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No one in Haven forgets anything, but they don’t remember anything either. Audrey’s time is spent this way: two steps forward, one step sideways, a shuffle backwards, and then forward again. She’s caught in a never ending loop of Trouble and obstruction, but she’s never been happier.
She’s not sure what she’ll do when it ends: when she finally knows the Colorado Kid story; when the Troubles are over; when the older generation finally starts talking instead of doling out clues like cookie crumbs; when she knows who she and Lucy are. It’s a lot to take in, and best approached in small, definite steps.
The door creaks open, a warm chocolate smell wafting past as Mrs Kosic pokes her head out.
“Mrs Kosic,” Audrey asks, holding up her badge despite being off duty. “My name is Audrey Parker. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
Mrs Kosic nods, the curlers in her hair wobbling precariously. “Come in,” she says, and steps back to open the door for Audrey. “Has something happened to Joe?”
“No. Not at all. I’m sorry if I worried you.”
Photos line the hall. Dozens and dozens of eyes follow Audrey as she walks behind Mrs Kosic to the living room; all of the people were captured in the middle of laughing and smiling. There’s an overwhelming cheeriness to it all.
Mrs Kosic waves Audrey at a chair. “So if it isn’t Joe, what is it you want to talk to me about?
This is almost an old routine now. Audrey pulls the newspaper scan from her file and hands it to Mrs Kosic. “Is that you in the back of the photo?”
Mrs Kosic rummages about on the table for a moment before pushing a pair of glasses over her eyes. The page rustles quietly as the paper shakes in her hand. “My sister,” she says quietly. “I haven’t seen her since 1987. She wasn’t the same after that day.”
“I’m sorry.” Audrey’s been saying that a lot lately, the Troubles have left a swathe of sad stories in their path. “Did she tell you anything about it afterwards?” She stops there. It’s not professional to beg and she wants to hang on to her dignity for a little while longer. Badgering people won’t solve the mystery of Lucy any faster, no matter how many fingers and toes she secretly crosses.
“Not a word. I asked her what happened and she said she didn’t remember a thing. How someone forgets an entire afternoon, I’ll never know, but all she ever said was that she didn’t remember.”
Mrs Kosic holds the paper out and Audrey takes it; looking at it is compulsive, she already knows it like the inside of her eyelids.
“Such a sad thing,” Mrs Kosic says, wiping discreetly at her cheek. “Why are you asking?”
Audrey points. “I think this woman is my mother. I’m trying to find people who might know her, or where she is.” This time the paper shakes in her hand, but it only flutters for a moment. The number of people in the picture is limited and there aren’t many left to find now, but one of them will know enough to send her on the right track. And if they don’t, someone else will. If there’s one thing she’s learnt from the FBI and Haven, it’s that someone always knows something.
“Oh. Well then, I’m particularly sorry I can’t tell you anything useful.” Mrs Kosic stands and smiles brightly, the moment very deliberately broken. “Let me pack some cookies up for you to take home. They’re fresh from the oven.”
“That would be great.” Audrey smiles as her phone begins to ring. “Audrey Parker,” she answers while once more following Mrs Kosic through her home. This time into a kitchen that smells like heaven.
“Audrey? It’s Nathan.”
“Hi, Nathan. I can’t come to work right now, I’m in heaven and it smells too good to leave.”
Nathan’s chuckle echoes from her phone and Mrs Kosic smiles at Audrey. “That’s too bad. I guess I’m going to have to check out this impossible robbery all on my own.”
“Define impossible robbery.”
“The thief would have needed rubber arms to reach the item stolen.”
“Huh.” Audrey pretends to think about it for a second. “All right. Where do I meet you?”
Nathan rattles off the details and Audrey promises to be there as soon as she can before ending the call. Mrs Kosic is waiting with a small cardboard box in her outstretched hand.
“Was that Nathan Wournos,” she asks.
“Yes. Do you know him?” It’s a silly question, Audrey knows, the sort of small talk she falls into more often these days. Everyone knows everyone in Haven, even when they don’t.
“Oh yes,” Mrs Kosic says. “Is he still friends with Duke Crocker?”
Audrey doesn’t know whether to smile or grimace and her expression ends up somewhere in the middle. “I don’t think they’ve ever been friends, but I think they hate each other less now.”
Mrs Kosic presses another box into Audrey’s hands. “Those two were thick as thieves when they were young. I’d always see them laughing together, looking like they were ready for mischief the way only teenage boys can. Give those cookies to Nathan and tell him I said hello.”
Not wanting to contradict Mrs Kosic, or imply that her memory is faulty, Audrey nods and takes the extra box. “Thank you, Mrs Kosic.” Audrey waves the boxes through the air. “For these, and for answering my questions.”
“I’m just sorry I couldn’t be more help.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Audrey says, “I’ll find some answers eventually. I just need to be patient.”
<><><>
“I can’t believe it was a monkey!”
Nathan is laughing at her. He’s been laughing at her for the last ten minutes. “How long have you been in Haven now? You should know that it’s never what we expect.”
Audrey’s still trying to fix her hair and shirt where the monkey pulled on them for what seemed to be pure enjoyment and no other reason, except maybe to smear the gunk on its hands all over her. “A man with rubbery arms, someone who could liquefy themselves, telekinesis! Any of these would have occurred to me ahead of a monkey.”
“You shouldn’t have such a closed mind, Agent Parker,” Nathan admonishes with an offensive wagging finger and a wicked grin. “Anything is possible.”
They’ve reached the car, but Audrey doesn’t have a spare shirt today. “Give me a ride home, Wournos, and I’ll give you delicious cookies.”
“Cookies? Don’t tell me you’ve been baking; I won’t believe it for a second.”
Audrey laughs. “You have me pegged, I abhor baking.” She’s trying to wipe at the stuff transferred from the monkey’s hands to her shirt, but it won’t budge. The smell is more offensive by the second. “They’re from Mrs Kosic – she says hello, by the way. I forgot to give them to you yesterday.”
“Ah,” Nathan says. “Heaven. I understand now. Mrs Kosic’s baking is a legendary, but well kept secret. Your bribery has been successful. I really want to eat cookies right now.”
“Unfortunately for you, they’re at my place. You know, she said you and Duke used to be friends.” Audrey scrunches up her nose. “And I don’t know how you can possibly think about eating after what that monkey threw around. The smell is going to be up my nose for days.”
“She’s wrong. We were never friends. And I have a cast iron stomach.” Nathan is laughing at her again. “I never would have expected you to be this prissy about a monkey.”
“I am not prissy. It was throwing crap, Nathan. And now that crap is in my hair and on my shirt.” Audrey’s skin crawls a little as she tugs at her shirt, trying to keep it away from her skin. She forces herself to be still. “I could always come back to the station now. Write up the reports before I go home and shower...”
Nathan’s nose wrinkles. “No, no. It’s fine. Cookies are a reasonable exchange, and I’d prefer not smell monkey crap for the rest of the afternoon.”
“I still don’t understand where it all came from. That monkey was small. Someone needs to look at its diet. That wasn’t natural.”
“Since when are things in Haven natural?”
“Point,” Audrey says. “Drive faster and I’ll give you the rest of my cookies too.”
Nathan laughs some more, but the truck speeds up.
<><><>
The next morning Audrey’s pillow buzzes. Audrey flaps her hand around, feeling around for the phone tucked underneath it and then holds it to her ear before remembering to actually answer the call. It’s Duke.
“Audrey. I don’t care what you’re doing, but you need to get down to my boat in the next five minutes or I’m not going to be held accountable for my actions. I know a lot of strange things happen in this town, but this has gone beyond strange and moved directly into disturbing and life threatening!”
She's awake in a heartbeat, but still not happy about it. “Duke, if you aren’t being held hostage and taken out to sea again, I’m going to be really pissed.”
“I’m not a hostage. Except maybe I am.” Duke groans. “Just get down here Audrey.”
“Now!” A voice shouts in the background.
Audrey sits up. “Is that Nathan?”
“Yes!” Nathan shouts. “Please get down here before someone ends up dead. I’m estimating twenty minutes at the outside.”
Something clunks. All Audrey can hear now are the distinct sounds of a scuffle and grunting. She hangs up without bothering to say another word. There's no way Nathan or Duke would hear her.
<><><>
The scene at Duke’s is...ordinary. There are a couple of extra chairs on the deck, but everything else looks the same as usual.
Nonetheless, Audrey draws her gun and steps on deck cautiously. She takes each step slowly; sneaking is better than bumbling into the unknown. And it is unknown. Neither Duke or Nathan are prone to panic, so whatever prompted Duke’s call, Audrey knows it isn’t going to be good.
Everything is quiet as she steps inside. It’s almost too quiet. Even the air feels still, like it’s waiting for something. Audrey moves on; there’s no sign of Duke or Nathan in the living area.
When she peers through the bedroom door, she nearly drops her gun.
Duke and Nathan are sitting side by side on Duke’s bed. They’re so close together Audrey can’t see light between them. The covers are dishevelled. There’s a lamp half hanging off the bedside table. All that’s keeping it in place is the taut cord connected to the wall.
“Well,” Audrey says as she pushes the door wide open. “This is not what I was expecting at all.”
Expressions flicker across both of their faces too quickly for any of them to make sense. Audrey chuckles to herself when they both settle on almost identical expressions of intense frustration.
“Aren’t you going to say something,” Audrey asks. “Or at least jump apart like teenagers caught making out?” This is all probably going to turn bad in a matter of seconds, but for now she’s having fun.
They both start talking at the same time.
“I don’t know what he did this time, but it’s Duke, so I’m sure it was something.”
“If this is the Troubles... What am I saying, of course it’s the Troubles.”
“Stop!” Audrey holds up a hand. “One at a time.” She points at Nathan. “You first. And stop rolling your eyes at me, Duke. I’m failing to see the problem here.”
Duke rolls his eyes very deliberately at her and Nathan sighs.
“Audrey. How many arms and legs do you count between me and Duke?”
Audrey stuffs her gun back in its holster and counts. Then she does it again. And again. “One of you move.”
They stare at her for a second. Then Nathan moves to his right and Duke moves to his left. Only they don’t go anywhere. Well, their heads move enough that Audrey can see the muscles in their necks straining and the veins popping, but that’s about it.
“What the hell happened?”
“Excellent question Audrey.” Nathan’s deadpan is never far away. “I, for one, would love to know where my other leg and arm are.” He waves his right hand over towards where the left should be. “And I’m feeling quite confident that Duke feels the same way.”
Duke nods vigorously. “Damn right, I do.”
Audrey thinks her brain might be a little stuck. “So you’re like conjoined twins now? Instantaneous conjoined twins from different parents.” She sits on the bed next to Duke, resisting the urge to poke them. It’s simultaneously fascinating and disturbing.
“Nathan?”
“Yes?”
“I saw you yesterday and you had two arms and legs.”
“I did.”
“And I imagine Duke also had two arms and legs yesterday.”
Duke snorts. “Yes.”
Audrey looks at the bed behind her. “Are you sure there’s nothing you need to tell me? Did Nathan spend the night here?” She holds up her hands, palms out. “I won’t judge, I promise. But maybe you guys did something and now you’re...merged because of it?”
Their response is indignant and in unison. “No!”
“Okay. Okay,” Audrey says. “Not another word about that, I swear. So when did this happen exactly?”
“We woke up this way this morning,” Duke says and the hand they share swings out and smacks Nathan in the face. “Sorry, sorry. I forgot.” He winces and folds his left hand in his lap.
Nathan shrugs his shoulder. “It takes some getting used to.”
“No kidding.”
Audrey’s up and pacing in front of the bed. “This is clearly a Trouble thing. So I wonder what the point is?” She’s mostly talking to herself.
“There is no point.” Duke’s not yelling, but he may as well be. “It’s just this stupid, crazy town fucking with our lives again.”
Nathan’s shaking his head. “Audrey’s right. There’s usually a reason for all the weird things that happen, a person who wants something or someone who’s been upset. We just have to find out who they are and what they want and then fix it. Sooner rather than later.”
Audrey stops. “Duke. Is there anyone in particular unhappy with you at the moment? Maybe someone who thinks you should be turned in for some less than proper activities?”
Duke frowns at her. “No. And I can’t go around telling you about my business. I have a reputation to maintain. One that’s based on discretion.”
“So you’re okay with being attached to Nathan for the long term?”
“No.”
“Audrey!”
Audrey can’t help it. She giggles. The expressions on their faces have tipped her over the edge and the giggles keep escaping no matter how hard she tries to keep them in. Before long she’s laughing from her belly. The whole situation is ludicrous.
When she finally looks up they’re both glaring at her.
“I know,” she says. “This is serious, and I’m sorry I laughed, but I can’t think of two people more suited to spend their lives together. Really.”
“Enough with the sarcasm, Parker,” Nathan says. “How about a bit of that compassion I see you use every day?”
Audrey sits on the floor. “You’re right. Sorry. Again.”
Nathan smiles at her, the corners of his mouth barely curling up. “Why don’t we work through this methodically? Duke, take us through your day yesterday.”
Duke slumps slightly, the curl of his shoulders bringing Nathan with him. "I don’t really have any choice here, do I?”
<><><>
It takes almost an hour for Duke and Nathan to run through their days and for all of them to pick over them for clues. Audrey thinks there are a couple of decent leads, but they won’t know until they talk to some people. She stands up. “I think we should talk to Brian Winshaw first. He has the most to gain if Duke’s out of the way.”
Nathan nods. “I agree. Then Caroline West.” He shifts forward and tries to stand. There’s a moment where nothing happens, then Duke moves as well. They lurch towards Audrey, arms flailing, but pull themselves together at the critical moment and manage to steady themselves.
Audrey looks at them for a moment. “I think maybe I should take this one, guys. Seeing you might freak people out and slow things down. Besides, I’m getting pretty good at spotting the Troubled now.”
Duke and Nathan look at each other, and it’s interesting, Audrey thinks, that they manage to communicate so well without words. For all their animosity Nathan and Duke seem to connect on a fundamental level. It’s everything on top that gets in the way.
“Okay,” Nathan says. “We’ll stay here and see if we can come up with anything else.”
“Maybe you can call your dad? Ask if there’s any history of people being...fused.”
Nathan nods again.
“All right,” Audrey says. “I’ll keep you updated. Call me if you think of anything, and please try not to do any bodily harm to yourselves or each other.”
They try to walk her out, but their coordination is worse than a four year old in their first three-legged race. They make it as far as the sofa and wave pathetically as she leaves.
<><><>
Winshaw is a bust. And so are West, Rogers, Inglis and Slater. There isn’t so much as a whiff of Troubles around any of them and Audrey has probed as hard as she dares.
With every call to the boat Nathan and Duke are becoming more and more despondent. Audrey doesn’t think they’re going to take her next call well, but then inspiration strikes.
“Duke,” she says when he answers.
“Audrey?” His voice lilts up with hope. “Was it Marshall? Have you worked out how to fix us?”
Audrey flinches and shakes her head even though he can’t see. “No, but I think we’re on the wrong track. We’ve been looking at it back to front. What if it’s not someone that’s out for revenge? What if it’s someone who wants the best for you?”
“Then I’d say they have a funny way of showing it.”
“Think about it,” Audrey says. “Who worries about you being on the wrong side of the law?”
Duke grunts down the line. “And why is it me and not Nathan that’s the target?”
“Why would someone want Nathan to be more like you?”
“Maybe they think he needs to chill out a little; remove the stick from his ass, so to speak.” There’s a thud and then Duke says, “No hitting until we have two arms again. You promised.”
“Think, Duke,” Audrey says to bring him back on track. “And have Nathan think too. We need to cover all angles.”
Audrey hears some muttering in the background and then Nathan is speaking.
“We need to wrap this up quickly,” he says. “I can call in sick for one day, maybe two, before Dad gets suspicious or someone tries to bring me soup.”
Audrey’s nodding along. He’s completely right. “You’re right,” she says. “And I’ve spent most of today going in circles.”
“Talk to Julia,” Duke shouts. “She gave me the ‘I’m disappointed in how you’ve turned out’ speech.”
“Do you really think it’s Julia?” Audrey’s sceptical, but she’s already running through the possibility in her mind. “Eleanor didn’t show any signs of being Troubled, but I guess anything’s possible.”
Nathan makes some sort of squeaking noise that Audrey interprets as ‘no shit’.
“Okay,” she says. “I’ll go and see Julia. Maybe try to loosen her up over a cocktail.”
“Audrey...”
“Kidding, Nathan. I’m taking this seriously, believe me.”
His sigh washes over her and she wilts a little as he says, “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just...”
Audrey knows just what he’s doing in that pause. He’s rubbing at the back of his neck, working on a phantom ache that rarely seems to go away.
“I’m heading to Julia’s now,” she says. “Call if you think of anything else.”
<><><>
Julia very clearly doesn’t know anything and Audrey’s feeling quite awkward nursing a cocktail and listening to Julia worry that Duke is going to end up dead or in jail. There’s not a lot she can say, because Julia might be right. On the other hand, Duke might be stuck to Nathan for the rest of the Troubles and have his legitimate employment options reduced to lab rat or circus sideshow.
Her phone rings on the table in front of them and Audrey makes an apologetic face at Julia as she answers it.
“Nathan?” It could be Duke, but Audrey’s not going to give Julia that heart attack.
“Audrey.” There’s a slightly frantic note in Nathan’s voice, and a bit of extra tension that hadn’t been there earlier. “Did you eat any of Mrs Kosic’s cookies?”
Audrey snorts a laugh. “Of course I did. Those things smelt amazing and tasted even better.”
“Oh.” Nathan sounds disappointed.
“Nathan?”
“Yeah,” he says.
“Why did you ask?” There’s a sudden niggle at the back of Audrey’s mind. Something Mrs Kosic said or did was important, but Audrey can’t pinpoint it.
Nathan sighs and Duke echoes it loudly enough for Audrey to hear. “I ate a whole bunch of those cookies last night. It’s about the only thing I did yesterday that was different from the day before.”
“She said you and Duke were friends,” Audrey blurts out. This is right. Audrey can feel it. “Hang on a minute.”
Audrey holds the phone away from her ear and looks at Julia, who’s watching with interest. “Can you come with me to see someone? I could use friendly back up and Nathan can’t make it.”
Julia hesitates a second, then nods. “Sure. Why not? Maybe it’s time I embraced Haven properly.”
“Thanks.” Audrey smiles at her as they begin to gather their things and she puts the phone back to her ear. “Nathan?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to Mrs Kosic’s. I think she might be able to help.”
“Because she said Duke and I were friends.”
“Yes,” Audrey says. “And because of the cookies.”
“I did eat a lot of those cookies,” Nathan says, his voice dry.
Audrey taps her fingers against the dash as Julia drives. “Nathan. Seriously. All secrets and childhood trauma aside, were you and Duke ever friends?”
“Duke and I weren’t friends, Audrey.” He hesitates for a moment and listens to something Duke is saying. “But it’s possible people might have had that impression if they knew us at a particular time.”
“Tell me about it,” Audrey says. This feels right in a way none of their other leads have even come close to feeling. She settles back in the seat and listens.
<><><>
Mrs Kosic’s house smells like warm cookies again; peanut butter this time. “I’m beginning to think this woman doesn’t do anything but bake,” she says to Julia just before the door opens.
Audrey smiles at Mrs Kosic. “Mrs Kosic. I hope you don’t me visiting again. How are you?”
“Never been better.” The door swings open with a nudge from Mrs Kosic’s foot. “Why don’t you and your friend come inside?”
“This is Julia. Eleanor Carr’s daughter.”
Mrs Kosic leads them straight through to the kitchen. “Oh. Of course,” she says. “I’m very sorry for your loss, dear.”
Julia nods slightly and says, “Thank you. Haven doesn’t quite feel the same without her.”
“No. I imagine it doesn’t.” She pulls open the oven door and the peanut butter smell wraps around Audrey like a hug. “Why don’t you girls take a seat and tell me why you’re here.”
Audrey hesitates. There’s never a good way to approach these things, and it’s much easier when things are chaotic and the only priorities are saving someone’s life or stopping the town from blowing up. Finesse is a luxury of time. Unfortunately Audrey is better at being direct. “Actually, I was wondering about your cookies,” Audrey says. “If anyone had maybe had an... unusual reaction after eating them?”
“An allergic reaction?” Mrs Kosic slides a plate of peanut butter cookies onto the table then sits in the chair opposite Audrey. “I don’t think so. There was a near miss with young Timmy Johnson – he has a peanut allergy – but we stopped him from eating one in time.”
“That was lucky,” Audrey says. “But I was thinking of reactions that were a little stranger.”
There’s a quick flash of guilt in Mrs Kosic’s eyes followed by fear, so Audrey reaches across the table and takes one of her hands.
“You can tell me,” Audrey says, giving Mrs Kosic’s hand a gentle squeeze.
Mrs Kosic heaves a sigh that shudders down her body and says, “I don’t mean to do it. It’s just that sometimes I want something to happen so much it seems to infect whatever I’ve baked. Most of the time it’s only small, like wanting someone to laugh more and them having a giggle fit after eating the cookies, but other times...”
Audrey leans forward and does her best to look reassuring. “What about the other times?”
“Mr Thomson acted like a frog for five days because I was so angry with him. I called him a lying toad after I found the shoddy job he did repairing the fence. And poor Susan--” Mrs Kosic’s hand trembled in Audrey’s. “All I wanted was for her to be happy and she went deaf. I was so relieved that it only lasted two days.”
“It’s temporary,” Audrey asks, trying to keep her voice steady.
Mrs Kosic nods. “Oh, yes. I don’t think I could cope if it wasn’t. The last thing I want to do is hurt people.”
Audrey gives Mrs Kosic’s hand another squeeze. “Do you mind if I ask you a question; when I was here a couple of days ago, you said that Nathan Wournos and Duke Crocker used to be friends,” Audrey ignores Julia’s surprised reaction in the corner of her eye and continues, “What were you thinking about then?”
Mrs Kosic closes her eyes for a second. “I was thinking how sad it was that they aren’t friends anymore and that it would be nice for them to be close again. Has something happened?”
“Something has happened Mrs Kosic, but, as you said, it’s temporary. I don’t think it’s anything that will damage Nathan or Duke permanently. In fact, it might be just what the doctor ordered.” Audrey smiles and hopes there hasn’t been any bloodshed or hair pulling on Duke’s boat. “But I do think that I should go and tell them that everything will be all right soon.”
“Of course,” Mrs Kosic says, standing. “Let me pack some cookies for you to take.”
Audrey’s smile falters briefly and she looks at the plate. “Mrs Kosic,” she says. “Have you ever wondered what would happen if what you thought about didn’t affect your cookies?
The bright look on Mrs Kosic’s face means Audrey isn’t going to have any qualms about eating these cookies later.
<><><>
Everything’s quiet on the boat when Audrey arrives. Nathan and Duke are on the sofa. Nathan’s jaw is clenched and Duke looks sullen. They aren’t looking at each other.
“Hi,” Audrey says brightly. “How’s it going?”
Nathan looks at her and then down at her hand. “Are those more cookies?”
Audrey smiles at him. “Yes. I’m pretty sure these ones will be fine to eat.”
“So it was Mrs Kosic?” Duke asks.
“It was,” Audrey says.
“Well?”
They lean forward together. It’s Nathan who speaks. “How do we fix it?”
Audrey fiddles with the box in her hands and pulls out a cookie. “I have some good news, and I have some bad news.”
Duke waves his hand at her, a demand that she speed things up.
“Okay,” she says. “The good news is that it’s temporary.”
“Oh, thank Christ,” Duke says.
Nathan’s just staring at her. “What’s the bad news,” he asks.
“The bad news is that we can’t do anything. We just have to hope you have a quick digestive system.” She takes a bite of her cookie and watches as the realisation dawns on their faces.
No one is going to forget this in a hurry, no matter how hard they try.