by Robin Mahle
“The good ‘ol days?” Jacob began. “Like when you two were running from crazy gun-running militia? Those good ‘ol days?”
Riley stepped closer and placed her hands against his chest. “Relax, Jacob. It’s fine. He’s just asking his colleagues a few questions about a man they thought was someone else. That’s all this is.” As she held his gaze, blood dripped from his forehead, first in small streams, then poured down him as though it had been spilled atop his head. She released his shoulders and gasped.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Jacob spoke with the blood trailing over his lips and into his mouth.
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell. Her pulse raced and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, Jacob was fine. His face had returned to normal.
“Oh no. What did you see? It must’ve been bad by the look on your face. Riley, please tell me what’s happening here? Is it the same as the other day?”
She shook her head wildly, trying to oust the image from her mind. Her vision cleared again and she peered at his frightened face. “It’s nothing. Just another misfire.”
“For Christ’s sake, Riley, a misfire—again? I don’t think so. You have to tell me what this is. I’m freaking out over here.”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what it is.”
Jacob was left to his own thoughts as he lay next to Riley and stared at the ceiling. It appeared as though she was asleep, but he never knew when she was pretending. Sometimes she did it to make him believe she wasn’t worried about anything. Perhaps it was her way of protecting him and he hated it.
He supposed she held back things from him, either with work or her visions. Whatever it was, she didn’t have the faith in him that he could handle it. What worried him most was that he feared she would sense what he was hiding. She wasn’t the only one with a secret. And maybe that secret was the reason for her vision earlier tonight. Her misfire, as she called it. Misfire my ass, he thought.
There was no telling what her visions meant. Sometimes they were a warning, sometimes they were inevitable. It was up to Jacob now to decipher this newest apparition. His first thought was Alex Laughlin and how he’d convinced Jacob to take part in the high-stakes poker game on Thursday. Sure, it seemed innocuous enough, but according to Alex, Silas Levin was anything but. And now Jacob was embroiled in this thing, whatever it was, and with Riley suffering terrifying visions, it was adding up to trouble. She was protecting him as she did with everyone in her life. Without Carl Boyd to temper her, who could give her the level-headedness she needed?
Jacob had hoped he could fill the void, but so far, Riley was refusing to let him in. What then could he do to help her? Maybe not get involved with the likes of Silas Levin, for starters, but he was committed now. There was no turning back. Visions be damned, Jacob was all-in.
The diner where Riley had spent much of her youth, and where her mother was currently employed, had cleared out its breakfast crowd. Although, on a Wednesday, it hadn’t been much of a crowd, except for the construction workers who were building the new housing community near the edge of town. The model homes were under construction and HVM Builders was the owner.
“You mind if we stop in for a coffee? I’d like to check in with Mom to see how she’s doing with Gracie.” Riley slowed the cruiser as she entered the row of stores where the diner was located.
“Sure. No problem. I could use a coffee.” Ethan was in the passenger seat thumbing through his phone. “But as far as I know, Gracie says it’s been a really good visit.”
Riley parked in a spot fronting the diner and pulled the gear shift into park. “Speaking of…How’s things going with you two?”
“Good, yeah. I mean, she’s leaving soon, but it’s been really nice spending the time with her,” he replied.
“You’re not upset she’s moving to the city for that internship?”
“How could I be upset by that? It’s a great opportunity for her.”
“Yes, it is. And I wouldn’t want her to squander it any more than you.”
“Exactly. So, yeah. I’ve accepted it.” He opened the car door. “Are we going inside or what?”
Riley stepped out of the car and walked toward the sidewalk. She peered through the diner’s window. “There she is.” A quick wave to Ellen and she walked inside.
Ellen approached her daughter with a smile. “Well, good morning. I wasn’t expecting to see you two in here. Come on in and have a seat.” She directed them to a table. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please,” Ethan replied.
“That’d be great. Thanks, Mom.” Riley watched as Ellen returned to the counter and retrieved the carafe of freshly brewed coffee. “Listen, I’m sorry about grilling you over Gracie. It’s really none of my business.”
“It’s okay,” Ethan began. “She’s your sister.” He peered up at Ellen as she returned with the mugs and coffee. “Thanks, Ellen.”
“You got it.” She poured the coffee. “Either of you care for some food?”
“No thanks. Just looking for a caffeine boost, if that’s all right.” Riley sipped on her coffee.
“Of course it is. Any opportunity I get to see my girl, I’m happy about.” Ellen turned to Ethan. “You too, Ethan.” She peered over her shoulder. “Shoot. I need to get back up there. If you two need anything else, just holler.”
Riley nodded as Ellen left them alone again. “She seems happy. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen her so happy in a long time.”
“I think having Gracie there has given her purpose again, like her kid needs her.” Ethan drew a ring around his cup. “Look, Riley, I know this whole thing is kind of weird with me and Gracie, but I do care a lot about your sister. And I think she feels the same. I kinda like that too.”
Riley cast away her glance for a moment. The dig wasn’t intentional, but it was there, nonetheless. His implication that he’d had feelings for her that were unrequited wasn’t lost on her. She wore the guilt around her neck like a noose ever since Jacob returned. “I’m glad you two are getting along so well. I mean that. And who knows what the future will hold? Long distance relationships work sometimes.”
“Sometimes.” Ethan sipped again on his coffee. “Is this the only reason you wanted to come here this morning? To see Ellen?”
Riley studied him for a moment. “There might be something else. Something I wanted to talk about away from the station.”
“I’m listening.” He pulled up at attention.
“I didn’t want to say anything around the captain, but last night, I had a terrible vision. And it wasn’t the first time.”
“What about?”
“Jacob. Ethan, he—he was all bloody and his face—it was horrifying. The first time I experienced it was just before we left to see Gracie graduate. And then it happened again last night. He’s upset.”
“No doubt. You can’t see anything else? A cause or reason behind it? A feeling?”
“No. Nothing. I’m afraid of what it might mean.” She held up her palms. “Now I know that I’ve had similar visions and they’ve turned out to be false. And maybe that’s all this is.” She held his gaze. “But what if it’s more?”
“What can I do to help, Riley?”
“This is something that has to do with Jacob. Something he’s doing or going to do. I don’t know yet.”
“I don’t suppose he’s come out and said he’s doing something dangerous or that you wouldn’t approve of?”
“No. Maybe if he is, he doesn’t know it’s a problem or that it could be dangerous and so he doesn’t think to say anything. He’s not a liar, Ethan.”
“I didn’t say he was. I’m looking for an explanation, same as you.”
“Yeah. Sorry. I just wish I could see it. Whatever ‘it’ is.” She held Ethan’s gaze once again. “I guess what I’m asking you is that maybe you can get him to talk.”
He chuckled. “Get him to talk? You mean like an interrogation?”
“No. I mean like get him to open up to you.
I don’t know. Go have a beer with him or something.”
“Why me? Why can’t you do that?”
“Because he tries to shield me from everything. If he thinks it’ll bother me or set me off or any reaction really, he’ll avoid the topic. Like I said, he might not know what he’s doing or that it could bring him closer to danger. But I’d like to leave that up to you to be the judge.”
“Riley, this might be a better task for your brother. Jacob doesn’t like me, and honestly, he’s not my favorite person. Do you know what you’re asking me to do here?”
Riley finished her coffee and set down the cup. “I’m asking you to snoop. I get that. And you’re the best one for the job. Dillon’s his pal, his buddy. He won’t think anything about whatever it is Jacob could be up against.”
“I’ll go along with it, but there’s no guarantees Jacob will. I think the moment I ask him to go and have a beer with me, he’ll zip up. He won’t say or do anything that might put him in a bad light because he won’t want me to go and tell you.”
“What can I do then, Ethan? Maybe you’re right. Maybe Jacob will do exactly that. If that’s the case, I have no one else to turn to. Can’t you just play it off that you’re trying to overcome the history between you two? Come on. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t need the help. I need you, Ethan.” She was treading dangerous waters now, using Ethan’s feelings for her to get what she wanted. But her back was up against a wall. She needed information to determine if Jacob was currently or was going to be in any kind of trouble. The idea harm could come to him wasn’t going to happen on her watch. She’d lost Carl. There wasn’t a chance in hell she would lose Jacob. Riley waited for Ethan’s response.
“I’ll try, Riley. That’s all I can do. But make no mistake, this is for you. I don’t want anything bad to happen to Jacob, but I’m doing this for you.”
“Thank you.”
The office of HVM Builders was bustling with administrative staff, plan reviewers, accountants, and everyone in between, including the in-house architect, Jacob Biggs. He walked into his office with a Starbucks in hand and sat down. It was about time the town got a Starbucks. He hated going into the diner or to the McDonalds for a coffee. And today, he was especially tired and in need of the caffeine. Riley’s visions, which she refused to share or explain to him, still had his nerves on end. It was part and parcel of being involved with a woman who could feel others’ emotions and see what the future might bring, even if that future was unclear. It was usually given to her in fragments and up to her to piece together. That was what her visions about him had been—fragments.
He peered up from his laptop and noticed Alex in his doorway. “Morning. What’s up?”
Alex moseyed inside. “Not much. Just getting started for the day. I just wanted to double check with you that you’re good for tomorrow night? It’ll be late. I hope that’s okay.”
“I’m not sure any of this is okay, but I said I’d help, and I will. So yeah, I’m on board.”
Alex smiled. “Thanks, man, I appreciate it. We should grab some lunch today.”
“Sure thing.” Jacob returned a pleasant smile and waited for Alex to leave. His smile faded. “It’s just a game of poker. No big deal,” he whispered.
Still, the whole thing had put Alex off a little and that left Jacob feeling somewhat uncertain. But really, there was nothing to worry about. Playing an illegal poker game when your girlfriend was a cop, no big deal. He must’ve been getting pretty good at hiding at least certain things from her. She could see a lot, but she couldn’t see how he really felt about Ethan, or how he was a little nervous about this game. There was a spot in the back of his mind where he kept those things from her. Perhaps he’d learned a thing or two from being around Riley Thompson. He was sure Carl kept things from her too and he watched their conversations at times. He noticed Carl’s shifty gaze or his empty eyes, like he was trying to clear out everything in his head so she couldn’t see it. She didn’t see when he was going to die and Jacob was pretty sure Carl knew about when it would happen. He’d grown weak, wasn’t eating as much as he should. He knew, but she didn’t. And all Jacob had to do was mimic that. So far, so good.
10
Having a good sense of timing was a skill that required cultivation. Knowing when to speak and when to keep quiet. Inserting a punch line at the appropriate moment. And cooking. This was perhaps the greatest test of one’s ability to master the art of timing. Too long and it would be ruined, too soon and it would turn cold.
For Ethan Pruitt, timing was a skill he did not possess. The end result was often foot-in-mouth syndrome, not to be confused with foot and mouth, a terrible disease. Or smoke rising from an oven signaling he’d waited too long to take out the garlic bread.
He pulled open the oven door to a wall of white smoke and heat and waved it away with a gloved pot-holder. When the smoke cleared, he pulled out the cookie sheet and peered at the charred bread. “Damn.”
The scream of the smoke alarm pierced his ears and he ripped off the gloves and rushed to open the back door, then the front. “Oh. Uh, hi.”
On the other side of the door stood Gracie, for whom he was cooking this extravagant meal of spaghetti and garlic bread, the latter of which was now wrecked. “Hey.” She cringed at the wailing alarm. “You need some help or something?”
“No. Come in.” His voice raised above the noise. “I’m just going to leave this open for a minute until the smoke clears.” He returned to the kitchen. “Sorry about this. I forgot about the bread, and well.” He presented the blackened slices.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s sweet you’re cooking for me.”
Finally, the commotion of the alarms silenced. “That’s better.” Ethan smiled. “Can I get you a glass of wine?”
“I’d love one, thank you.” Gracie placed her palm atop the kitchen counter and leaned over. “Looks delicious. Spaghetti, I see.”
Ethan popped open the cork and poured the mild pinot noir into a glass meant for white wine. A wine aficionado, he wasn’t. Luckily, he was an attractive man with an admirable job who also happened to possess a kind heart. “The good news is that you identified the meal. That bodes well for my confidence as a chef, who apparently can’t make garlic bread.”
She laughed. “It’s fine. I’m just glad to be here.” Gracie raised her glass. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Ethan responded in kind and took a sip. “So, shall we eat?”
“Yes, please. I’m starving.”
He dished out the plates and put them on the kitchen table that was set with candles and cloth napkins. And as quickly as he could, he rushed to her chair before she could sit and pulled it out for her.
“Oh, thank you.” Gracie sat down. “You’re a lot different from the college boys I’ve dated. Their idea of romance usually involved fast food and Netflix on their laptop in their dorm room.”
Ethan recalled in that moment just how young she was by comparison. While it was really only a few years, it seemed much more. He was well beyond that life and in fact had never experienced it in the first place. Ethan went straight into the academy after high school. “Well, this is what a man is supposed to do for a lady.”
They each piled a heap of noodles on their forks and tucked into the meal. An awkward silence ensued and Ethan began to feel the pressure to engage in witty conversation. None of this was coming as naturally as he had hoped. Sure, they’d spent time together since her stay with Ellen, but it was usually on the sofa watching, well, Netflix. It wasn’t like with Riley. Their conversations flowed with the ease of water over river rock. However, he had to remind himself that they had shared a greater history and he really didn’t know Gracie all that well. She rarely came home to visit, except for Christmas, because she worked. But he had expected her to be more like her sister. It was becoming quite clear Gracie was not Riley. And Riley was not his.
Gracie swallowed down her food. “This is really delicious, Ethan.”
“Thanks.
I’m glad you like it. I don’t cook often and even less for others. I hope to improve.” He sipped on his wine. “Listen, um, I know you’re leaving for Indianapolis soon and I was wondering, you know, if you wanted to maybe still see each other. When it’s convenient, of course.”
“I’d like that very much. In fact, I was hoping you’d ask. I know we haven’t really talked about the future and we haven’t been going out for that long and all that, but I’d like to try. I like you a lot, Ethan. And I feel like I’ve known you for a long time because you work with Riley and she’s told me how you’ve had her back. Nothing’s been easy for her, you know. And with losing Carl, that hit her hard, and if she didn’t have you to lean on…”
“She has Jacob for that.”
“Right. Of course. He’s a big part of her life, but so are you. She needs you probably more than you know.”
“Well, that’s where I’ll have to disagree with you, but thanks.” He began to understand where this was headed and wasn’t sure he was ready for it. There was a line, and if he crossed it with Gracie, there would be no turning back.
“You know, I mentioned to my mom that I’d probably be home pretty late. I didn’t want her to worry.”
He directed his gaze to her. “Oh. Good.”
“Just wanted to let you know I’m not in any rush to get home.” Gracie averted her eyes and shuffled around the food on her plate.
Ethan picked up on her meaning and the time had come to decide. Riley was with Jacob now. She had made it clear for a number of years that she wasn’t interested in him that way. Perhaps the time had come for him to move on, though he tried to avoid the fact that it would be with Riley’s sister. There might have been a hidden meaning that he hadn’t wished to explore. “Great. That’s great.” He tucked into his food once again.
The call service logs from the previous night were few and far between. And none so bad as the other night when Wyatt Sims killed his wife. Riley was glad to be spared another event such as that when she arrived at the station this morning.
