A Shadow Fell by Patrick Dakin Read Free Book Online

condition with me but all it really amounted to was that they were keeping her alive and comfortable , without much hope that things were going to change.
                  “What are you suggesting?” I asked .
                  “Nothing much,” he answered. “The truth is, it ’ s impossible to say if or when your wife will ever come out of the coma. All I’m suggesting at the moment is that we could have her transferred to the hospital in Ocala so she ’d be closer to home for you . ”
                  Of course it made all the sense in the world to get her nearer home. I couldn’t continue living in a motel indefinitely. “ Let’s do it , ” I said.
     
                                                                          *               *               *
     
                  T here was nothing I could do to assist with Callie’s relocation , which would take place within the next couple of days, so I decided to make the trip home and use the time the drive would take to formulate some kind of plan for the future .
                  But the closer to home I got the more depressed I became . I could not imagin e any action I could take that would move toward a solution to the dilemma I faced.
                  A s I drove up my driveway the feeling of dread that had been a pervasive presence for day s was reinforced a hundredfold . I saw a late model dark grey sedan parked beside the house with two men in it. They exited the car when I came into view.
                  I parked my car and got out. As they approached me each flashed an FBI identification wallet and badge . The y were young men, maybe mid-thirties, and there w as a look of gravity about them I’d worn myself on many occasions over the years – mostly when I was the bearer of very bad news.
                  “Mr. Parmenter?” one of the agents asked in a very respectful tone .
                  “Yes . ”
                  “I’m Agent Donnelly, this is Agent Forbes. T om Kilborn sent us here today, sir. He wanted to be here himself but was unable to make it .”
                  “ Is there some word on my daughter?” I asked , dreading the response I could almost hear ringing in my ears already . Both men were having difficulty maintaining eye contact with me. There was no doubt in my mind t hat what I was about to hear was going to be ba d.
                  “I’m afraid so, sir ,” the agent on my left said . “ Would you like to go inside, where we could sit down?”
                  I tried to steel myself for what was coming. “Just tell me, ” I said, my voice hoarse.
                  He took a long, slow breath. “ I’ m very sorry to have to tell you this, Mr. Parmenter. T he deceased body of a young girl we believe to be your daughter was located this morning in a remote area near the town of Hendersonville, Georgia.”
                  Even though I had kn own from the moment I saw the two agents step out of their vehicle what the news w as going to be, hearing it was like being hit in the chest with something large and heavy. For a while I was unable to draw breath. I stumbled backward and would have fallen had I not been standing near my car. I shook my head , probably a subconscious effort to throw off the unspeakable truth I had just been given .              
                  “How was she killed?” I blurted .
                  “I’m sorry, sir, we don’t have any other information at this time.”
                  “Goddamn him to hell,” I choked out through my sobs .
     
                  When I recovered enough that I was able to function on some level, the agents told me they would drive me to