“Qui l’a fait?' Megan demanded who did it.
“A qui penses-tu?” Andrew asked who she thought.
“Evidemment, Sherif Delsmann,” Megan replied. Suddenly she realized something else. “Ta memoire est retournee!” Megan exclaimed estatically that Andrew had his memory back. The embrace they both were longing for finally happened! When they parted, Andrew led Megan into the kitchen. They slipped into the breakfast nook and sat down. Andrew told her it was safe to finally not speak in French any more.
“When did you get your memory back?” Megan asked, caressing his hand.
“Just yesterday at the hospital,” Andrew answered.
“Today was just an act,” Megan said. “For Sheriff Delsmann…”
“And for you,” Andrew finished.
“Why is she so determined?” Megan asked.
“I don’t know, but as long as she believes I still have amnesia, it will be fine.” Andrew kissed her hands.
“There’s something else,” Megan turned more serious now. “Chloe and Roxanne are missing. Chloe took over the case for you and she asked for Roxanne to help her locate the missing teenagers. When the authorities arrived at JFK Prep, the only traces they found were Chloe’s gun and nothing else.”
“Damn it,” Andrew cursed angrily. “Didn’t the authorities find any other trace of them in all this time?”
“No, not according to Peter,” Megan answered.
“This complicates things greatly. He sighed. “I need to find them all and time may be running out.”
“What about Sheriff Delsmann?” Megan asked.
“Are you up to more French?” Andrew had a devious grin on his face.
“Oui,” Megan smiled back.
Talia parked her car a few blocks down from the Victorian house. She turned the car off and reached for the briefcase on the back seat. Talia opened the briefcase and turned on the monitoring equipment. The judge had denied her request for wiretapping Knight’s phone. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Talia took matters into her own hands.
She keyed in the frequency and placed the headphones on. Talia listened. She heard Andrew and Megan enter the house. Talia heard Megan say ‘Let’s go into the family room.’ She then heard Andrew respond ‘okay’. At the moment, there were only footsteps and the sound of Megan putting the candy and balloons down. Talia listened more intently, but wasn’t prepared for what she heard next.
“What the hell,” Talia cursed. “He’s speaking French!” Talia couldn’t believe it. She berated herself that she never finished learning French. Either Knight had totally lost his mind, or he found the bug. But how, the device was a nearly invisible clear strip. It was the most advanced electronic listening device ever made. She surmised it was time for some old school tactics. Hopefully, Knight was still suffering from amnesia, and that way he wouldn’t suspect being followed. Talia closed the briefcase and started the car. If he did have his memory back, well, it wouldn’t be good.
Chapter 8
The room was black. A strong musty smell filled Chloe’s nostrils. The walls felt cold and damp to the touch. Chloe didn’t know what day or hour it was. She didn’t even really know where she was. Chloe tried to move, but her hands felt like they had been glued together. She lifted them up and touched them with her lips. It wasn’t glue but a thick rope. When Chloe tried to stand up, she couldn’t do so. Her legs were bound in the same way. She heard soft moaning coming from somewhere in the dark.
Roxanne moaned softly when she opened her eyes. There was only blackness. Her hands and legs felt heavy, almost burdensome. She brought up her hands and touched the side of her face. She was right, they were bound with rope. A swirling of odors filled her nose and she didn’t like it one bit. Roxanne heard some rustling around in the dark; she wasn’t alone.
Chloe shifted her body to a more comfortable position. She decided to take a chance that the moaning was from someone familiar.
“Roxanne?” Chloe called out. She waited for an answer. ‘I’m here Chloe’ she heard.
“I’m glad you’re alright.” Chloe started to cry. She didn’t exactly know why she was crying; maybe it was tears of elation.
“Me too,” Roxanne replied. “So where are we exactly?”
“I think were in the catacombs beneath JFK Prep,” Chloe answered, though not really sure. But what her instincts told her, it might be.
“How did we get here?” Roxanne asked.
“Someone knocked us out and carried us down here.” Chloe replied.
“Who would do that?” Roxanne asked.
“Probably the same person who did it to those kids,” Chloe said.
“So you think they’re okay?” Roxanne asked.
“I hope so,” Chloe replied.
“Do you think someone is looking for us?” Roxanne’s tone was unsure, and Chloe picked up on it immediately.
“Um, they probably are,” Chloe gauged her words carefully. “But they may have given up since there was no trace of us.”
“Are we going to die?” Roxanne’s voice trailed off. Chloe didn’t answer. Roxanne pleaded, “Are we?”
“The one who can help us has no idea we’re here.” Chloe finally replied.
Father Michael stepped from the confessional to see Andrew kneeling in one of the pews. Father Michael walked over and sat down next to him.
“What brings you here my son?” Father Michael asked as he removed his stole. He put the Bible and the stole beside him.
“I need your help,” Andrew answered with whisper and his eyes closed.
“What kind of help?” Father Michael asked.
“We need to talk somewhere private,” Andrew continued in a whisper. “I’m being followed. The person is in the last pew to our left.” Father Michael was about to turn and look, but Andrew told him not to. “He’s from the Sheriffs department. Apparently Sheriff Delsmann feels I need a shadow.” Father Michael nodded that he understood.
“The Confessional is always open my son,” Father Michael said loudly, he picked up his stole, kissed and placed it on himself. He grabbed his Bible and headed to the confessional. Andrew made the sign of the cross, put the kneeling board back into place, and entered the confessional.
Andrew knelt in front of the screen.
“Bless me Father for I have sinned,” Andrew said, making the sign of the cross.
“How long has it been since your last confession,” Father Michael inquired.
“Too long,” Andrew confessed.
“What are your sins,” Father Michael asked.
“I did not do my job,” Andrew first confessed.
“How is that?” Father Michael queried.
“I haven’t found the missing teenagers yet, or Wyatt,” Andrew explained. “And now my daughter has disappeared along with Roxanne Turner.”
“How did this happen?” Father Michael further asked. “You are the best I know.”
“Do you know about the catacombs out at JFK Prep?” Andrew asked.
“They were sealed off when it was still the seminary,” Father Michael replied. He put his Bible beside him. “I was there when they did it. Why do you ask?”
“I believe that everyone that is missing, is locked away somewhere in the catacombs,” Andrew answered. “That’s why the authorities haven’t found them yet.”
“They were sealed!” Father Michael was resolute.
“There were no hidden doors, at all?” Andrew asked.
