Double Blind (30 page)

If Agnes Brighton had given me wrong information, I'd be dead in the water here.

Michael's gaze dropped to the photo. If he knew Hilderbrand and Patti, he gave no sign. “Why do you want to know?”

Here it came. I was a stranger to him, asking about two of his clients. Probably very high-paying clients. If he suspected my intentions, why should he answer?

The lie that slipped out of me materialized from nowhere. “I . . . this sounds silly, but my friend—Patti's her name—isn't wearing a ring yet. Her other friends and I don't want to ask her what's going on, in case it's bad news. But if Bill has bought the ring and intends to give it to her, we'd like to know. Because we need to start planning a party.”

My insides cringed. What a lame story. Why should a party be so important that I'd come from a hospital to ask about this today?

But Michael merely nodded. “Bill, you say?”

“His last name is Hilderbrand.”

The salesman surveyed me. I forced myself to look straight back at him. My pulse fluttered.

He tapped the counter. “I think I've heard the name. But I took a week's vacation last month to go skiing. Let me see if someone else knows.”

Before I could speak he walked to the office door and called through it. “Hey, Dan. Could you come out here for a minute?”

I steadied myself, both hands on the counter. What if Dan was a friend of Hilderbrand's? What if he called the CEO as soon as I left?

Dan appeared in the doorway, a younger man with black-framed glasses. Michael led him down the length of the counter and pointed to the picture. “She wants to know if this guy bought an engagement ring for her friend.” Michael indicated Patti's picture. “So she can start planning a party.”

Weakness filtered down my spine. I just might fall over any minute. Now I had
two
men to convince.

Dan smiled. “Oh, that's Dr. Hilderbrand.” He looked up at me, noticing my bandaged head for the first time. He looked away.

Air knocked around in my lungs. “That's right. His first name is Bill.”

Dan's smile widened. The sight of it made me almost giddy. “Well, you might call him that. He's Dr. Hilderbrand to me. One of my regular customers.”

My hands gripped the counter. Next time Hilderbrand came in here, this guy would surely mention me. What would Hilderbrand do when he learned I'd been checking up on him?

I had to leave this area. I had to move away.

My dry throat swallowed. “Did he buy Patti a ring?”

“Nah. They weren't seriously looking. Well, maybe
she
was.” Dan laughed, then saw my stricken expression. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Oh. No, it's fine.” I slid the photo toward myself. Folded it. “I just . . . I'm feeling a little spent.”

I had my answer—so what? Why had I even come?

My ankles trembled as I slid off the stool. I leaned over to pick up my purse and felt my face flush as I straightened. “Thank you for letting me know. Sorry for rushing off. I need to go home and lie down.”

“Sure,” Dan said. “Hope you feel better.”

I made for the door, feeling their eyes on my back. Wishing I could think of another question. But what to ask? My brain had trouble focusing. I was just too tired.

With effort I pulled back the door, hoping I could drive home okay. I had no business being out like this so soon after surgery.

I was halfway out the door when I heard Dan comment to Michael.

“Hilderbrand. That's the guy who bought the dragon ring.”

Chapter 36

I froze in the doorway.

The dragon ring.
In a forever second I hung there, my thoughts grinding. Part of me wanted to run. Get out of there before one of the salesmen called Hilderbrand and told him about my questions. The CEO had lied to me about that ring. That made him dangerous.

Didn't it?

Some force beyond myself turned me back. “Oh, that ring.” Amazing how casual the words sounded. “The one with the dragon's head? Emeralds for eyes?”

Dan nodded. “You've seen it?”

“Sure have.”

“Crazy ring, isn't it. I never pegged Dr. Hilderbrand as someone who'd buy it.”

I balanced in the threshold, hearing traffic pass on El Camino. The world out there had turned dangerous again. But I wasn't exactly sure how. Or why.

That dragon ring was real. The image in my head was
real.
Just like the watch. Just like Patti, and her blue silk top, and Hilderbrand's house, and his car . . .

“It is crazy.” My breathing shallowed. I needed to sit down. “Did he buy it that day after Patti left?”

“That's why he stayed behind.”

The answer spun through me. Somehow I managed to smile. “Sounds just like him.” I kept my voice light, lips curved. Felt like they were set in stone. “Well, thanks again.”

I stepped outside. The door closed behind me.

Somehow I made it to my car and fell inside. I wanted to sit there and rest my head on the steering wheel. Try to process what had just happened. But I didn't want the salesmen looking through the window and seeing my reactions.

Patti had been shocked that I'd seen that Rolex watch. Now the ring . . .

“He owns a dragon's head ring, doesn't he? Got emeralds for eyes?”

“He'd never wear anything like that.”

She didn't know he'd bought it. She had absolutely no idea. What would she think if she learned the truth?

I started the car and backed out of the parking space. The digital clock read 4:40. At El Camino I needed to turn left to go home. But that's not what happened. My hands turned me right. Toward Hilderbrand's house.

Why, I didn't know. I had no idea what I was going to do.

Hunched over the wheel, I drove. I passed over the border into Atherton. Didn't matter. Didn't mean anything. Any time now I could come to my senses and turn around.

My mind churned through the details. Today's date on Hilderbrand's watch. The black suitcase. The hardwood floor of his kitchen, the bloody knife. And Patti didn't trust him.

Patti, choked, stabbed. Stuffed in a suitcase.

Monday, March 19. At 5:35.

“I suggest you stay an extra day in the hospital.”

Hilderbrand had wanted me there today. Watched by nurses. Out of commission. Why? What did he plan to do?

A thought hovered before me, one that made no sense: the man in my visions—it was Hilderbrand. In his own house. Standing at his own kitchen sink. Wearing the ring he denied owning.

But how was Patti alive?

An answer came—and punched a hole in my stomach. I gripped the wheel, my limbs going numb. What if the scenes on my old chip weren't memories at all? What if they were
plans
? Hilderbrand, going over and over the act in his head. Some of it was imagined—Patti yelling at him, what she was wearing. But even that was based on truth. Patti did own the blue top. They probably did fight about him cheating on her.

Not memories. Plans.

That would explain the different details. The dragon ring disappearing. Wearing one watch, then another. Details that had changed each time he imagined the murder. But the important parts stayed the same . . .

Monday, March 19.

Hilderbrand planned to kill her
today
.

The thought pressed my foot into the accelerator. I nearly hit the car in front of me. At the last minute I braked, pulse pounding in my ears. Someone honked, and the sound shot through me.

This was crazy. I should get off the road. I could barely pace myself with the other cars. Could barely feel myself sitting in the seat.

But I drove on.

If those scenes were Hilderbrand's plans, how had they gotten on my chip? Had he told someone who turned out to be his enemy? I couldn't believe that. He wouldn't tell his plans to anyone.

What had he thought when I told him about my visions? He must have felt like a truck had hit him. I
knew
what he planned to do. No wonder he wanted that chip out of me. No wonder he paid me for my silence. Now he would kill Patti. Stuff her into a suitcase and throw her in a lake.

Hilderbrand must own a boat.

My head jerked back. Why hadn't I thought of that before? Where was the boat kept? That water would be Patti's grave.

But why kill her today?

Why at all?

How
did someone learn of his plans and put them on my chip?

I passed Tuscaloosa. The next street would be Atherton Avenue. I couldn't go to Hilderbrand's house. There was nothing I could do. I hardly felt strong enough to drive.

I should call the police.

Like they'd believe me.

I reached Atherton Avenue. Someone else's hands turned the wheel to the right. The tree canopy threw the narrow road into thick shadow.

I checked the clock: 4:46.

This was outrageous. I needed to turn around. What was I going to do—stake out Hilderbrand's house? And what for? He wasn't really going to kill Patti. Even if he had thought about it, the time could be completely off. And the date. Whoever made that chip had put together random scenes. Had done everything he could to scare Hilderbrand out of putting the Empowerment Chip on the market. The scenes weren't real.

Except details of his house, inside and out. His car. The ring. The watch. Patti's top. How could someone
else
know all those details?

I'd bet anything Hilderbrand owned that black suitcase. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

The lanes slipped by on my left. Odell. Mercedes. Stevenson . . .

Turn around, Lisa. Turn around!

I glanced in my rearview mirror—and saw a black SUV.

Hilderbrand.

My nerves popped. I hit the accelerator and threw another backward glance. The SUV was some distance away. He couldn't possibly recognize me or my car—yet. I passed Amethyst Lane. By the time I neared the next street I saw him turn onto Amethyst.

I whipped onto the road and turned around.

My heart pummeled my ribs as I eased my car back toward Amethyst. Just before the bottom of the street I pulled over and leaned forward, straining to see up toward Hilderbrand's house. The SUV was idling in his driveway as the far right garage door slid open.

Hilderbrand drove into the garage. The door came down.

It was only 4:49. What was he doing home from Cognoscenti so early? Silicon Valley execs were notorious for working late hours.

Tiredness swept over me. I gripped the steering wheel, trying to think.

The clock turned over to 4:50. Forty minutes from now, Patti would be dead.

It's not real, Lisa!

I turned onto Amethyst Lane. Drove all the way to the cul-de-sac and turned around to come down Hilderbrand's side of the median. Two houses up from his I pulled to the curb. I put the car in Park—and waited.

What now? Would Patti show up?

Why should she?

If she did, I'd . . . do something. I'd have to. The timing couldn't be coincidental. If she didn't, I'd drive home. Take a sleeping pill or two. Or five.

But what if she was already in the house?

I thought that over. Patti didn't live there. Though she could have a key.

Minutes snailed by. Four fifty-five. Five o'clock.

I was wearing a shirt with long sleeves. Too hot. My palms turned sweaty. Breathing came hard. It was more than just tiredness. Scenes from my life flashed before me—the miscarriages, Ryan's funeral. My attack. The depression. Two surgeries. Now I finally had hope for the future. I was ready to start a new life. So why was I here, putting those plans in danger?

But I couldn't stop.

Fear circled me, a vulture looking for carrion. I felt light-headed. Desperate.

I yanked my cell out of my purse and punched Sherry's auto-call button.

“Lisa, how are you?” I heard J.T. and Rebecca playing in the background. “Are you better?”

“I'm on Hilderbrand's street. Watching his house.”

“What?”

“He's going to kill Patti in the next half-hour.”

Stricken silence.

“Lisa, get home right now.”

“I can't. I have to do something—”

“No! What you have to do is get home and rest. Something's gone wrong. I'll call your doctor—”

“I don't need a doctor, Sherry.” Tears filled my eyes. This was about to put me under. “I need help here. What should I
do
?”

“Get out of there!”

“I can't let Patti die.”

“She's not going to die, Lisa. Those visions weren't real.”

“But they were, just not the way I thought. They aren't memories, they're Hilderbrand's plans. He bought the dragon head ring. He really has it, and he told me he didn't. He lied to me. Why would he do that, Sherry, why?”

Her breathing vibrated over the phone. “How do you know he bought that ring?”