“Then I guess I keep bleeding until you stop whoever is doing this.”
He sighed. “Not exactly what I wanted ta’ hear.”
“Trust me, Ben, I’m not very excited about it myself.”
“Okay…” He harrumphed. “So the way I see it, right now we’re pretty much on the same page. So far you aren’t tellin’ me anything we don’t already know.”
“Sorry… Sometimes that’s how it happens, you know that.”
“I ain’t complainin’,” he countered quickly. “I’m just thinkin’ out loud. Besides, it goes both ways. I also got nothin’ for ya’ to look at, so it’s kinda mutual. Anyway, unless I missed my guess, as far as the hocus-pocus goes, we’re at a dead end unless ya’ go all Twilight Zone again. Right?”
“Yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up. Why?”
“It’s been a very long and very weird afternoon, white man. I’m just gettin’ it straight in my head. So, Firehair, you got my cell number, right?”
“Aye, of course I do,” Felicity answered. “Why?”
“In case Beefy the Vampire Snack over there starts bleedin’ again. Because, if we ain’t takin’ ‘im to the hospital or somethin’, then I’m gonna get outta here. I promised Constance I’d take ‘er ta’ dinner and I’m already forty-five minutes late.”
“Just blame it on me,” I said.
“Oh, I plan to, Kemosabe,” he returned. “I definitely plan to.”
* * * * *
When the phone started ringing this time, I was awake. In fact, I had been out of bed for almost two hours, already showered, and was working on a fresh cup of coffee when the obnoxious peal of the bell rattled through the house.
Fortunately, this time I didn’t feel the need to plug my ears or hide under a pillow. A good eight hours of uninterrupted sleep had turned out to be far better medicine than the aspirin with a bourbon chaser. While pain free wasn’t an accurate description by any means, I was once again dealing only with the familiar dull thud hanging out in the back of my head. As annoying as that could be, it was at least bearable—and even something I could ignore if need be.
On the flip side of that coin, however, just prior to the initial ring of the phone, I had felt an icy chill run the length of my spine. While I certainly wasn’t one for believing that anything and everything was some type of sign, I had definitely learned to recognize when something was truly meant to get my attention. The way the hair stood up on the back of my neck following the sensation, I was certain this was one of those times.
I stepped over to the kitchen phone and glanced at the caller ID box. Under the circumstances I fully expected to see Ben’s name and cell number displayed, but instead the digits were completely unfamiliar. I furrowed my brow as I scanned the LCD and saw that the call appeared to be coming from the federal government. With a hard frown I snatched up the handset, cutting it off mid-peal, and then placed it against my ear.
“Hello?” I said.
The voice of a slightly cheerful but still businesslike woman answered. “Good morning… Is Miz Felicity O’Brien available?”
“I’ll have to check. May I tell her who’s calling?”
“Yes. This is Doctor Jante with the FBI,” she replied.
My outlook on the day took a sudden turn, and it definitely wasn’t a good one.
Tuesday, March 14
10:04 A.M.
FBI Field Office
Saint Louis, Missouri
CHAPTER 13:
Felicity and I were cloistered away in the conference room to which we had been ushered shortly after arriving downstairs. I looked at my watch as I continued about my self-assigned task of wearing a ten-foot long stripe in the carpet. Fifteen minutes had elapsed since the door closed behind our escort on her way out, leaving us alone to inspect the four walls of the windowless room.
I shot a second look at the timepiece just to be sure I’d read it properly because to me it felt more like an entire hour had gone by. Of course, given that I’d already spent over two months waiting for this meeting and had for all intents and purposes given up on it ever happening, a few more minutes shouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately, I was having an enormous amount of trouble convincing myself of that fact.
“Rowan, that’s the tenth time you’ve looked at your watch in the past five minutes,” my wife voiced her observation. “We’re actually here early as it is. Just relax.”
She was parked in a chair on the opposite side of the conference table from me, watching quietly as I ambled back and forth. While my personal display of nervous energy was far more overt than hers, she wasn’t exactly at ease herself. It hadn’t escaped my notice that she had removed her visitor’s badge and was absently twisting it between her fingers as she fidgeted.
“I’ll relax when this is all over,” I told her. “And, I hate to burst your bubble, but we’re only early by Felicity time. They’re actually four minutes late.”
“Four minutes isn’t really late.”
“Like I said, Felicity time. In real time if you arrive on schedule you’re already fifteen minutes late,” I said, reminding her of my personal philosophy where such was concerned.
“You could have stayed home, you know,” she told me.
I stopped mid step and looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “You’re kidding, right?”
I resumed pacing and covered the last few steps before pivoting to head back to the opposite end of the table. I glanced in her direction again and added, “Actually, I think I would have been a lot more comfortable if you had stayed home.”
“I’m sure,” she replied. “But if you remember correctly I’m the one they asked to come down here. Not you.”
“Yeah,” I spat. “I’m still not clear on that one myself. I asked Ben to get me access to Annalise. Not you. Not us. Just me.”
“Well, I’m not really sure what this is about. They just said they wanted to talk to me about her and that they were only going to be in town today. It seems a bit weird to me.”
“Yeah, me too. And, Ben still hasn’t called me back yet, so I don’t know if he had anything to do with this or not.”
Silence filled the space behind my comment for several heartbeats. I made my steady back-and-forth trek two more times and started on a third before the quiet was once again disturbed by my wife.
“Maybe it’s because I’m prettier than you,” she quipped.
“What?”
She grinned. “Maybe they asked for me because I’m prettier than you.”
“Uh-huh, very funny.”
She feigned a pout. “Well, I am.”
“While I’m inclined to agree with you, I’m also reasonably sure that’s not one of the qualifying criteria… Besides, this is no time for joking, Felicity.”
“Who says I’m joking?”
I held up my hand and thumbed my wedding ring. “Me, because I’ve known you for a long time. Besides, that comment was so far out in left field it had to be a joke.”
She nodded agreement, adopting a slightly more serious tone. “True… But I’m just trying to get you to lighten up. You’re starting to make me nervous.”
“Sorry, but there’s not much I can do about that right now.”
“Actually, yes there is. You could stop pacing and sit down. That would be a start.”
I ignored the comment and continued my twenty-mile hike in a ten-foot space.
Her voice suddenly took on the quality of soft concern. “So, how is your head doing, then?”
“Same old ache,” I replied with a shrug. “Much better than last night though.”
“And your neck?”
I reached up and absently touched the spot that had been the source of the bleeding, and it felt perfectly normal. “Not even a twinge,” I told her then added, “Thankfully. I really don’t need the distraction at the moment.”
“What’s gotten into you then?” she asked. “Something definitely has you wound up.”
“I don’t honestly know,” I replied w
ith a sigh, and I was telling the truth. “Just having all this with Annalise come back to the forefront maybe.”
“It’s been there all along, Row.”
“I know, I know. But we’ve been able to put it behind us a bit… Or, pretend we have, at least.”
“Cac capaill. Don’t lie.”
“What makes you think I’m lying?”
“Because you’ve never put it behind you and you know it,” she said. “So do I.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“I am? Well then why have you been obsessing over my necklace ever since that night?”
I feigned innocence with a forced chuckle and said, “I haven’t.”
“Thug tú d'éitheach.”
“Seriously, honey,” I appealed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” she replied then clucked her tongue. “Why don’t you show me what’s in your jacket pocket that has your hand so occupied then?”
I stopped pacing again and looked at her. She caught me flat-footed with the comment, and denying her observation wasn’t going to do me any good. My right hand was stuffed into the pocket, and I had been fidgeting with the small jar ever since we arrived. It had been completely subconscious on my part, but she had certainly noticed it. Still, I wondered how she knew what it was.
“So, you’ve been going through my jacket?” I asked, trying to turn the table.
She shook her head. “No. I was right behind you going through the metal detectors downstairs when you had to empty your pockets, remember? I’m not blind, you know.”
I hung my head and sighed at my attack of stupidity then looked back at my wife and muttered, “Duh.”
“That’s what I was thinking, but I wasn’t going to say it.”
I pulled the jar out and looked at it. “I’m kind of surprised they let me bring it in, actually.”
“I guess you were convincing enough not to make them suspicious.”
“Yeah, I guess,” I replied as I stuffed it back into my pocket. “So, you pretty much just played me just now to see what I’d say?”
She shrugged and said, “Yes.”
“Any conclusions?”
“That you’re predictable.”
“Great…” I huffed then said, “Okay, so what makes you think I didn’t bring it along just because of the meeting?”
She didn’t say a word. Instead, she mimicked my earlier action by holding up her hand and thumbing her wedding ring as she smiled.
“Touché,” I said. “Guess I should have known.”
“Yes, you should have…” she agreed. “So would you like to tell me why you’re still so fixated on that?”
“I already told you. I’m sure it has something to do with Miranda and her connection to you.”
“I know. But you still haven’t told me exactly why you think that.”
“Well, actually, I can’t. Not yet, anyway.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“A little of both I guess.”
“Well, if it’s because you’re worrying about me you can stop. I’m fine.”
“If it’s just the same to you I think I’ll worry anyway.”
“Why? I said I’m fine.”
“I know you are,” I said, pausing for a moment then adding, “Now…” I spoke the word with emphasis, not to belittle, but to remind her that I knew all too well what it had taken for her to be able to say that and actually believe it. I followed the punctuated acknowledgement by saying, “And, whatever it takes, I plan for you to stay that way.”
“You’re being overprotective again,” she grumbled.
“That’s a matter of opinion.”
“No. It’s a matter of fact.”
“So sue me.”
“If I do I’ll win,” she jibed, playfulness once again edging out her annoyance.
She apparently wasn’t going to give up trying to lighten the mood, so I caved and tried to play along. “If you win then I guess I’ll just be at your mercy.”
She shot me a disarming grin and said, “Aren’t you always?”
While I was a far cry from being at ease, I couldn’t help but chuckle lightly and return the smile. “Yeah, you have a point, I usually am.”
“Okay then… So, since you agree, what do you say when we get home we put that to the test?”
“Just so I’m sure I’m not misunderstanding, was that a proposition?” I asked.
“Is that a problem?”
“No, not at all.” I shook my head. “It’s been awhile, you know… What with everything that happened… And… Well, I guess I just wasn’t expecting it. Especially here…”
“I know,” she replied and shot me a sheepish grin. “But the mood just came on me a little while ago…”
“Don’t get mad at me for asking this, but since this seems a little sudden I just need to know… You aren’t experiencing any kind of identity crisis right now, are you?”
She chuckled and shook her head. “No. I’m still me. You don’t have to worry.”
“Okay, that’s good to know. So, what sort of test did you have in mind?”
There was a familiar fire in her eyes that told me she was already getting herself worked up the more she thought about it. “Well, I was just thinking that I already cleared my schedule, so if this meeting only takes a couple of hours we’ll have plenty of time to explore a few things.”
“Okay, so by things you mean…” I let my voice trail off.
“Yes, by things I mean we could…”
Before she could even start into what was certain to be a far more detailed description of her ideas for the afternoon activities, she was interrupted by the sound of the conference room door swinging open. I already had a good inkling of where she was headed since we had discussed it before. Under the circumstances, I didn’t know whether to be slightly relieved or greatly disappointed by the untimely intrusion. But, given that our carnal activities had been nonexistent since Miranda’s interference, I had to admit I was leaning toward the latter. Besides, making her happy was my prime concern, so in effect I was already well on my way to the role she wanted me to play.
Oddly enough, whatever had triggered her amorous mood must have been contagious. Because, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to forget about this meeting and make a beeline for home, immediately if not sooner.
CHAPTER 14:
Abandoning the libidinous thoughts that were forming in my head, I turned to see a man and a woman following the door in as it pivoted along its arc. They were roughly in their early fifties although the man might have been younger or even older, I couldn’t be sure. His features were just nondescript enough to leave you wondering. They were both dressed business casual, carrying briefcases and, not surprisingly, sporting FBI ID’s.
While there was nothing in particular about either one of them that I could readily identify as setting me off, I felt my body tense of its own accord. All I could say for sure is that the moment they entered, the exact same sharp chill I had felt earlier once again ran along my spine, and my ethereal defenses came up automatically.
“Sorry we’re running a bit behind,” the woman greeted me, extending her hand as she spoke. “You must be Mister Gant. I’m Doctor Ellie Jante.”
“Nice to meet you, Doctor Jante,” I said, taking her hand.
“And this is Agent Douglas Hanley,” she offered, nodding toward her partner.
While I was almost certain I didn’t need to worry about any sort of paranormal threat from the pair, taking notice of the briefcases, I wondered for a moment if I might need to put in a quick call to our attorney just in case the danger was something mundane. However, I had learned better than to second-guess my intuition. What I felt wasn’t a corporeal kind of chill. There was something far more ethereal and sinister connected to my sense of alarm, and it was a good bet her name was Miranda.
“Are you okay, Mister Gant,” Agent Hanley asked, apparently noticing my distant introspect
ion as he shook my hand.
“Fine,” I said, nodding as I quickly formulated a lie. “I’m just preoccupied with something from work is all.”
“Oh yeah, I know how that goes,” he replied with a grin. Whether or not he actually believed me I wasn’t sure.
I shot a quick glance over to Felicity who had already stood up and was making her way around the end of the table. I could tell by the look on her face that she was sensing the same thing I was and that her own defenses were up in force. Simply knowing that allowed me to relax somewhat, but I still wasn’t about to drop my guard where she was concerned. And, while she was usually much better at masking her expressions than me, I had the distinct feeling she was suddenly very relieved that I was here with her rather than letting her go it alone as she had earlier suggested.
“And obviously you would be Miz O’Brien. It’s nice to meet you,” Doctor Jante said, making a half turn toward my wife and reaching to shake her hand. “I spoke with you on the phone this morning. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us on such short notice.”
“It’s no problem,” my wife answered. “Although I’ll admit I’m at a bit of a loss about why you would want to speak to me.”
“We’re just doing some information gathering,” Hanley explained. “Doctor Jante and I are with the BAU out of Quantico. That’s the Behavioral…”
“…Analysis Unit,” I finished for him.
“Exactly,” he replied with a slight grimace creasing his face. “So you’ve heard of us.”
“It’s hard not to.”
“Yes, these days I suppose you’re correct. But please, don’t buy into the fiction you see on that television show.”
“What television show?” I asked.
He gave me a sideways glance, raised an eyebrow as if he was trying to determine whether or not I was yanking his chain, then smiled and said, “Well, any of them actually, but I was specifically referring to…” His voice trailed off as he cut the explanation short and shook his head while muttering, “Never mind…” Then he reached past me to shake Felicity’s hand. “Miz O’Brien.”
Blood Moon: A Rowan Gant Investigation Page 12
