The Awakening

The dread turned to anger and disbelief. 'Shit.'

'Yeah. A nurse broke down and told me some things she'd seen and heard, so I checked. This is definitely not the same signature. I already sent two uniforms over to the crematorium to talk to the staff. In another day or two, they could have claimed she was already cremated, and who would know different? Ashes are ashes, right?'

'It'd be an easy cover-up—with someone working at the crematorium.'

'Exactly. Someone there had to be in on this.'

'That'd make sense. The doc forges the name, someone else pretends to get the body…' Sickened by such perverse deception and corruption, Luther rubbed his forehead. 'So the big question now is: where's the body?'

'I don't know that yet, but I did talk to Dr. Marton.' Ann gave a heavy pause. 'Luther, he's not the one who forged the signature.'

Not Dr. Marton? So Gaby was wrong about that. 'You sure?'

'Positive. Not only did I rule out Marton, but I'm putting my bets on someone else entirely.'

Something in Ann's tone clicked. Luther straightened in his seat. 'Wait a minute. Are you saying…' His brain almost cramped with the possibility. 'Dr. Chiles did this?'

Disgusted, Ann said, 'That's right, big boy. The sweet, little, soft spoken female doctor is as sick as they come.'

'Holy shit.' But… it made sense, in a twisted, shot-to-hell way. No one suspected her. She was so far from obvious that she'd get by with murder—literally—and no one would look at her twice. 'Goddamn it!'

'Yup.' Satisfied with his reaction, Ann said, 'Now all we have to do is find her.'

'She's not at the hospital?'

'And not at her home address. The good doctor is AWOL.'

Luther looked at the front door of Gaby's apartment building. He recalled the altered state of her appearance, the rigidity of her posture.

He put the car in gear. 'I know how to find her.'

'You do?'

'Yeah. I'll get back with you.' Going on a hunch, he disconnected the call and pulled away from the curb. If Gaby knew he waited on her, she wouldn't budge from the apartment. He'd show a little patience, share a little belief.

And Gaby would lead him to the doctor.

Breath hitching painfully, Gaby barely got in the door before Mort was there.

Oblivious to her state, he smiled and asked, 'How was your date?'

Striding past Mort, all but blinded by her purpose, she headed toward the basement steps. 'It wasn't a date.'

'It wasn't?'

Unlike anything she'd ever experienced before, a terrible premonition hung over Gaby. She felt the summons, clean and pure, and ripe with pain.

Yet a sense of doom veiled her. Writing it off as the interference of too many other people, Gaby shook her head.

She knew better than to get involved. 'Leave me alone, Mort.'

Of course, he followed her.

Damn it, she did not have the time or patience to chat with him tonight. 'Okay, fine, it was a date.'

Halfway down the stairs, she realized Mort was right behind her, and she turned.

Mort almost fell into her.

Hands fisting and brows pinched, Gaby glared at him. 'Go back, Mort.'

His easy camaraderie faded to nervous energy. 'Back… where?'

'Upstairs. Away from me. Out of my way.'

'But… Why?' He looked her over with grave trepidation. 'What are you doing, Gaby? What's happened?'

'For crying out loud.' Gaby rubbed her tired eyes and tried to decide how to send him packing. She'd been stupid to let him get so close, to let him think he could question her and tag along at will. The inner turmoil built, reminding her that she had a job to do. 'Look, I'm going out and no, you don't need to know where. It doesn't concern you.'

Sparse brows rose high, showing bloodshot blue eyes half concealed under his shaggy brown hair. 'Which means you think it's too dangerous for me?'

'I don't think it, Mort. I know it.'

'Oh.' Visibly tamping down on his fear, he straightened his scrawny frame. The amateur tattoo on his shoulder looked even more absurd with his attempt at bravery. 'I'm going with you anyway. You might need backup.'

'No, I won't.' She flattened a hand on his bony chest and gave him a decisive shove.

He stumbled, almost fell on the steps, but caught himself. 'Gaby?'

Belief in her purpose cauterized any regret she felt for attacking him. 'I managed to live twenty-one years without your help, Mort. I think I'll be fine one more night.'

'God only knows how you've managed.'

'Yeah,' Gaby agreed, 'He does.'

'Oh.' Mort gave a sickly frown—and turned to pleading. 'Let me go with you, Gaby. Please? Even with divine intervention, you're not invincible.'

Fool. Gaby looked heavenward. 'Forgive his ignorance. He doesn't realize Your influence.'

Giving credence to that claim, the internalized smoldering of power heightened, making her faster, more agile, and Gaby leaped down the remainder of the stairs with ease.

'You're staying here, Mort, and that's that. Don't argue with me, and don't even think about trying to follow me.' She gave him one quick glance. 'I guarantee you'll regret it.'

'Wait.' The rapid thumping of Mort's descent on the stairs echoed behind her. He dogged her heels as she went to the laundry room to judge the distance to the small casement window that someone had recently used to sneak in. She'd fit, but just barely.

For once, her slight build was a blessing.

Dredging up an image of Dr. Marton, she surmised that he must have hired someone to vandalize them. The big doctor never would have squeezed his bulk through such a small opening.

While Gaby dragged over a broken chair and hoisted herself up to reach the lock, Mort asked, 'What are you doing?'

'Taking a back way out. Regardless of what I always say, Luther isn't an idiot—and neither am I. I won't underestimate him.'

Trying to see her face, Mort circled to the side of her. 'What does Luther have to do with this?'

Gaby opened the newly installed lock and shoved the window wide. 'If I try to leave through the front door, he'll follow me.'

'Why?'

'Because he doesn't trust me, that's why.' The dominant perimeters stretched, inflating her abilities, making her teem with energy.

Setting her every nerve on fire.

Soon she'd be sick with the potency of it—but she welcomed the physical intrusion, knowing that she'd made the right choice and that God would be with her on all she did this night. He'd guide her, and as she'd told Mort, he'd keep her safe. In turn, she'd keep Luther safe, and hopefully Bliss and Morty. Because of her, they'd be able to continue in their secure little world.

It was the others, the evil involved, who had reason to fear. Not Gaby.

'Once I'm out, lock this and leave it locked. I mean it, Mort.'

'I don't want to be alone here, Gaby.' Hands shaking and voice weak, he admitted, 'I'm scared.'

Busy judging the size of that window, Gaby said, 'Be a man, damn it.'

'Why don't you be a friend?'