The Haunted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 5)

Chapter 6: Discovery

"Dr. Grayson?"

Cynthia made sure no sign of her inner scowl appeared on her face as she patted her nervous four-year-old patient's knee and turned away from the exam table, facing her equally nervous administrative assistant hovering in the doorway. "Yes, Ann?"

"There's a, uh, Colonel Martin here to see you. He says it's urgent."

"If he's having trouble with his inner child, he needs to see a psychologist, not a pediatrician," Cynthia sighed. She winked at her small patient and said, "That's all, then, Timmy. You wait here and Ann will bring you a lollipop while you wait for your mom to get back."

Timmy grinned at her, drumming his heels on the table, and Cynthia moved to the doorway. "Do you recognize the uniform, Ann?" she asked softly.

"Air Force again, Dr. Grayson," Ann whispered back.

"I'm sure it's just more of the same, then. I'll be a few minutes." Cynthia closed the door behind her, trusting Ann to keep havoc from being wreaked on the exam room, and closed her eyes. It was true the Air Force had questioned her two years ago when Scotty Devon disappeared along with his sister, but why would they be back now, just when Sabrina had turned up asking for help and secrecy? It could not possibly be a coincidence. She took a deep breath before opening the door to her private office.

"Colonel Martin, I presume? What can I do for you?" she asked briskly, walking to her desk and seating herself. Only then did she give him an assessing glance.

"I'm here about one of your patients." He was a little older than she expected, but he had that bulldog look she remembered.

"Surely my patients are a bit young for the Air Force." Cynthia's fists clenched in her lap, safely hidden behind her desk. I'm an idiot. I should have known better. Sabrina always has reasons; I should have trusted that.

"I don't believe this is one of your usual patients. He was listed as a John Doe."

Shit. Not Sabrina, but her friend. I should have known. And I shouldn't've coaxed that blood sample out of him this morning in return for French toast before Sabrina woke up. "I do some volunteer work at a free clinic downtown. I do occasionally see adults there, yes, and some of them aren't exactly forthcoming with personal information." All true, she congratulated herself.

"It is extremely important that we find this person immediately," he said sternly. "They are a threat to public health. We have the CDC on standby for quarantine measures."

"I'm afraid you have the advantage of me. I haven't gotten the results of the blood work I ordered for John Doe yet," Cynthia said as calmly as she could. "What kind of health hazard?"

"Dr. Grayson, do you or do you not know the whereabouts of this individual?"

"Unless the clinic has an address, which seems unlikely, I have no idea where he lives. I'm sorry."

"I'm going to ask you to provide as detailed a description as possible, including what time you saw him at the clinic."

Cynthia blinked, then proceeded to describe, in detail, an ex-boyfriend who was just enough of a jerk to deserve military scrutiny. Meanwhile, her mind raced in circles, hoping these idiots wouldn't follow her home—and that Sabrina was still safe.

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Sabrina was dusting, trying to make herself useful, when she succumbed to the temptation of the piano. It was, she thought, the same one that had been in Cynthia's parents' living room, and it whispered memories of duets and recital practices. Sure enough, the bench held exercise books, classical sheet music, and a book of sonatas she recognized. She picked up the sonata book and flipped through it, smiling wistfully, and before she knew it she was moving hesitantly through the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.