Insight

by Jennis Slaughter

  Del reached up to run her fingers over Rae’s jaw tucking some stray locks of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry. I can’t say that enough. I know I was an ass. I know it’s not an excuse, but like I said, I’m really not used to having someone else around to help me. I’m also a little too proud and stubborn for my own good I think.”

  Rori reached out and batted at her hand. “You think?”

  Raelin picked him up and put him on the floor. “Hush Rori.” Turning back to the blonde she took out a vial of lavender oil and used a q-tip to apply it to the cut. “That will help it heal. Later on, I might put a salve on.” Putting away the supplies, Rae found herself staring at Del’s mouth and gave into temptation by kissing the corner of it

  Del closed her eyes enjoying the feel of having Raelin so close. She wanted more than anything to turn into Rae’s kiss, but knew it would only aggravate her lip. “He still doesn’t like me much, huh?”

  Whispering against berry colored lips; Rae couldn’t help but smile. “He’s just protective. You two have that in common.”

  Rori meowed, causing the brunette to move back and to take her seat. Scratching behind the cat’s ears, she thought back to him. “You never thought of it that way huh?”

  For a response, the feline jumped down and walked outside.

  “I’ll try to apologize to him later if he’ll let me. I guess we have a lot of talking to do. There’s probably a lot you want to know. That is, if you don’t already know. You seem to know what I’m thinking before I do.” She reached over and pulled the files closer. “I’m going out on a limb here. I know I haven’t known you long, but I trust you. My gut tells me I can.”

  “One should always go with their gut. Why don’t I start by telling you what I know...? You were brought here to find Jenny by the Kingsleys...now someone else is using you for another reason, and while I have my suspicions on who and what, I’ll let you tell me.” Rae took a sip of water.

  Del took a deep breath, steeling herself and then let it out slowly. “I can’t tell you who I’m helping. It’s not for me to tell. I can tell you that something terrible is going on around here.”

  She opened up one of the files, pointing to a list of the missing girls. “All of these girls have gone missing in this area over the last few years. Now if you look at these other files, which are bank statements, you can see large deposits going into the Kingsleys account around the same time each girl goes missing. Looking closer, you can see withdrawals from the same account, and we can track those to deposits made into these accounts held by the Reverend, Mack, and a few others. These deposits, when added up, equal to the withdrawals on the Kingsley account.”

  Looking over the files for a few moments in silence, Rae had to admit that all of the blonde assumptions made sense. “We knew that something was going on, but we could never figure out what it was. This is so much worse than I had even imagined.”

  “I never expected this when I got here. I thought it was just a simple case of a rebellious kid running off. Then I got here, and it just exploded into this. I think certain members of the town are being paid to run a human trafficking ring. That’s why I was out at the camp today, because I thought Jenny might have been there. I didn’t expect to find her here. Which I will get to shortly. Don’t think that I’ve let you off the hook for that. What I would like to know, is how you knew where to find me, and where all that power came from? That was a pretty impressive display.” She quirked an eyebrow at the beautiful woman sitting in front of her.

  Taking a deep breath, Rae asked a simple question. “Have you ever heard of ley lines?”

  “In passing yes. My grandmother used to speak of them. I’ve never really thought too deeply on them.”

  “They are lines of power; nature’s power, some call it magic. There is a line that runs from Poverty Point in the upper part of the state, down through here and goes through the Gulf until it hits Mexico and Central America. My family has been in this town for generations, and we all have been witches...practitioners of magic.”

  Taking another sip of water, Rae continued, “I had Rori use the town and fields cats to keep a watch on you and when the Reverends cat Judas sent word that he had made a phone call after you left him, we knew that something would happen. Then once it was reported that you were going to fish camps, I had a feeling that you needed help so I went. I drew on the power of the lines and used what I know best to help. I’ll pay for it later tonight though. It will be like I worked out for a week, and I’ll be drained. I can feel it now.”

  “I have a lot of questions left for you, but if you think you need rest, it can wait for a day. I know the girl is safe here at least. I can at least watch over you both while you rest.” She reached out and threaded her fingers through Raelin’s, letting her thumb run over the smooth palm.

  Shaking her head, Rae let her eyes close briefly at the blonde’s touch. “No, ask them now. I don’t want any more secrets.”

  “How did she get here Raelin? She’s obviously not well, has she told you anything? I’d ask you why you never went to the police but after meeting your Chief, I think I have a good idea why.”

  “I found her close to the woods four nights ago. She was running from a group of men; two of which you met today. She has cracked ribs and a head injury, but I don’t think that it is a concussion. I know that she hadn’t eaten properly in a while, and all that she said was to not tell anyone she was here...that they would come after her mother and me.” Standing up, Rae moved over to the sink, rubbing her hands over her arms like she was cold. “If I had known all of this, I would have done something. There still must be girls out there, but I don’t think that they were at the camp that we were at. I didn’t feel anyone else.”

  Del let out a long breath, knowing Raelin was right. It wasn’t just about Jenny anymore. She got up and hugged Rae from behind briefly before moving to rub her neck, trying to ease some of her tension. “This must be hard for you; Amelia said Jenny came here a lot. I’ll figure it all out. I’ll get it fixed. In the meantime, you aren’t safe anymore. There isn’t much we can do until Jenny talks, but those men, they know you’re playing for my team now. They are probably going to try to come after you.”

  Turning to face the blonde, Rae disagreed. “They won’t come here. They are afraid of me, and what I can do. Today wasn’t the first time that I used the lines like that. I embarrassed Chief Brito when we were in high school, and he knows better now.” Taking a step closer to Del, the witch brought up her hand to caress the peaches and cream cheek. “And yes, I am most definitely playing for your team now.”

  Del let out a short laugh at that. “Well, lucky me.” She waggled her eyebrows, wrapping her arms around the slim waist of the taller woman. “You’re lucky my lip hurts so much. Otherwise you’d be in trouble.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with your hands,” Rae whispered.

  “You’ve got a point there.” She ran her hands along Raelin’s spine, delighting in the small shiver she felt. Continuing to run her hands along Raelin’s back and sides, she rose to her tiptoes, gently nuzzling Rae’s chin.

  Pulling the smaller woman close, Rae let the underlying currents of their emotions replenish her ebbing strength. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the feeling of the woman in her embrace.

  “Have you eaten recently?” Del asked, nipping playfully at Raelin’s full bottom lip. “It must be near supper time by now.”

  “No...not since breakfast. Let me start dinner. What would you like?” the brunette asked, but she made no effort to move from where she was.

  “You aren’t going to let me help you are you?” Del draped her arms over Raelin’s shoulders, playing with the ends of her dark hair, not quite ready to relinquish her hold.

  Looking down into the smirking face, Rae came to a decision. “Actually, the kitchen is all yours. I’m gonna lay down on the sofa, and you just let me know when it’s ready. How’s that?”

  “I think I can manage that. I just ho
pe you aren’t expecting a gourmet meal. My kitchen skills leave something to be desired on most days. Is there anything you want?”

  Kissing the corner of Del’s mouth, Rae murmured, “Anything that you make will be fine. Thanks for cooking. I really need to rest...it’s hitting me harder than I thought.” She took a step back and stumbled slightly. “I’ll be in the living room.”

  “Whoa there. Let me help you get settled at least.” She reached out to steady Rae, helping her get her balance again. “I’ll get you set up on the couch. Do you have a blanket anywhere?”

  “There’s a quilt on the back of the sofa.” The brunette let Del lead her into the living room and help her to lie down on the sofa. She smiled as the blonde carefully pulled off her shoes and socks and lifted her legs to rest.

  Grabbing the quilt, she draped it over the exhausted woman and knelt on the floor next to her. She brushed Raelin’s hair back from her forehead. “You rest now; I will wake you when dinner is done okay? Is there anything I should put together for Jenny?”

  “There’s soup in the fridge...that’s all that she’s been able to keep down. That and Gatorade anyways.” Reaching up, Rae grabbed Del’s hand. “No matter what happens, I’m glad that you here now.” Closing her eyes, she was quickly asleep.

  Del smiled to herself and ignoring the pain she placed a gentle kiss on Raelin's forehead before she headed for the kitchen to start dinner.

  j

  Del stood in the middle of the kitchen, the sauce she’d whipped up was simmering nicely, and the salad had been tossed. Knowing she wanted to make up for earlier, but not knowing where to find what she needed, she decided to find help. She headed to the porch and found Rori sitting on the railing, his ears twisting to listen to her approach.

  “Hey Rori, I was wondering if you could give me a hand. I’m sorry about the whole gun thing; I didn’t know you lived here. It’s a force of habit to be a bit paranoid in my profession. I hope you’ll forgive me.” Del wasn’t sure if he even understood her. She didn’t have the bond with the feline that Raelin did.

  The cat turned his head to look at her for a moment before he turned fully around and sat facing her. When nothing was said for a moment, he mewed.

  “This is very strange for me. I’m not used to talking to cats, but then, you aren’t just a cat are you. You have a very special bond with her. I guess I’ll introduce myself properly. Perhaps we can start over? I’m Delaney.” She reached a hand out, offering a handshake as a truce.

  He took a step forward rubbing his head against her hand before he nipped at her fingertips. Sitting back down on his haunches he licked his lips.

  Del laughed. “You are an interesting person Mister Rori. Here’s the deal. I really, really like your witch. I know you aren’t too keen with that, but I really want to make her happy. This dinner is a way for me to try. I want to set up a nice supper for her, but I don’t know where to find candles, or what she would like to drink or anything like that. You think you can help me out?”

  He got up and trotted into the kitchen to stand next to some drawers. Rising up on his hind legs, Rori batted at the second drawer.

  She followed him in and opened the drawer, smiling when she found the candles. “Thanks, any holders?”

  Going over to a china cabinet, he rubbed his head against a small door.

  She retrieved the holders and set up three candles on the table. “Is there any good silverware she uses?”

  He just sat there, and looked at her.

  “Is that a no?” she asked, crouching down so she wasn’t towering over him. “Do you know if she has any flowers in her garden she wouldn’t mind if I picked for the table?”

  The gray cat led the way to the garden on the side of the house and waited for the blonde to join him. After grabbing some pruning shears and a basket, Del walked out and stood beside him. “Which ones do you recommend?” Rori walked towards one of the rose bushes that were a pale purple shade, and then he wandered over to stand next to some jasmine.

  Getting the hint, Del quickly gathered a few roses and some jasmine. “These are beautiful. Only thing we need now is a vase. Then I think we’ll be set.”

  The cat looked up and her and mewed again. Shaking his head, he went back into the house, but this time he led her into the utility room. He hopped up on the washer and rubbed against some shelves.

  Smiling she stood on her tiptoes to see on the shelves. “It’s times like these that I seriously wish I was a few inches taller.” Looking around, she spied a small stepladder and set it up so she could grab the vase of the shelf. It was simple, but elegant. Just what she’d had in mind. She folded the stool up and replaced it back where she found it. Looking at the cat, she tilted her head a bit, thinking. “Did you want me to get you something to eat now or do you want to eat with us? If you want to eat now, just show me where she keeps your food.”

  The cat just sat there looking at her once again.

  Del watched him for a moment before she leaned against the washer so her face was level with his. She looked into his eyes, smiling gently. “I really appreciate what you are doing for me. I know you don’t really approve of me, and you’d rather I stayed away and all. I really do care for her; I promise you I will do my best to keep her safe. I don’t want to hurt her.”

  The cat walked forward until his face was mere inches away from the blonde’s staring into her eyes. He was picturing using her legs as a scratching post if Raelin was hurt.

  “You’re probably thinking of tearing my face apart, aren’t you? I’m glad she’s had you to look out for her all these years. You seem like a fine father figure, and she certainly turned out to be a wonderful person.”

  The cat meowed and bumped his head against her chin before jumping off the washing machine and running into the kitchen.

  Del watched him for a moment before she remembered the pasta boiling on the stove and bolted for the kitchen, catching it just as it started to boil over. Lifting the lid and turning down the burner, she checked the pasta and decided it could use a few more minutes. Turning to look at the feline, she gave him a soft chuckle. “You save my butt once again. Thank you. How about you? Anything you’d like for supper?”

  He walked over to the fridge and waited for her to open the door. Once she did, Del moved her hand over the shelves until he rubbed against her. With that method, she soon deduced that he wanted some baby shrimp.

  “Would you like it now, or do you want to wait until Raelin is up?” she asked, preparing the baby shrimp by cutting them into bite size pieces.

  His answer was to walk into the living room and make himself comfortable on the sofa next to Rae’s head. Reaching out with a paw, he placed it on her shoulder.

  “Okay Rori. It’s almost done. Thank you for all the help. I’m really grateful,” she said as she peeked her head into the living room. She returned to the dining room after draining the pasta and set the table. She arranged the jasmine and all but one rose in the vase and set it at the center. She placed the last rose across Rae’s plate and then headed back to the kitchen to finish the prep.

  Grabbing a spoon, she took a small taste of the tomato basil sauce and deemed it acceptable. She poured it into a dish, picked it up along with a small dish of parmesan cheese she’d found and placed them onto the table. She grated a bit of cheese over the garden salad she’d made and set it on the table next to the rest of the food. Lastly, she dished the fettuccini pasta into a bowl to also be placed just so.

  Lighting the candles, she smiled at her accomplishment. First dinner she’d made in a long time. Now to get Rae up. She took a look at the clock on the stove and was glad that Rae had a few hours’ sleep. She turned the soup on the stove down to minimum to keep it warm until they took it to Jenny and walked into the living room to wake Raelin from her nap. “It’s all finished Rori. Do you have a favorite place to eat?”

  He carefully got up and stretched before hopping down to walk into the kitchen and jumped up on a low bench.
Sitting down, he mewed and waited.

  Nodding she pulled the dish out of the fridge and place it next to him. “Water?”

  He nodded his head as he watched her fill a bowl from the water cooler Rae had in the corner of the kitchen.

  “Here you go,” she placed it next to him and gave his head a light pat. “I’m going to go wake her up. I hope she likes this.”

  He stood up on his back paws, placing his front ones on her chest as he stretched to his fullest height to lick her chin. Dropping down, he began nibbling at the shrimp.

  Del smiled and took that as an affirmative. Arriving back in the living room, she kneeled on the floor next to Rae, watching her sleep for a few minutes. She watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath, and her dark hair falling across her face, with the tension she had carried early in the day no longer present in her sleep. Gently she brushed the stray hairs from her face, pressing soft kisses across her cheek and forehead. “Raelin,” she whispered. “Time to get up. Supper’s ready if you’re hungry.”

  j

  A lilting voice drew Raelin from her sleep. She had not dreamed this time as this was a replenishing sleep, but she decided that she was enjoying the way that Del choose to wake her. Turning her head slightly, she opened her eyes to look at the blonde. “Your lip must be feeling better,” her voice was husky from sleep.

  “A little, but this was so worth any sting I might have felt. Rori’s already eating; the table’s all set so all you have to do is show up. Care to join me?” She leaned down and rubbed her nose against Raelin’s cheek, enjoying this quiet moment.

  Bringing up her hands, Rae held the blonde’s face between them as she murmured. “Open your mouth for me Delaney.”

  Delany did as she was asked, parting her lips, being careful not to reopen the cut, and waited for Rae’s next move.