“I understand. But I’d like you to take a minute and consider the list of unexplainable events in the last few months. And then I’d like you to tell me if you think you need some form of protection while the case is being investigated.”
Wants and needs. Edie wanted her life back. She wanted to be looking forward to her second date with Skye. Then Edie remembered how it felt to be followed, the fear of someone behind her, the disorienting tricks someone was playing on her mind. And she remembered her absolute confidence that Skye had her back.
Edie sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Yes,” she said in a small voice.
Dr. Wallace turned next to Skye. “I understand you have objections?”
Skye squared off at near attention. “No objections to Edie requiring some form of security. I can tap my contacts and find a suitable—”
“I’m not sure anyone else should be brought into this,” JC said. “Why can’t it be you?”
The silence was awkward. JC looked confused.
Dr. Wallace looked between Skye and Edie as if evaluating the temperature of the silence. “Ah, I see.”
JC snapped her head around to the psychologist. “What am I missing?”
Dr. Wallace said nothing.
“I kissed her,” Skye blurted into the silence. She put her arms behind her back, shoulders rigid, her gaze fixed somewhere over Dr. Wallace’s head.
“Jesus.” Edie rubbed her hands across her eyes. Dr. Wallace looked impassive, though Edie could detect a hint of a smile.
JC seemed to need a moment for the information to sink in, then she grinned at Skye. “Kenny, that’s pretty fast work for you.”
“Fuck off, Caldwell.”
“Okay,” Dr. Wallace said. “We’ve identified the problem, now let’s solve the problem. Skye, could you please elaborate on your concerns about looking after Edie while the police are investigating her case.”
Edie’s heart sank. Dr. Wallace had chosen her words very carefully, posing the question so Skye couldn’t easily maneuver out of this. Dr. Wallace wanted Skye as Edie’s security.
“It’s inadvisable for the security detail to have any kind of personal relationship with the protectee,” Skye said without inflection. She was still standing at attention.
“I see,” said Dr. Wallace. “And how long have you known Edie?”
“Eight days.”
“And you believe that knowing Edie for these eight days somehow impairs your ability to make sure she is safe?”
“It might. I won’t take that risk.”
“Skye, is there any other reason you think precludes you from being the best protection for Edie, other than your admittedly very new relationship?”
Edie suddenly very much did not want Skye to comment on their relationship. She did not want to hear they didn’t have a chance. She did not want to hear that one date, one kiss, had ruined the chance for anything more. She did not want to hear that Skye was using this as an excuse to back away. Edie felt the need to protect herself.
“Hardly a relationship,” Edie said, looking only at Dr. Wallace. Still, she thought she could see Skye flinch.
“She kissed you,” JC said, seemingly half in amusement and half in clarification.
“Technically, I kissed her.”
“Not surprising,” JC said with smug satisfaction.
Edie wanted to ask what she meant but kept her mouth shut. Once again, Dr. Wallace mediated the situation.
“Constable Caldwell, why don’t you and I step outside? I think at this point, Edie and Skye need a moment to work this out for themselves.”
JC looked as if she was going to protest, but she stood up instead. Dr. Wallace followed her out of the room. As JC passed Skye, Edie saw her punch Skye on the bicep.
“Don’t fuck this up, fire buddy,” JC said.
Once they had left, the room became very, very quiet. Edie turned in her chair to look at Skye, who stood completely still, staring at a blank spot on the wall above Dr. Wallace’s desk.
“What’s a fire buddy?”
Skye flicked her gaze to Edie then back to the wall.
“The person you’re assigned to in Basic Training. Your Fire Team Partner, FTP. You have to stay within three feet of each other for the entire twelve weeks.”
“JC was your FTP? Your fire buddy.”
“That’s right.”
More silence. Edie sighed. “Will you come sit down? Please.”
Skye sat in the chair next to Edie. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. When she looked up, Edie saw her Skye there. But she also saw the hardness. Soldier Skye. Edie’s stomach flipped. She remembered holding Skye’s hand. She did not want her to go anywhere.
“You’ve worked security before. Protective detail.”
“Yes.”
“But you don’t want to provide security for me.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. I know several really good security agents. I can call them right now. They’re good people. I promise.”
Skye pulled out her phone. She seemed almost frantic to get away. Edie didn’t want to deal with the sadness of that thought.
“Tell me what you think is going on.”
Skye stopped tapping at her phone. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve given my version of events, and everyone has agreed that something is going on, but no one seems to want to speculate. What do you think is happening to me? Why do you think I need protection and a police investigation?”
“I know someone is after you. I suspect whoever it is wants to evaluate your reaction to a variety of sensory tests, but I don’t know why. I know with absolute certainty you should have twenty-four-hour protection until the police get some answers and can step in to ensure that you are protected and secure.”
Edie was numb to the fear. It just didn’t exist. But she suddenly knew exactly what she wanted.
“I want it to be you.”
“Edie…”
“I want it to be you,” Edie said again, this time with more force.
Skye dropped her head into her hands. Edie let the silence stretch. Minutes passed. Edie could hear the low murmurings of Dr. Wallace and JC in the waiting room. When she spoke, Skye spoke to the floor.
“I’ll do it on two conditions.”
“Okay,” Edie said, her heart pounding just a little in her chest.
“I need you to listen to me. I’ll treat you like a soldier, and you’ll hate it, but I need to know you’ll follow my command.”
“Agreed,” Edie said softly. “The other condition?”
Skye’s eyes were hard. No hint of the gentle Skye.
“I cannot and will not pursue a relationship with you while I’m responsible for your security. It goes against logic, it goes against my training, and it goes against my ethics.”
Edie held her gaze. She searched Skye’s eyes for warmth or connection. All she saw was a deep resolve. She found comfort in that, even as her heart splintered a little at the loss.
“I understand.”
Skye took a moment before standing.
“I’ll tell JC. We need to coordinate next steps.” Skye walked to the door and then paused. She spoke without turning around.
“I will do whatever I can to protect you, Edie. But you need to know that I’m going to disappoint you.”
Edie sat alone with a sore heart, trying not to hear that truth.
Chapter Six
The next morning, Edie searched the loft until she found Skye free-climbing a rock wall embedded in the dark corner by the back stairs. The night had been quiet and tense for Edie. She was thankful she’d slept well in the strange environment, but she was still on edge. She needed to move.
“I’d like to go for a run.”
Skye was already one flight up the wall, so Edie had to project her voice. She could just make out the pale shape of Skye’s face as she turned to look down at Edie. Skye paused in her ascent, then effortlessly descended the wall. She landed lightl
y on her feet, her eyes bright from the exertion.
“A run?” Skye said.
“Yes, a run.” Edie blew out a breath and reminded herself about her resolve to be less irritated with Skye. “I don’t know how this works. Am I asking permission, is there a sign-out sheet, did you want to implant a GPS chip under my skin?”
Edie thought Skye stopped herself from smiling.
“I should be with you.” Skye shook her head. “I meant I should go where you’re going. Give me five minutes.”
“Okay. I mean, Roger that, or whatever.”
Another almost smile. As Edie turned back to the bedroom area of the loft, she smirked at making Skye smile. She wasn’t entirely sure why it was so important that she remind Skye of their connection, but the pull was hard to ignore.
Edie sorted through her bag of clothes and toiletries she’d brought from her apartment and found her running gear. She felt a little sick as she remembered what Skye had found there after their meeting with Dr. Wallace. A small video camera had been installed in the pot light above her doorway, and four other audio transmitters were in the apartment. Skye had immediately updated JC, who advised her to leave all the bugs in place. Skye had also found a ghost program running in the background of Edie’s phone which monitored Edie’s email, social media, texts, and calls. It had also enabled location tracking. So Skye had shaken her head when Edie went to pick it up as they left.
Edie ignored the trembling of her hands as she found a hair elastic and efficiently twisted the not quite long enough strands of her dark hair into a French braid. She walked around the privacy screen Skye had set up last night and into the living room. Skye’s back was to her when she walked in. She wore shorts and a black sports bra and was just pulling down a T-shirt over her torso. The muscles flexed across Skye’s back and shoulders. Edie caught a glimpse of a tattoo that covered her upper left arm, but she couldn’t see it in detail. She couldn’t help thinking Skye was by far one of the most beautiful women she had ever met. Though Edie hadn’t made any sound, Skye turned around.
“I was thinking we could take a drive over the bridge and do a run at the base of the hills,” Skye said, not acknowledging Edie having seen her half naked. Skye had been in the armed forces, Edie reminded herself. Maybe it wasn’t a big deal. Edie’s mind played and replayed the image of Skye’s built upper body. “There are some short routes and some longer ones, depending on what you’re looking for,” Skye said.
“Are you worried we’ll be followed around here?”
“I’m operating under the assumption that whoever is following you knows you’re here, yes. I think it will be safer away from my loft.”
Edie looked out one of the windows, noting the light, crisp blue sky. A run at the base of the Gatineau Hills sounded perfect. A run with Skye sounded even better. She wished with a sudden, sharp intensity that a run was all they had to think about this morning.
“I’m only up to about five kilometres these days. Is that okay?”
“Yes. It’s perfect.”
Skye seemed to imitate Edie’s subdued, almost polite tones. Edie hated it but stood dutifully silent while Skye grabbed a small backpack from the couch.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
Traffic was slow through downtown and across the bridge, Edie having slept through her usual early morning, which put them directly into rush hour. They drove silently, an inoffensive radio station playing softly in the background. Edie felt the need to apologize: for having slept in, for taking Skye’s bed, for being in her space, in her car. In her life.
“What’s in it for you?” Edie blurted.
“What do you mean?”
“Why did you agree to do this? Protect me, babysit me. Whatever this is.” Edie waved her hand at the space between them.
“Because I can,” Skye said, gripping the steering wheel of her Jeep just a little bit tighter. She glanced quickly at Edie, then back to the road. She sighed. “And because I want to.”
“So it wasn’t that JC guilted you into it.”
“No.”
“Did I guilt you into it?”
“No.”
“But you didn’t want to be a part of this.” Edie knew she was pushing, but she couldn’t seem to stop. “At Dr. Wallace’s office, you said you didn’t want to.”
Skye didn’t answer. They were across the bridge now, winding their way through the outskirts of Hull, Quebec. Edie itched to keep throwing questions at Skye, to have her buckle under the weight of them until Skye was forced to answer. She waited, though, sensing Skye was trying to formulate a response that fit within her set of rules.
A few minutes later they pulled into a parking lot of one of the many trails that led through the Gatineau Hills. While Skye grabbed her backpack, Edie looked at the large map at the base of the entrance to the trail. She stared at it, not really taking in any of the information. She was thinking about Skye’s lack of answer. Then Skye approached and stood just behind Edie.
“This is a nice route,” Skye said, pointing to one of the yellow lines on the map. “No spectacular views, but the run through the forest is beautiful.”
Edie nodded, hoping Skye was going to answer her question. Skye seemed to pause and everything held still just for a moment. Then Skye took a step back and adjusted her small backpack, tightening the straps across her chest and waist. Edie stole a glance at it. She wanted to ask if Skye had a weapon. She thought maybe yes. A cool trickle of wind swept uncomfortably across the back of her neck and the darkened forest seemed suddenly ominous. Edie shivered.
“Don’t think about it,” Skye said. “Let’s run.”
They entered the trail, cool damp descending on them the moment they left the open parking lot. Trees towered above them, and Edie felt the peace of the forest, the grandeur of the space, the hint of sun and sky through the branches. She took a breath and fell in step with Skye, walking to the crest of a small hill before they both started a slow run.
All of Edie’s senses were heightened, from the smell of damp wood and evergreens she took in with each breath to the press of soft-packed dirt and rocks and roots beneath her feet. Skye ran beside her, all tightly coiled muscles, with the sound of her breath, the smell of her soap and sweat. Edie descended into her run, a feeling she hadn’t had in a long time, a meditative space that kept her even and kept her going. That peace of mind had eluded her since the accident. The sensation made her feel hopeful, and just for a moment Edie could imagine her world was just right. Changed but right.
Three-quarters of the way through their circuit, Skye’s phone alert pulled Edie from her reverie. Skye looked at her watch and silenced the alarm.
“Shit,” Skye said.
“What is it?”
Skye didn’t answer, but she slowed her pace and Edie automatically did the same. Skye stopped completely and scanned the path ahead of them, then off into the forest, finally turning until she’d completed a full circle. Edie’s breathing sounded so loud in the relative silence, and she fought to control it.
“Skye?”
“That was my car alarm. It might be nothing. Let’s go.”
Edie wanted Skye to elaborate, but Skye began running to the car. Her legs protested the start and stop but Edie ignored them, keeping her eyes on the muscles that flexed and rolled across her shoulders above her pack.
As they approached the top of the small hill at the exit to the parking lot, Skye raised her arm and stopped. “Stay behind me but stay close.”
As if Edie would do anything else. They walked down the hill, slowing as they reached the parking lot. Edie scanned the lot and only saw the same dusty blue SUV that had been at the opposite end of the lot when they arrived. She felt Skye stiffen and followed her gaze. Someone was walking around from the far side of the Jeep. Someone Edie recognized.
“Faina? What the hell?”
Faina stopped by the passenger door of the Jeep. She acknowledged Skye with a glance but kept her eyes on Edie.
<
br /> “I need to talk to you,” Faina said.
Skye spoke to Edie over her shoulder without losing sight of Faina.
“She’s the one who took you to the bar?”
“Yes.”
“Is she a threat?”
“She’s…” Edie’s automatic denial lodged in her throat. She could not evaluate risk and threat. She could not block out the sound of the drumbeat. A light flashed in her eyes. And a memory forced its way to the surface. The morning after the incident in the bar, Faina standing in Edie’s apartment saying, “I didn’t know.”
“I can’t tell.”
Skye slid her right hand under her backpack and rested it there.
“Edie?” Faina took a step forward.
“Don’t come any closer,” Skye called. “Say what you have to say from where you are.”
Faina stopped and looked around the parking lot, confused or conflicted.
“What do you want, Faina?” Edie said.
“I need to talk to you. I’m sorry…I’m sorry about the other night.”
“But why are you here? How did you find me?”
“I…” Faina took another step forward. Skye took a step back, forcing Edie to do the same.
“I need to talk to you.” Faina was pleading now, her voice wavering. She was trembling, her whole body shaking.
“Something’s wrong,” Edie said quietly to Skye.
“I need to get you out of here,” Skye said.
“Just give me a minute. Please.”
“One minute, then I’m launching her out of the way, getting you in the Jeep, and getting you out of here.”
“Roger that, Major,” Edie said before she focused back on Faina. “Did you follow me here?”
“Yes. I’m sorry for the other night.”
“You said that already. Why did you follow me here?”
“I need to talk.” Faina looked toward the road. Edie followed her gaze. She heard nothing, saw nothing. Faina crouched down and picked up a short stick, then stood again and began scraping at the rocks in front of her with the side of her shoe. “I made you go to the bar and I’m sorry,” Faina said robotically as she scratched in the dirt with the stick. “I know it hurt you. I’m sorry.” She looked up at Edie, her eyes pleading. That’s when Edie noticed the faded bruising under Faina’s left eye, down her jaw, and along her neck. “I’m so sorry, Edie.” Faina took two steps back and pointed at whatever she’d scratched out in the dirt.
Repercussions Page 7
