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  “Damn right!” He smashed a fist against the wall. “Thinks she’s so damn smart, superior. She’ll see when I have a damn job that’s better than hers.”

  But Summer didn’t hear, wasn’t able to pay attention—

  Her head jerked back from the hard slap. Tears welled in her eyes and she tried not to scream.

  “I told you to shut up,” the man said, his face as red as his shirt. “Don’t make me show you again what I do to bad little girls.”

  She shrank back, still feeling the soreness between her legs. “I’ll be good,” she said. “I promise, mister.” His smile scared her almost as much as his frown. She trembled, but she didn’t back up when he patted her on the head. He didn’t like it when she backed away from him…

  “Hey. You’re not going to faint, are you?”

  Summer blinked her eyes, clearing them and found herself looking into Rich’s light blue eyes. They were filled with concern. “I’m okay,” she said, despite the steel drums being banged against the inside of her skull. She swallowed hard and tasted bile in the back of her throat. She’d seen him. Oh God, she’d seen him.

  Aware of Rich’s scrutiny, Summer managed to keep it together. Managed to stay on her feet when all she wanted was to slide to the floor and put her head between her knees. She bit her bottom lip hard to stave off tears. What had just happened? Was he taking over her mind, jumping into her head whenever he wanted? But no. It hadn’t been him. If it had been him she wouldn’t know what he looked like. Wouldn’t be able to describe him to the police.

  “You need a lift?” Rich put a hand to her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts.

  Summer tried to step back, but there was no place to go. “I…I have a ride,” she said slowly, fighting being dragged back into the closet. She shrugged away from his touch. “I’ll be okay.”

  “Only trying to help,” he said, clearly offended. “I wasn’t going to hurt you. I don’t hit women.”

  Summer looked up and focused her attention on the floor number illuminated there, staring at it as if her life depended on it. She would not make eye contact. His hurt feelings were nothing when compared against the reactions his presence invoked. She didn’t have time for this or him. Didn’t have time to fall apart.

  She blew out a breath when the door opened at the lobby level and strode out, intent on reaching the front door and fresh air. Stepping outside, she filled her lungs and the pieces of her began to solidify. Renny and her convertible were waiting out front, blocking a lane in spite of the honks and gestures of fellow motorists. She hurried over. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

  Renny was dressed more conservatively today. Her blue pants and long-sleeved white sweater didn’t make the same statement as the red dress. “What’s wrong?”

  Summer fastened her seat belt and leaned back into the comfort of the leather seat. “What didn’t go wrong? Huge fight with Marcia, who thinks I’m taking advantage of the company by asking for time off two days in a row. You’d think she owned the place and not Kevin. After we shouted each other down, I had the misfortune to get on the elevator with Rich.” She rubbed her throbbing temples. “If I didn’t know better I’d swear it was some kind of sign.”

  “The Apocalypse?” Renny asked, her tone mild. “Should I be wondering who this Rich is?”

  “The person who started it all.”

  “The guy you got stuck in the elevator with the first day?”

  “Yup. He got fired today and apparently wanted to make sure I knew it wasn’t his fault. Like I care.” She took a deep breath. “So while he’s practically foaming at the mouth, all of a sudden I see him. Our guy. Clear as day.”

  “No!” Renny shot her a quick glance. “He’s been in your building?”

  Her heart stuttered. “No! God, I hope not.” She put a hand to her chest and took another deep breath, then another. “What a scary thought.”

  “Don’t listen to me. Not enough sleep. Go on.”

  “At first I thought he’d taken over my brain again. Then I realized it was her. Georgia. She was looking at him, scared beyond belief. He raped her,” she said softly and let the tears fall. She didn’t have to pretend with Renny.

  “Oh, Summer.” Renny rubbed Summer’s leg as her face hardened. “I’m sorry you have to know that. I’m sorry and sick that Georgia has to know that. If Carla doesn’t listen to you today, I swear I’ll beat her bloody. She’ll see my mean,” she added with a snarl.

  “Can I say I’m glad you’re on my team? Your mean is very impressive.”

  “Yes, you may,” Renny said primly. “Pull down the mirror and practice your own mean. We’re closing in on that prick today.” She pressed harder on the gas and they shot through traffic.

  Too soon for Summer, they pulled into the station parking lot. Knowing she had something concrete to share now didn’t make getting out of the car any easier. Maybe it even made it harder, she mused as she undid her seat belt. This time it would be much worse if they didn’t believe what she had to say. Because now she had a face. She knew what he looked like. Now she really had to make them believe her. If they did, his image would be blasted all over. Someone had to know him. Someone had to come forward in time to save Georgia from any more “lessons.”

  “‘You’re doing them a favor’ still applies,” Renny said and gave Summer’s knee a gentle squeeze. “First sneer and we’re through with them, remember? I’ll make a scene like they’ve never seen. Then we’ll go higher up if need be.”

  “My shero.” She nodded and threw back her shoulders. “Let’s get this over with.”

  They were met by Carla and a good-looking gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair and keen brown eyes. He was tall and fit and looked like he could take care of himself out on the streets.

  “Hi, I’m Vincent Chapman, deputy chief. I want to thank both of you for coming in.”

  Summer took the proffered hand, liking his style, his smile. “Summer Baxby and this is Renny Jamison.”

  “Pleasure, Ms. Jamison. Enjoy your work.” He exchanged a firm shake with Renny. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d thought I’d sit in on your session with Carla.”

  Summer exchanged glances with Renny. Now she wouldn’t have to ask. “That would be okay.” From the expression that flickered over Carla’s face, it appeared she wasn’t in agreement.

  He led them past the room they’d been in the day before, to a larger room with a smaller table and more comfortable chairs. “Ms. Baxby, I’m going to want to record our session. I find it helpful to go back over information at a later date, see if I can come at things from a different angle. Is that going to be okay with you?”

  “Uh, sure. Call me Summer.”

  Vincent stated his name for the record, then named the other people present. “Summer, I’d like you to tell me what you know in your own words.”

  “I know what he looks like,” she said. “What he looks like now.”

  “What? That’s not what you said Monday,” Carla said, halfway out of her chair. “If I had known that—”

  “You would have what? Treated her better?” Renny interjected. “She didn’t know about Georgia on Monday. She didn’t even know last night when she talked to you what the guy looks like now.”

  “She should have called me as soon as she knew,” Carla retorted.

  “Carla,” Vincent said mildly but with a foundation of steel. “Summer, would you be willing to work with a sketch artist?”

  “Of course.”

  “Carla, why don’t you see when we can get Patrick in here to work with Summer?”

  Carla gave a stiff nod and left the room, followed by a trail of resentment.

  “While we wait for word maybe you could tell me what you tried to tell Detective Kohner yesterday.” Vincent opened his notepad. Unlike Kohner, he let Summer tell the whole story, then asked questions, pressing her in a way that got him more information. “Any thoughts on what might have triggered the last episode?”

  “Non
e. I didn’t touch anything in the elevator, and I was concentrating on not hopping into Rich’s head. I was already upset and I don’t have much control when I’m upset.”

  “Who’s Rich?” Vincent’s tone was mild, but his eyes were suddenly sharp, focused.

  “He used to work in the same building that I do. Same floor. He…he’s the first person I ever had the mind hop deal with.”

  “Got a last name?”

  “Uh, Slator, I think. You can’t believe he’s part of this? He was just upset, that’s all. And so was I. I mean, it wasn’t about this. Not for either of us.”

  “He may have information that’s relevant to this case. At this point we need to follow every lead.” Vincent pulled an evidence bag from his pocket. “I have to ask one more favor. This is one of Georgia’s toys.”

  Summer looked at the miniature rainbow pony, exhaled and held out her hand.

  “It’s better if you handle it,” Vince said gently and placed the bag on her hand.

  After a moment’s hesitation, she pulled the pony from the bag and felt a guilty relief when her mind stayed clear. She concentrated harder with the same results. “Nothing. I’m getting nothing.” She stroked the pony’s mane before gently placing it back in the bag.

  “It was a long shot.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” he said quickly. “I don’t expect you to work on command.”

  Carla stuck her head in the door. “He won’t be available until later this afternoon. Prior commitment in Athens.”

  “I…I could come back,” Summer found herself saying. “I don’t mind.”

  “We certainly would appreciate it,” Vincent said. “I have your contact information. Why don’t I give you a call, set up a place to meet. It doesn’t have to be here.”

  “My, uh, my cell will work.”

  “Good deal.” Vincent held out his hand. “I want to thank you again for coming in. You’ve been a big help.”

  Summer felt a glow of pride that lasted even when they were back in Renny’s car. “He seems like a decent guy. Smart.”

  Renny smiled slyly and eased into traffic. “Somehow I don’t think Carla thought so. He kept her on a tight leash. She needed it.”

  “I thought you did a good job of that. Somehow I don’t think she’s infatuated with you anymore.”

  “Breaks my heart. You need a ride this afternoon?”

  “I don’t want to take up any more of your time. I’ll make him meet me somewhere downtown.”

  “I thought we settled the issue of you taking up my time.”

  “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but this one’s easy. I want to save you for the heavy lifting.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “It was. I couldn’t have gotten through this morning without you. The way you shut Carla down helped. A lot. Let me focus on what I had to say.”

  “That was a perk. About that guy Rich. Maybe you should watch your back when he’s around. At least until the police have checked him out.”

  “He’s harmless, but if it makes you feel better…”

  “It does. I’d hate for anything bad to happen to you.”

  The warm feeling in her center rose and suffused Summer’s cheeks with heat. “Thanks. I, uh, I feel the same way. About you, I mean. Uh, any chance you might want to, uh, go out Friday night? Dinner, maybe a movie, something like that?”

  “Yes” was the enthusiastic reply.

  “Okay. Well…you know I can’t, uh, pick you up, right? I mean I should since I asked, but…”

  “And here I was looking forward to riding on your handlebar.” Renny zipped over two lanes and pulled up in front of Summer’s office building. “What if I picked you up at six thirty?”

  “What if you came to my condo at six thirty and I walk you to dinner,” Summer countered. “And I’m paying, unlike the last two times.”

  Renny smiled. “If it makes you feel all macho who am I to argue.” She leaned forward and gave Summer a quick kiss. “Until Friday.”

  “Was that like a teaser?” She put a hand to her tingling lips. “If so, it hit the mark.” She carried the feeling up eight flights of stairs.

  “The big man’s here,” Fiona whispered with a furtive glance over her shoulder as soon as Summer entered the suite. “Marcia started running her mouth the minute he arrived. I’m sorry, but he left word for you to come see him as soon as you came back.”

  She managed a smile. The waves of sympathy pouring off of Fiona were very strong. “Then I’d better get to it.” She dropped off her coat and bag, then proceeded to Kevin’s office. His door was shut and she hesitated a moment before knocking.

  “Not so brave now.”

  Summer turned with resignation to face Marcia. “Can you for once leave me alone? Just once I’d like to not hear your vindictive comments.”

  Marcia lifted her chin, sneer firmly in place. “You are not the boss of me,” she threw out as she walked away.

  Kevin’s door opened before Summer had a chance to knock. He studied Summer’s face before stepping back and beckoning her with his finger.

  “I’m sorry,” she said once she was seated in front of his desk with the door closed. “I know I said it before, but I’ll try harder to ignore her. This hasn’t been my best week.”

  “Do you think I can’t see that on your face? Liz has been in here asking me if I know what’s wrong and, I’m sorry to say, I had to tell her I didn’t know what she was talking about. As I said before, your spats with Marcia don’t much concern me unless they get in the way of work getting done. Having known you all your life I am, however, concerned about you and your health and wellbeing.”

  She couldn’t look away from the concern etched in his eyes, on his face. She might not remember his past caring, but it was coming through loud and clear in the now. “Sorry I worried you.”

  He waved off her apology. “Tell me what I can do to help. Your mother will come after my ass if anything happens to you.”

  Chewing on her bottom lip, she debated how much to share, how much to trust. In the end, she decided he was probably better able to deal with what she had to say than her mother would be. “It started the first day I came here to work.” She was grateful he heard her out without interruption. For both their sakes she kept Marcia’s trauma to herself.

  “Is there any danger this psycho could find you?”

  She shook her head, surprised at his first question. “The police agreed to keep my name out of it. And even if there was, I couldn’t do nothing, Uncle Kevin.”

  He smiled. “Of course you couldn’t. Not the protector of the underdog. Will you tell your parents? Better yet, when will you tell them?”

  “I don’t want to. They’ve already been through so much because of me. I don’t want Mom to have to worry any more than she already does.”

  “Your mom is a lot tougher than you give her credit for. She also knows you well enough to take one look at you and know something’s wrong. Do you plan to evade her for the foreseeable future?”

  Summer groaned. “We’re supposed to go shopping Saturday.”

  “You need to tell them. Despite your confidence in the ability of the police to keep your name out of this, people talk. It may not be a cop, but there are other people who work at the station. People who can be easily swayed or who can’t keep their mouth shut. You don’t want either one of them to find out that way. Your mom especially.”

  “I’ll call her at lunch. I find work steadies me and I need to be more in control before I talk to her. But I guess no matter what I’ll say she’ll be worried.” She sighed. “God, I wish I hadn’t gotten on that elevator.”

  “Probably wouldn’t have made much difference.” Kevin stroked his chin. “The ability’s in you, not that poor kid you were stuck with. Something else would have triggered it eventually. When was the last time you spoke with Dr. Veraat?”

  “She’s been away,” she admitted reluctantly.
“Family emergency. I’m trying to, uh, wait for her to get back.”

  “Doesn’t she have someone covering for her?”

  She squirmed in her seat. “It’s some guy I don’t know. But if it gets too bad, I’ll go see him. Promise.” She met his gaze unflinching.

  “It’s your mother you need to be concerned about. Remember ‘pride goes before the fall.’ It’s a cliché for a reason.”

  “I don’t plan to fall before she comes back.”

  * * *

  Summer’s next stop was Liz’s office, where she proceeded to give her the long version alluded to on Monday. Liz’s look of surprise was almost comical.

  “Remember, I warned you.”

  “That you did.” Liz tucked her hair behind her ears. “Obviously it didn’t take. Damn, I’m sorry you have to go through all of this. And from Day One. On the other hand, let me say I’m glad you’ll be able to help. I have a niece and I know my sister would go crazy if she disappeared one day never to be heard from again. What you’re doing is good stuff, Summer.”

  “Okay, you’re the second person today I’ve told this to who’s treated my ability like it’s an everyday thing. Kevin I can understand. Loyalty to my dad, fear of my mother. But I can’t understand why you’re not yelling ‘Bullshit!’ or running for the hills like a normal person would.”

  “Never said I was normal. I had an aunt who had what the family called second sight. If you lost something or wanted to know if your boyfriend was cheating on you she was the one to go to. I grew up thinking her gift was another part of her, like her leg or her singing voice. That it was so cool.”

  “So I haven’t entered the Twilight Zone. But I have to admit I find the initial police response more reassuring.”

  “If you want me to say ‘bullshit’ I will,” Liz said with a sly grin. “But I’m not running. Face it, Summer, you’re like a superhero.”

  “Next thing you’ll be getting me a cape.”

  “Don’t tempt me. But seriously, take whatever time you need to. I’ll deal with Marcia.”

  “Thanks for the offer, but slapping at her bitchiness is kind of a guilty pleasure. Sick, I know, but there you have it.”