Beauty and the Beast Page 19

  Joe was smiling as he nodded. “You’re absolutely right! This is the perfect way to take him down without involving your community, Vincent. Oh, and you will be happy to know that we now also have all of Gabriel’s and Dr. Vlas’ videotapes of you and your people.”

  Vincent looked at Joe. “You have videotapes of my people?”

  Joe smiled at him. “We do. Do you want to view them? We could set that up below, if you want to.”

  Vincent shook his head. “Actually, Joe, it would be better if we just destroyed them. I know that we will be meeting my people soon enough. I can wait. We need to just throw them into The Abyss. That way we can be sure they can never be recovered and used to harm my people.” Joe agreed, “That’s probably the wisest thing to do. Diana, I’m going to leave several messages on your answering machine on Monday, and then I’m going to report you missing on Tuesday to Steve Palmer. That should really confuse Adrian and his minions. Meanwhile, why don’t you, Vincent, and Father work on breaking the code in that notebook Vincent has. I’ve had the three detectives that I know I can trust, Greg Hughes, Nick Dunlap, and James Faber, keeping an eye on Steve Palmer and anyone else he contacts within the police force. With the addition of whatever you can decipher in that notebook, we should have Adrian out-of-business in no time!”

  Diana declared, “It’s a good thing I’m going to be below. James Faber hates me!”

  Joe laughed, “He doesn’t hate you! He’s just annoyed that you’re smarter than he is. He finds your methods incomprehensible. He’s more comfortable with old-fashioned police legwork.”

  Vincent chimed in with a smile, “It isn’t very many people who can truly appreciate a brilliant mind like yours in action, Diana. Most of them are satisfied to just go on about their mediocre lives, ridiculing what they don’t understand. We definitely appreciate you and your unique point-of-view.”

  Joe laughed, “Amen!”

  Vincent chuckled, “That reminds me, if we hurry, we will get back in time for the children’s choir recital in Father’s Council chamber this evening.”

  Joe said with enthusiasm, “Let’s do! I was treated to a

  preview of that recital when Jamie dragged me out of William’s kitchen chamber a week ago.”

  The three continued homeward, carrying on their lighthearted conversation, now that the end of Adrian’s evil empire was clearly in sight. When they arrived back in Father’s Council chamber, the children were just warming up in preparation for their recital. The choir was singing scales, and the orchestra was busy warming up on the instruments. Father’s desk, up on the platform, had been moved back against the book shelves to make room for the choir and orchestra. The music director, Paul Matthews, was giving last minute encouragement to the children. Paul was a tall, big-boned man in his late thirties. He looked very distinguished with his black hair and carefully trimmed beard and mustache.

  Vincent, Joe, and Diana laid their backpacks and coats on Father’s table and then looked for places to sit. The Council chamber was completely packed wall-to-wall. Most of the children, who weren’t participating in the recital, were seated on the steps of Father’s circular staircase with their legs dangling over the sides. Diana found an unoccupied easy chair, and Joe took a seat in a chair near hers. Vincent observed that Little Jacob was comfortably settled on Brooke’s lap, and then he went up the staircase into Father’s library and found a seat there. Diana soon had two little children, Luke and Darla, on her lap.

  Paul turned around and faced the audience, and an hush fell over the chamber. He announced the pieces the children were going to perform, and then the recital began. The music was breathtaking in its beauty, and it was obvious that the children loved what they had been able to accomplish with their hard work.

  Vincent was enjoying listening to the music, but it was Joe and Diana he was watching. They were glancing now and again at each other, when they each thought the other wasn’t looking. Vincent smiled, as he realized what he had suspected as he had walked back with them from Gabriel’s mansion. Something had happened between them and, neither one of them was aware that the other one had felt it too.

  When the recital was over, everyone applauded, and then all the adults began gathering up children and exiting the Council chamber to go to bed. Vincent and Joe found Diana and the children on her lap sound asleep. Angela collected Darla, and Vincent picked up Luke and handed him to Olivia. When he turned back around to gather up Diana, Joe already had her in his arms.

  “I guess you had better show me where to deposit Sleeping Beauty, here.” Joe smiled at Vincent.

  Vincent smiled back at him. “Come on, we’ll take her to the chamber she slept in the last time she stayed with us.” He spoke to Father first, though, as he picked up Joe’s and Diana’s coats. “Father, can you keep these backpacks and my cloak in your bedroom chamber until I

  return? I want to show you what Diana and Joe collected from Gabriel’s mansion.”

  Father replied chuckling, “Of course, Vincent. It looks like you two wore poor Diana completely out!”

  Vincent smiled at him. “Yes, it has been a long, eventful day, but a very productive one.”

  Rebecca joined Vincent and Joe as they headed for Diana’s guest chamber. When they arrived there, Vincent laid the coats on the chair by the door. Rebecca turned back the covers on the bed, and Joe laid Diana on it. Rebecca took her shoes off and put them under the chair. Vincent then covered Diana up and tucked her in.

  When Vincent stood up, Joe chuckled. “When she’s asleep, she looks like a little kid. I wish we could keep her that way for a couple of weeks until this is all over with.” Vincent laughed softly. “Well, I suppose we could have Father sedate her.”

  Joe tried to keep a straight face. “That’s really tempting, isn’t it? I think, though, that she would probably clobber both of us when she did wake up!” Vincent chuckled, “Oh, I’m sure of it! Don’t worry about her, Joe. Well keep her safe here. She has more sense than to go running off. Besides, breaking that code in Gabriel’s notebook will keep her mind occupied for awhile.”

  Joe was very serious as he replied. “I hope so,

  Vincent. Adrian meant business when he talked about his determination to kill Diana.”

  Vincent nodded his head. “Well, as soon as we do break that code, you can put Adrian where he belongs, and he won’t be able to follow through with that threat.” Rebecca looked at the two men and smiled. “Go ahead and take Joe home, Vincent. Ill sleep in the next chamber tonight and keep an eye on Diana.”

  Joe smiled at Rebecca as he picked up his coat.

  “Thank you, Rebecca. When she wakes up, tell her 111 check back here in a few days to see how she is coming with breaking the code.”

  Rebecca nodded and smiled. “I’ll be sure to tell her, Joe.”

  Vincent then accompanied Joe back through the tunnels to Joe’s apartment building. In spite of all of their precautions, both men still found themselves worrying about Diana’s safety in light of the ominous threat from Adrian.

  Chapter VII

  Unfinished Symphony

  Dianna walked into Vincent’s chamber with a bottle of breast milk for Little Jacob and found Vincent rocking him. He looked up and smiled at Diana. She smiled back at Vincent and sat on the edge of his bed. Diana was dressed like a tunnel-dweller, wearing a pretty patchwork jumper and blouse. The community members with clothing designer skills enjoyed seeing what they could create from fabrics and clothing thrown away by topsiders. What they made was not only attractive but practical.

  Vincent grinned as he spoke to her. “You look just like one of us!”

  Diana stood up and modeled for him with a giggle.

  “Do you really think so? I’ve got two suitcases full of clothes from Chuck’s cab and from what I had left at the

  Walkers’ place, but these are a lot more comfortable. Almost every morning when I wake up, my wardrobe has expanded because of what everyone keeps bringing to me.” Vincent chuckl
ed, “They are having fun taking care of you. Did you get a chance to ask Peter about who is donating this milk to Little Jacob?”

  Diana answered, “I told Peter that you wanted to know.”

  Vincent looked at her. “What did he say?”

  Diana answered smoothly, “Peter told me that she needs to remain anonymous.”

  Vincent gave her a probing look, “Hmm, ‘needs’ rather than “wants,’ interesting choice of words!”

  A nervous laugh escaped Diana, but she recovered quickly with, “You Monster! Are you actually going to argue semantics with me? What can I say? I’m a crime investigator! Delivering breast milk from anonymous sources is just a side-gig!”

  Vincent chuckled, “Well, little Brat, wherever Peter is getting it from, Little Jacob is thriving on it. If you see Peter again, will you please ask him to pass along my thanks to the woman?”

  Diana smiled at Vincent. “Ill be sure to do that, Vincent. I’m going to go back to Father’s chamber now. We’re making really good progress using that code to translate Gabriel’s notebook. We’ve nearly got it licked.” Diana put the bottle on the table beside Vincent and headed out the door. When she was down the tunnel and out of earshot of Vincent, she whispered, “And I will pass along your thanks as soon as humanly possible!”

  Vincent looked at the bottle of breast milk on the table. He had finally realized that every time he picked up one of Little Jacob’s bottles of milk, he would experience a vision about Catherine. He assumed that such phenomenon must be a manifestation of his sorrow that it wasn’t Catherine’s breast milk that was feeding their son. He would have looked forward to visions about her, if she wasn’t always so distressed in them, or if he could only manage to save her from whatever terror she was facing in those visions. Instead, she always slipped out of his grasp or evaporated from sight before he could. He wondered what he would see this time as he picked the bottle up.

  Vincent was swept away instantly into another waking vision. Little Jacob was still in his arms, and the baby was also with him in this vision. They were in a beautiful meadow, and Catherine stood before him only a few yards away. She looked ecstatic to see him.

  “Vincent, you have him! You have our baby! He’s safe!” Catherine’s voice was filled with pure joy as she began to run to Vincent.

  Vincent had Little Jacob in his left arm, and he reached his right arm out to receive Catherine. However, before she could get to him, a dark faceless figure sprang out of the ground behind her and threw a black cover over her. She screamed in terror as she was snatched off her feet, and then the figure disappeared back into the ground with her. Vincent roared with anger and frustration, and then he was back in the rocker with Little Jacob looking up at his father with huge, frightened eyes. He quickly comforted the baby and began feeding him his bottle.

  It was no more than a few minutes after Vincent’s vision that Mary appeared in his doorway with her usual look of concern for him. “You had another vision, didn’t you?” She asked him.

  Vincent answered with sadness in his voice. “Yes, Mary. I’m sorry that I alarmed you. I’m afraid I scared poor Little Jacob too.”

  Mary smiled at him. “He doesn’t look much worse for the wear! Do you want me to take him for you? You do look worse for the wear!”

  Vincent looked at her for a moment, and then he said. “You know, Mary that would actually be very helpful. I need to go see Narcissa about these dreams and visions. She is the only one of us who truly understands that world. Father and Diana are busy working on translating Gabriel’s notebook, so I don’t want to disturb them. Will you please let them know where I have gone? I should be back late tonight.”

  Mary took Little Jacob when Vincent stood up. “Don’t worry, Vincent, 111 let them know. Just take your time.”

  Vincent never knew where he was going to find

  Narcissa. This time, he was surprised to actually find her in her own large chamber, not far from the Chamber of the Winds. He used to love to play as a child on the stone staircase there and to explore all of the mysterious caverns surrounding the bottom floor of that chamber.

  One of those caverns was Narcissa’s, and she was at home.

  Narcissa called out to Vincent before he even entered her chamber. “Come in, child! I have been expecting you. Your mind is troubled, is it not?” When Vincent entered Narcissa’s chamber, it was filled with the light of many beautiful candles. Sea shells of all sizes and shapes were everywhere, and brightly colored cloths and tapestries adorned the entire chamber.

  Vincent smiled at her perception as he replied. “You are right, as always. Something very strange is happening, Narcissa. I am having dreams and visions that are as real to me as standing here talking to you is real. They all involve Catherine being lost and trapped in some sort of continuous nightmare. I can’t understand why I would constantly dream such a thing.”

  Narcissa shook her head at Vincent. “You know what Father would say about my advice! ‘She lives in a make-believe world of nonsense.’ If you want it though, dreams should never be ignored. Follow your heart, Vincent, and find your woman! She needs you! Your connection to her is healing, and love is holding her in this world still.”

  Vincent’s expression was dubious. “I have always

  trusted your wisdom, Narcissa, but this cannot be. I was with her when she died, and I carried her body to her home. She can only be reaching out to me from beyond the grave. I just don’t know why yet.”

  Narcissa looked intently into Vincent’s eyes with her nearly sightless ones, and she said gently, “Vincent, child, you of all people should know that things are not always as they appear!”

  Vincent was taken aback by this shocking statement. “Narcissa, you have knowledge! Please share it with me!” Narcissa put her hand on Vincent’s arm. “It is not what I know that is important, Vincent. It is what you already know that is! Search your heart, child! Follow your connection with your Catherine. She is lost, and she needs for you to find her. Whether she is here or beyond the grave is for you to figure out, so that you can help her.”

  Vincent patted Narcissa’s hand. “Thank you,

  Narcissa. I will figure it out, and I will help her. I know what I need to do now.”

  Narcissa smiled at Vincent. “You knew what you needed to do before you ever came looking for me, child. Don’t worry, you will find your Catherine and save her from her nightmares. I have seen it!”

  When Vincent finally arrived back near his own chamber, he chuckled as he heard Tony doing voice impressions as he read Snow White and the Seven

  Dwarves to Little Jacob. The baby was giggling. When he walked into his chamber, Tony was holding the book of children’s stories he was reading from, dancing around Little Jacob’s bassinet, and making funny faces to go along with the voice impressions of the seven dwarves as he read. Tony looked up from his antics and grinned at Vincent.

  Vincent sat down on the edge of his bed. “Don’t let me stop you, Tony. I’m enjoying the story too!”

  Tony laughed, “OK, Vincent.” Then Tony resumed the story while Little Jacob continued giggling at him.

  Vincent reached over to his nightstand and picked up the last journal Catherine had given to him following his illness when his memory was left severely impaired. She had told Vincent that it seemed appropriate for him to get a fresh start with a new journal. He opened the cover and fingered her written words to him, “With love all things are possible. Forever, Catherine.” Vincent hadn’t been able to face reading his previous journals because of the pain it would cause him to know how much he had forgotten. Now, though, it was time to do just that. The answers he was seeking had to be in them. He laid this last gift of Catherine’s down, stood up, walked to one of his book shelves, and collected his journals from the previous two years.

  He put the journals into his backpack, and then he turned to Tony, who had now finished reading the story. “Tony, I need to go on a journey to the Crystal Cavern in

  the m
orning. Would you please see to Little Jacob’s care while I am gone? I also need for you to let everyone know where I will be. I’m not sure when I will be back. Tell Father that I am doing what I should have done some time ago to figure out what these dreams about Catherine mean.”

  Tony was very serious as he replied. “Ill let everyone know and talk to Father for you. Don’t worry about Little Jacob. Everyone loves babysitting him. Ill come back here early in the morning and take care of everything.”

  Vincent smiled at him. “Thank you, Tony.”

  The next morning, Vincent stopped by William’s kitchen. William was very happy to pack up provisions for his journey. Then Vincent started the day-long trek to the Crystal Cavern. He knew that only there would he have the tranquil quiet, without distractions, that he needed to figure out how to help his restless and distressed Catherine to find peace.

  When Vincent finally arrived at the Crystal Cavern, he laid his lantern on the ground at the edge of the threshold. Then he climbed down the eight foot drop at the mouth of the cave onto the floor of the cavern. He picked the lantern back up and put it into a crevice in the wall.

  Every time he visited this cave, the spectacular beauty of the sparkling crystals in the cavern walls always took his breath away. This time was no different, and he stood still for a moment enjoying the prism colors that bounced around the walls from the flickering lantern light. Father had been convinced that Narcissa’s story of the Crystal Cavern was just another one of her fantastic tales of the imagination until Vincent finally found it, and he brought back the crystal from which Mouse created his anniversary gift for Catherine.

  Vincent took off his cloak and went to the large, flat-topped boulder that served as a chair when he visited the Crystal Cavern. He spread his cloak over the boulder and sat down on it. Vincent opened his backpack and took out some of the food and drink that William had prepared for him. As he bowed his head and asked for a blessing on his meal, he also prayed for the strength he needed to face whatever he would find in his journals. Vincent wanted to be able to put his dear Catherine finally to rest.