Insomnia

Chapter 19: Truths and Lies

It felt weird to follow Mia around and try to make sure she didn't see me for a change, but I didn't know how else to find people to add to our list of suspects. Finn and I were parked across the street from the Green Leaf Medical Office Complex . . . for the fourth time. It had been almost an hour since we'd watched Mia walk inside. A plaque beside the door read, Dr. Clive G. Freeburg CHt—Freeburg Hypnotherapy Clinic. 

The wide window beside the front door of the clinic still had a few fake spider webs and miniature dancing skeletons decorating the corners, even though Halloween was more than a week ago. But at least it gave us a clear view of the reception desk and waiting area. From what we'd seen, there was no receptionist, just a heavy older man with a thin silver mustache and wire-rimmed glasses who opened the door for Mia when she arrived. His bald head shone in the fading sunlight, and he had a band of salt-and-pepper hair just above his ears. He always led her through a door to the right side. He was the only person we ever saw at the office. It was an easy bet that he was Dr. Freeburg. 

Movement inside caught my attention and I watched Mia walk out the door with the therapist just behind her. They talked for a minute in the doorway. His hand rested on her shoulder, but as she spoke he slid it back and forth on her arm in a way that made me uncomfortable. He often stood a little too close to her in the first place, but this contact was just . . . something was up with this guy. Mia smiled and laughed, oblivious, but the way he was watching her reminded me of a guy on a diet hanging out at an endless dessert bar. 

Finn yawned. "I don't know what hypnotherapy is, exactly, but this guy must be doing something that is helping her." 

"Well, she definitely seems to be in a better mood after her appointments." 

"It's good. That first time, when she came out sobbing?" Finn frowned and shook his head. "There's just something about girls crying, man. I'm not a fan." 

"Still, I think we need to put him on the list." I picked up the paper and scribbled in his name. It had a grand total of six suspects now: Thor, Jeff, Chad, Mr. Sparks, Matt (who we added after he took Mia out to a movie last week), and Dr. Freeburg. 

Six—and none of them really seemed like an obviously threatening stalker type. If this were a game of Clue, we'd be getting our butts kicked. 

"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Freeburg should get his own freaky list if you ask me." 

Finn turned my car on and pulled into traffic, a few carlengths behind Mia's truck. 

"Agreed." 

I propped my elbow up on the door and turned to Finn. Something had been bothering me, but I'd hoped we'd find answers fast so I wouldn't have to bring it up. That didn't seem to be happening, though. "Mia really seems sure I'm the one sending the e-mails." 

"Well, you were acting pretty creeptastic for a while there." Finn didn't even take his eyes off the road. 

"I know." I watched her purple pickup a few cars ahead and frowned. "But what if there's more to it than that?" 

Now Finn glanced over at me. "Like?" 

"I don't know." I shook my head. "It just seems like she knows it. Maybe it says something in the e-mail?" 

"Why would someone want to make it sound like it was you?" 

"Exactly what I've been wondering." Turning away, I rested my forehead against the window. "And more importantly, who would want to do that to me?" 

Finn didn't respond, but when I looked over, I saw him tugging on his ear. He was thinking it over. That was all I could ask. 

We followed Mia until she pulled into her subdivision, just to make sure she was heading home. Finn glanced at me and drove into a nearby driveway to turn the car around. I rubbed my eyes against the light of the setting sun. It felt so good to close them, so necessary. Two weeks had passed since Mia's first nightmare and there hadn't been even a hint of her peaceful dreams since. I craved them, both mentally and physically.