The Traveler: Book 5, The Eddie McCloskey Paranormal Mystery Series (The Unearthed) (28 page)

“She either knew already or learned how to psychically attack. Chong started getting these visions and suffered horrible migraines. It was enough to make her lose sight of what the agency was doing. She became a weak witness, unreliable, and Kinz’s case dried up. Your wife thought she was safe.”

Now for the leap.

“But Tiffany wasn’t safe, was she?”

Engel said nothing.

Eddie couldn’t stop now and he had to hurry through the rest of the story. The play was in motion, and he pictured that boulder picking up speed as it hurtled downhill. He looked over at Christie and nodded.

They started walking toward the fair. He had to time this last bit so they reached Engel when he was at his most vulnerable.

Eddie said, “The conspirators knew that your wife and the agency were under investigation. They hadn’t been found out but there was only one way for them to be sure they wouldn’t get caught. There is nothing quieter than the grave, is there?”

Engel was a long time answering. Eddie listened intently but nobody spoke through the earpiece. Engel hadn’t left and still had the phone up to his ear.

Finally, Engel said, “Except when the dead come back.”

Eddie closed his eyes and nodded. He knew they had figured it out. Now it was just a matter of getting Engel to help them.

He and Christie reached the edge of the crowd and started working their way through. Engel was another block ahead on the right side of the street in front of a bakery. Christie had put a couple guys inconspicuously near him to monitor his actions and movement.

“They killed your wife,” Eddie said. “And you helped them.”

“I didn’t!” Engel said. “They threatened me afterward and even showed me…”

“Where she was.” Eddie’s heart picked up a beat. The crowd was thick, raucous, mostly drunk. More volatile than dynamite. A sea of sloppily inebriated green. Men and women and moms and dads and sisters and brothers and children and grandparents and dogs…

There were so many of them.

In his mind, Eddie was flashing back to Oregon. Goosebumps on his skin.

There were so many of them.

Engel hadn’t said anything.

“Eddie?” Christie said.

Eddie tried to ignore the dizziness and overwhelming foreboding. Something very bad was about to happen. He just knew it. “They shot her in the head and buried her where nobody would find her.”

Engel’s voice was a whisper. “Yes.”

“And your wife wanted her revenge.”

“Yes.”

“Is there anybody left?”

Engel said, “Can you help me?”

“I don’t want to. You chose your business over these people your wife killed.”

“I had no choice!”

“Everybody has a choice.”

“She can get to me anywhere.” Engel suddenly stopped talking, probably out of fear of the ghost appearing.

“Bullshit,” Eddie said.

“She made me do everything…you don’t understand…”

Eddie felt each heartbeat now. He was in a cold sweat.

“I think I do.”

Engel said, “No! She got inside my head and…”

“Careful, Max,” Eddie said. “I’m assuming she’s not there right now but she could just show up, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So I’ll do the talking and you stick with the simple, short answers.”

“Can you help me?”

“I still don’t know if I want to.” Eddie took a long breath to slow his heart down. “Felicity and Alicia. Why?”

“To confuse you.”

“Fellov?”

“Same reason.”

“Your idea or hers?”

“Hers! All hers!”

“I don’t believe you.” Eddie took another breath. His heart wasn’t slowing down. “And even if I did, it brings me back to my earlier point. You chose yourself over all these people.”

“Please, I’ll tell you everything.”

“For starters.”

“I’ll do whatever you want. Just tell me you can sever the link.”

Eddie stopped walking. How did Engel know about that? He must have researched paranormal activity and found what Stan had. Which was pretty impressive. That knowledge wasn’t freely available online. It had taken Stan some digging.

Stan was thinking the same thing and spoke through the earpiece. “How does he know about that?”

Eddie decided not to answer Engel right away. “We’ll get to that, but before we do I need to know if there’s anybody else on the list.”

Engel didn’t say anything.

“I know Diane Chong must be,” Eddie said.

Engel still didn’t say anything.

“Start fucking talking,” Eddie said. “Or we move in and lock you up and you’re stuck with her forever.”

“Okay! Yes! There’s one more person!”

The crowd was so thick. Just up the road a pipe band kicked off and made it almost impossible to hear. Then somebody slammed into Eddie.

The unexpected hit knocked Eddie off-balance. As he went down he saw Christie reach for her hip and immediately feared the worst. The ghost or maybe even somebody else working with Engel had come for them. His heart beat furiously and though he was outside, the air seemed to close around him. Pressure built up within and also bombarded him from without.

“Eddie…” Stan was suddenly at his side and helped him up. Eddie wobbled to his feet. Why was he in the middle of this crowd? He didn’t recognize these people.

“Eddie?” Christie said.

He could barely hear them over the pipe band, over the ringing in his ears. It felt like somebody had put a balloon inside his chest and they were steadily inflating it.

“Eddie?”

Eddie whirled and saw what had happened. Some half-in-the-bag Plastic Paddy wearing a kilt had knocked into him and then landed on his ass in the street. The man’s friends pointed and laughed hysterically. The man decided to up the ante and laid completely flat on the ground and poured beer into his gaping mouth.

“Eddie.” Christie grabbed his wrist and moved his arm. He realized he’d managed to hold onto the phone somehow.

At least he was good for something.

“I’ll talk to him,” Christie said.

Eddie shook his head and put the phone to his ear. “Engel, are you there?”

“Yes.”

It took him a second to remember what he’d been asking. “How many more?”

The balloon in his chest kept filling up. His ribs pressed outward against his skin.

Engel didn’t answer.

“GODDAMNIT, HOW MANY MORE?”

“Two more.”

“Including Chong?”

“Yeah.”

“Who’s the other one?”

“Can you help me?”

“If you tell me who the other one is.”

“Another nurse,” Engel said. “Her name is Dawn Brooks.”

“Does she live in town?”

“I think so, yes. Will you help me?”

Instead of answering, Eddie pressed on. “You lied to us, Max.”

“I had to! I didn’t know until last night when I did some research that there was a way to…do what you suggest.”

Eddie wanted to call bullshit on that but first they had to lock down Engel’s story.

Eddie said, “Obstruction of justice, Max. You realize that?”

Engel didn’t answer.

Eddie said, “You told us your wife was still alive because you didn’t want us thinking she was the ghost. You were willing to risk losing all assets in your business to a fraud bust because you were
more
afraid of going to prison for murder.”

“No, that’s not—no—”

“You made up a story about a male ghost visiting you to add another layer of complexity to the case. Your lies kept us from the truth.”

Engel was a long time answering. “I’m sorry. I realize now I should have just come to you.”

“Damned right you should have. Maybe Renee Helmke would still be alive.”

“…Renee Helmke…?”

Eddie’s head throbbed with each pulse. The noise from the crowd was both ear-shattering and soft. “You know who she is.”

“I have no idea.”

“She was a nurse that used to work for your wife.”

“It must have been while Tiffany was running the show but like I said, I had no—”

Eddie was feeling faint. He wanted to sit down. He wanted to lie down. He wanted to close his eyes and not wake up until he felt right.

Something was wrong. Very wrong with him.

He asked, “Where is your wife’s body?”

Engel didn’t answer.

Eddie saw Engel’s booth just ahead. He’d set up a blue tent. They were almost finished the first part. After they got Engel to come in, they would take a drive. Eddie could sit down to catch his breath and calm down. Then they’d get to the second part. Which was much more difficult. And dangerous.

The ache in his chest went from dull to sharp.

“Engel! Where the hell is your wife’s body?” It didn’t matter that he was shouting. Everybody in the crowd was having too good of a time to pay him any mind. Someone else plowed into him. This time, two college girls. Christie hurried them along by flashing her badge.

“…one…ail…”

Engel’s voice was suddenly faint and Eddie opened his mouth to speak but the pain was overwhelming in his chest and…the crowd was too big, too drunk…any minute now one of them was going to snap…then the others would lose their minds too…this was a bad idea, getting this close to Engel…as soon as everybody saw the ghost…

“Where are we…going?” Eddie asked.

“Lay back and close your eyes!” Christie ordered. “I thought you were dead!”

He found the latch on the side of the passenger seat and pulled. His seat fell back and he immediately felt better.

“Where?”

Christie hit the gas and the tires grabbed as she took a sharp bend in the road. Eddie was thrown around in his seat.

“Asian drivers,” he said weakly.

Christie reached over and put her hand on his chest. “Your heart is about to explode and you’re making jokes?”

“I’m okay,” he lied. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

“Harney has Engel in the cruiser ahead. Engel is leading us to Tiffany’s body.”

Eddie kept his eyes shut. “Where?”

“The Stone Trail.”

“What’s that?”

Christie’s knuckles were white as her hands tightened around the steering wheel. “That’s a one hundred mile stretch along the Appalachians. Perfect place to dump a body.”

Eddie’s strength was slowly returning, but it was still an effort just to speak. “Here’s the point.”

Christie darted her eyes over to him. “What point?”

“This is where I say we’re missing something…”

Christie looked back to the road and poured on the speed. “Maybe, but we can’t stop now. The minute we do, Tiffany will find Engel. She has no reason to kill in the dark now if she wants to make sure her husband is free. She will kill everybody.”

“Back at the fair…”

“We got to Engel and he came willingly.”

That was bothering Eddie. But he couldn’t clear his mind. The pain lingered. So did the fear.

“I thought you were dead,” Christie said. “I saw you go down and thought that was it.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed.”

Christie made another dangerously sharp turn. “Save the comedy. We’re not out of this yet.”

“Stan?”

“He’s okay.”

“He’s not in the car with Harney and Engel, right?”

“Of course he is, Eddie.”

Eddie cursed.

Christie said, “I know. It was the last thing you wanted to happen. But he wasn’t about to stay away. And honestly? We needed him if you didn’t make it.”

Eddie put his seat back up. He was feeling marginally better. “Fair enough. But now that I’m back in the game, he’s out. Tell Harney to stop the car and leave Stan on the roadside.”

“We can’t stop now,” Christie said. “Tiffany can find Engel quickly when he’s not moving. If she gets a hold of Harney…”

“All of this information is coming from Engel, though.”

Christie shrugged. “You work with what you have, Eddie.”

He was coming down way too hard on her. She’d saved the day while his panic attack had nearly ruined everything. She really was a remarkable woman. He put his hand on her shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ahead, the road bent to the right and cut through the trees.

“How close are we?” Eddie said.

“That’s what I’m about to ask.” Christie put the radio up to her mouth. “Harney, how are we doing?”

Stan was in the back of the cruiser. Engel fidgeted nervously next to him and had mentioned about one hundred times they couldn’t slow down. If they did, Tiffany would find them.

Stan had been on the ground less than twenty-four hours and already this was the most intense investigation he’d ever been part of. Leave it to Eddie, Stan thought. The guy found trouble, and trouble found him.

This ghost was a dangerous killer, unlike anything he’d ever faced. Not to mention the fact that Engel might have been helping the ghost. Stan half-turned in his seat and kept his eyes on Engel. He trusted the guy about as much as satellite TV. His mind kept going back to his wife and daughter. It helped that they would never have to worry about money, but only a little. No matter how rich they were, Moira deserved a good husband and Maddy needed a father.

Harney’s radio came to life. Christie said, “Harney, how are we doing?”

Stan didn’t take his eyes off Engel. He was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt. Nothing stood out about him except his eyes. Defeat filled them, like he’d seen one too many things and had been ready to give up a long time ago but just didn’t have the courage. Engel leaned against the interior panel and his hand was over the handle, like he was just waiting for his opportunity to throw the door open and roll out of the car.

Harney kept his eyes on the road. “Engel, how much farther?”

Engel craned his neck to look over the front seats. “Next entrance to the trail.”

“Then how far?” Harney said.

“Only a few minutes.”

“You sure?” Harney’s voice dripped with skepticism.

“I told you, they put her body in this tiny valley.”

Harney hit the radio. “Few minutes, Christie. Get ready to run as soon as we get out of the car.”

“Roger.”

Stan hadn’t taken his eyes off Engel. “How long will it take her to find you once we stop?”

“Not long.”

“How long?”

“If we’re lucky, five minutes.”

Stan nodded. He worked out religiously and was a good runner. But here his speed would be dictated by Engel and the group. “And if we’re not lucky?”

“She’ll find us…” Engel’s voice trailed off.

“Engel.”

Engel’s eyes bugged and his hand went to his chest. “No.”

“What the hell’s happening?” Harney said.

Engel turned to Stan. “She found me.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know.” The color left Engel’s face. “She’s coming.”

***

Christie kept within two car lengths of Harney’s vehicle even though they were speeding dangerously on narrow, bending roads. It was a risk she’d been willing to take because once they got to the Stone Trail, they would need as much time as possible to find Tiffany’s grave.

Harney’s car suddenly jerked. Christie slammed the brakes and pulled in the opposite direction. But her partner’s car swerved back toward them. There wasn’t much shoulder to work with, but Christie had no choice. She went off-road.

“Tiffany found them!” Eddie said.

“HOLD ON!”

Harney almost T-boned them but managed to cut away at the last moment. His car spun in the soft shoulder and the tires kicked mud up all over Christie’s windshield. She kept her foot on the brake while the car bumped along over the uneven ground and tree roots. They crashed through the brush and ahead a huge pine raced to meet them.

“DOWN!”

She slunk down in her seat and Eddie leaned down so his head was almost in her lap. Through the mud on the windshield, the pine branches reached out and pointed to them. The trunk was right there—

***

Eddie didn’t black out when they crashed. Instead his body recoiled like a whip as the car smacked into the pine tree.

“Christie!”

She was dazed but looked okay. A strand of her black hair had come out of her ponytail and dangled across her nose. Eddie brushed it out of her eyes.

“Sumiko!”

She blinked and the slackness went out of her body. “Are you okay?”

“I’m good, but we have to move. Now.”

They unlatched their belts and got out of the car. They’d run head-on into the pine tree. Eddie rounded behind the car and met Christie in the street. She had her gun out and pointed at the ground.

About forty yards ahead, the other cruiser had come to a stop in the middle of the street. It cut diagonally across both lanes. Engine running, three doors open.

“Stan!” Eddie yelled.

“Hurry!”

They reached the car and saw Harney on the ground, clutching his chest. For a second, Eddie didn’t see the ghost but then he spotted her, sticking her head out of the car. Stan had gotten between her and Harney. Engel stood just off the road. He was pointing over his shoulder.

“This way!”

Harney’s eyes were squeezed shut and he dropped flat to the ground, like he was unable to support his own body weight.

“Harney!” Christie started for her partner, but Eddie grabbed her arms.

“If we get Engel away, Tiffany will dissipate! Come on!”

Christie understood immediately. “Stan, stay here with Harney!”

Eddie was glad she’d given the order. If it had been him, Stan wouldn’t have listened.

Christie and Eddie bolted toward Engel. They met him on the roadside and Engel pointed vaguely into the woods.

“Through here!”

“GO!” Christie shouted.