‘Good luck.If he gets home before you’ve found him, I’ll tell him you were looking for him.’
Ella made it to her car.‘No.Please don’t.If I don’t catch him then… it’s best he doesn’t know I was here.’
‘Alright, missy.Whatever you say.’
Ella’s sudden hypothesis, this cruel twist of fate, now seemed all too plausible.
She needed to find Derek Graham.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Ella ditched her vehicle outside the church gates, weaved between the headstones in the cemetery, and stopped outside the church doors.It was just after 6 PM, which meant the group therapy class was already in full swing.
She debated staying outside, waiting for the class to finish, and isolating Derek Graham afterward, but her gut told her that she needed eyes on this man immediately.She'd just have to get back into character – the needle-fearer – until she got Derek alone.
The old door hinges creaked in protest as she entered, and in drifted the aroma of incense and recently-burned candles.She moved through the lobby, towards the communal room where only two days ago she’d uncontrollably spilled her needle phobia to a group of strangers.Not her smartest move, she reasoned in hindsight, but closing the floodgates during a torrent was easier said than done.
Ella took her chances and skirted toward the communal room.She gently pushed the door and peered inside, but was suddenly met with an unexpected sight.
Judging by the number of idle bodies, the group session hadn’t yet begun.The chairs were arranged in a familiar circle, but they were sparsely occupied.Ella scanned the room for Derek Graham but came up short.The other attendees seemed to share her sense of unease, their glances darting towards the door, as if hoping for his imminent arrival.When they realized it wasn’t their leader, they went back to the coffees and conversations, and so Ella used the opportunity to slip in amongst the crowd.
She made for the refreshment table and caught wind of a familiar face nearby.He slid over to her and placed a full cup of coffee down in front of Ella.
'Good to see you again, Miss Dark, but it looks like tonight's a no-go,' he said.'Saw you coming, so I made you a coffee.Dark Roast, right?'
Ella winced at the comment, although she couldn’t place why.The man was Mason Arthur.Or at least, that’s what he’d said his name was last time.He was dressed in an ensemble that straddled a fine line between formal and casual; black trousers, brown turtleneck that caressed the underside of his stubbly chin.He could have walked in straight from the bar or a funeral.
‘What’s going on?’Ella asked.
‘No sign of the big man.Derek’s no-showed.’
Ella checked her watch.‘Ten past six.He could be running late.’Inside, Ella felt the stirrings of a panic-induced frenzy.Had Derek sensed the tightening noose of her investigation and fled Cedarburg?Could he be too busy for group therapy, instead already on the hunt for the fourth victim in his sequence?
‘Doubt it.You can usually set your watch to Derek.I guess he’s sick or something.Might have fallen asleep.’
‘That’s a shame,’ was all Ella could muster.She grappled with her options, no clear direction in sight.Should she wait and see if Derek arrived or get out of here and hunt him down?
‘Ah well.I guess that frees up a couple of hours.’Mason picked up his jacket off the table and threw it on.He leaned in and whispered, ‘It’s not usually this shoddy here, I promise.’
Ella offered a forced smile at Mason's attempt at lightening the mood.‘I'll keep that in mind.Is anyone else from the group missing?’
‘Hard to say.Most of the usuals are here, but the odd straggler comes and goes, you know?’
‘Got it.I’ll stay, see if Derek shows up.’
‘Yeah.I guess someone should probably check if he’s okay, but… I don’t know anything about the man, and I don’t think anyone here has his cell.’Mason reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.He began scrolling.‘Oh, yes I do.’
Ella's heart skipped a beat.‘You have Derek's number?’She’d looked online but couldn’t find a registered cell in his name.
‘Yup.’Mason pressed his phone to his ear.‘He gave it out a few sessions back.I’ve never called him though.Didn’t seem right.’A moment later, he shook his head and hammered a finger against his screen.‘No answer.’
‘Damn it.’
‘Look, I’m gonna run.No point staying here, not when the paperwork is piling up,’ Mason said, ‘but you want to try him?Maybe he’ll pick up for you.’
Ella didn’t expect Derek would be contactable right now, but access to his cell number could come in useful.‘Could I take it?If you don’t mind?’
‘Sure. Here, save this number to your phone.’
