Dangerous Secrets (19 page)

‶
What else can you tell me about
Eileen?″

Tension coiled through me, Eileen′s wants
and desires conflicting with my own sense of self.
‶
She ... liked me.
Wanted me the same way she wanted Zack.″

‶
How do you feel about
that?″

Eileen had been lonely. And she′d felt
used.
‶
I
love Maggie. I don’t cheat.″

‶
I’m with you on that,″
Richard said, sounding subdued.

‶
She told Zack,″ I
volunteered.

‶
To make him jealous?″

‶
Yes.″

‶
What did Zack say?″

‶‵
Go for it.′ He
wanted her money. He′d say
anything
to get the money.″

‶
Did Eileen love Zack?″

‶
Oh, yeah.″

‶
Did she believe Zack loved
her?″

Another pang of Eileen′s grief assaulted
me.
‶
Not
love, but hoped he felt some affection ... until this week.″

‶
What changed her mind?″

Emotional overload clouded my understanding.
‶
I′m
... not sure.″

‶
Okay, Jeff. You′re doing
fine. Stay relaxed ... stay calm. Now, do you remember your accident on the
stairs the other evening?″

‶
Yes.″ I breathed easier,
relieved to leave Eileen′s melancholy memories and once again embrace
being me.

‶
What happened after you left us
downstairs?″

The memory flashed through me like watching a
video.
‶
I
went upstairs. Listened at the doors ... Susan′s apartment. Kay
Andolina′s room.″

‶
Did you hear anything
suspicious?″

‶
No.″

‶
Then what did you do?″

The video continued in my head.
‶
I
went ... upstairs. It was dark.″

‶
What happened when you got to
the top of the stairs?″

‶
I saw movement. Someone hit
me—pushed me. I fell ... backwards.″

‶
What happened next?″

I′d gone tumbling—crashing to the floor.
‶
I
hit my head. Had the wind knocked out of me.″

‶
And then—?″

‶
Heard noises ... no, a strange
voice.″

‶
Kay Andolina?″

‶
Yes.″

‶
She checked you over.″

The picture in my mind was so clear, and yet—I
was looking down at myself, like an eerie, out-of-body experience. Kay, dressed
in a lavender-quilted robe, knelt beside me.
‶
She touched my face.″

‶
What did she say?″

The words—her intonation—echoed through my
head.
‶‵
Look
within.′″

‶
Is that all?″

‶
Yes.″

‶
What does it mean?″

‶
I don′t know,″ I
answered, confused.

‶
What happened next?″

‶
My head hurt. I opened my eyes
... you were there.″

‶
Okay, Jeff, you′re doing
great. Now if I told you to look within what would you see?″

Another image drifted into my mind—craggy rocks
and millions and millions of trees. With it came a hazy sense of trepidation.
‶
Mountains.″

‶
The Green Mountains?″

‶
Yes.″

‶
What does it mean?″

‶
I don′t know.″

‶
Are you looking at the
mountains?″

The image shifted. Low clouds—a threatening
sky.
‶
No.″

‶
Are you on the mountain?″

Renewed tension rose within me.
‶
Yes.″

‶
What are you doing?″

‶
Climbing.″ Me, alone,
slogging through the trees, trying to run.

‶
Why?″

The tension shifted to panic, growing
exponentially.
‶
Have
to get away.″

‶
From what—from whom?″

The fear grew, threatening to choke me.
‶
I—I
don′t know.″

‶
Okay, Jeff. Remain calm.
That′s it—breathe slowly.″

Richard′s quiet confidence eased the
angst and caused it to dissipate.

‶
Now, I′m going to bring
you out of the hypnotic state. When I count to three and snap my fingers
you′ll open your eyes and you′ll feel refreshed, and you′ll
remember everything you′ve told me. You feel fine. Oh, and in the future,
when you feel a headache coming on, I want you to remember how relaxed and well
you feel right now, and that will help ease the pain. Do you understand?″

‶
Yes.″

‶
Okay. One. You′re aware
of everything around you. Two. You′re filled with positive energy. Three.
You′re fully alert and feeling fine.″

He snapped his fingers and I blinked,
momentarily disoriented. I looked around, grateful to find myself back in
Richard′s cozy room, feeling relaxed. And while a remnant of the headache
lingered, I felt better than I had before we′d started, just as
he′d suggested.

‶
How did I do?″

‶
You′re a very receptive
subject.″

I struggled to sit up and took a deep breath.
The clarity I′d experienced during hypnosis was already beginning to fade.
Despite Richard′s instructions to the contrary, under hypnosis the
knowledge had still been emotionally laden. Fully conscious, it was no longer
colored by Eileen′s passions but mirrored my own.

‶
My God. Laura′s some kind
of pedophile.″

‶
How do you feel about the idea
of having sex with Eileen?″ Richard teased.

‶
That doesn′t appeal to
me, either. I wondered why she kept inviting me into the hot tub. I had no idea
I was so attractive to old ladies.″

‶
Neither did I.″ He
sobered.
‶
Did
I ask the right questions?″

‶
Definitely.″

‶
Do you have impressions of
things you didn′t tell me about?″

‶
Lots. I need to let it
percolate. All I′m sure of now is that we′ve got four really good
candidates as murderers.″

‶
What about that mountain stuff?
What does that mean?″

‶
I′m not sure.″

‶
Why would Kay Andolina say that
to you?″

I remembered my conversation with her at the
party.
‶
Maybe
it′s because an angel looks out for me.″

‶
A what?″

‶
An angel,″ I repeated.

He smiled.
‶
I didn′t know I′d
been elevated to heavenly status.″

‶
Very funny. She′s got it
in her head that she′s responsible for Eileen′s death because she
was rude to her. She complained, and Susan was going to throw Eileen out. She
kept calling me Greg, too.″

Richard′s amusement faded and he frowned.
‶
I
had a long conversation with her husband. That is until Alyssa came up and
interrupted us.″ He cleared his throat, embarrassed.
‶
Kay
had a breakdown after the death of their son.″ He shook his head in
sympathy.
‶
She
shot and killed him. His name was Greg.″

‶
An accident?″ I asked,
dreading the answer.

‶
She heard a noise in the night.
There was a loaded gun in the house. Now she talks to angels.″

‶
Did Fred ask you for
professional advice?″

‶
He just needed to talk.
It′s been hard on him. He loves her, but he′s frustrated by the
changes in her. Eileen′s death brought back a lot of unpleasant memories,
which is probably why she′s confused.″

I felt a surge of compassion for the woman and
her husband, regretting my earlier, hasty judgment of them.

I forced myself to consider everything else
I′d learned that evening. There were still so many pieces of the puzzle
missing.

‶
Do you think Beach would let me
look at Eileen′s belongings? I′m sure the killer—or someone—got rid
of the incriminating page on that writing tablet, but the information I dredged
up tonight might still be of use to Beach. And I might get more by touching
Eileen′s stuff.″

‶
Haven′t you had enough
for one day?″

‶
I want to get it over with.
You′re the one who wanted to go home as soon as possible.″

He glanced at his watch.
‶
It′s
10:15.″

I got up and headed for the door.
‶
I′ll
call the station to see if he′s still there. If it′s a go,
I′ll meet you in the living room in five minutes, okay? Or I can go by
myself if you′ll loan me your car.″

He shook his head.
‶
I′d better
go, too. But I′ve had too much to drink. You′ll have to
drive.″ He threw me the car keys.

Chapter 20

When I called the police station, Beach seemed
surprised to hear from me and asked if it could wait until morning.

It couldn′t.

The roads were nearly deserted, which suited me
fine. When I have a headache, headlights penetrate my brain like knife thrusts.
I was glad it took less than ten minutes to get to the police station.

Despite the hour, Beach was waiting for us. We
sat on plastic chairs in the reception area and he listened patiently while I
told him everything I′d learned that evening—avoiding how I′d
obtained some of the information.

‶
It′ll be interesting to
hear what Mr. Dawson has to say about his expected windfall. I wonder if she
even has a clue about her husband’s intentions.″

‶
You and the chief can tag-team
them. It’s likely one of them will crack.″

‶
And it′ll be interesting
to hear what Ms. Ross has to say about being blackmailed. More likely, all
three will deny everything. Unfortunately, without proof, everything
you′ve told me is just hearsay.″

We followed him to the same interrogation room
I′d been in the evening before. Spread out on the metal table were
Eileen’s suitcase, a travel tote, and a briefcase. Beach jerked a thumb toward
it.
‶
Go
for it.″

I opened the briefcase first. It contained
maps, a magazine, several travel folders, and a yellow legal pad—the one
I′d seen in the vision. No indentations marred the remaining pages,
indicating more than just the sheet Eileen had written on had been removed. It
was disappointing, but not unexpected.
‶
Maybe I should look at the
fireplaces when we get back to the inn.″

‶
And the barbecue,″
Richard added.

The travel tote, complete with shampoo,
deodorant, and toothpaste, was of no help. Richard looked over the bottles of
medication.

‶
Are you familiar with
those?″ Beach asked.

‶
I′ve seen the same
combinations before for cancer treatment.″

The black, soft-sided suitcase beckoned. I
exhaled, sweat already dampening the back of my shirt.

‶
What′s wrong?″ Richard
asked.

I gestured toward my chest.
‶
I′ve
got this weird feeling in my gut. Like I shouldn′t touch it.″

‶
You′re the one who asked
to see it,″ Beach reminded me.

‶
Yeah.”

Putting on a brave front, I unzipped the case
and threw back the lid. A swell of emotion pounded me. Overwhelmed, I
wasn′t immediately able to identify it. My breath caught in my throat as
my eyes welled with sudden tears.

‶
Jeff?″ Richard asked.

I stumbled into a chair and forced myself to
breathe evenly. Eileen′s neatly folded, terry cloth robe—the last thing
she′d ever worn—sat atop her other clothes, radiating wave after wave of
despair.

‶
What is it?″ Beach asked.

‶
Betrayal.″ I covered my
eyes with my hand, massaging my aching temples.

‶
Get beyond it,″ a
detached Richard advised.

I nodded—reached for the robe, and settled my
left hand on it. Conflicting images filled my mind. Laura. Mouthing epithets.
In the clearing behind the inn. Then a younger, more vulnerable Laura, crying.
The images strobed back and forth, making me dizzy.

‶
Eileen ... argued with Laura.
But she didn′t look the way she does today. Her hair was darker. It
must′ve been years ago. Why am I′m getting something from so long
ago?″

‶
Can you zero in on what
happened Friday night?″ Richard asked.

I shut my eyes, swamped by more painful
memories. Zack—his eyes wide in anger. Pushing Eileen. Demanding money. Blaming
Eileen. Eileen′s terrible guilt.

‶
Eileen ... talked to Zack. She
argued with him.″

‶
About what?″

‶
Money. I don′t know when.
It could′ve been Friday. I′m not sure.″

‶
What else?″ Beach asked.

Eileen′s lingering emotional baggage
poured relentlessly out of the suitcase.

The hot tub. Eileen′s hand clutching the
tumbler of scotch, gulping it, the amber liquid dibbling down her chin. A
voice. Quiet. Menacing. Unintelligible. Skyrockets of pain. Then, blissful
nothingness.

I let out a shaky breath.

‶
All I′m getting is
betrayal. She felt she had no reason to live. Then she was dead. Floating in
the hot tub.″

‶
Murdered,″ Beach said.
‶
But
who did it?″

I shrugged, my head pounding. I reached into my
jeans pocket and pulled out the prescription bottle.

‶
No,″ Richard said, taking
it from me.
‶
That′s
it for tonight. Sit back and relax.″

I did as I was told, and watched in silence as
he closed the suitcase, zipped it shut, and set it in the corner of the room
farthest from me.

Acute defeat settled over me.
‶
Sorry,
Beach. I thought maybe I could get to the bottom of this if I
saw—touched—Eileen′s stuff.″

He shrugged, obviously as disappointed as me.
‶
You
tried. It looks like I go about this the old-fashioned way.″

Exhaustion pulled at me. But there was still so
much that needed to be said—to be asked. I forced myself to think about other
things.
‶
What′s
Stowe′s drug problem like?″

‶
Not good. It′s a
transient population—upper-middle class to wealthy people who like to party.
Why?″

‶
Adam Henderson grows and sells
marijuana on the side. You might want to look into that when you get a
chance.″

‶
Did he try to sell you
some?″

‶
No, but he sold it to at least
one of the other guests.″

‶
Are you telling me this to get
back at him for pushing you down the stairs?″

‶
I could′ve pressed
charges if I was that pissed. I′m just telling you what he does to make
money on the side.″

Beach scowled.
‶
Anything else?″

‶
Yeah, what′s this about
Ted Palmer being arrested for joyriding?″

‶
He mentioned it to you?″

‶
He thought you′d already
told me. Either that or he wanted to tell me himself before I found out some
other way.″ That struck me as odd.
‶
How did he think I′d find
out?″

‶
Does anyone at the inn know about
this psychic stuff you do?″

‶
I don′t think so. Maggie
could′ve told Susan, but she knows I like to keep it quiet.″

‶
I can see why. Anyway,
Palmer′s never been in trouble since his arrest almost eleven years ago.
But he still could′ve been the one who forced you off the road.
Wouldn′t you have known that?″

‶
Not necessarily. I tap into
emotions. If he wasn′t bothered by nearly killing us—I wouldn′t
pick up on it. And whoever killed Eileen obviously isn′t obsessing over
it and feels confident he—or she—won′t get caught.″

Beach frowned.
‶
Two days ago I would′ve
laughed if anyone told me I′d believe a psychic. Now....″ He stared
at the floor. Suddenly I was getting something from him.

I couldn′t take much more.

‶
What is it, Beach?″ I
asked, anticipating his question.

‶
My sister—is she...?″ His
expression was one of hopeful dread.

‶
I don′t know about the
hereafter. I only got what you felt about the accident. You′re being too
hard on yourself. How old were you, six?″

He nodded.
‶
I caught a bass. Karen was so
excited. She tried to help me land it and fell in. Neither of us could swim.
The dock was two feet higher than the water. I couldn′t reach her. By the
time I got help, it was too late.″

He fell silent, radiating remorse.

I felt like a creep intruding on his misery.

My head threatened to split.
‶
I—I
have to go,″ I said, then Richard was at my elbow, helped me from the
chair and guided me out the room.

‶
Wait,″ Beach called after
us, and handed Richard a large brown envelope.

Before I knew it, we were outside, standing in
the parking lot. Above the mercury vapor lights the sky was inky black and
dotted with stars. My breath came out in a wispy fog. There′d be a frost
by morning.

‶
Come on,″ Richard said,
steering me toward the car.
‶
I′m taking you back to the inn and putting you
to bed.″

‶
You make me sound like a bad
little boy.″

‶
Well, you certainly don′t
know your own limits.″ He got in the car, tossed the envelope in back and
buckled himself in.
‶
Seat belt,″ he reminded me.

I didn′t have the stamina to argue. I fumbled
with the belt.
‶
Beach
ought to chat with Kay Andolina,″ I said, sinking back in the seat.
‶
She′s
the one who talks to angels.″

Then we were on the road heading north. Except
for a few of the village′s hot spots, the place seemed deserted, shut
down, asleep.

I was shutting down, too.