It was 1530 hours, and Katie was in her office waiting for a reply from the publisher of Dr. Prokov’s book, Murder, Mayhem, and Madness. Dr. Prokov, although a well-known criminal profiler in Europe, had never been to the United States prior to her current visit. The most Katie could find out was that the psychologist preferred to do most of her work via phone, letter, or email, and was rarely seen in public. She was hoping the email she’d sent to the publisher would answer some questions. The first ones being, why had she come to the U. S. now; and why to such a public venue?
Katie was becoming more alarmed that there was undoubtedly more to the professor than appearances suggested, especially after her comments at lunch. She couldn’t help the feeling of dread that was crawling under her skin and making her nerves jump. And jump she did when the phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Katie calmed herself enough to answer the phone that was ringing on her desk. “Agent O’Malley,” she spoke evenly into the receiver.
“Katie, it’s Tiny.”
“Hey, Tiny. How’s Tom doing?”
“Tom died about an hour ago. I’ve been trying to reach Dean, but her phone must be off.”
“Oh, Tiny. I’m so sorry to hear that. Is there anything we can we do?”
“That’s why I’m calling. Tom’s originally from Niagara Falls, and he always wanted to be buried back there in the family plot. I talked with his brother just a bit ago, and we’re planning a memorial service for this weekend. Do you suppose you and Dean could come to it?”
Without hesitating, Katie agreed. “I’m sure we can work it out. Dean’s in Kansas City right now, but she’ll want to be there.” She paused, then asked, “Do you mind if I call Tracy and Colleen to let them know?”
“No, I was hoping you would. I know Bill won’t be able to come, since he’s still in the hospital, but if you could tell him…” Tiny’s voice started to catch, and he cleared it a couple of times before continuing. “Sorry about that. As I was saying, if you could let Bill know, I’d appreciate it.”
“Sure thing, Tiny. Just let me know where and what time.” Katie reached for a note pad and pen to jot down the information as Tiny gave her the particulars. Before hanging up, she spent a bit longer on the phone trying to console Tiny. She copied the details into her Palm Pilot, returned the PDA to her backpack, grabbed her coat and left for her office totally unaware that she was being watched as she ran to the housing area.
Now what’s got her in such a rush? Meisha stepped out of the shadows and entered the building where Katie had her office. Since most personnel were at dinner or home with their families, the building was quiet. The only person she encountered was the guard at the building’s main entrance. She was wearing her ID badge, so she didn’t have any difficulty walking by him and down the hall to Katie’s office. A quick check over her shoulder to affirm her solitary presence, and she swiftly opened the door to the office and slipped inside. Meisha didn’t have to turn on the light because, in her haste to leave, Katie had neglected to shut down her computer.
“My, my. She was in a hurry. Well, let’s see what’s on her computer.” The psychologist walked behind the desk and sat in the chair, turning it to face the computer. “Hmm, nothing here.” She hit a few keys to bring up the e-mail program, scanning the mail that had been sent. “Ah, that’s better. Let’s see…Oh, Katie, you’ve been a bad girl. Contacting my publisher for information about me.” Just then, a response from the publisher posted to her inbox. “Well, well. Let’s see what they say.” Opening the e-mail, Meisha frowned when she read the particulars of the reply. “Guess the game is up. They found the good doctor’s body a bit faster than I had anticipated. I’ve always said if I want a job done right, I have to do it myself.” Meisha laughed and waved her hand at the computer. “Well, I was getting bored with this little game anyway. Time to move on.”
She hit ‘reply’ and typed a message thanking them for the quick response, before deleting the e-mail. Swiveling the chair back toward the desk, she noticed the notepad with the scribbled message. “Well, at least one of my people was successful.” Reading further, she found the information on the funeral arrangements. “Oh, this is perfect!” Meisha sat back in the chair and thought for a moment. “Yesss. And I know just the right spot.” She promptly rose and exited the office as quietly as she had entered.
* * * * *
Dean wasn’t ready for the sight that greeted her as she entered her father’s room. Although the room was bright from being a corner unit with windows on two sides, the room carried an air of gloom. Medicine bottles lined the tall dresser near the door, and there was a distinctive odor she associated with illness. Her stomach, which had been queasy all day, did an immediate flip, causing her to gasp lightly. Martha caught the almost imperceptible gasp and reached out, tenderly placing her hand on Dean’s arm. That touch buoyed her enough to regain her composure and step fully into the room. She looked over at Martha and mouthed a ‘thank you.’
“Joshua, you have a visitor,” the minister said kindly as she led Dean to the small sitting area in the corner by the windows. Joshua was sitting in an old faded wing chair, intently reading his Bible in the fading daylight. Dean looked at the shell of the man that was her father. The man she remembered who was full of anger and rage was nowhere in sight. Instead, she saw a different human being¾one who had paid the price for his act of retribution. A man that had been humbled over the years and transformed into a submissive servant of the afflicted, a frail skeleton of the man he once was.
Joshua let the book fall into his lap as he lifted his head to see who his visitor was. At first, his eyes registered confusion, then recognition, and finally tears welled up and threatened to fall. “Deanna? Ohh…Deanna, you came…” was all he was able to say before the tears fell freely down his leathery face.
All the anger Dean had carried for years in her heart dissolved in that instant and she rushed to him. Wrapping her arms carefully around his wasted body, she hugged him and began to cry. In between sobs, Dean whispered, “Father…I...I’ve missed you.”
Sensing that everything would be all right, Martha quietly backed out of the room, closing the door behind her.
* * * * *
Katie pulled out her keys as she reached the door of her small room. Inserting the key in the lock, she unlocked the room, entered, and flipped on the light. She immediately saw the message light blinking on her phone. Walking over to the desk, she dialed the message retrieval digits and waited. The message was from Dean and had come in at 1530 hours. She checked her watch and realized she had missed the call by twenty minutes, then she heard her lover’s voice as the message played.
“Hey, love. I just got to the City Mission. It’s about 1430 here, and I was hoping to talk to you before I go in, so you could give me a little courage. You didn’t answer your cell phone, so I thought I’d try here.” She paused and exhaled loudly into the phone. “I’m going to turn my phone off for a bit when I go to see my father, so don’t be alarmed if I don’t answer. Just leave me a voice message, and I’ll get back to you. I love you.” Pause. “See you soon, love.”
Katie held the phone in both hands as she listened to the message, saying out loud, “I love you, too,” when it was finished. She put the receiver back in the cradle and reached into her backpack to check her cell phone. When she pulled it out, she realized that the battery had gone dead. “Damn. Well, it’ll have to charge in the car.” Picking up the phone once more, Katie called her supervisor to alert him that she would be leaving immediately for Niagara Falls, but would be back on Monday, or Tuesday at the latest. She was going to call Dean, but knew that she wouldn’t reach her right then, anyway, so she figured to wait until she got back to the house. Turning in a circle, she surveyed the room to see what she would need to take with her. Deciding that she really didn’t need anything from there other than her backpack, she changed into her favorite jeans, turtleneck jersey and a large sweatshirt, slipped on her Reeboks and picked up her backpack and jacket before heading out. On her way to the car, she remembered that she’d forgotten about the e-mail she’d sent to the publisher, but figured that she could check her e-mail from home. Unlocking the Boxster, she tossed her backpack onto the passenger seat, slipped behind the wheel, and headed for home.
* * * * *
Chapter 20
14 December, 1630 Hours
The sleek Boxster idled outside the garage as the door rose slowly, her impatient driver tapping the steering wheel as she watched the door pass the height of the sports car, then quickly pulled forward and parked. Turning off the ignition and removing the keys, Katie hit the garage door opener again to send it back down before picking up her backpack and exiting the car. She made her way quickly to the house, unlocking the door and turning off the security alarms. The stack of mail on the hall table caused her momentary alarm, but she finally remembered that Dirk had offered to stop by and take it in.
Shaking off her coat and hanging it on the coat rack, she picked up the backpack and headed for the phone. Realizing that it had only been an hour since Dean had called, she wasn’t surprised when she got the recording to leave a message. “Dean, please call as soon as you get this message. I’m at home, so call me there.” Next, she dialed Bill at the hospital, filling him in on Tom’s death and the memorial service in Niagara Falls.
Finally, she called Tracy and Colleen.
“Hey.” She greeted as Colleen picked up the phone. Katie somberly told her about the memorial service.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll try to reach Tracy on her cell phone and fill her in.”
“She’s still at work?” Katie asked as she checked her watch.
“Sorta. She and Linna are on another trip. They just left this morning.”
“Where to this time?”
“Actually, they went to Niagara Falls for the Winter Festival of Lights. They’re staying at a small motel on the Canadian side. Let me give you the number there.” There was a pause as Katie heard some papers being shuffled. “It’s 905-222-1111. It’s called the Gorge View Motel. They should be getting back from dinner about now.”
“I take it her shoulder is healing okay, or she wouldn’t be traveling.”
“Yeah, it’s doing pretty well, but she’s still got to be careful. Linna will make sure she doesn’t do anything outrageous.”
“I bet she will,” Katie chuckled at the thought of Linna playing nurse Ratchet. Okay, I’ll see you two at the service. Right now, I’d better leave the line open for Dean to call.” They said their goodbyes and set up a time to meet at the motel before the memorial service.
Katie had just finished sorting the stack of mail when the phone rang. She picked up the receiver and plopped into her favorite chair at the same time, causing her voice to come out in a rush as she answered. “Dean?”
“Yeah, it’s me. What wrong? You sound strange.”
“Oh, sorry. I just plopped into the chair as I answered. But there is something you need to know.” She wasn’t sure how to say it, so she just decided to be direct. “Tiny called a bit ago. Tom didn’t make it.”
There was the expected pause before Dean responded. “When I find that bitch…”
“She’ll have to answer to the law,” Katie cut in as she felt her partner’s anger rise.
A thousand miles away, Dean nodded, calming herself as she felt Katie’s words seep into her soul. “You’re right. She’ll answer to the law.”
Changing the topic for a moment, Katie asked how the visit went with her father. She was not surprised to hear Dean speak of the reconnection beginning between her and her father. Dean talked about the pain he had gone through for the previous twenty years, his description of his fall into substance abuse, and finally, his decision to turn himself in and pay for his crime. “I guess I never tried to put myself in his shoes. To imagine how he must have felt when he realized he had taken the life of his own flesh and blood. The shame and misery, and the subsequent loss of the rest of his family devastated him. After Mom died, he couldn’t bear it any longer, and he couldn’t bring himself to face me.”
Dean paused, her emotions beginning to show in her voice. “I…I never gave him a chance. I carried the hate and anger so long. If it hadn’t been for you…back in the Catskills…I probably would have driven myself to…”
“Dean,” Katie interjected softly, “the point is, the hate and anger didn’t destroy you; you were able to overcome them. And now, you and your father can find forgiveness…and love.”
“You’re right, but we don’t have much time. We’ve wasted so much of it; and now Dad is dying.”
“Dean, it’s not the quantity of time that’s left, it’s the quality of that time. We’ll do everything we can to make it the best for him…and you.” She paused, deciding that it was time to ease back to the memorial for Tom. “Sweetie, we need to make arrangements to meet at the memorial service on Saturday. Will you be able to catch a flight?”
Calmer now, Dean was able to concentrate on the logistics for Saturday. While they talked, Katie went over to her lap-top on the kitchen table to check flights from KCI to Niagara Falls International, booking a reservation for Dean on the afternoon flight and herself a flight for late morning. They agreed that Katie would fly up earlier and secure a rental car and room, while she spent another day with her father. Dean would leave Kansas City on the 12:15 flight to the Falls, and Katie would pick her up her at the airport.
“How’re things going with Dr. Prokov?” Dean asked.
“I’m doing a little background check on her right now,” Katie offered. “There’s just something about her that’s niggling at me. I haven’t been able to put a finger on it yet, but I will. I was just going to check my e-mail for a message from the publisher when you called.”
“Why? What’s setting off the warning bells?”
Katie went on to describe the lunchtime conversation they’d had, and Dean found the bit about hunting predators very interesting. “Could be it’s just an off-shoot of her professional life…hunting criminals…but it does sound a bit strange.”
“That’s what I thought at first, too, but I guess it was the way she said it and the way she looked at right at me when she said the part about underestimating the cornered predator’s mate.” Katie shuddered. “It really gave me the creeps.”
“Well, love, you just be careful. Have you set all the security codes?”
“No, not yet, but I will as soon as I hang up.”
“Okay, then we’d better hang up now. I don’t like the thought of you sitting in that house without the security measures on. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll be waiting. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Now, go set the codes.”
“Yes, Ma’am!” Katie replied smartly, then hung up and headed downstairs for the den and the main security console. She took the stairs quickly and turned the corner. She never saw them come out of the shadows, but when she felt the needle enter her arm, she knew she was in trouble. Two men held her as a third person stepped into view.
A deformed hand gently caressed Katie’s cheek. “Hello, Katie. Surprised to see me?”
The pieces that had niggled at her now fell into place as Katie struggled to maintain consciousness. The woman before her started laughing evilly, and as the drug took effect, the laughter turned into an echo, playing over and over in her head. Katie’s vision blurred and her knees buckled. The last thing Katie said before she blacked out was, “Natasha.”
* * * * *
Opting to spend the night at the City Mission in one of the vacant rooms on the third floor, Dean cancelled her reservation at the Crown Center Hotel. She ate dinner with her father and the others who stayed at the mission, and spent the evening with her father, listening to him tell of his work there. He hadn’t asked her about her career in the Army, and she was grateful for that. She wasn’t ready to bare her soul and her own feelings of rage and hatred just yet. They turned in early, mostly because her father needed the rest and she figured she could use the sleep herself as she’d had precious little of it over the last few days. Her sleep, unfortunately, was restless, as her mind replayed her visit with her father and the phone call with Katie. Thoughts floated through her mind, mingling with facts and questions. Her body was still trying to decide if she was in Germany, or DC, or Kansas City. She’d barely had time to compensate for the jet lag, and now she was reeling with more emotions than she had ever experienced before. Love and hate, tenderness and anger, compassion and fear … all ran together sending her mind and soul into a maelstrom of confusion. Giving up, she got out of bed and slipped on her sweats and running shoes. What I need now is a good long run. Maybe if I exhaust myself, I’ll be able to get a few minutes of sleep. She tied her hair back into a pony tail and plotted a run that would take her down to the river and, eventually, River Front Park. Dean checked her watch and noted it was 0330 hours. She took the map of downtown with her as she took the stairs down to the main entrance. Reverend Lewistan had said that the mission was open 24-7, and she found a night receptionist in the main office. Poking her head in, she whispered to the young man that she was going out for a run.
“Ma’am? At this hour? I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he cautioned. “There’s all sorts of bad people out at this time of night.”
“I don’t think they’ll be bothering me,” she replied with a wink. “I should be back in a couple of hours.”
“If you say so. But if you’re not back in a couple of hours, the Rev is gonna have my head!”
Dean waved at the young man and stepped out into the night air. Doing some stretches first, she started out in a slow jog, allowing her muscles to warm sufficiently before speeding up. She jogged back up Jefferson to 17th and headed back downtown on Broadway. She made a few turns through some of the streets nearer the river until she found Levee Road. Jogging along on Levee Road, she finally came to River Front Road and the park. Running always cleared her head, and soon she was just caught up in the joy of the run. She ran on, past the string of riverboat casinos on the other side of the bank. When she saw the I-435 roadway suspended above her head, she looped back the way she’d come, pushing herself through her exhaustion. Backtracking through the streets, she arrived back at the mission in a little under two hours. When she entered, she noticed the young man pacing in the office. As soon as he saw her, he looked up at the ceiling and said, “Thank you, Lord,” and sat back down at his desk.
Dean took the stairs back up to her room where she grabbed a towel and her toiletries, and headed to the bathroom down the hall. Reminds me of boot camp, she thought as she locked the door to her stall. After a quick shower, she dried her hair and returned to her room to get dressed for breakfast, which would be served at 0730 in the dining hall. Her thoughts now clear, Dean sat at the small writing table, pen in hand. The words flew onto the paper as she began to write. She put everything out on the table. The anger and the loss she felt. The rage she felt over Thad’s death that was bottled up inside her for years. How she used that rage to fuel her actions during her covert assignments. She bared her soul, explaining all the people that were hurt at her hands. The guilt she felt. The absolution she needed. Then she described meeting Katie. How she had filled the void in her heart and brought love back into her life. She told her father everything in that letter and ended with the hope he could accept her as Katie had. Dean read the letter over several times before signing it and sealing it in an envelope. She added her father’s name to it, then set it aside, intending to leave it for him before she left. She wasn’t sure how he would react, especially to the part about Katie and how much she meant to her. Only time would tell, and there really wasn’t much of that left for him. She only hoped for the best. I know this is the coward’s way out, but I’m afraid to find out how he’ll react about Katie. We’re just finding our way back together, but I’ll live without him before I live without her. Her thoughts were broken by a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Dean said as she slipped the envelope into her bag. Joshua Peterson opened the door and smiled brightly as he saw his daughter.
“I was afraid it was all a dream,” he said as he stepped into the room. “That you really weren’t here.”
Dean stood and walked over to her father, gently hugging him. “Nope. I’m real. How about we go get some grub?” Father and daughter stepped out into the hall, walking arm-in-arm for the first time in twenty years.
* * * * *
Chapter 21
15 December, 0800 Hours
Katie woke for the second time, still groggy from the drug she’d been given; and she had a wicked headache. Her mouth felt dry, and she noted a distinctive taste¾similar to iodine¾as she swallowed. Yuck! Remind me not to swallow! She tried to sit up, but realized she was tied up pretty tightly. Hmpf, not taking any chances, eh, Natasha. Wherever she was, it was very dark and very confining. She tried rolling to the side, and hit a wooden wall. She tried the other side and hit another wooden wall, her shoulder brushing something above her. Trying to shout, she realized she had tape across her mouth. Damn, I think they have me in a box. This isn’t good. Nope, this is definitely not good at all. Katie decided to remain quiet in hopes of hearing something from outside the box. She dozed on and off as she waited in the silence for something…anything, to happen. She was hoping someone would come soon, because she really had to pee. Just then, she heard voices, and the next thing she knew the top of her box was being pried open. When the lid came off, she was nearly blinded by the lights overhead. She squinted as she watched four powerful arms reach in and pick her up like a rag doll. They roughly set her down on the cold floor and walked out of the room. Scanning her new quarters, Katie was puzzled. The room looked like a huge locker room, but without lockers. The walls were all tiled in a putty colored tile, and there were rows of benches. Along the walls were coat hooks. A variety of locked tool boxes were scattered about and she saw a sign that said, “Pardon our dust as we work to improve your view.” At the far end, she saw what she really needed, a restroom. As she tried to figure out how she could manage getting over to the toilet, she heard footsteps approaching from somewhere around the wall to her right. Looking in that direction, she saw Natasha walk in, dressed in a long yellow raincoat with a hood.
Tossing back the hood, Natasha looked down at Katie. “Ah, the sleeping princess is awake. Have a nice nap, hmm?” The woman reached down and violently ripped the duct tape off Katie face.
“Owww!” Katie screamed before she could stop herself.
“Oh, did that hurt?” Natasha bent down to see the redness that resulted from the tape’s abrupt removal. “Hmm, well, in a few hours, you’ll be wishing that was all that was hurting.”
“Natasha,” Katie implored, “I really need to go to the toilet. What say you let me do that, and then we can discuss whatever you want.”
“The toilet! That’s all you’re worried about? Going to the toilet?” She began to laugh uncontrollably, tears running down her cheeks. “You know, Katie, you’ve got guts. I’ll hand that to you.” She wiped the tears from her eyes, still laughing. “Okay, you get to go to the toilet, and then we’ll have a little chat…some girl talk…a little catching up, okay?” She called for her goons, Pavel and Aleksei. When they came into the room, she told them to untie Katie while she took off her raincoat.
“Now, don’t try anything stupid. I’m in no hurry to kill you, but if you give me an excuse, it’ll just speed up the process.” She pointed at the restroom and followed after the blonde.
When Katie came out, she was immediately trussed up, but this time in a chair. The tape wasn’t put back across her mouth, for which she was very thankful. “You know, Dean will find me,” Katie said confidently. “When I’m not at the airport to pick her up, she’ll figure it out and find me.”
“That’s exactly what I’m counting on, dear. Your lover and I have a little confrontation we need to finish. Of course, I would have finished her off back at the UN, but I just didn’t count on you being there.” Natasha put a finger to her lips. “Guess that’s what happens when you leave an important job to someone else. That won’t happen this time, though. When we have our little chat, she won’t be able to get to you in time. I’ll make sure of that! Besides, I owe you for this!” she said angrily as she thrust her gnarled hand in Katie’s face. “Those imbeciles in Siberia didn’t have a proper doctor to take care of it…so, now I have you to thank for this.” She pulled her hand to her chest and caressed it with her good hand. “I can’t tell you what an inspiration it’s been. Just the thought of exacting my revenge on you and killing your lover, kept me going through that long, cold, winter.”
“How’d you get out of Siberia?” Katie asked, trying to find anything that may help her.
“That was easy!” She began laughing again. “Let’s just say that the guards lacked female companionship. Only I was a bit more woman than they could handle. Isn’t that right boys?”
“What happened to the real Dr. Prokov?”
“Oh, the poor old dear slipped and hit her head on something really sharp. If these boys,” she looked at Pavel and Aleksei, “had done what I told them to do, her body never would have been found.” She smiled at Katie, “Yes, your inquiry to the publisher was finally answered. I thanked them for the response they sent.” Natasha looked at her watch. “My, how time flies! Your sweetie will be landing in about six hours, and I have so much to do.”
“We’re in Niagara Falls?” Katie asked incredulously.
“Oh, Katie, we’re not only here in Niagara Falls, we’re under them! Right on the other side of that wall, in fact.”
“How did you know she was coming here?”
“I’ve known everything you two were doing for a very long time now. I’m surprised you never found my little bug in the book I gave you. Tsk, tsk. Dean wasn’t very careful was she?”
Katie closed her eyes, thinking of all the conversations they’d had in the presence of that book…and all the things they did with the book lying there A blush of anger started creeping up her face.
“Yes, even those little intimate moments were captured on tape. My, my, … you two are worse than dogs in heat … just can’t get enough of each other, can you?” She laughed again as Katie turned her face away. Natasha turned very serious, tired of toying with the blonde for the moment, “Well, enough chit-chat for now…We have work to do.” She motioned to the two men as she donned her raincoat. “Go ahead and scream if you want to. No one will hear you.” Then she turned and left, followed by her two goons.
* * * * *
Dean had spent the entire morning and part of the afternoon with her father as he told her about the work he was involved with in the mission. He took her around to the different areas in the building where people were putting their lives back together. Former drug addicts, homeless people, and runaways were all working together at simple tasks. Sewing, cooking, some doing craft projects, even a shop where small engines were rebuilt and then resold. Everyone pitched in at mealtime to set the tables, serve the food, and clean up afterwards. The afternoons were spent in therapy sessions, so Dean didn’t feel bad about leaving on the 12:15 flight since Joshua had to lead some of the sessions. She had just finished packing her bag when there was a knock on her door. “Come in,” she said as she placed the last item in the bag.
“Dean, I’m so sorry you have to leave already,” Reverend Lewistan began, “but I know it’s something you need to do.”
Dean zipped her bag closed and turned toward her visitor. “Yes, it is. I…we, didn’t get to know Tom for long, but the time we shared was very intense, and we all learned a lot about each other and learned to depend on each other.” A tear threatened to fall, but Dean turned away from the minister and recovered. “His death was senseless, a cowardly act aimed at hurting me. He was just a pawn in game being played by a mad person. And when I find her…”
Martha walked over to Dean and put a hand on her shoulder. The visions that suddenly burst into her mind caused her to lose her balance and sent her into a semi-conscious state. She would have hit the floor except for Dean’s quick reaction as she caught the minister and helped her to the bed. “Martha, what’s wrong?” Dean uttered softly as she noted the fluttering eyelids on the older woman. After covering Martha with the light blanket, she ran to the hall and shouted for help. The first person to reach the room was Dean’s father.
Joshua went to the bed and knelt by the minister. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. We were talking, and she just keeled over.”
“What were you talking about?” he demanded, looking up into his daughter’s eyes.
“About the funeral I’m going to.” Confused and shaken at the tone of accusation in her father’s voice, Dean backed away. “We…I was just telling her how senseless Tom’s death was. That he was killed by a mad woman in an attempt to hurt me.”
“Then what?”
“Um, she reached out and touched my shoulder, then…just started to fall. I caught her and laid her down on the bed.” Dean looked at the woman who seemed to be having a petit mal seizure. “What happened? Is she going to be okay?”
Joshua nodded and focused back on Martha. He reached up and felt her pulse. It was erratic, and her eyelids were still fluttering. Joshua looked up at Dean, worry obvious in his eyes. “Whatever she saw did this to her.”
“What do you mean? She didn’t see anything,” Dean countered defensively.
“Deanna,” he said in a softer tone, “Martha has a gift…or sometimes, a curse, like now.” He shook his head, returning his attention to the minister. “She has visions. Sometimes when she touches someone, she can see things in our past, and occasionally, in our futures. When she touched you, she must have seen something that caused this.”
Dean reeled with the information, trying to remember what she was thinking when Martha touched her. Oh, my God. I was thinking of that mad woman. Thinking of what I want to do to her. Of the pain she has inflicted on my friends…and Katie. Dean stumbled backward, groping for the desk chair, sitting heavily on its seat. She put her elbows on her knees and brought her hands up to hold her head. “I did this?”
“Inadvertently, yes.” He reached out, putting a hand on Dean’s head. “It’s not your fault, Deanna. Martha never knows when she’ll have a vision. But, I’ve never seen a reaction as strong as this one.”
They heard footsteps running down the hall toward them. Rhonda was the first to enter, followed by James, the night receptionist and a couple of other mission workers from the kitchen.
“Oh, Lord!” Rhonda exclaimed as she saw the reverend lying on the bed. “She had another one of them visions, didn’t she?”
“Yes,” Joshua replied. “And she hasn’t come out of it yet. We need to get her to her room by the office.”
Dean looked at the helpers that came in, and quickly evaluated their ability to move Martha without harming her further. “I’ll carry her down. You folks go get the elevator for me.” They balked momentarily until they saw Dean stand and gently lift the minister into her arms. Rhonda realized that the reverend was in the best hands possible and shooed the cooks back to the kitchen. She and James hurried to the elevator, opening the gate just in time for Dean to step in. There was only room for one more person in the small space, and Joshua commandeered it. As he closed the gate and pushed the down button, Rhonda and James took to the stairs, bound and determined to beat the elevator, which really wasn’t much of a contest. They were waiting by the gate as the elevator reached the first floor. Joshua opened the gate and stepped out, leading Dean to the small room next to Martha’s office. Rhonda sent James to the kitchen for some strong tea before she went into the reverend’s bathroom to get a cool washcloth.
Dean gently placed Martha on her bed, covering her with the colorful afghan that was at the foot of it.
“Should we call an ambulance?” Dean asked as Rhonda reentered the room, washcloth in hand.
“No, hon. She’ll be okay. She just needs to rest.” Rhonda folded the washcloth and placed it on the woman’s forehead and began humming “Amazing Grace” as she stroked Martha’s hair.
“Are you sure there’s nothing else to be done?” Dean asked again.
“No, no. She’ll be fine.” She gave Dean’s hand a squeeze. “I’ve seen a lot of these here spells, and she’ll come out of it. Of course, I’ve only seen one other that lasted this long. That was a hard one on her. Really took the wind out of her sails for a while.” She looked up at Dean. “Now, don’t you be blaming yourself for this. It ain’t your fault.” Rhonda picked up the washcloth and turned it over, replacing the cooler side down. Humming again, she kept watch; Dean paced, and Joshua prayed.
Dean walked over to her father and bent down. “Dad, I’m going to call the airport and try to get a flight out first thing in the morning.”
Joshua put his prayer book down and shook his head. “You don’t have to do that, but if it’ll make you feel…”
Martha moaned, and they both turned toward the bed. Her eyes were blinking open, and she was trying to sit up. Rhonda was encouraging her to stay down.
“No…no, have to warn…” she mumbled.
“Warn? Warn who?” Rhonda asked softly, bending closer to Martha so she could make out her words.
“Dean…hurry…water…everywhere…over, under…swirling. Natasha…danger...” The last word was spoken so softly, Rhonda couldn’t make it out as the minister collapsed back on the bed, out cold.
“What did she say?” Joshua and Dean said simultaneously.
“I dunno. Don’t make no sense.” Rhonda shook her head. “Somethin’ bout water, swirling and stuff like that.”
Dean and moved closer to the bed and spoke in a low, almost growling voice. “Tell me exactly the words she used.”
“Um, she said ‘Dean,’ then ‘hurry.’” Rhonda looked up at the tall woman standing over her and gulped unconsciously. “Uh, then she said ‘water’ and ‘over and under’ then ‘swirling.’ Don’t make no sense at all.”
“Is that all she said?” Fierce sapphire eyes penetrated Rhonda’s brown ones.
“She…she said somebody’s name. Uh, it sounded like ‘Natasha’ or somethin’ like that, and then mumbled something else I didn’t understand.” Rhonda looked away from the piercing stare and back down at the sleeping minister. “Oh, she also said she had to ‘warn her.’ I think she was meaning you, Deanna.”
The color in Dean’s face drained. She turned to her father and asked, “Just how accurate are these visions?”
“As far as I know, she’s never been wrong.” Alarmed at the look on his daughters face, he added, “Deanna?”
Dean looked at her watch and realized she had only forty-five minutes to catch her flight, and Kansas City International was at least thirty minutes away. “Dad, I’ve got to go. I can’t explain, but I’ll call as soon as I can.” Dean rushed out of the room and ran up the stairs taking them two at a time. She flew into her room, grabbing the bag she had just finished packing when Martha came into the room. When she slipped on her leather jacket, the letter to her father fell out of the pocket, fluttering to the floor. She stooped to pick it up and slipped it under her father’s door on her way to the stairs.
The traffic lights were with her as she sped toward the airport. She managed to grab James on her way out of the mission so he could drop off the rental car for her. When she screeched to a halt in front of the terminal, she grabbed her bag and handed James a hundred dollar bill. “Here, you’ll need this for cab fare back to the mission.”
“God Bless you, Deanna. Be careful now.”
“I will, James. Thank you for returning the car.” She shut the door and ran into the terminal, checking the flight monitors as she ran. The gate she needed was fairly close, and she got there just as they were finalizing the boarding. Taking her seat in first class, her thoughts turned once again to the minister’s warning. Natasha! I should have figured…I just hope I get to Katie before she does. Dean’s thoughts were interrupted as the flight attendant began her safety speech. As she checked her seat belt, Dean realized this was going to be the longest flight she had ever taken. Once in the air, she tried to reach Katie on her cell phone, but kept getting the message that the customer she was trying to reach was not available at this time. She left a message on Katie’s voice mail anyway, and then tried to settle herself for the three-hour flight.
* * * * *
Linna was relaxing on the bed reading the brochures she’d picked up in the front lobby. “Hey, Tracy! Did you know that the Dome Jet goes 65mph? And that makes the trip to the Whirlpool and back in thirty minutes?”
“I hear it’s a heck of ride through all those rapids.” Tracy replied, as she read the brochure on the Spanish Aero Car. “Get a load of this. This tour has been in operation since 1916, travels the 3,600 foot round trip in 10 minutes, and is at a height of 250 feet over the whirlpool. The whole car is suspended over the gorge by only six cables.”
“I certainly hope they’ve updated that puppy since 1916,” Linna chortled, “or I’m not going on it.”
“Relax. According to the brochure, it had design and function upgrades in 1961, 1967, and 1984.”
“Oh, well, that doesn’t comfort me. It’s been…sixteen years since it’s last update!” They both started giggling as Linna pretended to be falling from an imaginary cable car.
“Help…help…I’m falling, and I can’t swim!”
Tracy waved at Linna and said, “That’s okay. From that height, you’d break your neck on impact anyway!”
Linna shot her boss a look, then picked up her pillow and threw it at her. “Ya mean ya wouldn’t jump in and save me?”
“Nope. You know me. I’m a warm water swimmer.” They both laughed again, enjoying the comfortable camaraderie they shared.
“Are you about ready to pick up Colleen?” Linna asked her boss after Tracy threw her pillow back to her. “The rental car is out front.”
“Just about. All the arrangements for the funeral are done. It’s going to be tomorrow, at St. Gabriel’s Memorial Chapel in Niagara Falls, at 4:00 PM. Tiny’s flight has already come in, and he’s on his way to the chapel.” Tears began forming in her eyes as she remembered the many years she had known the ex-Seal and the good times she and Colleen had with Nick, Tom, and Tiny during their vacations in the Bahamas.
“Katie is picking up Dean, right?” Linna said hurriedly to redirect Tracy’s thoughts.
“Yes, at least that was the plan she gave to Colleen last night. If it’s any different, we’ll find out when we pick up Col.”
“Are you still going to make it for the Whirlpool Dome Jet ride?” Linna knew her boss really wanted to go on the jet boat ride down the Niagara Gorge.
Tracy checked her watch, noting that it was almost 1:00 PM. The jet boat ride was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. “I’ll probably just miss you guys, but I’ll catch up to you at the Spanish Aero Car for the ride over the whirlpool. If I miss that, I’ll just wait ‘til the cable car comes back and join you for the rest of the tour.” Tracy knew the airport wasn’t far, but they were on the Canadian side, which meant having to twice go through the security at the bridges. “I’d better get going. It’s a nice day and the tourists will be out in force, making the lines at the bridges too long for my liking. But, I think can beat some of the traffic by going over the Whirlpool Bridge and then cutting over to Niagara Falls Boulevard.”
“Okay, I’ll see you at the aero car. Tell Colleen I made room for her at dinner. She’ll love the German restaurant we’re going to.” Linna tossed Tracy the keys to the rental car that had been delivered an hour earlier.
“Got it…Catch ya later!” Tracy commented as she caught the keys and left the motel room.
* * * * *
Chapter 22
15 December, 1500 Hours
Katie still had a monster headache, and the quiet of the room she was in just made it seem that much worse. She had managed to doze off again, but the pounding in her head wouldn’t let her sleep too long. Damn, I could really use some aspirin…Of course, if Dean doesn’t find me in time, I think aspirin will be the least of my worries. In the interim since Natasha and her Siberian huskies had left her, Katie had tried to remember everything she could about the Falls. If they were ‘under them’ as Natasha had told her, it meant they were on the Canadian side. She remembered coming here as a small child with her parents. She also remembered all the yellow raincoats, and that they smelled musty and nearly made her sick, but Mom and Dad had been so excited about walking under the falls. Hmm, I think they were called the Scenic Tunnels or something like that. She paused, scanning her memory, picking up bits and pieces. I remember reading somewhere that these tunnels were renovated, and they changed the name. Yeah, now I remember, they call it Journey Behind the Falls now. She looked around the disheveled space. This must be one of the changing rooms. They must not be open in the winter months. Hmm, looks like they’re doing some kind of maintenance, though, with all those tools lying about. She was still contemplating her situation when she heard Natasha and the boys returning.
“Hi, honey, we’re home,” Natasha chimed cheerily. “Miss us?”
“Not hardly,” Katie retorted. “Why don’t you and your boys go for a swim? I hear the water is real refreshing this time of year.”
“Oh no, sweetie. I’m saving that little pleasure for you.” Natasha walked over to where Katie was tied and squatted down next to her. She put her lips right next to Katie’s ear, blowing a warm breath as she spoke. “You do know how to swim, don’t you?” Katie jerked her head away from the woman, causing Natasha to laugh. Abruptly terminating her laughter, Natasha reached up and grabbed a handful of Katie’s blonde hair, pulling violently. “Don’t worry, the power of that water will crush your body against the rocks before you could even do one stroke.” Releasing her hold, she smiled again at the blonde. “And then it will probably carry you down all the way to the bottom.” She looked Katie in the eye. “Do you know how deep it is at the base of the Falls?” Not getting a response, she answered her own question. “Only about 150 feet. By the time they find your body…if they find your body…there won’t be anything recognizable to identify.” Natasha stood and motioned to the two men. “C’mon boys, time to take Katie to see the Falls.” Pavel and Aleksei ambled over and untied the blonde. Even though she struggled, Katie was no match for their huge bulk as they carried her off, following Natasha down the corridor. They entered the elevator and descended the 125 feet to the tunnels. Exiting the elevator, they took the right turn that led 150 feet behind the Falls.
Katie couldn’t decide if the roar in her head was from the headache or the sound of the water thundering down. I don’t think it matters much at this point, she thought, as the group passed two observation cut-outs directly under the water. Even though she was still in her sweats, it was cold and damp in the tunnel, and it was starting to make her very uncomfortable. Ok, Dean, anytime now, she was thinking as they passed a makeshift chain link barricade that led to the third and final observation cut-out.
“End of the line, Katie.” Natasha said as she led the way to the railing.
Katie looked around and noticed there were fresh drill holes in the rock surrounding the railing. Each pencil thin hole had a wire coming out of it. She counted six holes, two on each side and two in the floor. The wires came together and entered a strange looking junction box closer to the main tunnel. Natasha smiled at her as the men moved past her and lifted Katie up over the first railing. Katie looked back at Natasha, who smiled and waved at her.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, those little holes each have a bit of C4 explosive in them. Not enough to do much damage, but enough to release the railing and let you tumble forward into the Falls. The box has a timer on it, and will trigger the charge at precisely 6:00 p.m. And, just in case your lover wins our little challenge today, it’s also set with a series of laser beams that will trigger the charge if interrupted. If she takes one step into this observation tunnel, her last sight will be to see you drop out into the Falls.” Natasha stopped for a moment putting her finger to her lips in thought, “Hmm, I wonder if she’ll just run out after you? I should have put in a video camera…I’d love to see her face!”
Katie renewed her effort to get away from the two men, only to be lifted over the final safety railing. The men then put a set of handcuffs on each wrist, pulled her arms out, and clamped the other end of each cuff to the railing. Her feet were on a very narrow ledge that was slick with years of water splashing on its surface. She looked back over her shoulder as Pavel and Aleksei cleared the railing. Not wanting to show fear, Katie smiled at Natasha. “She will beat you, Natasha. I don’t doubt that for a minute. And, she will figure out how to get me out of here!”
“We’ll see; but, I’ve got to run now.” She looked at her watch. “Time for your lover to land. Oh, and just for fun, I’m leaving the boys here to keep an eye out until I get back.”
Kate watched as the three of them backed out of the short tunnel, stopping long enough to activate the black box with a remote control Natasha had. She turned back to face the thundering water that was now only six feet in front of her, and began to pray she was right.
* * * * *
Dean’s flight landed ten minutes early. Once out of the aircraft, she bolted toward the terminal where arriving passengers were being greeted by friends and family. She scanned the area looking for Katie and started to worry when she didn’t see her. Checking her watch, she hoped Katie was just held up in traffic or maybe running a bit late. Pulling out her cell phone to call, she was surprised when it rang in her hand. Relief poured over her as she flipped it open and quickly spoke, “Hey. Stuck in traffic somewhere?”
“Hello, Colonel.” Natasha spoke in her normal voice, knowing that Dean would recognize it instantly.
“Hello, bitch,” Dean replied casually, as she identified the caller.
“Now, now. That’s not nice. And, if you’re not nice to me, I won’t tell you where your little blonde tart is.”
The words cut straight through to Dean’s heart as she gripped the phone tightly. “You better not have harmed her,” she spoke through clenched teeth.
“Oh, she’s just fine…but she won’t be in a couple of hours.” Natasha entered the terminal and looked for Dean. She spotted her easily. “Now, I have a little challenge for you. Interested?”
“What’s on your mind?” Dean replied as she started toward the exit nearest her.
“Well, a little game of tag. Right now, you’re it, and you’ve got to tag me to win the prize.”
“What’s the prize?” Dean asked as she stepped outside.
Natasha retreated through the door she had come in, being careful that Dean wouldn’t see her just yet. “Not so fast, Colonel. First we get to finish our little fight. You know, the one your bitch broke up by shooting my hand? Well, winner gets the blonde. Interested?”
“Hardly seems fair, with you being handicapped and all,” Dean answered evenly.
“Oh, I don’t know. I still have an advantage.”
“Yeah? What?”
“I know where Katie is!” Natasha laughed evilly. “Catch me if you can!” She shut off the phone and headed for her car. Opening the door, she looked back at Dean who appeared to be shouting into the phone. Smiling, Natasha whistled loudly and waved to get Dean’s attention.
“Son of a bitch!” Dean growled as she caught sight of her nemesis waving at her. A second later, Natasha was behind the wheel, pulling away from the curb. Dean looked around her, finally settling her focus on a couple stepping out of a cab. She ran to the cab, jumped into the front seat next to the driver, and said the most famous cliché line of all chase scenes. “Follow that car!”
The cab driver looked at her in disbelief and said, “You’re kidding, right?” One look into the steely sapphire eyes was enough for him to realize she was deadly serious. “Right. But I’m not breaking any traffic rules,” he said cautiously, as he pulled out into the flow of traffic.
Dean watched as Natasha’s car pulled out into traffic. “Look, if you don’t get this bucket moving, I’m going to drive it myself. Now, move!” The low growl and the feral look she gave him were all the incentive he needed. He put the accelerator to the floor and managed to slide into traffic a scant ten cars behind Natasha’s black Audi. Dean watched the Audi weave through the traffic and called out instructions to the driver as she sharply turned corners. Miraculously, the police never noticed either car’s speed or erratic driving. They raced down Niagara Falls Boulevard, narrowly missing a tour bus pulling into the outlet mall. By the time they approached Military Road, the cab was two cars back, and the light turned red just after Natasha entered the intersection. The cabbie started to break, but Dean slipped her foot over the transmission hump and pressed the cab driver’s foot down on the accelerator while grabbing the steering wheel to pull around the cars in front of them. They bounced over the right hand curb, slipped behind the SUV that was turning left onto the boulevard, and blasted through the intersection unscathed. Natasha had a good block and a half lead, but Dean was still accelerating the cab to catch up.
“Lady! You trying to get us killed?” the cabbie screamed as she relinquished control of the steering wheel.
“Just catch up to that car,” Dean growled, her eyes never leaving the back bumper of the Audi.
As they came to the underpass for Interstate 190, a cement mixer was pulling out from the exit ramp. The Audi’s brake lights lit, then slid to the left of the big truck, nearly had a head on collision with a school bus, and then accelerated past the cement truck. The cab driver managed to brake fast enough to avoid a collision, but now they couldn’t see around the truck to keep a visual on the Audi. At the next intersection, they had a choice of going either right on Pine, or left on Walnut. They slowed as the truck took the right curve onto Pine. Dean searched the small view she now had in front of the truck and did not see the Audi. When she looked down the left curve, she spotted the Audi at a stoplight. There was a charcoal Cadillac now between them.
“Go left!” she screamed at the driver. In reflex, he jerked the cab left, heading down Walnut. They were fifty feet from the Cadillac when the light changed. Traffic was now getting heavier, making it impossible for the cab to pass. The Audi was in the same boat, following behind a line of cars heading to Main Street. All three vehicles managed to turn left at the intersection of Main Street, and then right onto Whirlpool. When they got to Bridge Street, two more cars muscled their way between the Audi and the cab. Natasha made a last minute turn onto Bridge Street, nearly causing a collision in the intersection. By the time the cab was able to round the corner, Dean could see the Audi pulled up to the U.S. Customs booth at the bridge. They were now, four cars back. Dean was about to leave the cab and try to catch the Audi on foot, but quickly changed her mind as Natasha pulled out to cross the bridge. As they were waiting their turn, a customs agent opened another booth and the cab driver quickly slipped into the opening. It seemed as though time was standing still, but in fact, the agent passed them through in less than a minute. Dean’s eyes never left the Audi, watching as it turned right onto Niagara Parkway.
“Get over to the right. Turn here.” She pointed as they came to the intersection. Traffic was almost at a crawl as cars slowed for pedestrians or to catch a glimpse of the Niagara Gorge. Dean had lost sight of the Audi after it turned the corner, and now she was desperately searching for it. She checked every turn and parking space as they slowly moved down the parkway. They were passing the parking lot for the Niagara Spanish Aero Car attraction when she spotted it. It was empty. “STOP!” she commanded. The driver hit the brakes so fast, the car behind them nearly collided with the rear bumper. Dean grabbed her bag and flipped a hundred dollar bill at the driver. She said a simple, “Thanks,” and left the cab. The roadway was higher than the parking lot, giving Dean a valuable advantage as she searched for Natasha among the tourists. She spotted her standing at the door of the gift shop, watching Dean. Natasha waved at her and crooked her finger at Dean, enticing her to follow. Dean vaulted the guardrail and ran down the slight slope into the parking lot, watching as Natasha disappeared into the gift shop.
Conscious of all the tourists, Dean ran as fast as she could without physically hurting any bystanders. When she entered the gift shop, she saw Natasha exiting it through the far door. Mumbling, “Excuse me…Sorry…Pardon me,” she bobbed, weaved, and as gently as possible, pushed through the throng of mostly senior citizens and out the far door.
Natasha checked over her shoulder, impressed at how close Dean actually was. Turning to the line of tourists for the aero car, she hopped the railings until she was at the front of the line. Shouts arose from those waiting their turn, angered by the rudeness of the woman. The car attendant was helping the last person out of the car when she jumped inside.
“Ma’am, you can’t…” His words were cut off when he saw the gun in her hand.
“Lock it and move it!” she told the attendant.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied shakily as he closed the gates to the car and put it in motion.
The aero car was like a huge open gondola. The sides were made from a heavy mesh of steel that extended from the floor of the car up about 30 inches. The rest of the railing was composed of two steel rails¾the first one set about six inches from the mesh guard, and the heavier top railing six inches from that one. There were six steel beam supports extending from the base of the car to the roof and the superstructure for the cabling system, two at each end and two in the middle. The end result was a huge expanse of open viewing of the Niagara Gorge and the Whirlpool below.
The tourists just leaving the car, as well as the ones waiting in line, now started screaming and backing away when they saw the glint of gunmetal. Dean had to push harder to make her way to the car. She got to the gate as the car started to pull away. The colonel didn’t even hesitate as she tossed her bag to the still shaking attendant, stepped up on the railing and jumped for the car. As her hands caught the overhanging roof, she lifted her feet and swung into the car, causing it to sway a bit. Screams from the tourists on land filled the air as Natasha backed her way to the opposite end.
* * * * *