help. Then plunged ahead. “In June of 1994...” Her voice faltered. She looked at Tom and, in his eyes, found the courage to continue. “My best friend, Megan Fitzgerald, died in a car accident. I was driving. The boy in the other car died, too.”
“The cops listed him as the cause,” Tom added. “He was eighteen and dangerously intoxicated.”
Pam watched DeOreo nod, then direct his gaze to her. “But you’re not convinced?”
“I’m not sure.” She paused, swallowing hard to help keep her voice even. “I’d been drinking, too.” The sentence hung in the air like a hammer coming straight at her.
“But you weren’t drunk,” Tom chimed in. “And I don’t recall any evidence linking you and alcohol in any of the reports.”
Pam listened, praying he was right, but she couldn’t be sure. She placed the glass of water on a small table and crinkled her forehead. She tried hard to remember, but the images were so scattered and blurred.
To both men she said, “I’m certain there was beer at the party. I remember seeing the other kids drinking. And…” It killed her to say this. But she had to. Otherwise, nothing in her life would improve. “I’m pretty sure I did, too.”
“But you don’t know for sure?” DeOreo asked.
Pam shook her head. “After the crash, it took me three months to understand what had happened. I had head injuries and needed a couple of surgeries. When I finally saw the photographs of the accident and read all the reports, they didn’t make any sense to me. They didn’t seem real. It felt like it must have happened to someone else.”
Exhausted, she rested her elbows on her thighs and raked her hands through her hair. “I’ve always had this nagging feeling that something just isn’t right. Like a huge piece of the puzzle is missing.” Sitting up again, she studied the antique wall tapestries, hanging behind DeOreo’s desk.
“I’m not a martyr. I’ve read all about survivor’s guilt. That’s not why I blame myself.” Shaking her head in despair, she added, “I know it sounds crazy. Who knows? Maybe I am crazy.”
“I doubt very much that you are,” DeOreo replied, repositioning himself in the chair. “What’s happened recently to make you want to find out the truth now?”
Pam deferred to Tom to explain.
“I see,” DeOreo commented, when Tom finished. He jotted down some notes. “That’s certainly disturbing. I’m glad you notified the police.”
“The nasty call to Pam’s condo came up restricted on the caller ID,” Tom said. “Now the line is tapped. If he tries again, we should get him.”
“Good. Now then. Let’s go over some of the details Tom gave me earlier. Time, place, et cetera, so I can get an accurate picture. Then we’ll get started.”
Pam felt Tom reach for her hand. “And remember,” he whispered, peering into her frightened eyes. “No matter what, it was an accident. Nothing will change how I feel about you. We’re going to catch this person who’s bothering you and put a stop to this crap. Okay?”
Oh, how she really needed to hear him say that. And how she wanted to believe him. After a moment, she nodded to him, then to DeOreo.
It took only a few minutes to review the information needed. When they finished, DeOreo put down his pen and smiled at Pam. “Good. Settle back in the recliner and get comfortable.”
Once she was ready, he said, “Now, close your eyes and try to relax. Envision all your stress working its way toward your fingers and toes. At your command, tell it to leave your body.”
Pam did as she was instructed. She was familiar with such relaxation techniques. She’d used them, along with meditation and prayer, to help her deal with all the pain she’d experienced during rehab. Later, in college and med school, she used them again to help with her heavy course load and exams.
After a few moments, she heard DeOreo say, “I want you to tell me what you remember about June 25, 1994.”
Fighting the panic, Pam told him about the play, followed by the cast party and Jennifer Murphy’s announcement about Tom and Susan. Then, getting into the car with Megan.
“Excellent. What happened next?”
“I woke up in the hospital.”
“Fine. Now let’s go back to earlier in the day. I want you to picture yourself on stage. What was the name of the play?”
“The Sound of Music.”
Feeling herself being transferred back in time, Pam saw herself singing with Wayne Wagner, a fellow senior.
“What role did you play?”
“The captain’s eldest