Chapter Eighteen
Rollie held Daniel tightly. He didn't like the weakness he was seeing in his twin. Maybe it was the drugs they had given him to keep him quiet on his way to the island. Maybe it was something else. All he really knew at the moment was that he didn't like it and it was another strike against Them. He hugged Daniel again. Leaving one arm wrapped tightly around the younger man, Rollie reached for the phone behind the bar. He didn't think Alex would mind and it was a local call. The minister decided he shouldn't try to explain anything on the phone, so it was simply a matter of convincing Ruby of the need to close the store for a bit and join them at the Widow's Walk. It didn't take much convincing though. He could practically feel the curiosity in Ruby Valdez. He hung up satisfied that mother and daughter would be there in short order. He hoped it didn't take the others too long to get here. He wondered if hunger had something to do with the way Daniel was acting. It wouldn't surprise him. He could eat just about anything, but considering the circumstances Daniel had been in, Rollie thought he might have trouble finding an appetite too. Add a suspicion that any food might be drugged and... He hid a shudder as he thought of all the things that could have been done to his twin.
"Alex!" Molly ran up to her best friend and boss, breathless with excitement.
"Molly? What's up?" Something had to be going on, the redhead thought keeping one eye on the fisherman loading fish into the back of her pickup. She didn't think she had ever seen Molly Brewster this excited and... Scared?
Molly's hands waved as if she was sending semaphore to one of the boats. "It's Daniel!" She gulped and shook her head. "I am sooo confused! Daniel's twin wants you to come to the Widow's Walk so he can explain."
"Explain what? Daniel has a twin?!" Alex looked totally confused. Normally Molly was level headed and totally reliable. Get her really excited however and...
A little hmmhmm sound escaped Molly's closed mouth. "Yeah. Alex, it's really weird. Daniel's twin knew who I was and I don't think Daniel did. It's... It's like the Twilight Zone or Outer Limits or something. And it's really, really weird!"
Alex mulled over Molly's words for a moment. She felt fear squeeze her heart as she thought about Daniel and hoped the gentle minister was all right. Dylan would be heartbroken if something happened to Daniel Cooper. Who was this 'twin' and what did he want to explain? What was wrong with Daniel?!? "Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's get back to the Widow's Walk, Mol!"
Molly headed for the passenger side door as Alex reached to open the driver's side. She froze with her hand on the handle. "Oh! I have to tell Kevin! He wants Kevin there too." She stared at the other woman with wide blue eyes.
"Okay, so we pick up Kevin on the way," Alex replied. The two women quickly piled inside the cab of the pickup. It didn't even take a minute to reach the Hope Island Police Station. Alex glanced at Molly. "You want to get ..." Molly was gone before she even finished her sentence. "... him?" She sighed deeply and tried not to fidget while she waited impatiently.
"Kevin! You have to come to the Widow's Walk," Molly called as she ran inside. She stood in the doorway, waiting for her boy friend to move.
The thin redhaired man rose from his chair, his blue eyes anxious as he heard Molly's words. His hand instinctively touched his gun. "Why Molly? What's happened? Has there been a crime?" Kevin Mitchum was, first and foremost, a cop and the son of a cop. He took his duties as Hope Island's sole law enforcement officer very seriously.
Molly shook her head as he approached her and grabbed his arm. "Daniel's twin wants to explain!"
Twin? "Explain what? Molly!" Kevin allowed himself to be dragged out by the woman he loved in total bewilderment.
Boris stormed through town. The longer it was taking him to find the Mayor and Nub, the more anxious he became. Where were they? He had already checked Brian Brewster's office and the general store and he wasn't sure where else to look. Every time he turned around to ask one of the islanders they had run off in the opposite direction. He stood brooding in the middle of the road, thinking hard. Where could the Mayor and Nub be? It wasn't time for the ferry so they shouldn't be at the docks. Brewster Estates? Perhaps. How was he to check? He had to get back to the Widow's Walk! There was no telling what this Rollie might be doing.
Kenny walked by. "Hello Boris Oblensky." He smiled shyly at the bigger man.
"Kenny! Do you know where Mayor and Nub are? Boris must find! Very important!" Boris shifted anxiously from foot to foot as his sometime Trivial Pursuit partner pondered the question. Kenny had a fantastic memory which greatly assisted Boris in trouncing his opponents in a nail biting competition. While the smaller man might be mentally challenged, he remembered every movie he had ever seen clearly. Kenny was actually quite a connoisseur of movies and possessed a wealth of information about movies and everything connected with them. This had been a great asset to the Russian who didn't know nearly enough about American pop culture.
Kenny nodded thoughtfully. "I saw Nub working near the boat house."
"Boris thanks you! Must hurry! Moosh, moosh! Rollie make big announcement. I think it is about Daniel."
Kenny watched bemused as the big Russian ran away. He shrugged and turned his thoughts back to the hardy flowers he was planning on planting in the town's park. He wanted it to look beautiful for Christmas. It was his job to make it beautiful. He walked on, feeling very proud to possess a job of his own. Thanks to Daniel Cooper! He liked Daniel Cooper. His last name always made him think of Gary Cooper, one of his favorite actors. Perhaps he should find out about this announcement? He thought about that. Who was Rollie? Where was this announcement to be? Kenny hoped Boris would stop by and tell him. After all, it was about his friend, Daniel Cooper. And it must be important if Mayor Brian Brewster had to be there.
The approaching storm that was Boris quickly approached the unsuspecting pair. There were no warnings. One moment things were all clear and the next... Clamp! One large hand wrapped tightly around Brian Brewster's right arm. "Quickly! Moosh! Moosh!" The Russian proceeded to drag the hapless mayor back toward the heart of town, angling for the tavern.
"Wha--at?! Boris! What are you?!?" Brian sputtered helplessly. "Let go of me!"
Boris ignored the request to let go and walked even faster. He called over his shoulder, "Nub! Come! Moosh!"
Nub Flanders stood with his mouth hanging open, watching with huge blue eyes. When he didn't follow fast enough for the Russian, he caught a warning flash in the big man's eyes. With a gulp, he ran to catch up. He didn't know what was going on, but he didn't want to find himself dragged through town like Brian. He knew Boris was fully capable of doing just that. As they passed the town park, Kenny dropped his hoe and joined the small procession, moving with quick, little steps.
The various forces converged at the steps leading up to the Widow's Walk. Bedlam reigned under the fascinated gaze of a seagull.
"Alex! Tell this--this man mountain to unhand me!" Brian demanded, even as he was dragged up the steps.
"Not now, Brian," the redhead exclamed as she rushed up the stairs and brushed by. Her heart hammered anxiously as wild thoughts about what was going on flitted through her head.
Spotting Kevin, Mayor Brewster decided on a different tack. "Arrest this man, Officer Mitchum!"
"Later Brian," came the policeman's response as he was dragged by his girlfriend after Alex.
Despairing, he looked at Ruby and Bonita as they scurried to follow the others. He opened his mouth, then closed it. "Oh, what's the use?" Resigned to whatever was going on, he stopped fighting Boris' pull and went with the flow of the tide and the drag of the storm.
They surged into the Widow's Walk and came to a crashing halt. Eyes bulged as they took in the sight of two Daniel Coopers. Molly and Boris pushed forward, bringing the others with them.
"Oh good, you're here." Rollie Tyler said, his Australian accent more pronounced as his nervousness increased.
You could have heard a pin drop as the strange, unfamiliar tones seeped into the minds of the watching islanders.