The Bridge (Para-Earth Series) (30 page)

             
“How did it work out?” asked a voice next to him.

             
Turning Alex found himself staring into the face of Jason Cloudfoot.  “Not bloody well,” he replied honestly.

             
The Native American nodded in sympathy, “Four dead and two others still institutionalized.”

             
Alex frowned, “And how do you know all that?”

             
“From you,” the man answered his eyes full of compassion.  “It’s always there in your mind.  You try to push it back to the furthest corners, but it’s always there, waiting.”

             
“For what?”

             
Jason leaned close, “For you to lower the walls you’ve built around those memories.  They wish to be acknowledged and remembered.”

             
“I can’t,” the younger man shook his head. “I didn’t have any walls to protect myself back then.  I was wide open and that place had a field day with me.  With all of us really, we never stood a chance.”

             
“To be able to put up walls to protect yourself is a good thing.  But to leave them in place all the time?” the old Seneca shook his head, “That can leave you just as vulnerable.  There are things out there that must be recognized for what they are, especially if they represent a danger.”

             
“So what do you suggest?” Alex asked quietly.

             
Cloudfoot looked at him kindly and said, “Do not hide from your past.  Open yourself to it.  Embrace it.  Learn from it. And wake up…”

             
Alex felt a hand touch his shoulder.  Startled he looked up into the friendly face of the conductor.  “You dropped off again sir.  Your stop is next.”

             
“Thank you,” he told the man, and started gathering his things.  Once the conductor had moved on, he reached a hand over to the empty seat next to him.  It was warm.

ominous ru
mblings

              “And then there were four,” Chief Peterson sighed, as the county coroner’s vehicle drove away carrying the owner of the dry cleaners. 

             
“Are you all right Roy?” Veronica asked.  She’d been the first to arrive after he called in to the station.

             
“Better than that poor son of a bitch,” her old partner replied shaking his head.

             
“Did you get a whiff inside?”

             
She nodded, “Same smell as at the Impound Lot.  Was he drowned too?”

             
“No, he died of fright.  He saw something and his heart gave out.”

             
“How do you know?”

             
Roy looked at her, “You didn’t see the expression on his face.  It was like he saw the doors of Hell opening up to take him.”

             
“I’m sorry,” Ronnie said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

             
“I’d like to ask you something, Sergeant.  It’s about Alex and the Morgue.”

             
Veronica rolled her eyes.  Was this never going to end?  “I thought we agreed the handprint got there when he pushed on the door and collapsed,” she sighed.

             
“We did,” her boss nodded.  Then he fixed her a stony glare, “What I want to know, is why he was there with you in the first place?” 

              Two hours later Alex emerged from a taxi, paid the driver, and then began walking up the long driveway to his house.  He had just reached the garage when he noticed the sounds coming from the old ‘Cathouse’.  Obviously his lady was home early and was having a good workout.  He could also sense she was highly agitated about something, so he went to see what was up.

             
As he drew nearer he could hear some very colorful language, mixed with the sound of savage blows raining down on her workout dummy.  He paused at the door, wondering if it was safe to go inside.  Eventually, he decided it should be and opened the door. 

             
At that moment there was a particularly loud crack and something round went flying past his face.  The object bounced off the walls and rolled to a halt several yards away.  It was a head.  To be precise, it was the head of a practice dummy, who had taken one blow too many.

             
“I’m having flashbacks to that ‘Cloverfield’ movie over here,” he called out.

             
“And here I thought you’d pick it up and start reciting Hamlet’s speech in the graveyard,” his lady replied coming out of the workout room.  Her hair hung wet and limp around her face, while her tank top was plastered to her skin.

             
One primal thought went through Alex’s brain,
‘WANT HOT SWEATY WOMAN!’
 

             
It must have shown on his face because she shook her head, “Don’t get your hopes up, we’ve got trouble.”

             
“Now what did I do?” he asked.

             
“Technically nothing, but Roy believes you’ve been trying to do some amateur sleuthing and he wants you to stop.”

             
Alex frowned, “Where did he get an idea like that?”

             
Ronnie placed a hand on his shoulder and said apologetically, “Because I told him.”

             
He stared at her.  “Why?”

             
“Because it was easier than telling him you’re a psychic who’s been having a bunch of weird visions,” she replied taking his arm and leading him outside.  She quickly told him everything that had happened while he’d been in the city.

             
“Bloody hell,” he muttered when she’d finished.  “This keeps getting more convoluted by the minute.” 

             
“What do you mean?” she asked, eyeing him curiously.

             
He proceeded to tell her all about the dreams he’d had on the train.  Including the one where he’s spoken to the missing groundskeeper.  “The one with Jason seemed so real that I checked with the conductor before I got off the train.  He told me no one had sat next to me at any point of the journey,” he finished.

             
A puzzled look crossed his beloved’s features, “Do you think it was just a dream?”

             
Alex shook his head, “Jason is another psychic and he contacted me in my dreams for a reason.  He wants me to open myself up again and start using my powers.  He knows a lot more about what’s been going on and can’t deal with it himself.”

             
“I’m getting that impression too,” nodded Veronica, “and it’s obvious he believes you’re the person who can put a stop to it all.  And I think he may be right.”

             
Alex stared at her, “Come again?”

             
She looked at him and said, “How would you feel about using your abilities to help me with the investigation?”

             
“Seriously?”

             
She nodded and raised a finger, “But, only under my supervision!  No going off on your own.  This way, if you do find something, then you’ll have a solid alibi and we can finally get you off the suspect list.”

             
Even without his psychic talents, Alex could tell this hadn’t been an easy decision for her to make.  Undoubtedly the fact that he’d been falling under suspicion had forced her hand.  And now it was forcing him to do something he’d been trying to avoid for the last eighteen years.

             
Finally he said, “Okay, but I warn you I haven’t done anything like this in years”

             
Veronica was shocked. “You’ve done investigations before? You never said...”

             
“They involved spirit sightings and haunted houses, not crimes,” he pointed out and then added, “Although one or two did lead to arrests.”

             
“Really?” his lover smiled, obviously impressed, “So why the reluctance?”

             
His voice became more solemn as he answered, “During the last investigation I was involved in, four people got killed.  One of them was my cousin.  I only got out alive, thanks to one of the members of our party.  His name was Eric Chalmers, the man that book you found was dedicated to.   He dragged me out of the place even though he was bleeding to death.  You see, the house literally tore one of his legs off at the knee.”

             
“Oh my God!” Veronica gasped and started shaking her head,               “Maybe this isn’t a good idea…”

             
“Doesn’t matter,” Alex interrupted, “Like it or not, I’m already involved.  One person is already reaching out to me, while someone else is trying to make me the fall guy for all these deaths.”

             
“Which means they think you’re a threat,” Ronnie mused.  “Okay, so where do we go from here?”

             
“First, I need to talk so some old friends.  I’m a bit out of practice and could use a bit of a refresher in using my full powers,” Alex replied.  Then silently he added, ‘I also want advice on how to keep both of us safe.’

              Things were quiet at the station the next day, almost too quiet.  It felt as if the town had buckled down for an approaching storm. 

             
Ronnie was making her way down the corridor to grab some lunch when, Roy called out to her.  “Got a moment Rookie?”

             
“Sure Old-Timer,” she replied and detoured into his office. “Just make it quick, I’m starving, and I’ve got a to-go order waiting at Rosa’s.”

             
“In that case you can grab my order while you’re there,” her boss replied. “That way I don’t have to tip the delivery person.”

             
“Don’t be too sure about that, you old Cheapskate,” she smiled evilly.  “What’s up?”

             
“Did you have a word with the Youngster like I asked?”

             
“Yup, and he’s promised to behave and stop looking into thin…” she began when there was a knock at the door.

             
Before either of them could speak Alex popped his head in saying, “Begging your pardon, Guv, I was wondering…” and stopped when he saw his lady and smiled. “Hello, hello, if it isn’t my favorite lady sergeant, who forgot to give me a kiss when she left this morning.”

             
Putting her hands on her hips, Ronnie protested, “I did not.  I gave you a peck on my way out.”

             
“Exactly,” Alex cried entering the room.  He was carrying a large cardboard tube that he put down on Roy’s desk.  Then he grabbed Veronica before she could protest, put her into a dip, and kissed her hard.

             
After a few moments, Roy loudly cleared his throat.

             
“Oops, sorry, forgot my manners,” the young man apologized, righting his girlfriend.  Then he leaned over the desk and planted a kiss on Roy’s cheek.

             
“GET OUTTA HERE!” roared Peterson, pushing him away.  “Do that again and I’ll be filing an accidental shooting report.  I’ll tell everyone I was cleaning my gun when you startled me.  Now, what do you want?”

             
“Permission to head over to the Graham place,” Alex replied picking up the tube and opening it.

             
“Didn’t my second-in-command talk to you about not doing private investigations?” Roy asked him pointedly.

             
“She most certainly did,” Alex told him, “but I need to go inside the place to check on a few things.  See Cassandra, Miss Elliott, asked me about making changes to the place.  But before we could do that, I had to check the old building plans and I spotted a few things in them that look like they might cause some difficulties.  I have to look at it in person and double-check to see how sound the structure is in those areas before she can even hire someone to start drawing up new plans.”

             
Peterson stared at him and said, “Show me what areas of the building you need to check out.”