Tarot Card Anthology: Synchronicity Volume 1

by Tina Bendoni, Michelle Hasker

  Well, what's done is done, and he's gone from my life.

  "So, are you still moving to the East Coast?"

  Sarah smiled. “Yeah. I have a small place in Pennsylvania. Darren has no idea it's there, and I don't expect him to follow me anyway. Not with what you have in your safe."

  "When do you leave?"

  "My car is packed. As soon as we're done here, I head east. My cell phone will still be connected for a few weeks, and I'll let you know my new info."

  "You'll be sure and let me know when you're ready for visitors, right?"

  Sarah smiled once again. As it was she was amazed Kathy was letting her do this her way. “I promise."

  * * * *

  Six months later, Kathy joined Sarah at her new house. It was gorgeous, and perfect for Sarah. A remodeled craftsman bungalow, it was small and quaint, much like Sarah herself. She had decorated it in period pieces and colors, and it had become the dream house she had never had with her ex-husband.

  Kathy had pointed out how much it suited Sarah and she had to agree. Sarah had bought it just after having seen a picture of it on the Internet. It was a match made in heaven.

  It was in a small town, close to a couple of bigger cities, so she was never far removed from the beat of the world, but she could still be alone when she wanted to be.

  Today was one of the rare days she had ventured into nearby Philadelphia. Kathy had wanted to see the Liberty Bell, and the steps Rocky had climbed in the movie. Sarah would never understand Kathy's eclectic tastes, but she was glad to cater to her friend's wishes.

  "You've changed,” Kathy commented to her friend, her head tilted as though seeing Sarah for the first time.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Well, for one, you have put on some weight, finally. And you look a heck of a lot better. And you look less stressed. You're more relaxed than I have seen you in over ten years."

  "Relaxed?” Sarah laughed. “Kathy, I'm preparing to go back to school for the first time in fifteen years. Working on my masters in education when I barely remember anything I learned in my bachelor's program. I'm trying to keep up with kids who are a decade and a half younger than I am, and with more active minds. Trust me, I can't recall a time when I've been under more stress."

  Kathy smiled. “No, I don't imagine you can. But you look relaxed. Those worry lines are all gone. You're happy."

  Sarah didn't say anything for a few minutes and thought about what her friend had said. She was right. She did feel relaxed. Even with college, and having to fix up her hundred-year-old house, she was at ease and comfortable. She was content—and dare she think it?—safe for the first time in a long time.

  "I am."

  "Good. Now, let's go see what the rest of your life has in store for you."

  "What?"

  Kathy grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled her into a shop before Sarah had a chance to see what was in the windows.

  "Welcome, ladies. Have you come to find out what your future holds?” The older woman behind the counter asked them as Sarah looked around the shop.

  It looked like a pagan shop or fortune teller place. Fortune teller? The woman's question finally registered in Sarah's brain. Oh, no.

  "Not me, sorry,” Sarah assured the woman with a smile before turning to glare at Kathy.

  "Yes, you. Both of us.” Kathy responded with her own too bright smile as she pushed Sarah toward the woman.

  "Don't worry, my child. I don't bite.” The woman assured Sarah as she held a curtain back for Sarah to precede her into a back room.

  With one last glare at Kathy, Sarah followed the woman's direction and took a seat at the round table in the small room.

  "Now, my child. Don't worry. This won't hurt a bit."

  "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I really don't believe in this kind of stuff."

  "I know. But thankfully, you don't have to believe in it, just me."

  Sarah smiled at the fortune teller. She sure didn't look the part, dressed in jeans and a sweater, but Sarah was here, so she might as well give the woman a chance.

  "Do you have a question in mind?"

  "Um, no, not really. Is that gonna be a problem?"

  The older woman shook her head. “Not at all, my dear. I will just do a general reading, if that is okay?"

  "Sure, whatever you want."

  The woman shuffled her cards, and seemed to meditate over the cards, and then she pulled one.

  "Wheel of Fortune."

  Sarah knew nothing about Tarot cards. Was this a good or bad card? She saw a circular emblem with some markings on it, none of which she could understand, and it was surrounded by mythical creatures. The fortune teller could make something out of that?

  "Your life has changed quite a bit recently. Something very important to you has ended not long ago, no?"

  The woman startled Sarah out of her thoughts. “How did you know that?"

  "Well, I could tell you it was the fading tan line on your wedding finger, but you have that conveniently covered by that beautiful amethyst. So, let's just say the cards told me."

  The woman gave Sarah just enough time to glance at her ring finger before continuing on, “You are just beginning a new chapter. Something to do with book learning, perhaps?

  "Things are going to start looking up for you, my dear. You have already had a taste of it, I can tell, and they will continue to get better. There is one more bit of business from the past that will need to be addressed, but it will work out in the end, I promise."

  * * * *

  "So, what did she say?” Kathy seemed eager to talk about Sarah's reading after getting her own, but Sarah was still a bit uncertain.

  "Oh, the usual. Things will get better, have patience. What did she say to you?"

  "About the same."

  Sarah laughed. “Well at least she didn't charge us much. I was actually surprised to see how little it was."

  "Me, too."

  Sarah linked her arm through Kathy's as they continued down the walk. “Are you sure you have to leave tomorrow?"

  "Unfortunately, yes. I have a huge settlement for a client and the court date is Wednesday. Believe it or not, this one might be worse than yours."

  "Ugh, I pity the woman."

  Kathy laughed. “Actually, I'm working for the guy. He doesn't deserve what she's doing to him."

  "Well, then I know he's in good hands with you."

  "We can only hope."

  * * * *

  Sarah turned onto her street late the next night. She hadn't expected to get back after dark, but Kathy's flight had been delayed by over five hours. She hadn't left the porch light on or any lights in the house and didn't look forward to entering a dark building alone.

  That was until she pulled into her driveway. The garage door was open and there was a light on in one of the spare bedrooms. What on earth? She knew she hadn't left the garage door opened. And she hadn't been in that room since Kathy had gotten there last week.

  The alarm. She'd set the alarm. She knew she had. That was one thing she never forgot. Kathy had even mentioned it on the way out.

  Suddenly shaking, Sarah stopped the car midway up her driveway. What should I do? Should I call the cops? But what would they say? What would they do? Would they even bother showing up? How long will I have to wait?

  She didn't have much worth stealing. There were nicer houses on the street. Why would someone break into my place? Sarah was frozen with fright.

  A knock on her driver's door window had her screaming in terror. She looked to the left and saw a man standing a few feet away from her door. He had backed away and was shining the beam of a flashlight on his face and something in his hand.

  It was a badge. Thank God. He was a cop. A cop? Where the hell did he come from? Still scared out of her wits, Sarah rolled down the window slightly.

  "Can I help you?"

  "Is there something wrong, miss?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean you have been sitting in your car
for the last twenty minutes with the engine running and your brakes on. You haven't even put your car in park."

  Sarah realized he was right. Suddenly aware of how she must look, she slammed the car into park, and rolled down the window a little bit more. Twenty minutes? I've really been out here that long? A quick glance at her dashboard clock assured her she had.

  "How do you know how long I've been out here?” Even if he does have a badge, how do I know he didn't get it from a Cracker Jack box? Do they even give them out as toys any more? Shit, she didn't know. She wouldn't be able to tell a real badge from a fake one even close up in good light. Never mind from feet away with just the beam of a flashlight.

  The man motioned with his head. “'Cause I live next door and I heard you pull up. It caught my attention because I was in the kitchen and putting my dinner in the oven."

  Sarah hadn't noticed it before, but the front door to the house next door to hers was wide open, and light poured out from inside.

  "Isn't it a bit late for dinner?"

  He gave her a crooked, kind of sexy grin that stirred something deep within Sarah that she had thought long dead. “I work strange hours."

  "Are you really a cop?"

  "Yes, ma'am.” He took a slow step forward, holding his badge out to her, careful not to flash the light into her eyes.

  She took the badge into the car and turned the interior light on. Well, it looked real. And it wasn't plastic. His ID was on the other side of the badge wallet.

  "Detective Jack Robinson?"

  "That's me."

  Sarah realized she needed to stop being so scared. It was over. Darren was in L.A., and he would never bother her again. She had to stop being such a coward. Rolling down the window further, she handed the badge back to the officer—no, detective, with a sigh.

  "Now care to tell me why you are sitting out here like this?"

  "There's a light on in my house. It wasn't on when I left."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yes, I'm very sure. I haven't used that room in over a week. And the garage door is open. I never leave it open."

  Sarah didn't know what happened, but suddenly the man in front of her was more cop and less neighbor. Whether it was the shifting of his body, or tightening of his muscles, she didn't know and couldn't tell in the minimal light, but there was no doubt at all that he had switched modes, and now meant business.

  "You stay in your car. Do you have a cell phone?"

  "Yes."

  "Okay, call the station and tell them what happened and that I am on the scene. Let them know I'm checking it out."

  "But—"

  "You stay here, and just make the call, okay?"

  Sarah nodded.

  "And keep your windows up and the door locked. You hear anything, you peel out immediately and head to the nearest station."

  "But what if someone's still in there?"

  "That's why you're calling the cops. Right now.” He waited for her to get her phone out of her purse before he pulled his gun from his back and headed toward her garage. She half expected him to kick the interior door in, but instead he turned the knob and walked right in. That settled it as far as she was concerned. That door was set to lock automatically behind her whenever she walked out. The only way to unlock it was to do it from the inside. And she hadn't even made that concession for Kathy.

  Fumbling with her phone, she made the call as ordered. Whoever she got on the phone promised they would send a car out immediately. They wouldn't let her hang up before the patrol car got there, but they were there in a matter of minutes. As the officers started to get out of their car, Detective Robinson came out of her house by way of the garage door.

  She saw him hold up his badge to the officers and call out to them, probably to prevent them from pulling their own guns. He walked to the side of her car and gestured it was okay for her to get out, which she did.

  "Do you have anyone you can call?"

  Sarah shook her head. “No. I just moved to the East Coast. All my friends are back in L.A."

  He nodded and turned to the waiting cops. “I checked the premises. They're clean, but the house itself is a mess. Unless the lady of the house makes a habit of tearing through her own bookcases, there was definitely someone here tonight. Call a team out. Don't think there will be any prints, but you never know."

  Sarah stood by her car, leaning on her open car door. Someone had been in the house? They tore through my bookcase?

  "Why my house? There are much bigger and more expensive places on the block."

  "I don't know, ma'am. Did you have an alarm?"

  "Yes, it was on. I know it was. Why didn't it go off?"

  "Maybe the wires were cut. Although this doesn't look like a high-tech robbery, you never know. Did you have anything of value?"

  "No."

  "Anyone who would want to hurt you?"

  Anyone who would want to hurt me? Darren! But he couldn't know I'm here, could he?

  "Miss, are you alright? Your face has gone white.” The kind detective put his hand out to her and contacted with her bare arm. The spark that shot through her at his touch made her knees go out, and he put his arms around her to help her back onto the seat of her car.

  What the hell? What kind of reaction was that? Her arms were tingling where he still held her. Warmth radiated from their touch, enveloping her in warmth. Safe. I'm safe. That was the last thought that crossed her mind before everything went black.

  * * * *

  The first thing Sarah was aware of was the warmth of a fleece blanket covering her. It felt warm and safe. She didn't want to move.

  Safe. She'd had that thought before. What— With a bolt, Sarah sat up quickly, opening her eyes.

  "Easy, Sarah, easy."

  It was her detective neighbor. He sat beside her on the couch and rested a hand on her forearm. Heat. The same heat she experienced before, outside.

  "Where am I?"

  "In my living room."

  "What?"

  "You fainted outside in your car. You said you didn't have anyone nearby, and I didn't want you going into the house alone, so I figured I would set you up here until we figured out what to do."

  "Oh God, my house."

  "I locked it up. I used your keys to make sure everything was locked and turned on the alarm. Not that it did any good earlier."

  "I thought you said someone cut the wires?"

  "That's what I thought had happened, but apparently not. Someone turned it off about four hours before you got home. Someone who knew your code."

  "No one knows my code. Not even my best friend."

  "It is something someone could guess? Like your birthday?"

  Sarah gave her gorgeous neighbor a stare that told him she wasn't that stupid, and then quickly looked down. Maybe she was.

  "Okay, not your birthday, but something just as easy?"

  "My college ID number."

  "You go to school?"

  "Yeah, but not now, I mean my undergraduate degree."

  "Okay, so where did you go? Maybe someone in the student office can help us."

  Sarah shook her head. “No, that was almost twenty years ago. I don't know if they keep records that long. And anyway, it doesn't matter."

  "You know who did it."

  "Darren."

  "And who exactly is this Darren?"

  "My husband. Well, my ex-husband."

  "And why would Darren want to ransack your place?"

  "He's looking for something."

  "Well that much is obvious, Sarah."

  She had to change the subject. “How do you know my name?"

  He sighed and ran a hand through his chocolate brown hair. It was full and wavy, perfect for running fingers through during sex. Get your mind on the subject, Sarah.

  It was obvious from the look he shot her that he knew she was trying to change the subject, but he would let her get away with it for now. “I looked in your purse. The officers and I needed a name to put on the r
eport."

  "And you needed to make sure I actually did live in the house, right?"

  She could have sworn she saw a flush creep upon his face at that question. Why?

  "Um, well, no. I knew it was you."

  "How did you know that?"

  "I've seen you in your garden. While you were planting your herbs."

  "Hmmm, a man that cooks and knows herbs. Your wife is one lucky woman.” She ignored the flutter in her stomach at the thought of this gorgeous man watching her while she was unaware of it.

  And he was gorgeous. Now that she was safe and out of danger, she could concentrate on the hunk of a man who had practically rescued her. He was tall, about six foot four, she had noticed that outside, as well as built. But she hadn't noticed how well built he was. He looked to be solid muscle, but not like a weightlifter. He looked like a man who took care of himself and could handle anything that might come up in the line of duty.

  She was horrible at judging a man's weight, but she was sure every ounce was solid muscle.

  And his face. He had that hard, chiseled look that one often thought of when they pictured a hard-working detective. Half the actors on TV who played cops could have been based on him. And his eyes.

  She stared into his eyes and felt herself start to drown in them. They were a deep, dark blue. She didn't think she had ever seen such a color of eyes before, and it was mesmerizing. It reminded her of the pictures she had seen of the deepest ocean. Definitely the kind of eyes a woman could drown in. What would they look like when they were filled with lust, or desire?

  "No wife."

  "Girlfriend?” She swallowed hard, her throat was suddenly dry.

  "Nope.” He hadn't moved from her side, in fact, she thought he had moved in closer.

  "Boyfriend?"

  He laughed, showing perfect straight white teeth. “No, no boyfriend either."

  "Oh.” What is a man who looks like him, and could obviously take care of himself doing alone? Who cares, Sarah? The point is he is alone. With you. At his place.

  Yeah, but they were here because her psychotic ex-husband had ransacked her home. Lusting after her next door neighbor should not be in her plans. Hell, definitely wasn't in her plans.

  Despite that fact, that was exactly what she was doing. Lusting over this gorgeous hunk of a man.