“Thanks.” All too aware that Jake was watching us, I hefted my single battered suitcase and started walking. Jake somewhat reluctantly handed over his bike keys to Ethan and grabbed his own duffel. I hurried to put space between us so we wouldn’t arrive at the same time. As I turned into the hotel parking lot, I saw the blue van moving to a better vantage point nearby.
The meeting room from the night before was filled with the same people, minus most of the visitors. From across the room, Spring waved at me. I was relieved to see her, worried that she might have followed the angry Jimmy home after all. I dropped my bag near the door and went to sit by her. Or as near as I could get. She had young women from Harmony Farm on either side of her.
“I thought you’d changed your mind,” she whispered, leaning over the girl between us. “One of those young guys who said he was going hasn’t shown up.”
“I had some trouble getting here. Are you okay?”
“Great.”
“He’s here,” said the girl between us. She had straight brown hair, no makeup, and a smooth complexion I would have envied as a teenager.
“Who?” I asked.
“Founder Gabe.”
Oh, that’s right. Their leader. I sat down lower in my seat, hoping not to be noticed, though with my battered face it was unlikely I’d remain undetected for long. This morning a dark bruise had appeared under the skin, spreading upward from the wound to the space under my eye.
Founder Gabe was a nice-looking man with black, slightly gray-flecked hair parted on the side. It fell rakishly to his cheekbone in the front and was long enough to reach his collar in the back. As Victoria’s and Marcie’s imprints had shown, he was older than Dar, but I put him in his mid-fifties, even older than Marcie had guessed. He had an average build without any extra flesh and moved with confidence. On his way to the front of the room, he stopped often to shake hands or hug members of the commune.
“Thank you for the warm welcome,” he said when he’d reached his destination. “It’s wonderful to be reunited with all of you. I bring you love from your brothers and sisters at the farm, who are eagerly awaiting your return. Most of you will be staying on with me, and I thank you for your continued service here. I’m confident as we move to the next cities, we will be as diligent as always. We also have some new members here today, I’m told, and I look forward to getting to know you individually when I return to the farm in several weeks. Until then, Director Dar will take good care of you.”
I stifled a yawn. He was handsome, sincere, and even charismatic, but he had none of the hypnotic appeal that Dar exuded when he spoke. Could this simple man be hiding evil behind his honest blue eyes?
I was nodding off by the time Gabe had finished. My slumber hadn’t been exactly peaceful last night, and my cheek throbbed despite the comfrey salve. At least I hadn’t needed stitches.
“Autumn!” Spring whispered urgently, waking me. Dar, once again wearing his hair in an elastic, was coming toward us with Harmony Farm’s founder in tow. He looked more content than I had ever seen him.
“Spring, Autumn, I want you to meet Founder Gabe. He’s the father of our great organization. This is the man who literally changed my life.” To my surprise tears came to Dar’s eyes. He had been so sure of himself each time I’d met him, so serene, but now he was like a little boy in the presence of a sports hero, and I felt awkward watching the man’s emotions.
Smiling, Gabe put a hand on the shoulder of the larger man and squeezed briefly before turning to us. “I’m so pleased to meet you both.” Gabe took Spring’s hand in his and stared into her eyes. “You have chosen your name well.” He released her and touched Spring’s son on the cheek. “Handsome little guy, isn’t he? What’s his name?”
“Silverstar, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay, but you know he may want to change it when he’s fourteen. We allow them that.”
Spring shrugged. “I just want him to be happy.”
“Exactly.” Gabe beamed at her as though she were a student who had earned an A grade. Then it was my turn. He reached toward me. Instinctively, I checked his hands. He wore a plain, thin wedding band. I always noticed rings these days, and not just because I was single. I’d become careful touching objects belongings to others, especially something they wore every day. I didn’t want to know their secrets. I didn’t want to know their agonies, especially if they were self-wrought and I could do nothing to help them—which was true in most cases. Besides, what stranger would believe what I could see?
Was my strange gift a curse or a blessing? When I met new people, it could often be a horrible curse. Before Winter’s funeral, I had been more open with others, even those I didn’t encourage as friends. I’d usually make judgments quickly, and perhaps that was my ability working even then, but I hadn’t shied away from touching them, as though expecting an electric shock. I always did that now, especially on a day like this when I wasn’t wearing any of my antique rings for comfort.
I braced myself and extended my hand, praying the contact would be brief, but he held on as long as he had with Spring. His eyes met mine, a nice clear forceful blue that could have belonged to any confident man. I could see him taking my measure and noticing my heterochromia, though he didn’t ask about it.
The next second all I could feel was the warmth of the gold band against my skin. I saw a woman about my age. She had long black hair, white skin, and a ring of flowers on her head. A white dress flowed around her. She was laughing, and the love I felt for her—no, that Gabe felt—was powerful. Another scene of the same woman, a little older, a babe in arms. Again a feeling of love that made tears come to my eyes. Whatever this man was, he loved his wife with an intensity I could only envy.
He had spoken to me, but so powerful were the imprints, I hadn’t heard. “I’m sorry?” I said. “I didn’t catch that. I’m a little sleep deprived.”
The leader smiled, which made his face vibrant. “Dar told me what happened here last night. You will be safe with us. Both of you.” He extended his gaze to include Spring before moving on to meet the young man who was angry at his father and the other man who was still wearing his ill-fitting suit.
Jake appeared at my side, his dark eyes worried. “You okay?”
I was feeling energized by the positive imprints, despite the tears filling my eyes. “He had a ring,” I said in an undertone.
“And?”
I shrugged. How could I say, “He loves her in the way I wished you loved me?” Instead, I said loud enough for Spring to hear, “He seems very sincere. I like him.”
“I knew you would.” Spring’s gaze was on me. “Hey, your eyes. Do you wear different colored contacts or something? I noticed yesterday, but I thought it was the light.”
“No, it’s all natural.”
“Wow. That’s so cool.” Her attention shifted to Jake. “Are you coming to the farm, too?”
He nodded. “I thought I’d give it a try.”
“I’m glad.” She shifted the weight of her son to her other hip. The boy reached up to rub the old green bruise on her face, as though trying to remove a spot of dirt. “I never thanked you for last night,” Spring continued. “I really appreciate what both of you did for me. Jimmy wasn’t always like this, but it’s getting worse, and since little Jim came—I mean Silverstar—I knew I had to do something. I don’t want my son growing up like that.”
“It was nothing,” Jake said.
I couldn’t say the same thing—my cheek was aching too badly for that—but I was happy Spring would be safe. I only hoped the farm was what she needed. For myself, I couldn’t imagine such a secluded life, though I might enjoy it for a short time.
“Have you told them you’re going?” I asked Jake.
His attention was elsewhere. I followed his gaze and saw Detective Shannon Martin striding toward where Dar and Gabe stood talking with the angry young man and some disciples. With Shannon was his partner Tracy Reed, dressed immaculately in a
dark pantsuit.
“Uh-oh,” I muttered.
“What’s wrong?” Spring asked. “Oh. Who are they? He’s very nice looking.”
Shannon wore dark pants and a black blazer with flecks of green and blue. He had a blue shirt underneath, open at the neck, and black shoes. His hair was combed back, and even from where I stood across the room, I could see his eyes demanding answers.
Time to make an exit. Jake was sidling to the far door where a knot of youth was chatting animatedly, and I started after him.
I was too late.
“Hey! What are you doing here?” Shannon waved imperiously, and I knew if I didn’t respond, he would come after me. He was that kind of man.
He was going to ruin everything.
“You know him?” Spring asked.
“He’s a police detective.” I made the words sound like a curse. I couldn’t help myself. I’d come so far, and to have him stick his nose once again in my business when I was close to discovering the truth about Marcie and Victoria was too much to endure.
My feet dragged as I made my way over to where Shannon stood with Dar and Gabe.
“You can be sure we will do anything we can to help,” Gabe was saying. “We had no idea that Inclar had become so unstable since leaving us. If we hear from him, you may be sure I’ll contact you.”
“Thank you.” Shannon’s demanding gaze shifted to Dar. The policeman seemed so involved with his questions that I began to hope I could escape after all. Yet as I began inching away, Shannon pinned me in place with his eyes.
“My brother was very upset at his wife’s death,” Dar said. “I cannot believe he’d hurt anyone, much less Sarah. Yes, they had separated, but we all believed it was only temporary. He adored her.”
“Well, the attack might indicate that he was responsible for his wife’s death.” Shannon glanced at me, as though for confirmation, but I held rigidly still.
“We can’t know that for sure,” Dar said. “Was the woman he supposedly attacked known to him or a complete stranger?”
I waited for Shannon to blow my cover, but he said, “Someone he’d apparently met once.” I stifled a sigh of relief, but already Shannon’s gaze turned to me. “So,” he drawled, “I should have guessed you’d be here.”
“I don’t know what you mean, detective,” I said coolly.
“Well, you people tend to stick together, don’t you?” He looked pointedly at my bare feet, his action directing the other men to look down as well.
A smile played on Gabe’s lips. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, though we are happy to say that Autumn is joining our group.”
“You’re what?” Shannon glared at me, his face darkening a shade.
“How do you know each other anyway?” Dar’s words were mild, but his brown eyes narrowed and his strong body tensed.
There was no way around discovery, except pure bluffing. “I don’t know him, not really,” I said quickly. “A little girl went missing some time back, and this detective interviewed everyone in the area.”
“I see,” Dar said, looking from me to Shannon.
“Did they find the girl?” Gabe asked.
I felt suddenly faint.
In a flash of movement, Shannon reached to support my elbow. I was glad he didn’t wear a ring because I really didn’t want to know anything more about him.
“Are you all right?” His hand was firm, his skin smooth except for those rough patches on his palm.
“Fine.” I shook him off.
“Your face doesn’t look fine,” he said.
I was glad I’d given him only vague details of what had happened last night, though he hadn’t been too happy at my evasiveness. If he knew this was connected to Harmony Farm and Spring, he might not stop until he’d delved to the bottom of everything, and then Dar would know I was the woman Inclar had attacked and that I was joining them under false pretenses.
Yet wouldn’t it be better for Spring to press charges against her husband? I doubted she would be content to hide out at Harmony Farm forever, and that meant dealing with Jimmy at some point. Maybe I could testify to the injury later.
The ache in my cheek had become a pounding in my head. I desperately needed rest.
I gave Shannon a blank look, silently begging him to let it drop. He didn’t. “I’m sure you gentlemen will be happy to use Autumn’s ability in your business,” he said.
“We’ve been hoping to find an herbalist.” Gabe smiled again easily, and Dar nodded.
Please, oh please, I prayed.
“I didn’t mean that ability.” Shannon feigned surprise. He was a good actor and so compelling that everyone nearby was riveted. “What, don’t tell me you don’t know?”
“It’s none of your business,” I said in a low, dark tone. I wondered if my hands would fit around his neck.
“Autumn can sense emotions on certain objects,” Shannon continued. “Yep,” he added when he saw Dar and Gabe’s puzzled stares. “Or so she says. That girl she was talking about? Well, she touched her bike and saw what the girl had last seen—her killer.” Shannon gave me a self-satisfied smile.
“Is this true?” Gabe asked.
“I, uh, sometimes feel something when I touch certain objects,” I admitted reluctantly. “Not always.”
Shannon arched a brow. “Oh, come on. You’re being far too modest. Or maybe you’re withholding information?”
I wished he were dead. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, detective. If you need to talk to me, I’ll be outside.” I left quickly, grabbing my suitcase near the door. I wondered what Shannon was telling them now. When I dared a peek, Dar’s face was flushed and his large hands clenched into fists at his side. He had a good two inches on Shannon and probably forty pounds, but the gun I knew Shannon carried evened things up quite nicely. Even without the weapon, I wouldn’t put it past Shannon to have a few tricks up his sleeve.
As I watched, Dar relaxed and smiled, as though his anxiety had been in my imagination. Gabe was nodding gravely, and he reached out to take Shannon’s card. I stepped away from the door so I couldn’t be seen. Where was Jake? I looked around the parking lot, but he was nowhere, which probably meant he was still trapped inside somewhere. At least Shannon hadn’t singled him out. I lifted my bruised face to the afternoon sun and tried not to worry.
A few minutes later, Shannon paused as he emerged from the building, his young partner in tow. “What are you really doing here?” he demanded in an undertone.
“I’m hanging out with my kind of people.”
“You don’t belong here.”
“You don’t know anything about me.” To prove my point, I added, “You didn’t even know I had a sister. Are you this careless with all your suspects?”
“You aren’t a suspect.”
“To you, I am.”
We glared at each other for a long minute, and I had to admit that it was kind of fun hating him. He relented first, a hint of a smile briefly tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Be careful with these guys. I don’t like that man.”
I shrugged. Maybe he was right about Gabe. I didn’t know him well enough to be sure. Even an evil man could love his wife.
“That PI you gave the map to doesn’t seem to be answering his phone,” Shannon added. “I’ve left him messages. I need to see that map.”
“Maybe he’s busy. Look, it’s not the same thing exactly, but I e-mailed myself a copy of the area. The X was right in the middle of that green splotch in the middle of the map. More or less.”
“Very scientific.”
I ignored him. “If you stop by my shop, my sister can get it for you.”
Shannon’s eyes fell to my suitcase. “Are you really joining them?”
“Just going away for the weekend.”
“Where will you be in case I need to reach you?”
I shook my head. “I’m sure it can wait until I get back. Unless you have any more missing people you need me to find.”
I tried to say this with a touch of disdain, but I’m not sure I pulled it off. At least it shut him up. Tracy Reed grinned with enjoyment at our exchange.
Dar was coming toward the door. “Please go,” I whispered urgently.
“You don’t have some crazy idea of playing detective, do you?” Shannon hissed. “Is that what this is all about?”
I ignored him because Dar and Gabe were bearing down on us. Gabe had a determined look in his eyes that didn’t bode well for me. Probably coming to rescind my invitation to join Harmony Farm. “Just go!”
To my great relief Tracy tugged at his elbow, and Shannon left.
Forcing my mouth into a smile, I turned to face Dar and Gabe.
“Interesting character,” Dar said, staring after Shannon’s sedan as they pulled from the parking lot.
“With a name like Shannon, he has to be conflicted,” I muttered with what I knew was very bad grace. Winter and Summer would have warned me about attracting negative vibes from the universe if I continued in that vein.
“Pardon?” Dar said, though I thought I saw a trace of amusement in his face.
“Nothing important,” I assured him.
“Autumn, are you sure you want to join us at Harmony Farm?” Gabe was studying me again, his blue eyes narrowed. “It’s pretty apparent this detective has some sort of fascination for you and this ability of yours, and we have a lot of members who like their privacy. We don’t want to invite the law into our business. I’m sure you understand.”
That was funny, seeing as Spring was joining them solely to get away from her abuser. Maybe Gabe had something to hide from the law but not from a man who might be made to easily disappear.
“It’s not like I seek him out,” I said. “I’d be happy if I never saw him again.”
“Did you really do that?” Dar asked. “Find the girl by touching her bike?” His tone was casual but compelling. Gabe blinked, as surprised as I was by the sudden question.
“I didn’t find the girl. I identified her kidnapper. Working with a police sketch artist, that is.” I’d also told them where the abduction had taken place—which hadn’t been where they’d found the bike. But Dar and Gabe didn’t need to know all that.
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