Christmas at Timberwoods - Fern Michaels [76]
“They probably are, but I have all kinds of baby bottles and things. Let’s go into the kitchen and see what we can do. I’ll make the bottles and you go into the garage and get an empty box. Then get a towel from the bathroom, a nice fluffy one, and we’ll put them in a box near the fireplace, where it’s warm.”
When Angela came back into the kitchen, Amy said, “I think I’ll mix up the formula powder you got and make a bigger hole in the nipple. What do you think?”
“Sounds good to me.” Angela grinned as she folded the fluffy pink bath towel. “I wonder if they’ll like this color. Welcome to the Puppy Hotel,” she told the squirming trio.
“All ready,” Amy called after about fifteen minutes. She came into the room where Angela was, her hands full of baby bottles. “Let’s feed them one at a time. Wouldn’t you know it, three females,” she said as she examined the puppies. “You were right, Angela, they could never eat on their own. Look, their eyes are barely open.”
Angela and Amy each took a puppy and put a bottle to its greedy mouth. Angela was suddenly quiet and intent.
“Angela, do you want to talk about it?” Amy asked after a while.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“That’s no answer. ‘Because.’ What kind of answer is that? Didn’t they teach you any better than that in school?”
“Sure,” Angela said as she put down one puppy and picked up another. “Do you suppose you have to burp them?”
“Burp them? Lord, I don’t know. How do you burp a puppy?”
“Maybe you rub its tummy. I think you do that with babies. They made us take health class back in high school,” Angela said, not adding how often she hadn’t bothered to show up.
“Wrong. So much for health class. You pat their backs.”
“Well, I was close.” Angela laughed.
At 1:30 in the afternoon the phone on Eric Summers’s desk buzzed.
“Summers here.” He recognized Noel’s low voice when the other man said hello and waited for him to speak.
Noel didn’t waste time on small talk. “Listen, I want to try hypnotism on Angela.”
“Okay, Noel. She’s with Amy now. But I won’t have you doing it at my house. It’s too much for Amy.”
“I understand. But I do need somewhere quiet.”
“You’ll get it. I have an idea. I can’t leave the mall, but I’ll send Lassiter. Maybe you can use Heather Andrews’s apartment.”
Heather opened the door of her apartment to admit Noel, Lex, and Angela. She smiled at Angela. “You look frozen. Sit down and I’ll get some nice hot coffee. What about you guys? Would you like coffee or something stronger?”
“Coffee,” the two men said simultaneously.
Heather gathered their coats and scarves and hung them in the hall closet. “Be right back.”
Angela perched on the edge of a chair as if poised for flight. “Are you sure this is the right thing for me to be doing?” she asked Noel. “I really don’t want to see that again. It was so terrible, and what if I see any of you and I say it while I’m under?”
“You’re safe here,” he reassured her. “Say whatever comes to mind; it’s as simple as that. We have to do it, Angela. There may be some important details that are hidden in your subconscious. You do understand, don’t you?”
“Sure,” she answered, taking a cup from Heather’s hands. “I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but why can’t I convince you that there isn’t anything you can do about it? The things I see in my mind’s eye—they happen. There’s no stopping them.”
“Maybe yes, maybe no. We have to try, Angela. Isn’t it better to try than to do nothing at all?”
Angela nodded as she sipped the steaming coffee. “Why don’t we just get on with it, get it over with?” she asked fearfully.
“Any time you’re ready,” Noel said, setting down his coffee cup. “Stretch out on the couch and close your eyes.”
Angela did as she was told. Noel watched her and began to speak to her, his voice calm and soothing. “I want you to trust me, Angela. Nothing will hurt you. I’m your friend. Now, just close your eyes and relax. I want you to listen to my voice. You want to listen to my voice. You can hear me. You trust me. You know I’m your friend.”
Angela listened to Noel