The Seeker: Dreamer Part 16

"Well, it's not Marla Garcia," Tara said in greeting as I got in her SUV. I knew she was referring to Remy's date for the evening; she was as obsessed as I was. "I heard some rumors, but it turned out to be wishful thinking on Marla's part."

"You mean, with your vast network of informants, you can't find out who Remy asked to the party? I'm starting to doubt your super-sleuthing skills, Nancy," I teased.

"Oh, ha, ha. Please-Nancy Drew my a.s.s. I'm much more of a Veronica Mars. Remy is being hyper-sneaky just to p.i.s.s us off, you know. He's enjoying this game."

"Yeah, I know. He drives me crazy. I'm so glad you didn't date him for very long."

"Me, too. He was a great kisser, though," she sighed.

"I wasn't impressed. Is he better than Mat?" I asked in disbelief.

"No one's better than Mat. Remy was a close second, however." She drove in silence for a few minutes. "Hey, are you sure you're up to this party tonight? You're still pale, sweetie. I mean, more than your normal pasty, white color."

"Thanks," I said as I flashed her a dirty look. "I'll be fine. I need to be at cheer practice today, anyway. You'll pick me up afterward, right?"

"Yes. We'll head to the grocery store for a few last minute items and then over to my house for final prep."

Jack was waiting for us in the parking lot, leaning against his car. He straightened up as we pulled into the spot beside his and opened my door for me, pulling me into his arms for a kiss. I sighed in pleasure and locked my arms around his neck, pushing my hands into his thick, black hair as he insinuated his tongue between my lips.

"Get a room. Seriously," said Tara in mock disgust.

Jack laughed against my lips. "Sorry. It's been more than 24 hours since I kissed this girl and I was having withdrawal."

"She's just jealous. Come back here." I pulled him back where he belonged.

"Leaving now," Tara announced and waved as she walked away.

Jack looked into my face, pushing my hair out of the way. "How are you feeling, querida? Have you eaten anything today?"

I smiled weakly. "I had some toast."

"This morning?" he prodded.

"Last night," I admitted. "I didn't feel like eating this morning."

"Hang on," he turned back to his car and leaned in. "Here. You are going to eat this granola bar while we walk to cla.s.s. I have a bottle of water for you, too."

I reached up and pulled him down for another kiss. "Thanks for taking care of me, bossy." The last part earned me a light swat on the rear as we walked to cla.s.s.

I barely made it through the day. I guess I should have stayed home, after all. Jack tried to talk me into letting him drive me home at lunch, but I was determined. I guess I can be a bit stubborn at times, but I choose to look at it as a positive character trait. By the time cheerleading practice started, I was done in. My coach benched me and I was much relieved to sit on the bleachers while my team practiced. The rest was good for me, and after about a half-hour, I was feeling somewhat better. When my cellphone rang, I didn't recognize the number and took it out into the hall.

"h.e.l.lo," I said in greeting.

"Oh, h.e.l.lo, dear. Is this Ally? This is Stella Graves. You know, I live across the street from Angela Hayes?"

"Oh, yes. I remember. How can I help you, Mrs. Graves?"

"Well, I tried to contact that nice Detective Keller, but I had to leave a message. I thought I'd see if I could get hold of you, since you left that cute little business card."

I cringed at that comment. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, dear, my son, Mark is in town, but only for the evening. I know you and the detective wanted to ask him some questions, so I thought this would a good time."

"And Brian didn't answer his phone?"

"No, he didn't. Mark can't stay very long. Do you think you could come over and talk to him right now? He's being rather difficult and will only talk to you or Detective Keller in person."

I thought furiously for a moment. The Graves lived about three blocks from the school, and I certainly wasn't contributing much to cheerleading today so I could easily walk over. I was feeling better and maybe the fresh air would be good for me. I was fairly sure I could talk to Mark Graves and still be back in time for Tara to pick me up, or I could call her from there. "Sure, Mrs. Graves. I can be there in about ten minutes, okay?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful, dear. I think Mark has remembered something important, but he refuses to talk to us about it. I'm sure he'll talk to you." Mrs. Graves hung up.

I grabbed my stuff and headed out, not bothering to tell anyone where I was going. I know: dumb. Really dumb. You would think I'd have learned. As I walked, I called Brian, but also got his voicemail. I left him a message telling him what I was doing and asking him to meet me at the Graves' house if he got the message in time.

Two blocks into my little jaunt, I realized I was still far from my normal, perky self, but it was further to go back than forward. I felt dizzy and weak and was seriously questioning my decision to walk over to the Graves' home. As I rounded the corner onto Ashley's street, I saw Mr. Moore in front of his house, working at his roses. I really needed to sit down for a few minutes before I pa.s.sed out. I sank down to the curb, dropped my head to my knees, and hoped I wouldn't fall into the street. When I could focus, I would think about who I could call to come get me.

"What are you doing? Why are sitting on the curb?" I heard a cranky voice above me.

"Hi, Mr. Moore. Do you remember me?" I asked weakly.

He squinted at me, pruning shears still in his hand. "You're the girl that was with the detective, aren't you?" He still sounded a bit cranky, but I was getting desperate.

"Yeah, I am."

"Why are you sitting in the street? You're going to get hit by a car if you're not careful," he warned.

"Well," I strove for a patient tone. "I've been sick and I'm afraid I was about to pa.s.s out."

"Hmmp," he groused. "Well, come into the house for a minute." He motioned for me to follow him in the house, which I did. I sank gratefully on his couch. "Do you want some water, girl?"

"Yes, please. That would be great." I leaned my head against the back of the couch and closed my eyes. Oh, man, I did not feel well at all. I hadn't been able to eat very much at lunch and I had no energy in reserve. I would rest here for a few minutes and then walk over across the street to the Graves' house. Maybe splashing some water on my face would help.

"Mr. Moore," I called. "Can I use your bathroom, please?"

"It's down the hall!" he yelled, still sounding cranky. I could hear him opening cabinets in the kitchen and I sat up with a sigh. I heaved myself off the couch with difficulty and wandered down his hall, opening the first door I encountered. It was a bedroom, probably a guest room, and I was backing out when I noticed a dusty cardboard box on the floor. It wasn't the box itself that caught my eye, but what was peeking out the top: something bright-colored and plastic. I looked back to make sure Mr. Moore was still in the kitchen before sneaking in the bedroom to look inside the box. My shock was absolutely complete when I saw a Lisa Frank dolphin backpack, a small, black purse, and several pairs of women's underwear. Why would Mr. Moore have Ashley's school bag? I could think of only one plausible reason. Oh. My. G.o.d. I had found the murderer. That was my last thought before my world went black.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

"It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions."

Shakespeare King Lear (4.3.34) Jack I felt my phone buzz as I was applying Bondo to the rear quarter panel of a Honda Civic. I hoped it was Ally and that she was feeling better after her bout with food poisoning; I hated that she had felt so bad. It was cute she hadn't wanted me to see her throw up, but it didn't bother me. I loved that girl with every fiber of my being, whether she was puking or not. She was, however, more than a bit stubborn and had insisted on going to school today. I had worried about her all day, the worry getting worse as the day went on. In my distraction, I didn't even look at the caller ID. "Hey, babe. I was just thinking about you. Are you feeling any better?"

"Jack, it's Tara. Is Ally with you?"

"No. I thought you were picking her up today." My gut cramped in apprehension, adding to the worry I had been feeling all day.

"Yeah, I was supposed to, but she's not here. I'm at the school and n.o.body on the cheerleading squad knows where she is. Jack, she's not answering her phone. It goes straight to voicemail." Tara sounded winded and worried.

"What? How can they not know where she is?" I demanded, throwing my towel on a nearby table.

"A couple of the girls said they saw her leave about an hour ago, but she didn't tell anyone where she was going. Apparently she was sitting out the practice on the bleachers and left without saying anything." She spoke fast, almost yelling.

"Well, where the f.u.c.k is she, Tara?" I yelled, running my hands through my hair in frustration. Now I was scared. The last time Ally disappeared without telling anyone, she ended up in the hospital with a concussion and st.i.tches in her head. And today she was still weak from being so sick. G.o.d, where could she be?

"I don't know, Jack. I'm really worried."

"s.h.i.t!" I began pacing. "I'll meet you at the school. Wait for me. Call Adele and Jen while you're waiting and see if they know anything. If they don't, have Jen call Brian, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," her voice sounded small, like maybe she was crying.

"Tara, we'll find her." I hung up, running toward the office. "Manny! I gotta go, man!" I filled my uncle in about what was going on and left, breaking every speed limit on the way back to the school. G.o.d, please don't let anything have happened to Ally, I begged. I broke another law by dialing Mat's number while I drove. I had already tried to call Ally, but only got her voicemail.

"Mat, I need you, man," I spoke quickly in Spanish, my brain switching without conscious thought. "Ally's missing. Meet me at the school, okay? I think it might be a good idea to have a paramedic. I have a bad feeling about this."

He didn't ask questions or argue; he said he'd meet me in a few minutes.

Tara was waiting in front of the school, pacing as she talked on her phone. She hung up as I got out of my car and threw herself at me. "n.o.body's seen her, Jack! Where the h.e.l.l could she be? I'm so scared," I pulled her into my arms as she cried.

"We're going to find her. Tell me what I've missed." I set her away from me so I could look in her eyes.

"Grams and her mom don't know where she is and she didn't call them. Her mom is going to call Brian. She told me to wait here until she calls me back." Her phone rang again. "h.e.l.lo? Oh, Mr. Keller. Yeah, he is. Here." She handed her phone to me.

"Brian?" I asked. "Have you heard anything from her?"

"Jack, I got a message from her about an hour ago saying Mark Graves, the son of one of Ashley's neighbors, called and wanted to talk to us this afternoon. I was in a meeting and no one could get hold of me, so she walked over to his house and wanted me to meet her there. I'm on my way there now. I'm sure she's fine and simply not answering her phone while she talks to him, but you can meet me there if it makes you feel better. I know you're worried, but try to calm down. You can yell at her in a few minutes." He gave me the address.

Mat pulled into the parking lot and Tara ran to meet him. I jogged over to them and began catching him up.

"Guys! English, please," Tara interrupted.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I was filling him in." I switched to English and finished telling him what was going on. In spite of Brian's a.s.surances, I still had that sinking feeling in my stomach I couldn't dismiss. "Tara, call Remy. We may need him." She looked hard at me for a moment before nodding. Mat didn't know anything about Ally and Remy's psychic abilities, but now was definitely not the time to worry about secrets. I would gladly announce it to the world if it meant finding Ally safe and sound. "Tell him where to meet us."

We rode together in my car, pulling in behind Brian's Subaru. He came out of the house followed by an elderly woman. "She never showed up," he said quietly. "I have units on the way."

Oh, my G.o.d. It was happening again. Ally was apparently a danger magnet who managed to get herself in the worst situations. How could such a small person get in so much trouble? If anything happened to her, I didn't know what I'd do; she was my life. I started pacing, cursing a blue-streak under my breath.

Adele and Jen pulled in the Graves' driveway. Brian pulled a sobbing Jen into his arms while Adele listened to him rehash the details. Remy arrived as he was finishing.

"What's he doing here?" Mat asked. He had never liked Remy, a hatred stemming from when Tara had dated him.

"Cool it, Mat. He might be able to help find her. They have a connection." I didn't have time to go into it with him right now. I pulled Remy aside. "Can you find her? I know you guys have been working on reading each other without touching."

"Jack, I will try, but we've never had much luck at any kind of distance," he said, frowning.

"Try. We have to find her. I have a really bad feeling, Remy."

"As do I." He walked away a short distance and sat down, closing his eyes. I watched for a few minutes until he opened his eyes and shook his head.

"G.o.ddammit! Where could she be?" I yelled at Tara and Mat. They both shook their heads. Tara was crying now. I couldn't lose Ally. I just got her back. I felt so helpless and desperate. What could I do? I was willing to do anything to get her back. I turned around when I heard the old lady arguing with a guy who had come out of the house.

"Tell them, Mark! I don't care if you're embarra.s.sed. That little girl's life may be in danger."

The man nodded and began to talk. "I'm sorry. I should have called a long time ago. I was ashamed and I didn't think it was important."

"Mr. Graves, you need to tell us what you know. Now," Brian said firmly. "Did you see anything the day Ashley Hayes disappeared?"

"I was home that afternoon," he admitted quietly. "I skipped baseball practice and came home. I was in my tree house." He pointed to a dilapidated tree house in the side yard that overlooked the street. "I had found a stack of girlie magazines the day before, next to a dumpster, and I hid them in my tree house. I snuck home that day to look at them."

"Did you see Ashley that afternoon?" Brian asked.

Mark nodded. "I saw her walking home. She was really pretty and I had a crush on her. I liked watching her," he admitted.

"Did she go home?"

"No. Mr. Moore was home and he called out to her. That's what caught my attention. She went into his house," he pointed across the street to the house on the corner. "I didn't think anything of it because she babysat for them."

"Did you see anything else?"

"No. After she went into his house, I went back to my magazines. I ended up falling asleep until my parents got home." He looked ashamed.

"Did you hear anything else? Any cars or anything?" He shook his head. "What about when you woke up? Did you notice if Mr. Moore's car was still in the driveway?" Brian pushed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't pay attention."

"Jack!" It was Remy, jogging over to us. "I finally got through to her."

"What? On her phone?" Jen asked, confused, since there was no phone in his hand.

"Remy's a Seer." I had no time or patience for secrets right now. "He and Ally have a strong connection." Adele and Jen nodded, shocked. Mat and Brian looked confused.

"Jennifer, what the h.e.l.l is he talking about?" Brian asked.

"Not now!" she insisted. "Please, believe what he says. I'll tell you everything later." Brian nodded reluctantly and we all looked to Remy.

"She's nearby, but she's very vague and confused. I think she may be unconscious. She's in pain," he ended softly.

I started across the street to where Mark Graves had pointed, determined to get to her. That must be where she was, for whatever reason. Mat grabbed me, holding me back.

"Jack, no," he shook his head. "Let the police handle this." I shook his hands away, but realized he was right, no matter how badly I wanted to go to her.

"Okay," Brian said briskly. "I think we need to a.s.sume Mr. Moore was the last person to see Ashley alive and may very well be the killer. I think it's also very likely Ally, for some reason, may be at his house. I'm calling S.W.A.T." He started dialing his phone.

The S.W.A.T. team arrived within fifteen minutes and the waiting began. I felt like I was going to come out of my skin, not knowing what was happening to Ally. We had only Remy's a.s.surances she was alive; none of the attempts to contact David Moore by telephone had been successful. The S.W.A.T. team deployed around the house, preparing to breach if they could not contact Moore. I was frantic, pacing back and forth, worrying about what would happen to Ally in the chaos of police bursting through the front door of a killer's house. I felt like I was going to go crazy if something didn't happen soon.