Page 16 of A Touch of Murder (Touched #1)

"Thirty-two, so not far behind you. Definitely not old enough to use the term 'feeling my age' yet. I figure that comes well after forty." Adam arched his head back and looked up at the darkening sky. "I feel younger since getting out of the city, that's for sure."

"Fresh air does that." Barret glanced down over the crowd as they slowly made their way to the seats.

"I hate this event even has to happen. People should feel safe here.

This isn't a town where you're always watching over your shoulder.

Hell, half the town probably doesn't even lock their doors at night. I guess times are changing."

"One crime doesn't make it unsafe. It just reminds people there is evil out there and to be careful.

I feel for the family. I wish there was more I could do, but then I also worry I'm making it worse because of what I do.

I know you're upset I told them she was dead, but I swore years ago never to lie or hide information.

I might hide details like how scared Trina was or details about the attack, but things that matter, like being dead or alive, they need to know that stuff.

It's not easy to tell someone a loved one is dead, or a pet they lost is no longer alive, but in my mind, it's better than lying to them and giving them false hope. " Adam sank down on the bench.

"I was upset, but mostly because for one, I didn't believe you, and for two, the parents came in furious at us, thinking we were lying to them or not doing our job.

I'm not as confident in your abilities as you are.

When you say you know someone is alive or dead, that's truth to you.

You believe it, but for me, I need to see a body and have solid proof.

Neither is right or wrong as long as neither of us are playing with family members' emotions.

It was you telling them their daughter was dead that pushed us to dig deeper and find out where she was found.

If not for you, it could have taken a few more weeks before we figured out that she was the Jane Doe in Utah.

It's a failing on our part because we didn't keep track of all bodies found in neighboring states.

We wanted so badly to believe she was still alive.

We've changed things now and, in the future, will have someone watching over databases every morning. "

"And since we've become somewhat friends, I'll promise if I get another reading like that where I know the person is deceased, I'll call you and let you know.

I know you can't act on my word as truth or use anything I say as evidence, but I'll give you the heads up so you can prepare for the fallout. " Adam smiled.

"Deal. And drop the somewhat. We are friends. It just took me a little time to wrap my head around what you do."

"I can always use another friend."

"So can I," Barret told him as music started to play and a hush came over the crowd.

They both settled down on the bench. Barret half listened to the speeches, prayers, and even poetry that was read, but his main attention was on the crowd.

He scanned the bleachers row by row, looking for anyone who matched the killer's description.

He looked at hats, hoping for a worn Mariner's logo. No one fit the description.

He glanced at Adam and found him looking over the crowd as well, his gaze moving from one area to another, pausing from time to time, but then moving on.

Adam was very good looking. He had chiseled features, with deep green eyes and dark brown hair.

His skin was darker, not quite brown, but a gentle natural tan.

He was a couple of inches shorter than Barret, putting him just around six-foot-two.

His hair was short, but long enough to be a bit unruly after a long day.

Barret forced himself to look away before he was caught staring at Adam.

He had a murder to solve. He couldn't waste his time looking at men.

As the marching band played an amazing rendition of "My Heart Will Go On", he slowly stood, leaning against the back railing so he could look at the people who weren't in the bleachers, the ones scattered on the field, or around the sidelines.

It was hard not to get caught up in the emotions he saw.

So many people were crying. Each person he saw wiping at tears made him even more determined to catch this killer.

The event lasted a little over an hour. More than enough time for Barret to look through the crowd several times and take in each face that was gathered there.

The man wasn't here, or if he was, he was staying in the shadows.

He almost had the urge to go check under the bleachers, but the event was over and the crowd moving out through the gates.

If the man had been there, he was probably already gone.

Besides, going under the bleachers usually meant catching kids smoking, drinking, or making out, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with that tonight. He looked over at Adam. "No luck?"

"None. If he was here, I didn't see him. But there were a lot of places he could hide. Maybe one of the other officers had better luck." Adam slowly moved down the bleachers, pausing to let others go before him.

"I was watching the other officers and didn't see anyone acting like something was going on. Our next chance will be at the funeral on Monday night." Barret offered his hand to an older woman who was having trouble getting down the steps.

They kept quiet until they were back in the parking lot and able to talk. "The kids did an amazing job tonight. That was a great tribute to Trina." Adam opened the passenger door as soon as Barret hit the unlock button on his fob.

"It was." Barret got into the car. "As much as I bitch about the kids around this town with all their drinking and make-out spots, they're a good group of kids.

You wouldn't see something like that in a big city.

The whole school came together to put that on tonight, no matter whether they were friends with Trina or not.

I'm pretty proud of our little town tonight. "

"Me too." Adam smiled. "Not the reason behind it though. I really wish we'd seen someone. I'd love to let the Wilsons bury their daughter knowing justice was served."

"Yeah, me too. It might not happen before they bury her, but I swear justice will come. I know I can't make promises, but damn it, I'm going to solve her murder. This is one of those cases that will stick with me the rest of my life if I don't."

"Have you worked a lot of murders?" Adam asked.

"Too many. Back in Seattle we'd see several a month.

Here in Hidden Falls, this is only my third, and the first two weren't hard to figure out.

One was a domestic where the wife killed her abusive husband, and the other was a drunken bar fight between two of the town's troublemakers.

The two had been enemies for years and no one was surprised when things finally came to a head one night after too many drinks.

" Barret slowly pulled into a line of traffic trying to exit the parking lot.

"This one is different. As far as we know, Trina hadn't upset anyone.

She was a good kid who was looking forward to going to college in Oregon to become a nurse.

She had her whole life in front of her. Hell, she was seventeen.

Think about how much living you've done since you were seventeen. She's going to miss out on all that."

Adam nodded. "Seventeen feels like a lifetime ago."

"Did you have big dreams? Want to be something certain?" Barret asked.

Adam laughed. "I wanted to be an Olympic skier, but I was never good enough.

I also learned quickly that whatever job I did would be one where I didn't have to touch people or things a lot.

Even with gloves on it can be hard. Like the other day when Mrs. Anderson hugged me without warning, I was bombarded with visions until I could take a step back. "

"Even with the gloves on?" Barret glanced over at him.

"I was wearing short sleeves that day. When she grabbed me, she had her hands on my arms. It doesn't take much."

"So, this isn't something that just goes through your hands? It's any part of your body?" Barret was surprised by this.

"Yep, any contact to my skin. You could touch my hair, and I wouldn't get anything, but if you touched my scalp, I'd see something. I've learned to cut my own hair since it's too complicated to go into a barber and get it done. They always touch my neck or scalp."

"What about dating?" Barret asked, then shook his head. "Sorry, that's personal."

"No, it's okay. It's a logical question.

I don't date. I tried years ago, but every time we'd touch, they'd ask me what visions I got of them.

Curious or paranoid, I'm not sure, but it's hard to deal with someone always worrying about what you'll see.

What secrets you might find out about them.

In Denver, I'd go out to the clubs sometimes and hook up with someone for a night.

I wouldn't tell them about what I could do, and I'd just deal with the visions.

But dating is hard. I have to be honest with the person about my ability and most can't handle it. "

"That really sucks." Barret meant that. He couldn't imagine what Adam went through just to experience intimacy.

"It does, but I'm used to it." Adam stared out the window as they got on the main road.