Mixed Signals Read online

  “Sure. I’m really hoping this thief isn’t one of my employees, Randall.”

  “Anybody got it in for you? Bill collector? Dissatisfied customer?”

  “As far as I know, everyone’s happy. I pay my bills, and we have an unconditional money-back guarantee on all merchandise. I inherited the store from my father, and he inherited it from his father, and so on, back at least seventy years. We have a great reputation.”

  I looked around the carved mahogany walls and up at the elaborate ceiling with its old fashioned light fixtures and the glass display cases filled with rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces, surrounded by twinkling Christmas lights and artificial poinsettias. “I’d like to talk to your employees.”

  “Any time. Like I said, I hate to think any one of them is responsible. Gert Fagan’s been with me for years, and my two part-time kids are great. J.C. Chapman and Sim Johnson help me out every Christmas. They’re great kids, lots of fun. At first, I thought the call about the robbery was one of their jokes.”

  He was plainly upset at the thought of his staff betraying him. “Maybe it was just a burglar who got lucky.”

  “Or a burglar who knows the architectural history of Parkland.”

  Most burglars don’t go to that much trouble. As much as Petey Royalle hated it, this did indeed look like an inside job.

  “Can you think of anyone who might have a grudge against the store? Anyone suspicious who might have been in, looking around?”

  He pointed to another monitor. “We have a security camera, but it was also disabled that night. I reviewed the tapes for the past week, and I didn’t see anyone but normal customers. Of course, this close to Christmas, we’ve been busier than usual. There’s a good chance I may have missed something.”

  “Do you still have the tapes?”

  “The police took them. They’re really boring. The only thing we caught was Gert adjusting her panty hose.”

  He was trying to make light of the situation, but I could tell he was still upset. “Any idea why the burglar took those particular items?”

  “Now that’s really got me stumped. The guy takes a box of rings and a few jeweled bracelets. In the same case, you’ve got piles of gold necklaces and some very expensive sterling silver charms. He could’ve easily scooped those up. I’m glad he didn’t, but it wouldn’t have taken a second.”

  “Maybe someone or something surprised him.”

  “Maybe it was the Avenger.”

  “The what?”

  “You haven’t heard about the Parkland Avenger? Some goofball in a cape and tights has been running around the city at night. He’s supposed to be a crime fighter, but he’s getting in the way.”

  “I’ve missed that news item. Sure he’s not using his secret disguise to rob stores?”

  “The police would like to ask him that same question.”

  I looked around the small, elegantly paneled office.“Is there a back door?”

  “Down that hall to your left.”

  “So anyone who comes in the back passes by your office?”

  “That’s correct. In fact, the kids make a joke about sneaking in. They may pull a few pranks now and then, but they’re never late. You couldn’t find better employees. There has to be an answer to this.”

  I was sure there was, but it might not be what he wanted to hear. “I’ll do my best to find one, Pete. I’ll talk to your employees when I can. Right now, I’m going to see another of Jared’s friends.”

  I had an address for Boyd Taylor. I was on my way to his house when my cell phone rang. It was Tamara Eldridge, Camden’s boss. Like most of the women I know, including my mom, she called me by my first name.

  “David, I need your help. Cam’s having a problem. He keeps seeing a murder, and I don’t know what to do.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Chapter Two

  “Since by Man Came Death”

  I drove back to the shopping center and found a parking place near Tamara’s Boutique. Inside, I found Tamara and Camden in her office. She was sitting next to Camden, patting him on the back. He had his head in his hands, and he was shivering.

  Tamara looked up. “I’m so glad you came, David. He’s been like this for almost thirty minutes now.”

  She got up and I took her place. “Come on, Camden. I’ll take you home.”

  He shuddered. “Oh, God. So much blood. I can’t see.”

  “It’s all right. It’s over. Look at me.”

  He raised his head, his hair in its usual disarray. His eyes refocused, clearing from that eerie gray to their regular blue. “Randall.”

  “Let’s go home.”

  He took a few deep breaths. “I’m okay.”

  “I don’t think so,” Tamara said. “You go get some rest.”

  He tried to protest, but we weren’t having any of it. I took him out to the car. He didn’t say anything on the ride home. When he sat down on the sofa, he began to shake again.

  I knew what would help. “Where’s Ellin?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do. Concentrate.”

  He shut his eyes for a moment. “A broadcasting conference.”

  “What’s her cell phone number?”

  He held his arms, trying to stop the tremors. “Don’t call her.”

  “If she cares about you, she’ll come.”

  “I’m all right.”

  “I don’t think having nightmares during the day can technically be called all right.”

  I put some ice in a large plastic cup and filled it with tea. I stirred in a pound of sugar, took the tea to Camden, and punched in Ellin’s cell phone number. Even over the phone, Ellin’s snarl came in clearly.

  “Who gave you this number, Randall?”

  I came right to the point. “Last night, one of Camden’s friends was murdered. He found the body, and now he’s having flashbacks. When can you get here?”

  I heard her intake of breath. “As soon as I can.”

  I hung up and turned to Camden. “Ellin’s on her way.”

  He took another drink, tea slopping over the rim of the cup. “I keep seeing—” He stopped and swallowed hard.

  “Yeah, it was pretty awful. You’re empathizing a little too much. In fact, I’m even picking up on some of it, so try to think of something else.”

  “Randall, Jared was a good friend, but what if this had happened to you, or Ellie, or Kary? I’d go insane.”

  “This was too gross. You’ll get over it.”

  “It hits me like a wave. It’s like I’m Jared and his killer all at once. I see and hear everything.”

  “Ellin will be here soon. That’ll help.”

  He was still shaking. “I can’t take much more of these reruns. And you know what the worst part is? I couldn’t help him then, and I can’t help him now.”

  “What do you think you could’ve done? The murderer surprised him at home. There was no way you could’ve stopped it from happening.”

  Camden’s eyes headed toward gray again. “That’s what I hate about this stupid talent. Why didn’t it let me know Jared was in danger? Why didn’t it show me he was going to be killed, instead of showing me now, when there’s nothing I can do? And why the hell won’t it go away?” He stopped his rant and took a steadying breath. “Times like this almost make me want to tell you to go ahead and find my father so I can kick his ass.”

  Camden’s father abandoned him and his mother when Camden was a few days old, and his mother then left the baby at the Green Valley Home for Boys. I’d found his birth mother. She was glad to hear he was alive and well, but she didn’t want to see him. His father, however, was still out there, and Camden has decided since his mom is normal, Dad must be the source of his psychic powers. Al
ien psychic powers.

  “Say the word, and I’ll beam you up.”

  “No, thanks. He didn’t care about me then. He sure as hell wouldn’t care about me now.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Well, apparently, I don’t know anything.” He took another drink and sat back on the sofa. “What did Ellie say?”

  “She said she’ll be here as soon as she can.”

  “Nothing about how important the conference is, or wait until after this program, or how can I use this in a show?”

  “Nope.”

  He stopped shaking. He looked at me, his expression skeptical. “Did you tell her I was dying?”

  “Did you want me to?”

  “Sometimes I think that’s what it takes.” He set his cup aside. “That’s what’s so frustrating. I’m still wild about her. I want her so much, it scares me.”

  “Scares me, too, pal. The question is, does it scare her?”

  “Oh.” He thought a moment. “You think she’s afraid of a deeper relationship?”

  “Trust me. I know where she’s coming from. It’s the big ‘C.’”

  He must have still been shaky, because he didn’t get it. “Christmas?”

  “Commitment.”

  “How can she be afraid of commitment? She’s a woman. Isn’t that what they want?”

  “It’s my theory. Take it or leave it.”

  “I’m leaving it right now.”

  I went to my office and called Boyd Taylor, but either he wasn’t home or he wasn’t answering his phone. I checked my search programs in case the Alycia Ward I was looking for had shown up. She hadn’t.

  Camden and I decided we needed a snack and some educational program viewing. We were both startled by Ellin’s entrance.

  It might have played better if Camden had been unconscious and/or bleeding, but he was stretched out comfortably on the sofa with a big bowl of ice cream in his lap, a giant cup of Coke on the coffee table, and “Monster Battle” on the TV. Ellin dashed in, breathless. They stared at each other for a long charged moment before he realized he’d better sit up and say something.

  “Hi.”

  She caught her breath, gave me a look that had me checking for scorch marks, and tossed her pocketbook and briefcase onto another chair. “I thought—Randall said—are you all right?”

  “I’m okay now.”

  “Obviously.” She pulled off her coat. She had on one of the midnight-blue power suits that hugs her great figure and makes her golden curls shine. “I drove over an hour in less than perfect weather because I thought—”

  She paused as if unsure of what to say. “I’m sorry, Ellie,” Camden said. “I told him not to call.”

  She sat down beside him and took his hand. “Whose murder are you seeing? I didn’t know you had flashbacks like this.”

  “Neither did I. My friend Jared was stabbed to death last night. I guess the shock of finding him caused this reaction.” He took a deep breath. “Whew, I wish you’d been with me a few hours ago.”

  “Did you see who killed him?”

  “No, nothing useful.”

  I went into the kitchen. These two drive me crazy. Here is the woman Camden says he loves beyond all normal reasoning. Why doesn’t he grab her and go to it? And Ellin supposedly cares for him—after all, she left her conference, a huge sacrifice, knowing how much her career means to her. They should be terminally lip-locked, and here they sit like it’s teatime at the Plaza and they have a burning desire to discuss the stock market.

  “Are you better now?” she asked.

  “Yes, thanks.”

  “Well, if you’re all right, I think I’ll go over to the network and check on things.”

  “What about your conference?”

  “I made some good contacts, some possible sponsors for the PSN.”

  “I mean, is it too late to go back?”

  “There were only two more sessions to go, and I know enough about scheduling and broadening the audience base. Our audience is only going to get so broad, you know. What we need are some new and exciting features.”

  I knew what she was leading up to, so I wasn’t surprised by her next proposal. I doubted Camden was, either.

  “Cam, this flashback thing—do you suppose you’ll eventually be able to control it?”

  “I want it to go away. If I could control it, I wouldn’t be so staggered every time it hits. And no, I’m not coming on your show.”

  I heard her gathering up her things. “Just think about it.”

  “I don’t want to think about it. That’s the whole problem.”

  “We can discuss this later.”

  “No, we won’t.” He tried to change the subject. “Randall’s mother will be here tomorrow. I want you to come to dinner and meet her.”

  “I’m sure Randall’s mother is every bit as charming as Randall,” she said. “We’ll see.”

  As soon as she left, I came back to the island. “What the hell was all that?”

  Camden knew what I meant, but he didn’t want to talk about it. He got up. “I’m going to check on the guest room.”

  I went out the front door to see Ellin off. “I’m so bowled over by your passion I can hardly walk.”

  She was searching for something in her briefcase and paused to give me a dagger stare. “Don’t ever call me on my cell phone again.”

  “He was flipping out. I thought you could help.”

  “I came and I helped, didn’t I? He looks fine to me. Don’t lecture me about my relationship with Cam.”

  “What relationship? You might as well be his maiden aunt.”

  She closed the briefcase and opened her car door. “I’m not going to listen to any more of this.”

  “Wait, wait, before you go, let me get this straight. The next time he’s a shuddering wreck stuck in a nightmare vision from some psycho’s personal hell, you’d rather not be involved?”

  “That’s not what I said. And why do you think this is any of your business?”

  “I guess it isn’t. Sorry. Have a nice day.”

  She growled something under her breath, got into her car, and drove off. About the time she left, I heard the familiar chugging sound of Kary’s ‘89 Festiva as it rounded the corner of Grace Street bringing her home from Parkland Community College where she was working on a teaching degree. Because the Festiva is an unusually bright shade of green, we’ve nicknamed it the Nuclear Pea. Kary parked the Pea alongside the Fury and got out. With her long silky blond hair tucked under a green hat, her long green coat, and red and green muffler, she looked like a Christmas angel.

  Most blondes have blue eyes, but Kary’s are a warm brown and very expressive. “Is Cam home? Is he all right?”

  “He’s okay. He’s getting Mom’s room ready.”

  Kary took off her hat, shaking that gorgeous waterfall of hair. She hung her coat and muffler on the hall tree and tucked the hat in the coat pocket. “He and Jared were just getting to know each other, and right before Christmas it’s even more upsetting. Did you tell your mother about this? I hope she’s still coming.”

  “Yes, she’ll be here tomorrow.”

  “Maybe she can keep an eye on Cam while we’re on the case.”

  “Whoa,” I said. “Hold on. ‘We’? I’m not even officially on the case.”

  “But you’re going to find the killer.”

  “Yes, but—”

  “And I’m going to help you. No arguments.”

  For a scary moment, she looked as fierce as Ellin. I was searching for a way to discourage her when Camden came back down the stairs, and Kary immediately focused on him.

  “Are you okay? You still look a little pale.”

  Since Camden is always a little pa
le, I’m not sure how she could tell.

  “Better,” he said. “Thanks.”

  “Any more women I can call for you?” I asked.

  Camden’s go to hell looks are famous for their intensity. This one made the Christmas ornaments tremble. “No. Thank you. I’m going to check on the lights out back.”

  “Good,” Kary said when he’d gone. “Now we can plan.”

  “Kary.”

  “Do we have any more diet sodas?”

  She had me so addled I’d almost forgotten my daily mission. She sat down at the kitchen counter and took one of the many notebooks from a stack next to the ceramic frog we use as a dish for spare change. “I’ll start a list.”

  I brought her drink and sat down across from her, wishing I had something stronger than Coke. “I think you should leave this to me. Jordan’s already warned me off.”

  “Jordan always warns you off, and you always ignore him. Didn’t I help you solve your last case?”

  “Yes, but that involved doing research.” Research that kept her safely away from any danger. “Whoever killed Jared slashed him repeatedly with a knife. You’re not getting anywhere near this case.”

  She’d been numbering a list and now looked up. “Cam is the closest thing I have to a brother. I’m going to do whatever I can to help him.”

  Since Camden is the closest thing I have to a brother, too, I couldn’t argue this point. “Just don’t do anything crazy.”

  “David.” I got the full teacher look. “I’m not going to sneak down dark alleyways or meet strangers in parking garages. Now, are there any suspects?”

  I resigned myself to the fact that she was not going to let this go. “Boyd Taylor and Alycia Ward.”

  She wrote down the names. “I don’t see any reason why I couldn’t look them up. I might find something useful. Anyone else?”

  If this kept her at the computer, then that was fine with me. In fact, I made up a few more names to keep her busy. “Susan Carlyle and Morris Otto. All friends of Jared’s. Oh, and the guys at his auto club. I’ll get their names, too.” There was a chinking sound from the island. I was glad for the distraction. “I think Cindy’s in the tree again.”