Possession (7 page)

* * * *

Sam awoke with a start, heart pounding and sweat rolling off of his body. For a long minute he lay there amid the tangled sheets, listening. Waiting. When the scent of freshly perked coffee drifted on the air, he let himself relax.

This is the way it had been for the past month, waking up, wondering if the past few weeks had been a nightmare or reality. Wondering if his half-brother was still a walking dead man, existing in that twilight zone of dreams.

Four years separated him and Kiel. He barely remembered his stepdad taking him to the hospital to visit his mother soon after she’d given birth. It was easier to recall the times growing up when he’d bullied and beaten up on his younger brother. Then, later, when they were in school, the times he had stood behind Kiel and defended him against those who tried to make hamburger out of him.

He didn’t remember his own father. His mother had told him that some men didn’t have the capacity to love others. Sam’s father was one of those men. It wasn’t his fault or hers that the man had left her alone, unmarried and pregnant. Which was why, when Michael Stark had come along and decided to take him and his mom to a different town and start a new life together, he had been relieved to finally have a real house he could live in, a man he could call dad, and later a little brother to play with.

Like all siblings, they’d had their rough moments. But as they grew older that familial love had become something more, something stronger. Dad died from a heart attack when Sam was a senior in high school. Mom passed away less than three years ago. Leaning on each other for support, both he and Kiel had attended community college and worked many part-time jobs to help pay for their tuition and books, as well as the bills. Once he earned his degree in criminal justice, Sam had gotten a job with the local police force. When he got promoted to detective, he had transferred to the big city, and Kiel had followed right behind, first with the hometown station, then copied the promotion to detective and a move to the city.

That was where all similarities ended between him and his little brother. Where Sam was tall, dark, and built like a cowboy accustomed to wrangling hardheaded cattle, Kiel was smaller and shorter in stature, more compact, and with hair the color of ripe corn. But, man, the guy was tough. Which was probably why he was one of the best when it came to working with the DEA. While Sam preferred to work straight homicide, Kiel often loaned himself out to help bust drug runners and meth labs, going undercover and playing a part that was Oscar worthy.

When the department had gone in to support the DEA’s latest target, Sam hadn’t been surprised to learn Kiel was in the thick of it. What no one had expected was for Kiel’s cover to be blown. Too clearly Sam could remember the bile rising in his stomach when he’d been forced to watch his brother being taken away by two unidentified perps in the middle of the firestorm. A week of emotional agony followed as everyone waited for news or a ransom demand.

And then came the day Kiel had shown up on his front porch—scarred, confused, bloody, and dead.

After stopping in the bathroom, Sam went into the living room on his way to the kitchen. He expected to see the man in his favorite seat near the front picture window, but the chair was empty. Neither was he in the kitchen, but the coffee was ready, meaning he had been here.

It was a struggle every morning to wake up now, wondering if Kiel had departed overnight. It was a daily battle to convince himself all over again that the man was an impossibility. Something that should never exist. And then the man would be there, looking solid and real, like he belonged among the living. Only later to do something nonliving that would remind them both how unreal their lives had become.

“Kiel? Where are you?”

“Backyard.”

He noticed the back door was open. Walking over to the screen door, he glanced outside at the patio. Kiel was standing in the sunlight, staring out into the distance. He was wearing another suit that couldn’t have been bought with a week’s worth of pay. Sam was amazed someone hadn’t questioned him before now about his wardrobe.

“You okay?”

Kiel gave a grunt. “Oh, yeah. Peachy.”

Going back to pour himself a cup of coffee, Sam dropped two slices of bread into the toaster for a quick breakfast. They had a little less than an hour to get to work. He figured he had time to take a shower before they had to face the traffic.

“Sam, I got a problem.”

“Mmm?” Sam glanced up from his toast to see Kiel staring out the window over the sink. He hadn’t heard the screen door squeak open and close, meaning the man had materialized inside like a wraith.

“It’s J.”

“What about her?”

“I think I’m in love with her.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit, Kiel. Are you sure?”

“No, I’m not sure,” Kiel spat back. “How the hell would I know what love is when I’ve never felt this way before?”

“How do you know it’s not something related to your, uhh, to you being dead?”

“Oh, that’s rich. Like I have to be dead to know I’m in love?” Pivoting around, Kiel headed for the living room with Sam in tow.

“So are you going to tell her?”

Kiel whirled around to face his brother. “Tell her what? Why? What can I offer her, Sam? Huh? What? Tell me, what kind of future can I offer someone like her? And then while you’re at it, explain to me why something this special and fantastic doesn’t happen to me until after I’m dead!”

“You can’t beat yourself up like this, Kiel. You don’t even know if J feels the same way.”

Perching his hands on his hips, Kiel fidgeted a moment, then turned to look back at his brother. “I went over there last night.”

“You what?”

Kiel nodded. “I went over to apologize for all that crap she had to go through yesterday. And to explain why I’m…” He waved a hand from his head down to his waist. “This way.”

“What’d she say?”

“Not much. I-I kissed her.”

Sam raised both eyebrows in surprise but remained silent.

“And then I left.”

“Instead of giving her the chance to say ‘yea’ or ‘nay’?”

“I was afraid.”

“Of what? Rejection? Boy, talk about a doo-doo head,” Sam quipped, using a name he’d often used on his younger sibling when they were children. Kiel narrowed his eyes at him. Recognizing that expression, Sam threw his hands up in surrender. “Hey, toss that evil eye in another direction, bro. I’m giving you my honest opinion, unless it’s something you’re not wanting from me at the moment. And if it isn’t, tough shit. Too late.”

“You know I can’t offer her any sort of future.”

“Yeah, you’ve already said that. But I think you’re missing the whole point here, Kiel.”

“That being?”

“I don’t know what the good Lord intended when He let you end up this way. We may never find out. But I do know that you’ve been given the chance at happiness. Dear God, you’ve found someone to love, and who’s willing to accept you without a warranty! Frankly, I’m jealous as hell, but you don’t see me crying and moaning because I’ve been left out, do you?”

“Sam.”

“Don’t ‘Sam’ me, Kiel Michael. Get your head out of your ass and get down on your knees, and thank the angels you’ve been given this chance to find someone like J. And while you’re down there, see if you can’t ask them to find someone like her for me as well.” He gave Kiel a crooked grin.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Finally Kiel glanced up at the clock on the wall above the television. “We need to get going or we’ll be late.”

Shaking his head, Sam rushed back to the bedroom and managed a quick shower before he got dressed. The ride to work was mostly silent until they neared the station.

“Now what, Kiel?”

“Well, she still wants to see the first two victims. Plus she wants to find out who owns that apartment building where our trio of victims was found.”

“That’s not what I meant and you damn well know it. What happens now between you and J?”

“Nothing happens, Sam. You know that as well as I do.” The man’s voice was firm, but Sam could tell when his brother was hurting and keeping it tightly bottled up inside.

“And what if she’s not willing to accept nothing?”

The look Kiel gave him was filled with regret, but his brother kept his lips pressed together in a thin line and remained silent for the rest of the trip.

They were just pulling into the parking lot when their call sign came over the radio. “Delta Echo Six Five, we copy,” Kiel answered as Sam slowed the car.

“Captain Redd requests you on two.”

“Copy. Delta Echo Six Five over to two.” He flipped the channels and mouthed the mic. “This is Delta Echo Six Five reporting in.”

“Reese, Stark, where are you two?”

“Sitting in the parking lot. Why?”

“We have another body. Looks like the sixth victim of the Shredder. I’m on my way over. You two go get our little lady and meet me over there.” The captain gave them the address then signed off.

Putting the car in reverse, Sam said, “You might want to call her and let her know we’re on our way.”

“She may already know it,” Kiel admitted, but accepted his brother’s cell anyway.

They could tell it was going to be another long day.

* * * *

Her heart had leaped when she heard his voice over the phone. Putting the receiver back in its cradle, J quickly swallowed the rest of her tea and put the mug in the sink before hurrying upstairs.

Sometime during the night she had accepted the fact that she couldn’t count on Kiel being here every day. Not when there was the undeniable truth that his existence could blow away at any second. Therefore she had to be willing to take any time she could have with him and cherish it for what it was. For whatever happiness it brought her.

Sam had to be going through sheer hell. Never knowing from day to day whether Kiel would be there. She ached in sympathy for him.

She was coming down the stairs when the front doorbell rang. Unable to mask the big smile on her face, she opened the front door to a radiance the size of a small sun.

“Good morning, J. Or is it Jackie? Jacqueline? Jenna? Jessie?”

J laughed openly and held out a hand for his arm. “Good morning, yourself, Casper. You don’t give up, do you?”

“When it comes to figuring out a puzzle, nope.”

To her delight, Kiel climbed into the backseat with her. The day even got brighter when he laced his fingers through hers and held her hand next to his thigh as Sam chauffeured them to the crime scene.

“This one’s going to be rough, J,” Sam tried to warn her. “Captain called it to our attention less than a half-hour ago.”

“They know for certain it’s our killer?”

“Yeah,” Kiel replied. “You heard what the press is calling him now?”

“Uh-huh. The Shredder.” Her body shuddered involuntarily at the image that suddenly flashed in her mind. The hand holding hers tightened perceptibly.

His thigh was warm and hard, like tough rope. Immediately the bloody image in her mind disappeared, replaced by the question of whether or not the rest of his body would be just as well-muscled. A flush of heat burned her face, forcing her to turn her head away from him and pretend she was looking out the other window. She wanted to run her hands over him, memorizing every line and detail so that after he was gone she would never forget. Every minute, every second now was a treasure she had to find a way of keeping. Store it away in her chest of memories. She always had an excellent mind for specifics. While she could, while they could, she wanted to learn everything about Kiel Stark.

Everything. Because her memories would be all she would have left of him after he was gone.

Clearing her throat, she tried to get herself into her work frame of mind. “Where is this place we’re going?”

“Believe it or not, it’s an alley in a residential neighborhood. Why? Are you getting some sort of signal?” Sam asked.

J couldn’t help but smile. It was nearly impossible to explain how she knew what she knew. Crap, it was even difficult for
her
to understand why. But it definitely wasn’t anything like receiving “signals”, as if she was some sort of human radio. No, it was better to let them think what they wanted to if they could get a better grasp of her abilities that way. “It didn’t sound like we were downtown.”

“You must have remarkable ears,” Kiel chuckled.

“You’d be amazed what I can hear, Detective. Don’t forget that when a person loses one of their senses, the others try to compensate for the loss. If what I’m hearing is correct, there should be an ambulance and I think four more cop cars waiting for us when we arrive.”

She was met with silence. No doubt the brothers were giving each other visual signals. She was about to ask another question when Sam picked up the mic. “Delta Echo Six Five, we copy.”

“Are you bringing the little lady with you?” a tinny voice inquired. She recognized Captain Redd’s gruff baritone.

“Affirmative. Our ETA is about seven minutes.”

“Copy that. You’d better circle the block and come in the back way.”

“Ten-four, Captain. Back door it is.”

“News media?” J said softly.

She felt a slight movement of Kiel’s hand.

“Has to be,” he answered her.

His thumb stroked the side of her hand. Whether it was intentional or second nature, she couldn’t tell, but she loved the touch. He had a callous between his thumb and forefinger. It surprised her how even the most minute distinctions on his body could be maintained when he needed to appear alive.

They continued on as they listened to the squawk box. Apparently the press wasn’t the only one crowding the scene, which gave J an idea.

“Kiel? Sam? You know, I don’t have to get right up on top of everything to read it.”

“What are you saying, J?”

“When we get there, let me walk around on my own. Sort of blend in with the neighborhood. That way you two can go do your police thing, and I get to evaluate without worrying about being spotted.”

“You sure, J?”

She flashed Kiel a warm smile. “Hey, who’s the seer around here? Yes, I’m sure. Like I said, I don’t have to stumble over the bodies to get impressions from them.”

“Sam?”

“Works for me,” the man behind the wheel acknowledged. “But are you going to be safe out there without one of us to lead you around?”

“Sure. I brought HANC with me.”

She heard Kiel chuckle again. “Okay, I give. Who’s Hank?”

Reaching inside the wide pocket of her shift dress, J pulled out the folded piece of equipment she often carried with her. “HANC. My handy-dandy, all-purpose, no-guide-required cane. H-A-N-C. HANC. Standard equipment for the blind. Fully collapsible. Requires no feeding or maintenance. Just twenty-four ninety-five at your local hospital supply company. All credit cards accepted.”

This time both men chuckled. A squeeze was pressed into her hand.

After a few more minutes she felt the car begin to slow and turn. Already she was aware of the rising noise level outside the closed windows. Sam muttered something she couldn’t decipher.

“Is the crowd blocking our way?” she asked.

“No. Fortunately they’re not giving us a second look after they spot the light on our dash. I’m going to pull in beside the other cars. Once we stop, you can slip out the door on your left side without much notice.”

“’Kay.”

Presently the car came to a stop. She heard Sam leave, and turned to where Kiel was still next to her. There was another squeeze to her hand, then he released it. “When you get out of the car, there’s a big tree straight ahead. Go to it, then look for the sidewalk running about a dozen yards feet just beyond it,” Kiel instructed. “If you take a right and keep to the sidewalk, it’ll take you around the block to the front of the alley where the barricades have been set up. We’ll wait there for you to return.” He paused, then asked again, “Are you sure about this, J?”

She managed a timid smile. “I’ll be fine. Go do your cop work, and I’ll do mine.”

Hesitating, she waited to see what he would do next. Hoping he would do what she felt in her heart he had to do. And she wasn’t disappointed. His mouth met hers in a tender but too-brief kiss. She breathed in the scent of musky male. A second later he was gone. There had been no second slam of the car door because Kiel had vanished.

Getting a firm grip on both her cane and her emotions, J slid across the seat and opened the door. The noise of the crime scene was like facing an auditorium filled with overzealous fans. But Sam had pulled into a virtual parking lot of police cruisers and squad cars. No one would notice the dull little figure leaving the unmarked vehicle as she slowly found her way to the large oak tree, then to the sidewalk a dozen yards past it.

Keeping the noise to her right, J steadily followed the sidewalk with a steady back-and-forth swing of her fiberglass cane, and the
tap-tap-tap
like a second heartbeat in her ears. There was no sense of the passing of time. It was something she never managed to get a handle on. Her life in the darkness was always the present. Five minutes felt like fifteen. An hour could be an entire morning, especially when she needed to concentrate her other sight on the job at hand.

Her cane encountered air. Carefully she reached out with the toe of her slipper to find the curb.
End of the block; turn the corner and continue on.

Now the sound was coming from up ahead. So far she hadn’t been able to receive any impressions from the scene. Then again, she had distanced herself from where the body was located about as far as possible and still be within the perimeter. Mentally steeling herself, J started down the sidewalk, taking extra care to watch out for cables and other paraphernalia the media may have strung out on their way to cover the crime.

As she drew nearer she began to make out the varying auras of the people gathered hoping to catch a morbid glimpse. She had told Kiel she didn’t know colors the way he did, the way sighted people did. Her knowledge of color was based on feelings and other forms of stimuli. Because of her mother’s and grandmother’s teachings, she knew red as heat, a flaring of warmth and light. Green was a coolness. Whenever she heard the leaves whispering in the trees, she would associate that sound with green, especially since Grandmama told her leaves were green. The earth was brown, its distinctive smell giving her a basic foundation for that shade. And so on.

The people gawking and watching behind the police barricades were throwing out rainbows of color. Children threw out the brightest auras, she’d discovered. The elderly had the dimmest. J stopped and smiled as a brilliant blue aura as strong as the summer sun went flying by her; the child’s laughter echoed in her ears.

She tried to spot Sam or Kiel in the cluster of auras on the other side of the tape. Once a man jostled her. He started to snap at her, then abruptly excused himself when he saw her unmoving, far-off stare and the simple cane.

Dammit.
She still wasn’t getting any kind of reading, good or bad. Thinking she had to move closer, J tried to maneuver her way through the crowd, when a tingling began to gnaw at the base of her neck. The tingling quickly morphed into a buzzing like an angry bee.

J shook her head. Her body was telling her something, but it wasn’t like any feeling she’d had in the past. In fact, it was a feeling she didn’t like, period.

Rather than move forward, she tried to make her way back to the sidewalk. Hopefully she could step a bit further away and try to make another attempt at approaching the police perimeter from a different angle. The tingling increased, and the buzzing grew in volume.

This wasn’t right. And holding her palms to her ears didn’t help reduce the chainsaw roar that was slowly escalating in her head.

Take a step backwards, J bumped into a couple of people and hastily begged their forgiveness. The tingling was bringing on a sense of claustrophobia. The chainsaw in her head was bringing on a headache.

She had never had this kind of reaction before. Which could only mean that something in this place was affecting her. What could be giving off these vibes that were starting to make her stomach churn?

Panic set in. J turned again, then realized she had lost her sense of direction. Was forward toward the sidewalk? Or back toward the crime scene? Reaching out with her free hand, she snagged a shirt. “Sir? Excuse me, but could you show me which way to the sidewalk? Please?”

The orange aura turned to look at her. Then, unexpectedly, he jerked his shirt from her grasp and moved away without speaking. J swiveled around. The auras were all around her, like a sea of multihued lights. Biting her lips, she took several deep, calming breaths and tried to fight the suffocating blanket closing around her. The buzzing sound remained loud and grating, filling her ears like the penetrating whirr of a dentist’s drill.

Lifting her chin, she tried again to move through the ocean of people. Tried to find a clearing or any kind of open area so she could make another effort to shake off this nauseating feeling sinking deeper and deeper into her soul.

She blinked. There was an open expanse of darkness directly in front of her. The auras remained to her left and right, but just ahead was a patch of emptiness hovering like a deserted island. Keeping her cane straight out and out, J started for the emptiness when an orb of incredible blackness walked directly in front of her.

Grandmama had said that J could see nothing but blackness. That blind people couldn’t perceive light the way sighted people could. There was nothing J could tell the woman to convince her that she saw blackness, too, because it was also a color. And in her sightless world, the color black was the color of a monster. It was the color of the middle of the night when the monsters came out of closets and from under the beds to take her and eat her, and do all sorts of horrific things to her. Black was the color of evil and sheer horror.

Black. Like this thing that was standing a few feet away.

It turned and stared directly at her. Death hung off of it like a stained and shredded shirt. It reeked of blood and bile. Terror froze her feet to the ground, preventing her from escaping as it straightened up. Then it smiled.

Fear shut down her lungs, until the only breath she had left was a mere whisper. “Noooooo!”

The thing took a step toward her. She could make out its eyes, its mouth. It lifted a hand, and she could see the length of iron it held in its hand, now red and pulsing with heat. Shiny with fresh blood. Tiny scraps of flesh swung from its outer grooves. She tried to move but her body was paralyzed, unable to answer her mental commands.