Into a Dangerous Mind (12 page)

Diet Pepsi reminded Zach of Cassidy’s refrigerator, which brought back thoughts of her.
 
Memories of how vulnerable she appeared last night in his arms and how the scent of her perfume enflamed his senses.
 
The last things he wanted to think about right now, since he needed to keep distance between them.
 
“Are we here to discuss the case or your stomach?” Zach demanded.

“Easy there, Zach,” Dix countered and then turned his attention to Gerald.
 
“Gerald, if you’re going to grab something, take it and get in here.”

Dix moved a large box marked
tools
and sat down on the living room sofa.
 
He gestured for Zach to begin the briefing.

She could have died and I was helpless to stop it.

“So, how did the Reaper still get in if her shields were that tight?” asked Gerald, skeptically.
 
Zach could tell Gerald still had trouble buying into the whole psychic angle, but Dix looked like he was at least listening.

Zach answered.
 
“Since he opened her psychic powers, at least partially, he has a special link with her which can get past her shields.
 
The only person who could have a stronger link with her would be the person who opens her powers the rest of the way.”

Dix looked at Zach with a confused expression, his brows knitted, his gaze questioning.
 
“Then why don’t you just open her the rest of the way and you’d be one up on the Reaper?”

“It’s not that easy, Dix.
 
She has to be willing and open to it, and it’s painful, which is why the Reaper’s victims are dying from the trauma.
 
I don’t think she’s ready for that kind of shock right now.
 
Most people who are opened quickly have it done during some type of traumatic experience and that’s why they don’t realize it—there’s so much adrenaline, it’s over before they know it or feel it.”
 
He paused and searched for the right words to explain.

“Most people who practice their powers over time will slowly open the door due to the force of the power itself pushing on the gateway, but that happens over a span of years, not days.”

Dix nodded and Gerald remained silent, still wearing a skeptical expression.

“Gerald, anything else on the scene?” asked Zach.

Gerald shook his head.
 
“Nothing other than we still can’t find him.
 
He’s playing a great game of cat and mouse.
 
As far as we can tell, he hasn’t accessed any of his bank or credit card accounts and hasn’t been home or to work.
 
We should rename this guy the Phantom instead of the Reaper.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gerald,” said Dix sarcastically.
 
“Go out and relieve
Anderson
.”

The front door clicked open and then slammed as Gerald let himself out.
 
Dix’s heavy gaze weighed on Zach, but he didn’t raise his gaze to meet it.

“Zach, let’s take off the FIBBEE hats and just talk as two best friends for a minute.”

Zach gave no response, but only waited—eyes downcast—for his friend to continue.

“I haven’t seen you this distracted or upset since Diane died.”

Zach’s head whipped up as anger bubbled inside him, threatening to erupt.
 
“This has nothing to do with Diane.”

Dix stared back at him.
 
“Don’t try to bullshit me.
 
I know you better than you know yourself sometimes.
 
This is very much about Diane.
 
You’re having problems dealing with your feelings for Cassidy and it’s affecting your ability to conduct a clear-headed investigation.”

“How the hell do you know?
 
You haven’t had a relationship as long as I’ve known you.
 
You aren’t exactly an expert in this area.
 
Just let it drop.”
 
His temper simmered dangerously close to the surface, and he hoped Dix heard the message to back off.

He should have known better.
 
Dix never did back down.
 
“Screw you.
 
You’re my friend and as your
best
friend, it’s my job to tell you when you’re totally full of shit.
 
Like
now
.”
 
Dix poked Zach in the chest with his
 
index finger.

“I don’t know if I can go through losing someone again, Dix.
 
But it’s going to be damned hard to keep my distance from Cassidy
and
keep her safe.
 
I’ve got to keep teaching her, which means my mind will be open to her and hers to me.
 
I don’t know how long I can resist her without hurting her.”

“Stupid bastard,” Dix muttered.

Zach sat up.
 
“What?”

“You heard me.”
 
Dix poked a finger in Zach’s chest for emphasis.
 
“First, just because you let yourself care for someone, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll lose them.
 
Second, if I found someone I knew was right, I wouldn’t be fighting it.
 
Here you’ve found two women in your lifetime who make you feel that way.
 
You lost the first one and have been pining over her so much you’re about to push away the second.
 
God only gives you so many chances to recognize you’re being a dumb ass before he gives his gifts to someone else.”

Zach winced, he thought pretty much the same thing himself, but it sounded harsher somehow to have it said aloud.
 
“I’m just going to have to work this out my own way.”

Dix nodded.
 
“You got an ice pack?
 
I’m pretty sure I’m going to have a nice shiner along with a sore jaw.
 
You’ve improved since the last time we scuffled.”

Zach smiled, he still remembered the last scuffle.
 
The aftermath had caused Dix to redecorate his living room.
 
“Thanks, you always know how to get me out of a good mad.”

Chapter Six

Cassidy closed her eyes and let the music surround her.
 
Playing her cello allowed her to funnel out her pent up emotions the way some people used exercise or drugs.
 
The fingers of her left hand flew over the strings while her right hand expertly guided the bow.

All of the sadness, frustration, fear, and anger which had plagued her over the last few days flowed into the music and out through her cello in the form of a Bach Prelude.

Tension collected in her shoulders and neck magically whisked away, replaced by a sense of well being she only found when transported by her music.

Tia’s face, contorted in fear, flashed into her mind and she cursed as she bowed a wrong note when her concentration wavered.

How did Zach deal with this, with people dying all around him, and most of all the sense of helplessness that came with not being able to do anything about it?

Damn.
 
She wished for the hundredth time she could tell Kathy everything.
 
Talking to Kathy always helped.
 
Ever since college they’d been inseparable and had always been there for each other through the best and the worst.
 
Although she’d never had to tell Kathy she’d been mind-raped and then forced to witness a murder.
 
Somehow she knew her friend would understand and be supportive no matter what.

However, she’d promised Zach, and she understood the need for the silence, so she’d do her best to deal with it alone.

“Wait a minute….”
 
She cocked her head as she remembered something.
 
Zach said her abilities were only half opened.
 
If she had her full powers wouldn’t she be able to better protect herself from Brian?
 
Surely Zach would be able to help her.
 
Once she’d gotten a handle on her emotions, she’d go over and ask him.

Cassidy sat up, squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and began to play again.
 
But this time she played no one else’s music—only the notes that poured straight from her heart and out through her fingers.
 
The music rose from deep inside her, and she let it flow until the room filled with it.