Touch of Rain

by Teyla Branton

  “But—” Jake began.

  “But what?” Except I knew what he’d meant. I knew it as if he’d spoken it. We were that attuned to each other, at least with some things. What he meant was, if it hadn’t been for Shannon, Jake and I would have sat close together on the couch until very late, perhaps watching television or an old video. Perhaps I would have fallen asleep with my cheek on his arm. Feeling safe.

  I forced my bitterness aside and gave him a smile. “Thanks for being here.” To Shannon, I added, “I have no comment, detective.”

  They were quiet for a moment, but as I went into my room, I heard Shannon ask, “She has a sister?”

  I smiled to myself. Everyone thought he was such a great detective, but he hadn’t been able to find out even that much about me. I wanted to laugh, but it made me sad instead.

  I didn’t stay long in my room because I really needed to use the bathroom, and the men didn’t seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere. So much for my grand exit. I should have forced them both to leave, but I’d been raised in a household that had welcomed everyone, friend and stranger alike.

  As I made my dash to the bathroom, I saw the men standing by the fireplace, Shannon holding a picture in his hands. I recognized it as the one Tawnia and I had taken the year before, shortly after we first met, the time when we’d cut her hair like mine. My face was slightly thinner, even then, but aside from that we were completely identical in the photo. Shannon’s eyes met mine as I firmly shut the door. Let him wonder. Or let Jake explain the miracle. I didn’t care.

  Jake had left his keys on the bathroom sink, and later after I washed my hands, I picked them up and stood staring into the mirror.

  I felt the lack of something huge, something I couldn’t name. It wasn’t my sister, it wasn’t my friends or my job, it wasn’t even God. It was an emptiness, an itch I couldn’t scratch, a hunger I couldn’t feed. It was watching TV at night alone. Eating everything in the cupboard without sating the urge to consume. It was climbing and never reaching the top. Of needing something but not knowing what.

  I stared down in my hand and saw the flat metal silhouette of a woman that hung on the key ring: Jake’s mother. His grandmother had it made shortly after his mother died, and he always carried it with him. Imprints. I’d been reading his imprints.

  I squeezed the keys tightly. I had no idea Jake felt this way. Nor did I know how to go about asking him about it or trying to help without betraying what I’d done. Regardless of how close we were, I simply couldn’t do that. These feelings were far too personal.

  I set the keys back on the sink and left the bathroom.

  Chapter 11

  I had it all—nickel-sized earrings with mini transmitters, a two-way radio transceiver, and a tiny phone with email capability. Plus, Ethan had the map. There was no way he could lose me, but just in case, he promised to follow Korin’s car to the hidden compound and then place another phone or transceiver at the base of the tallest tree he could find near the buildings in case I might need it.

  Of course there was a lot we didn’t know, such as whether the farm was patrolled or encircled by an electric fence, so we had backup plans. The phone could be buried at the base of a pole holding up the fence directly west of the entrance, or thrown over at midnight by the closest gate on the second night there. Or had I turned those last two around?

  Well, it didn’t matter because I wouldn’t need any of it. “How do I look?” I asked Tawnia, who’d come with Bret to the shop so she could say goodbye. I’d left off my makeup and worn a flowered, sleeveless broomstick dress.

  “I thought they wore those T-shirts. Didn’t you say they gave you one?”

  “I packed it with the other clothes I don’t mind losing to their dress code. But I’m going to arrive in style at least.”

  “You look wonderful.”

  “I’d better enjoy it while I can,” I said dryly. “For all I know, Harmony Farms has a law prohibiting dressing up. Come on.” We walked toward Jake and Ethan.

  I felt a tiny bit of satisfaction at the frustration on Jake’s face. Neither he nor Shannon had been at my apartment when I awoke, though I felt their presence in the breakfast dishes drying on the counter and the pair of officers outside the building in a police car.

  Jake had tried again to talk me out of my plan after I’d arrived at the shop that morning, but I remained firm in my decision to help Ethan find Marcie and Victoria. If everything went well, I’d be back to work by Monday or Tuesday. Meanwhile, Jake, Thera, and Randa would take care of my store.

  I hugged Tawnia. “I’ll call you,” I said brightly. “Don’t have that baby while I’m gone.” She rolled her eyes, and that made it easier to walk toward the door.

  When I tried to hug Jake goodbye, he shook his head. “Forget it. I’m going with you.”

  “What?” Ethan and I said together.

  I frowned at him. No wonder he was still wearing those torn jeans. “Don’t be ridiculous. One of us has to stay here.”

  “I’m not letting you walk into this alone, and that’s final.” Jake folded his arms across his chest.

  Tawnia grinned. “I think it’s a great idea. You look the part.” I knew she was referring to his locs, which she insisted on calling “dreads,” but what she and many other people failed to understand was that far from being a mess of tangled, unkempt hair, locs required a tedious process of careful washing and twirling with special products. I mean, I loved Jake’s look, but he probably spent more time on his hair than I did on mine. Of course, most days I left home with my short hair wet, but still.

  “You can’t leave your store,” I protested.

  “Why not? You’re leaving. Randa and Thera are perfectly capable.”

  “I promise I’ll come by after work every day to make sure everything is running smoothly,” Tawnia volunteered. She looked happier than she had all morning, and I knew that was because Jake would be able to keep an eye on me.

  “What about your class?” I asked Jake.

  “I’ll miss it,” he said tightly. “If we’re there that long.”

  I looked at Ethan for support, but he shrugged helplessly.

  “Okay. Fine. Let’s just go.” I wasn’t as annoyed as I pretended. It was touching Jake felt he had to drop everything and come along, and if things turned ugly, he’d proven to have a fantastic right hook. On the other hand, I’d hoped to get to know Ethan better. I’d especially enjoyed imagining sneaking away from the farm to share at least one romantic rendezvous under the pretense of discussing options. With Jake there, that possibility significantly decreased.

  Outside, I climbed into the front seat of a blue, fifteen-passenger van Ethan had found somewhere. Jake ended up in the back with our luggage, but he had to sit on the floor since all the seats had been removed. “I borrowed this from a friend,” Ethan said when he saw me looking at the monitors and other electronic equipment that lined the windowless walls of the van.

  “You have nice friends.”

  “You know,” Jake said from the back, “my bike would fit in here. Might come in handy to have something else to drive besides this van, especially if we need a quick getaway.”

  Ethan liked the idea immediately, but I wasn’t so sure. “Isn’t it too heavy?”

  Both men disagreed, and soon they had managed to put in the bike and stabilize it by tying a web of ropes to every available surface. Jake packed boxes on each side to further protect his baby.

  “You know they’ll put you to work building something, right?” I said to Jake when we were finally on our way.

  “Yeah. Korin says they’re expanding.”

  “But you haven’t worked construction in ten years. Or more.” Since his first attempt at college, to be exact.

  He shrugged. “It’s the sort of thing you don’t forget.”

  I thought he might change his mind after a few days of heavy labor. “We’d better hurry,” I urged Ethan. “I’m supposed to be there by now.”

  He nodde
d and stepped on the gas. It was then I noticed the prescription bottles lying in the plastic compartment between the two seats—the bottle that looked like the one I’d seen before, and two thinner ones.

  “Are these all Marcie’s?” I asked.

  He nodded. “When you find her I don’t know what condition she’ll be in. She may need them.”

  “It’s dangerous to stop medicine cold turkey,” I said. It was also dangerous to combine certain medications. From my research on the Internet the day before, I was pretty sure two of the bottles were antidepressants. Perhaps one hadn’t worked, and the doctor had switched her over. Marcie would know which to take. But why keep the pills that hadn’t worked? “You want me to stuff them in my bag?” I started reaching for them, preparing myself for the unwelcome flood of imprints.

  Ethan intercepted my hand. “No,” he said. “They have her name on them, and they might be discovered. I’ll keep them here until you find out where she is and what’s happening.” He released my hand and put his own back on the steering wheel. “Besides, it’s been a whole year. Probably have to take her to the doctor first.”

  He was right, of course. Yet I felt the perverse desire to reach out and take the bottles, to see what mysteries they might hold. I might even be able to tell which one Marcie had been taking. Instead, I clasped my hands in my lap, realizing the imprints might be worse than those on the tiny gold ring. I needed to be sharp today, so they would have to wait.

  “When we get her back,” I said, “I bet Jake and I could find something that would help her. Something herbal, I mean.”

  Ethan glanced over at me briefly and then back to the road. “I’d appreciate that.”

  “Uh,” Jake said from the back, “we’re close enough. You should probably stop here.”

  Ethan pulled over to the curb a half block from the hotel. He jumped out to grab my bag and then gave me a hug. “Good luck,” he whispered in my ear. His freckles stood out in the brightness of the afternoon sun, which filtered through his thick curls.

  “Thanks.” All too aware that Jake was watching us, I hefted my single battered suitcase and started walking.

  Jake somewhat reluctantly handed over his bike keys to Ethan and grabbed his own duffel. I hurried to put space between us so we wouldn’t arrive at the same time. As I turned into the hotel parking lot, I saw the blue van moving to a better vantage point nearby.

  The meeting room from the night before was filled with the same people, minus most of the visitors. From across the room, Spring waved at me. I was relieved to see her, worried that she might have followed the angry Jimmy home after all. I dropped my bag near the door and went to sit by her. Or as near as I could get. She had young women from Harmony Farms on either side of her.

  “I thought you’d changed your mind,” she whispered, leaning over the girl between us. “One of those young guys who said he was going hasn’t shown up.”

  “I had some trouble getting here. Are you okay?”

  “Great.”

  “He’s here,” said the girl between us. She had straight brown hair, no makeup, and a smooth complexion I would have envied as a teenager.

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Founder Gabe.”

  Oh, that’s right. Their leader. I sat down lower in my seat, hoping not to be noticed, though with my battered face it was unlikely I’d remain undetected for long. This morning a dark bruise had appeared under the skin, spreading upward from the wound to the space under my eye.

  Founder Gabe was a nice-looking man with black, slightly gray-flecked hair parted on the side. It fell rakishly to his cheekbone in the front and was long enough to reach his collar in the back. As Victoria’s and Marcie’s imprints had shown, he was older than Korin, but I put him in his mid-fifties, even older than Marcie had guessed. He had an average build without any extra flesh and moved with confidence. On his way to the front of the room, he stopped often to shake hands or hug members of the commune.

  “Thank you for the warm welcome,” he said when he’d reached his destination. “It’s wonderful to be reunited with all of you. I bring you love from your brothers and sisters at the farm, who are eagerly awaiting your return. Most of you will be staying on with me, and I thank you for your continued service here. I’m confident as we move to the next city that we will be as diligent and hardworking as always. We also have some new members here today, I’m told, and I look forward to getting to know you individually when I return to the farm in several weeks. Until then, Director Korin will take good care of you.”

  I stifled a yawn. He was handsome, sincere, and even charismatic, but he had none of the hypnotic appeal that Korin exuded when he spoke. Could this simple man be hiding evil behind his honest blue eyes?

  I was nodding off by the time Gabe had finished. My slumber hadn’t been exactly peaceful last night, and my cheek throbbed despite the comfrey salve. At least I hadn’t needed stitches.

  “Autumn!” Spring whispered urgently, waking me. Korin, once again wearing his hair pulled back in an elastic band, was coming toward us with Founder Gabe in tow. He looked more content than I had ever seen him.

  “Spring, Autumn, I want you to meet Founder Gabe. He’s the father of our great organization. This is the man who literally changed my life.” To my surprise tears came to Korin’s eyes. He had been so sure of himself each time I’d met him, so serene, but now he was like a little boy in the presence of a sports hero, and I felt awkward watching the man’s emotions.

  Smiling, Gabe put a hand on the shoulder of the larger man and squeezed briefly before turning to us. “I’m so pleased to meet you both.” Gabe took Spring’s hand in his and stared into her eyes. “You have chosen your name well.” He released her and touched Spring’s son on the cheek. “Handsome little guy, isn’t he? What’s his name?”

  “Silverstar, if that’s okay.”

  “Of course it’s okay, but you know he may want to change it when he’s fourteen. We allow them that.”

  Spring nodded happily. “I just want him to be happy.”

  “Exactly.” Gabe beamed at her as though she were a student who had earned an A grade.

  Then it was my turn. Gabe reached toward me. Instinctively, I checked his hands. He wore a plain, thin wedding band. I always noticed rings these days, and not just because I was single. I’d become careful touching frequently-worn objects belonging to others, especially on a day like this when I wasn’t wearing any of my antique rings for comfort. I didn’t want to know their secrets. I didn’t want to know their agonies, especially if they were self-wrought and I could do nothing to help them—which was true in most cases.

  But learning about Founder Gabe was part of the reason I was here. Bracing myself, I extended my hand, hoping the contact would be brief, but he held on as long as he had with Spring. His eyes met mine, a nice, clear, forceful blue that could have belonged to any confident man. I could see him taking my measure and noticing my heterochromia, though he didn’t ask about it. Then all I could feel was the warmth of the gold band against my skin.

  He/I watched an older woman with long black hair, white skin, a babe in arms. She was laughing, and the love he/I felt for her was powerful. Another scene of the same woman, younger this time, about my age. A white dress flowed around her, and a ring of flowers circled her head. The love in my heart made tears come to my eyes.

  Whatever this man was, he loved his wife with an intensity I could only envy.

  He had spoken to me, but so powerful were the imprints, I hadn’t heard. “I’m sorry?” I said. “I didn’t catch that. I’m a little sleep deprived.”

  The founder smiled, which made his face vibrant. “Korin told me what happened here last night. You will be safe with us. Both of you.” He extended his gaze to include Spring before moving on to meet the young man who was angry at his father and the other man who was still wearing his ill-fitting suit.

  Jake appeared at my side, his dark eyes worried. “You okay?”

  I was fee
ling energized by the positive imprints, despite the tears filling my eyes. “He had a ring,” I said in an undertone.

  “And?”

  I shrugged. How could I say, “He loves her in the way I wished you loved me?” Instead, I said loud enough for Spring to hear, “He seems very sincere. I like him.”

  “I knew you would.” Spring’s gaze was on me. “Hey, your eyes. Do you wear different colored contacts or something?”

  “No, I was born this way.”

  “Wow. That’s so cool.” Her attention shifted to Jake. “Are you coming to the farm with us?”

  He nodded. “I thought I’d give it a try.”

  “I’m glad.” She shifted the weight of her son to her other hip. The boy reached up to rub the old green bruise on her face, as though trying to remove a spot of dirt.

  “I never thanked you for last night,” Spring continued. “I really appreciate what both of you did for me. Jimmy wasn’t always like this, but it’s getting worse, and since little Jim came—I mean Silverstar—I knew I had to do something. I don’t want my son growing up like that.”

  “It was nothing,” Jake said.

  I couldn’t say the same thing—my cheek was aching too badly for that—but I was happy Spring and her son would be safe. I hoped the farm was what she needed, if only for a short time.

  “Have you told them you’re going?” I asked Jake.

  His attention was elsewhere. I followed his gaze and saw Detective Shannon Martin striding toward where Korin and Gabe stood talking with the angry young man and several disciples. With Shannon was his partner Paige Duncan, dressed immaculately in a navy pantsuit.

  “Uh-oh,” I muttered.

  “What’s wrong?” Spring asked. “Oh. Who are they?”

  I was too busy worrying to answer. Looking the part of a detective, Shannon wore dark pants and a black blazer with flecks of green and blue. He had a blue shirt underneath, open at the neck, and black shoes. His hair was combed back, and even from where I stood across the room, I could see his eyes demanding answers.