by Mary Behre
“I never am.” Hannah tugged the gloves back on her hands and shrugged. Big mistake. Karma’s face drained of color. “This is why I didn’t tell you what I was doing. Don’t worry, I’m fine. When the visions happen, I am the person who sent me the vision. I usually come through it unscathed.”
“Usually?” Karma looked around the kitchen, then lowered her voice again. “And how many times have you been inside a serial killer’s head?”
“Just the one time. Stop looking at me like you expect me to go all Norman Bates on you. I won’t. My plan to find something else she touched didn’t work anyway.” Hannah raised her glove-covered hands helplessly.
“You still didn’t explain why.” Karma folded her arms over her chest. “Why would you go looking?”
“Because a killer is out there. We served her a meal. Frick, I could have talked to her and not even known it. Then I spent all night in a room with two cops trying to convince them that I’m neither a killer nor crazy. They didn’t believe me. They’re so focused on proving it’s me, I’m afraid the real killer is going to do it again. I don’t want someone to die because of me.”
“No one is going to die because of you,” Niall said, startling Hannah and Karma.
“Way to go all panther-like, Boss.” Karma blew out a nervous breath. She waved at Hannah. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”
“Hey!” Hannah wheeled around. “I’m not a child. And I’m not a fool. You weren’t there last night. Those cops wouldn’t listen to me.”
“And you think digging around for more evidence will help your case? If they didn’t listen last night, what makes you think they’ll be any more willing tonight or tomorrow or if you do find the right thing to touch?” Karma’s cheeks were mottled with color, but it wasn’t rage in her eyes, it was fear.
Hannah touched her friend’s shoulder. “You introduced me to your cousins. They listened. If I get anything, I swear I’ll give it to them. I won’t go back to the station.”
Karma sighed, stepped closer, and lowered her voice. “What about the other thing?”
“What other thing?” Niall’s black brows drew together.
“It’s nothing.” Hannah shrugged and tried for an it’s-all-good smile.
“Your aura’s getting brownish again.” Karma looked from Hannah to Niall. “She had trouble breaking the connection with the killer during the vision last night. It’s how she cut her hand.”
Niall’s green gaze swung to hers. “Is that true, Hannah? You never mentioned this before.”
In the bar.
He didn’t say it but that had to be what he meant. And yeah, that sent her mind spinning in a whole different direction. One that had nothing to do with serial killers or kitchen knives.
“Your aura is, um . . . getting kind of red,” Karma whispered to her.
Hannah tore her gaze from Niall’s and back to Karma’s. But her friend was staring quizzically at Niall. Hannah hazarded a glance back at him. He was bathed in a lovely red light.
“Hannah,” Niall said sharply. The red light zapped out of existence. “What did she mean about trouble breaking the connection?”
“I was sort of stuck. Karma called my name and helped ground me.” Okay, that was an oversimplification but it was the gist.
“See why I’m worried, Boss? She was looking to see if she could get a vision on the killer again.”
“In my restaurant?” His eyes widened and his cheeks reddened with obvious anger. “You think the killer works here?”
“No, no. I don’t. I think the killer ate here. I didn’t get a vision from something back here. I got it from the knife that someone ate with.”
Niall exhaled his relief, then glanced at Karma. “Why would you let her try to do something like this?”
“Hey!” Hannah clapped her hands. The sound was muffled by the gloves but it did the trick: they both looked at her. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here. Or like I’m an errant child.”
“Then don’t act like one,” Niall snapped.
“Are you kidding me?” Hannah whipped off her gloves and stood toe-to-toe with her handsome, frustrating, egotistical boss. “I’m not a child. And I have every right to do whatever it takes to keep from being wrongly questioned or arrested for something I didn’t do.”
“Yeah, I’m going to, uh . . . go in the other room. Zig’ll be here in fifteen to pick us up, Hannah.” Karma started to sidle out of the room. She paused next to Niall and said, “Boss, blowing it.”
Hannah and Niall both glared at Karma’s retreating back.
Niall glowered intensely for several long seconds, his lips moving as if he were counting to ten. “Hannah, you are not a child. I know that better than anyone. I don’t want you questioned again either. But I don’t see how looking for another vision is going to help your case. If you do see something, then what are you going to do?”
“I already said I’d call the TSS guys. They believed me. They didn’t think I was crazy or lying or doing a bar trick.”
“That’s not fair.” Niall lowered his face until they were nearly nose to nose and whispered, “You were the one who acted like it was a bar trick.”
“Only because it so clearly freaked you out.”
“I never said I didn’t believe you. I drove you to the station to report what you witnessed, didn’t I?”
“After trying to talk me out of it.” Hannah rolled her eyes. Why was she fighting? What did it matter?
Niall put his hands on her upper arms. She sensed the control in him snapping but his touch was gentle. His thumbs rubbed against her shoulders. Goose bumps ran down her arms.
“I was afraid something like last night would happen. I’d seen it before. You’re not the only psychic I’ve met.” He gave her a half grin. “Hell, Karma works for me. I’ve known others. And I’ve also seen what happens when people don’t believe them. I didn’t want you hurt.”
The absolute truth shining in his eyes made her knees weak. He was worried about her.
“Oh.” Her mind blanked. She wanted to thank him.
She wanted to jump him, if she was really being honest with herself.
But even though he cared about her, he didn’t want her. Not the way she wanted him. And it wouldn’t work anyway. She was only here for the summer.
But he simply stood there. Holding her by the shoulders. His lips close enough to kiss. Just a few inches and she could taste him again.
His eyes darkened to the color of summer grass. God, it was so sexy how they did that.
He licked his lips, and yes, seeing him do it had her licking her own lips.
Somehow they’d moved closer. Less than an inch now.
“You ready, Han—? Oops! Sorry!” Karma appeared beside the wall, only to whip around and head back the way she came. “Don’t mind me. I’ll be waiting, outside. Uh, with Zig. Come . . . oh, shit, I can’t believe I just said that. See you when you’re ready.”
Niall pulled back from her and scratched his neck. “You’d better go.”
“Now? But—”
“This is my place of business, remember?” His back went ramrod straight. He pivoted on his heel and disappeared into his office.
Yeah, his place of business. She remembered.
It was where she’d witnessed a murder in a vision.
Where her boss had nearly kissed her.
The universe was definitely sending her mixed messages.
* * *
“I WASN’T SURE you’d be staying here tonight,” Karma said, standing in the doorway of the guest bedroom.
Hannah looked up from one of the many bags that Niall had bought her earlier in the day.
“Do I need to go to a hotel? It’s totally fine.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Karma waved her hand in the air as if shooing away the idea. �
�I saw the way you and Niall looked at each other. Woo!” She fanned herself with one hand.
“It’s not what you think.”
“Right. And you two didn’t have matching flaming-hot red auras earlier.” Karma cocked her head to the left and a wicked grin spread across her face. “And don’t try to deny it. Your aura might be orange now but your face is as red as your aura was back at the café. Don’t be embarrassed, clearly Niall is hot for you too.”
Hannah stopped digging in the bag and crossed to the doorway. “Please don’t say anything to Niall. He doesn’t want me as anything more than a temporary employee.”
Karma snorted. “Yeah, that’s what he thinks. It’s not true. Even if I hadn’t seen the little aura-iffic display, I’d have guessed he wants you more than he’s letting on when I saw this.”
She straightened from the doorjamb and pulled a huge black artist’s case from the other room. It had to be an artist’s case. It was big enough to hold her supplies. If she’d had any left. The shoulder strap was padded and the case was black leather. A small bronze plate was affixed in the middle of the flap on the front. He had had it engraved with her first name.
“Holy frack! Niall did this?” Hannah had to swallow past a lump in her throat. She accepted the case and traced the nameplate with a finger. “How? When? Why?”
“He must have dropped it off when he dropped off the bags of clothes. Zig had everything on the couch but this must have fallen behind it.” Karma followed her into the bedroom, shoved the clothing bags aside, and sat down on the bed. “Aren’t you going to open it?”
A part of her didn’t want to open it yet. She wanted to call Niall. Okay, she wanted to go to his place and thank him in person. All night. But that wasn’t an option. If he’d wanted her to open it when he was there, he would have given it to her in person. So why did he buy it for her?
“Hannah, you okay? Your aura’s doing a weird jumbly thing.” Karma started to rise but Hannah gestured for her to remain seated.
“I’m fine. Overwhelmed. Amazed. He’s so hard to read. One minute he’s acting all proper and distant. The next he’s buying me clothes and art supplies. I just don’t know what to think.”
Hannah sank onto the bed and popped the clasp on the leather case. Inside were pastels, chalks, ten different art pencils, paints, a pad of excellent drawing paper, a pad of watercolor paper, gum erasers, and even a tiny little sharpener. Tucked into one pocket was a folded sheet of paper with her name on it.
Hannah reached for it, then glanced at Karma. Instead of reading the message, Hannah closed the case with it still inside.
Karma whistled. “In all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never heard of Niall doing anything so romantic. Girlfriend, you’ve got him wrapped around your finger. Hope you plan to do right by him.”
“Me do right by him?” Hannah shook her head. “Karma, I think you’re confused. He’s the one who isn’t sure what to do with me. Every time I get too close, he pushes me away. Then he does something like this and . . .” She let her words trail away. “I swear, in the dictionary under mixed signals is a picture of Niall Graham.”
Karma clucked her tongue. “He’s got a thing about space. Ross says Niall changed after he survived an attack in Afghanistan. All I know is, the man hovers in doorways. The one time I saw someone block his exit out of the office, his aura went crazy. As dark as outer space.”
Hannah nodded. “I didn’t realize you knew about the attack.”
“That makes two of us.” Karma leaned her upper body closer. “Who told you?”
“Niall.”
Karma gave her a wide, toothy grin. “Yep. That man might have an issue with space, but I’m telling you. He wants you. As far as I know, he doesn’t talk about Afghanistan. With anyone. But you’re here two days and he talks to you.”
Hannah didn’t correct Karma’s assumption. She couldn’t if she was going to follow Niall’s rule about keeping their night together a secret.
Karma pushed to her feet and started for the door. “We’ve got an epically long day tomorrow. Get some rest. Oh, and Hannah, those mixed signals Niall’s sending. I think it’s claustrophobia. It’s not that he doesn’t want you. I think he does. I think he’s afraid of getting too close to you.”
* * *
THEY WERE FIGHTING again. The pair of them.
Mercy watched from the shadows as Niall and Ross argued in the parking lot, riveted by them in all their male beauty.
“You can’t keep doing this, Ross.” Niall didn’t shout but his voice cut across the empty parking lot. At two in the morning, sound carried through the quiet night like waves crashing on the shore. Sometimes a soft, rolling noise, other times a clapping crescendo.
“Doing what? My job!” Ross’s voice, passionate and echoing fury, smashed through space. “I seem to recall your ass definitely not here for hours today. So before you go pissing on me because I was checking on a potential client, you better check yourself, Sarge.”
“Checking on a potential client, my left nut. You are so full of shit. You were at the bar. Again. Getting drunk. Again. Do you really want to go down that road? Dad’s lucky Mom didn’t toss his ass out years ago.” Niall hiked a thumb over a shoulder as if to emphasize the point. “The only thing that saved him, their marriage, and the restaurant was that he was man enough to admit he had a problem before it ruined everything.”
“I’m not an alcoholic.” Ross’s denial was a little too rehearsed. “There’s nothing wrong with getting a beer with a client now and then.”
“Sure.” Niall nodded. “Now and then. But you’re drunk so damned much you forget details like depositing money. What the hell, Ross? If we don’t put that money in the bank, our employees don’t get paid.”
“It was one fucking time, asshole!” Ross shoved at Niall’s shoulders, but Niall was immovable. “You may have never made a fucking mistake, but the rest of us plebeian humans have. So get off my case.”
Niall inhaled a deep breath. His chest seemed to expand with the added oxygen. He appeared to get bigger. Wider. Taller, even.
Mercy licked her suddenly dry lips, waiting. God, had she ever been more aroused? If she tried, she could pretend they were fighting about her. One declaring his undying devotion to her. The other defining her as something to be given up. Which one would win? Her lover, of course, but that was fantasy. In reality, she had no idea if they would truly come to blows.
“I’m not on your case, little brother. But if you fuck up tomorrow’s catering event—”
“I know how to do my job. I set it up. Arranged all the details. I’ve double-checked and triple-checked everything. Nothing will go wrong.” With a sneer Ross clapped Niall on the bicep. “Thanks for the vote of confidence though. Gets me right here.” He thumped his fist against his heart.
Niall shook his head. “Just promise me you won’t drink until after the event ends. Not a drop. I need you clearheaded for tomorrow.”
“If that’ll get you off my case. I promise not to drink all weekend. Hell, if I thought you’d actually believe me, I’d swear never to drink again.” Ross raised three fingers in a scout salute.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Ross pulled keys from his pocket and crossed to the driver’s side door of his beat-up blue Pontiac. “You know, everyone else at the Cat sees me as a good boss, a solid leader, a fucking decent person. Why can’t you?”
“Ross, I do see all those things. But you’ve got a problem. One that can’t be solved by an argument in a parking lot at two in the morning.” Niall followed his brother, who strode away from his car and to the bus stop at the end of the parking lot. “Where the hell are you going?”
“I’m drunk, as you pointed out. I’m taking the bus.”
“Ross, wait. I’ll give you a ride.” Niall quickened his steps to re
ach his brother but Ross kept his back to him.
“So I can listen to you lecture me all the way home? Thanks but no thanks.” A Tidewater Transit Bus lumbered to a stop in front of Ross. He climbed aboard, then turned and faced his brother. “Whatevs, Niall. I’m done with tonight’s brotherly chat. I’ll be here tomorrow. I promise, no drinking. Good enough for you?”
He didn’t wait for a reply. He gave Niall the one-fingered salute and the doors closed between them.
Niall stood watching until the taillights faded, then he simply lowered his head and closed his eyes.
Mercy’s heart pounded. Fury and pity pumped through her. She should grant them both her mercy. They each needed it in their own way. But Niall wasn’t her problem. His issue was self-induced. He made himself miserable through his own actions.
Ross, now, he couldn’t help who and what he was.
It was Ross who truly needed her. She wanted to go to him tonight, but that bus could take him anywhere in the city. So she’d wait until tomorrow.
After the reception he’d be ready for her.
And she’d set him free.
CHAPTER 17
NIALL DIDN’T SEE Hannah all day. There hadn’t been time to talk to her, even if he had. Dawn had called out again, having caught her kid’s bug. The Boxing Cat was still booming thanks to the museum’s mix-up two nights before. People were talking and a blogger for a gluten-free site had come in to sample the cuisine.
Niall split his time between serving the Saturday afternoon clients and coordinating the catering event by phone with Ross. He clicked off the cell phone and stared in silent wonder. His little brother actually seemed to be getting his shit together.
Ross had arrived at the Cat early in the morning, ready to work. No telltale signs of a night spent drinking and partying. His eyes were bright, his color healthy, and his energy up. He’d helped Michael load the dishes into the van. Helped Virgil and Paulie load the food. He’d even offered to cover the restaurant and let Niall go to the site to set up for the wedding reception.