44: Book Two Read online

  Seeing Amanda now was a reminder of those things I didn’t like to think about.

  I looked over at Kate who had been trying to get my attention, raising her eyebrows and signaling with her head that we should leave.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she whispered.

  We walked out the door.

  “She must be back for summer break,” I said.

  “She’s holding grudges. She gave you a real nasty look back there. I would advise to just stay away from her.”

  CHAPTER 7

  It was another good day on the river. I didn’t see the ghost and I was hoping that maybe it was just an isolated incident. After the third run down the rapids, a dad came up and thanked me, handing me a twenty dollar bill. Before putting it in the tip pot at the end of the day, I did a little bragging about it to Ty.

  “Of course you got a fat tip,” he said matter-of-factly. “You’re my protégé. It’s all because of me. I’ve taught you well. That’s why I get half.”

  Ty could always make me laugh. He seemed in an especially good mood lately even though I still hadn’t quite figured out what to say about his dinner offer. I wanted whatever I said to sound right and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I hadn’t come up with the right words yet.

  We said goodbye and I drove home, got ready, and went back out to The Old Mill for dinner with Kate and Dr. Mortimer. I found her waiting and talking on the phone in front of Greg’s Grill, still in her work clothes. She was putting in long hours lately. Other than shopping the other day, I really hadn’t seen her much.

  I loved eating at this restaurant. We could usually get a table right next to the river.

  We followed a young hostess to a table. It was a beautiful summer evening and there were a lot of people out walking on the path near the water. We sat down and looked at the menus.

  “This is nice,” Kate said. “Just sitting out here. I feel like I haven’t been outside in months.”

  I nodded.

  “Did you bring a pillow to the trial today?” I asked, smiling.

  “Stadium seat,” she said. “Got it at Dick’s. It’s made a big difference too, but my back is still sore.”

  I hadn’t been following it, but it seemed to be a popular conversation all over Bend. I heard people talking about the trial in the grocery store and at the bank. Even the girls in the office where we signed out had mentioned it to Ty.

  “The first of the closing arguments was today, so it’s wrapping up. I can’t wait. I barely remember what it’s like to be on a regular beat. I’ve been stuck in that courthouse for nearly a month.”

  “So what’s it about anyway?”

  “An attorney is being accused of embezzlement. It’s a big deal because he was a congressman for twenty years. When he retired, he moved to Bend and opened up a law firm. Personally I think he’s guilty, but he’s going to walk. I can tell that the jury likes him.”

  Kate was always good at figuring people out. She didn’t see energy or anything, but she seemed to pick up on other things. Maybe it was their body language or the pauses in between their sentences. It was probably why she was such a good reporter.

  She sat up in her chair and pulled her sunglasses up to the top of her head. I noticed she was wearing dark purple eye shadow and a little more mascara than usual. Then she pulled them down again.

  A canoe paddled past us. A tall man was standing up in the middle, his dog up at the front. The waitress came and asked if we wanted any drinks. Kate ordered a glass of Chardonnay and I got a Cherry Coke.

  “Well, at least the trial is almost over,” I said.

  “Yeah. And I’m getting some good clips for my portfolio. But I’m really looking forward to getting back to my regular beat. I miss it.”

  My phone buzzed. It was a text from Dr. Mortimer.

  “He says he’ll be here in 10 minutes.”

  A brief sadness flashed across Kate’s face.

  “I wonder how he’s doing in the ER,” she said. “I mean, if he still likes it and everything. He used to talk about going into private practice. He said he wanted to work with kids, be a pediatrician.”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “He doesn’t really talk about it to me. Thanks again for coming, Kate. I know it must be hard.”

  “Nonsense. We know hard. This isn’t hard. But don’t read more into this. It’s just a dinner with an old friend, that’s all.”

  She must have felt like she had to say it, but I wish she hadn’t. It felt too sharp, like she had made her decision about him forever. I didn’t always understand those thick lines that she drew in the sand when it came to Dr. Mortimer and sometimes it made me mad. Here they were, both in love with each other and yet she refused that love, buried it deep, locked it up, and threw away the key. I would give anything to have Jesse with me now. And I wouldn’t have cared what he had done or what he hadn’t done. I loved him with all my heart.

  “I know,” I said. “You don’t have to tell me that. It’s just nice, the three of us having dinner.”

  She stared at me for a minute, her hair blowing around her face. I could see her sad eyes through her lightly-tinted movie-star sunglasses.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to get bitchy. I’m just tired. Here’s to weekends,” Kate said, lifting her water glass.

  I raised mine and we tapped them together and sipped.

  The waitress came back. She looked familiar but I couldn’t place her. Our eyes met for a moment and she smiled. Maybe from school. I wasn’t sure. Kate told her we were waiting for someone.

  “You know, Abby, you’re looking good. You got that nice outdoorsy tan going and a healthy glow.”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  I was also letting my hair grow long, like when I was a kid. Most of the time I had it back in a ponytail, but when I let it down like tonight, it was half way down my back.

  “So I’m glad. If being a river guide is making you happy, good. You deserve it. I’ll be relieved when the season is over, but it’s nice seeing you like this.”

  I smiled. I did feel happier lately and was glad Kate was able to see it. Maybe it would help her to stop worrying so much about me.

  Her expression suddenly turned serious.

  It was easy to figure it out. Dr. Mortimer must have arrived.

  CHAPTER 8

  Kate stood up with a strained smile spread across her face. I heard his voice behind me.

  “Kate and Abby,” he said.

  I turned around. Dr. Mortimer was smiling that great smile he had, the one that made his eyes look all crinkly.

  “Hi, Ben,” Kate said as she walked around me.

  White and dark waves surrounded them both and I walked up to them.

  “Hello, old friend,” he said to me.

  Dr. Mortimer was as handsome as ever. His hair was a little lighter than the last time I’d seen him and he had a dark tan that made his eyes stand out even more than usual. He was wearing a button-down shirt and khakis. He looked like he had stepped out of an REI catalog, stylish and ready for an adventure.

  “Kate, you look beautiful. And Abby. Look at you! You look great,” he said. “Just great. It’s so good to see you two. It’s been too long.”

  There was a brief, awkward silence after he said that, but he was right. It had been too long. We sat down.

  “Yeah,” I said finally, grasping for words.

  I hoped Kate could speak up and be her typical charming self, but she was unusually quiet. It was up to me, at least for now.

  “So, how is the ER?” I asked.

  “Good, good,” he said, still smiling and staring at Kate. “The same, but it’s good.”

  I glanced over and saw the mix of dark and light energy around her. Her face was tense, like she was having a private conversation in her head, trying to talk down those feelings that were surging up around her.

  The waitress brought Dr. Mortimer a menu and a glass of water and asked if he wanted a drink.

  “Oh, sure. I’ll
take a glass a wine. Whatever she’s having,” he said, pointing to Kate. “Thanks.”

  We sat quiet for a moment, a soft summer breeze blowing around us. It was great to see him, even better than I had expected. He still felt part of the family, even with everything. I studied him for a minute while he looked at the menu.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late. I got stuck at work. Have you ordered yet?”

  “Not yet,” Kate said.

  “I think I’ll treat myself to a steak,” he said, putting the menu down. “Abby. Let’s start with you. Tell me what you’ve been up to this summer.”

  I talked about soccer and cooking for a while. Then I spilled it and told him about the river guide job, focusing mostly on the friendly people I met, and how great it was being outside in nature all day.

  He looked a little distressed, but I couldn’t blame him. He took his napkin and put it in his lap.

  “A river guide, eh? That’s an interesting choice.”

  He then smiled at Kate.

  “Don’t look at me,” she said. “It wasn’t my idea.”

  He nodded. I could tell he didn’t really like it either, but he seemed to understand.

  “Just be careful out there.”

  “I will,” I said.

  “You know, it’s hard not to worry. If I had my choice, I wouldn’t want you near any sort of water ever again. But I can understand why you’re doing it,” he said. “So Kate, how’s the newspaper biz treating you? Still chasing the big stories I bet.”

  His eyes danced as he looked at her.

  Kate still seemed super stressed out. I didn’t know how much wine it might take before she was comfortable around Dr. Mortimer, but the one glass that she was barely drinking from wasn’t getting it done. She didn’t respond, so I jumped in.

  “She’s covering that big trial downtown.”

  It worked. She finally started talking. First about the trial and then about some of the problems at the DA’s office.

  We ordered dinner. I decided on the bacon cheeseburger and Kate got a steak like Dr. Mortimer. By the time the food arrived, everyone had loosened up a little, the stress lifting away as the sun sank behind Mt. Bachelor.

  “Summer jobs can be great,” Dr. Mortimer said. “Back when I was an undergrad, I had the best one ever. I worked on a tour boat out of Boston Harbor three summers in a row. It was incredible, being out on the water all day, the salty sea air blowing through my hair as I talked to people about history. I really loved it.”

  I could see his light energy swirling around him as he spoke.

  “I bet your rafting is like that. But tell me what you have planned for the fall,” he said. “Any plans? College courses or something?”

  I knew they meant well, but I hated that question. Kate asked it a lot.

  “No,” I said. “Not yet. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do.”

  I never told them, but I didn’t see the point of going to college. It was such a great feeling when I graduated from high school. It felt like I was free. Released. Senior year was torture, going to class every day, getting C’s and D’s on tests no matter how hard I studied. And dealing with all those people. I was relieved to be out and never wanted to go back to school.

  Everyone was sure that going to college would be the next logical step for me, figuring that if my body was healing so well, my mind must be too. Even Dr. Krowe was pushing it, suggesting that at the very least I should enroll at the local community college until I got some confidence to attend the university.

  There was no way I was sitting in a classroom again, trying desperately to pass tests and learn about things I could care less about. I was going to figure something else out.

  “I’m not sure what I want to do yet,” I said. “Weighing all my options.”

  I was still a little lost. The river job made me feel better, but it was only for a few more months. I’d have to come up with something soon.

  “Don’t think you have to figure it all out before you go to college,” Dr. Mortimer said. “Most kids your age have no idea what they’re going to do with their lives. I sure didn’t when I was your age. But if you go, you can take different classes and find out what it is you would like to do.”

  I sighed and looked out at the mountains, trying not to get frustrated.

  “She has time,” Kate said.

  That surprised me. She was usually pretty adamant about filling out applications and had been pushing me to look into different universities since winter.

  “Actually, I’ve been thinking about it. I think it’s smart to figure out what you want first. College is too expensive these days.”

  “Yeah, I see what you’re saying,” Dr. Mortimer said. “You’re right, Kate. The cost of college is astronomical. And it keeps going up. But I bet Abby could get some assistance. Scholarships or some other help of some sort.”

  He smiled and I felt my stomach tighten. Good God. We needed to change the subject, and fast.

  A group of kids in bright plastic rafts drifted past us, down the river. The restaurant was suddenly loud and busy, packed with people talking and laughing and drinking. Soft jazz drifted between conversations.

  I finished up the last of my cheeseburger as they talked more about work and the weather and baseball. Kate was a big Red Sox fan and of course, so was Dr. Mortimer.

  “Ben,” she said after the plates were cleared, pausing before going on. She sat straight up in her chair. “Any news? About him, I mean.”

  My stomach dropped a few feet. I hated talking about Nathaniel. It always brought up those deep, dark feelings and I couldn’t stop flashing back to when I watched him kill those innocent people in my visions.

  The police department never charged Nathaniel with the murders. Nor did they officially solve any of them. They decided that the four deaths were unrelated, even though an unknown drug had been found in all the victims’ blood. The police chief issued a statement saying that they had been exposed to a “new, lethal drug for sale out on our streets,” and that they all had histories of substance abuse. The cases were closed. Nathaniel wasn’t even a wanted man, at least not in Bend.

  “Yes, well, there is actually some news about him, in a way,” Dr. Mortimer said. He cleared his throat and took a sip of his espresso. “I’ve found out a few things. First of all, Nathaniel is out of the country and has been for many months. Maybe even a year. I wanted to tell you two that so you can stop worrying. He’s in Africa.”

  “Africa?” Kate asked.

  “We don’t know where exactly yet. But we’re very close to finding him. I’ve hired a top detective firm and they’re confident they’ll have his exact location soon.”

  Kate nodded and then sighed heavily.

  Dr. Mortimer looked at me, then back at Kate, his face flattening a little. He could see she wanted more.

  “We’ve traced him to an organization called Doctors Without Borders.”

  “Really?” she said, coming back to life a bit.

  “What is that?” I asked.

  “It’s a group of doctors and nurses who go all over the world to provide medical care to people,” Dr. Mortimer said. “And the agency thinks that he’s joined them.”

  He finished his coffee and waited for a reaction. But Kate said nothing. She was probably disappointed, wanting instead to hear that Nathaniel had been caught somewhere in Boston and was going to jail. Or something like that.

  The silence steeped like a teabag. No one said anything, even though it was growing uncomfortable.

  “Well, at least he’s far away,” I said, finally.

  “Ben, that doesn’t sound like your brother,” Kate said. “I mean, helping people and actually practicing medicine.”

  Dr. Mortimer nodded.

  “I can see what you’re saying. But before he lost his mind, he really was a very good doctor. Maybe he’s gone back to that and stopped doing research.”

  Kate gave him a sarcastic look.

  “But what
matters is that we’re close to finding him and it shouldn’t be too long,” he said. “Look, I know I should have done more back when I found out about him. But I’m determined to make this right now.”

  Kate glanced over at me.

  “I’ll find him. I won’t let you down. Not again. I promise.”

  Kate nodded, the lights from the restaurant casting shadows on her face.

  “But then what, Ben?” she asked. “It’s a nice gesture and all, but I don’t see what you’ll do after. There were no charges filed against him. He got away clean. So what happens after you find him?”

  Dr. Mortimer rubbed his face.

  “I don’t know yet,” he said. “But somehow I’ll find a way to bring him to justice.”

  The wind blew into us and the umbrella tilted, looking like it was almost going to fall, before regaining its balance.

  “As long as you’re seriously looking for him, don’t forget about Abby. Maybe she could help you out,” Kate said.

  My heart raced. I wasn’t expecting that and Dr. Mortimer looked at me with a strange expression on his face.

  “What does she mean?” he asked, staring at me.

  “Those dreams. The visions of your brother that she used to get. Remember?”

  Dr. Mortimer looked both concerned and annoyed, like he didn’t want to think about all that again.

  “Have you had any more of those?” he asked, turning toward me.

  “No,” I said, just above a whisper.

  “I’m just saying that Abby should be part of this,” Kate said. “And that you need to know if she has another vision. They were real, Ben. I was there. For better or worse, she seems to have a connection to him in that way. She can help you.”

  I didn’t know why Kate was saying all this. I hadn’t had one vision since Nathaniel had left town last year. But she seemed adamant about it. Dr. Mortimer sat back in his chair, darker energy above him.

  “Okay,” he said. “Abby, have you had any dreams or feelings at all about him lately?”

  I could tell he still wasn’t sure about any of it, but unlike Kate, I didn’t take it personally. Dr. Mortimer was a man of medicine, a scientist. I knew he wasn’t too interested in all that psychic stuff I went through. But it didn’t matter to me. He had saved my life.