The Other Path ~ Season 1
By Thomas Mc
Authors Note : As with previous episodes, I wish to thank those responsible for the Beauty and the Beast Scripts and Transcription Project which saves me all of the frustrating days it would take to recreate some of the dialog from this episode.
Dark Spirit
It was the day after Winterfest and Catherine sat in the loveseat feeding little Edward while Vincent perched on the arm of the chair. His arm was draped across the back of the chair and resting against her shoulders. They both watched their friend, Doctor Peter, a hint of amusement in their eyes over his agitated state.
Catherine remarked to Peter. "Never the less, as you saw a few minutes ago when you helped me change him, Edward is definitely a boy."
Peter paced absentmindedly, brow furrowed, as he stared at the chaotic black and white image in his hand. "It just makes no sense. This is definitely a girl." The lights in the room glinted off the silver frame as he gestured at the image. "This is a surprisingly good image for a sonogram." He stopped pacing as he pointed at different spots on the picture. "Here's the head . . . the hand . . . the heart . . ." He shook his head as his finger moved to another point on the image. "You can clearly see where the umbilical curves around here and passes . . ."
Peter's eyes narrowed as he looked closer at the image. He became very still. Then his eyebrows shot up almost into his hairline. "Oh . . . my . . ."
He stared silently at the image for a couple more seconds then was shaking his head as he began to snicker. He emitted a slightly garbled, "Oh, my", through his snickering. He placed his hand on the back of the long sofa as the snickering became more pronounced, turning into a chuckle. Suddenly he sat down rather heavily on the sofa, still shaking his head, as he continued staring at the sonogram image. Finally the chuckle turned into a full out belly laugh.
Vincent smiled at Peter's antics. Catherine couldn't help but chuckle a bit as well.
Vincent finally commented. "Would you mind cluing us into what is so amusing?"
Peter slowly got his laughter under control and responded. "It's the umbilical." He again pointed to the image. "Right here where the umbilical passes next to his . . . um . . . attributes . . . the slight thickening at that point isn't the umbilical . . . it's his, ah, pertinent, attribute hidden by the umbilical." He shook his head. We completely missed it and since this image looked so unusually clear we never thought to analyze it any closer." Peter looked over at Catherine and Vincent. "I ah, apologize if our error caused you any difficulties."
Catherine responded. "Not really a problem." She smiled up at Vincent. "We think he is just perfect and it doesn't matter if he turned out a bit different than we expected."
~ BB ~
It was Catherine's first day back on the job and she was surprised how much she had missed the place. It almost felt like returning home. She thought about how surprised Joe had been when she had called him last Friday expressing a desire to return to work as soon as possible. After a short discussion he had decided that she could start back the following Monday and now here she was. She had no sooner settled in at her desk when Joe had called her into his office.
"You wanted me Joe?" Catherine inquired as she entered the open door to Joe Maxwell's office.
Joe looked up from his desk nodded. "How are you doing Cathy?" He tilted his head a bit. "I was surprised that you wanted to come back this soon. It's only been a few weeks since, ahh . . ." He let the words trail off. They both knew what he was referring to but the rest of the office was still in the dark about the reason for her absence for obvious reasons.
Except for a cryptic message, delivered by Judge Sanders, stating that 'The eagle has landed', he had not heard any more from Catherine. He had assumed it to mean that their new little girl favored her father. When he realized that Doctor Hughes was at her place with their new baby, that must look like Vincent, he had been very worried but Judge Sanders had assured him that there was no danger. She had seen Doctor Hughes sound asleep in the corner.
Catherine closed his door and sat in the chair across the desk from him before speaking. "I'm feeling great Joe." She paused a moment glancing at the frosted glass door before continuing. "I didn't want to extend my leave any more than necessary." She barely shrugged. "Didn't want to edge into maternity leave territory. Besides I kinda missed the place." She glanced again at the door. "By the way, when are you going to come by and spend some time with little Edward?"
"Sorry I haven't been by to see you, but it's been really hectic around here lately." Joe smiled. "How about this weekend?" Then he blinked in surprise as her words sank in. "Edward?! I thought you were going to have a girl."
Catherine smiled back as she replied. "It seems the little guy fooled us all." She shrugged. "He was apparently hiding his . . . assets . . . behind the umbilical cord when they did the ultrasound."
Joe's face was blank for a moment then turned red he caught on and chuckled. "I see. I assume by your desire for continued secrecy that little Edward tends to favor Vincent?" His eyebrows rose just a bit in inquiry.
Catherine's smile flashed nearly incandescent as she responded. "He is his father's spitting image and the most adorable little guy you have ever seen. At first Vincent was afraid that our child would look like him but now he is so proud that he wants to show his son off to anyone that will look. You'd think he produced the little guy all by himself."
Joe chuckled. "Sounds like your typical proud poppa to me." Then he picked up a file from his desk and handed it to Catherine. "Got a choice one Radcliffe. It's a bit weird but it should be fairly simple for your first case back. Wealthy socialite throws himself out of a window. Turns out he was poisoned by a loyal servant."
Catherine couldn't help the slight grin that snuck across her face nor the slight chuckle that escaped her lips. "You mean I finally get a case where the . . . butler did it?" She took the offered file and opened it.
Joe grinned back and shrugged. "Hey, good help's hard to find." He paused a moment and his face became more serious. "Suspects name is Hector Ocala. Cops found the poison in his room. Lab says it was Haitian just like Hector."
Catherine had also become more serious. "Awfully damning. Do we have a motive?"
Joe shrugged. "His boss left him $50,000 in his will."
Catherine glanced down at the file. "That'll do." She nodded. "Sounds like this one is open and shut."
Joe shook his head and responded ruefully. "Yeah well, up until about an hour ago. Now the public defender claims Hector Ocala is incapacitated. Unable to stand trial."
Catherine's left eyebrow raised as she looked back at Joe. "On what grounds?"
Joe snorted in disgust and shook his head again. "Get this. The PD says Hector Ocala is some sort of voodoo priest. They say he's gone into a trance." He looked into Catherine's eyes. "Go check it out."
Catherine shook her head. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Joe grinned. "In this job you gotta take your fun where you can."
Catherine stood up and left the office muttering to herself and shaking her head. "Always get the weird ones."
~ o ~
As the guard was escorting Catherine through the jail he was commenting on the situation. "We get all types." He shrugged as he shook his head. "But this guy is too much." They stopped before one of the cells. A small dark skinned man was sitting cross legged on his bunk, rocking back and forth while chanting. The guard continued as they both looked through the bars. "See for yourself. He's been like that ever since he got here. He don't eat, he don't sleep."
Catherine called out to the man in the cell but got no response. The guard told her that the man wouldn't respond to anyone. The guard confided that the prisoner was spooking everybody with his crazy talk and people were saying that it was a voodoo spell. Catherine glanced at the guard in surprise and asked the guard where he had heard that. The guard told her that he had heard it from a couple of public defenders yesterday.
Catherine shook her head as she remarked. "Don't believe everything you hear." Deciding that there was nothing that she could do here, Catherine turned to leave.
~ o ~
Catherine walked down the typical university hallway checking the room numbers. She spotted the one she wanted and approached the door marked 'Professor Alexander Ross' then knocked on it. From inside a voice invited her in so she opened the door and entered the office. A man in his thirties was standing on a chair in front of a bookcase, holding a book.
"Professor Ross?" Catherine inquired.
The man stepped down from the ladder as he responded. "Yes."
Catherine started to introduce herself. "I'm Catherine . . ."
Ross jumped in before she could finish introducing herself. "Chandler. Yeah, my secretary said you called."
Catherine cocked her head. "Have I caught you at a bad time?"
Ross hurried to set the book down. "No, no, not at all . . . sit down. Here let me take this." He reached for the coat she had draped over her arm. Ross laid Catherine's coat on a chair as he ushered her to another chair then he perched on the edge of his desk. "So, what can I do for you Catherine Chandler?"
Catherine got right to the point. "Well, I've been told that you're an authority on voodoo."
Ross gave her a self depreciating smile. "Yeah, much to the chagrin of my colleagues in science."
Catherine continued. "We have a murder suspect in custody. His defense attorney claims that he's a voodoo priest."
Ross shook his head as he responded. "Well, if he's committed a murder he's not a priest . . . More likely a sorcerer. A Boko, a servant of evil. Voodoo is full of dualisms. White magic, black magic. And each has its cult." He paused to consider. "If you're inside the cult then you're protected. But if you're outside, then you are the enemy, and their gods and demons are everywhere; Lowa, they are called. And they can assume any form, birds, clouds, beasts. Well, they do posses people."
Catherine responded with a hint of asperity. "Scientifically speaking, of course."
Ross rose to his feet and stepped to a bookshelf where he picked up something. "Well, I can explain it in medical terms if you prefer. Yeah. Voodoo, long ago, discovered a truth that modern medicine still resists. The mind rules the body."
Catherine saw where this was headed and responded. "If faith can heal, then fear can paralyze?"
Ross answered back. "Or kill. All in your point of view."
Catherine shook her head with a half smile and a hint of skepticism in her voice. "I don't know if I believe that."
Ross stepped toward her and placed a shell in her hand in her hand as he spoke. "Here. Look at this. What do you see?"
Catherine looked at him curiously. "A shell."
Ross responded. "No. It is the key to the universe. It is a beacon to the Gods. You see, in voodoo nothing is what it appears to be."
This time Catherine's skepticism was more pronounced. "Really?"
Ross now took on a condescending tone. "Is this intrinsically any less powerful than the sacred images of all the other religions?"
Catherine tried to hand the shell back to Ross. "I guess not."
Ross refused to take the shell. "No. no, you keep it. For good luck. Look, forgive me. You gotta forgive me for carrying on like this, about this stuff. I mean, I have this bad habit of lecturing all the time and I know you didn't come here for a seminar."
Catherine responded. "No, I didn't. I need to determine if Hector Ocala's trance is a put on. A maneuver to avoid prosecution."
Ross responded back. "See, I couldn't possibly tell you that without seeing him in person."
Catherine cocked her head to one side. "Would you be willing to go to the tombs and have a look?"
Ross smiled at her. "I was hoping that you would ask."
~ o ~
The guard escorted Catherine and Ross to Hector Ocala's cell. Ocala was seated on his bunk, his back to the cell door, still chanting as before. To her inquiry about Hector's condition the guard simply reported that nothing had changed. Hector Ocala turned to look at them then rushed forward, reaching through the cell bars toward Ross. He was yelling "Beast of the night!" along with phrases in a language that Catherine didn't understand. Catherine and Ross backed away in surprise. Then the guard led them away.
Catherine turned to Ross as they walked away from Hector's cell. "What is he saying?"
Ross responded dismissively. "It's a chant of protection. An invocation against evil spirits. Most of it anyway."
Catherine nodded. "And the part about the beast?"
Ross shrugged. "That was a hallucination, a projection of his fear. Only to him, it was really there."
As they reached the end of the hallway a large dark skinned man going the other way bumped into her. He continued on without even acknowledging the incident. After a momentary pause Ross and Catherine continued through the gate out of the cellblock.
Ross paused just beyond the gate to address Catherine. "Now look, I know you don't want to hear this but I think your suspect is for real."
~ o ~
After she left Ross Catherine visited a shop where the next person on her list, a witness, worked. It was one of those small downtown shops that carried exotic Caribbean and voodoo merchandise. A young woman was sitting in a chair behind the counter amid an eclectic collection of candles, odd paraphernalia, jars and bottles. Catherine stepped up to the woman and introduced herself. Lindsay Gates looked up and responded that she had already talked to the police and they had not believed her. Catherine forged ahead and finally convinced the woman to talk to her.
Lindsay told Catherine that Hector was a Boko (A voodoo sorcerer) and that William was terrified of Hector. She told Catherine that William had come to her looking for a charm against Hector. Catherine asked Lindsay to describe what happened the night of the murder.
Lindsay responded. "William phoned me and insisted that I come to the party. It was as though he thought my being there would protect him from Hectors power. It didn't."
Catherine remarked. "Coleman was poisoned. He didn't die of a curse."
Lindsay responded with a shake of her head. "It wasn't poison that threw him through that window."
~ o ~
Joe and Catherine were walking toward a conference room as Joe complained about the situation. "We roll over on this one we'll never hear the end of it. Do you want to go down in legal history next to the Twinkie defense?"
Catherine shook her head. "All I'm saying is the P.D might have a bono fide claim."
Joe looked at Catherine in disbelief. "Radcliffe, please?"
Catherine shrugged. "My expert says it's a protection chant. But I'm not so sure what he might be afraid of."
Joe snorted in response. "Yeah he's protecting himself from a long jail term. Now, will you get back there? He can't keep up this zombie act forever."
~ o ~
A half-hour later Catherine was back at The Tombs being escorted to Ocala's cell. When she got there it was to find two officers placing Ocala's body on a gurney. One of the guards informed her that Ocala had simply dropped dead. There was not a mark on his body and the attending medic said that there was no sign of drugs. Catherine told them that she wanted a copy of the autopsy in the DA's office as soon as it's done. With a sigh of frustration she turned and followed the gurney out of the cell block. At the main guard station she stopped and called Joe to report the latest development. Joe told her to go on home for the night and spend some time with the rest of her family.
Catherine was still seething with frustration over the confusing Ocala case as she stepped out of the cab in front of her brownstone. At that moment she could feel Vincent's approach from below and it made her feel better. She smiled knowing that Vincent had felt her frustration and would soon be there to lend her his soothing presence. She also was looking forward to holding her new son.
As she entered her home she turned on the light and closed the front door then reached over to turn off the alarm only to find it already off. Now unsettled she walked through the small entry and into the parlor. She gasped as she looked around. The parlor was in a shambles. Furniture was overturned, books and papers were thrown around haphazardly, and her name was written backwards, with something that looked disturbingly like blood, over the fireplace. As she stepped further into the room, she noticed a beheaded chicken on her coffee table. She looked around and spotted a face that closely resembled Vincent painted in the same red substance on the other wall. The similarity to Vincent was marred by the evil cast to the eyes and the cruel snarl to the mouth that made Catherine shudder.
At that moment Vincent came rushing in from the back of the house. "Catherine? Are you all right?" Then he came to a sudden stop as the image on the wall registered.
Catherine stepped into Vincent's distracted embrace as she responded. "I am now. Do you see what they did?"
Vincent now took in the rest of the room as Jamie arrived carrying little Edward. She stared stupefied at the image on the wall as Vincent inquired worriedly. "Who would have done this?"
Catherine hugged Vincent tightly for a second then looked over at the disturbing image and shook her head. "I was investigating a man who belonged to a voodoo cult. He died this afternoon but I'm sure it's related." She shrugged. "It's the only case I'm working on at present."
Vincent held her away by her shoulders and stared intently into her eyes. "Whoever did this to you is trying to frighten you, to control you with fear."
Catherine shook her head denying the thread of fear that she knew he could feel running through her. "I'm not afraid."
Vincent gave her a slight nod indicating that he understood and responded with a single word. "Good."
Catherine looked back at the wall. "The drawing."
Vincent followed her gaze feeling the echo of her uncertainty in his own emotions as he responded. "Yes."
Catherine shook her head and felt a shiver run up her spine at the image on her wall. "What do you think it means?"
Vincent responded as he projected comfort to her over their bond. "It's a picture of what they're most afraid of. For them, it has power. You must not surrender to it."
Catherine snorted with a hint of derision. "If they're trying to scare me they picked the wrong image. I won't be frightened by images that resemble you." She glanced over at Jamie with Edward bundled up in her arms. "I'd better call the police and you need to get out of here. I should call Joe as well and let him know what is happening." She looked into Vincent's eyes. "I'll meet you below in our little weekend getaway later after the police are done here." She glanced over at Jamie and her infant son. "It might be a good idea to keep Edward below until this is resolved."
~ o ~
A half hour later, the police detectives were going over the torn up room and collecting evidence. One was scraping a sample of the dark red substance from the image on the wall into an evidence bag. Catherine was on the phone to Joe. "No, Joe, I don't know who did it . . ."
"Don't worry about me. As soon as the police are done I'm going to my little weekend hideaway for the night. . ."
"I'm going to talk to my expert again tomorrow morning then I'll be in the office by lunch time."
~ BB ~
The next morning found Ross standing in front of the drawing on the parlor wall and studying it very intently. Catherine was seated on a couch, with a cup in her hand. After a few minutes Ross joined her on the couch. "If you hadn't phoned this morning, I was going to call you and warn you. You ought to see what they did to my place."
Catherine shook her head. "But why? . . . And who?"
Ross shrugged and waved at the image on the wall drawing her attention involuntarily back to the image. "Ocala's followers, I imagine. Catherine, I don't want to frighten you but this thing isn't over yet, Ocala's followers will avenge his death. They liken themselves to the stars, working at night, touching everything and invisible during the day."
Catherine again shook her head. "Well, if they think they can frighten me off, they're wrong."
Ross' face took on a worried frown. "Catherine, I don't think you understand. They're not trying to scare you off the case. . . They're trying to scare you to death."
Catherine looked back at him, steely determination in her eyes. "I will not drop this. I have two suspicious deaths and more questions than answers."
Ross nodded. "Well then, obviously I will do everything I can to help you."
Catherine nodded back at him. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
Ross checked his watch and rose to his feet. "Oh yeah look. I have a class now. Maybe we could have dinner tonight. Around 8:00?"
Catherine rose to face Ross. "Okay, but I already have plans for dinner. How about I meet you tomorrow right after I get off from work. Say around 5:30?" Ross thought for a moment then grudgingly agreed.
Catherine arrived at work an hour later and spent the rest of the day going over everything that they had on the Ocala case. She had an office intern dig up everything that could be found on William Coleman, Hector Ocala and Lindsay Gates. Something just did not add up. The whole case felt wrong to her but she just couldn't pin down what it was that was bothering her about it.
Joe came by her office late that afternoon and told her to knock off for the day and go home to her family.
That night Vincent held Catherine protectively close. He told Catherine that he was going to visit Narcissa in the morning to find out what she might know about what was happening.
~ BB ~
Catherine's first stop the next morning was an auto repair garage where she planned to speak with a mechanic named Ray who was Hector's brother. The first person she encountered directed her to a pair of legs sticking out from under a car. So far the man lying on the floor working on a car had not been very helpful and Catherine was a little annoyed.
"He was your brother. He was in perfect health. Do you believe he simply dropped dead?" Catherine inquired testily.
The mechanic slid out from under the car. It was the tall dark skinned man that had bumped into her in the jail the day that Hector Ocala died. The man responded. "The autopsy said it was a heart attack."
Catherine responded with a hint of exasperation. "Not if you believe in voodoo."
Ray shook his head dismissively. "I don't buy into any of it."
Catherine remarked gently. "Your brother did."
Ray shrugged sadly. "Hector believed in a lot of things. Me, I believe in oil changes and seat belts. I know how to stay out of the way."
Catherine quickly picked up on that last remark. "Out of whose way?"
Ray's expression suddenly became closed off. "You ask too many questions."
Catherine shot back. "Maybe you would rather talk to the police."
Ray stood up and looked around nervously to see who is in earshot before responding. "Hector must have had an enemy. A very powerful one."
Catherine tried a new line of attack. "Some people believe that Hector was a very powerful sorcerer, a Boko."
Ray responded to her derisively. "Do you think a powerful sorcerer would have to work as a servant? No, a Boko uses his strength for selfish ends." His voice softened and became much lower. "Hector was no Boko."
Catherine tried another tact. "Did Hector poison William Coleman?"
Ray looked at her with surprise and annoyance. "Coleman was Hectors friend. No, Hector's enemy killed Coleman to get at Hector. To steal his power. To destroy him." Ray again looked around nervously. "Just like they will do to you if you keep asking questions."
~ o ~
In the tunnels far below the area occupied by the community Vincent entered the Chamber Of The Winds. He bent down and brushed aside the sand, revealing an arrow painted on the floor. He headed off in that direction through several darkened corridors. After many twists and turns Vincent eventually entered a small chamber, lit with many candles. An older dark skinned woman with milky white blind eyes and dressed in white clothes with a roughly Caribbean flair spoke to him without looking up. "Welcome, Vincent."
Vincent looked at the old woman's back in bemusement. "You remember me."
The old woman smiled to herself. "When you were a young boy, you and Devin then later You and Catherine would play in the Chamber of the Winds. I remember."
Vincent took a step closer. "Narcissa, I need your help, your knowledge."
Narcissa again smiled to herself. "I am a crazy old woman. Hasn't Father told you so? How can I help you?"
Vincent's expression turned more serious. "Catherine is in danger. Men have broken into our home, shattered her mirrors, defaced the walls. She's afraid it is the work of those who believe in voodoo."
Narcissa's face turned serious as she exclamed. "The bizango. La culte des morts." She seemed to calm herself down with effort as she turned to face Vincent. "They have placed her under a curse."
Vincent hesitated a moment before continuing. "There was a drawing on the wall. It looked like me."
Narcissa nodded knowingly. "Drawing is Veve. It is used to summon the demon Baca, the great beast. The Devourer. No magic is as great as Baca's. No magic is as evil." Her brows furrowed in worry. "Catherine is in great danger."
Vincent shook his head in denial. "But magic can only touch those who believe in its power."
Narcissa became very agitated. "No! Magic is power! Power of the words!" Her voice dropped a bit becoming more intense. "Of the powder. Of the fear that curls in the heart like a black worm. Watch your Catherine, Vincent. Guard her close. The way is dark before her." She cocked her head and placed her hand on Vincent's shoulder. "Your bond has power, too. Use it to combat the power of the powder."
~ o ~
Meanwhile back at the DA office it was near quitting time when Joe approached Catherine. "Hey, Radcliffe. how'd your lead pan out?"
Catherine shrugged noncommittally. "I'm working on it."
Joe nodded then reached out to give her shoulder a reassuring pat. "We put an extra patrol on your block. I don't want anyone else re-decorating your home."
Catherine nodded. "Thanks, I'll keep you posted. Right now I have to go back to talk to my voodoo expert."
Joe dropped his hand. "See ya later." He called out to her as she turned and headed out of the office.
Five minutes later Catherine exited the elevator and walked through the parking garage to her car. She backed out of her space and had just started to move forward when she felt something move across her feet. She jumped in surprise and fear causing her car to swerve before she brought it to a stop. She looked down to see a snake coiling around her feet. A look of pure horror spread across her face as she opened the car door and pulled the snake off her leg then threw it to the garage floor.
As she tried to get control of her hammering heart she thought she heard faint footsteps running. She looked around but she saw no one else in the garage. She sat back as she fought to get control of herself. It would not due to have Vincent running to her rescue in this open garage where he might be spotted. She felt Vincent's urgency and sent him reassurance over their bond. It did the trick, Vincent would not show up here where he could be too easily seen.
Finally after she got herself under some semblance of control she headed for the small upscale bar where Ross had asked her to meet him.
Ross had apparently been waiting for her in a booth. On the table in front of him sat a wine in an ice bucket and two wine glasses. Catherine turned down his offer of wine, which seemed to annoy him, and began talking about what happened in the parking garage.
Catherine took a sip from her water glass then continued talking. "I'm still shaking. I'm sure I heard footsteps running away. I must have just missed them." Catherine shook her head worriedly.
Ross poured some of the wine into Catherine's wine glass. "I think you really need to relax." He picked up the glass and handed it to Catherine.
Catherine distractedly took the offered glass without thinking as she talked. "I may not be afraid of voodoo curses, but I'm terrified of snakes."
Ross took a drink from his glasses and indicated that Catherine should take a drink. This time Catherine took a sip from her glass more to appease Ross than anything else. Then she jumped back into her investigation. Hector Ocala's brother believes one of Hector's enemies killed William Coleman."
Ross smiled momentarily at her then began to almost lecture her about the situation. "Ah well, he may be right. Because you see, I did some checking this afternoon and Ocala apparently had worked himself in with a powerful circle of Wallstreet financiers. He was advising these guys on business matters. Now I'm sure there are some people that would envy his position.
Catherine remarked curiously. "The autopsy says he died of natural causes, a massive coronary. It just seems like such an unlikely coincidence."
Ross shook his head dismissively as he responded to her. "In voodoo, there are no coincidences."
Catherine responded back. "His brother believes he was killed by a rival." She shrugged. "How could they get to him inside of the tombs?"
Ross shook his head looking intently back at her. "Brick and iron can't stop a curse, Catherine."
Now Catherine responded dismissively. "I don't believe in curses."
Ross continued to study her expression. "Yeah, but Hector Ocala did. If you believe that magic can kill, then it can."
Catherine spoke trying to draw Ross's attention back to the subject of the portrait they had painted on her wall. "Alexander, that drawing on the wall of my apartment."
Ross continued in a lecture voice. "The beast. La Bête Noir, or Baca, as he is sometimes called. A terrible evil demon, who rends men apart and feasts on their flesh."
Catherine shrugged her uncertainty. "Why? I mean, the rest of it makes a certain kind of twisted sense. But why that drawing?"
Ross looked into her eyes. "To make you afraid, Catherine. To show you the face of Baca, the demon that will destroy you. But then if you don't believe, then no harm can come to you. And there are much nicer things to believe in."
Catherine found herself becoming uncomfortable. "Is it hot in here?" She inquired as she pulled at the collar of her blouse.
Ross shook his head negligently. "Not particularly." He handed her wine glass to her. Catherine took a couple of sips at his urging. "Have a bit of wine. It will help you relax."
A few minutes later Catherine was becoming more uncomfortable. "I feel like I'm burning up."
Ross responded to her as he stood up from the booth. "Well you've had a long day. I'll take you home."
Catherine weakly responded, "Okay," as she let him help her out of the booth."
Somewhere in the back of her mind she became aware of Vincent's worry as Ross helped her into a cab and climbed in with her. Some indeterminable time later he was helping her up her steps to her front door. Her awareness of Vincent's presence in the house and the feeling of his concern gave her enough presence of mind to not want him to enter her home. Despite his attempts to follow her into the brownstone she managed to refuse him and finally closed the door in his very frustrated face.
Once the front door was closed Vincent rushed to her side and carried her to their bed. Catherine's mind was unfocused and barely cognizant. It was almost like she was drunk but the smell of the wine was not anywhere near strong enough to account for her condition. Within seconds she was sound asleep. Vincent watched over her for over an hour but she seemed to be sleeping peacefully so he finally climbed into bed with her but he vowed to talk to Peter tomorrow morning. Also he worried about the impressions he had picked up from the man that had brought her home. Something had just not felt right about him. He would have to talk to Catherine about that man tomorrow morning. Finally Vincent drifted off to sleep.
~ o ~
Vincent awoke to a sense of growing unease that turned to fear. He automatically turned toward a restless Catherine as he recognized the escalating fear as coming from her. As her body shifted restlessly in her sleep he reached out to caress her shoulder calling out her name softly while projecting calming assurance and love over their bond. The impending panic was forced into the background of her mind.
Suddenly she was awake, sitting up and calling out. "Spiders!" She looked wildly around for a moment but only Vincent was there.
Catherine plunged into Vincent's embrace as she continued to resist the fear boiling inside her. Then Vincent was there through their bond, holding back the fear that had been threatening to engulf her. They could still both feel the mindless fear that wanted to overtake her but his powerful love flooding her mind continued to hold it at bay. The silent struggle within her continued for nearly an hour then the unreasoning fear melted away leaving only an echo of unease and vague fading vestiges of a nightmare behind.
After a few more minutes all trace of the fear was gone. Catherine slumped against Vincent shivering and fighting the urge to cry. Finally once she felt better in control she looked up into his face. "Thank-you, Vincent, I don't know what I would have done without your help." She took a deep sigh of a breath and frowned. "What was that?"
Vincent shook his head. "I don't know for sure but it reminded me a bit of what I sensed once when I discovered a drugged teenager wandering in the upper tunnels."
Catherine sat up straighter. "I think we should call Peter, have him take a sample and see if he can find out what it was."
~ o ~
An hour later, dressed in a robe and gown, Catherine grimaced as Doctor Peter Alcott removed the needle from her arm. At the same time Vincent brought a tray with tea to the table. Doctor Alcott placed the small vial with the sample of blood in the old fashioned black doctor's bag.
Doctor Alcott looked from Catherine to Vincent and back. "I'll have this analyzed but, without knowing what to look for, there are literally hundreds of drugs that might go undetected."
Catherine responded. "Try concentrating on substances that might be used in a Voodoo ritual."
Peter frowned. "Voodoo?" He didn't look particularly happy.
"It might have something to do with a case that I'm working on." Catherine responded.
Vincent was frowning deeply in concentration then stepped in and spoke. "Based on some information that I was given, it might be something that normally comes in powder form."
Doctor Peter closed his bag. "I'll take that into consideration but a lot of those concoctions are very hard to detect." He picked up his bag. "I'll try to get the results back to you as soon as I can." He paused frowning. "Cathy, you be very careful. Some of these home-made concoctions can be very dangerous. It also might be wise to discontinue breast feeding for a few days until we can be sure that 'whatever this is' has been cleared from your system."
Vincent escorted Peter to the door to let him out. At the door Peter stopped and turned to address Vincent. "Keep an eye on her. The effects of some of those voodoo compounds can be unpredictable." Then he exited the brownstone.
After Vincent locked the front door he quickly checked the other doors and windows to make sure the place was secure. Then he went back over to take Catherine back to bed. She still felt a need for his comfort and he could still feel a vestige of the fear lingering in the back of her mind. Vincent and Catherine lay down and he continued to project love over their bond. She snuggled deeper into his embrace and soon fell back asleep awash in his love.
~ o ~
Ross growled in frustration as he looked up at the image in red on his wall. "Something's wrong." He shook his head.
Lindsay Gates came up behind him and began to rub his shoulders. "What's wrong?"
Ross shook his head. "She's resisting somehow. By now she should have called me in a panic begging me for help."
~ BB ~
Back at the office the next day, Catherine looked up to see Ross approaching her desk. He looked down at her frowning. "Hi" Catherine greeted him.
Ross responded. "Is everything alright? Are you alright?"
"I'm just fine." She replied. "Why are you here?"
Ross glanced around then leaned closer. "I think you may be in serious danger. Can we go out for coffee and talk?"
Catherine closed the folder she had been looking through. "OK, I have a little time available."
She rose and grabbed her coat. They left the office and went to a hole in the wall coffee shop just down the street. Looking around nervously Ross led her to one of the more secluded booths at the back. Once they were seated Ross asked her if she had experienced any nightmares, strange visions or panic attacks in the last few days.
Catherine shook her head. "No. Other than an unusually restless night last night, I'm doing fine." She didn't want to mention her nightmare or the attack of fear she had experienced last night until she heard back from Peter. "Why do you ask?"
Ross seemed to be a bit worried or annoyed (Catherine couldn't tell which) as he responded. "It's just that I have a feeling Ocala's followers are just getting started and things could get really bad if they come after you." Ross drew Catherine's attention to a picture on the wall while making a point about the power of suggestion in voodoo. As Catherine looked at the picture Ross produced a vial and poured a dark powder into her coffee cup. "Well, I'm going to do all I can today, to find you some answers." He picked up his cup and drank from it. Catherine did the same. "You ever notice how a simple cup of coffee will often make you feel better?" His voice had taken on a soft soothing quality.
Catherine shrugged took another sip then responded. "Sometimes."
He droned on for a few minutes about how good it felt some times to just relax and enjoy a cup of coffee. Catherine's eyes began to droop slightly. Ross moved to her side of the booth then reached out and rubbed the back of her neck.
Catherine sighed drowsily. "Hmm. Oh, that feels good."
Ross responded with a sly smile. "Good. That's good."
~ o ~
Catherine looked around a bit disoriented then noticed Ross seated across from her. "Did I just doze off?"
Ross smiled back at her. "Just for about a second." He glanced at his watch. "Well, I would really like to stay and talk with you some more but I can't miss this department meeting today." They both rose from the booth and Ross helped Catherine with her coat. She felt like she was just a bit out of focus like walking in a dream.
They walked to the door to the government building where Ross caught the attention of a taxi. He turned to Catherine and took her hand. "I'll call you later."
Catherine only responded with a simple "Okay."
Catherine stared up at Ross with a wide-eyed, vacant look. Ross leaned in and kissed her lips then caresses her hair. Catherine barely seemed to notice his actions. Then Ross remarked. "I'm here if you need me. Remember that." He turned away and climbed into the taxi.
~ o ~
An hour later, Catherine was in Joe's office. Joe was seated at his desk and Catherine was standing in front of it. She seemed agitated as she rubbed her neck and shoulder in a compulsory manner. Joe took a deep breath. "Look, we're trying to find out who trashed your apartment, Cathy. Give me a break, huh. I'm gonna put you on something else. We've got a heavy case load here."
Catherine responded. "What about the William Coleman murder?" She shook her head. "There's a lot more to this case than we realized. I'm sure of it."
Joe shook his head in annoyance. "You're beating a dead horse. Hector Ocala killed Coleman. Ocala is dead, natural causes! That's all she wrote. It was a coincidence. Next case. Let's move on, huh?" He paused, concern showing on his face. This case had turned into a nightmare and Cathy was bearing the brunt of it. Right now he just wanted her as far away from it as possible. "I just don't like the way things are going. Leave it for the police to sort out."
Catherine didn't answer. She was staring down at a pile of file folders on Joe's desk and saw blood pouring out from between them. Joe noticed the strange look of fear on Catherine's face. "What's wrong?"
Catherine looked up at Joe. She looked terrified. "Don't you see it?"
Joe glanced at his desk and shook his head in confusion. "What?"
Catherine pointed unsteadily at the folders. "On your desk!" She watched the blood drip down to pool on the floor.
Joe was now worried. Something wasn't right here. "What? Cathy, are you all right? Are you okay?"
Catherine squeezed her eyes shut then opened them. The blood was gone and the files were normal but the sense of dread was still there. She looked up at Joe as he came towards her reaching out to her. Suddenly she saw blood on Joe's hands and she felt the pain of her face being slashed. She called out for Vincent in her mind as she backed away from Joe. Suddenly her mind was flooded with Vincent's presence, once again holding back the fear. This time though the struggle was greater, the fear was much stronger. "No! Don't touch me!" Catherine cried out as she whirled about and bolted out of the office. She made a beeline for the ladies restroom.
Joe called out to her retreating figure. "What the hell is wrong with you? Cathy!" He started to go after her when his phone rang. Joe stood momentarily uncertain as his phone continued to ring. Finally after he saw Catherine enter the women's restroom he turned and grabbed the phone.
"District Attorney Joe Maxwell." . . .
"Vincent? What?" . . .
"She's right here. I just saw her head for the ladies room." . . .
"No, she was acting very strange." . . .
"What? Drugged? How?" . . .
"Yea, I'll keep an eye on her." . . . Joe listened for a moment then sat down and began writing down the information that Vincent was giving him. Finally he responded. "I'll get our people on this immediately. There can't be that many places where someone could obtain those substances."
~ o ~
Catherine splashed water on her face then stared at her face in the mirror. She could see the stitched up slashes like she remembered seeing on Carol's face on her own face and felt the wild panic trying to get a hold of her. Without knowing why she reached into the pocket of her stylish suit jacket. There she found the shell that Ross had given her. She suddenly felt an almost irresistible urge to call Professor Ross for help but the pull of Vincent's love coming over their bond was even stronger.
Catherine turned from the mirror and, with her hands covering her face, she made her way back to her desk. She grabbed her purse and coat and dashed for the elevator.
Catherine continued fighting the terrible panic that threatened to overwhelm her despite Vincent's effort she blindly collided with several of her coworkers on her way out of the office.
Joe looked up at the sound of a commotion out in the bullpen. "Just a moment Vincent." . . . He set down the handset and glanced out of his office then hurried back to the phone. "Vincent, Cathy just got into the elevator. I think she may be heading your way." . . .
~ o ~
As the elevator descended to the garage level Catherine fought to regain control of herself. She drew on the love and strength that Vincent had been projecting to her over their bond. She forced herself to relax and lower her hands to her sides. Next she tried to calm her breathing. The more she calmed herself, the stronger Vincent's projection came through and the easier it was for her to push the terrible panic and visions to the back of her mind. They wouldn't go away but she was getting them more or less under control. Finally she forced herself to return the shell to her purse.
As she rode the elevator down she fought the fear that threatened to overwhelm her and forced herself to think about what had just happened. She began to wonder just what part Ross might be playing in everything that was happening. Maybe she should take a closer look at him and everyone else connected to this case. She would do that later. Right now she just wanted to get to Vincent.
The elevator doors opened on the garage and Catherine stepped out making a bee line for her car. Once she got there she carefully checked the interior for any unwanted hitchhikers, especially snakes, then forced her shaky hand to inset the key in the lock. She opened the door and tossed her purse into the passenger seat.
She suddenly felt an arm go around her throat and tried to fight back but a foul smelling cloth was held over her nose and mouth robbing her of breath and the wiil to fight. As she was losing consciousness she heard Ross's voice. "I don't know how you are resisting Baca but he will not be denied his sacrifice."
Vincent felt the attack and he felt Catherine lose consciousness but his link to her was so strong at that point that even after she became unconscious he could still clearly feel her presence. The next instant Vincent was heading into the tunnels at a dead run. After a few minutes he could tell that Catherine was moving at a fair rate of speed. He shifted his direction to try and intercept her. He reached a small business with tunnel access just a half second after she had passed and again changed his direction. Now he was reduced to following and hoping to find a close access when she stopped moving.
~ o ~
Joe was on the phone trying to track down the origin of the substances that Vincent had given him when he was told by his assistant that building security was trying to reach him. He called the security office and was told that someone had found Catherine Chandler's car sitting in the parking garage with the driver's door wide open and her purse in the passenger's seat. When security checked it out they found a single very expensive shoe under the car and a rag by the rear tire that had a distinctive chemical smell that they could not identify.
Joe instructed the head of security to call Detective Henderson of the NYPD and tell him what had happened. Joe then called Catherine's home but only got the answering machine. That meant that Vincent must already be on Cathy's trail. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. This could get messy, especially if Cathy were harmed. He could almost bring himself to feel sorry for whoever kidnapped Cathy if it weren't for the fact that it was Cathy that they had taken. He only hoped that Vincent didn't leave too big a mess for him to clean up.
A few minutes later Joes phone rang. It was Detective Henderson. He had received a call from the lab. He had ordered additional tests on Ocala's blood. They had found a trace of an unknown compound. Joe told him about what Doctor Alcott had found in Cathy's blood tests.
~ o ~
Inside an apartment full of Voodoo decorations Lindsay Gates sat on the sofa against the wall looking very nervous. On one wall painted in blood red was a lion-like face identical to the one that had been painted on the wall in Catherine's brownstone. In the center of the room was a long table covered with a black tablecloth and several candles. Lindsay nearly jumped out of her skin when there was a loud pounding on the door.
When she opened the door, Ross was there holding Catherine. She looked from Catherine up to Ross's face. "What happened?" She asked him nervously. "This isn't how you told me it would happen."
Ross stepped into the room as he replied. "She was continuing to resist my control so I had to take more drastic action."
At that moment Catherine began to stir and groan then she opened her eyes and looked blearily up at him. Ross set her on her feet next to the black covered table. He reached over and picked up a gold goblet that contained a dark reddish brown liquid. "Here drink this it will make you feel better. It will free you." He held the goblet up to Catherine's lips.
Catherine could just barely feel Vincent's approaching presence urging her to hold on just a bit longer. Catherine pulled her head back and reached up and knocked the goblet out of his hand then she began a slow collapse. As Ross lowered Catherine to the ground, Lindsay began to tie her legs.
Catherine became momentarily aware and began struggling and calling out feebly. "No, no, no."
Ross tried to talk to Lindsay. "Look at her. Even now she resists. You can feel the power in her." He then turned to face the lion's head drawing and called out. "Father Baca, she is here. She is yours, body and soul. And for this sacrifice her power will be mine." He then took the dagger that had been sitting on the table and began to cut Catherine's blouse.
~ o ~
Vincent had reached a point in the tunnels directly below Catherine's position but there was no immediate access to the surface here. Over their bond he could feel her confusion and vague fear as she seemed to slip in and out of consciousness. His own worry and desperation grew as he ranged through the adjacent tunnels searching for access to the surface. He found a manhole and peeked out only to quickly duck when it turned out to be in the middle of the street.
A couple of minutes later he found his way into the basement of a building. He could sense Catherine's presence off to his left and fairly high up. She must be in an upper floor on a possibly adjacent building. The building he was currently in was obviously very old and there was no elevator so he had no choice but to use the stairwell. It was the middle of the day so he had to be extra cautious. He pulled his hood as far forward as he could as he moved through the basement and into the stairwell. The old building was only eight stories tall and he quickly made his way up to the roof. Once there he looked in the direction that he could feel Catherine.
The building he sensed Catherine in was directly across a narrow alley and it was ten stories tall and in much better shape than the one he was on. As near as he could tell Catherine was on the other side of the top floor of that other building. Fortunately there were no windows on the side facing the rooftop where he now stood but there were narrow ledges running around each floor.
With a running start Vincent leapt across the alley and caught the ledge that ran just below the roof. Digging in with his claws, Vincent clambered up onto the roof. He paused to scan the roof. On the other side of the building he spotted a skylight that was almost directly over where he felt Catherine to be. From the impressions he was getting through the bond, he didn't think that he had much time left. He quickly made his way over to that skylight.
~ o ~
Ross had just finished cutting off Catherine's outer clothes leaving only a teddy and slip then had lifted her up onto the black table while Lindsay lit the candles. Ross lifted the dagger high over Catherine's chest, a light of madness in his eyes as he chanted. "Come to her now, Father Baca, and posses her."
At that moment there was a loud roar accompanied by the sound of shattered glass as Vincent dropped through the skylight. Lindsay screamed, her eyes wide with fright, as Vincent landed and his hood fell back. Ross stood and faced Vincent, a look of worship mixed with a hint of insanity on his face. Lindsay screamed again and backed away from the image of towering rage before her, knocking over a bowl and a couple of candles from the table in the process.
Ross took a step forward, apparently unaware of Vincent's rage. "Oh, Baca! Fill me with her power."
Vincent swiped at Ross, knocking him down then quickly stepped over and cut Catherine's bonds with his claws then gathered her up in his arms. He glanced around the room. The carpet had caught fire beside the table. Lindsay had backed up into a corner where she crouched, whimpering in terror, as she stared at Vincent. Ross was looking up at Vincent in uncertain confusion.
Vincent glanced up at the ceiling. The broken skylight was over twelve feet up. There was no way he could get them both back up through that skylight. The only way out while carrying Catherine was through the front door of the apartment.
Vincent stopped to look down at the heap that was Ross while remembering everything Catherine had told him about the case as well as some of the things that Narcissa had told him. He spoke to Ross in a menacing growl choosing his words carefully. "Know now that you have interfered with what was already mine. For that you are cast out. I banish you from my sight. From now on you shall wander alone without power and without any protection from your enemies." He turned from Ross and glared momentarily at Lindsay, who shied away from the rage she saw in his leonine face. Vincent kicked over the black draped table that was blocking his way, scattering candles everywhere, and stepped over it then forced his way through the door into the hallway.
Heedless of who might see him, Vincent strode down the hallway toward the stairwell door. He paused a moment to pull the fire alarm then took the stairs up to the roof. He paused again at the roof door and heard the commotion of people entering the stairwell below in response to the fire alarm and making their noisy way down to the street. He found the roof door locked so he reared back and kicked at it knocking it from its hinges. Vincent passed through the shattered door onto the building's roof. Glancing around, he spotted a light wisp of smoke rising from the shattered skylight on the other side of the roof.
Vincent looked down into Catherine's face. Her eyes fluttered open. She looked into his eyes and smiled. Her hand came up and caressed his face as she softly spoke his name. Then her hand dropped and her eyes closed with a sigh but the smile remained even as consciousness again slipped away from her. Vincent gently laid her down then removed his cloak and wrapped her in it. He picked her back up and leaped to the next building's roof as he heard the wail of the fire trucks in the distance.
Vincent raced down the stairs, past one very startled young child, into the basement and on into the tunnels. A short time later he arrived at their brownstone and gently placed Catherine down onto their own bed then he called Doctor Peter Alcott and Joe Maxwell, reporting to both what had happened.
~ BB ~
A couple of days later Catherine arrived back at work. She had just settled down at her desk and had begun perusing the pile of papers that had collected on her desk in the last three days when she glanced up to see Joe advancing toward her desk.
Joe came around and perched on the corner of her desk the spoke to her. "How are you feeling?"
Catherine shrugged giving him a half-hearted smile. "Much better."
Joe looked down at his shoes. "I was worried about you for awhile."
Catherine nodded. "I know."
Joe shifted his gaze to her face. "You stuck with it. You did good work."
Catherine's smile widened slightly. "Thanks, Joe."
Joe nodded in acknowledgement then continued. "Lindsay Gates just rolled over on Alexander Ross. She's also giving us the names of his other followers. One of them works at the jail. She also copped to poisoning Coleman." He shook his head. "Ross seems to have gone off the deep end though. He jumps anytime anyone comes near him and screams in terror whenever someone touches him. The rest of the time he behaves just like Ocala did when he was in jail. Keeps calling for Baca to take him back." Joe gave out with a sigh and took on a rueful frown. "I guess he didn't handle meeting an angry voodoo god very well."
Catherine sighed. "Alexander Ross was right. Hector Ocala did have a powerful rival."
Joe shook his head. "Can you believe that? A tweed suit type like Ross? Makes you wonder what they're teaching in college these days." His frown deepened. "How is Vincent taking it?"
Catherine shrugged. "You know Vincent. He feels a bit disappointed that they reacted to him the way they did. But I also sense a hint of satisfaction over what he said to Ross, turning his own twisted beliefs against him."
Joe shook his head. "Unfortunately that puts us right back where we were with Ocala."
"Not necessarily." Catherine responded. "In this case, Ross really is insane."
~ o ~
Later that night Vincent and Catherine stood on their rooftop garden looking out into the night.
Catherine looked down at the shell she held. "I found this in my coat pocket." She looked down at it as she nervously fingered the shell.
Vincent silently reached out and touched the shell. Catherine placed her free hand over his hand and turned to face him. She looked deeply into his eyes, her love shining from her face as they both communed silently through their bond. Vincent took the shell from her hand, crushed it and flung the powder out over the railing into the night sky. The crushed shell particles sparkled in the light from the full moon above them as they stared deeply into each other's eyes once again. Then Catherine buried her head into his shoulder as Vincent lay his head on top of hers and smiled.
After a moment Vincent scooped Catherine up into his arms and delivered a passionate kiss then carried her downstairs to their bed where, together, they renewed their pledge of love for each other.
The End (of episode 9)
'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. No infringement on copyrights is intended. This story is presented merely for the enjoyment of fans. Original concepts and story elements may be used by other authors as long as appropriate credit is given.