by T. Jones
"So how are you her partner?"
"Callie told me that you're aware that things with those girls are, … complicated."
"My Dad thought they were up to no good, he accused Danielle of being a witch of some sort. He knows better than that, but it's clear to us both that there's something unusual going on. I used to have a problem with drugs, Mr. Carson, and Callie Fisher did something to me, nearly killed me. I swear it was some sort of mind control, but like I said, I was on drugs. But there is something, complicated, to say the least."
"I wasn't aware of that, but let's both agree that these girls can do shit that you don't see every day, okay?" Ozzy just nodded. "I'm kind of helping them out, kind of freelance investigating. What do you know about Madeline Rice?"
"Seems like a sharp woman, but she's involved with my Dad's case, I'm not at liberty to talk about her with you."
"Lawyers. Seems to me you should have worried about ethics before you got involved in illegal trading. Alright, I know that wasn't your deal. Let me go at this from a different angle. The girls think that Derrick Blackburn may still go after Madeline Rice, and if something happened to her, it would look really bad for your old man, even if he didn't have anything to do with it, right?"
"How are Callie and Danielle tied up with Madeline Rice?"
"Sorry, that's confidential, between my client and myself." Fatty said smugly.
"Derrick is confined for three to six months, last I heard."
"All I'm asking is for you to let me know if you hear anything different, anything you hear about that kid at all. He's supposed to stay there for a while, and everyone will be safer if he does, but I need to know if he gets out."
"Madeline Rice will know, she'll be notified."
"But she may not share that information. Look, bottom line, if you're a friend of Danielle and Callie's, it would be helpful if you could pass along what you know. I worked for this kid, and believe me, he's not wrapped too tight. Neither of us wants anything to happen to those girls, ethics or not, right?"
"Leave me your card Mr. Carson, I'll think about it. I'm not sure I know anything helpful. How is she, other than being shot, is she happy?"
"Happy to be alive, I'd say, I'll tell her you asked. By the way, call me Fatty would you?"
***
The cabin was on the south shore of Mille Lacs lake, a two hour drive from the Blackburn's home. Cabin was a misnomer. It was a three story, five-bedroom house on eighty acres tucked back into the woods, with a dock that extended two hundred feet across swamp and bull rushes to provide lake access. The house was pushed back into the woods, barely visible from the lake, with a long twisting driveway that wandered well to the west of the closet neighbor.
Derrick parked behind the house where his Dad's Escalade couldn't be seen from the lake, and went in to check the place out. He flipped a few breakers, getting the water and forced air heat running. It wasn't cold enough to freeze yet, especially as close as they were to the big lake. He thought about starting the old fireplace, but changed his mind, he didn't plan to stay the night.
The old house featured a large stone fireplace, surrounded by a great room with a walkway to the upper level bedrooms. Derrick's mother had complained about the smoke, but she had loved to sit in front of the fire. They had only visited the cabin twice that year, before her unfortunate accident. The thought sent him into a fit of rage, and he started pacing, trying to come up with a plan.
There was nothing he could do to Madeline Rice, not and get away with it. Getting anywhere near her would be difficult. Her office was in the State Law center, and there was no way to get in there, after the first incident. Her apartment was in a secure building, so that was problematic. He might be able to sneak in, but she'd never open the door for him, or scream bloody murder at the first sign of trouble. No, he needed her to come to him. There was only one way to be sure she would, without calling the cops, maternal instinct. Somehow, he would have to get Callie Fisher to the cabin, then Madeline Rice would have to come.
Much as he thought she deserved it, he knew he couldn't kill Madeline Rice. That would probably mean a lifetime in jail. But he could discredit her, possibly make life miserable for all the Sisters, if things went right. But getting Callie Fisher to the cabin wasn't going to be easy, not without using force. Kidnapping would land him in a lot of trouble, but he had an out. The doctor had released him too soon, after all. And his father was supposed to be keeping an eye on him. He was confused, damaged. Worst case, maybe another year in the psych ward. It would be worth it to make Madeline Rice pay!
He paced back and forth in the big room of the cabin, visualizing his mother sitting on the sofa that faced the fireplace, smiling and laughing at him. She had not always been like that, but that's what he chose to remember. She needed him to do this, he told himself. Callie Fisher wouldn't get hurt, not if she had sense enough to do what he told her. But watch her eyes, that's what his mother had said, wasn't it? He continued walking back and forth, working it out in his mind. "Call me crazy," He said to the room. "You'll be calling her crazy, that's who's crazy. You'll see, everyone will see. They may not all believe it, but they'll see."
***
"What is it you see, Filipe? I have dread in my heart, I think we must go soon, but where?"
"I don't know father. Don't give up hope, we will figure it out somehow."
"The investigator is here, stay and talk with us, perhaps the three of us will be able to come up with something." Jon let the investigator in and led him into the living room. "This is my son Filipe, this is Peter. What have you found out for us?"
"Not a lot, I am afraid. Having the first name only is difficult. Unbelievably, I could find very few mentions of the two names together in all of the Americas, at least as mother and daughter. They are not common names, but I only found three, two in Florida, one in Texas, not places where people might drive on the ice in the winter. I have brought a map of the United States, and I marked the states where people are foolish enough to venture onto the lakes with automobiles, perhaps we can narrow the search down further, somehow." He spread the map out.
"There are a lot. How does this help us?"
"Lakes, you said, lots and lots of lakes, thousands you said. So not here, this North or South Dakota. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, could be any of the states east of there, all the way to the Atlantic." Filipe pulled his phone out and started typing.
"Pai, that's it! The state of Minnesota, its slogan for tourists is the land of ten thousand lakes."
"That's got to be the one, I feel it Filipe. Minneapolis, right? We will leave in the morning."
"But Senhor, how can you be so sure? And how will you find them, still? It is a big state."
"Keep digging Peter, I don't care what it costs, you find me everyone named Madeline or Callie in the state of Minnesota if you must, then text me what you know, we will be on an airplane first thing in the morning."
***
"Now what are you up to? Find a way to get me out of this whole trading mess?" Jonathan Marsh peered at his son through the haze of his cigar.
"I told you, plead guilty, beg a lot, hope the court is merciful. I've been led to believe that the Blackburn kid might still have it out for Madeline Rice. Any thoughts?"
"You know, I had a long talk with her a while back, after that crazy bastard went over there threatening to kill her. She came to thank me, and talk, off the record of course. She is actually a very engaging woman, I almost have to admit that I kind of like her, monster ears and all."
"And what did she say, off the record?"
"Well, she won't recant her testimony, or anything like that, but she did say she would talk to the court and make a case for leniency, given the fact that I warned her about Derrick. She said she thought she could convince the judge to drop the bribery charge. She said she'll push for no jail time, just a fine, maybe a temporary suspension of my license. If they offer me a deal like that, I'd jump all over it."
&
nbsp; "No shit, that's a gift. All the more reason to make sure Derrick doesn't do something stupid. Any deal like that would go away in a hurry if something happens to her, it would look like you were complicit for sure."
"Alright, I'll call Frank, see what's going on with the kid. Regardless of my deal, I don't want anything to happen to her."
"Jesus Dad, is that actual compassion?"
"Don't be a smartass, Ozzy." His father grinned. "Even an old Leopard can change his spots sometimes."
***
"Why do you have to leave today?" Jennifer complained as Callie loaded her bags into the trunk of the Camry.
"Because, Jen. I have to be down there in case something comes up with the Sisters, and nobody is at the Loft. Danielle is staying at Anna's for a few days. It's kind of our unofficial headquarters, maybe there's another Jeffery lurking around, or maybe he'll stop by and want to talk."
"And maybe you don't like working at the hardware store."
"Maybe, that's part of it." Callie laughed. "But think of the points you're making with your future in-laws. I'll tell them it was all you, helping in the hardware."
"Which will be true. I'll see you on Friday, right?"
"Absolutely, I'll get out of there early on Friday and come right home, promise."
"Alright, I'll miss you."
"I'll call you tonight and tuck you in."
Callie took her time driving into the city. The traffic usually let up later in the morning, so she had planned it to get home around ten. She stopped for coffee at a gas station at the half way point, then chased that with a bottle of water. By the time she reached the Loft she was floating. She jumped out of her car and ran into the apartment, and to the bathroom. Then she walked around, turned on lights, and cranked the heat up a couple of degrees. Satisfied, she went back out to the car to get her bags.
She had reached over to pull her suitcase from the trunk, when she felt him. She lunged backward quickly, but he was ready, fast and strong. He pulled an arm around her neck, partially choking her and pinning her left arm to her side. She flailed at him with her right, but he only tightened the grip he had on her neck. He snarled something unintelligible then lowered his mouth beside her ear.
"Stop it now! I have a gun and I'll fucking shoot you, so help me. Grab your bag and act like we're just a young couple, walking back to my truck. And look down, bitch. My mother warned me about those eyes of yours." Callie saw the flash of steel as he tucked the gun in his pocket, glaring at her. The only good news was that it wasn't some random pervert. He walked half a step behind her, admonishing her the whole way to be quiet. There wasn't another person in sight, no one to help even if she had dared to call out. He opened the driver's door of the Escalade that was parked in the spot Jeffery had occupied, and carefully followed her as she climbed across to the passenger side.
"Why are you doing this Derrick? Nothing good can come from this, you know that."
"Put those dark glasses on, I don't want to see your eyes. Now!" She slipped the glasses on, they had been taped from the inside so that she was effectively blinded. "Hold your hands out, if you try anything this gun might just go off. I wouldn't want to shoot you accidentally." She extended her hands, felt him slip a noose around one wrist, then quickly take a couple of wraps around both wrists, and secure it somehow.
"Please Derrick, I didn't have anything to do with your mother's death, please don't kill me." She tried.
"Don't pull that crap, I can tell you're not that scared. You might think I won't kill you, but so help me, if you don't do what I say, I might."
"Then why in the hell are you kidnapping me?"
"Your mother Callie, it's the only way I can get that bitch to admit the truth. When we get to the cabin, I'll call her. She'll have to come, she's your mother. She's going to tell the world what she did."
"What? My mother's in Alaska, it'll take two days to get her back here."
"Not her, your real mother, Madeline Rice. She killed my Mom."
"Your Mom got hit by a semi-truck, that's all it was, Derrick. Stop this, while you still can, it's not going to end well for you."
"Callie Fisher, the fortune teller. Open your mouth."
"No, I'm not doing that."
"Open your mouth or so help me I'll shoot you in the goddamn foot. Then you'll be in too much pain to try to connect with your girlfriends, my way will be a lot less painful." She opened her mouth and he tipped up a bottle of foul smelling liquid, forcing her to drink it. She gasped as she swallowed the last of it.
"What the hell was that?"
"Relax, I didn't poison you, just some industrial strength downers, you'll be sleeping like a baby in about five minutes. Might as well sit back and relax, you'll be out for a few hours. Same shit they tried to give me at the hospital."
"Fuck you, Derrick." They sat in front of the Loft with the motor running, the heater blowing warm air on their feet. Callie fought it, but within a few minutes, reality began to swirl away from her. Derrick propped her up and fastened her seat belt. Anyone who saw them driving down the road would just think she was slouched in the seat or taking a nap. He smiled and put the Escalade in gear, heading north.
Whatever Derrick had given her kept Callie out for the duration of the trip, and another hour after that. But it didn't stop her from dreaming, quite the opposite. She remembered Natalie smoking pot in their room, and having crazy dreams because of it. These dreams didn't seem crazy, they seemed clear, lucid, and peaceful.
She stood with Jenny, in a field, or on a beach, and they each held hands with two small children. There was a girl and a boy, both with auburn hair and the brightest blue eyes Callie could imagine. She took the girl by her hands and spun her, eliciting fits of laughter from the child, as Jenny did the same with the boy. The next time she looked, it wasn't Jenny, but Greg Johnson, laughing and spinning a dark haired little boy as they faded into the distance.
Then she was back in middle school, surrounded by all those Lemmings. And the biggest Lemming had Richie Carlson's head, and she remembered how she had wanted to run all the Lemmings over a cliff. But she couldn't now, because she was starting to like Richie, and he didn't deserve to go off a cliff. She laughed a little in her sleep, but the dreams wouldn't stop.
She saw the Sister's eyes watching her again, but now there were thousands upon thousands of eyes, watching and waiting for her. And she saw Abby, smiling and happy with her husband, and Natalie, finally at peace. Then Jenny was with her again, happy and smiling at her every day for the rest of their lives.
Something shifted in that moment, thinking of Jenny's love for her. She was filled with a sense of peace and certainty. Certainty, and strength. A great deal of strength.
She struggled to wake up, not sure at first where the dream ended and where reality began. She half expected to see Derrick Blackburn with a Lemming's body, and snickered to herself again. But she couldn't see at all, Derrick had replaced the sunglasses with some sort of tape. She was still very fuzzy, but in the back of her head she could hear Madeline's frantic thoughts as she drove north. She concentrated on the fact that she was alright, that everything would be fine, then turned her attentions to Derrick.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jeffery Hall pulled up to the Loft after his morning class, just before noon. Fatty hadn't been too far off the mark, he did have a little bit of a crush on Callie Fisher. She was about the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. He knew he was dreaming, that the red head and Callie were engaged, so he didn't have a chance. But the thought of the two of them together sent his adolescent brain spinning with fantasies. He thought it odd, from an intellectual standpoint, that just looking at a beautiful woman could make you feel so good all over, but that was part of being sixteen. Callie had said he could stop over anytime, so he had decided to take her up on the offer, maybe make something up about having a vision, just to spend some time with her.
He thought it was odd that the trunk of her car was open. He looked inside,
and saw that there was a small case and what looked like a bag of laundry. He shrugged and went to the door, then rang the bell. He shifted from side to side nervously, expecting her to pull the door open at any minute. When it didn't happen he rang again, waited for a minute, then banged on the door. It occurred to him that maybe Callie and Jenny were home, and just didn't want to be interrupted. But they lived together, wouldn't they just have sex at night, like normal people?
He was starting to worry just a little, and he wasn't sure if it was because of his abilities, or just the fact that something seemed off. He tried the door, it was unlocked. He stepped into the apartment cautiously and yelled Callie's name loudly, then Jenny's, no answer, nobody home. He dialed Callie first and it went to voicemail, then he called Jenny. She picked up on the second ring.
"Jeffery, how the heck are you? Glad I gave you our numbers, it's so boring at this hardware store. What are you up to, psychic emergency? You'll have to call Callie about that, if that's what it is." He explained the situation. Jenny sounded concerned, then scared, then she was crying. "Can you wait there in case she comes back, Jeffery? It's possible she just rode to the store with someone, but I'm going to call Fatty Carson and send him over, okay. Can you wait for him?"
Jenny called Deeann and Fatty, then Madeline. Fatty got in his van and headed over to the Loft. Madeline glanced at her phone, afraid to answer it. She had just talked to Derrick, and his instructions were clear. Drive straight to his cabin. If she told anyone, or the police arrived, he would kill Callie.
***
Jon Eklund and his son, Filipe arrived in Minneapolis shortly after midnight, picked up their rental car, and drove to the motel. They had been traveling for seventeen hours, and by the time they were settled in, it was two in the morning and they were exhausted. They still had the sense that they were on the right track, that Callie and Madeline, were close, and that they needed to find them soon. But even the psychic mind needs sleep.
It was after nine before they got up and Jon checked his lap top right away. Finding someone by their first name was difficult, possible, but given the necessity for haste, Peter was concentrating on Madeline. He had sent a list of a couple dozen candidates, women named Madeline who were about the right age and whose pictures he had pulled from newspaper files and Facebook. There were another dozen without pictures. Jon sat looking through the pictures, then studied the other profiles. They were all wrong, too tall, wrong ethnicity, wrong eye color, none seemed to match.
