Insight

by Jennis Slaughter

  Jasper watched his old friend jog off before he turned to look back at the diner to see the blonde looking around for the brunette. Chuckling, he started singing underneath his breath. “Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match.”

  j

  Not seeing the woman anywhere, Del decided it was time to catch some sleep. She’d been running on fumes when she got to Leroy, and the meeting with Mrs. Kingsley had sapped what little energy she had left. Leaving enough money on the table to cover her meal, she left the diner, blinking in the early afternoon sun. Hearing her name, she glanced quickly around to find Jasper heading towards her.

  “Hello again, Jasper. I was just about to head to the inn you recommended. You said it was a right at the light, yes?”

  Smiling at the blonde, Jasper nodded his head. “Yep, right at the light. I was wondering Missy, if you wouldn’t mind helping an old feller out? I need to deliver a desk this evenin’ around six, and I could use some help. I’d be more than happy to pay you for your time?”

  Del looked at him, truth be told she didn’t mind helping him out, but she figured a little bit of fun would be good for her mood. “But, Jasper, what about that dinner date I was promised?” She flashed him a wide smile.

  The old man could barely contain his joy. This was going to be much easier than he thought. “I offered you a dinner, and I never go back on my word. I promise that you will have the very best pot roast with new potatoes, carrots, and dessert that you can get this side of the Mississippi. What do ya say?”

  ”I’d say you’ve got yourself a deal. Now that we’ve cleared that up, I best be off before I fall asleep in the street. Where should I meet you?”

  “Just come on back here at the store, say at five thirty, and we’ll get the desk loaded, and head on out. I’ve got a pair of work gloves that should fit you, so you just bring your muscles, and an empty stomach, and I’ll get you all filled up.” Jasper shook her hand, and headed back to the store.

  He called the inn to let them know that he was sending someone their way, and to give her a room in the back away from everyone else. He had a feelin’ that this woman liked her privacy.

  j

  Del’s bag had barely hit the floor before she’d collapsed face first onto the bed. She’d been pleasantly surprised, and more than a little grateful to discover that Jasper had called the hotel on her behalf, and made sure she was roomed away from prying eyes.

  Lying there, her thoughts once again drifted to the gorgeous woman from the town square. The last thing Del saw before she drifted off were the memory of dark eyes locking with her own.

  j

  The sounds of bullfrogs, and crickets were beginning to get on Jenny’s nerves. During the day, the sounds from the river were different, more soothing, but at night, the young girl saw shadows in every corner, and even the wind brought unusual noises.

  The young woman had gone walking through the fields almost a week earlier when she came across three men tossing two women into the back of a van. She thought that she had ducked out of sight, but had stepped on a branch, which alerted the men that she was there. One had chased her down and, despite her struggles, had thrown her in the back of the vehicle along with the other women.

  Two of the men had gotten in the back of the van with the women, and had held guns pointed at them until they arrived at a fishing camp. Upon arrival, each of the women had been put in a small room that had a window about six feet off the ground, and a cot with a blanket. Twice a day they were fed sandwiches and water, and allowed to use the facilities.

  Jenny hadn’t been able to talk with the other women but she heard them crying. When she tried to talk with the men, all they told her was to shut up and behave.

  One afternoon she overheard two of the men talking that they only need one more girl and they would have enough for a shipment. That was when she decided that she had to get out of there no matter what.

  Later that evening, she heard the van drive away, and knew that it left at least two of the men there and that everyone was fed around the same time. As soon as her door opened, Jenny rushed it tackling the man bringing in her food. They both crashed to the floor with him yelling out and trying to grab hold of the young woman. She kicked and swung her fists at him, striking the sweet spot between his legs, and struggled to her feet. Doubling over, he managed to trip her up as she darted past him, making her strike her head against a table, splitting it open. She managed to make it to the brush, and run for her freedom.

  Del jerked awake with a gasp as the full terror of the girl in her dream hit her. She sat up panting, getting her bearings back as she looked around the room. Her sheets were tangled around her legs, obvious signs of her fitful sleep, while her clothes clung to her, damp with sweat. She quickly pulled her sheets back up around her chin, struggling to get her breathing under control.

  She lay back, closing her eyes. She was used to these dreams, she had them often when on cases, but the emotions always caught her off guard. She didn’t want to sleep anymore, she never did when she had these dreams, but her body had other plans. Not even a few minutes after she’d woken, gasping for breath, her body was pulling back into sleep, dreams of dark eyes, and bronze skin replacing the lingering terror.

  j

  Raelin was so distracted on the jog back to her home that she actually ran past her house all the way to the lake before she realized where she was. The blonde with the jade green eyes filled her mind while the memory of her eyes caressing Rae’s body caused emotions, and needs to surface that she had long forgotten, and pushed down.

  Standing at the edge of the lake, the young woman closed her eyes, and tried to calm her racing heart, but it was proving to be harder than normal. She knew that the cards had been talking about the mysterious blonde as soon as she felt her gaze. It was as if she’d been standing behind Rae, and touching her with her hands, hands that had a gentle touch, but with a hidden strength.

  Moaning, the brunette tried to banish the vision of the woman in her mind, but it was as if she had taken root. Shaking her head, she turned towards home, and once again lost herself in her running.

  j

  Jenny woke from a fitful sleep as the woman brushed her hand across her forehead.

  “Your fever seems to be breaking. Do you think you can take some soup?” The woman’s voice caressed her ears.

  Nodding her head, she sipped a few mouthfuls before she motioned that she had enough, and closed her eyes, and drifted back to sleep.

  j

  After getting home, and showering, Raelin sat out on the front porch in a lounge chair, and just listened to the sounds of the afternoon float by with a glass of iced tea. Sipping the tea, she closed her eyes, and thought about the blonde. She had to be the one that the cards told her about, who else could it be?

  Getting up from the chair, she went inside to get the cards, and as she walked back out onto the front porch, she shuffled the cards while picturing the beautiful woman. ‘Beautiful woman! Where did that come from? Get a grip, Rae.’ the brunette thought to herself.

  Cutting the cards three times, she then spread the cards out and choose the first one. The Context was a reversed Empress, the unraveling of matters. The blonde was searching for something, or someone, and she was going to bring many things to light. The second card, considered to be the Focus, was the Chariot, and that meant trouble. She was going to bring it, or cause it, but she would triumph over it. Closing her eyes, Rae reached out, and turned over the final card, the Outcome. It was the Lovers...Rae held onto the card as a warm glow spread throughout her body.

  j

  Del stood, leaning against the hood of her Jeep, watching the brunette approach, and stop in front of her. “I’ve been searching for you, and I didn’t even realize it.”

  She watched as Rae brought a hand up to brush her cheek, instinctively leaning into the touch. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  Del gave a soft smile, reaching out to finger the buttons on the front of Rae�
��s shirt, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you waiting, but I’m glad I’m here now.”

  Static electricity ran along Raelin’s skin, making her catch her breath. Leaning close, she whispered. “Things are going to get rough, and confusing. Trust in yourself and what you feel deep inside. Trust what you can see with your heart, and with your gut. Beware of what you see with your eyes.”

  Del held Rae’s gaze with her own, tucking a stray strand of dark hair behind her ear, her fingers lingering. “You need to be ready, there is something dark at work, and it doesn’t want me here. It’s not safe, and you need to be careful. Don’t provoke it, let me take care of it. It’s what I’m here for.”

  “Not to worry. Together we can banish the darkness.” Leaning her head into the woman’s caress, Rae gave her a hopeful smile.

  Del nodded, and reached up to bring their lips together, feeling the weight of the darkness lift away, taking the buzzing in her mind with it.

  Del’s eyes snapped open, and she realized with a groan, she’d been dreaming again. She’d never had more than one of these dreams at a time, and something about this town didn’t sit right. She climbed out of her bed, licking her lips where they still tingled, and grabbed her bag on her way to the bathroom.

  Knowing she’d need to meet Jasper soon, she started the shower, stripping off her clothes, and checking the temperature. Before getting in, she glanced at herself in the mirror. She reached out, and touched the reflection of her lips, eyes closing in memory. She quietly set up a silent prayer for strength before she stepped into the shower.

  j

  After Rae finished the reading, and her contemplation, she made her way into the kitchen to start dinner for Jasper. She didn’t have very many friends in this town, so she always enjoyed having someone come over when they had a chance. The pot roast was seasoned with fresh herbs, and put in the oven along with some sliced carrots, and new potatoes from her garden. Fresh salad greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers made a light salad to go along with her homemade salad dressing. Soon the house was filled with tempting aromas.

  Setting the table, she glanced at the clock, and saw that she had just enough time to change clothes into something more appropriate for guests.

  A Chapter 3 a

  Stepping into the shop, Del called out for Jasper. The shop was small but well-kept and it was obvious that the man had a passion for his work. She walked around as she waited for him to join her, running her fingers over an old vanity and opening the drawer on a well-loved desk that had intricate carvings.

  “Hello there Missy. It’s good to see that some people have the good manners to show up on time.” The white haired gentleman walked in from the back. “Isn’t she a beauty?”

  Del smiled as she didn’t often take to people so quickly, but this man had an ease about him and she couldn’t help but enjoy his company. “Well, if my grandmother taught me anything, it was manners. It really is a beautiful piece. Where did you find it?”

  Rubbing his hand along the top, Jasper smiled. “The person who is getting the desk tonight, well, it used to be her mother’s, but she had to sell it years ago to Regina to pay off a debt. Regina finally decided to sell it since her husband, Arthur Senior flew the coop and so it’s going back to its rightful owner as a trade for the vanity.”

  Del continued to look over the vanity. “It really is a wonderful piece of woodworking. I can’t imagine giving it up. I would guess that it is probably worth a pretty penny, yeah?”

  Wiping his fingerprints off the wood, Jasper agreed. “It is a Kindle and worth about a thousand dollars, but the desk means more to the buyer, so I’m going to make it an even trade. Anything to help a friend out.”

  “That’s very kind of you Jasper,” Del said quietly. It had been a while since her days living in a small town and she sometimes forgot the generous nature of most small communities. “I’m sure your friend is mighty happy about it, but I’m sure they’ll be even happier if we get it there soon. How about we get it packed up then, besides I was promised a good roast,” the blonde chuckled.

  The older man agreed, and they soon had the desk loaded up. Turning back to the blonde, Jasper asked. “You wanna ride with this old man or you wanna follow behind me?”

  “No offense, but I’d rather take my own ride, so I’ll follow behind you. I’d feel better knowing I have my own ride if I wear out my welcome too soon,” she laughed; in truth, she wanted to make sure she had her own ride in case something went bad. As much as she enjoyed this man’s company, she couldn’t forget that she was here on a job. One some people might not appreciate her doing.

  The older man agreed, got into his truck, and headed towards the outskirts of town, kicking up a trail of dust in his wake.

  j

  Del followed Jasper’s truck, observing the town as it passed them by. She made a mental note of the locations of buildings and paid special attention to the residential areas. It wasn’t a large town and soon enough they had passed the last of the houses and hit an old dirt road. After what she thought to be about two miles of driving, she noted a house up ahead. Most of the land had been cleared, with the exception of a large old tree in front of the house. She looked to her right once they had stopped in the yard and saw a tree line a few yards from the back porch. Filing that away for later, she quickly hopped out of the old Jeep to help Jasper with the desk.

  “It’s a nice house. Quiet out here, I bet?” she asked him, even though she hated to drill him, but years of investigating just wouldn’t go away.

  The house was secluded with the tree line nearby and by the looks of the small pickup, probably only housed one person. Del knew a perfect hiding place if she ever saw one.

  Pulling on his work gloves, Jasper opened the bed of the truck and chuckled as the blonde nimbly jumped inside. “Yeah, but this family doesn’t mind the silence. In fact, you can ask her all about it,” he nodded his head towards the brunette that had opened the back door and walked out.

  Raelin had heard the truck pull up as she put the roast on the carving platter, but she cocked her head in puzzlement when she made out the sound of a second vehicle. Then she remembered that Jasper had said that he was going to bring someone to help him.

  Wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, she opened the door and started out. When she saw the blonde in the bed of Jasper’s truck, she almost stumbled. She wasn’t prepared to see her yet.

  Del glanced in the direction Jasper had indicated and wasn’t at all prepared to see the brunette from earlier in the day. She started and took a step back to steady herself, but caught nothing but air as her foot slipped off the end of the truck bed. Catching herself with her knee, she grunted at the pain, struggling to keep the desk from falling, knowing its worth.

  “Take it easy, Missy. Don’t want to bruise you up before we finish.” Jasper smiled to himself as he noticed the look on Raelin’s face. ‘This was gonna be fun.’ “Hey Raelin! We’re here right on time. This is Delaney Delacroix, and she’s offered to help me out tonight.”

  Swallowing her embarrassment and a good chunk of her pride Del smiled and nodded her head, choosing to get the desk off the truck in one piece before she did something stupid. Once the desk was safely on the ground, she looked back up at Rae, noting the mild shell-shocked expression on her face. “Uh, you can just call me Del if you’d like, most people do. Thanks for having me.”

  “Umm, nice to meet you Del. Any friend of Jasper’s is welcome here,” she held out her hand for the blonde to shake, and wasn’t surprised at all at the mild tingle that she felt as soon as they touched. ‘Oh Goddess...I am in so much trouble.’

  “Where do you want the desk, Raelin? Let us get it inside, and then we can start on the pot roast that I can smell from here.” Jasper wiggled his eyebrows at the suggestion.

  Turning around, Raelin walked over to the back porch and threw open the French doors. “I was thinking that it should go into the side room. I made sure that there is plenty of room.”

 
The low thrumming in her limbs had intensified for the split second she’d held the other woman’s hand, and Del finally let out the breath she’d been holding when Rae started to direct them into her home. ‘I am so dead,’ she thought; maneuvering the desk into what Rae had called the side room. She watched Rae’s form as she moved about the room, adjusting things here and there. ‘But what a way to go!’

  “Well, Raelin. I think that that is a perfect spot for it. You can see outside to the front and into the garden.” Jasper rubbed his hands together. “Now let’s eat.”

  Laughing at her friend, the brunette led the way to the dining room to where the food was ready and waiting on the table. “Would you care for some tea Del, or like Jasper, have a cold beer?”

  Del weighed the options for a minute. She wouldn’t normally drink on a job, but somehow she felt safe in this place with these people. It was a feeling she got, an insistence in the back of her mind that she could trust these two, if no one else. “A beer would be great thanks. It smells great in here.” And it did, Del was suddenly aware of just how lackluster her own cooking was.

  Raelin blushed at the compliment. “I enjoy cooking for my friends,” she walked into the kitchen and came back out with bottles of beer and iced mugs. “I hope that dark ale is all right with you. It goes better with the roast.”

  Jasper reached for one of the mugs and poured his beer. “If I know Raelin, she used a bottle of beer with the roast,” he had just taken a swig of the cold beverage, when his cell phone went off. Putting down the glass, he answered it and frowned. Huffing, he closed the phone and turned to the two women.

  “Ladies, as much as I really do want to have dinner with you, someone else beckons who doesn’t like to wait.” Turning to Del, he smiled. “I know that you will enjoy the meal.”