Secrets in Blood: Lake Of Sins, #2

by L. S. O'Dea

  Buddy entered the room and waited in the doorway.

  “I need to tell Little...Sarah.” Since his mother was gone, his sister was now just Sarah.

  “Already done,” said Buddy.

  He squeezed his mother’s hand, laid it gently by her side and left the room. Buddy followed, closing the door behind him.

  “Where’s the intruder?” He wanted to kill the Guard, but he’d question him first.

  “In Millie’s room. We were able to get him to admit that he worked for Professor Conguise before he died.”

  “Conguise, that son-of-a-bitch. I’ll kill him.” He strode down the hall. It was one thing to try and steal his discovery, but the bastard had murdered his mother. He would tear the Almighty to pieces.

  Sue stood in the room, guarding the intruder’s body.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, her large brown eyes glassy with unshed tears.

  He nodded. There was blood splattered on the walls and pooled by the mangled body of the elderly Guard. His throat was intact.

  “Thank you for not killing him quickly.” He bent and lifted the Guard’s head. “I recognize him. He was at Conguise’s lab when I worked there. He couldn’t have had many years left.”

  “None, now,” said Buddy.

  The professor had not meant to harm his mother, of that he was certain. Conguise was treacherous but he had his limits and killing an elderly, connected Almighty was outside of them.

  “There’s something else you need to know,” said Buddy.

  By the Guard’s tone it wasn’t good. He hesitated, not sure if he could handle anything else.

  “Tim and Millie are gone. They must have snuck out while we were”—Buddy paused and looked at the body—“questioning the intruder. Once we noticed that they weren’t here, Reese and I went after them but their trail ran cold over by the old mill.”

  He’d promised his mother that he would look out for them. How could he protect them if he didn’t know where they were? He’d failed to keep her safe but he would not fail her in this. He ran down the stairs to the library, Buddy right behind him. He turned on the tracking monitor and entered his password. It should only take a moment to locate them. He searched the program for Tim and Millie’s tracking devices.

  “Here they are.” He zoomed in closer on the map. “Damn it!” He shoved away from the desk. This was just perfect.

  “What is it?” Buddy moved so he could see the monitor.

  “It says that they’re in the room upstairs. They must have removed their devices.” He began to pace.

  “That’s why I smelled blood on them,” said Buddy.

  “We need to find them. I promised Mom. It was her last request to me.” He stopped pacing and looked at Buddy. “What am I going to do?” He covered his face with his hands to hide the tears, his shoulders shaking with his anguish.

  Buddy fidgeted for a moment and then went to the liquor cabinet and poured a drink. He handed it to him. “We’ll find them.”

  “Do it now.” He took a large swallow.

  “Before the police arrive? They said that we should wait here.”

  “No. You’re right. Go later, after the police. I’m going to work. Call me when the cops arrive.” He carried his glass into the lab and closed the door, leaning against it. He tossed back the rest of the drink. There was comfort in the burn as it slid down his throat. His mother was dead. He’d known that her time was short, but that didn’t lessen the pain.

  He pushed away from the door and walked back to the closet. He needed to do something. He set his glass on the counter, but he miscalculated and it slid off the edge shattering on the floor into hundreds of tiny shards. He should clean it up but with his mom and Viola gone there was no one left who’d care if he didn’t. Instead he began digging through the closet, tossing items out onto the floor. As he searched, recent events replayed in his mind—the offspring between two different classes, the professor’s insistence on having Tim and Millie brought to his lab, Viola leaving, the single intruder who tried to kill Millie, that intruder belonging to the professor. Things weren’t making sense. He was missing something.

  The closet was empty. A pile of books, paper and laboratory equipment lay scattered on the floor. The thermocycler that he was looking for was not there. Maybe, it was still at his mother’s house. He had to find that machine but first he needed to sort out the events of the last few days.

  He walked to the door. Buddy was in the hallway. Waiting for the police or him, he wasn’t sure and he didn’t care.

  “Buddy, come in here please.”

  The Guard entered the lab, shutting the door behind him.

  “How did the professor’s Guard get in the house?” He ran his hand through this hair.

  “One of the House Servants who works in the kitchen saw Viola by the pantry near the side door. It’s usually locked. It was unlocked today.” Buddy’s eyes were sad. “I’m sorry, Hugh.”

  His heart fell. That couldn’t be true. It was one thing to believe that she’d choose her father over him and another to think that she could be involved in something like this. It took a minute for him to speak. “That explains why she left last night.” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat. “It doesn’t explain what the professor was hoping to accomplish.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Buddy.

  He began to pace, his mind racing. “He wants Millie and Tim. That I know for sure. But one old Guard couldn’t have gotten them out of here alive. They both would have fought and someone would have heard. So, the professor must not care if they’re alive. The problem is even dead they could be a threat to him.”

  “I’m not following you,” said Buddy.

  He grabbed the printouts and handed them to his Guard. “The DNA tests should have reported major discrepancies in the nucleotides, but it didn’t.”

  Buddy glanced at the pages and shrugged.

  “Don’t you get it? The machine uses the code entered and ignores the actual blood when analyzing the basic genetic material. It was designed to do this and it’s not just mine. I tested two others at the university.” He started pacing again. “The manufacturer has to be involved.”

  “I still don’t understand how Tim and Millie could be a threat if they’re dead. They can’t produce more offspring.”

  “No, but I would still have their samples. I could perform tests to see if there is something special about their DNA or maybe there is nothing special about them.” He scratched his head. “I compared other blood besides theirs and the machines gave the same erroneous results.” He paused and dropped into the chair, exhaustion sweeping through him.

  “If there is something special about them, the professor would need them completely destroyed,” said Buddy.

  “Yes. Them and any samples that I have.” He looked at the Guard. “How far would the professor go to hide this secret?”

  “To be safe, he would need you gone too. One old Guard would not be able to do all that alone.”

  “No. He wouldn’t. You think he was near the pantry?” He sat up straighter.

  “We believe he entered the house by that door.”

  “Has anyone searched that area? There could be others hiding in the house.”

  “No,” said Buddy. “I’ll get Reese and go now.”

  “Later. First, we need to get these samples and everyone else somewhere safe.” There could be anything in that pantry. His few Guards may not be able to handle it. He grabbed the backpack that he’d taken to the university. “Tell Sue and Reese to meet me here. We’ll separate the samples while you send everyone else away. Tell them I’m giving them the rest of the day off but they must leave the house.”

  Buddy left.

  Hugh went into the hall and opened the closet, pulling out three more backpacks. Sue and Reese came up behind him.

  “Hugh, I’m really sorry...”

  “Not now, Reese.” Her eyes were red and swollen. She’d made a mistake. A costly one, but she hadn’t mea
nt any harm. Still, his mother was dead. He hesitated and then patted her arm to put her at ease.

  He separated the blood and results into the four backpacks. When Buddy joined them he handed one backpack to each of them.

  “Go and hide these. If something happens to me, Buddy, deliver your backpack to that reporter you know. Sue, take yours to my high school biology teacher, and Reese, give yours to Michael the owner of Michael’s pub. Then hide.” He looked out the window. “Buddy, you go out the front. Sue, out the back.”

  “What about you two?” asked Buddy.

  “Reese and I will wait for ten minutes and then leave. Just in case the house is being watched.”

  “What about your mother? The police are on their way,” said Buddy.

  “Yeah. Right.” He ran his hand through his hair again. He couldn’t leave. “I’ll wait for them. Reese, you go with Buddy. Split off from him when you think it’s safe. We’ll meet back here later.”

  “What if the house is being watched?” asked Buddy.

  “Fine. We’ll meet at Michael’s Pub at eleven tonight.” He couldn’t think. He needed sleep.

  The three Guards left. He stood by the window to see if anyone followed Buddy and Reese. The street was quiet. Then there was movement to his left as a small, young, male House Servant slunk down the sidewalk. The servant’s clothes were dirty and hung on his too thin frame. The youth glanced nervously around and then hurried up to the house. Hugh opened the door before the House Servant could knock.

  “I need to see Tim,” commanded the youth. “I know you’ve got him in there.” He tried to peer around Hugh into the house.

  “He’s not here.” Only a handful of people knew that Tim had been at his house.

  “I need to give him this.” The House Servant pulled an envelope from his back pocket.

  “I’ll take it to him.” He held out his hand.

  “I was told to give it to Tim and only Tim.”

  He snatched the envelope from the youth’s hand. The Servant hissed at him and then raced off down the road. He shut the door and opened the note.

  Timothy, get out. Now. You are in danger.

  The note was not signed. This was not good. He needed to get the samples out of here but he also had to wait for the police. He ran through the house to see if anyone was still around, but it was empty. The police could wait. He trotted back to the front door and opened it. Two Almightys in police uniforms were walking up the sidewalk.

  “Finally, you’re here,” he said as something hit him in the back so hard that he flew forward slamming into one of the officers. Lying on the ground, he looked up. His house was in flames.

  CHAPTER 19

  MIRRA WAS GROWING RESTLESS. Trinity had to figure out some way to keep the Tracker occupied because if Mirra wandered, she’d end up at the Tracker Camp and that was dangerous. Not only would it cause another fight between Mirra and Gaar, but the Guards manning the camp couldn’t be as foolish and as incompetent as Mirra thought. Someone had captured the other wild-born Trackers.

  It was mid-morning and a group of Producers were working in the gardens. It was a waste of time. They weren’t going to be around long enough to harvest any of the crops but they wanted something normal in their lives. Well, normal was changing and it was about time they realized that.

  “Mirra, can you help me,” she called out.

  The Tracker sat on a low hanging branch, staring into the forest. She frowned, but hopped down into the yard. “Mirra need hunt. What you want?”

  Mirra didn’t need to hunt. There was plenty of meat in the supply room. She still couldn’t bring herself to call it Producer.

  “This way.” She headed over to the gardens.

  Travis stopped working when she approached. “What’s up, Trinity?” He glanced nervously at Mirra.

  “You need to learn how to survive in the forest. I thought Mirra could help.” She glanced at the Tracker.

  Mirra’s nose twitched and her ears were turned back toward the brush. This was not going to be an easy sell.

  “They need to know how to hide and protect themselves. Please, Mirra, will you help them like you helped me?”

  Mirra circled Travis. “They no like you.” Mirra waved her hand by Travis’s face.

  Please, don’t explain why they aren’t like me. She held her breath. She really needed to think her plans through a bit more.

  Travis flinched but held his ground which was not an easy task with a Tracker that close and every instinct screaming to run.

  “They no survive forest.”

  Travis’ face paled. That had been blunter than necessary but that was Mirra.

  “But I teach them, like I teach you.” Mirra shrugged. “They no learn, but I teach.”

  She smiled weakly at Travis. She’d accomplished her goal of getting Mirra to stay but it wasn’t going to be fun for the Producers.

  By late afternoon, the Producers were exhausted and filthy but worse than that, their spirits were crushed. None of them had done anything right according to Mirra and truthfully, the Tracker had some valid points.

  She’d never realized how loudly Producers moved. They seemed incapable of walking quietly on the grass let alone in a forest littered with dying leaves and pine needles. They were also slow. As they shifted to protect themselves from attacks by Mirra, they seemed to move in slow motion. The Tracker could swat them in the face five times before they finally blocked her strikes.

  The group headed down to the water, shoulders slumped and some limping. She hung back to talk with Mirra.

  “They’ll be better tomorrow,” she said.

  Mirra shot her a look that clearly stated what she thought of that pronouncement.

  “I wasn’t very good at first.”

  “You need work. They hopeless.” Mirra shook her head.

  Mirra was right. “What are we going to do?”

  “Something eat well soon.” Mirra smiled.

  “That is not funny.” Travis waved at her and headed to the Guards’ house. Today had been especially hard on him. He wasn’t fully recovered. “I can’t lose him, Mirra. If something happens to him, it’ll be my fault.”

  “You free him. He die now; he die free.” Mirra patted her on the head.

  That no longer seemed good enough, but it might be all any of them had. “We’ll keep working with them. They can run fast once they get going. They’re also really strong.”

  “Tomorrow they run. Mirra chase. Mirra catch.”

  They walked down to the river and she washed while Mirra got a drink. As she turned to go to the houses, Mirra headed toward the forest.

  “Where are you going?” She had to think fast. She couldn’t let Mirra out of her sight.

  “Hunt,” said Mirra.

  “There’s food in the supply room.”

  “Blah. Mirra want fresh meat no old, dry blah.”

  She remained silent, not wanting Mirra to consider the fresh Producers only a few yards away.

  “Mirra back soon.” The Tracker raced to the tree whose limb hung over the fence and leapt, latching onto the branch and then escaping into the forest.

  Hopefully, Mirra would hunt and then return. She entered the Guards’ house and a wonderful smell greeted her.

  “Hi,” said Tammie. “Dinner’s almost done.”

  Large vegetable pies sat on a grate over the fire. Their crusts were golden brown and flaky. Her stomach rumbled.

  Tammie laughed. “I’m glad you’re hungry. I made a bunch. When I saw the exercises that you guys were doing, I knew you’d be starving and”—she glanced at Travis who sat with his eyes shut and his head against the wall—“exhausted.”

  “He shouldn’t have stayed out the entire time. It was too much for him,” she whispered.

  “I’m fine. I could have gone longer,” said Travis, not bothering to open his eyes.

  She and Tammie exchanged a friendly smile at his false bravado.

  She helped hand out the pies to the othe
rs and then she and Tammie sat next to Travis to eat. The meal was delicious and the conversation was fun. The three shared stories about their childhood. She’d never had companionship like this before. She and Travis were close, but having a female friend was nice.

  Tammie picked up the pitcher of water and went to the counter to fill it but the bucket was empty. She grabbed a torch and headed toward the fire to light it.

  “What are you doing?” Trinity asked.

  “We need water for the night.” Tammie lifted the two empty buckets.

  Trinity glanced out the window. It was dark. They shouldn’t leave the house until light. She stood. “I’ll go.”

  Relief washed over Tammie’s face but she quickly shook her head. “No. We need to get used to the dark.” She lit the torch.

  “You’ll have to get used to it soon enough, but not tonight.” She took the buckets from Tammie.

  “I’ll go.” Travis groaned as he stood.

  She and Tammie exchanged another look.

  “You take care of him and I’ll get the water,” she said.

  “You may have the easier job,” said Tammie under her breath.

  She laughed and headed for the door.

  “Don’t forget your torch.” Tammie held it out for her.

  She hesitated. She could tell them now that she could see in the dark. It wasn’t scary like her claws and fangs, but it might make them watch her more closely and she didn’t need that. Today during training had been bad enough. She’d had to slow down her reaction time so that she didn’t stand out too much. Mirra had not been happy with her and she’d received more than one swat on the back of the head. She took the torch. “Thanks. I must be more tired than I thought.”

  She stepped outside and headed toward the river. With this fire she might as well scream, Dinner’s served come and get it to any nearby predators. She should douse the flame in the dirt but that might cause questions. She’d be fine as long as she hurried.