Deceptions (The Mystical Encounter Series Book 2)

by Kimberly Readnour

  Mr. Canter’s jaw clenched, and his fist pounded the desk. “I’ll have the money for you, don’t worry.”

  A small gasp slipped past my lips as I opened my eyes. My breath hitched from the intensity of Mr. Canter’s stare. Could he tell I’d witnessed an exchange between him and Bart? I didn’t think so. How could that be possible? But the way he studied me stated otherwise. My hand, free from his touch, dropped to my side and I began to shake. The silence between us waned.

  He drew a breath and looked toward Tanner. “I trust you’ll do what you can,” he said.

  “You have my word,” Tanner replied.

  Mr. Canter wasted no time in departing. Mesmerized, I watched him climb the stairs and disappear into his house. Drugs? Blackmail? Hmm…‌it seems there was more going on here than Nicholas’s disappearance.

  Tanner had remained quiet through our silent exchange, and I could practically visualize his thoughts absorb the information as he filed it away. Once we were alone in the car, his quiet demeanor changed rather abruptly.

  “Okay, spill. I know you saw a lot more than what you let on back at the house.”

  I gave him a slight smile, wondering how he understood me so well in the short amount of time we’d known each other.

  “Yes,” I agreed. “There is certainly more happening here than what I said. First, let’s start with Nicholas’s trinket box. I believe he has used that jewelry box to store drugs.”

  Turning sharply to look at me, Tanner’s eyebrows raised and his mouth opened. “He’s using drugs?” he asked, flabbergasted.

  “Well, I’m not sure if he’s using, but he’s definitely dealing. Sorry, I know you really liked him, but my vision brought me to a bar. I saw Nicholas following a tall guy, Paul, into a back office. The burly guy threw a bag of what I’m pretty sure was marijuana at him, then told him to bring the money by next week. I didn’t want to tell the entire vision in front of not only his father, but the police chief as well. I didn’t want to get Nicholas in more trouble and…‌ I just don’t trust Bart.”

  “Neither do I.” Tanner deadpanned. “Okay, so what about the vision you had with Robert?”

  I inhaled deeply and hesitated. “That’s a bit spicier. The police chief was with Mr. Canter, I think at Mr. Canter’s office. He was demanding money to keep his son’s drug dealings quiet.”

  “That son–of–a–bitch is blackmailing him?” His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. “This may be the break we need for the other investigation. We just need to figure out how the mayor is involved.”

  I pulled out my phone and turned it on. “Detective, I saw a picture of a girl; I’m assuming she’s his girlfriend. She’s been contacted, right?”

  “Yes, they were together last night, but talking to her didn’t turn up anything.”

  “Okay.” I remained silent as he shifted the car into drive. When my phone lit up, I noticed two missed texts from Barry. I sent him a quick reply, informing him about what happened and that I was heading home. After reading his response, I settled into my seat and endured the lengthy ride home.

  ~7~

  Comprehension

  After walking through my front door, I pulled my cell phone out to text Barry again. Before I had the chance to unlock my phone, it vibrated in my hand, drawing an instant smile. His message, “Saw detective’s car. On my way,” illuminated my phone. I guess that was part of the perks of having your boyfriend practically living next door. I often wondered if he spent as much time over there before I moved in as he did now. It was a question I’d pondered but never had the courage to ask.

  As I walked toward the kitchen, I typed back the words, “Hungry…‌ let yourself in.” By the time the orange juice filled my cup, the creaking of the front door alerted me to his arrival. That was quick. After the slam of the door vibrated through the house, I yelled, “Do you want anything to drink?”

  Barry stepped into the kitchen. “Sure.” He stopped beside me and pulled me into a hug. “How are you doing?”

  My chest swelled with warmth from his concern. The visions take their toll on me and he always worried about me. I snuggled deeper into the embrace. That was what I liked most, his strong arms wrapped around me. There wasn’t any place I’d rather be than here.

  I breathed in his herbal, woodsy smell. “Yeah, I’m all right, but I’m afraid I wasn’t much help,” I answered.

  His right hand had found its way to the back of my head and lightly massaged it. “You weren’t?”

  With a shrug, I said, “No, I didn’t see anything I’d consider helpful.” Reluctantly, I pulled away from him to fix the sandwiches. Without eating a real breakfast, I was starving. While grabbing the bread and lunchmeat from the fridge, I continued, “I just saw the cabin the Canters own and where they hunt, so it didn’t help us figure out where he is.” I placed the bread on the plates, I layered turkey, pepper jack cheese, and lettuce on top. I went over to the refrigerator and held up the bottle of mustard. With a shake of Barry’s head, I returned it, grabbing the mayonnaise instead. “I’m definitely missing something, I’m just not sure what. It’s rather frustrating letting everyone down.”

  “Hey, you’re not letting anyone down. They may be disappointed that you didn’t see anything, but what can they expect? You’re not a fortune–teller.”

  “Thanks, Barry. It’s still frustrating though.”

  He grabbed the knife and spread the mayo. “Who’s the missing guy?”

  “Nicholas Canter.”

  “Nick!” Barry bellowed.

  “Yeah, do you know him?”

  “Yeah, he graduated a couple of years ago. Wow, I can’t believe it’s him. Nick’s a great guy, I hope they find him.” He slid into the chair after placing the top slices of bread on our sandwiches. “You didn’t see anything?”

  “I guess there just wasn’t anything significant to him in his room,” I said, evading his question.

  Guilt crept its way into my conscience, but I couldn’t tell him about Nick’s drug involvement. Right? Tanner probably didn’t want me disclosing that information, but there was something else preventing me from telling Barry the whole truth. I just wasn’t sure what.

  “He probably doesn’t have much at home because he spends most of his time away at college or at his girlfriend’s house. Jocelyn Kennedy, she’s a senior this year. You know her, or at least you’ve seen her around. He’s a couple years ahead of her, but they were pretty tight when they were in school together. You’d recognize Jocelyn, I’m sure.” Barry smiled. “I know that if we end up at different colleges, I’ll be spending every second I’m home with you. I certainly wouldn’t be spending anytime at my house.”

  My stomach flipped with the thought of us not being together. The last thing I wanted was to be separated from him, now or anytime in the future. Barry had become such an intricate part of my life that it was hard to imagine him not being in it.

  “You’re right,” I said, trying to shrug off the sudden uneasiness. “He probably spends most of his time with her.”

  “I’d be surprised if he doesn’t have an extra jacket or shirt at her house.”

  I put my half–eaten sandwich down and stared at him. “I think you’re on to something. I’m sure she has something recent of his. I mean, anything would work better than what was at the mansion.” Getting up quickly, I snatched my cell off the counter. As I passed Barry, I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the side of his cheek. “You’re a genius.”

  “Well, I try.” He gloated with that sexy half–grin of his. I paused for a second to take a look at him. God, he’s gorgeous.

  Focus, Heather. I shook my head. Stupid hormones! I needed to concentrate. Calling Tanner’s number‌—‌I had added to my favorites list a couple of days back‌—‌I tapped my foot, waiting for him to answer.

  “Heather?” Tanner said after a couple of rings.

  “Sorry to bother you Detective, but Barry and I were talking, and he brought up
a valid point. I know you already talked to Jocelyn, Nicholas’s girlfriend, but I’m betting that if anyone would have something meaningful of his, it would be her. I’d still like to get a reading that would give us some clue where he is.”

  Silence. Then Tanner said, “Hmm, you’re probably right. We should at least try. Okay, let me make a couple of calls, and then I’ll swing back by to pick you up.”.

  “All right, I’ll be here.” After hitting end on my phone, I turned to Barry with an exasperated expression.

  He pretended to pout. “Guess this means you’re gonna leave me again, huh?”

  I wrapped my arms around his waist and gazed into his eyes. “Sorry, babe, I’ll make up for it tonight.”

  His eyebrows shot up in response. As he leaned down to kiss me, he said, “Mmm, I like that idea.”

  Within a nanosecond, the heat rose in my cheeks, making me smile shyly before he kissed me.

  ~~~~~

  The uneasiness returned when I got into Tanner’s car and my stomach twisted itself into knots the closer we got to Jocelyn Kennedy’s house. The visions should be second nature to me by now, but they definitely weren’t. I hated the agony and despair I had to witness and feel through my visions, and I could never get used to it.

  Part of me also feared that this might be pointless. What if I failed again? Until today, that had never happened, but then again, this was my first time working for the police in this capacity. Johnny was an exception because there was a unique bond between us. But intentionally trying to envision something…‌? That may not work so well for me. But regardless, we’re about to find out.

  After ringing the doorbell, Tanner glanced over at me. “Are you doing all right?” he asked, looking concerned.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. Just a little anxious,” I said.

  “Heather,” Tanner said, softening his voice. “I wouldn’t put you in this situation if I didn’t think it was so important. I can tell the visions are rather taxing on you, and I promise to keep my future requests to a minimum. Okay?”

  The sincerity in his eyes made my chest swell with gratitude. “Thanks, Detective.”

  The door swung open, revealing the beautiful brunette girl I had seen in the photo on Nicholas’s desk. Barry was right, I did recognize her from school. She hung around with a group of girls I’d never talked to. She looked much different today than she did at school, though. Her happy, carefree spirit seemed crushed, and it was clear from her red–rimmed, puffy eyes that she’d been crying all day.

  “Jocelyn, I’m Detective Tanner and this is Heather Reiner. I called you a while ago to ask if we could stop by and ask you a few more questions.”

  “Yes, of course. Please come inside. Do you have any new leads?” Jocelyn asked, her voice filled with hope.

  “Not yet, but we’re hoping you can help us out one more time and that will give us a new lead.”

  Her head lowered and her shoulders sagged. In a defeated voice, she said, “Right, follow me.”

  Detective Tanner and I followed her into the living room and sat down on the couch. As she settled into the recliner, she looked up and blinked away tears. She managed to choke out, “I’m not sure there’s anything more I can say.”

  “Detective, I don’t think this is a good idea,” said a gruff voice coming from behind us. “My daughter is having a rough time already and your coming here obviously upsets her.”

  “I understand, Mr. Kennedy.” Detective Tanner stood to shake his hand. “We just need a few minutes of her time and then we’ll be on our way.”

  “It’s all right, Dad.” Jocelyn sniffed wetly. “They’re only here to help.”

  Her father nodded and quietly made his way over to the other recliner and sat. He nodded at Jocelyn before scowling at Tanner, but his feeble attempt at intimidation went unnoticed by the detective.

  Tanner cleared his throat before speaking. “Jocelyn, I realized that you’ve already talked to other policemen and answered a lot of questions, but we’re after something a little different. Is there’s anything here of Nick’s that was important to him? Something he would’ve interacted with recently, like a book, letters you wrote to him at school, or perhaps an article of clothing.”

  She sat there for a minute, frown lines developing across her face. I wasn’t sure how much Tanner had told her about my involvement in the case, but it didn’t seem like she had a clue why I was there, which surprised me. After I had solved Johnny’s case, the whole school gossiped about me for weeks. How could she not have heard about it? Perhaps she hadn’t fully understood the rumors, or simply hadn’t paid attention.

  “Jocelyn.” I spoke for the first time. “Did Nicholas leave a jacket here? If I could touch something he liked or something he wore recently, I might be able to get a vision that will lead us to where he is.”

  She turned her bloodshot eyes toward me. My heart sank at the sight of her pale face, streaked with mascara. The hurt welling deep inside her showed on her pained face with every expression, fueling my desire to find Nicholas. He was out there somewhere. We just needed to figure out where.

  “When I got out of his truck last night, I accidentally grabbed his flannel shirt along with my jacket. Will that work?”

  I stilled. That’s exactly what we need. Nodding, I said, “That will be perfect.”

  She left to get the shirt. Finally, we caught a break. With a glance at Tanner, I suppressed the smile that threatened to erupt when our gazes interlocked. I might not be a mind reader, but I could tell how excited he was. Though the question still remained: what was I going to see?

  ~8~

  Secrets

  A few minutes later, Jocelyn returned to the living room holding a flannel shirt. She clutched it like a drowning sailor clutches a life preserver. It occurred to me that that flannel shirt was the last connection she had to Nicholas, which explained why she clung to it for dear life. If we could not find him, that would be the last thing he had given her, albeit indirectly.

  She paused and wrung the shirt even tighter, if that was possible, before taking a step forward. Tanner rose quickly and reached for the shirt.

  Jocelyn’s eyes widened at Tanner’s swift movement, but I understood why he insisted on being the one to hand it to me. Jocelyn was already upset, and he didn’t want her to be scared if I was launched into a vision when I touch Nick’s shirt. She held her breath, staring at the shirt a few seconds longer before letting out a small sob and handing it over. She quickly sat back down.

  Tanner waited until she was settled in her chair before sitting next to me on the couch. He glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you ready?”

  With a wary smile, I nodded and reached for the shirt. The moment the soft cotton fibers brushed my fingers, I could begin to hear an argument.

  Jocelyn was pleading with Nick. “What happens if you get caught? You’re risking your entire career. Have you even thought about that?”

  “Baby, I’m protected. They’re not going to do anything, trust me, I’ve got that covered.” He wrapped his arms around her and tried to pull her closer to him.

  She jerked to free herself from his clutches and stared into his eyes. In a soft voice she said, “Well, I don’t like you hanging around all those stoners. What if the cops happen to raid the area? What then?”

  With a chuckle, he said, “Baby, I’m just selling to a few college alumni, you have nothing to worry about. Most just want to have a good weekend and relax after a hard week of studying. The rest of my sales are local. Besides, it’s just marijuana, nothing hardcore. Heck, it’s even legal in some states now.”

  “Not in the state of Missouri.” She huffed. He reached out to her again, but she batted his hands away. “Nick, I’m serious.”

  “Damn it Jocelyn, I’m tired of your shit. Do you know how many college girls would love a chance to go out with me? I guarantee you, they wouldn’t be nagging me as much as you are right now,” he yelled.

  Jocelyn’s eyes narrowed as sh
e stared at him. “You’ve had a lot to drink tonight, so I will pretend you only went there because you’re drunk. We’ll discuss this when you’re sober. Actually, you shouldn’t even be driving in your condition.”

  He grunted. “If I wanted a lecture, I’d go home to my dad.” Nick narrowed his eyes and said menacingly, “Get out.”

  “Nick…‌” Jocelyn peered at him tearfully.

  He glanced down and eyed her jacket, lying in a heap on the floorboard. He immediately picked it up and threw it at her. “Just go.”

  With a sob, Jocelyn grabbed the ball of clothing and jumped out of his truck. The door had barely shut before Nick pressed the gas pedal and sped away.

  A light flashed, and I could no longer separate myself from Nick. The light flickered from every direction, flipping between darkness and lightness. Fast, like a strobe light, I quickly became disoriented, unable to tell up from down.

  The flashing halted, leaving me totally blind. The faint humming slowly faded away and a moment of eerie silence passed before pain rushed to my head.

  The pressure building in my head…‌

  So much pressure…‌

  Scenes flashed through my brain. A collage of a road, skidding tires, and darkness as the pressure remained in my head. Each passing second made it worse. The yearning of the family cabin. The descent.

  The pain.

  My head felt heavy, like it was about to explode.

  Flashes of a country road, skidding tires, a body jerking, and then rolling…‌turning…‌the crunching of heavy metal…‌

  The pressure kept building in my head and I couldn’t move.

  Total blackness.

  I gasped for air, my hands clutching Nicholas’s flannel shirt against my throbbing head. It took a few moments to realize that the throbbing had faded with the vision and was now imaginary. I released my grip, the shirt falling to my side, and glanced at Tanner. I waited with wild eyes for my breathing to even out. The silence stretched on. Tanner’s face showed nothing but concern, but I couldn’t speak yet. Instead, I concentrated on my breathing as the pain‌—‌imaginary or not‌—‌lingered in my head.