Etched in Shadow: A Cassie Quinn Mystery

by L. T. Ryan

  Sabine shrugged. “I don’t see them like you do. But if he was shadowed, there’s a reason. Either he’s holding himself back from crossing through the veil, or someone else is.”

  Jason looked more apprehensive than scared, but Cassie hated it all the same. Still, his voice was gentle. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. She didn’t feel all that different. But she couldn’t stop thinking about what Sabine had told her. For years, Cassie had witnessed the dead through a crackling television set distorted by static. And for a few moments, she’d seen that other world with perfect clarity. There was so much noise and pain and desolation that it had nearly brought her to her knees. But she had felt something beyond the fear.

  Hope.

  Sabine frowned. “Your grandmother never taught you how to spot a psychic? I’m disappointed.”

  Jason clenched his jaw. Propriety kept him from talking back to Sabine. He turned to Cassie instead. His eyes didn’t betray his thoughts. “Is that true?”

  What was the point in denying it? “Yes.”

  Jason bobbed his head up and down for a few seconds and stuck his hands deep into his jacket pockets. When he met her gaze again, his eyes were somber. For a fraction of a second, Cassie worried he’d walk away. Instead, he squared his shoulders.

  “Then there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

  11

  Jason pulled into the driveway of a pale-yellow house and parked behind at least half a dozen other cars. Each one was as different as the next, from a brand-new Ford pickup truck to a shiny BMW to a rusted-out burgundy Honda Civic.

  The house was much bigger than the bungalow Cassie called home, and every inch of it looked like sheer perfection, from the rainbow assortment of wind chimes along the porch and the elaborately decorated front door to pitch-black shutters and an iron balcony around the second story. The streetlamps cast a cozy glow over the house’s façade.

  Jason twisted in his seat to look at her. “There are a lot of people inside, but you already met half of them at the bar last night.”

  “When you said you wanted me to meet someone, I didn’t think you meant your entire family.”

  “Trust me, this isn’t the entire family.” Jason caught her look and smiled. “We don’t have to go in if you don’t want to, but I promise they’re going to love you. And I think you should meet my grandmother.”

  Cassie’s stomach twisted. “Any particular reason?”

  She was stalling, and Jason knew it. “It’ll be easier for her to explain.”

  Cassie blew out a breath and steeled herself. “Okay.”

  Jason pushed his door open but looked back at her before he got out. “If anyone should be nervous here, it’s me. Kiki warned me she’d tell you all the worst stories.”

  “Oh, yeah, because I’m sure you were such a bad kid.”

  His eyes twinkled. “I got into some shenanigans here and there.”

  Cassie let her response die on her lips. They were already inside the front gate, up the steps, and through the door, and her nerves hit her all at once. She let Jason lead the way through the living room to the kitchen while she smoothed down her shirt and tried to take slow, even breaths.

  Three women occupied the room. Two of them sat at the table drinking tea. They looked like sisters, with shoulder-length hair that fell in waves around their faces. One of them wore rings on every finger. The third woman wore a head wrap and looked older than the other two. She was taking cookies out of the oven. The smell was divine.

  Jason walked up to the woman sitting closest to the doorway and kissed her on the cheek. “Mama.” He turned to the one with all the rings and kissed her, too. “Auntie Kay.”

  “Jay, what are you doin’ back so soon?” The older woman hadn’t turned around yet. Her voice was deep and rich. Her words came slowly, like she had all the time in the world to sit and talk with you. “I thought you were out with that young lady from the museum. Figured you wouldn’t be back ‘til mornin’.”

  “That’s actually why I’m here.” Jason gestured for Cassie to step out of the shadow of the doorway and into the light of the kitchen. Auntie Kay was the first to notice her. She set her teacup down and pinched her eyebrows together. “Granny, this is Cassie Quinn.”

  Jason’s mother and grandmother turned at the same time. The smiles fell from their faces the second they laid eyes on her. There was a beat of silence, and Cassie considered bolting for the door. Her heart would’ve been pounding like a jackhammer if it hadn’t given up and stopped altogether.

  “Oh, honey.” Granny crossed the room and took Cassie’s hands in her own. “You poor thing.”

  It was Cassie’s worst nightmare. She could save face and lock her emotions up when she had to, but the moment someone saw through her, the tears started flowing. Jason’s grandmother had looked deep into her soul and saw more than Cassie wanted to admit.

  Auntie Kay grabbed a box of tissues and handed it to Cassie, who took one and dabbed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying.”

  “It’s okay, you let it out.” Granny steered Cassie to the last open seat and sat her down. Before she knew it, there was a cup of tea and a plate of cookies in front of her. “You take your time, honey.”

  The three women in the room turned to Jason and leveled him with an identical glare. The force of it made him take a step back. He held up his hands. “What’d I do?”

  “You tell me,” Granny scowled.

  “Tell you what?”

  Cassie bit into a chocolate chip cookie and instantly felt more at ease. She washed it down with a sip of tea and then turned to Jason’s mom. “Please don’t be mad at him. He’s had kind of a strange night.”

  “Strange how?” she asked.

  Cassie looked to Jason, who rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “Well, it started with a trip to the graveyard with this strange woman,” he said, like that should be explanation enough. With three faces still blinking up at him, he sighed. “I think Cassie might be kind of like you.”

  The woman with all the rings on her fingers laid a gentle hand on Cassie’s arm. “My name is Kianna, but you can call me Auntie Kay.” When she gestured to her sister, the jewels sparkled in the light. “This is Tanesha, but—”

  “—you can call me Mama T.”

  Auntie Kay gestured to their mother. “And that’s Granny Mabel.”

  “It’s nice to meet you all.” Cassie meant it, even if she still felt like crawling into a hole and never coming out. “Thank you for the cookies.”

  “You’re welcome, honey.” Granny Mabel put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You’re strong. You can handle whatever you’re going through. You remember that.”

  “Granny, do you know someone named Sabine Delacroix?”

  Three heads turned to face Jason. Mama T was the first one to speak. “She was the woman in the graveyard?”

  Now it was Jason’s turn to look like he was the one ready to bolt for the door. “Yes.”

  “Tell us everything.”

  As Granny Mabel made another pot of tea, Jason and Cassie took turns telling the three women what had happened that night. Jason told them about the graveyard tour, and Cassie finished the story—only hesitating for a moment before telling them everything. Including the part about the shadowy figure on the other side of the veil.

  “Sabine wants you to call her to have tea this week,” Jason added.

  Granny Mabel scoffed under her breath, but she pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a note. When Cassie peered over her teacup to look at the message, all it said was Call S.D. ASAP. It was underlined three times.

  Mama T left the room and returned a moment later with two more chairs. Jason sat close to Cassie, while Granny Mabel sank into her seat across from them. All three women exchanged a look that made Cassie think they’d just made a collective decision.

  Jason must’ve caught it, too. “What’s going on?”

  “The women in our family are special.
” Granny Mabel patted Jason’s cheek by way of apology. “We have a strong intuition.”

  “You’re psychic, too?” Cassie asked.

  “Not quite.” Granny searched for the words. “We don’t see visions or commune with the dead.”

  “Rather, we get powerful feelings,” Auntie Kay added. “For lack of a better explanation.”

  Granny nodded. “If you’re the sharp part of the knife, then we’re the blunt end of the hammer. We usually hit our target after a couple of tries.”

  “How did you know—” Cassie could barely get the words out. She was only just getting used to saying it out loud to the people she trusted, never mind people she’d only met ten minutes prior. “I mean, how could you know I see—that I can—”

  “That you’re gifted?” Granny Mabel frowned. “There’s a quality that hangs around people who can see what you can see. A heaviness to them. Even in a house full of people mourning, your sadness cuts through like a blade.”

  “I’m so sorry.” A tear dripped down Cassie’s cheek, but she didn’t bother wiping it away. “I don’t know how to stop it. If I could—”

  “Your empathy gives you strength.” Granny leaned forward, and her eyes locked onto Cassie’s. “Don’t be ashamed of it. You’re powerful. More powerful, perhaps, than even the Delacroix sisters.”

  “Sabine said you should’ve taught me to see them. Psychics, I mean.” Jason looked at his mom. “Why didn’t you?”

  She shrugged. “You can’t close your eyes once they’re open to something like that. It’s as much a gift as it is a burden.”

  Cassie knew that burden all too well. Helping people—solving their murders—was a gift she was proud to have, but it wasn’t easy. And it didn’t mean she never had a sleepless night or a close encounter with someone who’d rather see her six feet under. “How did Sabine control the spirits in the graveyard like that?”

  “The Delacroix sisters have their ways.” Mama T’s mouth was tight as she spoke. “They’ve made bargains. They know what herbs to infuse into a tea that pushes the limits of what they can do.”

  “I take it you don’t approve?”

  “We see the world differently.”

  Cassie heard the finality in Mama T’s voice and didn’t have any interest in overstaying her welcome. But she had one last question she needed the answer to. “The man covered in shadows. Who was he? Why did he look like that?”

  Everyone looked to Granny Mabel, who sighed and set down her teacup. She added another spoonful of sugar, ignoring the way Auntie Kay pinched her eyebrows in response. “Sabine helped you see through the veil to the other side. We don’t know what lives there. The Shadow Man could’ve been who you think, your friend David, or it could’ve been someone else entirely. Something else. What she did was unnatural. If the Shadow Man needed your help, he would’ve come through the veil. Unless something was stopping him.”

  “What would have the power to do that?”

  “I don’t know.” Granny shook her head and took another sip of tea. “It’s beyond me.”

  Cassie felt disappointment and relief in equal measures. “I appreciate your help. I’m still getting used to saying all this out loud. It feels nice to know I’m not alone in it.”

  “Does your family know?”

  “They do.” Cassie smiled at the memory. “They took it well, all things considered. I’m not sure it’s something my parents and I will talk openly about, but my sister and I are closer now than we’ve ever been. She’s in my corner.”

  “Good. Good.” Granny turned to Jason and pursed her lips. “You’re further ahead than most, but there’s still a lot you don’t understand about what Cassie can do.”

  Jason met Cassie’s eyes. “I’d like to find out.”

  “I hope you mean that.” Granny’s voice was firm, but not cold. Still, Jason shrunk a little in his chair. “Cassie will see things you never will. Know things you couldn’t possibly know. It takes a strong person to stand to the side and let someone else shine, knowing they’ll never see that spotlight. Are you ready for that?”

  There was a beat of silence before Mama T cleared her throat. “Mama, they’re not getting married.”

  “Heartbreak is inevitable.” Granny’s words had a ring of finality to them. “It’s easier to patch a hole in the wall than it is to rebuild the entire house from the ground up.”

  Cassie knew Granny Mabel was looking out for Jason, but she hated the fact that she could be the person to put the hole in the wall. The one capable of knocking the entire house down. Her abilities made her own life difficult enough to lead, but dragging someone else into the mix seemed cruel.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Jason stood up and kissed Granny on the cheek. “Where is everyone?”

  “Husbands are in the living room thinking we can’t smell the cigars they’re trying to hide from us.” She stood with a small groan and grabbed another plate of cookies. “The cousins are upstairs. Take these up with you?”

  Jason led the way out of the room, but before Cassie could follow, Granny put a hand on her arm. “You’re good, Cassie Quinn. And smart. Jason is lucky to have you. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy. I hope you can forgive me for wanting to protect him.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive.” Cassie meant it. “Everything you said is true.”

  Granny nodded and let go of her arm. “And if Sabine Delacroix calls you out of the blue, think long and hard before you answer the phone.”

  Cassie wasn’t sure what to say, so she nodded and followed Jason into the hallway.

  12

  Jason led Cassie up a narrow set of stairs before he stopped and turned to her. The floor creaked underfoot when he shifted his weight. His face was half concealed in shadow, but she caught the apology in his eyes. “Sorry about that.”

  “About what?”

  He gestured vaguely. “Them. Granny Mabel. She can be kind of intense sometimes.”

  “I like her.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  There was a beat of silence. Jason took a step closer. All that separated them was the plate of cookies. Despite already having her fill, the smell made Cassie’s mouth water.

  “I really don’t understand what’s happening.” He laughed. “But I’ve seen enough growing up to know I shouldn’t question it. Whatever is going on, I want to help. I don’t know what I can bring to the table.” He laughed again. “But I’d like to try.”

  “I appreciate that.” Cassie shook her head. “If I’m being honest, I don’t get it most of the time either. But I like not being alone.”

  “Good.” Jason hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “Because there’s a room full of people who don’t understand the concept of alone time.”

  Cassie groaned but didn’t protest as Jason took her hand and led her to a door at the end of the hall. She could hear music pumping on the other side, quiet enough to talk over but loud enough that she couldn’t make out the conversation. A peal of laughter broke through, and Jason’s lips twitched up in response. He shouldered his way into the room.

  “Jay! You’re back!”

  “Finally. Took you long enough, man.”

  “Are those Granny’s cookies?”

  “Did you bring anymore beer?”

  “God, you guys are the worst. Let the man breathe.”

  “He can breathe after he hands over the cookies.”

  A large man pushed himself off the couch and took the plate from Jason. He spotted Cassie hiding in the doorway, and his eyebrows shot up. She recognized him from the other night. He was the one who had stolen Jason’s phone from Kiki. It was Ty.

  “Hey, Jay’s brought a friend.”

  Cassie stepped forward as eight faces turned in her direction. Despite the size of the room, Granny Mabel had filled it wall to wall with furniture. Two mismatched couches and a pair of chairs were situated around a coffee table laden with food and drink. An entertainment center sat off to one side and a pa
ir of bookshelves lined the opposite wall. Someone was playing music through a portable speaker. She didn’t recognize the song, but she liked the beat.

  Jason cleared his throat. “This is Cassie. We work together at the museum.”

  The entire room erupted into hellos and cheers and obnoxious wolf whistles, the latter of which mostly came from Ty. Kiki jumped up from the couch, her downy curls now in two puffs, one on each side of her head, and crossed the room to give Cassie a hug and steer her to the last remaining seat.

  The next hour was a whirlwind of names and faces and raucous laughter. Jason was in his element. Cassie had never seen this side of him. He was quiet at the museum, more interested in observing than interacting with people. But here, surrounded by family, he was someone new. She liked the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed.

  Kiki properly introduced herself this time, though she clearly had no regrets about the first impression she’d made on Cassie when she sent her that video at the bar. She kept the louder boys in line with her sharp tongue, but her voice turned soft with the younger cousins, checking in on them to make sure they had enough to eat or to see if they needed a ride home or to ask about their day.

  Kiki’s presence was magnetic, drawing you closer with every laugh, every joke, every story. Each person in that room had their own quirks, their own personality, but Kiki was the rope that bound them together. She was special.

  In fact, all the women in the room were. Granny Mabel had said they had a strong intuition—something they didn’t share with the men in the family. And every once in a while, she’d catch one of them staring like they could see right through her.

  Though she would’ve been happier to sit back and bask in everyone else’s enjoyment, Cassie allowed Kiki to drag her from person to person, making introductions and sharing stories. She was quick on her feet, which made even more sense when Cassie found out she had a successful career as a lawyer.

  Jason’s gaze followed Cassie around the room as she made small talk and laughed at everyone’s jokes. He sat between Ty and Ty’s brother Evan, who had a thick beard and a bright smile. Ty was in construction, which explained his bulging muscles, while Evan was a personal trainer, which explained why he was even bigger than Ty. The two had a friendly rivalry, which Cassie assumed extended to the gym. When she quietly joked that Evan seemed to be winning that race, Ty scowled, and Evan howled with laughter.