by Gareth Otton
Jen was at the end of the street when that feeling of being watched became too much to bear. When she turned, she found the woman walking her way.
It was dark, but the street light gave Jen a good look at her. She was pretty, and there was something exotic about her. She reminded Jen of a picture she had seen in a book, an illustration of an old Egyptian queen.
She was picking up her pace and her stare was creeping Jen out. It was just one more reason to go home, fast.
She gave up any pretence at being strong. Jen turned away from the woman and she ran.
She couldn’t be sure without looking back, but it sounded like the woman was running as well.
20
Wednesday, 25th November 2015
22:36
For the second time that week Jen was missing. Once again Tad went through the whole gamut of emotions that went along with that. Foremost this time was anger.
“I can’t believe she’s done this again. After what happened last time I thought she learnt her lesson.”
He spoke fast, not expecting an answer. He got one anyway.
Stella, sat in the passenger seat, laid a hand on his arm. It was like quieting a frightened horse with a touch on the nose.
“Don’t blame yourself again. We need to find her first, then—”
“Then I can blame myself?” He laughed bitterly, but Stella shook her head.
“No. Then you can get to the bottom of what’s happening. In an emergency, focus is your friend. Worrying about things you can’t do anything about is less than useless.”
He grunted in acknowledgement. “Smart. They teach you that at police school, or wherever the hell you guys go?”
“Something like that.”
Her hand slipped from his arm and she went back to searching the nighttime shadows.
He doubted they would see her on the road. He already checked everywhere he could think of for her, and his ghosts were out looking. The only one he couldn’t find was Maggie, and he suspected she was with Jen. If this was her idea, then Tad might destroy her after all.
After his afternoon lectures, Tad organised a sitter for Jen so he could go to the station and work with Stella. They went through old evidence, this time with a focus on Cleopatra. It was work Stella could do alone, but Tad enjoyed being on the inside. It made him feel useful.
That was until Letty called to say Jen was missing again. Now, rather than being useful, he was a distraction who dragged Stella from work to look for Jen. He hadn’t expected her to come, but she insisted. He was glad she had. Not only did she keep his mind on track, but she had given him an idea of where to look for Jen. She asked if there was anything from Jen’s past she might have spoken about, a place where she felt safe.
The question sparked memories of stories Jen had told him that took place in or around a treehouse at her old home. She never outright said it was a safe place for her, but when Tad thought back, he suspected it might be.
As a long shot, they headed in that direction. All the time he drove, Tad did his best not to think of Cleopatra. He couldn’t let himself think that Jen finally having a ghost had drawn the attention of the kidnapper… killer… whatever the hell she was.
“You can’t think that way,” Stella said. He glanced away from the road to find her staring at him.
“You reading my mind?”
“You’re thinking Cleopatra has her.”
“You are reading my mind.”
“It’s only natural. You think that by not doing anything about Jen and Maggie you’ve somehow left Jen vulnerable. Well stop thinking that. It’s the same as dwelling on blame. We don’t know anything yet.”
Tad shook his head as he turned off the main road onto the estate where Jen used to live.
“It’s hard. I keep fucking up where Jen’s concerned. Every mistake leads to another. Last week was so bad I thought it would make her behave for a while at least. She had a few scares that I thought shocked her. Now she’s gone again. If… when we find her, I need to think about something else to do with her. I don’t think she’s safe with me anymore.”
Stella opened her mouth to say something, but was too late. Tad pulled the car into a space outside a large, detached property. A few seconds later he was out of the car and was walking up the gravelled driveway towards a modern, red-brick house.
A bright, white light flicked on as he approached and the door opened before he had chance to ring the doorbell.
“Can I help you?”
The man was tall, though not quite to Tad’s eye height, and was well built. He was in his late fifties and showed signs of softness around the gut, but Tad was sure this was a tough man. His short hair, moustache and style of dress made Tad think of the military.
“Hi. This will sound crazy, but I was wondering if you have seen a young girl come through this way tonight.”
Tad told him how his daughter used to live here and had gone missing. He explained how it was a long shot, but he was at his whit's end. Slowly the suspicion faded from the man’s expression. By the time Tad finished, he looked ready to head up a search party himself.
“No. Not seen a little girl. But, hang on a second.” He stepped back into the house before Tad could stop him and appeared a moment later with a huge torch he must have kept close to the door. “Let’s go check the treehouse. It’s still there. Don’t have kids myself, but never found a reason to tear the thing down.”
Tad couldn’t hide his relief. “Thanks. I hate to be a bother—”
“No bother. Let’s find your little girl and—”
“Tad,” Stella interrupted as she rushed up the drive. She had gone snooping in case the man wasn’t happy to let them look around. “I can’t be sure, but I think I saw movement.”
Tad felt his hopes rise along with his anger. If Jen was there and had forced Tad to bother Stella and this man for nothing, then he might lose it. Of course, like last time, he might just be so relieved that he forgot everything else.
The home owner took point, leading them around the side of the house, his torch lighting the way and eventually illuminating a large square patch of grass surrounded by trees. Nestled in the branches of a tall oak tree at the rear of the garden was one of the coolest tree-houses Tad had ever seen.
Complete with balcony, windows and a door that looked sturdy, Tad thought the place was probably weathertight. If that was Jen’s tree house growing up, then Tad wouldn’t be surprised to find it was her safe place. It looked so secure he was considering making it his safe place as well.
The ex-army guy reached the bottom of the tree and shone his light at the door.
“There’s definitely someone up there. Normally the door’s shut tight.”
“Jen, you up there?” Tad called out.
No answer.
He stepped around the man and climbed the rope ladder.
“Jen,” he called again. “If you’re in there, I’m coming up.”
Still no answer, but he heard a gasp. He wasn’t sure if it was Jen, but there was definitely someone in that tree house.
Tad climbed onto the platform and reached for the door. He hesitated for just a second, then opened the door and stared into the darkness. The torchlight had done nothing to help with his night vision and he could see nothing, but he could hear breathing. He stepped into the darkness and stopped breathing, trying to listen harder. The other person stopped breathing as well.
All was still for half a minute until Tad’s lungs started to burn. He let out an explosive breath.
“Jen. Please God let that be you.”
In answer there was sudden movement, and a shape collided with him. He let out a startled yelp that was cut short when slim arms slipped around his waist and he felt the familiar presence of his daughter.
“Dear God Jen. You scared the shit out of me.”
She didn’t answer, she just sobbed into his chest.
With a final thank you, Tad and Stella said goodbye to the house owner and
walked to the car where Jen waited. She sat behind the driver's seat, head down and refusing to look at either of them. It was clear she had been crying.
Tad shared a look with Stella and tried his hardest to apologise with his expression. He wouldn’t be able wait until he was alone to talk to Jen, and the next few minutes would be uncomfortable for Stella.
She gave him one of her reassuring smiles that did wonders for putting him at ease, then climbed into the front passenger seat. Tad took one last deep breath and climbed into the car.
He said nothing as he pulled away, but by the time they reached the end of the street he was looking at Jen in the rearview mirror.
“Explain, Jen.”
He couldn’t string together anything more coherent without anger getting the better of him. His tone was already sharp enough to make her wince and sink down in her seat.
She didn’t answer.
“Come on Jen, give me something. What’s the reason this time? You can’t have been looking for a ghost because you’ve got one. So what is it? Do you hate it at home that much that you—”
“No!” There was fire in her response, but it was gone as quick as it came. Another look in the mirror showed him the deep pink aura of either embarrassment or shame. Whatever it was, the fiery red of Jen’s anger was nowhere to be seen.
“No. Then why? I need something because I’m reaching the limit of my patience. I can’t win with you.”
Jen was quiet just long enough to make Tad think she was ignoring him. Finally she spoke. She didn’t go into too much detail, just giving him the broad strokes, but it was enough for Tad to fill in the gaps.
Maggie pressured her into going to Mark’s. Things went bad, and she had to flee, leaving Maggie behind. There wasn’t a single part of the story he liked and by the time she finished he was holding the wheel so hard his knuckles were white and his hands ached.
He wanted to ask one of the thousand questions in his head, but they crowded each other out. He caught Stella looking at him out the corner of his eye, and when he didn’t speak she asked a question for him.
“I understand the rest, but why didn’t you go home where you’d be safe?”
Tad looked in the mirror and tried to catch Jen’s eye, but she had figured out how to avoid meeting his gaze.
“I was going to. But on the way back I got frightened and changed my mind.”
Stella nodded, but a frown formed.
“Frightened?”
Her tone was flat and clinical, free of emotion in a way that made Tad look to see what colour she was wearing. Her aura was blank, like she was in a neutral state and waiting to see what emotion she should feel next.
“I see. Tell me, does Tad hit you?”
The question shocked him enough that he nearly lost control of the car. It jerked and there were bumps as his wheels went over the thick white paint in the centre of the road, but otherwise no damage.
Did she really think he would hit Jen?
He remembered the story she shared with him the day before. He could see how she would have a tendency to suspect such things, but to ask Jen that, right there with him in the car… It was more than a little hurtful.
The only thing that stopped him protesting was her tone. There was no anger, no disgust.
“No! Of course not.” A glance in the mirror confirmed that Jen’s anger had returned in abundance.
“Does he lock you up? Punish you in any way he shouldn’t?”
“What the hell is your problem, lady? Of course not.”
“I see.” That tone was different, and again Tad glanced across. It was not as wild or intense as Jen’s, but Stella’s aura was turning red. “My problem is your answer. Are you so stupid that you’re willing to risk your safety when there’s someone out there hunting Proxies because you were scared of… what? A talking to?”
Jen didn’t answer, but the red retreated and the pink returned twice as strong.
“You don’t know how good you’ve got it. I thought we talked about this on the way to Llanelli, I thought you understood.”
“I did,” Jen protested, but Stella wasn’t done talking.
“Clearly you didn’t. Since that trip you’ve made some idiotic and hurtful mistakes that have done nothing but cause Tad and the people who love you worry. If that wasn’t enough, you’ve wasted my time.
“I was supposed to be working tonight, trying to catch a killer. Instead I’m here looking for you. I’ve also called in favours with a lot of people to get them looking for you. As far as we knew, you were the next victim. That means that your actions have wasted Tad's time, my time, and police time. All of that because you didn’t want to be shouted at?”
She paused, waiting for an answer. Jen didn’t speak. She just shook her head.
In spite of the red of Stella’s aura growing bolder, she kept her voice steady, almost conversational. When she turned away from Jen, it was as though it was no big deal.
“That’s disappointing, Jen,” she said. A look in the mirror confirmed just how hard that comment landed.
Tad couldn’t think of anything to say after that and silence reigned until they pulled up outside his house. Stella’s car was parked there, but she left her keys in the house when they questioned Letty, so she followed them inside
“Is Letty still here?” Jen asked in a small voice as they approached the door.
“I sent her home,” Tad said. “I’ll have to go see her in a minute to let her know you’re safe. The poor woman was beside herself.”
He didn’t think the girl could look any more ashamed, but somehow she managed it. He felt his resolve slipping. His anger was almost spent as he opened the door and turned on the light.
The sight the light revealed reignited that anger and this time it burned twice as bright.
“Tad. I’ve got big—”
Maggie never got to finish her sentence. All she managed was a startled yelp as she flew across the hall and slammed into a wall. She hit with both feet off the floor and that was where she stayed, pressed into the wall by an invisible force.
Her eyes widened with fright as Tad stalked down the hallway toward her. As he had with the mad ghost at the office, he erected this mental barrier on instinct. His manipulation of Maggie was an extension of his will as his anger overtook reason.
“I’ve been too soft on you since you arrived,” Tad said in a low, dangerous tone. “Our history made me more lenient than I’d be with any other ghost. That ends now.
“You’ve put Jen in danger for the last time. If I get so much as a thought that you’re putting ideas in her head that will harm her, it’ll be the end for you. I’ll force you to move on in a heartbeat and you won’t get to see Mark put away.”
He was still walking forward and only stopped when he was a foot away from her. The muscles in her jaw tensed as they tried to open her mouth, but it was no more effort than a thought for Tad to keep it shut.
“To make myself doubly clear, I want you to understand. That is what I’ll do if you put her in harms way. If she’s ever hurt because of you, then that’s it. No moving on, no future. I will obliterate your soul and that will be it.
“Is that clear?”
He released his hold on her mouth and she gasped as though she had to suck in a deep breath. It was further proof of just how young a ghost she was.
“Is that clear?” he asked again, tightening his grip on the rest of her when she didn’t answer.
She winced and nodded, clearly in pain.
“It’s clear. I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I didn’t mean—”
Tad held up his hand and instantly she was silent. It wasn’t his power this time, but a reaction to his sudden movement.
“No excuses. I’m not in the mood. A simple yes or no will suffice.”
“Yes. I promise. Yes.”
Suddenly the pressure vanished and she collapsed to the floor, landing on her hands and knees and coughing, again as though she were a real person.
/> Tad ignored her and walked into the kitchen, turning on the lights and ignoring Stella and Jen’s startled stares. He had shocked more than Maggie it seemed.
The truth was he shocked himself.
His shock had nothing to do with the power he used, or how easy it had been. His shock was because he meant every word. If he thought Maggie would ever hurt Jen, he would end her.
“So what were you going to say?” Tad asked after he removed his coat and turned on the espresso machine.
Maggie hesitated before answering. The conflicting colours in her aura told him she wanted to be excited by her news, but was scared at how he would react to her excitement.
In a controlled tone she said, “I’ve got the information we need to bring Mark down.”
“What do you mean?” Tad asked as he made coffees for himself and Stella. He didn’t bother asking if she wanted one. She called him a coffee snob, but he knew she was every bit as bad.
“We freaked him out tonight. No sooner had Jen left when he was on the phone to his buddies. He told them he’s not prepared to wait. If they don’t help him, he’s going to move the evidence himself. If he gets caught, then so be it.”
“Do you know what he needs all this help with?” Stella asked, slipping into detective mode.
“I hit my head on the fridge on my way to the ground. There’s blood in all kinds of places in that kitchen that he can’t get to in order to clean it up. The truth is, he’s just panicking. He wants it all gone. The units, the fridge, the lot.”
“Sounds like overkill,” Tad said as he slipped a coffee across the counter to Stella. She took it with a brief smile before her attention returned to Maggie.
“Yeah, well that’s Mark. When something’s too much for him, he panics. He goes overboard and won’t rest until he’s one-hundred percent sure there’s nothing that could cause him future problems. It wouldn’t surprise me if he remodels the entire kitchen.
“That’s what he needs help for. He wants to take the place apart and get rid of everything. And they’ve agreed. They’re doing it tomorrow night.”
Tad nodded and sipped his coffee. The second it touched his lips he felt better. It was far too late for a coffee and no way should he feel that good after one sip. Maybe it was time to admit to his addiction. It was a worry for another day. For now his head cleared, and he allowed himself to be happy for Maggie.
