Sixth Sense (A Psychic Crystal Mystery) (19 page)

Katherine scooped the pillowcases up in her arms and ran down the hall.

“Jack, you won’t believe what I—”

She stopped short and stared at Jack, whose hands were bound in his own cuffs, sporting a nasty gash on the side of his head. He was face-to-face with Reverend Coulter, who had Jack’s own gun trained on his heart.

“Jack, no!” she cried, dropping the pillowcases and running to him. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

Jack nodded and squeezed his eyes with the motion of his head. Katherine reached behind Jack and closed her hand around one of his.

The reverend kept his eyes and gun on Jack, but spoke evenly.

“Katherine, so nice of you to join us. I’ve waited a long time to get to know you. Our meeting was inevitable. I’ve watched you, studied you as you grew up. Hungry for any sign of you in the newspapers, as any proud parent would be.”

Katherine cringed. Jack squeezed her hand.

“The beautiful young debutante Katherine Crystal is formally introduced to Atlanta society at the Cotillion Ball, dressed in her creamy white designer gown and dripping in her mother’s fancy diamonds. Katherine Crystal graduates from the Pratt Institute. Oh, yes, I was there. Katherine Crystal joins the Freyer Gallery in Midtown. It’s all there in the scrapbook your friend Jack discovered as I walked in and surprised him. I call it the Katherine Chronicles,” said the reverend proudly.

Katherine looked down at an open scrapbook with pictures of her with her parents on vacation—skiing, at the beach, on safari, with friends, intimate photos with Justin Bamberger. She released Jack’s hand and leafed through the scrapbook—pictures of her from grade school to college, news clippings after Ocean Rivers’ death, stories about capturing the Sydney Strangler.

“You were always the goal, Katherine, the prize,” acknowledged the reverend, smiling. “I knew the minute I held you in my arms that you would grow up to be special. How could you not? The union of a talented trance medium and a strong psychic and spiritualist. I have had many offspring, with many women, but you, Katherine, are the realization of all my hopes and dreams. The first moment you realized your pent-up talent, when you predicted the death of little Ocean Rivers—that’s when I began to consummate the plan. You and I together—think of what we could accomplish, Katherine. You are just beginning to come into your true powers, and I will be your spiritual guide, help you realize your potential. With your psychic ability and my...talent, there are no limits. My lifeblood flows through your veins.”

The reverend’s beady eyes sparkled. “Come, closer child. Come over where I can gaze upon you at long last in the flesh. Come, don’t be afraid. Come to your father.”

Katherine choked. But when the reverend waved the gun at Jack, she complied.

“I’ve never gazed on such beauty. Ah, your mother, now, she was a beauty, but you far surpass her. I understand you’ve already met your mother.”

“She is not my mother and you are not my father,” Katherine said, her jaw set stubbornly.

“Of course you will need time to digest and accept reality,” said the reverend. “But we’ll have plenty of time together for you and me to become intimately acquainted, to get to know each other in every sense.”

The reverend’s words were creepy, his tone not the way a father spoke to a daughter.

“You must know that the girls and women who came before, they mean nothing to me. They were just a sideshow. But you are the main attraction. You are my creation, you are above the rest. I have power, Katherine, and untold wealth, as you can see. I can give you everything. You’re going to love it here at
Âmes Sur la Mer
. We’ll keep you tucked away here at the estate for a while until you get used to our arrangement, and then, if you’re good, you can venture out into the community. I have horses. Can you ride, Katherine?”

Katherine didn’t answer.

“Of course you can ride. There’s a picture of you riding, right here in the scrapbook.” He flipped the book’s pages to the one he was referencing.

“I’ve collected all of your favorite artists, all of your favorite things. I did it all for you. We’re just about to start our journey together. I can’t wait. My beautiful Katherine. Created in my image. My darling daughter. Ours will be a perfect union. Think of the children that will spring from our loins. They’ll be magnificent.”

Reverend Coulter reached out his hand and touched Katherine’s face, slowly toyed with a lock of her dark curls and let his hand slide farther to skim across her breast.

“I could never—I would never—” Katherine shuddered, shrinking away from the monster before her.

“Oh, you will, and you will love it. Trance sex is delightful. No inhibitions. Once I put you under, you will stop struggling, and I will take you to levels you’ve never dreamed of.”

Jack started to lunge forward.

Katherine dropped back to stand next to Jack in a show of unity, taking one of Jack’s hands in hers once again. Jack squeezed her hand, almost cutting off the circulation as his muscles strained against his restraints.

“Uh, uh, uh,” the reverend cautioned, waving the gun at Jack’s heart. “I’m in control here. Jack has been a very naughty boy, and he will have to be taught a lesson. But I’ll deal with him later.”

“Like you dealt with my parents?” Katherine accused.

“Where did you get that notion, child?”

“We were there, when you went to visit Psychic Juliette. We heard everything, just not the details about how you murdered them.”

“Oh, I suppose it can’t hurt to reveal my triumph,” said the reverend. “I’m actually pretty proud of my handiwork. I simply tampered with the judge’s brakes and, unfortunately for them, the car careened off a mountain road and exploded. The fireworks were magnificent,” recalled the reverend, as if he were remembering a pleasant Fourth of July night on the National Mall.

“You bastard,” Katherine whispered.

“Now, now, it had to be done. Don’t you see? To fulfill our destiny.”

“You’ll never get away with it,” Jack said, struggling to maintain his temper.

“Oh, but you see, I already
have
gotten away with it. You have no proof of anything. It was a nasty accident. But the judge had suddenly developed a conscience. He was going to turn me in, turn himself in, admit to everything. I couldn’t let that happen.”

The reverend rested his free hand on his chin and tapped his mouth, deep in thought. “Jack is an obstacle I hadn’t counted on. But, no matter. I will think of a way to dispose of him, too. I was going to come to Atlanta to get you, but you came to me. Come, child, I’m anxious to get started. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

Katherine folded her arms and stood her ground. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Don’t be difficult. You’re trying my patience. But if that’s the way you want to play this game...” The Reverend pulled out a hunting knife and held it up to Jack’s neck, pricking it and drawing blood.

“Jack!” Katherine screamed and faced the reverend. “Leave him alone. I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave him alone.”

“Oh, so that’s the way it is. Two lovebirds. Maybe I should let you watch while I gut him like the pig that he is.”

Katherine moved forward and reached for the knife.

The reverend grazed her arm, and she pulled it back, wincing.

“Don’t drip on the Aubusson,” the reverend said, grabbing Katherine’s flowing hair and pulling it tightly into a knot around his hand until she cried out in pain. With his other hand, he loosened the grip on his gun and picked up a coil of rope resting on the coffee table next to a pile of cash. He released his grip on Katherine’s hair and tossed her the rope.

“Now tie him up in that chair, at the waist and feet, and do it quickly. I’m losing my patience. I’d just as soon put a bullet in his brain.”

“Do it, Kate,” Jack said. “Just do what he says.” Katherine hesitated.

“We can make this easy or we can make it hard.” The reverend smiled at his off-color joke. “Personally, I love a good struggle. You know what daddies do to naughty little girls. I hadn’t wanted to use the strap, but...” His eyes twinkled at the prospect.

Katherine’s hands trembled as she started to tie Jack to the chair.

“Make it tight,” the reverend ordered. “Cut off the circulation, that’s it. I’m going to check your handiwork.”

Katherine placed a kiss on the top of Jack’s head after she’d tightened the knot. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess. I love you, Jack.”

Jack looked up into Katherine’s eyes, trying to remain confident when she could see how agitated he was.

“Come along to the bedroom, sweetheart,” cooed the reverend. “It’ll go much easier on you and your boyfriend if you cooperate.”

Kate’s eyes pleaded with Jack.

“Kate, it’s okay. I’ll be okay. Just do as he says.”

“But, Jack...”

“I’m the man with the plan, remember?” Jack grimaced as he tried to smile. He was tied up tight, knocked almost unconscious with the butt of a gun, blood was trickling out of his neck, and he was talking about a plan?

****

Jack forced himself to remember his training. Studies he’d read of officers killed in the line of duty showed they were too nice, they waited too long to put a person in a control hold or contain the situation. The man who had killed his father had equated hesitation with weakness and it had gotten his father killed. Jack was not going to make the same mistake.

“Don’t hurt her, Coulter,” Jack barked. “I’ll kill you if you do.”

“You’re in no position to threaten me.” The reverend smiled. “Keep making a fuss and I’ll make you watch.”

“I’m a police officer,” Jack said.

“You don’t think I know that? I’m going to take my time with her, and I would advise you to use your last moments on earth to ask for forgiveness for your sins.”

“You said if I cooperate, it would go easier on Jack,” Kate protested.

“I lied,” said the reverend, pulling her down the long hall into the bedroom, farther away from Jack.

The man was demented, and unfortunately Kate was going to pay the price. This might be the last time he saw her alive.

“Kate,” Jack called out mournfully. “Kate, I love you.”

****

He loved her. How bittersweet to finally hear the words pour out of his mouth when they had no future together. Bile rose up and threatened to spill over. This couldn’t be happening to her. The reverend was a monster. He was going to rape his own daughter. Who knew how many other times he had done this to how many other innocent women in addition to her birth mother.

If she had one regret besides losing Jack, it was not getting to know Juliette. Now that she’d met the reverend and knew what kind of man he was, she realized Juliette was no match for him. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill her, too, to keep her quiet.

She could scream out, but the house was so far from the road and any other house that no one would hear her but Jack, and she couldn’t make him sit there helpless and listen to her screams.

She would find a way to outwit the reverend. She looked around for something to use to defend herself. If she were as talented as he claimed, surely she could use some of her powers to get herself and Jack out of this mess. But what were those powers? Should she try to read the future? What good would that do? Should she attempt to distract him? What was about to happen to her was a fate worse than death. A fate she didn’t know if she could endure.

The reverend tossed her onto the bed. She massaged her head where he had practically pulled her hair from its roots.

“Now, take off your clothes slowly and let me see you, all of you. See how sensitive you truly are.”

“I won’t,” Katherine said stubbornly, scooting away from him on the bed.

The reverend rolled his eyes. “You dare disobey me?”

The man was seriously deluded.

He inched closer to Katherine and lifted her blouse. She winced and covered herself with her hands. He ripped off her blouse with a slice of the knife.

He began to breathe hard as he stared at her.

“You’re a vision,” said the reverend. “Just like Juliette. I loved your mother, you know. And she loved me, until I took you away from her. She never forgave me. But things will be different between you and me. Now stay still.”

Katherine felt a sting in her arm, and her legs went rubbery.

“What did you do?” she implored.

“I’ve given you something to take away your inhibitions. Things will go much easier for you now.”

Katherine’s muscles felt loose, and a feeling of lightness invaded her senses.

In her haze she saw the reverend’s body come down to cover hers.

She tried to move, but she was trapped and immobilized by the drug he’d administered.

The last thought she had was of Jack before the vision appeared before her.

A dark, avenging angel swooped down, aiming the business end of a gun at the reverend’s back. A shot exploded, and then another. How many cartridges did her weapon hold? The angel was using the reverend for target practice. A red stain bloomed on the reverend’s shirt, and then the world went dark.

Chapter Eighteen

When Katherine came to, Jack was standing over her.

“Is this a dream?” Katherine wondered.

“No, I’m here, and so is your mother—I mean, Juliette,” said Jack.

“I don’t understand.” Katherine looked over Jack’s shoulder and saw the psychic, Juliette.

Reaching for Katherine’s hand, Jack filled in the blanks. “Juliette was right behind us. She suspected something, so she followed him in her car after he left Psychic Serena’s. She has a key to the reverend’s home, so when she let herself in I told her not to waste time untying me but to get to you.”

Jack brought Katherine’s hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “Thank God she did. She untied me and unlocked my cuffs, but when I confirmed what was about to happen, she picked up the reverend’s gun. She knew he kept a gun hidden in his drawer. I wanted to use my fists on him,” Jack continued, his jaw clenched. “I wanted to strangle that bastard for what he did—and what he was about to do—to you. God help me, I wanted to kill him, send him straight to hell where he belongs. I was going to do it, too, when Juliette stopped me.”