Into a Dangerous Mind (27 page)

Zach’s disapproving stare weighed heavy, but she refused to meet it.
 
Her insistence that she would do this with or without him was the only reason Zach sat here now.

Dix finally nodded, but waves of concern and fear continued to pour off him.
 
It was amazing that in such a short time Dix had become almost as close to her as Kathy.
 
She sent him a bright smile, hoping he’d return it.
 
He didn’t, but he grudgingly gave her a thumbs up signal.

Zach nodded and then looked at her.
 
“Are we ready?”

Cassidy smiled and squeezed both of his hands.
 
“Ready,” she said, glad her voice sounded steadier than she felt.
 
Closing her eyes, she relaxed and tuned out everything except for the strong links threaded between herself and Zach.

Slowly, she concentrated on the spot in the front of her mind where she first felt the white-hot pain the night Brian attacked her.
 
Over the past few days she’d learned that each person she connected with would connect on a slightly different pathway inside her mind, thus a different spot she could concentrate on.
 
Sort of like an address within your mind.

The area around the spot warmed and a slow tingle radiated out, reaching to find the recipient at the other side—the Reaper.

She damped down her fear as it threatened to overwhelm her.
 
Pushing aside everything except the tingle of energy flowing through her and reaching out into the city, her mental energy searched in an ever widening pattern until it stopped short and strained at the limits of her range.

“I can’t reach any farther and I still don’t sense him.”

.”

Picturing Brian in her head, she took a deep breath and concentrated on differentiating how the link felt when she reached in different directions.
 
There seemed to be no change other than the sense of an open connection which wasn’t being received.

She wasn’t sure how much time passed, but her energy level waned.
 
Not wanting to deplete Zach’s energy as well, she took one last sweep around her and gave up.

Zach squeezed her hand.
 
She let out a breath and opened her eyes.
 
She blinked against the light.
 
“If he’s alive, why can’t I find him?”

Cassidy stood and stretched her protesting muscles.

Dix stood.
 
“There could be a number of reasons, don’t start doubting your abilities just because our first attempt failed.
 
We should all recharge and then try again tomorrow.”

Zach frowned.
 
“I know why.”

Cassidy turned to look at him.
 
“Are you going to share?”

He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head to work out the kinks.
 
“Do you remember the night I found you out on the lawn?”

Cassidy nodded, how could she ever forget it?
 
It was the night her life had changed so drastically.
 
And yet, she wouldn’t trade a minute of it—she’d found Zach that night.
 
Or rather, he’d found her.

She smiled at the memory of him carrying her inside and taking care of her.
 
“Wait, I get it.”
 
Her voice laced with excitement.
 
“I was hurt and you gave me some Tylenol PM to knock me out so he couldn’t get to me anymore.
 
You told me later you only put the shields up as a precaution.”

Zach nodded with approval.
 
“You learn fast.”

Dix scowled and plopped down on the recliner facing them.
 
“Would someone like to share with the peon normal person in the room?” he asked archly.

“I’m sorry, Dix.”
 
Zach turned to his friend.
 
“When a psychic takes a tranquilizer, even in a mild form, it turns off the part of the brain which governs their power.
 
It…” he searched for the right analogy, “takes them off everyone’s radar for a while.”

Understanding bloomed across Dix’s face.
 
“So our guy popped some tranqs to give himself some down time.
 
Cassidy must’ve really hurt him then—right?”

Zach nodded.
 
“Most likely he’s holed up somewhere drugged and giving himself time to recover.
 
How long will depend on the extent of the damage Cassidy dealt him.”

The Reaper sensed his mother mentally reaching for him.
 
He smiled groggily as she continued her futile search.

, he thought without enough power to send the words into her mind.

Using all his willpower he opened his heavy lids and stared into the gloom.
 
Slowly, his eyes focused and he could make out the shapes of the standard issue hotel TV and chest of drawers against the far wall.

He’d spent the last few days in blissful healing sleep, undisturbed until his mother’s attempted contact.

Glancing at the clock, he decided he needed to eat and then take another dose of medicine.
 
He hadn’t eaten for twenty-four hours and his body needed fuel to recuperate.
 
Grunting against the heaviness infusing his limbs, he forced his feet over the side of the bed onto the floor and sat up.

He fought the searing pain inside his head and clamped his eyes shut against the dizziness which assaulted him.
 
At least the nausea wasn’t as bad this time.
 
He breathed in gulps of fresh air until his equilibrium returned and he could open his eyes without the room tilting.

Another few days of rest and the pain and discomfort would be gone, his healing complete, and he could try his powers once again.
 
“Then I’ll come for you mother,” he whispered, the thought stirring his groin to life.
 
He absently reached down to stroke himself.
 
“It will be just like I promised.
 
We’ll be together like we were meant to be before you must die…again.”

Cassidy stood inside FBI headquarters next to Zach.
 
He and Dix had been called in early this morning to update the Director, and Zach hadn’t been willing to leave her alone in case Brian contacted her again.
 
She watched on a TV monitor mounted against the corner of two walls as the Director read a statement to the press.
 
As soon as he finished, dozens of hands thrust into the air and reporters jostled for position like racers at a starting line.

“Mr. Director, can you confirm there have been twelve deaths caused by the Reaper over the last two weeks?”

“Twelve?” Cassidy asked Zach.
 
“Every time I hear the number it’s increased by a few.”

“Welcome to the wonders of the press.”

The Director held his hand up to quiet the throng of reporters and then continued.
 
“No, and as I’ve already stated several times, there have only been six deaths attributed to the Reaper.
 
And they have been over a four month period.”

He pointed to another reporter who called out over the crowd.

“Why was Cassidy James called in as a civilian psychic on the case?”

“There was an anonymous tip about the last murder, but the body hadn’t yet been found.
 
Since Miss James survived an attack by the Reaper, she provided invaluable information to help us find the victim.”
 
The Director’s firm voice brooked no argument and he moved on to the next question.

“Wait a minute,” said Cassidy.
 
“I didn’t know there was an anonymous tip.”

Zach shook his head.
 
“There wasn’t.
 
Welcome to the spin doctoring of the FBI.
 
When Dix and I met with the Director we told him everything—well everything except our personal involvement.
 
After getting a sizable chunk of our asses chewed off, we agreed to downplay the psychic angle.”

“I take it the Director thinks it’s all mumbo jumbo?”

“Yes and no.
 
Several years ago a psychic helped on a case when his wife was missing.
 
He doesn’t really believe in it, but since I helped find his wife, he cuts me some slack.
 
And more importantly, his wife believes.”
 
He smiled ruefully.

were the psychic who found his wife?”

“I picked the information out of the mind of the assailant.
 
We had already caught him, but he refused to tell us her location.”
 
Zach straightened his tie and sighed.
 
“Of course the Director wrote it up as an anonymous tip, but he knows the truth, even though he’s in serious denial.”

Cassidy’s temper sparked.
 
“Wasn’t it the Director who insisted you allow Watters and the rest of the locals onto the crime scene in the first place?”

“Yup.
 
Again, welcome to the wonderful bureaucracy of the FBI.
 
If you make a stupid decision, you chew out your subordinate for not informing you it was a stupid decision.”

Cassidy snorted.
 
“Look, he’s finishing up and heading back inside.”

The Director was a man of presence.
 
A few minutes later when he walked through the doors of FBI Headquarters, Cassidy noticed the aura of power and confidence surrounding him.

She studied him as he approached.
 
He appeared to be in his mid-forties and had brown hair with just a touch of silver at the sides.
 
Most women would describe him as distinguished, but Cassidy saw him as cocky and arrogant.

His blazing blue eyes were clear and sharp and seemed to take in everything around him and catalogue it neatly for later study.
 
When his gaze met Cassidy’s open stare, it must’ve intrigued him, because he narrowed his eyes and held out a hand to greet her.

“Miss James?
 
I’m FBI Director Donovan.
 
I hope my agents are taking good care of you.”

Cassidy picked up his thoughts without meaning to.
 
He found her attractive because she dared stare at him openly, when most people wouldn’t.
 
She noted his firm grip, not overpowering.
 
“Yes sir, they are.
 
I’m just hoping we find the Reaper soon and this can all be over.”