Page 30 of In Her Dreams
“His receptionist said he’d still be in his office for another hour.But about that, Jenna...”
“What is it, Jake?”
He chose his words carefully.“We’ve been causing a lot of alarm.Rusty was genuinely shaken after we talked to her.Same with Alice Bowen and Bruce Autrey.”
“That’s because they should be alarmed.Two people are dead.”
“From natural causes, as far as anyone can tell,” Jake reminded her.“Remember that this isn’t actually a case, Jenna.We’re operating on your...intuition.”
The way he hesitated before that last word didn’t escape her.Jake had accepted her dreams as part of who she was, but that didn’t mean he was entirely comfortable with basing an investigation on information she received from the dead.
“My intuition has been right before,” she said, pulling out of the parking lot.
“I know that.”Jake’s voice softened.“I’m just saying we need to tread carefully.We don’t have any concrete evidence linking these deaths, except for the dreamcatchers.”
“And that they were both seeing the same therapist.You even said that was a connection.”
“It is.A connection, but not evidence of anything, at least not yet.All I’m saying is, don’t come on too strong with Walsh.What exactly are we hoping to get from him?”
“If he was treating both victims, an affirmation.A reaction concerning their deaths,” Jenna replied simply.“I know what this looks like, Jake.I know I’m asking a lot, pursuing this without solid evidence that there’s even a crime.But I’m certain there’s foul play involved.”
“Because of your dream about Anita Palmer?”
She nodded, keeping her eyes on the road.“It was more than just a dream.She was there, Jake.She was terrified.And whatever scared her to death wasn’t natural.”
Jake was silent for a long moment.Finally, he sighed.
“I trust you, Jenna.I always have.But we might be in over our heads here.”
She didn’t respond for a few moments as she navigated through Trentville’s quiet streets.The storefronts were beginning to shut down for the evening, their windows darkening one by one like eyes closing.
“Maybe we are in over our heads,” she finally agreed.“But that doesn’t mean we stop.”
They arrived at a modest medical complex on the outskirts of town.Dr.Walsh’s office occupied a corner suite, its windows glowing with soft light against the encroaching night.
Inside, the reception area was empty save for a middle-aged woman behind the desk, who glanced up with a stiff smile.
“I’m afraid Dr.Walsh is finishing with his last patient of the day,” she said after Jenna introduced herself.“He should be available in about fifteen minutes, if you’d like to wait.”
They settled into the uncomfortable waiting room chairs.The space was meticulously clean, with muted artwork on the walls and outdated magazines arranged in perfect rows on the side tables.Nothing about it suggested anything out of the ordinary—just another medical office dedicated to treating common ailments.
Yet something about the sterility made Jenna uneasy.Perhaps it was the contrast between this mundane setting and the very odd elements they were investigating, or maybe it was just her exhaustion painting everything in suspicious colors.
Then a door opened, and a tired-looking man in his early sixties emerged, showing an elderly patient out.Once the patient had departed, the man turned to them with a questioning look.
“Dr.Walsh?I’m Sheriff Graves, and this is Deputy Hawkins.We’d like to ask you a few questions if you have a moment.”
Walsh’s expression shifted subtly—a flicker of something Jenna couldn’t quite identify before his professional mask slid back into place.
“Of course, Sheriff.Please come in.”
His office was what Jenna expected—diplomas and certifications on the walls, a large desk with a computer, and two comfortable chairs for patients.Walsh gestured for them to sit while he took his place behind the desk.
“How can I help you this evening?”
“We’re looking into the death of Richard Winters,” Jenna began, watching him closely.“I understand he was a patient of yours.”
Walsh’s reaction was measured, almost clinical.“Yes, Mr.Winters suffered from severe claustrophobia and periodic insomnia.His death is unfortunate but, given his heart condition, not entirely unexpected.”
