Page 25 of A Touch of Murder
Adam stared into those eyes for a long moment, seeing that Barret was taking this just as seriously as he was and wishing they were anywhere but here, having to find out exactly what happened to Trina. Adam gave the date and said where they were. "Reading of the body of Trina Wilson." He reached inside the casket, took her small, cold hand in his, then closed his eyes. The first visions he got were much like the first ones he'd seen holding her bracelet. "Laughter, walking with others out of the drive-in. Going to her car. She's in her car, door open, someone grabs her." He went through the events again, looking for details he might have missed before. The view was different now because he was seeing it through Trina's eyes. "He's trying to pull her from the car. Her fear is overwhelming. His hand over her mouth. So hard to breathe. She is fighting, but he's so strong. Weak, can't get air, can't breathe." Adam felt the wave of fear as his own breath came harder and harder as if he was the one struggling to breathe. "Can't fight, too weak, darkness." Adam felt when the man must have removed his hand from her face because his own breathing eased. He was in darkness for a long moment, then slowly images started again. "Tied with her hands behind her, gagged. Tears rolling down her cheeks. She seesshe's on a small bed—no, I can't tell what it is. Smaller than a bed, maybe a cot? There're several blankets pushed to the bottom and a pillow under her head. About two feet to her left is a curtain. Loud noise, smells like body odor and cigarettes. I feel like I'm moving, but I'm not in a car. Not a truck either. Maybe a camper trailer. So small the area she's in is maybe six foot by five foot. The curtain moves and a man comes in. Not the one I saw before. Younger, potted face. Mustache, dark brown or black hair. Pony tail. He has hat hair, like he wears a baseball hat a lot. Brown eyes. Missing teeth, can't tell which. I'll try to see. Smells so bad, want to be sick. He caresses her face. She's crying so hard, still hard to breathe with the gag in. Nose is so stuffed. She kicks at him as he pulls off her shoes, then her socks. He tosses them on the floor. His ear is pierced. Right ear. A diamond stud maybe. Can't tell. He's forcing her pants off her and she's screaming. So scared." Adam swallowed back the bile that wanted to come up. He had to get through this. It was only going to get worse. He had to be ready. "Grips her leg so tightly it hurts. He's saying things to her, but I can't hear them. She gets her legs free, kicks him hard. He's mad, punches her in the face. Blood, bleeding lip, jaw hurts. Pain. Want to pass out again. He lifts her and slams her down on her stomach, then he's behind her." Adam grunts, then shakes his head, wishing he could fight this man for Trina. Wishing he'd been there to help her. "He's forcing himself on her. She's so scared. So much pain. He's not gentle." Adam forced himself to give Barret every disgusting detail as he watched Trina's attack. "Pulling her hair, slapping her. Biting her. He bites her shoulders, back of her neck. Maybe get dental prints?" He physically jolted as the next blow came. He had to tighten his grip on Trina's hand and lock his knees to keep from falling back. "Blackness after the last punch." Adam took the moment of peace just the same way he was sure Trina had. It wasn't going to last long enough. "Waking again, both menthere. They're naked. Green tattoo is a clover. WordsLucky Charmon the top of it. Other tattoos, words, script I can't make out. Older, faded. Not fresh ink. Man I saw first time. In his fifties. More gray than light brown hair. Almost bald with hat off. Scars under his belly button. Five inches, two scars." Adam braced himself again as both men assaulted her. As hard as it was, he told Barret every detail he could find. He held nothing back. His own body trembled, and he could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks, but he didn't stop. "They hit her every time she cries out. They keep her gagged, but it won't hold back her screams. I feel like whatever she's in is rocking, like a motorhome would or camper. But it's not a camper. I'm not sure what it is. She's out again. Darkness, but even unconscious I feel her pain, her fear." Adam repeated pretty much the same events twice more. "Younger guy, missing several teeth on top and two center on the bottom. They burn her with their cigarettes, laughing as they hurt her. Younger guy drinking from bottle. Black Velvet is the brand on label. She's waking. Only the older one is there now. He doesn't care whether she's conscious or not. So much pain. He hits her just to make her suffer. She's not fighting. Don't think she has energy to move. She dies there. They still attack her even after." Adam gagged, fighting not to vomit. "They move her, carry her from where she is. I see a bucket seat, steering wheel, It's larger than normal. Bigger than my car. Red paint. Bushes, rain, peace, no more pain." Adam slowly released Trina's hand and fell back into the chair.
Just as promised, Barret handed him a bottle of water, not asking questions or worrying about anything other than making sure Adam got what he needed. "Easy."
"Glove first." Adam pulled the glove from his pocket and with shaking hands slowly put it on. He then took the water that Barret offered and downed it, then waved off the chocolate for another bottle of water. After that, he was able to slowly chew onthe chocolate as he tried to rid his mind of the horrible images that he'd seen.
"Recorders are off." Barret uncapped another water and handed it to him. "Take your time. We're in no hurry."
"More chocolate." Adam fought not to lean his head against the casket. He felt as if he'd been beaten with a baseball bat. His whole body ached.
"Sure." Barret opened another bar and handed it to him.
"Sorry, too tired to go over what I told you. Later today, okay?" Adam's words were coming out slurred.
"Eat your chocolate. We aren't discussing this any time soon. It's all recorded. You worry about getting your energy back and I'll worry about the case." Barret took the empty water bottle from Adam's hand and replaced it with a full one. "You okay for a minute if I go tell Farley we're leaving? I'll come back and help you to the car."
"Yeah. I'm okay. Stronger already." Adam tipped the water bottle back and took another drink.
"Good, just stay put." Barret hurried from the room.
Knowing he only had a minute, Adam stood, his legs shaking from the energy it took to stand up. He gripped the casket with his gloved hands, then stared down at the young woman lying in front of him. "I'll do all I can to make them pay for what they did. I'm so sorry this happened to you." He realized his eyes were still wet and wasn't sure if that was from the tears earlier or new ones.
"Damn it, Adam. You shouldn't have got up." Barret was at his side. "Can I touch you or will that make it worse?"
"I'm okay. Don't touch. Just stay close in case I get wobbly. Got to get the bag." He started to turn.
"I've got the bag. You just stay right there. Farley said he'd come in once we were gone and close things back up."Barret threw the empty bottles in the bag along with the candy wrappers, then zipped the bag. "Okay, let's get you home."
Adam nodded, taking a deep breath before giving Trina one last glance, then focusing on each step as he slowly made his way to the doorway. He paused as they left the viewing room, leaning for a second on the doorway. His head brushed the wood for a moment and visions of an older man crying swept through him. He quicky moved his head away so that none of his bare skin was touching anything. The last thing he needed was to start getting caught up in the visions a place like a mortuary would give him.
"Maybe I should pull the car closer to the front doors." Barret gave him a worried glance.
"No, I'm okay. Knew it would be bad. I can make it." He again forced himself to move, keeping his eyes on his feet as if watching each step would help steady him. The short walk to the car felt like it took forever, but once he was in the passenger seat and somehow managed to get the seat belt on, he let his head fall forward. He just wanted to sleep. To heal. To forget the horrible images he'd seen.
"I'll get you home quickly," Barret told him.
"Thank you," Adam said softly.
"I should be the one thanking you. You gave me a lot to work with today. Will you be able to make it up the stairs to your apartment?"
Adam nodded. "Slowly, but yeah. I'll go straight to bed. If you could just leave the bag in the kitchen, I'll deal with it later when I wake."
"No problem." Barret pulled out of the lot and headed down Main Street.
Neither of them spoke until Barret pulled up in front of Adam's shop. He quickly got out and came around to open Adam's door for him. He took the bag, then stepped back so Adam could get out.
"Sorry I'm so sluggish," Adam mumbled.
"You warned me you would be. Let's just get you to bed." Barret stayed beside Adam, but didn't reach out to touch him, even when Adam seemed to stumble a bit.
It took concentration, but Adam made it up the eight steps to his apartment and didn't argue when Barret took his keys to unlock the door. Once inside his apartment, he debated on the couch, but knew he'd be out for hours so opted for the bedroom. He kept walking, not bothering to see what Barret was doing. He just needed to sleep. He kicked off his shoes beside the bed, then decided he better use the bathroom after having drunk so much water. His hands shook badly as he tried to get the button on his jeans undone but finally managed. It took a moment, but he managed to use the bathroom but didn't even bother trying to rebutton his jeans as he walked back out to the bedroom. He didn't see Barret, so he fell onto the bed and in seconds, let sleep take him.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Barret quietly made sure there were two bottles of water on Adam's nightstand alongside two Hershey candy bars. He stared down at the sleeping man, wishing he hadn't taken him to see Trina today. He had no idea that it would be so hard on Adam. No one should have to witness the things he did. And he knew for a fact Adam was seeing the attack on Trina because several of the things he'd mentioned, like the bite marks, matched up with the autopsy report Barret had read.
His respect and admiration for Adam grew as he'd watched Adam working. It had been easy to think he was faking something like reading Mrs. Anderson's glove, but this, there was no faking this. The tears that had streamed down Adam's cheeks as he was seeing the visions weren't fake. They weren't empathy. Adam had somehow felt Trina's pain. He had mentally put himself in Trina's place to find out exactly what she'd gone through.
He hated to leave Adam alone, but he really did seem okay other than being tired, and Barret had work to do. He left Adam's bedroom and went back into the kitchen where he emptied the duffel bag, putting the remaining water in the fridge and the candy on the kitchen table alongside Adam's recorder. He tossed the garbage away, then silently left the apartment, leaving the door unlocked so that he could return later and check on Adam even if he hadn't woken up yet.
