine delight on the faces of my fellow employees as they lined
the hallways to welcome me back to work. Of course, Ella was at the
end of the line, but that was because she was planning one of those
hugs of hers—the kind that never seem to end. For once, I
didn’t mind.
“You look
terrific,†she said. Since she had tears streaming down her face,
I’m not sure how she could see me clearly. “Six weeks in
Florida with your mom did wonders for you.â€
“Yeah, that and
those couple weeks in the hospital.†That part was not a pleasant
memory, and I didn’t want to think about it, so I shook it away.
“I’m still moving kind of slow,†I told her, just so she
didn’t equate first-day-back-at-work with anything like actually
working. “I think I’m going to need to take it kind of easy for
a while.â€
“Of course you
are.†She patted my arm. “That’s why I’ve got something new
and wonderful all lined up for you. But before I tell you about
that, I have to tell you that a woman named Alberta called you
early this morning. She said to tell you that the memorial service
for someone named Ernie is going to be in June, on Father’s Day
weekend. She said she hoped you’d be there, because after all you
did for her, she thinks of you like family. Do you know what
she’s talking about?â€
“You bet.†I
could still remember the vision I’d had as the paramedics were
taking me out of Doctor Gerard’s office on a stretcher; a vision
of Ernie and Stella and all the others who’d been experimented on
at the hospital as they went into the light. Even Oatmeal Lady
looked happy, and just thinking about it, I couldn’t help but
smile. “Maybe you’d like to go with me. We could explore
Graceland.â€
The look of sheer
joy on Ella’s face was all the answer I needed. I made a move
toward my office door. “I’ll call Alberta right now,†I told
her.
“Oh, not right
now.†Ella slid a look toward my closed office door and leaned in
to whisper, “He’s waiting for you.â€
I wasn’t exactly
sure who she meant, but since it was the perfect opportunity for me
to get away from the crowd, I opened the door and went inside.
There was a bouquet of hot pink roses on my desk, and the
he in question was sitting in my guest
chair. It was Dan, and I hadn’t seen Dan since the day I got
shot.
“Hey.†He rose
the second I walked in. His hair was a little longer than it had
been when I last saw him, and he was wearing rumpled khakis and a
blue polo shirt. He looked cute. And more uncomfortable than I’d
ever seen anybody look in my whole entire life.
“I’m sorry I
didn’t have a chance to call since you left the hospital,†he
said by way of explanation, even though I hadn’t asked for it and
wasn’t expecting one. It was part of my new
don’t-sweat-the-small-stuff attitude. He sat down, then stood up
again. “Once I knew you were going to recover . .
.â€
“You figured I
could do it all on my own.â€
Dan’s cheeks went
ashen. “I was pretty busy for a while with the guys from the
FBI,†he said. “Now that Hilton’s confessed, they’re
finally satisfied that I didn’t know anything about what was
happening out in Winnetka. I’ve got to tell you, you had them
going for a while. They were pretty confused, what with the woman
they thought was you telling Agent Baskins she had the proof to put
me away for a thousand years, then with you in the hospital,
claiming you didn’t know anything about it.â€
“I don’t.†I
shrugged, because after all, what else could I say? There didn’t
seem to be anything to gain from pointing out that Dan’s late
wife was the one who was out to get him. The dark circles under his
eyes told me he’d already spent plenty of time thinking about
that.
He didn’t want to
talk about it, either. That’s why he went right on. “Once I
knew you were safe and sound with your mom . . . well, I figured
you’d have a quicker recovery without me around.â€
His nervousness was
contagious. I shuffled around behind my desk. “It would have been
nice to talk to you.â€
“Pepper . . .â€
As quick as lightning, Dan was around the desk and had my hands in
his. “I almost got you killed. I can’t tell you how that made
me feel. Guilty. Terrible. Awful. Damn, I didn’t even realize you
weren’t you, that Maddy was you. I don’t know how she did it,
but . . .†He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “I
can’t believe how stupid I was.â€
“It’s not
exactly an everyday situation,†I said, because it was true, and
because I didn’t have the heart to watch him suffer. “There’s
no way you could have known what Madeline was up
to.â€
“No, but I should
have. That first time I kissed her, I knew something was different.
If only I’d been paying more attention. She wasn’t you. She
never could be.†He dropped my hands and backed away. “After
Hilton shot you . . . shot her . . .†He shook his head, clearing
it. “Maybe it was the stress of the situation, maybe I was just
imagining the whole thing, but I swear, Pepper, I swear I saw her
spirit rise out of your body and for the first time, I saw Maddy
for what she really was. It wasn’t pretty.â€
“I’m sorry,†I
said, and I meant it. “I didn’t want you to
know.â€
“Thanks.†His
smile was fleeting. “But it’s better for me to face reality,
and the reality—â€
“The reality is
that even when you knew that was Madeline there inside my body, you
wanted to help me. You didn’t let me down. I
thought—â€
“That I’d want
her more than I wanted you. I know. That’s why . . .†Dan
looked toward the chair where he’d been sitting, and I saw that
there was a full-to-bursting backpack on the floor next to it. “I
made a huge mistake thinking I could have Maddy back in my life
again and nothing would be changed. I can’t take that chance
again. I’ve got to learn that the past is the past, and I need to
put the past behind me. I can’t do that here. I’m going to
London. This afternoon. There’s some really cutting-edge
paranormal research going on in the UK.â€
“So you don’t
want to study my brain anymore?â€
It was his turn to
shrug. “Right now, that would feel a little
intrusive.â€
“Even though you
know I can see and talk to ghosts?â€
Another shrug.
“There are more important things than finding out the truth.
I’m thinking giving you a little peace and quiet is one of
them.â€
“And you’re
thinking that if you go away and don’t see me for a while, you
won’t feel so guilty.â€
Did I sound like as
much of a baby as I was feeling?
Maybe, because Dan
came over and put his hands on my shoulders. “I’m not doing it
to hurt you, Pepper.†He dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Maybe
once we’ve had a chance to process everything that
happened—â€
“Yeah. Maybe.†I
stepped back and out of his reach, and like I’ve said, he’s an
intuitive kind of guy. He knew what it meant: it was time for him
to leave. He got his backpack, and his hand was already on the door
when I spoke.
“Only it doesn’t
seem fair, does it?†I asked him. “I mean, Madeline got to go
to bed with you and all I could do was—â€
“Watch?†Dan had
apparently not thought of this before. That would explain why color
shot up his neck and into his cheeks.
I grinned. “Maybe
a little.â€
He stepped closer,
but only long enough to kiss me quickly. “We’re going to see
each other again.â€
“Yeah. OK.†I
opened the door for him.
And found Ella
standing right outside.
Dan stepped around
her. “I’ll call,†he said. “I promise.â€
I watched him walk
away, and when he turned the corner, I went back into my office.
Ella was already in one of my guest chairs.
“You OK?†she
asked.
“Yeah.†I said
it even before I realized I was telling the truth. “There’s a
lot for Dan and me to think about. We’ll both be better off with
a little time away from each other.â€
“Exactly!†Ella
hopped to her feet. “That’s why I know you’ll be thrilled to
hear what’s happening. I’m going to be giving you something
very exciting to keep you occupied for the next couple months.
There’s a committee working to restore Monroe Street Cemetery.
It’s a wonderful urban burying ground, but it’s been neglected
for years and years. These are wonderful, enthusiastic
volunteers.â€
From experience, I
knew this wasn’t the end of the story, and I leaned forward,
urging her on. “And . . .â€
“And it’s going
to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,†she said. “And it’s
not that I’d like to see you leave. Heaven forbid! But it will
look great on your résumé, and you’ll have a chance to write
and publish articles about everything that happens, too.†She
sashayed her way to the door.
Only I wasn’t
about to be satisfied with so little of the story. “Ella.†I
stopped her before she could leave. “What am I doing with this
wonderful group of volunteers?â€
“You’re chairing
the committee, of course,†she said, and before I could pin her
down—or protest—she pulled open my door and walked out of my
office.
I was all set to
follow her when I ran smack into an Italian silk tie that cost more
than any cop should have been able to afford.
“Careful!†Quinn
Harrison put his hands on my shoulders much as Dan had done just a
couple minutes before. But instead of using it as an adios move the
way Dan had done, Quinn back-stepped me into my office and kicked
the door closed behind him. “You don’t want to irritate that
gunshot wound of yours the first day back on the job, do
you?â€
“I’m fine.†I
was. The doctors in Florida had assured me. I grinned. “You know
that. You’ve called me a couple dozen times. And the flowers . .
.†I bent to smell the roses. “They’re gorgeous. Thank
you.â€
“They are.â€
Quinn cocked his head. “I didn’t send them.â€
“You didn’t? I
thought . . .†I tripped over my blunder.
Quinn stepped
forward. “Maybe we should read the card?†He plucked the little
envelope from the center of the arrangement, but before he had a
chance to open it, I snatched it out of his hands and ripped it
open. The card inside was blank except for the sender’s name:
Scott Baskins.
“They’re from .
. .†I shouldn’t have been embarrassed and I knew it, but that
didn’t keep me from being uncomfortable. I stuffed the card in my
pocket. “A friend.â€
“Your friend has
good taste.â€
“You do, too. You
sent plenty of flowers while I was recovering.â€
“I’ve got to
tell you, I wasn’t exactly sure how you’d feel about the
flowers. Or the phone calls. I mean, the last time we saw each
other . . .â€
He didn’t need to
remind me. The sex was terrific, but the morning after was a little
tense.
“So . . .†He
let the single word hang in the air between us, and though it
wasn’t a question, I knew he was expecting an
answer.
“I’ve learned a
lot over the last couple months,†I told him. “A lot about
myself, and a lot about relationships. Where we were headed . . .
well . . .†I swallowed my misgivings. “We need to get to know
each other better. You know that, don’t you?â€
“Absolutely.â€
He’d never agreed to anything that quickly, so I knew either we
were on the right track or we were making a huge mistake. “I’ve
had time to think about it, too. I like being with you, Pepper. We
need to date and establish some kind of real relationship before .
. . you know.â€
“Right.†I tried
to sound enthusiastic, because after all, it was exactly what I’d
said, and it made a whole lot of sense. Right? “We’ll be
grown-ups about the whole thing.â€
He started for the
door. “Agreed. So I’ll call you sometime. And we’ll have
dinner. Or meet for a drink.â€
“Perfect!†I
watched him walk out the door and close it behind him, and for a
couple moments, I thought about everything that had happened,
everything we’d said, and everything I’d learned about life and
love.
That’s when I made
up my mind.
I raced for the door
and pulled it open only to find that the hallway outside my office
was filled with ghosts. There were tall ghosts and short ghosts,
skinny ones and fat ones. Most of them were dressed as if they’d
just stepped out of one of those dreary Masterpiece Theater productions.
Aside from saying,
“Excuse me,†to get around them, I didn’t even stop to give
them the time of day. I knew who they were; the bunch from that
cemetery I’d be helping to renovate. That meant I’d have all
summer to worry about them.
Right now, I had
something more urgent to take care of. I moved faster than I’d
moved in months, and I was out the door and in the parking lot just
as Quinn was unlocking the door of his unmarked police
car.
“Hey, Quinn!â€
When I called to him, he looked up.
“That stuff you
said, you know, about being grown-ups and establishing a
relationship. Does that mean we can’t have sex?â€
His green eyes
glittered in the spring sunlight. “I don’t know. What do you
think?â€
“Me?†I grinned.
“I think we don’t have to be that grown-up.â€