After the hotel and motel administrators were unable to help, the sheriff ordered in the morning to go around all the cafes, restaurants, banks, post offices, train stations, shops, supermarkets, gas stations, hospitals and all objects with a large flow of people, so that as soon as anyone noticed even the slightest degree suspicious of a person from outside the area was immediately reported to the sheriffs office. Desmond also ordered that everyone be notified that all those who had moved to Heartstone over the past year should be reported, in case the sheriff, for some reason, still does not know something about someone.
14. Always in touch
Ever since Rebecca started reaching for the phone mounted on the wall in the kitchen, she constantly tried to be the first to pick up the receiver. No one in the family could understand which parent the girl, who loved to talk and keep her mouth open for hours, took after. In such cases Saul always joked, saying that it was not necessary to be like their parents, thereby hinting that the granddaughter took after her grandfather, who firmly believed in the great power of the main weapon the tongue, which should not rest. Rebecca was even jokingly called Dispatcher at home. If a call rang and Carter was closest to the phone, and he was too lazy to leave his seat, he called Rebecca: Dispatcher, you are being called. Even if Rebecca was in the basement or on the veranda, this did not stop her and she ran towards the phone. But this trait explained her success in learning languages, and not only English. When Rebecca was eight, Giselle noticed that the girl somehow sorted words into parts in too much detail and was immersed in their meaning. This led to her frequently correcting adults when someone used a word in an inappropriate manner. By eleven she could speak fluently in Spanish and a little French. In the case of French Rebecca was bothered by the strong accent that emerged from her. Carter gave her a collection of French hits from recent years, which the girl listened to from morning to evening. She didnt get rid of her accent completely, but she began to understand some slang words better. Everyone understood that in the case of Rebecca the issue of choosing a profession had already been resolved.
Around noon the phone rang. Rebecca picked up the phone in the living room.
Hello?
Heartstone, Boston speaking. How can you hear? said Roger.
He was the eldest of Carter and Giselles three children. Roger studied at Boston University to become a surgeon. When Roger decided on his choice of profession, that evening, while lying in bed, Carter said to Giselle: Well, we can breathe a sigh of relief. Its not for nothing that he loved watching horror films since childhood. It turns out that our boy was simply training his psyche so that his hand in cutting people would not waver. And most importantly, its legal. Since the eighth grade, Roger deliberately focused his attention on biology and chemistry. His knowledge of chemistry was truly appreciated by Saul when, five years ago, his grandson assembled homemade explosives, with which he helped his grandfather get rid of the withered trunk of an old cedar tree. Saul patted his grandson on the shoulder and said that he saved him a lot of time, effort and nerves. That tree had long been an eyesore for Saul. True, Carter and Giselle did not appreciate such talents of their son and Carter forbade Roger to even try to mix everything that in total could be explosive, but without specifying, because he had no idea what exactly and in what proportions his son mixed; and at the end Carter added: I forbid you to even make flaming cocktails. For some time after this, Ines called her brother dynamite. True, Giselle soon realized how useful knowledge Rogers head was filled with after he removed a stain from a white tablecloth, against which all powders were powerless.
In matters of education until the age of thirteen, Roger was more pliable than most boys. Carter or Giselle didnt have to work very hard to influence their son, even though he was less flexible than the two sisters. But after the process of adolescence was in full swing, Rogers character changed greatly. Energy began to bubble within him, which had to be channeled somewhere. He did long distance running and some swimming. But he was especially interested in cycling. Having become a student, in his first year he joined the university cycling team. Roger didnt understand the excitement of cycling until Kayla dragged him to the track.
Kayla Freeze was the only daughter of Carters maternal cousin, Vanessa. Kaylas parents were in a car accident when she was four years old. A couple of weeks after the funeral of Vanessa and her husband, Saul was going to offer his son custody of the girl, but Carter got ahead of his thoughts. So Carter and Giselle raised Kayla as their own daughter. If she called Carter and Giselle aunt and uncle, then Saul became her grandfather, because while she remembered her parents, at least very vaguely, she didnt even see her grandparents at birth. Kayla was three years older than Roger and became that big sister to all three of them, helping them with homework, flying a kite, teaching them how to play chess, ride a bike, and shoot a basketball. When Giselle began teaching Kayla to draw at an early age and saw her success, she was delighted and decided that she had revealed the girls talent and determined the business to which Kayla would devote her life. But since from time to time Carter liked to get involved in some kind of argument, especially with his wife, in order to play on someones nerves, he immediately bought a grand piano and hired a tutor, because he knew about Kaylas love for musicals. Then he bet with his wife that his niece would become a musician. The subject of the dispute was the choice of place for a summer holiday: Giselle dreamed of Barcelona, and Carter dreamed of Monte Carlo, although he did not intend to spend money in a casino. So the husband and wife waited for the day when their niece would graduate from school and decide on her choice of profession. As a result, both lost because Kayla decided to become a cardiologist.
They studied at the same university with Roger and shared a rented apartment. Overall, their lives have changed little. Kayla was busy around the apartment, cleaning, cooking and ironing. Roger spent a little more time at the university because he was part of the cycling team. Kayla was involved in swimming, but did not strive to reach any sports or professional level, but rather did it for her own pleasure.
Heartstone is listening Rebecca answered.
Dispatcher, how are you?
Fine. Should I call mom? Oh wait
Ines answered the phone, after which Rebecca ran back to the TV.
Hello Ines greeted. How is it?
Fine. Better tell me why Rebecca left me?
Um dont pay attention. The commercials are over.
What does she watch?
One Hundred And One Dalmatians. Hang a little. Ines turned in the direction of the open window and shouted:
Mom!
Yes?
Bostons on the line!
Im coming now!
Ines returned to the conversation:
So, what news?
Roger sighed and replied:
News? I havent won a gold medal yet. I still havent cut up the patient. I didnt meet my love either; all around are bitches. And so everything remains unchanged.
Hows Kayla?
Like at a resort Roger said and looked at Kayla standing at the stove, who showed with a sarcastic facial expression: Ill talk to you later, you first-class freeloader. This brought a slight smile to Rogers face.
Giselle answered the phone.
Roger?
Hi, Mom.
Hello dear. How are you?
All according to plan.
How was it at the university?
Well, it seems they are not going to kick me out yet.
This is good, because if they kick you out of the university, then dad and I will kick you out of the house. Giselle said with an absolutely firm face, although in her heart she laughed a little. She always understood Rogers humor in a way that the three girls did not. How is Kayla?
Roger looked at his cousin.
Kayla? Experimenting with food again. And at the same time, over my stomach, taking this opportunity.
At that moment, a dishrag flew at Roger and he let go of the receiver as soon as Giselle said:
Pass the phone to her.
Kayla turned down the heat on the gas stove and walked over to the phone, straightening her long, wavy, chocolate-colored hair.
Hello?
Hi dear.
Hello Aunt Giselle. How are you doing there?
Alive and healthy. How are you?
Everything is great. How is grandpa?
Grandpa in a chair on the veranda. Basking in the sun. I didnt wake him up.
No-no. Let him rest. Kiss him for me.
Necessarily. What are you cooking?
Im frying minced meat for julienne.
You are my golden one. Hows the budget? Send more?
It is not necessary. We have enough.
Listen, Kayla, what about the holidays?
Aunt Giselle, I have some difficulties. Every year, Kayla and Roger took their exams earlier than scheduled so they could leave early and be in time for Giselles birthday. We probably wont make it on time and will be a couple of days late. You wont be too offended?
What are you talking about, sweetie? Of course not. Decide your affairs calmly and take your time.
Hows Uncle Carter?
All at work. They have something to do with a shortage of granaries there. He is engaged in the construction of a warehouse. The season is in full swing.
As always. Say hi to him.
Ill definitely pass it on.
How are things going with your paintings? Havent finished your collection yet?
No, what are you talking about? There are still a lot of things that need to be finalized. But I think Ill meet the deadline. Giselle took a deep breath and said: Okay, honey. I will not distract you. Keep cooking.
Kayla smiled and replied:
Fine. A big hello to Ines and Rebecca.
Ill definitely tell them, honey. I kiss you deeply. Bye-bye.
15. Beach, moon, sea of blood
Jerry Ings and Alexa Monroe decided to spend a late evening on the beach by the lake. To do this, Jerry requisitioned his fathers van. After graduating from school, their dates began to happen more often. Apparently, this summer Jerry and Alexa will go to universities located on different coasts of the country. A year ago, they seriously expected to enter the same university. But the card turned out differently. They saw separation as worse than any nightmare. Deep down, they both understood that parting for such a long period would probably mean the end of their love story. The years to be spent in different universities with thousands of students around will probably push them into other lovers, as a result of which they will forget about their four-year whirlwind romance. But in their hearts, hope was still far from dying.
They parked close to the boat station. Stopping right on the sand, Jerry put the handbrake on the van, after which his fingers released the lever and lay on Alexas smoky caramel hair, lowering down to her neck, casting a gaze into her honey-colored eyes. Alexa wrapped both hands around Jerrys forearm and pressed it to his cheek. She was about to lean towards him, but suddenly stopped and said:
Lets go to the lake. The heat has already subsided.
Lets go to.
They stopped a few meters from the water and sat down on the sand. Alexa leaned against Jerrys chest, wrapping her arms around his waist like a little girl cuddling a teddy bear before bed. Glancing somewhere into the distance between the stars and the lake, the opposite shore of which was too far to see even during the day, Alexa began to think deeply.
You know, I was thinking, Jerry began, were not leaving soon. Maybe we can go somewhere? Ill ask my dad for the Chrysler and well head to Corpus Christi or Galveston. If you dont want the Gulf of Mexico, we can choose something else.
Alexa didnt make a sound in response.
Do you hear?
A few more seconds passed before Alexa said:
I didnt know how when
Alexa hesitated for a long time. As a result, she sat down, straightened her back and only then said, hiding a strand of hair behind her ear:
Ive missed a period.
Jerry moved his lips silently for a while, but still asked:
A-and-and how long has it been?
About a month and a half.
Didnt you take the test?
Alexa covered her trembling lips with the back of her hand, and then answered:
Im afraid.
Come on. What is there to be afraid of? We need to know for sure.
Alexa wiped away the tears that had accumulated in her eyes, and then said:
We need to discuss this with parents. Im afraid to tell mine. My father will kill me. I wanted to ask if yours could help?
You want
Yes. Think by yourself. What future awaits us? Me? I can forget about university education. There is only one way out.
The guy thought for a moment and said decisively:
Why do we even need to tell the parents? We will decide everything ourselves.
Jerry, we are two seventeen-year-old teenagers. We dont yet have the brains to understand what and how.
After a pause, Jerry said:
Perhaps youre right. After a short pause, he added: I really dont know
Jerrys voice was interrupted by a certain hum coming from somewhere behind and gradually turning into the roar of an engine. Soon the scarlet lights of the headlights appeared. A black car drove onto the beach and stopped right next to the van. The engine stalled. The headlights went out.
Do you know who is it? Alexa asked anxiously.
With some trembling in his chest, Jerry shook his head negatively several times.
The drivers door of the Dodge opened. His foot landed on the sand. Then the second one. Soon a dark silhouette emerged from behind the door. The stranger walked around the door, leaving it open and headed towards the teenagers.
Sit here Jerry said and walked towards the stranger. Alexa stood up and remained standing there.
As he approached, Jerry began to more clearly examine the Racers appearance. One meter eighty centimeters. Oversized shoulders. He was wearing a dark green leather raincoat that reached his knees, a black jumper and black jeans. His hands were hidden under leather gloves, and his face was hidden under a black mask. There were cutouts for the eyes, but inside there was complete darkness. His steps were long, but unhurried. There was a sense of firmness and determination in them.
Can I help you? Jerry asked.
The Racer suddenly quickened his pace as he passed Jerry and continued towards Alexa.
Whats the matter? Hey!? Alexa shouted at the end and reflexively began to back away, without taking her bulging eyes off the Racer.
But the Racer did not stop, but only continued to speed up his pace.
Alexa turned around in fear and ran along the shore about twenty meters past the boat station office, after which she stopped and turned around. She hardly swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat, continuing to look at the Racer walking on her heels.
Hey guy? Dont touch her! Im talking to you! Jerry shouted, chasing after the Racer. He ran up to him from behind and said, grabbing his shoulder: If you have something to say, say it
His voice broke as the Racer grabbed his hand and squeezed it with his powerful fingers. He shredded all the bones in Jerrys palm, clenching his fingers into a fist. Jerrys face was hidden under a grimace of silent but hellish pain. Soon he could not stand it and a scream was heard. At that moment, the Racer grabbed Jerry by the neck with his other hand and lifted him, tearing his legs off the sand.