“Oh, it's you two,” the officer said. “What are you doing here?” He lowered his weapon but his voice remained commanding.
“You know what we’re doing here,” Meredith said gruffly. “The man just ran up the block towards Spruce Street. He’s wearing a black hoodie and jeans. Last we saw of him, he made a left at the corner.”
The officer nodded to his partner, who returned to their car and took off. “Stand back.” He waved a couple of medics inside, and after a brief examination of the body, they carried it away on a stretcher.
“Another premonition, huh?” the officer said.
Meredith nodded slightly.
“I don’t know how you do it, but you’re at the site of a murder scene. We’re going to have to take you in.”
“We will gladly give testimony,” Peter said. “The man’s face was partially obscured by a hood but we can still give a description if you don’t catch him. But do we have to go in right now? We left our babies with a neighbor and promised we would be back soon.”
“It won't take long,” the officer said. “You can make a phone call if you like.”
“Can we do without the handcuffs?” Meredith said.
The officer grunted his agreement. The three of them waited there for the return of his partner, spending the time watching the forensics team inspect every inch of the house with a fine-toothed comb. A short while later, the partner drove up and the three of them walked to the car.
“Any luck?” the officer asked through the open window.
“I relayed the search to Aaronson and he picked up a suspicious figure in the area. They’re taking him in now.”
Meredith thought she would feel relief, or even joy at the news, but instead she felt nothing. She was dead inside. She rode in the backseat with Peter to the police station where they were shepherded into an interrogation room. She barely took notice of the passing faces or the interior of the building. Two men appeared before them and she heard not a word they said until Peter shook her arm.
“Hey, Mere, you in there? This is important.”
She raised her eyes to the two officers, noticing their faces for the first time.
“Do you want to be arrested?” one of them asked, clearly losing his patience.
“No, I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “Just a little shaken from before.”
The second officer’s face softened at her words. “We were saying that your actions have been very suspicious. The man we caught seems ready to confess, but you have to understand that you were at the scene before anyone. We know you say you get these so-called ‘premonitions’ but look at it from our perspective. You have to see that we’re skeptical. To say the least.”
Meredith nodded. “I don’t know what else to say. Do you want me to try to prove it to you?”
The first officer relaxed and took a seat. “That would certainly help, yes. When you get these premonitions, why don't you ever call us instead of being your own vigilantes?”
“I always assume you won't believe me, and even if I could convince you, then you wouldn't make it in time.”
“Well, we're certainly listening now. You've earned that.”
“That's good, because I’ve had enough of this whole thing. Next time, you’re going to get a call and nothing else. If you don’t listen, fine. I don’t care. I’m done.”
Peter turned to Meredith. “You can’t be serious.”
She returned his stare with hard, cold eyes. “I’ve never been more serious in my life. I want to distance myself as far away from these premonitions as possible. I’m not cut out for this.”
Peter looked about to respond, but then thought better of it.
“I’m glad we have that settled,” the first officer said. “We have no evidence to hold you here, but we’re going to keep a close eye on you. You’re free to go.”
The other officer opened the door and the two of them filed out. “We’re going to discuss this later,” Peter whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
They arrived at Barry's house a short while later to pick up their children and were thankful that Barry did not press them for an explanation. Meredith rolled Cole, half-asleep, back to the house where she lifted him out and held him against her chest. She took a seat at the kitchen table and stroked Cole's short hair.
“Are you ready to talk?” Peter said.
“There's nothing to talk about. I meant what I said.”
Peter paced across the room with Travis, his emotions ready to burst. “I know that today was traumatic, but if you ignore the instructions, innocent people will get hurt, or even killed. You're going to turn your back on them?”
“The police can deal with it.”
“You know that's not true. What if -”
“Enough!” Meredith interrupted with a shout, at which Cole began to cry. “Shh,” she whispered. “I'm sorry.” Then back to Peter, “I'm not discussing this anymore. If you want to keep playing superhero, by all means. All I know is, I sure as hell never signed up for this.”
Peter opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted again, this time by the ringing of the phone. Meredith stood with Cole on one arm and answered with the other. “Hello?”
“Mere?” It was her father, and from the tone of his voice she immediately knew something was wrong.
“What? What is it?” Her heart was pounding so hard it was a struggle to hear anything else.
“It's your mother. She...” He trailed off and began to sob.
17
Cole never wanted that moment to end, and as soon as his mother arrived and he was forced to leave her presence, the weight of guilt pressed down around him, eating away at his mind. In bed that night, he tossed and turned for hours, the incessant tears moistening his pillow and the occasional sob stifled in it.
The guilt continued to plague him the next day, but he was at least able to put on an air of normality. At the end of homeroom, as he was heading out the door with Amy, Michelle approached.
“Hey, did you figure out when you wanna start?” she said.
“No, not yet,” Cole said.
“Let me know. I'm looking forward to working on it.”
“I will,” Cole said, walking away. When they were out of earshot, he said to Amy, “Okay you might be right about her. Do you think this is going to be a problem? Should I ask Mr. Harris if I can change partners?”
“I wish you could. But I think it's too late. Can you do me a little favor at least? Be very work-focused. Don't lead her on.”
Cole laughed. “You overestimate me. I wouldn't even know how to lead a girl on.”
“Can't argue that.” Amy gave him a playful nudge. “Hey, are you feeling better today?”
“Yep,” Cole said, with as much vigor as he could muster. “You did the trick, like I said. Woke up this morning refreshed.”
Amy seemed convinced by the compliment and pulled herself close on his arm. “That was... amazing.”
“Glad you enjoyed it as much as me.”
Amy laughed and hugged his arm tighter. “By the way, can I come over tonight? I feel like it's been forever since I was there. I miss being there every night.”
Cole had prepared for this possibility and was ready with an answer. “Do you think you could come over after dinner? My mom wanted to do something with me first.”
“Sounds good. I'll ask.”
Cole, meanwhile, had informed his mother of further after-school activities that would last the rest of the week. Once Amy had left, he hurried over to Darryl's house to see what he could figure out. He may have already won the agreement and not know it, and he was certainly not going to look inward for answers.
There were no cars in the driveway at Darryl's house. He peeked in through the first floor windows to make sure no one was home. When he was certain the house was empty, he sat behind a bush in the driveway to wait. His mouth was dry as he contemplated the possibilities. Am I really a cold-blooded murderer? Again. How can I know for sure? After a
half hour, there was still no sign of activity. Knowing he could not keep his mother waiting much longer, he jogged to the nearest bus stop and went home, unsatisfied. The uncertainty was the worst part, although he knew he would feel both relief and unbearable guilt if he knew he had succeeded.
At home, he was pulling his books out of his bag when he saw Michelle's number. I should probably get this ball rolling if the assignment is due in a little over a week. He dialed, and on the third ring Michelle answered.
“Hello?” There was a lot of background talking and laughter.
“Hey, this is Cole.”
“Cole! Oh, hold on one second.” There was a pause and the background noise was gone. “Sorry, I'm out and couldn't really hear you. What's up?”
Amy's warning ran through his head. “Um, I was wondering when you were free to start working on the project.”
“I'm open tomorrow. Does that work?”
“Yeah, that should be good. How about like four-ish?”
“Would it be okay to go back from school together? You know, so my mom doesn't have to make two trips.”
But I need to check Darryl's house after school. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’ll see if my mom can drive afterward so your mom doesn’t need to go out again.”
“Um, I guess, if that’s okay with her.”
“I’m sure it will be. Bye.”
“Later, Cole.”
That night, Amy came over as planned, and after playing a game with his mother, they spent a wonderful, uninterrupted hour alone in the library. He was amazed at how all his worries disappeared when he was around her. They didn't even need to do anything special. All they had to do was talk and look into each other’s eyes and everything in the world was right. It had to come to an end, though, as it always did, when the harsh doorbell rang, forcing them to reluctantly detach.
“Can't you move back in?” Cole said. “That was so much better.”
“Aww, I wish it was that simple.” Amy bent in for a final kiss. “It was nice, in it's own way, though. Guess I'll see you tomorrow morning.”
“All right. See ya.” He gave a comical pout as Amy left, but felt the same real emptiness every time a night with her drew to a close. Being a kid sucks sometimes.
At the end of Biology the following day, as Michelle passed his desk on the way out, she gave him a smile.
“See you later,” she said.
“Did you make plans with her?” Amy said, her gaze following the departing Michelle.
“Yeah. I have a project to do, remember?”
“I know. Have fun, I guess.”
“I'll fill you in on all the details after she leaves, I promise. Although, it will all be very boring.”
“No, I'm being dumb. I trust you,” Amy said. “So when do you think we'll have more time for us?”
“Maybe tonight? She's coming over right after school so I should have time later on.”
“Actually, tonight isn't good. I made plans with Alexia. But we have all weekend. First thing tomorrow?”
“Definitely.” He pecked her forehead and left for his next class.
Michelle was waiting outside for him after school, leaning up against the fence with her arms crossed. At the sight of Cole, she pushed herself off the fence and strolled over to him. “So, what's this stop you have to make before going to my house?”
“Wait, I thought we were going to my house,” Cole said.
“Ha, guess we didn't make that clear. Does it matter to you?”
Cole hesitated. Her look was intense and he was surprised to find he was having difficulty making eye contact. “Not really...”
“Well, my stuff is all at my place, and I got some food for us to snack on while we work. So is my place okay?”
“The only thing is, my mom is expecting us.”
Michelle pulled out her cell phone and handed it to Cole. As he took it, he noticed Amy walking by. She cast a quick glance in their direction and kept going. “Thanks,” he said. Having never used a cell phone, he felt like an idiot as he slowly punched in the numbers and looked for the call button.
“Hello?” his mother answered.
“Hey, Mom. That project I said I have to work on. Is it okay if we do that at their place?”
“Of course. Call me later when you want to be picked up.”
“Well, would it be all right if you drive me there? I’ve got something to do now after school.”
“I suppose I could do that.”
“Thanks so much, Mom. I'll be home in about an hour.” With no other excuses, he handed back the phone, saying, “I guess I can come to your place.”
“So you need to make a stop first?” Michelle said. “You sure I can't tag along and then my mom can pick us up? It would save your mom a trip. I feel bad.”
“I have to see if my friend is home,” Cole said. “To pick something up. I'm sorry, it may take a while.”
“I don't mind. Really. I'm in no rush.”
Should I let her come along? How would that work? But how do I convince her to leave me alone? What should I do? He paused, unsure what to say, when a sudden idea struck him. “Look, the truth is, he doesn't like Amy and if he sees me with you, he won't let me hear the end of it. It's not that big of a deal to make an extra trip. You don't live too far, right?”
“No, about five minutes. Okay, my mom was waiting to hear from me, so hold on a sec.” She flipped open her cell and dialed. “Hey, Mom. Slight change of plans. Can you get me at the school?... Great, thanks. Love you.” She flipped it closed and stuck it back in her pocket. “I've got a few minutes.” There was an awkward silence of a few seconds, and Cole was about to say goodbye, when it was broken by Michelle. “So, you and Amy seem pretty tight.”
Cole narrowed his eyes. “Yeah. We are.”
“Hey, I didn't mean anything by that,” she said, putting her hands up defensively. “I should be more careful what I say until you get to know me better. I hope you didn't get the wrong impression. I'm not into you like that, and even if I was, I would never mess with someone's relationship. Honestly.”
Cole's shoulders relaxed as the tension drained and he forced out a laugh. “It's fine. I really need to loosen up sometimes.”
“Well, now that we got off on the wrong foot.” Michelle brushed her hand through her hair, smoothing it back. “Any ideas for what you want to do the project on?”
“I haven't actually thought about it.” Been too busy committing attempted murder. “Sorry. How about you?”
“Yeah, I have a few. What do you think about mitosis?”
They spent a few minutes discussing a topic for their project until Michelle's mother drove up. The passenger side window rolled down and her mother leaned across the seat. “Is this Cole?” she asked.
“Yep, this is him,” Michelle said.
“Nice to meet you, Cole.” Michelle's mother was a carbon copy of her daughter with her blonde hair, freckles and blue eyes, the only major difference being the age. She had a friendly, relaxed manner, which gave the impression of a 'fun' mom, rather than a strict one. “I'm Mrs. Weidman.”
“Hi,” Cole said shyly.
“So, we'll be seeing you later then?” Mrs. Weidman said. “Do you need a ride anywhere?”
“No, thank you.” To Cole's great relief they departed, finally allowing him to trek across town to Darryl's house. As he approached, it was clear there was no car in the driveway. He hurried to the front door and rang the bell, a risky but less suspicious move than checking all the windows. There was no answer and he snuck a peek in the front window to make sure of its vacancy.
Still nothing. Probably a 'good' sign but I hate to leave empty-handed. He was about to give up when a car pulled up the driveway. He froze on the doorstep, straining to see into the car through the glare on the windshield.
Darryl's father stepped out alone, looking disheveled and exhausted, and walked towards Cole. “Can I help you?” he said, fumbling with a set of keys.
“Is
Darryl around?” Cole said, remaining as vague as possible.
Darryl's father fully registered Cole for the first time, his forehead creasing as he took Cole in. “No, Darryl's not here. Are you from his school? You haven't heard?”
“Heard what?”
Darryl's father's shoulders slumped and he let out a slow breath. “He's... sick. Been in the hospital for two days.”
“Oh no!” Cole said, hoping his surprise seemed genuine. “Is he going to be okay?”
Darryl's father was too distracted to notice Cole's forced reaction. “I don't know. Doctor's throw around words like 'hopeful' but they really have no idea. They can't even figure out what the problem is. I'm sorry, I need to go.” He pushed past Cole and unlocked the front door.
“Okay, thanks. I hope he gets better soon.”
Darryl's father did not respond, but proceeded into the house and shut the door behind him.
Inner turmoil followed Cole on his way home as his brain failed to process the weight of what he had done. Any outcome of this was going to be unbearably terrible and the uncertainty of it all was threatening to crush him. He focused his thoughts on Amy to reduce his anxiety, but even so, he was unusually curt with his mother when he arrived home.
At Cole's insistence they left in a hurry, and it was not until they were on the road that Meredith was able to get in a word. “You're sure in a rush to get there. What's this boy's name?”
Cole hesitated. “Michelle.”
“Oh! You never mentioned it was a girl.”
“I guess not.”
“Is she a friend or are you just partners on this project?”
“I don't know.”
“Is she nice?”
“I guess so.”
“All right, then.”
That ended the conversation for the rest of the drive. They arrived at Michelle's house a few minutes later. It was an average-sized two-story house with white paneling and a two-car garage. Michelle answered the door with a smile a heartbeat after Cole rang the bell. Cole followed her inside, taking his sneakers off at the front door next to everyone else's.
“Let's work in the back room,” Michelle said, leading the way through the house.
Shadows Within (The Dark Mind Trilogy Book 2) Page 13
