Lullabies & Dead Bodies, page 18
The instant their hands touched, Isaac’s tightened around his in a death grip. Emmett held on, gaze glued to Isaac’s face.
He saw Isaac’s face contort, visibly wracked by pain.
Teeth clenched.
Bulging forehead vein.
A low grunt escaped Isaac, ripping a gasp from somewhere deep.
Then he yanked his hand away and sucked in large gulps of air.
Emmett realized he was probably being rude, but he couldn’t stop staring.
“That looked painful.”
“Yeah.”
“Is it always?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s why you don’t like to touch others. It’s not about the things you see; it’s about the pain?”
“The pain is a bitch. But it’s also about the things I see.”
Emmett nodded, trying to understand. “Are you okay?”
“Yep.”
Isaac took a deep breath and appeared to compose himself.
“What did you see?” After all that, he had to know.
“I saw you graduate from Yale with honors and join the FBI.”
Okay, sure. All a matter of public record. Anyone he asked could’ve told him that, and Emmett was about to open his mouth to point that out when Ike said something else.
“Your father wasn’t at all happy about it. You argued a lot. It’s still a sore point between the two of you, and you hate that.”
Gut punched.
Emmett drew in a deep breath to combat the winded feeling. There was no way Isaac could’ve known about his father’s complete and total disappointment in Emmett’s life choices.
“You saw that?”
The shock he heard in his own voice couldn’t be helped.
Isaac nodded.
“Wow. What else did you see?”
“That you’re a good agent. A good man. I hope you understand, though, that I will do a thorough background check if you get serious with my sister.”
Stunned for the second time in two minutes, Emmett stared at him. Isaac stared back with the most serious of expressions, and Emmett wasn’t sure what to think.
“Your sister?”
“My sister.”
“What about me?”
They both turned to see Emily step into the kitchen. She picked up one of the stuffed mushrooms and popped it into her mouth.
Emmett glanced back at Isaac before he turned to face Emily again. He licked his lips, his mouth suddenly bone dry.
“Um, well I… uh, was just asking Ike if you were seeing anyone.”
Emily smiled at him and tossed her hair over her shoulder.
“Oh.”
Isaac cleared his throat. “I’ll just leave you two alone.”
Isaac left the kitchen, and Emmett smiled at Emily and set his near empty plate down on the counter.
“Have you known my brother long?”
Emmett shook his head. “Only a couple of months. We worked together on a case when his girlfriend had been kidnapped from his apartment, and we’re working on another case right now.”
She nodded and took a few steps closer. “So you know he’s a little… strange?”
The question surprised him.
“If by strange you mean psychic, then yes, I’m aware. He’s also a good cop with an impressive record. Very deserving of his recent promotion.”
Emmett hadn’t wasted any time checking into Isaac’s service record after Ike had paid a visit to FBI headquarters to speak with him. Not that he’d doubted anything Ike had told him about the Lullaby case. But he’d just wanted to know who he was agreeing to work with before he began looking into Schiffer’s whereabouts.
Emily nodded again. “And what about you? Are you a good cop?”
“Well, I’m not a cop. I’m FBI.”
He couldn’t help the slightly haughty tone of voice, or the pride that lay behind it. The rivalry was as old as the organizations themselves.
“But yes. I’d like to think I’m good at my job. How about you? What do you do for a living?”
“Nothing so stressful as law enforcement like you two. I’m a graphic designer. Recent small business owner. I used to be the creative director at Ross and Schmidt until I quit the rat race a few months ago and opened my own small company.”
Emmett couldn’t hide his surprise. The walking, talking definition of drop dead gorgeous, plus brains and ambition to boot?
“That’s impressive, Ms. Taylor. How are things working out for you in the small business world?”
“They’re not bad.”
Emily’s mock surprise had Emmett grinning. She was too adorable for words, and his heightened interest in her made him wonder anew about what the hell Isaac had seen when he shook his hand.
“I have half a dozen steady clients at the moment. Some are small potatoes, but a few of them are pretty big contracts, which are keeping me super busy, so I’m not complaining.”
“That’s great.” And it was, for her. But it brought a question to Emmett’s mind. “So, you probably wouldn’t have the time to go out for coffee sometime would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t.”
Her reply was quick and dirty. Nope. Not interested. See ya!
Emmett’s heart fell.
“But I do have to eat dinner once a day.”
She tossed the comment out there like it was a real drag, and Emmett felt his smile begin deep in his chest long before it ever reached his face. Adorable and charming.
His face hurt.
Was he smiling too much?
Shit.
“You know… I also have that same annoying dinner habit.”
“Really?” Emily smiled at him and the whole world lit up. “Well, see there. We should just eat dinner together sometime.”
“I think that is an excellent idea.”
“Jada, step away from the dirty dishes!”
“What? I’m helping.”
“And I appreciate it, but you don’t have to do that. I just ran Bree and Emily out of here for trying to help clean up, and I’ll chase you out too.”
“I’m not afraid of you. I’ll wash these dishes if I want to.”
Isaac wrapped his arm around Sidney’s waist from behind and leaned in close to her ear.
“Give it up, darlin’. I don’t think you’re getting rid of her until the kitchen is cleaned.”
“I guess not.”
“That’s right. You tell her, Isaac.”
“Come on. Adam, Bree, and Oli are leaving. Come say bye with me.”
He took Sidney by the hand and led her from the kitchen and out to the living room where his brothers were busy gathering up cups and trash or putting away game pieces.
“Sidney, this was really fun. We had a great time,” Bree said, giving her a hug.
“It was fun,” Sidney echoed. “Next month at your place, right?”
“That’s right, be there or be square!”
Isaac inwardly sighed listening to the exchange. He had to have been drunk on Sid’s touch when he’d agreed to these monthly torture sessions.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t enjoyed spending time with his siblings this evening. It wasn’t even the fact that his partner, and even Agent Fox, had wound up as part of the guest list. He simply wasn’t properly equipped for these kinds of social gatherings.
It wasn’t in his arsenal.
He may not have been happy being the hermit loner he was before he met Sidney, but it was what he knew. It was his comfort zone. But since meeting her, he’d been forcibly shoved so far out of his comfort zone he wasn’t even certain where to find it anymore.
It was Sidney who’d finally pushed him to seek out Geneviève, his psychic mentor. And if it hadn’t been for Sidney’s urging, he might never have sought out his grandad, Sterling Taylor, after learning the truth about his psychic abilities at a disastrous family dinner.
In a very real way, it was Sidney who’d gently pushed him into this brave new world where he was actually trying to embrace this scary unpredictable side of himself.
“She’ll make your life one thousand times better, in one thousand different little ways. Cherish her always, Isaac.”
His grandad’s words came back to him once again, and Isaac couldn’t help but grin, even as he came to terms with more of these silly family game night get togethers in his future.
When everything was as tidy as they could make it, Isaac stood by the door with his arm around Sidney as their guests finally began to file out.
“Thanks for including me tonight, Ike. It was fun.”
Oliver stared at him with a half smile that Isaac recognized as nervous. Having recently learned that his younger brother thought of himself as the family freak for many years, Isaac felt a weird kind of kinship with Oli that they’d never shared before. Like fellow freaks finally finding one another.
“It’s called family game night, Oli. Like it or not, we are family.”
“Can’t argue with that.” Oliver turned to Sidney with an awkward hug. “The food was great.”
“Thanks, Oliver. We’ll see you next time, yes?”
Isaac guessed his brother was feeling just as put off by the gathering as he was. But after a second of hesitation, Oli nodded.
“Sure. Goodnight, guys.”
He slipped out then, followed quickly by Adam and a yawning Bree.
“Ike, we’re spending so much time together off the clock that I’m starting to think you really like me.”
Pete’s tone was teasing, almost singsong, and Isaac rolled his eyes.
“Get the fuck out of my house, Vega.”
Pete cracked up laughing and Isaac tried not to grin.
“See you tomorrow, partner.”
“Yep.”
Pete placed a hand on Jada’s back, who gave them both a wave as he escorted her out the door to walk her home.
“Well, thank you for taking in the stray who showed up at your door, and feeding him.” Emmett Fox smiled at Sidney. “The food was delicious.”
“It was our pleasure,” Sidney said, shaking his hand. “We’re so glad you stayed and joined in the fun. You play a mean game of Pictionary, Special Agent.”
Emmett laughed. “I’ll have that added to my official FBI dossier.”
Sidney giggled, which had Isaac smiling at her.
Emmett looked at Isaac and motioned him aside.
Isaac stepped just outside the door with him.
“What’s up?”
“Well, I have to know, Ike. About your sister. What exactly did you see before?”
Isaac took a deep breath. He didn’t like telling people about the things he saw in his flashes. Not the stuff that didn’t pertain to a crime anyway.
“I saw you kissing my sister.”
It was the simplest answer he could give.
Emmett stared at him with what Isaac could only describe as disbelief.
“I haven’t kissed your sister, Ike.”
Isaac looked him in the eyes. “No. Not yet.”
Emmett’s mouth fell open slightly.
“You see the future.”
It was an astonished whisper, and Isaac slowly nodded.
“Only on occasion. Usually it’s the past or the present.”
“Holy shit, that’s wild.”
“Welcome to my world.”
15
Sidney pulled her car to the curb and parked. With an air of excitement and a belly full of butterflies she got out and climbed the steps to Hope House.
Inside, she spotted her student Kevin and two other children playing a board game, and the sight brought fun memories of their own family game night to her. She smiled and walked past them.
“Hi, Ms. Fairchild!”
“Hi, Kevin.”
Stepping further into the house, she saw Kevin’s mother in the living room.
“Oh. Hello again.”
The timid woman greeted her with an uncertain wave.
“Hi, Carla.” Sidney smiled brightly at her. “It is Carla, right?”
“That’s right. You have a good memory,” the woman said, returning her smile. “Did you need to see me again? Is Kevin in trouble over the fighting?”
“Oh, no, no. I’m not here about that.” She waved a dismissive hand. “I just thought…”
“Sidney?”
Zoe Ridley appeared in the doorway with a surprised grin.
“You’re not due to start until Monday!”
Sidney shrugged her shoulders, and she could feel her cheeks flushing with heat.
“I know. But I had the day free, and I thought I’d just come by and hang. Maybe get a feel for the place. If that’s all right.”
“Well, of course it is. I love your eagerness and enthusiasm.”
“You’re going to be working here?” Carla asked.
“Yes.”
“Sidney is going to be our new assistant director,” Zoe clarified. “She’s going to give me a much needed hand around here and fill the void left behind when Debbie had to move to Florida to take care of her mom.”
Zoe turned to Sidney to explain.
“Debbie was a former resident who started out volunteering here after she left her abusive husband. Eventually, I made her my assistant. But since you hold three degrees, and you have experience in teaching and your computer skills, I think you deserve the assistant director title. And a fitting salary to go with it.”
Sidney smiled at her. “Well, I appreciate that.”
“If you’re really eager to get started I can set you up in the office and let you fill out all the requisite tax forms. Then I’ll give you a tour and we can go over the daily routine and your duties. Sound good?”
“That sounds great!”
Sidney followed Zoe into the office where the older woman motioned to her desk.
“You just have a seat there at the desk and make yourself comfortable.”
Sidney took the offered seat and watched Zoe fish out a packet from a nearby file cabinet. Then Zoe handed her the small stack of forms.
“There’s also a little booklet I put together for Debbie when she became my assistant. Sort of an employee handbook of dos and don’ts. How to behave with our residents, what to do if an irate spouse shows up. Things like that.”
Sidney nodded. “It’s good to know you have procedures in place for that sort of thing.”
“It never hurts to prepare some kind of plan. Not that it always helps, but… it never hurts.”
Sidney suddenly remembered Ike saying that they’d dealt with the Hope House in the past, and she wondered now what he’d meant.
“Do you have much trouble with that sort of thing? Angry spouses and such?”
Zoe turned and looked her in the eyes.
“I’m not going to lie to you. It does happen from time to time. Usually just the threat of calling the police is enough to stop things from escalating. But sometimes that doesn’t work, and you have to actually make the call. Luckily, we have a great rapport with local law enforcement, and they make us a priority. They come quickly.”
“That’s great.”
“It is.” Zoe glanced around as if to make sure no one was within ear shot, and she took a step closer. When she spoke again, her voice was a for-your-ears-only whisper. “But what I don’t let the residents know is that I do keep a firearm on the premises. It, and the ammunition, are locked in the bottom drawer of my desk.”
Sidney nodded once more, but said nothing. It was an Isaac gesture.
“You don’t seem shocked.”
“I’m not. I think it’s smart. Both to have one, and to keep it from the residents.”
“Do you know how to use one?”
“I do. Or at least… I’m learning. Isaac… my boyfriend, he’s a police detective. He’s been taking me to the shooting range, teaching me. We’ve spoken about me getting a concealed carry license.”
“Dating a cop? That’s good to know.”
Zoe’s tone was light and full of girlish playfulness, and Sidney smiled.
“I’ll leave you alone to fill out that paperwork now. Take your time and let me know if you have any questions.”
She left the office and Sidney got to work. Twenty minutes later as she was finishing up the completed tax forms, a soft knock at the opened door made her look up. An African-American man stared at her from the doorway. He had a medium brown complexion, a close-cropped curly afro and a friendly smile, and he carried a small black bag with him.
“Hello. Can I help you?”
“I’m sorry, I was looking for Ms. Ridley.”
He was well-dressed in nice jeans, a designer pullover, and an air of confidence that preceded him into the room. He crossed the floor with an outstretched hand.
“I’m Lance.”
He stared at her in the most peculiar way, and Sidney looked away before she met his gaze again and shook his hand.
“Dr. Lance Tobey. And you are?”
“Sidney Fairchild.”
He held on to her hand for a beat too long, only letting go when Sidney gently pulled back.
“I’m sure you’re not doing anything nefarious, but I don’t think Ms. Ridley would appreciate you being alone in her office like this.”
Sidney studied him and laced her fingers together on top of the desk.
“Well, since she offered me her desk and left me alone in here, I’d say she doesn’t mind at all.”
His eyebrows shot up at her response.
“Oh. I’m sorry, I assumed…”
“Yes, I know what you assumed. You know what they say about assuming things?”
He grinned and looked down at the floor, and Sidney acknowledged the fact that he wasn’t unattractive. In fact, he was rather handsome, with warm brown eyes and an easy grin.
“Yes, yes. When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me. I’ve heard that old joke many times.”
“Then you should know better, Dr. Lance Tobey.”
“Okay, my bad. I sincerely apologize.”
“What are you apologizing for now, Doc?” Zoe breezed in with a smile.
“I assumed this beautiful lady was one of the residents, and I accused her of being in your office without permission.”
Beautiful? Sidney wondered if he was coming onto her or just trying too hard to be friendly? He hung his head in mock shame, and she watched his undeniable charm turn Zoe into a grinning fool.
