Oblivion (31 page)

They were bound here, unable to leave. He wished he could tell them why. He didn’t even know, feeling such empathy for them he wished he could tell them something. Daphne was right. He couldn’t help anyone. But he could get even.

~ ~ ~

Gary chuckled when he reread the report, glancing up at Dan in the doorway of his office and laughed even harder. The acting Sheriff reddened under his amused regard.

“You’re really gonna file this?” Gary asked and waved the report Dan wrote up of what happened at the Chase house earlier that day. “Ghosts? You gotta be kidding? The kid’s nuts!”

Dan defended his report. “He said he couldn’t see who or what attacked him. His Mom said nobody was there when he was pulled out of the pool. I just wrote what they told me.”

Gary shook his head, grinning. “You believe him?”

“I’m not an idiot, Gary,” Dan snapped. “You saw the kid. Somebody beat the tar out of him and destroyed that room. He claims it was Jason Turner’s ghost, so I’m assuming he’s not willing to tell us who beat him up.”

Gary raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like the ghost had his reasons.”

“I knew you’d come back to that,” Dan grumbled. “Marianne says Cam’s been in a funk since he lost the scholarship and has to go to summer school. She said he hasn’t been getting a lot of sleep. He’s been partying a lot. I think he just fell down and hit his head.”

“You got an explanation for the damage to the room too?” Gary asked.

“None that you would accept,” the deputy-turned-Sheriff said sourly.

“Dan, we both know a ghost didn’t waltz in there and destroy that room,” Gary informed the younger man. “I think Cameron’s suppliers are getting anxious to get paid back for what we confiscated.”

“You could be right.”

“We got two pounds of dope and a boat load of prescription drugs from his room. Don’t tell me the kid paid for it up front,” Gary told him with a sound of disgust. “No, he got it all fronted and the suppliers want payback. Welcome to drug dealing. That’s what I think.”

“Marianne told me off the record Cam’s been having problems with his dad. After he lost the scholarship his dad told him to get out after he graduates.”

“You expect me to feel sorry for him after what he did to the Turner kid, Dan?”

“No, but it explains his erratic behavior now.”

Gary glared at Dan. He really was clueless. “He’s a psychopath, Dan. That explains his erratic behavior. He’s also asking for it with these dealers in Helena. They obviously sent him a warning. Pay up or else.”

Dan appeared to be listening, but Gary could see the resentment flaring in his gaze. Every time he gave the younger man pointers he saw that same look. Dooley had seven months to go as acting Sheriff.

Gary had no doubt he would get voted out the next election. The higher ups were talking about bringing in a guy from Helena with more experience to run for the office.

  “Marianne says he’s been in therapy this whole last year. She says he has anger issues.”

“Yeah, after stabbing his best friend to death; I can see that,” Gary muttered dryly. “I can tell you how this will end, Dan. Were gonna find Cameron Chase face down one of these days with a bullet in the back of the head. These people don’t mess around. I figure if he walks on the murder charge; the dealers will get him by the end of the year.”

Gary could tell Dan was irritated he continued to insist Cameron was guilty.

“Yeah, well if they can find him by then. Marianne said he’s leaving for his grandparent’s place when the charges are dropped. She doesn’t want anyone to know where he’s at. She thinks he’ll get probation for the theft.”

“Oh, I have no doubt he’s gonna walk for Jace Turner’s murder. His buddies in Helena are going to track him down; you can bet on that.”

“You hope for it, don’t you, Gary?” Dan asked in irritation. “He’s a kid! A mixed up kid, that’s all. This hunch you have hasn’t panned out. Nothing you got proves he killed the Turner kid. Why don’t you just let it go? After Friday you’re done here.”

“If it was your kid; would you let it go?”

Dan flushed and looked away, disgusted to keep being reminded he lacked compassion in his line of work. It was all over his annual evaluations. The only reason he was acting Sheriff was the six months on the job he had more than Bob.

The election that loomed in the distance was the true challenge. He had to run for the office. Unless he caught Jace Turner’s murderer, he didn’t have a chance to get elected.

Some might say that would have made him eager to latch onto Gary’s theory about Cameron. He hated to admit it, but it started to make sense to him. His pride was hurt that he failed to impress Gary in that too. He failed to come up with a reasonable scenario why Jace Turner was murdered, outside the obvious robbery.

“I get it why this bothers you so much, Gary. I do. You got a kid a couple years older. It hits home,” Dan said and gazed at the older man in understanding. “But you could be wrong about Cam.”

“I’m not,” Gary replied tightly and smiled at Dan. “Trust me. My gut is never wrong. He killed Jace. We might never know why, but he did it.”

“He goes to court in two weeks and that decides it all.”

Gary didn’t need to be reminded the charges could be dropped at that hearing. Cam’s attorney was moving for a dismissal based on lack of evidence. Knowing that was a strong possibility made Gary pray Lindsay got something on that wire before then.

“A lot can happen in three weeks, Dan.”

Dooley left and went back to his office. Gary sat back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the file on Jace Turner sitting in front of him. He went through it over and over again, studied the crime scene until he could see it blind-folded. He couldn’t for the life of him find any reason beyond the thrill of it why Cameron would have done this. Without a motive, it made things difficult to prove.

The thought of Cameron Chase walking free three weeks from now was more than a reality. Without a confession; it would happen. Gary hoped the kid had the stupidity to try something with Lindsay. He’d like to see justice handled the old-fashioned way. He didn’t see the point in a guy like Cameron sitting on death row for ten years. He would get another decade to live while Jace Turner missed out on everything he wanted in his young life.

Gary fought the urge to walk outside the boundaries of the law any more than he already had by giving Lindsay an unregistered weapon. He employed such efforts before he left Chicago and swore he never would ‘help’ again. It wasn’t hard for a good cop to turn vigilante after years of seeing scum like Cameron go free. He had to have faith Lindsay would come up with something.

~ ~ ~

Lindsay was thankful Lance took the truck to be cleaned out before dropping it in front of the apartment. The thought of Jace’s blood still on the seats nauseated her. She frowned as she twisted the ring on her finger, wondering and worrying where he was.

Jace came in the night before and didn’t disturb her as she asked. Marnie went to school to get her weekly work and heard about Cam getting attacked. Lindsay confronted Jace and he refused to give her any details. According to Marnie; Cameron had to be hospitalized.

Lance came from Hooligan’s after he saw Everett to his apartment and discovered Cameron was just treated and released with stitches. Lindsay swallowed hard, unable to imagine his rage.

She was anxious for him to get back from wherever he went. Her eyes filled with anger. Jace was keeping things from her. He claimed he came back to check on them and make things right. It appeared revenge played a greater role than she thought. Her expression softened.

Lindsay could only imagine the terror he experienced at Cameron’s hands. Every time she pictured his agony the day he died; she felt sick. Those images of savagery overwhelmed her. She was unable to think of it anymore. How could she blame him for wanting to kill Cameron now? A day hadn’t passed since he died that she didn’t feel the same.

“Hey, Lindsay, do you have to work tomorrow?” Lance asked as he poked his head in her room. “I was hoping you could take Marnie into Helena to her doctor’s appointment. I promised Mom and Jack I would go with Dougie to his final hearing for him to get off probation. They think it’ll help.”

Lindsay was startled to feel the instant resentment. She bit back a refusal. She had agreed to let it go, but it was tough.

“Sure, I’m off until Tuesday. Isn’t this where they stick her with a needle? Will she be ok with me going instead of you?”

“She asked me to ask you.”

Lindsay looked surprised. “Oh, alright; I just thought she would feel more comfortable with you there.”

Her brother rolled his eyes. “It’s a girl thing, sis.”

He disappeared out of her doorway and she frowned. Taking Marnie to the doctor was the last thing she wanted to do tomorrow but her shooting practice would have to wait.

~ ~ ~

Raymond glared at Merrick and sat back in the van as they waited for the others to come back from the patrol. The night was eerie and quiet. The deadheads were all inside the building.  

“Ok, just spit it out. Where’s Jace?”

Merrick shrugged. “Exploring; I reckon. Don’t rightly know, Boss.”

“There isn’t much that happens around here that you don’t know, Merrick.”

Merrick chuckled. “Got by me this time.”

Raymond made a noise and stared out into the gloom. His eyes narrowed. “He went back to wherever it is he comes from; didn’t he?”

The black man shrugged. “He didn’t say.”

“It’s forbidden, Merrick! You know that as well as anyone else here.”

“Seems to me nothing is forbidden,” Merrick pointed out. “Who made these rules, Raymond?”

The leader looked frustrated. “If he took a demon back with him; we could all suffer the consequences.”

“You don’t know that. None of us know. Jace ain’t that stupid, Raymond. He probably just wanted some time to himself. You know how these Newbies can be?”

“Like the girl?” Raymond asked with an angry scowl. “Don’t think I didn’t notice she was missing too and suddenly showed back up.”

“Like I said, these damn Newbies got to see for themselves what is what. You don’t worry; Jace will be back.”

Raymond looked relieved when Drea and McNeal came running with the two Newbies they saved that night. Murdock was opening up on the group of three deadheads with a sawed off shot gun that chased them from the abandoned building.

Drea and McNeal ushered the two shaken newcomers into the back of the van before Murdock tossed a couple grenades and leapt inside and they sped off. The explosion made the man grin widely.

The two newcomers were a young girl of possibly twelve and a middle aged man. Both were dazed and in shock. Raymond climbed into the back as Merrick drove to brief the two Newbies.

“Welcome to Oblivion,” he told them as he met their startled gazes. “As you might have guessed; you’re not in Kansas anymore.”

Drea rolled her eyes at Raymond’s words. McNeal grinned.

“Where are we?” the young girl asked in a horrified whisper.

“A skip and a jump short of Heaven, sweet pea,” Raymond replied with a sad look. “Drea will be answering any other questions you might have.”

“I have an early morning meeting,” the businessman said and Raymond chuckled as he saw the blood on the man’s dress shirt. He’d been shot. A bullet hole was visible where his tie hung down.

“You’re not going to make it,” Raymond told him and grinned. “And no, you can’t call your secretary to reschedule.”

The man looked outraged. “Now look here; I need to call my wife!”

“No phones down here, buddy. Don’t you listen?” Raymond asked with a sigh. “No wonder somebody shot you.”

The man looked down at his shirtfront and appeared dazed to see the blood there. He looked back at Raymond quickly.

“Is this Hell?”

“No, but it might seem that way at first.”

~ ~ ~

Lindsay tried to ignore the jealousy she felt all the way into Helena. Marnie was quiet and looked out the window of Jace’s truck. She hadn’t said two words since they left the apartment. Lindsay more than knew she felt as uncomfortable as she did. She tried to break the ice.

“Everything will be fine if you’re worried.”

“That’s not it,” she said in response and continued to stare out the window at the traffic on the interstate.

“What is it?” Lindsay asked in concern. “Do you feel sick?”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Marnie snapped and her hazel eyes narrowed as she swung to look at her. “I screwed around with your boyfriend! You should hate me! I do!”

Lindsay knew from her mom that pregnant women were highly emotional and reasoned that was the cause of Marnie’s distress.

“I know why he did it. It’s typical of Jace. I don’t like it but I don’t hate you.”

Marnie rolled her eyes. “Lance isn’t here; cut the shit, Lindsay. You don’t have to watch what you say.”

“I mean it,” Lindsay argued and glared at her. “Trust me if I didn’t; I wouldn’t be taking you to the doctor.”

“How are you going to feel if it’s Jace’s kid?”

Lindsay stared at the interstate ahead and shrugged. She didn’t know what to say but tried for the truth, knowing they had to have this out between them.

“I’m glad you’re keeping the baby. I feel jealous. Me and Jace wanted kids one day. When he died all that ended. I know what you think; but I’m ok about it. My brother is the kid’s uncle too, so at least I have a place in his kid’s life. It’s going to be fine; you’ll see.”

“He really did love you,” Marnie replied brokenly and her lip quivered.

“I know. That’s why I’m trying not to let this bother me.”

“I don’t think I would be this nice to me if I was you.”

Lindsay knew it was more than hard to maintain an indifference she was far from feeling most of the time.

“Jace didn’t plan this and either did you. Had he lived; I wouldn’t have ever known, right?”

“He said he couldn’t lie to you.”

Knowing Jace planned to tell her about his one-night stand relieved her.

“He never has.”

“I think he’s still around; you know; his spirit and all.”

Lindsay tried not to smile. “I feel him too. He’s with us.”