Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-one

The interview with the Lucent Springs police took place in Captain Richards’s office. It did not last long.

“Richards sure wants to wrap this up in a hurry, doesn’t he?” Amelia said as she and Gideon walked outside the small police station and headed for the SUV.

“Why not?” Gideon asked. “As far as he’s concerned the scene at the hotel was a classic drug deal gone bad. Mayfield, you, and I had the bad luck to stumble into it.”

“Very neat and tidy except that Falcon got away.” Amelia opened the passenger door of the SUV and climbed inside. “What do you think he’ll do?”

“I don’t know,” Gideon said. He settled behind the wheel. “If he was really involved in a traditional drug ring he would try to disappear.”

“We do know drugs are a factor in this mess.”

“But not the standard street shit.” Gideon started the engine and drove out onto the road. “That makes predictions tricky, but we’ve got one lead.”

“Irene. I’m really worried about her.”

“For good reason. According to you she’s been dating him for a while now. She probably knows more about him than she realizes. He’ll be aware of that.”

“Yes.” She thought about that ominous statement and then tried to go to the bright side. “But wouldn’t he steer clear of her if he’s trying to disappear? If he killed her like he did those men at the hotel last night, that would open up a homicide investigation, and the cops always view the boyfriend as the first suspect. He has to know that.”

“I agree. If he’s smart he’ll vanish. But Falcon has already screwed up his main objective—grabbing you—a couple of times. I don’t think we can count on him being an exceptionally smart bad guy.”

“I’ll call her again.”

“You’ve called her three times already. Last night and twice this morning. Each time she told you that she’s okay and that she hasn’t heard from Falcon.”

“I know, but if she was being held against her will Falcon would force her to say that, wouldn’t he? And she did sound tense, Gideon.”

“You’re catastrophizing again. There’s nothing more we can do from Lucent Springs. We’ll find out what’s going on when we get back to San Diego.”

“Huh.”

“What?” Gideon asked. He sounded wary. Suspicious.

“It occurred to me that if Irene is okay you might be able to use your talent to help her pull up some memories of Falcon that would help us locate him. Memories she might not be consciously aware of.”

Gideon’s jaw tightened. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“That’s what you said just before you helped me recover my own lost memories. You said it again before we dehypnotized Katy Shipley.”

“I still don’t know exactly what happened when you did whatever it is you did to recover Katy’s memories.”

“I told you, I channeled your energy through the crystal to unfreeze the hypnotic suggestion, that’s all.”

“You make it sound like we just did a small tune-up.”

“It worked. Katy was fine afterward. You saw her.”

“You were the one who scared the hell out of me.”

“I’m okay, Gideon. There was a bit of a shock when it happened. Some kind of blowback. I wasn’t expecting it. But I’m fine. I’m getting the hang of channeling your talent. It’s a lot like focusing a camera. The crystal really helps. I just need practice.”

“That’s a dangerous theory.”

“Maybe your Uncle Shelton will have some helpful advice. You said he’s something of an expert on the paranormal.”

“We are not going to get my uncle involved in this,” Gideon said.

“Why not? He’s a scientist.”

“A mad scientist when it comes to the paranormal. I, and everyone else in the family, try not to encourage him.”

“You’re afraid he’ll agree with me about the need for experimentation and practice, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Well, we can talk about it later.”

“No,” Gideon said. “We won’t.”

Time to change the subject, Amelia decided. She glanced at the dashboard clock. “It’s getting late. We need to get on the road.”

“I want to take one last look at the hotel before we leave,” Gideon said. “I doubt the local police did a thorough search last night. In the dark they easily could have missed something.”

She thought about the fact that three men had been shot to death in the lobby of the Lucent Springs Hotel. She really hated death properties. But this wasn’t a real estate shoot and she could not afford to be squeamish. There was too much at stake.

“Good idea,” she said, going for something resembling professional enthusiasm.

He glanced at her. “You don’t have to go inside the lobby.”

“Yes,” she said. “I do. It won’t be so bad during the daytime.”

···

It was bad.

Amelia stood at the entrance, trying to calm her rattled nerves, and watched Gideon move methodically around the lobby, searching the gloom-filled interior.

She did not need the bloodstains on the floor or her own memories to tell her where the three men had died. The residue of violent energy was strong enough to break through the suppressing effects of daylight.

Gideon shot her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

She folded her arms very tightly around her middle. “Yep. Not my first death property.”

“Death property?”

“I’ve run into this sort of thing before on real estate shoots.”

“Go wait in the car.”

“No,” she said. “I have to learn to control this reaction. I’ve got an idea. I’ll be right back.”

She swung around and hurried outside to the SUV. Opening the rear door, she reached into her tote and took out the velvet pouch of crystals. She went back to the entrance and poured the three polished stones into her palm. They felt warm and calming.

Gideon paused in his search to watch her. “You think the crystals will help you deal with the energy in here?”

“Maybe,” she said.

She closed her fingers around the stones and silently chanted the mantra her aunt had given her. I am calm. I am serene. I am centered. I exhale the bad energy and inhale the good .

After a moment the shivery sensation eased. She was still intensely aware of the dark vibe in the lobby, but she could keep it at a distance. At least temporarily. Practice , she thought. I just need more practice .

“They’re working, Gideon,” she said.

“Good,” Gideon said. “That’s great.”

She knew he was trying to sound encouraging.

“Don’t say it,” she warned.

Gideon moved behind the blackened stone monument that had once been the front desk. “Say what?”

“That I’m experiencing the placebo effect.”

“Hey, whatever works,” he said.

“Exactly.”

Gideon did not reply, because he was bending down behind the desk. When he straightened he had a slip of paper in one hand.

“What is it?” Amelia asked.

“A receipt from a gas station,” Gideon said. “Not one here in Lucent Springs. The station is located in a community on the coast about twenty miles north of San Diego.”

“What’s the date? Maybe one of the shooters dropped it last night?”

“No,” Gideon said. Satisfaction infused his voice. “It’s dated seven months ago. Two days before you and your friends were grabbed here at the hotel.”