Page 172 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“No, thank you,” Angela told him quickly.“Thank you for always doing your duty. And for being a survivor.”

“Well, I survived with a little help from my friends, as Iunderstand it,” Whittaker said. “But I’m going a little nuts. I can’t rememberwhat happened. I asked about Debbie, but they told me she’s fine. Said she wasin a panic when she couldn’t find me, but that you or one of your people got toher before she could be attacked and possibly killed. She is such a sweet youngwoman. Guarding her was like the job from heaven. ButI failed her.”

“We know someone took you from the house and brought youinto the woods in a stolen navy-colored SUV,” Jackson told him. “And one of themen who took you is the fellow being guarded in the next room. He startedshooting in the cemetery. He was so high on fentanyl-laced opiates he luckilydidn’t hit anything but dirt and stone. But we believe someone was with him.Someone drove that car to where we found it. And thatperson left his friend behind to kill, cause a commotion, and then die—or so wethink they hoped.”

“But he’s in a coma,” Whittaker said.

Angela nodded.

“Medically induced. Hopefully, they’ll bringhim out of it by tomorrow. From what I’ve been led to believe, you are bothlucky. Fentanyl-laced drugs kill.”

“We’re very lucky,” Whittaker said and shook his head. “Itwas... it was all fine. I’m not trained in any way in that kind of stuff, but Ithought if I just kept talking to Debbie, she might remember something. Youknow, something she didn’t tell anyone yet that might be helpful. We talkedabout Halloween, about the lunatics that get up to no good out there on theholiday. She described the costume the guy with the bloody knife who ran intothe woods wore. I just kept thinking she might think of something else. That...talking was good. I kept feeling like I was missing something. But I didn’twant to press too hard, so I said it was fine. Told her she was welcome to goon up and get her laundry folded. That I was happy to watch the game. The lastthing I remember was my team scoring and then... nothing. Until I woke uphere.”

Angela turned to look at Jackson. “I think we may need tospeak to everyone again. We haven’t prowled around at the cemetery’s officemuch—”

“Patrick went through all their security footage. The onlypeople we saw going in and out of the office were those we know should bethere: Benjamin Robertson, Debbie, and others who have family plots ormausoleums in the cemetery,” Jackson said.

“Still, it can’t hurt to do some more talking and digging.And we should record everything, because many ears arebetter than two,” Angela said.

“Agreed.” Jackson nodded. “Jordan was right. You do have away with people. Maybe Debbie will come up with something and feel safer withyou there.” He felt his phone vibrate and glanced at it, then looked at Angela.“Bruce and Bryan are downstairs and on their way up. Owen,” he said, addressingthe officer where he lay on his bed, “you know the McFadden family. We’releaving you in good hands.”

“Go out there and get these creeps,” Whittaker said andsmiled. “I’m doing better every minute. They are even going to let my wife andkids up later, or so the doctor promised.”

“That will be great,” Angela said. “There is no better curethan the love of our families.”

Jackson and Angela left the room, pausing just outside untilthe relief agents arrived. As they headed down to the car, Angela said, “Divideand conquer?”

“No, no, no. You’re not crawling around a tomb alone—”

“I’m not. Patrick and the others—along with the dogs—are inthe woods. You need to speak with Benjamin Robertson again and then thatwriter. Patrick said that when he listened to interviews, he thought those wetalked to first seemed a little sketchy, as if they knew something they mightnot have known they knew. I’m going to let you feel all good and warm and cozyabout me because I’m heading to the safe house. At least, let’s start this way.They may find something in the woods, you may get something from Robertson orJefferson Moore. And when we’ve both had some time to talk, we’ll meet up againand figure out where to go from wherever we are then.”

Jackson nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll drop you at the safehouse. And I think I’ll ask Robertson and Moore to meet me out at the tomb.Maybe putting them together will help. Then, we’ll call someone else in, andyou and I can get moving in whatever direction we find we need to go.”

She smiled and nodded.

He was glad to see Angela walk into the safe house,using the code and her fingerprint. As she arrived, the door cracked, and thenopened. He saw that Brodie was in the house, as he’d been told. He came out,greeting Angela as she arrived, listening to her, shrugging, then headingtoward the gate. He keyed himself out, reset the alarm, and walked over toJackson.

“Hey. She said she wanted to be alone with Debbie for anhour or so. I’ll come back, but if Angela wants to be with her, knowing Angela,I’m sure she’s after something,” Brodie said.

“All right. If you want to come with me, I’m headed to thecemetery. I’m going to try to get Benjamin Robertson and the writer, JeffersonMoore, out there.”

“Sure. I’ll come with you. Fresh eyes. I haven’t been outthere yet. Then you can drop me off back here. I’ll take the watch untiltomorrow morning.”

“Sounds good.”

“And Halloween’s tomorrow,” Brodie said wearily. He shookhis head. “I loved Halloween when I was as kid.”

“I’m hoping we’ll all still love it this year.”

“We can always hope. But this is one hell of a tangle wehave going here. We think we’re looking for a drug runner with specialknowledge of the Robertson tomb. And we don’t think Benjamin Robertson isinvolved?”

“The man puts on a good act, ifthat’s what this is. But that’s why I’d like to get him to the tomb with thewriter.”

“You think the author can draw out the truth aboutRobertson? He is supposedly an investigative journalist.”

“Maybe. I’ll make the calls,” Jackson told him. “Patricksays every interview we’ve done has seemed a bit sketchy—either legit, orbecause people don’t know what they know. Anyway, he and his team have the dogsout in the woods. We’ll see what we can do at the tomb. And Angela will see ifshe can get anything more from Debbie.”

“Hopefully. She didn’t seem muchinterested in me. She left me in the living room with the television and toldme to make myself at home. Just asked me to please leave her be.Oh, but she did ask me if Angela was coming. I told her I didn’t know, but ifshe really wanted to see her, I was sure Angela would come by. Anyway, let’sgive the others a go,” Brodie said. He angled his head thoughtfully as Jacksonmade his calls.