Alex Kava - The Soul Catcher

“Wait a minute,” Gwen interrupted. “If Everett didn’t know about the warrants, then what about the dead bodies the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team found?”

“Cunningham said the unit announced themselves. Too many booby traps around the compound to sneak in. They think those left behind got scared, did the one thing they were prepared to do when the FBI came knocking at their door.”

“Jesus! Are we sure they weren’t in contact with Everett?”

“That we don’t know for sure. But there wasn’t a whole lot of time. It happened quickly.”

“But what about Caldwell?”

“He was informed about the arrest warrants. He wasn’t tipped off about the raid. It was meant to be a surprise. A surprise so no one would get hurt.”

At this, Maggie avoided Gwen’s eyes again. She noticed Harvey scooting under her desk and reached down, rescuing the tennis shoe’s mate. She set the pair on the bookcase, out of his reach. The big dog sat and watched as if waiting for compensation. Gwen watched, too, quietly waiting for Maggie to continue. She knew the distraction was intentional. Maggie was doing an excellent job of giving her all the difficult details while sidestepping the subject of her mother. Even Gwen remembered the countless times Maggie had mentioned her mother’s new friends, Emily and Stephen. This Stephen Caldwell had to be the same Stephen.

“And Caldwell’s conflicted loyalties,” Gwen finally said, “how do they affect your mother and her safety?”

“That I don’t know. As far as we know, Caldwell is still with Everett. And so is my mother.” She sat back down in the chair and Harvey went to her, laying his head in her lap as if this was an expected routine. Maggie absently petted him while leaning her head back into the soft cushion. “I tried to talk to her about Everett. We ended up…it was pretty awful.”

Gwen knew to be quiet. Maggie had shared very little about her childhood, and what Gwen knew of Maggie and her mother’s relationship came from hints, personal observations over the years and a few rare and accidental admissions from Maggie. She knew about the alcohol abuse and learned about the suicide attempts only after the fact, even though there had been several attempts within the time since Gwen and Maggie had become friends. But Maggie had kept her mother and their relationship off-limits, and whether it was right or wrong, Gwen had allowed it, hoping that one day Maggie would decide on her own to share that obvious struggle. Even tonight and under the present circumstances, Gwen expected little insight, little sharing. She leaned against the corner of Maggie’s desk and waited, just in case.

“She always does and says such hurtful things,” Maggie said quietly without moving her head from the back of the cushion, avoiding Gwen’s eyes. “Not just to me but to herself. It’s like she’s been spending a lifetime trying to punish me.”

“Why in the world would she want to punish you, Maggie?”

“For loving my father more than I love her.”

“Maybe it’s not you she’s trying to punish.”

Maggie looked up at her with watery eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Could be she’s not trying to punish you at all. Did it ever occur to you that all these years she may have been trying to punish herself?”

THURSDAY

November 28

Thanksgiving Day

Cleveland, Ohio

Kathleen looked out over Lake Erie and for the first time in years found herself homesick for Green Bay, Wisconsin. An unseasonably warm breeze ruffled her hair. She wished she could forget everything and leave it all behind her like one more black mark in her past. She wished she could take off her shoes, run down to the beach and spend the rest of the day, the rest of the week, the rest of her life walking with no destination, no intention other than to feel the sand between her toes.

“Cassie will begin to lead the prayer rally,” Reverend Everett said from behind her.

She looked over her shoulder without moving from her place in front of the open patio door. Reverend Everett had checked into a ritzy hotel in order to shower, shave and have access to a telephone to finalize their arrangements. Earlier, when she used the bathroom, Kathleen had been amazed at the wonderful luxuries: perfumed soaps, a shoe-shine kit, a real razor with a real blade instead of the disposable kind, a shower cap and even a jar filled with Q-Tips.

Now, while Stephen and Emily took notes and concentrated on everything Reverend Everett was telling the three of them, Kathleen stood quietly, enjoying the sunshine and the breeze.

She felt like she needed to learn how to breathe again after last night’s humiliating ritual and then the cramped bus ride. She hoped the fresh air and sunlight would help wipe away the feel of Everett’s hot breath, the sounds of his grunts and groans while he thrust himself into her over and over again. When he was finished, he had pointed to her clothes, instructing her to get dressed with a coldness in his voice that she had never heard before. He had told her she needed this cleansing ritual in order for him to be able to trust her again.

Without a word, she had slipped her clothes on over her sticky flesh, the smell of his aftershave so pungent she wanted to gag. And as she left his compartment to return to her seat, she couldn’t help thinking he had also cleansed her of every last remaining bit of her self-respect.

“The FBI will most likely be surrounding the park,” Stephen said. “Father, you can’t possibly think of showing up at the prayer rally.”

“What time will the cargo plane be ready?”

“It’s scheduled for a seven o’clock takeoff. We must be there early to board.”

“How can we be certain the FBI won’t be waiting at the airport?”

“Because I told them you would be at the rally. That you wouldn’t expect an arrest in such a public arena. Even if they do suspect something, they might be waiting at the international airport. However, they won’t even think to check a government relief-aid cargo jet leaving from Cuyahoga County Airport.”

Reverend Everett rewarded Stephen with a smile. “Very good. You’re a good man, Stephen. You will be justly rewarded when we get to South America. I promise you that.”

The reverend sat down to finish the platter he had ordered from room service; a platter with several different cheeses, fresh fruits, shrimp cocktail and a loaf of French bread. He made no offer for the others to join him. Instead, Kathleen thought he looked as though he enjoyed having them watch him, and before he had even gotten started on this tray, he had called down to place a whole new order.

None of them had eaten since yesterday’s lunch, and it was almost dinnertime. Was this yet another important lesson, another important sacrifice that they were supposed to willingly accept? She turned back to the tranquil view of the water. At the moment, it seemed to be the only thing that didn’t threaten to rip away at her sanity.

“You honestly don’t intend to go to the rally?” Stephen asked again.

“I suppose I can stay here until it’s time to leave.” He waved a hand as if making do with his current surroundings. “But the three of you will need to be my eyes and ears at the rally. You’ll need to gather those on the list when the time comes. Cassie will keep the rally going so as to give the appearance that everything is as scheduled.”

Kathleen turned at this, stunned by the realization. “You don’t want Cassie to come with us?”

The woman had attended to Reverend Everett’s every command and probably desire for as long as Kathleen could remember.

“She’s a lovely woman, Kathleen, but I’m quite certain there are many beautiful dark-skinned women in South America who would probably give anything to be my personal assistant.”