Peggy Holloway - Judith McCain 01 - Blood on White Wicker (14 page)

She threw the note in my lap, “Someone else plans to do it first!”

The note said, “Stay away from her and keep your mouth shut or you’re dead.”

I don’t think she would have lost her temper with me if she hadn’t been so scared.

“What in the fuck have you gotten us into, Brandy? You better tell me the rest and I mean now. I won’t be kept in the dark. I need all the information so I can protect myself.”

“You’re right,” I said. “Joyce, the housekeeper’s real name is Tracy Carr of the FBI. She told me about Julia’s nightmares, and she told me a lot more. Can I tell you the rest when we get home?”

“We’re not going home. We’re staying the night in a hotel.” She was checking the rearview mirror the whole time. “Keep looking back and make sure we’re not being followed.”

She was driving really crazy. Switching lanes and nearly missing bumpers. Cars were honking at her. She then did something that I wouldn’t have believed if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. She had been driving in the left lane on I-10 and she crossed all the way to an exit at the last minute barely missing several cars.

She drove on the frontage road awhile and then headed for the French Quarter. Pulling into the Royal Sonesta Hotel, she gave the keys to the valet. We got a suite that costs us all of both of our tip money for the night, but it was worth it. It was beautiful all decorated in gold’s and royal blues. We each had our own bathrooms. After our showers we ordered steaks and red wine.

We hadn’t said much to each other since we checked in, but after eating our steaks, we settled down on each end of the couch. We were wearing the complimentary hotel white terry bathrobes. Rosa lit a cigarette and handed the pack to me. I decided to have one. Neither of us smoked and I was surprised that she had them.

She inhaled deeply and blew out the smoke through her nose. “I’m sorry I lost my temper, I was so scared.”

“That’s all right I would have done the same thing. What I’m going to tell you can’t go any farther no matter what happens. This is the story according to Tracy. There was this family who lived in Houston named McCain. They lived in a ritzy area called River Oaks. Mr. McCain owned an oil company, McCain Oil. The McCain’s son and his wife and twin daughters lived with them.

“One night the older and younger McCain’s were going to a party and the younger McCain’s had gone upstairs to say goodnight to their two little girls who were going to stay with the nanny. The older McCain’s were downstairs waiting for the younger couple when they heard a gunshot.

“They ran upstairs to find the younger couple shot to death, the little girls missing and the nanny who had been hit on the head. The two little girl’s names were Julia and Judith McCain. The older Mr. McCain died of a heart attack while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

“I was able to give Tracy the information about Henrietta Hendrix daughter. She said that they had questioned the nanny at length but couldn’t tie her into the kidnapping. Then she disappeared. Tracy thanked me for the new lead. I hope they find her.”

“So, you still have a grandmother! Aren’t you excited? I would have been on the plane already to go see her.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to do, but Tracy talked me out of it. She said they were so close and she was afraid that if I went to Houston, it would interfere with the investigation. An FBI agent is supposed to get in touch with me here in New Orleans. They have someone to hypnotize me. She also has agents watching out for me.”

“She does? Well, where the hell were they tonight? Someone apparently followed us home from the airport, and I didn’t know I was supposed to be checking my rearview mirror, thank you very much. Then they must have followed us to the club. They may have even been in the club watching us dance. It gives me the creeps when I think about it. Call your FBI friends Brandy. Tell them we need protection.”

“I don’t know who to call here. They’re supposed to call me.”

“Well let’s get some sleep. We’ll go back to the apartment after our nap and check the messages.”

We were both so freaked out by the note left on Rosa’s window shield, we slept fitfully. Every time I dozed off, the dream would start and I would startle awake.

At one p.m. Rosa came into my room. I was in that stage where you’re kind of half asleep, but aware of what’s going on around you.

“Are you awake?” she said.

I rose up on one elbow, “Yeah, sort of,” I said, “You want to go home?”

She got under the covers with me, “I’m so scared I don’t know what to do. I think you’re now a threat to someone and so your life may be in danger. These people have already killed at least once. I’m scared for you and want to protect you, but at the same time, I’m scared to be near you. I’m afraid I’ll be caught in the cross fires.”

 
“You want me to find my own place?” I held my breath waiting for her to answer. I didn’t want to be alone now of all times. I had basically been alone as long as I could remember, but I felt like I finally found someone who really cared about me for real.

She blew out a long breath, “I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about this all day and have hardly slept a wink. I think even if you left, they, whoever they are, would have already seen us together and figure that I knew as much as you do. So I think you need to stay with me. It might be safer if we stick together.

“When we get home, if that FBI agent hasn’t left a message, I think you should call the FBI office and try to find out who’s handling your case.”

Tears of relief rolled down my face. I hugged her, “Thank you so much. You’re such a good friend.”

Now she was crying too.

She reached for the phone. “What do you want for breakfast? I’m having the eggs Benedict and a bloody Mary.”

That sounded so good I decided to have the same.

After breakfast, we got dressed, checked out, got her car from the valet, and headed for home. We were both looking behind us almost as much as in front of us.

The answering machine was blinking when we walked in. Rosa hit play and the message was a man.

He said, “This message is for Vicky. This is John Shepherd. Call as soon as possible at this number,” and gave a number.

I had picked up a pen and pencil as soon as I saw the messages blinking, and I wrote down the number.

He answered the phone by saying his name. “This is Vicky.” I said.

Before I could say anymore, he said, “Don’t say another word. I’ll be right over.” and hung up.

Rosa came out of the bedroom brushing her hair. “Are you going to call him?”

“I just did.”

“That was fast. What did he say?”

I lowered my voice like a man and said, “Don’t say another word. I’ll be right over.”

We both laughed and it relieved the tension. Just then, there was a loud rap on the door and we both jumped.

“That can’t be him already,” she said as she went to look out the peephole. “WOW, there’s a good looking man holding up an FBI badge.”

When he came in, he didn’t look anything like I would have thought an FBI agent looked. He was very tall with black curly hair that he wore just below the ear lobe. He had dark, almost black eyes, and was wearing tan pants and a long-sleeved dark green polo shirt. He had on loafers with no socks.

As soon as he stepped in, he put his finger to his beautiful shapely lips in sign for us not to say anything. His eyes moved everywhere. He took some kind of devise out of his pocket that looked like a small hand held calculator, and began scanning first the whole downstairs and then the stairs and the upstairs.

When he came back down he said, as he gave each of us a handshake, “John Shepherd of the FBI. Which one of you is Vicky?”

I raised my hand like I was in school and his eyes sparkled with amusement.

“I’m sorry about last night. I know it must have scared both of you. We saw the note and left it on the windshield, hoping whoever wrote it would follow you and we’d catch them. Don’t worry our people have an eye on you. We watched the hotel you were in last night but no one showed up. I think you would have lost them anyway,” he said with a smile as he looked at Rosa.

“If we had known you were there the whole time, we could have slept better last night but I’m just glad you’re on the ball,” Rosa smiled back at him and I could sense the sparks flying. They made eye contact for so long I thought they had forgotten about me.

When he finally tore his eyes away from Rosa he said to me, “I guess agent Carr told you about the hypnosis?” Without waiting for a reply, he said, “We can do it now if you’re ready. Don’t be scared, it’s just a form of relaxation. I don’t try to control your mind or anything like that.”

I knew I needed to do this so I nodded.

He looked at Rosa. “I need a place comfortable for her. Maybe the bed, or if you had a recliner, it would be even better.”

“We don’t have a recliner, so it’ll have to be the bed. Can I watch?’

He turned to me. “It’s your call. Would you feel more comfortable with her there or not?”

“I want her there.” Then I turned to Rosa, “Maybe you could hold my hand.”

“Nope, no contact, John said. “You can be there but you can’t talk or make any contact. You have to sit out of her line of vision also.”

“Got it,” Rosa said.

I propped up in bed on a stack of pillows. Rosa put a blanket over me because John said I might get cold later on. He took a chain with a clear crystal out of his pocket. He held it so it was swinging back and forth. I almost laughed, it seemed so theatrical.

“Okay, Vicky, I want you to concentrate on this crystal, my voice, and your breathing.”

I nodded, “Take a long deep breath and let it out. That’s good, now take another. Keep taking deep breaths and concentrating on my voice. We’re going to start with the number ten. With each breath, you will get more and more relaxed. 10.relaxing…9.even more relaxed…8.every muscle in your body is relaxed…7.almost totally relaxed…6.you are so relaxed your eyes are getting very heavy…5.Your eyes are now closing…you are totally relaxed…”

I don’t remember any other numbers. The next thing I remember him saying was that we were going back to when I was three years old. I immediately began to tense up, but he told me I was completely safe.

Suddenly, I was there. I was three years old. It was mostly clear. “What are you doing Vicky?”

“I’m playing with my Barbie Doll.” My voice sounded like a little girls and part of me was aware of it. “Julia’s here with me. She’s got a Barbie doll too. Mommy and Mimi bought us lots of clothes for them. We went Barbie Doll shopping.” I giggled.

“Okay, Vicky.”

“That’s not my name, silly. My name’s Judith. Where did you get such an ugly name?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh, that’s all right. Don’t feel bad about it. Mommy and daddy and gramps and Mimi are going to a party tonight so we’re dressing our dolls for a party. Nana’s going to baby sit us. That’s her over there in the rocker.”

“What’s her name?”

“I just told you. It’s Nana. Oh here’s mommy and daddy too.” They kissed both Julia and me.

“What’s happening now, Judith?”

“Daddy’s putting a necklace on her and it has a horsey on it. He’s having a hard time. Julia wants to help. She always wants to help…”

Suddenly I was screaming and yelling. I could see the two men come up the ladder. I could see my dad flying backward and dropping the necklace. There was blood on it and on the yellow carpet. Everything was happening so fast. Both men who came toward the window were wearing masks and one of them had a squirming Julia in his arms. The other man shot my mother while she was trying to reach for me.