“It’ll be okay,” Wil said soothingly. “We’re on the right track. I’ll talk to Goody again before we leave, find out why he was looking at you.”
Samantha dried her eyes. “Wil, why did you ask if there are any government buildings here?”
Wil took a drink from his water glass, then set it down again.
“I’ve been going over the things you’ve told me,” he said. “Let’s start with that night in your garage, when someone attacked you. Next, finding yourself in a hotel room with a strange child, who just happens to have some amazing talents. Not the least of which is a knowledge of human anatomy and an understanding of certain medical terms.”
“Too creepy for coincidence,” Barbara commented.
“Right,” Wil said. “This remarkable child starts drawing pictures that remind you of a place you visited when you yourself were a child. Then you start finding out that great big holes have been cut out of your memory. There’s no record of you ever attending med school, although you’ve been a practicing doctor for several years now.”
Samantha winced. “I’m worried about that. What if I have to go to jail for practicing medicine without a license?”
“Don’t worry,” Wil said. “You won’t have to answer to any charges if my hunch is right. You aren’t the guilty one.”
Samantha’s eyes rounded.
“You think the government has something to do with this?” she asked.
“You bet I do,” Wil said. “It must have taken an exorbitant amount of money to pull all of these tricks, to brainwash several people, to ruin lives, and to commit murder.”
Samantha sighed. “Raoul Henley. He’s an innocent victim in all this.”
“So are you, and so is Julie,” Wil said.
They ate in silence for a while, Samantha trying to absorb all that Wil had just said. A government conspiracy! But why? Why was she chosen?
“What are we going to do about it?” she asked finally.
“First of all, we’re going to get into that building,” Wil said.
Barbara grunted. “Huh! What do you plan on doing? Knocking at the gate?”
“No, but I have an idea,” Wil said. “Don’t worry. I’ll be in there before the day is over.”
He looked at his watch. “Let me make a phone call. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Samantha watched him leave, wondering what he had in mind.
“That’s some fella you got there,” Barbara commented.
“What?” Samantha asked distantly.
“Your new boyfriend!” Barbara cried. “Why didn’t you tell me? He’s absolutely gorgeous!”
Samantha faced her now.
“You didn’t seem very happy about my calling a private detective,” she said.
“That’s just because I was worried for you,” Barbara said. “But now that I’ve met Wil Sherer, I think you’re going to be okay. You’re lucky to have found a man like that, Samantha.”
“I really wasn’t looking, Barbara,” Samantha said. “And I think Wil is just a naturally warm person.”
Barbara tapped her arm. “Here he comes.”
“It’s all set,” Wil said. “I’ll go in tomorrow morning.”
“How did you manage that?” Samantha asked in wonder.
“About two years ago,” Wil replied, “the wife of the CEO of a big insurance company disappeared. Kidnapping—you might have read it in the papers?”
Both women shook their heads.
“I missed that story,” Barbara said.
“I found her,” Wil went on. “Her husband was so grateful that not only did he pay me double my fee but also swore he would help me in any way he could. I just called in that favor. He’s going to fax some paperwork to the motel, and tomorrow I enter Shoaling Aerospace as William Sherer, safety consultant.”
“I don’t understand,” Samantha said.
“All big factories have insurance,” Wil reported. “Most of them have several carriers. In order to keep premiums at a minimum, they have to abide by certain safety rules. Luckily, it’s been two years since my CEO’s company sent an inspector over there. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see all of the building. And I’ll be escorted every step of the way. But if I play my cards right, I might be able to learn if anything unusual is happening there.”
Samantha looked worried.
“Do you have to go in alone?”
“No,” Wil said. “I’m getting two sets of papers. You’ll be going in with me as a trainee.”
He looked at Barbara. “Sorry, but bringing one person with me is pushing it. I can’t risk both of you.”
Barbara smiled. “I’ll wait in the getaway car.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Wil said.
48
JULIE WAS THE first to awaken. She was lying on a cot in a small room with concrete walls. Shakily she swung herself around and put her feet down on the floor. The feel of cold tiles made her realize she wasn’t wearing shoes, and jolted her into complete wakefulness. She looked around herself. The room’s only window was a hand-size rectangle cut into the large gray door. She knew at once she was in a prison cell. Terrified, she went to the door and began banging her fists against the metal.
“Let me out! Let me out! Let me oooouuuut!”
Her cries awakened her friends, locked in individual cells across the hallway.
“Julie! Are you okay?”
No, Lorraine. Use your thoughts! Steven’s voice came through as clearly as if he were actually speaking aloud.
In her own cell, Lorraine bit her Up. She closed her eyes, sat down on her cot again, and began to communicate with her friends.
Where are we? Julie asked.
I don’t know, Lorraine replied. But Marty is very nearby. Can you feel him?
The other two children concentrated on their mysterious acquaintance. They could sense him, but though they tried in unison to call him, he did not answer.
Maybe he’s right here, Steven thought. We have to make him aware of us!
We have to get out of here, Lorraine answered. Steven, maybe we can—
The sound of steel rubbing on steel silenced them at once, although they were pretty certain no one could read their minds. Footsteps came down the hall, and Julie and Steven each heard another door open. Someone spoke softly, a voice easily picked up by the children’s sensitive ears. It was a woman’s voice, and she said:
“Come on, Lorraine. Don’t be afraid, honey. We’ll get this all straightened out.”
Julie breathed in deeply. If the woman was calling her “honey,” maybe she wasn’t a bad person. Maybe Lorraine wasn’t in danger.
At least not now, she heard Steven say. He’d read her thoughts.
Julie was too afraid to answer him.
“What are you going to do to us?” Lorraine asked. “Why don’t you let my friends go?”
“We really just want to ask you some questions,” the woman said.
They were silent again. If they began to speak a few minutes later, neither Julie nor Steven could hear.
They’ve taken her too far away, Steven said. Bui if she needs us, she’ll call us.
What good would it do? Julie said worriedly. How could we help her?
In his cell, Steven laughed. But there was no humor in the sound, and it sounded eerie as it bounced off the fiat gray walls.
Believe it or not, he said, that little kid is better at taking care of herself than either one of us. She has a special . . . talent.
What kind of talent?
Steven told her about the monsters both Lorraine and Marty had created.
I can’t do that, he admitted.
Neither can I, said Julie. I’m glad I didn’t see that bird-thing at the house in Ohio.
The problem is, Steven said, that Lorraine shouldn’t try doing that here. I’m afraid she’ll reveal too much about us to these people.
Julie sat down on the edge of her bunk and buried her head in her arms.
&
nbsp; Maybe they already know, she said. Maybe they did this to us, and that’s why they want us back.
Marty said we’d be strongest together, Steven said. We have to wait for him to call us again, and then we can fight.
How long has it been since we heard from Marty?
Steven thought awhile, and came up with an exact figure. But he said: A very long time.
What do you suppose is happening to Lorraine?
She must not be in trouble yet, Julie. She hasn’t called to us.
I’m going to think about her, Julie said. I’m going to tell her to be brave. I don’t care if she can make monsters happen. She’s just a baby.
Three floors above them, the woman who had escorted Lorraine to another room was thinking exactly the same thing. Lorraine sat on an examination table, sipping a can of soda. Marianne Scott had gotten it for her from a refrigerator. She watched her now, studying her strange eyes as they looked around the room. Lorraine’s hair was dirty, but Marianne thought it must be beautiful when freshly washed. The poor baby needed some TLC. Not that this was the place she’d get it.
The door opened behind them, and before either one could turn, a voice boomed:
“What the hell are you doing?”
And suddenly the soda can was flying across the room.
“Hey!” Lorraine cried, annoyed.
“I . . . I thought she might be thirsty, Mr. LaBerge,” Marianne said, her eyes round.
Lorraine glared at the huge man who had just entered the room. She had caught only the briefest glimpse of him in the woods, but she knew this was the man who had brought her here. She also sensed that, while he had acted violently, he was mostly just talk. Not like the man who’d taken her to the motel, or even the landlord at Bettina’s place. Those men were crazy enough to kill.
“You’re not to do a damned thing without being told,” LaBerge snapped. He glared at Marianne, his subordinate, with piggy little eyes. “She can’t be filled up with substances like sugar when she’s to be given a thorough examination.”
“I’m sorry,” Marianne replied. “But I thought all that was done when we first got her here.”
Lorraine’s eyebrows went up, keen interest lighting her round face. She’d been here before!
LaBerge cleared his throat, a very ugly sound to Lorraine’s little ears.
“Because of that fool Trefill,” he said, “it’s necessary to start again. I don’t know what happened to her out on the road before Trefill found her again. Or what damage he did to her himself.”
He reached over and brushed back the lock of hair that was hiding Lorraine’s cut. She flinched away from him.
“We can’t return her to her . . . her ‘family’ in less-than-perfect condition,” LaBerge said. “We don’t even know who those people are until the child tells us. But thanks to Trefill, she’s got amnesia.”
“She had it when she first came here,” Marianne pointed out.
LaBerge’s voice was even, an odd contrast to the raving maniac who had entered the room.
“Don’t tell me things I already know, Scott.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You can go now. Send Dr. Blanely in here.”
He turned to Lorraine and said in a very clinical manner, “Get yourself undressed.”
“No!”
Lorraine wasn’t afraid they’d hurt her, but she had no intention of cooperating with these people.
“Don’t argue with me,” LaBerge said. “I’m stronger than you. If we have to, we’ll strap you down. Just take off your clothes. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Lorraine felt anger rising in her, anger enough to conjure up an imaginary demon. It was so strong that even without words Steven and Julie both picked up on it.
No, Lorraine! Steven called. Don’t do it!
But they’re going to do an examination on me! I don’t want that!
Lorraine, even if you get out of that room, Steven said, we don’t know enough about this building to make an escape. You might not get away.
Yes, and then they’d know what you can do, Julie added.
I don’t want anyone touching me!
Steven and Julie were silent. For the moment they did not know how to change Lorraine’s fate. Then Steven had an idea.
Do you remember how Marty influenced all those people during our different journeys?
Like the train clerks and shopkeepers? Lorraine asked.
Maybe we can do the same. Julie, Lorraine, listen to me. We have to work together. Lorraine, you tell us when the others are there. Then we’ll help you stop them.
I don’t know if I can do that, Julie said. I can’t even make monsters.
But Marty said we were strongest together, Steven said again. We have to try.
Here they come! Here they come! The big fat man is angry because I didn’t get undressed.
Stare at him, Lorraine. Stare into his eyes.
Okay, Steven.
Julie, Lorraine, think this with me: Leave her alone. Leave her alone.
They repeated the command over and over. Dr. Blanely reached for Lorraine’s chin, shining a light into her eyes. She stared at him, and tried with all her might to make him stop. But he worked on, silently and efficiently, as if their thoughts were having no effect on him at all. He poked the speculum of an otoscope into her ear, not too gently.
It isn’t working!
Keep trying!
Blanely did a few more basic tests, then turned to LaBerge.
“So far, I see no resemblance between her and the other subject. But of course these are only preliminary findings. I suggest several scans, as well as a sonogram and blood tests.”
Lorraine glowered at the men, but they acted as if they weren’t aware of her.
“Get her to room C-6,” Blanely said. “The equipment is already set up for a sono. It’s a logical place to start.”
“Fine,” LaBerge said.
The two men left the room.
They didn’t even flinch! Lorraine reported. I guess we can’t do that, and Marty can. We need Marty!
What’s happening now, Lorraine? Julie asked.
They left the room. They’re going to do a sonogram. I’m not afraid of that. I know it won’t hurt. But I don’t want them sticking me with needles or anything!
We have to stop them before they get that far, Steven said. And I think the only way to do it is with Marty’s help. So here’s what we have to do. We have to concentrate on calling him. He’s here somewhere, I’m sure of it. I don’t know why he’s not calling us, but maybe if he knows how close we are, he’ll respond.
The three children, each locked in a different room, closed their eyes in unison and began to call to Marty. But their friend could not answer them at that moment. He was far too weak.
Alone in his own secret chamber, Marty was dying.
49
IT WAS WELL after midnight when Rachel directed Eric to turn off the highway and enter the town of Shoaling. The ocean mist hovered like softly glowing clouds under the streetlamps. Most of the beach houses, as yet unoccupied, were dark.
“Are you sure this is the place you want to be?” Eric asked, driving slowly through the quiet streets.
Two glowing orbs gazed up at the car, then disappeared into the overgrown grass of a forgotten bungalow.
“I can feel Steven,” Rachel said. “He’s stronger here than anywhere else. I know he’s somewhere very near.”
A well-lit sign caught Eric’s attention, and he turned the car down a side street. A few moments later he was on another of the town’s main roads, pulling into the parking lot of Shoaling’s single motel.
“I believe you,” he said. “But we aren’t going to do anything at this hour. Let’s get a room and rest for the night.”
“Eric, what if he’s in danger right now?” Rachel asked.
Eric parked the car and turned off the engine. He turned and looked directly into her eyes.
“Do you sense that he’s in dange
r?”
“No, not right now.”
“Then that settles it,” Eric said, opening his door to get out.
Although he and Rachel had taken turns behind the wheel, Eric himself had been driving for the past two hours. It felt good to stretch his legs. He breathed in the invigorating ocean air.
Rachel came out of her own door. The ocean air was not invigorating for her, but made her yawn widely.
“We both need a rest,” Eric said, putting his arms around her. She felt small in his embrace.
They entered the motel, where they had to wait a few minutes before someone showed up at the desk. The bespectacled old man yawned himself, making Rachel yawn again. Eric had to bite his lip to keep from picking up the habit.
“Double?” the man said.
“Yes, for two nights,” Eric replied.
Rachel looked up at her husband, wondering why he was asking for another night. She didn’t expect to be here that long. She expected to get hold of Steven and go home by tomorrow afternoon.
“Getting a vacation in before the crowds?” the manager asked in a friendly way. He’s been dozing in the back office, but had come wide-awake now.
“Yes . . . yes, that’s it,” Eric said. “Only time I could get away from work.”
“You and a few others,” the man replied. “Funny, I haven’t seen much business in a month, then I get five people here in one night.”
Eric took the room key, thanked the man, and walked to the elevator. He didn’t care much about whoever might also be renting a room tonight. All he cared about was sleep.
Rachel seemed to think the same way, because moments after she climbed into the bed, she was off. Eric cuddled up next to her and fell asleep himself.
The sun was so bright when Eric woke up that his first reaction was to grab his watch off the night table and check the time. To his surprise, it was only seven-thirty. He guessed that being on the coast made the sun more obvious.
He rolled onto his back, debating whether or not to wake Rachel. Oh, he’d let her sleep, he thought. Poor thing needed her rest. She’d been through so much in the past week.
But his movements had stirred Rachel awake. She turned and smiled weakly at him. They kissed, mumbled greetings, then each rolled off the bed.
Cries of the Children Page 26
