Chapter 25: Candy Continues
1105 Words
Jason handed the broken wristwatch to the police detective who looked examined it. “Newer model,” he commented. “Maybe has to do with whoever we’re trying to find.” He turned to Candy. “What makes you think it’s connected to the abductions?”
Candy, who stood in the alley, looked at this stranger. She wanted to tell him the wolf told her where to look, but it didn’t seem to be a good idea. After all, she was the only one of them who could see the wolf. Perhaps Jason would understand. Some of the people at the new place she lived understood. She’d told Mrs. Majors about the wolf, but she didn’t seem to fathom it. She’d even allowed the wolf to enter her office and sit in the corner one afternoon when Mrs. Majors wanted to talk to her. The older woman never even noticed, so Candy assumed she was the only one who could see it.
Still, Candy had to tell Jason about how she could find the children. She’d talked with the wolf on the way down and it told her to go ahead, just not to talk about her other friend.
“I saw it in the sunlight from the top of the building,” she explained to the detective. “Isn’t it something that can help you?”
“That all depends. I need to have the lab check it out. It’s not an old watch, but anyone could’ve stashed it where you found it. We have to follow all the available evidence, but I’m not sure this will be of much help.” He placed the watch in a sealed evidence bag and handed it to one of the technicians, who took pictures of the site where the watch was discovered.
Candy picked one foot off the ground and massaged it. The building was rough, which made it easier to climb. However, her skin wasn’t calloused, as it was when she was discovered. Now the institute made sure she had all the skin care she needed. It made her hands and feet feel better, but she no longer had the protective layers on them that toughened the surface. She looked at one hand and noted it bled from a small cut. Jason wouldn’t like that. Where was Jason?
He was on the phone to the institute. Candy smiled as she watched Jason talk rapid fire to someone. It had to be Mr. Majors. She was the only person Jason respected there. It was obvious to her. She’d noted the way he stopped talking when the older woman spoke.
Jason kept glancing at her. Candy didn’t mind, she knew he wanted the best for her. Jason made her feel strange on the inside. She’d talked to a few of the staff people about those sensations too. They said it was normal.
Jason broke the connection with Majors when he watched Candy hand the watch to the detective. At least she’d found something, so it wasn’t a total disaster. Majors warned him never to let her out of his sight again, not for a second, until they returned to the institute.
“Why did you run off like that?” Jason demanded from her. He was furious, but didn’t want her to know.
“I want to find the children too,” Candy told him. “Isn’t that why you brought me here? I’ve already found two things that should help.” She placed her hands on her hips, something Jason never saw her do before.
“You scared us, Candy,” Jason told her. “I was worried you’d fall off that building and get hurt.”
“Have you ever seen me fall before?”
“No. But this isn’t the same kind of thing you’re used to climbing. What would happen if you lost your footing up there toward the top of one of those buildings?”
“I know how to climb. I climbed to get away from him and he didn’t catch me.” Candy closed her mouth as if she’d said too much about something.
“What do you mean?” Jason asked her. “Who are you talking about? Did someone at the institute scare you?”
Candy looked at the ground. Jason realized she wouldn’t talk about anything she didn’t want him to know. He cursed under his breath and vowed to find out when he had her back in their rooms. She was hiding something and he needed to find out what it was. Jason always believed Candy didn’t want to share everything. But they couldn’t help her unless she did.
“If I find the missing children, will you not be mad at me?” she asked Jason.
Dammit, what was she doing to him? Now she was trying to make him feel guilty. Well, it wouldn’t work.
“Stop talking like that, Candy,” he told her. “Get your shoes on; we have to get back.”
And then we’ll talk some more, he thought.
“I’ll find them for you,” she declared. “Then you won’t be mad at me.”
Before Jason could say another word, Candy ran to the nearest building and began to shimmy up it. She was too fast for the cops, who didn’t expect her to try this move again. By the time one of them reached out to her, Candy was already too far up the building to grab.
“Looks like she’s going to do it again,” the detective said. “She did find something we can use. Don’t know how this will play out. Guess we’ll have to follow her around. Is this that woman who was found in the wild?”
“Yes,” Jason told him as he tried to hide his latest anger. “And I’m supposed to be taking care of her.”
Jason walked up the building and yelled at her. “Candy, I didn’t give you permission to climb up there!” he shouted at her.
“I didn’t ask for it,” she called back.
- Writer
