by Desiree Holt
“And if they don’t? Khalid is nervous about her and if he’s nervous, so am I.” A shake of the head. “No. I say she needs to disappear before this goes any further.”
“If we get rid of her, you don’t think that will prompt some questions? Maybe create the opposite effect to what we want? You don’t think they’ll wonder why it was important to do away with her?”
“Yes, of course. But if we do it the right way, if we just make her disappear, maybe leave a note or something, she’ll be out of our hair. They can kill themselves looking for her and we won’t have to worry that she’ll come up with any more of these crazy visions.”
“Okay. Let’s say we do this. We’d have to dispose of the body in a way it couldn’t be found. And we have a very small window of opportunity. Like tonight.”
“Like I said, Khalid can help. This is just as important to him and his friends. Or friendly enemies. He has contacts everywhere. Surely he can find us someone on the spur of the moment.”
“Fine. I’ll make the call. But it’s going to be tricky.”
“As if we haven’t done this before. Remember Belgium?”
“Belgium worked because we were very low-key. There’s too much interest and excitement developing around this whole thing. I don’t like it. I just want to do what we planned, get the robot and get our money.”
“And if they make adjustments to their security based on what she ‘sees’?”
“If that happens, we can force a different adjustment that will allow us to accomplish our task. And here’s how we’ll do it.”
Ten minutes later the two people walked out of the dingy diner, one still with misgivings, the other on the phone again but with a plan in place.
* * * * *
The moment she stepped inside the Hallorans’ home Mia felt a sense of peace, a wonderful counterbalance to the chill that had gripped her ever since leaving the Carpenter Techtronics building.
Faith Halloran was beautiful. Her rich dark chocolate hair fell in thick waves to just below her shoulders and her emerald eyes shone with mischief from a flawless, creamy complexion. Mia felt even more like a sparrow, or maybe a gray wren standing in the shadow of her brilliance. Like her husband, Faith was warm and gracious and made every effort to put her guests at ease. She stood on tiptoe to kiss Dan Romeo, who actually looked pleased at the gesture and the grim expression on his face softened.
“Too bad it’s business that brings you here,” she told him. “But you know how happy I always am to see you.” She punched his arm lightly and grinned. “Even if you do send my husband on strange trips.”
To Mark she gave an unrestrained hug and a kiss so intense and personal the others tactfully looked away. No question about the depth of love here, Mia thought.
“Whew!” She pressed her lips to his once last time. “Okay, I’ve got my fix. Why don’t you guys go pick up the takeout while I take care of Mia. She looks like you’ve been beating her with rubber hoses.”
Mark held up his hand. “I swear we only smacked her once or twice.”
Faith chuckled and took Mia’s hand. “They have a weird sense of humor. You look chilled. Come into the kitchen and I’ll make you some wonderful tea. It can fix anything.” She turned back to her husband. “Mark.”
“We’re going, we’re going.”
Mia let herself be steered by the smiling, graceful woman into a room that radiated warmth. A charming ceramic lighthouse sat in the center of the round table and a whimsical border ran across the top of the wallpaper.
“Your home is beautiful.” She drank in the riot of colors blended so skillfully.
“Thank you. We haven’t lived here that long. When I was…trying to help Mark, the people who blew his mission also blew up our house.”
Mia’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Nope. Burned it to the ground. Thank God I wasn’t in it. But Mark and I both loved the spot, so after we got married we decided to rebuild again right here.”
She let her eyes drink in the room. “You’ve done a wonderful job, from what I can see.”
“This is my get-away-from-it room,” Faith told her. “The lighthouse comes from a store near the cabin in Maine that Phoenix owns. The border was painted by a friend of my aunt’s to relax me when my telepathic communications get too intense for me.”
“I can see how these things would help. They’re even beginning to affect me.”
“Now.” Faith placed two steaming mugs of tea on the table and sat down across from Mia. “Lotus tea. A special blend from my aunt. Taste it. I promise you’ll think it’s magic.”
Mia lifted the mug in two hands but the moment she touched it she felt unbearable heat race along her arms. The image of a fire out of control burned itself through her brain. She dropped the cup, gasping and squeezed her eyes shut but the image wouldn’t disappear.
She sensed Faith rise from her chair and put an arm around her shoulders.
“Mia? Mia, what is it? What do you see?”
Mia tried to stretch her brain, to get a better definition of the image but then, like smoke, it was gone. She leaned back in her chair, her face covered with perspiration, her hands shaking so badly she had to grip them in her lap to steady herself.
“Deep breaths,” Faith was saying. She mopped Mia’s face with a cool cloth. “That’s it. Nice slow breaths.”
Mia drew in the deepest breath she could and let it out slowly. When she opened her eyes it was gone. The image, the sensation, everything, replaced by the familiar headache.
“Let me get you some fresh tea.” Faith calmly cleared away the mess in front of Mia and replaced it with a new mug.
“I am so sorry. I broke your cup and made a huge mess.”
“Not to worry.” Faith handed her a towel. “You might want to blot your skirt, though.”
Mia felt a hysterical laugh break free. “Wait until Dan sees this. He’ll think I’m the biggest klutz on the planet. When we met this morning, I spilled coffee all over myself.” She dabbed at the damp material.
Faith smiled at her. “From the way Dan was looking at you, I don’t think anything could detract from what he sees.”
“What?” Mia looked at her, shocked. “Oh, no. You’ve got it all wrong.” The image from the day before suddenly blasted at her, Dan Romeo burning his magnificent nudity on her brain. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to dispel the vision. “We just met this morning. This is business. I’m not even sure he thinks I’m sane.”
“If you say so.” But Faith couldn’t completely wipe away the smile. “What else can I do for you?”
“Could I bother you for some aspirin?” God, what an idiot she felt like. And on top of everything, her hand was throbbing again.
“Of course. And some ice for that hand, which looks a little swollen. Stitches?”
Mia nodded. “Another clumsy accident.”
Faith handed her a plastic bag with ice cubes in it. “Just hold onto this. Then I want you to drink the tea. And tell me about the image you just saw.”
Not the one of Dan, Mia reminded herself.
Faith was right about the tea, when Mia finally got to drink it. A few sips and a strange feeling of calm stole over her. She began to feel human for the first time since Dan Romeo walked into her office.
“Tell me what just happened,” Faith urged.
Mia related everything in as much detail as she could remember, including the burning sensation in her arms. “But remember, it was just seconds. That’s what’s so frustrating. I worry that I won’t read the message properly and someone will really get hurt. Most of my life I’ve misinterpreted and made mistakes. People got hurt because of it, yet somehow I’m still driven to communicate what I see.” She shook her head. “Or don’t see.”
“Actually…” Faith watched Mia over the rim of her own mug. “I’m hoping to introduce you to someone who can help you with this.”
“Help me? What do you mean?”
“When
Mark called me today after meeting you, one of the things he was very clear on—and worried about—was your inability to control your precognition. To manage it so you could decipher messages better. He knows how that can throw you into distress.”
“That’s always been a problem.” Mia set her cup down. “It’s why I’ve had so much trouble all my life. Getting people to take me seriously anymore is almost harder than reading the images.”
“I’m part of something called The Lotus Circle,” Faith told her, “a group of women who all have psychic powers and have learned to deal with them. Plus, they belong to a worldwide network that keeps in touch through the internet. I utilize their website a lot. If you’re home alone and your powers are active but you’re unsure of the message, you can write it down, go to this site and try to find someone to help you.” She handed Mia her business card with a web address written on the back. “Just tuck this in your purse in case you need it.”
Mia stared at her. “But that’s unbelievable.”
“They provide support for each other, both mental and spiritual and help each other learn to deal with their gifts.”
Mia snorted. “I’d like to toss mine in the ocean.”
“I felt that way once,” Faith told her. “Mark was the only other person I could communicate with. And the whole thing scared me. But then I talked to Aunt Vivi and she gave me a whole new perspective on things.”
“And they can do the same for me?” Mia asked, putting the card in her wallet. “Help me harness this…thing…that instead keeps harnessing me?”
Faith nodded. “At least give you hints to define what you see. Tomorrow morning I’ll pick you up and take you to my aunt’s house. Two or three other women will be there too, who also have precognitive powers. And we’ll begin the process of learning to deal with your gift.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Nothing is simple but it won’t be as complicated as you think. We have to move quickly though. Chase’s big deal is this Friday. If someone’s going to steal his baby, we need to get more information from you as to how they plan to circumvent the system and make off with it.”
“Is that really possible?”
“These women can do amazing things.” Faith rose to carry the mugs to the sink as they heard the front door open. “Oh, good. The food’s here. I’m starved, aren’t you?”
Chapter Eight
“We’re agreed then, with the time limit we can’t take any chances?” Khalid asked the caller.
“It has to be done tonight.” How much plainer could it be said? “And we have a short space of only a few hours here.”
“Your partner agrees with this? He was the one who thought we were rushing things.”
“Khalid, right now she’s an unknown quantity. Chase Carpenter and the others aren’t buying into her so-called visions any too quickly but they’re leaving the door open. Phoenix is investigating and we only have four days until our deadline.” There was a pause. “Or have you changed your mind about wanting the device? You know there are others who would gladly step up and take your place.”
“Yes,” he said in a deadly soft voice. “But we both know that I can surpass anyone, which is why you struck your deal with me. Is that not correct?”
“Agreed. So can you help us?”
“Where is she now?” Khalid asked.
“At the home of Faith and Mark Halloran. But the best place to do it would be in the museum garage. Romeo will have to give her a ride back to get her car. Once he’s out of the way, that’s the time.”
Khalid’s disapproval of the rush job hummed over the phone connection. “I’ll have to give you whoever is available. And he’ll expect to be paid in cash.”
“Half in front, the rest on completion. Just as long as he understands there must be no trace of her.”
“I assure you I will get you the best I can within the limited time,” Khalid snapped.
“Fine. When you contact him, give him this number to call me. Be sure to tell him if he screws me over he won’t be around to collect the rest of his money.”
Khalid almost smiled. “I’m sure that will inspire him to greater performance.”
“Fine. I’ll be waiting for his call.”
* * * * *
“The Hallorans are wonderful people,” Mia said as she and Dan pulled away from the house.
“Yes, they are. And Faith’s aunt and her friends will help you as much as they did Faith when she needed them.”
She looked out the window and realized they were heading for the interstate. “I need to go back to the museum and get my car. I’ll need it to get to work tomorrow.”
“I have a call in to speak with Dr. Hunter first thing in the morning to get you sprung loose until this is over,” he reminded her.
“But I’d still like to have my own transportation,” she protested.
“Faith said she’s picking you up in the morning and I don’t want you driving by yourself at night. Especially after what happened.”
“Did you check on everyone involved to make sure they’re all right? I keep having this sick feeling I’m missing something.”
Dan nodded. “I also called our team at Carpenter Techtronics. They’ll double their patrols and make sure the entire floor where Oscar is held is completely secure. Anyway, that building would be hard to burn down.”
“But someone could use a torch to get in or something,” she insisted. The memory of the fire and the heat wouldn’t leave her.
He squeezed her good hand, then dropped it as if realizing he might have been doing it too much. “We’re on the lookout for everything. Trust me. This is what we do. But I still don’t want you out at night alone.”
Her laugh was shaky. ”Surely you don’t think someone will physically attack me.”
“I don’t leave anything to chance. Ah, here’s our exit.” He pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a convenience store. Two men were sitting in an SUV identical to the one they were driving. One of them came over to speak to Dan, who held out his hand to Mia.
“This is Greg. Give him your keys, please. He’s going to pick up your car and take it home for you. Hank, the big lug behind the wheel, will follow him and bring him back to the motel where they’re staying. They’re part of the morning security team.”
“If you think this is all necessary.” She dug in her purse for her keys and handed them over.
“Call me when you’re all locked up tight,” Dan told the man, who nodded.
They drove to Mia’s through the quiet streets of North San Antonio, silence thick in the car. Suddenly she seemed to have run out of topics of conversation. She could feel Dan’s electric presence beside her and the sensual heat that radiated from him like a living thing, and had no idea what to do about its grip on her. At last, thankfully, they pulled into her driveway.
He had just gotten out of the vehicle when his cell phone rang. He unclipped it from his belt and held it to his ear.
“Romeo.”
Mia saw his face tighten and the lines deepen. His hand clenched the cell phone so tightly she thought he might break it in two.
“What is it?” She could feel anxiety bubbling up inside her.
“Change in plans.” He got back into the SUV and backed out of her driveway.
“Wait. Where are we going? I have to get into my house.”
“What you have to do is stay alive.” His voice was grim.
“Excuse me?” She frowned at him.
He was speeding through the darkened streets, his hands gripping the steering wheel like steel talons.
“That was Hank. They went to get your car from the museum garage.” He stopped as if the rest of the words were stuck in his mouth. “Greg got in, turned the key and the car exploded.”
“Oh, my God.” For a moment she thought she might throw up. “Is…”
“Yes. He’s dead.”
“This is my fault.” She wrapped her arms around herself and ro
cked back and forth. “I should have been able to figure this out. In the kitchen with Faith, when I had that flash of heat…”
“Mia.” Dan made an obvious effort to keep his voice even. “There’s only so much you can interpret. No one expected this. You can’t blame yourself for it. Whoever put the bomb in your car is responsible, not you. Do you understand me?”
“Yes but—”
“But nothing. And I’m counting on you to keep it together just a little longer so I can make some calls and then check out the scene. Can you do that for me?”
She swallowed past a lump in her throat the size of Rhode Island. “Yes. I can.”
I hope.
“Good girl.”
She said nothing after that. Dan had his cell phone open again and was speaking in low tones to whoever was on the other end. By the time he finished they were at the museum, pulling around to the covered parking in the rear. Two police cars, emergency lights flashing, were already there and uniformed officers were still stringing crime scene tape around the area. Two fire department vehicles had pulled up close to the garage and were spraying down the area.
A black van labeled SAPD Bomb Squad was in the garage a good distance away from the smoking mess that had been Mia’s car.
Dan threw his vehicle into park so abruptly it rocked forward and he leaped out, leaving the door open. “Stay right here,” he ordered Mia, as he ran toward Hank, who was leaning against a pillar looking sick.
Not that she could have moved anyway. She was immobilized with shock. Someone had actually tried to kill her. Blown up her car. She didn’t know which nauseated her more, the knowledge that at this moment she could be a million pieces of ectoplasm or that an innocent man who was just doing his job had died in her place.
She watched Dan put his arm around Hank’s shoulders and lead him away from the scene. The anger on his face before he turned away was like a living thing. And Hank looked like he wanted to murder somebody. Anybody.
“Miss? Excuse me. You’ll have to move the vehicle away from here.”
Mia looked up at the policeman leaning in through the open door, then at the keys still in the ignition. She unbuckled her seat belt, ready to shift to the driver’s side.