I’d been close to a recluse for a while, but the P.D. kept me out and about among man every day.
“You doing okay with all the attention the Society is getting?” I asked. She had mentioned everyone except herself.
Her brown eyes looked at me, and I saw a woman who’d lived a hard life inside them.
“I’m good; it’s just hard seeing those you’ve come to care about hurting, even a little. But I’d rather still be in their lives and have those friendships than not. Ya know?”
I nodded, even though it was something I was still working on.
“Back to the fun topics. Tell me all about this magic man I keep hearing about.” Lilith threw some food in her mouth and waited for me to give her the lowdown on my crush.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Asher
“Come see us soon, Son,” Mom crooned on the phone.
“One day,” I told her, and I swore I could feel her eyes roll. We got off the phone on nice terms while I sat at my table enjoying a cup of tea.
Going home wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. I knew they just wanted me back so they could push a wife and babies on me.
I only had one woman on my mind, and damn if she didn’t take up ninety percent of my thoughts since yesterday. The bar was busy as hell when we got back from our little nature walk, and I could barely focus past thinking about her lips and body. Meg and Darrius, my bartenders, kept picking up my slack. I’d have to give them a special bonus or something for helping their love-sick boss.
The pastor wasn’t getting in until later this evening, and Echo had texted me earlier, saying she was taking it easy, and we’d meet up at the church tonight. It would be polite to wait until the pastor settled in from his trip to talk to him, but this was a murder investigation. She wanted me to go with her to talk to him and feel out the energies around him and his wife.
Restless, I dressed in some warm running clothes and hit the sidewalks to burn off some steam.
Running was mindless for me. I could just go and feel the cold wind against my cheeks and through my hair. The buzz of Seahill in the morning was electric—everyone was getting ready for their day or they were already rushing to go somewhere.
I was just passing by the church when a familiar voice called out my name.
The pastor’s wife, Sarah, was waving at me. She was all bundled up again, a fluffy blue hat on top of her head.
“Morning.” I turned around and walked over to her, my breathing labored from the chill in my lungs.
“Good morning, Mr. Asher. Pleasant seeing you this morning.” She smiled at me like she was indeed happy to see me.
“How are you doing?” I asked, and she shrugged.
“My husband, Robert, comes back tonight. I figured I’d be seeing you and Ms. Cross later. But I am glad you’re here now.” She looked around and leaned in, speaking in a lower tone.
“I knew about Amanda’s special ability. I didn’t have a problem with it. She was one of the only friends I had. But Robert is not a fan of people with gifts, especially now that they are out in the open. I know saying this makes him look bad, but I know he didn’t do it. He’s a good man.” She was willing me to accept her words.
“I appreciate you telling me.” I couldn’t give her anything other than that. I wasn’t a cop, and she was right, it did make him look bad. But I wasn’t going to tell her that her faith may be in the wrong man.
“We’ll be popping by later. I’ve gotta get back to my run,” I told her and started to back away with a polite wave.
“He’s a good man,” she stated again, trying to drill the words into my head. Her face was serious now, that smile gone. Was she saying it out loud, hoping she would believe them herself?
As soon as I got to the bar, I called Echo to let her know about my bizarre encounter with Sarah.
Echo seemed just as confused as I was about the whole situation. It was weird.
“I need more to go on besides the smell of shoe polish to bring someone in for questioning, and right now I have nothing.” She sighed.
“We’ll get it,” I assured her, and I hoped she believed me.
“Wanna get a late breakfast?” Maybe food would cheer her up.
“I just ate some eggs, and I have some reading to do.” She sounded tired. I wondered if the nightmares about her parents came again last night.
“Fun. What are you reading?”
“Lilith unwittingly made me part of her stakeout last night. So, I didn’t get much sleep, but it was nice hanging out. Janie, a gifted woman I found a week ago who was kidnapped for her knowledge about a book, has been living at the Society HQ, and she typed out what she read in that book before it disappeared. I started it this morning, but it’s just a diary of a man. I’m not very far in. First date is in fifteen hundred. The guy liked the art of the time, and the advances in medicine.”
Sounded like an interesting diary to read.
“Think it’s a real diary or fiction?”
“I’m not sure. I guess I’ll have to keep reading and see if I can figure out why they kidnapped her over it.” She yawned as soon as she was done speaking, and I told her to get some rest.
“Give me your address, and I’ll come pick you up later. I’ll bring dinner, and then we’ll head over to the church. I’m sure Sarah has updated her husband on everything, so they’ll be waiting with the wine and bread,” I joked, and she chuckled slightly, but it also could have been a snore.
“Go take a nap. I’ll see you soon, kitten.”
“Thanks, Asher,” her sleepy voice mumbled.
“My pleasure.”
“Thanks for not giving up on me, either. House cat and woman, both. Talk to you later,” she whispered, and then ended the call.
She was warming up to me, and thank fuck for that. I needed the woman like I needed the next chapter of a good book.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Echo
I’d slept most of the day, and the few minutes I was awake I ate and read more from the drive Janie had given me.
There was no name in the journal entries, just tales of a time long ago. The Renaissance period, if I remembered correctly from history class. Draco would have been better suited for this than I, but maybe I would see something different than him who remembered the time personally. Unbiased was usually best.
I’d texted Asher my address and rolled over in the bed to look at the small clock on my nightstand.
Ten minutes after eight. He’d be here soon.
Rolling out of bed, I felt like I could have used at least eight more hours of sleep to feel completely refreshed. Being around people like I had been lately was exhausting me.
I threw on some warm clothes and had just put on my jacket and boots when a knock vibrated my door.
“Found the place okay?” I started to say but was knocked back with a hard hit to my chest, knocking the wind right out of me. Instantly, I braced myself and lifted my head to see who attacked me, but he was already on me. A pinching feeling in my neck made me hyperaware of what was happening right now.
The attacker was covered in protective gear from head to toe. I couldn’t get anything, not even if the person was male or female.
Shit.
I fought back even as I felt my body turn sluggish.
The change happened swiftly, though, and before the attacker could do his worst he was confronted by a lion with sharp teeth.
I lunged, and the person kicked out toward my face, hitting me right in the nose, then taking off toward the stairs.
I growled and ran after him, but the drugs really took effect. My legs gave out first, just as the person’s body disappeared beyond the doors and into the night.
Growling again in anger, I lay there, helpless to move.
“Holy shit, Echo!” Asher’s voice hit my ears from the direction of the elevator.
I couldn’t even acknowledge his words.
A door opened across the hall, and Kevin’s annoying voice echoed in the hallway.
“I knew that bitch was a freak. Parking spot will be permanently mine after they kick you out.”