Page 5 of A Touch of Murder (Touched #1)

Adam glanced at the clock and saw it was five minutes to ten.

It was a few minutes early, but it wasn't like he had people lined up outside to come in.

He unlocked the door to the shop and turned the sign to open.

He sipped his coffee as he stared out the window, watching people walk in and out of Whitestone Bakery.

He longed to join them, craving one of Becky's famous cinnamon rolls, but he resisted the urge.

Not only was he unable to leave the shop until Jacey got in, but he also had enough sweets with the candy bars he ate after every viewing he did.

He was good about keeping his weight under control, but he could do without a sweet roll every morning.

He was lucky. He wasn't sure if it was something in the viewing that burned calories for him or if his body was good at burning off calories, but he'd never had to worry too badly about weight gain.

He ran several days a week and often went hiking on the weekends when the weather permitted.

For the winter months when he couldn't get out, he had the makeshift gym in his spare room upstairs.

"Morning," Jacey called as he stepped through the front door.

"Morning." Adam grinned at his assistant.

Jacey was twenty-two and had been working for Adam since he'd been seventeen.

He'd come in to Touched, the name of the shop Adam owned, one day after high school.

He'd found a diamond ring lying on the ground in the school parking lot and had wanted to return it to its owner.

He'd asked at the school and around town, but no one knew anyone missing a ring.

Hoping Adam could help, he'd come in begging for help despite not having any money to pay Adam.

Jacey had promised Adam that if he'd help find the owner, Jacey would come in and help him with basic tasks a few days after school.

Of course, Adam had agreed. That had been four years ago, and Jacey was now Adam's only employee and one of his most trusted friends.

Adam had found the owner of the ring through his vision and Lanny Crenshaw, a local rancher, had given Jacey a hundred-dollar reward for returning the ring to him after his wife had lost it while picking their grandson up from school one afternoon.

Jacey had offered to share the money with Adam, but he refused.

Jacey had earned the money by caring enough to seek out the owner.

Their friendship grew as Jacey came and helped stock shelves and clean.

He'd never questioned Adam's ability, despite the teasing Adam knew Jacey had faced from some of his friends and others in the community for working for him.

"How'd things go yesterday? I hope you weren't too busy." Jacey moved his desk toward the back of the main room.

"It wasn't bad. I had a few walk-ins, and a surprise visit from the police, but nothing I couldn't handle." Adam set his coffee down on Jacey's desk and turned to straighten a shelf of books that had fallen out of place.

"The police? What did they want?" Jacey sounded worried.

"It was about the Wilson case. I guess the Wilsons thought that I meant the police here had their daughter's body and went in causing a scene.

I explained what happened, but I'm not sure the officers believed me.

Well, one of them at least." Adam turned and shrugged.

"I'm sure they'll be back with more questions. "

"I always miss the good stuff." Jacey frowned.

Adam went on to tell Jacey about Mrs. Anderson and how it had led to Howie's arrest.

"So, since you had all that excitement yesterday, that means today will be slow?" Jacey started putting contracts on clipboards so they were ready to grab should any customers come in.

"Maybe, but I did get a box in the mail yesterday.

I haven't opened it yet, but it's from that lady in Oregon who wants me to see if I can tell her anything about her birth parents.

They left her a letter and a necklace when they put her up for adoption and the adoptive parents gave it to her when she turned eighteen.

She's hoping that something I see while holding the letter or necklace will tell her something about her birth parents.

Ideally, where she might find them. I'll need you to record that viewing. "

"I love doing those. I feel like I'm filming a television show." Jacey grinned. "No appointments today?"

"No, but I should be getting that shipment of essence oils in along with the crystals you ordered last week.

We'll have enough to keep us busy if they come in.

I've also talked to an author who does aura readings that was hoping to visit our store in June.

She'll be here for a few weeks and is bringing her equipment.

She's renting a corner of the store to use during the Take Aim Festival.

We'll need to figure out how to rearrange things so she can set up her computer and other equipment, but that's still weeks away.

Just something to be thinking about." Adam always did good business during the festival.

It was a fun event where people came from all around the world to show off their shooting and archery skills.

At least that was how it started. More recently, they'd added in a number of other events that included throwing water balloons, darts, and a variation of other objects that could be thrown at a bullseye.

There were events for every talent and every age.

"You going to enter in any of the contests this year?" Jacey asked.

"Probably. How about you?" Adam asked.

"Darts like always. I've been going out every night to practice at Shadow's. I think I have a good chance of winning this year." Jacey looked hopeful.

"You're great at darts," Adam agreed. "I'll have to come into Shadow's one night and watch you play."

"Dart tournament is every Friday. That's the best night to come in. Other nights, we just play for fun." Jacey ran his fingers through the thick mass of red curls on top of his head.

Adam seldom ventured into the bar and grill unless he was going in to pick up food, but he could use a night out, and supporting his only employee was important.

"Looks like trouble coming." Jacey pointed at the door.

Adam turned and saw Kyle Landers headed their way, carrying a huge saddle.

Adam quickly went and opened the door for him, wondering what story Kyle would have to tell today.

The Fish and Game officer was always dropping by after finding abandoned or lost items around the area. A saddle was something new. "Morning."

"Hey, sorry to bother you right as you open, but I'm hoping you can help me out." Kyle set the saddle on the floor beside Jacey's desk.

"Someone lost their saddle?" Jacey looked amused.

"No, they lost their whole horse, but I figured it was easier to bring the saddle to you instead of trailering the horse here." Kyle sighed. "I'm hoping we don't have an injured rider somewhere out there."

Adam noticed that Kyle's Fish and Game uniform was splattered with mud.

He was somewhere in his mid-thirties, and he had grown up in the area and knew it well.

He worked with the volunteer rescue team in the area and was loved by everyone in the community.

"Where'd you find it?" Then he held up a hand.

"No, don't tell me anything until after I read the saddle.

I don't want anything to influence what I see. "

"You think you'll get anything from it?" Kyle asked.

"I always get something. The question is, will it be something that helps you find the owner? You said you have the horse?"

"Yeah, I've got him stalled down at our headquarters.

Horse didn't look any worse for wear. He came right to Sally when she saw him this morning.

Sally was out for her morning run when she found him.

Called it in and had us come out with the trailer.

We've looked around the area for his rider but didn't find anyone.

" Kyle ran a finger over the saddle. "It looks old. "

Jacey got up and pulled two water bottles from the small fridge by his desk, preparing for Adam to do the reading.

"Let's see if we can find an owner." Adam pulled off one of his silk gloves and set it on the desk, then he kneeled down beside the saddle and put his bare hand directly on the seat of the saddle.

He closed his eyes and let the images bombard him.

A man's hand. Older, with age spots on the back, and a scar along the thumb.

Cowboy boots, old and worn. A woman's boot, gray hair, and turquoise rings.

A man falling, clutching his chest, a foot caught in stirrup.

Dead, emptiness, hollowness. Water, trees, a bird flying.

Adam breathed as the images kept coming.

Horse fly on the saddle horn. The woman again, he saw her face and knew.

Adam pulled his hand back, took a deep breath, slid his glove back on, and reached for the water bottle Jacey held out for him. "Thanks."

Both Kyle and Jacey stayed silent as Adam took a drink and gathered himself. Jacey opened the top drawer of his desk, pulled out a Hershey Bar, and opened it, handing it over to Adam.

"You'll want to talk to Edith Rowin down at the Straight Pine Ranch.

She's ridden on this saddle before. She's not your lost rider though.

I didn't see a face, but the rider was male.

Looked to have a heart attack and fell out of the saddle if what I saw was current.

It's hard to tell." Adam took a bite of the candy bar and chewed for a moment, then took more water.

He looked up at Kyle. "My guess is it was Roy Rowin who fell from the horse.

Older man, age spots on his hand, and worn boots. "

"Alive?" Kyle asked.

Adam shook his head. "No, you'll be looking for a body."

"Damn it." Kyle closed his eyes. "I do not want to tell Edith this. How sure are you it was Roy?"