said . “Maybe the best chance of getting him is to go back. If he was there then he’s likely set up somewhere within hiking distance.”
“ N ot necessarily ,” I pointed out . “ It could be he just decided to visit one last time . ”
“If it was just a one-time visit why would he have gone to the trouble of cover ing up the fact he’d been there? ”
His thinking, of course, mirrored my own. “You’re probably right,” I said. I believed Henderson had an irrepressible need to spend time at the site of that cabin. It was where he had killed his sister and that singular event brought him the greatest joy of his life . He needed to relive that joy and the best opportunity for him to do that wa s to be where it happened. It’s why he had brought so many of his victims back t here to kill them.
“ T here’s only one way we’re ever going to know for sure , ” Con said. “We could go back up there. Maybe he’s been back. If he has, we might be able to pick up his trail this time.”
2 5
“ Are those flowers for me, Jack ? ” Callie said when I walked into her roo m. She was standing unaided and walking awkward ly with the aid of her therapist , an angel of patience named Paula . I saw she was also gaining a little of her lost weight back.
“For you, beautiful lady,” I said.
She beamed. My heart skipped three or four beats.
But then it was like a light went out in her eyes. “Why the sad look?” I asked.
“I can’t remember anything,” she moaned. “It’s driving me crazy. I need to remember but I can’t.”
“You will in time. You just have to be patient.”
“ They said my name i s Callie Parmenter.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“What’s your name, Jack?”
I had been cautioned by her doctor to answer her questions as candidly as possible but to avoid topics that might create stress. As she was clearly beginning to put things together for herself it seemed only right to respond honestly . “I’m your husband, Callie,”
She didn’t appear very surprised at this . “ Oh ,” she said. “ I thought maybe you were my brother . How old am I?” she asked.
“You just turned forty -two , sweetheart. In case you’re wondering, I’m quite a bit older than you.”
“ Do we have any kids ?”
“No,” I said. “We got married just a few years ago.”
“What---”
“ Okay, that’s enough for now,” Paula said , saving me from entering into an area that might prove troubling . “Time for a rest. ”
I told Callie I would come back in an hour to spend some more time with her.
Paula walked me out. “ We’re very pleased with her progress , Mr . Parmenter. Before long she’ll be running around the block. And I think her memory will come back, too. ”
“That’s good to hear ,” I said.
Paula lowered her voice and turned to face me. “I was so sorry to hear about your mother . Is she doing okay .”
I nodded. “She’s going to be fine.”
“ You’ve been through so much. When are the police going to find that
“ N ot necessarily ,” I pointed out . “ It could be he just decided to visit one last time . ”
“If it was just a one-time visit why would he have gone to the trouble of cover ing up the fact he’d been there? ”
His thinking, of course, mirrored my own. “You’re probably right,” I said. I believed Henderson had an irrepressible need to spend time at the site of that cabin. It was where he had killed his sister and that singular event brought him the greatest joy of his life . He needed to relive that joy and the best opportunity for him to do that wa s to be where it happened. It’s why he had brought so many of his victims back t here to kill them.
“ T here’s only one way we’re ever going to know for sure , ” Con said. “We could go back up there. Maybe he’s been back. If he has, we might be able to pick up his trail this time.”
2 5
“ Are those flowers for me, Jack ? ” Callie said when I walked into her roo m. She was standing unaided and walking awkward ly with the aid of her therapist , an angel of patience named Paula . I saw she was also gaining a little of her lost weight back.
“For you, beautiful lady,” I said.
She beamed. My heart skipped three or four beats.
But then it was like a light went out in her eyes. “Why the sad look?” I asked.
“I can’t remember anything,” she moaned. “It’s driving me crazy. I need to remember but I can’t.”
“You will in time. You just have to be patient.”
“ They said my name i s Callie Parmenter.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“What’s your name, Jack?”
I had been cautioned by her doctor to answer her questions as candidly as possible but to avoid topics that might create stress. As she was clearly beginning to put things together for herself it seemed only right to respond honestly . “I’m your husband, Callie,”
She didn’t appear very surprised at this . “ Oh ,” she said. “ I thought maybe you were my brother . How old am I?” she asked.
“You just turned forty -two , sweetheart. In case you’re wondering, I’m quite a bit older than you.”
“ Do we have any kids ?”
“No,” I said. “We got married just a few years ago.”
“What---”
“ Okay, that’s enough for now,” Paula said , saving me from entering into an area that might prove troubling . “Time for a rest. ”
I told Callie I would come back in an hour to spend some more time with her.
Paula walked me out. “ We’re very pleased with her progress , Mr . Parmenter. Before long she’ll be running around the block. And I think her memory will come back, too. ”
“That’s good to hear ,” I said.
Paula lowered her voice and turned to face me. “I was so sorry to hear about your mother . Is she doing okay .”
I nodded. “She’s going to be fine.”
“ You’ve been through so much. When are the police going to find that
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