--------------------------------------
Chapter 15.
oOo
'Position eight'
oOo
Dennis was walking wildly from his own desk to Judy's and back again. Covering this small area repeatedly and making quick turns made his aching head spinning. He welcomed that feeling because it forced his mind to push every dark thought about Tom out in favor to attempts of keeping his body in balance. But most of the time worries stubbornly jerked him anyway. He wished he could switch off his mind and stop thinking and feeling at all. They were almost out of time and still didn't have any clue about Tom's place. To Dennis' nervousness he could add fact that Doug didn't contact with the Chapel from the noon, Fuller and Ioki were still trying to get some information from FBI in their headquarters and most of their squads were sent out looking in vain for Tom. Tom himself could be dead up till now. They could look just for his dead body… That thought was unbearable.
And now Hanson's mother.
Booker made another turn and now he faced Judy again who was sitting behind her desk. She was talking by phone and the first look at her face and body language, Dennis could tell in how difficult situation she was on. She unconsciously pressed the earphone very strong so that her fingers became white.
"Please Mrs. Hanson…" She pleaded softly fighting back tears escaping her eyes. "Please don't cry." Judy bent her head miserably down and rested it on her hand. God, how she wanted to tell Mrs. Hanson something comforting about Tom, to ease her pain and fears. She deserved something more than false consoles that everything will be all right, especially now when all hopes about finding her son were melting down.
"No, don't say that." Judy answered to the earphone. "We have reasons to believe he is still alive. We will find him. We just…" She paused afraid that her voice breaks down when her throat squeezed. All her protective walls against the true began collapsing and she started cry silently. Booker observed the play of emotions on Judy's face and he himself had troubles with keeping his eyes dry. So he turned back again and continued wild walk trying to shut his mind on everything what was happening around him.
"No Mrs. Hanson I am not crying." The young women answered and wiped quickly tears from her cheeks trying to get her acts together. "What? No! You should stay at home. There is… Mrs. Hanson?" Judy blinked a bit surprised and looked at the earphone. "She hung up."
"Poor women." Dennis commented irrelevantly not really listening to her.
"She said she will come to the Chapel."
"What?" Booker stopped his walk abruptly and faced the female cop. "It is not a good idea. You should have told her…"
"Told her what, Dennis? That there is no sense of leaving empty house where she is crying herself to death from worry about her only son and to come to the only place where she could find his friends and some support, and probably to feel she could help someway?"
"Yeah, maybe you right." Dennis answered letting out his breath he kept in the lungs while Judy's talking. He didn't have will and strength enough to argue with her. He turned again and renewed his walk. When he came closer to his desk he was startled by sudden sound coming from his phone.
"Jump Str…" He started but then recognizing the owner of the voice on the other side he shouted. "Doug! Where the hell are you?" As soon as Judy heard who was calling she picked up her own phone and listened carefully.
"Easy, Dennis. I am with father Dominic. He told me many interesting things. How about you?"
"We have got twelve results." Dennis answered, surprised by light tone in Doug's voice. He wondered what made him so pleased. "It is pretty much taking time we have left."
"Fax it to me." There was an answer. "I will give you the number."
Dennis wrote down the number and then faxed the list. During his actions there was silence on the line. After some time passed Doug acknowledged them he got the list and wanted them to give him a minute. Dennis and Judy could hear on the other side lively discussion Doug burst out with father Dominic. They couldn't understand words, but the tone in their friend's voice was getting new brighter colors, as if there was something more growing. Something more than just hopes. Dennis looked at his watch impatiently and closed his eyes. "Hold on, Tom." He thought desperately. "We will find you. Just hold on."
"Booker!" Suddenly they could hear Doug talking to them. "Hey! Are you there?"
"Yes!" Judy and Dennis shouted simultaneously to their earphones. "Got something?" Dennis continued.
"I think so." Doug seemed to be excited. Booker shifted on his chair.
"Go on."
"Do you remember what Michael Cooper was talking about when we interviewed him last time?"
"Yeah. Some rubbish about angels with bloody tears and dancing with the death." He answered impatiently not sure where Doug was heading. "And?"
"Have a look on our list. Position eight."
Dennis took the paper and moved his finger down the list. When he indicated the proper position Judy read it aloud questioningly.
"Holy Family Chapel, abandoned in 1936, built by… blah blah blah." She looked for any other interesting information. "… Kaneville, 400 residents… It's about one hour from here."
"That's it. Father Dominic says it was destroyed during witch-hunt about fifty years ago. Now it is used as a form of temple by young people interested of necromancy, occultism and those looking for other strong impressions."
"And what does it have common with those bloody angels?"
"People coming there have a habit or something like unwritten law of bringing different sculptures of angels every full moon. During their ceremonies they paint tears on their faces with blood of sacrificed animals."
"That's horrible." Judy commented disgusted.
"God!" Dennis gasped understanding what that meant. "That means we probably found Tom." He felt blood pressure rising up.
"Exactly." Doug smiled. "Dennis. You have to contact with Captain and move our people there immediately. I'm going there now."
"I will go with you, Doug." Judy stood up ready to go.
"What? No!" Dennis took Hoffs' hand to stop her forcefully and shouted to the earphone. "Doug, you two can't go there alone. It is too dangerous."
"Tom can't wait."
"Damn you, Doug! There will be many blood hungry lunatics. You won't do this on your own."
"Just contact with Fuller as quick as you can, ok?" With that words Doug broke up the connection.
"Fuck!" Dennis threw the earphone on its place with anger, took his backpack from under the desk and stood up. "Jude, call Fuller. I will go after Doug before he does something stupid."
"I am going with you!"
"No, Mrs. Hanson can come any time. Somebody has to be here." Booker shouted as he walked away checking his gun on the way.
"You will pay me for that, Dennis!" The young female threatened on top of her voice to Dennis' back disappearing in the exit-door. She was really angry that she was dismissed so unceremoniously from going to Tom's aid. Furiously she picked up the earphone and dialed to Captain Fuller.
oOo