by R E Gauthier
“Did Nikki and Torres have a thing too? Nikki mentioned another woman besides Willow that she’s been involved with; I think she said her name was Deb.”
Kelsey frowned. She’d known when Nikki spoke evasively about the younger FBI agent, that something must have happened between the two women. “No, Torres and Nikki didn’t have a thing, but I must admit it wasn’t because Nikki wasn’t interested. Nikki has had the biggest crush on her for years. Torres thankfully has more sense than to step into Nikki’s stratosphere.”
Putting her hands on her hips, Aisling pouted. “So, are you trying to say that I have no sense?”
Kelsey held up her hands. “I wasn’t saying anything of the sort. I think you’re the best thing that has ever happened to Nikki. She’s more grounded with you than I have ever seen her. Typically, she would lose her temper more often. Well, I wouldn’t say lose it, more like have small explosions. I’m used to it, but others don’t take to it well.”
Aisling smiled. “So, how much do you know about this Willow woman? Nikki says her name in her sleep; I think she’s having nightmares, but she won’t talk to me about them. I don’t like prying, but it’s hard to keep her thoughts out of my mind. I’ve seen images of memories. The woman seems to have quite a hold on Nikki.”
“I know they went to high school together, and Nikki had a massive crush on her. Nikki told me she learned she like girls while on a sleepover at Willow’s house. Willow also is a computer nerd like Nikki, and the two of them got into some kind of coding group during and right after high school. Nikki has avoided talking about her since you and she got together. I’ve not mentioned my conversation with Miranda about Willow to Nikki, either.”
“What sort of conversation? Miranda has concerns about Willow too?
“I never took much stock in what Miranda said, because I know she’s under a lot of pressure planning our wedding with Nanna.”
Aisling nearly swooned as she asked, “That’s coming up fast; when is it again?”
“In two weeks. That’s one of the main reasons why I want us to catch the Ghost as quickly as possible. We don’t have much time, and I made Miranda a promise.”
“You always were one to keep your promises.” Aisling stood and stretched her back muscles.
The door swung open, and Nikki strode in. Handing the phone to Kelsey, Nikki said, “here, talk to Torres. There is no reason why you have to keep pretending to be dead. Torres had something she wants to tell you. I’m done listening to her nonsense.”
Kelsey took the phone and put it up to her ear. “Hey, Torres, what’s going on?” Deciding it would be best to leave the room to talk to Torres, Kelsey excused herself.
Torres exclaimed. “What the hell is going on there? Red sounds like she’s completely lost it.”
Kelsey tried to fill Torres in on what they learned and their plan.
Torres told Kelsey what she learned about Willow.
Shock, disbelief, and anger rose as Kelsey listened to Torres tell her that Willow had somehow duped Nikki with her stories of reunions and longstanding feelings for her. Willow was heard on a conversation with someone saying her plan was working, and she just had to put the final piece into action. Nikki was to come home, and when she did, she’d be free from the grasp of an evil woman. Willow told the person that Nikki was a fool to want to help her so-called best friend. “Did you tell Nikki any of this?”
Torres huffed. “She wouldn’t listen to any of it. She kept interrupting me and cursing at me. You know I wouldn’t lie about this. I planted a listening and tracking device that Nikki gave me to try out. I placed it in Willow’s watch when she wasn’t looking. For a few days, it recorded some interesting conversations. In one, Willow and Miranda are having a heated discussion. Miranda thinks like I do that Willow can’t be trusted.”
Kelsey interrupted Torres’s description to add, “Miranda told me as much.”
“After that conversation, the tracker had her heading back to the bunker and then to the airport. On the way from the bunker, Willow talked to someone on the phone. The conversation was cryptic. Willow was angry, of that I’m sure. She swore a lot before and after the call. During her side of the call, she said she didn’t like to be threatened, she was doing her best, but would be unreachable for a while because she had something to do. She then said she knew what she was doing, and they had never been disappointed before. She ended the call after she said she’d contact the person and they weren’t to contact her or they would make a mess of everything. She swore some more, and that is where the tracker began to malfunction; I have reason to believe it’s because it’s out of range. Like Willow has left the country.”
“Nikki wouldn’t listen to any of this?”
“Not a word. She refused to think there was any reason to be worried. She said, Willow must have had an emergency come up, and she’d explain the whole thing when she could.”
Kelsey heard about enough to know that Nikki’s assumptions about this Willow were clouded by her attraction or girlhood crush on the woman. Nikki wouldn’t normally dismiss Torres’s assessment about anything. Nikki respected her too much “What’s your theory?”
Torres explained she believed that Willow was an intelligence agent sent to keep an eye on Nikki’s progress to find Kelsey. Willow had fed Nikki some lies and false leads only to disappear as soon as Nikki needed real help.
Kelsey had to agree with Torre’s theory. This Willow sounded like she had the perfect story she fed Nikki to gain her trust, but that Nikki couldn’t see past her feelings to see the truth. “Can you send me the recordings?”
“I sent them to this burner phone, but in case Nikki has erased them, I’ll send them again. By the way, how the hell are you? Are you any closer to coming home? Nikki hasn’t told me much because she said it would endanger me. I’m sure you’ll be glad to put all this cloak and dagger nonsense behind you and get home.”
Kelsey smiled. Leave to Torres to always get to the heart of the matter even when she tried to work a case. “I’m not used to hiding, but that’s all about to change. You won’t hear much about it because I’m sure the whole thing will be swept away as an international incident. If it all works as planned, we could be home by next week.”
“Mack, you must be jumping out of your skin with excitement. I dusted off my best shoes and bought a dress for your wedding in two weeks. I wish I could be there to help out and give Nikki a good smack on the back of her head.”
“Don’t worry; I will do it for you as soon as we’re done with this plan of ours. As long as Willow is off somewhere, doing something to someone else, she isn’t able to hurt Nikki anymore. I hope I can get a chance to meet her one day to pay her back for betraying Nikki.”
“Good, and I want to be there when you do that; that woman is one piece of work.”
Kelsey ended her call and stood in the garden, letting the wind blow her hair around. Some of what Torres said made Kelsey’s stomach hurt, and the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Who was Willow working for, and what did she have planned for Nikki?
***
MacKenzie Estate, May 21, 2012
The rest of the day and into the next, Kelsey wouldn’t have time to talk to Nikki about her conversation with Torres. Many things kept coming back to her about what Torres said about her theory. Kelsey knew there was more to this encounter with Nikki, but maybe something went wrong. Maybe when there was an attempt on Nikki’s life, Willow got cold feet or had been reassigned. She fervently hoped that one day she would be able to exact some revenge on the woman who toyed and duped her best friend.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Aisling’s Office, May 26, 2012
Kelsey refrained from listening in on the conversation Nikki and Aisling were having. The two women were very close. Both were smiling, looking into each other’s eyes. The two of them didn’t look like women who had recently met, but more like two women sharing the intimacy that they had shared thousands of times over a lifetime. Kels
ey saw a change in both of the women, who meant so much to her. Aisling’s intensity mellowed, and Nikki’s usual goofy nature had matured. Kelsey knew Nikki for years, and the redhead could be foolish even when working a difficult case. Kelsey looked forward to Nikki’s sense of humor to lighten the mood, but at times she wanted her best friend to be more serious. With Aisling, Nikki’s demeanor was more serious and responsible. The two women complimented one another, each tempering the other’s default personality. Kelsey smiled wistfully; it was moments like this that Kelsey missed Miranda the most.
Nikki’s voice broke through Kelsey’s inner contemplation. “Mack, Aisling said that Interpol is sending us some agents we can trust to help us. Nikki smiled and touched Aisling’s arm.
Kelsey nodded and smiled. The look the two women gave one another stirred more feelings of longing for Miranda. “I’ll be glad when this is over, and we can go home. Last night and watching you two together makes me miss Miranda more.”
Nikki rubbed her hand up Aisling’s arm. “It must have been amazing hearing her voice after all this time; hearing it inside your mind isn’t the same.”
Kelsey recalled the phone conversation. She and Miranda had to temper their passion because Nanna was nearby, waiting to speak to Kelsey. Kelsey could hear the concern and worry in Miranda’s voice, but hearing it had been heaven. “No, hearing her voice inside my head isn’t the same as hearing it over the phone, but at least in my mind, I can see the expressions on her face. It’s going to be even more amazing seeing, hearing, and touching her, in person.”
Nikki chuckled. “You and Miranda may not have been physically together for two months, but you two got more action than anyone I know in a long-distance relationship.”
Kelsey chuckled.
Aisling shook her head. “I’m still amazed Miranda wants to marry you. With everything you’ve put her through.”
Nikki giggled. “Don’t joke about that. Mack is quite sensitive when it comes to Miranda’s happiness.”
Aisling stifled a laugh and tried to look serious. “Sorry, Kels; did Miranda give you a hard time?”
Kelsey managed a smile in response to Nikki and Aisling’s teasing. “Miranda and Nanna are in full wedding-preparation mode. I’m not going to live down the fact I’ve been absent for almost the entire planning. I had to promise not to complain about one aspect of it.”
Nikki scoffed. “That’s not going to be easy for a control-freak like you. I never thought I’d see the day that Mack relinquishes her hold on every aspect of her life. Miranda has quite the hold on her.”
“I cannot wait to meet her; she sounds as formidable as Nanna. How did your conversation go with Nanna?”
Kelsey chuckled. “Nanna scolded me for worrying she and Miranda. I think if Miranda weren’t there, she would have given me the earful she’s been waiting to do for some time.”
Aisling chuckled. “I’m sure the two of us are in store for a royal dressing down when we get home. Aisling bit down on her quivering bottom lip.
It was evident to Kelsey that Aisling attempted to keep the sobs at bay. “I cannot imagine how much you have missed her. I missed her terribly, and I’ve only been away for two months.”
Aisling nodded and sniffed. “I cannot believe I will be able to see her again soon. I dreamed about going home, so many times. I’d take Nanna yelling at me every day, to see her face again. Talking to her last night made me feel like a little girl again. Has she changed that much?”
Kelsey shook her head. “She is older but hasn’t changed at all.”
Nikki hugged Aisling. “Nanna is ageless. I swear she looks the same as she did when I met her years ago. Mack brought me home one day from the Academy for a weekend. Nanna welcomed me like a member of the family. I’m not sure how welcoming she’ll be when I go back now. I blatantly went against her wishes on many occasions.”
Aisling pulled Nikki closer. “She’s going to love you as much as…well, as much as she did when she first met you.”
Kelsey almost choked when Aisling almost said, as much as I love you. It was challenging to stop Aisling’s thoughts from slamming into her mind. Aisling’s unspoken words were filled with such a strong emotion of love. Smiling, Kelsey said, “Aisling is right. Nanna might have been upset with you, but once she loves you, she will always love you. Besides, I have a feeling she will love you, even more, when you are the one who helped bring not one, but both of her granddaughters back home. Not to mention, you’ll be instrumental bringing home her only living daughter as well.”
Aisling kissed Nikki firmly on the lips. “Kels is right. When Nanna sees you with me, she will be hard-pressed not to love you.”
Nikki’s face turned beet-red when Aisling kissed her. “I thought you wanted to…” Nikki let the rest trail off without finishing her thought.
Both Kelsey and Aisling chuckled.
“Nikki, I don’t think even the staff are not aware that you two are together. Shaking her head, Kelsey approached the two women. Taking them both into her arms, she said, “besides, you two are giving off emotions too strong for even my gift to stop from filling the room. Public displays of affection are nothing to me. As I recall, I had a hard time keeping my hands and lips off of Miranda even while you were with us.”
Nikki nodded. “At first, I thought it was cute, but the two of them didn’t care if they were in a room full of people. They were on each other all the time.”
Kelsey gasped. “You lie.”
Nikki and Aisling giggled.
Putting all the joking and teasing aside, the three women worked out the kinks of their plans to trap The Ghost. They worked well together. Kelsey lent an air of leadership that the other two women accepted as if they had been a team for years. Nikki offered the technical expertise that was needed to program the security issues, and Aisling had experience working with the intelligence agents.
“It looks like we are ready to spring this trap,” Nikki said. “We just need our prey to fall into it.”
“Are we certain he knows we have the files?” Kelsey asked no one in particular.
Aisling spoke up first. “The word has been put out that my father’s files have been found and that they will put many people away. Not only the Ghost will be gunning for us.”
“Well, then all we have to do is get into position. Do you know all of the agents that will be helping us”? Kelsey asked Aisling, who looked distracted.
Aisling stood staring into space, not responding.
Kelsey reached within herself to attempt to sense what her cousin could be thinking. She saw only blackness. Approaching Aisling, Kelsey touched the smaller woman on her shoulders. “Ais’ you’re worrying me. What is going on?”
Aisling’s face went white and then ashen before she collapsed in Kelsey’s arms.
***
Nikki’s worried looks and thoughts demanded Kelsey’s attention away from her cousin. Aisling had been out for a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Kelsey’s gift didn’t help her as if something was blocking it. Aisling remained still, and all color was washed out of her body as if it had been drained of all its blood. Kelsey checked several times for a pulse and signs of breathing. Aisling had both. Her heartbeat and breath sounded strong and steady. If it were not for how it occurred or the fact Aisling was so pale, Kelsey would have thought her cousin was only sleeping.
“Mack, what is happening? What is wrong with her?” Nikki fussed and fretted behind Kelsey.
“I don’t know for certain, but I have my theory. When we were kids, she had these episodes, and Nanna said they were only moments when Aisling’s mind looked into the other side. I see my visions mainly when I’m asleep unless it’s a strong one. Aisling’s visions would come at any moment. I think that moment is now. When Aisling comes out of the vision, she will be tired, but once she recovers fully, she can tell us what she saw.”
“Can you not tap into the vision and tell me what it is that she sees?”
“My gift doesn�
��t work that way. Each one of us gifted with the Second Sight sees their own visions. Why, when, and what we see is as unique as people are and have always been. I do know she is distraught, and the vision is scaring her deeply.”
“How do you know that?” Nikki asked with more concern in her voice.
Kelsey watched the moisture collect under Aisling’s eyelashes, and her lips quiver. “She has tears welling in her eyes, and her lips are trembling. Besides, I can feel the fear emanating from her; it’s quite palatable.”
Nikki pushed her way between Kelsey and Aisling. “Could she be in pain? Can we wake her up?”
“No! Whatever we do, we cannot wake her. Do you know how they say it’s dangerous for anyone to wake a sleepwalker? Well, it’s even more dangerous to bring a Seer out of a vision. Nanna used to tell us stories of her ancestors who didn’t heed the warning, and the people they forced out of their visions were never the same. Elders of the family spoke of Seers losing a piece of their souls in the Otherworld, never to be returned. Without their entire souls, a Seer may lose their way and never return.”
“If we cannot wake her, is there something else we can do to help her?”
Kelsey shook her head. “Nanna would let her come to on her own and then give her some tea. But now I know it was because Nanna was protecting us from seeing our visions fully. She will come out of it, and when she is ready, will tell us what she saw.”
“She looks so pale. How can a person so vibrant and alive one moment look helpless the next?”
“Visions take a lot of energy to stabilize inside your mind. For me, I was mostly asleep so that I would wake more tired after a vision than on nights I didn’t have one. She’ll be okay; I promise Nikki.” Kelsey hugged the redhead close to her, kissing Nikki on the top of her head. “This is the first time since we were reunited that Aisling has had a vision. When we were kids, I could sense her about to have one and would get her to sit. Aisling would sense it too. Today it took us both by surprise. Must be me blocking her and the stress that kept her and I from sensing it today. Then there is the new distraction of you in her life.”