Deadly Visions

by Aubrey Harper

  Jordan came back with a glass of water.

  “I don’t drink tap,” I said. “Only bottled.”

  “You don’t really have a choice in the matter, princess, unless you want to die of thirst.”

  “My hands are tied,” I said. “How am I supposed to drink it?”

  He rolled his eyes and put the glass against my mouth. I eagerly drank the tap water. I was that thirsty. I just hoped all those conspiracy theories about the chemicals they put in tap water that supposedly blocked psychic gifts were just that, theories without much proof.

  I almost drank the whole glass in one go.

  “That’s enough,” Jordan said, taking the glass of water away and putting it on the coffee table. There was still some water in there.

  He guided me back to the couch and sat me down. “I thought I told you not to move,” he said.

  “You told me not to try escaping. Is looking out the window a crime now? So, where are we anyway? What state is this?”

  “Yeah, and I’ll tell you my name, too.”

  “Jordan Puccini.”

  “I guessed as much. You know a lot of things you shouldn’t, don’t you?”

  “I only know as much as I need to know.”

  “How cryptic of you. I heard about your gift. I looked into you, and while I’m not a believer in whatever you do, my boss is. That’s why you’re here. But I think you might be useful for other reasons.”

  “And what reasons would those be?”

  “You’ve been hanging around that FBI guy. I bet you know a lot of things worth knowing.”

  I shrugged. “I only know as much as the universe lets me know.”

  “So I’m guessing the universe didn’t tell you about this?” He pointed to my restraints and my unfamiliar surroundings. “Harsh.”

  I turned my head and rolled my eyes. He annoyed me, but only because he was actually right.

  “See, I think you’re a charlatan. A good one, but a charlatan nonetheless.”

  “I saw you. I saw you kill that guy.”

  “Which guy would that be? I’ve killed a lot of them over the years.”

  “The guy in Picking Hill. I touched his body and saw you killing him. Shooting him. I saw your face. That’s why ‘that FBI guy’ is after you now. Because of what I saw.”

  “It’s only us, darling,” he said as he took out a cigarette out of his pocket. “There’s no need to pretend.”

  He put the cigarette in his mouth but he didn’t light it. “The bossman don’t like the smell. And he’ll be here soon enough to deal with you.”

  “I’m not pretending, you know. I could tell you your fortune, if you’d like.”

  “What? You’re going to read my palm for me? Sorry, but I don’t put much stock in fate or whatever it is you lot are selling.”

  “It’s not fate, it’s probability. I can see the future, but that doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. Everything is malleable, changeable, if you know what to change that is.”

  “You know, I’m starting to think that you’re as nuts as the people that believe your shtick.”

  “Is that what you think of your boss?”

  He put the cigarette away. “He knows what I think of this stuff. But if you’re thinking of planting ideas in his head, you’ve got another thing coming.”

  “Don’t worry. I have no intention of helping your boss in any way. He’s a monster and he deserves to go to prison for all the crimes he’s committed.”

  Jordan laughed. “I’m afraid you won’t be getting your wish anytime soon. As we speak, all the witnesses against him are soon to be snuffed out. What then, little charlatan?”

  I looked away. “I don’t like you,” I finally said.

  “I don’t like you much either. I guess we’re even then.” There was the sound of several cars approaching the property. “Oh look. The bossman is earlier than expected. Looks like I won’t be having to babysit you much longer. I doubt you survive the night.”

  Thanks, universe. He just might be right.

  The front doors opened. The man in charge was surrounded by men with guns. They searched the whole place.

  “It’s clean, boss,” they said.

  “As if that wasn’t already obvious,” Jordan said.

  Then they scanned Jordan and me for any bugs and wires. We both came up clean.

  “Is this really necessary? It’s just been me and her since we arrived.”

  “You can never be too careful,” the man in charge said.

  “Delroy, I presume?” I said.

  “Indeed, young lady. And you’re Callie Ranger, if I’m not mistaken?”

  I nodded. “Yes, but since you had me kidnapped, you probably already knew that.”

  “Untie her,” Delroy said to Jordan. “We’re not savages. And it’s not like she has any chance of running away.”

  The men with guns and the remoteness of the house we were in made sure to that. It didn’t help that it was already dark outside.

  After Jordan untied me, reluctantly I might add, I had to voice a deep need.

  “I need to pee,” I said, and I wasn’t even lying.

  Delroy whispered something in the ear of one of his goons. The goon went to the back of the house. I could hear a door opening and closing back there.

  “Go right ahead,” Delroy said, a satisfied grin playing across his face. How I wished to see that grin turn to a frown, and his hands in handcuffs. I wanted Dax to show up and take all the bad men away. But somehow I doubted that was going to happen.

  I went to the bathroom and did my business. The part about having to pee wasn’t a lie. I washed my hands and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked terrible. My hair was a mess. The little makeup I did wear had already worn off. My wrists hurt from being tied up. My face hurt from the tape that was over my mouth.

  “Hurry up,” I could hear Jordan’s voice right outside the door. The very idea of him being so close gave me the creeps. “We don’t want to keep the bossman waiting, now do we?”

  I unlocked the door. “Take me to him then.”

  We went down a hallway and into what looked like a study and library combined. There was a desk and bookshelves filled with old-looking volumes all around. There were chairs and a leather sofa.

  Delroy was standing by the desk, looking out the window.

  “You know, I grew up in this place,” he said.

  He motioned for Jordan to leave us.

  “But sir,” Jordan protested.

  “Stand right outside the door if it makes you feel any better,” he said to the henchman. “I highly doubt Ms. Ranger here means to do me harm. Isn’t that right, Ms. Ranger?”

  I nodded. Though in my head I thought: fat chance. If I got an opportunity to get out of here, I would. And if it meant hurting a criminal, I didn’t have much problem with it.

  I caught a glimpse of one of his henchmen right outside the window.

  So that was why he was so confident in his safety. And if I had to guess, Delroy was probably armed as well. Or at least he had a gun somewhere in this room. Maybe if I could get a hold of it, maybe I could…probably get myself killed.

  Once we were alone, Jordan right outside the room, the other henchmen right outside the window, we were ready to finally talk.

  “Why did you bring me here?” I asked him point blank. There was no point in beating around the bush now.

  “I need your help, Ms. Ranger. See, I have this problem. Several of them in fact. And if I don’t get rid of them, I might end up going to prison for a very long time.”

  “It’s what you deserve. You’re a monster.”

  Delroy smiled. “Be that as it may, this monster would rather prefer to roam free. That’s why you’re here. You’re going to help me gain that freedom, once and for all.”

  “Never,” I was quick to say.

  “Do the names Bradley Ranger and Joy Ranger mean anything to you? How about Picking Hill, Ohio? Does that ring a bell?”

  “You lea
ve them out of this.”

  “I will. If you drop the attitude and help me with my problem. And then you’d be free to go. Free to see your family again. How does that sound, Ms. Ranger?”

  I hated him in that moment more than I’ve ever hated anyone in my life. But he didn’t leave me much choice. It was either help him or he was going to harm my family. I couldn’t let him do that.

  “What do you want?” I asked him through gritted teeth.

  Chapter 15

  “I want you to use your gift to help me get out of some sticky situations.”

  “So I’m guessing you don’t think I’m a charlatan like your little henchman over there?”

  “Jordan? He doesn’t believe in much. Only in what he can see and what’s useful to him. I respect him for that. But I know this world is more than meets the eye. Take a look around this room. Do you sense anything? Or maybe even anyone?”

  I looked around but didn’t sense much of anything. “That’s not how my gift works. I get visions of events, that’s about it. I might also get intuitive hunches about something. Now if you want someone to talk to the dead or anything like that, you’ll have to call someone else.”

  Delroy walked across the room. He opened one of the drawers and handed what looked like a crystal ball to me.

  As soon as I touched it I got a vision of a woman giving a reading, in the very room we were standing in.

  “Your mother was a fortune teller?”

  “She was much more than that, but yes. She used to give readings right here. That’s why I thought that this might be the perfect place to bring you.”

  I thought it was perfect, too. Since this used to be Delroy’s childhood home, maybe Dax had a chance of finding me, if he was even looking that is.

  Delroy gave me a knowing look. “Don’t worry. My family lost this property a long time ago. I acquired it through many shell companies. Officially, this place isn’t even here anymore. So if you’re counting on your FBI friend to find you, I’d let go of the notion right now. And even if he does, we’d know and have time to move. So either way, you’re stuck here with me. So, are you ready to do what I requested?”

  “You could have just asked. I’m not in the habit of helping people who kidnap and threaten me,” I said.

  “I’m assuming you’re going to make an exception in this case?”

  He poured himself a drink from the liquor cabinet. He offered one to me, but I declined.

  “I can’t get visions on demand. If I could, I probably wouldn’t be in this mess, now would I?”

  “I know exactly how this works. My mother was a psychic as well, and I know it’s not something that can always be controlled. But you must have some control over it? My sources tell me that you work as a phone psychic and that you have the best accuracy rate compared to your fellow phone psychics.”

  “That’s not exactly a hard thing to accomplish. Most of them aren’t even psychic.”

  “I’ve been looking for someone like you for a very long time. At least since my mother passed. If you’re useful to me, I might even give you a permanent position in my organization. Paycheck and bonuses are part of the package.”

  “Not interested. My visions help me stop crimes, not help criminals commit them.”

  He smiled and took a sip of his drink. “It looks like you don’t have a choice in the matter. So what do you need? Do you need a personal item belonging to the people I’m looking for? Their names? Pictures?”

  I turned around and looked out the window instead. There were two henchmen with guns out there. One right outside the door of the room we were in. There was no way I was getting out of here except maybe in a body bag.

  “Give me their names and pictures,” I finally said. “It should be enough. But I’m not making any promises. If the visions don’t come, they don’t come.”

  “I hope for your sake that they do,” Delroy said.

  He walked over to the desk and took out a stack of files.

  “I need the whereabouts of all these people. Their new names would be helpful as well, if you can get them. I’ll leave you to it. I’ll have someone check on you soon.”

  With that, Delroy left me in his office. He locked the door behind him for good measure, as if I was going to even try going against one of his henchmen.

  I sat down in the leather chair at his desk. The leather chair was surprisingly comfortable. I sat back and closed my eyes and begged the universe to get me out of here.

  Then I opened my eyes and looked at the stack of files on the desk. If I didn’t get Delroy what he wanted, my family would be in danger. I hoped Delroy didn’t already get a hold of them. I didn’t sense that he was lying, but then again, it’s not like I was a human lie detector. Though usually, my gifts served me well.

  I took the first file on the desk and put the folder in front of me without even opening it.

  I held my hand over the manila folder and closed my eyes.

  Then I put my hand on the folder. Almost immediately I felt something stirring in the darkness behind my eyelids. At first, it came as just flashes, but then the flashes became sequences of images. A man. Older. In a house. Beer in hand. He looked miserable. His wife was there with him, trying to comfort him.

  “I’m too old for this,” the man said, taking another sip of his beer.

  “You’re doing the right thing,” his wife told him. “This is your chance to set things right.”

  The vision faded.

  I took the notepad and pen provided and wrote down my impressions. Then I opened the file and saw the man’s face staring back at me. Apparently, he had been an accountant of Delroy’s. One of many, certainly. But this one had turned against him for some reason.

  I laid my palm against the picture and closed my eyes again.

  “Where are you? Where are you?” I asked the ether.

  Flashes came into my mind. The list of places I’d seen before. The list of places that Dax had in his room. One particular place was highlighted in my mind. I wrote down its abbreviation underneath my other impressions. I knew what town this man was in.

  Then I moved on to the next file.

  And the next.

  There were a lot more files here than there were places listed in that piece of paper in Dax’s hotel room.

  Was Delroy having me spy on all his employees or anyone he suspected of wrongdoing?

  I put my hand over one of the files and instantly felt a tightness in my chest.

  Immediately, I got a quick vision of a man lying down dead. It wasn’t Peter Hill or Beau, this was a man I’d never seen before. Gunshot to the chest, just like the others.

  I opened the folder and looked at the picture and the name. As soon as I saw the eyes in the picture, I knew that I was looking at a dead man. Not somewhere in the future. This man was already dead and gone. I wrote down “DEAD” in capital letters under my impressions on the notepad.

  It took me several hours to go through all the files. Midway through, I raided Delroy’s liquor cabinet and helped myself.

  “What am I doing here?” I asked myself as I sipped my drink before psychically reading the next file. “Am I going to hell for doing this?”

  But then I remembered Delroy’s threat about my family. I’d betray the whole world before letting my family be harmed. Plus, my family was innocent in all of this. These people, they chose to work for a criminal and turn on him. What else could they expect? I tried to convince myself that what I was doing wasn’t so bad, but in the end, I couldn’t do it. So I just took another sip of my drink.

  By the time I was done, it was well into the night. Dawn was probably not too far away.

  Instead of knocking on the door, telling Delroy I was done, I decided to lay down on the leather couch and rest a bit. What could it hurt? And it didn’t hurt that it gave the FBI more time to search for me, if they wanted to waste resources on a self-proclaimed psychic that is.

  As soon as I closed my eyes, I fell asleep.


  My dreams were filled with death and fear and uncertainty. Thankfully, none of them felt like psychic visions. Only fears given form by my mind. When I woke, it was because of the sun hitting my face.

  Jordan was standing above me, his hand ever so slightly on his gun, which was holstered to his belt.

  Delroy was at his desk, looking over my notes.

  “Very well, Ms. Ranger,” he said. “You’ve proven yourself quite the accurate psychic here.”

  “What do you mean proven myself? I did everything you asked. You said you were going to let me go.” I got up from the couch. Jordan gave me a look but Delroy told him to back off.

  “Don’t be so naive, Ms. Ranger. I can’t very well let you go talk with the FBI when everything is up in the air. I’d hate for any of these witnesses to be moved before we could get to them. That would be a tragedy, wouldn’t it? Besides, this was just a test to see if you were actually gifted. And it turns out you are. You might be even more gifted than my dear late mother, which is saying something. But no, I’m not done with you. Not by a long shot. The next thing we’re going be looking at is stocks. I need some extra cash flow in this trying time, and picking a few winning stocks would just do the trick and wouldn’t attract too much attention.”

  “I’m not a magic eight ball that can just answer any question you might have,” I said. “Besides, I’m burned out. I won’t be any help to you until I get some more rest and a hearty meal. I’m famished.”

  “I know, Ms. Ranger. That’s why I didn’t wake you when I found you passed out.”

  “You could have closed the curtains, at least,” I said, feeling groggy.

  Delroy laughed. “There’s a bedroom across the hall if you need more sleep. There’s a chef in the kitchen if you’d like something to eat.”

  I was hungry. “The kitchen it is,” I said.

  Jordan led me there. There were two other henchmen there, one of whom was eating a sandwich.

  “What will it be?” The chef asked cheerfully.

  Was he aware that I was here against my will? Probably. But I was beyond famished and didn’t have the energy to judge.

  “Pancakes would be nice,” I said.

  “How about some crepes instead?” The chef offered.