by K.N. Lee
“He wouldn’t do that to me. We met at an NA meeting. He was my sponsor. He was strong. He fought his addiction and won. You must believe me. He wouldn’t do that to me.” This time her voice took on a plaintive tone.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but men can be real scumbags.” Egan smiled at Bryant.
“I think you’ve done enough damage here,” Bryant said, getting to his feet. He put his arm around Alexandria. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Sure thing,” Livia said, stepping out of their way. “But first…can we get the name of the place where you met? Maybe we can find some clues there.”
“It’s the Church of the Holies, on E. 86th,” Alexandria said.
Bryant’s fingers tightened around her shoulders.
“What?” She flashed a glare at him. “There’s no harm in telling them the place where the NA meetings are.”
“Ladies?” Bryant said, gesturing toward the double doors. “You can see yourself out, right? I need to help Alexandria to her room.”
“Sure thing,” Egan said. “Thanks for your time. And sorry for your loss,” she added, almost as an afterthought.
When they stood on the street, she brushed her arms with her hands, trying to get the slimy feel of Bryant Chambers out of her system. “Jesus. That’s one effed up family.”
“I’ll say,” Livia said. “Maybe we can get our auras cleansed at Church of the Holies.”
“And then we head to a bar for a nice stiff drink,” Egan said. “I need something to take the edge off.”
“You can always call Rion,” Livia teased.
“Right. Not in a million years,” Egan said, blipping the Corvette unlock key fob. But when she thought about it, the idea didn’t sound half bad.
Egan
Egan stepped on the gas pedal, giving the Corvette a little too much gas, going a little too fast. She powered her way toward E. 86th in the Upper East Side.
“Slow down,” Livia cautioned from the passenger seat. “These are residential streets.”
“I need to let off some steam. Being at the Chambers gave me the heebie-jeebies. Do you think Bryant is screwing Alexandria?”
“Who knows?” Livia clutched the sides of the leather seat.
“Come on, you’re the one with the mad telepathy and mind control.” Egan glanced at her, taking her eyes away from the road. “I hobble along. And, I can only connect mind to mind with you.”
“Look out!” Livia’s hand shot to Egan’s arm.
Egan’s head spun in time to see a couple of teens step out into the street. She slammed on the brakes, swerving.
The kids leaped out of the way, faces awash with alarm. They stood on the sidewalk, shaking their fists, and swearing at Egan.
“Learn to drive, bitch!” The tall one jeered at her.
“Yeah, and get fucked while you’re at it,” the smaller of the two said, giving her the finger.
“Fuck off yourself,” Egan said, flipping them off as she sped away.
“Yikes! You could have killed them.” With trembling hands, Livia brushed back her purple tinted hair.
“I’m sorry, Liv. But I saw them, honest. And they were merely being dramatic back there, acting all victimized.” She patted Livia’s shoulder. Easing up on the gas until she drove the speed limit, she said, “There. Is that better?”
“I guess,” Livia said.
“So. Mind control? Telepathy? What’s your take on Chambers?”
“Other than a boatload of guilt for whatever he’s doing with Alexandria, I don’t sense anything. I don’t think he had anything to do with his son’s death.” She drummed the armrest.
“I guess we’re back to square one.” Approaching a rare gas station in this part of New York City, she glanced at the gas gauge. “I’d better fill up before we head to the other side of town.”
She pulled into the petrol station and stepped out of her vehicle.
“Nice wheels,” a rugged looking guy with messy blond hair and a two-day beard said to her, pumping gas into his Prius.
She gave him an absent-minded smile before letting her gaze sweep along his muscular body.
“Thanks.” After swiping her credit card, she lifted the pump nozzle free. “Yours is far more economical.”
Pressing the Supreme Nitro+ with Power Boost button, she slid the end of the nozzle into the filler neck. She flipped the lever on the handle so it would pump by itself. Then, she turned to lean on the car, folding her arms over her chest.
“Yes, but still, I’d give anything to own a ride like yours. Wife and kids, you know?” He gave a rueful smile.
“Nope, I don’t know anything about that,” she said.
“Boyfriend? Husband?” He looked at her hopefully.
She shook her head, thinking, loser. She hated cheating spouses. Leaning into the window, she said to Livia, “I’m going to go get a snack. Want anything?”
“If they have any Ben and Jerry’s in those cute little cups, I’d love one of those.” Livia smiled.
“And if they don’t?”
“Ice cream sandwich?”
“You got it.”
Out of the corner of her eye she caught the Prius guy watching her trek across the concrete. Inside the convenience store, she bought a bag of chips and an ice cream sandwich and pivoted away from the checkout stand.
The cute blond guy burst through the glass double doors. “Your friend! She’s lost her mind! She’s standing on top of your car…”
Egan pushed past him and bolted out of the store.
Livia balanced on top of the car, swaying like she did on top of the apartment.
“Livia, what’s going on?”
Liv’s eyes had that same whitish glow as before, too.
She trained her eyes on Egan and yelled, “Don’t come any closer! I’ll shoot!”
She lifted her arm and held Egan’s Glock to her own head.
“Whoa!” Egan stopped, palms out.
The Prius guy halted behind her, a little too close for comfort. “I’m calling the police.”
“No!” Her head whipped to face him. “Don’t. We’re consultants with the police. I’ve got this.”
“It’s burning down. It’s all burning down.” Livia sounded like a B-rated actress from an old horror flick.
Egan turned to face her. “No, it already burned down, remember, baby girl?” She inched toward her. “That’s where we were earlier today. You remember, right?”
“Don’t come any closer.” Livia waved the gun at Egan. Then, she aimed at the Prius guy.
He ducked behind Egan for cover.
What a wimp.
“Honey, you don’t know what you’re doing right now,” she said to Livia. “Put the gun down and talk to me. Tell me what you see.”
She took another step toward the Corvette.
The guy stayed glued to her back.
She turned to him and hissed, “Back up. She won’t hurt you.”
“But I’ve got a wife and kids!” he whined. “And she’s got a gun.”
“It’s my Glock and it’s not loaded,” she lied, knowing a full magazine was in the chamber. “And instead of whining, you can help me. Go around to the other side of the car in case she falls.”
The guy looked at Livia, at the gun, and then back at Egan. He shook his head.
“Please.” Egan gave him her most winning smile. “If I can’t get to her in five minutes, you can call the cops.”
“Okay,” he said, scowling.
“Okay,” she said. She turned back to face Livia. “Honey, you need to hand me the gun.”
Livia shook her head. Her chin began to quiver.
“Yes, you do. You need to give it to me. Hand it over.” She held her palm out.
Livia shook her head more vehemently. Tears streaked her face.
The Prius guy duck-walked around the car as if Livia and the rest of the people streaming by staring couldn’t see.
A crowd gathered on the sidewalk
next to the gas station.
Great. We’ve got an audience.
“No pictures,” she commanded to the onlookers. “Put your fucking phones away. Any sudden sounds can set her off. I’m with the police and if I see any photos online I’ll come after you personally. Got it?”
She made eye contact with each person, keeping Livia in her awareness.
Most of them lowered their phones.
One bold twenty-something kept his close to his face.
Egan wanted to let her dark fire loose and burn it from his fingers. She pointed two of her fingers at her eyes and gestured toward his.
The intensity of her gaze must have worked. Slowly, he lowered his phone to his side.
Her attention returned to Livia.
The Prius guy gave her two thumbs up from the other side of the car.
He looked so ridiculous, Egan almost laughed.
“I’m going to do it,” Livia said, placing the gun muzzle against her temple.
“Baby girl, you know I’d miss you like crazy,” Egan said, until she was inches away from Livia’s ankles.
Silent tears continued to track along Livia’s cheeks. Her eyes still glowed white. “I can’t do it, Egan. I can’t keep seeing this stuff.”
“I know. I’ll help you. We’ll go see Rion again. He’ll have the answers.”
“Promise?” Color glimmered in Livia’s eyes for one second. Then it was washed out by the white.
“I promise. You know I’ll take care of you. I always have. Now hand over the gun.”
Apparently having had enough, the Prius guy leaped across the car toward Livia.
Livia screamed and fell.
Egan caught her and they both collided on the concrete. The impact knocked all the wind from Egan’s lungs. She tried to push Livia off her.
Livia, whose eyes had returned to normal, scrambled from Egan’s chest and leaned over her. “Egan? Are you all right?”
“I’m good,” she managed to wheeze. “I’m okay.” When she turned her head to get up, the gun was pointed straight at her head…but Livia wasn’t holding it.
No one was.
The gun hung suspended in the air.
She, Livia, the Prius guy, and the onlookers all stared at the Glock.
“Livia?” Egan said.
“Yeah, Egan?” Livia’s eyes looked like they might pop free from her head.
“I’m sorry but…” She lunged to her feet, hauled back her arm as best she could and punched her best friend in the face.
The gun fell, clattering to the concrete with a metallic clack.
Egan
A collective gasp went off as the gun skidded to a stop near the front tire of the Corvette. Then, every smart phone in the vicinity went off, as if on command.
After hustling Livia into the Corvette and tucking her in, Egan told the crowd, “She’s on new medications. Please don’t post those. You’ll violate her patient rights. Please. I’m begging you. Don’t post these on social media.”
“Are you kidding?” the twenty-something said. “These are going to go viral.” He waved his phone in the air. Then, he held it to his face and thumbed through his gallery. “Hey! They’re all blank.”
“Mine are, too!” another onlooker said.
Thank God. Our powers must have messed with the magnetics of their phones. Egan reached for the car door handle.
“I almost got killed,” the Prius guy said, sliding in front of her, blocking her way.
She poked his sternum with her fingernail.
“But here you stand, alive and well. And, you got her to release the gun,” Egan said, tossing her long hair over her shoulder, a fake smile pasted on her face. “You’re the hero here today.”
“Do you think?” His face lit up.
“No, I don’t think.” Egan waved her arms over her head. “You could have harmed her, the gun could have gone off, I could be dead right now,” she snapped, shoving him backward.
“But I…you said…” He pointed lamely at the gun.
“Fully loaded.” She plucked the magazine from the gun and pulled the slide catch back, locking it in position. Holding the magazine with two fingers, she waved it in his face, revealing the bullets. “I lied. Now get out of my way before I show you my other super powers,” she said. “Shoo. Get home to the wife and kids you were willing to fuck me to forget.”
A scowl formed on his face. “Who says I was willing to…?”
Egan pointed at the Prius. “Go!”
He turned and stalked toward his vehicle. “Fucking bitch,” he muttered.
“Douche bag,” Egan called.
Once Egan had the engine purring and the car heading in the right direction, she looked over at Livia.
Liv’s silent tears had turned into full blown sobs. “What’s going on? What’s wrong with me, Egan?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out. New plan. Let’s head to the M.E.s office.” She punched Rion’s number into the console phone display.
“Hey, anonymous.” His voice boomed through the car speaker.
A warm feeling filled her chest. “How do you know it wasn’t your mother calling?”
“Because I memorized your energy pattern the other night.”
Egan glanced at Livia.
She stared out the window like she wasn’t listening, but a slight smirk showed on her face.
She cleared her throat. “Livia’s with me. This is official business,” she said, offering up a big, fat clue so he didn’t say anything else about energy’s or kissing her or…
“What’s up?”
“Can we stop by? I know it’s late but we have more questions.”
“Sure. I could use the company. Where are you?”
“About twenty minutes away.”
“Okay, see you soon,” Rion said.
“Later.” She disconnected the phone.
“Okay, so, we’ll see what he can tell us about whatever’s going on with you.”
Livia turned and gave her a secretive smile.
“What?” Egan yawned.
“Nothing. It’s nice to hear you finally care about someone besides me.”
“Whatever.” Egan waved her hand in the air. Then, she flipped on the turn signal and got onto FDR Drive, heading toward the East Village, where Rion’s office was located.
A short time later, they pulled into the underground parking lot of NYC OCME, the chief medical examiner’s office.
Egan turned to Livia. “You okay?”
Livia sniffled and wiped her eyes with a tissue. “Uh huh. Do I look okay?”
“Pretty as always,” Egan said with a smile. “Although a little damp around the edges. Rion won’t care.”
“No, he’ll only have eyes for you,” Livia teased.
The thought made Egan’s tummy twist. “Let’s go.”
After crossing the parking lot, they took the elevator up to the fifth floor. It stopped and the doors slid open with an accompanying ting sound. They got out, striding down the hall toward the office of Rion O’Neil, M.E.
“Knock, knock,” Egan said, standing in the doorway.
Rion sat at his desk, his back to them. He spoke to someone, talking heatedly. Pivoting in his chair, he brightened when he saw her. He pointed to his phone, waved them in, and gestured toward a couple of folding chairs near this desk.
“Uh huh,” he said into his phone. “I see. Okay. Got it.”
His office looked like a mad scientist mess. Papers covered the desk. A dented skull, filled with paper clips, rested on a stack of papers. A skeleton hung from a metal stand. Another skeleton sat on one of the folding chairs, wired so that one leg crossed over the other. Its bony hands were clasped around the knee. It leaned forward as if ever the avid listener.
“Uh, let’s sit away from Mr. Bones,” Egan said. She sat in one of the hard metal chairs. Then, feeling as if Mr. Bones stared at her, she got up and turned him away from her and Livia.
“Thank you,” Livia whispered. �
��That thing gives me the creeps.”
“Right?” Egan whispered back.
“Okay then. I’ll let you know when I have the results.” Rion tossed his phone on the desk. “That was Danvers. He doesn’t like hearing that there’s a supernatural element to the murders. He can’t exactly explain it to his men. So, he’s hoping I can find something biochemical in the tox results we can pin the murder on.” He shook his head. “Humans. They can’t deal with reality.” He placed his palms on his desk. “Anyway…what can I do for you? You weren’t making a lot of sense when you called earlier, Egan.”
“None of this makes sense. We stopped at a gas station. I go in to buy us snacks and when I come out, Livia’s on top of the car talking about burning buildings again. And, she’s got a gun pressed to her temple—my gun. And her eyes….” Egan shuddered. “They were white as snow again.”
Livia seemed to fold into herself. “This is awful.”
“We’ll find answers.” Egan reached out to touch her shoulder. “So…” She turned to Rion. “Are there any other tests you can run?”
Rion stroked his chin which was covered with pale blond stubble. “Yes. First, we need to test her electrolyte balance. And rule out parasites.”
“Ew,” Livia said, pulling her lips back.
“It’s just precautionary,” Rion advised. “There are several exotic illnesses that can make you hallucinate.”
“Can they also make you wave a gun around without holding it in your hand?” Egan said, smirking.
Rion looked incredulous. “Is that what happened?”
“Yep. I had to punch her in the face to get the spell to stop.”
“Who was it pointed at?” Rion leaned forward, putting his weight on his forearms.
“Me.”
Livia lowered her head.
He tugged at his earlobe. “That’s, uh…”
“It’s scary as shit,” Egan said.
“Exactly.” Rion got up from his executive chair. “Follow me, ladies.’
He led them down the hall to a gleaming stainless steel and white tiled lab.
“Sit here,” he told Livia, gesturing to a black-topped stool.
She sat, spinning in a slow circle as she waited.