The Crystal's Curse (21 page)

“Where are you?” Nathan asked.

“Standing in front of Sara’s house, but she’s not here yet,” he answered.

“Stay there, I’m right around the corner. I’ll pick you up. I know where she is,” he said and then hung up.

Joshua was puzzled. What was going on? How did Nathan know where Sara was? Something else must have happened, but he couldn’t think what it could be. He stood on the porch staring down the street, waiting for Nathan to get there.

When Nathan pulled up he flung open the passenger side door and said, “Get in. I’ll tell you on the way.”

***

Frank looked over at Sara as he pulled up into the driveway next to his house. She seemed almost unconscious now. When his parents announced that they would be gone for the weekend and wouldn’t be back until late tonight, he knew it was the perfect opportunity for him. He chuckled as he realized his plan had worked perfectly. It was easier than he thought it would be. He hadn’t expected her to let him in the house. He thought he would have to spend a lot more time getting her to trust him just to get in the front door. It was
a good thing too, since Joshua was supposed to be there any moment. While driving past Joshua’s house, he had seen him washing the car. Assuming they probably had a date much later, he figured he would have at least a couple of hours to make his plan work. To his surprise, she was in the kitchen with a drink all ready for him. It was almost too easy.

Even if Joshua showed up now, there would be no way he could know where she was. Frank knew he had plenty of time. He walked around the car and opened the passenger side door. She was almost completely out. He put her arm around his neck and his arm around her waist and propelled her forward. He practically had to carry her to the house. If someone was watching, he wanted it to look as if she had come willingly. When he opened the front door, her legs collapsed. He reached under her and scooped her up in his arms, kicking the door shut behind him. He carried her up the stairs and laid her on the bed in his parent’s room. He looked down at her. Her red hair fanned out on the white pillow. Even though her eyes were still closed, she was mumbling. He sat down on the bed next to her. He thought how beautiful she looked lying there, flawless skin like a porcelain doll. He traced the contours of her face with his finger. This is where she belonged, here with him. He leaned down and kissed her. When his lips touched hers, she responded, surprising him. He took her in his arms.

A moment later, she frowned and said, “Joshua?” She opened her eyes and attempted to push him away.

Her feeble attempt angered him. The thought that she had said Joshua’s name enraged him. She was his. He had hoped that she would come to him willingly. If it hadn’t been for Joshua, it wouldn’t have to be like this. He tamped down the anger. It didn’t matter. Frank would be there first. Sara may not remember, but he would know. He began unbuttoning his shirt.

***

Climbing into Nathan‘s car, Joshua asked, “Is Sara all right? What’s going on? Where are you taking me?”

“I just got a call from Rachel. She said Lisa called her furious. She saw Frank and Sara going into his house. She said that Sara was hanging all over him.”

Joshua was astonished at the pain. He felt like someone had kicked him in the chest. He couldn’t breathe. Frank and Sara? Why would she do that? He didn’t think the pain could get worse, but as he thought about them together, the burning increased. No, it can’t be true. He didn’t want to believe it. It had to be a mistake. Sara loved him, didn’t she? He shook his head. “Are you sure Rachel didn’t misunderstand?” That had to be it, a misunderstanding. The pain eased but only fractionally. Sara wouldn’t go anywhere with Frank, especially not to his house. “I just talked to her not 30 minutes ago and we were going to meet here,” he explained still struggling to understand.

Nathan said, “That’s why I called you. Something fishy is going on. I’ve never seen Sara hang all over anyone, including you and she likes you. She doesn’t even like Frank. You say she was fine thirty minutes ago and she was waiting for you?”

Joshua thought about it. She sounded fine on the phone. She called him. If she wanted to be with Frank, why would she call him and set up a date? It didn’t make any sense. “Yes, she sounded normal and I told her I would meet her here. What are you thinking Nathan?”

“I think he did something to her.”

The stabbing pain was back worse than ever, each breathe a struggle. “Like what?” Comprehension suddenly stuck him. “You mean drugs?” Rage, black and overpowering, replaced the pain. The more he thought about it the more sense it made. Frank would do anything to get back at Joshua for the humiliation he had suffered. What better way than through Sara. Panic and horror made his heart race and his palms sweat.

Concentrating on the road, Nathan said, “What else? Nobody changes that fast. He couldn’t get her drunk in that short a space of time.” When he looked over, he saw that Joshua’s hands were curled into fists, his eyes dark and cold, his jaw clinched so tight, Nathan could almost hear the teeth grind. It struck him then that it might not have been a good idea to bring Joshua along. Maybe he should have checked on the situation by himself first.

“How much longer?” Joshua asked in a tightly controlled voice.

Nathan felt Joshua’s urgency and he was driving as fast as the narrow streets would allow. “Another ten minutes at least.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Sam and Maria walked into Lrence’s house loaded down with packages. Taking a break from the shopping, they had stopped in the Italian section for a late lunch. They were reasonably sure no one had followed them. Being out of the house doing normal every day things had reduced their stress levels. They laughed and teased one another as they went up the stairs. After dumping the packages on the bed, they went down to the basement to see how Lrence, Kafra, and Helen were progressing.

Lrence turned and saw them. “Good, you’re back just in time. We were just getting ready to throw together a late supper. We’ve made good progress, and may be ready to test a couple of theories early tomorrow. Did you get everything you needed?”

Sam and Maria nodded.

Lrence took off his lab coat. Kafra cleaned up the table. They both looked fresh, like they could go on for hours. Helen, on the other hand, looked tired. She leaned against the table and rubbed the small of her back.

Maria said, “Why don’t you three sit down upstairs in the living room? I’ll raid your kitchen and see what I can throw together, if you don’t mind, Lrence?”

“Sounds good to me.” Turning to Helen he asked, “When was Sara planning on bringing your things? Maybe she could stay for supper as well.” He picked up the papers and stuffed them into file folders.

She looked at her watch. “We didn’t set a time. Actually, I’m surprised she isn’t here yet. I expected her to come right back. She and Joshua probably got sidetracked. Maybe I should give her a call.”

Lrence’s communicator went off. It looked like a tiny cell phone. Everyone stopped talking and watched as Lrence picked it up and said, “Yes.” He listened for a few minutes. “How soon? Alone? Yes, thank you.” He closed the phone. The tension was back in his face as he turned to them. “Erik found your father’s address. He is in Washington. She doesn’t know whether he will come tonight or wait until tomorrow morning to contact him. We need to get Joshua here now.”

All trace of laughter was gone. Dinner no longer seemed a priority. Everyone just stood and looked at Lrence. Without a word, Sam handed him the untraceable cell phone. Lrence called Joseph at home. When he answered, he said, “Lrence here. Erik is on his way. Can you send Joshua here?”

“Joshua is not here. He’s with Sara at her house. Do you want me to call him?” asked Joseph.

“No we’ll call there and get him. We’ll keep him here. He won’t be coming home tonight. We don’t know whether Erik will contact you tonight or wait until morning. He is a tall, blond man with blue eyes. Remember, if he or anyone else asks about Joshua, don’t tell them anymore than you would any stranger. If you are pressed, say he is away with friends and you are not sure where, but he should be back in a couple of days. As far as Sam and Maria are concerned, you are sure they are still in Guatemala. Go to work as normal. Don’t call me; they may be monitoring your phone. I’ll contact you.” Joseph agreed and Lrence hung up. He handed the phone to Helen. “Call Sara.”

Helen let the phone ring a dozen times. She tried Sara’s cell with the same result. She handed the phone back to Lrence. “There’s no answer.”

Maria’s eyes were wide with fear. Sam put his arm around her. Lrence took the phone back. He called Joseph back and asked for Joshua’s cell phone number.

Lrence put down the phone after several rings when Joshua didn’t answer. The tension in the room pulsed in the air. Still no one spoke. Kafra stood with her hand on Lrence’s shoulder as if to restrain him. Sam started pacing as Maria sank down on the bottom step, hugging herself.

Helen looked shaken. She broke the silence. “Do something. Something’s wrong. I know Sara never goes anywhere without her phone. I can’t imagine that Joshua would either.”

Lrence turned to Helen and said, “Let’s you and I go check out your house.”

Helen nodded taking off the lab coat.

Sam said, “I’m going with you.”

Maria stood. “Not without me.”

Kafra shook her head. She reached out and grabbed Lrence’s arm. “You can’t go, Lrence. It’s too dangerous. If Erik is in town, seeing you will ruin everything. You won’t be able to protect them. You’ll just get yourself killed. Let Sam and Maria go with Helen. He won’t recognize them from a distance. If they find out he has Joshua or Sara, then they can let us know and we’ll both go and rescue them.”

Lrence hesitated. He hated putting anyone else in jeopardy, but he couldn’t argue with Kafra’s logic. Going himself would do nothing but put everyone in danger. He nodded to Sam and Maria.

They picked up the phone and hurried to the car. Sam drove while Helen gave him directions. When they reached the house and he saw the silver Porsche sitting outside, Sam asked Helen, “Is that your car?”

“No. That’s Joshua’s car.”

Sam raised both eyebrows and looked at Maria.

She shrugged and said, “A girlfriend and a car. Our son has been busy.” They stayed in the car and watched while Helen got out her keys and opened the front door.

After only a few minutes, she came to the door and motioned for them to come in. “No one is here,” she said, “but Sara’s purse is still here with her cell phone inside. It doesn’t look like she went upstairs at all. Nothing has been disturbed. I looked in the garage and my car is still here. I don’t understand what could have happened to them.”

They called to let Lrence know that there was no sign of them and both cars were parked outside. He told them to stay there and wait.

Setting down the phone, Lrence paced up and down. “Where would Erik take them?” He asked Kafra.

“Calm down. We don’t even know if he has them. Vicki said he hadn’t left Washington yet. These are kids, Lrence. They could be anywhere, out with one of their friends. You need to give it some time. Wait and see if they come home or call,” she pleaded. When Lrence continued to pace, she went on, “Even if he is here, all he has is Joseph’s address. He doesn’t even know there is a connection to Helen and Sara.” She knew she needed to keep Lrence calm thinking out all the possibilities so he wouldn’t risk his life for them again. Even though she supported his quest to rid the earth of Qashur abuses, she wasn’t willing to allow him to risk his life. She had already given up everything—their home, their families, and their friends. She would not lose him too.

Lrence stopped pacing and thought about it. Then he shook his head. He wasn‘t buying it. “He could have followed Joshua from there to Sara’s.”

“Even if he did, why take them anywhere? Why not interrogate them right there? No one was home. He doesn’t know this town. He hasn’t had time to set up anything. I really think you’re jumping to conclusions.” She sat down hoping he would do the same.

“Fine Miss see-how-calm-and-logical-I-am. At what point do you think we should do something? Do we wait until he actually kills someone?” He flung the words at her.

Unfazed she glared at him. “Sarcasm, very mature. At least wait until Vicki calls back and tells us he’s here.”

He sat down defeated. Running his hand through his hair he said, “And then what? Kafra, how am I going to keep my promise to protect them? Once he scans Joshua, it’s over. I can’t kill Erik and even if I could it wouldn’t stop the Watchers from sending someone else.”

Hating to see him so despondent, she knelt down in front of him and said softly, “It’s not over yet. Have Joseph call around to Joshua’s friends and have them start looking for him. Get the rest of them back here. We’ll go back to the lab and test what we have. If we need to make a stand, it’s better to do it from here. If it comes to that, we can contact our friends for help. You may not be able to kill Erik, but I don’t think Remnr or Demitri would hesitate.”

“You could let them do that to a man you once loved?” he asked astonished.

She rocked back on her heels. “I don’t know. I do know I hate what Erik has become. He killed Cnoc and he tried to kill you.” She stood, determination etched in the lines of her mouth. “I’ll do whatever I have to.”