The Homecoming (44 page)

Her certainty was pretty convincing.

She went on.

“I know that Sylvia began to investigate these things herself. And then she disappeared. Threw herself into Crater Sink, we are expected to believe. She may have gone into Crater Sink, Reed, but not willingly. I think Miles put her there, for the same reason he killed Leah.”

“A man who was cold enough to do those things isn’t likely to take his own head off with a shotgun, Miss Beryl.”

“That would depend on what he was afraid of. Perhaps he saw something coming that he did not care to face.”

“Justice?”

She shook her head.

“Not ours, certainly. Perhaps it was something darker. And older. How do you imagine Abel Teague managed to stay alive and healthy for one hundred and twenty-two years?”

“Money? Luck? Fiber?”

“Don’t be pert, young man. I believe he had … allies. I believe he had found a way to prolong his life. An unnatural way. I have no idea what shape it may have taken, but Abel was tapping into a darker power.”

“The devil?”

“Abel Teague was a devil, yes, but I don’t believe that Satan as we understand him has anything to do with this. Or God, whom I am completely persuaded has as much interest in His Creation as a careless child has in the ant farm he has long ago abandoned at the bottom of his yard. I have tried to discern the shape of this force, at least from the effects it seems to produce, in people such as Abel Teague, in places such as Crater Sink. It’s like trying to detect a new planet simply by observing the alterations in stars and planets nearby. Some
gravitational
force
twists
reality in this part of the world. I am convinced of it. Abel used this force to survive far beyond man’s natural span of years, and I have no doubt that it—whatever it is—used Abel in return. I know that Abel Teague was a lecher and a degenerate and addicted to opiates. I wonder if whatever the
power
is, it uses people such as Abel Teague to allow it to
experience
, to savor, the sensual elements of the living world. A fancy, but I believe there is something to it.”

She smiled, and shook her head.

“I’m old, Reed, and Leah Searle was the last love I will ever have. I imagine I am shocking you, and you must try to bear up. But I lived a false life for all my years with Walter, and when he died I decided never to be false again. Leah’s gone and I’m fading. I’m glad you came. I think the answer to your question is not here in Sallytown.”

“Where, then?”

She stood up. So did he.

He was being dismissed, but with style.

“There’s a place in Gracie. It’s called Candleford House. Have you ever heard of it?”

“Yes. It was an asylum, wasn’t it? Back in the twenties. Didn’t have a very good reputation.”

Miss Beryl shook her head.

“It had the reputation it fully deserved. Candleford House was a barbaric prison run by sadistic guards and quack medics and assorted charlatans, and the inmates were routinely tormented, raped, and ultimately poisoned for what money they possessed. Candleford House was a portal into hell, Reed, and it was the last place Leah went to before she died. She wouldn’t tell me what she found there, but as we have already discussed, Leah confirmed that Clara Mercer was forcibly removed from Glynis Ruelle’s care in 1924 and locked up in Candleford House. And there she stayed until 1931, when she was taken from Candleford House to Lady Grace Hospital in Niceville. We are agreed that she was there for an abortion, probably the result of a rape. Clara escaped from Lady Grace Hospital and threw herself into Crater Sink. Leah found something in Candleford House and Miles Teague killed her to suppress it. I was going to go there myself, but I’m too damn old. Gracie isn’t far. I want you to go for me, Reed. Today. Right now.”

“But it’s empty. A ruin, isn’t it?”

She came around the table and took his hand. Her fingers were bony but her skin was dry and cool. The scent of mimosa floated around her.

“It’s a ruin. But it’s not empty.”

Nick was on his way to a crime scene at a Motel 6 on North Gwinnett, lights and sirens, when Kate got him on the cell.

“I’ve been calling and calling, Nick.”

Her voice was completely wired. Nick shut off the siren, kept the roof rack going.

“Don’t tell me. Rainey?”

“Who else? WellPoint Neurological lost him.”

“Lost him? Lost him how?”

“Dr. Lakshmi said she’d see Rainey right away, so I took him straight to WellPoint. He said he needed to go to the bathroom. I told them he was a flight risk, I told them that, so they assigned a male nurse to stay with him. But the nurse wouldn’t go into the bathroom with him because
there were rules about it—sexual abuse liabilities—so he went down the hall to talk to the other nurses, and poof!”

“When was this?”

“Just now. Maybe fifteen minutes ago.”

“You weren’t there?”

“No,” she said, with a hysterical edge to her voice. “They wouldn’t let me, because of Hannah!”

“I don’t—”

“I had Hannah, that’s why! Look, Beth took Axel to school, and then she had to meet with the lawyer about Byron’s estate. So I kept Hannah with me and we drove Rainey to WellPoint. But Hannah was having a fit in the truck. She said Rainey was giving her a headache. I mean, what now, but okay, so I asked her how, and she said Rainey was making her hearing aid buzz—”

“Rainey was where?”

“In the front seat, beside me. Hannah was in the back. Nick, Rainey wasn’t even talking. He was staring out the window, stony silent. He didn’t have his phone on or anything. He wasn’t paying any attention to her at all. But Hannah’s screaming—”

“What’s she saying?”

“Saying? Nothing sensible. She’s a kid, Nick. Something about buzzy talking in her head. Screechy talk, she says. But she’s obviously in pain, I mean, severe pain. I couldn’t leave her in the truck, so I had to take her in with me, with Rainey and me, and we got Rainey signed in, and they told me I couldn’t bring Hannah into the clinic—no kids as visitors—and she’s hysterical by now—so I let them walk Rainey away—Nick, he never even looked back—but as soon as the big steel doors closed, she shuts up, stops crying. Now her hearing aids are fine, she says. So I leave her in the front office for a second, and I go ask Reception where Rainey is, and they say he’s been taken to the prep room for X-rays, fluoroscopy, an angiogram, something called a computed tomography, and later they were going to do a lumbar puncture. It was all in-house. They said it would take several hours and no I couldn’t be there if I had Hannah with me. I went back out to look after Hannah. She was hungry. We went to McDonald’s. Drove around. Met Beth for lunch. Called in to see how he was doing—he’s gone! I’ve been calling and calling, Nick!”

“I’m sorry, babe, really. I was in a meeting with Tig, talking about Rainey. Then I went to see Beau. I had to turn my cell off to get into the hospital. I’m sorry, babe. Where are you now?”

“I’m in the car, looking for him. Beth is with me. Eufaula is taking care of Axel and Hannah. I called the Niceville police but they don’t seem to be doing much. So we are.”

“Where are you looking?”

“We’ve checked out Patton’s Hard. The place is covered with crime scene tape and there are two cop cars keeping everybody away. Now we’re heading over to Sylvia’s house to see if he’s there.”

“Have you called Lemon?”

“Yes. He’s meeting us there. Can you come?”

“Kate, I can’t. I’m on my way to a crime scene. Two dead. I can’t break away.”

“But what about Rainey?”

“I spoke with Tig. Like I said, he’s moving slow on this, I think to give us time to prepare. So far Tig hasn’t made any announcement about Alice Bayer. She’s just a Jane Doe we took out of the Tulip. But if Rainey’s gone again, Tig will put out a notice that the Niceville guys will take seriously. They’ll pick him up in an hour.”

“But they’ll question him, won’t they?”

“Not without a lawyer. It’s illegal to ask a minor any questions about a case unless he has a parent or a lawyer present. If they find him, they’ll bring him to wherever you are. Tig will see to that. We can trust him. Rainey will turn up.”

“We’re still going over to Sylvia’s house. Aren’t you going to meet us there?”

“I can’t, babe. I just can’t.”

“Fine. I guess it’s Lemon and Beth and me again. Maybe you should put him on a retainer. Like Miles did for Sylvia. Our own private escort. That’s what Lemon used to do, wasn’t it? Entertain lonely wives whose husbands are too damn busy at work.”

That stung him, but he controlled it.

“You’re angry and upset, Kate. I get that. But that’s a cheap shot and we don’t play it that way. Don’t call Lemon if that’s the way you feel. And since you ask, I do have him on a retainer.”

That stopped her.

“Why?”

Nick laid it out for her. He’d hired Lemon to help him figure out what was going on with Rainey and, for that matter, with Niceville itself.

“But why Lemon? Why not one of your people in the CID?”

“Because no one but Lemon would buy any of it. And he buys it
because he’s
seen
it. But if that’s not okay with you, then he’s gone. I’ll call him as soon as you get off the line.”

She was quiet.

He could hear her breathing, and Beth in the background, on her own cell, talking to the cops again, and the sound of music playing, the hum of tires on the road. Kate was still moving, on the cell, and he was distracting the hell out of her.

“Honey, you should pull over—”

“No. I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s just—we’re trying to help Rainey, but he’s making it pretty tough. Do you know what else he did?”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“I just went to an ATM to get some driving-around cash. My ATM card wasn’t in my purse. It was there last night, but it’s gone. I called the bank and they said someone just used my card to withdraw a thousand dollars. I think it was Rainey. This is no coincidence!”

“How did he get your PIN?”

“Same place he got the entry code to Sylvia’s house. My daybook. I can never remember pin numbers and codes. Rainey knew that. This kid’s out of control, Nick. But he’s not stupid. He’s actually making
moves
, Nick. Like an experienced criminal would. Making
plans
and getting access to cash. He’s
operating
. It’s like some adult is
helping
him.”

“Are you still driving?”

“Yes. We’re going to Sylvia’s house.”

“Okay. Hang up. Keep your phone on. I’ll call Tig. He’ll get the Niceville PD moving. They’ll have him in an hour. Okay? This will all work out. Really, babe.”

“Even after this?”

“You and I have seen wild kids before. Their parents pay your salary. They all worked out, sooner or later, didn’t they?”

Some moments went by.

Nick could feel her thinking about it.

“That’s true. They all did. Mostly.”

“There you go.”

More quiet breathing.

“Thank you. I feel better.”

“Good. That’s what I live for.”

She even laughed. Weak and full of worry, but still a laugh. So he laughed too.

“No, really, babe. You complete me.”

“Dear God. What horseshit. Go to work, Nick.”

“Be safe, babe. Keep me in the loop.”

“You be safe too, Nick. Bye.”

When he got to the Motel 6 the Niceville patrol guys had the scene isolated. There were two cruisers down in the parking lot, their roof racks spinning, sending that crazy flickering light flying around the walls and windows like fireflies from hell. The sun was going down in pink and golden glory, all the streetlights were on, and assorted gawkers were crowding the perimeter.

A patrol cop held up the crime tape and he rolled his Crown Vic under it, coming to a stop at the foot of the stairs that led up to the second floor. Mavis Crossfire was standing at the top of the landing, looking down at him, her hands on her hips, smiling a crazy smile.

“Jesus Mary and Joseph, it’s Himself,” she said. “Didn’t I see you at the Galleria Mall? Don’t you have a life?”

“No. I don’t. Neither do you, I see.”

“I got promoted. I’m section supervisor for six precincts now. You look a little freaky, Nick.”

Nick told her that Rainey was in the wind again.

“Jesus. Slippery little bugger. That kid will end up teaching escape and evasion to Navy Seals.”

“I really don’t want to talk about him, Mavis.”

“Okay. We won’t. How’s Andy Chu doing?”

“He’s out of danger. Boonie has two gigantic FBI guys sitting in his room and frowning at him. He’s on IV and he’ll wear a cast on that shattered shoulder for a long time. So far Boonie hasn’t figured out whether he was a hostage or an accomplice. He’s leaning towards accomplice.”

“Has Chu lawyered up?”

“Not yet. But he’s pretty sedated. Boonie hasn’t tried to question him. Anyway, I dropped in to see Beau this afternoon.”

“I was gonna ask.”

“He’s drugged out of his gourd, but they re-sectioned his bowel and did what they could for his liver and spleen, and there’s no internal bleeding now. His spine’s okay, but he’s going to be on glucose and saline for a while. Only solid he can take is Jell-O. They’re talking about a temporary colostomy, which he’s not gonna like.”

“Nor would I. How’s his morale?”

“He’s a tough kid, but I’d say he’s … shocked. Young kids never imagine anything bad can happen to them. I saw a lot of it when I was regular Army. Round comes in out of nowhere, and the main thing is the kid just
cannot
believe it. Some of them died and the main thing they were when they died was
surprised
. Beau’s got a lot of that going on. May’s there right now.”

Mavis shook her head.

“How’d the PISTOL thing go?”

“They cleared us. What else could they do, with a cop down? Coker had no choice but to take out Maranzano. The grandkid they laid on Deitz. And then Coker and I did Deitz. Eventually.”

Mavis gave him a look.

“What does that mean?”

Nick thought about his answer.

“This is just us, okay?”

“Always is, Nick. You know that.”