The Dark Corner

by Easton Livingston

  “Have a seat,” she said, motioning him to the brown chair in front of the desk. He nodded and sat down. He realized as he turned to address her that her chair sat higher than the chair and the couch that set along the left wall. Everything was set up to give her an image of superiority. To a degree, it appeared she was the one that had some mental health issues.

  “How can I help you?”

  The subtlety in her tone dripped with hints of condescension. Neff felt like he had entered an episode of the Twilight Zone. In was a different world in that room.

  “Well, I wanted to know what exactly Mr. Johansen was being treated for.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.”

  Neff leaned back and folded his hands in his lap.

  “You can’t? Why is that?”

  He knew the answer to the question but played the dumb guy. The black Columbo.

  “Doctor-patient privilege.”

  Neff raised his eyebrows.

  “Is that right? I wasn’t aware that was still in effect after death.”

  Murchowski smiled, a sarcastic grin forming on her lips.

  “Contrary to popular belief and bad police procedural television programming, the rights of a patient and their medical records are still protected after death. Up to fifty years afterward.”

  “Hmm. Fifty years. That is a long time.”

  He looked down at the ground, feigning contemplation.

  “I thought I read or heard somewhere that a close relative could get access to those records. Like a spouse. His wife maybe?”

  He glimpsed a flicker of tenseness in her jaw. She didn’t like to be upstaged. Neff kept a straight face even though he wanted to chuckle.

  “If the wife wanted to get access to those records she could, barring he had not requested they be kept confidential in his will. Though I can’t tell you specifics, I can tell you that his wife wouldn’t be interested in doing anything like that.”

  Neff leaned forward, interlocking his fingers.

  “Now, you know, that’s what I would have thought too. Then I get this visit from her earlier this week,” he said, placing his hands on her desk. “She tells me she’s adamant about looking into other mitigating circumstances that could have contributed to his death. I can only assume she’s going to need to have access to those records if she’s serious about it and from how she was talking, she is.”

  Neff let it sink in, gauging her expressions. She was a stone. Hard to read. The little he picked up on was probably deliberate.

  “Kinda strange seeing as they were… well… you know ... getting a divorce.”

  There was a momentary silence.

  “It is different.”

  The iciness in her response was unmistakable but he couldn’t tell why it existed. It was either because of him, what he had said, or both.

  “Well, maybe you can help me out with something else. You see, the working theory is that Mr. Johansen was… not in his right mind. That he was under the influence of some drugs. I know you can’t tell me what drugs he was prescribed but maybe you can tell me if you prescribed anything. Just a 'Yes' or 'No' so we can narrow down where this possibly went wrong… if the theory is correct, of course.”

  “Detective. Are you expecting me to implicate myself in a malpractice suit?”

  “What? Oh… no, no. It’s not like that at all. I believe I may have misspoken. We were running off of the assumption he had taken something that had an adverse effect with whatever you prescribed if you prescribed anything.”

  “Well,” Murchowski said. “Though I’m not entirely comfortable revealing this, I do want to help any way I can. The best I can do is tell you I prescribed nothing to him. He was not the kind of man to take drugs for his problems.”

  “Well, there you have it. That has helped very much Dr. Murchowski.”

  Neff got to his feet and decided to throw a last-minute Hail Mary.

  “We’ll contact you after the exhumation if needed. If anything it may offer some closure for his widow.”

  Murchowski leaned forward in her chair.

  “Exhumation?”

  “Yes. I didn’t mention that when I first got here? Wow. I don’t know where my mind is. We won’t know anything definitive until after the exhumation where we’ll run an autopsy with a full toxicology panel.”

  Murchowski gave a slow nod then raised to her feet.

  “Well, I wish you luck in your investigation detective.”

  “Thank you, doctor. Have a good one.”

  Neff walked to his car unsettled and uncomfortable. His gut instincts were screaming which assured him of two things: Murchowski was off like a three and a half dollar bill. That led to number two: she was holding something back. She knew something.

  He wasn’t done with her.

  Part IV - Who Watches the Watchers?

  Sebastian, Amanda, and Tyler piled into their red 2018 Honda CR-V. Sebastian liked to let Amanda drive because it allowed him to plan and stay more vigilant. Being a part of the Makarios Cadre was something he didn’t envision doing for the rest of his life and yet, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

  This latest case was proving to be a challenge and chase. The news that an active coven in Pennsylvania had ended up being based in his jurisdiction had moved the Cadre to act. The coven was wily however. Catching them at the antique shop, they split up. Tyler identified with his M.O.N.V.I.D. who had the stone, and it was good he did or they would not have been as far along in the investigation.

  He stared out the window, thinking about the morning meeting. They still weren’t sure what the coven had planned. None of the pieces were fitting together as he wanted, coming together disjointed; a piece here, a piece there. There was no direct connection of the dots. It had put a definite pause on the coven's plans once the Cadre acquired the E-Stone which was another prize in all of this.

  Several stories surrounded the origin of the E-Stone. Most people believed it was a legend. To find it was an unexpected boon. The Elders would be very interested in getting their hands on it. It was a powerful relic to have and in the wrong hands, it could be a devastating weapon.

  “Penny for your thoughts uncle?”

  Amanda glanced at him with a warm smile.

  “Yes,” he said, smiling back. “Something like that. I’m trying to piece all of this together. I feel there’s something we’re missing on this. An important connection we’re not seeing.”

  There was a pause in the car, the air still. Everyone agreed in silence. Things weren’t adding up.

  “I think I have an idea what it is,” she said. “which will come as no surprise. It’s the E-Stone. That’s at the center of all of this. We’re missing information.”

  Sebastian nodded.

  “I agree. The retrieval team is coming later today to get it. We may want to contact one of the Elders afterward to see if they have any information we need.”

  Tyler’s eyebrows furrowed. “Umm… I don’t think that’s such a good Idea.”

  Sebastian glanced at him in the rearview mirror.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I think giving it over now is the wrong move. With what we know about it, it would be better to keep in out of as many hands as possible.”

  Sebastian was now more than a little disturbed and turned around to face Tyler.

  “It’s a bad idea to give the E-Stone to the Elders? You know we will do that, anyway?”

  Tyler's eyes wandered to the ground in contemplation. The kid was not opinionated for the most part. He went with the flow. He trusted Sebastian but hesitated when it came to Elders and he didn't know why.

  “We need to know more about it and that is going to take time and research. They seemed a little too eager to come and get it. I'm saying something is wrong with the Council. Their recent decisions haven't been making much sense. This has been going on for months. Something's not right. I wouldn't give it to them. Call it a gut feeling.”

  “I
understand how you can have apprehensions about this. You're the new kid on the block among a field team. You're not used to this kind of environment and I don't blame you. I have been working for the Cabal a long time. No, they're not perfect but we shouldn't expect that. What we should expect is loyalty and faithfulness and they should expect that in return.”

  Tyler's eyes didn't leave the SUV floor.

  “I know what you're saying.” His eyes let go of the floor and fixed on Sebastian. “What you're telling me is you don't think the something is off. I think you're wrong. Maybe it's just me. Maybe it isn't. I just think it's a bad idea to give the stone over to Elders. At least right now.”

  Sebastian turned and looked out the front window. They were going to have to discuss it later. He chalked up Tyler's reticence as generational. Millennials didn't trust those not of their generation. Their views were often polar opposite. Given his background, it was a small miracle Tyler was on the team. He would need to be patient. Eventually, he would come around.

  “Well, we haven't gotten to that place yet so when we do, will sit down and discuss it in depth.”

  They drove in silence in the northwest portion of Toledo, cruising down Alexis Road.

  “Amanda,” Sebastian said. “You haven't said anything the whole ride. Is everything okay?”

  Amanda stole a glance at her uncle.

  “I was just listening.”

  Though he wanted to table the conversation for later, he needed to get a preliminary understanding of what he was dealing with.

  “I suppose you agree with Tyler.”

  Amanda kept her eyes on the road. “I don't know. I understand what he's saying though. It seems something is off with the Council. But I think it would be our responsibility to address that first before deciding to break protocol.” She smiled. “I'm willing to go along whatever you say, uncle. You haven't steered us wrong yet.”

  Sebastian smiled back. The relationship he had with his niece was an uncommon bond. He had become the de facto father figure of her life since her real father checked out long ago. She saw him on occasion. They were cordial and civil, but it was clear her father's mind and heart were always somewhere else. Focused on whatever was the pressing agenda of his life, having little to no interest of his daughter's. Sebastian hated that her encounters with her father were so shallow. She was a trooper. She didn't let it affect her as much as it should've. Or she didn't show it.

  Being a field team for the Providere Cabal was not easy. First, you had to qualify, and that took not only being gifted but being disciplined. Field teams were out on the front lines facing dangerous, dark forces in the world. Mental and spiritual strength were essential. Add to that the physical requirements and only the most dedicated could become a field ops agent. That's why it surprised him Tyler had made it. He was a thinker, not a fighter. However, time had proven Sebastian's categorization incorrect. It wasn't that he wasn't a fighter. It was that he had a different method of fighting.

  Tyler informed him that qualifying for field ops was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. Many times, he wanted to quit but Sebastian encouraged him to keep going. Plus he prayed for him. A lot. He saw the positive answer to those prayers the day Tyler announced he'd passed. Now he was sitting in the backseat of that SUV a part of his own field team. That's why he didn't dismiss his opinion. He'd earned the right to be heard.

  They took a left down Jackman Road until they hit Laskey then hung a right. Amanda kept to the right lane as they scanned the side of the street where the GPS showed where the office was located. Tyler spotted it first. They pulled onto the asphalt parking lot on the side of the quaint little building.

  The office was a remodeled house. Light gray and white with light gray shutters. It had a white balustrade leading up to the door on a handicap ramp. There were only a few cars parked in the parking lot which they expected. Not a lot of business first thing in the morning at a real estate office.

  As they walked in through the front door, the sound of a small bell alerted the staff to their presence. A middle-aged woman in her fifties was sitting at the front desk. She had long thick black hair, a pudgy face, and wore a black blazer with a gold leaf stick pin on the left side. She looked up at the three of them.

  “Good morning. Can I help you?”

  “You might be able to.” Sebastian said, smiling at her with a huge grin. Amanda stifled a chuckle as she rolled her eyes. Many women considered him handsome. His salt-and-pepper short hair and five-o'clock-shadow beard and mustache accentuated his Italian features and square jaw.

  “We were looking for a particular agent a friend of mine suggested to us. He bought a house from her recently and was happy with the service so we wanted to talk with her.”

  “Well, I don't know if I will be able to help you,” the woman said. “A lot of our agents don't come into the office until later on in the day if at all. Who is it you're looking for?”

  “My acquaintance said her name was Tawny Belcher. Is that right? We have the right place?”

  The woman nodded. “Yes. Tawny is one of our agents but she doesn't come in until later on in the morning and not every day. I could give you her card and you could call her.”

  Sebastian nodded his head in acceptance. “Yes. That may help. Before you do that though, do you know if she's showing a house today?”

  The woman tapped away at her computer, intent on keeping her eyes fixed on the screen. Sebastian had seen the reaction before. She was doing a good job of keeping her cool. It was so interesting to him how he had that effect on women.

  “Yes, she has two showings this morning. Would you like to attend them? It looks like both of them are open houses.”

  Sebastian smiled again. “You know, that would be wonderful.”

  It didn't take the woman long to print out the information on where the open houses were taking place. He thanked her and walked out feeling the tendrils of the woman stare at his back.

  They got in the car and Sebastian folded up the piece of paper then put it in his pocket.

  “Tyler. Do they have Wi-Fi in here?”

  “Check.”

  Tyler pulled out his heavy-duty laptop. He scanned the various Wi-Fi spots in the area and came upon two connected to the real estate office.

  “We need to get a home address on Belcher.”

  Tyler knew what that meant. He flipped open his Microsoft Surface and tapped the keys. Ten minutes later, he had hacked the password on their office Wi-Fi and gained access to their computer network. It was mere moments after that that he had her address.

  “Got it. It's on the south end. About fifteen minutes away from here.”

  “We're not going to go to the open house?” Amanda asked.

  “We needed to find out whether she was at home or not. Since she's not there, we can go and look for any possible leads. Her home office has more information. That may help us put this puzzle together.”

  * * * * *

  The south side of Toledo had its good and bad spots. They were in one of the better ones. They pulled up to the front of the address, a tan condominium. The good thing was that it was on the corner. The bad thing was that it was a condominium which meant it was right next to somebody else.

  “Well, looks like the lady was right,” Amanda said. “Doesn't look like she's home.”

  Sebastian examined the area, looking for anyone that may have been watching them in addition in identifying points of entry.

  “We need to find a way in there.” Sebastian reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small leather case.

  Tyler smiled. “The lock pick set. Old-school. Gotta love that.”

  “Well, I don’t have any other options at the moment. You guys come with me.”

  They exited the car, walking up the pathway to the front door. The black handled exterior storm door wasn't locked. She must have exited the house that morning through the front door, parking in the driveway instead of the garage the previous night
. Providence was helping them.

  Sebastian rang the doorbell and waited. After no one answered, he rang it again. The chime resonated throughout the house and he knew if anyone was home next door they would hear it too. So far, no one had come over or looked out of any windows at them. He sighed in relief. He needed time to pick the lock.

  “You guys need to block the line of sight while I work the door,” he said as he unzipped the leather pouch. Taking out two of the tools, he worked at the door lock. His training in lock-picking had taken him longer than some other skill sets. He had to work a little harder to get the technique correct when he first started. After having been on the job for twenty years, it was much easier. He wasn't a master, but he wasn't a novice either. It was a long five minutes before the door gave and the three of them walked in.

  Inside, it was modern. Most of the furniture was colored in dark tones. It was neat and in order. The pictures on the wall were of landscapes and city skylines. Something about it felt staged. This wasn’t the real Tawny Belcher. This was the Tawny Belcher she wanted people to think she was.

  They moved through the house, searching through papers, drawers, books. Tyler discovered a door down the hallway.

  “Uncle,” he said. “Going to need your fingers here.”

  Sebastian strode down the hallway to a bedroom door. He turned the silver knob and found it locked. It took less than thirty seconds to lock pick the door. Opening it, the three of them entered the room.

  Inside it was dark and cloistered. The air was thick with a cloying blackness. They tried to turn on the light but it was not working. No light bulb. Candles sat all around the room in random locations. There were myriad fetishes and paraphernalia on a table on the far left wall. A small table set next to what looked like a reading chair on the left wall, an antique lamp on top of it. Sebastian pulled the metal balled cord and light struggled to fill the room. Low wattage. A rug with the symbol of a half moon lay unfurled in the center of the room.