Dark Premonitions: Second Sight Book Three, page 15
Her mind pulled up again the vision of Jared with blood on his hands. Would her dying cause him any less anguish if they didn’t get back together? The answer was, probably not. Not being a couple wouldn’t mean he would feel any less pain.
Maybe it was time to tell Jared everything. She no longer had to worry that his feelings were based on his need to protect her. He was giving her the option to have the best of both worlds. She could be assured of his feelings for her while he could still offer up his protection as she sought her faceless foe.
“Hi, have any of you seen this girl?” Kate approached the fifth group of teenagers that she had come across while combing the streets and stores of Wildwood. Since sunset, she had stuck to well-lit shopping centers and restaurants. The beach town was desolate this time of year and her sense of self-preservation was keeping her indoors until daylight returned.
She held out the photo of Kendall taken from her missing persons poster. The four kids huddled in a booth at the coffee shop glanced quickly at the photo before shaking their heads. She thanked them, and she headed back out to her car.
For hours she had been fruitlessly searching. With the small number of people in town during the winter, Kate had thought it would’ve been simpler to track down Kendall. Not one local remembered ever seeing the girl in the past couple of months. It made her wonder if she was way off base, and Kendall had never come to the town.
Kate had some familiarity with Wildwood, and that helped her make her way around the town. Kate and Darlene would come here often when Kate was a kid. The drive ended up being too long for them, and in more recent years they would take weekend trips to shore towns closer to Franklin, like Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights.
Kate had started out looking for the house the McDuffys had vacationed at when Kendall was a child. Based on the girl’s memories, she had a general idea where it was located. Like most beach house rentals, it was a cottage with a small plot of land. The family had liked that it was only a block away from the beach and boardwalk. Kate was fairly certain she had found the house after about half an hour of searching.
The house looked dark and abandoned. Slipping around back, she put her face to the glass and peered inside to see if she saw any signs of life. The house was quiet, and Kate didn’t see any evidence of someone being there recently. But when a bunch of dogs started barking at her from the house next door, she had to creep away before the cops showed up to arrest her for trespassing.
At ten o’clock, Kate decided to turn in for the night and restart her search in the morning. On a Saturday, maybe the town would be busier and she would get a lead or two. Time alone would also give her time to try for another vision about Kendall. The more she had, the more clues she’d have about where the girl could be hiding.
Kate knew she might not understand what Kendall had gone through, but her compassion provoked her to keep looking. She wasn’t sure what she would possibly say to Kendall once she found her, but she wanted to offer her any type of help she’d take. Her abuse had made her reckless, and Kate didn’t want to see her get hurt. If Kate didn’t find Kendall, she’d have to face the tough decision about whether to tell Joann about the visions of Kendall’s stepfather. She was anxious about how the woman would react to a psychic accusing her husband of sexual abuse. Kate shuddered at the thought.
She entered the lobby of the Holly Beach Inn. It hadn’t been hard to secure a room during the off-season, thankfully. Victorian furnishings and wall hangings made up the décor of the small property. Her room was simple, with two twin beds, a small bathroom and a sitting area with two high-back armchairs. The owners had amassed a large collection of Victorian-era dolls, and they were encased in a half-dozen curio cabinets in the lobby.
After Kate had settled into her room, she removed her shoes and climbed into bed still wearing her clothes. After sending Declan a text to let him know she was still alive, she set the phone on the nightstand next to the bed. She had checked in with her mom as she drove back to the hotel. Her mom had not been pleased with her venture to find Kendall, but Kate had not caved in to her mother’s pressure to stay home. Although Kate’s decisions were not often well thought out, she was sure that seeking out Kendall was the right thing to do.
Kate refrained from calling Jared. He was too immersed into her consciousness and she had to break free of him temporarily to focus on Kendall. If she concentrated on Jared too much, it was almost a guarantee that she’d find herself in his head instead of Kendall’s. When it came to her work as a psychic, love often had to take a back burner.
Chapter Nineteen
“What did you do to your hair?” the man asked harshly.
Kendall had emerged from the bathroom, and she shook her damp hair from side to side. Her hair was now jet-black, with midnight-blue highlights. Her once long hair had also been cut short, and it now rested below her chin. She bared her teeth at the man who lounged on a sofa bed watching TV. With a remote in his hand, he beckoned Kendall closer.
“I needed a change. My hair was a yawn before,” she said, and she shook her hair out again.
“You look sort of Goth now.” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “But I like it, suits you.”
Kendall hopped over and positioned herself in the crook of his arm. The man looked to be at least five years older than the teenage Kendall. He had a tall and wiry build, with dark, curly hair. His skin was pale, and shadows were visible under his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of pills. Kendall snatched them out of his grasp greedily.
“Don’t take them all at once,” he told her. “I don’t need you overdosing.”
She nodded petulantly, tucking the pills in her jeans pocket. “The cops are everywhere looking for you,” he said, “and I’m not going to get in trouble for letting you stay here. You can’t hide out here forever.”
“Greg, I felt myself losing it at the Halloween party. If you didn’t pick me up, I was planning to go to Wilson Bridge and throw myself over it. I have no one else I could turn to.”
Greg didn’t appear moved by her confession. Instead, he pulled her roughly to him and slipped his tongue in her mouth. In minutes, he had her pinned to the bed and her clothes strewn across the carpet. Kendall’s eyes were expressionless as she stared past Greg’s shoulders as he pushed himself into her. Greg carried on as if he didn’t notice or didn’t care that Kendall lacked any response during sex.
Kendall lay on the bed for a long time afterwards. Vacantly her eyes ran across the tiles on the ceiling, her features twisted in an expression of profound sorrow. A few stray tears leaked out of her eyes. Furiously, she wiped them away.
“I’m leaving,” she muttered to Greg and swung her legs back onto the floor.
“What?” he asked sleepily.
“I need to get away. You’re right; I can’t stay here. I have to go somewhere I can start over. I hate this town and everyone in it.” She got up and started putting her clothes back on and, pulling the pills out of her pocket, she tossed them onto his chest. “I don’t need these, either.”
“Where will you go?” Greg pulled himself up onto his elbows and watched as she picked her belongings up off the floor.
“The last place I remember being happy.” With her meager possessions in hand, Kendall fled from Greg’s house.
Kate shoved the hood of her sweatshirt over her face to provide temporary relief from the cold ocean air. Temperatures had dipped overnight and, despite her layered clothing, she couldn’t stop shivering. Her hope was that wherever Kendall had ended up, she was safe and warm.
Kate had started the day searching some of the spots she had missed the day before. She carried the picture of Kendall, but she explained the changes she suspected in the girl’s appearance. Dozens of people she came across said they didn’t recognize her. It wasn’t until after lunchtime that she got her first lead. An elderly woman shopping for antiques believed she saw Kendall working at a diner a few blocks away from the shop. The woman said that her crazy hair made Kendall hard to forget. Kate had hoofed it over to the diner as quickly as possible, leaving her car parked several blocks away in the opposite direction.
An unexpected gust of wind chilled Kate to the bone. When she straightened up and faced the windows of the diner again, a raven-haired figure was cutting her way across the restaurant. Kate received only a glimpse of the profile, but she knew without a doubt that she had set eyes on Kendall McDuffy.
Pushing through the doors of the restaurant, Kate stood at the hostess stand while scanning the diner for another sighting of Kendall. A stout woman with white hair resumed her post at the hostess stand.
Kate cleared her throat. “Table for one. Do you mind sitting me in Kendall’s section?”
The woman looked at her. “No one works here by that name.”
“Sorry, my mistake,” Kate mumbled, and she followed the woman to a booth toward the back of the restaurant.
As she passed the kitchen, the doors swung open and Kendall rushed out holding a plate of food. Kate was startled enough to stop in her tracks. Kendall gave her an annoyed look. “Excuse me,” she snapped, and she brushed by Kate.
Once in the booth, Kate held up the menu. Peeking over the top of the menu, she spied on Kendall as she served her customers. The girl moved efficiently from table to table, and many of the diners seemed to know her. A distant smile was on her face as she worked, and Kate hoped she had found at least a fraction of the happiness she had been seeking.
Kate paled as Kendall moved toward her table. Spying her nametag, she saw that it read Kelly. Kendall gave Kate a tolerant smile. “Sorry about before. I’ve had one too many customer collisions in here and I would’ve hated to dump hot plates of food on top of you.”
“It’s fine,” Kate said while staring unabashedly at her.
Kendall shifted under the scrutiny. “Are you ready to order?”
“Umm …” Kate stalled and pretended to look at the menu. “I’ll just have a coffee for now.”
Spinning on her heels, Kendall walked back toward the kitchen. Kate let out a breath as she watched her go. She had been so intent on finding Kendall that what she was going to say to the runaway hadn’t crossed her mind. Kendall might freak out and take off as soon as Kate revealed her intentions. She’d gone to the trouble of changing her identity and might not take it likely if Kate blew her cover.
Kendall looked healthy enough. She still had the dark hair with blue highlights, but it had grown slightly longer since she had stayed with Greg. Kate had been caught off guard by the emergence of Greg in Kendall’s memories. Kate hadn’t thought Kendall was romantically involved with anyone. It made Kate guess that Greg hadn’t been significant to her and was just another person she wanted to forget by running away.
Kendall looked less withdrawn than she had in earlier visions. Her color was healthy and her clothing wasn’t in disarray, despite working a hectic waitressing shift. Kate hoped this meant she had stayed away from drugs since leaving Greg.
Kendall arrived back and placed a coffee cup on the table. “Anything else?”
“So, have you been busy today?” Kate blurted out the first thing that popped in her head. Her goal was to strike up a conversation and maybe ease Kendall into the revelation that Kate had sought her out.
“Saturdays keep me running,” Kendall said with a tolerant smile.
“I haven’t been to Wildwood in years. My mom used to bring me at least once a weekend every summer. My dad hated the beach, so it was always our special thing to do together,” Kate said wistfully. “Do you live around here?”
Kendall’s expression was clear. She was going to be nice in hopes of a good tip, but she really wished Kate would shut up so she could get back to work. “Just moved here.”
“That’s lucky for you. The summers are a lot of fun here. Where do you live in town?”
Kendall put her hands on her hips. “It’s not my policy to give out my address to customers.”
Kate reddened. “I’m sorry. You just seem really nice and I don’t know anyone around here.” Kate picked up her coffee cup with trembling hands and noted the liquid sloshing over the sides. “Are you working all day? What time do you get off?”
Kendall pursed her lips. “I’m really flattered, honest. You’re very pretty, but I’m not into girls.”
For the first time in weeks, death didn’t seem so unwelcomed. Kate’s blush deepened and she stared at Kendall. “Oh god, you thought I was hitting on you?”
“Don’t be embarrassed. I know another waitress here that might be interested …”
Kate said, “I’m sure your friend is a great girl, but I wasn’t trying to ask you out. I actually …”
“Kelly!” the white-haired hostess bellowed. “Table eight is waiting for their entrees.”
“Gotta go,” Kendall said and hurried away.
Kate groaned as she watched Kendall scurry back to the kitchen. She should’ve planned this meeting much better. Her awkwardness would scare the girl off and prevent her from ever reaching out for help. Instead of trying to form an instantaneous friendship with Kendall, Kate needed to come clean about her motives. Hopefully, Kendall wouldn’t bug out and take the next bus out of town.
Kendall returned to the table. “Decide on anything to eat?”
“I really don’t want to freak you out in the middle of your shift, so I was trying to get together with you to talk afterwards,” Kate said in a rush. Her voice quavered as she whispered, “I know you’re Kendall McDuffy.”
Kendall showed no reaction. “Who? Sorry, I’ve never heard of anyone by that name.”
Kendall’s non-reaction had the effect of casting doubts in Kate’s head. It took her a second to realize that Kendall was just trying to bullshit her way out of having her cover blown.
“I’m not a cop and I won’t let anyone know you’re here if that’s what you want. My name is Kate Edwards. It’s a long story, but I’ve been in touch with your mom and she’s going crazy searching for you. I’m helping her, on a private basis. I only want a few minutes to talk to you,” Kate pleaded.
Kate played a drum solo with her fingers on the table as she nervously waited for Kendall’s reply. Kendall anxiously looked around before heaving out a lengthy sigh.
“I get off work at three. Come back then and we’ll talk,” she replied. Digging in her apron, Kendall slapped a check on the table and moved to the other side of the restaurant without another word. By Kendall’s reaction, Kate guessed she had her work cut out for her and that it might be an uphill battle to convince the teen to contact her mother.
Kate quickly paid her bill, leaving a generous tip for Kendall, and darted out of the restaurant. The jog to her car was brutal as she ran against the wind. By the time she unlocked her car, Kate had lost all circulation in her fingers and toes. Putting the heat on full blast, she drove back toward the diner. Although Kendall had more than an hour left on her shift, Kate’s instincts told her to get back to the restaurant as soon as possible.
Kate’s guess that the girl may take off was validated as she saw Kendall moving swiftly down the road about a block away from the diner. After pulling up next to Kendall, she rolled down the window. Kendall rolled her eyes when she recognized Kate. Her darting glances to the sidewalk in front of her hinted that the girl was considering making a run for it.
“You must have forgotten our date,” Kate joked and shot her a disarming smile.
“I have nothing to say to you. I’m not going back to South Harrison.” Kendall pulled her light denim jacket closer.
“I promise that I’m not going to drag you back there if you don’t want to go. I just want you to hear me out before you disappear again.”
“Fine,” Kendall seethed. “But only because I’m freezing.” Kendall stomped over to the passenger door and swung it open. She gave Kate a wary look. “This isn’t some sort of trick to drag me to the cops and turn me in. Is it?”
“No,” she replied hurriedly. “Are you hungry? Should we go somewhere to eat?”
Kendall shrugged. “I guess that will be okay. You must be starving since you were too busy eyeballing me to order any actual food.” She turned to look at Kate and added, “And you’re buying.”
Fifteen minutes later, Kate and Kendall were piling up their plates with food from a Chinese buffet restaurant. After they had scooped out hefty portions of pork fried rice, chicken and broccoli, and vegetable eggrolls, they sat down across from one another. As Kendall dug into her meal, Kate watched the girl sadly.
Each of Kendall’s memories that she had envisioned came flooding back to her. There had been so much tragedy and horror in the girl’s life, and she was barely sixteen years old. A deep hatred for the girl’s stepfather suddenly consumed Kate as she examined her. Despite her hair and her uniform, she had such a young face.
“How have you been? Where are you staying?”
“A shelter.” Kendall met Kate’s eyes. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. I got the job waitressing a couple of weeks ago, so things have been much better. I’m trying to save up and maybe find another place to live.”
Kate weighed her next words carefully. “I’m sure you’re wondering what I’m doing here …”
Kendall interjected. “You’re a PI, right? I figured you were when you told me about working for my mom privately.”
“No, I’m not. I’m actually a psychic.”
Kendall leaned back into the booth and smirked. “Really?”
“Yes, that’s how I was able to figure out where you were.”
“I’m not sure if I buy that, sounds like something you just made up on the spot. I met this one guy and he told me he was a necromancer. Turns out it was just a line to lure me out to the cemetery to make out.”
Kate screwed up her face in distaste. “He sounds gross. I hope that line didn’t work on too many girls.”
