The Mind Readers (7 page)

“Lewis! Cam!” Emily called out,
waving to us from the front stoop.

He didn’t even pause, merely
settled behind the wheel and slipped the key into the ignition. He started the
car and we took off, driving out of Emily’s subdivision. Emily would make my
life miserable for ignoring her and taking off with the very guy she’d laid
claim to. Our relationship would be completely over, but I didn’t care.
 

I curled my hands, my
fingernails digging into my sensitive palms. “Can’t you go faster?”

He slid me an annoyed glance. “I
told you, she’s fine.”

“For now.”

He didn’t respond and the
atmosphere remained tense as I struggled to keep from cursing and yelling at
Lewis to drive faster.

We left the subdivision, the
large mini mansions giving way to a stretch of coastal road. “Have you thought
about what you’ll say to her when you get there?”
 

I gazed out onto that inky
ocean. Not even the moonlight highlighted the waves tonight. Unforgiving waves,
how many lives had they taken? “Yeah, how about your boyfriend’s a murderer.”

He nodded slowly. “That might
work, but how will you explain the fact that you know?”

He turned a corner and I slipped
further down into my seat. Slumped over, I felt defeated, unsure. He was right.
Anne wasn’t three. I couldn’t just tell her to stop dating George, and she’d
trust me without argument. Besides, George would just move onto another victim.
Could I let him go knowing what he’d do? I’d let people get away with crimes
before.

How many people? How many times?
I pressed my hands to my stomach and groaned, the guilt overwhelming and
unbearable. I’d never dwelled on my guilt, pushing it to the far corners of my
mind. But I’d also never heard the thoughts of a serial killer. I felt dirty,
gross, my skin tight and itchy, as if my body didn’t belong to me.
 

“You don’t have to feel this
way.” Lewis pulled into the parking lot. Lakeside was empty but for a few cars.
The yellow police tape and Savannah’s body were gone; no indication that she’d
ever been there.

How could George do it? What
kind of sick monster was he? I could see Anne through the window, laughing at
something George had said. I felt sick. It didn’t even bother him that he was
sitting only feet from where his victim had washed ashore. How could I go in
there and pretend like nothing was wrong? How could I make Annabeth understand
without telling her the truth about what I could do?

“I have to say something,” I
insisted.
 

Lewis nodded. “I understand. But
she won’t believe you. They never do.”

Was he right? I was silent,
letting the intimacy of the moment comfort me. Even though he was a complete
mystery, here with Lewis, I felt safe. “Tell me you understand,” I whispered,
afraid, even though we were alone, that someone would overhear me. I was about
to admit something that I’d never admitted…something completely taboo.

He looked at me, his eyes shining
softly under the glow of the parking lot light. “It’s okay to talk about it,
Cameron. As long as you talk to the right people.”

“And how do I know who the right
people are?”
How do I know if you’re the
right person?

He leaned closer and cupped the
side of my face with a warm, comforting hand. “I know you’re scared. I know
you’re tired but you can trust me.”

“How can I? I don’t even know
you.”

“
I
know
you
, Cam. You
don’t have to be alone anymore.”

His words were so tempting. I
wanted to believe him, but he still hadn’t said what I needed to hear. “Tell me
the truth. Tell me exactly what I want to hear.”
Tell me you can read my thoughts. Tell me you understand. Tell me…tell
me you’re not going to leave me here to deal with this alone.

But he didn’t respond. “Come
on,” he said, pulling back. “I know you want to tell her, so let’s get it over
with.”

He pushed open his door and
stepped outside, my thoughts left unanswered. If he could read my mind, why
hadn’t he responded?

Alone, miserable, I pushed open
the car door and followed him. Lewis was already on the porch waiting for me. I
paused next to him and looked through the window once more. Anne was leaning
over the table, kissing George.

I looked away, bile rising in my
throat. “How am I going to do this?”

Lewis opened the door, the
hinges screeching.

I stepped inside the warm diner,
but still felt chilled. I didn’t pause, I couldn’t or I’d let nerves overtake
me. But as I started to move forward, Lewis latched onto my arm, stopping me in
midstep. Confused I glanced back. He pulled me close, my back hitting his
chest.

“Lewis, what—”

He leaned down, his lips on the
shell of my ear. A shiver raised the fine hairs on my body.

“I understand, Cameron. I
understand,” he whispered. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

********

I’m not going anywhere.

The words whispered over and
over through my mind. They gave me strength when I wanted to run. When I wanted
to reach over and punch George in his smiling face. When I wanted to vomit.

I leaned back against the
cracked vinyl seat and sucked in a steadying breath. Lewis could read minds. I
wasn’t alone. I clung to that realization like a lifeline.

“So, how’d you two meet?” Lewis
asked. His thigh was pressed to mine, his side to mine. He was warm, strong and
comforting in a way only I could possibly understand. Finally, I had someone to
trust.

“Oh, umm, George was hungry,”
Anne explained with a shrug. Her face was flushed. She was wondering if Lewis
realized how old George really was. It bothered her, although she wouldn’t
admit it. She, too, wondered why George would date someone so much younger. I
realized, with that thought, I might have an in.

“You in college?” Lewis pinned
his hard gaze to George.

George gave us a half smile and
rubbed his short crew cut. “Oh, no, had to take a break. My mother was in the
hospital and I needed to take care of my little sister.”

Crazy enough, he was telling the
truth. Anne sighed and rested her hand a top of his. She was wearing a silver
ring with a blue topaz. Had George given it to her? Please tell me it wasn’t
some sort of promise ring. “He’s going back as soon as his mom gets
better.”
 

It would have been a nice story
if George hadn’t been a murderer. I slid Lewis a glance. He looked at me,
understanding in his gaze. He knew George was a murderer. It was the first time
I could share the truth with someone. My heart expanded and for a brief moment
I finally felt warm on the inside and out. I was sitting across from a
murderer, yet I was practically in tears because I wasn’t alone anymore. I
looked away, feeling off balance and at the same time, oddly alive.

“He’s so sweet,” Anne said.

I almost snorted, but caught
myself just in time. As sweet as a serial killer could be. I’m sure his mother
would be really proud if she knew what he did in his spare time. I forced the
bile to remain firmly in my stomach. Anytime his gaze met mine, I wanted to
puke. For thirty minutes we’d sat here, drinking pop like nothing out of the
ordinary was happening. I kept waiting for Lewis to do something about George.
Surely he had a plan. I sure as hell didn’t, as this was all new to me. Yet as
the clock ticked the moments by, I realized perhaps he was waiting for me to do
something.

“Anne, go with me to the
bathroom?” I blurted out, unable to stay silent any longer.

“Sure!” She kissed George on the
check and moved from the booth. With a giggle, she slid her arm through mine.
“Isn’t he freaking cute?”

I smiled. Although it probably
looked more like a snarl, she didn’t seem to notice. Inside the small, one stall
bathroom, she opened her purse and pulled out lipstick. I’d never seen her wear
makeup. “Since when are you dating Lewis?”

“What?” I washed my hands,
looking at her in the silver framed mirror, trying to decide what to tell her
and how.

“You’re dating, right?” She
looked confused. “I mean I saw you guys all cuddly and he drove you here.” She
put her lipstick away and leaned against the counter, smacking her now pink
lips together.

“I don’t know. I…I like him.” It
was more than like. We were connected in a way no one else could possibly
understand. Vaguely I wondered how far away he could read minds. Could he hear
my thoughts even now?

She grinned. “Emily’s going to
be pissed.”

“I know.”

She rested her hand on my arm.
“Hey, you can’t not date him because of her. Please, she can’t get every guy.
It’s not fair.” Anne felt like she could give dating advice since she now had a
boyfriend. I wanted to roll my eyes at the thought. There were so many more
important things to worry about than school crushes.

“I know,” I repeated more
forcefully, hoping she’d drop the subject.

“So don’t let her stop you.”

I nodded as I dried my hands on
a paper towel. “That’s a pretty shade of lipstick.”

She grinned. “George likes it
when I wear lipstick.”

Gag, what else did George like?
Besides killing innocent people? I so didn’t want to know. “So you and George…”

She grinned, her excitement
nauseating. “He’s so cute, isn’t he?”

I nodded numbly, inside my blood
boiled. How could she not see that something was wrong? How did she not see the
chill evilness in his eyes? Feel the anger in his touch? “He’s older than you,
does your mom know?” The words slipped from my mouth. It wasn’t exactly the
route I’d wanted to take, but couldn’t help myself.

She frowned. “Not that much
older.”

“Nine years!”

She paled, silent for one long
moment. “How’d you know?”

I blushed and looked away. Crap.
We’d been in here less than five minutes and I’d already screwed up. “I could
tell you were lying.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry for
lying, but you don’t understand—”

I turned on her in a fury. “I
do, I understand that it’s weird.”

“Excuse me?” Her face flushed,
her body trembling. Okay, this was getting way out of hand. She knew it was
weird, why couldn’t she admit it? We were friends, weren’t we?

I tried to calm down, taking in
a deep breath, realizing I was going off track. Someone had to be in control.
“Listen, I don’t mean to be rude, but seriously, Anne, have you wondered why
someone so old would be interested in a high school girl?”

“No,” she snapped, lying. “Are
you saying I’m not good enough?” Her lower lip quivered.

Oh God, this was so not going
the way I wanted it to go and she was getting ready to bolt. I grasped her arm,
begging her to understand. “Please, Annabeth, you’re my friend. I’m worried, that’s
all.”

The words seemed to have some
effect and she sighed, her face softening. “You don’t need to worry. He’s
great, he’s—”

“Was he here? That night we
found Savannah?” Had I actually said that? No! No, this was not going right.
Somehow the words had just spewed from my mouth.

She frowned, her face growing
hard again. “I don’t…yeah, he was.” She shook her head. “Why?”

Why couldn’t she just get it?
Why couldn’t she sense the evilness in him? Why did I have to explain? “He said
he just came back from college, right?”

She nodded and crossed her arms
over her chest, a defensive action, one I did often enough to know.

“He comes back. No one has ever
heard of him before. He was here the night Savannah was found.”
Two and two together…

“What are you saying?” her voice
was high-pitched.

She was upset, she couldn’t
believe I was actually implying Savannah’s death had something to do with her
boyfriend. “Please, Anne, please, I think…I
know
…”
I paused, realizing I couldn’t come out and accuse him of murder without
telling her about my ability. “I want you to break up with him.”

She laughed, a harsh sound, her
normally soft brown eyes had gone hard as obsidian. “You’re jealous. Or…or
Emily put you up to this.”

“No! I would never do that to
you!” The thought of being grouped with Emily repulsed me. But I supposed I
deserved it, considering I’d been friends with the witch. I reached for Anne
but she turned, spinning away from my touch.

“Don’t! I can’t believe you.”
She pushed the swinging door open and fled into the hall.

“That went well,” I muttered.
Tears of frustration burned my eyes, but I refused to cry. Lewis had been right
all along. With a sigh, I pushed open the door and walked straight into a hard
chest.

“Woa, you okay?” Firm fingers
bit into my upper arms, holding me tight.

I jerked my gaze upward, staring
into George’s cold eyes. I couldn’t respond, couldn’t breathe. My heart slammed
erratically against my chest. I told myself he couldn’t do anything here, in a
public place, but my body refused to believe what my mind said.
 

“Annabeth seemed upset. Is
everything alright?”

“Yeah,” I managed to get out.

He didn’t reply, merely stared
down at me.
God, I want her.
His evil
thoughts whispered to me, unwanted thoughts that sent bile to my throat. Lucky me.

A cold sweat broke out between
my shoulder blades. I couldn’t look him in the eyes and dropped my gaze to the
buttons on his shirt.

“Annabeth is lucky to have a
friend like you.” His fingers moved up my arms to my shoulders. Spiders
crawling over my skin would have been more welcome. I bit my lower lip to keep
from slamming my knee into his balls. Dare I tell him off? Dare I tell him that
I knew the truth? Or would that put me in danger?

Lewis!
 

George’s hands moved up my
shoulders. “She really is luck—”