Vicki's Office
Vicki Nelson immediately had second thoughts about asking Coreen to drive her. The aura ability affected her eye sight. Vicki unfortunately understood. But it worked out. Apparently, if Coreen focused on a task she didn't see the auras. An important detail for coping with the ability.
Coreen reluctantly entered the building. Working there led to an unthinkable trauma. "You replaced me?" She asked quietly as the elevator doors opened.
"No." Vicki explained what she could as they went upstairs.
Coreen hesitated, eying the hallway.
"If Nicholas wanted to hurt me, he could have done it yesterday." Vicki held the doors and motioned toward the hallway.
It was one of many mysteries they were dealing with. Although she wondered if he staged the break-in and the flowers to get her back to the office. She doubted his reasoning for approaching her. The ghost recommendation was impossible to prove and led her to the anthropologist. But she didn't think he was dangerous. As they approached the office door, she wondered why.
The door opened as Vicki reached for it. Nicholas stepped back. She entered first followed by Coreen shuffling behind her. The new furnishings reminded her again that she didn't know his motivations.
"The answering machine is full."
"We can't accept cases." Vicki didn't want to admit she was still having problems. But riding in the elevator required holding onto the bar. She was in no condition to investigate.
"What are you?" Coreen sounded awed.
Vicki turned and saw the younger woman staring at Nicholas. While he was gorgeous, she suspected Coreen was fixated on his aura.
He wasn't amused. "A long story."
One he needed to tell, but under different circumstances. "What's on the machine?"
"Reporters asking why the police department is treating you badly. Former clients asking if you're okay. A few tips about what happened to you or the other women found by the Creek."
That didn't sound good. If the suspension agreement was leaked it could turn into a media circus. Then she remembered the issues with the police not taking the break-ins seriously. Mike wasn't telling her everything.
"One mentioned a problem with your Medicare files."
Vicki vaguely recalled a problem with admitting her. She was confused and medicated for pain at the time. "I better listen to the messages."
Coreen followed into the office. They sat on opposite sides of the desk. It almost felt normal. But after what they had been through it was unlikely they would find normal again.
Vicki started the answering machine while Coreen grabbed a notebook. At first, it looked like she was taking notes. Except nothing required it. When it finished playing, she handed it over.
The first page said, "Nicholas is beautiful with a white and gold aura and no sins. Everyone has sins."
Vicki flipped the page over trying to process what that meant. He was the angel. She had some kind of vision of him standing on Etobicoke Creek in the Park and later the dream she couldn't remember that nearly caused a heart attack. Then there was the psychic visions Henry found in the old book. What are you? She wondered.
With no way of answering the important question, she focused on information from the machine. Several messages were definitely flakes. But a few offered similar details. It would be simple enough to confirm.
She opened a desk drawer and removed a map of Toronto. Then unfolded it on the desk. "Check for articles associated with the accident claims." Enough time had passed, they should be documented.
Coreen picked up her laptop and sat back with it.
Vicki checked the locations. Each was east of Etobicoke Creek. All wooded areas. It didn't prove anything. The information was easily found on a map. But she couldn't think of any reason several people would intentionally give her inaccurate information.
"Seven car accidents minutes apart. Starting on Lakeshore Road and ending on Eglinton Avenue. All caused by seemingly natural causes. Seizures, heart attacks." Coreen hesitated. "Two people jumped off bridges."
What was happening? The only idea Vicki had involved Astaroth. It reminded her of what Henry said happened previous times demons were on Earth. Astaroth could have directly or indirectly affected the cult or an off-shoot of it. Olivia couldn't be an original cult member, she was born after th leader died.
Vicki looked at the open door to the reception area. If Nicholas was the being from her dream, he was somehow connected to what was happening. The conversation couldn't wait. She stood and crossed the office. He looked up from his laptop as she stopped in the doorway.
"I do not know."
The simple answer was he listened to the messages and overheard their conversation. But she had an odd feeling there was more to it. "Why are you really here?"
"Repaying a debt."
"Involving Pacha Kamaq?"
It was obviously something Nicholas didn't want to discuss. "Yes."
Vicki crossed her arms. If true, and she believed him, that meant at least some of the psychic information was accurate. "Why am I dreaming about you?"
That confused him. "I have no idea."
"A dream nearly caused a heart attack." Similar to the car accidents, Vicki realized. "What's your connection to Etobicoke Creek?"
"Why?"
Vicki explained the car accidents and what she knew about the murders, abduction and cemetery thefts. "The woman suspected of killing Sophie Lewis is obsessed with me." It reminded Vicki of Colin and his stalker. That might explain the flowers.
"Can you get me a list of what's missing from the cemeteries?"
Vicki could unfortunately picture the conversation with Mike. "Possibly. Why?"
"My ship contained artifacts when it sank in Lake Ontario. A few involved funeral rites."
She remembered the antique shop Colin worked at. "I know where we need to look."
Morgue
Mike Celluci entered Rajani's pathology lab. As a homicide detective, he dealt with violent death on a daily basis. At some point, he was desensitized. While it was a necessary part of his job, he wondered at times what it said about him.
"Vicki's not with you?" Rajani looked up from her computer.
Mike had no idea how to explain the problem with the department. "Not today.
"This is more her area of expertise," the pathologist explained.
Not surprising. He suspected the Lewis and related cases had supernatural motivations. "What did you want to show me?"
Rajani picked up a manila folder before standing and walking over to him. "Two jumpers and two accident victims. I autopsied the jumpers first."
Mike remembered the accident scene he saw that morning was caused by a heart attack. "How are they unusual?"
"The jumpers were dead before they hit the ice. Based on their expressions, they were terrified. Neither had a history of heart or psychological problems." She handed him the folder. "Tox screens will take days for some. Weeks for others."
"Any indication of drugs?"
"Poison. Similar to Sophia Lewis and Kevin Johnson."
Mike didn't remember seeing that in Johnson's file. "Does the detective investigating his death as a mugging know that?"
Rajani nodded. "It was re-classified a homicide." Pause. "There is no indication how the poison was administered."
"How did you find the poison?"
"I requested a tox screen because there was no obvious cause of death."