INK: Abstraction (26 page)

Shay’s name is
written in blood four times on each wall of plastic in variations of
context: “Shay’s tribute.”, “For Shay.”,
“From Shay with love.” The last wall just says
“Shayleigh.” I look at Harry quizzically. “There’s
something missing.”

“The creepy
music?” Pitch asks.

I look at him, annoyed.
“No, the symbols, there are no symbols on the wall. It’s
only smears and her name.”

“You’re
right.” Harry takes a closer look. “What do you make of
that?”

“Either in a
hurry, or not the Specter,” I say simply.

“What about this
strange smearing of Shayleigh’s name?” Harry calls me
closer to the image.

I look to the other
cops, who seem to be okay with letting us trample the crime scene.
I’m not sure what the hell they are thinking, but I’m
going to go with it and glean what I can from this.

“Why would they
spell her name out? You’re the only one I know that calls her
Shayleigh,” I ask Harry.

“I don’t
think it says Shayleigh.” He looks at me and gives me a minute
to get it.

When I see it I’m
still not sure exactly what it means, though I’m sure of what
it implies. “Shaylise?”

Harry nods. “I
think that’s what it says.”

“Why would the
killer combine their names?” I’m thinking out loud.

“The killer is
someone that knew both of them,” Pitch offers. “Or it’s
a Satanic ritual to replace Shay’s body with Elise’s
soul.”

Harry snaps to Pitch,
“What?”

“He’s
kidding, Harry.” I turn to Pitch. “Not funny.”

Pitch shrugs and heads
for the door. “I’m getting out of here.” Quag
follows quickly behind.

“Shay knew these
guys?” I ask in a consoling tone.

“Yes, we all knew
them,” Harry answers, blowing out a breath.

“I forget
sometimes that you were the commissioner.” I look at the cops
still working the crime scene.

“Just so long as
Harry doesn’t forget it.” Filson comes up and stands next
to Harry.

“Thanks Justin,
being able to take a look around has been very helpful. We’re
going to get out of your hair.” Harry moves for the door.

“Any time,
Harry.” He turns away from us, then turns back. “Oh,
Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“I think this
puts us at even again, don’t you think?” Filson raises an
eyebrow.

“Not quite,
Filson.” Harry’s tone is begrudging.

We get outside the
warehouse and we are all emotionally drained. “I’ve got
to take care of a few things, then I’m going to go and meet up
with Shay at lunch. I don’t want her out in public without some
backup, especially when this news hits.”

“Good thinking,
Carl.” Harry’s visibly shaken. “I’m going to
make some phone calls then I’ll catch up with you back at
Eli’s?”

“That sounds
good.”

Miranda emerges from
the warehouse with a cat that ate the canary smile on her face.
“Carl, leaving so soon?”

I ignore her and walk
to my car.

“Oh Carl, this
isn’t very becoming. You should be careful how you treat people
who hold your secrets. You never know when they might just drop one.”

I get in my car,
continuing to ignore her. I’m not looking forward to what I
have to do next. I pull the business card out of my pocket and look
at it. On the back there’s an address. I’m betting this
is Mark’s home address. I have a message to deliver.

Shay

Eli
closes the door to Doctor Green’s office with a smile on his
face. I’m not sure whether he’s amused or nervous. I look
at him, waiting for him to speak as we walk hurriedly down the
hallway.

“Okay, don’t
give me that look.” I swat his shoulder. “That guy’s
a joke.”

“Shay, I don’t
know that he can help you if you aren’t honest with him.”
His smile fades to a disapproving scowl.

“Really? If I
told him the truth he’d have me committed in a heartbeat,”
I tell Eli. “Lighten up. I know what I’m doing.”

“Do you?”
Eli bores his eyes into me, demanding a serious answer.

“Yes I do.”
I throw my shoulders back and stand up straight. “I’m not
living in the past; I’m not going to live in fear or grief. I’m
taking things one minute at a time. Because I never know what the
next minute will hold.”

He steps in front of
me, stopping me in my tracks. Eli’s hands find my waist and he
backs me into a side hallway. “I know what I’d like to
hold this minute and every minute from now until always.”

My eyes soften and my
insides turn to jelly with his hands on my skin under my shirt.
“Eli.” I’m trying to hold down the feeling of fear
rising from being pushed in the corner; I’m letting the heat
take over, not letting fear destroy this moment or any other like it.
I’m only thinking of how nice his breath feels on my neck as he
whispers my name in my ear.

“I love you,
Shay.” His eyes are closed.

His words chase away
the pain, fear and uncertainty. He crashes his lips over mine. I let
him in, and it makes me greedy for more. I dig my fingers into his
back, pulling him closer to me, and the kiss intensifies between us.
This feels good, normal.

I need to go slow; I
need to make sure she knows how much I love her.

For a moment I think
that he’s speaking, but he’s not. I can hear his thoughts
as clearly as though he were speaking. Something about this feels
wrong, but I can’t stop it. I can’t shut it off.

Eli presses hard
against my body, his warmth and ability to apply just enough pressure
sending a hot shockwave dancing down my spine, straight to my thighs.
Oh God I want her so bad, I need her.

“I want you too,”
I whisper hot in his ear. My hands travel down his back and slide
into his pockets. I pull him closer to me and feel how much he wants
me.

He pulls back, red
faced and looking away. “Sorry, I ah, um…”

“Shhh.” I
pull his neck down to where I can reach it and nibble it. “It’s
okay.” My hand slides out of his pocket and moves around to the
front his pants, grabbing him gently. “I mean it, I want you
too.”

He expels a pleasured
gasp. “You need to stop or we’re going to get arrested
here for indecent exposure.”

I slink out from under
him and head for the hallway. “Yeah, we should go. I don’t
want to be late for lunch with Trish. Otherwise I’ll never hear
the end of it.”

“Give me a
minute.” He rolls his eyes then looks down at his pants.

A giggle escapes. “Boys
are so awkward.”

“Yeah, only when
girls drive us crazy.” He looks me up and down. “You
drive me crazy, Shay.”

“I was already
there, I hope you’re just coming to visit.”

Eli gets that sappy
look on his face and says mockingly, “I’ll follow you
anywhere.”

“Good, follow me
to lunch. I’m hungry.”

The
Specter

That
little shit has defied me for the last time. He just won’t
listen and he’s going about all of this the wrong way. Going
after kills that don’t help me, he’s complicating things
and it may be time to eliminate him.

At the front of the bus
I see the driver. He sneaks a swig from a flask. Very nice, he’s
the perfect candidate. The children on the bus are unruly animals. If
a child behaved this way in my day, they would have been beaten,
severely.

“Sit down!”
the bus driver bellows from the front, glaring in the rearview
mirror.

None of the children
obey him, they only mock him. Ah yes, here we are. It’s time to
take over. In a flash I’m behind the driver. I look at his
identification card. “Hello Reggie,” I whisper in his
ear.

He hears me and reacts
by looking around to find the source of the voice, but he’s
unable to see me. “Reggie, I’m going to ease your pain.
Trust me.” Starting at his shoulder I move my hand down his arm
and grasp his hand. I do the same with the other. The children
screaming reaches a crescendo and he inhales deep to scream at them
to shut up. I ride inside him on that breath. This is too easy.

Fully in control of
poor Reggie, I floor the gas straight through the red light. Reaching
the diner, I see Bailey walking across the parking lot. Aside from
teaching him a lesson, I’m going to help him avert a complete
disaster; he doesn’t know she’ll be there.

Then I see that walking
roadblock Carl, the real target. A thrill courses through me knowing
I’m mere moments from his death. I wish I could take my time
with him, but I’ve been unable to get through to anyone weak
enough to kill him. I would love to taste his flesh on my lips, drink
his blood and watch the light drain from his eyes as I feast on his
raw kidneys. True, I prefer them cooked, but for him I’ll make
an exception. I want him to know that I’m consuming him. That
he’s dying by my hand. But this will have to do.

With my hands gripping
the large steering wheel I make a sharp right turn. The children on
the bus are screaming with terror. Oh, the beautiful joy of their
screams, they infuse me with an incredible power born of their
terror. The bus pops hard over the curb, running down shrubbery. Carl
is in my crosshairs and he’s only ten feet from his death, from
me taking him out of my way. The excitement in me grows with every
inch I grow closer. Bailey has nearly reached him and still has not
seen me. Dolt, he should be more aware of his surroundings.

As I near the front of
the diner, Carl looks up and directly into my eyes. He knows it’s
me. He knows I’m going to kill him; I’m going to run him
down like a squirrel crossing the road.

***

Carl

The Specter is nearby,
I can feel him, he’s watching me. I spot Bailey across the
parking lot heading for the door.
Shit, I wouldn’t think
he’d be this ballsy.
My attention is drawn by a loud
crashing sound.

Bailey yells across the
parking lot from the opposite direction of the bus. “Carl!”
There’s hatred in his eyes and he picks up the pace toward me.

It’s all
happening so fast, I jump out of the way of the bus in barely enough
time. I can hear the sound of children screaming frantically. The bus
crashes through the front of the diner spraying glass, brick and
mortar everywhere.
Jesus Christ, Shay’s in there.
When I
try to get up I realize I’ve hurt my leg. I don’t think
it’s broken, but it’s bleeding pretty badly.
Where the
hell is Bailey?
I look around the parking lot that’s in
utter chaos and hear the horn of the bus sounding off in a long
constant bleat. Everyone is screaming, both children and patrons of
the diner.

Bailey is lying on the
ground a few feet from me. I struggle to my feet, but I’m
having a difficult time walking with the dizziness. I crawl toward
Bailey and I hear Shay’s voice.

“Carl! Carl!”
She reaches me and kneels down on the ground beside me. “Oh my
God, are you okay? Stay still.”

“Get out of here.
This was the Specter.” She looks at me confused. “Go!”

“Carl, you need
medical attention. I’m not going anywhere,” she says,
pushing on my shoulders to keep me down. “Eli is checking on
the kids on the bus and someone is trying to help the driver.”

My head is spinning and
I’m feeling my consciousness slipping away. “Bailey.”

“What?” She
looks around upon hearing Bailey’s name.

“Bailey is here.”
I push it out, barely able to speak. I look over to where Bailey is
and see him stirring.

“Billy!”
Trish’s shrill voice carries right through my brain as she runs
toward Bailey.

“Carl, are you
saying Bailey is here?” Shay shakes me to keep me awake.

“Yes, Trish.”

“What are you
talking about?” Shay looks up at Trish and her eyes widen.
“Holy shit.”

She stands up from me.
“Stay put.” Shay runs toward Trish and Bailey, screaming,
“Trish!”

“Shay, no!”
I try to get up, but I can’t. Where is Eli? I call out to Shay
again, and then I call for Eli.

Eli comes running from
the other side of the bus carrying a little girl that’s about
six years old. Her head is bleeding. “What is it, Carl?”

“Bailey!” I
point to Shay, who’s standing over him, yelling.

Bailey scrambles to his
feet and grabs her by the arm, trying to pull her away. She’s
doing a good job resisting him and throws him off with a nice Kali
Lihay. He counters with trying to get her in a headlock.

“Billy, what the
fuck are you doing?” Trish yells out and grabs Shay’s
other arm.

Shay’s pleading
with Trish while in the middle of a tug of war. “Trish, his
name isn’t Billy, this is Bailey!”

“Just fuck!”
Eli puts the girl down. “Carl, take care of her.” He runs
over to Shay. When Bailey sees Eli he lets go of Shay and takes off
across the parking lot.

Trish starts screaming
hysterically. “Fuck you Shay, fuck you.”

I check on the little
girl with the curly red hair that Eli set down near me. She’s
moaning softly and calls quietly for her mommy. “It’s
okay, sweetheart.” I stroke her head, trying to calm her. The
air is soon filled with the sound of sirens.

Paramedics descend on
the scene and begin pulling children from the bus which is more than
halfway inside the restaurant. Two paramedics come to me. “Sir,
are you okay?” they ask even though they are attending to the
little girl.

“I’m fine,
take care of her.” They start working on her.

Shay is practically
dragging Trish back to where I am. “Trish, shut up and listen.”
Shay grabs her by the shoulders.

“I need to check
on him, he’s hurt. Did you see he had blood all over him? He
needs to go to the hospital.” Tears are streaming down Trish’s
face.

“Trish, I’m
sorry, but you need to listen to me.” Eli is trying to speak in
a calming tone. “Trish, his name is Bailey. He’s been
stalking Shay. He attacked her this morning.”