All Acts Of Pleasure: A Rowan Gant Investigation Read Online Free PDF Page A

allowed them to
drop. “Yeah. Okay. She feels familiar.”
    “Mmmhmmm,” Helen pursed her lips and nodded
as she made the noise. “And, how often did you say this is
recurring?”
    “Never less than twice a night since it
started, and that was right at a week ago today. Last night was the
worst yet. I can remember waking up five times in a total panic,
but there may have been more. I’m not sure. That’s pretty much why
I called you this morning. It just keeps getting worse…Oh, and I’m
not sure if I said thanks for fitting me in by the way.”
    “Of course, Rowan,” Helen replied. “That is
never a problem.”
    “Well, I took a chance. I wasn’t sure if you
would be taking some time off after your father’s funeral or
not.”
    Her father’s recent passing had been another
of the reasons I had endured the nightmare as long as I had.
    “We all grieve in different ways, Rowan,” she
said, leaving the sentence to stand on its own as an explanation.
“Speaking of gratitude, I appreciate that Felicity and you came to
the service. I am certain that my brother did as well.”
    “It’s the least we could do…and, I’ll take
your word for it about Ben. We haven’t really spoken lately.”
    “Because of the investigation? I know he has
been very busy.”
    “That’s my guess. He hasn’t returned any of
my calls.”
    “I would not be too concerned. As I said, we
all grieve in different ways. Delving into his work is simply
Benjamin’s way.”
    “I hope you’re right,” I returned. “Either
way, thanks again for fitting me in.”
    “Well, keep this between the two of us, but
even had I taken time off, I would have managed something for you.
I have learned that when you feel the need to call me, it is not to
be taken lightly.”
    “I’ll take that as a compliment, I
think.”
    “It was, in a manner of speaking.”
    She didn’t embellish her reply and that
wasn’t unusual, so I didn’t press the point. Since I seemed to have
been moderately successful in diverting the topic from her earlier
succinct insinuation, I finally relaxed a bit. Seizing the
opportunity, I relit my cigar and puffed on it thoughtfully then
gave the business end a quick inspection to make sure the glow was
relatively even. Satisfied, I stuffed the lighter into my pocket
and leaned back against the rail.
    “So,” I spoke after an extended pause. “What
do you think about the nightmare, Doc? Anxiety? Chemical imbalance?
Or, have I finally just lost it?”
    She let out a thin “hmph” but kept her
attention focused on the cigarette in her hand. I wasn’t bothered
at all by the wordless reply because I knew it simply meant she was
still digesting everything I had been saying over the past quarter
hour. Of course, knowing her as I did, I should have realized that
it also meant I hadn’t really changed her course at all.
    After a moment, she spoke. “It is most
certainly anxiety, but you already knew that. However, the truly
important question here is ‘what do you think’, Rowan?”
    “Well, that sounds like a typical response
right out of the therapist handbook,” I commented with a
chuckle.
    She let out a small laugh as well. “Yes, I
suppose it does, but since you attempted to circumvent my earlier
observation, I am now electing to pose it to you as a direct
question.”
    “Caught that, did you?” I grunted the
question.
    “Was there any doubt that I would?” she
countered.
    “Well, I was hoping…”
    “Rowan, we both know that in your case there
is more to this nightmare than a bad horror movie or too much
anchovy pizza for a midnight snack.”
    “Now, see, I was hoping you would tell me
that’s exactly what this is.”
    “But, you know better than that, do you
not?”
    I let out a resigned sigh before I gave her
the answer. “Yes, unfortunately, I do. For one thing, I don’t watch
horror movies. I see enough of it without them.”
    “Exactly my point.”
    “Yeah, well, even so I was still hoping