Electric Rain

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Champagne Books Presents Electric Rain By

Arlene Knowell

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This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Champagne Books www.champagnebooks.com Copyright 2011 by Arlene Knowell ISBN 9781926996905 March 2012 Cover Art by Amanda Kelsey Produced in Canada

Champagne Books #35069-4604 37 ST SW Calgary, AB T3E 7C7 Canada

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Champagnebooks.com (or a retailer of your choice) and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Other Books By Arlene Knowell Far From Innocent Hell Bent (with Judith Noelle) Summer Rain Warrior King Wildcat

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Dedication Special thanks to J. Ellen Smith and the staff of Champagne Books for all that they do. Also, thanks to Nikki Andrews for all her hard work in editing this book.

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ONE Lacy took a deep breath and pulled to the roadside. The closer she got to her destination the stronger the vibrations and visions became. She had always had this curse that allowed her to see things through a sixth sense. Her powers surpassed the levels of most like her. Some psychics have visions. Others have feelings or identify smells. Mediums claim connections with those passed on. Lacy had it all, not that she wanted any of it. If she had her choice she’d rather be normal, taking each day as it came, enjoying the exhilaration of surprise with the rest of the world. It wasn’t her choice, however, and she was destined to contend with the skills God had given her. She couldn’t remember the moment that she first realized her gift. There had always been the pulses of lights, voices and images that flashed in her head like a high-speed camera. Sometimes, like now, it was almost too much to bear. Her body vibrated as if operating a jackhammer. The sensations invading her coursed through her at a pace much quicker than the blood inside her veins. She didn’t want to be in this rural Louisiana town, facing a fear that had dominated her since she was a child. She fought the information that pulsed inside her mind like the slow blink of a caution light. It wasn’t very often that so much information flooded her without relenting. She could feel raindrops hammering her skin, but they stung like electricity. There were echoing voices, and she saw large hands in black leather gloves. This area was full of fear and death, so thick that it floated through the cypress trees like a low hanging fog. She lifted her hands from the steering wheel and watched the gentle nervous shake of them. The visions, simple as they were, felt sinister. The gnawing sensation in her stomach wasn’t a sixth sense, but rather her gut instinct and it screamed for her to turn back. She looked deep into the cypress forest on each side of the narrow two-lane highway. Gooseflesh crept up her spine and onto her arms, as her eyes pierced into the dark shadows of the trees. These woods were hiding 6

something and it wasn’t anything good. She narrowed her eyes; something dark and evil prowled in this town and it wouldn’t be long before she figured out what. The road ahead scared her crazy. There wasn’t one good vibe in the air. This was the only place she’d ever been where there was nothing but darkness. She pressed the accelerator; she wasn’t making any progress sitting still. She had agreed to come here as a favor to a friend; her task was to help locate someone who’d disappeared over a week ago. Something told her it was a mistake. This place had clouded her mind once before. As a tenyear-old she’d had visions that terrified her—the same lonely road, eerie forest and sense of impending doom soaked into her bones. She squinted against the memories that invaded her; she felt as unsafe now as she’d felt during those initial visions. As a child, she hadn’t understood the visions; she had wondered what they meant. Now, as an adult, she wondered how she’d seen twenty years into the future. Regardless of how, during those long-ago visions of this area she’d realized that death could be foretold. This was the moment she’d have to make the biggest decision of her life. She could turn back, and if she did, she’d be fine. If she chose to continue on this journey, she saw her future as dark and uncertain. Taking a second deep breath, she wiped away her tears. It was fear that threatened to turn her back, but it was also fear that pushed her forward. Chris Allen had been her friend for years and he was the reason she’d continue on this path. As uncertain as she was of her own future if she continued, she was even more certain of his if she turned back. If she turned back toward Chicago, Chris was sure to die. ~*~ Chris Allen’s sister, Jeanine Massey, had simply disappeared in Grandbury, Louisiana. He’d hired a private detective when the local sheriff hit a cold trail. The detective came up empty as well. It seemed as if Jeanine had just vanished into thin air. No one in the small town had seen her; in fact, there wasn’t a soul who knew how long her car had been abandoned on the roadway before the sheriff and his deputy had found it. Jeanine was anxious to start her new life in Bosier City. She’d gone through a bitter divorce, finally finding the nerve to escape an abusive husband. She had told Chris that she’d yelled in victory when she’d seen Las Vegas in the rearview mirror. Luckily, there was a job waiting for her as a blackjack dealer in one of the Bosier City casinos. By all accounts, Jeanine had the bull by the horns and was ready to make her mark on the world. Chris had received a call from his father telling him that the sheriff of Grandbury, Louisiana, had called stating that Jeanine’s car was abandoned on a secondary road, about six miles out of town. Chris had immediately made his way from Dallas to aid in the search. A hundred and fifty people scoured the countryside, in the dense cypress trees, for the tall, beautiful 7

brunette. The search had continued for 72 hours and Chris was thankful for the efforts, even if they had been in vain. ~*~ Lacy shook her head against the images; she didn’t want them right now. Chris was waiting for her at a small country store near the location where Jeanine’s car had been found. She wanted to get to the store, under the watchful, protective eye of Chris; then she’d welcome the information. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something she could turn on and off. She’d tried. She pulled into the store lot and white dust rose into two torpedo shaped plumes behind her car. Her heart fluttered because Chris was one of the few people in her life who believed in her gift. It was that belief that had stalled their relationship before it ever really got started. They had dated as teens but Chris couldn’t handle a girl who knew more about him than he knew about himself. Luckily, they’d remained friends through the years and Chris had come to accept and appreciate her abilities. She brought the car to a stop and looked around the slag lot, wishing that she could enjoy this moment rather than dodge the constant barrage of deadly visions that assaulted her. The store door swung open and Chris made his way toward her. He reached for the door handle and pulled it open. “Get out here. I haven’t seen you in fifteen years.” It was true; he hadn’t seen her since high school graduation. He’d gone off to Louisiana State University chasing a dream of playing in the NFL. She stepped from the car and opened her arms to the man who was living his dream of being a Dallas Cowboy defensive lineman. At 6’5” he certainly had the size and the imposing lumberjack physique. “It’s good to see you again,” she admitted with a wide smile, stretching her tall frame to hug Chris as he towered over her. The vibrations that surged through her body at his touch were overwhelming. Her senses went crazy. His fears and reservations about Jeanine invaded her body like Marines on a beach. He was letting the search consume him, and nothing short of finding Jeanine Massey would ease his tension. “Thank you so much for coming.” “You’re welcome; hopefully I’ll be able to help.” Chris bit his bottom lip, shifted his bulky frame and looked into Lacy’s eyes. “I’m depending on you, Lacy. She’s been missing for almost two weeks and Jeanine isn’t a girl who can survive in the wilderness.” Lacy swallowed hard and pressed her lips firmly together, her tongue poking out to wet them. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of him depending on her. There were too many bad vibes in this town to know if they had anything to do with Jeanine. “Well, what’s first?” “What if I show you where they found her car?” He looked eagerly her way. 8

Lacy understood his need to waste no time, but there was something else that she understood; Chris was so wrapped up in finding Jeanine that his health was suffering. “Okay, I’ll go there if you promise to rest afterward.” He waved her off. “Oh, I’m fine.” “No, you aren’t.” She shifted her position to force him to look at her. “You’re carrying around enough stress to sink a ship.” “Get in.” He pointed to a very classy black SUV parked a few spaces from her car. “Your car will be fine here until we get back.” She stopped in her tracks and shot a glance over her shoulder. There was something out there, or maybe someone; it felt as if death was hiding behind the trees waiting to claim her. “What’s wrong?” She glanced toward him and shook her head. “I’m not sure.” “Do you hear something?” She turned her attention toward him and studied him. “It’s a feeling; like someone is out there looking at me.” She took a deep breath, lifted the handle and pulled the vehicle door open. It was moments like this one when she wished anyone other than her had this curse. Energy from within the vehicle hit her with a rush that should have sent her hair flying in the wind. Fear and confusion assaulted her senses first; he’d done a lot of cursing, praying and crying in this vehicle. He had also spent many hours in this vehicle traveling to and from spring training and late night home games; during many of those drives home he wasn’t alone. She settled into the soft leather seat and bit the corner of her lip; so many different emotions pounded her that she wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry. He had done well for himself and it was obvious by the smell of money that engulfed her. It was great that he was wealthy, but not even that would keep him out of the hell they were about to face in the hunt for Jeanine. “What?” He glanced toward her with a grin and turned his attention back to the roadway. “You’ve done well for yourself,” she admitted. “I’m proud for you.” “Money isn’t everything,” he assured her. “It has taken me about two weeks to realize that all the money in the world can’t find Jeanine.” Lacy felt bad for having said it. She hadn’t intended to make matters worse, but it seemed she had. “Can you tell me if anything bad has happened in this town before? There’s a lot of negative energy here.” He shook his head. “I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure.” Lacy blinked against the feeling of rain that pounded her again. The sensations were so real that they literally stung her skin like an electric shock. Chris glanced her way and narrowed his eyes, considering her actions. “The car was parked on the side of the road. The keys were in the ignition. Her suitcases were still in the trunk and her purse was on the seat. 9

There were no signs of a struggle. It’s like she just vanished off the face of the earth.” He drummed his thumbs against the steering wheel as he drove. Lacy turned her head slowly toward him. “People don’t just vanish. If she was here, we’ll find her.” Chris drew in a deep breath and released it in one quick breath. “I sure hope you’re right.” Lacy lifted her palm, allowing a wave of energy to filter through her. The hair on the back of her neck stood erect. She reached a slow hand toward Chris and pressed lightly on his shoulder. “Stop here.” He glanced down at the speedometer, toward her, then back to the roadway. He pressed the brake pedal. “You’re the boss.” Lacy looked slowly around, surveying the area like a programmed robot. She pressed the window button, allowing the wind to blow into the vehicle. She drew in a slow deep breath and held it, taking in the information coming to her in rapid succession like gunfire. “I keep getting these visions and feelings but I’m not sure they have anything to do with Jeanine. I hope it doesn’t have anything to do with her. Chris, there’s something evil in this little town.” “What do you mean?” he asked with great concern. “Tell me what you see.” “I see a cylinder and a checker board.” She nodded with uncertainty. “I’m also seeing lots of women and I think they’re dead.” Chris pulled a note pad from behind the sun visor and scribbled as Lacy spoke. “There are at least twenty, maybe more,” Lacy added and she twisted her hands together, fighting the horrible visions in her mind. “Women?” Chris looked shocked. “Twenty dead women?” She shook her head then pushed her long brown bangs back from her forehead. Her eyes darted, as information flooded her mind so quickly that it had no time to register. “The number sixteen and heavy metal music.” Chris stared at her, waiting for more but there wasn’t more. None of the information was useful at this point, but it was all they had. Lacy turned her attention to the roadway. “There is a road up there on the right.” He nodded and accelerated forward. “Yes. Do you want to go there?” She answered with a quick nod. She struggled for every breath as coldness swept through her veins. “She was here. She made a wrong turn.” “Jeanine was on this road?” Lacy squinted against the fear. “She thought she was on the right road.” “Are you sure it was this road?” Chris’s brown eyes were full of doubt. Lacy looked toward him and even his bulging muscles couldn’t over 10

power the fear that consumed her. “She was as confident turning onto this road as I was following your directions.” “This road is a dead end,” Chris corrected as he turned onto the road. “The sheriff found her car on the next road over.” Lacy lifted her index finger to silence him as the cool September air floated through the windows. “I hear the buzz of a machine, maybe a lawnmower?” “I don’t hear it.” He shook his head. She sat silent head tilted slightly, surveying the information as quickly as it came into her mind. Gooseflesh devoured her inch by inch and she wasn’t sure she could tell him what she saw. The women were stacked inside a cylinder and they’d died horrible deaths at the hands of a man who had no more regard for human life than for an ant bed in the front yard. “We can go.” “I’ll show you where she disappeared from, it’s just one road over.” Lacy shook her head vigorously. “She disappeared from this road.” “You’re sure?” he questioned one last time. She turned slowly and met his brown eyes. “I’m absolutely positive.” ~*~ The gear shifter slid effortlessly into park under the guidance of Chris’s big, strong hand. He looked around, tears welling in his eyes. Lacy felt helpless, but she couldn’t change the fact that she didn’t have all the answers. “This is where they found her car,” Chris informed her as he reached for the door handle. “She’s been gone for eleven days.” Lacy pulled her lips into a tight pucker, shifted it to the left then the right, as she thought of what to say to him. She stepped outside the vehicle, but there was nothing to tell him. There was a ton of negative energy here, as there was all over this stinking little town, but there was nothing of Jeanine. “I don’t feel Jeanine here at all,” Lacy said as she walked down the roadside. “Her car was in this spot, but I’m getting emptiness, like she was already gone from it.” Chris shot a hard look her way. “That doesn’t make sense. A car can’t just drive itself.” Lacy pressed her hands into the pockets of her jeans and walked a few steps. “I’m sorry, Chris, but Jeanine wasn’t here.” The anger that swept over him was visible from more than thirty feet away. He’d called her here to help find his sister and she was telling him that she hadn’t been in her abandoned car. She knew that it sounded crazy and she couldn’t explain it, but Jeanine had disappeared from the dead end road. Chris lifted his hand, his Super Bowl ring glistening in the sunlight, and pressed his fingers through his hair. He shifted his weight, exhaled a curse, then turned toward Lacy. “I’m sorry, Lacy. I’m just scared as hell that I’m going to have to tell my parents that she’s dead.” 11

Lacy moved toward him. He was chiseled and strong, but she could feel his helplessness. He was man enough to earn a position as a defensive lineman in the NFL, but he couldn’t defend what he couldn’t find. “Look at me, Chris.” He turned toward her, and struggled against the tears that won the battle against him. His face cracked, but he held her stare. “I know how important this is to you. I don’t have all the answers, but when I tell you that I’m positive, you can take it to the bank.” “I know,” he managed to say. “I just feel so damn helpless.” Lacy lifted her hands toward him and he mirrored the gesture, accepting her hands into his own. “Let’s get out of here before the sun sets on us. You can tell me everything you know and we can get a fresh start in the morning.” He submitted with a nod. “Okay. Thank you so much for coming, Lace I love you for it.” ~*~ Chris hastily wiped away his tears, sat down into the vehicle and closed the door behind him. He hadn’t wanted to call Lacy, because it felt like a last-ditch effort to find Jeanine. He had decided to call when the realization slapped him in the face that it was a final effort. He’d known Lacy since he was knee high to his present height. She was the weird girl all the way through school. She was the one who knew things that she shouldn’t know. It had been curiosity that caused him to befriend the friendless girl. He liked the stories she told about things of the future and worlds yet to be explored. He’d made the mistake of dating her in high school, but it only took two dates to realize how big a screw-up that had been. Then had nothing to do with now. For many years, he had battled an urge to rekindle the feelings that he had for her. The ridicule that seemed to surround Lacy like a thick cloud kept him at bay. She hadn’t changed much since high school. Her eyes were still powder blue and her hair perfectly silky smooth. To the naked eye, Lacy looked normal; she was anything but. He started the engine and drove away; he couldn’t expect her to solve the mystery the moment she came into town. It would take time to sort out all the clues and details; he only hoped that Jeanine had enough time. ~*~ Lacy sat back into the leather seat. She was absolutely beat. Between the negative energy that seemed to own this little town, and the stress that radiated from Chris, her afternoon had been nothing but a mental bombardment of information. Chris pulled to a stop near her small foreign car and Lacy stepped from inside the safety of the SUV and toward her car. She would follow Chris back to the hotel, and hope like heck that she was tired enough that the 12

energy inside the hotel wouldn’t assault her. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, reopened them and turned back toward the woods across the road from the store. She narrowed her eyes. Something was there, calling her. She glanced toward her car, opened the door and tossed her purse inside. Night was settling into the small town and it felt as if that was the only thing the evil didn’t control. Her footsteps against the gravel caught her attention. She’d heard this sound before, but the footsteps had belonged to someone running. The beam of Chris’s headlight broke against the thin tan sweater that she wore. He opened the SUV door and stepped out. He said nothing, but waited to see what she was doing. Her footsteps were slow and intentional, like a dog sniffing out a hiding coon. She stepped into the roadway without so much as checking for oncoming headlights. Chris bolted toward her, checking the road, keeping a watchful eye on her progress across it. “What are you trying to tell me?” She stepped into the dark shadows of the trees. “I’m here, don’t be afraid.” It didn’t make sense that the forest was silent at dusk; the animals should have been on the move, getting to their nests and holes. The nocturnal creatures should have been stirring, prowling, looking for their next meal. They were not. Something was in there, deep in the woods, and it was trying to communicate with her, but it didn’t know how. She took another step, deeper into the darkness, led by the desire to find whatever was there. She lifted her hands, channeling the energy, eyes closed, hoping that she’d understand whatever it was saying. “What’s wrong?” Chris asked in a hushed voice. It was more than ten seconds before she opened her eyes and looked toward him. “I can’t tell but it’s trying to communicate with me. It doesn’t know how. I think it may be a spirit.” His eyes were large as quarters as he snapped his face back toward the darkness. “You mean a dead person?” “I will come back again,” she said softly. “Funnel your energy into one thing, it will come.” He turned his attention to her. “Did you just tell a spirit how to become a ghost?” She pushed her bangs over her head, hummed and looked at him. “I sure hope so, because something in there wants to talk and it can’t. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad, but it wants to talk all the same.” “Let’s get to the hotel so we can rest. This has been a long day for both of us.” She sighed with relief when Chris pulled into the hotel parking lot. She was tired of driving, riding and dealing with visions and floods of information. She turned off the key and relaxed against the headrest, exhaling slowly. 13

There was a reason she’d driven all the way from Chicago and it wasn’t because she enjoyed the scenic route. There was no rest for her on planes or trains. It never failed that she’d get psychic reading for those around her. She didn’t want that. She’d braved a flight once to vacation with friends in Las Vegas; it had been dreadful. She vowed it would never happen again. He lifted her bag from the trunk and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “You’ve got to be bushed.” She rested her head against his chest. It was very chivalrous of him to try to set his own fears aside to worry about her. “Tired and starved.” He squeezed her shoulder into the cage of his large chest, released her and reached into his pocket to retrieve a key. “I ordered pizza.” “Sounds wonderful,” She said with a tired smile. He pushed the door open, flipped on the light and waited for Lacy to enter. She looked around and fought a smile that finally crept onto her lips. “What?” he teased. “Don’t worry, the adjoining room is yours.” He inserted the room key into the lock of the adjoining room, gave it a stiff twist and pushed the door open. He walked across the dark room and flipped the light on. “Here you go, ma’am. I didn’t mean to give you the impression that you’d have to share that little bitty bed with me.” Lacy laughed aloud. “I didn’t think that. I was just wondering who Teresa was?” Chris glanced over his shoulder. “Something tells me that you already know the answer to that question.” That was true, she did know the answer. Teresa was the woman who had warmed his bed for the past two years. She was a tall leggy blonde, with brown eyes. A beautiful woman with a warm spot for the big man, a woman who was pissed that Lacy would be staying with him. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me to stay here,” Lacy said as she sat onto the bed. “She is very angry that I’m here.” “You let me worry about her.” He set her bag onto the dresser then took a seat beside her on the bed. “She understands that you’re doing this as a favor to me. She also knows that I’m going to do everything in my power to find Jeanine.”

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TWO Lacy sat up in the bed. It was impossible for her to get a decent night’s sleep on any bed other than her own. There was too much residual energy in objects like beds; energy that filtered through her like flour through a sifter. She picked up the pillow and pressed it onto her lap, falling forward into it. It was certain that this bed had seen more action in the past month than she’d had her entire life. Sometimes the things she saw embarrassed her; the visions from this bed were a fine example. The last thing she wanted to think about was sexy nights when she’d never met a man brave enough to give her such a night. Sure, she’d lost her virginity many years ago, but only because she’d hidden her powers from her suitor. She’d been with two men in her thirtythree years and both had been unaware of her gift. Both were gone in a flash when they found out. There had been two men in her life that she’d really cared for; neither had been in her bed. John Fleet had worked with her for many years. Enough time, in fact, that he was literally spooked by her abilities. Although she’d really cared for John she’d learned too late that he’d exploited her feelings for him, making her the butt of his live amateur comedy show at a local bar. The other man had been Chris, and even though he’d been brave enough to date her for a while he wasn’t willing to take the relationship beyond dinner and a movie. He had been her friend first and she’d been shocked when he asked her out on a date. She honestly hadn’t expected it. She’d been labeled the freak in high school and it made sense that a football star wouldn’t endure the ridicule that went along with dating an outcast. Of course, it wasn’t a shock when Chris ended the relationship as soon as tales of him and the spook began circulating through school. Even their friendship had been a secret for the remainder of their high school year. During college it had been occasional phone calls that kept them in touch. Chris had probably remained her friend out of convenience. It was easy for him to call her to get an advance outcome for ballgames: games on 15

which he’d place a handsome wager. She’d never let him know that she’d figured out his scheme. She would rather be used than friendless. She grabbed the oversized beach towel from her bag and settled into the recliner. More often than not, energy in recliners was lazy and restful. She pulled the handle and the chair extended into a lounging position. The door that separated her room from Chris’s was ajar and a dim light peeked through the crack. Her mind floated back to a time when she would have given almost anything to be in a situation like this. Chris was the jock in school, the popular guy who did it all. He was the star of every sport in school. He earned it, however. He was as serious about sports as Edison about the light bulb. He was the guy that all the girls wanted, and once Lacy had come close to having him. But close only counts in horseshoes. It had all flooded back to her when he’d walked out that store door and toward her car. The past fifteen years had been good to him. He was a professional football player, and according to his stats he was a very good one. His shoulders were wide, but his waist wasn’t as trim as she remembered. He had acquired a scar at the right corner of his mouth since she’d last seen him. His eyes were the same cocker-spaniel brown that could bring a woman to her knees in nothing flat. Chris had done well for himself, not that she’d ever doubted him. He was driving a vehicle worth more than she’d earned in the past three years. Rumor had it that he owned a five hundred acre ranch outside Dallas, and a beach house in Corpus Christi. He also had a girlfriend who occupied the opposite side of his bed, regardless of which house he chose to stay in. ~*~ Lacy looked toward the adjoining door and watched it open slowly as it gave way to the big hand that knocked. “Come on in.” Chris pushed the door open and walked inside. “How did you sleep?” She glanced his way, realizing that he knew she’d slept in the recliner last night. “I usually don’t do well in beds other than my own.” “Free porn?” He pushed his hands into his pockets. Lacy picked up her mascara and looked at him in the vanity mirror. “You could say that.” “So how do we fix it?” he asked, stepping closer. “I need you at the top of your game.” Lacy grinned, finished applying her mascara and turned toward him. “I don’t think there’s much you can do about the bed.” “Never underestimate me.” He opened his arms to her. “I’m so happy that you’re here, I’d do just about anything to make it easy for you.” She fluttered her eyes against the warm sensation that worked its way through her chest. She walked into his arms, took a deep breath and enjoyed the security of him. “The recliner sleeps okay.” 16

“Liar.” “Do I get to see Jeanine’s car today?” Lacy changed the subject; she had to because Chris’s thoughts were pure, but hers weren’t. “It’s at the police impound yard because it’s part of an ongoing investigation.” He moved toward the dresser, took her purse and looped the strap over his shoulder. “Let’s get this show on the road.” Lacy struggled, lost the battle and gave in to the desire to laugh at the muscle-bound man holding her cranberry-colored handbag. His hair was still wet from his shower, but she couldn’t think about that. Too many thoughts, erotic ones, filled her mind and the problem was that they were accurate. “Oh, it’s so wrong for a big bad football player to carry a purse.” He looked over his shoulder and grinned. “When a football player has had as many broken bones as me, nothing can threaten his manhood.” She swallowed hard and gave a quick nod. She couldn’t argue that point, but if she were totally honest it would be difficult to threaten his manhood even if he hadn’t broken several bones. He was pure male from head to toe, no doubt about it. “What’s wrong?” he asked, taking the door knob in his hand and giving it a firm twist. “How many broken bones?” She lifted her brows and studied him. “Nine.” He pulled the door open and waited for her to make her way through. “But I guess you already knew that, huh?” “Nope.” She stopped, reached toward him, closed the zipper on her purse, then continued out the door. “I didn’t have a clue.” ~*~ “Don’t tell me anything.” Lacy lifted her index finger to silence Chris. “I’ll find it.” He shook his head and met the eyes of the impound yard attendant. “Whatever you say.” She stood motionless, information floating around her that even the wind knew nothing about. There were at least fifty cars in the lot. After several minutes she raised her hand and allowed the energy to flow more freely into her senses. She walked across the lot, guided by an unseen force. She stopped behind a red car, squinted and threw a glance over her shoulder to a burgundy one that she’d already passed. The gentle click of her heels broke the silence as she made her way back to the burgundy car. Her palm smoothed along the cold metallic contour of the car. The metal radiated beneath her fingers, gentle pulses that came in waves like the music of a snake charmer’s flute. Her eyes rolled and her mind traveled to the lonely dead end road that she’d visited the day before. “A dead end?” Her voice was soft and confused. She sighed as her eyelids twitched. Her nerves jerked and she drew a long slow breath and held it. “What in the world?” Suddenly her chest heaved in quick shallow breaths. Her body shook 17

with a vibration that was most likely visible to the naked eye. Tears welled in her eyes, as fear mounted in her body until a bone chilling scream issued from her mouth. She shook herself from the moment, fighting against the visions that had overtaken her like a small boat lost in a stormy sea. “Lacy!” Chris’s voice was strained as he reached out and wrapped his hands onto her shoulders. “Are you okay?” She nodded quickly in confirmation but said nothing, turning her attention back toward the car. She pulled the door handle, opened it and sat down inside. Her skin stung as if assaulted by pelting rain. Electric rain. Lacy wrapped her hands onto the steering wheel and looked at the instrument panel. Visions flooded her mind as she found herself trapped by the residual energy inside the car. Pictures flashed within her mind; Jeanine had stopped on the dead end road. She squinted and studied the information; she could hear the gear shifter moving. Rapid clues assaulted her: the number sixteen, a cylinder, heavy metal music and a fear that surpassed any she’d ever felt. She jerked her head toward Chris, tears spilling onto her cheeks. “She was taken. No question about it. I’m positive.” “Do you see anyone?” Chris squatted at her side, desperation in his eyes. “No,” Lacy sobbed. “She stopped to turn the car around at the dead end of the road and he took her. I keep seeing the number sixteen and a cylinder, and I feel electric rain.” “We’re getting closer,” Chris reassured her. She looked down at the large hand that touched her thigh, then looked into his eyes. “What in the hell is electric rain?” “I don’t know,” Chris answered. “But, we’ll figure it out.” She shook her head then blinked rapidly. Her breath caught and held. Her mind traveled into total darkness. Her breath released and her fists clinched. “There’s a dark room with some kind of shackles on the wall. Howard. I see the name Howard.” The look on Chris’s face made her want to go back into the trancelike state she’d just left and try to find more answers. He cleared his throat. “What does all of it mean?” Tears streamed down Lacy’s face. “I think he’s a serial killer.” Chris shook his head violently. “It can’t be.” “Take me back to where they found her car.” Lacy’s voice trembled. ~*~ Chris didn’t want to admit it but he wasn’t sure his nerves could handle this. He was stressed enough without all this drama. It seemed that sometimes Lacy fell into trances and he wasn’t sure if it was his duty to force her back or record the information as she gave it. The bit about a serial killer was just way over the top; there was nothing to suggest that there was a serial killer in this little town. No one was 18

missing, other than Jeanine. He had to give her credit where it was due—she’d picked Jeanine’s car out of all of them on the lot, and she’d been quick about it. She hadn’t wandered around looking at the license plates, narrowing the search, she’d simply stood motionless until she knew where to go. She’d walked directly to the car, passed it by a few steps and looked back at it as if it was guilty of something. He was happy it had happened; it reminded him of exactly why he’d called her. She was good at this psychic powers crap. He wasn’t much on it himself, but it had paid the bills while he was struggling through college. Never once had Lacy missed the outcome of a game and most of the time she could give him the exact score. She was an adorable woman who had a lot to offer. He had always wanted Lacy, but he just couldn’t get beyond that creep factor. ~*~ The SUV nudged slightly forward as Chris slid it into gear. Lacy searched the roadsides, trying to understand how such a small rural town could hold so many big secrets. “Pull off the road by the store, please.” He nodded his head and guided the big vehicle off the roadside. She stepped from the vehicle, crossed the shallow ditch and stood silent. She had to give whatever or whoever it was an opportunity to communicate. The information that she’d eventually get in this place would help her make sense of it all; the problem was that she didn’t know when the information would come. She released a loud, impatient breath. “Keep trying, and don’t be scared. I’m here to help you.” Chris cleared his throat and fought the smile that tugged the corner of this mouth. “Still nothing?” She shook her head. “Our information about where Jeanine is and what is going on will come from here. I know it.” He looked into the dark shadows of the forest. “If you say so then I believe you. Are you ready to go?” “Yep, it either doesn’t know how or is scared crazy. Either way, it won’t have anything to say today.” He pressed the accelerator and pulled back onto the roadway. His grip was tight on the steering wheel and she wondered if part of the tension he was carrying around was from the negative energy within the town. She’d always believed that those who didn’t understand people like her had a sixth sense of their own. It was the only thing that would explain the feelings people often talked about: having been somewhere before, being watched, and a gut instinct. Those were all the things that were a part of her everyday life. Chris turned onto a secondary road, drove a couple of miles, then came to a stop on the shoulder of the road. Lacy sat silent as if she wasn’t aware of their arrival. 19

Several minutes passed before she reached for the door handle and stepped outside the vehicle. She stared into the dense forest and swallowed hard. She shook her head slowly. “I can’t pick up anything here but negative energy. How in the hell can one place have so much negative energy?” “What about Jeanine?” Lacy drew in a long breath and released it slowly. This visit was identical to the last and she got nothing from it. “I don’t feel her here at all.” “But this is where they found her car.” He held his hands out to either side, palms up. “If she was here, she didn’t know it.” Lacy said matter-of-factly. “What are you saying? Is she dead?” Lacy took a few steps along the edge of the roadway. “I don’t know.” Chris rubbed his hand over his head and puffed with disgust. “Hell, I know that much. I need you to tell me what I don’t already know.” Lacy shot a hard glare his way. “I’m not sure you want to know.” He closed the gap between them in less than three seconds. “If you know something, you damn well better tell me. I don’t have time to be playing games, Lacy.” She furrowed her brows and locked eyes with him. “The same man has her who killed the other women.” “A serial killer?” His brows were furrowed and eyes full of fire. She nodded in confirmation. He spun on his heels and walked several yards away into the middle of the roadway, then looked back at her. He lifted his arms, palms up. “Tell me, Lacy, how in the hell do you expect me to believe there is a serial killer here when Jeanine is the only person who’s missing?” It didn’t take a psychic to tell that he was angry. It did take a psychic, however, to know that he was angry because he believed every word she said. He was terrified that his sister was dead. She waited, allowing his emotions time to plateau before she spoke. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. He slammed his fist through the air with a force that would have knocked a man out cold. “Damn it!” Lacy moved slowly toward him, searching for the right words to take away a bit of the stress. “Can you find her?” He kicked an aluminum can from the shoulder of the road. “I won’t stop until I do.” “What first?” Chris pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and released a slow steady breath. “I’ll rip this town apart; just tell me where to start.” “We need to know about the other women. The sheriff should have a list of all the missing person reports, right?” 20

He gave one quick nod. “Let’s go visit the sheriff.” ~*~ The sleepy little town square reminded Lacy of something out of a 1950s sitcom. There was one diner and it was named “The Diner.” She reached for the door handle then looked toward Chris when he began to speak. “Hey, Lacy,” he said. “I’m sorry I was short with you back there. I just can’t handle the thought of a serial killer having Jeanine.” “I know.” She gave him a gentle smile. “It’s okay.” She shook her head and stepped from the car. The reflection of the county courthouse across the street shimmered on the diner windows. Lacy stepped onto the sidewalk and looked toward the brick two story building with large front column posts. She squinted against the feeling that invaded her. “What’s wrong?” “I’m not sure,” she answered honestly. “It feels like something isn’t what it appears to be.” She glanced at Chris then to the door marked as the sheriff’s department. The instant her eyes landed on the door it opened and out walked the sheriff and his deputy. Chris turned toward the movement and shook the hand that the sheriff offered. “How are you today, Mr. Allen? You’re becoming quite the regular around here.” The deputy offered his hand. “Like I said, I’m not leaving without my sister.” Lacy searched the two men’s faces. She desperately wanted answers. Right now, however, she’d be happy with finding the center of the negative energy. “Well, we’re about to have lunch,” the sheriff said. “Come on in and have a bite, we’ll discuss what we can try next.” Chris glanced toward Lacy. “Will this be okay with you?” Lacy quickly confirmed with a nod. The sheriff placed his right hand on his round belly and nodded toward the door. “Trust me ma’am, the food is wonderful; I didn’t get this trophy by turning down seconds.” He seemed like a pleasant enough man, and he certainly hadn’t missed any meals. The deputy seemed more reserved, but then something told her that the sheriff didn’t leave many opportunities to get a word in edgewise. The diner was a quaint little place, with a relaxed, almost beckoning feeling about it. There was a jukebox as old as the building in the distant corner by the bar. The stainless steel tabletops and bar were polished to a high shine. Loggers from a nearby sawmill occupied half the seats at the bar. The four tables were occupied by old men who’d spent their morning whittling and telling yesteryear stories on the courthouse steps. 21

The sheriff led the way to a booth on the back wall, with an unmistakable hitch in his lower back that came standard at his age. Lacy slid into the booth and Chris settled in beside her. As the men talked she took the menu into her hands, opened it and closed her eyes when it finally sheltered her face. She needed to clear her mind and gather her thoughts; there was a hot spot of negative energy somewhere in the diner and unless she’d lost the ability to determine sources, then the deputy was a force field to be reckoned with. “Sheriff Lundy, this is Lacy Chenault. Lacy, this is Sheriff Lundy and Deputy Greene.” Lacy drew in a slow deep breath then released it, lowered her menu and smiled at the sheriff. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Sheriff.” “Well, I figured you were Mr. Allen’s wife.” The sheriff reached a relaxed hand over the table toward her. “It’s nice to meet you, too, ma’am.” “Lacy is very good friend of mine,” Chris said as Lacy turned her attention toward Deputy Greene and the hand that he offered. “Deputy Greene.” She smiled politely, felt his hand wrap around her own, then her breath involuntarily caught. Energy englufed her like an airborne disease on a humid southern town. Dead bodies, with no way to mistake they were murdered. Body after body flashed in her mind at a pace that would have shamed a high speed camera. “What’s wrong?” Chris snapped his attention toward her, his eyes wide with hope. “Did you get something?” “Get something?” The sheriff turned his attention from a large dry erase board that told the daily specials. Lacy tapped her foot against Chris, but it was too late. He was in mid-sentence before he even realized she was trying to silence him. “She’s a psychic.” “A psychic?” the sheriff shot back. “Are you here to help us out with the case?” Lacy’s eyebrows perked up. “I plan to try.” Deputy Greene allowed a deep-throated laugh to roll from his mouth, and then glanced at the sheriff. “Do you remember when that psychic came through town a couple of years ago? She had the whole town preparing for a flood. We ended up having a drought that year.” Lacy noted the humor in his tone and the way every person in the diner looked their way. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened and it wouldn’t be the last. Chris shot the deputy a hard glare that could have nailed him to the wall balls first. “If Lacy tells you it’s going to flood, you better get your waders on.” Lacy lowered her hand, slid it a few inches across the bench style seat and pressed it onto Chris’s thigh. Granted, she’d learned more about him with that touch than she was entitled to know, but the action served the 22

purpose. The deputy’s face was full of hard lines and Lacy wasn’t sure if Chris saw it or if they were visible only to her. She certainly wondered why such a handsome young man would have so much negative energy. She could feel his eyes on her, and she wasn’t sure if the uncomfortable feelings were because of the stare or what she’d felt in his touch. She would need more than a handshake to read him; something told her, however, that she’d gotten all from the deputy that she was likely to get. The conversation between the men grew as Chris and the lawmen talked about the disappearance of Jeanine Massey. If Lacy could only get past the negative energy, then she might get something from the conversation to trigger more information. As things were, it was taking every ounce of her energy to merely combat the bad vibes and keep them from assaulting her like a relentless hailstorm. “So what clues have you gotten so far?” Deputy Greene asked. “Well,” Lacy spoke up, placing her hand briefly back onto Chris’s thigh to silence his comments. “Not much at this point. I keep seeing an old store building, feeling confused and getting a distinct evergreen smell when I’m at the site where her car was found.” Chris’s eyes pierced her and she could feel the confusion flowing into her body. He didn’t know why she was lying, to the sheriff of all people. He would understand soon enough, however. “So, what does that mean?” The sheriff glanced up at the waitress who set four water glasses onto the table, then returned his attention to Lacy. “I’m afraid she may have had a nervous breakdown because of the divorce. If so, it seemed logical to her to park the car and walk away. Chances are that we’ll find Lacy when we find the old store.” The deputy blinked for a few seconds as if allowing her information to soak into his mind. “Old store buildings; there are at least a dozen within fifteen miles of here. If you’ll stop by the office this afternoon I’ll help you find them on the map.” ~*~ Chris looked down at the small hand that wrapped around his wrist as they made their way from the diner, and then locked eyes with Lacy. She could sense the questions within his mind, but she couldn’t answer them until they were alone. She tugged him toward the car, abandoning the original objective of visiting the sheriff’s office. “Would you mind telling me what’s going on?” Chris growled, slamming the vehicle door as he sat down inside. “Why in the hell did you lie to the two people who could help us most?” If looks were actions he would have already turned and stuck the toe of his shoe up her butt. He was mad at her and he had yet to hear the explanation. He didn’t care about her reasons, it only mattered that she’d lied. 23

“I cannot believe that you actually sat there and lied then dragged me right into the middle of it, by signaling me not to blow your cover,” he chastised her. “What were you thinking?” “If you’ll stop bitching for just a second I’ll tell you,” she shot back. “There’s something you need to know about Deputy Greene.” Chris turned his attention toward the Sheriff Department’s door when it opened and Deputy Greene stepped out. “What’s that?” “He has more negative energy than any two people I’ve ever met,” Lacy explained. “When he shook my hand I saw more dead people than you’d see in an action movie.” His eyes followed the patrol car as it pulled from the corner and headed south out of town. He hesitated then turned his attention back to Lacy. “Dead people?” She flattened her lips and gave her head a slow nod. “He has more death associated with him than most war heroes.” “What are you saying?” Chris glanced her way then turned the ignition key. “Deputy Greene has Jeanine?” Lacy took a deep breath then released it with disgust. “I didn’t see Jeanine.” He pulled the vehicle into reverse and backed from the parking space, glanced toward her then shifted into drive. “Do you think he’s a killer?” “I can’t think of any other reason for him to have so many deaths associated with him,” Lacy admitted honestly. “He scares the hell out of me.”

24

THREE Chris marked through the last of three things written on the hotel note pad. He’d agreed to do a bit of research on the deputy. Lacy could tell that he wasn’t sure what to make of her visions and feelings about the deputy; luckily, he believed in her gift enough to consider that it might be true. “That’s it.” Chris nodded. “If the guy won the science fair in the third grade I want to know about it.” Lacy battled the smile that threatened her lips, and won only because she pulled her mouth into a pucker and scratched her upper lip. She didn’t really know who the investigator was but it didn’t matter. Chris had called his attorney and gotten the guy’s number, and was sending him on a quest to find answers about Deputy Greene. He pressed the standard tan motel phone into the cradle and dropped the pen onto the desk. He swallowed hard, rubbed his hand over his face then looked toward Lacy. “He says he’ll call me back before lunch tomorrow.” Lacy nodded. “I know it’s hard to believe but I’m telling you, something is off with that guy.” He shook his head and rose to his feet. “I haven’t ever doubted you and I’m sure as hell not starting now.” It was amazing how tall he was. He towered over her 5’6” frame like a giant. She was glad he couldn’t read her mind; she’d have some deep explaining to do. She was equally glad that she couldn’t read his; the disappointment would probably choke her. “What about the missing person reports?” Lacy asked as she took a step toward him from the adjoining door. “When will we get those?” “My attorney is going to call me when they’re ready to email them.” He pressed his hands into his pockets. “Wow, it must be nice to snap people into action with a phone call,” Lacy teased. “I’m jealous.” His eyes locked on her, and his pectoral muscles tightened. He swallowed hard, moved a step closer then stopped. “You’re psychic, and you’re jealous of me?” 25

She stroked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, knowing that she couldn’t speak if she tried. She hadn’t come here to fall for him—again. Her hands trembled in spite of her efforts to steady them. He was the one guy who accepted her at face value, and hadn’t made a single excuse as to why he’d ended their relationship. He couldn’t handle the pressure of being associated with someone like her. “Are you okay?” Lacy fisted her hands and struggled to regain her composure. She blinked against the warm feeling that burned in her chest. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.” “About?” Hope was evident in his voice. She couldn’t tell him the truth; he couldn’t ever know the truth. He wasn’t worried about a single thing other than finding Jeanine and somehow Lacy was getting her head screwed up with the wishful thoughts that she could have Chris Allen after all. “I was thinking that we should do a little investigating of our own today,” she explained. “Since I keep getting the number 16, I thought we might try to figure out what it means. It might be part of a road or highway number or maybe a house number.” “Good idea.” He walked to the bed, took a seat. “Who do you think ‘Howard’ is?” Lacy flattened her lips and flexed her chin in thought. “I’m not sure but he was on the roadside when Jeanine’s car was there. Do you think we could ask around about someone named Howard without ruffling too many feathers?” He patted the bed beside him then looked away in thought. Why was she suddenly on fire at the little gestures he made? He wasn’t trying to be fresh, he was trying to find Jeanine and he had faith in Lacy to help him do that. Why couldn’t she get the lust or whatever it was out of her mind? The last thing she needed was something else clouding her senses. She felt the sting of his eyes before she’d made it successfully onto the bed by his side. He was stressed to the breaking point. “I don’t really give a damn about ruffling feathers.” He looked into her face. “I’m here to find Jeanine and if I have to destroy this town to do that then so be it.” Lacy chewed her lip; she was suddenly as helpless as a kitten in a dog’s mouth. She dropped her eyes, realizing too late that the bulky, physically fit frame of him was all she could see. She swallowed hard and moved her eyes back to meet his. “I know. I just meant that—” He lifted his arm, wrapped it around her back and pulled her against him. “I know what you meant and I’m not even a psychic. Are you okay today?” No, she wasn’t okay and she wasn’t sure what had caused it. Sure, she’d known before leaving home that old emotions might make their way 26

back into her life, but not like this. It was as if her mind was tired of the negative energy and he was the only positive thing it could latch on to. That was crazy; she didn’t get to pick and choose the subjects of the invasions within her mind. “I’m fine. I just feel like I’m not helping.” She folded her hands in her lap. “I’m not used to being in the dark.” He held her in his embrace, turned his face to her and kissed the side of her head. Fire ripped through her that would have left a fireman wondering what in the hell to do. “You’ll get it.” He gave her one last squeeze and released her. “I sure hope so.” “Are you okay?” He looked concerned. “You’re flushed.” Well, of course she was flushed, she was smoldering with a desire that she couldn’t logically explain, because he’d touched her. Her mind went into overdrive, searching for an explanation. “Well, I don’t only get visions when I sleep in beds.” He blinked, paused then met her eyes with a smile. “Damn, I wish I could see things like that.” “No, you don’t.” She blushed and turned away to gather herself. “You sat on my bed and could see the sex that other people had in it?” He gave a long slow nod. That wasn’t exactly what had happened, but in most cases it was true. It probably would have been true now, but her mind was too busy weaving tangled webs of bodies locked in passion. The problem was that it was her body and—well—his. “Yep, now you know why I don’t travel.” “What nasty things did they do on my bed?” he teased. She looked at him sitting on the bed and it was far too easy to picture him without his clothes. Her jaw clenched and she swallowed against the desire to undress him. He looked delicious enough in his industrially faded jeans and navy blue long-sleeve designer tee, without her trying to get him out of them. “Are you ready to roll?” He tilted back his head and laughed. The sound almost brought her to her knees. She pressed her toes firmly into the floor knowing that was the only reaction he wouldn’t see. “I’m ready.” He rose to his feet and moved toward the door. “Tell me about your boyfriend.” Well, how embarrassing. He’d probably had more women than parking spaces at the local mall. How could she tell him that she’d never actually had a boyfriend? She’d only ever dated one person and that was him. She’d had sex three times in her life, once with one man, twice with another. Each man she’d met at parties and they knew nothing of her sixth sense. She’d taken each one home with her, and they’d performed wonderfully in her bed. The second guy had even been good for two shows. “How can I say 27

this?” She twisted her mouth in search of words. “Let’s just say that it’s a general consensus that men aren’t into freaks.” He pulled the hotel door closed behind them, checked the lock, then met her eyes. “Freak is a very harsh word.” She shook her head. Sometimes freak wasn’t harsh enough. People who were different were freaks, plain and simple. She wasn’t any different than the bearded lady, or those disfigured by a rogue marker in their DNA. Sure, she didn’t look different than normal people, but she was so different that it hurt. “No, freak fits perfectly.” She glanced toward her car, then reached for the door handle of his, gave it a tug and sat down inside. The woman who usually sat in the seat was anything but a freak. Her legs were long and silky smooth, her blonde hair was the same. She had an open-mouthed, vocal laugh that would make Julia Roberts stand in awe. Lacy needed to get her head out of her ass and get back to the reason she was here. That reason had nothing to do with boyfriends, freaks or the throbbing between her legs. “Who called you that?” Chris backed the black SUV from its space and put it into drive. “I’d love to talk to them.” Lacy gritted her teeth. She knew he wasn’t flirting, but her desperate heart didn’t see it that way. She was as starved for attention as a child in a broken home. He’d been the only person willing to give her that attention and it seemed her mind and heart wanted a refill. Not only were things different now, they’d rapidly changed then. She needed to remember that he’d dropped her like a hot potato, and denied their friendship for the remainder of their high school year. Chris was the closest she’d ever come to being loved, and even in his case, she hadn’t gotten close enough to even get warm. Lacy abruptly changed the subject. “Maybe we could ask about Howard at the diner. I’m starving.” Chris glanced her way, the smile fell from his face, and then he returned his stare to the roadway. “Sure, breakfast sounds great.” ~*~ Chris couldn’t figure Lacy out. She was like one of those crazy brain teasers that involve money, and the money would somehow get lost in the equation. Logic told him that she was a simple woman, but knowing her proved otherwise. She avoided certain subjects the way most people would avoid a case of the flu. If it was personal she’d always find a way to change the subject, like the boyfriend question that she’d successfully avoided by calling herself a freak. Just once he wanted to get a straight answer from her, without her changing the subject as if he was a three-year-old who would forget what he’d asked. He’d asked if she thought Jeanine was dead; she’d told him that she didn’t know. Why wouldn’t she just tell him the truth? Good or bad it 28

couldn’t be helped; he’d called her to Grandbury to get answers. He couldn’t get the topic of electric rain out of his mind. It didn’t make sense. She said it felt like electric rain, but what in the hell does such a thing feel like? It wasn’t that he didn’t believe her, because he did; it just didn’t add up. Then there was the matter of the weird fuzzy feeling he’d had in his chest since she arrived. He’d assumed that he’d never see Lacy again once he headed off to LSU; if this hadn’t happened he probably wouldn’t have. He would have made certain that he never saw her again; she did strange things to him, emotionally and physically. Emotionally he wanted to protect her, but physically he wanted to rip her clothes off and have his way with her. He’d told her years ago that he couldn’t risk being mixed up with her, and she’d accepted it. A thousand times he had wondered what life would have been like if he’d followed his heart and married her; that was the past, however, and it couldn’t be changed. There was someone new in his life now, a beautiful woman he probably didn’t deserve. She was everything any man could ever dream of and she was crazy about him. It was true enough that she was mad as hell that he’d be spending so much time with another woman, but hopefully he’d headed her doubts off at the pass. ~*~ Lacy looked up at the waitress that approached their table. The woman had a spring in her step that was a combination of flirtation and anxiety. The waitress looked down at Lacy. “How are you, doll?” “I’m fine, thank you,” Lacy answered. “But I do have a question.” “Yes, ma’am?” “Are there many men named Howard here?” Lacy glanced at the menu then turned attention back to the waitress. “Howard.” The waitress scratched her chin with the button end of her pen, cocked her hip to the side and finally pointed the pen toward Lacy. “Howard Mitchell lives just outside town, or he did. He joined the Army a few years back. The only other Howard I can think of is Howard Smith.” “Does Howard Smith still live in town?” Lacy shot back. “Oh yeah, Howard goes and comes but in the end he’ll always live with his mother because—” She paused. “Well, Howard isn’t exactly all here, if you know what I mean.” Lacy nodded. “You said that he lives with his mother?” The waitress smacked her gum and nodded in confirmation. “Over on Big Cypress Road. It’s the big white house on the right, you can’t miss it.” Lacy watched the waitress walk away, their orders in hand, to fetch their drinks. She could feel Chris’s eyes on her. She could feel his pity and she didn’t need it. There was a world of men out there and if she needed one she could find one. 29

“Hey, Lace?” Chris drew her attention. She met his brown eyes, swallowed the liquid that flooded her mouth, then spoke. “Yeah?” “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he admitted. “I’ll stop asking questions.” She folded her arms and pressed them onto the table, but her eyes drifted away to the corner of the room. She could feel the tears forming and there was no way to stop them. She had two choices: face him with tears streaming down her cheeks or get away. “Excuse me.” Her feet wouldn’t carry her fast enough. Tears flowed quickly down her cheeks. She had literally sensed the pity that he felt for her. He felt sorry for her because there wasn’t a man in her life. He wondered if he could help, but he couldn’t. All the money in the NFL couldn’t make her normal. But normal was all she ever really wanted.

30

FOUR Lacy stared out the window of the SUV, and the trees ticked by like falling dominos. The negative energy that had darkened the world around her had been replaced with the lust she felt for Chris and the pity he felt for her. She’d have preferred the darkness. “This is it.” Lacy perked up, glanced toward Chris then the roadway. “The house around the curve is where Howard lives.” Chris took a deep breath and readjusted his grip on the steering wheel. “Jeanine?” “I don’t feel Jeanine,” Lacy answered with a shake. “Only Howard.” Chris turned the vehicle onto the narrow gravel driveway stretching through a line of towering oak trees that stood on either side like attentive soldiers. A fat, long-legged hound met them near the house. The dog tilted its head and howled rather than barked, then raised its tail and trotted toward the back porch. Lacy scanned the old wooden house; there wasn’t anything negative about it, just a peacefulness that left her feeling at home. The tall narrow windows, standard for the 1940s two-story home, were all covered with frilly lace curtains and antique shades with accent tassels. There were two rocking chairs on the back porch overlooking a lake. The long front porch held four rockers and a porch swing on either end. The sidewalk leading to both porches was brick, and had been a labor of love when it was laid. A fragile hand pulled the back door open, and a weathered old lady stood in the doorway, looking toward them. She was from a time when it wasn’t dangerous to open your door to strangers, a time she hadn’t forgotten. Lacy reached for the door handle, tugged it and pushed the door open. “That precious old soul,” Lacy said. The gravel in the drive crunched under the weight of Chris’s feet and Lacy glanced toward him then back to the old lady. “An old red truck,” Lacy said softly. “I think Howard drives an old red truck.” Chris nodded but kept silent. Lacy could feel the security of him only a couple of steps behind her. Even if he felt pity for her, the vibes from him 31

told her that he’d die to protect her in this town. She smiled; maybe that was as close to the love of a man as she’d ever get. “Hello, there,” came the faint raspy voice from inside the old wooden screen door that Mrs. Smith held open. “Come on in.” Lacy took the weight of the door and met eyes with Mrs. Smith. “Hello, ma’am, my name is Lacy and this is Chris. We’re looking for Howard. Is he here?” Mrs. Smith stepped back, motioned them inside then spoke. “Lord, child, I haven’t seen my Howard in almost two weeks.” Lacy blinked at the lady’s words then stepped inside the door. Chris followed her and steadied Lacy’s weak frame as visions hit her like the bullets from a machine gun. Happy memories of a child who was a bit slower than the rest and treated like an outcast. Lacy knew that feeling all too well. Howard was treated that way because he was a freak, just like Lacy. “You said it has been two weeks since you last saw Howard.” Chris released his hand from Lacy’s shoulders. “Why so long?” “Come sit down.” Mrs. Smith motioned them to the kitchen table. “Can I get you something to drink?” “No, ma’am, but thank you,” Lacy said politely. “My Howard was always different, and things were never the same for him after that girl lied.” “What girl?” Chris took a seat in one of the old twine bottom chairs. “That Becky Lundy girl.” Mrs. Smith’s face was full of lines but hardened at the mention of Becky Lundy’s name. “Lundy?” Lacy asked. Lacy met Chris’s eyes then looked back to the old lady. “Any relation to Sheriff Lundy?” Mrs. Smith slapped her hand against the red and white checked tablecloth. “I’ll say. It’s his daughter.” “His daughter?” Chris snapped to attention. “What happened?” “Howard was walking home from school one evening when Becky and her friends caught up to him. Becky says her friends turned down another road toward home and it was just her and Howard. Howard says that he didn’t do it.” Mrs. Smith grew more agitated. “Do what?” Lacy coaxed as she reached out and wrapped her hand over Mrs. Smith’s. “She says my Howard drug her into the woods and raped her.” Lacy closed her eyes and wished she could stay with the old lady forever; it was the most peaceful place she’d ever been. The vibrations that rushed into Lacy’s body, even with the woman angered, were serene and calm. “My Howard didn’t know about those things until that happened,” Mrs. Smith said. “After that, they treated him even worse than before.” “Where is he now?” Lacy asked, pulling her hand away. “My husband taught Howard to drive and work on cars when he was 32

seventeen. Henry, that’s my husband, said that Howard couldn’t survive otherwise,” she explained. “Is Howard in jail?” Chris shook his head, trying to understand. Mrs. Smith met his eyes, shook her head then dropped her face toward the table. “No, but he’d be better off there.” Chris turned his eyes toward Lacy but kept silent. Lacy cleared her throat and sat forward, resting her left elbow on the table. “Why do you say that, Mrs. Smith?” “Howard didn’t even know what sex was until Becky Lundy’s little stunt. Henry had to explain it all to him after the trial.” “They found him innocent?” Chris’s voice carried a bit too much shock. Mrs. Smith shot a hard glare his way. “He was innocent! I’m telling you that Howard’s body was fourteen years old but his mind was much younger. He didn’t understand those things, and hadn’t gotten curious at that point.” “I’m sorry,” Chris’s voice was soft. Lacy sat back in her chair, took a deep breath and looked around the room, then back to Mrs. Smith. “You said he’d be better off in jail?” “He works on cars and does odd jobs to make extra money. When he gets a few hundred dollars he goes off to Bosier City and spends his money on those night prostitute women until he is flat broke again.” Lacy’s eyes were wide; she hadn’t expected that. It seemed that Mrs. Smith blamed the incident in high school for Howard’s insatiable appetite for sex. It was possible that it was true, but more likely true that Howard had been fighting those desires since the beginning of puberty. Chances were that Becky was at the wrong place and woke a demon inside Howard that he couldn’t control. “Is there somewhere that he goes to be alone?” Chris asked cautiously. The old lady pressed her lips into a tight line, gave his question some thought then gave a confirming nod. “He has a little cabin at the old reservoir.” “Would it be okay for us to go there and see if we can find him?” Lacy nudged gently. The old lady raised her hands and smiled. “Yes, child, and if he’s there, tell him to come home.” Chris scooted back his chair and rose to his grand height, and looked down at Mrs. Smith. “How do we get there?” “Just go right out of the driveway,” Mrs. Smith rose to her feet and walked toward the door. “You’ll see a sign for the reservoir.” “What does he drive?” Chris asked anxiously. “He drives my husband’s truck. We bought it brand new in 1963.” Chris shot a glance Lacy’s way, then looked back to Mrs. Smith. 33

“Let me guess, it’s red?” “You’ve seen it?” Mrs. Smith smiled. “Henry was so proud of that truck.” Chris dropped his head and hid the smile on his face. Lacy wrapped her arms around Mrs. Smith and pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. “If we find Howard we’ll tell him to come home.” ~*~ Chris turned the vehicle right and made a hasty trail toward the reservoir. Lacy was at a loss as to why she didn’t feel anything negative about Howard. It was as if the man was as gentle as his mother. But obviously he wasn’t. “So what do you think?” Chris glanced toward Lacy. “Is this our guy?” Lacy narrowed her eyes, gave his question some thought then looked his way. “I can’t say no, but I’ll tell you that I didn’t get a single bad vibe about Howard.” The miles clicked away one by one and a burning feeling that had invaded Lacy’s chest grew hotter and hotter. She looked around, her head sweeping in a robotic motion from one side of the road to the other. “Can we stop here for a minute?” Chris glanced at her, then brought the SUV to an abrupt stop in the middle of the road. He watched Lacy for a few moments then pulled the vehicle to the narrow shoulder of the road. “What’s up?” “My chest is burning.” She reached for the door handle and stepped outside the vehicle. “Are you okay?” Chris asked. He jumped from the vehicle, genuine concern in his eyes. “Oh, I’m fine.” She waved it off. “But something here can’t be ignored.” She turned her attention to the wooded area off the right side of the road, but the feeling seemed to diminish. Something was drawing her closer; a feeling that she’d never had and couldn’t explain. Her hard-soled sandals clicked against the pavement as she made her way around the front of the SUV. She crossed the road but the feeling diminished again. That didn’t make sense. There wasn’t anything conspicuous about the area; there weren’t any cabins or homes nearby. There wasn’t anything to draw human activity, with the exception of the road. Perhaps Jeanine had been on this road and she was picking up the sensations from that. Suddenly the feeling grew more intense. Moment by moment the fiery sensation in her chest grew into an allout assault of her body. “Well?” Chris’s voice called from no more than a foot behind her. “Getting anything?” She whirled and looked into his eyes. She swallowed hard; surely he wasn’t the source of the heat that was literally making her perspire. “Go back 34

over there.” She pointed to the opposite side of the road. “Huh?” he asked, lifting one eyebrow. “Get in the truck.” He nodded and moved away. When he closed the door behind him the burning subsided. It was the damnedest thing she’d ever had happen. “Crap.” “What?” He rolled down his window and locked his eyes on her for an explanation. “You.” She laughed to keep from crying. “You’re the hot spot.” “Me?” “Yes, you.” She pointed her finger at him. “Get your mind out of the gutter and on what you’re doing.” He looked at her through furrowed brows, disbelief written all over his face. “You’re reading my thoughts now?” She shook her head, sat into the vehicle and reached for the seatbelt. “No, I just got the heat off what you were thinking. Obviously, you have a very dirty mind.” He bit his bottom lip to hide a smile and shook his head. He hadn’t denied the thoughts, she noted. If she could have actually read his mind, it might have satisfied the need that had been burning in her all day. She was a psychic, however, not a mind reader. ~*~ Chris cleared his throat and hoped like hell that she couldn’t read his mind. He wasn’t denying that he had some naughty thoughts going on in there, but Lacy didn’t need to know that they were about her. It was the craziest thing he’d ever felt; he was headed toward the reservoir in hope of finding his sister who had been missing for nearly two weeks and he was thinking about getting laid. Until Lacy had shown up, sex hadn’t even crossed his mind; there would be more time for that later. Since she’d been here he couldn’t concentrate on anything else. It pissed him off more than anything else because he was acting like a teenager, thinking with his crotch. It didn’t make sense; he’d had more women at his beck and call in the past ten years than most men had in a lifetime. Why was he hung up on Lacy? He glanced toward her, noticing the bright red nail polish on her toes. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. He hadn’t ever been turned on by painted toenails, but suddenly things were different. “I think it’s the next road,” Lacy said, pointing toward the upcoming road. He grunted and tried to gather his thoughts. He needed to get his mind back on Jeanine before he screwed something up that he couldn’t fix. “Are you getting vibes?” She shook her head, turned her attention to him as he slowed the vehicle and turned into the narrow road. “No.” 35

“How’d you know where the road was?” he questioned, trailing his eyes down the length of her body. “I saw a sign.” Hope shot through his body. “What kind of sign? Was it Howard Smith?” She tilted her head back and laughed. “Are you okay?” “What?” He studied her, wondering what was so funny. “I saw a sign.” She gestured her thumb over her shoulder. “Back there on the road. I read the sign when we drove by.” He glanced at her then turned his attention back to the road and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He needed to start thinking with his big head, the one on his shoulders, not the one between his legs. ~*~ There wasn’t anything good or anything bad about the reservoir. It wasn’t at all what she had expected, not that anything in that town should surprise her at that point. It was a small lake, hidden by the cover of the dense forest around it. A narrow black dirt road slithered around the lake’s edge like an undulating snake. A rustic little cabin was nestled into the midst of the forest at the opposite shore. Chris piloted the vehicle down the lonely road, which held far too much grass to be a well-used path. Lacy furrowed her brows, raised her hand and hoped to pick up some kind of energy. She turned her attention to the burned-out shell of another cabin along the roadside. She could “see” the fire raging through the structure, but no one had been hurt. A few hundred yards more brought them to a stop at the cabin they assumed belonged to Howard Smith. “Sex.” Lacy shook her head in dismay. “He’s obsessed with sex.” “What man isn’t?” Chris shot a wink her way. “You’re crazy,” Lacy laughed. “Well, just in case he decides to take the next person who walks through the door, you should sit here for a minute and let me check things out,” Chris advised as he opened the truck door and stepped out. There wasn’t any danger. If there had ever been any danger here, she couldn’t feel it. She stepped out of the vehicle and moved toward Chris once he’d signaled it was safe. The cabin reminded her of the old gold mining shacks in the hills of Colorado. It was a simple structure with a small front porch. There was a fishing pole leaning against one of the porch posts and a half-empty can of soda on the floor. A pair of rubber knee boots was atop the neatly stacked woodpile near the door. Chris pushed the door; it gave way with a slow lonesome moan that might have brought terror to reality in a horror movie. To Lacy it was little more than a reminder that Howard Smith wasn’t a dangerous man, just a man with an addiction. There was a twin bed in the corner near the door, neatly 36

made with a homemade quilt. A table in the middle of the room held a lantern and a dishpan filled with water. The rough wooden walls didn’t hold anything personal; not a single memento of the life Howard Smith knew. The floor however, held the information that clarified what the old woman had told them. The pile of empty personal lubrication tubes by the bed told a story in itself. There was no presence of a woman in the cabin. Excluding herself, Lacy doubted that a woman had ever been there. She watched as Chris flipped the cover up from the side of the bed, got onto his knees and pulled out a large stack of adult magazines. He looked beneath the bed, then back to Lacy. “They’re everywhere. I bet there are a thousand slut mags under this bed.” Lacy swallowed hard and pressed her hand against Chris’s shoulder, edging him to the side. She turned and sat onto the bed, not sure if she was ready for what she’d see. She closed her eyes as the bedspring squeaked to receive her weight. She tightened her eyelids and gripped the cover with her hands. “He spends a lot of time here,” she said, then paused to meet his eyes. “Let’s just say that between him and the magazines, the job gets done.” She reached forward, wrapped her hand on Chris’s shoulder and pulled herself off the bed. “Then he comes here to jack off?” She nodded in confirmation but considered that there was more. “He hasn’t been here in quite a while. He must be in Bosier City, like his mother said.” “Or he has Jeanine stashed away somewhere,” Chris grumbled bitterly.

37

FIVE The tires of the SUV squealed into the parking lot of the local hotel. Chris maneuvered it into place and pushed the gear shifter into park. Lacy reached for the door handle and sprang from the vehicle as if electrically charged. Chris closed the gap between them and placed his hands on her shoulders as she worked to open the room door. “I’m glad the wait is about over.” Lacy glanced over her shoulder and pushed the door open. “Yeah, me too.” Chris headed toward the bed. “I hope it’s worth it.” Lacy kicked off her sandals and jumped onto the bed. “Hurry up.” “Well, give me a minute,” he complained. “The zipper is stuck.” Lacy crawled onto her knees and looked the man up and down. It was quite a sight. “Bring it here.” He moved closer, computer bag in hand. “Why do they make everything out of plastic now?” Lacy smiled and took the bag into her hands, paused to watch him sit onto the bed, then resumed the task of defeating the zipper. Chris’s attorney had called while they were at the reservoir, and they’d made a mad dash back to the hotel to see the missing person reports. The attorney had said there were some very odd similarities between the different reports, but didn’t elaborate on those details. She pulled the laptop free of the bag and he took it into his hands. His big finger pressed the power button and the computer buzzed to life. With a final beep, the desktop wallpaper popped onto the screen, slamming Lacy back to reality. Teresa was beautiful enough to be a model, and lucky enough to have Chris Allen. “Wow, she’s beautiful.” “Thank you.” Chris paused for a moment to admire the face smiling back from his computer. “She’s a model, you know?” Lacy nodded. “I know. The two of you are a good match.” He double-clicked on the internet icon and waited for the session to open. He navigated the internet as effortlessly as a well-versed hacker. The computer hesitated with a loud buzz then completed the operation, opening his email. 38

He scrolled through report after report, each another face of a woman missing, far from rural Louisiana. He paused. “Oh shit, that’s it.” “What?” Lacy snapped her head toward him. “Look,” he explained, making his way back to the first of the email. “They were all traveling. This woman was headed from Birmingham, Alabama to Bosier City. This one left Chicago going to New Orleans. Every single one of them drove right through the middle of this damn place.” “How many are there?” Lacy’s voice shook, and the blood drained from her face. “Twenty two.” Chris shook his head with disbelief. “Lacy, are you sure about this?” “I’m sure there’s a serial killer.” She nodded, confidence steady in her voice. “I’m also sure that Jeanine didn’t think she was lost.” Chris turned his attention back to the computer screen and watched the smiling faces of missing women as they scrolled by. “What am I going to tell my parents if we can’t find her?” Lacy could feel the rush of emotion that surged through his body. She lifted her hand and rubbed it up and down his back, trying her best to comfort him. Chris was Jeanine’s big brother, and a very protective one at that. He had defended her against the monsters under the bed and in the closet and later against the monsters he called friends who thought Jeanine was a fine looking young woman. “Listen to me, Chris,” Lacy said, crawling onto her knees and taking his face into her hands. “We’re not leaving here without her.” “Thank you, Lacy.” He looked into her eyes. “My Mom is already sick; she can’t lose Jeanine right now.” “Sick?” She lowered her hands and studied him. “She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three months ago.” Tears welled in his eyes. “By the time they figured out what was going on, she’d already lost her ability to walk without crutches.” ~*~ Lacy listened to the voice that funneled from the speaker of Chris’s cellular telephone. The private detective had called with the information, just six short minutes before noon. Chris had brought the vehicle to a stop in front of The Diner as the sheriff and deputy made their way inside for lunch. The negative energy invaded her when Deputy Greene tossed his hand in a friendly wave. “David Greene is thirty-seven years old, has a wife and two sons. Recently, Anna, his wife, filed for a divorce after nine years. According to the information, he’s in the middle of a very bitter divorce battle over the two boys.” Lacy shook her head slowly; a bitter divorce battle would certainly explain the negative energy. Her eyes trailed across the truck and up to Chris’s eyes; he was anxious to believe that Deputy Greene was innocent of 39

the presumptuous charges she’d leveled against him. “Get this. He graduated top of his class at MIT,” the detective revealed. “Why does a guy with a degree from the most prestigious technology school in the country dedicate his life to police work? He should be working at NASA, or doing intelligence work for the government.” “Where is he from?” Chris asked, hope evident in his voice. “He lived in Houston, Texas, until he was nine, then his parents moved to New Orleans,” the detective explained. “He met Anna while working at the New Orleans PD.” Lacy narrowed her eyes and looked toward the plate glass window. She could feel Deputy Greene’s eyes on her. She didn’t like it, even if his negative energy could be explained away by the perils of his life. Those perils couldn’t explain the death that hovered around him like a thick cloud of fog. “How long did he work there?” Chris asked, then nudged Lacy to gather her attention. “He worked homicide for 12 years,” the voice answered. Lacy’s eyes darted toward the phone, and her pulse raced away like a startled horse. “What did you say?” “He worked homicide at the New Orleans PD for 12 years,” the man repeated. “He worked well over a thousand cases in that time.” Lacy turned her attention back to the diner window, to the eyes that glanced toward her every few seconds. Being a homicide detective would certainly explain the number of dead people that she could associate to him. She furrowed her brow; it wasn’t likely that her sixth sense was so very wrong. Granted, she hadn’t said that he was the killer, but she’d believed it all the same. “Thank you very much for all your hard work,” Chris sighed with relief. “Drop me a bill in the mail and I’ll take care of it.” Embarrassment rushed through Lacy’s body. She’d come here to help and she’d been on a wild goose chase since she’d met the deputy. Or had she? There wasn’t a time in her life that she’d been outright wrong about what she’d learned from her other sense. She was thirty three years old, and in that time she’d found everything from lost keys to the four-year-old in the Chicago Zoo. The clues had come to her in every case, and never once had she gotten information she didn’t need. In the end, it all tied together. What need would she have to know about all the negative energy and death around Deputy David Greene, if it didn’t help the search for Jeanine? “Well, aren’t you something?” Chris looked her way as he pressed the button to end the phone conversation. “You certainly know what you’re doing.” “According to him, I’ve been dead wrong.” Lacy shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve had us chasing our tails for two days.” Chris reached across the vehicle, wrapped his hand around Lacy’s 40

and gave it a gentle shake to gather her attention. “You didn’t say he was the bad guy. You said that he was surrounded by negative energy and death. You were right.” “I’ve always been able to channel the energy and keep it separated in my mind. All of a sudden I can’t do that anymore?” She shook her head violently. “I don’t buy that for a second.” “What are you saying?” Chris pulled his hand away. “I can’t help what the detective says, I can’t help what you believe and I can’t help what I see.” Her voice was thick with anger as she lifted her hand and pointed to the deputy sitting in the diner. “That bastard right there has everything to do with this.” “It’s okay, Lacy.” Chris reached across and pressed her finger from view. “I think you’re being too hard on yourself; the information we just got proves that you were right. But if you tell me that he had something to do with it, then that’s that.” “If you think we have the answers about the deputy, then who do you think did it?” Lacy’s voice was hollow and distant. “I think it was Howard Smith.” Chris gave his head a slow nod. “It makes sense.” “Maybe it makes sense to you.” “Well, think about it, Lacy.” Chris gestured his hand toward her, palm up. “You saw the name Howard and then we found Howard Smith. The guy isn’t playing with a full deck, and he’s been missing since the night Jeanine disappeared.” Lacy looked at him, doubt evident. “You don’t believe that it could be the deputy, do you? You asked me to come here to help and you don’t believe me.” A slow smile grew across Chris’s face. “It isn’t that I don’t believe you. It’s just that we have proof of what you said and it can all be easily explained.” Lacy bit the corner of her lip and nodded in defeat. “So where does that leave us now?” “What do you mean?” Lacy raised her hands, palms up and shrugged. “Do I go home now?” “No.” Chris shook his head quickly. “Why would you ask that?” “Because I think it’s Deputy Greene,” Lacy stated confidently. Chris took a deep breath. “I think the details of your visions make him look guilty. I don’t think he is.” “Then we have a problem.” Lacy smoothed her tongue over her teeth. “You want me to move on and look for the next clue. I can’t do that because everything in me is screaming that that piece of shit sitting right there is in this knee deep.” “Stop pointing,” Chris snapped. “We have to consider all the options, 41

including Howard Smith. Lacy, I’ve got to find Jeanine and I can’t do that going backward.” “Well, that’s funny because I can’t go forward without seeing that bastard.” “Okay.” Chris took a deep breath and pressed against Lacy’s arm. “I won’t exclude Deputy Greene as a suspect. Will you do the same for me and help me look into Howard Smith?” ~*~ The energy inside the sheriff’s office was thick enough to cut with a knife. It wasn’t hard to tell when Deputy Greene was in a room. The diner had been full of the same energy until Greene had finished his lunch. At that point the diner became a delightfully relaxed placed to be. Her eyes searched the walls, then the desktops before they diverted to Greene as he made his way from a side office and into the main lobby. He gave her the creeps and nothing could change that, especially the words of a private detective who tried to explain it all away. She stood at a distance and watched out the front window as Chris shared the information about the missing women. He’d even been kind enough to hand a thumb drive containing the email file toward the sheriff. Deputy Greene’s heartbeat elevated; she could sense it through the energy that radiated off him like heat off a black car hood in the southern summer sun. She turned toward him, and his eyes landed on her the instant she moved. He wasn’t worthy of trust, at least she didn’t think so, and she wasn’t comfortable that Chris was giving them the information about the missing women. She’d be damned if she’d fall into the web of false security that Chris was relying on; the deputy was a killer and every moment she was around him only strengthened her certainty. “So you’re trying to tell me that someone in my town is a serial killer?” Sheriff Lundy growled. Chris nodded. “Does the name Howard Smith mean anything to you?” The sheriff sat erect and shot a hard glare Chris’s way. “What about the crazy bastard?” “Lacy keeps seeing his name,” Chris explained. The sheriff nodded and jumped to his feet. “Well, he’s sure as hell capable of something like that.” “His mother tells us that he’s been gone for almost two weeks,” Chris explained. “That’s how long Jeanine has been missing.” “That’s nothing new,” the sheriff said. “He stays in Bosier City most of the time. I keep close tabs on him when he’s in town.” Lacy took a seat on a padded bench that sat near the glass front door. She surveyed the room, trying to find anything that might explain some of the madness around her. The room was probably twenty feet square, with dark brown paneling and standard grey commercial carpet. There was a 42

counter on one side of the room; the other was divided from the sitting area by a rod iron rail. Two desks were pressed together at the back of the room, papers scattered around as if a three-year-old had been playing there. A single desk, extremely organized, was behind the counter, and it contained lots of high-tech gadgetry that Lacy suspected was the dispatch radio equipment. “Would you like something to drink, Lacy?” Deputy Greene asked, looking up from the sheriff’s computer screen. She swallowed hard and forced a smile. “I’m fine, thanks.” The piece of crap knew that she’d figured it out; he was the killer as sure as she was psychic. Chris’s big frame towered over that of the deputy, and for that she was glad. It would take a big, strong man to battle the amount of evil Deputy Greene possessed. “You know, now that I think about it I saw Howard Smith the night I found your sister’s car,” Deputy Greene said as he scratched his chin in thought. “I was going down Henson Road and I met Howard’s old truck. A few hours later I found your sister’s car.” Anger surged through Chris like a wild fire and even those who weren’t sensitive could feel it. Lacy sprang to her feet and moved closer, terrified that he was going to bring himself to a stroke. He was carrying around too much stress, too much worry and it was killing him as slowly as the mystery man was killing Jeanine. “I’ll put out a statewide APB for his truck,” Deputy Greene said, moving swiftly toward his workstation. “Don’t worry, Mr. Allen, we’ll get the bastard.” Lacy watched as Greene took a seat and work diligently at his task. He wasn’t fooling her, however; she’d already seen what he was made of. If the stress, anger and fear inside Chris hadn’t been emitted as negative energy, then why was the deputy’s stress negative? None of it made sense and before it was all said and done, the truth would be known.

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SIX Lacy pressed her heels down and brought the recliner to an upright sitting position. It was half past two and she was no closer to sleep than she had been when she took her position three hours ago. There were so many things whirling around in her head that she was scared half out of her mind. Chris was in danger, and it came to her as a flash more than an hour ago. She had no way to protect him because he was on the brink of not listening to her anymore. He hadn’t admitted so, but he didn’t have to, she could tell. He couldn’t make himself believe that the deputy was capable of being a serial killer. He’d needed her to get things rolling, and she had. She’d also been vocal when she might have been better off to keep her mouth shut and wait. She hadn’t mentioned David Greene since they’d left the sheriff’s office in the early afternoon. She still thought he was guilty and nothing short of being proven wrong would change her mind. A dog barked in the distance, a sound so eerie that it brought Lacy to her feet, gooseflesh on the back of her neck. There was more to that bark than just a rabbit in the yard, much more. Animals had a sixth sense about them, probably stronger than hers. The bark wasn’t a warning for an intruder, or the helpless sound of being caged, it was different. She pulled the curtain back on the window and peered into the parking lot, lit only by a lonesome streetlight near the roadway. There wasn’t any movement, but the uneasiness within her didn’t subside. She turned back toward the recliner, willing to settle for the rest rather than the sleep that was evading her. A second bark echoed through the night, a different location, but the same eerie declaration. Her hand reached for the curtain again as she looked over her shoulder to the tiny sliver of light that shone from Chris’s bathroom and through the adjoining door. She took a deep breath, held it, then slowly exhaled. Something was stirring tonight; the dogs knew it and so did she. Her attention moved to her room door and an uncontrollable desire to step outside overtook her. There was energy out there, something that might help find Jeanine. Her nervous hand pulled the safety lock near the top of the door, then the deadbolt before giving the knob a gentle twist. The mechanism 44

inside the handle clicked then released. It was a sound most often overlooked, but tonight it was utterly terrifying. She opened the door wide and pulled the thick wooden chair from the desk to secure it. The hotel sidewalks were vacant, not a single sound rustled in the night. She took a deep breath and released it slowly, closing her eyes to clear her mind, then reopened them slowly. A third bark, that desperate sound that brought gooseflesh back to her neck. What were they saying? Whatever it was, the dogs were as bewildered by it as she. The air was thick and humid, but there was something else that crawled into her lungs like a bad cold. Something evil lurked in the darkness. Somewhere. She diverted her face to a fourth bark that came from the opposite side of the hotel. Three barks had come from the left, now one on the right. The evil was on the move. Her heart thudded wildly, her breath was labored and fear hovered around her like a slow moving cloud. The sound of something mechanical buzzed to life in the corridor past Chris’s room door. It did nothing to cloak the silent fear that drifted through the streets of town. The fifth bark, another animal disturbed by the evil that was invading her sense, getting stronger by the minute. “What are you doing out here?” Chris’s voice was low as his strong hands rested on her shoulders. Her heart jumped into her throat and her blood ran cold. She turned toward him, hand over her heart. “Be still, my heart. You scared me half to death.” He grinned. “I figured you knew that I was there.” She gave his arm a firm slap and released her breath. “Thank God I don’t live with you. You’d scare me to an early grave.” His laugh was the only safe thing that drifted in the night air. “You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing out here?” “Something is out here,” she explained, staring out into the night lit only by the dim glow of the random streetlights. “Where?” Lacy turned her face toward him; a smile teased her lips. If only she could be so normal. “It has been moving all around town. The dogs know.” He blinked, cleared his throat and looked down at her. “Excuse me, did you say dogs?” She nodded. “Five barks.” She pointed to where they each came from. “Something is on the move.” “Because the dogs are barking?” he asked, doubt evident in his voice. “You do realize that a dog will bark at a falling leaf, right?” She shook her head. “Not these.” “So what are you saying—exactly?” She turned her attention toward him again, noticing at last that he was half naked. For a second she lost her thoughts, blinded by the 45

overwhelming urge to reach out and touch his bulging pectoral muscles. She trailed her eyes down to the shorts that he wore and the huge muscles in his legs. There was no way that he couldn’t notice her actions. Hell, a blind man would have known what she was doing. She cleared her throat, shook her head to regain control, then met his eyes. He was smiling, probably laughing inside if she had to guess, but smiling all the same. The sixth bark brought her attention back to the world around her. She pointed. “Those dogs know things that we could only dream of knowing. They have powers and senses so strong that we can’t comprehend them.” “So the dogs are telling you that the killer is walking around town?” His brows were peeked in question. “I don’t know what or who it is,” she explained. “But you’ve heard the different barks that a dog has. They sound different when they perceive a threat than they do when they want attention, right?” He nodded slowly, furrowing his brows. “These dogs are saying something different,” she said, looking back into the night. “As sure as we’re standing here, something evil is on the move.” “Are you waiting for it?” He nudged her with his elbow. She couldn’t help the smile that grew across her lips. “Well—” Her eyes met his. “I know it’s there, too. I’m waiting for my turn to bark.” He tilted back his head, exhaling a deep laugh that surrounded her with warm feelings and happy thoughts. If only it could stay that way. “Do you bite, too?” She swallowed hard. That wasn’t a question he needed to ask because she’d like nothing better than to sink her teeth into him. “I have before—once or twice.” He cleared his throat, unconsciously flexed his pectoral muscles and bit his bottom lip. “Were you wearing that outfit both times?” She looked from the darkness toward his face. “What?” “Once or twice.” His eyes trailed down her body, leaving her skin smoldering in their wake. “I assume you started with those pajamas each time.” Embarrassment ripped through her like a four-alarm fire. How could this have happen? He wasn’t supposed to wake up. He wasn’t supposed to see her this way. He was living with a model, for goodness sake. She’d thrown her pajama bottoms onto the bed in her second hour of lying awake. They wrapped tighter around her with each of her movements like a second cotton skin. The Brazilian-cut panties that she wore weren’t meant for his eyes. Now that she thought about it, the hard nipples in the cold night air weren’t either. Maybe her tank undershirt hadn’t been the best sleeping choice. “Oh, my God!” She swirled to run away. He grabbed her, spun her back around then released her. “Hey, you haven’t barked yet.” 46

She felt like a teenage girl who’d gone home with her shirt wrong side out. Maybe worse. “I’ll get my robe, then I’ll bark.” “Nope, you’ll wait your turn,” he teased. “Do you work out?” She looked to her left to escape his stare, rolled her eyes and waited for the punch line. She shook her head. Hell no, she didn’t work out and to Mr. Football who was dating Miss Perfect it was probably obvious. “Being in shape isn’t very high on my list of priorities. I eat healthy, hopefully that’s enough.” He grunted, blinked and then turned his attention toward headlights approaching down the street. Her breath caught. “There it is. Look.” She held her arms up, gooseflesh solid on them as if she’d been thrown into a snowstorm. The car drove slowly past the hotel, and she held her breath. “It’s Sheriff Lundy on his night patrol,” he informed her. “No, it’s Deputy Greene.” Her voice was soft and low. ~*~ She looked at herself in the mirror, tweaked her nose then puckered her lips. She didn’t look that bad. True enough, she didn’t look better than the model on Chris’s desktop, but she’d never claimed to. A smile teased her lips as embarrassment rushed to her cheeks, leaving her flushed. She rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly to keep from crying. Of all the nights for him to come into her room, it had to be this one. What had brought him in there anyway? He’d most likely heard the door open, or maybe the gentle breeze had blown the adjoining door, catching his attention. It didn’t really matter anyway. It was over. She took her place in the recliner and pulled the jumbo beach towel over her. She noted movement in the next room and her heartbeat surged. It was hard enough to get her mind off him without having seen him nearly naked. It seemed surreal to think that the man in the other room was a professional football player, rich as a movie star, and hot as a firecracker. He was also her friend, and had been for years. He’d held her hand once in the movies. It was nice. It never went any further. She might not have carried this torch if only he’d kissed her, but he never did. She’d been forced to face life not knowing what his lips felt or tasted like. He was right there, close enough to touch, but the dream had faded away before it ever happened. The loss of that dream, of Chris, was the foundation of so many things in her life. She’d lost her virginity two years later at a college party two doors down from her apartment. The guy was a stranger she’d gotten to know over two drinks. They’d taken the third drink to her apartment. She had acted out of impulse because Drake Etchman didn’t know she was a freak, and she didn’t volunteer the information. He’d learned all about her secret the next day in his Psych class, but it was too late; the deed was done. The second man to warm her bed had been at a pre-game tailgating party at the Astrodome. She’d stood in line through a blizzard to secure 47

tickets to the game. The Chicago Bears were playing host to the Dallas Cowboys, and Lacy wanted to be there. Fletcher Tely was the guy who knew every player’s stats, home and opposing. Fletcher had been impressed that Lacy had gone to school with Cowboys number 78, Chris Allen. They’d hooked up after the game, gone back to her place and rocked the night away. Of course, Fletcher was gone once the beer wore off, and wouldn’t even answer his phone once he’d found out that Lacy had some sort of special powers. All in all, it had been worth it. She didn’t know what she’d do if something happened to Chris. Her heart had fallen for him again, so hard that it hurt. It was something she couldn’t act on, but it didn’t stop her from loving him. He was in danger, and was unwilling to hear it. Part of her wondered if she could make the sacrifice. If she could head this whole thing off at the pass and destroy the killer, David Greene, before he had a chance to kill Chris. It all made sense. She loved a man and couldn’t tell him, but her death would show him. She’d given up on a normal life long ago; she wasn’t bitterly searching for a way to make him feel guilty, she just wanted him to be safe. The bed squeaked in the room next door. He was tossing and turning, searching for sleep that he couldn’t find. If she had an ounce of confidence she’d walk right in there and crawl in the bed with him. Not for the sex, she wasn’t that crazy, but just for the security of being near him. Confidence, however, was one thing that she didn’t have. ~*~ Lacy sprang to her feet, her heart pounding, perspiration beading on her forehead. It was happening again. The feeling that assaulted her was pure fear, nothing else. She could see black gloves, a lonely dead end road and a blue car driving quickly up the road not knowing what was ahead. She scrambled to the adjoining door, jerked it open and ran through without a thought of knocking. “Chris!” Desperation filtered through her voice. He tossed back the cover and sat up in bed as if pushed by a loaded spring. “Lace, what’s wrong?” “It’s happening again.” She flapped her arms wishing she could escape the movie in her head. “Dear Lord, he’s doing it again.” The evil that stirred in the streets of Grandbury was now on the dark lonely road. It was hiding in the darkness, waiting to pounce. The evil one’s heart was pounding, as the thrill of taking a new victim escalated with the sight of the oncoming headlights. Chris jumped to his feet, jerked on a pair of sweat pants and fumbled with his shoes. “Get your shoes, hurry!” She ran quickly through the room, tripped and slid painfully across the carpet. She sprang back to her feet, desperate to help the woman who was driving into the trap. Chris ran through her room, jerked the front door open and fumbled 48

with his keys as Lacy grabbed her robe and sprinted to his SUV. There wasn’t any time to waste. “What do you see?” he questioned as he stomped the accelerator and backed from the parking space. “The dead end road,” she cried. “Hurry!” “How do you know it’s happening now?” Lacy’s voice cracked as she explained the situation. This was the first time it had ever happened, but somehow she was getting the killer’s thoughts and feelings. He was on a natural high just seeing the car lights drawing closer down the length of the dead end road. The moment he was able to step out and take his victim he was sexually aroused, not physically by the woman, but by the fear he could see on her face. The tires on the SUV squeaked in protest as he left the parking lot at lightning speed. The only traffic light in the downtown area was red; he didn’t stop. The generally quiet engine roared like a lion, automatically changing gears as they sprinted through the light at a blistering speed. “Describe it.” He pierced the night air with the speeding vehicle, taking the narrow roadway at a pace that would have been dangerous in the daylight. “A blue car, a small two-door,” Lacy said. “I see a red arrow and the road closing in on her.” “What else?” He glanced toward her. She gasped, her chest heaving, desperation and fear choking her. Black gloves reached toward her, and as suddenly as it had started it was over. “Lace, are you okay?” He reached for her. “I’m afraid it’s over,” Lacy admitted tearfully. “I’m scared we’re too late.” Chris skidded the truck into the dead end road, hammered the accelerator sprinting forward. There was nothing at the dead end, just the lonesome empty darkness. Lacy jumped from the truck, both palms forward, willing herself to channel the energy. “Damn it.” She fell to her knees. “We’re too late.” Chris walked closer, reached for her and lifted her from her knees. “It’s okay, Lace.” “No,” she cried frantically. “No, it isn’t!” “Do you see anything?” “I feel the sick bastard,” she snarled, walking toward two garbage dumpsters at the side of the roadway. “He was hiding behind these dumpsters. Black gloves, I see black leather gloves.” Lacy turned her attention to Chris, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry. He was here and I didn’t see it in time.” Chris swallowed hard, cleared his throat and moved toward her. He opened his arms, and she walked into his broad chest. “It’s not your fault. 49

Don’t ever think it’s your fault.” She snubbed and fought against the feeling that was choking her. He released her and she looked up into his face. His eyes searched her face, and she was afraid to move. His tongue moved slowly onto his lips, wetting them in preparation of something. A kiss? He moved closer, lowering his face, slowly toward her. Her breath caught and held. The worst minute of her life was about to be the best. She closed her eyes as the anticipation engulfed her like a warm blanket. Footsteps caught her attention and she opened her eyes to find him more than a half dozen steps away. He ran his hand over his head, chastising himself for what had almost happened. Almost. Humiliation wrapped around Lacy like cold molasses on a wooden spoon. She turned immediately toward the garbage dumpsters and made a trek toward them. There was only one thing she could do to salvage his pride; act as if nothing had ever happened. “I think he hit her with a stun gun or a tazer,” she said, never looking his way. “I keep hearing the sound of jumping electricity.” He remained silent and she guessed that he hadn’t even looked her way. She wasn’t surprised. She wouldn’t be surprised if he never looked at her again. “I think the red arrow is the indicator on a GPS navigation device.” She looked into the darkness toward the main road. “I’m not sure how he’s doing it, but I think he’s manipulating GPS devices to bring cars down this road.” The evidence of doubt on Chris’s face would have been obvious to a normal person, and it certainly was to Lacy. She didn’t have all the answers but the scenario would certainly explain why Jeanine had turned onto the road with great confidence. If the calibrated mapping computer on her dash had told her to turn she had no reason to doubt it. “Is that possible?” Chris lifted one brow. “I’m sure it would be a piece of cake for an MIT grad.” Lacy puckered her lips and waited for his reply. ~*~ Chris drew in a long breath then released it. Damn it, she drove him nuts with her mission to prove Deputy Greene a serial killer. He wanted to believe her but the entire thing seemed ridiculous. He was to the point where he didn’t know what to say; she was like talking to a brick wall. He had to remember, however, that Lacy wasn’t usually wrong. “Deputy Greene is on duty tonight. Do you think he abducted someone in a police car?” he asked, hoping she’d realize how crazy it sounded. “That’s exactly what I believe,” she answered. He squinted and cocked his head to the side; there was a long narrow heel from a woman’s shoe lying in the road. He glanced at her as she 50

chattered about something that he hadn’t even heard. “Look at this.” Her voice went silent and she moved closer. “What?” He reached toward the heel but her insistent voice stopped him. She squatted beside him and reached a shaking hand toward the object. When her fingers wrapped around it she dropped it and gasped. “What’s wrong?” Chris asked, excitement spiking his voice. “You saw something—What?” “I didn’t see it, I felt it. It is the most horrible fear I’ve ever felt. It’s primal.” His eyes were the size of quarters. He could feel the fear but it couldn’t stop it any more than he could stop a speeding train. He watched intently as she reached for the heel again. The instant her fingers locked around it the second time she sprang to her feet seeking desperate breaths. “Who are you?” Chris blinked, lifted his brows and backed up a few steps. He’d seen her slip into Jeanine’s energy in the impound lot and she’d scared the living hell out of him when she screamed. He didn’t want to stick around this time, but he had to. Her eyes were wide with fear and she wouldn’t have breathed any harder had she been running a marathon. “No,” she shouted with a stern voice. “Move or I’ll run you over.” She flinched, tightened her eyes and lifted her arm to shield her face. “Oh, my God!” She snapped out of her trance, but stood visibly exhausted. Her hand opened slowly; the heel fell from her grip and back to the pavement. “When she stopped to make the turn he stepped out. He broke her window and used the stun gun on her.” “You still can’t see him?” She met his eyes. “I’m not sure I want to see him. But, no, I can’t see him.” “Well, let’s head back to the room so you can rest. Maybe next time.” ~*~ The wind whistled around her, and for a moment the world spun as if she was caught in a whirlpool. It could have been because of the energy Chris was emitting, or it could have been the killer’s residual energy. She paused and waited for something else, anything. The lonesome call of a whippoorwill drew her attention. It was in the distance, startled by something. Something evil was moving among the cypress trees. Or maybe it was moving on the other side of the cypress trees. She swung her face toward the wooded area, toward the area where Jeanine’s car had been found on the next road. She ran toward the truck. “Let’s go! Go to where Jeanine’s car was found!” The panic in her voice brought him to action. He ran to the vehicle, jerked the door open, jumped inside and turned the vehicle around in nothing 51

flat. “Hurry!” She pounded on the dash. “He’s there right now!” Chris slid the SUV onto the next road, floored the accelerator and sliced the curves in half. Lacy patted the dash, nerves on edge. He entered the curve at a speed that should have sent the truck reeling into the cypress forest. Lacy screamed as headlights appeared out of the darkness. Chris slammed on the brakes, and skidded off the roadside. The white and green car continued its pace, never even slowing to check their progress. “Is that who I think it is?” Chris swung his face toward Lacy. She nodded. “Deputy Greene.”

52

SEVEN Chris stood in the adjoining doorway and watched Lacy sleep. He couldn’t bring himself to wake her because she’d battled the guilty feeling of having failed another helpless woman for hours. He’d tried to convince her that it wasn’t her fault, that there wasn’t anything she could have done differently to stop what happened. If it happened. He’d spent a large part of the night trying to piece together exactly how it would be possible for Deputy Greene to be a serial killer. It seemed crazy to even consider such a thing, but it couldn’t have been a coincidence that the deputy was on the lonely road at the moment Lacy had said he was there. When he considered it, a cop was merely a man. Deputy Greene, an unlikely suspect, had moved to the top of the watch list. He tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes as he studied her. Was it possible that she was wrong about the serial killer? Lacy wasn’t the kind to be wrong, however, and he had been reminding himself of that since she’d arrived. There was also the matter of what almost happened last night. He’d lost himself in her eyes, the desire to kiss her had overtaken him and for a split second he had no control of himself. There was something so irresistible about her; there always had been. He’d wanted her so bad in high school that he’d considered saying the hell with the rumors and ridicule and making her his. He’d gone out with her a couple of times, but the fear of being the subject of idle chatter kept him from making his move. He’d been down this road before and it didn’t work. It wouldn’t work now. Lacy was a sweet woman, beautiful too, but she was also bizarre. Sometimes the look on her face scared the hell out of him. She’d get lost somewhere between this world and the next, gathering information the way one would gather flowers in a garden. The riddles that she spouted more often than not didn’t make any sense. But in her defense she’d never failed to solve the mysteries entrusted to her. He appreciated her being here, he truly did, but he couldn’t get involved with her. He was committed to another; a beautiful woman who loved him back. It would take a crazy man to choose Lacy over Teresa; there 53

was no comparing the two. Granted, Lacy was a beautiful woman but there was more to her than met the eye; much more than he wanted to deal with. ~*~ Lacy roused from sleep, looked around the quiet room and noted that the sun wasn’t shining in the front window, but from above the hotel. She turned her face toward the digital clock on the night stand near the bed. It was sixteen minutes after twelve. She popped the recliner into the sitting position, tossed the beach towel onto the bed and sprinted across the room. She ran through the open adjoining door, but Chris was already gone. She stood silent, her eyes tracing slowly from one side of the room to the other. Something was amiss. The energy in the room was a mixture of several things; fear drifted through the air, and understandably so. Anyone would be afraid to think their loved one was in the hands of a serial killer. Anger and doubt intertwined in the room like a tightly woven rope; he was angry that he couldn’t find Jeanine, and doubted that Lacy could either. She lifted her palm, channeling the energy closer; if she was right Chris was at the end of his rope with this whole damn town, her included. She made her way back into her room, picked up her cellular phone and dialed his number. Why had he left without her? “Hello?” His voice was reluctant as it filtered through the phone. “Where are you?” she asked, sitting on the short standard two-drawer dresser in her room. “You didn’t wake me.” “You were so tired after the episode last night that I thought I’d let you sleep,” he explained. “I figured you deserved a day off to recuperate. “I didn’t come here to relax,” she reminded him, squinting in doubt. “I’m here to help find Jeanine.” “I’ll come back to pick you up,” Chris said. “Are you ready now?” “I will be in about thirty minutes. I just woke up.” A horn blew outside her door thirty minutes later and she took a deep breath. There were flashes assaulting her mind and they just didn’t make sense. She could feel the emptiness of rejection but didn’t understand why. She looked toward the truck; why did she have the feeling that something was about to go dreadfully wrong between her and Chris? She swallowed hard, looped her purse strap over her shoulder and pulled the hotel door open. She closed the door behind her and made her way to the vehicle. The instant the door opened the feeling was confirmed; as surely as he was a football player something was about to go wrong. “Any luck?” She looked toward him. He reached silently into a small compartment above the rearview mirror, pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it toward her. She opened it with shaking hands, finding a long list of things containing the number sixteen. “Good idea.” She turned her attention from the list to meet his eyes. “How did you get this?” 54

A smile tweaked his lips. “I stopped by the local genealogical society; those old ladies were full of information.” “So how many have you checked out?” Lacy put the negative thoughts to the back of her mind and hoped for the best. “I went to the 16th Street Cemetery, the restaurant 2216, 16 Tons Excavation,” he explained. “Sixteen and Vincent House Remodeling and the list goes on and on.” Lacy turned her attention back to the list, then to her purse where she pulled out a pen. She marked though the locations he’d visited and looked toward him. “What’s a pumping station?” “It’s a natural gas pumping station,” Chris answered. “Is it next?” “Yep,” Lacy squinted. “Who knows, maybe the pipes are what I’m seeing as a cylinder.” Chris glanced toward her, his eyes bright with hope. “I didn’t even think of that.” “Where is it?” Lacy refolded the paper and stared down the roadway. “According to those old ladies it’s a few hundred yards from the water tower.” ~*~ Chris nodded his head and bit the corner of his mouth; he had a beautiful girlfriend waiting for him at home and he wanted Lacy the way the desert wants water. He brought the vehicle to a stop near the chain link fence that circled the water tower, and allowed his eyes to follow down a seldomused path toward a small gray building. He had to get his mind off Lacy and onto what he was doing. He opened the door, stepped out and heard the powerful hum of the natural gas under pressure. It was a reminder of how small he was, and how dead he would be if just one spark fell near the pumping station. “Do you feel anything?” He walked around the front of the vehicle and met Lacy. She shook her head. “Not yet.” “Leave your cell phone and anything electronic in the car,” he advised as he pressed the power button and laid his stylish phone onto the hood. “If that thing exploded, it would level this town.” Lacy swallowed hard, glanced at him then patted her pockets to be certain there wasn’t anything there that might offend the high-pressure gas. Chris stepped forward, leading the way down the narrow path. “I don’t think this is it,” Lacy revealed softly. “Are you saying that because you’re sure or because you’re scared?” He paused and looked over his shoulder at her. She smiled. “Point taken. Lead on.” Chris stopped at the chain link fence that enclosed the small building and turned his attention to Lacy. She wasn’t acting as if there was anything 55

there, but he’d certainly feel better if he looked through the window. “Wait here.” He sprang upward, latching onto the fence like a seasoned cat burglar. Within a few seconds his large frame was up and over the barbed wire at the top. He cupped his hands around his eyes, peering through the glass to the space that held nothing but huge rumbling pipes. He wasn’t anxious to extend the stay; he was satisfied with knowing that Jeanine wasn’t inside. Lacy smiled at him and every urge in him demanded that he kiss her at least once. He cleared his throat and fought the urge. He lost. He grabbed onto the fence and heaved himself to the top then pounced to the ground, white slag scattering beneath his big feet. He moved toward her so quickly that she looked behind her to check her surroundings. She probably wouldn’t have expected this in a million years, but he just couldn’t hide it anymore. He had to know what it was like to kiss her. If he did it here then he was less likely to take it too far. If he waited until they were back in the room, he’d probably find himself in her bed; that couldn’t happen. Lacy gasped the instant his hands latched around her waist and pulled her into his arms. His lips crashed onto hers with a force that he wished he could muster while on the field facing an offensive line. She moaned at his touch; exactly what he’d expected and it still made his body throb. He smoothed his hand up her spine and onto the back of her neck. He pushed his fingers through her hair, cradled the back of her head in his hand and forced it toward his to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept between her lips, tasting the woman that he’d wanted for the past twenty years. Had he known that she’d taste this wonderful he would have done this ages ago. He forced himself away and looked at her swollen lips that seemed to beg for more. He wanted her so badly that it hurt. She was like an addiction and he knew without a doubt that kissing her once would never be enough. Hopefully, they could find Jeanine quickly and Lacy would disappear in the crowds of Chicago; it didn’t hurt to hope. Her eyes told him that she’d wanted it as long as he had. Her body told him that she wanted much more. The pang in his gut told him that if he didn’t back off, Lacy would end up hurt. He couldn’t be with a woman like her, it just wasn’t possible. He’d be the laughing stock of the locker room, and God forbid the press should find out that she was psychic. He was lucky, he’d satisfied his oldest need, in a private place in the middle of a po-dunk town in rural Louisiana. It was destined to happen and it was best to happen here. ~*~ Lacy’s knees went weak; she wouldn’t have seen that coming even if he’d been holding a sign. She couldn’t believe what had just happened, but she certainly wasn’t complaining. She’d wanted to know his touch so long that she’d given up hope. 56

Her eyes searched him, from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. Chris Allen, the Chris Allen, had just kissed her. It hadn’t been an accident or a dream; he’d actually made an effort, pounded off the steps with a force that told her he couldn’t take it anymore. She’d known that something was going to happen between them but she’d thought she’d sensed anger and resentment; she was happy to be wrong. She could set aside the reservations about things with Chris; it looked like things were going to be okay. He was looking at her as if she was a fumbled football that he had a chance to steal. It was wonderful. This was the first time that a man had ever kissed her and knew her story. She didn’t have to try and hide the truth until the flash of a romance was over. She smiled. “Sorry about that.” Chris lifted his brows and let out a loud breath. “I should have given you a little warning.” He was thinking awfully hard about something and she hoped that she knew what it was. Of course she knew that she couldn’t have a man like him forever; but she’d be okay with just knowing the joy of having him once. Having a woman like her by his side would rip his life and career to shreds. She wasn’t hoping for a wedding ring or a future, she just wanted tonight. ~*~ “We better check the next thing on the list.” He rubbed his finger over the stubble on his chin. “That’s a long list and sundown is coming quick.” Lacy gave a single confirming nod and stepped forward. He wasn’t sure how to handle her now that he’d given in and satisfied his urge. He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea, but if he knew Lacy, she already had. Hell, any woman would have gotten the wrong impression from that kiss. He hadn’t kissed a woman like that since Katie Loutner, his college sweetheart, the night he found out that the Dallas Cowboys wanted him. He grabbed his phone, sat down in the vehicle and turned the key. The engine spun to life as he turned his attention to Lacy. “What’s next?” “Sixteen Bottles?” Lacy’s voice was uncertain. “I passed it on my way into town; it’s an old bar about three miles west of town.” He reached over the rearview mirror and pulled out his stylish sunshades. He bit his bottom lip and drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel as Lacy peered out the side glass. What was she thinking? She was probably thinking about what had happened; he wasn’t sure he liked that idea. Did she know that he did it to answer an urge? Now that the desire was fed he wanted it to be over; it wasn’t that easy. If it wasn’t for the search for Jeanine he’d tell her to go home but he couldn’t do that. He’d been an idiot and complicated things terribly; she would certainly think there was more to come in their relationship. He’d like to give her more but that wasn’t going to happen; he wouldn’t allow it. 57

~*~ Lacy drew a single blue line through the last entry on the list. “That’s it.” “So the number sixteen has nothing to do with it after all,” he stated in a neutral voice. “What in the hell do I do now? The cops came up with nothing. The private investigator came up with nothing. Now, you came up with nothing. It’s like Jeanine was never here.” Lacy swallowed hard, folded the list and stuck it into the console. “I’m not sure what it has to do with it but the number sixteen is relevant to Jeanine’s disappearance.” He bit the corner of his lip and gave something a great deal of thought. Lacy swallowed hard; she could feel resentment growing in the vehicle and it was toward her. He was angry with himself that he’d kissed her and even more angry at her that he’d enjoyed it. This was the vision that she’d gotten earlier; something was about to go terribly wrong. “Lacy, I had no right to drag you into this mess.” He glanced her way. “This search could go on for months; it’s time for you to go home and get on with your life.” Lacy furrowed her brow and stared at him. “I’m not leaving until we find Jeanine.” It was happening; he was trying to be nice and send her home but when she refused he’d get ugly fast. He was utterly humiliated that he’d kissed her; moments like this she hated having this damn gift. There was nothing like knowing that a man regretted touching you; hated himself for wanting you. He was willing to lose their friendship to salvage his pride; she’d let him because she couldn’t leave before she found Jeanine. He swallowed hard, tightened his grip on the steering wheel and adjusted himself in the seat. “Look, Lacy, it’s time to admit that we can’t find Jeanine with the few clues you’ve gotten. It isn’t your fault but it’s over.” “Deputy Greene has her, I just know it.” He gave his head a hard shake. “It doesn’t make sense that Deputy Greene would be a serial killer. I don’t think he’s involved.” Was he insane? David Greene was as deep in Jeanine’s disappearance as Columbian drug lords in money. Why was he letting his disappointments in his own actions cloud the search? He was a grown man; if he didn’t want any type of relationship with her, so be it. He shouldn’t have such a hard time believing what she’d said. He hadn’t ever had a hard time believing her in college when her predictions landed him thousands of dollars in the bank. “Believe what you want, but when you find her, he’s going be right in the middle of all of it.” Lacy tried to keep her voice calm, but she wasn’t sure it worked. “My gut tells me that I need to find Howard Smith.” Chris’s tone was getting shorter. 58

“I agree, Howard was at Jeanine’s car, but I don’t see him as negative,” Lacy reminded him. Chris snapped his attention toward her. “How in the hell can you say that? He’s mildly retarded, and obsessed with sex. How much more negative do you need?” Lacy looked out the window; the houses on the street flashed by like the rapid pictures in her head. “Howard didn’t take Jeanine,” Lacy said with a calm soft voice. “You’re wasting your time looking for him.” “The same way I’ve been wasting my time running from one side of town to another looking for checkerboards, black gloves and the number sixteen?” His voice shot back hard. She felt tears stinging the back of her eyes; this was the moment she’d seen coming. “I guess so.” “And my favorite.” He snapped his face toward her in a quick glance. “Electric Rain. What in the hell does that mean anyway?” “I don’t know, I just keep seeing it. It could be because he uses a tazer,” she replied, her voice level but defensive. “Then why not say so?” he questioned. “I didn’t need it to be some kind of dramatic game; if it’s a tazer then tell me that it’s a fucking tazer.” She turned her attention toward him and stared for several moments. He glanced toward her, then she spoke. “It’s a fucking tazer.” He turned a slow hard stare her way. “Yeah, I figured that out after three days.” “You want me to leave,” she stated more than asked. He turned onto the secondary street that was home of the hotel, glanced toward her, then back to the road. “I’m here to find Jeanine, not be part of a wild goose chase trying to prove the deputy sheriff is a serial killer.” “Even if he is?” she shot back. “Damn it, Lacy.” He slammed on the brakes and brought the vehicle to a sudden stop. “If you’re not with me then you’re against me. I’m not risking Jeanine’s life because you have a hard on for David Greene.” The feelings assaulted her like hot flying shrapnel; feelings that she couldn’t deny. He’d rather risk the search for his sister than be near Lacy any longer. He’d succeeded in making himself resentful and angry over a kiss that had been his own doing. He was battling feelings that he didn’t want to have; feelings about her. He was terrified that someone would find out that he’d kissed her; that he’d be laughed at. He wanted her for his own but he refused to have her. She’d gladly be his, but he couldn’t afford the bad publicity. Chris Allen had always been about his image, and things hadn’t changed. “This wouldn’t be nearly as stupid if I didn’t know what was going on; you’re using our differences of opinions of David Greene as an excuse,” she said. “I don’t need an excuse,” he shot back. 59

“Well, it’s your sister.” Lacy reached into the floorboard for her purse. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” “It means that I can’t believe you’re selling Jeanine out because you’re afraid of what someone will think of you.” Lacy’s voice cracked. “I’m not selling out anyone,” he corrected her. Lacy reached for the door handle and pushed the door open. It was time to cut her losses, get in her car and head back toward Chicago. She couldn’t help Chris if he wouldn’t let her. She stepped out, and looked back into his eyes. “It would have been much simpler to say that you shouldn’t have kissed me and moved on. I’m a psychic, Chris; the only person you’re fooling is yourself.” She closed the door and turned away. The hotel was only two or three blocks away. She could walk back, gather her things and be out of town before he ever realized that he’d thrown away the person he always called on when he needed to know about the world. She looped her purse over her shoulder, took a deep breath and stepped onto the sidewalk. ~*~ Chris slammed the steering wheel and removed his foot from the brake pedal. He didn’t want Lacy to leave, but he wasn’t ready to admit the truth. He didn’t think he’d ever be ready to admit the truth. He was in love with her; he didn’t want to be. He looked in the rearview mirror and watched her walk away. Lacy would be gone shortly and she’d never be back. He had to let her go. There wasn’t another way. He didn’t want to be a public spectacle but there wouldn’t be a way to avoid the press. The guys on the team already thought he was nuts for calling her. They’d really think he’d flipped if they knew the truth. He’d managed to hide his feelings for the past fifteen years and would hide them fifteen more if necessary. He shook off the thoughts of Lacy and focused on moving forward in the search for his sister. He needed to track down Howard Smith, because he was a likely suspect to have taken Jeanine. Now that Lacy was gone, he’d keep a keen eye on Deputy Greene. If Lacy thought Greene was guilty then he probably was. Chris just needed to figure out how the deputy was doing it. It was amazing how Lacy knew the truth before she stepped out of the vehicle. If he had a backbone he would have admitted it; it was too late now. The sad thing was that he was like everyone else in her life; he’d kept her around until he’d gotten what he wanted then he pushed her away. ~*~ Lacy took a deep breath, wiped away her tears and picked up her suitcase. She couldn’t believe that she’d lost Chris from her life because he actually cared about her. She opened the motel room door and stepped outside, pressed the trunk release button on the key remote and tossed her suitcase inside. It was terrible to think of leaving before she found Jeanine, 60

but it was nice to think that she finally knew what love felt like. She’d come here to help find someone but in the process she’d lost her oldest friend. He’d called her here because of her powers, and he was bitter that he had feelings for her. She was used to being tossed away; it was the story of her life. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she hastily wiped them away. She inserted the key into the ignition and the small car buzzed to life. This hadn’t ended the way she’d always seen it in her visions as a child and that made her wonder if it was over at all. It wasn’t likely that she’d had a childhood vision, remembered it all these years just to learn that it was wrong. Visions didn’t work that way. They were, more often than not, actual snapshots of reality; if that were true either Chris or she would die in this one-horse town unless she did something.

61

EIGHT Lacy set her alarm and woke early; she just couldn’t make herself leave town with Jeanine still missing. She planned to go back to where Jeanine was taken and take a walk in the woods between there and the road where her car was found. There were answers in those two spots; maybe now she could find them. Chris had humored her, but he hadn’t believed for a second that Jeanine had turned onto a dead end road. The killer wouldn’t be lying in wait after daybreak, he was too cowardly. He needed to take his prey under the cover of darkness where he could hide like the yellow belly that he was. She turned down the road, her heart quickening just being near this location. The clues shot through her mind again; the visions that she didn’t understand but knew meant something. She pulled her car behind the garbage dumpsters, to keep the nosey deputy from knowing she was there, and then killed the engine. Silence grew in the car as she waited for information. Nothing came. Death and danger, she’d learned, weren’t afraid to reveal themselves and for that she was thankful. The last thing she needed was to be found here by Deputy Greene. Her feet crunched against the dying grass of late September, but that wasn’t the loudest sound in her ears. She could hear water dripping, echoing in a hollow sound that didn’t make any sense. Not yet. She squatted into the very spot where the killer had hidden in wait to trap his next victim. He was definitely a sadist; he was aroused by fear and pain. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad for Jeanine and his newest victim. They were both most likely alive, but God only knew what they’d been through at this point. She was glad she hadn’t seen the pain, at least not yet. The killer wasn’t anxious about being caught, just the opposite in fact. He was overly confident, as were most serial killers. A serial killer wasn’t what most people had in mind. They didn’t look like killers at all; they looked like the guy next door. Serial killers were husbands, fathers and the guy in the church choir. They were the little league baseball coach, the first guy to volunteer for the search and the last one to leave. A serial killer wasn’t the guy you pissed off at the bar who was 62

gunning for you; he was the guy at the restaurant that you spoke politely to as you were leaving. They blended perfectly into society and in this case, he was a cop. She rose to her feet, looked around and found a small trail that was far too clear for her liking. It had been walked several times, and recently. She made her way to the tree line where she’d noticed the clear path. The moment she stepped into it, she could feel his excitement. He was making his way down the path to hide; to take his next victim. She swallowed hard, turned her attention to a noise to her left and noticed two squirrels at play a short distance away. Each step terrified her more, but if this trail could lead her to Jeanine then she’d just have to walk it, alone. She froze in her tracks. There was movement behind her and she wasn’t sure if she’d heard it with her ears or with her mind. Time would tell, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She looked back; the path was clear. She shook off the feeling and tried to focus on Jeanine. Visions assaulted her; darkness, evil hands, and a fear that sent her heart thudding. The only good thing about the vision was that it wasn’t this moment. The movement behind her would be in the darkness, and it wouldn’t be long. Lacy stopped, tilted her head and squinted through the shadows of the tall cypress and oak trees. Something in the distance was blue; a shade of blue that didn’t fit into the color scheme of the forest. She looked back, checking the path then moved forward toward whatever she saw. It was covered by green branches, but a quick walk closer told her that it was an ATV. Now what in the world was an ATV doing parked in the middle of nowhere? There weren’t any houses, no trails, nothing for miles. A trail worn slick by many trips made its way to the paved road she could see through the distant trees. There was a circle, a simple oval shape that was as mysterious to Lacy as a crop circle. Why would a driver bring his ATV into the woods, make a circle and park it here? She moved closer, and pressed her hand onto the seat. She jerked her hand away, gasping for her next breath. That was it. The killer parked his car where Jeanine’s was found, then walked through the woods to his hiding place. Once he trapped the woman by whatever means, he carried her to his hiding place in her car. He hopped on his ATV, made hasty tracks back to this spot where he parked the ATV and reclaimed his own vehicle. He would return a couple of days later to get his ATV, and the sick scheme would start again. ~*~ Chris settled into the chair at the sheriff’s office and took the cup of hot coffee that Deputy Greene offered. He studied Greene; he just didn’t trust the guy. It had everything to do with Lacy not trusting him but she’d never once led him wrong. She was right when she’d said he was using Deputy Greene as an excuse; he didn’t know what else to do. He’d gone to the sheriff early this morning and they were about to do 63

a search on the opposite side of the highway from the road where Jeanine’s car was found, hoping Jeanine might have driven down the lonely road, parked her car and walked back out. It didn’t make sense unless he thought of the theory that Lacy had spouted days earlier. It was possible that Jeanine might have had a nervous breakdown and simply wandered away. He set his coffee aside when the sheriff motioned him toward the door. Coffee could wait, Jeanine couldn’t. It was terrible to think that he’d let his pride cloud his judgment; he was crazy for letting Lacy leave town. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, she was gifted and could have helped to find Jeanine. He glanced at Deputy Greene; if he found out that Greene had his sister he’d rip the guy’s heart out. He glanced down the dead end road that Lacy swore was the kidnapping spot, but none of it made sense. Jeanine wasn’t the kind to turn onto a dead end road. Lacy had said that the killer was manipulating the GPS signals; it would take a genius to do that. David Greene didn’t strike Chris as a genius. The car came to a stop a few hundred feet in the distance. The road where Jeanine’s car was found was to the right, but they would be searching the wooded area on the left. Chris knew that it was the sheriff’s last-ditch effort to help him find his sister, but hope was fading fast. “Okay, we’ll make a sweep down about ten yards apart,” the sheriff explained. “We’ll walk about a mile then turn, move one way or the other and make another sweep ten yards apart. That’s the only way we can cover this much ground with three people. Watch out for rattlers, they’re bad in these parts.” Chris’s eyes widened at the mention of snakes, but the thoughts of rattlesnakes wouldn’t deter his search for Jeanine. He’d promised his parents that he’d find her and that was exactly what he planned to do. Fear consumed him. What if they found her? After two weeks in the Louisiana woods her body might not be identifiable. He wasn’t sure he could handle that. He couldn’t stand the thought of animals scavenging meals from her body, and the elements breaking down her flesh into the dirt from which she came. He shook the thoughts from his mind and moved forward. His top priority had to be finding her; then he could worry about the rest. ~*~ Lacy snapped her face to the left side then the right. He was close. He was somewhere lurking in the woods and she had to get the hell out of Dodge before he found her. She didn’t know which way to run; it felt like he was coming straight down the middle of the woods from the main highway. That didn’t make sense, but that was what it felt like. She turned and sprinted toward her car; her heart pounded like a drum roll off a snare. She jumped the large dead logs that she’d walked easily around, lifted a bare arm to the low hanging braches and tore through the woods like a fugitive followed by bloodhounds. She came out of the woods like a 64

cheetah chasing a kill. She was running from the killer, however. The locks activated on the car doors when she pressed the button. She inserted the key, started the engine and backed quickly from behind the dumpsters. The tires of her small foreign car barked against the pavement as she sped away. She checked traffic to the left then looked to the right before entering the main highway. What was the sheriff’s car doing parked on the side of the highway? Her mind worked overtime trying to piece it all together, but it didn’t make any sense. She turned the car to the right, and drove slowly past. Nothing. She turned the car around, rolled down her windows and stopped in the road near the sheriff’s car. The vibrations surrounded her. The deputy, Chris and the sheriff where searching the area for Jeanine. Chris was in the woods with the killer. ~*~ Lacy pulled into the parking lot of the only other hotel in Granbury. It was several blocks away from the hotel where she’d stayed with Chris, and she hoped Chris wouldn’t know that she’d stayed in town. If she was lucky Deputy Greene wouldn’t know either. She slid the key into the lock of the old motel room door and it creaked open. This place looked more like a hotel by the hour for a prostitution ring than a family friendly establishment. None of that mattered; it would give her a roof over her head and a locked door between her and the world outside. She’d asked for a room on the back lot, and the clerk had only smiled and filled her request. There was no telling what he’d thought, but she simply wanted her car out of view from the roadway. Something told her that she’d be tired of delivery pizza by the time she found Jeanine, but she couldn’t take the risk of being seen in town. She would stir only when absolutely necessary, and cautiously then.

65

NINE Lacy sprang from her sleeping position with wide desperate eyes. She looked down at the floor to the spot she’d claimed as her bed. The cheap motel had so much energy within it, good and bad, that she’d slid the dresser aside and slept in the peaceful spot where it sat. There was no way that the voice in her mind was energy left behind in the room. She pulled back the curtain and peered out the window into the darkness. She glanced down at her watch, noting that Deputy Greene would be on duty until midnight. She needed to go out into the night anyway; the spirit across the road from the store was ready to talk. She stuffed her driver’s license into her pocket, a bit of cash just in case, and her phone. If the voice was right then she was on her way to find Jeanine. It had come as plain as day, the checkerboard, the cylinder, the echoing sound of dripping water and shackles on the wall. The women were in a well. She swallowed hard and considered calling Chris; she wasn’t sure he’d listen. She couldn’t worry about him being angry at himself or at her for that matter; she knew exactly how to find out where the well was and she had to take her chances alone. The motel door opened with a moan and Lacy stood silent, wondering if the deputy was on the prowl. The dogs weren’t barking; that was a plus. Maybe he was in the sheriff’s office doing paperwork. Only time would tell. She clicked the door closed behind her, then sat down into her car. The night air held a damp chill that she didn’t like, for more reasons than the temperature. The cool damp night air was the first feeling she’d identified as a child when she had visions of this horrible place. It seemed that this adventure was about to come to an end. Not only that—it would mean the end of her relationship with Chris. She’d be willing to give up that friendship to help him find his sister. It was only a few short minutes until she pulled along the roadside near the store. She stepped out, listening for approaching vehicles, hoping like hell that the deputy wasn’t on patrol. She stepped over the ditch, lifted her hands and closed her eyes. “I’m 66

here. Can you tell me where the well is?” Footsteps caught her attention. It wasn’t an animal. It was too big. The hair on her arms stood up, gooseflesh overtook her body like a slow wave onto a calm beach. She had to trust her instincts and allow the spirit to give her the information. Fear would only clog her senses, it would make her normal and for the first time in her life, she didn’t want to be normal. A soft voice entered her mind, fragile and scared. She focused her eyes into the woods, but saw nothing. The spirit had figured out how to channel her energy and speak. Lacy listened as the weak voice gave her directions, not normal directions but by the different feelings in the air. For Lacy the directions were easy to follow, and she nodded appreciatively. “I will find them, and we’ll put the man in jail that did this to you. You can rest. Soon the evil will be gone.” As the pulses in her mind guided her she drove toward the location where she knew that she’d find Jeanine. She turned down the lonesome gravel road, at least eight miles away from the city, and swallowed hard. This was it. She could feel the death at the end of the road. She could also feel life and that meant that at least one of the women was alive. She pressed the accelerator lightly, moving the car ahead at a faster pace. The flashes of death that popped into her mind were devastating. She felt trapped, and struggled to breathe. There was a dead end ahead but that wasn’t a surprise. She’d known when she left the motel that she’d have to walk to find Jeanine. According to the visions, she wasn’t sure she could handle it once she found her. Her foot pressed firmly on the brake and brought the car to a stop. She looked around for a place to hide it. The killer would find the car, but she didn’t have to make it easy for him. She drove between two trees and turned off the key with the car safely out of obvious view. Her heart was pounding so hard that it threatened to jump out of her chest. She could do this two ways and didn’t know which was the best. She could take her time, and hope the killer wouldn’t wander upon her before she found the well. She could also jump out of the car and run like hell toward the well, find Jeanine and call Chris. The second was less suspenseful, but she wasn’t making a movie. She was trying to save someone’s life. She opened the glove box and pulled out her emergency flashlight. With a deep breath she jumped from the car and darted down the dark trail with nothing but a small flashlight and her visions to guide her. There was a noise at the end of the trail and she stopped. Was it safe to go any farther? She didn’t have a choice. She was closer to the well house than to her car. The feelings that invaded her made her want to turn back; pain and terror wrapped around her throat, trying desperately to end her life. She darted the flashlight around, but didn’t see any obvious traps. She moved forward, wrapping her hand around the door knob of the small gray building. She jerked her hand away, and then forced it back. It was locked. She looked 67

anxiously around for the bucket; there was a bucket with a key in her visions. The search continued for several minutes as her body shook in nervous tremors. Suddenly it came to her like an open book; the bucket was hanging on the fence post. She shined the light to each of the four fence posts of the mostly destroyed chain link fence. Bingo! She ran to the bucket, pulled the key from inside and made haste back to the door. She inserted the key. Screams filled the air as she pulled the door open and shined the beam of the light inside. The smell of dead flesh slapped her in the face, and the circumstances around those deaths almost brought her to her knees. “Please, help us,” a weak voice called from the corner. “Jeanine!” Lacy’s heart leapt in victory. “Thank God.” “Get us out of here.” Lacy whirled toward the lonesome gravel road. Someone was there. The car was moving steadily up the path toward the dead end and it was only a matter of seconds before her car was seen. She turned her attention back to the women. They both looked like they’d been to hell and back. Probably had. She reached for Jeanine’s hands but the shackles were secure. The visions that overpowered her leveled her to the ground; she wasn’t sure Jeanine could ever learn to live again even if she survived. Lacy forced herself to her feet and took Jeanine’s face into her hands. “Listen to me. Someone is coming and I have to go.” “Please don’t leave us,” the desperate voice of the other woman begged. She gave Jeanine’s head a shake to gather her attention. “Chris is here. Do you hear me? Chris is here.” “Chris.” Jeanine’s voice was weak but full of hope. “I will go get Chris,” Lacy promised. “I’m locking you in and I’m taking the key with me.” “Please hurry,” Jeanine cried. She sprinted out the door, slamming it closed behind her. She stuffed the key into her pocket, hoping that it would slow the killer down and he couldn’t get to his victims as easily. Her breath caught; he’d found her car. She hunkered beside a tree when she heard heavy footsteps making their way down the path. He was angry, and he would kill her if he found her. He sprinted past her on the trail, and she crept silently toward the car as he ran toward the well. He’d blocked her car, but that wasn’t a surprise. She darted into the depth of the forest, allowing her visions to lead her where a flashlight could not. She pulled the phone from her pocket, dialed Chris’s number as she struggled frantically through the dark forest. There wasn’t enough cellular signal to complete the call. Her lungs felt as if they were going to explode. The cold air assaulted them with each heavy breath she took. If she could make it to the roadway, maybe she could get a signal there. 68

She flipped the phone open again, running for her life, and for Jeanine’s life. When she pressed the send button the phone came to life, and she stopped in her tracks. The phone rang several times but was forwarded to voice mail. She stomped her foot then redialed the number. “Damn it Chris, answer the phone.” This was no time for him to decide that he needed to cut his ties with her. If he wanted to toss away their friendship then that was up to him but he needed to be an adult and answer the phone. The third time that she tried the call; she’d braced herself for failure. ~*~ Chris looked at his ringing phone and didn’t know what to do. Lacy had probably had enough time to start analyzing what had happened. If he answered the phone then he’d have to explain himself. She already knew the truth, she’d told him so; that didn’t mean he wanted to admit it. He glanced at the clock on the night stand; it was a few minutes until ten and it seemed she was determined to talk to him. What if she’d gotten a vision about Jeanine? What if she was trying to give him information and he was letting his pride stand in the way? He lifted the television remote from the arm of the recliner and lowered the volume. The phone stopped ringing again and he sighed with relief. Seconds later the phone rang to life again and it was Lacy. He lifted the phone from his lap, took a deep breath and pressed the button to answer the call. “Hello?” Chris answered. “Chris, this is Lacy,” she explained, her voice breathless. “I found Jeanine.” Chris jumped from the recliner as if it was on fire. “Where?” “Listen close and come quick.” Lacy’s voice broke. “He’s here. Pass the dead end road, go about four miles and turn on the first road to the left. She’s at the end of the second road to the right. She’s in an old well house. I can’t get her, she’s shackled to the wall. Chris, hurry.” He ran out of the hotel with nothing more than his boxers and the shoes he’d managed to snag onto his feet. He reached into the console for his spare key, started the engine and squealed tires from the parking lot. “Is she alive?” he asked. “Yes,” she said. “He’s coming, I’ve got to go.” “Who, Lacy?” he asked. “Who the hell is coming?” He looked at the phone, she’d cut the conversation short. He snapped the phone closed and flattened the accelerator to the floor. Why was she still in town? He’d checked her room and all her things were gone. The beautiful, stubborn woman had stayed in town and found his sister. He didn’t deserve a woman like her. Hell, he wasn’t too good for her, it was just the opposite. What in the hell would he do if the killer got Lacy? Worse, if he killed Lacy? 69

He flipped the phone open again, dialed 911 and waited for an answer. What kind of dispatcher didn’t answer a 911 call? Where was Deputy Greene? ~*~ Lacy crossed the main roadway and took a seat at the base of a big cypress tree. She could feel the evil creeping through the air and she could see the flashlight darting around in the woods, in search of her. She was safe for the moment, and she wouldn’t move until her intuitions warned her to do so. She’d known all along that it was Deputy Greene. The bastard put on a good act, but he couldn’t hide his true self from her gift. He was as evil as any man who’d ever walked the earth, more so than most. He was screaming her name, frantically seeking her out, and the sound of his voice told her that he would drop her like a deer on the opening day of hunting season if he ever found her. The minutes crept by and her heart pounded. David Greene made his way out into the main roadway, shining his light both ways. She lay flat on her back behind the big tree, depending on the senses that had never failed her. Fear hovered around her, creeping deeper into her lungs with each frantic breath. She had to remain calm and not let her emotions get the better of her. She couldn’t help Jeanine if she was dead. In the distance there was the sound of an engine screaming down the roadway. It was Chris. She sat up as the deputy ducked back into the woods and ran toward the well. Chris slid the SUV into the old dirt road, sending gravel flying as he accelerated toward the dead end. Lacy struggled to her feet and sprinted across the main roadway and down the spooky gravel road. She could see Chris’s taillights when he brought the vehicle to a stop. Her lungs were on fire, and her legs shrugged in spasms as she struggled to regain her strength. She pushed forward, forcing her muscles to comply, not caring if the world ended as long as she could get to Chris. If she couldn’t stop David Greene, he would kill Chris, too. ~*~ Chris slid the SUV to a stop by the cop car and sighed with relief that help had arrived. Or had it? He jumped from the vehicle and glanced toward Lacy’s car. The deputy’s car bumper was literally pressed against Lacy’s. Something didn’t look right about that. “Mr. Allen,” David Greene called from a distance within the woods. “Is that you?” “Deputy Greene?” Chris tightened himself against the thought that David Greene was the serial killer. “Did you find her?” “Lacy? No, I’ve searched everywhere,” Greene advised. “But I can’t find her.” Chris darted his face from side to side, then back toward Greene. “How did you know she was here?” 70

“She called me,” Greene advised. “She was frantic.” “My sister, where is she?” Chris looked around. “I don’t know,” Greene said. “That’s why I’m looking for Lacy. She told me to meet her here and she’d help me solve your sister’s case. Chris swallowed hard. None of it sounded right. Lacy wouldn’t have called Deputy Greene, and that was a fact. This bastard had Jeanine; he’d had her the entire time. Lacy told him on the phone that the killer was here, and the only person he’d found was Deputy Greene. He turned his face toward a darting flashlight and frantic footsteps that made their way down the gravel road. “Lacy?” he yelled. “Chris,” she screamed, struggling for each breath. “Watch out!” Chris glanced toward Deputy Greene then back to the running woman. He saw the deputy’s hand when he loosened the snap on his gun harness. He lunged toward the deputy, weighing him down with over two hundred and seventy pounds of Dallas Cowboy Defensive Lineman. The two crashed to the ground, struggling against each other in a battle to save or kill Lacy Chenault. ~*~ Lacy jerked open the door of the patrol car and reached inside for the standard-issue blackjack that she’d seen hanging in the car a dozen times. She ran toward the two, waiting for the opportunity to clobber the deputy with the club. When Chris managed to get his footing and pull the deputy up by his shirt, Lacy reared back and gave David Greene a good swift whack on the back of the head. He fell limp in Chris’s hands, then onto the gravel at his feet. Chris looked at her. “Lace, are you okay?” “I’m fine.” Her voice barely came. “Is Jeanine okay?” he asked. “She’s alive,” Lacy said. “They’re both alive.” “Let’s do something with this piece of shit.” Chris kicked Deputy Greene. Chris bent down, jerked the deputy off the ground and carried him to a small cypress tree. He dropped him on the ground, and handcuffed him to the tree with his own handcuffs. Lacy collapsed onto the ground; all the running, excitement and affect the visions had on her was just too much to bear. He moved toward her, guilt ravaging him when he pulled her into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Lace.” She opened her eyes and looked at him then pressed a key into his hand. “Jeanine is down that path about a quarter of a mile. I don’t think I can make it.” He opened the back door of his SUV and sat her inside, where she collapsed into the seat in exhaustion. “I’ll be right back,” he promised. 71

Chris took Lacy’s flashlight into his hand and ran down the path she’d indicated. He couldn’t believe that Jeanine was alive; he’d hoped and prayed that she would be but he’d never expected it. A few moments into the run he could see a small building in the distance. He ran harder, activating every muscle in his body to work at its peak. His big feet assaulted the ground, pounding loudly, with a determination he’d never known until this moment. He inserted the key, jerked the door open and fell to his knees when the screams of two women echoed in his ears. Tears streamed down his face; tears of joy and tears for the part of her life that Jeanine would never get back. He ran to her, examined the shackles on her hands and reached into his pocket for the handcuff keys. He slid the key into the first lock, and it opened with ease. Jeanine wrapped her arm around him then collapsed into his chest when he freed her other hand. “Thank God, you came.” Jeanine’s voice was weak and hollow. ~*~ Lacy struggled to regain her composure, but the visions had hit her so hard that she’d burned up her energy trying to follow them. Then there was the matter of having to run for her life. She flipped open her phone and looked at it; there was no signal. She needed to call for help; Jeanine would need an ambulance. She steadied herself against the vehicle door as she stepped out and made her way to the cop car. They needed help and the radio in that car was a good way to get it. She opened the door and struggled into the seat. She collapsed onto the steering wheel as images of him torturing those women assaulted her. The sick bastard liked to daydream about what he’d done to them, then he’d pleased himself time after time inside that car. She forced her hand toward the microphone and pressed the trigger. “Can anyone here me?” She called once, twice then three times before a voice finally answered. “This is LHP 68. Who are you?” Lacy swallowed hard then keyed the microphone again. “My name is Lacy Chenault and I need help. I’m in Grandsbury, Louisiana.” The voice answered time after time as she gave directions to her location. The Louisiana highway patrolman summoned an ambulance to the location and was headed their way, siren screaming.

72

TEN Lacy sighed and wished she could get her car out, but it was stuck in the maze of cop, FBI and coroner vehicles at the crime scene. She wanted to go back to her room and curl up on the floor. There were too many images floating around like leaves in the wind. She hadn’t needed to look down the well to know what was there; she’d seen it since the first day she drove into town. Wherever her information came from, it had showed her long ago that the women were stacked into the cylinder, or well. She didn’t want to see it again. She’d already seen the shackles and torture devices, too. Chris had left over three hours ago, following the ambulance, and the smile on his face said what words could not. He was elated to have found Jeanine, more so to tell his parents that she was alive. He’d looked over his shoulder before he sat down into his vehicle, and even if Lacy hadn’t got the energy from the action, she would have known he was looking for her. At that moment, however, she was tied up with the FBI agents who’d just arrived. Until then, she’d thought that nothing could be worse than the questions from the state police. She’d been wrong. The situation that was unfolding before her eyes would go on for many more hours, but she needed rest. It was too far to walk into town, and she didn’t know anyone but Chris. She could always ask one of the policemen or the sheriff to take her into town but considering the circumstances around the excitement she didn’t feel safe doing that. “Excuse me,” Lacy tapped a state policeman, near her own age, on the shoulder. “Could you possibly help me get my car out of this mess?” His smile was comforting and his blue eyes made her feel warm. “Sure thing, ma’am.” She watched as the man spun into action, tracking down the respective owners of the vehicles that blocked the little foreign car at the side of the roadway. He knew that she was tired and she was thankful that she didn’t have to explain. Little more than fifteen minutes later she was backing her car from its spot and toward the main roadway. If it hadn’t been for that state policeman she would have been stuck there the rest of the night and most of 73

the day. She backed into the roadway, pulled the car into drive and pressed the accelerator lightly. This little town already felt different—the evil wasn’t gone but it was contained. The presence wasn’t drifting through the air like a bad disease, but felt more like it was in a corked bottle. She’d watched as one of the FBI agents stuffed a handcuffed David Greene into the backseat of a black SUV. It had made her heart feel good. For the first time since her arrival in this town she was looking forward to getting inside a hotel room and resting. Even on the floor, she was certain that rest would come. It had taken every ounce of energy inside her to decipher the information that came relentlessly to her. It had overexerted her to follow those clues to the location. Being forced to run for her life, however, had drained her to a point that demanded sleep. She stepped from her car and took a deep breath. The night air was cool but free of the energy that made her hate this place. The dogs were silent, with the exception of a tiny little voice that came from across the street. It was a toy dog, letting his owner know that another guest had rolled into the motel lot. Lacy took a second deep breath, released it quickly and shook her head with disbelief. This entire ordeal was like something that would happen in the movies. The door pushed gently open as she twisted the knob. She walked inside and looked around the room. It wasn’t a five star but something told her she was about to get rest that was equivalent to that in a five star. She didn’t waste any time getting into the shower, hoping to wash away the residual energy that had settled on her like pollen on a car hood. Her heart leapt at the sound of a car door. She’d have to remember that she was in a motel and not at home. She peeled back the shower curtain, toweled her long brown hair then began the task of drying her legs. Rap…rap…rap…came a knock on the door. No one knew that she was here and although she didn’t get any bad energy from whoever it was, she didn’t like the idea of four a.m. guests. She reached for the robe she’d laid on the vanity and looked at the front door. What was a girl to do in such a situation? There wasn’t any way in hell that she could get help if she needed it. Every cop within a hundred mile radius had converged at the well house site outside of town. Rap…rap…rap…came the knock, again. She swallowed hard, lifted her hand and hoped to channel enough energy to figure out who it could be. No luck. Tired, weary feet carried her forward, her heart pounding out a rhythm that was far too familiar to her tonight. She almost jumped out of her skin when she neared the door and the sound came a third time. Rap….rap…rap. She blinked, realizing that whoever it was didn’t intend to give up. “Open the door Lace, it’s me,” Chris’s voice called from outside. She exhaled a deep breath, her shoulders sinking with relief. She 74

reached for the door, deactivated the locks and pulled it open. “You scared me half to death.” “I’m sorry.” He swallowed hard. “I was on my way back to the well to check on you when I saw you pull in here.” She could sense his pounding heart; he was uncomfortable and she didn’t like that. Perhaps he thought that she was about to propose to him. It seemed that he’d forgotten that she was a freak; that she was fluent in the language of rejection. Sure, it hurt that he was willing to give up the search for Jeanine rather than continue a working relationship with Lacy. She’d survive; she always survived. “Come on in.” Lacy motioned. “How’s Jeanine?” “Physically she seems in fairly decent shape,” Chris explained. “Mentally she has a long way to go. They actually restricted her visitors until the hospital shrink comes on duty at ten.” Lacy closed the door behind him. “She’ll be okay; it will just take some time.” Chris spun toward her. “Well, thanks to you she has plenty of time.” There, he’d said thank you. That was why he’d knocked on her door—he needed to show a bit of gratitude before he threw her from his life. He probably thought she’d cry like a little girl, but she’d given up crying over such things years ago. Lacy’s gift had saved Jeanine’s life but it made her own heart hard against rejection. She’d learned early in life that she’d never be like everyone else and she’d never be accepted; that was just the way life was for Lacy Chenault. Lacy smiled and trailed her eyes down the length of him and back up. “Where did you get the scrubs?” He tilted back his head and laughed. “So, I guess I’m the only person who didn’t realize that I was running around in my underwear?” “Well, it’s pretty hard to miss a big guy like you in his skivvies.” Lacy took a seat on the bed and hoped that she cloaked the fact that she was about to collapse from exhaustion. “Could you use a little company?” he asked. She blinked. That was a very strange question, but after what she’d been through it didn’t really matter. There were two beds, not that she’d be capable of using one. “Sure, grab a bed.” “I’d rather grab a shower, if that’s okay with you?” She swallowed hard, visibly so, but didn’t deny him the right. She gestured toward the bathroom and reached into her travel bag to retrieve her hairbrush. When the shower came on it was like a ball of fire exploded inside her. What in the heck was he doing in her shower? Granted, it could probably be easily explained by the fact that he was as tired as she. He’d been in this little town for two weeks, worried sick about Jeanine, not knowing if she was dead or alive. Lacy jerked on her far-too-skimpy-for-company pajamas and 75

grabbed her towel. By the time the bathroom door opened she was snuggled into her safe spot in the floor. She felt his eyes on her, but she didn’t move. He probably thought she was insane but he didn’t know what beds did to her. “Okay, get up,” his voice demanded. She rolled toward him, and struggled to breathe when she found him standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist. What did he have on beneath that towel? “What?” she asked. “Tonight you sleep in the bed.” He motioned her from the floor and flipped down the covers on one of the beds. “I don’t do well in beds,” she explained. “You’ve already told me that.” He confirmed with a nod. “I want you to try.” She swallowed hard and rose to her feet. He moaned when she tossed her beach towel onto her suitcase. “Get in here,” his gruff voice ordered. She crawled into the bed, visions invading her the instant she was flat on her back. This wasn’t going to work, but she’d wait for him to get to sleep, then she’d resume her spot on the floor. She heard the towel when it hit the floor but she forced herself not to look. It wasn’t easy. The bed squeaked. Her bed. She turned wide eyes toward him and he laughed at the look on her face. “Relax, I’m harmless,” he teased. It wasn’t him that she was worried about. She couldn’t keep her mouth from watering, but she tried. “Men like you aren’t harmless.” “Men like me?” he questioned. “You know what I mean,” she replied. He reached to the lamp beside the bed and turned it off. “Well, actually no. Maybe you could explain that to me when we wake up.” She rolled her eyes. He wasn’t that crazy, she knew better. ~*~ Chris sighed; it was obvious that Lacy was miserable in the bed. He’d have to order a new bed before she came to visit in Dallas. Of course, there was the matter of the model that was most likely asleep in his bed right now. He just couldn’t fight it anymore. The battle had been too long and he was weak from the fight. He wanted Lacy. He had always wanted Lacy. At the first sign of her waking, he’d tell her so. “Free porn, again?” his voice cut through the darkness with a low rumble. “Yep, and in a place like this one, there seems to be lots of it.” She released a loud breath. This was his chance; it was time to put up or shut up. If he wanted her then he needed to take her. If not then he needed to roll over and go to sleep. He reached up and flipped the lamp on beside the bed, turned toward 76

her and propped himself up on his elbow. She was flat on her back and turned her eyes toward him as she squinted against the light. She had a natural beauty about her that no one else had. He leaned toward her as his heart pounded harder than the night they’d won the Super Bowl. His lips touched hers softly, but it only took a few seconds for the kiss to heat into something scorching hot. His hand pulled the skimpy blue panties from her body with little effort, and his finger found her wetness just as quickly. He moaned as she arched into his touch. The look on her face made his erection throb in demand, but a woman like Lacy needed a little warm up. He rolled his eyes, feeling the gushing wetness of need. He teased her clitoris, and with each swipe across it she moaned louder, arched higher and made him harder. She felt wonderful and he’d always known she would. She was tight, and it had been a long time since he’d had such a pleasure. “Oh, Chris,” she begged. “That feels so good.” How in the hell was she managing to make him so hot? He felt as if he would explode at any moment. He couldn’t take it any longer. He rolled toward her, mounting her with little thought to precaution or care. He’d wanted her for so long that it just seemed right. ~*~ Lacy’s heart threatened to jump out of her chest. Chris Allen was naked in her bed, actually atop her. His kiss had left her smoldering like a campfire log. His hand left her not knowing her own name. She willed the visions to stop. She wanted to enjoy this. He’d hate himself in the morning; it came to her as clear as day but she wouldn’t stop him. For once in her life she wanted to know the feeling of being with someone who knew the real her. He knew that she was a freak but he was in her bed. It was unbelievable that it was happening and it was most likely out of guilt and gratitude. She’d take it. He moaned when he slid into her wetness and she wasn’t sure which was the most erotic, the sound or the feeling that rolled through her body like an advancing wave. With each motion she lost a bit more control, until there was nothing left of her but the raw passion he’d released. She couldn’t get close enough; part of her wanted to crawl into his chest and live there. The wave that continued to advance within her grew stronger as his lips teased the skin on her throat. He was as gifted at lovemaking as he was on the football field. She wrapped her legs around him, needing more, never wanting to let him go. A growl rumbled from his chest and he tilted back his head and gave in to her desires. The powerful wave consumed them, as they battled to stay afloat. They reached for each other, struggling for each breath, willing to drown for what they were feeling. Each stroke sent them reeling toward the shoreline, carried by the roar of the wave. With a loud moan she gave her release; the waved rolled 77

onto the shoreline and broke with a passionate crash then recoiled to assault the sand again. He joined her on the second break, as the wave crashed against the sand, sending a gentle spray into the air. ~*~ Chris lay silent, as Lacy struggled against some sort of demon. He wasn’t sure if he’d caused the struggle or not. He was sure, however, that it had been a mutual thing and she’d needed him as badly as he’d needed her. “Come here.” He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. She snuggled into his chest, her head resting on his arm. Within seconds there was the gentle hum of her sleep. He nodded; he’d always known that she was in love with him. He’d always looked for and found an excuse not to let it happen. He was too worried about other people and what they’d think. Hell, it didn’t matter what they thought. He was a grown man and had lost fifteen years with the woman he loved because of what other people might think. He was secure in himself; he didn’t need a model on his arm to be accepted. If he did, screw it. He didn’t want the model, he wanted Lacy. He lifted the hand that was wrapped across his chest, pressed it against his lip and wished it was morning. Technically it was morning, but he had to remember that Lacy had been up all night channeling the energy that led her straight to Jeanine. ~*~ The ring of a cellular phone roused Chris and Lacy from their rest. He reached for it and pressed it against his ear. His eyes popped open and he sprang from the bed. It was Teresa calling to get an update on Jeanine. He paced and pushed his hand over his head and searched for words. He found none. “I came to my room to rest,” he explained. “They aren’t allowing her to have any visitors until the hospital psychiatrist comes on duty at ten.” He could feel Lacy’s eyes on him as he tried to lie his way out of an unacceptable situation. She probably knew who was on the phone, and what was going through his mind. What in the world had he done? “That’s okay, it’s time for me get back down there anyway,” he explained as he walked confidently to the bathroom and picked up his scrubs. “I’ll give you a call once we talk with the doctors.” He snapped the phone closed and locked eyes with Lacy. “I have to get back to the hospital.” Lacy nodded, yawned and pulled the covers up. “I’m heading home today.” He felt transparent, as if she could see his every thought. He nodded in slow confirmation. “Please be careful.” “I will, don’t worry.” This was the point in his life when he had to admit to Lacy and to himself that they could never be together. He’d thought he could handle the 78

pressure of being with someone like Lacy; he couldn’t. He wasn’t ready to admit that he loved her; he didn’t think he would ever be. Once and for all he had to face it; no more running. He had to end his relationship with Lacy; that included their friendship. He could never get over his feelings for her if they kept in touch. It would be hard enough to live with the fact that the woman loved him enough to risk her life against a serial killer to save his sister. That wasn’t something he wanted to think about on a long cold night; he would, however. He sat on the foot of the bed, pulled on his shoes then made the walk to the door. “Hey, Lacy? About what happened.” She motioned him away, never meeting his eyes. He swallowed hard, and wondered what kind of hell he’d gotten himself into. He’d made the decision before he did it, that it was Lacy he wanted to be with. Suddenly, he was changing his mind out of fear. He looked away then turned his attention back to her; he had to face her and get it done once and for all. “Lacy?” She turned in the bed and met his eyes. “Yeah? “I’m going to the hospital and I won’t be back,” he said weakly. She gave her head a slow nod. “I know, just go.” “Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” he asked again. “I understand,” she managed to say. “Just go.”

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ELEVEN Lacy sighed with relief when she saw the Welcome to Grandbury sign in her rearview mirror. She’d taken the first opportunity to get in her car and drive away. She had to; there wasn’t anything here for her. She had known last night before they’d had sex that he would regret it when morning came; she’d accepted it. When Teresa had called his heart thudded like a runaway horse’s feet. He couldn’t believe that he’d allowed himself to crawl into her bed. He had to end it once and for all; the tension from his thoughts had almost choked her. She would never hear from him again but that was okay; for one night she’d known love. She’d come to this town to find a missing woman and she’d done that. Like a dozen other times in her life she’d completed a task and was ready to move on. Deep down she knew that she’d never move on from this moment; the love that she felt for Chris would always haunt her. She needed to remember that he couldn’t be happy with someone like her; she wouldn’t want him to suffer the rejection and humiliation that went along with being near her. It was time to let him go; her oldest and dearest friend wasn’t a part of her life anymore. She couldn’t say that she was proud to have been right about the women in the well. She would have easily accepted being wrong, but that wasn’t the case. Twenty one women had lost their lives in the small Louisiana town. One man had also died. It appeared that Howard Smith had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Lacy’s hands shook; the visions still danced in her head like flashes from a Roman candle. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get it out of her mind. The bad thing was that the reality was as awful as the visions. Now, she had to deal with both. ~*~ Chris took a deep breath and walked into the hospital waiting room. The distinguished lady wearing the reading glasses with a gold chain was his mother. The bald man up to his elbows in the sports magazine was his father. “Any word?” Victoria Allen looked up, smiled faintly then laid down her 80

gardening magazine. She lifted her arms toward him. “They’re going to keep her one more night, then we’re having her transported to Oklahoma City.” Chris opened his arms and moved closer; it was so hard for him to accept that his mother could no longer walk without those damn crutches. “That’s great.” He turned his attention to the handshake and man hug that Aaron, his dad, offered. It was great that they were there to take over Jeanine’s care because he wanted to get out of this God-forsaken town. “We understand that little Lacy Chenault came down from Chicago and helped find Jeanine?” Victoria asked as she removed her glasses and allowed the chain to catch them. Even in her weak state, every hair was in place and she was dressed like a queen. A smile teased his lips; Lacy wasn’t a little girl anymore. “Yes, ma’am, she did.” “Where is she now?” Aaron settled back into the chair and reached for the magazine. “Mom and I would love to thank her.” Chris took a deep breath then shook his head. “She headed back toward Chicago this morning. Lacy isn’t one that likes to draw attention, so she left.” If he hadn’t acted like an idiot, his parents could thank Lacy for finding Jeanine. Why in the hell had he had sex with her? How had he managed to convince himself that he wanted to be with her forever? “Well, you can give us her phone number and we’ll give her a call,” Aaron said. “Yes, sir,” Chris said with a nod. “The sheriff told us that Lacy was able to drive right to the location where Jeanine was being held,” his mother stated. Chris swallowed hard. “Yes, ma’am, she did. She risked her life to save Jeanine. Greene almost caught her there and for the love of God I can’t figure out why she would take a chance like that.” “I guess that proves it.” Aaron looked toward Victoria. “You were right.” “About what?” Chris asked. “Lacy,” Aaron answered. “What about her?” Chris took a seat next to his mother. “I’ve always said that Lacy was in love with you.” Victoria adjusted herself in her seat and smiled at Chris. “Lacy in love with me?” He fought the helpless feeling that engulfed him. “I don’t think so, she’s never even hinted to such a thing.” He needed to know what his mother thought but his pride wouldn’t allow him to ask. “Oh no, Lacy always kept it close to heart that she was different,” Victoria explained. “She had such an old spirit; it amazed me how she could hold her feelings inside.” 81

Chris could feel tears twisting their way up his throat; he didn’t like it. He cleared his throat and smiled. “Old spirit?” “She reminded me of a wise old lady,” Victoria said. “She knew that she didn’t fit in and she accepted it without hesitation. So many times I saw her look at you and I could feel her pain. Somehow she always managed to hold it inside and be what you needed her to be.” His mom was right, Lacy always managed to be what he needed her to be; she always accepted whatever type of relationship he offered. Last night he’d crawled into her bed, made love to her then tried to make excuses this morning. Lacy hadn’t made a big scene; she’d simply accepted the situation the way it suited him and pushed forward. He’d ended their relationship; and she’d accept it. She’d put her life in Chicago on hold to come here and help find Jeanine; she’d done so on a request from a friend she hadn’t seen in fifteen years. Since she’d been here she’d done everything in her power to make it easy for him; she’d even told him point blank that she didn’t need to stay in the same hotel because Teresa wouldn’t like it. Now that his mother mentioned it, Lacy had always tried to make things easy for him. She had accepted his friendship, as-is without question; as his needs changed so did the friendship and she’d always gone along with his wishes. What kind of person would date a girl then drop her because of what someone else thought? Not only had he dropped her, he’d told her why and said he could only be her friend if she agreed to keep it a secret. He owed Lacy an apology, if nothing else. She’d risked her life to save Jeanine, and it was obvious that Jeanine would have died had it not been for Lacy. “What are you saying, Mom?” “I’m not saying anything, Son.” Victoria looked into his eyes. “I just always thought that you missed out on a good girl because you were afraid of what people would say.” “What’s wrong with Teresa?” Chris asked defensively. “Nothing is wrong with Teresa.” Victoria reached for his hand. “Stop putting words in my mouth. None of it matters now.” She was wrong; it did matter now, more than ever. He couldn’t change the past but the future was something that he could influence. Deep in his heart he’d always thought that Lacy loved him but until this moment he didn’t realize that she loved him enough that his mother had seen it on Lacy’s face. Everyone, excluding his family, had always loved him for what he did. It wasn’t a coincidence that Teresa had been involved with a hockey player before she met him; a model needed someone like him by her side. If Lacy loved him it was because he was Chris Baker, plain and simple. She hadn’t cared that he was a sports star in high school or that he was a professional football player now; she loved from the heart. “Then what’s all this about Lacy?” Victoria furrowed her brow and studied him. “I might ask you the same question. I was simply stating something that I noticed in the past. I am 82

deeply indebted to her and I feel guilty that I don’t even know her now.” He nodded his head and swallowed hard. Damn it, this was a horrible situation. He loved Lacy Chenault and that was that. He had two choices: he could keep on denying it or he could admit it. “She’s the same as always,” Chris said. “That girl was always pretty as a speckled pup.” Aaron gave his head a nod. “I hate that I missed her.” Chris swallowed hard; his dad was right. Lacy was always a pretty girl, there was no doubt about that. If a guy just glanced at Lacy he’d swear that she could be the woman of his dreams; then the truth about the gift would come out. She had the bluest eyes he’d ever seen and the curves of her body weren’t fake. “She still is.” “And?” Victoria rubbed her hand on his knee. “Do I hear some hesitation in your voice?” He smiled at his mother. “I guess I’d just forgotten how pretty she was.” ~*~ Lacy pulled into the parking lot of the hospital; she wanted to check on Jeanine before she left town. She already knew that Mr. and Mrs. Allen were there so the situation wouldn’t be nearly as awkward as just facing Chris. She pushed the waiting room door open and stepped inside; she’d stopped a conversation in its tracks. Chris sprang to his feet and she swallowed against the feeling that engulfed her; she’d been with him last night and she couldn’t believe it. Now that she’d had Chris she could manage to go on with her life. It was odd but he was the one conquest in her life that she’d never got over failing. “Lace.” Chris moved toward her. “I thought you were gone.” She smiled. “I wanted to check on Jeanine before I hit the road.” “Help me, Christopher,” Victoria’s voice demanded as she struggled to get to her feet. He reached for her, aiding her in getting the crutches onto her arms. “Lacy Chenault,” Victoria said. “You sweet girl, thank you so much for coming.” Lacy stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Victoria. “Mrs. Victoria, it’s so good to see you.” Victoria found her way back onto the sofa and patted the seat beside her. “Thank you so much for finding Jeanine.” Lacy swallowed hard. “I’m glad I could help but don’t let Chris fool you, he would have found her.” “There is no way to repay the debt that we owe you, Lacy,” Aaron said with tear-filled eyes. “Thank you isn’t enough.” Lacy cleared her throat and changed the subject. “How is she?” Chris took a seat beside her but she figured she better not look his 83

way. He was probably angry with her for coming here; he’d said good bye at the hotel for a reason. He hadn’t planned to ever see her again. “Physically she will be fine,” Victoria said. “Emotionally she has a long road ahead of her.” “With your help she’ll be fine.” Lacy nodded. “If there is ever anything that we can do for you, Lacy, please don’t hesitate to contact us,” Victoria offered. “We will gladly pay you for your time.” “Oh, no, ma’am.” Lacy gave her head a hard shake. “It was my pleasure to help but I do have to get on the road.” She could feel the energy coming off Chris; his chest was burning and she assumed it was humiliation. Perhaps she shouldn’t have come here. She hadn’t wanted to make things harder for him but she’d wanted nothing more than to see him and his family one last time. Forever was a long time and she knew that when she got back to Chicago she’d never hear from him again. “Thanks for all your help, Lace.” Chris opened his arms to her. “You saved Jeanine’s life.” She took a deep breath and stepped into his arms; a flood of mixed emotions slammed her. She needed to get away from him and never look back. “You take care of yourself.” She pulled away and patted him on the chest. “Thanks, you too.” She hugged his parents one last time; this five minute stop had been a mistake. His stress level was through the roof and she felt guilty because of it. Last night he wasn’t stressed but it had all changed this morning when he’d realized what had happened. She lifted her hand and waved; it was easier than looking at the man she loved and saying good-bye for the last time. ~*~ “Damn, Son,” Aaron laughed. “Is the bus going to have to run you over before you wake up?” “What are you talking about?” Chris locked eyes with his father. “A beautiful woman loves you enough to risk her life saving your sister,” Aaron explained. “Are you going to let her leave?” “Stop it, Aaron,” Victoria warned. “He has Teresa in his life and she is a lovely girl.” “She sure is,” Aaron agreed. “How many hours did she help in the search for your sister?” “That’s not fair, Dad,” Chris corrected. “Teresa has to work.” “Lacy doesn’t work?” Aaron lifted his brows. “Or did she think enough of you to just put her life on the backburner to be here for you?” “Damn it, Dad!” 84

What in the hell were his parents trying to prove? They were only making things worse; he needed someone to tell him why Lacy was wrong for him. “It’s the truth, Son,” Aaron said. “Forever is a long time. If you were put out of football today, how long do you think Teresa would be around?” Chris furrowed his brow. “I’m not out of football.” “Ask your mother,” Aaron suggested. “She’s still in love with you,” Victoria said. “But it’s a decision that you have to make on your own.” ~*~ Lacy pulled in to a very upscale hotel and handed her key to the parking attendant. She looped her night bag over her shoulder and proceeded into the building. She was desperate for a good night’s sleep and a place like this was a likely choice. The energy inside would be more relaxed, and far less likely to be a one-hour pit stop for a cheating couple from the next town. She’d driven until she just couldn’t do it anymore. As long as her credit cards worked, she wouldn’t have to. She accepted the key card from the front counter, nodded politely at the hostess and turned toward the elevators. Her eyes were heavy and she wanted nothing more than to get into a nice warm bed and fall asleep. The room was average size; the bed was anything but. She tossed her bag onto the oversized plush square chair at the corner of the room near a big plate glass window. She looked out the window and rested her eyes on the waters of the muddy Mississippi River as they floated gracefully toward the Gulf of Mexico. So many people had lost their lives in that river; thankfully she wasn’t getting any of that energy at the moment. She drew the heavy dark blue drapes and smoothed her fingers over the camel- colored material of a chair. The bed looked very comfortable, and probably was, but only time would tell if she could sleep in it. She pulled her robe from her bag, tossed it across the foot of the bed and moved closer. She threw back the covers, stripped down to her panties and crawled between the soft, cool sheets. She sniffed the sheets but didn’t find the kill-anything industrial smell that she expected. It was a softer smell, something that she might have used in her own home. The bed was one of the most comfortable that she’d ever lain on and she knew instantly that this would be a wonderful night. ~*~ Chris shook Sheriff Lundy’s hand then turned to leave his office. He’d gone there to get the details he’d missed when he’d sprinted off to the hospital to help care for Jeanine. The information he’d gathered would be a good way to call Lacy and break the ice. She was probably mad as hell at him, and she had every reason to be. But there was something she didn’t know. The next time he saw her face to face he’d make her his forever. He made his way out of the sheriff’s office and looked at his watch. 85

She’d been gone for almost five hours and he wondered where she’d stopped for the night. He needed to find out because he was about to blow her mind. He’d never been a guy to throw around money, but today would be different. He planned to be with her tonight and it didn’t matter how much money it took to do it. He took a deep breath and pressed Lacy’s number into the keypad of his phone. If she’d answer the phone then he stood a chance of making her is own. ~*~ Lacy reached to the nightstand beside the bed and picked up her phone. Her blood ran cold. It was Chris; she hadn’t expected to ever hear from him again. She took a deep breath. “Hello?” “Hey, Lace,” Chris said in an uncertain voice. “I’m glad you answered.” “How’s Jeanine?” “She’s doing okay,” he replied. “Mom and Dad are staying in Grandbury with her until tomorrow, then they are flying her back to a hospital in Oklahoma City so they can keep an eye on her.” “That’s great.” Lacy closed her eyes and tilted her head back onto her pillow. “I talked to Sheriff Lundy this afternoon,” Chris explained. “He caught me up on the details of what happened after I left the well.” “Really?” she asked. “What did he tell you?” She listened as he explained the things that had happened in Grandbury. The lead FBI agent had speculated that Howard Smith had happened upon Deputy Greene in possession of an incapacitated Jeanine. He’d most likely killed Howard because he’d seen too much and driven his truck to a hidden location to get it off the road. Jeanine’s car would have been left behind with the patrol car and Sheriff Lundy had found Jeanine’s car shortly after midnight. Greene, who’d swept back in on his ATV, had spotted the sheriff’s car along the roadside with his own. He’d simply driven deep into the woods, hidden the ATV and walked out of the dense trees to the sheriff’s location. When he’d told the sheriff that he’d been searching the woods, it had all been easily explained. Jeanine’s car had left the sheriff baffled, and the missing person report and investigation had ensued. “The FBI brought in a chopper today and found twenty three vehicles hidden in the woods near the well; one of them was Howard Smith’s old red truck.” He explained that he’d seen pictures of the back of the well house, which was covered with graffiti. The graffiti was a black and white checkerboard with the words Electric Rain centered on it. Upon further investigation he’d learned that Electric Rain was actually a 1980s high school heavy metal band. 86

The well, dug in the 1950s, was one of eighteen used to furnish the town and factories with water. When they had drilled new wells in the 1970s, the old ones were taken out of commission and sealed off. The name of the pumping station where Jeanine was held was Grandbury Municipal Well #16. There were so many things going on in her mind that she didn’t need any reminders of what she’d seen. He had given her the details as if she needed proof. Proof was the last thing she needed; there wasn’t a single doubt that her visions were right. “So where are you staying tonight?” he asked. “St. Louis,” she answered, wondering why he’d called to torture her. She could still feel him and the smell of him was still in her lungs. He had no business teasing her when it was painfully obvious that he had no long-term intentions with her. “What hotel?” he quizzed. “They have some beautiful hotels in St. Louis.” She furrowed her brow but answered anyway. “Grand Harbor Landing.” “Sounds nice,” his voice teased a bit too much for her. “It is very nice,” she admitted. ~*~ Chris made his way into the office of the small Grandbury, LA, airfield and looked around the room. He’d made special arrangements to charter a helicopter to a specific St. Louis, Missouri address. He’d been told to go to the front counter, and Captain Roger Williams would meet him there. “Mr. Allen?” A voice caught his attention as door opened on the right side of the room. “I have our bird ready to fly.” Chris reached into his pocket and pulled out the roll of cash. “Thank you so much doing this.” “No problem.” The man, in his mid-thirties, shook his head as he took the money and offered up a handshake. “She must be a special girl.” “I’ll say.” Chris fought a grin. “And it’s high time that she believe it, too.” He had no luggage, just a bouquet of red roses that he’d dragged the florist out in the middle of the night to buy. He took the passenger seat in the front of the aircraft and watched as Captain Williams worked his magic. “Military?” Captain Williams shook his head. “I was a chopper pilot in the Coast Guard for ten years.” Chris gave his head a firm shake, and wished the butterflies in his chest would drop dead. They only fluttered more when the helicopter lifted off the ground. He was really about to do it. He was going to St. Louis to claim Lacy Chenault as his own. 87

He’d picked up the phone twice to call Teresa but he just didn’t think he could dump the woman over the phone. She deserved to have him look her in the eyes and explain the situation. He wasn’t looking forward to it. He talked to Captain Williams about everything from helicopters to the Super Bowl during the flight. It seemed that keeping his mind off what he was doing settled his nerves. When Captain Williams made preparations to land on the helicopter pad on the hotel grounds, Chris’s stomach did back flips. The chopper touched down on the pad near the tennis courts with a gentle shake. He looked toward Captain Williams and took a deep breath and released it. “Wish me luck.” “Should I wait?” Captain Williams grinned. “Are you kidding, man? I wouldn’t admit she turned me down even if it was caught on camera.” Captain Williams laughed, lifted his hand and gave Chris a salute. “Good luck, and take care.” ~*~ Lacy opened her eyes and looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was just short of one a.m. and some idiot was knocking on her door. She lay there, hoping that whoever it was would go away. They did not. She flipped the cover back, reached for her robe and wrapped it around her. She looked through the peephole and stood shocked. It was Chris outside her door. What in the hell was he doing there? She pulled the door open and stared out at him. She shook her head slowly. “What in the world are you doing?” “Can I come in?” She turned away from the door and motioned him inside. She shook her head in confirmation but she wanted an answer to her question. It wasn’t really important why he was there, but that insecure part of her that was always on the defensive needed to know. “Let’s try something.” Chris reached both his hands toward her, motioned for her to place hers into his. “You tell me why I’m here.” Images invaded her mind, dancing like an old silent movie, but that wasn’t all. Feelings and emotions latched onto her like an alligator in the death roll. She couldn’t tell him what she was seeing because it appeared that she was seeing what she wished, rather than reality. She shook her head, looked into his eyes. “I don’t know.” “Then why are you shaking?” he teased. “I know you see it.” There wasn’t anything funny about what he was doing, but maybe he was getting some kind of special kick out of it. “Sometimes I see things, sometimes I don’t.” He pulled her into his arms and crushed his lips against her so quickly that it took her breath. His hands wrapped around her back, seduced her as they traveled with need up to her neck. When his fingers pushed 88

through her hair, forcing her to give into the kiss, she threw her arms around him. It was the longest, most passionate kiss that Lacy had ever known, and Chris had grunted in protest when he quit. “Now what do you see?” Her knees were knocking. “If you had any idea how confused I am right now you wouldn’t ask questions of me.” He tilted back his head and laughed. She couldn’t fight the urge to join him. He had her so screwed up that she was seeing a future with him. Not just phone calls and birthday cards but a real future. Her mind was filled with images of a ranch in Dallas that made South Fork look like a cardboard box. She was seeing a ring on her finger, and her name alongside his on the mailbox. When she turned back toward him, he was holding a dozen red roses. Her breath caught and she cupped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, my God.” “I’ve fought it for fifteen years, Lace,” he admitted as he handed the roses to her. “I can’t fight it anymore.” Tears glided down her cheeks like rain. “There are so many things in my life that are screwed up right now. Things that I’ll have to change right away, but I can and I will.” She blinked and hoped that the landmines going off in her body weren’t visible from the outside. “What are you saying?” “I’m here because I can’t get you out of my mind. I want you and I can’t deny it. I want you in my life.” “You can’t be serious,” her tone questioned more than stated. “I’m very serious.” He moved toward her, and reengaged her in a smoldering kiss. She jumped into his arms. “What girl doesn’t want her very own Cowboy?”

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About Arlene Arlene Knowell lives with her husband in a small town in North Mississippi. She is a lifelong animal lover and enjoys working with her agility dogs when time permits. Working full time and managing a home leaves little time for hobbies but she finds time to escape her troubles and responsibilities by writing. She loves to travel and hopes that someday she and her husband can retire and travel extensively. Until then however, the rat race continues, and she learns day by day that it isn’t about who finishes the race first, but rather who stops to appreciate the sunsets along the way.

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