The Shadow

by Kathi Daley

  “You’d think people would stay out of the lake on St. Mungo’s Day,” Trevor reasoned.

  “You’d think.” Alyson nodded. “But maybe the victims were compelled to go to the lake. Like our victims on the bluff.”

  “Which makes it sound like the victims, once chosen, really don’t have free will,” Mac pointed out. “The very thought fills me with a terror I can’t describe. What happens to Alyson if May 27 rolls around and we haven’t figured this out?”

  “Alyson won’t be anywhere near the bluff on May 27,” Trevor vowed. “If I have to handcuff us together, I will.”

  “Then you both might end up dead,” Mac said.

  “Okay. I’ll handcuff us together and then handcuff us to something unmovable, like a car or a heavy piece of furniture.”

  “Cars move,” Mac reminded him.

  “Okay, furniture then; something big, like a bed.”

  “While I appreciate your intention, the idea, if taken literally, is pretty kinky. Not to worry; we’ll figure this out. I wouldn’t want to damage my superhero reputation,” Alyson said with a wink.

  “Superhero?” Trevor asked.

  “Didn’t I tell you? Jessica said I was a superhero because of all the mysteries we’ve solved. How cool is that?”

  “Hey, how come I don’t get to be a superhero?” Trevor complained. “I help out with stuff.”

  “I think you’re a superhero,” Mac offered in consolation. She turned back to Alyson. “Do we know anything else?”

  “I think that does it for today.” Alyson hoped her friends would forgive her for the little white lie she was about to tell. “Oh, and my mom called and she’s coming home tonight, so no one has to stay with me.”

  “Are you sure?” Mac asked.

  “Yeah, I’m sure. She should be home any minute. In fact, I’m surprised she’s not here by now.”

  “Well, okay. I do have a lot of homework. But call if you need anything. I can come back over.”

  “I’ll be fine until she gets here. Don’t worry; I’ll call if anything spooky happens in the meantime. Now go home and exercise those brains. I can’t have us all flunking out of school.”

  ******

  As soon as they were gone, Alyson loaded Tucker into her Jeep and headed to Dead Man’s Bluff. She wasn’t sure what she expected to find there; she just knew she felt compelled to return to the scene of her otherworldly experience. She parked along the side of the road, put on her hat and jacket, and headed to the edge of the bluff, Tucker at her heels.

  She stood at the edge of the bluff and watched as the waves crashed to the rocks below. The almost-full moon shone down on the breaking surf, illuminating the foamy spray of the breaking waves. The air around her felt charged, heavy with the anticipation of impending doom.

  Alyson heard the voice before the images of two people standing to her right appeared.

  “Please, just tell me where it is.” The man grabbed the woman’s arm.

  “It’s already gone.”

  “Gone? Gone where?”

  “I’ll never tell you; now let me go.”

  “Why won’t you tell me? I don’t understand. You don’t want it anyway.”

  Alyson saw the couple struggle. One minute they were locked in a tight embrace, the next one of the combatants was hurtling through the air to the rocks below. The person on the cliff yelled something as the body fell, but Alyson couldn’t make out the words.

  As suddenly as they’d appeared, they were gone. Alyson looked over the edge of the cliff; the rocks below held no evidence of the violence that had just taken place. Everything seemed so normal. Tucker was sitting at her side, looking at her in expectation of continuing their walk. Seagulls flew overhead, waves crashed below. Whatever she had seen, whatever she had heard, was hers alone.

  Alyson drove home and began preparing for bed. As she turned off the lights downstairs, she glanced out the window and saw a form in the distance. Alyson saw ghosts on what seemed like a regular basis, so she assumed this was simply a nocturnal guest from another realm. She’d turned to go up the stairs when something stopped her. A little voice in the back of her mind encouraged her to check it out, just to be sure. She pulled on her coat and called Tucker to her side. She grabbed the flashlight they kept on the shelf in the closet near the front door and headed out into the night.

  When Alyson arrived at the spot where she’d seen the form she looked around, but if anyone had been there at all, they were gone. She shone the flashlight on the ground and gasped when she saw footprints. Fresh footprints, by the look of things. With all the rain they’d had, the ground was soft and muddy.

  “Is anyone there?” she called.

  She paused to listen, but all she heard were waves crashing in the distance. Deciding it might be better not to confront anyone who might have been watching her when she was alone in the dark without much of a weapon, she called Tucker and headed back to the house. She made certain to lock all the doors and windows and to set the alarm her mom had installed before going upstairs. Mindful of the footprints she’d seen, she drew her blinds before climbing into bed.

  Alyson’s senses heightened, she tried to convince herself that she was perfectly safe, even if she had lied about her mother coming home that night. She needed to slow her breathing and focus on something other than the imaginary sounds that seemed to echo through the old house, as loud as a full symphony. She remembered the people on the bluff. She wondered what it was the killer had been trying to find. Maybe that death was the initiating incident and finding whatever had been lost would be the key to ending the cycle once and for all.

  Chapter 5

  Tuesday, May 23

  “Hey, Trev.” Chelsea sat down next to him during first period science. “Did you do today’s assignment?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Could I copy it? Cheerleading went late last night and I didn’t get around to it.”

  Trevor took a single sheet of binder paper out of his notebook and handed it to her. “Knock yourself out.”

  “Thanks.” Chelsea started copying the assignment onto her own sheet of paper. “All of this extra practice has really been a drag, but it’ll be worth it when we totally rock at the game tomorrow.”

  “You guys have a game tomorrow?” Mac asked from the table in front of Trevor and Chelsea.

  “Yeah, in Portland. We leave right after fifth period.”

  “I hate it when you have away games on weekdays,” Mac grumbled. “I like to be there to cheer you on.”

  “We’ll be cheering in spirit,” Alyson added from her seat next to Mac.

  “I’ll be there in person.” Chelsea leaned in closer to Trevor. “And all my cheers will be for you.”

  “I heard Danny Long pulled a muscle.” Mac changed the subject.

  “Yeah, he has a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, but if he’s not cleared to play tomorrow it looks like I’ll move to center field,” Trevor informed them.

  “Oh, now I’m really disappointed I won’t be there.”

  “Speaking of Danny, it just occurred to me that he might be the father of Jessica’s baby,” Chelsea speculated.

  “Danny?” Alyson asked. “Why Danny?”

  “Danny and Jessica used to have a thing before she started dating Steve. I’m not sure how serious it was on Danny’s part, but Jessica was really in to him. She came to all the games last year, and I saw them making out in the hallway more than once.”

  “If they dated last year why would you think he’s Jessica’s baby daddy now?” Trevor asked.

  “Because I saw them in this intense conversation last week. It was after the game on Friday. They were out in the parking lot, and I’m not sure what they were talking about, but Jessica was crying.”

  “Do you think they got together at Tommy’s party after Steve left?” Mac asked.

  “Maybe.” Chelsea handed Trevor back his homework and scribbled her name on her own copy. “Danny’s a pretty hunk-o-licous guy and t
hey do have a history. If I was going to rebound after a fight with my date, Danny’s the one I’d turn to.”

  “Sounds like you might have a thing for Danny yourself,” Trevor said.

  “Jealous?”

  “Not in the least.”

  “Class, can I have your attention?” Mr. Harris began. “Please pass your homework to the front of the class and turn your books to page 172.”

  ******

  “What do you think of Chelsea’s theory that Danny might be the father of Jessica’s baby?” Mac asked Alyson as they changed classes.

  “I don’t know. Jessica didn’t mention anything about Danny when I talked to her, but I guess it’s worth checking out.”

  “What are you going to do? Ask her?” Mac stopped at her locker to exchange her science book for her English book.

  Alyson got out her cell phone. “You know what they say; there’s nothing like a direct approach.” She dialed Jessica’s cell. “Jessica, hi. It’s Alyson. I need to ask you a really awkward question.”

  “Awkward’s my life these days. What do you want to know?”

  “I just talked to Chelsea Green. She seemed to think Danny Long might be the father of your baby. She said she saw the two of you having a pretty intense conversation after last Friday’s game.”

  “Boy, the rumor mill is out in full force.”

  “Yeah, I’m afraid it is.”

  “Remind me never to participate again. I guess I never stopped to think how it must feel to be involved in the juicy scandal of the week.”

  “I’m sorry. I know this must be awful.”

  Jessica let out a long breath. “Danny’s not the father. He’s too much of a gentleman to even be in contention. He’d never do what some scumbag did to me. I was talking with Danny after the game because he’d seen me lose my lunch in the garbage can behind C building that afternoon. He came over to see if I was okay, and for reasons unbeknownst even to me, I told him that I’d been sick a lot lately. He asked me if I had an eating disorder, but when I convinced him that, if anything, I’d gained weight during the past month, he dropped it. Then, when I saw him in the parking lot after the game, he said he’d been thinking about things and realized my symptoms were like those of his sister, Meg.”

  “Who’s pregnant?” Alyson guessed.

  “Exactly. He wanted me to go see a doctor, but I was still in denial at that point and insisted I couldn’t be pregnant, that I probably had a case of the flu. He was pretty persistent and finally got me to agree to go to the clinic on Saturday. The rest you know.”

  “He wasn’t at Tommy’s party that night?” Alyson asked.

  “You’re thinking he might have had a stronger reason than my having similar symptoms to his sister to believe I might be pregnant, but no, it wasn’t him. He wouldn’t. We dated for a while last year. I was really in to him. He knew I was willing to take our relationship to the next level, but he made it clear he was waiting for the right girl. Apparently, I wasn’t her.”

  “I’m sorry I had to ask.”

  “That’s okay. Just figure out who did this to me and nail his ass. I don’t want anyone else ever to have to go through this.”

  “I will. Take care. I’ll call you when I find out anything.”

  Alyson closed her phone. “It’s not him. I guess we just keep trying. Let’s head over to the lunchroom. We have a lot going on right now and need to stay as focused as possible.”

  Trevor scooted over at their usual table to make room for them. “What took you so long?” he asked.

  “I had to make a phone call,” Alyson explained, setting her tray down next to his.

  “About…?” Trevor fished.

  “It’s not important, but I have some news. I had a dream last night. The couple I saw on the cliff the other night was arguing just like they were when I saw them. One of them—I think a man—was trying to get the other one—I think a woman—to tell him where she’d hidden something.”

  “Do you think that’s why he killed her? Because she took something of his?” Mac squeezed a packet of ketchup on her fries.

  “It seemed like it.”

  “What would be worth killing someone over?” Mac wondered.

  “The logic of the whole thing is lost on me. You kill the person who’s hidden your best toy and you’ve greatly reduced your chance of ever finding it,” Trevor puzzled.

  “Yeah, I see what you mean. It doesn’t make sense.” Alyson opened her blueberry yogurt.

  “It was just a dream. Maybe it didn’t mean anything,” Trevor said.

  “Maybe, but just in case, I think we should work that angle.” Alyson stirred the cup distractedly.

  “First we need to definitively identify the couple involved. If we can’t do that we’ll have little hope of figuring out a motive,” Mac pointed out.

  “Maybe Booker will have something.” Alyson stopped stirring and began to eat.

  “Yeah, maybe.” Mac stared at Alyson with a frown on her face. “Did your mom make it home okay?”

  Alyson cringed. She really hated lying to her friends, but sometimes it was necessary. “Her flight got delayed. She’s been in San Francisco at an art show. Her flight was booked, but it ended up getting canceled. Fog, I think. She called right after you left.”

  “You should have called me. I would have come back,” Mac scolded.

  “I was fine. See, here I am, still alive.”

  “You had the dream,” Mac reminded her.

  “It was a dream. Dreams can’t hurt you. I was never in any danger. Besides, maybe the dream will provide a clue we need to solve the whole thing. If the guy killed the girl because of something she hid, maybe we just need to find it and that will put an end to the cycle that somehow got set in motion.”

  “Maybe, but I still wish you’d called.”

  Alyson knew she probably shouldn’t have lied to Mac and Trevor, but both friends tended to be mother hens who would try to stop her from doing what she knew in her heart she needed to do. She felt as if she’d been chosen for some reason and it was important for her to see things through.

  Alyson changed the subject. “Trevor, have you found out anything about Jessica’s baby? I followed up on the Danny Long lead, but that was a dead end.”

  “Not really,” Trevor answered. “I talked to Tommy. He swears he didn’t know about any drugs at his party. He remembers seeing Jessica, but there were a lot of people, so he doesn’t remember seeing who she hooked up with after Steve left. He figured she went home early. When he found her in his bed later on, he slept in his parents’ room. He said he didn’t want to embarrass her. As far as he knew, she was there voluntarily.”

  “I guess his story makes sense.” Alyson tapped her pen on her notebook cover in tune to the stress that was beginning to percolate inside her. “She has the drink and begins to feel dizzy. She goes upstairs in search of a bathroom. Whoever grabbed her must have done it while she was up there. He takes her into the bedroom, rapes her, and then sneaks off. No one would have seen them together unless they were upstairs at the time. Keep checking. Someone else must have been looking for the bathroom. I also have the list Jessica texted me. I’ll forward it to you.” Alyson took out her phone to do it. “I think we should divide up the names and talk to as many people as we can. Someone must have seen something. I’m also going to speak to Tommy. I know he told Trevor there weren’t any drugs at the party, but he’s the one who gave Jessica the drink. He might have lied to Trevor, but he won’t lie to me.” A look of determination crossed Alyson’s face. “I’ll catch up with you both later.”

  Tommy wasn’t hard to find. Like most of the losers in the school, he tended to hang out in behind the strip mall just beyond the school’s boundaries. The day was overcast and damp and the smoke from the many cigarettes hung in the stagnant air. Alyson tried to hold her breath as she made her way through the thick haze.

  “Tommy.” Alyson walked up behind him and looped her arm through his. “I need a word with yo
u.”

  “I’m kinda busy.”

  “This won’t take long.” She pulled him away from his friends and around a corner, where no one else was lurking. “I guess you heard about Jessica.”

  “Yeah, I heard.” Tommy blew rings of smoke into the heavy air.

  “It seems someone drugged her, took her up to your room, and raped her.”

  “Raped?” Tommy paled. He tossed his partially burned cigarette down to the cracked pavement and stomped out the flame with the heel of his boot.

  “It would seem to me that the person who hosted the party where such a thing occurred would be in a heap of legal trouble if charges were pressed.”

  “Legal trouble?” Tommy coughed.

  “Don’t worry; you’re still a minor, so it’s your parents who’ll be in the most trouble because everything went down in a house they own. You’ll probably only end up in juvie.”

  “Juvie?”

  “It’s not exactly the state pen but probably not all that unpleasant. Here’s how it’s going to work: You’re going to help me find out what happened. You aren’t going to speak to anyone about this conversation or whatever you find out. If you refuse to help me or I find out you’ve been blabbing this all over school, I’ll be sure the police are informed about what happened that night. Are we clear?”

  “We’re clear.”

  “Okay, let’s try this again. At the party you handed Jessica a drink. She took a few sips and started to feel dizzy. I believe the drink was laced with something, probably one of the readily available date rape drugs. You handed her the drink. Did you spike it?”

  “No. I swear. I had a couple of guys mixing drinks. In fact, they had drinks lined up on the bar. The one I gave Jessica was rum and Diet Coke. I told her what it was when I gave it to her.”

  Alyson pulled her notebook out of her backpack. “I’m going to need the names of your bartenders.”

  “A lot of people helped out, but I specifically remember seeing Jim Smith, Victor Brown, and Jason Sandalwood behind the bar.”