Hidden Lies (The Hidden Series Book 2)

by Kristin Coley

  “Who better to expose a fraud than an actual psychic?” That was her standard argument, and I shook my head.

  “But it’s not proof, and I don’t want to explain how we know they were fakes, or even why this was our topic.” My hands were on my hips, and by this point, I didn’t even feel the cold. “Why do you think Jake and Connor are having so many issues with the new captain? Huh? Because they’re solving cases too easily, and they can’t say they’re using a psychic.”

  Carly appeared taken aback at my rant and asked, “Why are you so against this? We wouldn’t be the first people to reveal a fake. They have TV shows about stuff like this.”

  “Because it’s dangerous. For me. For Jake. And for every real psychic out there.” I crossed my arms over my chest, done with my little tirade. It seemed like the more people that knew my secret, the more inclined I was to protect it.

  “I’m sorry.” She laid her hand on my arm, drawing my attention to her. “I didn’t realize you felt so strongly.” She shook her head. “I wasn’t listening. We can change it if you want?”

  Her offer was kind, but we didn’t have enough time to change our report. I could see her willingness though, but we’d invested too much into this one to turn back now.

  “I just don’t want to be the circus act on display, you know?” I finally murmured. She frowned, then looped her arm in mine.

  “Let’s go get a coffee. This guy isn’t here yet, and heck, we don’t need him!” I could see what it cost her to give up the last psychic on her list. Carly wanted to mark everything off. Not interviewing the last one would leave our report incomplete in her mind, and drive her nuts.

  “Let’s not go crazy now. I mean, he is the last one in the phone book. Maybe we’ll find the one real psychic in the yellow pages.” We laughed, stepping into the warm shop, the smell of ground coffee beans hitting us. We ordered scones to go with the coffee and headed to a corner to sit and enjoy.

  “You should take a chance with Danny.” My words interrupted her taking a sip of coffee and she spilled some. “I … I’m not trying to meddle. Well, I guess actually I am. It’s just, if you really like him, don’t give up. He seems like a good guy, and I don’t want you to miss out, because you’re both too scared to go for it.”

  She didn’t say anything, kind of just stared at me, so I rambled on.

  “Not that I’m trying to tell you what to do, if I even could. It’s just you’re my friend, and I don’t want you to feel that I would ever choose the group over you, because I wouldn’t. I don’t know, feel free to ignore me today. Apparently, I have all kinds of opinions.” I glanced down at my scone. I’d crumbled it into pieces, while I was talking. I scooped up the crumbs and ate them anyway. They were really good scones.

  “I’m glad.” Her words drew my attention, but she’s not looking at me. Instead, she’s staring at her coffee like it holds the secrets to the universe. “It’s stupid, but I’ve felt left out since senior year. So much happened that you didn’t tell me about at the time. I shouldn’t be so upset about it. You told me later, and you’ve never excluded me since then.” She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Danny feels like a kindred spirit. But I don’t want to mess up the dynamic either. It finally feels like we have it together.”

  “We’ll adapt. Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” I smiled. “If you want that big, broody lug, then go for it.”

  She flicked a sugar packet at me.

  “You’re just jealous mine looks meaner than yours.”

  “Uh huh.”

  We finished our snack and headed out the door. Carly went to the left toward the car and I went to the right, back to the psychic.

  “What ...”

  “Where …” We both spoke at once, and I figured it out. “Come on. We aren’t leaving one psychic unaccounted for.” A big smile covered Carly’s face.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Hell yeah. Let’s go.”

  When we got to the shop, the open sign was displayed, and a bell jingled when we yanked the door open. A deep voice called out a greeting and said they’d be with us in a minute. I took a second to look around the room. It was painted a cream color, naturalist photos hung on the walls, and a table with magazines was in the corner. Overall, not really what I expected for a ‘fake’ psychic. An attractive black man peeked through the beaded curtain a few minutes later.

  “Can I help you?” He was pleasant, if puzzled. The door clearly stated readings by appointment only. I was actually surprised Carly hadn’t called ahead to make an appointment. It was unlike her to miss something like that.

  I couldn’t help but notice he had an extremely deep voice; like James Earl Jones deep.

  “Can you say, “Luke, I am your father?” I asked, completely serious, as Carly elbowed me. “Ow! What? You know you were thinking it.”

  A smile broke across his face, showcasing straight white teeth.

  “You are the first to just out and out ask, though.” He gazed up at the ceiling and frowned at me. “Luke, I am your father.” He pitched it just right, the voice a low gravelly rumble. I clapped and said, “Nice!”

  Carly tried to melt behind me, obviously embarrassed at my nerdy request. I dragged her out and asked, “Did you make an appointment?”

  She shook her head no, “I didn’t want him to prepare.” I narrowed my eyes trying to puzzle that out.

  “Prepare what?”

  “Like, stuff.” She waved an arm around, and I scanned the room, still confused by the concept of ‘stuff.’

  “Okaay,” I replied distractedly, my attention captured by a drawing on the wall behind him. It was in the next room, and I hadn’t seen it, because the curtain had hidden it from view. I walked toward it, brushing past him. The subject of the drawing drew me closer. It was a cabin, barely discernible from the growth surrounding it, abandoned and cast in shadows. There was something inherently disturbing about the drawing. It wasn’t like the other pictures in the waiting room. This drawing had a presence, one that hinted at dark deeds and violent emotion.

  “Who drew this?” I asked, already knowing it had been the gentlemen standing behind me.

  “I did.”

  “Why?” He seemed to understand the deeper meaning in my question.

  “A crime was committed there. A boy was murdered.”

  “How did you know?”

  “I saw it.” He paused as I studied the black and white sketch. There was no mistaking it was the same cabin Jake and I had found. “It was over a year ago, maybe two. I don’t have visions often, but I kept picturing this place over and over. I finally decided to draw it, to get it out of my head.”

  “Did it work?” I asked, curious, wondering if drawing a vision would actually make it go away.

  “No, it didn’t, but one day, it was gone. Never pictured it again. I hung the sketch after that.”

  “Why hang it?” It was a dark piece, haunting to look at. The drawing had sent a chill down my spine when I’d seen it. It didn’t seem like something you’d want around.

  “To remember. That boy deserves to be remembered.”

  I nodded, understanding what he meant.

  Carly decided at that moment to do her usual accusation.

  “Are you a fake?” She pointed a finger at him, her head not even reaching the middle of his chest, a determined look on her face.

  “No,” I answered for him, already realizing he was the real deal.

  “I … what?” Carly asked, confused, as her attention turned to me.

  “It looks like you found the only real psychic in the yellow pages, Carly.” I told her, understanding dawning on his face, quickly followed by a pissed off expression.

  “Perhaps you should leave.” He held his arm up, pointing at the door.

  “Wait!” Carly was catching on quick. “But if you’re a real psychic, that means ...”

  “You can go. I don’t appreciate people coming into my shop with false agendas.” He was adamant, even in the face of Car
ly’s pleading expression. She wanted to discover more about him, and glancing around the room, I discovered more sketches. The idea they all might be visions, some possibly never resolved, had me walking closer.

  “Nope. You too.” He skewered me with a look. “There’s something about you. Not sure what, but I’d rather not find out. So out.”

  “But …” Carly protested, even as he kept a firm hand on her elbow, to escort her out. I took a last look at the sketches, turning to follow them.

  “Wait.” The voice hinted at age, but remained strong.

  “Who are you, girl?”

  The knowledge of what I was, the name her mind supplied me with rushed in.

  “Addie,” I replied, spinning around to look at her. “A truth seer?” It was a question, the term drawn from her mind, amongst a jumble of other possibilities when she asked. She appeared surprised, then shocked, as she considered my reply. Her face was darker than the guy in front of us. He was café au lait to her dark mocha. She studied me as intently, as I studied her. Her face was unlined, even though I knew she was in her eighties. She was gifted, the grandson in front of me inheriting her ability.

  “Grannie …” he said, the warning clear in his voice.

  “Wade, she doesn’t know who she is.” Her eyes narrowed on me. “And if she is what I think, then she’s rare indeed.”

  The startling sound of a phone ringing interrupted my attempt to interpret what she meant.

  “Oops, sorry!” Carly pulled her phone from her pocket, about to hit silent when she said, “It’s Jake. Why is he calling?”

  As soon as she asked, I reached into my pocket, realizing my phone was on silent, and Jake had been trying to reach me before going to Carly. He’d started with Jules, and I knew I’d be in for it the next time I saw her.

  I held out my hand, and she gave me her phone.

  “It was on silent,” I answered him without even needing to hear the question.

  “Okay. Massive heart attack averted. Where are you?” The residual fear thrumming though him hit me. He was at the docks, and desperately needed to know I was safe.

  “I’m downtown in the antique district with Carly.” I didn’t bother to mention the psychic show going on in front of me.

  “Stay there. I’ll come get you,” he muttered, his voice muffled, as he covered the phone to speak to someone.

  “We can come to you.” I wasn’t ready to explain our location to him, and since I knew where he was, he didn’t need to come to me. “We’ll meet you at the docks.”

  He was distracted by someone near him. I could tell by how easily he agreed to my idea. “Okay. Be careful. And call Jules.” The line went dead, and I sighed.

  “We have to go,” I told them, their gazes heavy on me.

  “Don’t forget to come back, child. You need to know who you are.” Her words hinted at answers, and I nodded. The guy dropped his hand from Carly, and we turned to go.

  The bell jingled as I paused at the door.

  “The boy … he got justice,” I told him, watching as understanding crossed his face.

  “Okay, that was unexpected.” Carly clapped her hands together. “So where are we going?”

  “The docks. They found a body.”

  When we arrived, there were officers swarming around. We parked a distance away and walked toward the caution tape. I’d texted Jake when we parked, and he said he’d come get us.

  “Is it Deidre?” Carly’s voice was hushed, not wanting to draw attention from the onlookers, cops and reporters hanging around like vultures.

  “No.” I shook my head. “It’s the guy that kidnapped her.” She turned stunned eyes to me, but Connor walked up then, grabbing my attention.

  “This goes against protocol, but come on.” He lifted the caution tape, and we slipped under. He walked a little way away from the gawking onlookers, giving me a pensive gaze. “A body was discovered in the river. We got the call, and when we arrived, we noticed the guy fit the description you gave of the kidnapper.”

  “It’s him.” I interrupted, glancing over his shoulder. I could see Jake in the distance talking to a man. “Is that the new captain?” I asked, stretching to get a better look.

  “Ah, yeah,” he muttered, glancing over his own shoulder to be sure. “How did you know?”

  “Carly asked if it was Deidre. I knew it wasn’t, but I realized it was the guy that took her. It’s kinda weird that he’d be dead, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, very odd. Which is why we wanted you to take a look, but then the new captain showed up.” He frowned, his frustration evident. “Did you call Jules?”

  I sighed, flicking a glance at him. “I texted her. No more phone on silent. I got the memo. You know, one day you’ll slip and just say captain, not new captain.”

  “Maybe when he proves he’s on our side.” The words were muttered so low, I barely heard them. Their disillusionment with the prior captain, and now the barely restrained animosity for the new captain, worried me. I understood their reasons, but both of them had become more and more disgruntled by the way cases were handled. I was afraid if it continued, they would both wind up leaving the force.

  The new captain walked away, and I could see Jake frowning after him. Not a good sign. I plucked at Connor’s sleeve and started walking. Carly scurried behind us, reluctant to be left behind, but also disinclined to see a dead body.

  “Seriously, guys, are we going to look at a dead body?”

  “Yeah, would you rather stay back here?” Connor peered at her, but I already knew she wasn’t getting left behind.

  “No, I’m coming. I’ve never seen a dead body.” Her curiosity was winning out over her natural aversion to seeing someone dead. The only dead bodies I’d ever seen had been in visions, and I shuddered at the memory of them. I had an idea of what I’d see when I got to Jake, but knowing never seemed to lessen the horror at the sight.

  “Hey,” he said as he immediately gripped me in a hug, kissing my forehead. “It’s not pretty,” he warned us, keeping me close as we stepped past more caution tape. The warning didn’t quite come quick enough, as I saw the bloated body lying on the ground. The face staring up at me was distorted, but I recognized him. He was definitely the guy that had taken Deidre. I nodded, and Jake turned me away, using his body as a shield to the sight.

  “Oh,” Carly choked, looking at him. His skin had a grayish cast, his clothes were muddy, and his eyes were open and staring. “He drowned?”

  “We think so. We’ll need the coroner to tell us for sure.”

  “Yes,” I replied as he finished, earning an inquisitive stare. “They threw him overboard.”

  “They?” His question brought to mind a scene of argument, men struggling, their faces in shadow as they fought. I shrugged, not seeing anything of use.

  “Where or what did they throw him overboard from?” Connor’s question elicited an easier answer, as I pointed to a similar boat cruising down the river in front of us.

  “That. One like that.”

  “A tugboat.”

  We were interrupted then, as an angry voice asked, “What are you doing down here? This isn’t the place for you.”

  I spun around, thinking the new captain had come back, but instead, saw Danny angrily looking at Carly, a towel draped around him. His jaw throbbed as he stood there tensely, waiting on an answer.

  “I brought Addie! And what do you mean this isn’t the place for me? And why are you all wet?” Carly’s string of questions shed some light on the situation for me, and I glanced back down at our dead kidnapper.

  “You fished him out of the river. And, Carly, he thinks you’re too sweet to see death.” I hummed to myself, sorting through the new information. Carly and Danny both flushed at my words.

  “You think I’m sweet?” Her hand went to her hair, absentmindedly coiling a strand around her finger.

  “Yes. You shouldn’t have to see this.” His embarrassed flush was oddly gratifying. It seemed the tough guy did pos
sess softer emotions.

  “You jumped in the river to pull him out?” My question was disbelieving as I scanned the wide swath of muddy river. From the shore, there was no mistaking the swirls and eddies hiding a strong current. Many had drowned in those waters, the dead man in front of me no exception.

  “Wait … you jumped in the Mississippi River? Are you insane?” Carly screeched, and I determined he wasn’t insane, but possibly suicidal, and definitely foolhardy. He had good intentions, but his track record of smart decisions was a little rocky. This was the same guy who had decided to turn on his drug dealers and testify. Jumping into a river with a dangerous current was on par for him. What worried me even more was the realization that he didn’t think he deserved to live.

  Connor had stepped away for a moment, while this was going on, but at his return, I could see more bad news was on the way.

  “Guys,” he said, getting our attention as we all turned to look at him. “Nash just called me. Another girl has been reported missing.”

  Chapter Seven

  “Piper Henry was last seen leaving her Econ class yesterday morning. No one has seen or heard from her since. Her roommate thought it was unusual that she didn’t come home last night, but didn’t report it, until this morning, when she tried to call her and didn’t get an answer.” Connor rattled off the facts he’d been able to get from Nash as we all stood next to the shore of the Mississippi River. He scrutinized me and asked, “Did this guy kidnap her too?”

  I nodded, knowing he had.

  “So he kidnapped another girl and then got thrown off a tugboat all on the same day? Busy guy.” Carly managed to sum it up and connect the dots all at one time.

  “They’re shipping them down the river in cargo containers,” Jake muttered, shaking his head. He hadn’t let go of me, and I was grateful for his support. The pieces were clicking together, and I remembered being threatened myself with being sold.