To Bedevil A Beauty (Southern Sanctuary - Book 5)
Page 19
“A coincidence of epic proportion.” Ramsey frowned. “I really hate coincidences. I’m guessing that when Gerard saw me he went off plan. Instead of watching you, figuring a way to snatch you. He recognised me and took a shot in the heat of the moment. When that didn’t go well, I assume he and Robert split up, or had a fight and went their separate ways. Gerard hangs around, torching cars, maybe turning on lights at the Bright place trying to lure me out, so he can take another pot-shot at me and Robert…”
“And Robert without someone to do all his dirty work for him has probably made a run for the hills. I can’t imagine what he was thinking. Did he really believe he could just turn up here and convince me to go with him or kidnap me? It beggars belief.”
Ramsey shook his head. “Sounds like Robert expected to find only one good luck witch charm here, not a whole district of magically enhanced warriors. So you’re a witch, huh?”
Berry tried to pull back her hand but Ramsey wouldn’t relinquish his grip. “I’m not a witch. There is no such thing as witches… oh, hold on, my cousin’s meld mate is a witch and she comes from a long line of witches… so yes, there are witches. I’m just not one of them.”
Ramsey’s lips were quirking up at the edges. He could tell Berry was exceedingly uncomfortable talking about magic, but the rabbit was literally out of the hat now, he wanted answers. “So if you’re not a witch then you’re a…?”
“We shouldn’t…” She tried to tug her hand free once more.
“Shouldn’t what? Talk about magic? I think that Hogwarts’s train has left the station, don’t you Berry?”
“I don’t think we should hold hands. What if someone comes in to check on us?”
Ramsey wanted to shake her, after today… God, after the last week together, she was still insisting that they were only a booty call hook up. Man, he was failing on all fronts, he hadn’t even been able to upgrade his status to friends with benefits. “They’ll think I’m comforting you after a very trying incident.”
Berry attempted one more ineffectual tug. “I’m perfectly fine.”
“Then maybe I’m the one who needs comforting.” He sent her an intense slate grey look. “Please don’t let go just yet Berry.”
Berry rolled her eyes heavenwards. “Honestly, you with the pretty words and the flirty looks.”
Ramsey grinned as she relaxed her hand in his. “Only you seem to think so Berry. Maybe you bring it out in me. So this magic of yours, I think you’d better tell me about it and why Robert is so desperate to get his hands on you.”
Berry fought not to sigh. This promised to be a doozy of a conversation. Honestly, if she was going to spill her guts concerning her magic and her failed three year marriage it would have been nice to have a drink in hand… and the rest of the bottle nearby waiting. She opened her mouth to start, but stopped abruptly as Nell appeared in the doorway, doctor’s bag in hand.
“Your turn Berry.” Nell approached, a soft smile playing over her gorgeous mouth, not a hair out of place or an unsightly wrinkle marring her designer dress to show how busy she’d been in the last fifteen frantic minutes. “That’s quite the bruise you’ve got coming up on your forehead.”
“How’s Gideon?” Ramsey asked, releasing Berry’s hand reluctantly and getting to his feet so that Nell could sit beside her patient on the couch.
“Good, he’s in for a lot of bed rest though; the bullet caused quite a bit of damage and ribs can be tricky to heal.”
Ramsey nodded his thanks. “Well, I suppose I’d better go check on my prisoner.”
“Oh.” Nell forestalled him. “I think they’re about ready to transport him to the station. He’s not a well man, with all that giggling, babbling about invisible men and the tears… I’m not sure if he’s going to ever be quite right again.”
“Damn.” Ramsey had been hoping for some straight answers on where Robert Granger was hiding out and what his plans were. “I still need to question him…” He paused in the doorway looking back at Berry. “This conversation isn’t finished Berry, later?”
“Later.” Berry confirmed, turning to brush her hair out the way so that Nell could get a better look at the knot on her forehead.
Ramsey paused on the other side of the door for the moment, doing what he did best, covert eavesdropping.
“So, do my eyes deceive me or were you and the good Chief of Police holding hands?” Nell’s husky voice was low and teasing.
“The man had a very trying day. Learning about magic. Facing off against that lunatic, Gerry. I was just comforting him.”
Who knew the elegant doctor could snort so derisively.
“Honest Nell. There is absolutely nothing going on between me and Ramsey Hughes.” Berry protested quickly.
“Just how hard did you hit your head sweetie? I saw the way the man reacted to you being in danger. He was ready to rip the world apart to save you. And you… you’re so hyper aware of him that the air around you practically sizzles with the heat you’re putting out.”
“You’re delusional.” Berry snapped back.
Nell just laughed, low and long. Ramsey decided he’d pushed his luck enough today and silently left the vicinity. He had a babbling lunatic to question and the sooner he did that, the sooner he could get back to Berry.
Berry shifted on the sofa, wincing.
“Sore?” Nell queried.
“My back, basically I think I’m just one big bruise.” Berry acknowledged.
“A bath would help with the aches and pains.” Nell smoothed some bright green salve over Berry’s bruised forehead. “Heat bags and a glass of wine or two should probably do the rest. Would you like something to help you sleep tonight or does the Chief already have that covered?”
“Nell.” Berry would have liked to scowl at her cousin but her forehead had just gone blissfully numb.
“Oh don’t be so stuffy Berry, admit it, you’re sleeping with Chief Hughes.”
“No, absolutely not. The last thing I’m doing with the man is sleeping with him. Sleeping together is for couples and we are definitely not a couple.”
“So what are you?” Nell applied some salve to the bruise on Berry’s cheek next.
“Sex… we’re just having sex together… lots and lots of sex together.” Whoa, how potent was Nell’s salve?
“What’s the exact measurement of lots and lots, exactly?” Nell teased with a pleased smile, blue eyes twinkling as she checked the rest of Berry over.
Berry couldn’t help but chuff a laugh. “When it occurs so often that I lose count.”
“Oooh, nice. So you and the Chief, huh?”
“Are just having sex, yes. We’re not a couple. We don’t date. We don’t flirt… okay, he does sometimes, but I think it’s just a reflex on his part.”
“Um, you sure about that? Chief Hughes doesn’t strike me as a natural born… flirt.”
“Oh, trust me.” Berry rolled back the cuff of her sleeve to show Nell the fingerprint bruises marring her sore wrist. “The man’s incorrigible, batting those gorgeous eyes of his my way, looming with intent.”
Nell hesitated and then nodded her head slowly in agreement. “Sure, gorgeous eyes, looming.”
“Why did you say it like that?”
“Sweetie, I’m not saying the man’s not sexy in a mysterious - sticking to the shadows - bad boy kind of way. But those eyes of his, it’s like they can see straight through to your soul and he’s cataloguing all your sins, weighing up whether to kill you or not. And the looming? Not that I’m not pleased to see him, but for that first split second, it’s like one of those shadow monsters suddenly leaping out about to throttle me to death.”
Berry’s mouth dropped open. “That’s weird. That’s exactly how Drum makes me feel.”
Nell laughed softly, a smile dancing on her lips. “I do love that man of mine. You should give it a try?”
“Give what a try?”
“Love. You and Chief Hughes, I think you’d make a great couple.”
“Not all men are like Robert. The Chief seems a good guy for one.” Nell started packing up her bag.
Berry bent her head down, focusing on righting her clothing rather than looking at her cousin. She still distinctly recalled two and a half years ago sitting in the courtroom in a suit she’d purchased from Goodwill an hour ago, Joanne at her side, crying silently as the court reporter pulled out a thick folder of charges being laid against Robert and his motley mix of associates. It had only been twelve hours since the dawn raid when her entire existence had been wiped away. But knowing she was broke hadn’t hit her as hard as realising that she could finally divorce Robert, she could be free. Maybe she could find a nice guy, someone she was attracted too, someone she could trust.
Her eyes had tracked around the court room and come to rest on one of the Midnight Raiders, there was something different about this one. Sure he had the requisite wild long tangled hair, five day beard growth and a tattoo, but there was something about the look in his eyes across the courtroom that made her stomach roil and her hormones dance. Strangely, she found she couldn’t look away from him, her breath caught in her throat.
Thank the Goddess for the Judge arriving and the entire court room being requested to stand. On shaky legs she’d stood up, biting her lip to stop the tears. What did it say about her? Being instantly attracted to an obvious criminal? That she couldn’t be trusted, that’s what. Obviously she had some sort of faulty radar when it came to men. Her gut hadn’t even sounding a warning at what a bad idea it would be to hook up with the gorgeous rough biker guy. Not like it had gnawed at her when she contemplated whether to marry Robert or not. See… see how much she couldn’t be trusted. Then and there, she decided to swear off men.
“Sorry… what did you say?”
Nell placed a gentle hand down on Berry’s shoulder. “I said that I’m officially prescribing you a bath, a heat pack, a large glass of wine and a good night’s sleep.”
“Thanks Nell.” Berry stood up, wincing only slightly at the twinges in her back. “You’ll let me know if there are any updates on Gideon?”
“Sure, be safe Berry. And think about what I said… about giving Chief Hughes a chance.”
“You know what’s really annoying about the melded? How quickly they fall to the dark side.”
Nell smiled ruefully. “What can I say? I just want everyone to be as happy as Drum and I are… of course, that doesn’t mean I still don’t want to kick Great-Aunt Alma’s butt in retribution.”
“Grrr, don’t even say that woman’s name near me. I swear if she tries to mess with me, I’m telling Gaia that Alma is the only one who can help her get pregnant.”
Nell shook her head laughing. “Gaia’s too scared of Alma to fall for that trick.”
“Gaia’s a Rottweiler when it comes to conceiving. She’d stalk Alma to the ends of the earth if she thought it would put a rocket under the stork.”
Chapter Nineteen
Magic was real. MAGIC was real. Ramsey was still trying to get his head around the concept as he let himself into his apartment, dismissing Benedict with a silent nod.
Not only was magic real, he was… had… was… magic. He had the day of insanity as proof of that. When he’d become absolutely still, as per Sinclair’s instructions, Gerard had reacted as if he’d turned invisible. He hadn’t just been frozen to the spot because that was what he and Sinclair had planned; he’d been frozen in shock.
It’s one thing for someone to tell you that you have the ability to sink into shadows, to become effectively invisible… but when they turn out to be telling the truth, well it took some time to process.
According to Sinclair, he had some training to do if he wanted to be able to move… or flow… as Sinclair had called it, in Shadow mode. But with everything on his plate, Ramsey was pushing that to the back burner, along with meeting the rest of his long lost relatives. The only thing about magic he was interested in learning right at this moment was what kind of powers did Berry have? And was her particular brand of magic the reason she always knew exactly where he was?
He had mentioned that little fact to Sinclair before they’d climbed covertly into Berry’s office to save the day. Sinclair’s eyes had opened wide in surprise for a split second… the bastard knew something, but wasn’t going to share it… all he’d offered to do was get Berry to close her eyes so she wouldn’t give the game away to Gerard.
Which didn’t make sense did it? Berry could always see him, but she couldn’t see Sinclair in shadow stealth mode. Grrr, this magic thing was proving to be tricky. Just like loony Gerard, now sitting in a cell, rocking back and forward babbling to himself and laughing occasionally in a disturbing, high-pitched way. Despite all their questioning, Gerard had proven beyond useless in supplying any Intel on where they might find Robert Granger. When they mentioned Granger’s name, it only ever seemed to make Gerard laugh that much harder.
Maybe now that Berry knew her ex was behind all this, she’d be willing to share her thoughts. He checked her room first, thinking she might be napping, empty. Going with his gut he found her in the living room, dressed in those dark red silk PJ’s that clung to her soft curves, all currently hidden under a blanket she’d thrown over her lap as she relaxed on the sofa, reading a magazine and sipping red wine.
“Hey there. Should you be drinking?” Ramsey studied her carefully, cataloguing the already nearly faded bruises on her face, wow, Nell was good.
“Doctor’s orders.” Berry gave him a half smile. “Want some?”
“No.” Ramsey closed the curtains on the rapidly darkening view and switched on a lamp. “I think I’ll grab a beer.” He switched on more lights in the kitchen. “How are you feeling?”
Berry watched him take a seat on the sofa directly across from her. “Good, better now that I’ve had a bath. What about you? Did you learn anything useful from Gerry?”
“No, Gerry’s a mess. Talking in riddles. The senseless giggling doesn’t help either, not to mention it’s kind of disturbing. I’ve had Maureen send out a fresh BOLO on Granger to every marina and boat ramp owner up and down the coast.”
“Boats?” Berry shook her head. “Robert hates the water. I think he’d more likely want a small plane. He took flying lessons you know, though he never bothered getting his license.”
“Flying? You’re sure? His internet search history was all about boats.” Even as he spoke Ramsey was pulling out his phone and sending a quick text message to Mac McKenzie.
Berry shrugged, dropping her magazine on the coffee table. “One thing Robert’s good at is being sneaky; planting a false trail would be in his skillset. I just never thought he’d have the… balls, to track me down and attempt something like this.”
Ramsey took a deep drink from his bottle of beer. “Tell me.”
“Tell you what?” Berry shifted the heat pack she was leaning against over slightly.
“Berry.”
“Fine. I’m a Mage, which covers any powers that are derived from the mind. Specifically, I’m a Pathfinder Mage. It requires eye contact and for someone to be at a crossroads regarding a situation or outcome. In a split second I can see the first step on each and every pathway open to the individual. Sometimes there are only a handful of pathways, sometimes there are hundreds. I don’t know what happens further down the pathway but I know what the first step is and whether the decision is good, bad or in between for the individual in question.”
Ramsey found himself frowning. “And your ex, Granger, he knows about your power and wants to use it how?”
Berry heaved a deep sigh. “No, Robert doesn’t know about my powers, I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m some sort of psychic.”
“Why would he think that?”
Berry could feel the hot colour flooding her cheeks, this was going to be so embarrassing. “I met Robert at a retirement dinner for an outgoing Judg
e. To cut a long story short I found myself seated next to Robert at dinner. He was funny, smart and charming. Telling me all about his plans to travel to Melbourne the next day for a Spring Carnival racing event. Too much wine on an empty stomach and one thing led to another and we ended up in bed together. It was… okay, but obvious, to me at least, that it was meant to be a one night stand.”
“But he didn’t see it that way?”
“Monday morning at work, flowers were waiting for me. More arrived the next day and every day that week. It was kind of flattering that he seemed so smitten and I thought maybe I should give him another chance… sober this time. We went out, he seemed really interested in me, asked all these questions, wanting to know everything about me. What I liked, disliked. He seemed very sincere…”
“But?” Ramsey sensed one coming.
Berry shrugged. “I wasn’t feeling it. I was Legal Aid and pro bono. He was high-priced, downtown law firm and flashy cars. But he proved even more tenacious after our first official date…”
“And he had the right ammunition to use by that stage.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Ramsey fought to keep his face blank and emotionless, though already he wanted to be the first to track scum bag Granger down and plant his fist in his face. “After that first official date, he knew everything he needed to know about you, what you liked, he could tailor his approach correctly.”
“Yes.” Berry blinked in surprise. “Yes, that’s exactly what he did; home-cooked meals, tickets to the museum, plays. I felt bad for saying no, when I could see all the effort he’d gone too.”
“So you said yes, but he could see that you still weren’t completely sold on him.”
Berry nodded. “He ramped up his efforts trying to please me, extravagant gifts, outings, compliments, kept saying how perfect we were for one another… the perfect couple. If I tried to turn him down or put him off, he’d pout and lay this huge guilt trip on me, detailing exactly the cost and effort he’d gone too trying to make me happy. Before I knew it we’d been dating for four months… but, whilst he appeared to be a nice attentive guy who liked everything I liked, there was something missing, a spark, a connection, something. I think Robert may have guessed that I was intending to break things off with him.”