INK: Abstraction (21 page)

“Shay, all of
this worries me. I mean, what is the Specter?” he asks with
such a confused expression.

“I don’t
really know. I do know that Carl is teaching me to fight him. I know
that I’ve been marked by the Specter and he will haunt me until
I can figure out a way to get rid of him.” I pause, afraid to
say the next words out loud. “But I don’t know if it can
be done. How do you get rid of the air? It feels like the Specter is
just like the air, seeping in through any nook or cranny.”

Eli wraps his arms
around me for comfort. “I don’t understand any of it, but
I understand your determination. You’ll figure it out and I’ll
be right by your side when you do.”

“Oh, so you’re
going to protect me from the Specter?” My hands caress the back
of his neck.

“Oh hell no, I’m
going to stay close to you so you can protect me, that thing is
creepy as hell and scares the living shit out of me.” He lays
me back on the bed and turns, leaning up on his elbow, and says with
a big grin, “Will you protect me from the Specter?”

“Asshole.”
I smack him with a pillow, laughing. “Don’t mock me.”

“Ouch.” He
shields himself from the next pillow onslaught. “I’m
serious.”

“Whatevs.”
I giggle and land my head on his chest, which is incredibly inviting
and even more comfortable. “Maybe the meditation can wait.”
I snuggle in.

He pulls me in closer,
smelling my hair. “Get some rest, I’ll be right here.”

I slip into the comfort
of being this close to Eli. Something inside me knows that even
though everything is a glorious mess, it’s going to be okay.

Harry

Shayleigh
and Eli close the bedroom door, completely dismissing us. She’s
got to understand this is something we have to talk about. What I saw
here today was a complete game changer. I don’t know if this
was some sort of illusion or what the hell it was, but I certainly
know it’s way out of my league, so it has to be out of hers.

Miranda glares at Carl,
who’s on the phone, probably trying to reach McNab. I’d
like to speak to him myself. I’m not sure exactly what
happened, but he disappeared pretty perfunctorily. She turns to me.
“Harry, we can’t help her if she doesn’t talk with
us.”

“I understand
that, but why don’t we let her get settled in. I’m sure I
have as many questions as you do, probably more,” I answer,
trying to avoid speaking directly about what I just saw.

“I don’t
want to alarm you, but the organization is getting impatient with the
lack of progress. We don’t have any answers, but we have
several dead bodies and the number is growing.” She tilts her
head to the side as a show of sympathy. “I’m not sure how
much longer I can hold them off.”

“Hold them off
from what?” Carl asks, standing directly in front of us.

Miranda turns her body
fully toward me, excluding Carl from the conversation. “We have
to solve this fast; we have to figure out how to disarm the Specter.
I would like to approach this by not having to throw your baby away
with the bathwater. But if we don’t do something soon, it won’t
be up to me.”

“What are you
saying? Are trying to say that Shayleigh is in danger from the
organization?” I’m immediately incensed and stand to get
some distance from Miranda.

“No, Harry, it’s
just that we need to diffuse this and fast. People have to stop
dying. As it is, Shay doesn’t have an alibi for Nigel’s
murder, and what if they do find Aiden’s body in the river,
what then?” Her tone is calm and I notice how many times she’s
addressed me by name to continue to create a sense of familial
safety. I may have been out of the cop game for a while, but you
don’t forget these tactics.

“Miranda, my
little girl isn’t murdering people and we are going to figure
out who is. Not to mention we have another case to solve, namely who
kidnapped and tortured her. Or have you forgotten what she’s
just been through?” My tone is metered so as not to show
weakness in my outrage.

“Aiden’s
body is not in the river,” Carl chimes in and turns to me.
“Harry, Miranda is an absolute threat to Shay.” There’s
boiling rage in his tone as he turns to leave. He stops in the
hallway door and turns to face Miranda, branding her with his anger,
“I won’t let you hurt her.”

“Carl.”
Miranda calls to him with an offended tone, but he ignores her
completely.

I sit and stare at
Miranda for a solid minute. I don’t know what to make of
everything I’ve heard and seen today. “Miranda, why would
Carl be concerned about you hurting Shayleigh?”

“Carl and McNab
apparently have a low opinion of me. McNab and I have had some
personal dealings that really aren’t relevant to this case.”
She stands and goes to the kitchen. I’m not sure if this is a
way to avoid eye contact with me. “He’s letting his
personal feelings get in the way of this investigation, and that’s
one reason why I want them away from this case. They aren’t
helping, Harry, they are creating delusions in Shay that she can
actually handle this.”

“But what is
‘this’?” Even though I have more questions about
her prior dealings with McNab I need to focus on Shayleigh.

“This is a
supernatural haunting that’s manifesting itself in the form of
murder.” She sits back on the couch with a bottle of water.

“I really don’t
understand. Remember, I was always brought in to find killers, not
chase ghosts. I had no idea the organization was involved in
paranormal explanations.” I really didn’t. They brought
me in as a troubleshooter. I was someone who could analyze the case
data, ask the right questions and determine whether the person of
interest was the killer or not.

“Well Harry, the
less you knew about the cases and the paranormal aspect the more
objective you could be when finding the perp,” Miranda's tone
is dismissive.

“So what is your
role in all of this?” Isn’t this the million dollar
question?

“I’m
brought in to eliminate the paranormal threat. That’s what I’m
going to do with Shay, figure out how to get rid of the Specter.”
She says it simply.

“Do you think we
can?” I ask, unsure.

Miranda leans forward
and puts her hand on my knee. “I know we can, Harry. It’s
all going to be okay. I just have to come up with an approach that
will be…satisfying.”

Miranda’s words
do nothing to set me at ease. I’m still concerned about
Shayleigh and wonder what kind of danger she’s really in
between her kidnapper, this ghost thing and now Miranda. Protecting
her is going to take a team.

“Harry, have you
thought about what you’re going to do about this kidnapping
situation?” Miranda asks, guarded.

“Yes, I’m
going to find out who did this.”

“She’s
already fingered Glass for it,” Miranda goads me. “Unless
you don’t believe her.”

“I don’t
know what to believe. I do know that Shayleigh going after Glass will
be a disaster. He’s a cop, he has an alibi and there’s no
physical evidence to connect him to her.” I itemize the holes
in Shayleigh’s theory.

“Yes, but she’s
certain she saw him there. What do you make of that?”

“I don’t
know what to make of it. What I do know is that aside from everything
else, he’s a cop, and I don’t believe he would do this.”

“So you believe
this guy over your own daughter?” she asks, raising her brow.

“I’m afraid
I do. I’m not sure what’s been going on with her lately,
but she’s been very…different.” I can’t
bring myself to say that I think she could possibly be losing it.

“That’s
interesting.” Miranda taps her finger on her water bottle.
“Very interesting.”

The doorbell rings,
keeping me from figuring out how to backpedal the implication that I
don’t believe in Shayleigh. Pitch and Quag come in the house
carrying equipment. Pitch pushes past me with a perfunctory nod. Quag
stutters out, “H-H-Hello Mr. Baynes, Carl asked us to come
back.”

“He’s in
the back.” I point toward the hallway.

“Well if it isn’t
Scooby and the gang.” Miranda stands up, straightening her pant
legs. “Where’s Fred?”

“Shut the fuck up
Miranda.” Pitch’s tone is flat, and he turns to Quag.
“Carl didn’t say this bitch was going to be here.”

“Aw, boys, I’m
feelin’ the love.” Miranda brushes by Pitch straight to
Quag, putting her finger under his chin. “What’s wrong?
Haven’t you boys solved a mystery yet today and gotten a Scooby
snack from McNab?”

“The only mystery
I can’t solve is why your parents didn’t drown you in a
burlap sack when you were hatched.” Pitch’s tone is
precise as he turns to me. “Thank you, Mr. Baynes, the guest
room?” Pitch smiles and walks past Miranda as though she wasn’t
there, but Quag gives her a wide birth.

“Yes, down the
hall on the left.” I point to lead the way. I study Miranda for
a moment. “McNab’s team really don’t much care for
you.”

“No, of course
they don’t. They are college intern sycophants who worship
every word that falls out of McNab's mouth. They don’t bother
me one bit. If they did, I’d be in the wrong business.”

I nod, knowing I’m
not going to get anymore from her about this. I’m going to have
to ask McNab point blank if I want any answers regarding this.

Carl

Everything
is getting way out of control, and where the hell is McNab? He’s
not answering his phone. He can’t do this, not with Miranda
here; half of her vendetta revolves around him. I won’t have
him being the one putting this girl in more danger. I dial the main
office.

“Paranormal
Transmissions, this is Lori.”

“Lori, it’s
Carl. I need to talk to McNab, now.”

“Carl, honey, I’m
sorry. I’ve not been able to reach him since yesterday.”
She sounds as disappointed as I am, but I know better.

“Lori, get him on
the satellite and tell him if he doesn’t call me he's going to
lose her.” I hate taking a tone with her, but damn it, McNab
has to stop disappearing like this. I need him to help me diffuse
this entire Miranda situation.

“Yes Dr. Wayne.”
Lori’s hurt tone instantly makes me feel like shit, but I don’t
have time.

“Oh, Lori, I’m
sorry. You know things are bad down here. I don’t need you
playing the wounded sparrow,” I tell her.

“Yes, sir. I’ll
get him on the sat.” She says, “Is there anything else?”

“No, Lori,
and…have a good day.” I hang up the phone. Of course I
feel like the biggest ass hat on the planet for snapping at her.

“Hey Carl, where
should we set up?” Pitch is standing in the doorway.

“Probably in the
living room, that’s where the most recent activity was.”
I think, honestly, we need to just follow Shay around, that’s
where it will all happen.

“’Kay boss,
you got it,” Pitch says, turning around in an exaggerated
motion.

“But, um,”
Quag looks at the floor, then me. “Miranda’s in there.”

“I know, try to
ignore her. Don’t talk to her.”

Pitch turns back around
and stands in the doorway. “Hey man, are you okay? You seem
rattled.”

“I
am
rattled, this whole situation is a ticking time bomb that I can’t
diffuse.” I can’t believe I’m saying that out loud,
but this is not going well for any of us.

My cell phone buzzes.
“Hey, it’s McNab, I need to take this.”

“Sure thing,
we’ll get set up.” Quag follows behind Pitch.

“McNab, where the
hell have you been?” I bark.

“Carl, we have a
problem.” McNab sounds winded and definitely frazzled.

“We certainly do.
I need you back here ASAP,” I tell him.

“Carl, listen to
me. I can’t find Aiden.”

“Aiden isn’t
a concern to us right now. I’m not even sure why you’re
looking for him.” I’m so irritated right now.

“I’m
worried about him; he’s just fallen off the face of everything
and isn’t responding. His tracker has been stationary for two
weeks now.” McNab’s breathing is labored.

“What the hell
are you doing? Where are you?”

“I’m in
Africa, almost to the coordinates of the—” The phone goes
silent.

“McNab?”
Nothing. I look at the phone to be sure the call is still connected.
“McNab!”

“No.” He
whispers into the phone.

“What is it?”
McNab is rarely befuddled, and sadly he seems to be more often these
days, but we all are.

“The hut’s
been ransacked. Something bad happened here.” McNab sounds
disturbed.

“What are you
seeing?” I ask in a metered tone.

“I’m seeing
the symbols on the walls in blood.” His voice is shaky.

“The symbols from
the crime scenes?” I ask in disbelief.

“Yes, but Aiden’s
not here.” I hear McNab shuffling around.

“McNab, you have
to get back here. You need to come home. She needs you.”
Hopefully appealing to his inner knight in shining armor will get him
out of there.

“Carl, I’m
not sure what’s happening here. He should have been safe here.”
McNab’s voice has dropped to a lower register.

“Did you hear me?
Shay
needs
you here.”

“That’s why
you’re
there,” he says, distracted.

“No, McNab, I
can’t do this on my own. Miranda saw the Specter.”

There’s a tick of
silence on the other end. “How did this happen, Carl? You are
supposed to be keeping the Specter at bay.”

“I’m having
some trouble, there’s interference. I can’t be sure why,
but he’s getting stronger and bolder. He manifested himself
around her. He still can’t get in, but I’m concerned that
with a few more kills he won’t care about being with her and
just flat out
possess
her. Then we’re in deep shit.”

“So, what was
Miranda’s reaction?” McNab asks cautiously.