Empty Eyes (Quickreads Series 1)

Saddleback eBook

EMPTY EYES

Janet Lorimer

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SERIES

1 Black Widow Beauty Danger on Ice Empty Eyes The Experiment The Kula‘i Street Knights The Mystery Quilt No Way to Run The Ritual The 75-Cent Son The Very Bad Dream

Development and Production: Laurel Associates, Inc. Cover Illustrator: Black Eagle Productions Copyright © 2002 by Saddleback Educational Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. Reproduction of any part of this book, through photocopy, recording, or any electronic or mechanical retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, is an infringement of copyright law.

Three Watson Irvine, CA 92618-2767 Website: www.sdlback.com ISBN-13: 978-1-56254-407-2 ISBN-10: 1-56254-407-1 eBook: 978-1-60291-270-0 Printed in the United States of America 11 10 09 08 07 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

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Sue had just come home from work when she heard someone knocking. On her way to the door, she caught herself reaching up to adjust her glasses. It was an old habit. She smiled when she remembered that she didn’t need to fiddle around with glasses anymore. At that moment, the front door swung open. Her husband, Brad, stood in the doorway. “Brad! What are you doing home so early?” Sue exclaimed. Brad grinned. “I’ve been home all afternoon. I just dashed off to the store. I have a surprise for you.” Sue frowned. “Oh, no, don’t tell me I forgot our anniversary!” “Nope!” Brad crossed his arms over 3

his chest. His eyes sparkled merrily. “Go ahead, you get two more guesses.” She thought for a moment. “Not my birthday. Not a national holiday. Not—” “Out of time,” Brad said, “and out of guesses!” He grabbed his wife’s hand and pulled her into the dining room. Sue drew in her breath. The table was set with her best china and silver. Glowing candles and fresh flowers decorated the center of the table. “What’s going on?” she asked. Then she snapped her fingers. “Wait! I think I know—you got a raise.” Brad looked stunned and a bit disappointed. “How did you know?” Sue laughed. “Just a lucky guess.” “I made us a great celebration dinner,” Brad went on. “And that’s just the beginning.” He reached in his pocket and handed Sue a brochure. She glanced at the front cover. Welcome to the Painted Desert Resort, it said. Count on Mesa, Arizona, for fun 4

in the sun! She squealed with delight. “You already did it? You made a reservation for us?” “I did!” Brad said, looking very proud of himself. “After all that nagging—” “Yeah, well, you did keep reminding me,” he laughed. “And I also found this brochure on my desk this morning. So . . .” His voice trailed away. “. . . it all worked out perfectly,” Sue finished his sentence. “Yeah.” He frowned a little. “I still can’t believe I got that raise. Just last week our accountants said we were looking at cutbacks. I can’t figure out—” “Oh, Brad, I’m so excited. When do we leave?” Sue cut in. “Friday after work, just as you had suggested. If we get going about—” At the same time they both smelled something burning. Brad howled as he dove into the kitchen. A minute later he returned, holding out a smoking pan of 5

badly scorched vegetables. Sue laughed at his expression. Her husband looked like he’d just lost his best friend. “I’ll make a fresh batch,” she told him. “And while I do, you can tell me what resort activities really turn you on. There are so many choices!” Over dinner, Brad asked, “Are you sure you want to go back to a place you’ve already visited? Maybe we should try a new resort.” Sue looked horrified. “Brad, no! When my boss decided to send his employees to this resort, I thought it was a crazy idea. Our company had suffered a lot of losses, just like yours. Then, something changed overnight. All of a sudden my boss said we could use a break. And, hey—he was paying the bill!” A wistful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Little did I know how good I’d feel. You’ll thank me after we’ve been there a few days.” 6

Brad sighed. “I hope you’re right. But I still think we should have chosen a resort in another state. You know—get some relief from the Arizona heat.” “There are plenty of things to do indoors,” Sue said. “We can use the exercise room, go see a movie, shop—” “Aha!” Brad grinned. “Shop? So that explains why—” Sue laughed and threw her napkin at him.

Brad and Sue left Tucson right after work on Friday. As they inched north along the highway toward Mesa, Brad started grumbling. “I was afraid of this. Look at this awful traffic! It’s bumper to bumper.” “Maybe there’s been an accident,” Sue said. “Why don’t I put in a CD? Some relaxing music ought to—” “No, no, turn on the radio!” Brad snapped at her. “Find a news station. 7

Maybe we can find out what’s causing this ridiculous traffic jam.” Saying nothing, Sue sat back and stared out the side window. After a minute Brad said, “Sorry. I guess I’m just a little on edge. You’re right. I do need a vacation.” Sue didn’t answer, so Brad stumbled on, hoping he’d say something to make her forgive him. “Hey, even shopping sounds good,” he said. “Or maybe I could do what you did and get fitted for contact lenses. It’s pretty amazing that you were able to do that at a resort.” Sue turned to him with an eager smile. “They have everything at the Painted Desert Resort! They’re really big on fitness. They have the most amazing programs and classes and—” “All of which is added onto our bill at the end of the week, right?” Brad cut in. “But I guess the idea is that you feel so good, you don’t care.” Sue sighed. “Come on, Brad, don’t be 8

so negative! It’s all part of our stay. We only pay for our meals and our room. Everything else is on the house.” Raising his eyebrows, Brad looked doubtful. “You’re kidding.” Sue shook her head. “I told you—this resort is something very special!” Brad fell silent, thinking. Sue had tried to wear contact lenses many times. But she could never find contacts that fit comfortably. Eventually, two eye doctors had told her the same thing: The nature of her vision problem made it very unlikely that she could ever wear contact lenses. And yet she’d gone to the Painted Desert Resort—and in just a week she was wearing contacts! Not only that, her contacts were a special kind that needed to be changed only once a week. She could even sleep with them! Come to think of it, Brad realized that since she’d been home, he’d never seen her without them. “Are you sure 9

that eye doctor at the resort knew what he was doing?” Brad asked suddenly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sue’s mouth tighten into a thin angry line. Brad sighed. He’d done it again. Every time the subject of the resort came up, he tensed. Maybe it was just that Sue seemed like such a different person since returning from her first visit. But he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what was so different about her. By the time they reached the resort, the sun was beginning to set. Beautiful rays of pink and orange light shot up into the sky from behind the rolling purple mountains. Brad pulled into the parking lot in front of the office. As they climbed stiffly out of the car, he said, “Good thing we stopped for dinner on the way.” The check-in counter was in the main lobby. Brad noticed that the people who worked there were all trim and tan. They wore brightly colored polo shirts and 10

white shorts. The name of the resort was stitched over the pockets of their shirts. The girl behind the check-in counter greeted them with a warm smile. Brad was struck by her gorgeous blue eyes. They were the color of Indian turquoise. In fact the girl’s eyes matched her polo shirt exactly! Brad had never seen eyes of that color. Then he realized that she was wearing contact lenses. After checking in, they went to find their room. It turned out to be a whole suite of rooms—larger and far more glamorous than their apartment in Tucson! He gave a low whistle as they walked through the suite. “You could house a small army in this place!” he exclaimed. Sue laughed. “Well, I hope you didn’t bring a small army with you—because this week is just for us.” Brad opened his suitcase and began unpacking. He carried his shaving kit into the huge bathroom and put his 11

things in an empty drawer. He called out, “Which towels do you—” His voice trailed away as he stared in the mirror that covered the entire wall over the sink. It reflected an odd-looking device on the bedroom ceiling. It was about six inches in diameter and had a glowing red center. “What the—” Brad looked straight up. Sure enough, there was a round black device embedded in the bathroom ceiling, too. At that moment, Sue came into the bathroom. “Did you—” She looked up, too. “What are you looking at?” “That thing up there,” Brad said. “What do you suppose it is?” Sue sighed in exasperation. “Oh, Brad, it’s just a smoke alarm.” “Are you sure? It’s awfully big. What’s that little red light for? And why isn’t it on the wall? It doesn’t make sense to put it on the—” Sue slammed her makeup case on 12

the counter. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Brad, stop being so paranoid!” she snapped. “And hurry up, will you? I want to take a shower!” She stormed out of the bathroom. Brad sighed. Was he really acting like an old fusspot—just looking for things to worry about? Then the tiny hairs on the back of his neck rose. For some reason he had a strange feeling that he was being watched.

That night Brad had trouble falling asleep. Sue had gone to sleep almost at once, but Brad tossed and turned. Overhead, the small red light glowed. Sue was probably right, he decided. It was only a smoke alarm. At the same time, the light looked a lot like an angry red eye. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he couldn’t. After what seemed like hours, he glanced at the bedside clock. It was 13

nearly two in the morning. Brad stifled a groan. “What’s wrong with me?” he wondered. “I need to get some rest. Sue won’t be happy if we’re not out on the tennis court first thing.” Climbing quietly out of bed, he was careful not to wake his wife. He tiptoed into the living room and glanced from the TV to the stack of magazines on the coffee table. While he tried to decide how to pass some time, he heard soft voices and footsteps outside. Brad went to the window and peered through the half-closed blinds. He saw what looked like several guests and a couple of the resort employees. He recognized the colored polo shirts. The workers were talking softly to each other, but the guests were silent. Brad strained to hear as well as see. All of a sudden, one of the guests turned his head and looked in Brad’s direction. Brad backed up fast—but not because he was afraid of being seen. He 14

was reacting to the face of the man who had looked at him! The guy’s face was deformed somehow. Brad had never seen anything so frightening and hideous. “What’s wrong with that guy?” Brad wondered. He’d only gotten a quick glimpse of the man, and it was very dark outside. But he knew that there was something terribly wrong with what he had seen. Brad dropped onto the couch, shaking with fear. “Maybe I imagined it,” he thought. He grabbed the remote, switching on the TV. In a few seconds, the normal sounds of music and laughter from an old comedy soothed him. The next thing he knew, sunlight was pouring into the room, and Sue was gently shaking his shoulder. After a hot shower and breakfast, Brad felt better. He even convinced himself that he’d imagined the man with the strangely ruined face. “Just a trick of light and shadow,” he decided. 15

Still, he didn’t feel like chasing a tennis ball or walking a golf course. “I think I’m going to swim some laps in the pool,” he told Sue. “Okay, I’ll go with you,” she said. The resort’s pool was Olympic-sized. Brad was surprised at the number of employees who were on hand to help the guests. Talk about service! “I’m going in the water,” Sue said after they had staked out two poolside recliners. “Sounds good to me,” Brad said. “I’ll join you.” He dove in and found that the water was pleasantly warm. Sue challenged him to a couple of races, which she won easily. “You are so out of shape!” she teased. “I’m going to get a ball and we’ll play some catch. You need the exercise, buddy!” “No thanks,” Brad panted. “I’m going to lie in the sun for awhile. Remember— I’m here to relax!” He dropped onto the recliner, put on 16

his dark glasses, and stretched out. A shadow came between Brad and the sun. He opened his eyes. One of the resort workers was holding out a frosty glass. “Water, sir?” the young man asked. Brad sat up and took the glass. He was quite surprised to notice that the employee wasn’t wearing dark glasses. In fact, none of the workers was. “That’s strange,” Brad thought. “This desert sun is murder on people’s eyes. I wonder why—” Then he noticed that the young man was wearing green contact lenses that matched his shirt. “Weird coincidence,” Brad thought. “Or maybe it’s a new fad with these kids.” “Can I get you anything else, sir?” Brad was startled to realize the young man was still hovering over him. Brad glanced at the name stitched on the employee’s shirt: Kurt. Kurt certainly gave good service—almost too good. “I’ve never had such good service at any hotel,” Brad thought uneasily. 17

Then he remembered that he’d be expected to tip the helpers when they checked out. Kurt was probably hoping for a big one! “Sir?” Kurt said again, leaning closer. “Is anything wrong?” “Uh, no, I’m fine,” Brad said with a small laugh. “I’m just a little spacy today. I didn’t sleep too well last night.” “Maybe you’d like a massage,” Kurt said. “That would relax you. We have trained massage therapists on duty.” Brad thought for a moment. “That’s not a bad idea,” he said. After telling Sue where he was going, Brad followed Kurt to the main building. They entered a cool, dark hallway. Brad realized he felt sweaty, and his skin smelled of chlorine from the pool. “Maybe I should go back to my room and take a quick shower first,” he said. Kurt smiled. “You can shower after your physical exam,” he said. Brad backed up. “Now hold on,” he 18

said. “What’s this about an exam? I thought I came in here to get a massage.” “Yes, sir,” Kurt replied. “But all our guests get a physical first. We wouldn’t want you to have a heart attack while you were getting a massage.” Brad frowned. “I don’t think—” “It’s legal protection for the resort, sir,” Kurt explained patiently. “Our insurance requires it—you understand.” After thinking it over for a moment, Brad reluctantly went with him. The physical took very little time. “You need to lose some weight,” the doctor said with a grin. “And tone up your muscles. I bet you already knew that. We have a great exercise program here. I’ll let the restaurant know you’re in a fitness program. Our chefs are truly world class. You won’t believe that your gourmet meals are lean and healthy.” Brad showered and returned for his massage. The therapist began to work on his upper back. “Your muscles are 19

painfully tight,” she told him. “Relax.” Brad sighed. “Sorry. I guess it’s my job. It’s pretty stressful and—” His voice trailed away as he became aware of the soft music playing in the background. Then the lights dimmed. The therapist’s fingers seemed to be working some kind of magic. Bit by bit, Brad could feel himself relax. After a few minutes the tightness in his neck had nearly melted away. “Concentrate on your breathing,” the therapist told him. “Don’t think about anything else. Breathe in—” The next thing Brad knew, he was waking up on the massage table. The therapist was gone. Brad blinked and looked at the clock. He’d slept for several hours! He hoped Sue wouldn’t be upset with him for being gone for so long. On the other hand, he felt great. “What on earth was I being so paranoid about?” he thought. “There’s a simple explanation for everything that’s been 20

bothering me. Now I understand how Sue could come home from this resort feeling so relaxed. I haven’t felt this good in years. And I still have the rest of the week to get in better shape.” Brad got dressed and headed out to find Sue. All of a sudden, he realized that he was striding along very rapidly. “Hey, what’s the hurry?” he scolded himself. “I’m on vacation!” Lunch was delicious. Brad discovered that he was enjoying every bite. And he wasn’t gulping his food as he usually did. “You were right, Sue,” he said. “I just need to learn to relax. This place is really great. By the end of the week, I’ll be a totally different person.”

The next few days slipped by quickly. Brad slept like the proverbial log. Each morning he woke up feeling refreshed. He noticed that he was losing 21

the paunch he’d gotten from sitting behind a desk. At the same time, he was also developing new strength in his arms and legs. One afternoon Brad was lounging by the pool when he noticed clouds forming over the mountains. He wondered if Mesa was in for some rain. “Think I’ll go inside and catch some weather news,” he decided. On his way back to the suite, he realized that he hadn’t watched much TV since they’d arrived. “Guess I was just having too much fun,” he thought with a grin. “But maybe I should find out what’s going on in the world. After all, we only have a couple of days left.” Back in their suite, he dropped onto the couch and grabbed the remote. The first channel was showing an aerobics class. The second channel had a program on flower arranging. The next one was showing an old movie. Brad flipped through the rest of the 22

channels, but he couldn’t find any news. That was odd! He knew there were a number of channels that broadcast national and international news 24 hours a day. Brad switched off the TV. Maybe he could buy a local paper in the lobby. As he headed for the main building, he noticed a crowd of new guests checking in. Brad smiled to himself. A few days in the resort and they’d feel better than they could imagine! He glanced about the lobby, but he didn’t see any newspapers. Then he remembered the car radio. He could pick up news that way. Better yet, he could drive a mile or so down the road to buy a newspaper at a convenience store. Brad headed toward the parking lot. He was startled when he heard someone calling out his name. Then he saw Kurt beckoning to him. Brad turned back. Kurt seemed upset. “Where are you going, sir?” he asked. 23

“Just out to get a newspaper,” Brad said cheerfully. “We’d be happy to get one for you,” Kurt said. “Why don’t you go back to your suite, and I’ll—” “That’s okay,” Brad cut in. “I figured I’d go for a short drive, too. This is my first visit to Mesa. I thought I’d just cruise around town. You know—kind of get a feel for the place.” Kurt was getting more and more upset. “I think your wife is looking for you,” the young man stammered. “You don’t want her to worry about you.” “Just tell her I’ll be back in half an hour,” Brad said. “You’ll be late for dinner, sir,” Kurt said in a mildly scolding tone. Brad glanced at his watch. “No, I won’t. There’s lots of time—” Then a sudden feeling of dread came over him. “I haven’t felt stressed in days,” Brad thought uneasily. “And what’s up with Kurt? He looks like he’s on the 24

verge of a panic attack or something.” Brad spotted several other workers heading toward him from the lobby. He tensed. Was it his imagination, or were they were coming to help Kurt stop him? “This is crazy!” Brad thought. Why would they want to stop him from going for a drive? He wasn’t sure he wanted to ask. Instead he nodded. “Okay, Kurt, I guess you’re right,” Brad said. “It is getting kind of late.” Kurt sighed with relief. “Thank you, sir. I’m going your way. I’ll be happy to walk you back to your rooms.” “Oh, I know the way,” Brad said in a casual tone. He started to walk toward the buildings, but at the last moment he spun about and sprinted toward his car. Too late, he remembered that the car was locked! There was no time to unlock it and still make a quick getaway. He swerved toward the street. As fit as Brad felt, he was no match for the resort workers. Before he reached 25

the sidewalk, they were on him. Brad struggled and tried to yell for help. But then someone clapped some kind of a cloth over his nose and mouth. First, Brad smelled a strong chemical odor— and then everything went black.

The next thing Brad knew, he was waking up in a dark room. The air was cold, and he found that he was sitting on the floor. He struggled to sit up, but his head ached and his mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. “Where—?” he wondered. Then it all started to come back to him. Brad slowly climbed to his feet and glanced around. He seemed to be in some kind of supply closet. But there was a door at one end of the room! It was too much to hope that it was unlocked, but Brad tried anyway. No luck. Glancing around, he saw a window high over a wall of bookcases. “If I can 26

climb up those shelves,” Brad thought, “maybe I can get out that way.” While he climbed, Brad kept asking himself the same questions. What had gotten into Kurt and the other workers? Why would they want to stop him from leaving the resort? After Sue’s first visit, they’d let her leave the resort to go home. What did he have that Sue didn’t have? Then chills raced down his spine. Maybe it was the other way around. Maybe it was what he didn’t have— contact lenses! The mystery of Sue’s new lenses had bothered him from the day she came home. That, and the way she’d nagged him about coming to the resort. Brad finally reached the top shelf and pushed at the window. It was hard to open, but at last he got the glass up. Luckily, there was no screen. Brad peered out cautiously. The window looked out over the side of the building. And now that it was dark, the area seemed deserted. 27

Brad lowered himself out the window and dropped to the ground. He landed with a soft thud and then crouched, glancing around quickly. No one came running. Sue! He had to get to her—to save her, if he could! He hoped it wasn’t too late. It all seemed clear to him now. The only reason she’d been allowed to come home was to get him to the resort. Then he thought about her co-workers and her boss. And his boss! He thought about all the people that he’d seen today checking into the resort. A lot of people were being lured to this place every day! But Brad couldn’t figure it out. What was the mystery behind this place? Brad finally reached the building where he and Sue were staying. He peered cautiously around the corner and saw that the walkway was empty. Slipping along the wall, he tried to stay in the shadows. When he reached their suite, he saw that the lights were out. 28

He slid in his key card, listening for the soft click as the door unlocked. Then Brad opened the door carefully and looked around. Where was Sue? Light was shining around the edge of the bathroom door. He rapped softly. “Sue? Are you in there?” “Brad?” Thank God! Her voice sounded okay, so maybe— He pulled the door open and saw her. Sue was bent over the counter, toweling her hair dry. “Sue!” Brad cried out as he stepped into the bathroom. “Honey, listen to me. We’ve got to—” But Sue didn’t look up. She acted as if she didn’t hear him. Then suddenly he heard footsteps pounding down the walkway. But how— He remembered the glowing red eyes. The devices on the ceilings weren’t smoke detectors. They were hidden cameras! That must be how the resort 29

workers had found him so quickly. Brad heard the click of the door being unlocked. He could hardly breathe. Time had run out. He glanced wildly about the room. There must be something he could use as a weapon! Several workers crowded into the doorway, blocking his escape. Kurt stepped to the front of the group. He was clearly the leader of the pack. Brad was desperate for some kind of weapon. He grabbed the first thing he saw on the counter—Sue’s sharp nail file. He held it up threateningly. “I’m warning you to stay away from us!” he roared. He backed up to the counter, glaring at the workers. “Put it down!” Kurt barked. “There’s no way out of here. Be reasonable, Brad. Face it—you can’t escape.” Brad’s eyes narrowed in fury. “Maybe not,” he thought to himself, “but I’m sure going to put up a good fight.” But the 30

first thing he needed was information. “Who are you people?” he demanded.

“Not who—what,” Kurt said with a cold smile. “You people call us extraterrestrials. We’re from a solar system in a distant galaxy. We’ve come here to collect slaves to work in the mines on our home planet. “We program the humans we’ve enslaved to bring us more slaves,” Kurt said. “Your wife has been under our control since her first visit to the resort. Tonight she will be transported to our home planet. Then, after a brief—uh— treatment, you will be fitted with contact lenses and sent back to Tucson. There you will recruit more people to come to the resort.” “What treatment?” Brad demanded. “And what’s with the contact lenses?” “The contact lenses were especially designed for this mission,” Kurt said. 31

“While you are still here, the contacts allow you to see—and they keep you programmed to obey us.” Brad shook his head, still trying to understand what Kurt was getting at. “Allow me to see?” he asked. As if he could read Brad’s thoughts, Kurt grinned. “The mines are dark,” he said. “Our slaves don’t need to see. All they need is the strength to dig.” Suddenly the memory of the guest with the strangely deformed face came back to Brad. He glanced in horror at Sue just as she raised her head and the towel fell away. His screams were drowned out by the aliens’ cruel laughter. Sue had taken out her contact lenses. Instead of her beautiful blue eyes, there were two dead black holes. Empty eyes!

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