Insight

by Jennis Slaughter

  “You aren’t going to lose me. I will never willingly leave you, not now that I’ve found you. Besides, there’s a Jazz joint I’m told is a great place for a first date in New Orleans, and I promised I’d take my girlfriend. She’ll be angry if I die before I take her.” Kasey laughed, kissing the top of her lover’s head.

  Tightening her arms around the taller woman, Jenny closed her eyes and prayed that nothing would ever happen to either one of them.

  “Now since my knees are working again, let’s get into this shower and use what little warm water might be left. If any.” Kasey smiled, giving the smaller girl a gentle nudge towards the shower.

  j

  Del walked slowly up the stairs, her mind trying to work out everything she’d gone through that day. She was exhausted, but more than anything, she wanted to be close to her witch. She needed something real; something tangible to ground her and some cuddles with Raelin was just the thing. Opening the door to the bedroom, she found her lover asleep.

  Smiling as she stripped off her clothes, she popped them into the hamper without realizing what she’d done and decided to forgo any sleeping clothes. It was a humid night and there was barely a breeze coming in through the open window. She took in the sight of Raelin sleeping; she always looked so young when she slept, her features free from the sadness of the day and the moonlight spilling in through a crack in the curtains making her bronze skin glow.

  Carefully she crawled into the bed and pressed up against her back, dropping a kiss to a tanned shoulder. She buried her nose into the curls at the base of Raelin’s neck and smelled the familiar scent of her shampoo and the gentle rise and fall of the woman’s chest as she slept soothing her. She calmed her mind and tried to drift off.

  A Chapter 24 a

  Del squeezed her eyes closed tighter as she felt the early morning sun falling across her face. Knowing she wouldn’t be getting back to sleep now that she was awake; she tightened her hold on Raelin and burrowed her face deeper into the back of the witch’s neck. She breathed in the brunette’s scent, nosing dark hair aside to place a gentle kiss on Raelin’s neck. She knew Raelin would wake soon, but she was perfectly content to enjoy this quiet moment for as long as it lasted.

  The first thing to filter through Raelin’s consciousness was sound, but the second thing was much more enjoyable. Delaney’s hand was lightly running up and down her thigh, causing goose bumps to break out on Raelin’s skin. Taking a deep breath, she turned so that she was flat on her back and could look up into her lover’s face. “Morning my love.”

  “Morning. Did you sleep okay?” Del asked, her hand moving up to splay across the woman’s stomach.

  “Not bad. How was yours? Was it late when Kasey got back?” She laid her hand atop the blonde’s.

  “It wasn’t too late, I don’t think. She was anxious to get back, probably drove like a demon to get here,” Del chuckled, kissing the corner of Raelin’s mouth. She propped her head on her hand, resting her weight on her elbow. Turning her hand over, she began to play with Raelin’s fingers where they rested on her own.

  Watching their hands move with each other, Raelin admitted, “I asked her to watch over you.”

  “Hmm, well, she’ll have enough to watch out for on D-day but I appreciate the thought. I’ll be careful, I promise,” Del replied, giving Raelin’s fingers a squeeze. “I have to meet up with everyone at Jasper’s today around noon. So we have some time before I have to be anywhere.” The blonde grinned tracing slow kisses over Raelin’s jaw.

  Raelin smiled and turned towards her lover just as Del’s cell phone began to buzz.

  Del glanced at the phone and looked back down at Raelin. “Ignore it,” she muttered leaning down for a kiss, satisfied when it stopped ringing, only for it to start again a few seconds later. Rolling over she grabbed it off the nightstand and flipped it open without a glance to the caller ID.

  “Delacroix. Someone had better be dying,” she muttered, thoroughly frustrated that a naked Raelin was lying next to her and she wasn’t taking advantage.

  Director Jacobs’s dry voice came through the earpiece. “He actually is, Ms. Delacroix. We found Arthur Kingsley, and if Ms. Montrose and Ms. LeBlanc want to see him, you might tell them to hurry. I’ve sent a car for them, and it should be arriving in the next half hour.”

  “What?” sputtered Del, quickly sitting up.

  The Director’s sigh could be heard through the phone. “He’s been kept against his will in a mental health facility and has a heart condition that is irreparable. We found him under the name Arthur Montrose, like you suggested.”

  “Kept by whom exactly?” Del asked, looking down at Raelin as she spoke.

  “I assume that Agent Spaulding let you look at a file last night. That should answer your question.”

  “Oh Jesus,” Del breathed. “Okay, I’ll get them up and let them know. Anything else?”

  There was a beat of silence before the Director’s voice came back on, “I need you to stay and help coordinate with Agents Spaulding and Ryerson until I get there. You have the most knowledge of the area at the moment other than Agent Wilkins, and we need to take advantage of everything that we can. I’ll arrive by noon.”

  Del was about to argue the edict when the line went dead. She sat there staring at it, trying once again to make sense of the new circumstances.

  Raelin had been watching Delaney’s face during the conversation and hadn’t liked what she saw at all. Scooting so that she was sitting up, she placed a hand on her lover’s thigh. “What’s wrong?”

  Shaking her head, Del took a deep breath. “The Director needs you in Canal City. She’s sending a car for both you and Jenny. It should be here soon. Get dressed and I’ll tell you more once I have the both of you together,” she said quietly.

  Taking a breath through her nose, Raelin stared at Delaney for a moment before she got out of bed. Going to the bathroom, she quickly went through her morning routine and then got dressed. Pulling on a pair of pressed jeans and an Oxford shirt, Raelin added a men’s vest and then tugged on a pair of boots. Brushing her hair, she let it fall in waves around her shoulders.

  Del watched Raelin head to the bathroom and left the bed to pull on her own clothes. Knowing what the day entailed, she pulled on a white button up and dark slacks, rolling her sleeves to her elbows and strapping her holster over her shoulders again. Pulling her hair into a tight ponytail, she grabbed her jacket and tapped on the bathroom door. “I’ll just be downstairs getting the kids up,” she announced through the door and then headed downstairs.

  Quickly heading into the utility room, she knocked on the door to the in-law suite, and called. “Kasey, out of bed, I need to talk to you for a second. Get Jenny up and dressed too.”.

  It took just a few moments before Kasey opened the door while running her hand through her hair. “Hey...what’s up?”

  “I just got a call from the Director. She’s sent a car for both Raelin and Jenny. They found Arthur Senior and he’s dying. She’s giving them the chance to see him before he goes, and I want to tell them together,” Del said quietly.

  Closing her eyes, Kasey swore under her breath, “Fuck.” Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes back up. “Okay, I’ll have Jenn ready and in the kitchen in ten minutes.”

  “Thanks Fed.” Del turned and headed to the kitchen and then the back door. She called for Rori, hoping he would hear her. She had a feeling her witch could use all the support she could get.

  “No need to shout. I’m right here. You’re up early. What’s wrong?” The cat was on the railing of the back porch, his tail lazily swishing back and forth.

  Del jumped and turned to look at him. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there. They found Raelin’s father, but he’s dying of a heart condition and now I have to tell her that the Director has sent a car so she could see him before he goes. I imagine she would appreciate having you nearby.”

  The gray cat shook his head. “Can’t she ever catch a break? I
’ll be here for her. That is understood. However, I think that you should know that there is quite a buzz in town with the Chief’s arrest and the Reverend nowhere to be found. People are starting to talk, and it’s aimed out here.”

  “Fuck. Well, hopefully it will all be over by the end of the day and everyone can start to rebuild,” Del sighed. “Thanks Rori.”

  Raelin came into the kitchen as Del was coming in from the porch. “Do I have time to make us some breakfast or should I not?” the witch quietly asked.

  Del looked at her, wishing there was more she could do. “If it’s just something quick like a bowl of cereal or some toast, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Turning to put some bread in the toaster, Raelin looked up as Jenny and Kasey walked in the room. “Morning...would either of you like some coffee?”

  “If you wouldn’t mind,” Kasey replied politely, taking a seat next to Jenny at the table.

  Del opened the fridge and smiled as Rori came in. “You’re in luck Boss. Looks like your witch picked up more salmon,” she said, fixing him a bowl for his breakfast.

  “Raelin has always taken care of her family.” Rori jumped up in the counter and rubbed against his dark haired human.

  Reaching over to pet her familiar, Raelin started the coffee and turned to her detective. “We’re both here now Delaney...what’s going on?”

  Del set the dish down so the feline would have it when he chose and leaned back against the counter. “They found your father. I had them keep an eye out for anyone under the name Montrose. Looks like he was at a mental health clinic,” she paused, knowing she couldn’t say anything about who had forced him there just yet.

  She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the rest of the news and reached out a hand to place on Raelin’s arm. “He’s dying Raelin. It’s a heart problem they can’t fix. They’ve arranged for you to see him. That’s why they’re sending a car. I’m sorry.”

  Raelin didn’t say anything as she looked down at the hand that was on her arm. She watched as the graceful fingers moved over the cotton linen of her shirt a few moments before she looked back up at the blonde. “You found my dad?”

  “I can’t take the credit, but they found him. You can see him if you want. Jenny too since he’s her grandfather,” Del said softly.

  Kasey laid a gentle hand on Jenny’s thigh under the table, trying to offer as much support as she could, unsure of the girl’s feelings on the whole thing, considering her own father.

  Turning her head, the brunette looked at the auburn haired young woman. “Do you want to meet him, Jenny? You don’t have to if it will be too difficult for you,” Raelin was speaking as if she was in a daze. Too many things had happened too quickly, and she was having a hard time processing this newest development.

  Nodding her head, Jenny laced her fingers with Kasey’s. “Yeah, I would. Very much.”

  Del was watching Raelin, and was a little concerned. “Rae, I know it’s a lot to take in. Are you going to be okay?”

  Nodding her head, Raelin glanced at the detective. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Frowning briefly, she looked around. “Did you say that you wanted some coffee?”

  Kasey looked up at the witch. “Don’t worry about it. I can grab it. You should warm up that toast. You should have something in your stomach,” the agent replied, keeping a careful eye on Jenny.

  “I’m fine babe.” Jenny stood up, walked over to the witch, and took her by the hand. “Come on Rae; let’s go sit in the living room until the car gets here.” Glancing at the other two women, she gave them instructions. “Just fix some toast and coffee, and then bring it in to us. She just needs some time to process this.”

  Del nodded and watched as Jenny led Raelin out of the room. Turning back to the counter, she popped new slices of bread into the toast and poured mugs of coffee. “Rori, how does Raelin usually take her coffee?” Del asked distractedly.

  “Sweet and blonde...like you.” The feline rubbed against his second human. “She’ll be all right. Just give her some time.”

  “I know. I just hate to see her hurting. I’m sure you understand,” she smiled down at the cat, glad that he had warmed up to her. She grabbed the milk out of the fridge and added some to Raelin’s coffee along with some sugar, leaving her own black. She turned to the agent who had left the table and started buttering the toast that had just popped. “How do you want yours?”

  “I’ll fix my own; you go take care of your girl.” Kasey cut the toast in half diagonally and placed it on a plate. “Try and get her to eat something. She’s gonna need her strength.”

  Jenny led Raelin over to the sofa and got her to sit down. Still holding onto her hand, she looked into caramel colored eyes. “It’s going to be all right Rae. You get to see your dad, your dad who wanted to know you.”

  The brunette turned to her friend and stared at her for a moment, and then it was like a light bulb was turned on. “I know Jenny, it’s just...I don’t know. I’m going to lose him almost as fast as I found him, and I don’t even know if he really wants to see me.”

  The younger woman nodded her head. “We’ll ask before we go in, okay? If he isn’t up to it, we’ll see what he wants.”

  Del walked into the living room hesitantly, not wanting to intrude. “Hey, I brought toast and coffee. Jenny, Kasey should be out in a second with your coffee,” she set the plates and mugs on the coffee table. “Raelin, have at least a slice. You need to eat.”

  Jenny stood up. “I’ll eat in the kitchen. You stay here with her,” she patted the blonde’s arm and left the room.

  Smiling weakly, Raelin reached out to caress Delaney’s cheek. “I’m okay. Just shocked, that’s all.”

  “I know. You know you don’t have to if you aren’t comfortable with it. No one will think less of you,” Del said quietly.

  “No, I’m gonna go. Momma would expect it of me.” Leaning forward she lightly kissed the blonde. “Thank you for being here. Are you going to go with me?”

  Shaking her head, Del ran her fingers through dark waves. “I have to stay here on the Director’s orders. I’m sorry I can’t be there to support you, but I guess having Jenny there is probably better anyway. She’s known you a lot longer than I have.”

  Leaning into the touch, Raelin looked at her lover. “I’d rather it was you, but I understand. You’ll be here when I get home though, right?”

  “I should be, yeah. It depends on when you get back. I have some errands to run in town today, but I’ll be back here when I’m done.” Del looked over her witch. “Also, you look beautiful.”

  A hand went up to her hair without a thought. “Are you sure I look okay?”

  “You look gorgeous,” she leaned in and kissed her witch. “Amazing.” Another kiss. “He’s not even going to know what hit him.” Finally, she let the kiss linger before pulling away.

  “I just want him to be proud of me, Delaney. What if I’m not what he thought I would be?” Raelin wiped her hands against her jean-covered thighs.

  “I read that letter, Raelin, and he was already proud of you. He watched you grow, even if it was from a distance, and he couldn’t have been happier in who you are.” Del smiled at her witch and was about to say more when she heard the distinct sound of a car pulling into the drive. “I guess that’s your ride, huh?”

  Standing up abruptly, Raelin cleared her throat. “Yeah, I’d better go,” she took a step forward, but then turned and grabbed the blonde by the lapel of her jacket, drawing them together. “I love you Delaney.” Leaning down, she kissed her as hard as she could.

  Del wrapped her arms around Raelin’s neck, taking in as much as she could, knowing it would have to last her. Pulling away, she smiled. “I love you too Darlin’. Now off you go,” she gave Raelin a gentle shove towards the door, followed by a swat to her bottom and a wink.

  Jenny came out of the kitchen holding onto Kasey’s hand. “You ready, Rae?”

  Nodding, the brunette opened the door and headed outside.

/>   Turning back to the agent, Jenny whispered. “You be careful.”

  “You too,” she reached a hand up and ran her fingers over the silver chain around the young girls neck, her fingers resting on the cross resting on her sternum. “I’ll be right there with you, yeah?”

  Smiling, the younger woman turned to leave, but stopped in front of the blonde. “Watch her for me. Don’t let her start babbling at the wrong time. I’ll take care of Rae.”

  “Deal.” Del smiled watching as the young girl joined her witch in the black car and pull away. “We are so wrapped around their fingers, aren’t we?” Del grinned as Kasey came up beside her.

  “I don’t know about you, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” the agent admitted. “You doing okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I just hate that I can’t be there for her. So Fed, whose goose we cooking first?” The detective asked with a smile.

  j

  Director Jacobs led Raelin and Jenny down a back hallway to a private room in the back of the building. It was quiet except for the steady beep of machines they could hear even outside the door. “He’s in here, Ms. Montrose. You may both go in and see him. We told him you were coming, and he was very glad to be able to see you. His medications keep him pretty quiet, but he’s aware of everything around him,” the Director said, showing her softer side for the first time.

  Reaching out, Jenny touched Raelin’s back. “You go in first. I’ll see him in a bit.”

  Smoothing the non-existent wrinkles in her shirt, Raelin pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  Arthur Kingsley had always had a larger than life presence, and Raelin was shocked to see how frail he now looked. His hair was all white and he had of course lost his tan, but his eyes were still alert, and they were looking right at her as she took a step inside.

  “Hi...umm, I’m Raelin Montrose,” she shook her head. “Of course, you know that.”