A Phoenix Is Forever

by Ashlyn Chase

  Luca almost choked on the banana. “Mom, stop.”

  Gabriella shrugged. “It used to be a worry to the older generation who wanted grandchildren, but now that gay couples can adopt…”

  “I’m not gay!” he groused.

  “’Bout time somebody asked him,” Gabe said as he entered the room. “You might want to keep your voice down though. Misty was up with Tony half the night. She just got to sleep.”

  “Sorry. Is Tony okay?”

  “Yeah. He just has the sniffles. Who came up with the idea of toddlers needing playdates, by the way? The minute they share their toys, they share germs too.” He’d aimed the question at their mother.

  “It’s about socialization. None of you needed to worry about socializing. You had each other,” she said.

  “And how.” Gabe chuckled. “I had three older brothers and three younger bothers.”

  “You mean brothers,” Gabriella corrected.

  “Nope. I mean bothers.” Gabe messed up Luca’s hair as he walked by.

  Luca rolled his eyes. “Why are you back here anyway?” he asked as he bit off a piece of pastry and then chewed the large chunk in his mouth.

  “My studio apartment isn’t big enough for a family of three—or four.”

  “Four?” both parents said at once.

  Gabe smiled. “Yeah. Misty’s pregnant again.”

  “Oh my goodness!” Gabriella hopped up from her seat and hugged her six-foot son around his neck despite her being only five foot three.

  Luca knew his mother wanted nothing more than grandchildren. “You must be in seventh heaven, Ma.”

  She chuckled. “Yes. Who knew having seven sons would only produce a couple of grandchildren?”

  “There’s plenty of time for more,” Antonio said and rose to shake Gabe’s hand.

  “True, but it looks like the three oldest aren’t having kids,” Gabe said. “That leaves Dante, Noah, and gay Luca here to help out.”

  “I am not gay!” Luca shouted.

  “He has a date this morning,” Gabriella said happily.

  “It’s not a date. I—I’m consulting with a woman on a case. That’s all.”

  “What kind of case?” Gabe asked.

  “An ongoing investigation. In other words, I can’t tell you,” Luca said smugly. He’d always wanted to say that. Before anyone questioned him further, he guzzled down a glass of juice and jumped up from the table and headed out. “See ya,” he tossed over his shoulder.

  “Have fun…consulting,” Gabriella called after him.

  Luca strode down the street, hoping Dawn was at the corner coffee shop to meet him. He didn’t feel like waiting around, since he could possibly bump into one of his family members. There were enough of them floating around.

  The idea of a date with Dawn had occurred to him but only fleetingly. Was he ready to give up on Lisa after two years of being together? It suddenly occurred to him that maybe Dawn could tell him if Lisa might have a change of heart. Maybe it was just “taking the next step” jitters that had prompted her to break it off.

  * * *

  Following Luca’s directions, Dawn made her way to the Richardson place. Luca had told her the Richardson couple rented the apartment on the third floor in the sprawling, red-brick, four-story townhouse, so she focused on that as she strolled down the street. There were several cars out front, including a police cruiser. Luckily, the house was across the street from a park, so Dawn found a bench and sat down. Gazing up at the apartment, she noticed the curtains were drawn in every window. She could understand that, given the tragedy that had befallen the poor woman and her child. There was one thing Dawn understood, and that was how life sometimes dealt the cruelest blows, and somehow, people needed to find the strength to carry on. She supposed her strength came from her grandmother, who raised her to be strong and self-reliant, to stand up to troubles…something Dawn’s mom seemed unable to do.

  Dawn shook off her musings. The sun came out, so she put on her sunglasses and gazed at the house. Dawn took a few deep breaths, focusing on her breathing. Her body began to relax. All she heard was the sound of her own breathing and around her the wind whistling through the long grass, tickling the leaves…

  A young man sat slumped on the floor in a little girl’s bedroom, a pink unicorn held tight to his chest. The soft pink walls decorated with princess decals seemed incongruous to the utter grief emanating from him in waves. “Why? Why didn’t I go with you? Why did I have to stay for a stupid guys’ football weekend?”

  A knock on the door, and a police officer entered. He spoke quietly to the man and helped him up. They left the room, the man forgetting the unicorn on the floor.

  The unicorn looked so lonely.

  A sweet, girlish giggle echoed in the room. A young girl, blonde hair, blue eyes, in a purple polka-dot tunic and purple tights, bent to retrieve the unicorn. “Mama, we gots to take Sparkles with us to Grammy’s.”

  “Honey, we’ve already got your two besties, Binky the elephant and Rommy the turtle,” a woman said from the other side of the room. She was packing a small child’s suitcase. Wearing a nurse’s uniform, she had the same golden hair and blue eyes as her daughter. “Besides,” she went on, “Sparkles would miss her playmates here.”

  “I guess it’s okay if she stays here. She gots lots of friends here too.”

  “She sure does, honey. Now, do you want to take your blue dress or your green dress? Grammy wants to take us out tomorrow night.”

  “I want my blue dress, Mommy. It’s so much more fancy than the green one.”

  The woman giggled and agreed that the blue dress was certainly more fitting for a night out.

  The laughter faded away…

  The pink room turned black.

  “Mommy?” the little one whispered brokenly. “W-where are you?”

  * * *

  Dawn arrived at the Starbucks before Luca and ordered for both of them. If he didn’t like her choice, she’d take it home to her gran. After receiving her order, she scored two plush chairs in the corner and sat down, feeling the weight of the vision heavy on her shoulders. She took a sip of her coffee and didn’t notice when Luca arrived.

  “Hey.” Luca plopped down across from her.

  “Hey, yourself.” She quirked a half smile. “I took the opportunity of ordering for us. I like their cinnamon dolce latte, so I got one for you too.”

  “Thanks,” he said, picking up the coffee and taking a sip. “This is good. Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be okay after I have a bit more of this latte,” she replied.

  “I take it you sensed something?”

  “Yes. I saw the father in his daughter’s room, crying… He was holding a pink stuffed unicorn. He said he wished he had gone with them and not stayed home for a guys’ football weekend.”

  Luca nodded, and pulling out a small notebook from his pocket, he began to take notes.

  Dawn told him everything, every detail she could recall right down to hearing the little girl’s tiny whisper in the dark calling out for her mom—and how her heart broke when she heard it.

  “Did you get a sense of where the girl might be? Any flashes of light or noises?”

  Dawn shook her head, her frustration mounting. “No, it was pitch-black. I’m pretty sure I was looking out of the little girl’s eyes. Either she was blindfolded or stuck in a room with no windows. I had this feeling of helplessness. What that poor little girl must be going through.”

  “Not panic? Or fear?” Luca asked.

  “Not really, but she might still be in shock or just exhausted. Maybe they drugged her?”

  “Crap. On the other hand, if she’s not fearful or panicking, maybe she feels she’s not in any real danger. Maybe she knows her abductor.”

  “At least she’s alive. I wish I could tell you more.”<
br />
  Luca’s smile encouraged her. “You told me the most important thing: she’s still alive. And you gave me a lot of details. If I can get hold of a personal item, would you be willing to try—?”

  “Of course,” Dawn jumped in. “I want to do everything I can to help rescue this girl. Her dad was so devastated.” Dawn wrapped her arms around her middle, still having a hard time letting go of the feelings and images in her vision.

  Luca fidgeted in his seat. “I, uh…I was wondering if you might be able to tell me something else. It’s unrelated, but it’s bugging me.”

  “I’ll try. What is it?”

  He hung his head. “It might sound stupid.”

  “If it’s bothering you, it’s not stupid.”

  He gave her a weak smile. “Okay, here goes. I’ve been secretly dating this girl since our junior year in college. Suddenly, she dumped me out of the blue. I can’t think of anything I’ve done to upset her. In fact, everything I’ve done has been for her, including becoming a cop, hoping to please her father.”

  Dawn had sensed loneliness and wondered why this great-looking guy seemed unattached. Apparently, he was recently detached against his will. Dammit. She didn’t want to be anyone’s rebound. Not that they had any kind of relationship or future together. But she couldn’t help being attracted to him. He was really cute. And a nice guy. Not the kind of guy she used to date. But certainly the kind of guy she’d love to date someday when her karma was cleaned up.

  Mentally shaking herself out of her self-centeredness, she grasped his hand across the table. “I’m sorry.” His hand was warm, and he didn’t pull away, but she had to. It wouldn’t do to fall for a guy who was pining away for another woman. “Is that what you were upset about the day I met you?”

  “Yes. She’d just dumped me an hour before.”

  “You were hurt and angry. I knew that for sure.”

  “So…um… Do you think you could maybe see if Lisa and I might get back together?”

  Dawn blew out a breath. “Do you have anything of hers or a photo?”

  He pulled out his wallet and slipped out a photo booth picture of him and Lisa.

  She was pretty. Just the kind of girl that Luca—or any guy, for that matter—would be drawn to. Long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, chic off-the-shoulder outfit. She looked like Barbie.

  Dawn held the photo and closed her eyes. Red Corvette speeding along. Lisa was in the driver’s seat, laughing. The car came to a stop, and she leaned over and kissed someone. Darker blond hair, green eyes, tanned. If Barbie’s Ken were living and breathing, it would be this guy.

  Damn. What am I supposed to tell Luca?

  She opened her eyes and stared into Luca’s baby blues. His dark lashes and brows made the unusual color stand out even more. And then it hit her. Like a scene from a sexy movie trailer, she saw herself in bed with Luca. Holy moly!

  “Did you see anything about Lisa?”

  “Um…I’m not sure right now.” She could feel herself blushing and averted her eyes. “I think it’s all the people here. Like static interference. I’ve had to develop this psychic thing on my own, and it’s not an exact science.”

  He slumped in his chair a little and looked like a sad puppy dog. “That’s okay. I get it.”

  Steady, Dawn. If she got too close to him, she’d be liable to lose her head and her heart. She had to focus. Remember, your goal is to clean up your karma. Falling for a guy who’s hung up on his ex-girlfriend is not a smart move. She pasted a sunny smile on her face. “You seem a lot more open-minded than I would’ve expected.”

  “Just because I’m a cop?”

  “Yeah. I don’t mean to stereotype you, but cops aren’t usually willing to entertain anything in the realm of the supernatural.”

  He sat up and seemed to consider her comment. “In training, we talked about a cop’s gut feeling and how that could be a help or a hindrance. I’ve heard everyone is a little psychic. Some people are just more in touch with it.”

  She shrugged. “I can’t speak to everyone, but I’ve been aware of something different about me since I was a kid. I think the first time I predicted something, I was about the same age as this girl who was taken.”

  “Taken? You’re sure?”

  “No, actually. I shouldn’t have put it that way. All I know for sure is the little girl from that home is alive, and for whatever reason, she can’t see.” Dawn had finished her coffee and noticed that Luca’s cup was empty too. “I should let you get home. You already worked a full shift, and you must be tired.”

  “Yeah, and I should let you get back to work. Thanks for meeting me. I didn’t know if there was anything you could do or not, but I figured if there was a possible lead you could give us, it would be worth pursuing.”

  “I doubt the police will welcome my help, so it’s a good thing I know you, in case I get a vision later.”

  “Do you think you might?”

  “Anything is possible.”

  They threw their cups into the recycling bin. Luca held the door open for her, and she stepped out ahead of him.

  “Remember, you can’t let anyone know that I asked you to get involved, but I’m grateful you were able to answer a couple of questions for me.”

  “I’ll remember. And there’s something I’d like you to remember too.”

  “What’s that?”

  She turned back to tell him, but her words died in her throat.

  Blood. All she could see was blood.

  Then everything went dark.

  Chapter 4

  “Give her some space.”

  “You give her some space. You’re crowding her.”

  “I’m a cop. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I’ve been a firefighter for ten years. You’ve been a cop for, what? A day?”

  “He started Monday, dear.”

  “Ma, you’re not helping.”

  “Okay, everyone move back. I’m older than all of you, and I was a firefighter before you were born.”

  The voices woke her up, but she couldn’t decide if they were voices in her head or actual real voices. They were still arguing. She decided to chance it and opened her eyes.

  “There she is. Can you tell me your name?”

  A man who looked a lot like Luca but about thirty years older was hovering over her. Concern flickered in his eyes. She had an instant feeling of comfort and protection. It was a good feeling. Not something she was used to.

  “Dawn Forest.” Ugh, her voice sounded like a frog.

  She heard a snicker but couldn’t see who was laughing.

  “Shut up, loser.”

  That sounded like Luca.

  “Sorry, but it sounds like a stripper name.”

  “Didn’t I raise you to be a gentleman?” A lady’s voice, maybe the wife and mother?

  “Yeah.”

  “Good. Now be quiet and let your father do his work.”

  “Take a sip of water.” The older version of Luca handed her a glass.

  Dawn took a sip. She was feeling better. She remembered what had happened.

  She gazed around her, and standing behind the nice, older man, she saw a petite, older red-haired woman with the same concern etched on her sweet face. Kindness exuded from her. Dawn guessed they were Luca’s parents. He must have taken her back to his house.

  Standing behind the couple was another tall, broad-shouldered guy who could only be Luca’s older brother. Holy moly, is everyone in this family good-looking? “Luca? Are you here?”

  “I’m here, Dawn.” Luca shoved the hunk to the side and crouched down in front of her. “How’re you doing?”

  “I fainted again?”

  “Yep. Right in the middle of Mass. Ave. I figured I’d bring you home.”

  “Shit. I—I mean, shoot. Did you carry me?”


  “Yeah.” Then he shrugged. “My house was basically across the street.”

  “I’m sorry I fainted. I guess I was just…” What could she say among these people? Certainly not that she had seen Luca covered in blood.

  “It’s okay. It’s not your fault. I’m just glad I was there to help.”

  Dawn nodded and took another sip of water. For some ridiculous reason, it felt good being surrounded by these people. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Luca turned to the older couple. “She’s okay now. Can you guys give us some privacy?”

  “Luca, aren’t you going to introduce us?”

  “Ma, this is a friend of mine. Dawn.”

  The older woman took Dawn’s hand between her own. “I’m Gabriella Fierro, and this is my husband, Antonio, and one of our sons, Gabe.”

  “Pleased to meet you all,” Dawn replied, embarrassed. “Thank you for your concern and your help.”

  Gabriella’s sweet smile lit her beautiful features. “You need to eat something. I have some nice, homemade Italian wedding soup.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever tried that,” Dawn said.

  “It’s delicious,” Antonio added.

  “Mom makes the best wedding soup,” Gabe chimed in. He gave Luca some kind of smirk, and Luca narrowed his eyes at his brother.

  “Antonio, Luca, help Dawn to the dining room table, and I’ll get some soup.” Gabriella marched to the kitchen, clearly expecting her orders to be followed.

  Antonio and Luca each took an arm and helped her up. They both had a firm grip on her, and soon she was settled in a comfortable, straight-backed dining room chair. Dawn glanced around her and noticed the beautiful details of the elegant and sprawling dining area. The table, which must have been custom made, was large enough to seat at least twenty people. A tall glass-fronted cabinet flanked one wall. It was filled with pretty china and crockery that may have been passed down for generations. She had a feeling of lasting endurance. A permanence she rarely felt anywhere.

  “Are you feeling better?” Luca asked. He sat beside her. Antonio sat at the head of the table and Gabe across from them.