Aaron tapped his pencil on his chin. "I'll tell you what. I'll run a search for any missing or dead girls named Caroline. Maybe there's a connection."
"And I'll check the Internet too," I said.
Jake wrapped his arm around me. "Are we good here? I've really got to get some sleep."
I squeezed him into a quick hug. "Yeah, we're good. Thanks for getting up." I balanced on my tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth. "Love you."
"Love you too." He turned toward Aaron and reached out his hand. "Nice to see you again. Good luck."
"Thanks, you too."
After Jake went to bed, I asked Aaron about Bach. "So, anything?"
"Other than my gut and what you've told me, no."
"Tevin's already remembered that Bach was at the bridge the night he died, so that's gotta mean something."
"You're starting to sound like a newbie detective."
"Kinda feeling like one too."
"That's not a good sign. Don't do anything you're not qualified to do, please."
"I won't. I promise." I didn't promise Ma wouldn't, though. "Thanks for coming by. Please let me know what you find out."
"I will. Same goes for you."
Aaron drove off and Ma and I went back inside. I grabbed the laptop and headed to the basement where I could talk with her without the threat of Emily hearing and thinking I was drunk or crazy. I typed a quick text to Mel, giving her the latest.
"Well at least it's something. Keep me posted," she replied.
"I will. Sorry I woke you."
"You didn't. I'm writing an article about snake bites and dogs for a dog magazine."
"Cool. Freelance work?"
"Yup."
"Sounds interesting."
"It's freaking me out. I'm never walking in grass again."
"You're such a wimp."
"Not gonna deny that. Talk later."
Ma flitted around the basement. "I never liked this room," she said. "The furniture don't match and the carpet isn't squishy. It hurts my feet."
"First of all, the furniture does match, it's just not a matching set. And you can't even feel the carpet so that's not a valid complaint."
"I could when I lived here and it wasn't squishy then."
"I wasn't going for squishy. I wanted durable. This is where the kids hang out."
"Most of the time Emily's in her room and Josh's in the den. Seems to me you could rip this stuff out and put in something squishy now."
I clicked and tapped on my laptop keyboard. "I'll get right on that. After I help Tevin get his memory back and figure out what's up with the girl, too."
"I'll go shopping with ya. I got better taste than you."
Ma hadn't decorated a home since the mid nineties when gray and mauve were all the rage. The thought of that made my stomach ache. "I'll order online. And speaking of online, can we focus on the girl for a second?"
"You type on that thing and I'll make a decorating plan for this space."
"Perfect."
The first Google search, murdered girls named Caroline pulled up links for Robert Black, a serial killer in Scotland. I skipped over him, figuring Atlanta was out of his range.
"This isn't helping," I said after reading a few more links.
Ma leaned over my shoulder and read the screen. "Madone, people are nut jobs."
"You got that right." I tried a different search term and got the Polly Klaas master list of missing children search option but when I typed in Caroline it returned zilch. "I'm not getting anything."
"That's 'cause she's not a Caroline."
"I know that but that's all I've got to go on." I closed my laptop. "They make it seem so easy on TV."
"Why would he call her Caroline?" she asked.
"If I knew that, my job would be a heck of a lot easier."
"Let's do what they do on TV then."
"Whadda you mean?"
"Pretend we're detectives. What reasons would someone take a girl and call her Caroline?"
"Because he's whacked?"
"Yah but why's he whacked?"
"Because his girlfriend dumped him? And she was a Caroline?"
"That's a start."
"Or maybe he's got mom issues and his mom is a Caroline?"
"Not everyone can have a mom like me."
"You mean a dead one who haunts her?"
"No, I mean one with super celestial sleuthing skills."
"Sally sold seashells by the seashore."
She stuck out her tongue.
"Maybe he's divorced and lost custody of his daughter? Or, maybe he had a baby named Caroline who would be about the age of the girl in the white gown and he thinks our girl is his?" I was on a roll, ideas pinging me from all parts of my brain. "Or maybe he never had a daughter and wanted one named Caroline?"
"Oh, yah, I like that. Makes him a whack job still but I can sorta feel for him 'cause of one of those things, ya know?"
I nodded. "Yeah, because it's one thing to be a whack job if your kid is dead or you can't see her but it's a whole different kind of messed up if you've kidnapped someone just because you can. That takes whack job to a totally new level."
"That's what I'm sayin'."
I leaned back on the couch. "Great theory, but whadda we do with it?"
"Nothin'. The girl needs to tell us who she is. You gotta get her back here again." Ma held out her hands. "Come on."
I placed my hands over my mother's. "Okay, let's do this."
"Don't think about me this time. Those memories are good and all but I'm here and I'm not goin' nowhere."
"I know."
It took loads of effort and focus but she showed up doing her usual jerking in and out routine. I wished I could flip a switch to keep her on.
"I can't find anything about a Caroline. I need to know who you are."
"He hasn't come back." She flashed out but came right back. "I don't have much time. Please, help me."
She flickered out again. We waited but she didn't return.
"What the?"
Ma drifted to where the girl had appeared. "Come here. Tell me what you feel."
I stood in the same spot. The temperature was warmer than the rest of the room but not by much. I was nauseous and a pain in the back of my throat made it hard to swallow. Every part of my body was exhausted and weak.
"Whadda ya feel?" Ma asked. "Concentrate."
"It's warm. I feel sick to my stomach and so, so tired."
"Close your eyes. Tell me what you see, what you smell. Try to put yourself where she is."
"I'm trying but it's not working," I said.
"It's okay. You got other senses. Use them."
"It smells like Emily when she had the flu, sweet but not in a good way." I dropped back onto the couch. "She's not well, Ma."
"We're doing all we can."
"Maybe but I don't think it's enough."
"It's a start. You're growing."
"You mean my gift is growing. Is this what you were talking about earlier?"
"You're a smart girl, you know what's happening."
"Fine, my gift is growing. Things are changing whether I want them to or not. But hey, if it can help me help Tevin and this girl then great. Can we get a move on though? She's not gonna last much longer."
"That's not how this works."
"Then how does it work? I'll do whatever I need to to save that girl, Ma. Just tell me what I need to do."
My mother's eyes sparkled. "I'm proud of you," she said and then shimmered away.
"I really hate when you do that!"
***
Jake's lips grazed my forehead. "Hey."
My eyes fluttered open. "Hey." I glanced around the room and realized I was still in the basement. "I guess I fell asleep down here."
"I guess so. How'd your research go?"
"Not good. Ma and I got her to come back and she's not doing well. I don't think she's got much longer, Jake."
"You're doing the best you can. Don't beat your
self up about it. You know whatever's gonna happen is out of your control."
"That's what sucks about this."
"I know but you'll figure it out, I know you will. Maybe you need to step back and focus on something else. I have an idea. I'll be back tomorrow night. Why don't you see if Emily wants to have her boyfriend over for dinner? You can pick up some steaks and potatoes and I'll cook them on the grill."
"Okay."
"Go up to bed. I already fed Gracie so she won't bother you."
"I will."
He kissed me again and walked toward the stairs. "I'll call you when I get my rental car. Love you."
"Love you, too."
I lay there a bit longer, rehashing everything the girl said, hoping something would click and I'd figure out where to find her. The smell of fresh coffee traveled from the kitchen and I shuffled up the stairs for a cup. I wanted to follow Jake's order and go back to bed but knew my mind wouldn't let me sleep.
I poured myself a cup and carried it to the bathroom. Mid-pee, Tevin showed up. "Hey," I said, and then grabbed the hand towel off the hook and covered myself. I pointed to the door. "Out."
Without a word, he shimmered away.
I finished my business, sat at the kitchen counter and whispered, "You can come back now."
He shimmered in next to me, his eyes locked on the wood floor. "Sorry."
"Boundaries, Tevin. You can't just pop in wherever you'd like. I need my personal space, okay?"
"Word."
"Outside, please. I don't want to wake my kids."
Tevin followed, his head drooping, still embarrassed. Moms were used to having no privacy, so I was already over it.
"You tell that po po 'bout Bach?"
"I did."
"So what he got?"
"He already suspected Bach might be involved in some way."
Tevin paced back and forth inches above the deck surface. I gazed up at Emily's room for signs of life but it was still dark.
"Bach know, man. He know."
"Knows what, Tevin?"
"I to' you dis befo'. He know. Don't let 'em get no hizzle."
"Tevin, I can't help you if I can't understand you."
"I feel you," he said and then a miracle happened. "Bach knows what happened to me."
"Wow, that's impressive."
He gave me a dirty look and sailed right back into his gang slang. "Your momma be right. You rude."
I laughed. "Yeah? Well I learned from the master. So did you remember something else? Do you know why Bach would want you dead?"
"I ain't got that part. I just got a feeling in here." He pointed to his chest.
"Got it. I call that spidey sense. When you know something but you don't have any proof or any reason to know it. You just do."
"Yeah man, dat be it. I got me some of dat spidey sense."
"Sounds like you need to find Bach and stick to him like glue. Maybe he'll say something we can use."
"Yeah, I can do dat."
"Okay then I'll work on the girl in the white gown."
"You better busta move on dat too, cuz dat bizzle be in some serious shit."
"Can you tell me anything more about the girl? Why did you want me to help her? Did she say something to you? Do you think you might know her?"
"Naw man, I just seen her in dat room at the hospital an she didn't look like she be dead so I knew somethin' was up."
"You didn't think she was dead and you didn't think to mention that to me right away?"
"I figured you'd know. You got dat spidey sense, remember?"
Mentioning that spidey sense was a mistake. "Okay. Now go keep tabs on Bach and check in with me later."
He nodded and shimmered away.
I sent Mel a text. "Finish the article?"
"Yes and I'm moving to New York City," she texted back.
"Why?"
"Less snakes there."
"Oh geez. Got some time today?"
"Sure. The Cheater took the kids to camp and he's taking them shopping after so I'm free. What's up?"
"I could use a Starbucks and maybe we can take a little ride."
"Sounds great," she replied. "Come get me."
"Be there in a jiffy."
I refilled my cup and headed upstairs to shower.
CHAPTER TWELVE
MOST SIGNS FROM THE UNIVERSE are subtle, a gut feeling, a flashing thought, a line from a song that sticks in our heads until we suddenly realize it's the answer to something we'd been asking. But I'm not always the brightest bulb on the tree, so sometimes the universe has to try harder, like throwing a sucker punch at my face. I'd turned on my bedroom TV and switched to the local news where a reporter by the name of Pam was discussing a local lacrosse tournament. When she finished she said, back to you, Ryan. I glanced up at my ceiling. "Okay, fine. I'll call her but I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Well hello, Angela. How are you?" Pam asked before I even had a chance to say hello.
"I'm good, Pam. Sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you."
"Oh, please, don't worry. You're probably super busy, so I understand. I was just calling about a friend. Her mother died recently and I was hoping maybe you could talk with her. She's been so depressed, she's making herself physically ill and I'm really beginning to worry."
"Well, I…"
"It would mean a lot to her family, Angela. She's a single mom and her kids need her. Their father has a new family and doesn't come around."
Nicely done, tossing out that guilt card like that.
"Uh, sure. I guess I can talk to her but I can't make any promises."
We made a plan for seven o'clock that evening.
Pam Ryan, one. Angela Panther, zilch.
My spidey sense was buzzing and humming like a colony full of bees.
***
I grabbed two Starbucks coffees with cream and Splenda, and three petite vanilla scones, which I quickly scarfed down on the drive to Mel's.
She hopped in the car and tossed the empty scone bag onto the floor. "You didn't get me any?"
"They only had three left."
"Liar."
"I would have shared but the sugar addict in me is a selfish whore."
"Obviously. So where we goin'?" she asked.
"Well, first to another Starbucks to get you some snake-attracting petite vanilla scones and then? Who knows?"
"Another productive day for the wannabe detective duo."
"I'm sensing some sarcasm in your voice, Mel."
"Just sensing? I should work on my technique then, huh?"
I laughed. "Okay, so here's what's going on." I filled her in while driving to Starbucks where I ordered six petite vanilla scones, three for her and three more for me, and then we sat outside and continued the conversation.
Halfway through, a long lost friend shimmered in. I bounced in my seat. "He's back."
"Who?" Mel asked.
"Naked British Guy."
The naked British guy performed an entertaining, borderline pornographic juggling act with three blue balls—the real kind, he wasn't a circus freak—while dancing around the Starbucks parking lot. The last time he performed, my gift was out of order and only my mother caught his show. Seeing Naked British Guy was like getting a stocking full of chocolate at Christmas.
She pushed her chair out and angled it to face the parking lot. "Of course I can't see him. Not sure why I even tried."
"You're missing out, too." A smile spread across my face. "He's skipping now. Skipping through the parking lot, juggling his balls."
"You need one of those special ghost cameras they have on that ghost show with the big bicep guy."
"You know how much I despise the big bicep guy."
"I know but I kinda like his body."
"That's desperation talking and you know it. He's gross."
Naked British Guy skipped up to the table. "Well hello there m'lady." He tipped his head. "Jolly good to see you, and I see you've brought your lovely Asian f
riend again. Such a pleasant treat, seeing your two beautiful faces."
"And it's such a pleasant treat seeing your performance," I said. "Nice touch with the skipping."
"Skipping, I say, is the dog's bollocks. Good for the heart and soul, it is."
The dog's bollocks?
"I decided it was time to change my routine. My performance was lacking, and now it's good. Jolly good, I say."
"Yes, it is jolly good, that's for sure."
"I see your gift has returned. I must say I'm elated for you. It's such a wonderful thing, the way you help others."
"Thank you. I'm glad, too."
"Right. Wonderful, wonderful news. Happy for you, so happy for you but I must go now. I've got another show at another coffee establishment like this one and a lovely lady waiting there for me. Please tell your lovely Asian friend good day for me." Naked British Guy shimmered away.
I slumped in my seat. "What a bummer. He's gone. I love my naked British guy."
"Just once. I wish I could see him, just once."
I sipped my coffee. "Nuh uh, you don't. Trust me."
"But I've never seen a British weenie. Is it big?"
"Good grief."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I don't know. I haven't checked out his wanker because, ew."
"Liar."
"He's like a hundred and eighty years old, Mel."
"Age is only a number."
"He's not your type."
"My significant other is a vibrator. A dead dude would be a step up."
"Except that's called necrophilia."
"But he could be like Sean Connery, old and hot."
"Except that he's not."
"Gawd, I'm a mess, aren't I?"
"Maybe a little."
"I need to start dating or pretty soon I'm gonna buy a blow-up doll and take it to dinner and a movie."
"I hear they prefer porn."
"I can watch that at home for free on the computer."
"I didn't need to know that."
"I didn't say I do, just that I can." She ran a hand through her hair. "I really am a mess."
"No, you're really not. Your life is changing. That's not easy for anyone, but it will get better. Maybe a few dates here and there would be a good thing, with the living of course. Just take it slow."
"I'm glad you agree."
I knew she was going to drop a bomb. "Don't say it." I covered my ears. "I'm not listening. La la la la la."
Uncharted Territory (An Angela Panther Mystery Book 3) Page 16
