“Well, the only time I got inside someone’s head is if the person was very young or they had something mentally wrong with them. What if something is happening to her that’s affecting her mental state?” Declan questioned.
“You’re such a pessimist.”
“No, I’m a realist. The fact is we need to find her fast. Every minute we have, we need to be trying to see into her head,” he advised.
“Believe me I have been. When I’m not at school or at work, I’m trying to connect with her. Jared has been super busy at work and I haven’t even seen him this week,” she complained. She chewed on a strand of chocolate hair as she waited for Declan’s reply.
“Trying to have a normal life when you’re a psychic is nearly impossible. At least you could quit your job if this works out. It will give you more time to devote to our cases.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” she said dryly. “I just can’t quit my job and be a full-time psychic.”
“Why not?” Declan demanded. “I am. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not doing badly on my own.”
“Do you offer medical? Dental? A 401K plan?”
“Ha-ha,” he said dryly. “Let me know if you have another vision.”
“Ditto.”
As Kate hung up the phone, she tried to rally for the dinner at the obscenely expensive restaurant that her dad had chosen. Although she had turned twenty-two, her father seemed to still suffer from an acute case of weekend dad syndrome. Whenever she saw him, he spoiled her with lavish gifts to make up for his absence from her life.
She was completely wiped from all the time she had been spending trying to get into Melanie’s head. Trying to juggle her personal life and psychic life was proving to be taxing. Memory after memory of Melanie’s past had come to her over the last few days, but nothing about her disappearance. It made her run all sorts of possibilities through her head. Was Melanie unaware of anything happening to her and that was why these memories were coming to her? Maybe she was in a coma and these were the thoughts filling her head as she remained unconscious.
Kate picked up her cell phone again and sighed when she didn’t see a message from Jared. He was already ten minutes late to pick her up. They had to leave soon or they would be late meeting her father at the restaurant. She tried his cell again, this time he picked up on the first ring. “Kate, I’m sorry, I was just dialing your number. Something came up at work, so I’m going to be a little late for dinner.”
“That’s crappy,” she replied. “My father’s really looking forward to getting to know you,” she sighed.
Actually that wasn’t completely the truth. When she mentioned Jared was coming, her dad questioned why she was dating someone twice her age and who was partially responsible for her almost being killed last month. She had to keep reminding him that Jared was only seven years older and had not plotted her abduction with Cori’s demented kidnapper.
“I’ll get to the restaurant as soon as humanly possible, I promise. Don’t wait on me to order though. I wouldn’t want your father to end up not liking me because I’m holding up your dinner,” he quipped.
Her high pitch laugh rang false. “My father not like you? That’s preposterous.”
“Gotta go, but I’ll see you soon,” Jared promised. Kate was learning to hate the Franklin detective bureau. They were forcing her to endure her father’s interrogation without Jared present for moral support.
Kate’s father was already seated when she arrived at the restaurant. He was sipping what she guessed was Scotch and browsing over the menu. As much as she was dreading any lectures he had in store for her, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness over seeing him. She hadn’t seen him since Labor Day weekend and they had a nice time together at the beach. Quickening her pace, she rushed to the table. “Dad!”
“There’s my little girl,” he said affectionately.
Robert Edwards stood up and wrapped his strong arms around her body. She savored his presence and felt moisture cloud her vision. With everything going on, she was feeling like an emotional train-wreck. It would be good to have a normal evening with her father and her boyfriend. They had been too far and few between lately. He gave a dramatic look around the restaurant. “Aren’t we missing someone?”
Kate took a seat and placed the napkin on her lap. “Jared is terribly sorry. Something came up at work and he’s going to meet us here as soon as he can. It’s a shame Carly couldn’t make it tonight.”
At the mention of his girlfriend’s name, Kate’s father blinked in surprise. She learned the art of being passive aggressive from the master, she thought silently. Kate liked Carly enough when they met for dinner, but she didn’t exactly forget the woman’s part in breaking up her parents’ marriage.
After a non-committal grunt, he peered at her over the menu. His eyes raked over her face and his mouth set in a grim line. “What’s going on with you?”
“What are you talking about?”
He sat back into his chair. “You look exhausted. You’re pale and I can see the bags under your eyes. What’s wrong?”
Damn, Kate cursed silently. As she put on makeup for the evening, she was more heavy handed than usual on the concealer. Guess, she should’ve been more generous or swiped one of her mom’s Ray Bans. The pale comment stung more. As a resident of New Jersey, being called pale was one of the worst insults.
“I’m fine, Dad. I swear. It has just been a rough week, that’s all.” She shrugged and her hazel eyes moved back to the menu. Although her father was trying to accept the paranormal aspects of her life, he would never be a total believer. Kate tended to gloss over things when her visions came up in conversation.
“Because if that man isn’t treating you right, I’ll have a few choice things to say to him…” he threatened.
Kate didn’t let him finish his rant. “No, Jared has been great. I’m hoping by the end of the fall, we’ll even be going steady and he’ll give me his varsity jacket to wear.” When her father didn’t laugh, she sighed and continued in a serious tone, “It has just been overwhelming trying to juggle school and work. Plus, I started working on a new case.”
“Holy Christ, Kate. You’re like the psychic version of an ambulance chaser,” he mumbled. “I thought when we last talked you said you were giving this psychic stuff a break.”
“No, you suggested that,” she said pointedly. “I have the visions whether I want them or not. It’s not possible to take a break from it.”
“You need to start thinking about a real career,” he replied.
“It’s hard for me to explain why I have to keep up with the psychic side of my life.” When he didn’t respond, Kate continued, “It probably sounds stupid, but I want to do something that matters. I’d like to contribute more to society than permanent butt prints on Mom’s couch and increasing McDonald’s annual revenue.”
“There are plenty of worthwhile things you could do that don’t involve claiming you’re psychic,” he pointed out.
Her father would never concede an argument and despite all the proof she supplied to him about her second sight, he still remained skeptical. Kate decided to retreat. “Come on, this is supposed to be my birthday dinner. Let’s not fight.”
Nodding, he gave her a kind smile. “Of course, hon. I’m sorry to bring it up.”
Her father was reluctant about ordering without her date present. They compromised and ended up splitting an appetizer. After an hour, she could tell both her father and their waiter was growing impatient. Just as she took out her phone to give Jared a call, she saw him stride their way. Shooting them both an apologetic grin, he reached out to give her dad a handshake before leaning down and kissing her cheek. It was hard not to envy his coolness under pressure. She wondered if it was too late for her to go to charm school and try to achieve half of his poise.
“Thanks for coming, I know it has been a long day for you,” Kate said softly as he settled into the chair next to her.
�
��Yes, I appreciate you coming,” her father agreed. He adjusted his tie and added, “I didn’t get a chance to speak with you the last time we met.”
“Of course I wanted to join you. I wish you would’ve ordered, I didn’t mean to hold up your dinner,” Jared apologized.
If Kate had to be honest, his politeness was sort of a turn-on. She grabbed his knee and gave a tender pat. He smiled at her and all felt right in the world. At least for a minute, until her father decided to play twenty questions with her boyfriend.
Her father looked back and forth between the two of them before speaking. “I was surprised when Kate told me you two were together. If I remember correctly, there was a published article stating you were engaged to that missing girl’s sister.”
Kate clenched her jaw. “Dad, you know that Jared and Nikki were broken up when we got together. Why would you bring that up?”
Kate knew what article he was talking about. No one at the paper had taken her seriously when she demanded a retraction or she would sue them for every last penny. They kept transferring her to different departments until she finally gave up and slammed the phone down in frustration. Jared had shrugged the whole thing off and said it didn’t matter since they knew the truth.
Jared spoke in a neutral tone. Kate appreciated his attempt at keeping the peace. “Sir, I was never actually engaged to Nikki. We ended things amicably before I began dating Kate.”
“Jared, I’m sure you understand where I’m coming from. Kate is very naïve about the world, especially in regards to men. As her father, I want to protect her and make sure the people in her life have the best intentions,” he said emphatically. Kate was beyond mortified. The snarky girl who was usually quick with a comeback was utterly at a lost for words.
Jared took her hand in his. His reassuring squeeze signified to Kate he understood how troubled she was by her father’s words. Jared’s gray eyes turned towards her as he answered her father. “I care about Kate…a lot. I would never hurt her.”
Kate swallowed hard. “If you excuse me, I’m going to use the restroom.”
Both men looked upset by her sudden departure. Tears were threatening to burst from her and drown them all. Her father had made Kate feel like a child pretending to be an adult. Mistakenly, Kate had thought he was beginning to respect her and they could move forward. It had taken them awhile to maintain any sort of civility after he left her mother and moved in with another woman.
The women’s restroom was thankfully empty. Taking shallow breaths, she tried to keep her composure. Kate gripped the sides of the sink and waited until her heart slowed. Lifting her head, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Melanie stared back at her.
Kate gasped and almost fell backwards. Stumbling, she was finally able to right herself after a few seconds. When she looked in the mirror again, her own frazzled appearance was there. “I’m really losing my freaking mind.”
“Yes and the first sign is talking to yourself in the bathroom,” a heavily perfumed woman grumbled as she walked past her to the stalls. “Nut job.”
Chapter Fourteen
The wind whipped past her as Melanie raced down the mountain. She tilted her body to the left and right to control the movements of the snowboard. Since the minute she had hopped on a board, she had fallen in love with the sport. Flying down the mountain at breakneck speeds made her feel free.
Snowboarding had become her escape. Although she loved the social atmosphere of the gym, Melanie also liked some time alone with her thoughts. Going up to the mountain by herself afforded her the opportunity to work things out in her head. Long trails through the quiet terrain allowed her to reflect on all the aspects of her life that were bothering her.
Presently, her love life was dismal. She had yet to find that exceptional someone to fulfill her in every way. Melanie believed wholeheartedly in the concept of a soulmate. She had faith that there was one person in the world made specifically for her. One day, he would find her and make her the happiest person on the planet.
At the bottom of the mountain, Melanie stopped her momentum by falling on her butt. It was a rookie move, but she was still not as comfortable on a snowboard as a pair of skis. As the snow began to fall harder, she took a cleansing breath and reveled in her surroundings. It felt good to be alive.
***
“Kate, you need either to get some sleep or sleep with your boyfriend. You look like crap,” Julie remarked on the Sunday afternoon following her dinner with Jared and her father. The friends had made plans to hit the outlets and have a high calorie lunch at the food court.
The rest of the evening was barely salvageable as both Jared and her dad attempted to keep the peace at the table. They must have called a truce while she was having hallucinations in the bathroom. She figured they chalked up her silence to her resentment over their disagreement at her birthday dinner. They never suspected that she had become certifiable.
Last night she had heard Melanie’s thoughts again during a vision. The only common factor Kate unearthed in the visions was that they were all joyful. They played like a home movie of the happiest times in Melanie’s life. Unless Melanie lived full-time at Disney World, Kate felt like she wasn’t getting an honest depiction of the fitness instructor’s life.
“I feel like crap,” Kate conceded to Julie as they walked the perimeter of the outdoor mall. The square shape of the outlets forced shoppers to pass by every single store. The Gap, J.Crew and Nine West had been made a little richer that day as Kate spent the majority of the birthday money her father had gifted her the night before.
“You need to take a day off from everything. You said this girl keeps having happy memories, right?” Kate nodded which encouraged Julie to continue. “Then you should consider the possibility that she isn’t in any serious danger. It seems to me that if she was in trouble, her memories would probably be filled with the horrible things happening to her.”
“I don’t know. Maybe…” Kate trailed off uncertainly.
Melanie’s case was truly an unsolvable mystery. It had been a week since Melanie disappeared and not a single sighting of her anywhere. Her credit cards and cell phone remained untouched. With close family and friends, why would she willingly leave everything behind with not so much as a note goodbye?
“You can’t let these cases take over your life. You still have school and work and a very sexy boyfriend who you have not seen completely undressed,” Julie reminded her. She linked her arm through Kate’s and dragged her towards a storefront.
“Julie, I really don’t need your help picking out my underwear,” Kate complained as she noted the lingerie covering the mannequins in the windows of the shop.
“Obviously you do,” Julie snorted. “You have been with Jared for almost two months! By then, I was doing things with Gage that probably isn’t even legal in every state.”
“You’re making my ears bleed Julie,” Kate retorted.
“Stop being such a prude. Didn’t you say you have very strong feelings for Jared? Dare I say it, but maybe you’re feeling like you may be in love with him?”
“Will you be quiet, someone may hear,” she hissed as they made their way to the rear of the store.
Julie didn’t bother to conceal her amusement. “Kate, they did a few news stories on you. You’re not exactly trailed by the paparazzi.” She gave her a long look. “Besides, you’d probably be surprised to find out how Jared feels about you. If you stopped ditching him for the psychic desperate to get into your pants, he would probably tell you.”
“I’m not ditching Jared for Declan,” Kate snapped. Taking a calming breath, she then added, “And Declan has actually turned out to be tolerable. I thought he wanted more when he first started hanging out, but he must realize I’m not interested. Not to mention he’s dating Trish, the girl that was at your party.”
“Trish puts out for anyone with a pulse. I doubt it will last,” Julie said. Holding up a barely there black thong with a jeweled studded string, she qu
estioned, “What about this?”
“Is this the kind of thing guys want you to wear?” she demanded in scandalized tones.
Julie snorted. “He’s not going to want you to wear the control top underwear you save for your quote-unquote fat days.”
Checking around to make sure she didn’t see any grandmothers or children that could be traumatized by her underwear choices, she grabbed them out of Julie’s hands. “Fine, I’ll buy these. But just for the record, I doubt I’ll last an hour with these jeweled things up my ass.”
“Kate, if Jared sees you in them, you’ll be lucky to last ten seconds with them still on you,” Julie chided. Kate blushed over the thought and hurried towards the cash register.
After leaving the lingerie store, they headed towards the food court. In lieu of lunch, they decided to splurge on ice cream sundaes. As Kate spooned out the last bite, she moaned. “That was so good. It doesn’t even matter I’ll probably have to return the clothes we bought and buy a bigger size.”
“Ugh I know,” Julie agreed. It was nice Julie humored her. Julie was a size two maybe on a bad day. “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask if you heard from Max’s mom.”
Kate was glad she had the ice cream beforehand. Otherwise, she would’ve definitely lost her appetite. “Yes. She was wonderful when she called. I still have visions about Max. I wake up feeling like I was the one Ally hit. So I know he’s still haunted by the things that happened to him. Farrah assured me he was doing better everyday and seeing a team of doctors. She insisted I stop blaming myself and even wanted to know if she could give me something for my help.”
“Like money?”
“Yeah I guess so.” She shrugged. “Funny you should bring that up. Turns out that’s what Declan does—he helps find the missing and collects any reward money.”
“Kind of a strange way to make a living,” Julie said and pursed her lips. Shrugging her shoulders, she said lightly, “But hey, you said he has a nice car and house so he must be successful at it.”
New Revelations: Second Sight Book Two Page 13
