Ghost Light (19 page)

“Their immunization records—?” Cindy echoed hollowly.

Shit, this is it! This is the one goddamned thing I didn’t think of that’s gonna break me!

Mrs. Castine seemed not to notice Cindy’s reaction as she came around the side of the desk and said, “I do wish the teachers were here so your children could meet them, too, but our first teachers’ meeting isn’t until next Monday morning. Krissy—” She turned to the little girl, who had been standing silently beside the door throughout the interview. “I just know you’re going to love Ms. Remick. And Billy, I can’t make any promises, but I’ll see what I can do about putting you in the same class as Chris Russell and Michael Downing.” Then she turned to Cindy and added, “After we drop by Mrs. Lowry’s room, I can give you all a quick tour of the building so the children will have at least some idea where everything is.”

Cindy still hadn’t finished filling in the forms; her mind was still frozen on one thought—the immunization records. How was she going to get them? She looked up at Mrs. Castine, absolutely positive her face was sheet-white.

“But… but I don’t have their immunization records,” she said softly.

Mrs. Castine regarded her with one upraised eyebrow. Cold sweat ran down her sides from Cindy’s armpits, and the center of her stomach felt like it had turned to ice. She couldn’t take a deep enough breath. Suddenly she felt compelled to blurt out the whole truth to Mrs. Castine and let her handle it however she wanted to—or legally had to. Instead, she took a shallow breath and hoped, when she spoke, that her voice didn’t betray her.

“Those—uh, I had copies of their medical records in our car, too, and they were lost when it was stolen.”

“Well, then, it will be easy enough for us to contact your family doctor and ask him to send those records along. What was the name of your doctor back home?”

“Our doctor…” Cindy said softly as she stared down at her hand that was gripping the pen. She wanted to say that she had thought of that already, too, and had asked for a new set of records to be sent, but it was already too late; she had delayed too long.

“Yes, Mrs. Lowry will need the name of your family doctor so she can request the necessary information,” Mrs. Castine said. Her voice was still low and patient sounding, but Cindy was now absolutely convinced that the woman knew exactly what was going on, and that she would call the police the instant they left the school building.

“Oh, you mean Doctor Medford?” Billy piped in.

The whole time Cindy had been filling in the forms and talking with Mrs. Castine, he had been standing over by the bookshelves, looking at the assortment of sea shells that lined the cases. Cindy had assumed that he hadn’t been paying the slightest bit of attention to what the adults had been saying, but just then, she wanted to rush over and give him a gigantic hug and kiss.

“Yeah, sure, Doctor Medford,” Cindy said, her voice nothing but a weak echo of Billy’s as relief flooded through her. When she looked over at him, he made sure Mrs. Castine’s back was turned before giving her a quick smile and thumbs up signal.

Cindy vaguely remembered the time she had given Debbie and Billy a ride over to the doctor’s office to check out the sore throat he’d had for several days.

Billy couldn’t have been more than two or three years old at the time, so that would have been seven or eight years ago. She would never have dredged up that name without his help.

“And his office,” Mrs. Castine said, “that’s in Council Bluffs, too?”

She was leaning over her desk. Cindy could see that she had jotted down the name on a sheet of paper and was now poised to write down the phone number if Cindy could produce it.

“Uh—no, he’s in Omaha, right across the river,” Cindy said “Omaha and Council Bluffs are really one big city, you know, separated by the Missouri.”

She was frantically trying to remember what street the doctor’s office was on, but all she could recall was a sharp memory of the blustery winter day as she helped Debbie carry the sick boy into the doctor’s office. She remembered how the icy wind had blown harsh pellets of drifting snow across the parking lot and into their faces.

“I—you know, off hand I don’t remember the phone number. I should. Good Lord, with two kids, it seems like I’m calling the doctor every month with a runny nose or a sore throat or whatever. I’ll bet you I remember as soon as I’m back home, but—you know, with speed dial on the telephones now, it makes you forget the numbers you use all the time. If you can’t get the number from directory assistance, I can give his office a call later today and ask them to send the records along.”

Mrs. Castine placed her pen back on the desk and, looking like she wanted to say something but didn’t know how to phrase it, stared at Cindy intently for a moment. Cindy cringed beneath her gaze and hoped to hell that her nervousness wasn’t showing as much as she thought it was.

“No, I’m sure it’ll be fine if you just get the information from them and call me with it. I won’t be in all day tomorrow, but you can leave it with the secretary. Just make sure you call sometime before school starts, because I know Mrs. Lowry certainly won’t let them start school unless she has that information.”

“Oh, sure. No problem,” Cindy said. “Don’t worry. I’ll have it for you by Monday at the latest.”

She quickly finished filling in the forms and handed them over to Mrs. Castine. The top sheet had a wide, wet dimple where her sweaty hand had been resting on it. Her hands were shaking when she placed the pen back on the principal’s desk and stood up.

“Well, then, what do you say we drop by and see if Mrs. Lowry is back from lunch yet?” Mrs. Castine said. “After that, I’ll give you the fifty cent tour.”

“That’ll, be great,” Cindy said. Her voice still shook when she spoke. Her legs felt like rubber as she stood up and followed the woman and two children out into the hallway. Mrs. Castine walked beside Krissy, her hand resting gently on the little girl’s shoulder. Cindy and Billy followed a step or two behind them. As they went down the hallway, the children’s sneakers squeaking on the waxed floor, Cindy reached out and tapped Billy lightly on the shoulder. When he looked at her, she leaned close and whispered, “Hey, man, I owe you… Big-time!”

“I See the Moon”

A
lex had been anxious as hell to dial the telephone number he had copied from Harry’s calendar, but—at least so far—he had been able to hold himself back. But what had been a mild agitation throughout the drive east became almost intolerable when, on Friday morning, he crossed the bridge from New Hampshire into Maine. All along, he had figured he would find a cheap hotel room and get situated in Portland before trying to find out where Cindy was; but as he drove north on the Maine Turnpike, he was unable to resist the temptation any longer. Just outside of Portland, he pulled off the highway at a rest stop, dropped a quarter into a pay phone, and dialed the number.

It rang at the other end five times.

He was starting to lose his patience, and was just about to hang up when someone—a woman—picked up the receiver and said, “Hello—?”

Jesus Christ, is that really her?

A damp sweat broke out over his entire body, and for an instant, he forgot all about the cover story he had cooked up. His grip on the receiver tightened painfully, and he took a quick sip of breath before speaking.

“Yes, hello. Is this 3171?”

As he spoke, he tightened the muscles in his neck, hoping to distort his voice enough so—if this really was Cindy—she wouldn’t recognize him.

“Yes,” the woman said hesitantly.

“And am I speaking to the lady of the household?”

“Yes,” she said. A growing hint of suspicion colored her voice.

“Well, congratulations! Your telephone number has come up in our weekly random drawing.” In the background, he could hear at least two kids, yelling at each other. “May I ask you, ma’am, are there any children in your household?”

“Well… umm, yes,” the woman said, sounding even more guarded.

Alex’s face suddenly flushed with anger. He hoped to hell this was Cindy, but he still wasn’t absolutely sure.

For all he knew, this could be another one of Harry’s whores who had moved away. Alex wished there was some way he could draw this woman out, get her to say a full sentence instead of only one or two word answers. He had certainly never associated with Cindy any more than he had to—mostly because he could never stand the silly bitch and the negative influence she had on his wife!—but he was positive, if he could just get her to say a complete sentence, he would know if this was really her or not.

“And may I ask how many children you have?”

“Well, uhh—one… only one,” the woman said. Her voice was clipped and tight, still not quite enough for Alex to place it.

Fucking shit! This has to be her!

His heart thumped heavily in his throat, and his gaze went unfocused as he stared past the pay phone mere inches from his face.

“Begging your pardon, ma’am—”

Oh shit! That was a little too Mid-western sounding!

“—but I thought I heard more than one child, talking there in the background.”

It sure as hell sounded to him just like the little bastards had sounded back at home!

“Anyway—now tell me, ma’am, you live in the Greater Portland Area, is that correct?”

“Excuse me, but could I ask what this is all about?” the woman said.

Her voice was still high and tight with tension. Whenever she spoke, Alex held his breath, frantically trying to place it; but still, all he could determine was, whoever she was, she certainly had a Mid-western accent. Christ, she sounded just like someone from back home. How many people in Maine had accents like this?

“Well, ma’am, my name’s Chip Johnson, and I represent the Universal Children’s Encyclopedia Library,” Alex said. “I’m pleased to inform you that your telephone number has come up in our weekly prize drawing.”

“Thank you, but I’m not—”

“This means that you’ve won a free copy of this year’s
Universal Encyclopedia Science Yearbook
and are now eligible for a drawing, with a grand prize of a complete set of the
Universal Encyclopedia
. What do you think about that, ma’am?”

“Excuse me, sir, but I’m really not interested,” the woman said. This time when she spoke, her voice was lower, with a bit more control in it.

Christ, if that doesn’t sound just like Cindy! It has to be her!

Alex flushed with excitement. He felt just like he had when, as a little boy fishing for catfish in the Missouri, he had felt a subtle tug on the end of his fish line.

Steady, now. Gotta reel her in nice
’
n easy, now
, he cautioned himself.

“If you’ll just let me explain what’s involved here, ma’am. You see, the
Universal Science Yearbook
alone is a thirty-five dollar value, and the deluxe edition of our encyclopedia is worth well over a thousand dollars. Now, you said you had children, correct?”

Let’s see if I can catch her up in a little lie here
, he thought, smiling maliciously.

“Yes—uh, one child,” the woman replied, but, again, the nervous quaver tinged her voice. Alex could tell she was close to hanging up on him.

“Right… one,” Alex repeated. “Now, may I ask, is he or she of school age?”

“No, actually not yet,” the woman said. “She—she’s only three years old. Those—uh, children you hear in the background are some neighborhood kids who just stopped over to play with him—I mean, with her.”

“I see,” Alex said, smiling to himself. He was absolutely positive, now, that this was Cindy, and the paranoid bitch was lying through her teeth. The children he had heard squabbling in the background—and who now were silent, obviously hushed by Cindy’s angry signal—had to have been Billy and Krissy.

A cold anger stirred like a snake inside Alex, but he realized that it wasn’t so much from wanting to get his kids back as it was a desire to make Cindy pay for what she had done to him. All he had to do was keep her talking and soothe her suspicions, and he might eventually be able to draw her address out of her.

“I won’t take but a minute more of your time, ma’am,” Alex said, “but please let me explain.”

He had decided to go with his Mid-western accent, hoping that it would stir memories of home for Cindy and help lower her guard.

“You see, I’m working my way through college here in Maine. If I may say so without sounding too prying, you sound like you’re from out west somewhere, too. Do you mind if I ask where?”

“Well, I’m originally from… from Illinois,” the woman said. “My husband and I moved here some five years ago. Job related.”

Nice try, you fucking bitch!
Alex thought, fully convinced now that this was Cindy.

“Well, you don’t say!” Alex said, pouring the accent on thick now. “Why, I’m from Illinois, myself. Do you mind if I ask what part of Illinois you’re from?”

“It’s—uh, it’s a little town you probably never even heard of, called—uh, called Blue Point.”

“Nope,” Alex said, “I can’t say as I’ve ever heard of that place. I’m from just outside of Chicago, myself.”

He was silently pleased that he had pushed her so hard she had to make up such an elaborate lie. For a moment, he considered playing this awhile longer just to see if he could trip her up, but he decided that it was best just to get her address and be done with her… for now.

“But maybe—you know, as one transplanted Mid-westerner to another—you’d allow me to stop by your house so I can show you just what the Universal Encyclopedia has to offer.”

She hesitated for a lengthening moment, and Alex couldn’t repress the rush of almost sexual pleasure that filled him when he thought about the things he could do to her.

She’s gonna go for it! Jesus Christ! She’s gonna bite!

“No, I—I’m sorry,” she finally said. The tight control had come back to her voice, and her distanced tone of voice filled Alex with rage. “My child’s too young for something like that, and I’m really not interested.”

“Well, then, why don’t you give me your address so’s I can at least send you your free
Science Yearbook
. It’s loaded with interesting articles and contains a complete yearly account of the latest discoveries in medicine, astronomy, and all the other sciences. You might find some of these articles interesting yourself.”

“No. Thank you, but no,” the woman said, her voice even steelier.

A flash of anger filled Alex, and for a dizzying instant, he was tempted to reveal to her exactly who he was and let her know that he knew where she was, and he was coming to get her
and
the kids!

But he took a deep breath and let that feeling pass, knowing that it would be foolish, after coming this far, to blow it with a single phone call. She’d be packed and on the run again, and he’d have a hell of a time trying to run her down. No, he needed her to feel safe and secure so she would stay in one place. Besides, this was his first attempt to find out exactly where she was, not his last. Now that he knew from the exchange number he had dialed that she was staying somewhere in the Portland area, it was just a matter of time until he found her. Portland couldn’t be
that
big a city! He’d just have to come up with some other way to find out where she lived.

Clearing his throat, he said, “Well, ma’am, as one fellow Midwesterner to another, I’m real sorry that you’ve decided not to take advantage of this remarkable opportunity. Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Thanks for calling, and—and good luck.”

“Why, thank you very much—” Alex said, and then he hung up. “—
You fucking bitch!
” he added through clenched teeth.

He still gripped the handle of the receiver tightly with one hand. His head was throbbing, and his vision blurred. His face felt flushed, and his body was slick with sweat as he exhaled noisily, leaned forward, and rested his head against the telephone, trying to compose himself.

He couldn’t stop thinking,
Shit, I was so close… I was so fucking close!

His throat was constricted, and his breathing came in high and fast gulps. A hammering pulse filled his ears like the heavy pounding of horse’s hooves. He glanced around the parking lot to see if anyone was watching, and when he saw that the coast was clear, he clenched his fist into a tight ball and, grunting loudly, punched the glass window of the phone booth. A spider web of white lines shot out from the center of impact, but even after he punched the window three more times, shouting out his pent-up rage, he didn’t feel any better. Wave after wave of vibrating darkness folded over and around him like tumbling storm clouds flecked with exploding wires of white lightning.

Jesus H. Christ, I was so close!

He was so filled with anger, he knew he could easily kill someone just then, and he wished to God he had Cindy’s throat in his hands.

“I almost had her!” he shouted, so loud his throat felt like it ripped wide open. “
I almost fucking HAD her!
”

2

“W
ho was that? Billy asked, as he handed his Nintendo controller over to Krissy and turned to look at Cindy.

“Oh—no one… just an encyclopedia salesman,” she replied from her seat on the couch.

“Auugghhh! … Salesman!” Billy shouted, his face split by a wide grin as he repeated one of his favorite lines from the old “Pee Wee Herman Show”: “I’m going door to door to make you this incredible offer!”

Cindy smiled weakly as her mind churned over the phone conversation. Although she couldn’t quite place it, there had been something about the encyclopedia salesman—something in his tone of voice,
something
that bothered her.

Maybe simply hearing a voice that sounded so much like the way people spoke back home was what filled her with a sullen sense of loneliness and longing. It was probably nothing, she concluded, just something in the tone or pitch of that young man’s voice that had gotten to her. She didn’t like the way she had lied to him, but—obviously—she felt extremely protective about her privacy, and she certainly didn’t intend to reveal the truth about her situation to
anyone
, especially not a complete stranger.

In some way, although he’d had a pleasant enough voice and manner about him, there had definitely been that subtle pushiness she always associated with salesmen. Maybe that’s all it was that had set her off.

Maybe.

But for some reason, she sensed that it was more than that.

Something was eating away at nerves, making her feel jumpy and… threatened.

Panic rippled through her suddenly like an electric current. Her breathing came fast, and it burned her throat as if she had just finished running a couple of miles. The walls of the dingy, drab apartment started to squeeze in on her, like a steadily tightening grip. Her eyes darted around the apartment as though she suddenly
knew
she and the children were in grave danger, and she had to locate the nearest, fastest escape route. Her body was cold and tingling as she got up from the couch and began pacing back and forth across the living room floor. Krissy was too involved with the Nintendo game to notice, but she saw that Billy had registered her reaction and was watching her carefully.