The Thirteenth (7 page)

“Don’t go anywhere,” he stuttered. “I still need to ask you some more questions. I’m just going to get some advice from my Sergeant; we need to know what to do with you now.” He stumbled backwards almost falling into the ditch in his haste to get away from her.

Delta watched as he made his escape towards what looked like the man in charge.

“I think it’s time to leave; I need to find my friend,” she said under her breath. Looking around, Delta spotted a road sign. Making her way through the gathering crowd of uniforms she pulled out her phone. The sign read ‘Lanron 2’. Well better Lanron than nowhere. As she started walking, she flipped her phone open and began dialling.

Out on the street Val ran as fast as her legs would carry her. Luckily Shane’s was only a fifteen minute stroll from the bookstore and, at speed, a five minute sprint.

All Val could think about was where Delta was. She was so distracted that she almost missed the shop completely. Coming to a halt just past the doors, she paused for a split second, questioning whether Shane could be trusted. Well, it’s time to find out, she thought to herself, bursting through the double doors, which were heavily decorated with art.

As Val stepped inside, she began to feel the effects of her sprint. Flopping over completely breathlessly, her hands firmly placed on her hips for support, she took deep gasps of air. Her intense focus on her mission had made her oblivious to the poor man who was face down in front of Shane having Marilyn Monroe’s face tattooed across his back.

“What day is it?” Val gasped.

“Wednesday, and hello to you too, Val,” Shane responded.

“Good, I haven’t lost a day then.” Val strutted up and down. “Shane, we need to talk, now!” Val stopped to look at Shane.

He knew that she was genuinely in need of immediate attention, but it wasn’t that simple. “Val, I’m just with a client at the moment.” Shane’s looked down at the man’s back and for the first time, as if by magic, Val became aware of him.

“I’m sorry, but this is an emergency. I need you
now.
“ Val made a crazy-eyed expression whilst patting her arm, in the hope that Shane would interpret this as very important.

Shane tapped the guy on the back and, what had looked like a table top, now sat up. Even in the seated position he was nearly as tall as Val.

She stepped back, troubled that she had actually got that close to him in the first place.

“Val would you mind going out back to the office while I finish with this customer?” Shane smiled at her with exaggerated politeness.

“But…” Val started to speak but Shane had placed his glove-covered index finger to his lips.

Val knew instinctively to do as she was told. Walking past them quickly, she moved through a swing door and found herself in a corridor with three more doors. The one to the left was obviously the toilets as it had the girl/boy sign on it. The one in the middle said
Private
and the one to the right had no sign at all. Well, that was just great. She had to go somewhere. She decided most offices where private so she would go straight ahead, but when Val pushed the door, something instinctively told her that this was wrong. Nonetheless, she just had to keep going.

She peeped around the door and her eyes were met with the most glorious sight. Nothing could ever have prepared her for this. There were paintings from floor to ceiling. Not tattoos, as you would imagine, but
art.
Val stepped inside mesmerised by the beauty that was spread out before her like an extravagant canvas rainbow. Most of the paintings were of women, although there was one woman in particular who stood out because of her extraordinary beauty. She looked almost like a bird with jet-black hair that flowed down her back, a somewhat pointed nose the deepest green eyes that Val had ever seen. She was standing transfixed by the beauty of the paintings when a heavy hand grabbed her from behind. Val let out a scream and spun around to see who had collared her.

“This isn’t my office,” Shane said with a stern tone in his voice.

“I’m so sorry, I got lost.” Val was honestly sorry and she really didn’t care about anything but getting her friend back. “I really didn’t know which one was your office.”

“Come with me.” Shane pulled Val gently back out of the room and led her to the door with no name.

In the small and cluttered office, Shane sat on the edge of a large white desk and Val stood in front of him, like a patient at the doctor’s. “What seems to be the problem? Is it your tattoo?” Before she could answer, Shane pulled Val’s shirtsleeve up and began inspecting her tattoo.

“I need to tell you so much and I don’t know where to start.” Val took a deep mouthful of air as if she was going to get it all out in one breath. She started with more or less the same story she had told her friend, Delta, except now she had a slightly longer version with the addition of the car crash incident. As Val talked, she slowly gathered steam and then realised that the pressure Shane had on her arm was getting more restrictive, as if with each word, he was holding onto reality a little tighter.

“Are you OK, Shane? I understand that what I’m saying must sound crazy, but I don’t know where my friend is and you are the only person I can trust.” Tears started to form in Val’s eyes and she looked like a fiveyear-old who had just lost a favourite toy.

“Val, this is the craziest story I have ever heard, and believe me, you hear them in this job. If it wasn’t for the fact that you are now also missing the Aries symbol from your tattoo, and you are the most honest-looking person I have ever met, I would have kicked you out about ten minutes ago.”

Shane stood still, holding onto Val’s arms with slightly less vigour. “Tell me, where do you think your friend, Delta, could be? Did you see any distinctive signs at the place of the accident?” Releasing Val, he turned and walked towards a grubby black radio on top of a filing cabinet that looked almost ready to burst. He switched it on and music started to blare out.

“Do you really think that this is an appropriate time for music?” Val felt quite puzzled by Shane’s actions.

“I want to see if anything will come on the news about an accident. It might give is a clue” Shane now sat down again on the corner of his very untidy desk.

“How well does your friend Delta know the Arcsdale area? You said she comes here on holiday every year.”

“I think she knows where the shops and cafés are, but she uses a satellite navigation system to get her from her bedroom to the toilet.” Val gave a feeble grin and then started to cry. “This is my fault. She’s lost because of me. How am I going to tell her parents?” Val put her hands over her eyes.

Shane leaned over and put his hand on her arm. “It’s going to be OK. She’ll be fine and I’m sure she’ll find you soon enough.” As the words came out of Shane’s mouth, Val’s pocket started to vibrate then sprang into life with the soundtrack from ‘Star Wars’.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?” Shane asked.

“Yes, just a second.” Val leaned around almost like a dog chasing its tail as the phone was in her back pocket. If it hadn’t been such a sombre moment, Shane thought he might have laughed at her. As she pulled it out the expression on her face seemed to melt. She flicked the phone open and gasped, “Where are you? Are you OK? Is the man OK?” Val stopped talking for a second, fixed on listening. A different type of tear now seemed to be running down her cheeks. She looked up for a second at Shane as he mouthed the words “Is it her?” She smiled back nodding.

Val continued talking to Delta, explaining what had happened to her, and how she had ended up back at the bookshop, knocking herself out on the mirror. As Val talked, she worked her way out of the office. She explained how she had come to see Shane. Shane, now intrigued by the fact she was on the move, followed her as she headed out of the swing door and across the black and white tiled shop floor. When she reached the front doors, she turned around pushing them open with her back. Out on the street she stopped so suddenly that Shane almost bumped into her.

Val closed the phone and turned to Shane. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me today.” She grabbed his hand tightly and, as she turned back towards the road, a taxi pulled up. A beautiful blond girl jumped out and ran towards them. Val released Shane and opened her arms but, just before Delta reached her, she stopped dead.

“I’m not touching you ever again! I don’t know where you’ll send me, and thanks for leaving without saying adios,” Delta huffed. “I could have been on Mars for all you knew.” Delta turned her back on them. Val wasn’t offended as she knew that this was the best hello Delta could give.

“Was the man really OK?” Val enquired as she lowered her arms.

Delta turned back, grinning broadly. “Of course! He had me to look after him.” She flicked her long and amazingly immaculate blond mane behind her in a sign of total confidence. “So, introduce me to your new friend.” Delta offered her perfectly manicured hand to Shane. “I’m Delta Troughton. And you are?” She looked Shane up and down.

Shane was intrigued by this young girl’s confidence. If she hadn’t had such a strong American accent, he would have thought her British aristocracy. “I, madam, am Shane Walker.” Shane smiled as she shook his hand. It was almost like meeting the Queen.

“So this is your shop. I love shops. However, I feel you have nothing for me.” Delta walked past Shane and made her way into the tattoo parlour.

“Come in please. Make yourself at home.” Shane opened his arms in welcoming gesture.

“Does he know everything?” Delta asked Val in a stage whisper.

“Yes, we can trust Shane.” Val nodded.

“Hello ladies, I’m still here you know.” Shane made his way towards the swing door. “I suppose, if we’re all going to be honest, I should do my part as well.” He headed towards the door with the private sign on it. “Come into my Bat Cave,” He invited with a grin. “I have always wanted to say that to someone; shame it’s two teenage girls who probably won’t appreciate it, or even know who I’m talking about.”

Val grabbed his hand just before he could finish opening the door. “You don’t have to do this, Shane. I’m happy with the trust you have already given me, and yes I do know who has a Bat Cave, its Bruce Wayne, but I’m more of a Marvel Comics fan than a DC.”

Delta looked at them both in disgust. “If you are going to talk in Nerd, I’m leaving,” she said, digging a finger into Val’s back. “I thought we had a deal; no more comic talk, hey Val.” She pushed Val who in turn pushed Shane through the door. As they crossed the threshold, Val was once again taken aback by the sheer beauty of the pictures.

“This place is amazing, Shane. Who paints these pictures?” Val made her way closer to the nearest painting and bent to read the signature
Elizabeth Reed.
“Who is Elizabeth? Is she a friend? You have so many of her paintings.” Val looked at Shane and saw the pain in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m asking too many questions.”

Shane lifted his head with a softened expression. “Elizabeth was my wife. She passed away 10 years ago. She loved my paintings, although the art world didn’t love me. A tattooist isn’t their idea of a real artist. So, I sell my pictures through a gallery under my wife’s maiden name. It pays the rent.” Shane glanced at Val and she understood that he had just shared a secret as personal as her own; she knew exactly how he felt.

Delta had already left them and had made her way past the pictures through what she presumed was a gym, and was now on the other side trying to get the coffee percolator to work.

“Hello? Assistance required over here please.” Delta wasn’t very good with electrical appliances. Shane walked up behind her and flicked the switch to ON. “I swear these things are so easy that my inner genius can’t cope.” She turned and walked to a square glass table with four chairs round it.

Val watched as Delta made sure that the chairs met her standard. Luckily for everyone they did, and so did the coffee.

“Now what do we do?” Delta asked as Val and Shane joined her at the table.

“Well, I have some news for you, Val. I would have told you before but we’ve been slightly distracted up until now,” said Shane, pulling what looked like a computer printout from his pocket. “A friend of mine managed to find this out about your symbol.” Shane unfolded the paper and placed it before Val.

“A friend? Who? Why did you tell anyone?” Val looked slightly concerned.

“Until a few hours ago, Val, all I knew was that you had a strange tattoo. I had no idea it was going to lead to this. Anyway, this guy is one of my very closest friends. You can trust him.”

Val had to agree that up until now Shane hadn’t known all the facts. So, the damage was minimal. Nevertheless, this was as far as this so-called friend was going to be involved.

“Whatever. Just look at it, Val.” Delta’s patience was wearing a little thin.

Val looked down at the paper nervously, almost scared of what she might see. It was a copy of what seemed to be a pencil drawing of a woman. She was in her late thirties, early forties and was dressed almost identically to the woman in her dreams. The woman’s arms were exposed and on the top of her right arm was the tattoo symbol that was in the centre of Val’s Zodiac. She seemed to have a soft friendly face and looked almost angelic in the picture. Val knew that this image was important and she needed to know more.

“Wow, she looks like you, don’t you think?” Delta looked at Val.

“No, not at all.” Val glanced up, seemingly agitated that she had even compared them. “So where did this come from and how did he find it so quickly?” Val looked across at Shane.

“My friend found it in some museum archives from the sixteen forty-five witch trials.” Shane looked Val straight in the eyes. “The person who found this picture has access to documents that neither you nor I could ever dream of seeing. I met him while I was in the army and he has the ability to place his hands on secrets that most people only dream about.”

Val felt even more insecure about this new friend. “Was there any information with this about who she was? Or what the symbol actually means?