The Seekers, page 21
Things were a bit different on their return—Dallas had decided that he would bring the Truth Seekers back in, but only half of them.
That day, Brad Holden was moving into room 208. Serena had been allowed to accompany him, and she was settling into room 209. Brad had tried to change with Dallas, but Dallas wasn’t budging.
If everything went well, Pete and Eileen and Mike could come back in a day. While Brad was deeply disappointed that he didn’t have his entire crew, Dallas had explained that he wasn’t prepared to watch over more people. He was hopeful that he’d have more members of the Krewe down the next day, but until they arrived, he didn’t want more people in the inn.
Brad reminded him that police were still watching the house.
And that was a very good thing, Dallas agreed.
Brad had talked to Carl for a long time; Carl, being Carl, naturally wanted to make him happy. But things had to wait.
As Brad and Serena set up in their rooms, Carl escaped to join Keri in the museum, once again reading scripts as she sifted through the folders, books and other offerings in the museum room.
She’d been at it a long time when she found a single sheet of old paper, frayed at the edges, stuffed in with some accounting information from the early days of the last century. It obviously didn’t belong there, its contents so different from the rest of the file, but when dealing with tons of paper, things often wound up in the wrong place. Was that what had happened here?
She didn’t know, but what she saw on the paper made her leap up.
Carl startled, staring at her. “What?”
“Sorry, may be nothing. I just have to talk to Dallas. Be right back.”
“No,” Carl protested, setting his script down. “You’re not leaving me alone—I’m coming with you.”
“Okay.” She raced behind the bar to the kitchen where Dallas and Joe were deep in conversation. “Look!” she cried, producing the paper. “Look!”
Joe took the paper from her, stared at it and showed it to Dallas.
“Where was this?” Joe asked.
“In with a bunch of accounting papers—not as old as this. It looked as if maybe the papers had fallen and were all just scooped up together,” Keri said.
“What is it?” Carl asked, looking over Dallas’s shoulder. “That looks like something out of...”
“Dante’s Inferno,” Dallas said.
Carl looked around. “This is, like, a sign? Some kind of devil symbol?”
“It’s an insignia for a club. Have you found anything like this in any records from today or recent years?” Joe asked Keri.
“I never saw it before Dr. Jeffries showed it to us in that journal yesterday,” she said. “After that, I was consciously looking for it.”
There was a hard pounding at the front door to the tavern. Keri and Carl jumped; Joe and Dallas looked at one another. Dallas went to the door while Joe went to one of the tavern windows to look out.
“Detective Billings,” Joe said.
Dallas nodded and opened the door.
Detective Billings stepped in, slowly closed the door behind her, and stared at Dallas and then over at Joe.
“Detective Billings, what can we do for you?” Dallas asked.
“Change your appalling behavior,” she said, and then glared at Joe. “Control your lackey and get back into this investigation as if you actually mean to run a joint task force.”
Keri was impressed that both Dallas and Joe managed to control their tempers.
“We’ve informed your department every step of the way,” Dallas said.
“I informed Special Agent Wicker—acting lead in this case—of everything we’ve discovered or suspected, Detective,” Joe said. “Frankly, I’m stunned.”
“You’re trying to make it appear as if the police are lacking in their abilities and incompetent,” Billings said, glaring from one of them to the other.
Next to Keri, Carl whispered, “What’s she talking about?”
“Detective,” Dallas began, “in the first place, there was no slur on any department. Philadelphia police questioned everyone regarding the accident that put Special Agent Ed Newel in the hospital. At the time, it was presumed to be a random accident. I’m shocked you’re not pleased that there has been another step taken forward on solving this crime,” Dallas said.
Detective Billings didn’t answer Dallas. She turned to glare at Joe. “And this picture of Barbara Chrome. You don’t know if this is real in any way, but you’re running all over Philadelphia with it. You might well have created a nightmare for any girl out there with short dark hair,” she told him.
“Detective, I stand by my work,” Joe said quietly. “I was a cop for a very long time. I know what I’m doing, and I know how to work with other agencies. Frankly, I find it frightening that you’re upset by this. All of us work to solve crimes, and any step taken by anyone in law enforcement should be appreciated and used by all.”
Brad came running down the stairs, with Serena, blond hair bouncing, behind him.
“Hey, what’s going on?” he asked, and then, seeing Detective Billings, he came to a dead stop. Behind him, Serena plowed into his back. Brad stepped forward enough to allow her to step off the last stair.
“Detective,” he said.
Billings glared at him, then turned back to Dallas again. “I’ve gone out of my way. I’ve given you round-the-clock protection here, four officers, round-the-clock. And you neglect to keep me in the loop. I don’t go back on my word—you have them for the next few days. But don’t you go around my back again,” she told Dallas.
“No one went behind your back. I sent every bit of information, including the computer rendering of Barbara Chrome, to your headquarters immediately. You were also sent a picture of the insignia and the information regarding a white van that was given to Joe Dunhill yesterday,” Dallas said.
“You’re working with me—I want info sent to me, do you understand?” Billings said. “I’m lead on this for the police here. Information comes directly to me.” She shook a finger at Dallas and went out, slamming the door behind her.
“Weren’t you tempted to break that finger of hers?” Serena asked Joe. He was still stunned by the attitude Billings had shown.
“She’s trying to mark her turf,” Brad said. “Wow. I mean, she was a hard-ass every time she talked to us, but wow. She really is a monster. She’s been calling and warning us not to leave town. She’s not allowed to do that—I checked with our lawyer. Okay, so he’s an entertainment attorney, but he went to law school. She can’t make us stay. It’s a good thing we want to.”
“She just feels threatened,” Dallas said. “It happens sometimes, when the federal government steps in. We try to be there to help, but—”
“I think maybe she has some kind of authority complex. Because she’s a woman,” Serena suggested.
“Who knows why another person is or isn’t threatened,” Joe said. “The good thing is she’s leaving officers on the case for a few more days.”
“We can pull from federal offices if we have to, from Philadelphia or New York,” Dallas said. “That might be best. So—you’re here,” he said to Brad and Serena. “What are you planning to do?”
“Commune with the spirits, naturally. It would help if we had room 207,” Brad said.
“You don’t,” Dallas said flatly.
“Well, with your blessing, we were going to take a walk out to the old church and the graveyard now. I think that it isn’t a crime scene anymore?”
“Right. I think you’re the first people who have wanted back into the church. Somehow, it didn’t seem to be a particularly popular tourist attraction before all this,” Dallas said. “I’ll catch Detective Billings and see what she has to say.”
He opened the door and didn’t close it as he jogged down to the drive where the two patrol cars were parked alongside Detective Billings’s unmarked car. She was still speaking with her officers.
“I know what it is,” Serena said, watching Dallas approach Billings. “She knows something’s been going on here. And she hasn’t been able to stop it.”
Joe glanced over at Keri. They all watched as Dallas indicated the church and the forest at the back of the property. Detective Billings waved a hand in the air.
“We can go,” Brad said happily. He set his hands on Serena’s shoulders, spinning her around to face him. “We need to make sure we have EVPs. And while we’re there, we’re going to need extreme patience.”
“Yes,” Serena said, somber as she turned to look at Brad. “If we could reach that poor FBI lady, we might be able to solve her murder.”
“I wasn’t thinking so much that we’d reach her. I mean, she’s the newly dead,” he told Serena. “Come back upstairs for a minute and help me, we’ll get our stuff and get out there while it’s still daylight and we can see the cops. Hey, Carl, that’s all right with you, yeah?”
“Sure,” Carl said.
“You want to come with us, see how we work?” Brad asked.
“Ah, no. Thanks. Too much reading to do,” Carl said.
They raced up the stairs. Joe looked at Carl. “What was that—the newly dead?”
“Joe,” Keri said softly. “I think that Brad believes what he does is helpful, and who would any one of us be to question what we really don’t understand?”
Joe stared at her, lowered his head and nodded slowly. “Right. Sorry. Anyway, maybe we should walk out there with them and see what we see.”
Brad and Serena came back down the stairs.
“I’m going to take a look out there with you,” Joe said to them.
“Guess we’re all going,” Carl said. “Except Dallas. I know him. He’s not leaving the tavern alone, even with cops watching the place. He’ll make sure no one slips in.”
“Carl, you don’t have to go. You can study your script,” Keri told him.
He smiled at her and whispered for her alone, “Hell no, are you kidding me? I’m coming with you.”
“You were here all day yesterday, alone with Dallas,” she reminded him.
“And I followed him around so close I thought he was going to deck me,” Carl said. “No, I’ll be hanging with you. It will be great.”
“All right now, please, Mr. Dunhill,” Brad said, “if we’re running our EVPs and trying to communicate, don’t just start talking out of the blue. You’d be astonished what you can get off an EVP. And that graveyard has witnessed a lot. It must be just swarming with spirits caught between worlds, from all of our American wars, yellow fever, malaria...”
He headed out with Serena at his heels, Keri, Carl and Joe right behind her.
Joe waved to Dallas and the cops. “Heading to the graveyard,” he called.
Keri looked back. Detective Billings leaned against one of the cars, watching them as if she was forced to watch bugs crawl away when she wasn’t allowed to tromp on them. Dallas appeared to be fine, however, talking to the cops who were on daytime duty.
“She is...tough,” Keri whispered to Joe as they walked around the tavern and toward the graveyard. “Strange. I’ve worked with so many female cops who are just great. No chips on their shoulders or any such thing. I mean, when I’ve done research on cold cases, that can be a touchy thing. Sometimes, police don’t want to be bothered, but sometimes they’re great.”
“I don’t think it’s a sex thing with Billings,” Joe said. “I think it’s the fact that maybe we’re closer to an answer to this thing than she’d like.”
“You mean, she didn’t solve it herself and someone from the FBI might solve it instead?”
They had reached the remnants of the stone wall. Joe helped her step over it. She liked the feel of his hand on hers, especially since she knew that was about all the affection they’d be able to show one another for a while.
She trembled slightly, still frightened by the depth of emotion she felt for him and frightened more that she already felt so comfortable with him, so certain that they shared so much. She remained surprised at how easily she’d initiated intimacy between them.
He wasn’t answering her. She studied his face, noting Brad and Serena heading toward the church, with Carl following just behind them. “Joe?” she prompted.
“There’s something about Detective Billings. I can’t quite figure it yet.”
Keri gasped. “You think she’s in on this somehow?”
“I think she doesn’t want us around here and wishes we’d go away,” Joe said.
“Oh, Joe...you don’t think that a local cop could have slit the throat of... I don’t like her, particularly, but—”
“I don’t know. There are a couple of things. She doesn’t like the fact that we’ve circulated an image for what Barbara could look like now. Or that we have the educated guess that Ed was struck down on purpose by a white van. I don’t have the answers yet. But I won’t be leaving you alone around her, that’s for certain.”
“Do you think she might be covering up for someone else?” Keri asked.
“I don’t know. I’m just going on some of her behavior, and...”
“And?”
“And maybe the fact that I don’t particularly like her. So I have to be careful and thoughtful.” He shrugged. “Let’s catch up. Carl is waiting for us. Poor guy. He doesn’t want to go into the church with them, but he doesn’t like standing there alone. Let’s save him.”
Keri waved to Carl and they started for the church. On the way, she caught Joe’s arm. “Joe, she’s out here. The woman in white, Beatrice Bergen. Look over there, watching Carl standing in front of the church. Do you see her?” For a moment, she felt fear again—fear that she was seeing the dead and discovering that others saw them, as well.
“Yes, I see her. She’s just watching them. She looks...worried.”
“How do you just go up to a ghost and start talking to her?”
“Exactly like that. You walk up to her and start talking to her. If she wishes, she’ll talk back, and if she doesn’t wish, she’ll just stand there or disappear.” Joe raised his voice, calling out to Carl. “We’re just going to look at a few headstones over here!”
Carl nodded, not moving, holding his ground.
Keri grasped Joe’s hand as they started toward the ghost. Beatrice Bergen wasn’t looking as the two of them approached her; she was staring at the church.
“Beatrice,” Joe said softly.
She still didn’t look at them. “They are playing with what they must not,” she said. Finally, she turned to them. “They must not play, it is too dangerous. It never goes away. It has never been rooted out. It dies down, and one would think that it is gone. But every time, it comes back, because the base remains. People are basically good. I will always believe that. But if there’s a shred of evil, then there are those who will find it, and they will do with it what they will.” She lifted a hand. “Please, stop it all... My father did not do this thing.”
She started walking toward the church and faded away as she neared it.
Keri started after her and Joe followed. “I don’t think she’s going to allow them to get anything on their EVPs,” Joe told her.
“I know, but... Joe, do you really think that Brad is involved in this?”
“He comes from New York and he’s out here.”
“Right, but until a month or so ago, no one knew that Carl was going to be buying the Miller Inn and Tavern. He couldn’t have known that he’d be invited out here,” Keri said. “And Serena is not from New York. I grant you, she can be annoyingly perky, but that doesn’t make you guilty of being a murdering Satanist.”
Joe stopped walking. “Eileen was on the ground when you went down to the basement the night you two stumbled upon Julie’s body.”
Keri sighed deeply. “No, she was on one of the bottom steps. She said that someone pushed her, if I remember right, but she didn’t seem to think that it was anyone living. We saw the body on the altar almost right away. And we got out.”
“Eileen is from New York,” he said.
Keri looked at him, shrugging. “Eileen and millions of other people.”
“Brad started up the Truth Seekers a little less than two years ago,” Joe said.
“That’s right.”
“I’m going to suggest that someone did know that the property was going to be sold,” Joe said. “They knew Spencer Atkins couldn’t hold on to the property and that it was going to go up for sale eventually. It didn’t matter who bought the property. We should talk to Spencer Atkins.”
“We should,” Keri agreed.
“Let’s go.”
* * *
Carl was never happy when Keri was going to leave him, Joe noted. He wasn’t sure if the man’s attitude was irritating or endearing. He remembered thinking that they were a couple. Now, he knew that Keri did care for Carl, but not in any romantic way. That must have been something of a surprise for Carl, since most women, young and old, just about swooned when he walked in a room.
But he seemed to accept Keri’s attitude toward him. Maybe he was just glad to have a real friend.
“I’ll keep close watch on the household while you’re gone,” Dallas told Joe as they waited in the front entryway of the inn. “I’ve been wondering if Spencer Atkins would wind up paying us a visit. He hasn’t yet.” He eyed Joe. “I think you have to be right. Atkins knew he was going to have to sell the inn. If he is involved in whatever group is behind all this, then others in the group would know as well. But still, how could they know that Carl would call in the Truth Seekers?”
“I wonder if Atkins suggested that Carl call them,” Joe said.
Years ago, John Newby had most probably headed his own sect of supposed devil worshippers, a hedonistic group ready to indulge in any vice, including brutal murder. He had probably been killed in a coup in the organization. He’d gone too far and was taken down, and a lot of innocent people had paid the price.
