Page 49 of The Psychic
The woman shivered and counted her many sins … she’d made mistakes … she wasn’t good at reading human nature and it was going to kill her … the dog whined … it wasn’t hers but she’d taken it with her for protection.
In the shed … the smell of dirt and damp weeds … couldn’t stay here … had to move … run … who to call?
Was someone here? Were those footsteps?
Her hand moved to clasp the rock … if the dog couldn’t save her … last defense.
And then … ? Not who she expected but the dog …
Bark, bark, BARK!
Slam. Her head hit the wall.
Dazed. Lost … but awake outside … moon glow …
Gloved hands at her neck, squeezing hard, harder!
Dog barking, frantic, tied, chewing rope … growing distant …
“Why? WHY … ?”
And the answer came: BECAUSE YOU CHEATED.
Ronnie shot awake from her fugue state. A man’s voice. The necklace slid through her nerveless fingers to the floor. Her heart galloped. Fear was ice in her veins. Her fear. Mel’s fear!
RING! Her phone burst into song and she gasped and stumbled backward against the bed, half panicked. Was there someone here? Was she still alone, or that … person … that shadow? Was he here?
But she’d checked.
Panic gripped her.
The phone kept ringing, clamoring for attention. She swept it from the bed, glancing around the room. How long had she been out? Seconds? Minutes? What was happening?
She looked down at the caller. Brandy . Thank God … ! Reaching down to the floor for the necklace, she answered the call. “Hey,” she whispered, her voice strangled.
“Hi,” Brandy responded diffidently. “I got your message.”
“Good. Good. I’m so glad to hear from you!” Still she peered around the room, by the bureau, to the window, behind the door and into the closet where the doors were open.
“Okay.” A pause. Then, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing. I’m just … I want to help so badly. I want to help you … help Clint.”
“Now?” Brandy snorted, her disbelief audible.
“I always wanted to help,” Ronnie insisted. “And … Sloan doesn’t think Clint is involved, either.”
“Sure about that?”
“The evidence Sloan collected from Clint’s truck may well exonerate him. Will exonerate him. I’m sure of it, but—”
“He’s gone,” she bit out.
“—I think we can …” Ronnie forced herself to slow down her apologetic rush. To quickly recheck the bedroom. To focus. “Gone? Gone, how?” What was she saying?
“He’s gone to find Mel’s other lovers,” Brandy explained. “He feels he has to prove himself now. I tried to talk him out of it, but he’s not listening to me. Now he’s in danger, thanks to you and Sloan. If one of those guys killed Mel, and Clint goes after them, they could kill him, too!”
“Do you know who they are?” demanded Ronnie.
“No, I don’t know them, but I’ve heard of them. Clint, though, he knows ’em.”
“But you know their names?” Ronnie demanded.
“Well, yeah, but—”
“Give them to me. We can ask Evan Caldwell about them. Sloan probably already knows who they are, too. I could call him, but—”
“I’m not talking to Sloan!” Brandy bit out.
“I know you don’t think you want him involved … which you’ve made clear. But you said it could be dangerous. And Sloan could help.”
“You’re not listening, Ronnie! All I want to do is stop Clint. That’s all. And, you’re right, I don’t want Sloan Hart involved.”
“But—”
“Do you have Evan’s number?” Brandy cut in.
“Yes …”
“Will you give it to me?” Her voice was low, questioning where Ronnie’s loyalties lay.
“Let me call Evan,” Ronnie suggested, thinking quickly. “I’ll call you right back. Are you working today?”
“Not till tomorrow.”
“Good … okay … we could … er … go look for Clint together?”
She waited tensely, afraid Brandy would reject her like she was rejecting Sloan. But after a moment, Brandy said carefully, “Okay.”
“Okay.” Ronnie cleared her throat. “I’ll call Evan and come to your place?”
“Uh-huh …” Brandy sounded like her mind was already far away. “You know what Clint said to me? ‘She was a cheater at heart, but I loved her.’ I don’t know what he’ll do when he sees these guys … what they’ll do.”
BECAUSE YOU CHEATED.
“We’ll find him,” assured Ronnie. “I’ll be there soon.”
She clicked off. Took several deep breaths. Felt like she’d run a marathon. She wanted to call Sloan, but stopped herself, knowing if Brandy found out that would be the end.
And he was with Nadia Lloyd.
Those dream fragments … they were from what she hadn’t been able to recall. Had Mel … or Mel’s spirit … sent the message?
She looked down at the necklace curled on the floor, picked it up again and balled it within the tight fist of her left hand.
Thinking hard, she felt the sharp edges against her skin again.
When she loosened her fingers, her skin was grooved where she’d squeezed the shard.
Expelling a breath, she clasped the necklace around her own neck and tucked it beneath her collar.
As she was heading out the door—double-checking that it was locked tight—she put a call into Evan Caldwell and heard him click on. “Hi, Evan, it’s Ronnie.”
“Veronica Quick,” he said and she heard the smile in his voice, as if he’d been expecting her. “I recognized your number right off.” He chuckled. “You and Sloan set the date yet?”
Ignoring that, she went right to the point. “You alluded to Mel having affairs with other men. You know who they are.”
“Didn’t I say I did?”
“You know where they live?” she asked tightly.
“Well, yes I do. Funny, you’re the second person asking for their addresses,” he said, still toying with her.
“Sloan?” God, he could be irritating. She hurried down the steps to the parking lot and unlocked her car remotely as she talked.
“Well, him, too, but Clint caught me early this morning. Nice to be needed.”
“I thought Clint already had that information.”
“Not the addresses. I got the impression he wanted to set some things straight. Why?” he asked, with genuine curiosity. “What’s your deal?”
“Can you give me those names and addresses?” Ronnie said, feeling tense, sensing that the passage of time was against her somehow. She unlocked her Escape and slid into the cold interior.
“You think one of the men Melissa was fucking killed her. Or, oh wait, did you see it?”
“I saw someone,” she stated flatly, starting the SUV and turning on the defroster to clear the windows. “Figuring out who that is now.”
“Okay, okay. Catch up with Clint and you can form a posse together.” A few moments later he gave her the information.
Caldwell was still a dick, she thought, backing out of the parking space, but he was handy with information.