Forever Young: Blessing or Curse (Always Young Trilogy) (28 page)

“So
did I, but for some reason she’s gone MIA. Not only that, I had someone do a
well being check and her mail hadn’t been picked up, and it looked like she
hadn’t told anyone she was leaving. I hope she didn’t do something crazy. I’m
kind of worried about her. After all those wild things she said, God knows what
she may have hatched up in her fertile brain.”

“Do
you think she’s gone off the deep end?”

“I
hope not. I really don’t know which is worse, her going zonkers or if what she
imagined is true. They’re both unpleasant scenarios. I’m glad at least you’re
leading a normal life, except for that part about not getting any. That has to
be tough.”

Kelly
laughed. “You forget. It’s the norm for me and Doug.”

“Well,
there’s always chocolate.”

“Don’t
worry. I’ve got a stash.”

A
sudden contraction made Dorrie wince and change her position on the chair.

“Are
you all right?”

“I
think so. I’ve been getting what they call Braxton Hicks contractions. My gyne
said it’s normal and not to worry unless they’re closer together than twelve minutes
and they keep happening. So far, they’re coming and going, but not sticking
around. They’re more annoying than anything else. ”

“I
notice you’ve already dropped.”

“I’ve
got three weeks, give or take, to go. Pretty soon it’ll happen, and I’m
horribly nervous.”

“It’s
awesome you’ll be a mom. I can hardly wait to see the baby. Will you take off
work soon?”

“I
hope to stay through next week. My duties here aren’t that difficult. All I do
lately is sit around while Patricia shows off her greatness.”

“How’s
she coming along with the pill? Does she look any younger?”

“It’s
still too early. So far only a few less wrinkles around the eyes, which is
normal.  I’m sure when the pill kicks in, she’ll be a knockout. She
wouldn’t allow anything less.”

“Maybe
not. Wouldn’t that be scrumptious if, after you had your baby, Roman begged you
to come back?”

“I
should be so lucky. I doubt that will be the case.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

The
video of the two women seated in the Institute’s lunchroom faded to black on
the basement monitor’s screen.

“Very
helpful, wouldn’t you say? Now we know exactly where the widow stands, or
should I say sits?” the squat man said, with a laugh.

The
man’s attempt at humor only heightened Roman’s tension. He could tell where the
conversation was headed.

“I
detect jealousy from your star pupil. She’s a time bomb. I’ve since installed
bugs in her backyard near that bench she’s become so fond when she receives her
cell phone calls. I expect them to prove informative. It’s time she’s out of
the picture.”

“We’ve
gone over this before. I can control her. No matter what she suspects, she’s
hooked on the pill and it will keep her tethered. She can’t afford to go off
it.”

“She’s
a wild cannon. There’s no telling what she’ll do or say. What happens if she
turns altruistic and goes public?”

“She’s
won’t risk the kid. Besides, she’s still not sure what’s going on.”

“No
more chances. No more waiting and wondering. I’m setting my own due date. Bring
her here next Friday after work, however way you can. I’ll handle the rest.”

“By
the rest, I assume you mean the delivery.”

“If
you want to call it that.”

Roman’s
blood ran cold. He wouldn’t put it past the man to perform a cesarean section
without sedatives to assure prime condition of the harvested materials. “The
stems cells are absolutely necessary?”

“I’ve
come this far. Why not go all the way? I’m anxious to get my hands on that
placenta and umbilical cord.”

With
a sinking feeling, Roman nodded. “After the delivery, I assume the mother will
be disposed of.”

“The
poor dear will die at childbirth. The world will believe she disappeared into
oblivion, as so many public figures are wont to do when their celebrity status
becomes too bothersome.”

“What
about the babe?”

“Do
I detect a paternal instinct? That is so unlike you, pretty one. Tell you what,
if you behave, I’ll throw in the little bugger as a bonus, but don’t let it
sidetrack you from your job. The redhead should be ready to trot out soon, but
if she doesn’t pan out, we still have the widow’s promo in the can, and the
test market subjects in the wings.”

“The
redhead may die?”

“You
knew that. Don’t play dumb. Depends if the radioiodine dose was right. If not,
no great loss. She’s just candy for the public eye. We’ve got those other test
subjects starting, some male. They’ll be the real test for my purposes.”

Roman
knew he should feel bad for the way Patricia was being used, but couldn’t
summon much sympathy for her. From the way she’d been treating Dorrie, her
blood ran almost as cold as the squat man across from him.

Dorrie
was another story. She’d gotten to him like no woman had. He’d felt her pain at
the death of her husband. Knowing the danger in store for her, he’d been
relieved when she managed to survive the young pill’s regimen.

He
didn’t kid himself he could ever be close to her, not in his position. The next
best thing would be to share the child he’d inadvertently made possible.
Unfortunately, if the man across the desk had his way, Dorrie would never catch
a glimpse of that child, much less live to watch it grow up.

“Clear?”

Way
too clear. Roman stood up. “Got it.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

In
the dimness of the room, the man detected the indecision in the handsome one’s
eyes. Frowning, he watched Roman leave. The pretty one better come through or
he’d regret it big time.

***

Dorrie
yawned as she maneuvered her unwilling body up the garage steps into the house.
Who would guess she’d get so tired from doing practically nothing. She cheered
herself with the thought of only a little over a week left to put up with
Patricia. After that, she could stay home and await the baby’s arrival in
peace.

In
the kitchen, she patted her stomach. “Oh, baby, I hope you’re not late, because
you are really dragging me down. I feel so fat and bloated. Someday I’ll tell
you all about it.”

Hopefully,
her story would not include a long and painful labor. She was not looking
forward to that part of the mix. She wanted this baby so much she refused to
consider other possibilities.

Time
to get food into her expanded tummy before she fell asleep. She needed all the
nourishment she could get.

***

Friday
evening, as Dorrie bit into the submarine sandwich she’d picked up on the way
home from work, her cell phone rang. Darn and blasted, she was starving, but
better answer. Maybe it was Jeanne. In that case, she’d be worth the wait. Each
day without word of her friend increased the possibility of foul play.

With
shaky fingers, she pulled the phone from her purse. Caller ID showed Keith
again. Well, maybe he’d figured out something about the pill. Then, at least
one mystery would be solved. Sandwich forgotten, she clicked to answer.

“Where
are you?”

“On
the couch.”

“Better
go in the yard.”

“Okay,
hold on.”

She
groped with her feet for her shoes under the table, pushed herself up with her
hands on each side to launch her awkward body off the chair, and carefully made
her way out the patio door.

“I
did some tests on the pill you sent. The formula is identical to the one Larry
cited.”

“Are
you sure? You only had one pill. Maybe you need more.”

“Trust
me. They’re the same. The basic ingredients are simple. Anyone could throw them
together if they knew how. If I wanted to, I could manufacture the pill myself.
Of course, I wouldn’t, because putting it on the market would be dangerous.”

 “The
thyroid problem?”

“That’s
the main concern. Count yourself lucky you had a bad thyroid to begin with, or
you wouldn’t be talking to me now. Also, we can’t rule out the addiction
factor. It may be impossible to pry you off of it.”

Anger
roiled in her stomach. “Roman lied to me. Why?”

“The
stakes are high. Again, I really don’t like how this is headed. Seems Jeanne
may have been on target about your house being bugged, which leaves the field
wide open to other possibilities. What about Larry’s death?  Maybe it
wasn’t an accident.”

Dorrie
almost dropped the phone, but caught it at the last minute. “Oh, my God. After
Roman explained it all so tidily, even about the guard being gone, I had no
reason to doubt him. I can’t believe this. Have I been working all this time
for the man who killed my husband? And now, maybe Jeanne, too?”

She
couldn’t bear the thought. She pressed her eyes shut to make the visions go
away. Keith had to be wrong.  

“Dorrie,
don’t fall apart on me. There could be a logical explanation for all of this,
but I had to make you aware, just in case.”

She
took a deep, trembling breath. “You’re right, Keith, and I appreciate your
concern. Much as I want to, I can’t afford to come unglued now, not with the
baby to consider. You said you can make the formula?”

“No
problem.”

“Then,
please, can you make some up for me, as soon as you can? I only have the
month’s supply and can’t do without them, at least not yet.”

“How
will you get them? You can’t stay where you are. It’s too dangerous.”

“I
don’t know where to go. If I came by you, you’d be in danger. You’re already in
this too much.”

“Tell
you what. Once you get away, give me a call from a safe phone. Then we can set
up a course of action, including how to get more pills to you.”

“Thanks
so much, Keith. I appreciate your help. Now I better get off the phone so I can
throw some things together and get out of here.”

“No,
that would look too obvious. Leave everything as is. Remember the bugs.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Dorrie’s
mind spun in dizzying circles. The enormity of what she’d heard was too hard to
assimilate.

If
 Keith’s suppositions were true, Roman’s angelic visage masked a vile
inner creature. To think Larry had been so excited to get such a wonderful
opportunity, and so eager to do well at the Institute. When his services had
become a threat, had he been discarded? It seemed impossible anyone could be
that heartless as to mow him down on purpose. It had to have been an accident.

There
must be a flaw in Keith’s reasoning, but she couldn’t think of one. Right now,
she didn’t have the option of allowing Roman the benefit of the doubt, not with
the baby’s life on the line. She must arm herself and the child with distance,
the only weapon at their disposal. No waiting for validation.  

Too
bad it was so hard to move. Dorrie pulled herself off the bench and treaded
back into the house.

She
had to get out, yet her mind stalled in denial. Appetite gone, she wrapped her
submarine sandwich in foil to take with. She performed other ordinary motions,
such as stashing the dishes in the dishwasher, and turning off the television.
At least if anyone watched, she’d seem to be carrying out normal activities.

She’d
wasted too much time in denial and could delay no longer. Dorrie grabbed a
bottle of water, along with the rest of her sandwich, plus some animal crackers
as a snack, and checked to make sure her credit card and license were in her
purse. She threw in an extra batch of checks from the kitchen desk drawer, and
then grabbed a sweater to pull over her dress. She wished she could wear jeans,
but at this stage even the maternity ones binded her.

After
a last look around, she turned the doorknob leading to the garage.  

Dorrie
had almost made it down the stairs, before she remembered her Forever Young
pills still sat on the counter. She clambered back up the garage steps and into
the kitchen, where she grabbed them and stashed them in her purse. She couldn’t
believe she’d almost forgotten something so important. Thank goodness, she’d
remembered in the nick of time.

As
she stood at the top of the stairs and locked the door behind her, a feeling of
unreality gripped her, much like when she’d seen Larry taking his last breaths.
This horrible nightmare could not be happening. Any minute she’d wake up and
find Larry lying beside her in their safe and familiar Tomahawk, Wisconsin bed.

If
only that were possible.

She
climbed into the Hyundai. Though the seat was pulled back as far as it would
go, her huge belly still rested against the bottom of the steering wheel. They
should make cars with the pregnancy option, she fleetingly thought, before
gunning the motor and pressing the opener. Rumbling followed as the garage door
slowly opened.