Trimmed to Death

by Nancy J. Cohen

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Dalton, what’s wrong? Wake up,” Marla shouted. Crouching, she shook him. He moaned and twisted to his side, muttering words she couldn’t decipher. By then, several of the others had collapsed onto the grass as well.

  “Don’t worry,” Colin said, patting her head. “He’s going on a little trip. He’ll be fine once the drug wears off.” The rest of the circle sank to the ground as he spoke.

  She stood and glared at him. “What drug? You mean that drink was spiked?” Her pitch rose along with her panic.

  “He’ll have visions and then will experience a rebirth. We will all do the same. It’s part of the rite of renewal. You can watch over us.”

  “Wait, is this the stuff that derives from the acacia tree? Dalton called it DMT and said it’s a psychedelic agent.”

  “That’s right. We buy the ingredients on the Internet. It’ll wear off in a few hours. Do not fret, my dear. We do this every year, and it has no ill effects. Your man will have a spiritual experience that will give him a renewed sense of purpose.” Colin wobbled on his feet, and his eyes took on a distant glaze.

  “Your bodies may be accustomed to it, but not Dalton. Oh my God, what should I do?”

  “I suggest you wait it out and don’t call the authorities. Watch his breathing, that’s all. You can be the sitter for all of us.” His nostrils flared. “Look, it’s Francine. She’s calling to me.” And then without another word, he joined the unconscious bodies on nature’s floor.

  Why did he leave me standing? And is he right? Will they come out of this unscathed?

  Shivering as she stood alone among the acolytes, Marla considered her options. Should she call for help on her cell phone? That would land them all in the hospital, where they’d undergo unnecessary and expensive tests until they slept it off. Maybe Colin was right, and she should stay the course. Dalton writhed and muttered to himself, but he was breathing and alive. She could make sure he didn’t hit anything sharp like a rock or a tree branch.

  She positioned him on the soft cushion of grass, took a pee break among the trees, and then settled onto the bench of a nearby picnic shelter. Withdrawing her cell phone, she engaged the browser and looked up DMT for more details. It was the same compound used in Amazonian shamanic rituals via a drink called Ayahuasca. Effects could last several hours when orally ingested along with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor derived from the ayahuasca vine.

  Wait, wasn’t this similar to the substance that had killed a woman in a case she’d investigated? The lady had been taking antidepressants, and she’d been slipped a monoamine oxidase inhibitor in a glass of wine. The drug interaction had caused a lethal elevation in blood pressure. How did these people know what medications each individual took? They could have a fatality if they weren’t careful.

  She read on. During the spiritual journey, out-of-body states were common. It had even been theorized that the human pineal gland produced DMT and released it when you died, accounting for people’s near-death experiences. The drug could induce a plane of existence where the person communicated with other intelligent beings. Some drug takers claimed a “mother spirit” guided them on this trip and taught them what they needed to learn, while others saw entities like dwarfs or aliens. These were colloquially called machine elves.

  Depending on the visions, the effect could be either terrifying, or it could bring greater mindfulness, decreases in self-judgment, a sense of connection to the world, heightened spirituality, and compassion for all living beings.

  Well, that didn’t sound so terrible. Marla couldn’t imagine Dalton becoming more spiritual, however. She gnawed her lower lip as she stretched out on the bench. If he took a turn for the worse, she could still summon help. That would bring a swarm of police cars and rescue vehicles. She didn’t care to embarrass him that way unless it became necessary.

  Her thoughts drifted to her own father and how she’d wanted a sign he was okay after he’d died. Nothing had come to her until she’d seen the psychic in Cassadaga. That experience had given meaning to her sleuthing when she’d doubted herself. Perhaps Dalton would learn something from this after all. If nothing else, he might be more sympathetic to the drug addicts he dealt with every day.

  She closed her eyes, letting her body relax and using an arm for a pillow. She’d just drift off for a few minutes.

  ****

  “Marla, are you there?” Dalton called from somewhere far away.

  She sat upright, her mind groggy. How much time had passed since she’d lain down?

  Dawn heralded the approach of day. Her gaze zeroed in on the lone person by the banyan tree. Dalton stood, gazing around in confusion. The group members had gone.

  Realizing they’d been abandoned, Marla staggered to her feet. “I’m coming,” she yelled, none too steady herself. She took a few steps and found her balance. Her nose sniffed the morning air, redolent with dew. “Are you all right?” she asked as she got closer.

  “What happened? Where are we?” Dalton riffled his fingers through his tousled hair.

  “We’re at the park. We spoke to Colin last night. How much do you remember?”

  He shook his head, a bewildered look in his eyes. “I had the most amazing dream. It was so real. Pam was there. She told me what I need to do.”

  “You saw your dead wife?”

  “Yes, and she likes you, Marla. She’s happy I found you. I understand things more clearly now. It’s not only about us. We’re part of something bigger.”

  “You took a drug, Dalton. It gave you hallucinations. Do you think you can make it to the car? We should get you checked out at the hospital.”

  He gazed at Marla as though seeing her for the first time. His glance raked over her in astonishment. “You’ve stayed here the entire time? My God, we need to get you home. You shouldn’t have risked your health that way.”

  She snorted. “You’re the one who sampled a psychedelic drink. Come on, let’s go to the car. I’m freezing.” Her body shook, partially from the cooler air and partially from the shock of events. Was Dalton in his right mind? She took him by the elbow and steered him toward the trail leading to the exit by the ridge.

  Birds warbled and crickets intoned their chorus as they stumbled through the woods in the early morning light. Her stomach rumbled, and she realized it had been over twelve hours since they’d eaten. Maybe if Dalton got something solid in his stomach, it would help metabolize the drug in his system.

  “How do you feel?” she asked out of concern. “Any nausea, racing heart, headache or other physical symptoms?”

  He gave her a troubled glance. “My head hurts like I have the worst hangover. But I also feel an odd sense of connectedness. The trees, the plants, the animals in the woods... we’re all part of the same universe. We’re all part of the One. It’s wondrous. I didn’t realize—”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve found religion all of a sudden,” she scoffed, skirting past a fallen branch in their path.

  “No, this goes beyond religion. Those are man-made constructs. It’s hard to explain, but I feel as though I’ve been somewhere else, and I’ve seen the truth.”

  “Whatever you say. Let’s just get you home for now. Or do you want to see a doctor first? You might still be under the influence of that ceremonial beverage.”

  A thoughtful frown creased his brow. “The others left earlier. They must be more accustomed to the stuff for it to wear off so quickly.”

  “No doubt you’re right.” She gave a sigh of relief once they’d reached the gate and entered the high ridge section. Her parched throat cried out for a drink of water. Her hip ached from lying on a hard bench all night, and her temples throbbed. Thank goodness it was Monday and her day off from work.

  “You’ll have to call in sick today,” she told her husband once they were en route to their house. “You’re in no condition to drive. You might still be experiencing after-effects from the drug.”

  Dalton fell into a brooding silence while s
he concentrated on driving. Finally, they reached their garage, and Marla switched off the engine. She texted Brianna as soon as they entered the kitchen. The teen responded that she was fine. Her friend’s mother was taking them to school.

  That matter settled, Marla let the dogs out into the fenced backyard. She put on a fresh pot of coffee before hastening to the bathroom for a long overdue shower and grooming session. Meanwhile, Dalton sent a message in to work that he’d be late today.

  “I am not calling in sick,” he told her as they faced each other across the kitchen table, both of them clean and in fresh clothing. “I’ll be all right in a little while. I have to process this experience, that’s all.”

  “I read about the spiritual journey and the beings you might have encountered. It relates to a chemical process in your brain, Dalton.”

  “Does it?” His brow wrinkled. “I’ve learned things I couldn’t have known otherwise. About myself, and about you.”

  “Me? What do I have to do with it?”

  His lips curved in a secretive smile. “You’ll find out. How’s your stomach, by the way? Still feeling unsettled?”

  “Yes. I hear these GI upsets can take a month or two to go away. But this isn’t about me. How do you view things now that’s so different? You’ve always appreciated nature before.”

  “I see our oneness more clearly. I’ve been wrong to judge people based on outward appearances. We’re all God’s chosen. We need to respect each other.”

  She wrapped a hand around her mug of hot coffee. “O-kay. Aren’t you doing this already?”

  “Not in my heart. I see the dregs of humanity every day. The crooks I bring in are misguided souls who’ve been led down the wrong path.”

  “Oh, come on. You told me once that you believed in evil.”

  “Pam helped me expand my view. She told me why my mother acts so distant sometimes. Mom suffered a trauma when her little brother died in that cave-in out in Arizona. Grandma Hannah took her away from their family. They became estranged from Uncle Ray, who Mom blamed for the accident.”

  “We know all this already.” Marla had learned his family history when they’d visited Arizona for their belated honeymoon.

  “Yes, but my mother still experiences fear of loss. She can be afraid to get close to people because they might die like her younger brother. I had a good childhood, but Mom wasn’t always attentive. She focused her fears on me and withdrew to avoid the pain of loss. I rebelled by becoming a police officer and putting myself in danger.”

  “You joined the force so you could catch bad guys. At least, that’s what you told me.”

  “Right, after a friend’s father was robbed and beaten one night and nearly killed. But don’t you understand? These incidents are all related. We’re all related.”

  She reached across the table and grasped his hand. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean you should forgive the bad guys out of a new sense of spirituality. It’ll affect your work as a cop.”

  “Demons exist, Marla. Bad entities are out there. They’re the source of evil.”

  Dear Lord, he was sounding more and more off his rocker. “How about if you take a nap, and then we’ll see how you feel? I need to lie down myself.”

  What did it mean that Pam had been his spiritual guide on this journey? Where did that leave her? And what was it he’d learned about her that he wouldn’t relate?

  Marla didn’t care to deal with esoteric teachings. She had more practical matters on her mind, like solving Francine’s murder. That’s what they should be discussing, but she left it alone for now. Dalton seriously needed to get some rest.

  He seemed to feel better after he awoke at lunchtime. Marla had been up earlier and had fixed him a sandwich. She handed him the plate when he reappeared in the kitchen in his dress shirt and trousers.

  “We haven’t talked about what Colin said last night,” she told him, hoping he wouldn’t spout off his nonsense at the office today. The quieter he kept about his experience, the better for everyone. Otherwise, the captain might send him for a psych evaluation.

  “I forgot all about it,” he said between bites of his turkey sandwich. “Mr. Abubakar did say he’d been attending a conference in New Orleans at the time of the harvest festival. That’s easy enough to check on.”

  “He also said Francine meant to get revenge on someone, and that the article she’d been researching might be related. Are you sure your boys haven’t found anything in the files they brought back from her office?”

  “Nothing that would raise my interest. I can check with them again to see if anything new has surfaced.”

  “You do that. I still need to go over there and talk to her colleagues.”

  As Dalton left for work, he seemed much more like his normal self, which gave her a measure of comfort. She ran a few errands and was about to look up the magazine’s address in Boca Raton when her cell phone rang.

  “Hi, dear, it’s Kate,” said Dalton’s mother in a pleasant voice. “We’re in the area and wondered if we could drop by for a brief visit.”

  “Oh, um, I’m actually not home. Where are you? We could meet for coffee,” she offered instead. She hadn’t seen her in-laws in a while and welcomed the opportunity. It would give her a chance to confirm what Dalton had said he’d learned from his mind-altered state.

  Kate and John looked well when Marla greeted them inside a local Starbucks. Kate’s auburn hair looked freshly touched up and styled. John had grayed a bit more, but the silver in his hair matched his pewter eyes. They both wore resort wear suitable to the senior generation.

  After getting their drinks at the counter, they found an empty table outside on the sidewalk. Planters on the walkway provided spots of greenery.

  “I bought some supplies for my stained glass work,” John explained. “There’s a new shop that opened in Palm Haven, and it had a pattern I’d wanted.”

  “Good for you. How did your last show go?” she asked politely. He’d been displaying his artistic creations at local art fairs.

  “I sold four pieces, so that made it worthwhile.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. Kate, how are your bridge games? Any trips planned with your group?”

  “Not with Thanksgiving coming up, I’m afraid.” The older woman gave a heavy sigh. “I’m glad you’re having us over for holiday dinner. We never see Brianna often enough, and soon she’ll be going off to college. We’ll be lucky to get a glimpse of her on vacations.”

  Marla was well aware Dalton’s parents craved more grandchildren. “Listen, I’ve been meaning to ask you about my husband’s childhood. What was he like growing up? Was he a rambunctious kid or a nerdy type?”

  “Is there a particular reason why you’re interested in this now, dear?” Kate asked with a hopeful note.

  Marla sipped her iced coffee via a straw before replying. “He had a weird dream last night. I’m wondering how much of it was true.”

  Kate pursed her lips. “He wasn’t the wild sort, but he would act out to get my attention. You see, he was an only child. I’d had some difficulty with my pregnancy, and the doctor said it might be dangerous for me to have another baby. Plus, John and I wanted to travel. It was easier to leave Dalton with a nanny than if we had two kids.”

  “I thought you didn’t like travelling so much,” Marla said. When John retired from his career as an attorney, he meant to participate in art shows. Kate had been less than thrilled with that idea. She preferred to stay home where she had friends and activities.

  “We’ve been to most of places where I wanted to go,” Kate explained. “I’m tired of living out of suitcases. At this stage in my life, I prefer convenience.”

  “So you hired a nanny when Dalton was growing up?”

  “That’s right.” Kate fingered her cup of black coffee. “He told me later that I’d been emotionally distant. That’s why he behaved so crazy sometimes, because he needed my attention. I loved him, but I thought if I didn’t care so deeply, it might not hurt so bad
ly if anything happened to him.”

  “You were afraid,” Marla concluded. “You’d lost your younger brother, and that loss carried over to your relationship with your son.”

  Kate nodded, her gaze misting. “Even now, I’m terrified for him. You never know who’s going to pull out a gun and shoot him.”

  “He doesn’t do patrol anymore, and he isn’t in uniform. He’s at risk chasing down suspects, but he usually has backup.” Marla didn’t share that she was just as scared. It was part of being a cop’s wife, but she understood the risks. If you dwelled on it, it could paralyze you.

  She’d learned this hard lesson after little Tammy’s death. The toddler had drowned in a backyard pool while under Marla’s care as a nineteen-year-old babysitter. For years, she’d blamed herself. She didn’t foresee ever having children in her future, because she wouldn’t be a capable mother. Nor could she risk the pain of loss after viewing the devastation of Tammy’s parents. Only through time and with Dalton’s love had Marla come to forgive herself and change her mind.

  Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked rapidly. What was the matter with her? She hadn’t gotten emotional over her past in a long time. She’d atoned for her mistakes and moved on.

  “I’m glad Dalton has you to look after him.” Kate reached across the table and gave her hand a momentary squeeze. “We gave him everything as a child, I want you to know. Despite my attitude, he didn’t lack for privilege. He was a good kid. His grades were decent, if not as high as I would have liked.”

  “Yeah, and you nagged him on that point,” John said. He appeared bored, observing the cars coming and going as though more interested in the vehicle models than in their conversation. He’d had his own problems with Kate after his retirement. It had been an adjustment for both of them, but they’d survived.

  Kate wagged her finger at him. “Don’t criticize me. You weren’t the one driving him to his baseball games, karate lessons, and tennis club meetings.”

  “He took karate? And played tennis?” This was news to Marla.