The Healer(The Healer Series Book 1)

by C. J. Anaya

Chapter Eleven

  Victor marched in, seeming full of purpose, while Tie slowly sauntered in looking bored out of his mind. It made me wonder if he really had displayed any kind of concern on my behalf. They both stopped short when their eyes rested on me. Tie let out a low whistle.

  “I thought you said she looked like death warmed over. She looks all right to me.” He gave Victor a wicked smile.

  Victor glared back at him while looking slightly embarrassed.

  “All right? You think she looks all right?” Angie was outraged.

  I felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at, mostly by Tie. His gaze traveled from my head to my toes and back again. I wanted to hide myself inside the nearest hospital closet, anything to escape the delightful tingling his gaze evoked.

  Considering how messed up his face had been before my dad set his nose, he looked amazing now. I suspected he’d allowed his body to begin repairing itself because his nose was bone straight. I wasn’t sure my dad could have gotten it that straight. The bruises surrounding his eyes were a nasty purple color, but I liked it. It made him look a little dangerous. He continued his appraising stare. A delicious sensation rippled down my spine. I broke eye contact abruptly.

  “I’m not sure why it’s going to take all three of you to get me to Angie’s car in one piece, but could we get going please? Her clothes are about two sizes too small, and I’m finding it hard to breathe, not to mention stand. The sooner I get home the better.” I pushed past them and out the door.

  “I thought we were going to get something to eat. Ouch,” Tie cried.

  I looked back at Angie in amazement. She gave me a sheepish grin.

  “That’s why you dressed me up like this? You planned a dinner date when you thought I was dying?” I was incredulous.

  “In my defense, I did bring a second outfit for you in the unlikely event that you’d perished by the time I’d arrived.” Her face was all innocence.

  She’d left me completely speechless. This matchmaking side to Angie was a whole different ball of wax, and I was so not used to it.

  “There’s no way my Dad sanctioned this.”

  “Of course he didn’t. I wasn’t dumb enough to tell him.”

  She made me sound foolish for even bringing my father up.

  “If this is a date, which one of you lovely ladies is paying for my food?” Tie asked in a sweet voice.

  Angie smacked him on the back of the head and walked toward the elevator. Victor rushed to my side and offered me his arm.

  “Just in case you feel light headed,” he said giving me a small smile.

  I could hear Tie making gagging noises behind us.

  “You know, Tie, I’m just as capable of breaking your nose as Nathan is,” I threw over my shoulder as the elevator doors opened.

  “I’d probably enjoy it more, too,” he replied.

  I could feel Victor’s arm tense as we boarded the rickety box and rode it to the first floor. I figured he liked elevators about as much as I did.

  I was grateful that Victor’s arm was at my disposal. My heels were becoming hazardous to my health, and the walk from the hospital doors to Angie’s car might have seemed short to anyone wearing a decent pair of shoes, but felt like a mile or two for me. While Angie prattled on about the lack of hospital valet parking, Tie and Victor started to get quiet and watchful. The closer we got to her car the more nervous I began to feel. Something wasn’t right and the guys seemed to know it. I searched the area surrounding us, wondering if what I was sensing might jump out at us from the night’s shadows.

  Despite their obvious unease, and my growing desire to run away from all of them as fast as my treacherous stiletto heels would allow, we made it to the car without incident.

  Angie drove a purple PT Cruiser and was incredibly proud of it.

  I preferred my Chevy.

  I was about to get in the front seat, my usual place inside the PT, when Angie bumped me with her hip.

  “Victor, we haven’t had a chance to get to know one another. Why don’t you sit up front with me. You don’t mind sitting in the back do you, Hope?”

  I glared at her, wishing I were back in my hospital bed instead of out with a best friend who’s unpredictable behavior was no longer predictable for me. I had absolutely no idea what to expect.

  “After you,” Tie said beckoning me toward the back.

  Victor slung himself into the passenger seat mumbling something under his breath.

  I placed my foot in the car, but felt slightly dizzy. I must have swayed noticeably because I felt Tie’s very capable arms wrap around me and pull me into him. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his shoulder.

  Just this once, I thought.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  I shook my head and looked up into his icy blue eyes.

  “Just got dizzy for a second,” I said. “I’m good now.”

  He searched my face, looking concerned, and then he shook his head like he was trying to snap himself out of something. His cold mask slipped back into place.

  I stepped out of his embrace, feeling reluctant to do so, and slipped gingerly into the back seat. Once Tie made sure I was situated he closed the door and rounded the back getting in on the other side.

  “We ready?” Angie asked.

  “Dinner can’t come fast enough,” I heard Victor grunt.

  “That’s the spirit!” She patted his arm happily.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as Angie pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

  “Oh, just a little old place I like to call Expresso,” she purred.

  “What’s Expresso? Sounds like something you’d order from a Starbucks,” Victor said.

  While Angie explained the significance of the café’s name and the activities associated with it, little alarm bells started sounding off inside my head. I was beginning to smell a not so subtle rat, and that rat was Angie. I sincerely hoped she hadn’t signed me up to read or possibly sing one of my songs tonight.

  “So people will be giving us live entertainment?” asked Tie.

  For one brief moment, I’d actually forgotten Tie was sitting next to me. A clear indication of how worried I’d become.

  “It’ll be live, all right, and some of it will be entertaining,” she laughed.

  I waited, thinking Angie might mention my many stage performances at the café, but for once she remained blessedly silent. I let out my breath quietly.

  As much as I loved getting up to sing, I was loathe to do it in front of Tie. Not only was I feeling a bit wobbly on my feet, (the stilettos were sure to accentuate that particular problem) but the thought of singing in front of someone like Tie made me nervous. He was so cynical and bitter. My time on that stage was a way for me to connect with my own self for a change and enjoy the freedom of expressing emotions and sharing experiences that belonged, not just to me, but to everyone. It was my sanctuary, and I didn’t want his negative vibes ruining it.

  I shifted in my seat, accidentally brushing my hand against his.

  “Sorry,” I said automatically.

  “I’m not opposed to getting cozy in the back seat.” He grabbed my hand and pulled it to his chest.

  My pulse quickened immediately. I tried pulling it back, but Tie wasn’t ready to relinquish it just yet. He began rubbing his thumb lightly over the back of it, sending lightning flashes of heat down my arm. I bit my lip quickly in order to avoid letting out a startled gasp and wrenched my hand from his.

  “What, no sparks?” he asked innocently.

  I hated that he was capable of making my body feel something I didn’t want to feel, and I hated that he knew it, like he thought it was inevitable.

  “Tie, what are you doing back there?” Victor asked angrily.

  “I’m merely trying to convince Hope that we would make a magnificent couple back here. Sitting close to each other like this without being able to have the kind of make out session I know she’s been looking forward to is really upping the
tension.”

  Tie was baiting Victor. The irreverent sneer on his face made it very clear to me that getting under Victor’s skin was foremost on his mind, and flirting with me was simply a way to accomplish that. I was ticked off that he was using me and messing with my emotions. I didn’t know why I was such a sore spot for both of them, but I wasn’t going to sit there and let Tie manipulate me any longer.

  “You’re so full of yourself,” I said. “I get that you’re good looking, and you hold a certain kind of appeal for those types of girls interested in a tortured, brooding boyfriend, but it really is shocking that you’ve pegged me as one of them.”

  Tie turned his icy eyes from Victor to me. The coldness they brought with them seemed to reach deep within my heart. He watched me closely. I thought he would be offended or angry, but his expression showed nothing more than a weird mixture of interest and puzzlement. I broke my gaze from his and looked at Victor, who had turned around in his seat, watching me. He was fairly beaming with happiness.

  “Uh, guys. I hope we’re not kicking off this date with a contest to find out who has the most testosterone because we’re here, and I’m hungry,” Angie said.

  She pulled into the café’s parking lot. There were cars everywhere. It wasn’t unusual for Expresso to be busy, but I was surprised Angie found a place to park.

  I let myself out of the PT in a rush. I didn’t feel like waiting around for Tie to open my door for me. I doubted he would’ve done it anyway.

  Walking into the café’s small waiting area was like visiting an old, comfortable friend.

  “Hey, Sandy,” I said waving to a cute little blonde waitress who was passing by.

  “Hope, I’m so glad you came tonight. I haven’t seen you here in a while.” Sandy adjusted a wobbly plate in her hand. I was feeling a little wobbly myself. “Just grab whatever table you want, and I’ll be there to take your order in a minute.”

  I nodded and peeked into the dining area. Almost every booth was taken. I started weaving my way around tables, waitresses, and patrons until I spotted a nice little booth in the corner. I turned and waved to Angie who was a few tables behind me. She nodded and guided our dates over.

  I’d been too irritated to wait for any of them.

  Sitting down quickly, I surveyed the area and noticed that most of the kids from our high school were there. I usually enjoyed the crowded café, but tonight I felt anxious and uneasy. I noticed Expresso’s band was already set up on the stage. Jackson, the lead guitarist, spotted me and gave me a head nod. I pasted on a fake smiled and nodded in return.

  I’d placed myself at one end of the booth, fully believing that either Victor or Angie would scoot in next to me. Victor approached the table and was about to slide in when Tie tapped him on his left shoulder and moved swiftly around his right, sitting down next to me and flashing me a pleased grin.

  After the major set down I’d given him I couldn’t believe his audacity. He wasn’t even giving me any breathing space. His shoulder and leg were pressed against mine leaving me little room for escape. Sliding away from him would have left me spilling out of my seat and onto the floor. I looked around for Angie, hoping she’d save me. I finally spotted her talking to Jackson. Once again, she was going to be no help.

  “After all that cuddling in the backseat of Angie’s car I thought I was your date for this evening, Hope. Were you just going to sit there and let Vicky take my spot?” he chided.

  “You are unbelievable,” I hissed.

  “So glad you noticed.”

  His shameless smile made me want to slap him or maybe kiss him. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do.

  “Hope would rather sit by me,” Victor said in a barely controlled voice.

  “But I want to sit in between both of you handsome devils,” Angie chimed in as she slid into the booth next to Tie and motioned for Victor to sit on her other side. He hesitated for a second, but she gave him a flirtatious wink of encouragement. His face broke out into a silly grin. I had to hide a grin of my own watching him sit down like an obedient puppy.

  “Anything good here?” Tie asked. He reached under the table and squeezed my knee.

  I smacked his hand as hard as I could. He let out a soft chuckle.

  I struggled to get my warring emotions under control. I guess most girls in my position would have been flattered with all the attention Tie was throwing out, but it wasn’t being given to me in hopes of getting my number or achieving a second date. He wasn’t even claiming me as his date for attraction’s sake. I was simply a pawn in his sick little game. I was probably being used in more ways than one, but I still had no idea why he and Victor were really here.

  Sandy approached our table with a cheerful smile.

  “Hello everyone! This looks like a cozy little double date,” she said.

  “Oh, it’s definitely getting cozy,” Tie agreed. He placed his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me playfully.

  It would’ve been rude to shove his arm away in front of Sandy, so I sat there pretending not to notice. On the inside, I was burning with the need to escape his nicely muscled arm before I started liking it too much.

  I could see Victor’s eyes bulging from their sockets. He really needed to start ignoring Tie before he developed an ulcer.

  “What’ll ya have, you guys? The usual for you and Angie?”

  “Yes, please,” I answered for both of us.

  Angie and I never wavered from our intense obsession with cheeseburgers, cheese fries, and Oreo malts.

  “And for the good looking new guys?”

  “I don’t know what the usual is, but if my date is having it then so am I,” Tie said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

  His interest in me wasn’t even believable anymore.

  “I guess that goes for me as well,” Victor said. He seemed to be making a half-hearted attempt at enjoying himself.

  Sandy nodded and gave Victor a flirtatious wink. He smiled bashfully. He didn’t seem to realize how attractive he was. It made me like him more. Sandy moved her attention back to me.

  “So, what have you got for us this visit?”

  “Huh?” was my dumb response.

  “Your song for tonight. Are you entertaining us with something bluesy or maybe a nice up tempo rock song?” she pressed.

  Realization came crashing down around me.

  “Oh, no. I’m not doing anything tonight. I’ve been a little busy, and I don’t really have anything ready.” I kept my eyes locked on Sandy’s and silently begged her to read the panic in them.

  “That’s not true, Hope,” I heard Angie say.

  My head flipped around, and I watched her hold up a folded piece of paper.

  “What’s that?” asked Victor.

  “The song Hope wrote today. At least I think you wrote it today.”

  “Where in the world did you get that?” It was the song I’d written in my car before I’d left to see Kirby. The one helping me release all of Tie’s emotions from my system.

  “I found it in your pants pocket at the hospital. The lyrics are pretty good. I can’t wait to hear you sing it.”

  Her comment was given innocently enough, but her eyes gleamed wickedly, and full comprehension of her intentions for tonight became crystal clear. She’d set me up. She’d found the song and orchestrated this little date to Expresso to get me to showcase my singing capabilities in front of our dates.

  I was going to kill her.

  “I didn’t know you wrote music, Hope,” Tie commented. “You seem to be endowed with several amazing talents.”

  My discomfort was growing, as was his infuriating smile.

  “Are you going to sing for us tonight?” asked Victor who seemed genuinely interested.

  “Not a chance.” My reply was more sharp than I‘d intended. “That song isn’t finished yet, and I haven’t run the music by the band. They’d need a couple of practice runs before getting it right.”

  “Oh, come on, Hope. You’ve
done a lot of impromptu performances without practicing beforehand, and the band is always able to follow you,” Sandy argued.

  “No worries. I made copies of Hope’s song at the hospital and already passed them out to the band. They should be good to go,” Angie said giving me a triumphant grin.

  Sandy’s eyes lit with happiness.

  “I’ll go tell Jackson you’ll be singing next,” she said, jumping up quickly and heading toward the lead guitarist.

  I wanted to leap up and run out the door.

  This date had been a mistake. Beads of sweat began forming along my hairline. I could hear Tie chuckling softly. I gave him an icy glare and then turned the full force of it onto Angie.

  “You are by far the worst best friend I’ve ever had,” I said.

  “You’ll thank me later.” She reached across the table and gave me my lyrics. I ripped them from her hand and did my very best to hold back the biting remarks floating in my head.

  There was some tapping on the microphone and a bit of feedback as Jackson cleared his throat.

  “Excuse me, everyone. Our next performance will be by one of our most popular musicians tonight. Please give it up for Hope Fairmont.”

  The applause started and my pulse skyrocketed. I hadn’t even had time to form an escape plan. I stood up slowly, wishing with all my heart that I was simply having a nightmare. I would wake up the minute my feet touched the stage.

  Of course, that never happened. Within seconds, seconds that felt like hours, I gingerly climbed up the side steps to the small stage, barely avoiding a large wobble due to my treacherous footwear, and placed myself in front of the microphone. For the first time in my life, the mic no longer seemed like an old friend. More like a threatening viper ready to strike.

  I looked out at the sea of familiar, smiling faces and felt my muscles unwind slightly. Maybe I could pretend that Tie wasn’t present. There were so many friends from school waiting for me to succeed. Tie was just one guy, right?

  I looked over at my table and met his gaze. He sat there staring at me, taking in my less than confident appearance. I waited for him to give me another punishing smirk. Instead, he mouthed the words “you can do this” and gave me a supportive nod. His attitude pissed me off. One minute he was being a complete and total jerk, and the next minute he was pretending to be nice to me. His mind games gave me the mental edge I needed to sing his song better than I’d ever sung a song in my life. I’d show him I was the last girl on earth he could manipulate.

  It was strange to hear my music being played from behind me. Jackson’s group and I had spent a good three years getting to know each other’s styles. We knew what worked and what didn’t, but I was always amazed at how quickly they could pick up my music and make it a reality for me without ever having seen it.

  The base line and percussion gave me a quick adrenaline rush, and I closed my eyes as the first chords to the song washed over me. With the warmth of the spotlight bearing down upon me and the music filling up all the empty spaces within, I forgot about my fears, I forgot about my worries, and I started to sing the song that Tie had given me.

  I could hear my voice ringing out true and clear through the monitors. My confidence grew, and by the time I’d reached the second verse I was completely at ease and in my element. It had to be the best kind of freedom I’d ever experienced. It always felt that way when I sang.

  You use words like Maybe now

  It keeps me from moving on

  When all your emotion’s gone

  I locked my eyes with Tie’s, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of getting under my skin. I wanted him to know he wasn’t upsetting me. To my surprise his face was open and vulnerable. Gone was the overconfident smile. There wasn’t even a hint of a sneer on his lips.

  You like to say If a lot

  There isn’t one single string

  To keep you here next to me

  I guess it’s my own fault I can’t stop

  You’re so easy to believe

  And even when my hope seems to drop

  I still want to breathe you in

  The chorus was coming again, and my eyes never wavered from Tie’s. His were also glued to mine, but I got the impression he wanted more than anything to break the strange connection we were experiencing, to be rid of the sadness etched in his face.

  If you’re already leaving

  Why don’t you get on with it

  Just get on with it

  Cause I’m already bleeding

  Oh please just get on with it

  Get on with it

  Take me or leave me

  Figure it out

  If you’re gonna be gone anyhow

  Go now

  I switched to the bridge with the band easily following me.

  My heart keeps beating

  while your hearts retreating

  and soon I’m losing you

  I repeated the chorus one last time. It felt sad to let the moment go and have the song end. Tie wasn’t the easiest person to read, but this song opened a crack in his armor, and I was anxious to understand as much as I could. The more I sang the more I would see, but the song finally ended and the last chords of my music faded out into the silence.

  The applause that followed managed to break the connection I’d shared with Tie. I smiled and took an exaggerated bow, determined to milk the moment for Tie’s benefit.

  His mouth was strained, his body rigid. I wondered at the intense emotions my song had unearthed for him. Whoever this girl had been, she’d certainly put Tie through the ringer.

  Arriving back at my table, I sat down close to him and brushed my leg against his. Placing my hand on his arm I chirped, “How’d I do, date?”

  He gave me a rueful smile, like he was conceding defeat, but his eyes seemed to hold newfound respect for me. His silence went unnoticed, due to the fact that Angie, Victor, and everyone else in the restaurant were tripping over each other to tell me how much they loved the song. From the corner of my eye I managed to see him slowly recovering himself. His icy façade slipped tightly into place.

  “That was a very interesting song, Hope.” He eyed me warily.

  “Hits close to home doesn’t it?”

  His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned.

  I gave him a sugary smile and turned my attention to my food. Victory made my cheeseburger taste that much better.

  Angie was about a million times smarter than I’d given her credit for, and I’d always suspected she was a genius. So I did exactly what she’d predicted I’d do.

  “Thank you, Angie,” I said through a mouth full of burger.

  “I think there were some Hollywood talent scouts here tonight. When you’re rich and famous don’t forget the little people who dressed you up and gave you gold stilettos.”

  She gave me a satisfied smile and turned her attention to Victor.

  I couldn’t help but give Tie a surreptitious glance as I took another bite of my burger. I found victory to be a fickle friend. I may have succeeded in throwing Tie off balance, but he was quick to bounce back.

  “Tell me, Hope, was that song about someone in particular or have you had a lot of practice being dumped?” he asked.

  I did my best to hide the anger I felt with his latest verbal onslaught.

  “You should stop talking, Tie,” Victor said in a tired voice. “No one has the energy to keep up with your tactless commentary.”

  “Hope has never been dumped,” Angie defended.

  “So she’s the one doing all the dumping, huh? Some things never change,” Tie said.

  I had no idea what he was talking about. He didn’t know me at all, but the way he sometimes interacted with me suggested this had all been done before.

  “So Angie, how long have you and Hope been friends?” Victor interrupted.

  “Since we were babies. My mom and her mom were pretty tight.”

  “Your mothers aren’t tight anymore?”

  Angie’s ey
es turned to me immediately. It was obvious she was regretting bringing my mom up as a conversational piece.

  “My mom died when I was ten,” I stated bluntly.

  My small talk really needed some work.

  There was an awkward silence that filled the space between us all. Not even Tie had a nasty comment to offer up. They both seemed taken aback by the sad news.

  I found it interesting that this aspect of my life was a complete and total mystery to them. I mean, they’d gone to great lengths to determine who I was and what I could do. I’d just assumed they’d have some kind of file documenting the events in my life. Surely something as major as the death of a parent would have made it into that file.

  This was assuming that my government agent theory was even correct. Maybe they were high school students looking for other people who could heal the way they could. Maybe I’d perceived them as more threatening than they really were and given them far more credit than they deserved.

  “I’m sorry about your mom,” Victor said sounding a bit embarrassed. “I’m also sorry for asking about it. I’m sure this is the last thing you want to talk about.”

  Victor gave Tie a very confused look.

  “It’s okay,” I lied feeling a little more exposed than I was used to. “It was a long time ago.”

  “How did it happen?” Tie asked. His question seemed more urgent than intrusive. I had been waiting for more snide commentary or some tactless joke, but he looked like he was trying to put some pieces of a puzzle into place, something that had been eluding him for quite some time. He placed his hand on mine and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

  “Tie, we should really change the subject,” Angie said showing some obvious remorse for having opened her big mouth. She knew how touchy this subject was for me. I mean, I talked about it once with Angie right after it happened, and then I refused to talk about it any further, and she was the one I told everything to. Well, almost everything.

  Tie ignored her, however, and continued to stare at me expectantly. I surprised myself with the desire to finally talk about what really happened that night. Not even my own father knew everything I knew.

  He didn’t know I’d seen my mother’s killer.

  Yet here, in this crowded café, with my best friend and two guys I’d met this morning, I was ready and willing to share a part of my history that I’d refused to talk about for years. The noise of the café seemed to fade away into the background, and our tiny little booth in the corner felt like the most private, ideal location for soul bearing if there ever was one. I wasn’t sure if Tie’s mesmerizing gaze had created that illusion for me or if I was just so desperate to finally get everything off my chest that I had created it for myself. Either way, I needed and wanted to talk about it.

  “It happened on a Saturday,” I said roughly. I may have wanted to talk about it, but my voice felt weak and shaky. I started again. “It was my tenth birthday, and my mom was making my birthday cake. She always made my birthday cakes for me,” I smiled happily to myself. “There was a knock at the door, and she sent me to open it. A very old looking man was standing there in the entryway smiling down at me. He asked if he could see my parents.”

  I swallowed hard as I tried to collect my thoughts. I looked up to see Angie staring at me. She seemed surprised by my willingness to talk about a subject I’d so studiously avoided all these years. She nodded at me encouragingly.

  “My mom came to the door when she heard the older man’s voice. She recognized who he was and seemed a bit concerned, almost upset, but she didn’t act like she felt threatened by him in anyway. She called for my dad to come downstairs, and then sent me to the neighbors to borrow some eggs. I was curious about the stranger, but figured I’d have time to ask my mom about it later. I was kind of focused on my birthday cake.” I shook my head, wishing I’d paid more attention to the dynamics of the situation. “I was only gone a few minutes, and when I came back, the man was still standing at the front door. I couldn’t understand why my mom hadn’t invited him in. When I walked past him I saw her lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood with my dad hovering over her. He was on the phone with a 911 operator, and had his hands over her chest trying to stop the bleeding. I guess while I’d been gone the stranger had pulled out a gun and shot her right there in the doorway.”

  I heard Angie gasp, but I continued on, afraid if I stopped I would never be able to start again.

  “My mom didn’t die right away. I was on the floor next to her trying to help my dad stop the bleeding, and that man was still standing in the doorway. He wasn’t looking at my mother, though, he was looking at me. You’d think after shooting someone in the chest you’d want to get as far away from the scene of the crime as possible, but he just stood there totally unconcerned like he was waiting for something.”

  “Hope, you never told me you saw the guy who shot your mom,” Angie said horrified. “Did you tell that to the police?”

  “No,” I said flatly.

  “Why in the world would you keep that to yourself?”

  I hesitated, not sure how to respond to her question.

  “She was the only one who could see him,” said Tie. “He was standing right there in the doorway, but your dad never noticed. He didn’t even see her get shot. Isn’t that right, Hope?”

  I stared at him suspiciously.

  “How on earth could you know something like that?” I demanded.

  “You said your mom recognized the man who shot her,” Victor said. “Did she ever say his name?”

  “No. She just mumbled something funny before she passed away.”

  Their interest in this story was beginning to make me nervous. I was getting this awful feeling that they knew more about my mom’s murder than I did.

  “What did she say?” Tie asked insistently.

  “Hachiman,” I replied. “She said Hachiman.”

  Victor sucked in his breath sharply.

  “Not a chance. There’s no way he would have done that to Hope’s mother,” Victor hissed turning to his cousin.

  “I’m not an idiot. I know he wouldn’t do that,” Tie responded. “Clearly they’ve known about Hope much longer than we have. The question is, why did they leave Hope alive if they knew who she was?”

  “Wait, what are you guys talking about? Is Hachiman an actual person?” I asked.

  “How could you two possibly know anything about her mother or her mother’s murderer, and what do you mean they knew about Hope?” Angie asked.

  Her tone suggested she was beginning to feel as nervous about this situation as I was. I looked at her across the table and watched her slide slowly away from Victor’s side. She shot her eyes toward the entrance to the restaurant and back to me. Her signals were coming in loud and clear, but I had no intention of leaving until I got more answers.

  “Hope, you said the man was waiting at the door. He didn’t take off right away. How long did he stay there?” Victor asked.

  “He left the moment my mother’s heart stopped beating,” I said.

  My response seemed to support whatever conclusions Tie and Victor had come to.

  “They weren’t sure then,” Tie said. “When she failed to heal her mother the assassin assumed he had the wrong girl.”

  “When she failed to heal her mother? What are you guys talking about?” Angie asked.

  The word ‘failed’ rang loudly in my ears. I’d never been able to understand why I’d failed to save my mom. I could remember rushing to her side and seeing relief sweep over my father’s face when he realized I was there. He thought everything would be okay. He had firmly believed that I would save my mom and heal the wound. I had connected to her and assessed the damage in a matter of seconds. Healing her should have been simple. She wasn’t supposed to die, and I knew I would be able to save her, but as I began willing blood vessels and tissues to knit back together, I felt her life force slip quickly from my mind.

  Then nothing.

  I couldn’t
connect to anything, and her body was completely unresponsive. I remembered trying over and over again to make some kind of connection with her. It was unthinkable to me that she had slipped from my grasp so rapidly. It was almost as if she had retreated from me on purpose.

  “We need to get them out of here and get Hope somewhere safe. Our interest in her has clearly drawn the assassin’s attention,” said Victor.

  Tie grabbed my arm and stood me up quickly. He threw some money on the table and pushed me out of the booth.

  “What is going on?” I whispered.

  “We’re leaving,” Tie stated.

  “Absolutely not,” Angie replied. “This date is beginning to remind me of every slasher movie I’ve ever had the stupidity to sit through.

  “Angie, you need to lead us to your car,” Victor said. He turned to Tie. “I wish this could have been avoided, but we‘re taking Hope back with us now. She should have been found the moment her mother was murdered.”

  I instinctively stepped closer to Tie.

  “We didn‘t know, Victor. How could we have known,” Tie said.

  “I will be taking charge of Hope now. She is my responsibility, after all, and you can follow up behind us.”

  Victor held out his hand waiting for Tie to comply with his orders. Tie’s reluctance was obvious, but the anger and defiance that flitted across his features were soon overpowered by a tiny look of defeat. It seemed like up until this moment Victor had been patient with Tie’s antics and digging comments, but now it was time for Victor to pull rank, and Tie knew he was expected to fall in line.

  The smart thing to do would have been to grab Angie and make a mad dash to her car without our male companions. We had no reason to trust these guys, and all of their cryptic remarks concerning the events surrounding my mother’s death made it seem like they were involved in it somehow.

  I couldn’t move though. Not when Tie was standing so close to me. Not when all I wanted to do was lean into him and let his warmth spread through every inch of my body. I didn’t know if he was good for me or bad, and I didn’t care. I needed him, and that need kept my feet firmly planted next to his.

  This revelation was shocking to me. I wondered if the thought of being handed over to Victor had given me a reason to consciously acknowledge what my subconscious had already decided. Fifteen minutes ago I was ready to throttle Tie. It was amazing how fast my feelings for him had escalated.

  “You promised you wouldn’t get in the way, and when the time came you would help fix the mess you made. Are you going to help me fix this, or is it time for you to leave?” Victor’s voice was uncharacteristically cold.

  Tie took my hand in his and slowly offered it to Victor, who acknowledged him with a grateful look and then wrapped his own hand around mine. It was a very strange moment for me. It felt like Tie was reluctantly allowing Victor to take my hand in marriage. It had a final and binding feel to it. I looked to Tie, feeling betrayed. I didn’t want to be handed over. If I was going to be anyone’s responsibility I wanted to be his.

  “Let’s go,” Victor said, motioning for Angie to lead the way.

  Angie was rarely caught off balance in any kind of social situation, but I could tell she had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do. She looked at me questioningly.

  “It’s okay. I think we need to trust these guys.” I was surprised by how right that felt.

  Angie glanced at my hand entwined in Victor’s. A flash of confusion crossed her features before she turned around and headed for the exit.

  Outside, the frosty night air immediately penetrated my clothing. I looked around the quiet parking lot, my unease growing. I shivered, not necessarily from the cold air clawing at me, but from the increasing certainty I felt that someone was watching our little party as we walked the short distance from the café to the PT.

  Angie pulled out the keys from her purse. They made a soft tinkling noise that seemed to amplify in the dense quiet of the parking lot. I could hear Tie’s footsteps begin to quicken unexpectedly. Victor was wrapping a protective arm around my shoulder and hurrying me along.

  Then all hell broke loose.