Paralyzed - Chapter 17: The Clearing - Part 2/4

Episode Date: April 20, 2021

While Jake is willing to go north with Roland, he is plenty skeptical. Not only about finding the bodies, but also Roland's ability to keep focused. He knows about her past, which worries him. But before heading to Alaska, the pair head into Canada to talk to Sefton Trust's ex-wife.Music:"Wounded" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/"Maybe We'll Laugh" and "Pleasure Town" by Elderich T'Challa of Nemesis Black @ reverbnation.com/nemesisblack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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What the hell? I sat up in bed, slowly. My head was fuzzy, my vision blurry. Was that shit laced? Fuck. What time was it? Ah, shit. I grabbed my phone to see four missed calls from Ray and three from Jake.

Rollin, wake the fuck up. Jesus Christ. Really? It's 11. I see that. Now. Jake pushed past me as he entered. The hell, you're not packed? I meant to do it last night. And? And I got caught up with work.

Is that what you call it nowadays? What are you talking about? Nothing. You talked to Ray? No, but I saw she called. Great. I guess I got to play grown-up. to explain or should I guess? I need you fucking straight.

What? Don't bullshit me. I know you. I know what Ray went through with you. I know what Kent went through with you. I know what the captain went through with you. I know what you do. You're not going to be able to hide your pill bottles or your flask or your baggies of coke around me, okay?

I'm not a fucking idiot. I don't need a fucking lecture. No, what you need is lay off the fucking vices. Worry about yourself. I'm busy concentrating on these cases. Is that what you call sleep? Keeping in till 11? I was up late.

I'm sure. Take a shower, make a coffee and let's go. And Roland, you may be able to bullshit Ray, but I'm here. I see what you're up to. Don't even fucking try with me. I waited by the car as Roland checked out. I couldn't believe I was actually here working with her. I had to stay focused, though.

I didn't have a lot of time, I had to play things safe. I was already on thin ice with the EAD. Hell, I wouldn't even supposed to be out here to begin with. But I'd worry about that when I got back. Maybe it was stupid to put all my stock in these bullshit cases. But while I thought Roland was a fucking train wreck, I really did think she was on to something. And if we could link this case to another open case,

then hell, I could take it and run with it. Joyce would have my ass, but I'd go above his head. And if they tried anything, that I'd go public with whatever information Roland and I could scrounge up. Done. Ready? Been ready. Before Roland climbed into the car, she froze like a deer in the headlights. What is it?

I followed a gaze across the lot as a brown van pulled out and made its way onto the road. Roland, what? I've seen that van around. Think you have a stalker? Jake. They're not with me. She eyed me suspiciously, but the van was gone. Trust me, the last thing I need is to be seen with you.

Let's go. Tell me again why you need to go to Vancouver? The cruise ship left out of Vancouver. So you want to check the records? Was the Canadian government even involved? Yes, to an extent. And I want to talk to law enforcement. Hold on, when I said flashing a badge would help, I was commenting on smaller towns. VPD could run a line back. Only if we dig too deep.

So keep it light. We're not investigating murders. We're investigating a cruise ship disaster. That's all. Sure. Also, I have someone I want to talk to. Who? Anna Popowski. What the fuck is that?

Sefton Trust's wife. Trust? He had a wife who left town when the marriage started getting Rocky. I know I already beat her. That's the story. Still a shitty mother. Abandoned her daughter so she could be targeted by Trusserath. It was fucked up, but she knew something was wrong. I could never do it, but I wasn't there. Maybe part of her thought that things would change if she was out of the picture. Maybe she didn't think any ill will would come to their daughter. To excuses. Kids dead now. She's just as much to blame. Oh, she's a cunt for leaving,

but I still want to talk to her. Powski? She changed your name? Yeah, worked too. Apparently she lives outside of Vancouver. How'd you find her? Cantor's told me she may have fled north, and I found a note and trust notebook. A note? Torn and mostly illegible, but part of it had the name. After checking Facebook and Google Maps, I found her. Changed her hair color, too.

Huh. Interesting. All right, so when we get there, is that first? Sure, but you let me do the talking. Now can I have my ID in passport? I hesitated a moment. Oh, come on. You're in the car. You really think I'm gonna fucking ditch you? Fine. What is this?

Samantha Carlyle? New name? Really? The fuck did you expect? You should be more impressed I was able to get those photos of you. A little bit of Photoshop. How many pictures online of you looking straight into the camera? And the hair color? I think you look good as a blonde. Does that mean I should dye my hair?

Work for Anna. Samantha? I figured Sam for short. No? How'd you come up with it? The name? Ex-girlfriend, real bitch. Thought it'd suit you real fine. You're a real asshole, Jake. You know that, right? Yeah. Yeah, I know. It was around six when we reached the small park with the donuts shop across the street.

We were north of Vancouver in an area known as Deep Cove. This is weird, right? So close? So close to where Shane and Erica stayed the night before the trip. We don't know if Anna ever experienced anything like her husband. But if so? I shrugged. He may have a point, but it could also just be a coincidence. Hold up, hold up. How are we playing this? I'm a writer, Jake.

Oh, writer? It's worked for me so far. What would that make me? Your copy editor? We're not cops. She won't want to talk to cops. You know that? Think about it. She probably lives in shame. She knows what happened and still stayed away. Okay, but think about this.

Sefton was wondering where she was. If he knew, which we know he did because of the note, he may have contacted her prior. That wasn't in any of the records. Because they probably already talked to her about the incident and were done with her. Exactly. Canters told me that she eventually talked to the cops after running off. She went into hiding, which means she probably doesn't want anything to do with the police at this point. It was two years ago. Closer to three now.

It's easier to have a follow-up than claim a story. What if she doesn't want a story out there? So then what? We're FBI following up on a recent case in Layden Falls. She could help us with the case. Odds are she's watching. Not necessarily. Trust me.

Except, Jake, you know as well as I do that the FBI has no jurisdiction here. We'd have to go through the VPD. Our CMP. What's that? Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Okay, but we're not doing that. So how would we explain our investigation? Come on, Roland, you're smarting that.

Confidence is key. We start our line of questioning. She won't even ask. You think she's going to quiz us on Canadian law on our role in active investigations? Fine, but I lead. By all means. We walked up the brick driveway to the yellow house with Brown Garage. All the windows were covered with frilled curtains.

It wasn't the nicest house in the area, but it was quaint. Go away. Well, this should be fun. Excuse me. I'm Detective Samantha Carlyle. Is there an Anna Popowski here? I noticed the curtains on the far window move. I'm sure are you at the address.

This is the place. Sorry, who are you? I'm Detective Carlisle, and this is Detective Mazzaro. Jake pulled out his badge since I didn't have one. Is Anna home? Anna? Yes. No.

Oh, do you know when she's not? she'll be back? Not anytime soon. She just left. She did? That's right. She works the night she fit flats. Bart on the street. Is that right? You can talk to her there. If she wants to talk, but if this is about that bullshit in her hometown, odds are she's not going to say much. She knows about it? The police called her several times, once they were able to locate her. I told her she should have changed her first name too. Locator? Surely they must have contacted her before. When her husband died? Yeah, Two fuckers showed up here questioning her within days. Cops?

No. Like you. FBI? Yeah, I think so. Was VPD aware? I don't fucking know. Those two suits were the only one she talked to that I know of, in person. But here you guys are hassling her again.

Sorry, this is just a follow-up. I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes at Jake. But you said the police have called several times since this new incident. FBI, or is that VPD? I really don't know. You'll have to ask Anna. If she's willing to talk. That's right.

And you are? Donya Brickett. Her girlfriend. Sweet girl. I don't get it. The suits? Yeah. Do you know anything about the FBI getting in contact with her?

Not back then. Wouldn't make any sense. FBI didn't get involved until David Summers and Layden. Right. So why would agents come talk to her after the trust murder? And after a couple of days? How? Thought they couldn't locate her.

There's nothing in their records showing they did. Well, she mentioned the calls were recent, after Summers. Right, so if they located her just recently, who were the suits that showed up three years ago? Maybe it was VPD, R-CMP. But how did they know about a murder in a small town in Massachusetts? That story, for whatever reason, didn't even make it far out of local news. Which is weird, right? Trust was a well-known author.

Yeah. I guess we can go talk to VPD soon. But in the meantime, let's go get some drinks. After talking to her parent-girlfriend, we made our way to the bar down the street. We came into the small hole in the wall and took a seat at the bar. Two people were working, a scrawny dude with thinning hair and buck teeth and a slender woman with sunken cheeks, narrow nose, and ponytail. Yes, sir? Looks like her.

I'd seen some pictures online, mostly press stuff when Trust published his newest novels, and she accompanied him. She's pretty near than I thought she'd be. What the hell does that mean? I think I just had a different vision in my head, you know, because of how cuntish of a mother she is. Was. Right. Hello, never seen you two around here. What can I get you?

She placed some napkins in front of us and turned towards the tap. Stout? We have a milk stout. I'll take it. And for you? Old-fashioned, maker's mark. You got it. She quickly made our drinks and placed them softly on the pair of napkins.

Deb? I got it. Jake took out a credit card and sluttered across the bar top. I'll give it right back. Don't spook her. Doesn't matter. She's at work. Can't leave. She can still ignore us. She won't.

Let me... Take the lead. Go ahead. When she came back with Jake's card, I thought about what to say and how to say it. Here you go. Fuck it. You're Anna, right? Yes. And you're the two cops who were at my house ten minutes ago. Yeah? She smirked.

My girlfriend text me. We're close like that. We're sorry to bother you at work. No, you're not. You need something. What? I already talked to the cops months ago. They called you? Yeah. VPD?

Shouldn't you guys know? Jake and I shared a glance. Anna smirked again. They weren't from Vancouver. They were FBI. Visited me three years ago, too, after, well, I guess they were still investigating or whatnot. This was confusing. Some other agents were investigating the Layden Falls murders right after it happened,

and they were able to find Anna within days, happen to know their names? Oh, shit. Um, Lewis, and the other one was named... Walcott, I think. Ha, wait. You investigating the investigators? We're wondering why we weren't told prior.

Kept you out of the loop, huh? Well, they only called this time. You know, years back, they showed up in person. They broke the news. About your husband? That's right. So you were unaware of the murders until then? Yeah, so I don't remember what those veds looked like.

That was a long time ago. And ever since, I've been trying to forget. Forget what? If you're here, you already know. She leaned forward, her mouth twitched. I could tell she wanted to say more, so I kept quiet and waited. I left my family behind, and you can shower me with scowls and disapproval, or what? whatever, but I had to.

Suffden was, well, you know, insane. You've been following the new story? Hardly following. Merely glanced at. Did these agents break the news again? Yeah, and I answered their questions because they said that what happened to my husband happened to someone else, so I was intrigued.

Other cops called, too. Some from Leighton. Went on for a couple of weeks. Same questions. Same bullshit. What kind of questions did they ask? Let me talk to Carl. See if I can take five.

Rather not do this here. She walked over to the other bartender, then waved us outside. We grabbed our drinks and followed. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it as we took our seats at the picnic table on a long wooden deck. Getting everything. think you can. I only have five minutes. I had no idea where to begin. I didn't expect her to be so open, but I had to use this to my advantage. So you say...

Why'd you leave? I glared at Jake after he cut me off, but he ignored me. Hmm. Why did I leave? Isn't it obvious? The guy was fucking nuts. I put up with his little idiosyncrasies when he was riding or stalled due to riders' block. But then the nightmares began, and so did his anger in peculiar mumblings. All while he slept, he would mutter, incoherent bullshit, and it creeped me out. He never said anything you could understand? Not while sleeping.

And his anger built and built, and I chalked it up to his rider's block. But then he would spend hours and hours in the basement, ignoring me and my daughter. So everything in your statements, everything that happened those nights... The nights he hit me? Yeah, that's all true. We would get into these shouting matches. About what? She took a long drag and blew.

out slowly, the smoke rising and disappearing into the cityscape behind her. Hey, what is this all about? Why are you here now? I don't know anything about that kid from, well, what was it? Florida. But trying to find out of what happened to that kid was similar to what happened to your husband. Those other fed seem to think so. They say why? No, they just called and said a similar incident happened. Asked if I was okay, then hung up. Did Sefton ever mention anything about creatures or monsters? No, but he mentioned murder. A lot.

But that was his line of work. He was a horror writer, after all. Why would this kid be in any way related to my husband? There are some similarities. You saying he had an affair? What? No. Then what kind of similarities? Obviously, you know how Sefton died and you...

I shot Jake a concerned look before. he could finish a sentence. He realized and stopped himself, instead turning to his drink. My daughter. Sorry? I'm well aware of what happened to my daughter. So you know she was in a dangerous living situation. That's when Jake eyed me suspiciously. I didn't plan on bringing up her daughter, at least not yet. But now that she mentioned it, might as well. And it was hard to hold back. Your daughter was living with Sefton, the man who you thought was too dangerous to live with. You think I'm a monster, don't you? For leaving my daughter with him? It's not my place. I can hear the disdain in your voice. See, well, my partner and I are wondering. I know what you're

wondering. You're wondering how I could leave her behind. Sefton and I fought often, and things were getting worse, not better. But my daughter adored her father, even more than me. Because when the fights became too much to bear, I would often leave, sometimes sleeping in my car outside a hardware store. And I guess they used that as bonding time. Sefton hit me, that's true, but he never hit... He never hit Kimberly. But you knew? I knew nothing, nothing other than what I experienced personally. Even when Sefton would skulk around downstairs wearing that fucking creepy mask I kept to myself, it was all for inspiration, he told me. And Kimberly would help him reenact parts from his previous books, much to my discomfort.

But I started to drift, and when things got too much, I ran. I thought about taking her, but I really didn't think she was in danger, and honestly, honestly, I thought I would eventually go back. But then? Then I didn't, and I made the conscious choice to leave it all behind me and start fresh. I met Tanya not long after, and, well, I'm still here. And you have no regrets? I have regrets, but I learned to live with them, because nothing is going to bring

her back. If I had the chance to redo it all, yeah, things would be different, but I can't change anything, so I live with my decisions. Seems convenient. Is that so? Your daughter was living with a man that fucking went... Sam. I bit my tongue, literally. Jake was right. I wasn't being professional. Him calling me by my fake name also took me by surprise. Sorry about that, Miss Popowski. What is this? Like a good cop, bad cop thing? Not at all. Did you have experienced nightmares or night terrors? Because of that night? Because of Kimberly?

Because of anything. What, did Sefton have some kind of nightmare disease? Because I didn't catch anything. So no sleep issues? When I found out about my daughter, sure. But nothing now. Although, if I'm to be honest, I may have some trouble tonight. Thanks to you two bringing up some horrible memories.

Her glaring pierced my soul, but I didn't care. It took everything I could muster to not go off on her. So instead, I sipped my drink and smiled sardonically. How the fuck does she leave her child behind? She knew he was abusive. So you were struggling. Fucking mother of the year. But Jake just sighed and ignored my outrage.

And Sefton never tried to get in contact with her? He found her. He had her information, but he doesn't use it. It doesn't make any sense. You ever read any of his books? Trust? Yeah. I read one a month ago. And? He's no Stephen King.

Anything in the book that may relate? Not the one I read. What about the reenactments she mentioned? A lot of writers have different methods. Yields nothing. Okay. Anyone else we could talk to the new trust? I already talked to the people in Layden, and I called a psychiatrist who moved to Wisconsin. But she wasn't helpful at all. Maybe you needed to flesh a badge.

No, no need to bark up that tree. Dead end? I think so. What about this? Seemed pointless. She didn't give us anything new. Not necessarily. Trust was having an affair.

Yeah, if that plays, I'll be surprised. What about those agents she mentioned? That makes no sense. How would they find her so quickly after the trust murders? Can you find out if FBI was involved that early? I can make some calls. Lewis and Walcott? That's what she said.

said. Don't know him. But maybe they're from the Boston field office and robots and Torb just took over. Although they weren't drawn in until after Summers. You know that for sure? That's what Ansel said. There's something else. What? She's not experiencing nightmares. She's not seeing things. Julie and I do. Michelle does. Elliot Benson does. Benson? The man who survived trust's attack, and David did after Terror Lake. Okay. Anna left seven. and before he went crazy. So she avoided it, whatever it is? If she's telling the truth, yeah.

I sat there thinking, trying to piece things together. Jake looked out his window toward the park, a young woman in a tight tank top jogged by, her large breast bouncing. When she passed, Jake turned his attention back to me. What do you see, Roland? You mean besides you ogling some poor jogger? I'm serious.

What do you see? sometimes David and every once in a while Kent David and Kent they say anything not much and you don't see or experience anything else I thought about the nightmare last night the dark figure the deerhead slowly lowering onto my head David calling out the darkness no I don't

I don't know. That night, I got drunk at the hotel bar after Jake went to sleep. We never went to the precinct instead opting for tomorrow. Although, I didn't know if we needed to. I wanted to head to Alaska. I wanted to find the bodies. I needed to find the bodies. I had to connect this cruise ship accident to Leyden Falls in Brotherford. After I stumbled back to my room, I rolled into bed, fully clothed.

I wasn't tired, but dizzy. I wondered if I would have another nightmare, but a whole hour passed and nothing. Search parties couldn't find the bodies, Roland. How the fuck are you going to find them? You don't even know where to look. I stared up at the ceiling for a long time, until I felt a strange presence. I slowly sat up to see David in the corner of the room.

Was I dreaming? Roll. David? I'm down. What? I'm down. David. I know.

You know what? I know where to look. Paralyzed. Written and edited by Robert M. Lamb. Starring, Amy Lurray as Roland. Cattabelle as Ray. Jack Austin as Jake. Ariel Hack as Michelle. Brian Messick.

Captain Hiltz, Mitchell Beck, as Ansel, Mark Koroftus, as Oliver, Co-starred, Christina Lewis, Ray Rojas, Amber Simpson, Nick Englehart, Corey Pettettett, Jeff Leeson, Chris Detoley, James Brown, Gina Coyle, Caitlin Spring, and Robert M. Lamb. Music provided by Kevin McLeod of Incompetec.com. Eldoridge Tachala of Nemesis Black at Reverbnation.com slash Nemesis Black. Amber Lynn Nicole on Facebook at Amber Lynn Nicole. And Brett Wilkins at Wilkins MusicFL. If you enjoy this podcast, don't forget to rate and review. Visit 7LAM.com for more audio dramas such as this one. This has been a seven lamb production.

Thank you.