Karen Rose: Scream For Me

The second book in the Daniel Vartanian series, 2008

Danny Agan for answering all my questions on police procedure.

Doug Byron for answering all my questions on forensic chemistry.

Marc Conterato for all things medical.

Martin Hafer for information on hypnosis and for sliding dinner under my office door when I’m on deadline.

Jimmy Hatton and Mike Koenig for being such a great team all those years ago. I couldn’t help but give you an encore performance.

Terri Bolyard, Kay Conterato, and Sonie Lasker for listening when I get stuck!

Shannon Aviles for your support and all the buzz.

Beth Miller for all your enthusiasm!

All mistakes are my own.

Mansfield Community Hospital, Dutton, Georgia

Thirteen years ago

A bell dinged. Another elevator had arrived. Alex stared at the floor and wished to be invisible as a strong perfume tickled her nose.

“Violet Drummond, come on . We’ve still got two patients to visit. What are you doing ? Oh.” The last was uttered on an indrawn breath.

Go away, Alex thought.

“Isn’t that… her ?” The whisper came from Alex’s left. “The Tremaine girl that lived?”

Alex kept her eyes fixed on the fists she clenched in her lap. Go away.

“Looks like,” the first woman answered, dropping her voice. “My goodness, she looks just like her sister. I saw the other one’s picture in the paper. Spittin’ images, they are.”

“Well, they are twins. Identical, even. Were, anyway. God rest her soul.”

Alicia. Alex’s chest closed up and she couldn’t breathe.

“Shame, it was. Pretty thing like that found dead in a ditch without a stitch on. God only knows what that man did to her before he killed her.”

“Dirty no-good drifter. I hope they fry him alive. I heard he’d… you know.”

Screaming. Screaming. A million voices were screaming in her head. Cover your ears. Make them stop. But Alex’s hands stayed clenched in her lap. Shut the door . Shut the door. The door in her mind closed and the screaming abruptly stilled. There was quiet again. Alex dragged in a breath. Her heart was racing.

“Well, that one in the wheelchair there tried to kill herself after she found her mama dead on the floor. She took every pill Doc Fabares prescribed for her mother’s nerves. Luckily her aunt found her in time. The girl, of course. Not the mother.”

“Well, of course not. You don’t get up after shootin’ yourself in the head.”

Alex flinched, the crack of the single shot echoing through her mind, again and again and again. And the blood. So much blood. Mama.

I hate you I hate you I wish you were dead.

Alex closed her eyes. Tried to make the screams go away, but they wouldn’t stop. I hate you I hate you I wish you were dead.

Shut the door.

“Where’s she from, the aunt?”

“Delia at the bank says the aunt’s a nurse from Ohio. She and the girl’s mama are sisters. Were anyway. Delia says when the aunt walked up to her window she nearly had heart failure. Lookin’ at the aunt was just like looking at Kathy-spooked her good.”

“Well, I heard Kathy Tremaine used the gun that belonged to that man she was livin’ with. What an example to set for those girls of hers, livin’ with a man, and at her age.”

Panic began to well. Shut the door.

“Hers and his. He has a daughter, too. Bailey’s her name.”

“They were wild, wild girls, all three of ’em. Somethin’ like this was bound t’happen.”

“Wanda, please. It’s not that girl’s fault some homeless man raped and killed her.”

Alex’s breath was backing up in her lungs. Go away. Go to hell. Both of you. All of you. Just leave me alone and let me finish what I started.

Wanda scoffed. “Have you seen the way these girls dress today? Just askin’ for a man to drag them off and do God-knows-what. I’m just glad she’s being taken away.”

“She is? The aunt’s takin’ her back to Ohio?”

“That’s what Delia at the bank told me. I say it’s a blessing that she won’t be going back to the high school. My granddaughter goes to that school, in the tenth grade, same as the Tremaine girls. Alexandra Tremaine would have been a terrible influence.”

“Terrible,” Violet agreed. “Oh, look at the time. We still have to visit Gracie and Estelle Johnson. Push the elevator button, Wanda. My hands are full with these violets.”

The button dinged and the two old women were gone. Alex was shaking from inside her body out to her skin. Kim was taking her to Ohio. Alex didn’t really care. She didn’t plan on making it to Ohio anyway. All she wanted was to finish what she’d started.

“Alex?” Footsteps clacked on the tile and she smelled a new perfume, clean and sweet. “What’s wrong? You’re shaking like a leaf. Meredith, what happened? You were supposed to be watching her, not sitting on that bench with your nose in a book.”

Kim touched her forehead and Alex wrenched back, keeping her eyes on her hands. Don’t touch me. She wanted it to be a snarl, but the words echoed only in her own mind.

“Is she okay, Mom?” It was Meredith. Alex had a vague memory of her cousin, one big girl of seven playing Barbies with two five-year-olds. Two little girls . Alicia. Alex wasn’t part of two anymore. I’m alone. Panic began to well again. For God’s sake shut the door. Alex drew a breath. Focused on the darkness in her mind. Quiet darkness.

“I think so, Merry.” Kim knelt in front of the chair and tugged on Alex’s chin until she lifted her face. Her eyes met Kim’s and instantly skittered away. With a sigh, Kim stood and Alex breathed again. “Let’s get her to the car. Dad’s bringing it up to the door.” The elevator door dinged once again and Alex’s chair was pulled into the elevator backward. “I wonder what upset her? I was only gone for a few minutes.”

“I think it was those old ladies. I think they were talking about Alicia and Aunt Kathy.”

“What? Meredith, why didn’t you say something to them?”

“I couldn’t really hear them. I didn’t think Alex could hear them either. Mostly they were just whispering.”

“I’ll just bet they were, old busybodies. Next time, come get me.”

The elevator dinged and the chair was pushed into the hall. “Mom.” Meredith’s voice took on a warning tone. “It’s Mr. Crighton. And he’s got Bailey and Wade with him.”

“I was hoping he’d do the right thing for once. Meredith, run out to the car and get your father. Have him call the sheriff, just in case Mr. Crighton gives us any trouble.”

“Okay. Mom, don’t make him mad, please.”

“I won’t. Now go.”

The wheelchair came to a stop and Alex stared hard at the hands in her lap. Her own hands. She blinked hard. They looked different. Had they always looked this way?

“Dad, she’s taking her. You can’t let her take Alex away.” Bailey. It sounded like she was crying. Don’t cry, Bailey. It’s better this way.