Insight

by Jennis Slaughter

  j

  Kasey chuckled at the pout Jenny threw her when she started to pull on her shirt. “What? I can’t spend the day naked,” she laughed, buttoning the dark shirt.

  “Yes, you can. We can stay here all day long, and talk and make love. You don’t have to go anywhere.” Jenny sat in bed with the sheet pooled around her waist.

  Having given up on taming her hair, she pulled it back into a messy ponytail, reminding herself never to go to bed with wet hair again. Turning, she kneeled on the bed next to Jenny, kissing her firmly. “You drive a hard bargain, but I do actually have work to do, even if I don’t need to leave the house to do it. You should get up too, I can smell bacon, and that means that even Raelin and Del have managed to pull themselves out of bed.”

  Wrapping her arms around the Feds neck, Jenny murmured, “That just means that they don’t have as much energy as we do.”

  “You’re insatiable,” Kasey said, kissing the young woman once more, this time pushing her back onto the bed. “I really should go try and work though.”

  Holding the Agent closer, Jenny sighed. “I think that you should try and work on me some more. What do you think about that?”

  Grinning, Kasey trailed a line of kisses to Jenny’s ear. “I think I’ve already spent most of the morning working on you.” The agent trailed a hand across Jenny’s stomach, her fingertips dancing over the curve of a perfect breast.

  Arching into the woman’s hand, Jenny sighed. “Practice makes perfect they say.”

  A shrill tone of a cell phone interrupted the women.

  Kasey pulled away reluctantly to answer her phone, frowning at having been interrupted. “Spaulding?”

  “Agent Spaulding, this is Director Jacobs. I received your email request on Brito’s investigation in regards to Quinlan Montrose. If you and Ms. Delacroix wish to come to Canal City, we shipped everything up here yesterday, and you can go through what you need. Anything that you find will just drive another nail into Brito and the rest of them coffins. I’ll expect you within two hours.” And the conversation ended.

  Whatever Jenny was about to say was again interrupted by a knock on the back door, which both women could barely hear.

  “Morning Agent Ryerson...I mean Will. What are you doing here?” Raelin’s voice could be heard.

  “Director Jacobs ordered me to stay here with you and Jenny while Agent Spaulding and Ms. Delacroix goes to Canal City,” Will’s voice replied.

  Kasey froze for a split second when she heard her partner’s voice and then bolted into action. She quickly pulled on a pair of fitted jeans, grabbed her gun out of her go bag and then opened the nearby closet and shoved the bag in. She looked quickly around the room and seeing no more evidence of her staying the night she gave Jenny a quick kiss and a warning to get up soon and headed for the door.

  She walked out through the utility room and into the kitchen to greet Will as if nothing was amiss. “Will, I wasn’t expecting you so soon. I only just got the call from Jacobs.”

  “She called me earlier, waking me out of a sound sleep I might add, and told me to get over here. How late were you up if you sent the request in after midnight?” Turning away from his partner, Will smiled at Del and Raelin as she came back into the room. “And how are you lovely ladies doing this morning?”

  Del just shrugged. “Fine. She got up to do a check of the house last night and saw me working. I couldn’t sleep. That’s why the request went in so late.”

  “Ah okay...well, you two had better get on the road. I’ll take care of Ms. Montrose and LeBlanc. I promise that they will be safe under my watch.” The young man stood dressed in black jeans and boots with a pressed white button down shirt.

  Kasey grinned. “Safe physically, mentally, I’d be worried,” she joked, shoving his shoulder playfully as she passed. “I’m just going to pack up some stuff and make sure Ms. LeBlanc knows the situation. She might be concerned if she comes out and sees only you.”

  Del nodded. “I need to gather up some files before I leave as well. Meet out front in say ten minutes?”

  Kasey nodded and headed to the utility room to say goodbye under the guise of updating Jenny while Del headed for the living room to gather up her laptop and the notes she’d taken.

  Raelin offered the agent breakfast before she followed her lover into the living room, only to find her zipping up her laptop case. “What’s going on?”

  “Jacobs is letting me have another chat with Brito. Kasey and I will head to Canal City for a couple hours. I’ll call Jasper and have him come out too so Will won’t be the only one watching the house,” she said, rifling through a few pieces of paper.

  “No. I’ll meet Jasper in town and he can come back with me. What are you going to talk to Brito about? I thought that you got everything from him yesterday.” The brunette stood in the entranceway with her arms crossed over her chest.

  “I couldn’t sleep last night so I started looking into your father. I figured the best place to start was the day your mother died.” Del looked away knowing there was no easy way to say what she was about to say. “Brito was in charge of the investigation and it’s a little too unlikely that a town full of hunters mistook your mom for a deer in broad daylight in a clearing. I just want to have a chat with him about what he found. Given what I know about him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was covering something up.”

  Raelin took a step into the room. “You...you think that my mother was murdered?”

  “I don’t know for sure. I’m sorry Raelin, it just sounds a little too convenient that your mother died two days after he started making plans to leave his current wife. The letter said he was trapped by his family; his decision to leave had to upset someone. Otherwise, why would he run?” Del finished packing and approached her witch, laying a gentle hand on her arm. “I could be wrong.”

  Raelin closed her eyes and hung her head. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. Just be careful.” Looking up, she smiled at the concern on the blonde’s face. “I’ll be fine. Go do what you have to do and come home.”

  “Won’t be more than a few hours. Canal city’s only about a half hour from here and hopefully getting what I want out of Brito won’t take long,” she rose to her tiptoes to place a lingering kiss on Raelin’s lips knowing it would have to last her until she got home.

  Wrapping her arms around the blonde, the witch closed her eyes and placed a spell of protection around her. “I’ll text you when I get home with Jasper, that way you won’t worry.”

  “I would appreciate it. Now I need to go before I change my mind and stay here with you,” she chuckled with a kiss to the end of Raelin’s nose. She pulled away and headed for the porch, seeing Kasey already there. She pointed the agent to her Jeep and joined her, packing her things into the backseat.

  j

  Jenny stood in her bedroom, watching her Fed and Delaney pack everything in the Jeep. Kasey had come back in and explained exactly what was going on and that she was leaving with Del to go talk with Brito again.

  “I’ll only be gone for a little while and then I’ll come right back. Someone will have to rescue you from Ryerson.” The agent had smiled.

  Seeing the concerned look on Jenny’s face, she came up with an idea. Reaching into her shirt, she pulled out the silver cross hanging around her neck and unclasped it. Taking Jenny’s hand, she placed the pendant in her palm, closing delicate fingers around the chain. “My mother gave this to me the day I joined the Bureau. It was my father’s before he died. Now you have something of me to hold onto while I’m not with you. I love you,” Kasey whispered, leaning down to kiss Jenny deeply, letting it linger until they’d both needed air.

  Releasing the kiss, Kasey had turned and rushed out of the room before she locked them both in there.

  Opening her palm, Jenny looked down at the cross in her hand and then back out of the window. Whispering to her lover, “Be careful Kasey,” she put on the cross and turned to get dressed.

  j
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  Watching Del’s Jeep drive away, Raelin turned to the remaining agent. “Okay, you get to clean up. I’m going into town to get some groceries. I’ll call Jasper on my way and he can meet me at the grocery store. You stay here and watch Jenny.”

  “Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to be traveling into town alone? Wouldn’t it be safer for you stay here? I know you aren’t under protective custody like Ms. LeBlanc is, but I promised I’d keep you safe,” Will replied, starting to clear the mess from breakfast.

  Grabbing her wallet and the keys to her truck Raelin was halfway out the door. “I’ve already had this discussion with Del. I’ll be back within an hour. Besides, Jenny is the one you should be worried about, she is the witness.” She escaped before the young agent could say anything more.

  On the way to town, Raelin pulled out her cell and gave her old friend a call. “Hey Jasper...how are you feeling today?”

  “I’m feeling pretty all right. What can I do for you Raelin?”

  “Yeah, I’m heading into town to get some groceries and Del and Agent Spaulding are headed to Canal City to talk with Brito again. The only way that Del would let me come to town was that you would need to go shopping with me and then I’ll take you back to the house. Is this okay with you?”

  “Well, I’m not exactly up too much. Let me head across the street and I’ll meet you there. Anything you want me to bring with me?”

  “Just your grocery list...be there in five minutes.” Raelin shut her phone and concentrated on her driving. As she pulled onto Main Street, she noticed some people stopping and staring while other people just turned their backs to the young woman. While this was normal behavior for the townies, today she felt an undercurrent of resentment. Taking a deep breath, she pulled in front of the grocery store and parked.

  Seeing Jasper leaning against the wall she smiled and got out of her truck to head towards her friend. “Thanks for doing this Jasper.”

  “It’s my pleasure. Now, what all do you need?” he asked, holding the door open for her.

  “Salmon for one thing, if I don’t get some more Rori is going to start shredding the back door. Other than that, we are just low on everything. Do you need anything special?” Raelin grabbed a cart and started down the aisles, putting items in as she went.

  Jasper shook his head and was about to answer when AJ Kingsley came around the corner and smirked as he saw the two of them.

  “Well, look who we have here. Raelin Montrose, always a pleasure to see you.” AJ grinned, running his eyes over Raelin’s form.

  “Hello AJ.” Raelin stared at her half-brother. She had wondered what she was going to feel whenever she met up with him, and now she knew...a lot of envy as he had their father for almost his whole life. Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed the jealousy away.

  “What brings you all the way in town? We don’t get to see you too often. A shame really,” he replied, his eyes lingering over her chest.

  “My eyes are up here AJ. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t stare at my chest,” the brunette admonished.

  AJ looked up to meet Raelin’s aggravated stare as if he’d done nothing wrong. “The rumors in town say that you’ve gotten mighty close to that detective from the city.”

  Raelin’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Delaney. “I am helping Ms. Delacroix to try and find Jenny, yes. Jasper here introduced her and since he’s so busy with his store, I volunteered to help.”

  He just grinned at her for a second. “They say you’ve been helping her with a little more than that Raelin. I didn’t make you out to be that way even with your...” he paused as if looking for the right word, “Oddities.”

  Jasper stepped forward. “Let’s keep it polite AJ.”

  Seeing Jasper jump to defend the witch he simply grinned wider. “So it’s true then. My, my, now that’s a delicious thought.”

  “Keep those thoughts out of your head AJ. What would your mother and your wife say if they knew you were hitting on women in the grocery store?” the older man snapped back.

  Ignoring the older man, he kept his attention on Raelin. “Well, I should warn you then Raelin. Seems like that detective is nothing but trouble anyway. Wouldn’t want you to come to harm or anything. And here we were thinking we were doing poor Jenny a favor. I better get going; you know how my mother hates to be kept waiting.”

  As AJ stepped forward to go around them, he paused to whisper in Raelin’s ear, “Tell me is she a good a lay as she was in my dream last night?”

  The witch slowly turned to look at the older man, her eyes slowly going to black. “You keep your mind off Delaney Delacroix AJ or you’ll find out first hand if the rumors about me are true.”

  “Then I look forward to seeing you tonight after I fall asleep. I’m sure you’ll be joining us,” he straightened up and offered them a nod and arrogant smile. “Have a goodnight. I know I will.” And with that, he turned to leave the market.

  Muttering underneath her breath, Raelin twitched her hand and smiled to herself as the sliding doors to the super market refused to open as he walked up. She watched as he ran into them hard enough to knock them off the tracks and send him to the floor. Grinning wider as she heard Jasper next to her chuckling at the look on AJ’s face as he picked himself up off the floor. His face a deep red as he cursed out the closest employee, pushing the jammed door open before he stalked out through them.

  “Raelin as your elder I have to say that was a naughty thing to do, but as your friend; I have to say, good work.” Jasper didn’t even bother hiding his grin.

  The witch smiled and then her face grew dark. “I shouldn’t have done that, but I just got so mad when he mentioned Del,” she turned to her friend. “Jasper, I’m scared. I’ve done more emotional magic in the last week than I’ve ever done in my life, and I think that it’s beginning to affect me.”

  “Affect you how exactly Raelin? I don’t know about magic the way you do, and if you think your health is in danger I need to know?” he asked quietly, as they started walking around the store again.

  Picking up some organic apples, Raelin weighed in whether or not to tell her friend the truth. “Did you get the full story on what happened the other day with Sumners?”

  “All I got was what Sumners went on about. That you attacked him and made his chair float and something about his gun. It’s not like you to react that way. I’d like to think I know you pretty well and there has never been a malicious bone in your body. What was he doing that made you go to such an extreme?” Jasper asked, holding the bag for her to drop the apples in.

  “It’s not what he did that’s the problem, it’s what I did. I used my power against someone out of anger and I’m afraid that it has cost me,” she placed a half dozen in the bag and then reached for some oranges. “All of the negative emotions that I am feeling and acting on are costing me something I can never get back.”

  “Well, I’m sure it’s not that bad Raelin. Would a cleansing help? You’ve mentioned those before,” he asked, trying to be helpful as he put a tie on the bag of oranges for her.

  “It will help some, but it won’t help me get time back,” Raelin whispered just barely loud enough for the man to hear.

  Jasper paused and gave Raelin a searching look. “What do you mean time?”

  Shaking her head, Raelin changed the subject. “Never mind, can’t cry over spilled milk. So...what do you have on your grocery list?”

  “That doesn’t sound like any spilt milk to me Raelin,” Jasper said, shaking his head, but decided to let it go for now, since Raelin no longer wished to discuss it. “All I need is some veggies and a few steaks. I had a hankering for some barbeque before you called me.”

  “Then let’s get enough for a cook out. I’ve got a grill that you can use.” Raelin was glad that her friend had decided to let the matter drop and they quickly gathered the rest of their items and headed to the checkout.

  After paying, they were walking outside discussing what they were go
ing to fix for dinner when they saw that all of the windows in Raelin’s truck were busted.

  Raelin stood there, looking at her truck; glass surrounding it and inside. Sighing she took a few steps forward to look into the cab, and someone behind she shouted, “Traitor!” And then from across the street came, “Dyke!”

  Taking a deep breath, she opened the passenger side door, reached behind the seat to pull out a whiskbroom, and started to sweep out the glass from the seats.

  “Isn’t that a bit too small for a witch to ride?” someone shouted.

  Seeing that it was only a few troublemakers and none of the men who’d previously attacked them anywhere in sight Jasper decided to pipe up. “Listen, you all just leave her alone. She hasn’t done anything wrong and she certainly doesn’t deserve this.”

  Walking around the truck to clean out the driver’s side, Raelin shook her head. “Don’t bother Jasper,” she swallowed and held back the tears. “Would you ride with me to the house? I’m sure that Will can drive you back later.”

  Fighting down the urge to cross the street and knock all of their heads together Jasper took a deep breath and turned back to Raelin. “Sure I’ll drive out with you. You don’t need to ask. I’m just not sure how you can let them get away with this kind of thing,” he said, walking around the truck to check for more damage. “You want me to drive?”

  “Yes please.” Raelin put the groceries in crates that she had in the back of her truck. She had swept the glass to the curb, making sure that there wasn’t any pieces that would flatten anyone’s tires. Getting into the truck, she stared straight ahead as Jasper pulled out of the lot and headed towards her home.

  A Chapter 21 a

  Kasey stood next to the blonde detective and she scribbled down another note. “Do you think that Brito covered something up?”

  “I don’t think, I know. Look at this autopsy report. Raelin’s mother was shot at the base of her neck from behind. It killed her instantly because it paralyzed her from the neck down. And hunters use rifles or shot guns. This wound indicates a hand gun of some sort, the entrance hole is too clean for it to be a shot gun blast. Way too small to be a rifle round,” Del pointed out, nearly tearing the page in half she was gripping it so tightly. “Brito covered up the murder of Raelin’s mother, the bastard. He knew how close they were.”