by Joyce
"I can't,” Rae whispered into the receiver. “Not yet. I have to know the truth."
"It could ruin your life again."
"I know. Can you see anything, Lessie?"
There was a short pause on the line. “Darkness. I see darkness, Rae. And a maze of trees. When the time comes, hide in the trees."
Rae didn't understand but she didn't question her grandmother's words. “I'll call again when I can."
"Be careful. This man could hurt you in ways that will taint your soul black."
"I will. I love you and I'll be back down there before you know it."
If she could ever go back. She put down the receiver. If it came out that she was there, helping Steve, she could have to close her shop. Her life with her grandmother on the island would be over. But she knew that from the beginning.
She took her duffle bag and walked back towards the bus stop. She needed a quiet place to think. She was out of cash and didn't dare use her credit card. She needed to be able to contact Bryce and get a fix on where they were holding her. Sometime today, Steve would make the final demand on himself and the whole charade would be over. Sharin would be hospitalized or commit suicide. Bryce might be left in some abandoned place, never to be found. A victim of the kidnappers.
Rae crossed the busy street in downtown Atlanta. In the distance, she could see a church spire. Inspiration took hold of her. What better place to try and contact Bryce? It would be quiet and solitary. She'd feel safe there while she attempted to use some of the skills John was teaching her when he died. She wasn't able to concentrate well enough back then to take advantage of them. She could still recall his gentle words and loving understanding of her. If you can master meditation, you can use your abilities at will. How could she compare Steve to him?
"Rae!"
As if she conjured him from her thoughts again, she looked up and saw Steve walking towards her on the sidewalk. Not too far behind him were Al, an angry looking Sam, and another security guard. They wouldn't dare use a gun out here. A passing crowd of uptown workers disembarked from a bus. Rae allowed herself to be swallowed up by the group. She moved fluidly with them, glancing to see if her pursuers were behind her.
Steve and the hulking security guard were grimly following. She could feel Steve's anger. Sam and Al crossed the street to reach the intersection before her.
The crowd of people around her began dispersing to their job sites. She had to make a move. A bus was lumbering up to a stop between intersections on the busy street. Rae darted between the oncoming traffic to reach it, jumping on a second before the bus doors closed. She looked out the side window as the men realized where she went.
"You'll have to put the fare in,” the bus driver told her blandly.
Rae looked at the change she had left in her pocket. She was one nickel short. She searched frantically in her pockets and her bag. Steve and his men were coming closer. It was only a matter of seconds.
"Here.” Another passenger in the front seat put a nickel in the slot for her. The bus doors closed and the vehicle slowly pulled away from the stop.
"Thanks.” Rae smiled at the man.
"Anything to get going."
She took a seat. Al began to jog down towards the next stop. Foot traffic was as heavy as road traffic that morning. It took him too long to cross the street. The bus made its stop quickly, not taking on any passengers. She was safe. For the moment.
Relieved, she sat back in her seat and closed her eyes. She was wrong about Steve again. He was willing to risk police exposure to chase her down. She wasn't safe from him in a public place. On the other hand, she was able to outwit him. She opened her eyes and looked out the window as the bus continued towards the downtown depot. She could still see the copper-covered church spire gleaming in the sun. It was like a beacon, calling to her. Instinct told her that it was the right place to go.
Seeing Steve sent a frisson of awareness up her spine. All of the tantalizing images she'd seen came to haunt her. He had a powerful field around him. Maybe that was why she wasn't able to pick up on the truth when she was near him. Or she was picking up on it the whole time. Those small nuances she felt about David. The secret she knew Steve was keeping from her. She was infatuated with him and simply refused to believe it.
Not wanting to continue thinking about her failures, Rae thought instead about Bryce. She had a glimpse of the place they were holding her while she was sleeping off the effects of the analgesic. Learning that Duke was part of the plot shocked her. Hearing him include Steve sent her reeling. She barely had a chance to look around before she lost the contact. But she could still sense Bryce being there, just beyond her range of contact. It wouldn't take much to pick up on it again.
She rode the bus to the final stop. While it was parking, she carefully looked around the depot. She didn't see any sign of Steve or his hired help. She'd lost them. It probably wouldn't be hard for them to pick up on her again. The psychic bond between her and Steve was intense. It could give her away.
"Getting’ off now?” The driver slid out of his seat. “This bus won't be leaving the terminal again for an hour. I got a break coming."
"I'm getting off.” She stepped out on the blacktop. “Thanks."
"You lost or somethin'?” the driver wondered, watching her.
"I'm from South Carolina."
A broad grin broke out on the man's brown face. “You don't say? I'm from Charleston. Where you from?"
"Sullivan's Island."
"We're neighbors! Come and sit in the break room with me and have some coffee and a donut. We'll sort you right out, neighbor."
"Thanks.” Rae wasn't sure if she could drink anything else but she was glad to have a place of refuge for a few minutes. It was good to see a friendly face.
In the break room, Charlie took her map in hand. He pointed out the best way to get to the church she'd seen. “That's St. Matthews. You can walk the six blocks. Straight up here.” He marked the map in yellow highlighter. “And to your right another block."
"Thanks, Charlie."
"Glad to help out. You here sightseeing?"
"No. I was working but I lost my job. I'm probably heading home tomorrow."
"Well, good luck to you.” Charlie pumped her hand enthusiastically. “I've been out to the island, you know. Got me some herbs once to keep the yang up."
Rae laughed. She took a business card from her bag and gave it to him. “Next time you get out there, look me up."
"I will.” He took the card. “My folks still live in Charleston. I get back there a couple of times a year."
The morning was pleasant. The snow from the night before was melting in the warm sun. The streets were still crowded but thinning as people went to work. Rae kept an eye out for Steve. She managed the six-block walk without any sign of him. She began to breath deeply as she got closer to the church. She tried to focus herself on Bryce and the place she saw her. She knew it might be her last chance to find the child.
St. Matthews’ church was a beautiful red brick building, mellowed by sun and time. The plaque outside proclaimed that the church had been there since before the Civil War. It had been partially burned by Sherman but rebuilt in 1868. The copper spire gleamed warmly, silhouetted against the clear blue sky.
Rae covered her head with a scarf and walked inside. The interior was hushed and empty except for a priest who was lighting candles at the altar. She sat down in one of the elaborately scrolled wooden pews and closed her eyes. She tried to project her awareness outside of herself, breathing deeply while she focused on Bryce.
She could almost touch the little girl. She was sleeping on a cot in a small room. Objects came into focus around her. Crude wooden walls and badly, hastily, built stick furniture. A strong scent of pine. A crackling sound that she couldn't readily identify. Fire.
"Hello, Rae,” Steve whispered in her ear as he leaned his head close to hers from the pew behind her. “You're not very good at staying lost."
; Chapter Thirteen
Rae scanned the sanctuary. She saw Al first at the side entrance. She could only guess that Sam and the other man were at the back church entrance. The priest very calmly continued lighting hundreds of candles at the altar. The scent of chrysanthemums combining with the smoke was overpowering.
"How did you find me?” She was trapped. She could probably get away from Steve. She didn't think she could make it out of the church with the other three men waiting to pounce. She was so close to contacting Bryce again. If she stalled for time, maybe an inspiration would come to her.
"I don't know exactly. I saw the church spire and I knew where you were headed. I guess I have some kind of connection with you like you have with Bryce."
"Then you must also know that I don't want to see you.” She watched Al leave his strategic place by the side door to walk slowly towards them. That was a mistake.
"Take it easy. I know you're having some problems. We can take care of those. There's no reason to be afraid."
"Problems?"
"You took a pretty good whack on the head.” Steve spoke in a soothing voice as he moved closer to her. “I shouldn't have let you leave that way. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Thanks for caring. But I think I can handle it myself.” She watched Al nod towards the two men who were waiting at the back of the church.
Steve ignored them. “You're my responsibility. I don't want you to get hurt because you don't know what you're doing."
Rae smiled at Steve's words. “You might be able to do that with Sharin. Not with me. I think you'll have to let me go."
"I can't do that yet, Rae.” He touched the back of her neck. “I don't know what you think happened—"
She fought with herself to stay perfectly still. Let him come closer. It was harder to fight the pictures of the two of them that moved like a kaleidoscope through her mind. His careless touch left a brand of fire on her skin. She struggled not to get lost in the caress. “I know what happened. Leave me alone or I'll scream so loud to the police that even if I can't save Bryce, you'll never have a moment's peace."
"Calm down.” He pleaded quietly with his hand on her arm. “I'm not going to hurt you."
Rae jumped to her feet. She shoved her duffle bag in his face. Steve fell backwards towards the floor with it. She hopped across the pews to the front of the church.
The priest pleaded, “Please, this is a house of God! Leave if you can't respect it!"
Al saw her move. He was almost to the pew where she was sitting with Steve. There wasn't much he could do but run back the other way. Sam came up the center aisle with the other security guard.
Rae was at the front altar. “Sorry, Father. I swear I'll do penance."
She was almost to the side door. Her peripheral vision was on the three security people. She failed to consider Steve's actions. He threw down the duffle bag and jumped the pews after her. When she put her hand on the doorknob, his hand closed over hers.
"Not so fast."
She used her elbow to move him away from her. There was a satisfying grunt when it made contact with his mid-section. “Get out of my face."
He managed to wrap one arm around her waist. “I'm not trying to hurt you."
She stepped back hard on his insole. “Too bad. Maybe I can change your mind."
"Rae, you're making a mistake.” Steve drew in a quick breath but didn't let her go.
"I don't think so. I know about Duke.” She took a step to the right and swung back with her fist. She caught him squarely in the jaw. This time he let her go. She opened the door and was off down the sidewalk before he could recover.
Rae didn't stop to decide where she was going. She saw Sam and Al coming towards her down the sidewalk at the front of the church. She didn't see the other man but she was sure she could outrun him. He was too muscular to be very fast. She didn't see Steve come up behind her again until he was on her. This time he didn't take any chances. He launched himself at her, taking her down and rolling with her in the wet, brown grass of St. Matthews’ garden.
He ended up on top of her. It was a similar move to the one in his bedroom. But this time, she fought him and hurt him.
He swore and tried to hold on to her. “Jesus, Rae, you're just making this harder."
"Obviously not hard enough,” she yelled back at him.
It gave the other men enough time to help him. Against four of them, she was outnumbered. Her hair was in wild disarray in her face. Her muscles twitched with the heavy workout. They overpowered her and lifted her bodily towards the waiting car.
"Wait!” The young priest called from the doorway.
"Call the police.” Rae screamed at him before they could shove her into the car. “Call the damn police!"
"Go!” Steve told the driver when the door closed behind them. The driver nodded and the dark limo sped off down the side street. The priest watched them, open mouthed, without making a move towards the phone.
Al and Sam held her down in the car.
Steve nursed the bruise on his jaw. “What the hell was that all about? I know you have a head injury but—"
"Don't even pretend it has anything to do with a head injury.” She could feel the tic working in her left cheek. “You know where Duke is right now and so do I."
"Duke's out looking for Bryce with his team.” Steve picked up the phone to the driver. “I think she needs to be hospitalized. Swing by there."
"Hospitalized? You're the one who'll need to be hospitalized if something happens to Bryce!"
"You're out of your mind!"
"Really? Is that what you're going to say when you bring Bryce home and she's heard Mary and Duke talking about you? Or isn't she coming home?"
He got down close to her.
"I wouldn't get that close, sir,” stone-faced Sam warned.
Steve ignored him. “You were hurt at the motel last night. Do you remember that? I let you go because I thought that you were going home. But you ditched Sam and took off on your own. I think this might be some kind of post-traumatic problem. I came after you because I don't want you to get hurt again."
Rae didn't buy that. “That's why you're putting me away in a hospital, right? That's why your geeks are sitting on top of me?"
Steve gestured to the two men. They moved cautiously away from her. Rae sat up and rubbed her shoulders. They felt like they were pulled from their sockets. Her head was pounding and her chest felt like two big men had sat on her.
"I know this is hard for you to understand right now.” Steve tried again to explain it to her. “I really just want to protect you from yourself."
"Then let's go and find Duke.” She taunted him. “If nothing's going on, he won't mind us talking to him."
Steve pushed the speed dial on his phone and handed it to her. “Go ahead."
Rae glanced at the hard, set faces of the security guards around her. She pushed her finger on the off button to disconnect. “Are all of you in on this? I can see how you could take David out with no problem. But Bryce is just a child! How rich does one man have to be anyway?"
Sam shook his head and looked out of the window.
"David?” Steve asked in a low voice. “What does David have to do with this?"
"He wanted out and you wanted him all the way out.” She paused for breath. “You covered the whole thing up before the police could finish their investigation."
"What I did, I did to protect my family, what's left of it. You'd do the same. The police report was going to say that he committed suicide that night. That didn't happen."
"Because you killed him! Isn't that what you were really trying to cover up?"
"Rae.” Steve shook his head. “You're delusional! He was in a car accident on the way to my house. He was coming to accuse me of having an affair with Sharin! He was going too fast on the ice. He couldn't stop the car."
"The brakes were tampered with! He tried to stop after he hit the ice but there were no brakes! The police would've
found that out if they finished investigating. Add the missing airbag to that—"
"David had that taken out because he didn't like them. Everyone knew how he felt about airbags. One killed a friend of his. When he hit the tree—"
"I was there. You can't pretend with me. I found his wedding band at his house. He slammed out of the house and was going to find you. But he didn't mean to die on the way. He put his foot down hard on the brake but there was no pressure. He couldn't save himself, Steve. You made sure of that!"
The other men looked at her like she was crazy. But Steve stared at her like he saw a ghost. “Are you sure?"
Rae blinked. Thrown off momentarily by his changed manner. “Don't give me that!"
Steve took a scrap of paper from his pocket. “This is the kidnappers’ last demand."
"You mean your last demand?"
"I don't know what you heard. I don't know what you saw. But a few hours ago while I was trying to find you, they called again. One last demand, they said, then they'll turn Bryce over to Sharin tomorrow."
"I don't care.” Rae spat the words at him. “It's all a game to you anyway."
"Open it! Have a good laugh."
Rae snatched the piece of paper from his hand without touching him. She read the demand. Turn yourself over to the police for David's murder. Make it big press.
"Now, either I'm a fool who's set everything up perfectly only to screw myself with my last request. Or someone else is responsible. Because I don't know how to get around this one, Rae. Do you? I have TV crews waiting for me back at the house. The police probably won't be far behind."
She looked into his intense eyes. Was she too injured to tell the truth from the lies? Or had she truly lost her mind? “That doesn't make any sense."
He took a deep breath. “You don't have to tell me. But if what you saw is true, when I confess to David's murder, they're going to re-open the case and there's already something there that will hang me."
Rae put her hands to her head. “I haven't lost my mind, Steve. And I'm not confused by the head injury. I made contact with Bryce last night. Duke Barneby was there and I heard him tell Mary that you'd know what to do. That you set up the whole thing."
