Chapter 67

Two days later, Chief Black and Bruno met to make the rounds at Berry Hill Hospital.

At Bruno’s insistence, they visited Alison first. As a result of their shared ordeal, a bond of friendship had grown between the student and the psychic; Bruno wanted to be at her side, providing what comfort he could.

The bullet had missed the femoral artery, sparing Alison’s life. However, it had done significant damage to other blood vessels, muscles, and nerves, so the wound was serious and painful. In addition, she had ugly puncture wounds and deep bruises on her neck and throat, which made it difficult to speak. Her voice was hoarse and breathy, and she tired easily. Nevertheless, Chief Black insisted on hearing the story in her own words.

Alison kept it short and sweet: “I got Icky to drive with me out to NewGarden that night. We were just going to break some greenhouse windows and leave it at that. But the security was tougher than we expected. We had to lay low and figure out how their inspection rounds worked. While we were waiting, we smoked some hash and fooled around a bit to stay warm …”

Bruno bridled at the reference but didn’t say anything.

Alison squeezed his hand and continued. “Then something happened. We heard doors slamming. A group of men marched a girl into the parking lot. It was Ginnie Doe. They made her stand in the middle of a blue tarp, which they had spread out on the ground. She seemed oblivious, not scared or anything. I think she was drugged. Someone stepped up behind her and wrung her neck with his bare hands.”

Alison voice started to fail. She asked for water.

“Could you see who did it?” asked the Chief. Bruno had never seen him look this intense.

Alison shook her head. She said it was one of the security people; they were all dressed the same; she didn’t get a clear look at anyone’s face.

For a long while, she and Icky were too petrified to do anything. They watched as the men wrapped the body in the tarp and drove it down to a grove of trees on a far corner of the property. Alison and Icky waited for the men to disperse. Then they escaped.

Over the next day or two, she had time to think it over. Icky was trying to say they’d imagined the whole thing: they were on drugs, after all. Alison insisted it was real. The incident had clearly been planned and executed by men who were following orders. The fact that it happened at NewGarden suggested the leaders of the company were responsible.

“I told Icky he was being ridiculous: You don’t hallucinate from a little bit of hash. And I felt sorry for the girl, being buried that way. That was when it occurred to me that I had been given the opportunity to transform this tragedy into something useful. I could make it into a political act, like we’d been talking about in Doggin’ ’n’ Dissin’, and other classes too. Instead of just smashing a few windows, what if I could get the CEO of this awful company? Bring him down. Lock him up. Treat him the way he deserves.”

Alison remembered hearing her parents talk about Emmanuel Fischer and how he was causing trouble at Friends Meeting. They’d never accused him of anything like murder, but she’d seen it happen with her own eyes. She and Icky had stumbled upon the underground tunnel just about a month earlier. All of the pieces were in place. She felt like a perfect plan had been presented to her on a silver platter.

“In theory it was perfect,” Alison continued. “But take it from me, digging up a grave is kinda weird. I brought along some of my old clothes—Mom never gets rid of anything. We washed Ginnie’s body and dressed her at the Lenape and then wrapped her in plastic as we carried her through the tunnel. It didn’t take long, she was so small and light. We wanted her to look decent when people found her. We didn’t want the little kids to have nightmares.”

Chief Black frowned, but didn’t interrupt. Bruno helped Alison take a drink of water so she could continue.

“We expected everybody to get the connection right away, but they didn’t. That was so frustrating. I tried to get Professor Littlejohn to help me. It was his course that got me started, after all. But he just screwed me over …”

“Literally,” Bruno added angrily. Alison had shut her eyes. She was struggling to keep her composure in the midst of these memories.

“Is that what you were arguing about at the shareholder meeting?” asked the Chief.

Alison snapped back to life, fully indignant. “I couldn’t believe it. Here he’d been avoiding me all this time. But as soon as I start organizing against NGBS, he tries to take over.

“By that time, I didn’t even care that much. I just wanted to get Fischer. That’s all I was thinking about. At that point I didn’t even know about Jurevicius—what a psycho! I wanted to speak the truth. I had to expose them. I was doing it, not just for Ginnie Doe, but for Icky and Gussie and everybody else as well.”

Alison had to pause for breath. Her chest was heaving and she was having trouble speaking. Bruno held her hand; he raised the cup to her lips so she could sip more water.

“I guess Bruno didn’t tell you,” the Chief explained in a low voice. “It was Littlejohn who got shot when the lights went out. They had hidden a sniper inside that giant crow …”

Alison looked incredulous. “He was sitting directly in front of me … Oh my gosh. Is he dead?”

“No. He survived. The bullet smashed his jaw. He’s in rough shape and they say he may never speak, intelligibly, again. His room is just down the hall. You can visit if you want.”

Alison thought it over for a moment, then stated without emotion: “He got what he deserved.”

Chief Black rose to leave. “There’s one last question that I have to ask.” His voice was stern and serious. “When you saw the girl get murdered, why didn’t you come to me right away? By law, that’s what you were required to do. Think of all the trouble, all the deaths and injuries you might have prevented.”

Alison lowered her head. Her breathing was labored. Hints of tears showed in her eyes. “My whole thought process was out of whack. The drugs, my friends, my education, everything … I just couldn’t believe I could trust you guys. I thought you were the enemy.”

“And now?”

She gulped painfully. “I know I made some serious mistakes …”

Bruno rushed to the foot of her bed. “Things are definitely going to be different from now on,” he announced, pulling aside the sheet and pointing to the little toe on her right foot. There was a tiny pinprick of blood. “See that?” he cried triumphantly. “Few people know this, but that’s a sure sign a dybbuk was there. These dybbuks are demons or evil spirits that possess people. And when you chase them out, you can tell because there’s a small spot of blood on the little toe of the right foot.” He gestured toward Alison’s toe. “See. There it is, in exactly the right place!”

Just then a nurse bustled in, angry and officious. “Is he ranting on about her toe again?” She frowned and pulled the sheet up to cover Alison’s legs. “That mark is from a tiny fragment of the bullet. The doctor says he’s absolutely certain of it, without any doubt. Now all of you have to leave immediately. Look at this poor girl, she’s all worn out.”