SecondSightDating

by Marianne Stephens

  There was one common interest. Maybe they could talk about books instead since they both liked to read, although he hadn’t listed what type of books he preferred. Surely they could find something to say to each other concerning literature that would be enough to build one night’s conversation on.

  After five rings, Sean’s answering machine turned on. Serena’s eyes rolled to the ceiling and she groaned as she heard his phony French-accented voice spouting off a series of “Bonjours”. It went downhill from there.

  Closing her eyes, she willed her voice to hint at some microscopic shred of enthusiasm instead of dripping of the sarcasm that hung on her lips. Maybe some women found his charade alluring. It just made her want to barf and stay a few chosen states away.

  “Hi, Sean. It’s ‘Miss Sight’ from Second Sight Dating. I’d like to have you come in for a quick session. I think I have someone you’d be interested in meeting for dinner on Friday. Please call back and I hope to see you tomorrow.”

  She hung up the phone, less than eager to receive his return call. But, she said she’d go to dinner and Dan expected her to show.

  Serena would meet with Sean and convince him to have dinner with her as a foursome. She knew he’d go to dinner and might ask her out again, just as she knew he wasn’t the one for her.

  She could “see” it.

  * * * * *

  “I had no idea you were looking for a date. We could have saved a lot of time if you’d told me that when I first came in here.”

  Sean’s preachy comment matched his sly grin. One that Serena wished she could wipe off his face with one well-placed smack. The man made her skin crawl.

  “Yes, well, I just decided to do some looking and your number matched what I came up with. I know neither of my letters are a first-choice match on your list. Anyway, should we try for Friday night?”

  He gave her a leering look that said it all. Yep, he wanted the date. “Sure. Sounds interesting.”

  “We’ll be with another couple. I hope you don’t mind. They would like to meet but have others around. Since we all like Italian food, I thought….”

  Sean put up his hand as if to stop her reasoning explanation. “Hey, the more the merrier. Do I pick you up or will you meet me there?”

  “I’ll meet you there.” That’ll leave me the opportunity to make a hasty retreat. “We’ll all pay our own way.”

  He got up and paraded toward the door. “Hey, remember what my list says? Wear something red. See you then.” After pointing at her and winking, he swaggered out of her office, reminding her of a damn male peacock strutting his stuff.

  Serena slumped in her chair. What the hell was she getting herself into? A date with a charmer who fancied himself a French-speaking playboy? Who loved red?

  She’d be sure to wear something more demure and avoid French wine. Heck, in an Italian restaurant maybe there wouldn’t be anything but Italian wines available anyway. As an extra precaution, she should avoid wine altogether so she could stay focused and make that quick getaway.

  She imagined her date, hair slicked back, an air of playboy charm and superiority oozing through. Lord, she prayed he didn’t try to use another phony accent and attempt to speak Italian to their waiter. The image made her shudder.

  Hopefully, he wouldn’t try to speak the language. She rubbed the back of her head where a real headache now formed. Damn. If Sean decided to switch gears and try the Italian Casanova approach, she’d be totally mortified.

  What would Dan and his date think? That she was a loser and hooked herself up with some genuine idiot of a date? What kind of confidence would they have in her and her abilities then?

  The headache spread to the front of her head, threatening to become a full-blown migraine. She needed to confide in the one and only person who understood her “sight” and possessed a special ability himself.

  Her mother’s “woman’s intuition” was as close as Serena could label either of her parents as possessing a second sight. Although ten years older, her brother sensed her ability at an early age and helped nurture her talent. The two remained close, more so as the years went by and they’d realized how complicated and special their gifts proved to be. Hers involved reading people.

  Michael’s ability was both similar and different, something he considered a curse rather than a gift at times. His talent was more in tune with his chosen profession, although he tried hard not to advertise it. Only selected individuals knew of his “sight”.

  Even at work, his peers never realized his special ability. His boss and one coworker knew how he could snatch glimpses of the past and see into a crime scene by touching victims or something that belonged to them.

  Michael’s gift wasn’t a pleasant one, but provided vital information and usually the important missing key to unlocking an unsolved crime. When the police department in Wichita was stumped, his boss would quietly authorize Michael to use his “sight” and help solve a mystery.

  So far, he’d been accurate in ninety-nine percent of his cases. But there was just one time where he couldn’t help. Serena knew the case involving that missing child haunted him even now.

  That one case had caused her brother to back off, resorting to good, old-fashioned police work. He felt happier knowing he could succeed in his chosen line of work without any special gift and tried now more than ever not to use it.

  Talking to Michael would help her.

  She dialed her brother’s number, eager to hear his reassuring voice again. He’d boost her morale, tell her to go with her feelings and not fight her “sights”. He’d always said her failed relationship with Alan had nothing to do with her gift. She’d ignored the warnings buzzing in her head about him because she’d been so overwhelmed by the charmer.

  “Michael? It’s me. I need my big brother.”

  “Hi, sweetie. What happened? Did word get out about how good you are at matchmaking and now you have too many clients beating down your door? Did you match up two love-starved lunatics and now they want you to plan their wedding and name their children?”

  She could hear his laughter over the telephone. “No and you can stop laughing. It’s nothing as tame as that. It’s worse. I matched myself up with an idiot and I know it’ll be a disaster.”

  Chapter Four

  “Can I come in? I don’t want to disturb you.”

  Dan poked his head through the door of Serena’s office, offering her a smile that curled her toes. After the way she’d practically tossed him out the day before, he probably lacked the enthusiasm and courage to boldly walk in. She chided herself on her lack of customer courtesy, but damn, the man messed with her mind…and body.

  “Please, come in. I promise not to throw you out. Unless, of course, you say something like you’re searching for a fortuneteller.” Hopefully, he’d see the humor in her comment and take it as an offer of truce.

  He held up his hand in an “I promise” gesture while crossing his heart as he walked through her door. “No, ma’am. I know my place and no more jokes about your business. Hey, you’re working hard to set up my dates. I wouldn’t want to spoil our relationship, now would I?”

  “I hope you’re not mocking me.” She frowned, trying to get a “read” on his true feelings. Nothing but honest vibes emanated from him. Maybe he was being on the level with her.

  “Any negative thoughts giving me away?”

  His seductive tone caused her skin to prickle while his glance warmed her. Heat rushed from her toes to her head and Serena’s burning face indicated an unplanned flush stained her cheeks.

  She cocked her head to one side. “No, you seem friendly enough. You’re hard to read. Some people are. Unless I touch you, I don’t seem to get many hints about you.”

  “So? Do you want to?”

  “Want to what?”

  “Touch me.”

  Every nerve in her body screamed, “Hell, yes” as her breathing rate doubled at the thought of body-to-body contact with Dan. Even the lightest caress wo
uld satisfy her urge to feel him.

  No. No men in her life. She didn’t need any now and, maybe, not for a long time. Dating Sean, sham date that it would be, was enough to get her out and have Dan meet his first mystery woman. Let them have their fun, with her as a witness, chaperone, whatever.

  She had to keep him interested in his dates. And, not let him get under her skin, creating the itch she desperately wanted to scratch.

  “No need to touch today. I have your ladies in mind. We’re good to go tomorrow night.”

  His face clouded over with…what? Regret? Disappointment?

  “Sure. I’m ready to start. Say, could I look over the three ladies’ bios again?”

  Businesslike in her response, Serena answered, “Of course,” and shuffled through the folders on her desk.

  “I have the first two here, the ones for Miss ‘S’ and Miss ‘E’, but I think I put the last one in my back office filing cabinet. Would you excuse me for a moment?”

  “Of course.”

  Before she completely moved out of her main office, Serena noted that Dan had picked up his first two “date” briefs from her desk. His concentration focused on them and not on her exit.

  As soon as she was out of sight, he glanced at the papers covering her desk. Turning a few to give him a better look, one in particular caught his attention. On it was written Mr. “Eight”. The mayor’s daughter’s alleged date had that number.

  He quickly scanned the information listed, noting that basic information his department had uncovered about Gino Conti almost duplicated what the man had written on his application form. Dan moved in closer to glimpse the “goals in life” section and read how Gino hoped to have many friends and become very wealthy.

  Hmm. The address he’d written on this form didn’t match the one Dan remembered seeing at the office. He’d have to check on that discrepancy once he returned to work.

  Maybe the man wanted lots of female clients and figured charging them for his services would make him rich.

  But did that make Serena part of the scam? A madam, setting up clients with sex partners for a future cut in the profits? Second Sight Dating, prostitution ring? A gigolo service?

  Dan glanced at the door to the office Serena had entered. Not seeing any sign of her, he shoved the papers back into their original spots, relying on his memory to retain the information he’d look into later.

  What’s he looking for? Serena peeked at Dan through the crack between the door and the doorframe, careful not to let him see her. She’d noticed him eyeing the papers on her desk and not really paying any attention to the two information sheets she’d given him.

  Was he trying to find other women to date? She’d agree to set him up with three. Did he need more? Why would a man need more access…?

  She slumped sideways against the filing cabinet. Could he be looking for women to approach…like a gigolo? Offer himself to women wanting to pay for his services, services Serena couldn’t deny assuming he would readily, and with satisfaction, supply?

  Why hadn’t she thought about it before? How could such an incredibly sexy, virile, charismatic man, not be able to get himself a date?

  God, she’d have to keep things light and friendly once she went back into the room. Crazy thoughts swam through her head. She had trouble separating truth from fiction, things that appeared logical and ideas that could be coming from her own creative mind.

  It all could have been an innocent scene with Dan just being curious, looking to see if she had more paperwork on his dates. Willing her breathing to return to normal and to keep her suspicions under control, she walked out to her main office.

  “Here’s Miss ‘X’s’ bio. Sorry to keep you waiting.” She plastered a smile on her face, hoping to remain calm.

  “I’ve read over the other two. Both seem fine to me. Give me a minute to read this last one and then I’ll be out of the way.”

  He busied himself with the last brief as she sat down. Fighting the urge to rifle through the papers scattered across her desk, Serena cooled the desire to figure out which files he’d studied. She’d be sure to lock her door when he left and do a thorough scrutiny of every piece of paper on her desk. She jumped slightly as he interrupted her planning session.

  “I guess I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thanks for the second look at everything.”

  “Sure. No problem.”

  He got up and opened the door. “See you tomorrow. Will we be a foursome?”

  “Yes. See you there.”

  Dan winked, smiled and walked out, closing the door behind him. Damn. It looked like taking him up on his request to get herself a date would prove to be a good reason to be there and watch him. No telling what the man was up to. She’d analyze his every move. If he tried anything funny, she’d drag his ass to the police so fast he’d think a tornado had swept in, funneled him up inside it and taken him for a ride.

  Could he really be a con artist, trying to take advantage of her business? None of the negative vibes she’d expect to sense about a dishonest person roused her. He still came across as just another client…except for the three-letter thing.

  She rushed over to the door, locked it and hoped for no further interruptions. Time was needed to gather her thoughts, sane ones and calm the panic building inside her. Plopping down onto the sofa, she rubbed her face with her hands and wished for a soothing, inner peace to invade her system.

  Instead, one annoying thought after another flooded her head. Dan. Women. Didn’t he say he hoped to meet someone who shared his interests? She’d stepped right in and offered him three potential matches.

  Or, perhaps, potential victims?

  Money. He’d written that his goal in life, to live comfortably and retire early, propelled him to excel. Hmm. How many insurance salesmen hit it big at an early age and exited the job market before the dreaded four-zero birthday rolled around? An insurance salesman. Dan. Hmm, again.

  Niggling doubts paraded in her head, all centering on his application and how many items would indeed prove truthful. Hell if she could tell. Her head still registered “nothing wrong with him”. Was she losing her “sight”?

  A groan escaped her lips as Serena thought about his letters. S. E. X. Yep, they spelled sex. Could be a warning of some kind, screaming for her to pay attention and beware. Should she rein in her impulse to cancel his business as she waited for neon lights glaring at her with the words “He’s looking for sex from these women”? Or, she shuddered, did he plan to offer that to them, for a price?

  Talk about being paranoid.Get a hold on yourself, girl.

  Serena inhaled and let out a few, deep breaths with a whoosh. His number, four-eighteen, the one that appeared from nowhere, still bothered her. Then, she realized that April eighteen, what his number could imply, would occur the following week. She hadn’t made that connection before. Could his number prove to be a sign, a harbinger of some event soon to happen?

  She closed her eyes, longing to regain control of her rambling thoughts. One thing saved her sanity…knowing her brother would arrive Friday night and stay the weekend. Michael had figured she’d had some minor problems when she’d spoken to him the night before. Wait until he heard the mess she found herself in now.

  Having a big brother who happened to be a cop might prove to be a godsend.

  * * * * *

  “Steve, this Gino guy doesn’t appear to be who he says he is, at least according to what he wrote on that file at Second Sight Dating.” Dan threw out his comment as he entered Morgan’s office and took a seat across the desk from him.

  “I didn’t think he would be. From what we’ve uncovered, he’s connected to the syndicate on the West Side. Not a big player but enough ties to make us wonder if the mob’s somehow involved.”

  Deep in thought, Dan tried to envision Serena with mob connections. It just didn’t make sense. “The address he listed is phony. Our records show he lives in the same neighborhood as the Napoli brothers. Within walking dista
nce to Mario Napoli’s estate.”

  “Conti lives in one of those old tenements down from Napoli?”

  “Yeah. Been there twelve years. Implicated in some minor stuff, but nothing we could ever pin on him.”

  “Right.” Dan sank deeper into his chair and swiped his eyes with one of his hands. “This whole scenario is weird. If the mob were in on this, would they put a loser like Conti out in the open as a main player? They’ve got plenty of other smooth characters running around. This jerk’s already made a wrong move. For Christ’s sake, he was stupid enough to pick the mayor’s daughter—what’s her name?”

  “Julia.”

  “Did she tell him about herself and who her father was?”

  Steve nodded his head. “She says he knew. Even brought her home one night. Made a joke about her dad fixing parking tickets.”

  “Then how the hell could the mob use him?”

  “We need more information from Sight’s files. You need to get on her good side and get names we can check out.”

  Dan held up his hand to stop Morgan. “Whoa. I just about got her to come on my date Friday. I can probably force her hand and ask her for repeat appearances on the next two introductions.” He shifted in his seat. “Snooping through the files might be difficult. I think she’s already wondering why I keep popping up at her office.”

  “Well, Romeo, you’ll just have to come up with a case of the jitters about meeting your date. Get her maternal instincts to kick in. Smile and tell her you need to discuss your upcoming date.”

  Jumping up from his chair, Dan paced the room. “Shit. I’ll sound like a wimpy loser. Should I ask her to help me pick out what to wear? Stutter a little? Seek advice on table manners?”

  “Hmm. Might be a way to get you through her door a few more times.”

  “This is nuts. She can’t be involved in this. I just know it.”

  “Oh? You psychic now, too? Wanna read my palm or something?”

  Dan’s fists curled at his sides in frustration. His only answer came in the form of a calculated glare aimed in his friend’s direction.