Chapter 3

At the café called the Shock Wave Meg, Sara chatted with their mother Joan as they finished sorting out the food for the party after the speeches at the monument. Their father Hank and Casey having checked the rest of the café were ready to join them for the short walk to the green.

The monument was to celebrate the lifeguards; it was a grand white concrete block showing their shield and dates while over the top was a semicircular banner with words In Honour of our Lifeguards. All was hidden from view by a large white sheet which the Mayor after making a short speech would tug to unveil then let Casey as Chief Lifeguard smash a bottle of champagne against it and make the acceptance speech.

Tim decided as he was in the monument he might just as well be on it as well, so he perched on top of the sheet and banner looking at the crowd gathering. He really wanted to get near Meg but could not see her. He spotted Derek on the edge of the crowd without Tess and Maria or Benjy so looked further round and saw them and smiled. Benjy was in Maria's arms resting against her shoulder perfectly content; Tess on the other hand was looking cross. Not surprising really as she could see him up there, he could not resist it and gave a wave and an extra big smile. She turned her head away and stepped back turning sideways and smiled.

Tim followed her gaze and saw she was looking adoringly at Derek, wondering what lies he had told her and why couldn't he make her understand the danger she was in? Then he realised he had been like that with Meg ... a one tracked mind. As he'd looked at people gathered around he had seen how they felt towards their partners and friends and now he could see and feel the evil coming off Derek. He might be all charm and handsome to look but he was certainly dark on the inside. He knew he needed to find Meg and started to scan around again and spotted her with her family.

He jumped off the monument making sure he didn't go through anyone till he was on the ground just in case they felt it, and then walked slowly towards the group. He hoped because he and Meg had been close since childhood and in spite of his mistake with the chief bridesmaid on the morning of their wedding he might be able to get close to her while she was awake. He knew he mustn't startle her here but she needed warning as to the danger she was in.

Paying no attention to the speeches that had just started he stood sideways facing Meg while she watched Casey and the Mayor. Although he never knew these things before Tim could see her confusion in her aura and knew it was of deep love mixed with the feeling that something was wrong as well as trying to accept Ben's love for Maria. He could also feel his own confusion, he still loved her but now because of his death knew she belong to another and still found it hard to let go of her.

He felt a flash of pain and darkness he knew it was not him… and realised it must be through Ben and the stun gun and they were still connected. It made his mind up for him and concentrated, thinking gently rather than speaking out loud in case it was stronger. "Meg don't be shocked. Tell Ricardo Ben is at Franklin Street, Seattle, … he needs help now! … Derek's here. … You have to get Maria and Benjy away. … Tess is Benjy's mother."

Meg gasped.

Tim thought he'd got through then realised everyone else was doing the same while looking at the monument he looked as well. A minor earth tremor started as Casey hit the bottle against the concrete base causing cracks to snake across the monument and banner. The weakness of the very new concrete with body in it completed the damage and it crumbled exposing its very dead secret. As cracks in the ground appeared when the ground sunk very slightly people started jostling each other out the way.

Tim yelled at the top of his voice "No! I cannot go yet! Justice must be done! I have to stop Derek!" He stopped as he realised he was not going into his body.

Beside him Meg collapsed and a pain went through him again and he sensed she felt the same pain he did. He looked across the crowd and saw Derek towards the back slipping away unnoticed. Then he spotted Tess moving away looking deeply shocked and as their paths cross he notice Derek say something to which Tess nodded. He looked round and saw Maria with Benjy still in her arms turned away from the confusion and was moving towards her mother and as they met they walked away from the chaos without looking back.

Tim's concentration was broken as he heard Hank talk gently to Meg while helping her up. He realised she thought her pain was from seeing the body as it fell out and then recognising who it was by the watch on his wrist. He cursed realising everyone would be concerned about his body and what had happened so he would not be able to get through to Meg. He looked again for Tess and saw her making her way to her car with Derek nearby, he concentrated hard and arrived just out of Tess's sight and in time to hear Derek tell her where to meet him before leaving her. To his surprise he noticed Tess was crying.

When Derek had gone and no one was in view he walked up to her, she jumped as he spoke keeping his voice soft he pleaded. "Tess don't go there. He knows you are near breaking point. He will kill you! Walk up to a police officer and tell them he has threatened you and Ben is in Seattle. He is hurting I can feel it please!"

She shook her head unable to speak and got into the car. All he could do was to watch her drive carefully away. He wanted to split himself in three - be there for Meg, Ben and Tess realising how much he cared for her in spite of the way she had used him and his love for Meg. He paused for a second then decided Meg would be looked after by her family. The police should be watching Franklin Street and as the pain had stopped so Josh should be clearing up the mess he made in the kitchen. He knew he wanted to help Tess and thought of her.

He rode in a car behind Tess's swapping when necessary being careful to stay out of her sight. It was easy at first but she came to the edge of town the cars diminished making it difficult for him to stay hidden. He realised they were in the estate left vacant by the last earthquake and from a distance watched her park the car then wait beside it. It wasn't long before Derek appeared having parked his car out of sight. Tim could feel the tension in the air as they talked though wanting to get closer to hear he was not sure whether he should risk it.

Through the aura he could see Derek was angry and yet his body movements and actions to Tess were loving and reassuring. It made him edgy so he decided to risk getting closer as Tess got out her cell phone and punch in a number. He arrived nearby still afraid of getting too close to Derek and heard Tess say "Maria its Tess I've had a call from my sister, she's hurt herself and needs my help so I'll be away for a few days. I know you and Ben won't mind as Benjy is at school and it will help Benjy get used to me not being around after Christmas. I've got some things already there so I shan't be by to pick anything up. I hope everything went all right at the ceremony."

Puzzled he watched her put the cell phone away and turned to Derek her voice was now steady and confident knowing she didn't have to stay here anymore. "Right I've got your cheque, I'll drive out of town and stay at a hotel till the end of the week then come back and then you will be off with Maria. … What if the foreman gives Ricardo my description? He did get a good look at me when I got him to look at the car." She asked realising the complication.

Derek gave a gentle laugh his tone totally reassuring. "It's going to be fine he will not say anything because he should not have left the site. They will assume the body was brought in before he arrived and no one looked down the hole, which is true no one did." He paused for a second his eyes on hers then gently lovingly carried on. "Now, give me one last kiss before you leave. I've given you cash for clothes etc., if you need anything else you will have to wait till I ring you on your cell phone don't try and ring me."

Tess totally reassured snuggled up to him giving him a deep passionate kiss completely unaware of what Derek was doing. As he kissed her his hands had gently moved from her arms to her shoulders then up round her neck. It was done slowly lovingly but now the pressured tightened around her throat so she could not breathe then ending with a final twist and it was over her body was limp in his arms.

Realising what was happening Tim yelled in pure frustration. "No! Tess! Damn it! You have to be alive!"

He stopped suddenly feeling her terrified aura in the air all around him. Gradually it seemed to get a fix on him and form into her body shape, faint at first then more defined till she was standing next to him fully clothed. He found it eerie because he knew she could feel the pain of her death and when she opened eyes she would be terrified.

He felt a strange calm wash through him and keeping his voice gentle and reassuring he said to her. "It's all right the pain will be over soon. Relax I'm here to help you. When you open your eyes don't be afraid just think of yourself on the ground as normal and you'll not go through it then let the other thoughts take over." He automatically put his arm around her to stop her falling and found he could touch her and felt her understanding settle into her.

She opened her eyes, looking at him in surprise then as she calmed she put her hand on his and smiled. They stood together as she watched Derek now with gloved hands put the cash back in his pocked and her bag and phone in a plastic bag he'd taken from his pocket and then put them on the front seat of her car. He went back to her body and put it in the trunk of her car and then drove it into one of the garages at the end of the road. He came back with the plastic bag and Tess started to realise he never loved her, he showed no remorse. Still feeling strange she heard Tim quickly explaining what to do to follow and watch Derek and put her trust in him.

After a while on into another estate Derek drove passed a truck picking up rubbish bins and parked. Waiting till the men were out of sight collecting the bins from the houses he got out and threw the plastic bag into the back of the truck. Then waited out of sight as the men came back and filled it then watched as the crusher did its work. As the truck moved off he went back to his car and drove off knowing the evidence was crushed and there was nothing to link him to her death.

Tim felt tremors running through Tess and realised she was crying and turned to look to see if ghosts could cry real tears. There was nothing there but sadness in her aura and eyes and as they passed a seat and Tim motioned to her to sit down. He felt torn he was concerned for her knowing how confused she was feeling having been through it himself the other part of him was screaming with anger.

The angry part won and let rip. "You silly fool! I told you he would kill you! How the Hell do you think you can stop Benjy, Meg or Maria being next now? We know Ben is going to be killed soon!"

He stopped as Tess said shakily, "I really thought he loved me. He is the only one who ever cared for me..."

Tim replied suddenly feeling calmer. "No! I did and do as well…. I think we are stuck with each other for a while."

She looked at him wide eyed as he carried on gently resting his hand on her arm. "Hey, it's not so bad as long as you think before you land… Look I'll show you, think of your bed in your room at Ocean Drive. Then we will have to work out how to save Ben now you're here."

She replied as they landed on the bed "Carmen can help and Benjy." She giggled as she realised what she had done and felt a sudden rush of rage. "That sod's not getting away with it! I'll haunt him as you did me."

Tim moved away from her and shouted. "No!" then carried on calmer. "We may need to be near him without being seen. Anyway, I think others would have done that before now if they could have. Remember you are not his first victim I think there were five others. As for Carmen I tried her earlier and got nowhere she's a fake."

He started to pace as he carried on. "Look I need to go to Seattle I felt Ben's pain earlier, can you follow Meg and Maria see if you can get through to Benjy as your his mother or even Carmen you never know. If you get scared come back here no one will come in. I'll find you if necessary. Go slowly at first, after a while it becomes second nature. Think of what you want to do that includes walking though walls … try thinking of what is on the other side if necessary. Be positive just don't think of two things at once or look in mirrors that can be creepy."

Tess was quiet for a moment then said "No reflection or shadows. … Can I get inside people's minds."

Tim stopped and smiled "Yes, if they know you it helps, you must be beside the person and you have to be quiet … calm. I could not get to Meg just now so they may have to be resting or sleeping not walking and talking etc. … … Hey! You can unlock Maria's memories of Seattle!"

Tess gave a disgusted grunt and exclaimed. "Tim! I cannot stand the woman. She's been sleeping with Derek and I had to pretend to like her while we drugged her in Seattle. She had a good time without her past memories just living for the day and then forget everything. Trouble was we had the same questions day after day drove us crackers. We changed the drug so she remembered what happened day to day nothing else. She should have lost those memories when the drug was stopped but it looks like she might have some. What's it like in someone's mind? I would not like to come up against her thoughts of me, or Derek's comes to that. Ugh!"

Tim could not help laughing then said. "I went in Meg's when she was a sleep. It was dark; her memories were like shimmering softballs floating around. As I thought of Ben one latched on to me. I found I was in a dream but I'm not sure whether it was Meg's or Ben's perhaps they were having the same dream … anyway suddenly I was pulled out of it and that's how I found Ben. So just be ready to duck out if necessary. Try it when she is with Carmen you never know she meant to be sensitive that way … perhaps I was too angry this morning to make Carmen understand. I must go!" and he disappeared.

Tess was left looking at nothing and felt suddenly very alone. She shook herself and said, "Okay Tess you got yourself into this mess and Tim's not that bad not really. Oh Derek! Why? We were so good together." She faded out suddenly and found herself amongst the staff in the Deep hearing his voice talking to the barman. She knew she had to get out of there quickly but did not know where to go so she thought of the roadway and found herself in the sunlight with cars driving either side of her. At first she was terrified then giggled as she realised they could not harm her and calmed down the said. "Okay, try again. Maria here I come!" and was gone.