a Touch of TNT (An Everly Gray Adventure)

by Charles, L. j.

  What they’re saying about a Touch of Ice…

  “A TOUCH OF ICE is a suspense-filled romance that will keep you up late turning the pages. Everly and Violet make perfect partners in their sleuthing, complementing one another perfectly. The romance between Mitch and Everly is sweet and blossoms into something spicy and wonderful. The mystery twists and turns, keeping this reader thoroughly entertained, trying to figure out the clues. Romantic suspense readers won’t want to miss this one!”

  ~ Romance Junkies

  “A fun adventure with characters who sizzle.”

  ~ Adrienne Giordano, author of the Private Protector series

  A TOUCH OF TNT…

  “The story exploded through the pages, keeping me enthralled with suspense, romance and humor until the very end when I breathed a deep, satisfied sigh...and went to find the other Everly Gray books.”

  ~ Sally Berneathy, mystery writer

  A TOUCH OF TNT

  An Everly Gray Adventure

  Book 2

  L. j. CHARLES

  A Touch of TNT

  Having ESP in her fingertips gives new meaning to “get the picture,” and for Everly Gray it’s a one-way ticket to trouble. With fear nipping at her heels, out of control curiosity, and a reluctant request from the chief of police for help with a case, she stumbles across, not one, but two dead bodies. What she knows puts her in the path of a killer. What she doesn’t know—she’ll be the one pulling the trigger.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  A Touch of TNT

  ISBN: 978-1-4675-4265-4

  Copyright © 2012 by L. j. Charles

  Cover Design by Lucie Charles

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without written permission.

  For more information: lucie.charles@ymail.com

  For the Lethal Ladies critique team,

  with my gratitude

  Previously—

  I was sitting in my tree house, thinking over the past few weeks, what I’d touched, and what happened as a result of setting my fingers free. It was a lot to consider.

  The rumble of an engine sounded in the driveway, then stilled to silence. A car door slammed, and moments later Pierce climbed up the ladder and poked his head inside the tree house. “How’s it going?” he asked, making himself at home on the floor next to me.

  “Good. I’m finding perspective and balance, without the use of charge cards.”

  “Am I supposed to understand that?”

  “Probably not.”

  He reached for my hand. I pulled back and blinked at him. “You want to touch my hand? Have you seriously thought about that?”

  “No, guess not. How about if I touch you someplace less dangerous?”

  “Danger depends on your point of view.”

  “Um-hmm,” he agreed, sliding his finger under the edge of my t-shirt. “Lie back. I need access to your navel.”

  “My navel?”

  “Belly jewel. Navel. They go together.” He held up a sparkling gem.

  “Ummmm?” I leaned back on my elbows and focused on the diamond in his fingers.

  Pierce removed the gold ring that had been adorning my navel for some ten years, tucked it in his pocket, and in its place slid a perfect, round diamond.

  “Wow. Why?”

  He winked at me and disappeared down the stairs.

  ONE

  The burned out construction site loomed in front of me. No crime scene tape in sight. Guess they were through with the official investigation, which explained why the Apex PD was ready to toss my fingers into the rubble. So to speak.

  “I’ve lost it, haven’t I, Adam? Gone completely unhinged? Never mind. It’s obvious that I have, or I wouldn’t be here.”

  “You agreed to the chief’s request, Everly, shook hands on it even, so listen up. There are two companies involved: C.J. Builders and North Construction. Both owners have denied any knowledge of the sabotage, and neither is inclined to cooperate with law enforcement. Too busy. Too arrogant. Too dishonest. Although, that last one remains to be proven.”

  The morning heat colored everything with a hazy lassitude that made it hard to suck in a breath. “It’s like looking at pictures of a war-torn country.” I turned to face my temporary boss, Detective Adam Stone. The sun sparkled against his short blond hair giving him an angelic aura. A definite misconception, even if he was the brother of my best friend and neighbor, Annie Jamison Stone.

  “All I know is that it’s too damn hot.” He unbuttoned his shirtsleeves and rolled them, then pushed his sunglasses tight against the bridge of his nose. “And that comment about pictures tells me you need to get your mind off Hunt. Focus, huh. We’re solving crimes here.”

  He had me there. Mitchell Hunt was definitely on my mind and under my skin. “He’s been away on assignment for two long weeks. One of those government things because he didn’t tell me where he was going.”

  Mitch and I have been an item for a while. He does freelance photography, mostly for the military, taking pictures of situations that are of political interest. It makes building a relationship tough because he’s frequently called away without notice, and I spend too much time wondering where in the world he is—literally.

  Adam tapped me on the shoulder. “Hey. What’s with you? Not seeing any focus here?”

  “Mitch will be home tonight. I’m excited. And scared. There’s always an adjustment thing when we first see each other. Makes me a little crazy.”

  Adam’s eyebrows arched over the frames of his shades.

  I shook off the unease slithering down my spine and replaced it with a bubbly smile. “Sorry. Is there a certain place you want me to start, or shall I follow my fingers?”

  “Fingers. They’re why the chief called you in, and I’ve already been over this pile of rubble several times. Came up with bupkis.” He picked up a small, misshapen piece of concrete, hauled back, and tossed it into the rubble. The sharp clunk of it landing against a scrap of metal echoed in the quiet around us. Adam. Cranky. Not the best combination.

  “Right,” I said, trying to feel the energy of the destroyed shopping mall through the waves of heat. I closed my eyes to shut out the surreal appearance of the wreckage, and placed the tip of my index finger on the diamond nestled in my navel. I rubbed my good luck talisman through the fabric of my shirt, searching for a sign, something to guide me, but nada. Not a single clue, intuitive or rational, popped into my head. Not surprising since most of my psychic ability was centered in my fingertips. Guess I had to tackle this sooty, messy pile of debris the hard way.

  “I’m going to start over there.” I pointed toward a large slice of board sticking up from the rubble. “Maybe it’s the sharpness, or that it stands out from the rest of this mess, but what the heck, I have to touch something.”

  “I’m right behind you.” The change in his pocket jingled as he jumped down from a thigh-high mound of debris. I’d taken a less active path. Annie’s borrowed sneakers weren’t up to a whole lot of scrabbling, and they were a good half size too small. Still, I was grateful she kept them in Adam’s car because I’d opted for heeled sandals and a short skirt this morning—trying to look professional for my meeting with Chief Hayes. What can I say? I’m a Libra, and we do enjoy our sexy shoes. Given the circumstances, my boots would have been a better choice.

  The piece of wood that had caught my attention loomed over me, jagged and
scorched, reminiscent of something from a science fiction movie. I set my fingers against it and got a single, hazy image. “All I see is the fire. And there’s the sensation of an explosion, but that’s to be expected. Why am I only seeing things that are expected?”

  Adam grunted, jotted down some notes.

  I shifted my fingers, and a ripple of apprehension crawled over my skin. The images were foggy around the edges. That had never happened before. My fingers had always transmitted clear, precise images.

  I moved to a different spot on the charred wood hoping to get some more helpful, clear information. “Okay. I’m seeing a guy with a hardhat, looks like the typical stereotype of a burly, construction worker. Weird. The blast should’ve altered the energy field too much for me to catch any pre-explosion images.”

  This picture was hazy too. The anomaly sent another blast of anxiety through my body, but I shook it off. Maybe it was just this crazy heat wave that had captured North Carolina for the past week.

  “You’re on target. Both builders sent their best people to check things out after the arson team was done.” He pulled off his shades and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “Headache?” I asked as I smoothed my skirt tightly against my thighs and hunkered down to touch the ground.

  “Yeah. This case is a bear.” He slid his glasses back on. “Whatcha got?”

  “Same thing. I don’t know, Adam. I’m not getting anything you can use. Maybe my gift isn’t right for this kind of work. I don’t usually feel…pressured, and I think my fingers pick up images more easily when I’m not stressed.”

  I stood and lifted my hair off my neck. A light breeze stirred, helped to cool the sweat that had pooled under the weight of it. I transferred the fistful of hair to one hand, slid my other hand in my skirt pocket searching for a clip. No luck. I sighed, dropping the heavy mass of damp curls. I moved to the other side of the hunk of wood, reached out, and touched.

  “Okay, this is different. I’m seeing a person in a black outfit with a hood. Totally covered.” I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense does it? And he seems to be…crying.”

  “Not probable. Something’s off with you today.”

  How the hell was I going to work with the cop shop if they didn’t believe what my fingers “saw?” Not that I didn’t agree with him, but still. And this was Adam. He’d worked with my gift before, accepted it. I shivered; the sensation of chill bumps all wrong in the intense heat of the day. This image had been off, too. What could be wrong with my fingers? Damn. I shoved the panic into the cellar of my mind, and slammed the door. Later. I’d deal with the panic later.

  “That’s what I see.” The edge in my voice was palpable, sounded harsh against my ears. “Guess the heat’s getting to me. Who would be wearing a hood in this weather?” I muttered, and then faced him, shaded my eyes with my hand. “I think we should stop, maybe come early tomorrow morning. Like before sunrise.”

  Sweat trickled down Adam’s face, and his fair skin had turned an unhealthy shade of pink. “Pick you up at six. No way in hell am I reporting back to Hayes with a whole lot of nothing.”

  I stepped through the back door and into the kitchen of my townhouse, almost sinking to my knees in gratitude. There’s a lot to be said for air-conditioning. I gulped down an icy glass of water, and then got to work creating a salad. By the time I’d added fresh herbs, avocado, pecans, cranberries, mushrooms and garbanzo beans to a bag of baby greens, there was way too much food for one person, so I did my usual speed dial for Annie.

  She answered on the first ring. “How’d it go this morning with the Chief and Adam?”

  “Okay. No. That’s a lie and...I made a huge bowl of salad. Want to join me for lunch and hear the unfortunate details?”

  “On my way.”

  “Perfect,” I said to the buzz of a dial tone. Annie spent a bunch of years working for one of those secret three-letter government agencies, but nowadays she had a successful private inquiry business that put her skills to good use. She accepted my hinky touch thing, and I accepted her secrecy. Sort of.

  Her footsteps clattered on the stairs just as the microwave dinged. I pulled out the warm sourdough rolls, then set them on the table with a crock of butter. The rich, yeasty smell of the bread filled the kitchen with home-baked goodness, and my stomach gave a corresponding rumble.

  One end of my kitchen bumps into a bay window and creates just enough room for a tall, round table and four chairs. Yesterday I picked up a bouquet of pink, red, blue and purple anemones, their soft, black centers a sharp contrast with my asymmetrical purple and red pottery. The table looked great—except, no napkins or silverware. I spun around to grab them and almost bumped into Annie.

  “Scared—” I sucked in a gasp— “me.”

  “What’d you bring?” I asked as I lifted the blue-checked cloth covering the basket in her hand. “Brownies.” I took a deep breath, the delicious fragrance of warm chocolate mixed with the scent of the bread, and my taste buds prickled with anticipation. Annie made the best brownies, gooey, with pecans and a caramel drizzle.

  She did a half-turn, jerking the basket out of my reach. “Salad first.”

  I glanced at her, then really looked. “You cut your hair. Ohmygosh! You didn’t tell me. We always talk about radical hair changes.”

  The heat wave was having an unusual effect on all of us. Yesterday Annie had shoulder length, blonde hair. “It’s short. Really short.” I circled her, taking in the new hairstyle from every angle, reached out to ruffle the curls that were only about three inches long. “You know, I think it looks really good. But it’s going to be a terrible annoyance when you try to buy adult beverages.”

  “I know.” She took the napkins out of my hand. “I didn’t mean to let him do this when I went in for my regular trim this morning, but it was so hot outside, it just happened. I haven’t gotten used to it yet, but I think I’m gonna like it. I’m liking the feel of a bare neck. And the innocent look. Wonder if I can come up with a sweet expression to go with it?”

  “Have you forgotten who you are? The part about being a retired sniper?”

  She wiggled onto the chair across from me and eyed me over the rim of a soda can. “There is that.”

  “Uh-huh,” I continued. “The very excellent ex-agent who saved my life not long ago.”

  “Had to save you. I wasn’t ready to give up these great salads,” she mumbled around a mouthful of lettuce.

  I hadn’t taken a bite. Couldn’t seem to stop staring at the new Annie. She shot me a green-eyed glare. I picked up my fork and speared some salad.

  “What’s the scoop on your meeting with the Chief?”

  “Adam is babysitting me while we check out sites of industrial demolition. It seems there’s been an unexplained bunch of construction problems lately, and Chief Hayes is having a hard time with the whys and wherefores.”

  “So he asked you to help?”

  “Against his better judgment and totally at odds with his common sense, yes, he did.”

  “Don’t hold it against Hayes, El. He’s a fair man, you know that. I’ll give him a call, see if there’s any way I can help out.”

  “That’d be good. And I know he’s a good guy, but sometimes I get tired of being strange.” There was a pile of crumbled sourdough roll on my plate. Embarrassing that I was so…disturbed. I pushed the rest of the crumbs aside, picked up my fork and stabbed a mouthful of salad, then pushed my plate away and started clearing the table. What the heck was wrong with me? First the assignment threw me, and then Annie’s haircut. Certifiably. Crazy.

  “Something happened.” Annie caught my arm. “Your face is all pinched like you’re about to hyperventilate. Spill.”

  “There’s something wrong with my fingers.”

  Annie watched me, her gaze wary. “With the magic?”

  “Yeah. Hazy images. Never happened before. And then there was…”

  She let go of me and wiggled her fingers in a come-on gesture. />
  “It wasn’t anything. Really. Okay, maybe something. When I left the chief’s office this morning I snagged my heel on a bit of loose carpet, lost my balance, and grabbed the doorframe.”

  Annie sucked in a breath. “Uh-oh. What’d you see?”

  “An officer with a nasty, smug expression. The image held a strong sensation that he’d gotten away with a whopping big lie. And he was…odd. Or maybe it’s me. All of the images I’ve gotten today have been…foggy around the edges.”

  “Help me understand. Foggy is bad?”

  “Yeah, scary bad.” That nagging sliver of unease worked its way into my brain again and opened the cellar of my mind.

  “Okay, I know you’re freaked, but there’s probably nothing you can do about the foggy, it being a gift and all.” Annie wrinkled her nose. “Was there anything concrete about the officer that you could share with the chief?”

  “Not a thing. I took the silent way out. Didn’t say anything to either Adam or Hayes. Probably it’s no big thing. The Chief is smart and will catch the guy if it’s anything serious.”

  “Hmmm. True, and officers lie just like the rest of the population. I’m more concerned about why you think this guy is odd?”

  “Don’t know exactly. It was a dark night, cemetery, goose bumpy sensation. Nothing rational. It’s probably best to forget it.”

  “Could be. You have a lot going on—first assignment for the department and all.”

  “Yeah. I’m feeling…exposed.”

  She nodded. “I get that. What’s your plan for the rest of the day?”

  I rearranged a few plates in the dishwasher. “Nothing, really.”

  She leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed her arms. “Un-huh. Start talking.”

  One thing about Annie, she knew a blatant lie when she heard one. “Mitch is going to stop by on his way home from the airport.” I pointed to her chin where a dollop of caramel had landed.