The next morning, I still had nothing on Beaumont, but my bond with Tommy had deepened, not in small part to the twenty new drawings I'd given him of the most fantastical creatures he could think of.
The kid had quite an imagination.
He followed me everywhere, and I didn't mind. Between him and my Gar shadow, I had a freaking entourage. A longing for a real family with a little brother just like Tommy threatened to undo me, but I smacked it down and stayed focused on my work. Mostly.
It would have helped if Mr. Beaumont had actually been home more. My mind reading skills weren't all-powerful. I required some proximity to my target if I wanted to connect with him, especially someone with an unfamiliar mental signature. It was like a voice in the crowd—the more familiar the voice, the easier it was to pinpoint and lock onto it.
That morning I finally had my chance to corner Dollinger without Tommy tagging along. The pressure to finish up this assignment so I could leave the next day weighed heavy in my mind, and pushed me into confrontations I would normally have avoided.
I found my client pouring himself a stiff drink in the study, and got straight to the point. "I can't do what you hired me for without access to the target. When will Mr. Beaumont be home?"
His eyes hardened into black coal, but he kept his tone civil. "He's going to surprise everyone with a trip to the fair today. You'll have an all-day pass to his mind. Use it well."
'For what I'm paying her, she'd better find the mother lode of dirt on this bastard.... I'm sick of being his lackey.'
I shook his thoughts out of my head and left the room.
Tommy squealed and threw himself into my arms. "Sam, Daddy's home. And guess what? He's taking us all to the fair! Isn't that great?"
'This is going to be the best day ever.... Maybe Sam can live with us forever and be my big sister.... I can't wait to eat cotton candy.... Daddy's the best.'
My heart cracked. I gave serious thought to dropping this whole thing and telling Higgins I couldn't get anything from the target. Then, I wouldn't have to destroy Tommy's life, and the guilt that ate me alive would go away.
But I would have to stay at least two weeks before pulling an assignment. Rules. If I did that, I'd miss my interview and my contest, and when they released me from Rent-A-Kid in three months I'd have nothing.
How could I seriously consider destroying Tommy's life so I could get into a decent college? His brown eyes and innocent thoughts crashed into me. With a sinking in my gut, I knew what I had to do—blow the assignment, regardless of the cost to me.
I mentally waved farewell to all of my dreams as I took Tommy's hand and helped him get ready for the fair.
***
Utah millionaires weren't uncommon, it appeared, but it didn't change the charm of small town fairs. In a large field, a spectacle of lights and sounds had been erected to entertain the populace. Colorful booths attracted kids of all ages to win cheap toys and stuffed animals by throwing balls in cups or shooting down fake bunny targets. A large carrousel stood in the center of the fair, an iconic symbol of the American heartland.
Tommy only cared about one thing: cotton candy. He darted through throngs of people to snag his place in a long line of sugar-craving children.
Mrs. Beaumont hadn't joined us, as she was attending some event or another for her social club. Mr. Dollinger had begged out by claiming work duties, then eyed me with a look that meant I'd better come home with something good to tell him.
I had no intention of doing any such thing, but his absence did make for an awkward dynamic with the three of us, plus my Gar shadow, who just stood and watched and never said a word. While Tommy's dad presented a respectable and attractive front, something about him made my skin crawl. Yet he'd been incredibly generous, hospitable and kind since my arrival—at least when he was actually present.
Though I had decided not to pursue the assignment, I couldn't help dipping into his thoughts from time to time. Money and work consumed his mental focus. He didn't give much airtime to family or anything else, really, which sucked for Tommy but wasn't a crime. It did strike me as odd that he'd taken us all to the fair today, though. He wasn't the kind of man who enjoyed spending the day with his son, while they ate sugary treats together.
We inched up in line, and Mr. Beaumont pulled out $200 and handed it to me. "Sam, would you mind taking care of Tommy for a bit? I need to find a bathroom and make a call. Just get him whatever he wants and take him on some rides."
Tommy's face fell when he realized his dad planned to ditch us.
I covered my anger with a smile and took the money. "Sure. Will you be joining us later?"
His eyes glazed over and he didn't make eye contact, distracted by something else. "I'll catch up with you two in a bit."
And in that moment, I became the world's most expensive babysitter... on his partner's dime. Rent-A-Kid charged at least $150,000 a day for my time. That worked out to $6,250 per hour if you count sleep. I didn't see all that money, obviously, but still... I had to laugh at the absurdity of it. I would've felt worse for Mr. Dollinger if he weren't such a jerk. The only person I cared about in all of this was Tommy, and so I would do my best to protect him.
To that end, I slipped into his father's mind as I paid for Tommy's pink- and blue-swirled sugar high.
'Too bad Tommy's a boy... girl would have been better... easier to... ah yes... nice fresh meat... mustn't touch... just look... until later... later I can touch that innocent flesh... when no one is around... tomorrow night... they promised me a young one, I can't wait to—'
Enough! My stomach clenched and bile rose in my throat. The air around me thickened until it became hard to breathe. My world narrowed to a pinpoint, as though I would pass out at any moment. I couldn't just hear his thoughts; I could see the images playing around in his mind. In that moment I wanted to gouge out my third eye.
Large hands held me upright and tiny hands tugged at my sweater. "Sam! Sam! Are you okay? What's wrong, Sam?"
My vision focused on Tommy's big eyes widened in fear. Gar stood behind me to keep me from falling.
I composed myself and found the ground under my feet. "I'm okay. I just got dizzy for a second. Probably just need to eat something."
Tommy nodded as if all of life's problems could be solved with food. He pulled me toward the food court. "Come on, we'll get you a hotdog. They are the best ever!"
Gar stood just inches from me with a look that I could have mistaken as concern, if I thought he cared at all. "Are you okay? Did you get something on the father?"
I didn't try to hide my surprise. He hadn't expressed any interest in my assignment until that moment, but it helped to have him on my side.
I nodded. "It's bad. Can I use your phone?"
He narrowed his eyes but pulled it out of his jacket pocket. "Who are you calling?"
"Dollinger."
I dialed the number from memory and tapped my foot as it rang. "Keep an eye on Tommy, okay?"
Gar's face squished together as though I'd asked him to change a dirty diaper, but he moved his eyes to Tommy, who was busy eating his treat—at least that part of it not smeared across his face.
My client's voice came on the line. "This is Sam. I have what you need to take down Beaumont." I told him what I'd overheard in the man's mind.
I hated to hurt Tommy this way, but leaving him in the care of that monster would have been worse.
Once I filled Dollinger in on the details, I expected him to say that I had done my job and was free to go.
"That's not enough. We need hard proof. Keep digging."
"What? You need to stop him before tomorrow night. Before he...." I couldn't even bring myself to finish the sentence.
"This isn't about stopping him. It's about catching him red-handed so he can't weasel out of this with his fancy lawyers and destroy everything I've worked for."
I couldn't decide who was the bigger monster, but in that moment I wanted them both to pay.
I handed the phone back to Gar, and forced myself to keep up with Tommy the rest of the day.
After several rides and more junk food, I just couldn't focus.
Tommy could tell that my mind was elsewhere. "Sam, what's wrong? Are you still sick? Do you want a nap?"
"I'm okay, but it's probably time we find your dad and head home. Your mom will want to hear about the exciting day you've had."
His blue, candy-covered lips frowned, but he didn't argue.
I pretended to look for Mr. Beaumont, even though I knew exactly where he was.
We found him by the merry-go-round, which Tommy insisted on riding.
Mr. Beaumont stood a little too close to me as we watched his son balance on the horse. His dark blue three-piece suit, nice tan, and fit physique hid the monster lurking beneath the pretty veneer. From his perfectly highlighted caramel hair to his glow-in-the-dark teeth, he screamed "fake." I imagined his skin peeling off to reveal a slimy troll, complete with red beady eyes and swollen pink lips oozing something green.
What did the little girls see when he first walked in to greet them? Did they see a respectable man in his early 40s, someone safe and nice? Or could they sense the impending danger?
He smiled at me as if he knew what I was thinking. "Sam, have you enjoyed the fair?"
"Yes, but I'm not feeling well. I think I ate something that didn't agree with me."
He checked his phone. "We'll be leaving after this ride. I have to get to work."
The whole ride home, I fought an internal war. Should I listen to his thoughts or not? I couldn't stomach hearing more of his vile intentions, but if Dollinger wasn't satisfied, more information would help.
I slipped back in, but he had put aside his perversions for worry over work.
I would have to find another way to catch this bastard.
