by Andrea Drew
Renee’s pulse skipped into high gear.−Well, I’m sorry I can’t be involved in something like this again. Last time, Gyp was nearly killed.
−But did you have someone like me watching and guiding you last time? I’ll take care of you, I promise. No harm will come to either of you.
Renee tugged at the pendant around her neck.
−Well, maybe. I’m seeing her tomorrow.
−Good, it’s settled. I’ll get in touch again soon.
Like a bird, the girl took off almost as if she had flown away.
Renee’s stomach lurched, as if it had been wrung out and twisted. She turned over in bed, attempting to get back to sleep. Where this would lead them she didn’t know, but she hoped this time they would be safe.
Chapter Seven
Sunday 20th January, 10.16am
When I awoke the next day, Connor was gone. I reached out to touch the place where he’d slept. It was cold. He must have been gone for a while, but then I knew he was working today, an early start at the station.
The fluorescent numbers on the alarm shocked me. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept in, even on a Sunday, but then I’d tossed and turned until the early hours of the morning when I’d succumbed to sleep.
I groaned as I levered my body out of bed and headed for the shower. There would be a barbecue at Leah’s place today and I looked forward to seeing Renee. It had only been ten days since I saw her, but it felt like an eternity. We had always been close, but then sharing a telepathic bond would do that for blood relatives, regardless of age.
After dressing quickly, I headed downstairs to find my phone. I found Leah’s number and gave her a quick call.
“Gypsy? What’s happening? You still coming?”
“Yeah, I’ll just make a quick salad then I’ll come over.”
Leah sounded relaxed and happy, a pleasant change after our conversation the day before. “Renee is desperate to see you, of course. But it’s a low key affair, just us and you so far.”
That was exactly the way I liked it. I’d already let the light in by raising the blinds and it looked like a warm summer day, and a casual breath of routine family functions was just what the telepath ordered.
I hadn’t told either Renee or Leah that I planned to make a visit either before or after their place. Hell, I couldn’t be sure myself how I’d be received, and there was only one way to find out.
I signed off from my conversation and after whipping up a quick salad, I was out the door.
In the car, I mused over what the day might bring. I’d already sent a quick SMS to Connor, asking him to let me know the lay of the land once he’d spoken to Ryan. Hopefully, the drama had died down and Paul and Leah were back to happy families.
Renee, as far as I knew, had no dramas in her life, a refreshing change for a teenager. At least someone’s life was free from drama. Then, she was only fourteen; there would be time for drama later. I pulled into the driveway of their home and headed in. The front door was open and the tantalizing smell of meat sizzling on a barbecue grill wafted in.
I made my way through the front passageway toward the back yard, the sound of laughter ringing through the hallway.
As I reached the door to the back patio, there was Leah, her brown hair tousled, skin glowing, a smile written across her face.
“Gypsy!”
Leah was carrying a couple of glasses, which she put down on a bench before reaching across to kiss me.
“Come through! The usual gang is here.” Leah strode ahead.
“Everything okay with Paul?” I wanted to slip the comment in before we reached the patio. I didn’t want to be the tipping point for another family drama.
“Oh, that…” Leah turned to me, her face coloring slightly. “Look, I should have waited before I called you. I was still in the thick of it. It was all over before it began.”
“So you never heard from Rita again? All good on the marriage front, then?”
“Yeah, she won’t be back, not after having the door slammed in her face. I believe Paul when he says he knew nothing about it—how could he? There has to come a point where I trust him again.”
Fair enough. As we reached the doorway, I heard Renee’s running feet clatter on the tiles behind me. I turned and she ran toward me with bright eyes and arms outstretched, which she threw around me. She’d grown. Her arms reached my armpits rather than my waist.
Had she grown in ten days? We were so close, and ten days seemed like a long time. How did I not notice something like this in someone so dear to me? I needed to see her more often.
“No, Gyp, I haven’t grown that fast. You need to pay more attention.” She grinned and patted my shoulder—“I have missed you, though”—and she squeezed me. As she did, I saw the flash, thunderbolts cracking open with the connection.
−I need some time with you urgently. Isabella paid me a visit.
I smiled at Renee, remaining composed, as I’d done often enough.
−Okay, just let me spend a bit of time with your mum. Then we’ll catch up somewhere quiet.
Well practiced in the art of business as usual, I released my grip on Renee and followed Leah, who collected some salad dressing from the fridge before stepping outside. Renee stepped away, I assumed to hang out in her favorite place, her bedroom.
“So what’s the latest?” I asked Leah as we sat on two lawn chairs a couple of meters away from the barbecue. “Other than your visit from dragon lady, that is.”
“Actually, Paul’s got a new job.” Leah leaned back in the chair, the sun hitting the highlights in her hair.
“He has? What kind of job?”
“Promotion,” said Leah, pulling down her top and rearranging it. “He’s a site manager now, seems to be enjoying it. I’m enjoying the healthier pay packet, that’s for sure. Definitely takes the pressure off.”
I was genuinely pleased for Leah. After everything they’d been through, things were finally looking up for them.
“So all good then?” I asked, reaching inside my handbag for a pair of sunglasses.
“As good as any marriage can be, I guess. I’m starting to trust him again, and we almost like each other. There’s even the odd moment of affection.” Leah took a sip of the cool drink beside her.
“I’m pleased to hear it. I bet Renee is, as well.”
“Yeah. She seems to be doing well at school, which is great. It’s nice to be back to a routine after the hell we went through last year.” I wasn’t sure if Leah was referring to her marriage’s near-breakdown, or the fact that I’d almost been killed. Possibly a bit of both.
Renee poked her head around the corner and joined us on the back patio, pulling up a chair beside us.
“What were you doing?” I said. “Hiding upstairs?”
Renee smiled. “Nah, I figured you wanted some time with Mum.” She certainly didn’t seem patient though, judging by her foot tapping on the tiles.
Renee flashed me a look.
“Let’s eat,” I said, rising to stand next to Leah, who strode in front of me, making her way to the barbecue. Renee and I followed. I thought I heard her hiss something at me under her breath, but decided she would have to wait, no matter how much I loved her.
The sun, the garden and laughter washed over me. Paul turned meat at the barbecue. I reached over to kiss him on the cheek.
“Hello, stranger,” I said. “Good to see you again.” Paul turned his tall, lanky frame from the barbecue and gave me a brief smile.
“Hiya. Glad you could come. Burger?” He gestured toward a platter of grilled meat.
I picked up a plate. “Thanks. I hear you got a promotion, nice one.”
“Yeah,” he said, concentrating on transferring meat from the barbecue to the platter. “I’ve got a new company car coming. The dealership has ordered it in. It’s nice to be appreciated.”
I smiled up at him. “I bet. This just proves that sometimes good things really do happen to good people.”
&nb
sp; “Thanks.” He flashed me a grin.
“Excuse me,” I said. “I’m going to eat, then catch up with my niece. Thanks for this.” And with a wave of the hand, I headed back to my seat.
Leah was sitting down, eating already. “For god’s sake, Gypsy, will you put Renee out of her misery after you’ve eaten? She’s like a cat on a hot tin roof, desperate to talk to you. I think it’s one of those ‘things’ again.” Leah flicked a warning glance at me. “I hope there won’t be trouble this time and you won’t involve Renee in things she shouldn’t be a part of. If she cries, you cry.”
I focused on the food on my plate, shrugging. I understood Leah’s worry well enough. During the crisis last year, Renee had been my voice, and I’d enabled our connection, where she’d spoken to Connor while I was laid up in hospital, and he’d investigated and rescued the abducted woman. In the course of the mayhem, Aaron had tracked Renee down and followed her home from school. Leah practically flayed me alive when she found out.
I waved Renee over. “Have you eaten?”
“Yeah. Can we go inside and talk?”
“Just give me a minute.” I grabbed my bag and placed my hand in Renee’s. She immediately turned and led me back inside. The girl was impatient, that was for sure. We reached the lounge, which was darkened and quiet.
“Sit down, Gypsy. It’s important.” Her frown and her hand tightly clasped gave me an indication of what was to come, although Renee had always been a serious child.
I sat in the soft, dark pink armchair and rested my arm beside her, palm up. With a hint of a smile, she nestled her hand in mine.
“Let’s go,” she said.
I knew whatever she was telling me must be confidential. For nearly a year now, we hadn’t needed to speak telepathically. Life had been refreshingly quiet.
−Isabella came to see me last night.
−So you said. I have to admit I’m surprised. Why would she do that?
−She said things are getting pretty heated between the four of you. She wants me to speak to Christie.
−What? That won’t be happening; I don’t need your mother on the warpath again, screaming at me that I’ve put you in danger.
−It’s important. She told me who the killer is.
−She did? I stood up to face her.
“Renee, who the hell is it?”
Leah entered the room and I rapidly switched back from speaking aloud to telepathic communication.
−It’s okay, Leah can’t hear us now.
I needed the information and I needed it now. She wouldn’t reply. Instead, Renee fidgeted with a bracelet.
−Renee, who is it? A life is at stake. You know that, right?
−Of course I do! I’m young not stupid. Renee leaned forward in the chair and a flush of red spread across her face. Isabella asked me to talk to Christie in person. She was worried about hot heads and emotions getting out of control. She said things had gone badly.
−That’s neither here nor there, Renee. If those two can’t see sense, well, there’s nothing I can do about their prejudices. But this, this is serious.
She sighed. It’s someone at work. Isabella didn’t know exactly but she did say it’s not Ryan. The murderer hasn’t shown himself, but he has started planning.
−I thought you knew the name of the bastard, Renee.
I gave her my best ‘I can’t believe you pulled that trick’ look, but Renee simply glared back at me.
−Why someone at work? What’s his motive?
−She didn’t tell me that part because she doesn’t know. Maybe you could ask her yourself.
I picked my bag up and slung it over my shoulder, breaking our connection. “I have to go. Say goodbye to your mum and dad for me. There’s someone I have to see.”
I made for the front door but Renee scrambled at my heels. She made a grab for my arm.
“Gyp, wait! No, don’t do this, please.”
Already outside, Renee reached me, breathlessly tugging at my jumper in a last ditch attempt to beg me to wait. I unlocked the car and rolled down the window.
“Renee, I get it. How could I live with myself if something happened to Christie when I know what I know? I got you involved once before. I can’t do it again. I’ve got to go.”
“She asked you to wait, that was the whole point,” said Renee, grasping at the car door, which I had locked. “Wait!”
I reversed from the driveway at speed with Renee still waving at me to stop.
It wasn’t going to happen. I turned the car around and made for Christie’s place. I had to talk to her.
Chapter Eight
Sunday 20th January, 11.22am
Christie was sitting on the side of the bed. She hadn’t bothered opening the curtains. Raising her head from her lap, she saw Ryan’s figure standing just inside the doorway of the darkened room. Light from the hallway cast him in silhouette. Christie sobbed.
Ryan stepped closer to her shaking figure perched on the bed. “I’m home,” he said, in a quiet voice
“Oh my god,” cried Christie. “I thought you were dead. I was about to call the police.”
“I’m here now. Had a night out and had a few too many drinks. I’m sorry.”
Christie pushed herself up from the bed and stood up on wobbly legs. “I’m sorry, I thought you were…you were…” She waited for the sobs to ease before wiping tears away. “Who were you with? Your mobile phone wasn’t answering; I called you, sent messages. It’s not like you, so I thought that, that—“She stepped slowly toward the kitchen, where she moved a hand to the bench for support.
“It doesn’t matter who I was with. I drank too much. It was dumb. I’m sorry.” Ryan took a small step away from her.
“I don’t understand. Was last night really that bad?” Christie stood facing Ryan, taking in his disheveled appearance and lowered head, as if he were unable to meet her eyes.
“I don’t want to talk about it, okay? I’m home.”
But that wasn’t all that mattered, not to her. There was something wrong, something he wasn’t telling her. Was he−could he have been−with another woman? “But where were you? It’s not like you to drink much.”
Ryan fixed a bloodshot stare on Christie. “Well, I did, didn’t I? After last night’s farce, are you surprised? What a waste of time.” He threw his keys, phone and wallet on the bench, where they landed with such force that they skidded off the end and clattered to the floor.
Christie thought she detected the faint scent of vomit emanating from Ryan’s clothes.
“What’s going on? Why won’t you tell me what happened?” Christie grabbed a cloth and scrubbed at a non-existent spot on the kitchen bench.
Ryan strode toward her and spoke through clenched teeth. “What, you think I was with another woman?” His laugh was brittle. “Maybe I plan on poisoning you so I could run off with her, is that what this is?”
Christie pushed at his chest. She didn’t want to tell him that the thought had crossed her mind. Now, after him staying out until 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning, she knew, just knew that something was going on. Why else was he reacting this way? It was completely out of character. He was weird. What happened to the caring, supportive Ryan? Where did he go?
“Well, where were you?”
“I can’t believe you asked me that.” Ryan stormed out of the room, heading for the living area at the front of the house. As Christie followed, she saw a hazy figure behind the frosted glass of the front door, where the bell chimed just seconds after registering the figure standing there.
Ryan cursed under his breath, but swung open the door. Standing there was Gypsy Shields, out of breath and shoving hair out of her eyes.
“Ryan, look, I know you probably don’t want to talk−”
“What exactly is your fucking problem?”
For a moment Gypsy stood unmoving, mouth open.
“In case you didn’t understand the first time, let me say it again. Fuck off and leave us alone!” He slammed th
e door closed so hard that the doorframe rang a second chime as it vibrated.
“Jesus, Ryan,” whispered Christie.
He turned to face her. “What? Worried I might offend her? Please. Some people won’t take no for an answer.” He strode back down the hall. From their bedroom, she heard the slam of doors and creak of hinges.
“She’s my uncle’s girlfriend. What are you doing? Ryan? Ryan.” Christie stood at Ryan’s side as he dragged a bag out of the bottom of the wardrobe. He began pulling clothing out at random and stuffing it into the duffle bag.
“Out of here. I’ve had enough of this shit.” He moved to the drawers, which he ripped open. One of them clattered to the floor. He scrunched items up into a ball before packing them.
“What has got into you? This is crazy, completely out of control. Don’t leave now, not like this.” Christie reached out for him, and he batted her hand away.
“You really want to do this? Seriously, right now? What about us?”
Ryan dropped the bag on the floor. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, what about us? After everything, you still don’t trust me. You can’t look me in the eye and tell me that. Do you really think I would try to kill you, for real? I’m that guy?”
Christie moved her hands away from her face. “No, Ryan, I know you wouldn’t do that. I do trust you, I do.”
“Bullshit, Christie, it’s too late. I’m out of here.”
Christie’s knees buckled and she lay on the carpeted floor, listening to him rummaging around in the bathroom, knocking bottles over, until he huffed his way down the hall and the door crashed behind him.
Shoes clacked across the driveway, a remote beeped as he unlocked the car, the engine revved as he fired it up and rubber peeled.