“Why didn’t you mention this before?”
“I thought they were just bad dreams,” I shrugged. “Now I’m not so sure. It’s all a bit hazy. The details get hazier the longer it’s been since I had the dream, but the victims that they’re showing on the news? I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen them before. All of them. How can that even be possible?”
Holbrook stopped pacing and turned to face me, silhouetted by the wan light filtering through the nearly transparent curtains. Rubbing a hand along the stubble covered edge of his jaw he let out a heavy sigh.
“Well, this changes things.”
Chapter 14
HOLBROOK’S STEPS WERE swift as we approached the Medical Examiner’s office, the morning sunshine doing little to erase the chill from the wind skittering down the street. It had taken some finagling, and a lot of phone calls, but eventually he had gotten the all-clear to let me visit the morgue once we had agreed to take a contingent of agents with us.
No doubt we looked like some kind of strange parade with Collins and Hill trailing behind us in their matching black suits, but I was just glad to finally be doing something. The long, squat, red brick building took up a full block, appearing like some slumbering beast surrounded by winter bare trees. A weather-beaten green awning covered the steps leading up to the door. Stopping so fast that I almost walked into him, Holbrook spun on his heel to glance down at me.
“Is there any way I can make you change your mind?” he asked for what must have been the hundredth time since we had left the hotel.
“Not a chance in hell,” I replied, smiling wide.
“Come on then,” he said with a sigh, opening the door and ushering me through.
A wall of hot air blasted me in the face as soon as I stepped inside, almost knocking me back on my heels. Sweat instantly broke out on my forehead beneath my woolen hat. Snatching it off my head, I stuffed it into my jacket pocket and fell into step behind Holbrook as he strode through the lobby towards the reception desk with an authoritative air.
Consisting of little more than a wide curved desk and a couple of uncomfortable looking bright orange chairs, the reception area was sparsely decorated with a potted plant that looked like it had seen better days, and a bulletin board behind a dusty pane of glass. The overall atmosphere was one of neglect and apathy. It was, quite frankly, more than a little depressing.
You’d think they’d want to brighten the place up a little.
The woman behind the desk fit right in with the decor. Dull, steel-colored hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and teal cats-eye glasses perched on the end of a long hawkish nose. A brass plaque proclaiming her name was Mildred Smythe, completed the caricature of a shrewd and disapproving librarian. A shudder ran through me as I was reminded of my high school librarian who had skulked through the shelves with a perpetual scowl as if the students were intruding upon the sanctity of her domain.
“Can I help you?” Mildred asked, her nasal voice making the muscles in my shoulders bunch. Catching the glint of a wedding band, I hoped for her husband’s sake that he was deaf as a post.
Presenting his badge, Holbrook replied, “We’re here to see Dr. Cole.”
Leaning forward, peering over the rim of her glasses, she plucked the credentials from his hand, while clucking her tongue against her teeth. “Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but the Doctor is expecting us.”
“I’m afraid Dr. Cole is very busy today,” she said, inspecting Holbrook’s badge as if the mere weight of it in her hand would verify its validity.
“I’m sure she would be happy to fit us in,” Holbrook replied with his usual unflappable charm.
For a moment I thought she would continue to corpse-block us. Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with one gnarled finger, she looked at Holbrook and then me, her face puckering as her eyes swept over me.
Guess I don’t measure up
Answering her disapproving gaze, I bared my teeth in a mirthless smile and felt the wolf chuff in laughter as Mildred paled and scrambled for the phone, almost dropping it in her haste. With a single tangerine colored nail she dialed and waited as the line rang, purposely avoiding looking in my direction.
Serves you right, you old bat.
With my enhanced hearing it was easy to pick up the even-toned feminine voice that answered. “Dr. Cole here.”
“Dr. Cole, its Mildred. There’s a Special Agent Holbrook and his…associate…here to see you. They don’t have an appointment,” Mildred said, feeling brave enough to throw a sour look my way. The sigh that crackled through the phone receiver was one of beleaguered patience.
“Please tell Special Agent Holbrook I will be up in a moment.”
“But—” Mildred started to protest even as the click of Dr. Cole ending the call echoed in the receiver.
***