Ashton.Ford.01.Ashes.to.Ashes.1986 by Pendleton Don

Author:Pendleton, Don [Pendleton, Don]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: iUniverse
Published: 0100-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen: Engineering

The Kalinsky quarters seemed to be a mirror image of Karen's apartment, about the same size but reversed in layout, and upstairs over the executive offices.

Marcia was propped up with pillows on a large, overstuffed couch. She wore silk pajamas and a dressing gown but was otherwise uncovered. A large-screen projection TV was playing an old movie at murmuring volume. She seemed a bit pale but otherwise looked none the worse for the near-drowning experience.

I said, "How you doing?"

It was a different Marcia from the one I'd known as she replied, "Much better now, thanks. I understand you saved my life. Thanks."

I showed her a grin and a shrug. "Seemed the thing to do."

She said, "You're a nice man. And I have been a terrible jerk. Sorry."

I did not argue the point. I just said, "Sure."

"Have they found Karen?"

I said. "Yeah. She's going to be okay."

"Thank God. It was a stupid thing I—did you hear about that?"

I replied, "I heard a version. Like to hear yours."

"Why?"

I said, "Karen is in deep trouble. She came to me for help. I am trying to help. But I need a handle. What did you say to her?"

Her gaze fell away and there was a brief silence before she replied, "I'd had too much to drink, but I was not that drunk. I went down to make sure the staff was properly setting up for dinner. Then I thought I might as well take a quick dip because there really wasn't time for me to bathe and all. As I entered the pool, I saw Karen standing in the shadows by the diving board. She was wearing her yellow bikini. I remember thinking, well how 'bout that, she remembered her suit this time and she doesn't really need it. I mean, we always skinny-dip here after dark. I was looking for her as I came up, to see if she was coming in with me. I was looking straight at her and she was looking straight at me. I know our eyes were locked all during that horrible struggle."

I said, "What horrible struggle?"

"I could not get to the surface." She shivered in the memory of it. "It was as though a hand was holding me under and I could not escape it. I fought like the devil, let me tell you, but no matter what I did there was always a few inches of water above my head."

"How do you account for that?"

She shifted position slightly on the couch and gave me a flash with the eyes. "Come on, now. How would you account for it?"

I said, "I suppose you know my background."

She replied, "I sure do. And I'm sure you know what happened to me down there tonight."

I inquired, "Has Karen ever before, to your direct knowledge, exhibited any such power?"

She immediately replied, "Nothing I can put my finger on, no. I mean, nothing like that. But we've talked about it. You know, telekinesis, telepathy, psychic phenomena. I've had an interest in that stuff ever since Bridey Murphy.

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