Saving Cassie (Fairfield Corners) (8 page)

As Logan drives back to
Fairfield Corners, he can’t get the picture of Cassie bleeding out of his
head.  Just remembering her laying there makes it feel like his heart is in his
throat.  How did she worm her way into my life so fast?  I’m going to have to
think of something special for our first date.

He checks his phone when
it rings, pulling into a gas station when he sees who it is.  “Hey.  I’m
fine.”  He listens for a few minutes and replies, “Yes, I’m sure it’s her.”  He
drums his fingers on the steering wheel and smiles, “I need a favor…”

We get back to my house
and James makes me wait in the car with the doors locked.  I’m tired of being
treated like I’m five.  Oh well, if it makes James happy I can put up with it
for a while.  I am so tired I almost fall asleep in the car, so much has
happened over the last two days.  Finally, James walks out of the house and towards
the car.  I sway slightly after standing up too fast.

James grabs me to keep me
from falling.  “Hey, slow down.  You don’t want to end up face down in the
middle of the driveway, do you?  Lean on me and take it nice and slow.”

“I’m not an invalid, I’m
just tired,” I say as I try to get James to let go.  “So, is the house maniac
free?” I ask with a smile.

James looks at me like he
wants to lock me in a cell and throw away the key.  “Cassie, this situation is
serious; would you please treat it that way!”

I yawn as we make our way
into the house.  “What a grouch!  You know cracking jokes is my way of dealing
with things when life starts getting too real.”

James walks me in the
house and leads me to the couch.  I sink down and try to keep my eyes open.

“Hold on, I’ll get you a
blanket and pillow,” James says and goes upstairs.

That’s the last thing I
remember for about three hours.  I wake up to the sound of dishes rattling and
my favorite Adam Bricklin CD is playing.  James must still be here.  I sit up
slowly.  Good, the headache is much better and I feel more normal.  I didn’t
get much sleep in the hospital with the nurses waking me up every hour and then
the nightmare.  I get up and fold the blanket and straighten up the couch.  I
walk towards the kitchen as “Lovin’ You is All I Wanna Do” starts to play.  I
hear singing from the kitchen.  Now I know it’s not James; he can’t carry a
tune in a bucket.  Whoever this is has a great voice.  I peek around the
doorjamb and see Logan standing at the sink with his back to me belting out
this rock song.  What?

I clear my throat to get
his attention.  He turns around looking like the kid who got caught with his
hand in the cookie jar.  It’s really cute, not that I would admit it.  He’s not
getting off that easy.

“I see you found my CD
collection.  I would have pegged you as a country music person, like Johnny
Cash or Jason Aldean.  Aren’t you just full of surprises, Mr. Deputy.”

“Hope I didn’t wake you.  I
thought I’d get dinner in the oven and clean things up in here.  And, for the
record, I do like country music but my first love is rock and roll.  I actually
sang in a band back when I used to do the bar scene.”

“Wow, and you cook too!  You’ll
make some lucky lady a great wife someday.”

He laughs and I decide he
needs to laugh more.  Much better than the grim look I am used to.  That’s when
I notice a very large dog crate sitting next to the back door.

“And what may I ask is
that for?” I demand, secretly smiling to myself.  “It looks big enough for a
small horse.”

“Well, if I’m going to be
stuck here with you for the next few days I thought it would be easier if I
brought Princess with me.  Besides, she’s a great watchdog and will let us know
if anyone is around.  Let me bring her in to meet you.”

I smirk to myself, this
manly man deputy named his dog Princess?  Really?

He opens the back door and
Princess comes into the house.  She is a beautiful brindle English Mastiff.  She
immediately heads right for me, sits, and lifts her paw for a shake.  “Is this
a dog?  She’s huge!  I’m not going to have a house left by the time I get rid
of you.”  This is too much fun.  I’ve been wanting a dog, a big dog, for years
but it just wouldn’t have worked out when I lived in New York.  I need to start
checking out breeders around here.  I just love big old sloppy dogs.

“She’s not going to tear
up your house, she’s very well trained.  I trained her myself.”

“That sure sets my mind at
ease,” I reply, turning so he can’t see me trying to keep a straight face.

“I will make sure she is
in her crate whenever I’m not here.  She will still be a good watchdog.”

“I suppose having a
watchdog is good idea right now.  She can stay,” I say as if it’s a big
concession on my part.  “Just make sure she doesn’t ruin my furniture.”

“Yes ma’am.  If you’re
hungry, I believe dinner should be ready.  It’s just a meatloaf but it should
be good.”

“Actually, I’m starving,
but I hate to tell you I’m a vegetarian,” I say, trying not to laugh at the
expression on his face.  “I’m kidding!  Man, you sure are gullible for a
deputy.  Maybe I need to start calling you Barney.”

“Ha ha, very funny!  Just
for that no dessert for you.”

“Oh, you big baby!  What’s
a little teasing between friends?”  I watch his face to see how he reacts to
that statement, hoping he believes it.

“Oh, so now we’re friends.
 When did that happen?”

“Probably the second time
you picked me up off the floor.  Thanks for that by the way.”  I turn around so
he can’t see my face.  I’m afraid he’ll see how vulnerable I feel right now.  “Now
let’s get to that dinner, I’m starved.”

We both dig in to the
meatloaf.  Wow, he’s a pretty good cook.  We discuss mundane things like the
weather and the prospect of a stoplight at the corner of Main Street and Elm
Street.  I learn he was an only child and he grew up in a small town in Georgia,
moving to Atlanta in his 20’s.  He decided he was tired of the rat race and
applied for the job of deputy here in Fairfield Corners two months ago.  I tell
him about my parents being murdered and coming to live here with my Gram when I
was six.  I also tell him about Gram’s journal that I found a couple of days
ago.  He has lots of questions about it that I can’t answer.  Being so young, I
don’t remember anything about that night but I distinctly remember the next day
when I arrived to live here with my Gram.  Funny how our minds work.  I must
have blocked it out.  I tell him that James knows about the journal and is
going to look into this cult but he got sidetracked with all my current
problems.

“So, Darlin’, where do you
want to go on our date on this weekend?  We could go to into Fort Wayne, there
are a lot of restaurants and movie theaters there.  How about dinner and a
movie?”

“You’re gonna hold me to
this date thing?  Ok, dinner and a movie, but it has to be a comedy and nothing
fancy for dinner.  Remember, I’m only going out with you to get you off my back.
 And quit calling me Darlin’!”

Princess walks over
towards me and lays her head on my lap.  I act like this is a big surprise,
“Wow, she must like me.  She’s not gonna bite me is she?”

“No way, she is highly
trained.  She will only bite on command.  I trained her as a police dog and I
sometimes take her with me on patrol.”

I nod, not wanting him to
know how impressed I am, “Well, thanks for dinner.” I yawn, and head back to
the couch.  “I think I’ll watch some TV and then go up to bed.  You can sleep
in the guest room; it’s the one across from my room.”

I watch TV for about a half
hour and decide I need to go to bed.  “Well, I’ve had enough excitement to last
me for a while.  I’m going to go up to bed.  I’ll put clean sheets on the bed
in the guest room for you.”

“OK. I think I’m going to
stay up and do some work on my laptop.  You do have internet don’t you?”

I smirk, “Oh yes, we even
have wifi.  Gram liked to be able to surf the net and be on Facebook, so she
got the wireless router.  The WEP key is in the middle drawer of the desk.”

“Great.  Good night, Darlin’.
 Sleep tight.  Are you sure you don’t want me closer than the guest room?”

“No, that’s actually too
close to suit me. Good night Logan.”

After tossing and turning
for a couple of hours I hear Logan head to the guest room.  Wish I had a lock
on my bedroom door, don’t know who I trust less, him or me.  I wait another half
hour and then I sneak down to the kitchen.  Princess is sitting in her crate as
if she’s waiting for me.  I let her out and we head up to my bedroom.  It’s a good
thing I have a queen size bed, this dog is huge!  She is a great snuggler and
she quickly goes to sleep and starts snoring.  I love it!  Doesn’t take me long
to drift off.

Logan hears me bring
Princess upstairs.  He grins and feels that Cassie is safer with Princess in her
bed.  He rolls over and goes to sleep.

Are you scared yet,
Cassie?  The message was only the beginning.  I can be anywhere at any time,
you’ll never stop me.  Your death will be my salvation and the beginning of a
new life for me. 

Your deputy can’t help
you, no one can stop me from accomplishing my goal.  I will not be stopped by
anyone or anything.  Be prepared, I am coming soon…

I wake up to the sun
shining into the bedroom.  Princess is gone.  Damn, busted!  I’ll have to own
up to liking big dogs.  Oh well.

I smell coffee and bacon
wafting up from the kitchen.  I’m going to end up getting fat if this keeps up.
I brush my teeth and run a comb through my hair and I head downstairs.  Logan
is standing at the stove turning bacon.  He turns his head and looks at me and
says, “I take it that was all an act last night?  I found Princess in your bed
this morning.  You are so busted!” he chuckles.

“Ok, so I like big dogs.  We
had Great Danes when I was growing up.  There’s nothing like a big old sloppy
dog.” I say, blushing.  I’m usually better at not getting caught.  “I’ve been
checking out breeders online since Gram died.  I thought a dog would be great
company in this big house.”

“Sounds like a good idea.  I
know a couple of reputable breeders; I’ll get you their numbers.  They both
currently have puppies available.”

I walk into the living
room to get my phone.  I notice the files lying on the coffee table and I open
the top one.  I am drawn to the picture in the front of the folder.  There is
something about this man that strikes a chord in my memory but I don’t know
what it is.  I’ll have to think about it, I’m sure it will come to me.

“Did you get lost out
there?” Logan asks.

“No, just looking for my
phone,” I reply.  I don’t want him to know I’m snooping.  “Found it!”

I walk back into the
kitchen and he gives me the names and numbers.

“Well, Cassie, what is on
the agenda for today?  Doc said you are not to go to work for at least two
days.  It looks like it’s going to be a nice, warm day.  How about a picnic?”

“Do you take all the girls
you protect on picnics?  I’m sure I’ll be safe here by myself, you can go about
your business.  I promise to stay here and rest today.”

“Not going to happen.  I’m
under orders to protect you, and I take those orders seriously.  James just
wants to keep you safe.  He would have my head if I left you here alone.”

I roll my eyes at him and
smile.  “He’s just a little overprotective.  I guess if I have to put up with
you all day, a picnic would be nice.”

“Great, I’ll call the
diner and have them put together a picnic lunch.  Any place in particular that
you want to go?”

This deputy is growing on
me.  I guess it won’t be such a hardship to have him protecting me for a few
days.

“I know the perfect place
on the river.”  I think about the meadow and how beautiful it is there.  “It’s
about a ten minute hike from the trailhead in the state park south of town.”

“Sounds good.  The diner
will have our food ready in about fifteen minutes.  Can you be ready to go in
ten minutes?”

“Sure,” I say as I’m
rushing up the stairs.  I need to find my tennis shoes.  Crap, which box were
they in?  Oh yeah, I think I already unpacked that box.  I go to the closet and
sure enough, there they are.  Great, now I have time to do something with my
hair.

Seven minutes later I come
back down the stairs to find Logan sitting on the porch looking perplexed.  “Cassie,
did you move my keys? I swear I left them on the hook next to the door.”

“At least it’s not just me
losing things.  I thought I was losing my mind.  I found mine in the freezer
yesterday morning.”  As I turn to walk to the kitchen to check the freezer I
hear the faucet turn on in the bathroom upstairs off of Gram’s room.  I turn to
look and Logan is still standing on the porch. “Uh, Logan, someone just turned
on the water upstairs.”

Logan looks at me with his
‘cop face’ – eyes glaring and jaw set.  I can tell he means business.  “You
stay down here and call James.” Logan says, as I follow him up the stairs.

“No way I’m staying down
here by myself.” I say as I’m following him up the stairs.

“Dammit, I don’t have time
to argue.  Stay behind me!”

We get to the bathroom and
see steam rolling out the door.  Sounds like the sink and the shower are both
running full blast.  Logan walks into the bathroom stopping suddenly, causing
me to run into the back of him as he exclaims, “what the hell?”

Written on the bathroom
mirror is the message:
He is getting stronger. Protect Cassie.

“That looks like my Gram’s
handwriting. Could she still be here and trying to warn us? This is nuts!”

I have my phone in my hand
so I take a picture of the writing.  We are both staring at the mirror trying
to make sense of what is happening when more writing appears in the mirror:
Pearl
ring is in the fireplace behind loose brick.

I run out the door without
saying a word.  I run down the stairs with Logan close on my heels, “Slow down
Cassie.  The fireplace isn’t going anywhere and you just got out of the
hospital yesterday!”

I ignore him and rush over
to the fireplace. I’d completely forgotten about the loose brick until I saw it
written on the mirror.  I used to play spy and that was where I would leave
“important documents” to keep them from the bad guys.  I pull out the brick and
there is something in there wrapped in a piece of flannel.  I pull it out and
discover my Gram’s pearl ring.  All the strength goes out of my legs and I sit
heavily on the hearth.

Logan drops on one knee in
front of me and grabs my hand with a worried look in his eyes, “You OK, Darlin’?”

“I wondered where this was.
 It was her favorite piece of jewelry and she wore it every day. I was afraid
it had been lost on the day she was killed.”  I have to wipe away tears, so
glad that I have this small thing that was so important to her.

“That must have been very
special to your Gram for you to react this way. I wonder why she hid it here?”

“Let me tell you about
this ring.  Back when she was newly married to my grandfather, he was in the
Navy and stationed in San Francisco.  One day, they were walking along the
wharf and found a small cart selling oysters.  The sign said something about
buy an oyster, find a pearl for your girl!  They didn’t have much money but my
grandfather insisted.  Anyway, he bought an oyster and found a pearl.  After a
couple of months of saving he had it mounted in this setting.  It’s not worth
much money, but it was very important to my Gram.  It was only about two years
after that that my grandfather was killed so she didn’t have much to remember
him by other than this ring and some photos.  I don’t remember her ever taking
it off.”

I call James and ask him
to come down to the house.  He rushes in about five minutes later.

“What’s up Reggie?  Is
anything wrong Logan?”

“Just a question for you,”
I start, “about the day Gram died.  Was she wearing her pearl ring? You know,
the one she never took off?”

“Yes, she was.  It’s in
her personal effects.  It should still be down at the sheriff’s office in the
evidence locker.  I was going to release her effects to you tomorrow.  Why are
you asking about that ring?”

I hold out the ring.  “Where
did you get that?” James asks.

I explain about the
message written in the steam up in the bathroom.  I pull out my phone and show
him the picture I took.

“No way!  Not possible!”
James sputters.  “Let’s go down to my office right now and see what’s what.”

When we get to the
sheriff’s office James unlocks the evidence locker and pulls out a paper bag
sealed with evidence tape.  He pulls off the tape, muttering to himself, “I
know that ring was in here, how did it get in Cassie’s house?”  He pulls everything
out of the bag and says, “well, her watch and her wedding ring are here, but no
pearl ring.  It’s on the evidence list.”  He’s checking the list and going
through everything he pulled out of the bag.  He looks at me in disbelief, “this
makes no sense whatsoever.”

Suddenly, we all smell
perfume.  The guys both look at me and I say, “It’s not me, I didn’t use any
perfume today.”  I sniff and get a big smile on my face.  “It smells like Gram.
 I think she is trying to tell us something.”  The blinds on James’ office
window go up and down on their own.  “See, she’s here.”  I sit in a chair as I
am overcome with happiness, “I love you Gram and I miss you so much.”  I feel
the lightest touch on my hair, and a soothing touch on the stitches on my
forehead.  “James, I can feel her!”

James sits in his chair,
looking dumbfounded, “I swear I just heard a whisper in my ear.  It said, “’Lighten
up James, open your mind to the possibilities.’  Do you know how many times she
said that to me when we were growing up?”  He shakes his head as if he’s trying
to make sense of what is happening.  “You know how I was, having lists and
schedules for everything. She was always trying to get me to loosen up.  I
guess she still is.” He looks around the room, “I miss you too, Gram.”

“Ms. Jackson, I’m Logan
and I am trying to keep Cassie safe.  Who is getting stronger?” Logan asks.

Suddenly, James’ computer
screen lights up.  There are two words on the screen:
Reverend Jake
.  I
look at James and Logan.  “I’m confused.  Isn’t he the one who killed my
parents?  He died two years ago.  It can’t be him.”

The computer screen starts
to flash.  The words on the screen have changed:  
He is not human, he is
evil
.

My head is spinning, this
is way more than I bargained for.  What does she mean, he’s not human?  How can
Logan and James protect me from something that isn’t human?  Two days ago, I
had a normal life and a business to run.  Today, I have my dead Gram sending me
messages and warning me about a dead guy who is evil and is not human.  I think
I need a vacation!