Touching Evil (The Leila Marx Novels Book 1)

by Amber Garr

  “Yes, I probably do.” He paused and watched Conner stride back over. “I’ll go to the hospital once the police get here. You might have to talk to someone, but I’ll try to get you home as soon as possible.”

  I warmed, grateful for his concern. “I’m okay. I’ll wait,” then looking at Conner I added, “and maybe you can take me home?”

  He smiled. “Yes, of course I can.”

  Garrick was already on the phone, and I could hear sirens in the distance. No doubt someone called the police after all of the noise and destruction the crash caused. I decided to sit back down on the ground before my legs gave out. Unexpectedly, Conner curled up his body and sat beside me. I studied him again.

  “You saved my life tonight.” A statement more than an observation. “I will never be able to thank you enough.” Tears built in my eyes. I had a second chance at life, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this is what Russ would have felt like if he had survived the gunshot.

  “Well, I couldn’t let that train smash you two into pieces, now could I? What kind of a person would I be?” He tried for humble, but instead seemed uncomfortable.

  “Where did you come from?” I looked at his car stopped on the other side of the tracks. He’d been driving in the opposite direction as us.

  “I was heading back home from work. Since our day got cut short, I figured I could get some paperwork done without any clients bothering me.”

  “Oh,” I said, then added, “Working on a Sunday night, huh? Pretty pathetic.” I smiled widely at him to make sure he knew it was a joke.

  He laughed and replied, “Yes, it is, isn’t it?”

  “Well, don’t worry. You’re not alone. I do it all of the time too.”

  “Aren’t we miserable examples of the young and hip?”

  I laughed too, and we stayed silent for quite some time before Garrick came back to us with a makeshift bandage on his head. The police and rescue personnel scurried around, and it looked like Garrick passed off his duties to someone else. We each pushed ourselves to standing when he came over.

  “Leila, I’m sorry, but we’re both going to have to go to the station to give our statements tonight. They are quite adamant that we don’t wait until tomorrow.” He acknowledged Conner and added, “They want to talk to you as well, but you can do it here. They’re sending someone over now. I can get Leila home once we’re finished.”

  Conner shifted his stance and put a hand on my shoulder. “Sure, that’s no problem.” I sensed something from that touch, but wasn’t sure if it was concern, exhaustion, or disappointment. “I’ll see you later, Leila.”

  I smiled again to wish him well, and followed Garrick to a marked police cruiser. He directed me to the passenger seat while he slid behind the wheel.

  “Sorry about this. I’ll try to get you home as soon as I can.” He turned off the blinking lights and pulled out onto the road that would take us to the station.

  The night passed quickly after that. I was tired and bruised, and for the first time in a long time, I wanted to go to sleep. Nearly two hours later, I was about to get my wish. I showered and made a cup of chamomile tea, readying myself for bed. Lying there, I couldn’t help but relive the day’s events. First the odd readings from Conner, then the crime scene at the park, and finally, almost being killed by a train.

  It still amazed me that it was Conner who’d come to our rescue. Thinking of my impending death led to thoughts about Erin and her family. I was still trying to choreograph ways that I could help that family more, when my body finally relaxed and I fell asleep.

  The next day was Monday. Usually a productive work day for me, but today I wanted to do anything but. I had a long phone call with Sara, filling her in on the previous night’s events. Assuring her that I could manage on my own today, I decided to keep busy with mundane tasks. After all, the refrigerator wasn’t going to clean itself.

  Part way through throwing out the expired condiments and the spoiled fruit, I decided I wanted to speak to Conner. He’d given me his business card, asking me to call him if I felt like talking. There was something about those visions, and the fact that he literally dragged me away from certain death. I was intrigued, so I decided to make an appointment.

  Once those details were finished, I thought about the other person I desperately wanted to talk to. It was only one o’clock, giving me plenty of time to visit my mentor before seeing Conner. I showered, ate, and grabbed the mysterious phrase hoping she might have some insight.

  Terez Vargha acted as Baltimore’s suburban psychic. Her business was located outside of the city limits and after a rather uneventful drive on the interstate, I arrived for my meeting. Her home sat on a modest lot along a street with a few other businesses and coffee shops. But her store stood out from the rest. If the neon sign saying “Psychic Readings” didn’t do it, then her dome-like house made a statement. The front porch arched from edge to edge and the entry door looked more fitting for a hobbit’s home.

  From the moment I got out of my car, I could feel the energy inside the house. Not just a clairvoyant, Terez was a true physic in every sense. She could read the past and future by a single touch. She was skilled in interpreting auras, reading palms, and even dabbled in tarot cards. Most of those skills were used to make an income and there were plenty of colleges and universities around to supply an stimulating cliental. But what Terez was most skilled in was her ability to control her gift.

  I met her when I first moved to the city. I always had a hobby of visiting those who claimed to be psychic to see how fake they really were, especially considering that I was the real deal. Most of the time, I got more information out of a handshake with a self-proclaimed psychic than they could get from me in a thirty minute session. Sure, not all were imposters. Some had a gift, although it was not as intuitive as they wanted their customers to believe. However, sadly, most were just ripping people off.

  Terez had been different. Very different. When I first walked in to her business, I felt something. Although I don’t have the ability to use my gift unless I physically touch an object, I knew something was unique about her. She recognized me for what I was instantly. We spent a couple of hours together on that first day and I’ve considered her my mentor, and even a second mother of sorts, ever since.

  As I lifted my hand to ring the bell, the door opened and a small lady with wispy gray hair and even grayer eyes peeked out. She was small in every way, and to one who didn’t know better, they might call her fragile. Although older than my parents, her pale, smooth skin made it difficult to guess her age. I would have said mid-sixties, but I would never ask. It’s just not polite.

  Through the door, I smelled a hint of incense and tea. The familiar scent made me comfortable. A cat ran out of the crack and rubbed against my legs. He was a large solid gray beast that must have weighed twenty pounds. I bent over and picked him up as he let out a cry to greet me.

  “Hello, Mr. Wags. I’ve missed you.” Rubbing behind his ears I asked, “How have you been?” He responded with a purr and a rough lick to my hand. I looked at Terez holding the door all of the way open and smiling at us. “Hi Terez. Thanks for seeing me today.”

  She motioned for us to come inside. “Leila, please. I always enjoy your company.”

  To my left was an area that would have been designated as the dining room. Instead it’s where Terez usually met with her business clients. A small round table sat in the center with two chairs and several psychic paraphernalia lying in the middle. Around the far wall was a puffy couch that looked either dark purple or brown. It was hard to tell because she had thick curtains blocking out most of the light from a large window. The entrance into the room shimmered with beads. I smiled to myself thinking that it couldn’t be any more stereotypical suburban psychic. Terez once told me that this is what her clients expected to see when they came in for a reading, so she humored them.

  The rest of the decor was relatively normal and more in tune with the Terez I had grown to kn
ow and respect. I put the cat down, much to his chagrin, and walked to the back of the house where it opened up into a large living space. The room had three oversized windows in it plus a set of sliding glass doors leading out onto a covered porch and her back yard.

  I think if Terez could live a second life she would be a botanist. She loved her plants. I couldn’t even keep a cactus alive in my condo, so I always marveled at how wonderful her yard looked. Plants surrounded the living room, covered the porch, and hung off of the trees. They were all so green and beautiful. As I took in a deep breath, I tried to smell every one of them.

  “Winter is coming fast,” Terez interrupted my thoughts and handed me a mug. She stood beside me looking out the doors and sipping her tea. “We’re going to have to prepare the plants soon. Sometimes I think I should move to Florida. But the humidity would wreak havoc on my curly hair.”

  She sighed as though lost in thought. I knew Terez loved the routine here and I highly doubted that I’d ever see her roaming with the South Beach crowd. We stood a few more moments before Terez sighed one more time and walked toward the couch.

  “Your energy is overwhelming today, Leila. It’s almost as if the house is vibrating with it. Please, sit down and tell me what’s on your mind.”

  She motioned me to the far side of the couch, so I sat down, wrapped my legs underneath me, and prepared for my therapy session.

  “Well, there have been a few things going on. I’m not even sure where to begin.” I took another sip of tea while trying to decide how to start.

  “Tell me about the men.”

  I nearly spit out my drink as I looked up at her. “Men? As in more than one?” I felt my heart speed up and the blood rise to my blushing cheeks. What was she talking about?

  “I can tell you’re confused, and usually when I sense this type of feeling, it involves a lover or lovers.”

  “I…I don’t have any lovers! You know that. I’m not ready for someone else. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”

  But even as I said this, there was a part of me somewhere deep inside telling me I wasn’t being totally truthful. I must have let something show on my face.

  “Ah, yes. Your brain may not be ready yet, but I sense that your heart is healing.” Before I could protest, she continued. “It’s all right, Leila. I’m not here to judge. Everyone grieves in their own way and on their own time.” She put her tea down on the table and reached for me. “Give me your hand.”

  I looked at her like she was crazy. I didn’t really feel that way, but I knew what she could do and to be honest, I didn’t know if I wanted to hear what my true inner feelings were. Ultimately, I didn’t want to disrespect Terez either, so I hesitantly lifted my arm.

  She grabbed both of my hands in hers. “Good,” she cooed. Then she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “Now relax, Leila. You know how much easier this is if you cooperate.”

  Her warm hands comforted me. I tried my best to clear my mind and let her do her thing. Terez was one of the few trusted friends in my life. When Russ was killed, she was the first one to call me. Initially, I assumed she saw the whole thing happen ahead of time and was angry at her for not warning me. Once I began to move through the grieving process and push through some of that anger, I realized that if Terez could have cautioned us, she would have.

  I understand better now that her powers work in a similar way as mine. We can’t search for particular moments in space and time, what we see is what we see. Sometimes we can’t even decipher the meaning. Terez is very skilled and she has helped me work on having more control. Control that allows me to make sense of the flashes of memory or future event that I may see when I touch someone or something belonging to them. I also think that my work with the police department has helped exercise my gift and keep it sharp. Terez often did the same through her business, plus she had at least thirty years on me to practice. I opened my eyes to see a slight smile on her face.

  “What?” I sounded a bit accusatory.

  “Relax, Leila. I think you already know what I’m going to tell you.” She opened her eyes and I swear I saw a hint of relief in her face. “You are surrounded by people who care about you.”

  “What?” Apparently she didn’t hear me the first time.

  Terez giggled. “I can tell that your heart is healing. You may not notice it yet, but your subconscious does. I can sense that someone, or two someone’s in particular, have piqued an interest in you. Now that’s not to say this will necessarily lead anywhere, but these men are helping you cope. Helping you recover. I can tell that one is a protector and other is a nurturer. But both will prove to be important in your life.”

  Before I could say anything she squeezed my hands harder and tweaked her head to the side, like she could listen to my inner mantra. “Hmmm. Very interesting.” Her face lit up and she turned a full smile in my direction. “This is good.” She dropped my hands and reached for her tea.

  “Hello? What’s good? What’s very interesting?” I hated when she did this.

  “Patience, Leila.” I hated when she said that too. “You know I can’t see specifics, but I feel as though this next year will be a healing one for you. And that may involve a new love interest or a new friend.”

  I did have a good time on my two group dates, but I hardly think I’d be forming any kind of relationship bonds anytime soon. I didn’t believe it. I’d loved Russ so deeply, that I couldn’t even imagine feeling that way about anyone else. I still loved him. And I thought that until I didn’t, there wouldn’t be any room in my heart for another.

  I was never a casual dater. In fact, Russ was only the second boyfriend I’d ever had. I didn’t commit often but when I did, I meant for it to last. And it was supposed to last, that’s why we were getting married. Sometimes even the best laid plans…well you know the rest.

  “Leila? What are you thinking about? I can almost see the shift of emotion in your aura.”

  I tried to clear my head again. “Nothing. Just having a hard time interpreting your excitement.”

  She sat back against the couch and I think she rolled her eyes. “Now, tell me what else is going on.”

  I filled her in on the police case without revealing too much detail that would break my confidentiality. I told her about the odd way Jake Montgomery had acted at the house and then about the lunch with Garrick. I still swear I saw Jake in the woods watching me suffocate, but I couldn’t be sure anymore. When I finished, I asked Terez if she had any idea what could have happened to me.

  “No.” That was it, all she said.

  “What do you mean no? In all your infinite wisdom and foresight, you don’t have any idea what it was? Look, I’m not crazy. Something happened to me.”

  “I don’t doubt you for a second, Leila,” she said in her soothing motherly voice. “But I also don’t have all of the answers.” I got another questioning glance. “There’s something else,” she stated.

  Confused, I thought about that comment for a second. Then I remembered the vision from the morgue. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out the note and explained what happened last night. She sat there patiently and thoughtfully while I finished my story, probably adding my own commentary about Tami and Garrick. I thought I was being funny, but Terez looked concerned.

  “Tell me what you heard,” she said.

  “Well, I think it is in Latin and I’m not sure if the spelling is correct. A posse ad esse transcende Asmodeus.”

  The tiny, confident women in front of me suddenly appeared frightened. “Did you say that these words were chanted over and over?” I nodded my confirmation. “Okay. Well, I’ll need to look into this a bit more.” She stood abruptly and seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. “Leila, I promise I’ll look into this, but I need you to promise me that if you see Jake Montgomery again or if anything else happens, that you will call me right away. All right?”

  “That’s it? Call you?” I was rewarded with a stern look that let me know I had offended her.
“I’m sorry Terez. You know I value your experience. I hoped you’d be able to tell me what’s going on. It’s scary and I don’t want to feel like that ever again.”

  She sat back down with her tea and placed a hand on my knee. “I will check out all of this for you. I have some friends who may be able to provide some insight. I promise to follow up with you.” She finished with a sympathetic smile and got up to take her mug into the kitchen for a refill.

  I followed her out to the covered back porch. We sat there for nearly an hour, periodically picking up a conversation about my job, or her plants, or Mr. Wags. When I got ready to leave, I realized I was relaxed again. I think Terez should skip the horticulture and open her own therapy practice. She always had a way with her calm words and her inner peace.

  I wondered if I would ever be that completely satiated with life. I was close once. But then the whole world crashed down around me. While sitting there listening to the birds and the leaves and the noises of nature, I realized that inner peace began within me. Genius, right? What I finally understood was that I needed to heal from the inside out, which would start with me living again. Or at least making an attempt.

  I gave Terez a quick hug and kiss on the cheek as I excused myself to leave. She reminded me that she’d be in touch with any information she can find about my attack, and as I was walking through the front door, she yelled for me to have a good time this afternoon.

  What? Oh, my meeting with Conner. How did she know? Stupid question.

  Nine

  I’d scheduled my meeting for five o’clock, hoping he’d be finished with his real clients by then. The office secretary was the one who made the arrangements, and her directions were helpful since I had to navigate about a zillion one-way streets to get there. Situated in a downtown business district, the law office was surrounded by medical plazas and doctor’s headquarters.