“That’s the way he told it to me.”
“Okay,” Burrows was making her own notes, and Joe was
now in her mind watching what she wrote and feeling how
excited and nervous she was. “I hope you’re not going to tell me
that he was Peter the Fisherman; if so, they might have him for
rape. I’d rather you not tell me if he were involved in that case.” “Joe said he might have been in Santa Barbara then and
he can’t recall ever playing the part of Peter the Fisherman. When
he was young, he usually played a superhero, or famous film star.
He’s never physically gone into his victims’ bedrooms, and he’s never raped anyone. In all his fantasies, the women give themselves to him willingly, and if he were Peter with that girl, she would have lost her virginity only in her dreams. She would
have woken up still intact.”
“I’m glad to hear that, but I don’t think Brubaker will
believe him.” She wrote down, never raped anyone and put
brackets around it. “I guess I’d better get this good news about
the two boys to Agent Campbell straightaway and then get on to
Brubaker if there’s nothing else?”
“Will they want Joe’s help?” Alice wanted to talk some
more; she felt as if she was on a roller coaster of information and
she didn’t want to get off.
“You’ll have to ask Agent Campbell, I’ve got to go. Great
work, Alice, and please tell Joe he’s done brilliantly. I’ve got a
feeling Joe has made this a day to remember.”
Within twenty minutes of Burrows hanging up, Ed
Campbell was on the phone to Alice. “Mrs. Timberlake, this is
Special Agent Ed Campbell.”
“Hi Ed, how are you?”
“Agent Burrows has just told me the good news. I’ve got
to admit, it’s still hard to believe that your friend Joe can get into
people’s dreams like he does. But, Agent Burrows is convinced
he can, so I’m sending down an agent to pick up the memory
sticks, and we’ll take it from there. You’ve both been a big help,
you’ve saved us a lot of time.”
Alice had the feeling he was going to hang up. “Hold on a
minute, don’t you want Joe to get into these guys’ minds and
make them confess?”
“Mrs. Timberlake…”
“It’s Alice … please, call me Alice.”
Burrows had warned him that he’d have to call her Alice.
“Right … Alice … we’ve got to do this by the book. If we were
to get a confession out of them through hypnosis, without their
permission, which I am almost positive we would not get, then
they’ll get off scot-free. Our case would be thrown out of court.” “I’m sure Joe could help you in some other way.” “He’s already helped us a great deal. We’ve been
checking vans and camper vans used by the students of some
fifteen universities. There’s something like forty-five, but Joe just
narrowed it down to three at the university the two boys attend.
Now that is a big help for a start, so tell him thanks and if we
need him, I’ll give you a call.”
Alice was disappointed. “So that’s it, then?”
“Afraid so, Alice. But, like I said, you’ve both been a big
help––thanks.”
~
Once again, Alice had gone from being on a high to down in the dumps. She felt like waking John up to tell him about her day. She was making notes of what Ed had told her so she could tell Joe when he popped in. The phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Alice, it's Mike, are you busy?”
“Mike ... what can I do for you?” Alice’s excitement
returned instantly, and she was pleased he called her Alice, not Mrs. Timberlake. “Nothing really, it’s just a courtesy call to tell you that those names Joe gave us are coming up trumps. We’ve got the boys under surveillance, and the computer guys are following the money from the bank account numbers that Joe gave us.”
“That’s good. Joe will be pleased to hear that.” “Yes, I hope so, and I want you to know it’s not just me that wants to say thanks to the both of you. The whole team wants to say well done. You’ve found out more in one night than we could in one year. I’m sure we’ll be asking Joe to try to get information out of the new guys he’s found us.”
“Oh, I’m sure he will,” Alice said with confidence. “Good. Well, I just called to let you know how much we appreciate what you’ve both done. I’ll call you when I hear anything else. Thanks again, Alice.”
“Thanks.” Alice had filled up with tears of pride as she put the phone down. She stood, lifted her hands in the air, and jumped for joy. “Yes … yes … yes … they need us! Oh Joe, where are you?” She punched the air with excitement; she wanted to shout out loud, but it would have woken John. She sat back down, feeling pleased with the way things were working out. And then she thought about her work for the newspaper. I’m going to tell them I can’t help with the Agony Aunt anymore because I’m going to be a freelance reporter. “Oh Joe, why don’t you pop back into my mind for a minute, so I can tell you what’s gone on? There’s so much I’ve got to tell you. Why can’t I get this telepathic stuff to work both ways?” She slapped her forehead in frustration. “Joe, where are you? For God’s sake–– talk to me.”
Chapter31
Joe had daily routines he had to do, which sometimes stopped him from jumping into anyone’s mind when there were people around him. If he couldn’t be on his own, mindjumping was incredibly awkward—especially with Alice. He had to close his eyes to concentrate on her, otherwise, if his eyes were open, he’d see what was in front of him, and he wouldn’t be able to get into her mind. During the night, there were fewer distractions; in the daytime he had to be especially careful when he communicated with Alice. If he was in someone’s mind just watching them and someone spoke to him, he could come back quickly out of his trance, and say he was daydreaming, or just resting his eyes—that had happened a few times. This new issue with Alice was a lot more complicated.
Joe was dying to know if Agent Campbell had called Alice. It was just after 8 p.m. before he had his first chance to visit her.
“Hi, can you talk?” “It’s difficult right now.” Alice hesitated. “John will be going to work in an hour or so.”
Joe could hear John talking to her as she tried to talk to them both at the same time. “Shall I call back later?”
“That would be best.”
Joe didn’t answer; he would wait until she was getting ready for bed. Joe was lying in his bed, alone, waiting for Alice to settle down. He reentered her mind early enough to watch through her eyes as she undressed, put her pajamas on, and got into bed. He had promised he wouldn’t spy on her, but he couldn’t resist. “Hi, I’m sorry I didn’t call back earlier, I had to wait for the wife to go to sleep,” he lied.
“That’s all right; I’ve got loads to tell you.” Once Alice started, Joe hardly got a word in. She was excited as she told him what Agent Campbell had said, and how pleased Mike and his team were with his work.
“Doesn’t Campbell know I can get into one of the boy’s minds? I’ll find out where that van is, and if they plan another kidnapping.”
“Campbell said if he wanted your help he’d ask; he’s working this case by the book.”
“Well what’s stopping you from going to that university and finding one of those boys? I’ll jump from you to him and no one will be any wiser.”
“We can’t do that; the Feds will be watching those two boys like hawks.”
Joe was thinking hard. “We’ve got to work out a plan, and then you’re going to have to ask Burrows to help us. Start thinking.”
/> “You want me to drive down to that university and somehow con my way into their class?”
“That’s it! You can say you are a reporter, and you want to do a survey on something or other.”
“And you think they’ll let me in, just like that?”
“No, but if the FBI was to ask if you could do a study on smoking or something, I’m sure the dean, or whoever’s in charge, wouldn’t refuse the FBI.”
“I guess we’ll have to ask Burrows. I could tell her if you found out where and when they’d be going for their next victim, and, possibly, who she is, then, the Feds could catch them redhanded before they got the chance.” Alice liked that idea—if the FBI caught them in the act, then it would be a lot easier to build a case against them. “I’ll see what she thinks.”
For the next half hour, they went over their plan until they thought it was plausible enough for Burrows to go for it.
“It’s getting late. I’d better let you get some sleep.”
“Yeah, it has been a bit hectic. It’s been like Edgar Hoover’s office here today with all the special agents phoning me.”
“Yes, you must be tired, and John is not there to sing you to sleep.”
Alice thought that was a strange comment. “I’ll be asleep before you know it. Are you going straight to sleep?” That was a silly question to ask, she told herself.
“I might pop over and visit your neighbor, Barbara––the Musketeers never did find the Queen’s necklace.”
“Oh … I see,” Alice said sheepishly, wondering why the
Musketeers would be looking for the Queen’s necklace. “But, then again, we might watch an old film Barbara has … ah ... what was it called, now?” Joe was teasing Alice, and he
could feel her trying to shut her thoughts off from him. “Oh yes
… The Scarlet Pimpernel … have you seen it?”
“I think so.” She could feel herself blushing, she wanted
to ask if he was Barbara’s Uncle Joe in the Three Musketeers’
fantasy, and what did a necklace have to do with the Three
Musketeers? “Well, I hope you find the necklace.”
“I’ll call you in the morning if I can. Sleep tight.” “You too, Joe.” She thought he had gone from her
thoughts, but she still shouted after him: “And don’t let Barbara
go to the police!” Alice tried to remember the story of the
Pimpernel. I think Robin Hood would be better than the Scarlet
Pimpernel, Alice thought. Not that she had actually met Robin
and Little John, but she was sure if she’d stayed there in her
dream, they would have rescued her, with Friar Joe’s help. She
scolded herself, again, for even thinking about Joe and his silly,
sexy fantasy.
Joe was in his bed, smiling, as he read Alice’s thoughts.
He was half tempted to visit her in her dreams with his story
books, but he knew Alice was right—it was best to keep business
and pleasure separate. Now how did that Scarlet Pimpernel story
go? They seek him here … they seek him there ... sounds a bit like
the government looking for the Magic Man. Barbara was sleeping
peacefully when Joe entered her dream.
~
Alice was up early, again, before John came home from the nightshift. She told him what Joe and she had talked about. John was scared for her, but agreed it sounded like a good idea. So, with that in mind, Alice phoned Agent Burrows’ cell phone. She told Burrows that Agent Campbell was following protocol with the case, then went on to explain how easy it would be to catch them if Joe could get into one of their minds.
“Okay, now let me see if I’ve got it right.” Burrows was in her office and had jotted down some notes of Joe’s plan. “You want me to get you into the university as a reporter, doing a trumped-up survey, so you could go up to either Scott Bailey or Alfred Cohen and interview them, and find out where they go on the weekends.” She scratched her head. “But how is he going to meet the boys?”
“He’s hoping they’ll go to a football match, or basketball game—anywhere in public where he can hide in the crowd and bump into one of them.” Alice’s heart was racing away, knowing Burrows was considering their plan. “He could find out who the other two boys are, where their van is, and if they are planning another kidnapping.”
Burrows was beginning to like the plan. “And if they go on another venture, you want Agent Campbell to follow them and wait until they drag a girl off the street, and then pounce on them?” Burrows smiled. “As easy as that sounds, I don’t think Campbell will go for it. But it would be valuable information to know if they plan to do it again.”
“Who knows?––they could have one planned for this weekend,” Alice said anxiously.
“I’m sure Agent Campbell realizes that, and he’s more than likely hoping they are so that he can follow them and find that van. He’ll be watching those two guys around the clock. And, if he does find the van, and there’s any of the girls’ DNA in it, we’ll have a strong case.”
“Joe could find that van as easy as me asking you where you have parked your car.”
As Burrows tried to work out the complications involved; she knew Alice was right. “What if Homeland picks Joe up?” Burrows asked. “They know about any plans we make involving him.”
“He’s hoping to be able to blend in with the crowd,” Alice commented.
Burrows could see a promotion in her future if she pulled this off and got Joe to work under her supervision, although it would be through Alice. Alice was the key to making it work; the more they used her, the quicker the FBI and Homeland Security would realize how useful Joe and Alice were. “Right. Now, let me tell you what will happen if I said I’d help you. First, I have to take this to my boss, and if he thinks it’s a good idea, he’ll okay it. And, as you know, anything referring to the Magic Man, Homeland knows about. So, I’d say within an hour of me writing out that request, Frank Brubaker will have it on his desk. Plus, we’ll piss off Agent Campbell for going over his head.”
“But it would be worth it, wouldn’t it?” Alice smiled at the thought: “If it helped to solve the case quicker?”
“Getting Joe to go into Jessica’s dream was a long shot that paid off. And, let me tell you, it impressed several people up here in Quantico—not all, though. There’s a few that think Joe just got the two boys’ names off the internet. And, getting Joe to find one of these boys in a crowded place is another long shot. But I think Joe can do it, so I’ll see what my boss thinks. I’m sure Frank Brubaker will go for it; the more Joe comes out of hiding, the better for Brubaker’s boys. They’ll be hoping it will help them to catch the Magic Man, or at least find out who he is. You make sure you tell Joe that.”
“I will.” It thrilled Alice that Burrows was going for it. “I expect Joe will have some disguise. And don’t worry about pissing off Agent Campbell; he’ll be the one that gets all the credit if it works out, anyway,” Alice snickered.
Burrows laughed into the phone. “And all the shit if it doesn’t. Alice, I don’t work with Agent Campbell and after this case, I doubt I’ll ever see him again. I’m just a profiler. They asked my team to put a profile together on the Magic Man, and I was lucky enough to be the one they sent down to meet you. But, it wouldn’t pay for you to piss him off, either. When you write your scoop on this case, it’s more than likely you’ll have to go through Agent Campbell to get it passed. So, if I were you, I’d get on his good side.”
“I hadn’t thought of that, thanks for the tip.”
“You’ll have two stories in the papers before you know it.” Burrows was happy for Alice, and it showed in her voice. “That should make your husband proud of you.”
“Yeah … he’s on about having kids now that I’ve got a bigger paycheck coming in.” Alice was glad Burrows was talking to her more socially, and not being all business. Alice
wondered about Burrows’ private life. “Are you married … any kids?” she enquired.
“No. On both accounts. I’ve had a few boyfriends, but the job always came first, and they all drifted away.”
Alice felt sorry for her. “One day Mr. Right will come along.”
“Maybe he might have already.” Burrows had no idea Joe was in her mind, wanting to know more. “I’ve been seeing a guy named Henry for the last five years.” Burrows didn’t know why she should be talking about Henry to Alice, as if she were her best friend; she tried not to talk to any of her workmates about him. She didn’t know that Joe wanted to know more about her, and was helping her to talk freely through her subconscious. “He’s a botanist––a scientist––and if someone discovers a new plant in the Amazon jungle, or a new species of insect or animal anywhere in the world, he’s off to write about it for his work. He packs his camera, recorder, sketchbook, pen and pad, and he’s off like Indiana Jones looking for lost treasure. He’s away from home nearly as often as I am.”
“You don’t see much of each other, then?” Alice asked.
“Not that much, but we phone each other regularly. And, we make sure we spend Christmas, Thanksgiving Day, and have two weeks’ holiday together. Other than that, we get to see each other about once or twice a month, if we’re lucky.”
“So, your jobs keep you apart?”
“Pretty much. But, my job as a detective is what I’ve always wanted since I was a kid, and Henry understands that, as much as I understand the needs of his work. I joined the police force and worked my way up to homicide detective. I had a knack for making profiles of the killers we were chasing, so Quantico asked me to join them. So, here I am. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this, I must be boring you.” Burrows laughed uncomfortably.
“You’re not boring me; it sounds like you’re missing Henry, though.”
“I could be. Anyway, I’d better let you go. Keep up the good work.”
We will, thought Joe as he popped out of her mind. He grinned. I wonder what Henry looks like…
Chapter32
Get Out Of My Dreams (Joe the Magic Man Series Book 1) Page 22
