Page 30 of Storm Surge

“I can’t stop. I have to keep going.” The lid opened. The same man from earlier looked at her with a terrifying leer on his face. “Oh. . . there’s someone else with him.” She clasped her hand over her mouth.

“Tell me what he looks like?” Will’s voice. He was there with her. A comfort.

“He’s young. Maybe my age. There’s something wrong with his ear. He has dark hair like mine and he—” He forced her from the box. Her hands were tied. Legs bound. Nearby there was a table. Another man waited there. “No—” She recognized the man. “No. It’s him. He’s there.”

“Who’s there?” Will’s voice again. She could feel him holding onto her. “Who’s there with the man?”

“Edward Buckley. My grandfather. My grandfather taught him everything he knows. My grandfather is a serial killer.”

???

“She’s in trouble. Wake her up. Now.” Will told the doctor over Lizzy’s screams.

“Lizzy listen to me. You are back in the present here with Will and me. You are no longer in that place but safe here with us. When I count to three, you will open your eyes and you will be here with Will and myself. One. Two. Three.”

Her eyes flew open. The terror in them as she stared wild-eyed around the room scared the daylights out of Will. When she spotted him, she fell into his arms, and he held her close, sweeping her hair away from her face.

“You’re okay. Everything is okay.”

She held him tighter. He could feel her shaking. “It’s okay,” he soothed. “You’re safe now.” Though she’d had to relive that terrible time in her life, he had his wife back. God had brought Lizzy back to him, and he would always be thankful. But she had much to work through.

“There were two of them,” she said and stared into his eyes. “There were two serial killers. Not just my grandfather. He recruited someone else. And he’s still out there somewhere.”

He brushed tears from her face. “We’ll get him. You gave us a good description.”

She shook her head slowly as if she still couldn’t take it all in. “My father lied to me. My aunt lied about the accident.” Her voice broke into a sob. “I don’t really know my father, but my aunt and I are close. Why would she lie?”

Will ran his fingers over arm. “Maybe she didn’t know. She was probably repeating what her brother told her to say. Your aunt is just another victim of her father.”

She nodded, a small smile broke through the devastation. “It doesn’t matter because I have you back. Now I remember how we met. Our time together in Afghanistan. Our wedding. The apartment we shared.”

His heart soared. It was the best news ever. His Lizzy was back. “And I have you. We’ll figure the rest of it out. Together.”

She hugged him close. “Yes, together. I love you, Will. I love you so much.”

He squeezed her tight. “I love you, too. I’ve missed you.”

She pulled away and touched his cheek with a look of wonderment on her face.

Will had forgotten the doctor’s presence for a moment. It was just the two of them sharing this tender reunion.

Doctor Wolf stood as well.

Will rose and pulled Lizzy up beside him. He clicked off the recorder. “You uncovered a lot of serious memories today, Lizzy. More will follow. This has been a painful session, and I have to caution you—as the rest of your memories of the time spent with those two men return, there could be issues come up. I want you to know I’m available to talk anytime you need me.” He patted her arm. “And I’ll leave the tape with you.” He glanced at Will. “I’d like a copy for my records, but the police will need to hear this as well.”

Will understood what he meant. The information Lizzy remembered and would continue to remember in the future would help them understand more about her father, and it might help them close the Van Gogh case once and for all. He held out his hand to the doctor. “I’ll see that you receive a copy. I can’t thank you enough.”

Doctor Wolf smiled. “Your story has a happy ending, Lizzy. Remember that. So many that I see do not. You have each other to lean on, and that makes me very happy.” With a final wave, the doctor slipped out the door and left them alone.

Lizzy clasped Will’s hand. “I have to speak to my aunt as soon as possible. I need to find out what she knows about my mother. And what happened to me in Washington D.C.”

“Let’s speak with her together. This is going to be hard for her.”

She squeezed his hand. “Thank you.” She leaned close, kissed him, and the past returned with her simple touch. This was his wife. The woman he loved. The one he thought was lost to him forever. He had God to think for bringing her back to him and he would be forever grateful.

He and Lizzy crossed the yard to the path leading to the cabin, their fingers entwined. His head spun. So many things had been revealed—things he should be addressing with Victor and the rest of Strike Force—but she had to come first from here on out. He loved her. She’d always be first in his heart.

Betty must have seen them approaching because she stepped out onto the porch. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her gaze slipping between them.

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