Chapter 54: Where to Begin

Rebecca was waiting for me in her living room. She was still in the jeans and shirt she had worn to the meeting. Her gun was now sitting on an end table next to the couch. I still didn't know where she had it before.

"I hope you haven't been waiting too long," I said.

"No, actually just a few minutes," she said with a puzzled look on her face.

"Dream time takes a little getting used to. I've actually had time to take the girls to the beach and spend some time with Amy."

She got a pained and wistful look and said, "I wish I could see her. How is she?"

I thought for a second. "She's fine. I was hoping she could stay with the girls while I came here but it just won't work. Unless I'm there it's painful for her to try and remain." I paused. "Rebecca, I can show her to you if you want. It will just be a memory of my time with her but I can give you that, no problem... but, are you sure you want to?"

This was not how I had I foreseen this meeting going. It was clearly a painful subject for Rebecca. I could see the debate raging behind her eyes. Finally she answered, "I may regret it later, but yes, I want to see her."

"All right. This will be similar to what I have in mind for you to try later. Hopefully it will work." I sat next to her on the couch and the scene changed around us. I had chosen the time when the girls had first met Amy. We started out sitting in the little sunken area of the cabana. I stood and went to the bed and Amy was there, asleep. She watched as the little girl woke and walked with me to meet the girls. I heard a sharp intake of breath as Amy launched herself into Allison's arms. Amy asked me to change her dress and the scene jumped to the lagoon outside, with me in my troll suit tossing Amy around like a little giggling beach ball. Then it was time for her to go, we walked her to the door, and the scene faded.

Rebecca stood and turned away from me. I sat for a moment and concentrated on not noticing as she dried her eyes. She took a moment to collect herself and then sat back down.

"So what did you want me to do?"

"I want you to replay your interview with the Watkins family."

"You want me to what?"

"Do just what I did. Basically, it's just re-living a memory. Just think about the interview, focus on it, and let the scene play out in your mind."

"You make it sound so simple."

"I know, and I'm sure if we were at the shooting range right now, I'd be saying the same thing to you. Just relax. Try closing your eyes."

"I'm asleep, my eyes are already closed."

"Funny. I could bring Bob in; maybe he could do one of those relaxation exercises for you."

She blushed and said, "I don't think that would work."

I grinned and said, "You're saying being with Bob wouldn't exactly ease your tension at this point?"

She was trying hard not to smile. "Not exactly."

I took her hand. "Rebecca, all kidding aside, I'm very happy for you. I'm sure Michael would be happy, and Amy will be doing cartwheels when I tell her. How's your boss taking it?"

She laughed. "Rod? He's going out of his mind. I haven't told him a thing. All he has is "Bob" and that's it. Selena has been on him every day for details and he doesn't know shit, it's killing him."

We chuckled together for a few moments before I continued, "Okay, close your eyes. You're in Amanda Watkins' living room. You've just sat down to interview her parents regarding her death. Without opening your eyes, describe the scene."

"I'm sitting on a sofa..."

"What color is it?"

"It's a light beige with patterned sections to give it more texture; the carpet is an off white color. Paul is with me on the sofa. Mrs. Watkins and Samantha are to my right on a matching love seat. Frank Watkins is in a dark brown easy chair opposite me to the left."

"Is there a coffee table?"

"No. Two large ottomans take up most of the space. There are three small tables around the sofa and love seat, another next to Frank's chair."

"Open your eyes."

She opened her eyes and found herself in the Watkins' living room exactly as she had described it. Including one detail she had left out. Rachel Watkins sat at her sister's feet clutching one of Samantha's legs and looking somewhat frightened. Samantha had an anxious look on her face as well. Irene was practically without expression as she sat watching her husband.

"Wow, I did that?"

"Yes. Now just think about the whole thing, the questions, answers, don't try to focus on any one thing or it will blur the rest. Just let your memory run. I want to concentrate on Samantha."

The scene played out just as she had described it before. Samantha's reaction to the questions was mostly as you would expect it to be; sadness at the thought of her sister being dead; hope that these new people might be able to find her killer. When the subject of Amanda's sex life came up that changed. It was subtle; I guess in her situation it would have to be. I didn't even want to imagine what the consequences of making a scene would be. To the casual eye she would not have appeared any more interested in this part of the interview than any other. But her eyes told a different story. Suddenly she was alert, tense, scared. Several times she would look at Paul or Rebecca as if she wanted to say something, but when they would look at her, she would quickly turn away. I noticed something else as well and mentioned it to Rebecca.

"Every time she dodges your gaze she shields Rachel."

"What?"

"Watch her. When you or Paul turn to meet her eyes she turns away and you can see her hand tighten on Rachel's shoulder. Rachel hugs her knee a little harder too. She's scared to death that you might ask her or Rachel something."

"You're right. What do you think? Is this enough? Can you reach her from just this or do you need more. We could watch it again," she suggested.

"No, I'm not going to know her any better without seeing more. Seeing it again won't make the difference. Either I can do this or I can't." I stood and reached for her hand. "I'm going to go find somewhere I can relax. I don't know when I'll actually be ready to try it but I won't wait long. At the latest I'll try it this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes." I shook her hand and headed for the door.

The door of course led to the beach, Allison, and Shannon. I expected to find them studying or maybe snuggled up on the blanket, or perhaps more actively involved in the cabana.

I certainly didn't expect them to be fighting for their lives against a gang of thugs. My first thought was to rush in and do something. Immediately I knew that would be a mistake. One thing Allison had been successful in doing over the many years we had been playing together, and even more so over the last several months, was to teach me to think before doing anything stupid. So I took a moment to look the scene over. The girls were in skin-tight spandex outfits; Allison's in a vivid pink, Shannon's an electric blue. The bad guys were all decked out in ninja black, go figure. I felt sorry for the bad guys; it was kind of hot to be running around in head to toe black.