
## Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1)

By Cege Smith

Copyright 2011 Cege Smith

eBook Edition

Book cover design by Indie Designz

eBook Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the online bookstore of your choice and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

# Table of Contents

Copyright Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

# CHAPTER ONE

As she crossed the kitchen on her way to the back door, Ellie felt the slightest brush of cold air against the back of her neck as she passed the basement door which caused the hair on her arms to stand up. But the basement door is locked ran through her mind just as she felt hands connect with the back of her shoulders, giving her a hard shove. The boxes in her arms went flying.

She swung around just in time to see Jake barreling toward her. She skidded to the left but still caught the brunt force of his shoulder in her chest, knocking her off balance. Ellie went flying backwards and her head smacked the wooden kitchen cabinet just before her butt hit the linoleum floor. She immediately saw stars and reached to touch the back of her head. Her hand came away bloody.

Jake's shadow fell over her and she yelled, not knowing any other way to try to break through the red aura that surrounded him, "Jesus Christ, Jake! I'm bleeding! What's the matter with you?" She heard his sharp intake of breath and watched his aura turn pink.

"Ellie! Oh my god, Ellie. I'm so sorry!"

Her soon-to-be-ex-husband knelt down beside her and tried to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him away. As long as there was any tinge of red crackling in the air, she needed to be as far away from him as possible. She crawled across the floor as fast as she could manage and huddled in the far corner of the kitchen. She felt a stickiness run down the side of her neck and saw that she had left a small trail of blood in her wake.

She touched her scalp again gently. The whole back of her head felt like it was on fire, and she knew a monster headache was lurking on the horizon. Her collarbone, which had taken the direct hit from Jake's shoulder, screamed its own chorus of pain. She looked over at Jake, who appeared frozen, hunched over the spot where she had fallen. His face was twisted in disbelief, which no doubt was a mirror image of her expression.

"Are you crazy? What were you trying to do, Jake, kill me? I should call the cops. Or you need to call your therapist. This is bad, Jake. This is really bad."

The accusation hung in the air between them. Jake had never touched her in anger before. Ellie knew he had wanted to more than once during their heated arguments, but she never believed him capable of following through on it. Despite her tough words, she felt the cold chill of something else gnawing at her--fear. This was the first time in their relationship that she had ever been afraid he would physically harm her. Jake was usually content just doing things to himself.

Jake looked down at his hands, making fists and then letting them go. He started shaking his head and then he looked at her. His brown eyes were misty and the air around him was suddenly a deep black. Jake was completely lost.

"Ellie, I don't know what happened. I'm so sorry. I just wanted you to stop. I didn't want you to leave. I think we can fix this. It won't ever happen again. I swear," he said.

"You're right, Jake. It won't happen again," she said. "You can't make me stay here with you. This divorce is going to happen whether you want it or not. It's not healthy for me to be around you like this."

She held her breath as she saw tinges of red around him again, but then it faded. She let out a sigh of relief. Ellie couldn't be responsible for Jake anymore. She was through feeling guilty for things that she couldn't change.

Jake was a recovering alcoholic who had just started treatment when he and Ellie met. But Ellie learned too late that the alcohol was nothing but a symptom of much deeper issues. Jake drank to get away from something else, something that lurked deep inside him. That something had started surfacing with more regularity since he stopped seeing his therapist six months ago.

That was when Jake started drinking again. He fell off the wagon hard. Ellie cleaned up the pieces and tried her best to help him work through his issues. But after what she found in the basement, Ellie was forced to see that no matter what she did, it wasn't going to be enough. That sobering realization came on the heels of knowing that she no longer loved Jake. As hard as she tried to ignore it, Jake had a dark side, one that he had hidden from her very well. This wasn't the person she married and it wasn't anyone that she wanted to be around anymore.

"Ellie, those other women didn't mean a thing to me. I can't believe you'd let something like that come between us, especially when you know how sorry I am," Jake replied. "I just wanted you to stand still for two seconds and listen to me. It's been really hard to get your attention lately."

His tone was contrite and calm, a complete 180 degrees from moments before. Ellie wasn't sure which was more scary, an angry, out-of-control Jake, or this calm stranger who spoke to her logically without any real emotion in his voice. She almost snorted at how naive he could be. Other women she could have dealt with, but she couldn't deal with crazy. And she was pretty sure that Jake was going crazy.

Ellie knew from her childhood that the best defense was a good offense. She needed to appear strong and take control of the situation. She raised her voice. "If jumping me from behind is how you think you are going to get my attention, you need to work on finding another method of communication. We've been through this a hundred times, Jake. This isn't working. It's over."

Using the wall as support, she pushed up to her feet. Immediately she felt dizzy, and when she wobbled just a bit, Jake stood and moved to help her. She held out her hand, the palm facing toward him.

"Stay away," she said. She didn't want to be anywhere near that black void that surrounded him. She was afraid it would swallow her whole. "Get away from me or I swear I'll start screaming."

"Ellie, don't say that. I love you," he said, but the plea didn't reach his eyes. He kept his distance, but then got down on both knees and held his arms out. "I can't live without you. Forgive me."

"I am fairly certain you'll manage just fine," Ellie said. She was watching him carefully. Suddenly the air seemed to wobble around him, and then streaks of purple and blue burst through the blackness. Jake began to weep.

She almost went to him then. She knew this was the real Jake, who she often thought was little more than a lost little boy battling demons that were too big for him to understand. Ellie had never been comfortable watching other people in pain. But the insistent throbbing inside her head kept reality in sharp focus, and she shoved the feeling of pity away.

"I'm going to get an attorney, Jake. I can't do this with you anymore."

She took a step toward the living room to put some more space between them. She wanted to make sure she had room to get away if he got angry again.

"Where are you going to go, Ellie? You don't have anywhere to go. You're nothing but an orphan. Somebody without a home," he said. He looked at the ground but didn't get up.

Ellie didn't want to admit how hurtful his words were; Jake knew her trigger points well. She had friends that she considered family now, even though they had started out as employees. "Kevin said I can stay with him and Eric until I find a place. I'm taking Skipper with me," she said, looking around for the little dog. The dachshund was nowhere to be seen. Smart dog.

With a heavy sigh, Jake rose to his feet. She gave him a minute to regain his composure. With his shoulders slumped and his downtrodden appearance, it looked like all the fight had gone right out of him. His dark hair was messy and had gotten long, and his clothes hung on his thin form. He was nothing more than a pale ghost of the attractive man she married eight years ago. His eyes focused on her, and then seemed to look right through her. Ellie felt the chills roll down her spine again. Who was he seeing when he looked at her like that?

"So you definitely want to go through with this?" he said. His voice was dull.

"Yes," she said.

"There's nothing I can say or do that is going to make you change your mind?"

Jake looked her squarely in the eye for just a moment, and she thought she saw a flash of the man she used to know inside, screaming for her help and understanding. Then it was gone, and he was looking past her again. Ellie fought the urge to glance over her shoulder.

"No, Jake. I'm sorry. I just don't love you that way anymore," Ellie said. What she didn't say was that she wasn't sure if she ever did. But that was her demon to work through. Eight years wasted for what? She wished she had a better answer.

Jake's reply caught her by surprise. "I've got a lawyer," he said evenly.

"What do you mean, Jake?"

"When you first started talking about this whole divorce thing I decided to talk to somebody too," Jake said, his chin jutting.

She wasn't imagining it. He was talking to the space behind her. She saw a flicker of something in his eyes as they briefly met hers again. It was like he was trying to say something else to her in that silent glance.

"Okay." Ellie didn't know what else to say.

"I'm not going to fight you on anything, Ellie. Since this was my house before, I figure I'll keep it, especially since you are moving out anyway. Whatever you think is fair is fine with me. I don't want to argue about anything," Jake said. "You're right; it's probably time for you to go."

Why was he suddenly so eager for her to leave? His aura hadn't changed, but Ellie sensed an anxiousness beneath his words. What was he trying to tell her?

"What are you saying, Jake?" she asked. "I'm confused. Five minutes ago you barreled into me like a linebacker trying to get me to stay with you. Now you are telling me to go and that you want a divorce too?"

"I know you've got pretty much all your cash wrapped up in the shop. I don't think either one of us can afford a big fancy lawyer. If we agree on everything, it should be pretty easy. We can just use this guy I know, and we'll split the cost. Quick and painless, like the last eight years never happened, right?" Jake's smile was haunting.

Ellie had to admit that the cost of the divorce was one reason she had held off as long as she had; it was an idea that had taken root and grown over the past year. Even before she knew about the cheating, it was obvious that she and Jake weren't a good fit anymore. If Jake truly would agree to everything, doing it that way would be a lot less expensive. She just couldn't shake the feeling, though, that there was suddenly more to the story than Jake was letting on.

"I don't know, Jake. I don't think that is a good idea," she said, shaking her head. She was deeply unsettled that Jake wouldn't meet her eyes. Something felt off.

Jake didn't reply. Instead, he went over to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack. He grabbed one of the kitchen towels and wrapped the pack inside. He approached Ellie cautiously and stopped three feet away from her just as he saw that she was getting ready to backpedal. His eyes narrowed, but instead of saying anything he lifted the ice pack slowly so that it was between them.

"Peace, Ellie. Here. I'm really sorry that I hurt you. I'll do it your way. Whatever you want, and maybe we can still be friends," he said.

She grabbed the pack out of his hand and held it against the back of her head. The cool towel felt good against her swollen skin.

"I think you should go, Ellie. Tonight. Pack all your things and just go. And you'll think about it, right? Sharing the cost? Making this easy on both of us?" Jake seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

Ellie couldn't believe it. Jake was kicking her out. But that was what she wanted, so she couldn't react the way that she suddenly felt. She was getting what she wanted, right? "I'll think about it, but I'm not guaranteeing anything," she finally said. Then she stepped back so that Jake would have a clear path to the door. She didn't say anything else.

Jake sighed and walked to the door. He opened it and turned slightly. Ellie watched his eyes crawl up her form slowly and then settle on her face. Then his eyes shifted to that space behind her again. The black aura was back, and Ellie shivered.

"I do love you, Ellie," he said. "I don't know how to explain it to you, but just so you know, it wasn't supposed to end like this." Then he was gone.

As soon as she heard the truck's engine start and rumble away Ellie's composed facade crumbled. She spun around. There was nothing there, nothing but the door to the basement. She quickly crossed to the opposite wall and grabbed the phone. She dialed Kevin's number and sighed in relief when he answered on the first ring.

"Kevin, can you come over? I think if I'm out tonight Jake won't give me any more trouble." She nodded to herself as she heard the affirmative response. But she never took her eyes off the basement door.

# CHAPTER TWO

The house had been empty for years. The "For Sale" sign creaked in the slight breeze coming off the lake. Joe Klein put his hand on the signpost to stop the movement, purposely keeping his back to the house. Between the creaky sign and the empty house behind him he was getting the creeps. He glanced at his watch for the tenth time since arriving at the house and getting out of his car. It was six p.m., less than a minute since the last time he looked. He felt foolish waiting on the lawn, but there was no way in hell he was going near the house alone.

There was a chill in the air. It was a cool spring evening, and Joe wondered if there would be a late season snowstorm. Minnesota weather was unpredictable, especially during the transition between seasons. He just wanted to get this showing over with. If Joe was honest with himself, he was the least successful agent in his office, which is how he drew the short stick to show the place when the call for a showing came that afternoon.

The Bradford mansion had only been shown a handful of times in the last ten years. It was bank-owned. The last owner had disappeared under "mysterious circumstances." If the expected expense of renovating the place didn't turn potential buyers away, the history of the place usually did. Joe glanced at the house behind him and then quickly looked back at the road. He felt like he was being watched, and goose bumps crawled up his arm.

Joe had grown up in the area, and he was intimately familiar with the stories that were whispered about the old Bradford mansion. He remembered riding past it on his bike with his buddies and being dared to go up and ring the doorbell. Joe had never been brave enough to do it. Even during the brief periods when the house had been occupied, it still had a high freaky factor. He was embarrassed that even now, in his mid-forties, the place still gave him the creeps.

He saw a car approach and breathed a sigh of relief as it slowed and turned into the circle driveway. The headlights illuminated the windows of the house as it pulled up the gentle slope of the driveway and stopped just shy of the path that led up to the front door. Over the roof of the car, he thought he saw a flicker of movement in the huge bay window that faced the front patio and his stomach did a flip-flop.

"You didn't see anything. It's all in your head," he whispered to himself. He held back from making a sign of the cross. That would really give a bad first impression.

The car was a dark blue Jaguar with tinted windows. The driver's window lowered two inches, and a slim hand emerged with the index finger straight up in the air. The fingernail was painted a deep red. Joe interpreted this as a sign that he was being told to wait and felt a tinge of annoyance. It was bad enough to be stuck with this assignment, but dealing with a rude client would make it even worse. He couldn't see anything else in the darkened interior.

He shifted his feet slowly and rubbed the arms of his jacket, wishing he had thought to bring gloves. It seemed to be getting chillier by the minute. After what seemed like an eternity, the car door opened. A foot emerged, dressed in what he was sure was an expensive black leather heel. It was followed by a slim leg, and then the woman rose gracefully out of the car. Joe's breath caught in his throat.

The lines on her face indicated she was older than Joe, but she was stunning. Blond hair was swept back into a tidy knot at the back of her neck, and she appeared dressed for a dinner party in a fitted black dress with a red wrap. She wore black driving gloves. Her lips matched her wrap, and as she approached him her hips swayed seductively. Even in heels she was still several inches shorter than Joe. Her skin was fair, and he could just detect a smattering of freckles across her nose. She put a cell phone into her clutch and looked up at Joe expectantly.

"Mr. Klein?" she said softly. Her tone was amused. "I'm Linda Jordan. I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

Joe blushed as he realized he was staring. He had been married for twenty years, and he couldn't remember the last time he had felt such an immediate rush of heat seeing a desirable woman. He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts.

"Yes, yes, ma'am. Joe Klein, from Polson Realty." He held out his hand. She looked at it for a moment before carefully sliding her hand into his for a small pump, and then she drew her hand away.

"I'm sure you are eager to get out of the chill and see the property. It is a lovely home that needs just the right owner," Joe said, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. "Would you like to step inside, Mrs. Jordan?" he asked, gesturing toward the wide front patio.

"Of course," she said, but she didn't move. Slowly she turned in a circle, taking in the house and grounds, finally settling on the view of the lake stretching out before them across the road. "I'm not from around here. This is quite a lovely area, yes?"

"This is a great area with lots of local history and culture," Joe said, switching into sales mode. "I actually grew up in the neighborhood myself and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else." Focusing on the job at hand helped keep his mind off the house and woman in front of him. He quickly reviewed some of the facts he had pulled from the file on the house that afternoon.

"The house was built in the early 19th century by an entrepreneur named Joseph Bradford. This area was the place for the well-to-do businessmen and industrialists who were looking for quiet living away from the city, but still close enough to the conveniences. There is a sense of exclusivity being so close to the water. Of course, the city grew up around the neighborhood, but it still maintains that solitary feel given all the properties that border the lake feel more like small estates."

Mrs. Jordan nodded as she followed him up the concrete steps and onto the wide patio. It ran the entire length of the front of the house. She seemed entranced by the house, drinking in the architectural detail. She placed a hand on the stone railing and gently slid her fingertips up to the top. Joe thought he saw a small smile creep across her face, but when she looked at him again her face was still. He cleared his throat and continued.

"The Bradfords owned the home for only a couple of years when Joseph fell into some bad financial troubles. He was forced to sell the house to help pay off his debts. The house has passed through several owners since then. Given its rather impressive size, it drew interest from some local businesses. It was used for a time as both a home for orphaned children as well as an art school. The house has been vacant since the most recent owner relinquished it several years ago." Joe didn't add that other than the Bradfords, none of the subsequent occupancies lasted more than six months.

"I see," Mrs. Jordan said. She was looking at the lake again.

"This would be a great patio for entertaining, almost like an Italian veranda, I think. I can easily picture a group of people here sipping wine and watching folks on the bike path or canoeing on the lake," he said continuing on, hoping to draw attention away from any further commentary on the house's history. Mrs. Jordan didn't reply.

Joe studied the contours of her face for signs of her initial impressions as she looked out on the water. On the outside chance she would consider buying it, all of the less savory details would be disclosed later. One thing Joe knew from experience: if someone loved a house they were willing to overlook almost anything to have it. All that trouble happened so long ago that it shouldn't matter now anyway. Of course, that didn't ease Joe's anxiety about being there one bit.

He wasn't sure what to do next, but if she was interested in the view he thought it would be better with light. He slipped the key into the lock and pushed the tall glass doors open. They groaned in protest, and Joe wondered when the last time was someone had been in to clean up the place. As a matter of practice, the real estate office usually sent someone in to clean and dust once a month and before every showing since the house was unoccupied, but the call had come in so late in the day Joe was certain no one had a chance to get there before the appointment. He hoped that there weren't rats or spider webs or anything else lurking in the corners.

He shivered as he stepped inside and flipped on the light switches next to the door. A chandelier above him flickered and then caught, lighting up the entryway; the lights on the porch went on as well. He was standing in a massive entry hall that led to a huge staircase. There were rooms on either side of the hall and a long hallway on both sides of the staircase that led into darkness. A plush rug covered the floor and was the only furnishing in the house that he could see aside from the window treatments.

Mrs. Jordan slowly walked into the house and stood next to him. He watched her face light up like a kid in front of a loaded-down Christmas tree. She took a deep breath and did another turn, gazing up at the opulent chandelier. He wasn't the best sales guy out there, but he knew that expression. She was completely into the house.

Joe pulled out the file folder from under his arm and opened it. "There are four bedrooms on the second level, two on the third, and two small bedrooms in the back, so eight bedrooms total. There are nine bathrooms, two parlors, a library, a formal dining room, kitchen, and solarium leading out to the enclosed pathway to the garage. There's also a small apartment above the garage. It's a pretty big place," Joe said. He looked up and saw that Mrs. Jordan was looking at him again and her blue eyes seemed to bore right into him.

"It's beautiful," she said. Joe was suddenly uncertain if she meant him or the house. The excitement in her voice made Joe's heart start to pound. Her obvious delight was contagious, and he suddenly wondered if the commission on the sale of this house would be enough to pay his mortgage for a year. It could be his lucky day.

"Well, there is quite a bit of work to be done to bring it up to date," he said quickly. He had to calm down and take it slow. He didn't want to scare her away. The hope of a sale now balanced out the creepiness of being inside the house and Joe started to feel more confident.

Mrs. Jordan giggled like a schoolgirl and clasped her hands together. "Mr. Klein, I can't tell you how long I've been looking for this house. I am thrilled." She pulled off her gloves and slipped them into her clutch, and then wound her arm through his. "Let's take a look at the rest of it, shall we?"

All thoughts of the house flew right out of Joe's head as soon as she touched him. He found himself gazing down at her and nodding at everything she said with a huge grin on his face. She was beautiful and fascinating. He hadn't felt so thoroughly charmed by a woman since he'd met his wife. He wasn't sure he had even felt it then.

As they made their way around the first two floors, Mrs. Jordan kept up a constant dialogue about her charity work and her husband's investment business that gave them their fabulous lifestyle. Her stories were witty, and Joe's roars of laughter echoed off the walls of the huge empty rooms. Time seemed to stand still.

Joe thought that Mr. Jordan was a lucky man. Mrs. Jordan's voice was mesmerizing, and he could smell her light perfume. He had to stop himself from leaning down and inhaling the scent of her hair. He felt lightheaded and drunk.

It was only after they reached the third floor, and she unwound her arm from his, that his mind started to clear. They were standing in front of two bay windows that took in an impressive view of the lake. Joe could see houses across the lake lighting up as dusk closed in. It was breathtaking. If he didn't know the history of the Bradford mansion, at that moment he'd have mortgaged his soul to buy it. There was nowhere else he wanted to be except here in the twilight with this beautiful woman.

Mrs. Jordan sat down on the window seat and moved close to the glass. She traced her finger along an ornate design etched in the pane's center. Then she slid closer still and looked out into the gathering darkness. The glass fogged up from her breath. She looked up at Joe with a sly smile on her face and patted the seat next to her. He sat down automatically.

"You've been too kind, Mr. Klein, coming out here on such short notice to show me this lovely house and listen to me prattle on and on." Her voice was low. Now she slid her fingertip up his tie to the top of his collar.

He gulped as he felt the slightest prick of the point of her fingernail against his Adam's apple. "It was my pleasure, Mrs. Jordan." He felt lightheaded again, and he thought for sure his heart was going to burst right out of his chest.

"Please. Call me Linda," she said as she inched closer to him.

Joe thought that it was possible she was going to kiss him. He was married, but he couldn't even think of his wife's name at that moment. He also knew he wouldn't stop her. All he could think of was drowning himself in her blue eyes, and then her lips were crossing the small span between them.

Just as her lips brushed his, he heard a heavy, loud thump from somewhere at the back of the house. Joe jumped to his feet. Whatever spell had come over him was immediately broken, and reality came crashing back. He was inside the haunted Bradford mansion.

"What was that?" he said.

Mrs. Jordan remained seated. The expression on her face was unreadable. She sighed, and Joe thought he sensed frustration in it.

"I'm sure it was nothing. It's an old house, right? Bumps and creaky boards are to be expected," she said, sounding bored now.

Suddenly, Joe felt like he was suffocating. He grabbed at the collar of his shirt and peered at the back of the hall where he thought the noise had come from. The house was silent.

He didn't know what to think. Nothing like this had ever happened to him. Being inside the house seemed like the only explanation for losing his sense of reality. The sooner he got this showing over the better so he switched back to salesman mode.

"I believe the Bradfords kept their master bedroom on this floor, and then the guest suite was on the other side. These are the largest bedrooms and each has its own bathroom. It was quite luxurious back in the day as I'm sure you can imagine." Joe had no desire to explore either room.

Relaying the information had given him the few moments he needed to collect himself, and he glanced at Mrs. Jordan. She just stared at him with those intense blue eyes, and he dragged his gaze back to the hallway and cleared his throat. He didn't think he'd be able to resist her if she tried to kiss him again, and he had the crazy feeling that he would never be the same again if that happened.

"Another unique feature is right over there," he continued, pointing at a small door off to the side at the end of the hallway. "That leads to a small circular staircase at the back of the house that goes down to the kitchen. It allowed for the servants to pass quickly between the service areas of the house and the bedrooms so that dirty dishes, linens, and things like that weren't carried around out in the open." This time he waited for a response.

There was a moment of silence, and then Mrs. Jordan nodded and the smile returned to her face. "Quite efficient."

Joe's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know what was happening to him. He ran his hand across his forehead and realized he was sweating. His breath was coming in short gasps. He saw a look of concern on her face but recoiled when he saw her move to place her hand on his arm. He watched her face go still.

Before she could say anything, he covered, saying, "Well, that is the whole place. What do you think?" His voice sounded high and panicky to his ears.

Her eyes narrowed, and Joe felt a cold chill run down his spine. He didn't know why, but this woman was dangerous; there was no doubt in his mind now about that. He needed to get away from her.

"Quite impressive," Mrs. Jordan replied. She pulled the phone from her clutch. "I'd like to call my husband if you don't mind, Mr. Klein. I'd also like to take a few pictures."

Joe nodded and said a silent prayer of thanks.

"Of course, of course," Joe replied. "I can meet you down by the front door if you'd like. Give you some time to take a second look."

She nodded curtly and started pecking at the touch screen. Joe didn't need the cue to tell him he had been dismissed and this time he didn't mind the rude gesture. As he made his way down the stairs, he did mental calculations in his head of the commission to distract himself. Maybe he could take his wife to Hawaii for that second honeymoon she kept asking about, or maybe they could afford to buy their sixteen-year-old daughter a car.

He was standing at the front door a few moments later. Even with all the lights on in the house, there was a dreary feeling about the place. The magical mood he had felt ten minutes ago was totally gone.

He thought about stepping out onto the porch, but realized that would look strange. He hoped she turned off the lights as she made her way back to the entryway; that way he wouldn't have to do it after she left. Joe had no desire to be in the house by himself with the night deepening outside.

Then he heard the thud again from the back of the house and his mouth went dry. He wanted to run out into the night, get in his car, and drive away as fast as he could, but instead he forced himself to step up a few steps on the staircase. It was open up to the third level, but he couldn't see where he had left his client.

"Mrs. Jordan?" he called up into the empty air. "Everything okay up there?"

"Everything's fine, Mr. Klein."

Joe jumped and whirled around. Linda Jordan was standing behind him. She smiled apologetically at his startled expression.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Klein. I didn't mean to startle you. I came down that back staircase you mentioned. I wanted to make sure that I saw the entire house," she said as she slid her phone back into her clutch and put it under her arm.

Joe put his hand on his chest and willed himself to calm down and breathe normally. Then he blushed. She must think he was a foolish idiot the way he was jumping at the settling noises of an old house. That had to be what those noises were.

"I didn't mean to jump. I thought I heard something again, but like you said, old houses..." he said lamely. "Did your husband have any questions?"

"I think we should go back to your office, Mr. Klein. I sent my husband some pictures and he is in perfect agreement with me. We are ready to make an offer."

Joe was sure his jaw hit the floor. Was it really going to be that easy? The stupid grin returned to his face, but he couldn't help it.

"Well, that is just great!" He automatically reached out to shake her hand. This time she took a step back and he jerked his hand back. There was something about touching her that made the thoughts in his head feel mushy.

"I know it is getting late, and I'm sure you want to get home to your family. I will follow you," she said, sweeping out the front door.

Joe watched her leave, his jaw slack as he saw dollar signs dancing in the air in front of him. Then he realized that light duty was on him after all. He hummed to himself as he quickly went through the house turning off the lights. The big commission coming his way was enough to distract him, although he was almost running to complete the task as quickly as possible. He wasn't sure if he should call his wife right away, or wait until the paperwork was officially signed.

Just as he reached the front hallway and had his finger on the light switch he heard something. Was that a moan?

"Hell, no," he said out loud. He left the hallway light on as well as the porch lights. The cleaning crew could take care of it. He didn't care. He quickly moved out the door, pulling it shut behind him and locking it. Mrs. Jordan was already down in her car with the engine running.

Joe hurried down the steps, and thought again that despite the noises and his strange reaction to the woman, this was the luckiest day of his life.

Linda Jordan watched with narrowed eyes as the real estate agent shuffled to his car as quickly as his feet would carry him. He waved at her with a smile as he got in. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the head rest for a moment as she waited for him to get settled.

It had been exhausting keeping up the charade with the man, and she had almost forgotten herself in her excitement at seeing the house through these eyes again. Plus he had been so close to her that it had been intoxicating. She was annoyed at the blatant interruption, but she knew it was only because she had overstepped her boundaries. She was out of practice, but she wouldn't let it happen again. It was all about the end game, and things were just starting to heat up. She looked up at the house again and the smile returned to her face. Soon things would be exactly the way they should be again.

# CHAPTER THREE

The dream was familiar and Ellie sank into it without protest. She was looking down at the swish of the hem of her dress as she walked slowly along the stone pathway. The wide-brimmed hat on her head cut off her peripheral vision, but she knew he was walking next to her. She could see his dark gray trousers and black shoes keeping pace with her easily.

She spun the parasol in her fingers and laughed. It felt good to laugh again. There was a deep chuckle from the man next to her, and she knew that he understood. He didn't care that she was different. In fact, that was something that attracted him to her. It felt peaceful and calm here. She looked to her left and took in the lake. It was so beautiful. She saw other couples strolling along across the far side as well, and she felt the sun's heat warming her skin. It was a perfect afternoon.

Ellie closed her eyes and raised her face to the sun, welcoming its warm rays. That was when the high-pitched, screechy tone intruded on her tranquility.

Her eyes opened into blackness and her throat tightened. Ellie didn't like the dark, and usually she left a small bedside table lamp on. The phone next to her bed was ringing, and a glance at the clock told her it was three a.m. She tried not to be suspicious, but she believed in the old saying that nothing good ever came from calls at three a.m. Ellie felt an old memory trying to surface, but she pushed it away. She fumbled for the receiver.

"Hello?" It sounded like her throat was stuffed with cotton.

"At your best, you were a sorry excuse for a wife."

Ellie shot up fully awake, her heart racing. She heard the yelp from Skipper. She had shoved him off the bed. She forced her voice to be calm. "Jake, you can't call me at three a.m."

"I can call you whenever the hell I want. You are my wife."

Now Ellie's brain cells were alive and firing. She sensed the undercurrent of alcohol in Jake's voice. After eight years of marriage, she knew his nuances and moods perhaps better than he did himself. And the three sentences so far indicated Jake was drunk and angry. If she could see him, she had no doubt that his aura was a deep purple red.

"Ex-wife, Jake. I'm going to hang up the phone now." Ellie had no desire to hear what other insults Jake had in store for her.

After the divorce was final six months ago, she heard from some acquaintances that he was trying to drink every drop of liquor in the state. She felt a small bit of elation at the thought that she didn't have to deal with this now. She no longer had to worry about the consequences of leaving him alone in his angry squalor and what he would do to himself. From past experience, she also knew that whenever Jake stopped drinking and came to his senses, she'd get a pitiful "I'm sorry" phone call. She didn't have to deal with that either anymore.

"You bit--" she heard him sputter as she dropped the phone back onto the cradle. It immediately started to ring again, but this time she ignored it. After five rings it went to voicemail. Then it rang again. She reached behind the dresser next to her bed and pulled the cord out of the wall jack and was blessed with silence. Skipper paced the floor, watching her wearily.

"Sorry, boy," she said softly. "C'mon." She patted the bed next to her, and Skipper was up within moments. He dug around in the comforter at the foot of the bed until he had created a little nest and then curled up again. Ellie envied him.

Ellie lay back in bed and stared at the ceiling. She wanted to go back to that romantic dream with the mystery man, but she knew there would be no more sleep for her tonight. She had to stay alert, just in case Jake decided that it was worth the thirty-mile trip to her doorstep to harass her. She didn't think he would now, but the first month after the separation had been a bit harrowing.

Jake would camp outside her building and yell up at her window trying to get her to come down and talk to him. The landlord called the police when Jake threw a rock and broke a window. Jake's apology had been pitiful and he had looked so lost that she hadn't had the heart to press charges.

Then he brought her the divorce papers and the calls and visits stopped. She hadn't heard from him in months, and she thought the late-night tirades were over for good.

After tossing and turning until five a.m., she decided it was a better use of her time to get up and get on with her day. She felt miserable, but she was used to it. She rolled onto her side and stared out the window at the gray autumn morning. The leaves were just starting to fall off the trees, and the sun was coming out later in the morning. But in the end it was just another day with the same old routine. What was the point of being special if it meant being alone and depressed for the rest of her life?

Ellie turned her head and looked at the clock one more time. It was five-fifteen a.m. She wasn't due at the coffee shop until later, but she could go in early and get some work done. That's all she ever did anymore: work. She heard Skipper shuffling around at the foot of the bed. Sighing, she sat up, brushing her long brown hair out of her eyes. Swinging her feet over the side of the bed, she pushed her feet into the slippers waiting on the floor. She pulled her hair back into a sloppy ponytail.

Skipper was immediately at her side, gazing at her with big brown eyes. She smiled, which was something she didn't do often, and ran her hand along his silky back. Skipper's aura was always the calming color of harvest wheat. "Hey, boy," she said gently.

Ellie counted few blessings, but Skipper was one of the best. He had been a gift from Jake in their better times, and even though she had been angry at him (she was a sworn cat person), the little dog had wormed his way into her heart. When she moved out of Jake's house, there had been no question that Skipper would go with her.

She moved through the small apartment to her desk, pulled her jacket off her office chair, and headed for the front door, Skipper bounding behind her pushing against the back of her legs, eager to get outside. She swapped her slippers for tennis shoes and pulled her keys from the tray next to the door. Pulling on her coat, she snapped Skipper's leash on his collar and headed out the door. She didn't care that she was in pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt under her jacket. It was the crack of dawn, and she wasn't out to impress anyone.

Ellie lived in the upper level of a house in Uptown not far from Hennepin Avenue and just south of downtown Minneapolis. The house used to be a home for a large, well-to-do family. Now it was compartmentalized into four units, with two apartments on each floor. Her studio apartment was the smaller one on the second level, but it was cozy and the owner didn't mind dogs. The neighborhood had been quite stylish in the thirties, but these days the houses in the neighborhood had a look of shabbiness about them. Ellie didn't care. Rent was cheap, the neighborhood was filled with other single working adults so it felt safe, and it was close to several dog-friendly parks and her shop.

She hurried down the back staircase and opened the door to the cool October morning. It wasn't winter yet, but anyone who had lived in Minnesota for a while knew that it was never too early for snow. Ellie felt the chill and wished for a moment that she had dressed a bit warmer, but the air helped to clear her mind. She needed to forget about the call from Jake.

As Skipper sniffed around the backyard, she looked up at the barren trees and gray sky and felt a sense of emptiness. That feeling had become part of her regular routine. Skipper started tugging on his leash and she followed. He knew the way. Each morning they took a short stroll around a portion of Lake Calhoun, which was only a few blocks away. The crisp air should have soothed her nerves, but for some reason this morning she was jumpy. She was annoyed to know that Jake could still have this type of impact on her.

"I haven't even had any coffee yet," she explained to Skipper. He stopped for a moment and looked at her with somber eyes, and she felt like he was asking her to keep her misery to herself and let him enjoy his walk.

As they approached the lake, several joggers passed by. Ellie knew some of them by sight and was secretly envious of their motivation, sleek physiques, and calm blue auras.

Ellie knew that if she told someone that she could tell their mood instantly because she could see their aura, they would dismiss her as a crazy kind of crackpot. This was the reason she never told anyone about it. Ellie had been able to see those brilliant colors since she was little, and it took her a long time to realize that she was the only one that could see them. She started seeing them around the time her parents died, when she was thrust alone into a cruel and unforgiving world. It wasn't a world where she wanted to be different.

A few of the joggers waved at Skipper, and she started to feel self-conscious about her appearance. She looked like a total slob. She reached up a hand to smooth the flyaway strands around her face as much as possible. She waved back with a small smile.

"No use alienating the world any more than I usually do," she whispered to Skipper. Ellie had always been a loner. It was hard to make friends when she could spot someone being disingenuous a mile away, and those that were honest got spooked at her uncanny ability to "read their minds." She knew that it wasn't healthy to always be alone, but it was certainly easier. Ellie knew that trusting people meant exposing herself to some degree, and given her "specialness" that was a risk that wasn't lightly undertaken. She'd made an exception for Jake and look where that got her.

They finally reached the walking path that curved around the lake. Usually it took about an hour to walk the entire 3.5 miles. "I don't have the energy for the whole thing today but we can walk a little ways," she told Skipper sternly.

It was quiet at that time of the morning. Ellie could hear every approach behind her, and when she did she automatically shortened Skipper's leash a bit and pulled him over to the side. The time and money spent on training classes with him had been well worth it. A short jerk and a quick command--"Sit!"--and Skipper would pause and do exactly that, waiting patiently for each person to pass by.

Ellie was wrapped up in her thoughts when she saw a jogger approaching from the other direction. She paused and gave Skipper his command, which he dutifully obeyed.

"Hey, Ellie, is that you?" she heard a husky, slightly out of breath voice say.

She looked at the man more closely and sucked in a breath in surprise. Even with red cheeks and a skull cap on, David Mitchell was handsome in that Harlequin-romance-cover kind of way. One tendril of dark blond hair had escaped the confines of his cap and was curled on his forehead. His deep blue eyes peered at her and matched his aura perfectly.

"Uh, David. Hi," she finally stuttered, instantly feeling her cheeks start to burn. She reached her hand up to her hair again. Of all the people she could possibly run into at five a.m. in the morning, she ran into David Mitchell? She had the worst luck ever.

David was a regular at her coffee shop, and even in her recent state of self-absorption, she had been aware of the stares David received from her customers and staff. His comings and goings were well noted in the coffee shop crowd. According to the rumor mill, David was single, new to the area, and a doctor. Combined with how pleasant he had been in all of their interactions, David ranked just about perfect in Ellie's book. But he was way out of her league.

"I thought that was you. I like your dog." David nodded at Skipper as he continued running in place beside her. He put a finger to his throat and glanced at his watch. "You have the best coffee in town hands down. That's why I can't seem to stay away."

"Oh, thanks," Ellie said. She didn't know what else to say and started berating herself for being so lame. He had just given her two nice compliments. What did she say now? She suddenly wished for better social skills. Her few friends always gave her grief that they didn't think she could hold a rock's attention with her off-putting demeanor.

Skipper was looking up at her expectantly. Everyone loved Skipper so that seemed as good a place as any to start. "This is Skipper. I bring him here most mornings for his walk. I don't think I've seen you here before." Ellie wracked her brain. Had she seen him before and never noticed? She hoped not. The thought was mortifying. God, she was pathetic.

"I'd love to have a regular schedule but things are just so chaotic when I'm on call. I just get my running in when I can. But the seasons are so strange here, I'm not used to it still being so dark in the morning," David said with a smile. He was still slowly jogging in place, and he shifted his head from side to side, keeping his limbs warm.

Ellie was suddenly entranced by his muscular shoulders. She smiled faintly back at him, and felt like she was sixteen years old all over again and David was the first boy she had ever met in her life.

"Look at that, you can smile when you want to," he said in a teasing tone.

Her small smile instantly turned to a frown. "What does that mean?"

"You just look so down all the time when I stop by your shop. You seem sad a lot," he replied, continuing his slow jog.

Ellie start walking again. She didn't know what to say. This is what happened when you talked to strangers, she thought. You get pulled into awkward conversations and then suddenly thing bring up something you don't want to talk about.

She was surprised when David turned around and fell in beside her.

"I didn't mean any offense," he said.

She glanced out of the corner of her eye at him. His aura had turned to orange. That meant that he was distressed, so his intentions appeared to be genuine. "No. It's fine. I guess I haven't had a lot of things to smile about lately," she said.

"Well, if you ever want to talk about it I've been told I'm a good listener. I know this great place to get an outstanding cup of coffee," David said.

Ellie couldn't help herself; she laughed out loud. David just shrugged his shoulders with a mischievous grin on his face. The orange aura was fading back to blue as he relaxed. She could imagine what he was thinking: the situation has been diffused. She wondered how many other people in her life thought of her as a ticking time bomb and that thought brought her back to reality.

David was certainly good looking and obviously witty; exactly the type of man who wouldn't give her the time of day under normal circumstances. Not that she would have noticed or known what to do with that kind of guy anyway. But now she didn't know how to respond. Was this an invitation for a date? Was he just being nice, or was it something more? And if it was, what should she say? She had to slow down and think about this.

"Well, I don't know, David. I'm usually pretty busy at work," she said slowly.

"Aren't you the boss?" he asked. There was an amused glint in his eyes.

"I have to set a good example for my employees," she retorted.

"I don't think they'd mind," he said.

Ellie cringed inside because she knew he was right. Her employees would be delighted to see her talking to anyone other than herself and her dog. She thought there had been discussion recently of committing her.

"Well, maybe. If I have time, and the shop isn't busy." She had no further argument, and she was fairly certain that they both knew it.

"Great!" David said. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I want to get this lap in before I head into work."

"Okay." Ellie felt a small twinge of regret. She was grateful he hadn't pushed anything, and she realized that it felt nice to talk to someone else, if even for a few minutes. She was making progress after all.

David waved as he turned around.

After a few moments, Ellie turned around to watch him. He was keeping a steady pace and soon was a speck in the distance. Ellie pulled on Skipper's leash. "C'mon, bud, it's time to head home."

She started home, dragging a reluctant Skipper the whole way.

# CHAPTER FOUR

David was almost done with his run and his whole body felt like it was on fire. It had been a pleasant surprise to bump into Ellie. He had been trying to figure out a way to talk to her alone for weeks. Six months ago David moved to Minneapolis from a suburb of Phoenix to complete his medical residency. His work required long hours, so it wasn't a big surprise that he had a serious caffeine addiction. After trying several coffee shops on his route to the hospital, one day he had stumbled upon Ellie's Coffee Isle.

It was a charming shop and David had instantly felt at home. The staff had been cheerful and pleasant, and the coffee itself was outstanding. David found himself drawn to the shop day after day. David hadn't gotten to know many people since his move, and he liked that the people behind the counter recognized him and knew his favorite drinks by memory.

It was shortly after he started going there that he figured out the owner was a serious young woman who seemed to be trying to hide behind the espresso machine. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She was petite, which was a feature that always appealed to David, who was 6'2". While her physical beauty attracted him, it was the emptiness in her eyes that truly made him notice her. She went through the motions on autopilot, and until today David hadn't even known if she truly knew who he was, even though he visited the shop almost every day.

If David was honest with himself, it was Ellie who drew him day after day to the coffee shop. Even though he knew that she was the boss, he tried a few times to crack a joke while he waited for his drink. She always seemed distracted and would respond with an incoherent mumble. He watched her interact with some of the staff though, and he could see that she was intelligent. She just didn't seem interested in interacting with anyone else outside her immediate bubble.

One of the employees, Linda, took pity on David one day after observing his attempt to draw Ellie into a conversation for the hundredth time with no success. She took him aside and explained a little bit about Ellie's "situation." He found out Ellie was newly single, and a bit of a mess after her divorce. Her vulnerability made her even more attractive. It was in his nature to want to fix and care for wounded people.

David looked up as he crossed the road to his street, and it was as if his thoughts had willed Linda Jordan into being; there she was walking toward him. David raised his hand in greeting. "Linda, hello," he said, breathing heavily. His run complete, he stopped and put his hands on his hips. "I was just thinking about you. I just saw Ellie too. It is pretty crazy running into both of you on the same day outside the coffee shop."

"David." She seemed delighted to see him. "How nice to see you! I was just taking my morning walk. Can you join me for a few blocks? I'd feel better being out alone once I get to the lake. There are a lot more people there."

David wondered why she was out walking alone at all then, but he didn't want to seem like a jerk by telling her that was actually the opposite direction of the way he was headed, so he nodded. Worst case he'd have a long cool-down, which was still okay. He didn't want to get stiff. He noticed that Linda didn't seem dressed for going out on a walk. She was wearing a pair of navy blue pants and a fitted matching pullover. Her shoes were ballet flats. She looked ready for a yoga class, not a stroll around the lake.

As they set off toward the lake, Linda looked at him with a sly grin on her face. "You say you saw Ellie? How wonderful! How is she? Did you have a chance to get to know her a bit better?"

David had gathered from their first conversation about Ellie a few months ago that Linda was playing matchmaker with her boss, but he didn't mind too much. When you were single these days, you could use all the help you could get.

"She was out walking her dog," he said, "She seemed like she was in a hurry. I did ask her to have a coffee with me, though, the next time I'm in the shop."

"Good for you, David!" Linda exclaimed, "Our little Ellie is a bit shy, but she'll come around. I just know you two will get along famously. I can't even tell you how long it's been since she's had someone in her life that was good for her."

David hated to admit that he was intrigued, but Linda had created the opening. "Really? I know you mentioned that she got divorced recently."

"Yes." Linda pursed her lips and shook her head. She looked around as if someone might overhear them. Then she whispered, "What a nasty situation. Jacob was quite the womanizer."

David shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Ellie was devastated even though we all know it was for the best," Linda said. "He had a drinking problem too."

David wanted to know more, but felt like he was invading Ellie's privacy by learning about her past through secondhand channels. And the more he learned about Ellie's past, the more protective he felt, which felt so strange but at the same time so right.

He glanced at his watch. "Oh, Linda, I'm sorry. I've got to go," he said. "But look, here's the lake path." He was glad he didn't have to think up an excuse to pull himself away.

Luckily Linda didn't seem to mind his abruptness. "Of course, dear, thank you for humoring me," she said as she waved a hand at him. "I'll see you later."

David waved and started a quick walk toward home.

He didn't see Linda turn and watch him thoughtfully with a wicked grin on her face.

# CHAPTER FIVE

Ellie was dressed and ready in record time, hardly dragging her feet at all. It felt almost pleasant to be heading into work for once. As she smoothed her hair in the mirror and put a light lip gloss on she thought about seeing David again. Her stomach did a flip-flop in response. Her eyes widened in the mirror. She was thirty-three years old. She was too old for a crush, wasn't she?

Shaking the thought from her mind, she gathered the rest of her things. She gave Skipper a hug and a kiss on the nose, and headed out the door.

Ellie had opened her coffee shop in Uptown three years ago. She loved that it was just a few blocks from her apartment so she could walk to work if she wanted to, no matter what weather Minnesota threw at her.

Although it was just a few minutes from downtown, Uptown had a completely different vibe than downtown. Here there was an eclectic mix of up-and-coming professionals, hippies, art culture types, and others that made the area pulse with creative energy. The neighborhood appreciated small business owners, and cultivated long-term relationships between businesses and the community. She hadn't cared that her commute was thirty miles at the time she opened it; this was where she belonged.

Over the past few years, her success had been even better than she expected. It was another one of the few blessings that she counted. If she hadn't had the shop to keep her distracted when things with Jake got bad, she might have gone mad. Of course, she thought it was probably because of her shop that Jake had his relapse in the first place. She had put every ounce of energy into getting the store up and running.

When she walked in the back door, Kevin was in the back room prepping for the morning rush. His aura was a tranquil teal blue. Kevin was happy and calm this morning.

"How's it going, Ellie? You are here early," he said. Then he started whistling and shaking his hips to whatever soundtrack was spinning in his head.

Kevin was always cheerful it seemed. Perhaps it was because he and his boyfriend always had sex, she thought and then immediately felt guilty for being so catty. Kevin had never been anything but a good friend to her.

He was twenty-five, and always looked like he was ready for a night on the town even when wearing just blue jeans and a polo shirt. His dark black hair was always perfectly in place, and Ellie felt sloppy next to him no matter what she was wearing. She had no idea how they had become best friends.

"I'm fine," she huffed, slipping off her coat and hanging it on the back wall. "We all set for this morning?"

"Of course," he replied, still sashaying in place. He didn't even turn at her curt tone.

She knew that Kevin was immune to her moods, which sometimes made her want to try to get his attention even more. But this morning she decided to let it go.

Kevin had been with her since she opened the shop, and she'd been damn lucky that he'd been willing to stick around. There wasn't any kind of career path at Ellie's Coffee Isle and she couldn't afford to pay anything better than minimum wage. All her employees were technically part time, but Kevin had assumed the unofficial role of assistant manager. He was always willing to stay late and pitch in.

Kevin was smart and could do just about anything. Ellie knew that when he finished his degree program he'd move on. He was efficient and friendly, and her regulars absolutely adored him. She didn't know what she'd do without him. The thought made her cranky.

"I'll go unlock the front door then," she said and saw him nod.

Ellie walked into the front of her store, and for an instant felt great satisfaction. She could smell recently delivered fresh baked goods in the display case (which had been artfully arranged by Kevin) combined with the smell of brewing coffee. It was one of her favorite smells in the world.

Waking up to the smell of coffee and her parents' laughter was one of her most treasured childhood memories. She didn't have many, but that one remained strong in her mind. She wanted nothing more than to make her customers feel the way she had felt, surrounded by comfort and love, so many years ago.

Most of the room was taken up by small tables with lounge chairs around them. There was a small fireplace in the corner, and she flipped it on as she headed for the front door. Two overstuffed armchairs were strategically placed in front of the fireplace. Ellie wanted all of her customers to feel at home in her shop and stay as long as they liked.

As she approached the front door, she saw a golden orange aura that she knew meant that Melanie Wilson was waiting impatiently outside. She unlocked the door and Melanie burst inside.

"Thank God you are here!" Melanie exclaimed and headed for her usual table in the corner in a flutter. "I had the most wonderful idea for a plot twist in my story and I have to get it down on paper before it flies right out of my head!"

Melanie was an as yet unpublished author, who had found more success so far as a journalist. As far as Ellie knew, Melanie was working on her tenth manuscript. She envied Melanie a little for her energy and creativity.

"Usual?" she asked Melanie as she watched papers fly out of Melanie's bag followed by a slim laptop. Although Ellie wasn't computer savvy at all, Kevin had talked her into providing free Wi-Fi to her customers. She had seen an immediate uptick in traffic and along with it had come some regulars like Melanie. She enjoyed seeing the little community that gathered in her shop each day. Even though she didn't interact with it, it was nice to know it was there.

A hand wave was the only response she received. Kevin emerged from the back and saw Melanie buried in her notes. He looked at Ellie, who nodded. Kevin moved over to the espresso machine and started frothing milk for a large skim latte.

In Ellie's opinion, Melanie didn't need any caffeine at all. She was plenty hyped up without it. Usually Melanie downed three large lattes at Ellie's and then whirled out the door into an unsuspecting world like a tiny Tasmanian devil.

Melanie frequently quizzed Ellie and her employees for their opinions on "what would you do if this happened to you" situations. Ellie hoped that none of Melanie's characters resembled her in any way.

With her first customer satisfied for the morning, Ellie returned to her musings. She worked automatically, not thinking much as the customers started to wander in. She settled behind the espresso machine and let Kevin take the counter. They worked in silent unison, although Kevin cracked jokes with the regulars and smiled enticingly at the lady patrons (who usually added a dollar to the tip jar after that). All of them knew that he was gay, but it didn't seem to matter. It was a day just like any other day.

At noon the door opened. Ellie's replacement for the afternoon shift had arrived.

"How are you today, darlings?' Linda Jordan said in her smooth Southern drawl as she swept in the front door.

Six months ago, Linda had wandered into Ellie's shop inquiring about the little handwritten Help Wanted sign in the window. Ellie still had no idea why someone like Linda Jordan wanted to work in a coffee shop.

While Kevin made her feel sloppy, Linda made her feel downright frumpy. Linda was ten to fifteen years older than Ellie, but she exuded a quiet confidence and sense of style that made people take notice of her. Today her strawberry blond hair had been pulled back in a tasteful chignon. She was wearing ivory pearls that complemented a soft blue silk blouse paired with a black pencil skirt and exquisite-looking black pumps. And the unusual thing about Linda was Ellie never saw an indication of her aura. So she was an enigma to Ellie in more ways than one.

Linda had shared in her job interview that she was recently widowed, and had been clunking around her house with nothing to do but boring charity work. Then she saw the sign in the window of Ellie's shop and pondered on it for a few days. Linda thought the little coffee shop was just so charming, and told Ellie that she thought it would be wonderful to come in and socialize with the community for a few days a week.

Trying to balance the hours and increased business between her and Kevin was getting out of hand, and Ellie had desperately needed the help. Linda's desire to just work a few days a week lined up perfectly with what Ellie could offer. She said yes, figuring that Linda would quit after recovering from her bout of temporary insanity.

Instead, Linda had completely endeared herself to the customers and Kevin. She always had a smile and word of encouragement or advice for anyone who was down. Ellie would find her sitting with the customers after her shift ended, regaling them with stories about her extensive travels. Ellie now thought that Linda would work for free if times got rough and she couldn't afford to pay her anymore.

Less endearing was the Mother Hen role that Linda assumed with Ellie. After the divorce was final and Jake finally left her alone, Ellie decided that she needed a break from dealing with the real world. The colors and energies required to interact with people was just too much to bear. So she had retreated inside her head a great deal of the time, and Linda had been doing everything she could to pull Ellie back out. Ellie hated the way Linda meddled in her life, even though a little voice in the back of her head said it was for her own good.

Kevin beamed as Linda made her way behind the counter, and the two did a cheek to cheek kiss. Ellie refused to admit that Linda and Kevin's closeness sometimes made her jealous. They made the interaction seem so easy. Linda turned to Ellie, who tried to clear the scowl away before they could see it.

"Oh, Ellie. You are much too young to be so unhappy. At this rate you are going to be a bitter old woman before you're thirty-five," Linda sighed before going in back to drop off her purse.

Ellie saw Kevin smile behind his hand and then cough in an effort to hide it. "What?" she demanded.

"Linda's right," he answered. "I know you went through some rough stuff with Jake, but that part of your life is over and done with now. You have to snap out of it and start living again. Meet new people, take a class, get out a little bit more."

"That is so easy for all of you to say," she said. You can't see what people are feeling every minute of every day and have that knowledge start to drive you insane. Oh, and your ex-husband wasn't completely psychotic, she thought but she kept that to herself.

Kevin raised his hands in mock surrender. "Don't take it out on me and Linda. We're your friends and we are worried about you. We want you to be happy, Ellie."

Ellie closed her mouth to bite back the unkind words on the tip of her tongue. "I know."

Linda bustled back into the room with her apron on. Linda always wore an apron, but that could be because she always wore outfits better suited to a ladies luncheon than a coffee shop to work. Although she was woefully overdressed, Linda seemed to fit right in behind the counter. She had a knack for making people feel at ease. Ellie wished that just once she could see Linda's aura. It was like Linda was hidden from her, and that made her uneasy.

"Now children," Linda said, "no need to argue. Our little Ellie is going to get her head straight any day now. I can feel it."

Then she hugged Ellie, and Ellie couldn't help but hug back. A smile spread across her face. The human contact felt good. She didn't know why, but hugs from Linda always seemed to make her feel better about things.

# CHAPTER SIX

As the afternoon wore on, Ellie started to feel better than she had in a long time. She even caught herself laughing at a few of Kevin's off-color jokes, and thought she saw a satisfied smile on Linda's face when she thought Ellie wasn't watching. She wondered how she could have made it through this time without her friends.

A while later, as Ellie was going through the day's receipts and other odd paperwork at a table near the front of the shop, the door swung open and David walked in. He was wearing khakis and a blue button-down shirt that matched his eyes. His hair had the same curl swung over his right eye as that morning. It made him look dashing, as if he had positioned it there on purpose.

Ellie wondered if he had been serious about getting a cup of coffee with her. She appraised him with a new eye from behind a piece of paper. His aura was a light blue tinged with deep purple. David was tired.

"David!" both Linda and Kevin exclaimed from behind the counter. David smiled at them and waved, but spotted Ellie and bee-lined for her table. She glanced at the paperwork strewn all about her and sighed. Would he ever see her completely put together and organized?

"Hey there, stranger. They tuck you back here in the corner for doing something bad?" he asked.

"Hi, David," she said as her hand went to her hair again. She wondered if he remembered how disheveled she had appeared that morning. "I'm just trying to get a jumpstart on some paperwork."

She looked up into his eyes and her brain short-wired. Her social skills were failing once again. Work was the only thing she could think of to talk about, since work was the only thing she ever did. She suddenly felt like a completely boring person. "How was work?"

"I'm actually on my way in now. I had a short break this afternoon and was able to get a quick nap in. The hours can be pretty intense but I manage," he replied. He seemed amused.

"Oh, I work a lot too, but nothing like that. I'm sorry you're so tired," she said. She saw David look at her with a question in his eyes and realized that she had said too much. "I mean, I'm sure you are tired. Long hours," she said, backpedaling.

Then she saw him nod. "It can be draining, but it's worth it."

He smiled at her again, and suddenly she felt very warm. She'd have to check the thermostat. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Linda and Kevin taking an obvious interest in this new plot twist.

"I don't have to be there right away, so I thought I'd head out a little early and drop in to see if you were still interested in having that coffee," David said. He gestured at the chair across from her, but she didn't make any indication either way. He plopped down in it anyway.

"I don't think..." Ellie started to say, and then Linda was suddenly at her side.

"David! How thoughtful. We've all been talking about how nice it would be if Ellie had someone outside our little circle to talk to. Meet new people, see the world, that kind of thing." Linda pushed a coffee cup into his hand. "Here's your usual. It's on me." She winked at Ellie and strolled away.

Ellie blushed and caught herself before shouting something nasty in Linda's direction. That wouldn't give David a very favorable impression of her. When she looked back at him, he seemed perfectly at ease. His aura had settled into a pretty shade of blue.

"Your employees seem to be a bit out of control," he noted as he took a sip of his coffee, grinning into his cup.

"Out of control doesn't even begin to describe it," she sighed. She gathered her paperwork and placed it in a stack off to the side. She was terrified of engaging in whatever this was, but at the same time she didn't want David to leave. The last thing she was ready to do was open up about herself.

Looking into his blue eyes, she searched for something to say. "How old are you, David?" she asked. Deflection was a great weapon.

"I'm twenty-nine, and though I appreciate the interest, we can talk about me anytime. I'm not the one that needs somebody to just shut up and listen. I want to talk about you."

His eyes twinkled and Ellie lost her train of thought again for a moment. She cleared her throat to gain her composure. She was acting like she'd never been around a man in her life!

"Really, David, I appreciate the gesture. But I barely know you and I'm sure my life isn't that interesting," she said.

"Well, how do people get to know each other if they don't start a conversation? I know that I've wanted to get to know you better for quite a while. This seems like an ideal time, since I'm already here." He sipped his coffee again and then sat in silence.

"What do you want to know?" Ellie was curious and flattered. He had wanted to get to know her better for quite a while? Ellie was lucky that she could remember what she did yesterday, so any interest from David could have easily gone by unnoticed. That got her mind spinning on what crazy, inane things he had witnessed her doing or saying during his previous visits.

"Okay, let's start with the basics." David set his coffee down and rubbed his hands together as if devising some kind of scheme.

Ellie couldn't help but laugh at the silly gesture. There was something about him that made her feel warm inside, like she had known him before. She could feel herself relaxing into the conversation. David seemed interested, and she was definitely interested in him.

"Your name is Ellie Coulter," David started.

"Elizabeth," Ellie corrected. "Elizabeth Coulter."

"See? I've learned something about you already." David seemed delighted by that tidbit of information. "You own this fabulous establishment called Ellie's Coffee Isle. Very clever, I might add, and great personal branding. You have a dog named Skipper." David was ticking the items off on his hand.

"Now, since you were so bold as to ask me how old I was, I'd like to ask the same. I realize it's not proper, but you can't be more than twenty-five. How old are you, Ms. Coulter?"

Ellie laughed and decided to play along. "Although it is quite impertinent to ask a woman's age, sir, I am not ashamed to say that I am thirty-three."

"A good and fine age." David nodded solemnly.

She watched his face carefully for any indication that the fact that she was older than him was going to bother him. There was none.

"Of course, I still think you're twenty-five and just trying to be more grown up," he teased.

"Nope. I wouldn't go back to twenty-five for anything." The words were spoken with a bit too much conviction, and David picked up on it right away.

"Why?" he asked.

Ellie sighed. It seemed inevitable that she was going to have to let some information loose. "At twenty-five I didn't know what I wanted or where I was going. I didn't have my business yet, and I was in the midst of making the biggest mistake of my life."

"And that was..." David prodded. He took another sip of his coffee.

"Getting married." Her answer was short and terse.

"Ah." David sat back and sipped his coffee. He waited for her to speak again.

"But I'm not now, my divorce was final months ago," she said with a dismissive hand gesture. She didn't want him to think for a moment she was still hung up on Jake.

"I figured with the lack of a wedding ring and no manly presence around here that was the case," David replied.

"Hey!" There was an exclamation from behind the counter.

David and Ellie turned. Kevin was standing there with his hands on his hips. His expression was so ridiculous that Ellie couldn't help but laugh, and David joined in.

"Sorry, man." David chuckled and held up his hands. "No offense. Present company excluded, of course."

"Well, in that case, you are forgiven." Kevin smiled and batted his eyes at David.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Don't you have some work to do, Kevin?" she said a bit too sweetly.

They had been friends long enough that Kevin knew he was in trouble. Kevin's cheeks turned red. He grabbed a towel and headed over to the other side of the room, cleaning tables that he had cleaned fifteen minutes ago.

"Kids?"

David's question caught her off guard and felt like a punch in the stomach. "No," she said, looking down at her hands. "I wanted them. Pretty bad. But looking back on things, having kids with Jake would have made the situation even worse."

"I'm sorry. About the divorce." David's voice was gentle.

"That's okay." She started straightening her papers again so that she didn't need to look him in the eye. "I'm really not. I got married for the wrong reasons and that didn't work out well. My life is better now."

"Is it?" he asked.

He reached across the table and rested his hand on her forearm, stilling her hands. She looked down at it in shock. She could feel the warmth of it radiating through her sleeve. She gulped and finally looked up. He was watching her reaction closely.

"What do you mean? Of course it is."

"I mentioned it this morning, but it seems like you haven't been all that happy whenever I've been here," he said.

"Who are you now? My therapist?" Ellie's voice rose a notch. "I don't know how any of this is your business." His touch completely unnerved her, and she was having a hard time processing the strong emotions he was awakening within her.

David pulled his hand away, and instantly Ellie regretted her words. For just a moment she had felt a connection with David, and if he had pressed she thought that she would have spilled everything.

Linda appeared beside her and put her hand on Ellie's shoulder. Ellie instantly felt calmer. It was amazing how Linda had that effect on her.

"Shhh, dear. You'll scare the customers," she said as she smiled a "forgive her" smile in David's direction. "I have a wonderful idea. It has been a long time since I've had a dinner party. Ever since Lloyd passed away it's really just me puttering around in that big house. It would be delightful to have some company. How does an intimate little get-together sound?"

"That sounds great, Linda." David grinned.

Ellie was amazed at how comfortable and confident he was, as though he got dinner party invitations all the time from random people on the street. But then again Ellie found that men often agreed to whatever Linda said. It was a fascinating study sometimes, and she felt a bit disappointed that David didn't seem to be immune.

"What do you think, Ellie?" Linda looked at her.

"You know that I'd be there, Linda. Of course." Ellie's tone was sulky.

"Wonderful! Would Saturday night work for you, David? I know you have a busy schedule there at the hospital."

Ellie knew that if necessary Linda would rearrange the entire event to accommodate David's schedule, and she frowned again.

"I'm sure I can manage something," he replied. "Speaking of, I suppose I should start heading in that direction. Thanks for the coffee, Linda." David stood and looked at Ellie. "I didn't mean to upset you, Ellie. I just want to be your friend. I'd like to have another coffee again the next time I'm in if you have time."

Ellie shrugged. She had to think about what all this meant and make some sense of it first. Her reaction to David was throwing her for a loop.

It was David's turn to frown. That was obviously not the reaction he wanted, but it was the best she was going to give under the circumstances. "I guess I'll see you ladies on Saturday then."

Linda pushed a piece of paper into his hand. "Here's my address. Come around six. No need to bring anything. I'll take care of it all." Then she lowered her voice a notch. "And please, no jeans, dear. I like the chance to dress it up a little."

David nodded. "Sounds great, Linda." Then he turned and left the store without another glance at Ellie.

Ellie started to say something when a towel flew out of the air and hit her in the head. "Hey!" she sputtered. She stood and found herself confronted, one on each side, by Kevin and Linda. "What the hell is the matter with you two today?"

"You've been moping around here for months. Now some fantastically handsome man comes along, shows obvious interest, and you start getting all uppity with him!" Kevin exclaimed.

"Really, dear, how can you expect to find someone new if you are such a sourpuss all the time?" Linda chimed in right after him.

Ellie closed her eyes against the onslaught. She threw up her hands. "Look, look, look. I'm only going to say this once. When I am ready, I will be much less 'uppity' and 'sourpuss' like." Her no-nonsense tone quieted her two friends. "Until then, trying to force anything when I am not ready is not a good idea."

"But don't you like David?" Linda asked. "He seems like such an upstanding young man. He certainly is quite handsome."

"I don't know anything about David," Ellie exclaimed in frustration. Then she added, "But he seems nice enough."

"Well, this dinner party sounds like just the right idea then!" Linda smiled in satisfaction.

"Dinner party? What dinner party?" Kevin asked.

"Oh, come along, dear. You and Eric are invited too, of course." Linda led Kevin away.

Ellie sat back down in her chair. Maybe her friends were right. Maybe she had sat in her depression for too long. She stared out the window, wishing for simpler times. As independent as she had always been, she wondered what it would feel like to have a man around to take care of her. She had married Jake expecting that exact scenario, and instead she had wound up with an even bigger mess on her hands.

"If only they had left me a trust fund," she quipped to herself. Her parents had seemed well to do, but it had all been an image put on for their friends. Their untimely death had left Ellie alone and defenseless against the world. She gathered her things, ready to go home.

# CHAPTER SEVEN

Skipper was delighted to see Ellie when she walked through the door, and jumped up and down demanding her immediate attention. She sat on the floor and played with him for a few minutes.

"Okay, boy. It'll be just a minute and then I'll take you outside."

She picked up the phone receiver and heard the insistent beeping that she had a message. This was yet another odd thing in an already odd day. Ellie rarely received calls, and when she did it was usually a telemarketer trying to sell something. She entered the pass code and tensed as she heard Jake's voice.

"Ellie? Are you there? Geez, I'm so dumb. You're probably at the shop. I'd call you there, but you'd probably just hang up on me. Look, I wanna talk to you, Ellie. There are some things we need to talk about. Call me."

The slur was so slight that no one else would have been able to tell it was there, but Ellie could. Jake had been drinking. Again. She wondered if he had gone to work at all that day, or if he had passed out somewhere in a drunken stupor. Then she wondered why she was concerned at all. It wasn't her problem. She hoped that by now he was passed out somewhere and would forget that he had called. She hoped.

She leashed Skipper and started out on their evening walk, following the same path that they had taken that morning. She needed the fresh air, and the cool evening breeze was refreshing. She thought about David and how he had managed to turn her life upside down within the space of one day. She went over their conversations, going over every word in her head several times looking for hidden nuances.

She couldn't quite put her finger on why, but it seemed like she had known David for a long time. She couldn't remember ever feeling like that with anyone. It was strange, and that could be part of the reason talking with him had made her so jumpy. It wasn't in her nature to trust something that came so easily. There was usually something nasty hidden underneath.

In the end, she concluded that it had all been innocent enough, and she did genuinely like him. The fact that he was smokin' hot was a nice benefit.

As she and Skipper made their way around the lake, she looked at the stately homes that lined the street facing the lakeshore. Some were more like cottages, but some looked like huge Italian villas and southern plantation houses transplanted to the urban Minnesota landscape.

The houses were beautiful, and many of them were still dark in the growing twilight, their owners not yet home from work. What stories those houses could tell, Ellie thought. She had always been a bit of a romantic. She imagined women in ball gowns, and their escorts in their crisp tuxedos doing waltzes across a brightly lit dance floor. They would have secret rendezvous in the rose gardens with nothing more than stolen kisses to cool their ardor during a time when romance and chivalry were alive and well. Ellie was reminded of her dream from earlier that morning and she smiled.

Ellie knew that Linda lived in one of these exquisite mansions on the other side of the lake. Linda didn't talk much about what her husband had done for work when he was alive other than "he did very well for himself and our family."

Ellie was surprised to feel butterflies of excitement in her stomach when she thought about Linda's little event. She'd never been to a real dinner party before, and it wouldn't be so bad to get dressed up for once. Plus David was going to be there, and although she didn't know exactly what she felt for him yet, the idea was ripe with anticipation. Perhaps she might even go shopping for something new to wear.

Later, with Skipper curled up in her lap, she pulled a blanket tight around her shoulders and stared into the fireplace. It was one of the few amenities that the small apartment offered. The big old houses seemed to have a fireplace in every room. Ellie sipped some tea and thought about her past.

The embers beneath the flames glowed and she felt overwhelmed by the black depression that seemed to be her constant companion. She didn't know how she could have messed everything up in her life so badly. She thought about her parents, and felt that they would be terribly disappointed in her. She felt like a complete failure. There were a few bright spots: her shop, her dog, and her friends, but she still felt empty. She wondered if that may be why her encounters with David had affected her so strangely. Since she was eight years old she had wanted nothing so desperately than to belong and be loved.

Tears started to stream down her face. She knew deep down inside that she had never loved Jake, at least not the way you are supposed to love the man you are going to spend the rest of your life with. It was her horrible little secret. When they'd met he'd been so confident and carefree about life, which was the complete opposite of Ellie. She had been rigid, intense, and conservative. They'd met when she was twenty-five and he had just turned thirty. She'd never really even had a boyfriend before him and the attention of an older man had been flattering and a bit empowering. But still she had felt deep down in her bones that it couldn't last.

How was she supposed to know that Jake's appearance of being carefree was actually recklessness? That his confidence was actually a daredevil's taunt against the universe? She had been completely unprepared for the unending rounds of emergency room visits as Jake seemed to be testing every physical limit of his body and constant worrying about what Jake would do next. But it was when he started whispering to himself in the middle of the night that she knew he was becoming unhinged. She had always felt like she was waiting for someone, and she had been a fool to think that Jake Coulter was her knight in shining armor.

It had been the dream of the normalcy of marriage, of settling down and having a family, that had propelled her forward in the relationship. Those were all she had ever wanted since she was little. After both of her parents passed away when she was eight, leaving her alone in a very scary world, she had been shuttled between foster homes for the rest of her childhood. She had been fortunate that she hadn't suffered abuse or neglect. The families had been kind, albeit distant, and she had grown up a loner. It had been so long since she had felt that sense of belonging, to anyone or anything, that she had forgotten what it was like. She craved it. When Jake came along her defenses had been weakened from years of a solitary existence, and she had caved.

Ellie thought about her earlier walk, and her daydreaming of what life would have been like if she had grown up privileged and happy in one of those beautiful houses. She sighed. That romantic daydreaming side of her made her feel incredibly self-indulgent. She was too old for thoughts like that.

Skipper yipped in a puppy dream and startled her out of her musings. She set the mug down on the table beside her and gently shifted around the little dog. She padded in slippers over to her bookcase. Another world seemed much more welcoming than her own reality right now.

She ran her fingers across the bindings, slowing as she came across several historical romances. Linda had practically forced them on her a few months ago, telling her that they would do her some good. She felt silly the first time she actually read one, but then they became addictive. She was embarrassed to admit that she had added a few to the collection on her own. She pulled one of the paperbacks off the shelf and returned to her oversized armchair by the fire.

"We're all allowed our guilty pleasures," she explained to Skipper, who was awake now and staring at her. "Cut it out. Quit looking at me. You can't make me feel bad."

Skipper cocked his head as if saying, "I didn't say anything."

Ellie opened the book and shut out reality, if only for a short while.

The phone woke her from a deep slumber. The fire was only soft embers now, dying a slow death. She glanced at her watch. It was three a.m. She had a feeling she knew who it was, and considered letting it ring. But what if it was something important?

She moved Skipper off her lap and walked to the phone. She looked at the caller ID, but it said "Not Available." She picked up the receiver.

"Hello," she said warily.

"Stupid woman," was the snarling reply.

Ellie instantly regretted answering the phone. "Jake?" she said. "You are really pushing it now."

"Who do you think you are? I gave you EVERYTHING. And even that wasn't good enough for you!" Jake's voice was angry and his words slurred worse than usual.

"I'm hanging up, Jake. I'm not going to do this again," she said. She hated the quiver in her voice that gave away her anxiousness.

"I'll come and get you. Mark my words. You're MINE." The line went silent with a click.

Ellie realized she was shaking. She had thought the phone calls were over and now he had called two nights in a row. She went to her door and made sure the lock was securely fastened. Her breaths came in short, rapid gulps.

She didn't think Jake would ever follow through on his threats, but if his drinking had gotten out of control again, she couldn't be sure. She considered calling the police, but she didn't think they'd do anything unless Jake actually showed up at her door. She didn't want to agitate the situation any further. She just wanted Jake to forget all about her and leave her alone.

Ellie closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath. She leaned against the door frame. Skipper was by her side a moment later, wagging his tail and looking up at her expectantly.

"No, it's not time to get up yet," she whispered to him. "Besides, I don't think it's the best idea for us to be going outside at this time of night. There may be monsters out there." Skipper's tail stopped and he looked forlorn as she moved away from the door.

# CHAPTER EIGHT

Ellie was surprised to find Kevin instead of Linda in the back room when she arrived at work the next morning.

"Where's Linda? Fridays are her morning to open. Is she okay?" Ellie asked. Linda hadn't missed a day of work the entire time she had worked for Ellie. She had never been late or even asked for time off.

"She is fine. Fluttering around like a butterfly right now, I'm sure," Kevin answered. At Ellie's questioning glance he continued, "She's all in a tither about this dinner party. Called me up last night saying she had a million things to do and asked if I would mind helping her out by taking her shift today."

Linda wasn't the only one fluttering about that day. Even as he talked Kevin didn't stop moving as he crossed into the storeroom, leaving Ellie standing in the middle of the room.

"So she's not coming in at all?" Ellie asked, frowning. Apparently there was a lot she didn't know about dinner party preparation.

"Don't worry. I called Joanie and she said she can come in and help us out later if we need her." Kevin's muffled voice came from the storeroom. Joanie attended college nearby and had been willing to pitch hit on an as-needed basis when Ellie had busier than usual days.

"Well, I feel completely useless. Not like I own this place so people should keep me in the loop or anything," Ellie retorted, crossing her arms.

Kevin's head popped out of the storeroom. "You okay?"

She wilted under his concerned look and was horrified when tears started streaming down her face. Kevin was beside her in an instant and took her into his arms, rocking her back and forth as the tears turned into huge gulping sobs.

"Oh, sweetie, what's wrong?" he said as he stroked her hair.

"I can't believe I'm here again," she finally managed to sputter, pulling away and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Jake called me in the middle of the night the last few nights just being hateful. The things he said were awful."

"I thought those calls were over," Kevin said, the worry evident in his voice.

"Me too, but I guess I was wrong. He was drunk both times. He called me some names and last night he said that he was going to get me either way because I was HIS." She emphasized the word, mimicking Jake's threatening tone.

"Christ, Ellie. Did you call the cops? He can't keep harassing you like this." Kevin squeezed her tightly.

She felt a rush of gratitude for Kevin's friendship. If she hadn't had him to lean on during the divorce she had no idea where she'd be right now. She knew that she didn't tell him enough how good it was to have him in her life. She was a bad friend. She had to start being better about that.

"No, no. He was just drunk." Ellie was regaining her composure. She took a step back and looked up at Kevin. "Thanks for being a good friend. I am sure there is nothing to worry about. Jake is fairly harmless."

"Yeah, sure. Just like all those movies on cable TV." Kevin crossed his arms and looked at her pointedly.

Ellie could tell that Kevin wasn't buying her excuses for a second. He had seen the knot on the back of her head the night she left Jake for good. "He doesn't mean it. He's sick. He's a menace to himself, not me." Ellie couldn't believe that she was defending him. The words sounded shallow, even to her. But if she ever wanted to move on with her life she had to get over her failed marriage and move on. She was tired of being depressed and lonely.

"You are going to have to do something sooner or later if he keeps this up. You can't live like this." Kevin was pleading now.

"I'm sure this was just a fluke. Really." Ellie shushed Kevin away. "I'll be fine. We have to get this place ready for business."

Kevin reluctantly returned to the storeroom. "You always know you can call me anytime if you do want to talk," he said, turning back to face her.

"I do. Thanks, Kevin," she said as she gave him her bravest smile. Her face fell the instant his head disappeared.

What was the matter with her? If it followed her usual suit, hysterics were next, and she couldn't afford to fall apart now. Not after everything she had done to hold herself together all this time. No man was worth that. She repeated that in her head a few times. Then she squared her shoulders and raised her chin. Enough was enough.

Taking another deep breath, Ellie headed for the front of the store. She could see a bright orange aura peeping through the blinds. Melanie Wilson was pacing outside the door. She glanced at her watch. The store didn't open for another twenty minutes. Sighing, she went to the door, unlocked it, and was promptly run over.

"Thank God you're here!" Melanie exclaimed. She rushed over to her usual table and pulled a tablet and pen out of her bag. Then she sat down and started massaging her temples with her eyes closed. Seconds later a notebook slammed on the table and Melanie was scribbling words into it.

"How are you this morning, Melanie?" Ellie asked cautiously. With Melanie, you never knew what the reaction would be.

"Fine, fine!" was the snappish reply.

Ellie shook her head and headed for the counter, hoping to avoid any further conversation. The espresso machine wasn't warmed up yet, so Melanie was going to have to wait for her caffeine injection.

"Ellie!" Melanie didn't even look up as she yelled Ellie's name across the room.

Ellie stopped her prep work and walked over to Melanie's table. It was too early in the morning to shout across a room, and Melanie obviously wasn't planning to move. Ellie forced a small smile.

"Yes, Melanie?" she said a bit too brightly.

"You're going to this little dinner party that Linda's having tomorrow night, right?" Melanie asked.

The question was unexpected. "Um, yes," Ellie said.

"Good, good." Melanie nodded as if in satisfaction. Then she looked up from her notebook. "I'll see you there, then. Hopefully I can make some sense of this damn novel of mine before then. If not, I'm going to be drinking a lot. My damn editor won't leave me alone and if I miss my deadline again I think I'll just throw myself out of one of Linda's lovely windows."

Ellie had no idea of the right way to respond to Melanie's tirade. "Okay, then. I'll see you there," she said. It seemed like the safest response.

Melanie nodded and started to rub her temples again. Then she picked up her pen and started scratching furiously in her notebook again. Ellie took that as her signal that it was all right to leave. She quickly walked to the back and grabbed Kevin's elbow as he came out of the storeroom. "Linda invited Melanie?" she whispered and jerked her head toward the front of the store.

"Probably," he whispered back. "I think Linda's been dying to have some sort of gathering forever. Maybe she'll invite everyone she knows, and I know that Linda knows some pretty glamorous people in this town." Then he smiled. "Thank goodness that gorgeous man decided to chat things up with you. It gave her an excuse to do something to shake things up a bit."

"David was just being nice. I am sure he doesn't mean anything by it. I mean, why would he ever be interested in someone like me?" Ellie said.

"Honey, if you think that, you are naive. You are gorgeous and it's okay to have a man interested in you. You and Jake are divorced." Kevin patted her on the shoulder. Ellie felt like she was twelve all over again.

"I know, but I don't think he's interested in me like that. I'm older than him, divorced, and apparently a very unhappy person," she said, crossing her arms. It was her way of daring Kevin to dispute her facts.

"Neurosis is very attractive in women these days, I think," Kevin teased. At Ellie's glare he laughed. "That's why I'm attracted to men."

He winked, and Ellie couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, Kevin. I don't agree with you, but I give up," she said as she threw her hands up in a sign of mock surrender.

"What are you going to wear?" he asked. He grabbed her wrist and started to waltz her around the room.

Normally she'd try to push him away, but Ellie was tired of being serious and glum all the time. She wanted to try having more fun and stepping out of her comfort zone. She giggled despite herself, and realized it felt good to be silly for once.

"I'm sure I've got something in my closet that will do," she said and then stumbled into the storeroom door when Kevin suddenly stopped and released her. "Ouch!"

Kevin ignored her cry of pain. He stood there shaking his head and looking her up and down. "Oh no. You have to go shopping and find something fabulous to wear. Some new clothes will make you feel better too."

"What's wrong with the clothes I have?" she demanded, even though she knew that he was right.

"Ellie, you've lost thirty pounds since the divorce and have been wading around in clothes that don't do you justice." Kevin's eyes did a head-to-toe assessment, and Ellie could see that he didn't approve of what he saw there.

"Well, I don't know what I'd wear to this sort of thing." Ellie couldn't believe that she was actually admitting that out loud.

"Didn't Jake ever take you out to a nice restaurant? To a show? Somewhere where you had an excuse to get all fancy?" Kevin quizzed.

"Jake wasn't comfortable in those types of places," she said. "To him, the local bar and grill was as good as it needed to be. Maybe if he was feeling really adventurous, we'd go out to Red Lobster."

Kevin put his hands on her shoulders and she could see the sympathy. Her eyes started to well up again with tears.

"Don't you worry," Kevin said. "Eric and I will take you shopping, have a latte, and we'll have a great time," he said.

"You'd do that for me?" she said. She was delighted at the thought of going shopping with Kevin and Eric. She knew they had great taste. She gave Kevin a long hug, enjoying the closeness and the smell of his clean aftershave. She missed being close to a man.

"Of course! Let me call him right now. If we can't do it tonight, we'll go tomorrow morning," Kevin said. He was almost jumping up and down with excitement.

Ellie pushed a stray hair behind her ear and smiled shyly up at him. "Okay. I'll do it." She started back toward the front of the store.

"One more thing." His voice caught her just as she reached the threshold.

"What?"

"Go get yourself a good haircut. You've got beautiful hair. Treat yourself a little. You deserve it," he said.

"Let's not get all crazy now," she laughed.

# CHAPTER NINE

David walked into his apartment Saturday afternoon thoroughly exhausted. He threw himself on his couch and thought about sleeping for the next twenty-four hours straight. His work usually invigorated him, but he had been running on fumes and caffeine for weeks. The residency had been a lot more intense than he had anticipated.

Although being a doctor was immensely satisfying, David wondered if he was cut out for the long hours and personal sacrifice. David wasn't the type to shy away from a challenge, and once he started something he wanted to be the best at it that he could be. But he didn't remember ever having a choice in the matter when it came to his profession. His parents had said that he would be a doctor, and that had been that. He vaguely recalled his mother saying that being a doctor would help him meet girls too.

Speaking of mother figures, Linda had called him at the hospital that afternoon to confirm for the third time in the last two days that he was going to be at her dinner party that evening. Although he was more than a little annoyed at the constant reminding, the way that she gushed about how excited Ellie was to see him made him feel really good. He was excited to see her too. He hoped that he'd get to know her better that evening.

Although he knew next to nothing about her, Ellie seemed to have everything that he had been searching for in a woman. She was beautiful and strong-willed. She was obviously self-sufficient and successful. She enjoyed quiet time with her dog. The people close to her adored her and went to great lengths to see that she was happy. She was the kind of girl he could proudly take home to his folks.

David pushed himself off the sofa. As much as he wanted sleep, he was realizing his soul craved something else. And with each passing day, he was becoming more certain that something else was Ellie Coulter.

Ellie walked slowly up the curved driveway that led to Linda's house. She could hear classical music from the house drifting in the air, and she wondered if it was being pumped outside. She couldn't help but stare at the house. She would classify it as a mansion actually. It was a pretty pink-white stucco that would look perfectly in place on an Italian hillside. Each window facing the front lawn had lit tapered candles in it, giving a soft glow to the patio outside. It had the feeling of expectation, warmth, and satisfaction all at the same time.

Ellie ran a hand along her hair again, smoothing imaginary strands this time. She didn't want to think about how much the trip to stylist had cost, but she was secretly delighted with the results. Her hair shone with new life now that the split ends were gone, and it had a soft wave that framed her face. It still fell well below her shoulders, and she had chosen to leave it loose for the evening with a silver broach swept up on one side to keep it out of her face. Kevin and Eric had insisted that she highlight her best features.

Her nails were an apple red that she could see even in the moonlight, and the color matched the fitted silk blouse that Kevin had insisted on. Black faux pearls encircled her throat. Her skirt clung to her hips and tapered ever so slightly at the bottom. She felt awkward in the black heels, but she knew without asking her shopping companions earlier that day that the shoes made the outfit.

Inwardly she cringed again at how much money she had spent, but she couldn't deny the fact that she felt beautiful and confident in a way that she hadn't in a very long time. She hoped she wouldn't blush if her friends reacted too strongly to her new look. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

"Ellie?" A voice broke her reverie.

Ellie jumped with a sharp intake of breath and she whirled around.

David was looking at her anxiously. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He reached out and touched her shoulder. His normally blue aura was tinged with pink. She had alarmed him.

"It's okay. I was just admiring Linda's house," she said faintly. Her hand had crept to her chest, and she could feel her heart beating anxiously. She wondered if it was the scare or David's touch that had it racing. She could feel the warmth of each individual finger burning through her wrap. His eyes caught hers and he smiled. She couldn't help but smile back. In the moonlight, he looked devilishly handsome in a long woolen coat.

David gently took her elbow. He was still much taller than she was, even in her three-inch heels. She liked that.

"Allow me," he said.

She couldn't manage to think of a thing to say as they walked up to the house, but David seemed comfortable with the silence. He was so close that she could smell his cologne; light and subtle, but intoxicating. She thought for the second time in as many days that it felt good to be close to a man and wondered how she had gone without it all this time. This contact made her feel almost completely human again.

"Thank you," she murmured as they arrived at the door. He just smiled knowingly and pushed the doorbell. Ellie hoped that her thoughts weren't transparent on her face.

"Darlings!" Linda exclaimed as she opened the door.

Ellie didn't need to see an aura to immediately tell that Linda was in her element. Linda's face was glowing with excitement. She wore a diaphanous white blouse with a black skirt, and pearls that Ellie knew instantly had to have cost a fortune. Her hands were heavy with diamonds, and her hair had been recently done.

"I'm so sorry that the butler wasn't here to answer the door. I just sent him off on an errand to the kitchen so he should be back in just a moment to take your coats," Linda said, ushering them inside the house.

"You have a butler?" Ellie stammered as she started to remove her wrap. She felt confident hands on her shoulders as David helped her slip it off. He already had his jacket thrown over his arm. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a burgundy shirt and a matching tie. With his sandy blond hair and dark blue eyes he looked utterly irresistible.

"Thank you," she said shyly.

David continued to smile at her, and she caught his gaze as it slipped from her shoes to her face. When his eyes returned to hers she could see definite appreciation in them and she blushed. Still holding her eyes, David pulled a wine bottle with a red bow tied neatly around the top from beneath his jacket. The movement allowed her to finally tear her eyes away from him. She took a deep breath. It was crazy how this man affected her.

"For you, Linda," David said, presenting the bottle to the older woman.

"David, I told you that it wasn't necessary to bring anything," Linda admonished, but Ellie could tell she was pleased. Plus she thought that it would be hard to be upset with someone as handsome and charming as David.

A moment later a distinguished gentleman wearing a dark suit and serious expression appeared.

"Jeffrey, please take Ellie and David's coats to the coatroom." Linda fluttered a finger in their direction.

"Of course, Mrs. Jordan," was the soft reply.

Ellie's eyes widened. Unless she was mistaken, he had an English accent. If Linda could afford a butler, and a dignified British butler at that, then she had no idea why Linda was wasting her time in Ellie's little coffee shop. It was obvious she could be doing whatever she wanted with her time.

"Oh, and take this lovely bottle of wine into the kitchen so that it can chill. Perhaps we can have a glass after dinner," Linda added.

With a stiff half bow, the butler disappeared with the coats and wine.

Linda took Ellie's arm and led her down the hallway. David followed closely behind.

"I didn't know you had servants." The words were out before Ellie could take them back; she realized that to mention Linda's more than comfortable lifestyle may appear rude.

"I really don't, but Jeffrey would always come and help out from time to time when Lloyd and I had dinner parties. That seems like so long ago," Linda said wistfully. "The firm always had some big case that they had just won, or some big client that they had just signed, so there was always reason to celebrate. When we found this house, Lloyd and I were so looking forward to having many celebrations here. How I miss those times."

"Well, it sounds like you have a fantastic evening in store for us," David said.

Linda's smile returned immediately. "Oh, I do hope so. You both look divine. I'm so glad that you could come on such short notice. Everyone that has already arrived is here in the library." Linda stood next to a pair of dark-paneled double doors.

Ellie could hear soft murmurs behind the heavy wood. As Linda pushed the doors open, Ellie's mouth dropped open. The room had two levels. Books lined every wall from ceiling to floor on the lower level on two sides, and then a winding metal staircase led to an upstairs level that had a small walkway. On that level books covered all four walls.

A fireplace crackled in the corner, and two large leather couches sat facing each other over an antique cocktail table. A heavy cherry wood bar took up the entire back wall, and beaded lamps sat on end tables throughout the room, giving it a soft and inviting glow.

"Linda, this is beautiful," Ellie said. Ellie loved to read, and she would have loved to have grown up in a house like this where there were so many books to capture her imagination.

"Do you think so?" Linda said. "It all gets so dusty so fast. I'll give you the grand tour of the house after dinner. For now I thought it might be nice to visit. Ellie, you know everyone, but let me introduce you, David."

Ellie hung back as Linda led David to the cluster of people in the center of the room. The group had a golden glow around it as all of the auras blended together. Everyone was happy and enjoying themselves.

Kevin and Eric were there, and Ellie gave them a small wave. Both winked at her appreciatively, and confirmed for her that the outfit was worth the investment. Melanie Wilson was also there with her husband, who Ellie had met on the rare occasion when he accompanied her to the coffee shop.

Herbert Wilson was Melanie's exact opposite in every way. Where she was flamboyant and loud, he was withdrawn and quiet. She was wearing a blazing orange dress that showed that, despite her age, she still had a figure. Herbert wore a worn brown blazer with patches on the elbows. His glasses looked to be in a permanent state of almost falling off. His bushy white mustache almost completely obscured his small features. Add in the fact that Melanie topped him by three to four inches, and they looked the epitome of the phrase "opposites attract."

But for all their differences, Ellie would catch glimpses every now and then when Herbert watched his wife. From what she could see, tonight was no different. Melanie was delighting in being the center of attention, and Herbert's look of adoration was plain. Ellie watched Melanie's hand drift to Herbert's arm and give it a brief squeeze. The affection was not overstated, but the love was clearly there. She hoped to have that kind of relationship someday.

Ellie watched David shake hands with Melanie, Herbert, and Eric, who all immediately clamored around him asking him ten thousand questions. David briefly glanced in her direction with a look of helplessness on his face, and she could only grin and shrug. She had no doubt that he'd fit right in.

"Having a good time, Ellie?" The baritone voice was immediately behind her and she jumped. Then she heard a low chuckle.

Ellie cringed inwardly. She recognized the voice, and it was someone she had hoped wouldn't be on the invite list. But apparently Randall McGinty had wrangled his way back into Linda's affections. She turned.

"Hello, Randall. I just got here but so far it seems great," she said as she fixed a smile on her face.

Randall McGinty was in his early sixties, but his tan complexion and trim build made him look ten years younger despite his full head of white hair. Ellie had no idea what kind of suit he was wearing, but it reeked of money. Randall seemed the type to always insist on the best. And like Linda, Randall had no aura to speak of. Ellie had often wondered about this and what it meant, but it was one of those things that didn't seem to have an answer.

She thought about how Randall had swept into their lives. One day Linda started going on and on about a new "friend" that she had met through a mutual acquaintance. Then Randall appeared every day that Linda worked to pick her up. Since he was always early he would sit with a cup of coffee in the corner and wait for her shift to end. He was always unfailingly polite, but something about him gave Ellie the creeps. She swore that at times she caught him watching her with a weird look on his face. Then a few weeks ago Randall had abruptly disappeared, and Linda wouldn't say anything else about it. Ellie had been pleased that he was gone.

Randall smiled down at her, and for once Ellie wished to be taller than her 5'3" frame. He stood easily over six feet, and his teeth were so white that they matched his hair.

"That's good to hear you are doing well, Ellie. Linda says you've been feeling a bit down lately and you know how she worries about you," he said as he pulled a cigar from his pocket and cut off the end, obviously preparing to light it. Linda was at his side in an instant wagging her finger under his nose.

"Randall...now you know how I feel about cigar smoke in the house," she scolded.

"I was just doing the prep work, my dear. I thought I'd step outside anyway, with it being such a lovely evening and all." He pulled Linda a little closer and gave her a cool peck on the side of her cheek.

Ellie thought the gesture was stiff, and something about it felt off, but Linda didn't seem to notice. Her laugh tinkled above the din of the others.

"Ellie! What are you doing over there? Are you too good to talk to all of us now that you look sexy as hell?" Melanie's brash voice caught her attention.

Ellie was mortified by Melanie's comment, but relieved to have an excuse to move away from Randall and Linda, who were now whispering to each other with amused expressions on their faces.

"I'm sorry. I was just talking to Randall," she apologized as she moved to stand next to David.

Melanie, Kevin, and Eric all rolled their eyes. Herbert looked dazed (as usual), and David appeared confused. The group aura had started to shift at the mention of Randall's name. Deep orange streaks appeared. Randall made everyone anxious.

"Am I missing something?" David asked.

Melanie glanced around Ellie's shoulder and lowered her voice. "We've all known Linda awhile now. She was widowed not too long ago. From what she said, she and Lloyd had one of those picture-perfect marriages. They were married a long time--something like thirty years."

Melanie checked around Ellie again before continuing. Her lowered voice was almost eerie compared to her usual over the top speaking volume. "She told me that she was crazy depressed after that happened. She said she lost her will to live. She told me things got better once she started working for Ellie; helped to give her some purpose again. Well, a couple of months ago, Linda starts showing up at work wearing new clothes. Like designer new and bright colors. Then she was taking long weekend trips and whistling to herself when she was working. She'd always been warm and friendly, but this was obviously a woman in love. I couldn't help but notice, since it was such a drastic change."

Ellie suddenly felt awful. She hadn't noticed these signs that Melanie made seem too glaringly obvious. She relied so heavily on people's auras that she often missed the most basic signs of people's emotions. She knew that was one of her fundamental flaws, and was certain that was why she had a hard time relating well to other people. Plus she had been wrapped up so completely in her own little hell dimension for the last year that the others around her had almost ceased to exist. She felt a small tug on her arm, and saw that Kevin knew exactly what she was thinking. He winked at her, and she realized he was telling her to let it go.

"We were all delighted for her, although cautious. After all, Lloyd had only recently passed on. But it was good to see Linda moving on with her life instead of watching everyone making a mess of theirs and trying to play the part of their mother." Melanie looked pointedly at Ellie.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "It's not like I've ever asked her to take care of me. Geez."

"So far I think I'm still missing it," David said, clearly trying to run interference.

Ellie was appalled that Melanie would talk about her so blatantly. But then David looked at her and she was torn between a sharp retort or letting Melanie finish. She decided it wasn't worth getting into anything in front of David so she nodded at Melanie to continue.

"I haven't gotten to the good stuff yet," Melanie said. "So then this car starts showing up outside the coffee shop to pick Linda up on the days that she works. It's a new Lincoln Town Car with tinted windows, so you couldn't see who was inside. She's all aflutter about it and wouldn't tell anyone what was going on, but every day she'd leave in that car."

Kevin suddenly jumped in. "I couldn't stand it anymore, so one day I asked Linda if she had joined a cult and was ashamed to tell us about it." They all laughed quietly. "And she finally fessed up about Randall. After that he'd come into the store and wait for Linda to be done with her shift."

The whole group turned in unison to look, but Randall and Linda had disappeared.

"She won't tell us how she met him or anything about him. All's she would say was that she had met a nice man, and she was enjoying herself again," Kevin added.

"Doesn't sound so bad," David said, shrugging.

Ellie caught a look pass between Kevin and Melanie. After a short pause, Kevin made a small nod in Ellie's direction. Ellie wondered if David wasn't the only one missing something.

Melanie seemed uncomfortable, and then she sighed. "You're right. If that's all there was to the story I don't think any of us would have thought another thing about it. But it was Randall's other interest that concerned us."

"What other interest?" David asked.

"Ellie," Kevin said in a low tone. "It was pretty clear that he was paying an awful lot of attention to Ellie. Linda never seemed to notice, but I didn't like it at all."

All eyes had shifted to Ellie, and she realized that this was the cause of the anxiety. Her friends were worried about her. "I've always thought that Randall was creepy," Ellie said slowly. "And I did catch him staring at me a few times. Why didn't you guys say anything?"

This time it was Melanie and Kevin's turn to look embarrassed. Ellie stared at them hard until Melanie finally met her eyes. "Look, doll. You know we love you. But you haven't been fully present for a while now and we didn't know how to tell you. We didn't want to upset you more than you already have been. It seemed easier to just keep an eye on things ourselves. We would have said something if there was any chance of things getting wacky. Randall is mysterious and creepy, but he seemed pretty harmless."

Ellie had no idea how to respond. She felt David put his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him.

"I think it's great that Ellie has such good friends. Sounds like you all look out for each other. Being somebody new in town, I can say that's something I miss," David said.

Ellie was grateful that Melanie's confession hadn't made him think she was a total self-centered loon.

"It's just so odd how everything about him is so secretive and mysterious, and Linda refuses to answer any questions about him. And when you do talk to him, you just feel...yucky," Kevin added.

"Yucky?" David questioned.

"Yucky," Ellie agreed with a small smile at Kevin.

"What's yucky?" Linda appeared from the back of the room.

"Oh, uh, Ellie and I found a mouse in the storeroom yesterday morning. Good thing you weren't there, Linda," Kevin said smoothly.

Everyone else in the circle shot him a look of gratitude. Ellie crinkled up her nose. She wondered how many times he may have told her a white lie to protect her feelings. No matter what everyone else thought about Randall, he had obviously made Linda feel better and she knew this was the point where being a good friend meant you had to be willing to overlook other eccentricities. But she couldn't shake the feeling that Randall's interest in her was no good.

"That is unpleasant," Linda said, wrinkling up her nose. "Let's talk about nicer things, shall we? Our remaining guests have arrived, so dinner is ready." And with a graceful spin, she motioned for her guests to follow her across the hall to the dining room.

# CHAPTER TEN

Linda led the group into the formal dining room that held a massive cherry wood dining table and had twelve chairs around it. Each place setting for the ten guests was set with what appeared to be very expensive china. An exquisite vase sat in the middle of the table and was overflowing with gorgeous bright flowers.

Randall was talking with a middle-aged couple at one end of the table, and he smiled as the group entered the room. "I don't know about everyone else, but I'm starving. I hope you are all hungry."

"I've placed name cards around the table so everyone knows where to sit," Linda said, pointing to the small white linen cards at the top of each place setting.

"I also want to introduce you all to Joe Klein and his wife, Carol." She gestured to the couple standing with Randall. "Joe is my real estate agent and introduced me to this beautiful property."

David couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw Joe wink at Linda during the introduction. Very odd. He quickly forgot about it as everyone found their respective spots at the table. Linda had definitely gone all out for this, and he sensed that Ellie was feeling uncomfortable after the exchange in the library. He put his hand against the small of her back and led her to the table. She smiled at him gratefully.

David found himself sitting next to Ellie, who was sitting to the left of Randall. David wondered if Randall had any input into that. Linda had also placed Randall at the head of the table. He nodded politely to Randall but he planned to keep an eye on him and any unwelcome behavior toward Ellie. Linda was to Randall's right, across the table from Ellie. Joe Klein was across the table from him. Joe's wife sat next to Joe, and then Melanie, with Herbert sitting next to David. Kevin and Eric were on the end facing each other.

Once they were seated, Randall stood with his wine glass in hand. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming together on such short notice. I can't tell you how much this means to Linda, and how much she enjoys and respects each and every one of you."

David was surprised that Randall was giving the toast. The man's relationship with Linda appeared more serious than anyone had let on. Linda just sat and gazed up at Randall with a satisfied smile on her face.

"So if everyone would be so kind as to raise your glass, I'd like to make a toast to the beautiful woman at my side and her wonderful friends." Randall raised his glass just a touch higher, but David thought he saw a brief glance down at Ellie.

Everyone else took their wine glasses in hand, and murmured a second to Randall's toast before taking a sip.

David saw that Ellie hesitated before taking a sip. "I'm not usually a fan of red wine," she whispered to him. "Linda, this is an excellent wine," she said a bit too loud across the table to her friend.

David wondered what had happened to her in her life that made her worry so much about outward appearances. He thought that the small digs that had been taken at her expense in the library may be weighing on her, and it surprised him to feel a twitch of anger. Ellie seemed so strong at times, but so frail at others.

"Thank you, but I can't take credit. Randall picked it out," Linda said as she raised her own glass.

"Of course he did," Melanie Wilson uttered in a low undertone.

"What, dear?" Linda glanced down the table at Melanie.

"Nothing, nothing, Linda. I was also complimenting Randall on his fine wine selection," Melanie said into her wine glass.

From what David could tell from his short acquaintance with Melanie Wilson, it seemed almost impossible for her to keep a rein on her tongue. He saw a look on her husband's face that was a mixture of chagrin and exasperation.

If Linda heard the sarcasm, or sensed the tension at the table as everyone waited for her response, she appeared not to notice. "Of course," she said, smiling at Randall.

At that moment Jeffrey and a female server appeared in the doorway carrying plates. They gently set a lush green salad in front of everyone and Linda seemed pleased. "Please, everyone, let's eat."

The tension bled away, and everyone was quiet for a time as the dinner began in earnest. David was feeling full by the third course, but the food didn't seem to be stopping. Linda herself ate little, even with a gesture from Randall. She seemed more focused on the real estate agent at her side, and then ensuring that her guests were having a good time. Soon multiple conversations were going on again, and a comfortable buzz filled the air.

"Linda tells me you're a doctor, David." Randall's soft voice cut through the din like a knife.

David cleared his throat and wiped his linen napkin across his lips. "Yes, that's correct. I'm finishing my residency at the hospital downtown."

"Excellent. Being a doctor is a fine profession." Randall nodded appreciatively. He raised his wine glass and spun the rich liquid within for a moment, looking into its depths. "It is very demanding of you, though, I'm sure. I mean time and energy wise."

"I manage." David shrugged. "I enjoy what I do so that makes it all very worth it."

David saw Ellie smile at him with a look of pleasure. David hoped that the person that he would ultimately choose to spend his life with would appreciate that. He knew it was a hard choice to be with someone who had a job that was practically a marriage itself. But he thought Ellie may be different given that she was a business owner and he was sure that required a lot of her time.

"Are you hoping for a family someday?" Randall persisted.

"Of course. Just because I have a demanding job doesn't mean that I don't want to have a wife, kids, house, the whole thing," David said. He didn't understand where Randall was going with his line of questioning. The rest of the table had quieted and everyone else was listening now as well.

"But being there at life's crucial moments; now that's the stuff that makes life worth it. Seems like it would be a shame to start a family and then not be able to be there when it matters," Randall said, swirling the wine in his glass.

David saw that although Randall was trying hard to appear nonchalant, he was actually watching Ellie's reaction closely. Was it possible that the man was trying to warn Ellie away from him?

"There's no reason I can't be there when I need to be." David was starting to get annoyed. He didn't understand why he had to justify himself to this man. Plus he remembered having a similar argument with his father. His father had said something about...sacrifices. And being willing to make difficult decisions.

"I don't mean to offend." Randall held up his hands in a mock gesture of peace. "I just know that when the demands of a career come knocking, other things will be...sacrificed."

Randall's word choice was strange, especially given David's memory of the disagreement with his own father. "Are you talking from experience?" David retorted. He felt everyone at the table lean forward in anticipation. Ellie's hand came from under the table and rested on his forearm, and he wondered if she thought he was going too far. But David didn't like to be bullied, especially by someone he had only just met.

"The ramblings of an old man," Randall laughed. "Feel free to ignore me. The energies of youth are beyond my grasp now." He looked at Linda and smiled. "Other things are much more important to me these days."

David shook his head. He should have expected Randall's deflection. The intensity of the emotions the short conversation raised within him surprised him. He could tell that the time for questions had passed, and as the negative energy welled inside him he realized that he felt...yucky. It was exactly the feeling the group had been trying to explain to him.

"Is everyone enjoying their supper?" Linda asked, looking away from Randall. Her gaze settled on Joe Klein, although the question had been directed to everyone. Murmurs of approval came from around the table. David noted that Joe seemed annoyed about the interaction between Linda and Randall. Although no words were exchanged, he saw Linda pat Joe on the arm. He wondered if Linda's natural exuberance had rubbed off a bit on the agent, and if he wasn't a bit sweet on her. Everyone seemed sweet on Linda.

"Well, if everyone is finished, then, I'd like to give you the grand tour. We can finish with coffee and cognac in the library," Linda said. "And if you are all very good, there will perhaps be a little sweet thing waiting as well for dessert."

"Oh goody." Kevin clapped his hands together in anticipation, and everyone laughed.

As they stood, Jeffrey and the server emerged from the kitchen and started clearing away the dishes. Linda led the guests back to the great hall where they had entered.

# CHAPTER ELEVEN

"We are so fortunate that we actually have an expert in the history of the house and the neighborhood here with us tonight. Joe, do you want to share some of the history with us?" Linda looked expectantly at the agent, who blushed under her gaze.

"Certainly, Linda. I'm honored." Joe cleared his throat and spread his arms out, taking in the front hall. "The original house, which was probably about the size of this hall, was built all the way back in 1886. It was only one level at that time, and quite small. Twenty years later, during the iron boom of the early 1900s, a wealthy man by the name of Joseph Bradford bought the house and tore it down, and built this lovely estate home that reminded him of his travels in Italy. Joseph hailed from Atlanta originally, but had made his fortune up north in the mines of Duluth. His young bride, Lillian, loved the landscape here on the shoreline of the lake, but abhorred the cold winters. So Joseph built the house in hopes that she would feel at home here year round, despite the temperature outside. You will also notice that every room has a fireplace in it because Joseph wanted to make sure that Lillian was never cold."

David was fascinated. He knew that all old homes had a history and he wondered if the story would have a happy ending. He could tell by looking at everyone's faces that the others were just as caught up in Joe's tale. Melanie had pulled a small notebook out of her pocket and was scribbling notes.

"The new construction took over a year to complete, and finally Joseph and Lillian settled in to their new home. The Bradfords loved to entertain, and important folks from all over the country would come to visit. Lillian made sure that everyone who visited knew how successful Joseph was. Their dinner parties lit up the shoreline, and laughing and dancing music could be heard blocks away. The Bradfords were comfortable and happy, with just a small smidge of unhappiness that started to overshadow their wonderful life."

As Ellie drew closer to Joe, David decided to be bold and put his arm loosely around her waist. She smiled up at him and he relaxed. The agent's story was like a daydream of being born during a different era to a different life. Then he saw Joe glance at Linda, as if asking permission to continue.

Linda put her hand on Joe's arm again. "Oh, it's fine, dear. Not all homes are happy homes, after all."

David found it odd that neither Randall nor Carol Klein were noticing the obvious connection between Linda and Joe. He looked at Ellie to see if she noticed, but she was staring up at the huge chandelier above their heads.

"Joseph had built this grand home for his bride and to start a large family. He wanted plenty of room for his children to run around in. But alas, Lillian was fragile and the doctors thought that perhaps she wasn't meant to have a child. She suffered several miscarriages, and finally sunk into a deep depression. She refused to leave her bed, and the wonderful parties that had made the Bradfords like celebrities in this town faded away like a memory. Then came the rumors that Joseph and Lillian were trying alternate, and very questionable methods to conceive. Their fairytale life had turned into a nightmare for them."

"That's awful!" Ellie exclaimed. "What happened to them?"

"The honest truth, dear, is nobody knows," Linda said.

"What do you mean nobody knows?" Melanie demanded. She looked up from her notebook and David felt like they were at a press conference and Melanie was the aggressive reporter who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"The Bradfords just disappeared one day. They were gone. Some say that Joseph took Lillian home to the South hoping that the change of scenery would snap her out of her depression. Others say that once the reality set in that children weren't possible, the Bradfords sold the house and moved into a smaller home somewhere else. The one thing that did come out eventually was that Joseph Bradford had overextended himself financially. Even without the personal issues, they would likely have had to sell the place anyway." The catch in Joe's voice at that point told everyone that there was more.

"There's something you aren't telling us," David said.

"Joe is being polite, David. He knows that I hate to speak ill of the dead. Even if it is just a silly rumor," Linda said quietly.

"C'mon now, you told us everything else," Melanie pushed.

Linda turned her head just a bit and looked up at Randall, who shrugged his shoulders. David was almost more fascinated watching the interplay between Randall, Linda, and Joe than he was in hearing the rest of the story.

"Some say," Linda paused as if to make sure she had their full attention, "that Joseph and Lillian ran away to escape the debt collectors, which is probably what happened. But the more morbid say that Joseph killed Lillian and went off hoping to find a wife who could give him children, because a friend of the couple, a young widow, also disappeared around the same time. She was supposed to be very good friends with Lillian."

"If that was the truth, you'd think that someone would have heard something or seen something odd," Melanie said.

"That's the strange part," Joe said. "I heard that some of the neighbors claimed that they would hear noises, something that could have been screaming, in the middle of the night shortly before it was discovered that they were gone. Given their visibility in the community, it caused quite a stir when they disappeared."

"What do you think of all of that, Linda?" Ellie asked.

"The house went up for sale and passed through different owners before Lloyd and I found it. Joe tells me his grandfather supposedly met up with Joseph Bradford after the 'disappearance.' When his grandfather asked why Joseph sold the house, he just murmured something about life not always working out the way you want it to. That's all he said. That seems to lend itself more to the idea that they left because of his misfortune." Linda's voice was sad. "It must have been so difficult for him, loving someone who couldn't give the one thing he had truly ever wanted."

"Rubbish!" Melanie's disdainful voice immediately shifted the mood. "You can love someone even if you don't have any children. You can make a marriage work just as well without that distraction. Hell, Herbert and I decided a long time ago that if we wanted to stay married, the best way to do that would be not to have them at all and good riddance!"

"Well, times are very different now," Randall said, coming to Linda's defense. "Back then, a man's family was as much a symbol of his status as the dollars he had in the bank."

Suddenly Linda let out a sharp breath and David could see tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Linda! What's wrong?" Ellie said, moving from his side to peer into Linda's face.

"It's really nothing, dear. I mean, Melanie's right, I suppose. Lloyd and I...we were never able to have children. We had a good marriage all the same, I guess, but I always felt like I had failed him." Linda's voice fell to a whisper.

Randall pulled Linda from Ellie's grasp into his arms. "It might be better if we called it a night," Randall said, staring pointedly at Melanie, who looked completely baffled.

"I didn't mean to offend you, Linda, honestly, I had no idea," Melanie apologized.

Linda's hand just waved from Randall's chest. She looked fragile and as if she had aged a decade in just those few moments.

"Jeffrey!" Randall's voice was commanding. The butler instantly appeared in the hallway.

"Our guests will need their jackets," Randall said. At the butler's questioning glance, Randall sighed and added, "Mrs. Jordan isn't feeling well. Why don't you box up a dessert for everyone to take home? No need for that to go to waste."

"Of course, Mr. McGinty. Is there anything else I can do for Mrs. Jordan?" Jeffrey asked.

"No, no." Randall waved him away. "I'll take care of her." He turned his gaze back to the group standing in the entryway. "Thank you all for coming. I'm sure you understand if I take Linda upstairs now. Jeffrey will show you out."

Linda's shoulders were shaking against his chest and David could hear her sobs. Randall turned her to face the staircase, and he slowly helped her climb the stairs. At the top, they turned to the left and were out of sight.

It was clear to David that no one knew what to say or do.

"What the hell just happened here?" Kevin was the first to speak. Everyone looked at each other, dumbfounded, although Joe Klein was staring up the stairs with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I really didn't mean anything by what I said," Melanie said. She was finally starting to look abashed.

"It's okay, Melanie, I think we all agree that Linda's reaction was completely unexpected," Ellie said. "I know you meant to be funny."

David looked at Ellie and thought that he was one of the luckiest men alive. He decided he didn't care what had happened in her past. In the last five minutes he had seen how much she cared about her friends' feelings and how she wanted to make them feel better. Maybe other people couldn't see it, but he thought that she was hiding the soul of a saint.

They all stood in the hallway in silence. Within minutes Jeffrey was back, handing each of them their jackets. The woman who had helped with serving dinner appeared with a small white box for each of them.

"Please, let Linda know we're truly sorry that we upset her," Ellie said to Jeffrey as they were leaving.

"If I see Mrs. Jordan before I leave, I will pass that along," Jeffrey said.

David could tell that the man didn't expect to see Linda again that evening.

Outside on the patio, everyone started to say their goodbyes. Joe Klein looked up at the house, and David thought he was looking at the windows on the top floor.

"You know, when I was growing up, all the kids said this place was haunted," he said. Immediately he had everyone's attention again.

"Haunted?" Melanie asked sharply. She shook off Herbert's hand on her arm. "Haunted by whom?"

"Some say Lillian. Some say the young widow who disappeared around the same time. Over the years, it's been hard to keep folks living here, it seemed, at least until Linda moved in." Joe finally looked at the group. David thought he looked angry.

"Linda and Lloyd," Melanie corrected.

"Of course. I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Jordan myself," Joe said. Finally his wife tugged on his sleeve.

"I think it's time to go, Joe," she said. David thought it may have been the first time she had spoken all night.

Joe nodded, and then the group slowly dispersed.

David fell in beside Ellie as she walked to her car. "That was certainly an odd evening," he said, pushing his hands into his jacket pockets to keep them warm. "Not my idea of an ideal first date either."

Ellie smiled at him but looked distracted. She kept looking back up at the house. "I've never seen Linda like that," she said. She pulled her keys from her jacket and unlocked the car door. "It just seems so out of character for her."

"I think she started identifying a bit too much with the story," David answered. "I've seen that kind of thing happen before; emotions just get the better of you."

"Sorry about Randall, by the way," Ellie said, suddenly changing the subject. "He was bordering on rude there for a moment. That was out of character for him too. Usually he is the ultimate gentleman, although a bit..."

"Yucky?" David finished for her.

She laughed. "Exactly."

"It's good to see you laugh, Ellie. I'd like to see that again, if that would be all right with you." David reached out and took her hand. "I'd really like to see you again and have a proper date."

"Really?" Ellie said quietly.

"If you aren't completely opposed to the idea," David said, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I'd love to," she said.

David grinned and felt a tightening in his chest. "That's great! I'll have to give you a call, though; my schedule can be a bit hectic."

"Of course." Ellie pulled a slip of paper out of her purse and wrote down her phone number. "I'm pretty much free when I'm not at the coffee shop."

David took the slip of paper and leaned over, kissing her forehead. He slowly put his arms around her and pulled her close. He felt her relax into his embrace.

"I had a good time tonight, despite the drama, because it gave me a chance to spend more time with you. And that's all I've wanted to do for a while now," he whispered into her ear. "I promise I'll call you soon."

He reluctantly let her go, and then he opened up her car door for her. He thought she was going to say something else, but then she decided against it. She climbed into the car, pulling the door shut behind her. She waved at him and then started the car.

David watched the car disappear into the darkness. As he pulled his keys out of his pocket, he felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. Someone was watching him. He turned and looked back up at the house. He thought he saw movement in one of the third-story windows, but he couldn't tell for sure in the gloom.

Something felt out of place and there were warning bells going off in his head. David quickly made his way to his car. If there was one thing that he always did, it was trust his gut. And it was telling him to get the hell out of there as fast as he could.

# CHAPTER TWELVE

The next day brought about the first frost of the season, and the air held the bitterness of winter's arrival. Ellie cut Skipper's walk short again, preferring the warmth and comfort of the fireplace and her book to traipsing around outside.

The shop was closed on Sundays. It had been one of Jake's stipulations when she told him she wanted to start her own business. He said she should have one day to focus just on them. Later in their relationship, Ellie had often worked that day anyway in an attempt to avoid him. Now that she was alone, Sundays were just empty days for her.

Today felt different, though, and Ellie knew it was because of David. But she was still troubled how things had been left with Linda. She didn't know what to do when she saw someone who was strong like Linda just break down. It was doubly distressing that she had to rely on her regular five senses to try to make any sense of the matter. She hadn't realized until last night how much she depended on that extra bit of information that only she could see. Perhaps her little extra talent wasn't so bad after all.

When Kevin called to check in on her, she gladly invited him over for a cup of coffee and conversation. They sat by the fire, Ellie curled up under a blanket in her overstuffed chair, while Kevin lounged on the sofa. It didn't take long for the conversation to turn to what had transpired the previous evening.

"So you tried to call her this morning too?" Kevin asked.

Ellie nodded. "No answer, though, so I left a message for her to call me. I'm really worried about her."

"It was all so strange," Kevin remarked. "That creepy story about the Bradfords, and then she just had a meltdown. Linda doesn't seem like the type to get so carried away like that."

"I know. It was so strange," Ellie agreed. She took a sip of her coffee. "David thought that the story, mixed with her own past, may have overwhelmed her emotionally."

"Speaking of that fine-looking man, how'd things go?" Kevin leaned forward eagerly.

Ellie giggled and tried hiding her smile behind her hand. She felt like she was a teenager gossiping about a boy at school. "Good," she said shyly.

"C'mon. Tell me everything!" Kevin prodded.

"He walked me to my car and asked me on a date. So nothing crazy happened," she said, but then couldn't help herself from dishing the rest. "He did kiss me on the forehead. He was a perfect gentleman all night."

Kevin sighed and leaned back. "Ah, romance. It's a glorious thing."

"You and Eric have plenty of romance, I'm sure," Ellie quipped.

"Eric and I have been together forever and you know what they say, the romance is the first thing to go," Kevin said, winking at her.

"I think you two are perfect for each other," Ellie said. "I've always been jealous of you."

"Who knew that you could meet your soul mate when you were eighteen years old." Kevin shrugged, looking down into his coffee cup. "Between work and school I'm gone a lot, but he's always supportive. I know I'm lucky. I don't ever want to lose him."

Kevin's aura pulsed a deep blue. Ellie had known him long enough to know that it wasn't that he was calm, but that he was melancholy. "He's crazy about you, Kevin. I know you don't have anything to worry about," Ellie said. She reached over and squeezed his knee. Kevin patted her hand.

"Thanks, sweetie, but enough about me. When's your date?" he said, changing the topic.

"He's supposed to call. He's got a hectic schedule at the hospital," she said.

Kevin nodded in understanding. At that moment the phone rang. Kevin raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps that is Prince Charming right now."

Ellie laughed and went over the phone. She looked at the caller ID. "It's Linda!" she exclaimed and picked up the phone. "Hello," she said, expecting to hear Linda's voice.

"Ellie? It's Randall," said the deep voice on the other end.

Ellie shivered. "Oh, hello, Randall," she said slowly. "How's Linda this morning? Kevin and I are pretty worried about her." She shushed Kevin as he started to rise from the sofa.

"I'm a little worried about her as well," Randall admitted. "Last night seemed to take quite a toll on her."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, especially with how much time and effort she put into planning that dinner party. She was so excited about it. Is there anything I can do?" Ellie was now very worried.

"Linda and I were talking this morning, and we both think that a change of pace might do her some good. It's been a long time since she's just gotten away from everything, and she loves Paris. It is a city with calming energy. We've decided to go on a bit of a sabbatical, so to speak."

Ellie was shocked. "I guess I don't know what to say. This seems quite sudden, Randall."

"I know, but sometimes it's good to shake things up. Linda's really looking forward to shopping in Paris. We thought we might stop in London as well for a while."

"When are you leaving?" Ellie asked.

"Immediately. I found a flight out today, actually, and I can tell that Linda is in better spirits already. That's why she asked me to call. She obviously needs to take some time off, and she hopes that you can find someone to cover for her."

"How long will you be gone?" Ellie's head was spinning.

"That's the other thing. We have no desire to rush our trip. The time away will help Linda clear her head, but I don't know how long it'll take for her to feel better and she'll want to come home. So the answer is indefinitely," Randall answered.

"Indefinitely...I'm just really surprised, Randall. Can I speak to Linda, please?" Ellie asked.

"Unfortunately, she's not up for taking a call right now, Ellie. I'm sure she will phone you once we reach Paris, though. She wanted to know if you would be willing to watch the house while we're gone. You were the first one to come to mind. She thought you might gain some positive energy by changing up your environment as well. Of course we'll take care of all the utilities and things, and we'll make sure that the kitchen is stocked while we are away. It'd be the least we could do, for you taking care of the place."

"Me?" Ellie said faintly. "Of course, if that's what Linda wants..."

"Excellent. That's settled, then. I'll send a courier over with the keys and the other paperwork you'll need. Linda sends her love and as I said, I'm sure she'll be talking to you soon," Randall said. "As always it was a delight talking to you, Ellie."

"How can I reach you?" Ellie said to a dial tone. Randall's last words turned her stomach. He hadn't said anything inappropriate, but it was just the way he said it. Her friends' comments from the night before popped up in her mind.

"What is going on there?" Kevin said. He was sitting on his knees looking over the back of the coach expectantly.

"That was Randall. He's taking Linda to Europe. Indefinitely. And Linda wants me to stay at the house while they are gone," Ellie said.

"What?" Kevin exclaimed. "Sit down here and tell me everything he said. Word for word."

After Ellie had finished relaying the conversation, Kevin sat back down with a whistle. They sat in silence for a few minutes staring into the fire.

"This all gets stranger by the minute," he finally said. "So they are going to courier over the keys?" At Ellie's nod he continued, "Doesn't that seem a bit strange to you? Why don't they drop the keys off here on their way to the airport?"

"Sounds like they are in hurry," Ellie said.

"He didn't say how to reach them either?" Kevin asked. "Call him back, Ellie. Talk to Linda. This just seems like craziness to me."

"Good idea," Ellie said. She walked back over to the phone and dialed Linda's number. She shook her head at Kevin. "No answer, and the answering machine isn't picking up."

She and Kevin looked at each other with unanswered questions hanging heavy in the air.

# CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The next morning Ellie and Kevin related the strange turn of events to Melanie.

"Europe? Indefinitely?" Melanie was just as shocked as they were.

"I know. It just seemed so sudden. Not like Linda at all," Ellie said, shaking her head. "It was like Randall just took over. I couldn't get a word in edgewise."

"Well, you did eventually talk to her, right?" Melanie looked at both of them. "You mean, you didn't even get to talk to her?" She slammed her palm on the table and her usual orange aura was tinged with red.

"We did go over there. When we couldn't reach her on the phone," Kevin said. "There was no answer at the door. I guess they must have left right after they called Ellie."

Melanie looked at Ellie, who nodded in confirmation.

"We tried to reach her, we did," Ellie said. She felt terrible and could feel tears of frustration burning in her eyes. "But in the end there wasn't anything else we could do."

"Okay, then." Melanie sighed. "We'll keep the home fires burning, so to speak, and hopefully she'll call us from this whirlwind vacation. Of course, that's assuming nothing bad has happened to her."

The three of them sat in silence.

Finally Melanie cleared her throat. "So what are you going to do, Ellie? This changes things for you a bit. You are short an employee and now it appears you have a household to look after."

At that moment the door of shop opened, bringing a cool burst of air in and a few remaining leaves that had been left on the sidewalk outside. Ellie stood and squinted. She knew the man who stood there. It was Jeffrey, the butler from Linda's party.

"Mr....ah, Jeffrey," she said. "Can I help you with something?"

The older man smiled, clearly pleased that she had remembered him. He walked over to her and surprised Ellie as he grasped her hands in a warm clasp. Ellie looked closely at him. Strange. He didn't appear to have an aura either. Ellie was dumbfounded. Was there something about the people in Linda's life that made them invisible to her?

"Actually, I'm here to help you, young lady," he said.

"Me? Do you know how to reach Linda?" she asked in a rush, the absence of an aura forgotten.

His smile slipped a fraction. "Unfortunately, I don't know how to reach Mrs. Jordan. Mr. McGinty assured me she is in the best of hands and was greatly looking forward to her trip."

"So you spoke with Randall too?" Ellie saw him nod his head and sighed. "I see. I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Linda after what happened that night. You said you were here to help me. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. McGinty knows that since I retired I have a lot more free time on my hands. I used to be employed at one of the finest dining establishments downtown. I was there for thirty years and was able to make a decent living. Put my kids through college and all. That's why Mrs. Jordan always asked me to help out overseeing her dinner parties and the like," Jeffrey explained.

Ellie had no idea where he was going with his story as he rambled on. She smiled encouragingly and tried to look interested, hoping he got to the point soon.

"Mr. McGinty knew that by taking Mrs. Jordan to Europe he was leaving you with a hole in your employee roster. He wants to be sure that the spot is still here when Mrs. Jordan returns," he said.

"Of course, I wouldn't give her job away. She's welcome back when she gets back to town," Ellie said, although he brought up an issue that had been nagging her in the back of her mind. Linda's abrupt departure left her in an awkward situation. She wasn't looking forward to finding the right person as temporary help that she would essentially be forced to let go once Linda returned. She thought she was finally starting to catch Jeffrey's drift.

"Randall asked you to come and work for me, didn't he? So that Linda wouldn't have to worry about losing her job," Ellie finished for him. Randall's taking care of things quite neatly, she thought.

"That's right," Jeffrey said in agreement. "I don't mind. I'm happy to help and having a job, even temporarily, will be a nice change for me. Plus I think the wife is pleased as punch to get me out of the house for a while," he said, his eyes twinkling. Ellie saw that they were dark gray, a rather unusual color; almost hypnotic.

"It seems that Randall thought of everything," she said, and for once she didn't worry about trying to censor the sarcasm in her tone. She was damn tired of Randall McGinty's interference in her life.

"He just wants what is best for Mrs. Jordan. One less thing to worry about, so she can focus on getting better," Jeffrey said.

"Sounds like everyone is getting their 'change of pace' in this arrangement," Melanie said dryly to Kevin.

"This does seem to have solved my problem, Jeffrey." Ellie gave in. "Welcome to the team. When can you start?"

"Excellent!" Jeffrey seemed delighted. "I can start immediately, of course."

"Well, that's great." Ellie was less enthusiastic but she had to admit that this turn of events was a great relief. "Kevin, can you show Jeffrey where he can put his jacket and hat?"

Kevin nodded and after a moment's pause, Jeffrey followed him into the back room.

Ellie sat back down across from Melanie.

"Another fascinating plot turn," Melanie said thoughtfully. "So far, though, you've been quite the beneficiary of this strange plot twist."

"What do you mean?" Ellie didn't care for Melanie's tone of voice or the direction she was going.

"The party on Saturday night? That was just a fancy excuse for you to hook up with the handsome doctor." Melanie gestured toward the door as if David was going to walk through it at any minute. "Linda leaves you in charge of her grand house, all expenses paid, and you could be living there for who only knows how long. Then you have an employee neatly provided for you to cover Linda's spot. It just seems all very convenient for you." Melanie was pulling out her notebook even as she was speaking. "And we all know how Randall seems to favor you."

"You make it sound like I had planned all of this." Ellie was mortified at the turn of conversation. "Linda is my friend, and sure she planned that party because I think she worried about me. I guess I've been a bit...depressed lately, and everyone seems to think the answers to all my problems can be solved by having a man in my life," she said. "And everything else is just a coincidence. I'm helping Linda, and she helped me by asking Jeffrey to help out."

"But from the sound of everything, Linda didn't ask you a single thing. Randall did," Melanie reminded her.

"We both know that lately they seem to be one and the same whether we like it or not." Ellie was starting to get testy. She didn't like Melanie's logic for one second.

"Yes, whether we like it or not. There haven't been a lot of options in the last twenty-four hours, have there?" Melanie agreed. "Our friend has been spirited away, and we are left to man the ship."

"Yes, and we will, for Linda." Ellie's words were much more confident than how she actually felt.

"Of course, dear." Melanie picked up her pen and stuck it in the corner of her mouth. "I'm getting some great stuff out of all this, though. I think I'm going to write for a while, while it's all still fresh in here." She tapped her pen to her forehead.

"All right." Ellie got up from the table. "I've got a new employee to train anyway."

Melanie was already scratching away in her notebook, and murmured a dismissal. Ellie didn't know what else the day would bring, but the work was always there. So she decided it would be best to focus on that for a while instead. 

# CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The afternoon came quickly, and Ellie was pleased to discover that Jeffrey was a quick study. Plus he was great with the customers, especially the ladies, who seemed to be drawn to his easy laugh and quick wit. Ellie would look at him through the corner of her eye as they worked, and she could see how he had been quite the charmer when he was younger. His age had not affected his ability to flirt in the slightest. The tip jar was fuller than Ellie remembered it being in quite a while.

"I think you've got the hang of it, Jeffrey," she said to him wryly after another dollar bill was slipped into the tip jar.

"You are too kind, Ms. Ellie," he replied. "I am here to offer the most pleasurable experience possible. I am happy when the customers are happy."

"No need to add the Ms. Please call me Ellie," she said and held out her hand.

He paused and then took it. "As you wish, Ellie."

She grinned at him and then saw Kevin standing behind Jeffrey with a disgruntled look on his face. She laughed and went over to him, giving him a big hug. "C'mon, Kevin. You know that no one can replace your dashing good looks and charm around here."

Jeffrey made busy work wiping a rag across the counter, clearly giving Ellie and Kevin some space. She wondered if he had perfected that in the restaurant he worked in or doing the odd favor for Linda.

"I've never had competition around here," Kevin sniffed. "That's why I always chose to work in female-dominated work places. Plus female bosses are by far the best." He nudged Ellie's arm.

"In that I do agree with you, Kevin," Jeffrey said, his pretense apparently over. Ellie noticed there was no "Mr." in front of Kevin's name. She saw just the slightest tightness around his eyes and wondered how an old-fashioned man like Jeffrey was dealing with the fact that Kevin was gay. It was something he'd have to work out, she finally decided. Kevin wasn't going anywhere, and as long as he believed this was what Linda wanted, she knew Jeffrey wasn't either.

In her concentration, she failed to notice the man standing at the counter, and apparently Jeffrey and Kevin had been equally in thought, because they hadn't either.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ellie said, stepping to the counter. "What can I get for you?"

She saw that the man was dressed in biker attire and had a thick envelope in his hands.

"I'm looking for Elizabeth Coulter," the man said.

"That's me," she said. She realized that this was the courier that Randall had promised. A clipboard was shoved under her nose, and she signed next to her name. Once the envelope was in her hands, the man turned and left without another word.

"A rather rude young man," Jeffrey noted from behind her as the door closed behind the courier.

Ellie studied the envelope. Her name was written on it in Linda's elegant penmanship.

"So the keys have arrived," Kevin said as if holding his breath.

Ellie shook the envelope slightly and heard the jingle of metal. "Apparently so."

"Are you going to open it or what?" Kevin asked impatiently.

"I will later. It's not like I can go over there now or anything. Plus Randall said something about documents that I might need, so I want to look everything over when I have a minute to breathe."

As Kevin opened his mouth to argue, three customers walked through the door. Then four more. Then two more after that. There wasn't any more time to talk about abrupt leave-takings, rude couriers, or mysterious envelopes and Ellie was grateful.

That evening Ellie approached Linda's house cautiously with Skipper at her side and the keys dangling in her gloved hand. She gave a yelp as a dark shadow jumped out from behind a tree next to the sidewalk.

"Hey, gorgeous!" Kevin said with a smirk on his face.

"Kevin! You scared the crap out of me!" she said, holding her throat and silently willing her heartbeat to slow down. She wondered how long he had been waiting for her.

"Sorry. Seriously, I didn't mean to do that." Kevin looked abashed. He looked pointedly at Skipper. "Some watchdog you are." Skipper sat and cocked his head at Kevin.

"I've taught him not to bark at people while we are out on walks since the lake is always so busy," Ellie explained. "What are you doing here, Kevin?"

"Did you think I'd let you explore this lovely mansion all by yourself? Not a chance." Kevin crossed his arms.

"Linda asked me to watch the house, Kevin. There was no joint effort mentioned. Plus it's not like I'm going to go rummaging through all of her things," Ellie said, rolling her eyes. She and Kevin had had this same conversation probably twenty times that day.

"Hey, I didn't say anything about helping you out. I just want to see the inside of this baby." Kevin shrugged.

Ellie realized that he wasn't going to budge until he got what he wanted. "Fine, fine, fine!" she said irritably. "I'm tired of arguing with you about this."

"You're finally making some sense now." Kevin stroked her arm and she glared at him. He appeared completely unfazed by her outburst. "So are we going to go in or stand out here freezing our butts off?"

Ellie turned without a word and continued up the driveway with Skipper at her side. Kevin dashed ahead and ran up the concrete steps. At the top he made a small turn on the patio with his arms outstretched. If he'd had a cap, Ellie thought he might have done a Mary Tyler Moore impression. Then he stood tapping his foot impatiently at the door as she climbed the steps onto the patio. She looked up and down the length of it, taking in the empty dark windows.

"Seems so different from the other night," she remarked.

"No one's home this time," Kevin said, stating the obvious. Ellie kicked his shin and he cried out. "Hey, that's not nice!"

"Get over it," Ellie said under her breath. She was suddenly in no mood for company, although Kevin's presence was still comforting at some level. She was sure that was because she was about to enter someone else's house, and would have to start evaluating how to make it feel like her own for the time being. She had to admit, though, that living inside such a beautiful place, if even for a short time, made her feel almost like royalty.

Kevin sulked and looked out at the lake as she fumbled for the right key. She tried two of them before finding the one that answered the call with a small click. She swung the heavy French doors open and stepped inside, flipping the light switch next to the door. Kevin was right on her heels. She stopped suddenly and Kevin ran into her back.

"Hey, what's up?' he asked.

Ellie looked down at Skipper, who had also followed them in. "I think I may leave Skipper out on the patio while we do a first pass around the house. Keep him out of trouble. I'd also hate for him to have an accident."

Kevin shrugged in agreement. She guided Skipper back onto the porch and over to one of the wrought iron chairs that was sitting to the left of the front door. She slid the end of his leash around the chair leg, and then contemplated if that would hold him if he decided to run. Skipper sat obediently on the porch and looked at her as if in reassurance.

"Okay, we'll try this. Just hang out for a few minutes, okay?" Ellie said to him. In response, Skipper lay down with his head between his front paws. It was good enough for Ellie, knowing she wouldn't be gone long. She joined Kevin in the front foyer again. "The beast has been taken care of for the moment."

"Can we get on with this now?' Kevin pleaded like a little kid.

"Yes," Ellie finally agreed. She removed her gloves and was surprised at how cool the air was. "They must have turned the furnace down before they left. It's pretty chilly in here."

"I'm sure the heating bills for this place are monstrous," Kevin commented, looking around and then up at the chandelier hanging above them. Ellie remembered she had been entranced with it the night of the party.

Ellie saw a thermostat on a wall to the right of the staircase and walked over to inspect it. "Fifty degrees, no wonder," she said softly. "How far do you think I should turn this up?" she asked Kevin.

"No idea," he said, looking over her shoulder. "Maybe you could set it at like sixty-eight degrees, and then shut the vents in the rooms that aren't being used. That should help conserve something."

"That's a good idea, Kevin." She smiled at him. "Then I won't feel so bad about the heating bill if it is a bit more expensive. I'm going to feel silly anyway puttering around in this huge house by myself."

"I know of two fabulous gentlemen who would be delighted to join you anytime for a hot toddy in front of the fireplace in the library," Kevin said with a mock old-fashioned accent.

Ellie laughed. "I do appreciate that, Kevin. You and Eric are going to be welcome over here anytime," she said, giving him a quick squeeze on the arm. Her mood was finally lightening. "Let's go check the rest of the place out."

"Goody!" Kevin squealed. They ran like kids around the bottom floor of the house, flipping on lights and yelling back and forth to each other checking off an imaginary list.

"Kitchen!" Ellie heard Kevin's muffled voice from the back of the house.

"Library!" she yelled back, standing in front of the fireplace where they had all stood just two nights before. It seemed like a long time ago.

"Dining room!" was Kevin's response.

Ellie spotted a set of pocket doors at the front of the library and rushed over, pushing them open. She was in the front room overlooking the lake, and she could see Skipper patiently waiting outside. In the center of the room was a large mahogany desk.

"Office!" she called out.

"Sitting room!" Kevin's voice was louder this time.

Ellie turned to her left and opened the solid mahogany door there. She was in the front entryway again and Kevin was standing in the doorway directly across the hall, his hands still on the matching pocket doors.

"So that makes what--five rooms downstairs?" Ellie asked.

"Not counting the breezeway to the garage and a fantastic-looking solarium, I think so. There was a small hallway off the kitchen as well that looked like it went back to a pantry," Kevin replied. "I can picture you now having your morning coffee on the front patio looking out at the lake. I'm sure there's a door to the basement around here somewhere too."

Ellie wrinkled her nose. "I'm completely fine if I don't have to go into the basement the entire time I stay here."

"Okay," Kevin said. He shifted his eyes to the staircase. "Upstairs?"

Ellie gave a small grin, and they both took off running at the same time, jostling each other as they climbed the stairs, each one wanting to arrive at the top first. As they reached the landing, Ellie ran up the right side and Kevin the left side, and they were again facing each other, although this time they were separated by the wide opening to the first floor. The second floor wrapped around three sides of the foyer, and they were looking directly at the chandelier. There was another staircase against the back that climbed to the third level.

Kevin started counting. "One, two, three, four , five, six doors."

"You can count," Ellie said dryly.

"Cut it out," he said. He pointed at the other staircase. "I think we should go all the way up and then come back down."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

Kevin shrugged. "Why not?"

Since Ellie had no response, Kevin took it for agreement and started up the stairs, which were on his side. Ellie crossed back over the landing and followed. At the top of the stairs they passed a small door and then turned, and Ellie gasped. They were facing a large span of windows at the front of the house, and the view of the lake at this height was stunning.

"Whoa, that is some view," Kevin said after a moment. "I think we should check out the door on the right."

"Why there?" Ellie dragged her glance away from the lake and looked questioningly at him.

"Because that's the one that has the sign that says 'Ellie's room' on it," Kevin replied, pointing at the door. "Guess they didn't want you sleeping in their bed." He gave her a lurid wink.

"That's just disgusting to even think about, Kevin." Ellie pushed him aside and headed for the door. She paused just a moment with her hand on the doorknob. Her name was written in Linda's distinctive hand. She turned the knob and pushed the door open.

Her hand found the light switch next to the door, and she flipped it. She and Kevin gasped together. The room was huge and decorated in a style that Ellie could only classify as old-fashioned romantic. A king-size canopy bed was the room's centerpiece, and the white furniture that accented it had just the softest tinge of pink. The walls were wallpapered in a striped pattern of alternating pinks with white and gold accents. The stripes stopped at a border underneath the crown molding, where delicate flowers seemed to be alive. The bed itself was draped in white lace and the bedspread and shams had the same soft pink tinge as the furniture. A heavy white rug covered the wood floor and promised warm toes in the morning when Ellie would slip out of bed.

Ellie went over and sat in the chair facing the oval mirror on the make-up stand. She ran her hands across the surface and then looked at her face. There were wrinkles there that she didn't remember. "I look old," she said as she touched the corners of her eyes.

"No, you don't. You're not even thirty-five yet. You are in your prime," Kevin admonished.

Ellie hadn't realized that she had spoken those words out loud. She turned in the chair and then rose. She went over to the chaise lounge sitting under the double-wide windows that faced the lake. The moon was just starting to rise and she could see herself sitting there watching the water. A delicate crocheted blanket covered the back of the chaise, and Ellie ran her hand absently across it.

"This is like out of a dream," she said finally.

"Now we just need to organize your debutante ball and find you a husband," Kevin joked.

Ellie looked at him. "Linda didn't have any kids, right?"

"You know that as well as I do, especially after that drama the other night," Kevin said.

"Have you ever heard Randall mention having children?" Ellie asked.

Kevin rolled his eyes in response. "Could you imagine having Randall for a father? Gross."

"This just seems too fancy for a guest room. This room feels like it has a purpose; like it belonged to someone."

Kevin shrugged his shoulders. "As of today it belongs to you."

Ellie wasn't sure why, but his comment gave her an unsettled feeling in her stomach. "Let's go look at the rest of the place," she said.

She led Kevin out of the room and closed the door behind her, feeling relieved. They crossed the hallway and stood in front of the opaque French doors across from her room.

"Okay, here goes," Ellie said, and she swung the doors open. The room was pitch black. She fumbled on the wall next to the doors and finally found the light switch. She flipped it, and she and Kevin were greeted by a huge empty room. The room was even larger than Ellie's. Heavy dark drapes covered the windows, completely blocking out any natural light.

"What in the hell? Isn't this the master bedroom?" Kevin said, turning and looking back over his shoulder at the hallway.

"Why would Linda keep this room empty?" Ellie asked. She walked over to the window and pushed the curtains open. The view of the lake was even better here than it was in her room.

Kevin stroked his chin as he moved to the center of the room. "It just doesn't quite have the same homey feel when it's a big empty cavern, does it?"

"This is all so weird, Kevin," Ellie finally said. "Why isn't there any furniture in here? Do you think Linda uses a different room down on the second level? This whole situation is getting stranger and stranger. You don't think anything happened in here, do you, Kevin?"

Kevin sighed and rolled his eyes again. "Oh well, so it's an empty room. Big deal. Maybe Linda moved downstairs after Lloyd passed away because she didn't want to be reminded of him or something. I'm sure there are a million different explanations, Ellie, none of which are the slightest bit strange."

"You're right, Kevin." Ellie felt embarrassed now. "I'm jumping to stupid conclusions. I just remember Melanie making the silly comment that maybe Randall did something to her since I didn't actually talk to her. You're right, I'm sure there is a very logical explanation."

Kevin came to her side and put his arm around her. "That's right. We are all getting a little carried away with stories lately. Linda's in Paris living her life and having a fantastic time. And we should do the same. Let's go check out the rest of the rooms."

As they pulled the doors closed on the master bedroom, Ellie pointed to the door they had passed next to the staircase. "What's that?" she said, pointing.

"Let's go find out!" Kevin said. He went over to the door and threw it open, peering inside. "Okay, this is creepy."

Ellie looked over his shoulder. They were at the top of a metal staircase that curled downwards into a deep gloom. It had a musty smell that reminded Ellie of something that she'd rather forget. It smelled like the basement of Jake's house. Kevin looked at Ellie and she shook her head. "No, thanks. That is one secret that can stay that way for now."

"Ah, come on, Ellie. Where's your sense of adventure? We may come out behind some big clock downstairs or something," Kevin joked.

"Or maybe we'll find a dead body." Ellie wrinkled her nose. "Uh-uh. I'm no Nancy Drew. I'm sticking with the regular staircase."

Kevin shrugged as if to say her loss, but he didn't argue any further. He followed her back down to the second level.

They quickly looked through the rest of the rooms that lined either side of the landing. Closer inspection revealed four bedrooms that were tastefully decorated, but had no real personality. There was a bathroom on either side as well. None of the rooms felt like they were being used.

Their inspection was cut short as they heard a commotion downstairs, and then Skipper barking furiously. "I bet he saw something and knocked that chair over!" Ellie headed down the stairs as quickly as she could; she flew out onto the front patio with Kevin right behind her.

Skipper stopped barking as soon as he saw her, but her assumption had been correct. He had managed to knock over the chair and was standing in the middle of the patio, apparently barking at the front door.

Ellie bent down and patted his head. "I'm sorry, buddy. I didn't mean to leave you out here so long. You were a good boy, though. You stayed right here and didn't run off. I'm proud of you."

Kevin had his hand on his chest. "That dog just scared the crap out of me and you're proud of him? Whatever."

Ellie readjusted the chair with Skipper's leash under the chair leg once again. "I'm done here for the evening. We just need to go turn off the lights and then I want to head home."

"You aren't staying here tonight?" Kevin asked.

"No, I didn't bring any of my stuff over anyway. I wanted to check the place out so I knew what I needed to bring with me." Ellie sniffed. What was that she smelled? She followed her nose back into the house and stopped in the foyer. On the beautiful antique bureau just to the left of the doorway there was a vase of blooming red roses with a note next to them.

"Wow, those smell terrific!" Kevin said, pushing Ellie aside. He stuck his nose into the very center of the bouquet and breathed deeply.

"Kevin, did you see those when we first came in?" Ellie asked.

"Nope, otherwise I would have had one stuck behind my ear the whole time," Kevin said with a devilish grin.

Ellie was confused. She looked around at the room. The monstrous front doors, when opened, would have partially blocked the bureau from view as they entered. Still, it seemed odd to Ellie that she hadn't smelled the flowers before given how fragrant they seemed to be.

Ellie picked up the note that was sitting next to the vase and opened it. "Our regards to our dear friend. Thank you again for being there in our time of need. Love, Randall and Linda," she read out loud

"They sure like you," Kevin said sarcastically.

"Never mind that. I'm still surprised we didn't see these before." Ellie pointed at the vase again.

"Oww. Magically appearing red roses. How freaky is that, I ask you?" Kevin said, wiggling his fingers in the air in the imitation of a ghost.

"Cut it out, Kevin. I'm serious," she said.

"Ellie," he said plaintively. "There is no mystery here. We just didn't see them when we walked in because we were so distracted by wanting to take a look around the ole place. You are letting that agent's silly story mess with you. Let's get you out of here. I think you need some rest."

They quickly turned off the lights around the house and when they stood in the foyer again, Kevin pointed at the flowers. "Are you going to take those?"

"No, you can have them," she said.

"Eric will be so happy!" Kevin was delighted. "I won't tell him that I didn't actually buy them so you can't tell him either."

Ellie pulled the door closed behind them and locked the door. She pulled Skipper's leash from beneath the chair leg and then the three of them headed down the sidewalk to the street.

Ellie turned and looked back at the house. In the darkness it felt like it was watching her. She shivered.

# CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ellie got back to her apartment and dropped her jacket and the house keys in the usual spot. She picked up the phone receiver and heard the tone indicating she had a message. She punched in her code. An electronic voice told her that she actually had two messages. Ellie couldn't remember the last time she had that many messages in one day. She hit the button to play the first one.

"Umm, hi, Ellie, it's David." His deep voice sounded uncertain in a totally flirtatious sort of way. "I was just giving you a call to see how you've been. I've been swamped at the hospital. In fact, I'm just on break right now. I'm working late, but I'll try to stop by the coffee shop on my way home tomorrow morning. We have to pick a time for that date." Ellie knew she heard a smile in his voice now. "Anyway, I hope you're having a good evening, and I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."

Ellie was ecstatic that he had called so soon, and sounded eager to see her again. She was warming toward the idea of dating more and more, and there had been a small nagging in the back of her mind that maybe he wouldn't call her. She had to admit that it was a bit thrilling that a handsome young doctor was vying for her attention.

The smile slipped from her face as the next message started. "Ellie, it's Jake. I know you probably don't want to talk to me, but I really want to talk to you. I need to talk to you. Will you please call me back? If we could just meet for dinner or something, that would be great. I promise, no fighting whatsoever. I hope to hear from you soon."

For once, Ellie could not detect an ounce of alcohol in Jake's voice. He sounded stone cold sober, and just like the old Jake. She wasn't sure what to think about that, but she knew that she wasn't interested in meeting up with her ex-husband, no matter what the circumstances. She deleted the message, and then deleted it from her mind as well.

The next morning brought a new argument with Kevin. "We need to get you into the twenty-first century, Ellie, seriously." He was looking at the mountains of paperwork all over her desk. She usually took the most important ones to the front and worked on those in the relative quiet of the shop because when she worked in her office, she felt the silent screams from the ink on all the pages: "Read me! Look at me! How can you keep ignoring me?"

"What are you talking about, Kevin?" she said as she ran her hand through her hair. She felt tired, and she could tell by Kevin's expression that she looked it too. She had not slept well, nightmares marring her dream landscape. She couldn't remember what they were about, but she had woken up feeling uneasy.

"Technology. That's what I am talking about. That dinosaur you have sitting there and never use that I think is older than I am," he said, pointing at the massive desktop computer that took up half of Ellie's desk. "You need a laptop. A cell phone would be a good idea too," he said in frustration.

"We've been through this before, Kevin," she calmly explained again. "I'm used to doing most of this by hand, and I've got a system that works for me. This isn't that hard. What would I do with a computer at home? And having a cell phone just means that people I don't want to talk to can reach me more easily. I already talk to everyone I want to talk to right here every day." She crossed her arms over her chest. Ellie didn't know why, but there had always been a part of her that strongly opposed technology.

"Having a computer at work will help simplify this mess." Kevin's gaze took in the whole room. "You can't tell me your accountant didn't charge you more last year because he had to sort through all your reams of paper."

Ellie shifted uncomfortably. She hated it when Kevin was right.

"A computer at home means you can do some of the work you do here from home. That also means that you don't need to be here six days a week like you are now. Having a cell phone may come in handy when you are staying at Linda's. Plus with things getting a little hairy again with Jake, it might not be a bad idea for your own safety, Ellie." Kevin looked away, and she could tell he didn't like bringing up the idea that she would need it to be safe. She had told him about Jake's latest message.

As much as she didn't like it, she knew that everything Kevin said was true. She had been stubbornly avoiding the expense because she really thought that it was unnecessary. But one look around her office told her that with the business growing, things were out of control and she needed to do something soon.

"All right, I'll consider it," she said.

"Eric could help you pick out the right things if you wanted some help. He's such a techno geek," Kevin gushed, making it sound like that quality was one of the sexiest ones a man could have.

"We'll see," Ellie said. She wasn't going to be bullied into it.

Jeffrey appeared behind Kevin and looked over his shoulder at Ellie. "Ellie, there is a young man out front who asked to speak to you."

Ellie and Kevin grinned at each other. Ellie looked at her watch. It was seven a.m., so David was right on time. She giggled as Kevin started smoothing her hair and clothes for her. He nodded that she was ready. She walked out front, ready to greet David with a smile.

The smile quickly disappeared. Jake stood on the other side of the counter.

"Ellie, I've been trying to reach you," he said quietly but firmly, looking furtively around the room. Ellie hadn't seen Jake in months, but she had to admit that he looked good, although the dark rings underneath his eyes and slightly pea-color aura around him said that trouble was lurking around the corner. But he looked better than he had when they had split up. He had put back on the weight he had lost, and he was dressed in a dark blue polo shirt and tan khakis. She was mildly surprised because Jake usually wore a T-shirt and jeans for work. She was relieved that he appeared sober.

"We don't have anything to talk about, Jake. We're divorced now," she replied just as firmly.

"Just because we're divorced shouldn't mean we can't be civil. Can we just talk for a minute, please?" he pleaded.

Ellie realized that he wasn't going to go away, as much as she wanted him to. To show up at the coffee shop, on her turf, spoke volumes about the lengths he was willing to go. She finally nodded, and pointed to a table in the corner near the front.

"Go sit over there. I'll be right over."

Jake's face broke into a brilliant smile and his aura turned almost white. Disarmed, Ellie almost smiled back. Then she remembered where they had been, and she forced the smile back. He headed for the table.

"What the hell is he doing here?" she heard Kevin snarl behind her. She turned and placed her hands on his chest.

"I don't know. But avoiding him isn't working. So I'm going to go over there and talk to him for a few minutes. Hopefully, if he gets out what he is so determined to tell me he'll go away." She spoke in a low tone so that Jake wouldn't be able to overhear.

"You just wave if you need me to come over there and kick his ass," Kevin said.

Ellie saw Jeffrey behind Kevin with his eyebrow raised, and she knew he was thinking the same thing she was: there was no way that Kevin would be able to kick anyone's ass, much less Jake's.

"Thanks, Kevin." She patted him on the arm. She moved to go around the counter and found David standing there at the register. In the commotion, they had missed him coming in. Her heart sank. David's timing was horrible.

"Hey, Ellie," he said with a bright smile.

"Hi, David." She gulped, trying not to panic. Warning bells were going off in her head, but she had to stay calm.

"Did you get my message last night?" he asked. He seemed nervous, which any other time Ellie would have found endearing and sweet.

"Uh, yes. I did. But right now isn't the best time to talk, David." She watched his face fall, so she dropped her voice to a low whisper. "My ex-husband just showed up and wants to talk to me."

David's eyes widened and then narrowed. "You okay? Where is he?" His head swung around and it only took a moment for him to find Jake sitting at the corner table. He was the only customer in the place who was the right age.

Ellie reached across the counter and put her hand on his arm to get his attention again. "Yes, so I'll have to talk to you later, okay?" Her eyes pleaded with him. She watched him nod slowly.

Ellie looked back at Kevin and gestured toward David. "Can you help me out here, please, Kevin? I'll be back in a few minutes."

Kevin scowled at her, but moved to the counter. Ellie heard hushed voices behind her, but she couldn't worry about that. She had to focus on the man in front of her whose aura was starting to glow a deep red.

"What's the deal with this guy?" David said in a low tone to Kevin as he watched Ellie move over to table in the corner.

"I don't know why she puts up with him, seriously," Kevin replied. He leaned in toward David.

"Do I have anything to worry about there?" David didn't know how to ask the question the right way other than just being blunt. He didn't know if Ellie's ex was a factor or not and he was looking for an honest answer. He needed to know if he was wasting his time; the thought alarmed him.

"There is nothing to worry about there." Kevin shook his head. "That is old news. He was so bad to Ellie it isn't even funny. But after eight years I think she feels sorry for him. It has been hard for her to let go because she feels guilty."

"How so?" David asked.

"That isn't my story to tell," Kevin said apologetically. "Just hang in there. She's totally into you."

David could only hope that Kevin was right.

# CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jake's foot was tapping on the floor. Ellie's stomach tightened as she sat down across from him. She needed to control the situation and get Jake out of there before he caused a scene. She could see that he was seething just under the surface.

"Who is that guy?" he asked. He tilted his head in David's direction. "You seemed pretty cozy with him."

"He's a regular here, Jake," she said slowly. She couldn't let him get distracted by David. "What's this all about? I'm here now. Why have you been harassing me?"

"I wouldn't call a few phone calls harassment. Really, Ellie, you always over-exaggerate. So you dating him or something?" Jake continued to push.

"If I was that would be none of your business," Ellie said. She moved to try to catch Jake's eyes, but couldn't because his gaze was fixed on David's back. The air around him seemed electrified.

"Didn't take you long to go jump in bed with some other guy." Jake scowled.

Before she could react his face twisted into a nasty grimace that she recognized all too well. "Jake," she warned, but it was too late.

Jake sprang up from the table and Ellie dashed behind him, trying to grab his arm. Jake shook her off easily.

"Jake!" she said again, louder than she meant to.

Now they had the attention of everyone in the shop, including David.

David turned from the counter and gave Jake a slow once-over, and then he relaxed with his left hand on the counter and his coffee in his other hand. His stance said he wasn't intimidated by Jake in the slightest, but Ellie could see just the faintest hint of pink around his normal blue aura. David was keeping a tight rein on his emotions, but his expression spoke volumes. He wasn't going to let someone push him around.

Although Jake was practically in his face, David looked instead at Ellie and asked, "Ellie, is there a problem?"

"Hell, yes, there's a problem," Jake growled. "Keep your distance from my wife."

"Ex-wife, I believe," David said. He calmly took a sip of his coffee without wavering in Jake's heated glance.

David held Ellie's eyes and stared into them deeply. It was reassuring. She could sense that he was telling her it would be okay. She wanted to believe him, but she knew Jake. When he got like this, things got ugly. The back of her head started to throb as if to remind her.

"Goddammit! I don't know who you are, but you are sniffing around somewhere you don't belong." Jake stepped even closer to David and shoved a finger in his face.

"I think you'd better take a step back and keep that finger out of my face. Nobody wants any trouble here," David said.

Ellie saw disaster in the making. "Jake, I need you to leave," she said, wedging herself in between the two men. She put her hands on Jake's chest and pushed him backward. She had no idea how he'd react to her doing it, but she couldn't let him take his anger out on David. "Or else I'm going to call the cops."

"It's already done!" Kevin's voice came from the back room. He emerged with the phone in his hand and waggled it in Jake's direction.

Jake looked at Ellie, and then at Kevin. Ellie could tell that he was fighting some kind of internal battle; his features tightened and relaxed several times. Then he let out a huge breath, but Ellie couldn't see a change in his aura at all. Jake was still pissed, but he was in control.

"Fine. I just wanted to talk to you, Ellie. But I see how things are. Oh yes. I've got a good idea now." Then he turned and stalked to the door.

He paused just inside the door even though sirens could clearly be heard now. Then he turned and pointed straight at David. "Don't think I'll forget about you." He shoved through the door and hurried down the sidewalk. Within moments he was out of sight.

Ellie released her breath, not even realizing that she had been holding it. She turned to David, who was still calmly watching the front door. "God, David, I'm so sorry for that," she said to him.

"Don't worry about it, Ellie. Guys like that don't scare me," he said. He was so relaxed that Ellie was envious.

"I hope you aren't mad," Kevin said from the other side of the counter. "As soon as I saw him get up with that evil glint in his eye I knew there would be trouble."

"No, Kevin, I'm not mad. It was probably for the best. Who knows what he would have tried to do otherwise, if he hadn't felt forced to leave. Jake always liked a good bar brawl." Ellie said. She felt so tired all the sudden.

A police car pulled up in front of the shop with its red lights flashing. Ellie hoped Jake was long gone. As much as Jake scared her, she didn't relish the idea of him going to jail.

David watched as Ellie spoke with the police officers, assuring them that everything was fine now. They asked a few more questions and with some prodding from Kevin she confessed everything that had been recently occurring with Jake. David was starting to see why Ellie was so reserved. It sounded like her ex-husband had sent her to hell and back, and now it seemed like the guy was back intending on an encore performance.

After the officers finished taking her statement, Ellie gave them free coffee to thank them for the trouble. David walked with her back outside and they watched the squad car pull away.

"They told me that I might want to consider a restraining order," she said. She sounded defeated.

"Isn't a bad idea, I think," David said. He didn't need to hear anything else to know that Jake was bad news. He wanted to keep Ellie safe. She didn't resist as David pulled her into his arms. Immediately her shoulders started to heave, and she sobbed quietly against his chest.

"I'm so sorry," she said a few minutes later after the sobs had subsided. He was pleased that she didn't move away.

Kevin had told him that she wasn't still hung up on her ex, and he wanted to believe that. He felt certain that his and Ellie's futures were intertwined.

As she looked up at him, he pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Don't apologize. You've been through a lot, and that jackass isn't helping matters if he won't leave you alone."

"I feel so lost sometimes. Things are so complicated. When are they going to get better?" Ellie asked softly.

"Let's start with today, and tomorrow will work itself out," David said. He kissed her gently on the forehead. He hoped that she would realize worrying about things out of her control would just drive her crazy.

She pushed away from David and wiped her eyes. Then they both realized that everyone inside the shop was doing their best to be completely pasted to the window.

"Oh my gosh! You must be so embarrassed. You end up with a crazy, hysterical woman on your hands and all you wanted was a cup of coffee," Ellie said, staring at the ground.

David put his hand beneath her chin and pulled her eyes up to meet his. "I came here to see you this morning. I don't give a damn about the coffee. I want you to be happy, Ellie, and I'm really hoping I can be part of that," he said.

Ellie's face broke into a bashful smile. "Thank you, David. You've been so understanding about all of this chaos. I'm just not used to it. It means a lot to me."

"That's better," he said, returning the smile. "I really need to get home and get some sleep. But how about I take you out to dinner tonight?"

"I've got a better idea," Ellie said. "How about I cook for you?"

"Great!" he said enthusiastically. "As long as it isn't any bother."

"No bother at all," Ellie said. "I do need to check on Linda's house tonight, though. Get the mail and things."

"We can have dinner and then I'd be happy to take you over there," David said. He was happy to do anything to be around her more.

"Okay," Ellie said.

David looked at his watch. "Okay, how about I come over around seven?"

"That's perfect," Ellie said. She wrote down her address and handed it to David. "Do you have any preferences for dinner? If not, I'll whip up one of my specialties."

"Sounds great," David said. "I'll eat anything."

He pulled Ellie close to him again and squeezed tight. She didn't pull away. Her smell was intoxicating, and he breathed it in deeply. This time, though, he loosened his hold from around her waist and slowly pulled away.

"I'll see you tonight." He flashed a smile again.

Ellie smiled back. He kissed her forehead again and then regretfully headed toward home.

Ellie waved as David walked away and then walked back into the shop. Kevin and Jeffrey were busily scrubbing the counter and appliances.

"Everything okay, Ellie?" Kevin said, flashing her a knowing grin.

"Much better," she said. "Kevin, can you and Jeffrey watch the store this morning? I think I'm going to take your advice and do a little shopping. I think getting a cell phone is a really good idea."

"Sure," Kevin said.

Ellie nodded and walked in the back to get her purse. Having a sense of purpose made her feel even more confident. David was right. Worrying about tomorrow wasn't going to do her any good. She needed to focus on healing today, and making some much needed changes in her life might be the best way to do that.

Waving goodbye to Kevin and Jeffrey, she walked out the door.

# CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Ellie's car was full when she pulled into her driveway several hours later. Not only had she stopped at the local electronics store and picked out a laptop computer and cell phone, but she had also gone to the grocery store for supplies for dinner.

She got out of the car and went around to the passenger door. She jumped and let out a small yell as Jake stepped out from behind the hedge that surrounded the parking lot.

"Jake, what are you doing here?" She tried to appear calm. She glanced around at the parking lot. Unfortunately, it was just her and Jake; there wasn't another person in sight. Inside her chest her heart was pounding a mile a minute and her breath was coming in deep gulps.

"Ellie, I need to talk to you," he pleaded. He stretched his arms out toward her. His aura was a sickly green.

She took a step back. "Jake, I don't know what's going on with you. But you are going to get in trouble if you keep this up. We're divorced and this is not acceptable. You can't just call me or show up on my doorstep whenever you want to. You need to stop and think about how what you are doing is coming across; you're scaring me," she said.

"I don't want to scare you, Ellie," Jake said. He took a step backward and ran his hands through his hair. He looked haggard, a significant difference from that morning. "Look. I'm sorry I got so angry this morning. I just didn't like that guy. I want what's best for you."

"That guy, or any guy in my life, for that matter, is none of your business, Jake," she said. She could feel her own anger bubbling inside, but she needed to be careful. She watched Jake warily. He seemed in control, but she wasn't going to let her guard down for a second.

"I know, I know. I didn't like it being shoved in my face. That's all," Jake said with a grimace.

A grown man pouting like a little kid who got his favorite toy taken away, Ellie thought. "What do you want, Jake?" Ellie said. In his current state, Jake didn't appear to be a threat. He looked like a kid who wasn't getting his way, but not menacing.

"This is really hard for me to talk about," Jake said, staring down at the ground.

"Jake. If you want to tell me something, then please do. Otherwise, I am busy and it is cold out here. I have things to do," she said, trying to hurry the conversation along. She wasn't interested in a heart-to-heart with him, but she felt like she was backed into a corner.

"We could go inside," he suggested, but then he must have caught the look of alarm on her face. He wisely decided not to push it. He kicked at a rock in the driveway and avoided Ellie's eyes.

"I've been having some bad dreams," he finally said.

Ellie almost burst out laughing. All of this fuss was because Jake wanted to talk to her about his dreams? She couldn't control her expression before he saw it.

"Guys can have those too, you know," he said defensively.

"So you came here to tell me that you are having nightmares?" Ellie said slowly.

"They aren't regular nightmares," Jake said. "It's so hard to explain. But I feel like, no, I know, something bad is going to happen."

"Jake, you have to explain this better. I'm having a hard time understanding how your bad dreams are relevant to me," Ellie said.

After a long pause he finally said, "They are about you."

"Me?" Ellie felt a familiar tendril of fear in her stomach. There was something about the night and dreams and Jake that she felt like she should remember. It was a memory that she couldn't quite pull out and see, though she felt it twitching just on the edges of her consciousness.

Then Jake's words came out in a rush. "I have a dream that you are lost in the darkness. I can't tell where. You are yelling for someone to help you. No one is answering and I can tell that you're really scared. Then these hands stretch out of the darkness behind you. You can't see them, but I can." Jake's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper and he looked down at his own hands. "These hands have long fingernails and suddenly they just start ripping at your hair and your face. It doesn't take long before you are all bloody and you just keep screaming and screaming for help. I can tell that you are in a lot of pain. Then the hands finally stop clawing at you and you get all quiet. Your face goes slack and I know that you're dead. And I just sat there and watched the whole thing happen. I didn't even try to stop it because I knew that those hands would get me too. There was nothing I could do but just watch you die."

Ellie felt the blood drain from her face and she backed even further away from Jake. "This isn't funny, Jake. You need to leave."

Jake took a step toward her. "Ellie, I'd never hurt you. But these dreams are making me really afraid for you, and there's more that I need to tell you. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Ellie put a hand out to keep Jake at a distance. "I'm fine, Jake. I was getting even better before you started pushing yourself back into my life. I don't know what kind of sick satisfaction you get out of telling me you're dreaming about me dying, but it is wrong, Jake. It's just plain mean."

"Ellie," he said, "please just listen to me. I have to tell you the rest."

"No, Jake! I want you to leave!" Ellie pulled her new cell phone from her pocket. "I'll call the police again if you don't leave."

Jake's face twisted and Ellie saw that other Jake bubbling underneath the surface. His aura flared bright red and she let out a little cry of alarm. He appeared almost ready to charge her, and Ellie was just getting ready to run for the house when he spun around instead.

"Fine!" he yelled over his shoulder. "If something really bad happens to you, it'll be your own damn fault. Don't say I didn't warn you. You'll be sorry that you just acted like the biggest fool on the planet."

Ellie sagged against the car with relief as she watched him disappear. She flipped open her cell phone and also pulled out the business card of one of the officers that had been at the coffee shop that morning. She quickly dialed the number.

"Detective Morgan?" she asked as the gruff voice came on the phone. "This is Ellie Coulter. From the coffee shop this morning? I want to see what I need to do to file that restraining order after all."

# CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Later, Ellie found herself crying in David's arms again. It was another personal record; hysterics twice in one day. "I don't understand why he wants to keep tormenting me. All that time he acted like I was so insignificant in his life, and now I can't get him to leave me alone." Her sobs subsided slowly to sniffles.

David stroked her hair and made soothing noises. "He sounds pretty unstable, Ellie. I think that restraining order was a really good idea. Some guys just don't know how to deal with rejection."

Ellie slowly pulled away and started smoothing her hair. She wiped her eyes and saw Skipper sitting across the room staring at them, looking miserable. "My poor dog. I don't think he knows what to think of me. He probably wishes he had a normal owner instead of getting stuck with me."

"Hey, don't say that," David said. He took her gently by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You are a strong woman, Ellie. You've been through a lot. You've got your life together. You are successful and talented and smart. Don't let your ex-husband take that away from you. You are the one in control now."

Ellie took a deep breath and felt a sense of peace returning. David's words were having the right effect, and she wondered if somehow his calming aura was infectious. "You're right, David. Of course you're right. It's not worth it. He's not worth it. I won't ruin our evening because of that big jerk."

"That's the spirit!" David chuckled.

Ellie stood up, her sense of purpose renewed. "I did manage to get groceries with all the other shopping I did today. I'll start dinner."

She walked into the kitchen with David close on her heels. She opened a bottle of chardonnay, poured two glasses, and handed one to David. He looked at her expectantly.

She held her glass up. "To new friends and new beginnings without any interruptions from old ghosts and bad memories."

"I'll drink to that." David clinked his glass on hers. "So what else did you buy? Sounds like you went on quite a shopping spree."

Ellie pulled the chicken breasts she had been marinating from the refrigerator. She put a saucepan on the stove and put some olive oil and ground garlic in it. She sliced the chicken up thinly and tossed the pieces into the pan to saute. At the same time she put a pot of pasta on the stovetop to cook. She talked as she worked.

"Kevin and I have been arguing for probably a year now about me getting a new computer system for the store. I guess I'm pretty old-fashioned that way. I like working all of this stuff out in my head. I feel like it keeps me from getting rusty, and I feel like I am really in tune with what's going on in the shop." She paused in her work every now and then to glance in David's direction. He stood against the countertop and sipped his wine. His attention was focused on her. He motioned to her to continue.

She watched the chicken carefully. She started putting together the ingredients for the Alfredo sauce, and then pulled garlic bread out of the freezer and preheated the oven.

"So today Kevin finally won. I went over to the electronics store and told them I needed the works. I was going to resist the cell phone, but after what happened today I am really glad I didn't say no when they started showing them all to me." She smiled shyly at David again.

"You need any help getting that computer up and running?" he asked.

"I don't know a lot about computers. I liked the idea of a laptop because it's portable. But other than finding the start button and opening an Internet browser I don't know a lot. I feel like I'm a computer virgin," she admitted.

"Well, I can help with that," David said with a flirtatious glint in his eye. "Where's the laptop?"

Ellie pointed at a cardboard box by the fireplace. "That's going to be a big help. I really appreciate this, David. I mean about everything," she said. She felt a lump in her throat and since she didn't want to cry again she looked at her feet.

Suddenly David was at her side. His hand cupped her chin and he pulled her eyes up to meet his. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the passion that smoldered there.

"I am pretty sure that I would do anything for you, Elizabeth Coulter," he said. Then he kissed her deeply.

She clung to him and felt something long forgotten stir inside her. After what seemed an eternity, he stepped away, and she realized that her breath was coming in shallow gasps. "Um, wow," she finally managed.

David seemed entirely composed and his smile was warm. "I've wanted to do that for a long time." He shrugged but didn't look the slightest bit embarrassed.

"Well, you are pretty good at it so feel free to do that any time you want to," she laughed.

David's low laugh filled the small apartment. "I'll remember that," he said. He returned to the hallway and set the computer box on the coffee table. "I'll accept payment in kisses for this hard labor," he said.

"You've got it." Ellie went back to her cooking, pretending not to be watching David, although now she couldn't stop looking at him. He was sitting in the living room on the couch, his back to her facing the fireplace. His broad shoulders were evident over the back of the couch, and she saw that his thick blond hair had just a hint of wave in the back. She found herself thinking that she wanted to dig her hands in his hair when he kissed her again. She blushed at her thoughts, and tried to concentrate on her Alfredo sauce.

Soon she was draining the pasta and combining it with the chicken breast and sauce. She carefully shook parmesan cheese on the top, and then pulled the garlic bread from the oven. Rich, spicy smells filled the air.

"Smells wonderful." David's breath was on the back of her neck as he murmured into her ear, and his arms encircled her from behind. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Just so you know, I'm a pretty damn good cook," she said.

"Oh, I had no doubt," he said.

Ellie lost several moments as they kissed again. David had awakened a completely different appetite inside her. She was amazed how she reacted to him. She had never been like this in her entire life, even with Jake.

When David finally released her lips, she saw that his expression had grown serious. "I meant it when I said I would do anything for you, Ellie. I know we really just met, but I feel like I've known you forever," he said.

Ellie nodded in agreement. He had voiced something that she had felt as well. "Yes, I know what you mean. I can't even explain how comfortable I feel with you." She buried her head into his chest and breathed deeply of his scent. She hoped that her clothes kept some of that, so that she could smell him even after he left.

"Okay, mister. We should eat while the food is still warm," she said with a playful jab to his chest.

"There are many other things I'd like to do right now," David whispered in her ear. "But you did such a great job with this that I don't want it to go to waste." He kissed her once more, and then stepped back so that she could move again.

Quickly she set the table and had the food ready. She encouraged David to serve himself first. "Guests first," she insisted.

They were silent as they started to eat. Ellie watched David's expression as he took the first bite. He seemed delighted, and Ellie was glad that she had invited him over that evening. Life was looking so much better after such a short amount of time that she could hardly believe it.

She told him all about her evening hijinks with Kevin at Linda's house the night before, and she was delighted when he laughed along with her when she told him how they had acted like teenagers who had been left alone at home for the first time. Ellie never thought of herself as a particularly funny person, so it was a relief to feel like someone would find her engaging.

"I'm having a hard time believing that I just spent time with you for the first time outside of the coffee shop three nights ago," she said, taking a sip of her wine.

"Things happen for a reason, Ellie." He reached over and put his hand on top of hers. "I hope I don't scare you by saying this, but I feel like we were meant to find each other. It's totally crazy, but this feels right."

Ellie was touched by his words. She felt like she was being swept off her feet, just like a girl in one of her romance novels. The fact that David was so comfortable sharing how he felt made him even more attractive to her. Jake had always shut her out.

"You aren't scaring me, David. I don't think you could with how fantastic you've been toward me. But I admit that I don't know a lot about you. We always talk about me. Tell me something about yourself. I want to know everything about you," Ellie said.

"Not a lot to tell," David answered as he continued to eat. "I had two parents who wanted nothing but the best for me. Now I'm a doctor and I enjoy my job. I get to help people every day. I love coffee, which is by far my worst addiction. But I'm glad for it because it led me to you. The end."

"C'mon, now," Ellie joked. "There's a lot more to you than that."

"No, my life was pretty boring until now," David said.

"Have you ever been married?" Ellie asked.

"No, but I haven't had a lot of time to date. Medical school and all," David answered.

"You have any brothers or sisters?"

"Only child," was his short reply. "What about you, Ellie?"

"My parents died when I was little, and we didn't have any close family. So I was pretty much an orphan. I grew up in foster care here in Minneapolis." Ellie sighed.

"That must have been really tough," David said. "You've really made something of yourself, owning your own business and all."

Ellie heard admiration in his voice. "Nah. It was something that sounded fun and I've always wanted to work for myself. That's all. I've made plenty of bad decisions. One of them, of course, you met up close and personal today."

Ellie was starting to feel the wine. She didn't drink very often, and it seemed that it was going straight to her head. She looked at the glass, and David reached over to refill it even though she tried to wave him off.

"We all make mistakes, Ellie. You need to relax a little," he said through her protests.

"I still need to go over to Linda's," she argued.

"I'm here to help with that," David said. "You'll get everything done. You are safe. It's okay. Relax."

Ellie felt herself acquiescing. Having him there completely relaxed her. They finished eating, and David insisted on doing the dishes after parking Ellie on the couch in front of the fire. He set the new computer on her lap.

"It's all set and ready to roll. Try it out. Get familiar with it," he said.

Ellie couldn't focus on the screen, and found the wine glass in her hand again. She heard water running, and then the sound of pots and pans bumping together. "I do have a dishwasher," she called out. Was that her voice? All the words slurred together.

"There are some things that I like to do the old-fashioned way too," was David's amused reply.

Ellie felt her eyes starting to close and rested her head on the back of the couch.

"Ellie. Ellie." David's voice was close by. "How about I go over to Linda's for you? You can just stay here and relax in front of the fire. Where are the keys?"

Ellie was so tired that she couldn't even argue. "In my purse."

"I'll be back soon."

She felt a squeeze on her shoulder. She relaxed into her dreams.

# CHAPTER NINETEEN

David felt strange walking up to Linda's house. He replayed the strange story of the Bradfords in his head, and thought about what life would be like to never have to worry about money. He considered himself a simple man. He wanted nothing more than to have a satisfying job, and a happy marriage that lasted forever. For as long as he could remember, he knew that he wanted to get married and have kids. He had been looking for "the one." Now that he had met Ellie, he was pretty certain that he had found her.

He smiled as he remembered Ellie sleeping comfortably in front of her fireplace. The more he learned about her, the more he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and protect her. He was dismayed at how aggressive her ex-husband had become and wanted to do whatever he could to help that situation.

David spotted the mailbox at the end of the driveway on the side of the house that led around back. He made his way there and pulled out the stack of mail that had accumulated. He glanced at it quickly, but there were only circulars and other assorted pieces of junk mail.

As he made his way back around to the front of the house he frowned. It looked like a light was on in a room on the third level. He remembered Ellie telling him over dinner that she and Kevin had explored the house during their visit the evening before. They must have forgotten to turn off one of the lights.

He went to the front and was unlocking the front door when he heard heavy footsteps behind him. He whirled around. The man approaching him put up his hands with wide eyes.

"Who are you?" the man demanded.

David peered closer at the man's face. He looked familiar. "Mr. Klein?" he asked.

The other man looked confused. "Do I know you?"

"We met the other night, Mr. Klein, at Linda's dinner party? I was here with one of Linda's friends, Ellie? Remember, you told us the story about the house." David stepped closer to the agent. The man looked disheveled and like he hadn't slept in days. David noted the deep circles under the man's eyes and the glassiness of his pupils. He wondered if the man was taking drugs.

"Oh yes. The house." Joe Klein ran his fingers through his thinning hair and looked up at the house. "I forgot about the party."

There was a moment of awkward silence, and David cleared his throat. "Can I help you with something, Mr. Klein?"

"I'm here to see Linda," Joe said, glancing over his shoulder.

David wondered if this had anything to do with the glances and furtive looks he had seen the two exchanging at the dinner party. He had been sure there was more to the story than just a simple real estate agent and his client. David thought Joe Klein may be cheating on his wife, and he was disgusted.

"She's not here, and won't be here again for a while based on my understanding," David said, crossing his arms.

"What are you doing here then?" the other man hissed.

David realized with a start that he was being considered competition. "I'm helping my girlfriend house-sit for Linda. I was just stopping by for a few minutes to pick up the mail," David said, holding up the stack of circulars in his hand. He realized that it felt great to call Ellie his girlfriend. He hoped she wouldn't mind.

Joe grunted, and David wondered what the man was hoping to accomplish. He watched Joe study the house. His gaze kept going up to the room with the light on.

"'I guess I'll just stop back some other time," Joe said, backing away from David.

David was going to repeat that Linda was out of town indefinitely, but the man had already fled down the steps and was moving out of sight.

"Strange," David said to himself.

He turned back to the house and slipped the key into the lock. He pushed open the heavy doors and stood in the foyer. He felt a rush of warmth through his body, all the way to the tips of his toes. He took a deep breath. He felt incredibly relaxed, like he was at home.

He flipped on the light on the panel next to the office and tossed the mail onto the table just off to the right at the bottom of the stairs. He admired the cherry wood paneling that lined the walls moving down to the library. He gently tapped the side of the wall as he walked down the hallway, intending to do a quick sweep of the first floor. He stopped when he realized one of the knocks sounded different.

He knocked again on that part of the wall with his ear close to the surface. It was hollow. He examined the wall closer and saw that there was an outline for an opening. He started pushing on the edges when suddenly the door swung open.

David looked into the dark opening. Was it a storage area? He felt around inside the doorway, trying not to think about how jumpy this secret entrance made him. He sighed in relief as he found the switch and flipped it on. He was standing at the bottom of a staircase that wound up into the air. David couldn't see all the way to the top, but it appeared to go all the way to the top floor.

"Interesting," he said out loud, just to hear something other than the silence of the house.

He started to back out of the doorway when he thought he heard movement at the top of the stairs. He remembered the light on the third floor. Did Linda have someone else watching the house as well?

"Hello?" he called out.

There was no answer. David shook his head. "I'm hearing things."

Did he really expect someone to answer? David knew that he was alone. "Screw it," he said, and then he started to climb up the stairs. He had to go to the third floor anyway to turn that light off and this seemed like a shorter alternative.

Ellie's face popped into his head, and David felt the tension ooze out of his body. Ellie was his ideal woman, and he was so lucky to have found her. He wondered how she would react if he went back to her place and pulled her into his arms so she could sleep against his chest. He could feel her hair tickling his nose, and he would stroke it and wish her happy dreams.

David found himself standing in front of two French doors on the landing of the top floor. He turned around, confused about how he had gotten there. What was he doing up here? He had been thinking about Ellie and then time seemed to go all hazy. David opened the door but was greeted with a deep darkness.

If he remembered correctly, this was the empty master bedroom that Ellie mentioned. He closed the door and looked across the hall. "Ellie's Room" was written on a gaily colored piece of paper. He briefly considered taking a look inside, but it felt a bit like invasion of privacy even though he knew Ellie hadn't moved any of her things in yet.

David glanced at his watch. He had been gone for almost twenty minutes, and he didn't want Ellie to wake up and find him gone. He needed to get back. He took the stairs down to the front foyer two at a time and glanced one more time around the front entryway and down the hallways. Everything seemed intact and in place.

He looked up at the elaborate chandelier and thought again how nice it must be to have this kind of money. He sensed that a house like this was in his future; something about it just felt right. He left the light on in the foyer and then slid out the front door whistling a happy tune. He couldn't wait to see Ellie again. 

# CHAPTER TWENTY

Ellie knew she was dreaming. Her whole body felt heavy. Consciousness, though, seemed so far away that the effort required to wake up wasn't worth it. She would stay here, wherever here was. That decision made, she tried opening her eyes.

A moment of panic followed when she realized that her eyes were open, but the blackness was still complete. That seemed odd for a dream and it didn't help that Ellie was scared to death of the dark. It was a childhood fear, something that afflicted her after her parents' death.

She remembered advice that a child therapist had told her. "I want a beautiful dream," she said out loud. Her voice reverberated back at her and she winced. She was on her knees, and the floor underneath her was carpeted. She stretched out her hands and touched something solid. A wall. Carefully she stood up, not wanting to hit anything or knock something over. She felt exhausted from the effort. Why was she so tired? She was sleeping, for Christ's sake.

She followed the wall, shuffling forward slowly. Eventually she ran into a corner so she turned to her left, following that wall. Ellie hoped that eventually she would find a door and not just four solid walls in a black nightmare.

Under her breath she continued to mutter, "I want a beautiful dream. I want a beautiful dream." She tried very hard not to remember the dream that Jake told her about. "This is just a dream."

The texture of the wall changed, and Ellie was relieved. She had found something. She could feel the smoothness of glass under the pads of her fingertips and then frames of wood. Then she found two handles. She realized she was standing in front of two French doors.

This reminded her of someplace, but she couldn't remember where at that moment. She braced herself, grabbed the handles of the doors, and pulled the doors open. She brought her arm up, surprised by the brightness after the complete gloom of darkness.

"Emma?" she heard a voice ask. Her eyes started adjusting to the light, and she blinked. She knew that voice.

"Linda?" she croaked. Her voice sounded awful.

"Emma! What is the matter with you?" The voice was filled with concern.

"Is that you, Linda?" she asked. Her eyes were adjusting, and she could make out details now. Linda's hair was pulled up high on her head with ringlets framing her face. It was her face, though, that made Ellie gawk. Linda was younger, much younger. And although her voice was the same, it had a lilt to it that Ellie didn't remember. Linda was wearing a lace A-line dress that fell to tips of her shoes. It was quite old-fashioned.

But Linda walked right past her and stopped in front of a figure that was standing just off to Ellie's left. Ellie took a small step backward. The girl standing next to her looked like she was barely out of her teens and was pale with a pained expression on her face. And as Linda started fussing over the girl, Ellie realized that Linda did not see her. In this dream, she was invisible.

"Emma?" Linda asked again. She placed a hand on the girl's forehead. "Are you not feeling well? Do you want me to tell Henry that you aren't well enough to go out?"

Who is Henry? Ellie wondered as Linda pulled the girl forward. Ellie realized that Linda was not the only one that was wearing strange clothing. Emma was dressed in mauve skirt that fell to her ankles. Chunky black heels with straps dressed her feet. Her blouse was loose, pale yellow, with mauve flowers that matched her skirt. Emma's hair was short, like a pageboy, with curled tendrils coming forward and framing her face. A mauve hat hugged her dark curls and completed the outfit.

Ellie saw that Linda held out a pair of mauve gloves to Emma, who slowly took them from her. The girl still had said nothing.

"Honestly, Emma, you are being silly. There's nothing there! I was just coming to see what was taking you so long. Henry was worried," Linda said, putting her hands on Emma's shoulders and looking at her sternly.

Emma's head swiveled to her left, and Ellie realized with a bolt of surprise that Emma was looking right at her. Ellie reached out her hand and saw a look of fright cross the girl's face. Emma whimpered.

"Girls! Are you ready? We're going to be late!" Ellie recognized Randall's booming voice.

Emma skittered in front of Linda and allowed the older woman to guide her down the hallway. Ellie followed.

"Emma, you are acting so strange. Henry is very worried about you. Let's try not to do anything that would cause him to get upset, okay?" Linda whispered to her as they approached two men standing in a foyer just around the corner.

The men turned as they approached. Ellie stopped in her tracks. A man who looked very much like David stood there with Randall, although Randall had taken on the same youthful features as Linda had. Instead of being in his sixties, Randall could easily now be taken for a man in his thirties.

The other man (Henry?) was by Emma's side in an instant. "Emma, I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better."

"Oh, yes, thank you," Emma finally spoke. Her voice was soft and had a faint Southern lilt to it.

Had Emma been sick? What was this strange dream all about? Ellie wondered.

"Henry, I know she is delighted to see you," Linda said in a mothering voice that Ellie knew well.

Linda patted Henry's arm and her hand lingered just a few moments too long, in Ellie's opinion. Then Linda walked to Randall's side and clasped his arm, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "And I am delighted to see you," she said flirtatiously.

Ellie felt ill watching the exchange.

Then she watched Emma double over, groaning. Henry was trying to hold her up. She thrashed away from him, falling to her knees. Emma wiped her hand across her mouth and was trying to take deep breaths. Ellie saw blood on the back of the girl's hand at the same moment Emma did, and then Emma started to shriek.

Henry was trying to calm her. As the edges of reality started to get fuzzy, Ellie saw Linda and Randall watching Emma, apparently unfazed by her condition. Their faces were emotionless. Ellie felt nauseous and felt bile rising at the back of her throat. Why didn't they try to help? The world stretched and disappeared. Then Ellie's eyes opened to her own living room.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ellie's thoughts were fuzzy, and she still felt a bit sick to her stomach. She glanced at her watch. It was ten o'clock at night. She heard soft snoring, and saw that David was asleep on the couch next to her. His head had fallen backwards against the soft pillows that cushioned the back of the sofa.

Despite the fact that the residue of the strange dream remained with her, she felt warm inside looking at David. It felt natural to wake up and have him there. She studied him. His eyelashes were long for a man. His cheeks were slightly flushed from the warmth of the fire in front of them. His dark green shirt accented his dark complexion and his light curls seemed to beckon for her to touch them. His nose was perfectly sculpted and his chin was strong with a dimple in the middle. He was breathing deeply. Her finger reached out, and she gently touched the shallow depression.

David's eyes fluttered open. His head turned, and he smiled at her. "Hey there, sleepy girl," he said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she said, turning to face him and resting her head on the pillowed back of the sofa. There was just a small gap between them.

"It's okay. I was waiting for you to wake up, and it looks like I accidentally fell asleep myself," he said sheepishly. "What happened there? You were out like a rock."

"I don't know," she said, frowning. "I know I'm a lightweight but that was ridiculous. It was almost like I passed out. I had a weird dream too."

"What was it about?" he asked.

"It wasn't really about anything. I woke up in a room that was pitch black, which I hate to say freaks me out more than any other part of the dream. It's a stupid irrational fear that I have, and then when I finally found my way out, Linda was there. With another girl, and Randall, and a guy that looked just like you."

"I've made my way into your dreams already, huh? Cool." David grinned.

Ellie hit him in the arm. "It wasn't like that. Anyway, Linda and Randall looked young. Like our age. Nobody could see me, except for this strange girl that Linda called Emma. I think Emma had been sick the way that Linda was treating her. The way that they were dressed, it was like it was the early twentieth century."

"Sounds fascinating," David said.

"I don't know about that," Ellie replied. "Then Emma got really sick all of a sudden. She was throwing up blood and it was like all hell broke loose. And then I woke up."

"I don't think dreams are supposed to make sense," David said. He reached out and stroked her hair. "You've had a rough day. It doesn't surprise me that your dreams were a little crazy. Sounds like your subconscious incorporated a little bit of the Bradford story in there, plus you said that in Jake's dream you were lost in a dark place too."

"Maybe." Ellie was surprised that she hadn't connected her dream to the Bradford story. It made sense, and Ellie started to feel a little foolish. "It was amazing how real it all felt."

She sat up suddenly and hit her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Dammit. I forgot that I was going to go over to Linda's and get her mail and check on the house."

David sat up, looking at her warily. "Don't you remember, Ellie? You mentioned that right before you fell asleep, and I told you I'd take care of it for you. I thought it was important for you to just relax tonight."

"You went over there?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, there were just a few pieces of mail that I put on the front hallway table. I did a quick scan inside to make sure nothing looked suspicious. I left a light on in the foyer too. It took me all of five minutes. I think I was gone a total of twenty minutes, and you were still sleeping when I got back."

Ellie felt a little awkward that David had taken it upon himself to take on her responsibilities, especially as he didn't know Linda very well. "Well, thanks for doing that," she said, deciding it was too late now to get upset.

The more she thought about it, it seemed pretty sweet. It had been a long time since she had a man around to help out with things, and she had to admit that she hadn't been looking forward to going over to the house by herself.

"Sure thing," David said, stretching with a yawn. He looked at his watch. "It's getting late, and I have to be up early in the morning."

"Early shift?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah." David stood. "My hours have been really messed up lately. I don't know whether I'm coming or going half the time."

"When will I see you again?" Ellie asked. She didn't want to admit that she was starting to get used to having him around.

"I'll give you a call when I know I have some time to get together. We'll figure something out." David gathered his coat and gloves. "You take it easy in the meantime, and remember I'm in your dreams now. It's like destiny." He kissed her gently on the lips and waved at her to sit down as she started to rise from the sofa. "I know how to let myself out." With that he was gone.

Ellie settled back onto the couch, and Skipper appeared. "Where have you been?" she scolded him. Skipper jumped up on the sofa and lay down next to her. She stroked his soft fur as she stared into the fire. She found that she was sad that she didn't know when she would be with David again. He had slipped into her life so easily that she was still surprised.

She thought she should call him then, and tell him how glad she was that he was in her life now. She stood and went to the phone and stopped. She didn't know his number. She scrolled through her caller ID. His calls had come through as "Private."

Ellie dialed directory assistance. "David Mitchell, Minneapolis, please," she said to the operator.

"I don't have a David Mitchell listed in Minneapolis," the operator said after a moment.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." Ellie hung up the phone. She was perplexed. She had no way to reach him. He had always gotten in touch with her, she realized. She had no idea where he lived either.

She looked at Skipper and wagged a finger at him. "The next time I talk to that man he's going to get quite a scolding. Romancing a girl and then not even leaving his phone number." Skipper wagged his tail as she spoke. Knowing she had an early morning too, Ellie decided there was nothing to do but let it go and head to bed.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Ellie's sleep was dreamless this time, but she was up early nonetheless. She played with the laptop a bit more and then headed into the shop. Kevin and Jeffrey were already there.

"I can see that my presence is quickly becoming unnecessary," she said, shaking her finger at the two of them.

"Oh, stop it. You're always welcome. But you're right. We just don't always need you. That's code for you can take a day off every now and then," Kevin said. He eyed the computer bag on her shoulder. "Did you finally give in to the pressures of this century?"

"Yes," Ellie said grudgingly. "I got a cell phone too. I was really glad I did too because I ended up having to use it to call the cops on Jake yesterday."

"Christ! What happened? Are you okay?" Kevin said. Both Kevin and Jeffrey stopped what they were doing.

"Yes, I'm fine. David was over last night and helped me calm down," she said.

Kevin and Jeffrey exchanged a meaningful look and Kevin crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. "Um hum," he said with a knowing grin.

"Hey," Ellie said, blushing. "It wasn't like that."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Oh, sweetie, it never is. Well, I'm glad to hear you are all right and that big goon didn't have a chance to do anything stupid."

"It was so odd," Ellie said, filling them in on what Jake had said. "Jake admitting to having a bad dream was shock enough. He's always wanted everyone to believe that he's some macho hunk who isn't afraid of anything." Kevin snorted. "But to be so persistent about it; that's not like Jake. And then last night I fell asleep after dinner and had a seriously odd dream as well."

"You did have quite an eventful day," Kevin said, turning back to his work.

"I know, but David said that he thought I pulled in some elements of things that Jake described," Ellie said, really not sure where she was going with that train of thought. It was like her brain was moving in slow motion on the topic. Again she felt like she was forgetting something important.

"Of course you did, ma'am," Jeffrey replied. "Subconsciously you were continuing to try to process everything that happened to you yesterday, as well as this dream that disturbed both of you. So it is natural that you would pull some of that into your own dreams."

"That makes sense," Ellie said. She didn't feel like working after all. "You know what, guys? I can see you've got things well in hand here. I think I may take the day off just like you suggested, Kevin. I do have to move some things over to Linda's if I'm going to be staying there, and I think I could use the time off."

"Certainly, ma'am," Jeffrey said

"Okay, Ellie. Whatever you need to do," Kevin agreed.

Ellie wrote her new cell phone number down and tacked it to the employee bulletin board. "You can reach me at this number. By the way, if David calls, will you just take his number instead of giving him this one?" She ignored Kevin's inquiring look. "I'll be in tomorrow."

Ellie spent the rest of the morning moving some clothes and toiletries over to Linda's. She packed a box with some of her favorite books, as well as her alarm clock and some DVDs. Skipper followed her about the apartment eagerly, as if he was waiting for his assigned task as well.

"Not this time, Skipper," she kept telling him. "I'll bring you over later."

She carried her boxes and night case out to the car and headed to Linda's house. She pulled into the driveway leading up to the garage, and felt unsettled. She left her car in the driveway instead of pulling into the garage. One of the keys on the key ring opened an outside door in the breezeway that led her to the solarium that was connected to the kitchen. She intended to go through the refrigerator and cabinets as well, and determine if there was anything else that she needed to bring from the apartment. She didn't really relish the idea of going back and forth between the house and her apartment, and even considered just staying at the apartment and going to the house every day. But in the end, her curiosity got the better of her.

Wouldn't it be nice, even for a short while, to feel like she was rich? To feel like she had all the resources in the world? To feel like she owned a beautiful home? In a way it was like her favorite dream was coming true. It was right out of one of her romance novels. Ellie figured that worst case she'd stay at the house for a few days a week, and stay at her apartment the rest. It would be just enough to discourage anyone who might be watching the house and considering breaking in.

Ellie hadn't really looked in the kitchen before, and stood for a few moments gazing at the sheer massiveness of the space. It was Ellie's dream kitchen. There was a large, six-foot granite countertop breakfast bar in the center of the room. Hanging above it was a wrought iron pot and pan rack, complete with pots and pans. Six stools surrounded the bar.

Around the edges of the room were more granite countertops, with extra-tall cabinets above. The cherry wood was stunning, and she knew it must have cost a fortune. Stainless steel appliances spoke to the updates and modernization that had been put into the room. A double oven was built into wall. In the sunroom behind Ellie, a full size dining table with six chairs was present.

Ellie could see it clearly in her mind. Her family would sit around the breakfast bar during the week, when everyone was in a hurry to get somewhere, and then lounge in the sunroom on the weekends. She and David would read the paper while the kids argued over what activities they would do that day.

The fact that Ellie could see it so clearly told her again how badly she wanted that in her future. Skipper would be barking and wiggling around their ankles, and laughter would fill the house. It was in that instant that Ellie knew she didn't want to go back to the apartment. Here, in this house, she felt closer to her future than she ever had before. She wanted to cling to that feeling with all her might. She could see that David was her husband, and could see their future children as clear as day.

Ellie moved through the house in a daze. In each room she could see her imaginary family moving about their day. There was breakfast in the sunroom. Their traditional Thanksgiving dinner would take place in the formal dining room. They'd have after dinner drinks in the library while the kids did their homework. She and David could work on paperwork in the office. She saw their neighbors dropping in to say hello and sitting on the couches in the library. She opened the front doors out onto the patio. She could see Kevin and Eric laughing as they watched canoes go by on the lake; then everyone would raise their glasses to toast Ellie and David's good fortune.

She went back into the house and climbed the stairs slowly, running her fingers along the banister. At the end of the evening, with the children tucked into bed, she and David would climb these stairs, holding hands and looking forward to spending some quality time alone with each other. They would be laughing and kissing. They would make their way up to third floor and they would walk forward and push open the double French doors to the elaborate master bedroom.

Ellie had imitated the thoughts in her head and found herself standing in the doorway of the empty master bedroom, which brought her out of her reverie. The light from the hallway seemed to disappear in the gloom of the bedroom. She remembered opening the curtains the last time she was there, but they were closed now. She had no idea why Linda would keep the room empty like this, especially when all the other rooms were furnished so beautifully. She quickly fumbled for the light switch, but when she clicked it nothing happened.

Ellie was unnerved now. She returned to the kitchen and looked underneath the sink. She found what she was searching for: a flashlight. She went back up the stairs and flipped it on in the entrance to the master bedroom. Although she felt anxious about delving into the darkness, her stubbornness was winning out.

She swept her flashlight around the room and saw that indeed the curtains were closed again. She walked over to them and threw them open, letting light into the room. Then she saw two other doors at the back of the room. She and Kevin had found the room so confusing that they hadn't explored any further than the main room of the suite. She opened the door to her left. It led into a bathroom. Here the light was free to enter the room as only lace curtains covered the windows. The room was gaily decorated in a floral print with matching towels and rug. She closed the door and went to the other door.

It opened into a closet. She found a pull chain and was rewarded with weak light from a single light bulb. She clicked the flashlight on again. The closet was filled with clothes. She ran her hand along heavy velvets and tweeds. It contained both men's and women's clothes. Ellie pulled one of the dresses from the rack. It reminded her of the dress that Linda had been wearing in her dream. She replaced it on the rack and continued pulling out items here and there. Sure enough, all of the clothes had an aged look about them. None of these looked like anything Linda would wear today. Ellie wondered why she would have stored them here, in the closet of this empty room.

The hair on the back of Ellie's neck stood up, and she felt like she was being watched. She spun around, whipping the flashlight beam across the room behind her. Nothing. She quickly pulled the chain, extinguishing the light in the closet, and closed the door. She crossed the room quickly, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She cast one final glance around the room. Still nothing. She closed the French doors and it was only there on the landing that she felt like the eyes were gone.

Whatever the reason for the empty room, Ellie didn't think she wanted to get better acquainted with it. She jumped with a yelp as her cell phone started bleating in her pocket.

"Hello?" she said a bit too briskly as she flipped it open.

"Hey, Ellie, you okay? It's David."

Immediately she felt better hearing David's comforting tone on the other end. "David. Hi. Sorry, I'm over at Linda's. I was just starting to get things straightened away here," she said.

"I just wanted to check on you and see how you are," David replied. "I've got to pull double shifts for the next few days, so I won't be able to get away to see you. But I'll call and check in again if you still want to hear from me."

"Oh, okay. Of course I want to hear from you, David." Ellie's disappointment was evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry about that. It's just that they need me here," he said.

"Oh, I know. I'm just starting to get used to having you around." Ellie couldn't believe that she was saying that out loud. It wasn't like her to be so forward.

"I like being around. But I'll see you soon. I promise." At that moment Ellie heard a beeping in the background and a voice over a loudspeaker. "I've got to go. They are paging me," David said.

"David, I..." Ellie started.

"Sorry, Ellie. This is urgent. I'll talk to you again soon," David interrupted, and then he was gone.

"I don't know how to reach you," she said, but it was too late. She frowned and looked at the phone in her hand. She scrolled through the menu to the incoming calls list. There was no number listed, only "Private." She sighed.

She dialed the number for the coffee shop.

Kevin answered after three rings. "Ellie's Coffee Isle. How can I help you?"

"Hey, Kevin. It's Ellie."

"Hey, Ellie. How's the moving going?" Kevin asked, but he sounded rushed.

"Good. Everything going okay there?" she said.

"Yeah. We're getting slammed right now, though. Can I call you back?" Kevin asked.

"Sure. Just call my cell," she replied.

"Will do. Talk to you later." For the second time in less than a minute Ellie was left talking to herself.

The doorbell sounded and Ellie looked up in surprise from the phone in her hand. She hurried down the stairs across the foyer and opened the door. A huge bouquet of flowers greeted her.

"Oh my," she said. Then the bouquet moved and she could see the deliveryman. She was looking directly into Jake's eyes and the alarm bells sounded in her head. Jake's black aura was back.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

"What are you doing here, Jake?" she demanded. She looked around behind him. There was no one on the walking path.

Jake was looking behind her. "Me? What are you doing here? Are you alone?"

Ellie quickly pushed Jake backwards and closed the door behind her. She wasn't going to let him in the house. "Are you following me now? I've got a restraining order, Jake. You'd better leave."

"I know about the restraining order, which is ridiculous, Ellie. I'd never do anything to hurt you," Jake said gruffly. "These are for you. I wanted to apologize." He nodded his head toward the flower bouquet.

"I don't need flowers or an apology from you, Jake. I just need you to leave me alone," Ellie said. She was at a loss. Jake's behavior was completely out of control. She was scared to death of what that blackness surrounding him meant, but he wasn't drunk or making any overt gestures that indicated he intended to harm her.

"I asked you to hear me out." Jake stared at the patio. "I think you owe me that much after all the time we had together."

"And I thought you owed me love, fidelity, and a sense of safety, Jake. That didn't happen either," Ellie said, crossing her arms in front of her. She was starting to feel the chill from the cool November air.

"I can't do anything about all of that now," Jake said. The hurt was evident in his voice. "I'm not looking to win you back or anything like that. I swear. I just want to make sure that you are safe."

"I'm fine, Jake. I don't know what I can do to convince you of that. My life, all parts of it, are not your responsibility or concern any longer," Ellie said. She refused to be pulled into any further discussion. She ignored the flowers and opened the door, intending to slam it in Jake's face.

"Ellie." The strangled way that Jake said her name caused her turn. She looked into his face and saw haunted eyes staring back at her. "Please. Things have gotten a lot worse. I don't know what it all means, but I know that you are in danger."

"The only threatening thing in my life right now is you, Jake," she said. "You are scaring me."

"I don't want to scare you. I want to warn you. Make sure that you are looking after yourself. I want to make sure you are keeping your eyes open, that you aren't being caught unaware." It was the naked fear in his voice that finally convinced Ellie. That and the fact that his aura had washed out to a dirty gray.

"All right, Jake. I'll hear you out. But then you'll leave me alone? For good?" she asked.

"Yes, of course. I promise," he said quickly, seeing his opportunity.

"Fine, come in," she said. "It's cold out here. But I've got my phone right here and I'll call the cops if you act crazy." She moved aside and let Jake into the house.

"Let's go in the kitchen. I'll make some coffee," she said. She started down the hallway, Jake at her heels.

"So what's up with this house?" Jake asked, looking around in awe.

"I'm house-sitting for a friend," she said. She had no reason to elaborate.

"I need more friends like yours," Jake said with a touch of sarcasm. At Ellie's sharp glance he looked away sheepishly. "Sorry."

"You aren't here to talk about my friends, and frankly I'm not really comfortable sharing a lot of details of my life right now, if you don't mind."

Jake's shoulders slumped as he sat down on one of the kitchen stools. Ellie moved around the kitchen, finding coffee filters in one cupboard and coffee beans in another. If nothing else, she knew how to make a good cup of coffee. Ellie allowed the silence to continue as she prepared the coffee for brewing. Then she sat at the counter across from Jake.

"C'mon, Jake. Time to talk," she said.

He sighed. "I told you about the dream I've been having. I've been having it almost every night for a few weeks now. I don't know, I guess I felt like it was a result of the drinking or something." He glanced up and saw Ellie's disapproving look.

"I know you didn't approve of my drinking when we were married, and then the other stuff happened. I know that was part of the reason we split up. But I guess I realized a few months ago that I had other things going on with me that I needed to deal with. Things that affected how I treated you, and how I treated myself. I haven't been honest with you, Ellie, and I think you deserve to know the truth."

Ellie was shocked. This confession wasn't at all what she had expected.

"I've had an...ability...ever since I was little," Jake continued. "It really doesn't matter to me if you believe me or not, but I'm telling you this so maybe you'll start to understand why I've dealt with things the way I have." He stopped and looked in Ellie's direction.

Ellie felt a knot in her stomach. "What do you mean, Jake? What kind of ability?"

Jake paused, and then the words tore from his throat. "I see people who aren't there. I know they aren't there because I'm the only one who can see them. God, I see them everywhere." Jake dropped his head into his hands.

When Ellie didn't react, he continued on without meeting her eyes. "When I drink, it's easier to forget they're there. They just kind of blend in with the background and I don't really even see them. When I'm sober, it's harder. So when I quit going to my therapist, I went online and looked around to see if there were other people like me, and there were. I just wanted to feel like there was someone I could talk to who understood what I was going through and didn't think it was all something that I made up in my head."

Ellie heard the coffeemaker beep that the coffee was ready. She got up stiffly and went to the cupboard and took out two mugs. She couldn't make any sense of what Jake was telling her. She didn't want to make any sense of it. She wanted to reject it and throw him out, but how do you kick someone out who is baring their soul?

"I'm explaining all of this because I want you to know that I don't blame you for what happened when we split up. These people that I met, well, let's just say that talking to them and doing some of the things they talked about made things worse. A whole lot worse."

That's when the memory that had been floating around her consciousness came back to her in a flash. She remembered waking up groggy in the middle of the night. The clock next to the bed read three a.m. in stark white letters. And Jake was sitting on the floor next to her bed whispering in the darkness.

The mug that was in her hand slipped and fell to the floor with a crash. Jake rushed to her side and she almost shrieked when he touched her arm.

"Ellie!" he said.

"I remember you chanting over me," she said, pushing back against the counter. "Somehow you got me to go back to sleep and forget. But you were. You were saying things. Horrible things."

Jake's aura lit up like a Christmas tree in dancing yellows, oranges, and reds. "Ellie, I swear there was nothing horrible in that. It was a safety spell. It was stupid, like I said. These people didn't know what they were talking about and I was just desperate. I never wanted anything bad to happen to you."

"Jake," she whispered, "there was something behind you in the room that night."

Jake's eyes widened. "What are you talking about, Ellie?"

"It was right behind you. And it was dark and black and wasn't human. But it had blood red eyes," Ellie moaned. "I remember the eyes staring at me." She could see that Jake wanted to touch her but he didn't dare.

He put up his hands and took a deep breath. "Ellie, I swear that what I was doing wasn't a bad thing. I wanted to protect you."

"Protect me from what, Jake?" she said softly.

His eyes fell. "I'm glad you left me when you did, Ellie. I won't lie. There were things swirling around me that were bad. That made me act badly. Like the night you left," he said.

Ellie suddenly remembered Jake staring over her shoulder that night. "When you told me to pack my stuff and get out. You saw something in the house."

He nodded, and she felt sick. "Jake, what have you pulled me into?"

He looked up in alarm. "Nothing, Ellie. This was all me. And I got everything under control after we split. These last few months have been really good. I've been moving on. And I know this sounds hard to believe the way I've been acting the last few weeks, but it hasn't been some elaborate plan to get you back."

Ellie felt like her brain was short-circuited. She couldn't process anything else, and she was so scared that she couldn't even feel it anymore. She knelt down and started cleaning up the shards of the mug. Jake knelt down to help her. She didn't want him to say anything else, but he did.

"I hadn't seen anything in a long time and that's when I started dreaming about you. It started out real simple. You were just there in my dream. Then it started getting a bit more scary when I'd see you trapped in that dark place. A few nights later I started seeing the hands reaching out, and then last week is when it started getting really freaky, with the hands grabbing you and hurting you. I'm not proud of the fact that I fell off the wagon, but I thought the liquor would help. That was pretty dumb. Really I just needed to know that you were okay."

She dropped the mug remnants in the garbage and went to pull another mug from the cabinet. Her hands were shaking badly. Jake reached in front of her and took the cup out, setting it on the counter.

"So let me see if I have this straight," she said, bracing her hands on the counter. "You see people that aren't there, which I guess makes you psychic or something. We were together for over eight years and you never bothered to tell me that. Instead, you drank to the point where you did a lot of stupid stuff. Then you got in with some psychic cult that pulled you into some even worse voodoo that even caused you to try casting a spell on me, but explains the weird stuff I found in the basement before I decided to leave. Then we split up and for some reason you suddenly found peace. And now you are dreaming that I'm going to die." The words came out more and more forcefully. It sounded ridiculous, but she could see that Jake completely believed everything that he had told her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have been a grown-up sooner, Ellie," he said. "I'm not proud of myself. But contrary to popular belief, I do still care about you, Ellie. I don't want to ever see anything bad happen to you."

"Okay, Jake," she said. "So you started having these increasingly bad dreams and you got scared. So you started calling me again."

"Exactly," he said. He poured them both a cup of coffee and handed one of the mugs to her. "And then I didn't hear anything back from you. I'd call, then I'd have a drink, then I'd have the dream again. Always just a little bit worse than the time before. All's I wanted to know was if you were all right."

"Some of your messages sounded pretty angry," Ellie said. "Did you ever think that I wasn't calling you back because of that?"

Jake ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe a few times I'd call when I'd been drinking. That was probably a bad idea."

Ellie was suddenly tired. It was all too overwhelming. "Then you came to the coffee shop yesterday morning," she said, pushing him along.

"Well, you wouldn't call me back, and I had no idea if something may have actually happened to you or not. So I decided to check in on you. Try to talk to you. Tell you what I was dreaming and see if you might understand what it meant," Jake replied. He took a sip of his coffee, and then just held the mug in his hands, appearing deep in thought.

"You acted like a crazy person at the store yesterday. Then again yesterday afternoon," Ellie said.

"Dammit, Ellie. These dreams have me all turned around and then on top of it I'm seeing things again. Things out of the corner of my eye when I'm awake that I can't explain. I think I'm going crazy in my head. Just when I thought I had everything sorted out, then this weird crap starts happening. And you wouldn't listen to me. You just kept acting like I was the bad guy. I understand you being angry with me over how everything went down with us, but I just wanted you to hear me out, and you wouldn't even give me that opportunity."

As reproachful as his tone was, she refused to feel guilty. "Jake, you've given me little reason in the entire time I've known you to think that at some point we'd be able to sit down and have a logical and unemotional conversation about anything. Not to mention one of the last conversations we had resulted in what I thought may have been a concussion," she said with a touch of anger in her voice.

Jake raised his hands in a sign of surrender. "I know that I screwed that up really bad. All's I can say is that wasn't me. You know me. And what was going on in my head then was poisonous stuff. You were right to leave me."

Ellie struggled to put all of it together. Jake seemed sincere and had been nothing but in complete control of himself the entire time. "I really have no desire to dwell on any of that. That's over and done with. Why don't you tell me why you risked being arrested to follow me here?"

Jake sighed again. "After I left your place yesterday I went home and had a few drinks. I was pretty angry and I had decided to write you off, especially after the cops showed up with that restraining order. I don't need that kind of aggravation in my life. I just wanted things for me to go back to the way they had been. I tried to will the dreams away. I went to sleep, and then woke up this morning screaming. Jenny had to calm me down because she said I was hysterical."

He looked at Ellie with a sidelong glance. She pursed her lips with a smirk, but held her tongue. Jennifer Marks was but one of the women that she knew Jake had been seeing while they were still married. Apparently that tryst had continued.

Seeing that Ellie was not going to say anything, Jake pressed on. "She asked me what my dream was about. She knows that I've been having nightmares, but I haven't told her about any of them because I didn't want her to get upset that I was dreaming about you. Things have gotten a little serious there."

"Jake, I have no interest in your love life," Ellie said sourly. "Tell me about your dream."

"This time it was different. You were sitting in the sunlight outside on a bench next to a lake. You looked happy. I think in my dream I was relieved. I thought that I had finally gotten rid of the bad stuff. Then it seemed to change. In all of the dreams I'd had before I'm just watching from the outside. So the sun went behind a cloud, and then this mist started to appear. The mist surrounded you, but you couldn't see it. You didn't seem to notice. Then in the mist, I could see a black shape that I knew was evil. It was what I saw that night you left."

Jake's belief in his words was so evident that Ellie felt chills start to run down her spine.

"I tried calling to you, to tell you to move away and get out of there. But by the time you realized that something was wrong, it was too late." Jake's voice lowered to a whisper. "The black shape formed a man. I was too far away to see what he looked like. You looked up at him, and it seemed like you knew him. But your face changed from recognition to fear. Then he grabbed you, and you were gone."

"Gone?" Ellie questioned.

"Gone," Jake answered. "Then I was there in the dream. I was standing right there by that bench you had been sitting on. I started running around looking for you. Then I finally found you." Jake paused and he winced. "Or at least, I found part of you."

Ellie started pacing the length of the countertop, rubbing her arms. She didn't want to hear the rest, but she knew that Jake wasn't going to stop now.

"I knelt down and touched your face. My hands came away bloody, and somehow I realized that you weren't quite dead yet. Your eyes opened and you focused on me for a second, then they got real wide. You were struggling to tell me something, and I leaned closer to hear you. I heard you say 'You're next.' Then I felt a searing pain in my throat. My hands came up, and then I saw that my blood was mingled with yours."

Jake was holding his hands out in front of him, as if he could see the blood from the dream on his hands. He looked at Ellie. "Whoever had killed you killed me too. I fell on top of you, and could feel my life draining away. That's when I woke up. I thank God I woke up, because I've heard that if you die in your dreams, you die for real."

Ellie realized she was shaking. "I can't help you, Jake. I don't know why, but it sounds like you've been having some really graphic dreams and there is probably something really wrong with you right now. I really wish these dreams didn't involve me."

"Me too." Jake's head fell into his hands. "I'm sorry, Ellie. I'm not trying to scare you. These dreams have scared me too. I don't know why I'm having them, and I want them to stop too. "

Ellie tried to ignore the goose bumps on her arms. "Jake, I'm fine. There's nothing remotely scary going on in my life. I'm smart enough to take care of myself and I'm certain these dreams you're having are just the by-product of something else that is going on in your head. I don't believe in this 'ability' that you say you have, but I know you do and so I think it's beyond time for you to start thinking about going back to your therapist."

Jake looked up at her. "You were always the strong one, Ellie. I didn't deserve you. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Jake's aura had turned a dark purple, and Ellie sensed nothing but sadness and regret from him. For the first time that Ellie could remember in a long time, she felt warmth toward Jake. He truly was worried about her. For that, she felt like she could finally find the closure over the whole situation. She surprised both of them by giving him a hug. After a few seconds, she felt him hug her back.

As he pulled away she felt a sharp twinge run up her arm like static electricity. She saw that Jake had felt it too and he laughed awkwardly.

"Okay. If you say you are okay, then I'm going to trust you. Thanks for hearing me out. Maybe that's all I needed to be able to stop having these crazy dreams, you know?"

Ellie nodded. "I hope so too."

"I'd probably better get back," Jake said, looking at his watch. "Jenny is going to start worrying. She doesn't know what is going on with me, and I think she's starting to worry that I'm messing around on her."

"I hope that you find happiness too, Jake. I really do," Ellie said.

"I wish that for you too, Ellie," he said with a soft smile. Ellie saw a tenderness that hadn't existed in Jake's eyes before. She wondered if it was the divorce, or this new relationship that had put that there. Either way, she didn't begrudge it. She had moved on, and so had he. It was a time for new beginnings. She thought of David, and she couldn't wait to see him.

She walked Jake to the door. With each step he seemed lighter. As he stepped out the door, he turned slightly. "I know this may sound corny, or maybe even a little out of line considering where we are now, but if you need me, just call, okay? I'd like us to keep in touch."

Ellie was again touched by Jake's thoughtfulness. It crossed her mind that if he had always been like this, things may have been different between them. "Thanks, I'll remember that."

They exchanged shy smiles and then Jake walked away. Ellie closed the door and leaned back against it. Her life had taken a completely unexpected turn in the last forty-five minutes. She wished she hadn't remembered about the chanting and the strange figure in their room, though. Ellie assumed that it was some kind of suggestive thing that her mind had done in an attempt to comprehend Jake's strange behavior. She wondered what he had done to make her forget. It was frightening to think of the implications of that, but Jake was gone and she didn't think she'd hear from him again.

Jake had moved on and so had she. She looked around the front hall and felt enveloped by that sense of warmth and peace that quickly spun all of those bad memories away. She headed back to the kitchen humming a wordless tune. It was like Jake's visit had never happened.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Ellie spent another hour at Linda's unpacking her clothes and settling in to the upstairs bedroom that Linda had designated as hers. She had already decided that she was going to stay there that evening, and she wanted to go back and get Skipper to start getting him oriented to the house as well.

Ellie saw a disconcerting sight as she pulled onto her street. A police squad car was sitting in front of her house, and a police officer was talking to her landlord. As she drove past, turning to pull into the driveway that served also as a mock parking lot, she saw the landlord point at her car.

Ellie was getting out as the police officer approached, and she felt a sense of dread in her stomach.

"Mrs. Coulter?" the police officer said.

"Actually it's Ms. these days. But yes, I'm Ellie Coulter," she said, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach.

"Jake Coulter your husband?" the officer asked, ignoring her "Ms." comment entirely.

"Ex-husband, yes," she said. The feeling of dread was threatening to overwhelm her now.

"Your ex-husband was in a car accident about an hour ago, Ms. Coulter. He's in critical condition. It was quite a serious accident. I think you may want to head over to the hospital." The officer's tone was devoid of emotion. His aura was green with shade of blue. No distress there. He had obviously delivered news like this many times.

Ellie felt like she had been kicked in the gut. "I just saw him," she whispered. She fell back heavily against her car.

"Why don't I give you a ride over there?" the officer said. Ellie could only nod. She allowed the officer to guide her to the squad car, and barely noted the people who had come out onto the street to see what the commotion was about.

The ride to the hospital was a blur. She found herself in the center of the emergency room with doctors and nurses rushing around her. The officer pushed her toward the desk where a nurse was manning the phone and pointing different patients in different directions.

The nurse looked up at her. "I'm looking for Jake Coulter," Ellie said faintly. "He was in a car accident."

"You family?" the nurse asked, starting to scan the computer.

"He's my husband." Ellie didn't even bother with the distinction at that point. She couldn't believe that she and Jake had just spoken a few hours before in the most candid and truthful conversation of their entire relationship, and now there was the possibility that he would be ripped out of her life in a cruel and unexpected way.

"He's in surgery now," the nurse said. She pointed down the hallway. "There's a waiting room down there on the right. I'll make sure the doctor knows you are here in case they need you to sign something." Then the nurse answered the bleeping phone and was immersed in other duties.

Ellie had no choice but to go to the waiting room. Everywhere she looked people had either orange, pink, or red auras. Her muscles felt tense as she felt like she was absorbing all of that anxiousness and pain.

The waiting room was painted in a cheerful yellow, but Ellie found no comfort in the bright color. The chairs were an olive green, some plastic, some with cushions. A TV that looked like it was a remnant of the 1960s, antenna and all, was playing a game show in the corner. Ellie sat on one of the cushioned chairs.

There was one other person in the room, a woman who looked to be in her fifties. She was crocheting, with a bag of yarn sitting at her feet. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she appeared calm. Her aura was purple. She glanced in Ellie's direction, and then refocused her attention on her crocheting. Ellie was grateful that it didn't appear any conversation was expected.

After a few minutes, and after replaying the earlier conversation with Jake again in her head for the tenth time, she realized that she was forgetting someone. As much as she detested Jenny Marks, if she was with Jake now, she probably didn't even know anything was wrong. After searching her pockets and purse, she realized she had left her cellphone in her car. Ellie went in search of a telephone.

As she was crossing the corridor, she saw David walking down the opposite hallway with a chart in his hands. He looked up and caught Ellie's eye. A surprised smile flashed across his face.

"Ellie, hi. What are you doing here?" he asked.

Ellie brought a hand up and leaned heavily on the wall. "Jake was in an accident."

"Jake? Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "How did you find out?"

Ellie didn't have the strength to deal with that question yet. She dissolved into tears. "I just can't believe it. He followed me over to Linda's today and we finally talked about everything, right down to why he's been acting like a crazy person the last few weeks. I think both of us felt really good about it, like we had been able to resolve our issues once and for all. And then he left, and he got into the accident on his way home."

David immediately pulled her into his arms. "He followed you over to Linda's?" he asked.

Ellie realized David's question was covering another question that he didn't ask. "Yes, but oh, it wasn't like that. I mean, at first I thought it was like that, but we talked and he explained everything to me and even though I didn't believe him at least I could see that he believed it and that was what was wrong with him," she said through sobs.

"I thought you had a restraining order out against him." There was strong disapproval in David's voice.

"It was a misunderstanding. That's all. He wanted to tell me about his dreams and make sure everything was okay with me. Kinda like a closure thing, I think," Ellie said, starting to push away from David. "He wasn't trying to get me back, if that's what you're thinking. In fact, he's with someone else now. I was just trying to find a telephone so I could call her actually."

"Sounds like it's been a pretty eventful afternoon," David said evenly. Ellie wasn't sure how to interpret his response. His aura had turned a chilly shade of ice blue.

"Regardless of how things are with us now, I still don't want anything bad to happen to him," Ellie said in a short, clipped voice.

"Of course not, I'm sorry," David apologized. "I just wasn't sure what this meeting this afternoon meant. With you being here and all, maybe you two had decided to try to work things out."

If the circumstances had been different, Ellie would have laughed with relief. "Oh, no, David. If anything, we both felt that maybe we could be friends after all."

"I'm sorry to hear about the accident," David said. "Is there anything I can do?"

Ellie was relieved to see David's natural blue aura return. "He's in surgery right now. That's all I know," Ellie said. "Can you see if you could find anything else out? I'm sure his girlfriend would like to know too."

"Sure, I can do that. No problem," David said. He kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thanks, David," she said.

"If you want to wait in the waiting room, I can take you to a phone when I get back and you can call her," he said.

Ellie nodded, and felt better. David would find out Jake's progress, and she could get Jenny here so that when Jake woke up, he'd find someone he loved next to him. Ellie felt that would be best. She headed back to the waiting room to wait for David's news.

The crocheting woman looked up only briefly at Ellie's return before turning her attention back to her work. Ellie sat for a moment and then stood, starting to pace the room. The bright yellow of the room mixed with the antiseptic smell that could only be found in hospitals assaulted Ellie's senses, and she started to feel nauseous. She sat back down again and put her head between her knees, trying to calm her stomach. After what seemed like an eternity, she heard soft footsteps out in the hallway.

Looking up, she expected to see David. Instead, she found herself staring into Jenny Marks' dark blue eyes.

"I knew it," Jenny spat with hateful disdain. "I knew he was going to see you. You are the reason he's here. Whatever has happened, it's all your fault."

Ellie felt the full brunt of Jenny's venom, as if the screaming red aura wasn't enough. Then she saw something that shook her to the core. Jenny Marks was beautiful; Ellie had always thought so, which was one reason she always suspected something was going on even when Jake denied it. Jenny was petite, with long blond hair that fell in soft waves down her back. She was only twenty-two but had the worldly look of someone far older than her age.

Ellie had liked Jenny when they had first met. Jenny was bubbly and vivacious, and it was easy to see why men were drawn to her. But after Jake showed considerably more interest, Ellie had cut Jenny off, refusing to be hoodwinked into being friends with someone that she knew she couldn't trust.

But today's Jenny's beauty was enhanced with a bloom of color across her cheeks that Ellie knew came from the bump around her mid-section that Jenny was now holding protectively. Jenny Marks was pregnant.

"Jenny, I'm sorry," was all she could manage to sputter.

"I thought he was finally over you. I thought we could finally move on with our lives." Jenny's eyes welled up with tears. "But these last few weeks he's been secretive and he's been drinking again. He had been so happy when he found out we were going to have a baby."

Jenny's words cut Ellie to her soul. Jake had been excited about having a child. He had said that he had figured things out and gotten his act together. It was because he found out he was going to be a father. Ellie couldn't help the tiny tendrils of anger that welled up inside her. She did the quick calculations again and arrived at the same conclusion. With how far along Jenny appeared to be, it had happened before Ellie and Jake split up.

"The least you could have done was wait to get knocked up until after the divorce was final," Ellie retorted.

Jenny drew herself up to her full height, all five feet two inches. "I'm sorry for the way it happened, but I'm not sorry for loving him. You two weren't going to work out, that was obvious to everyone."

"That didn't give you the right to have an affair with my husband," Ellie said.

"That's in the past now. I thought that this was all behind us," Jenny said with a dismissive toss of her head.

"Well, that makes two of us, Jenny." Ellie folded her arms across her chest and started to say more when she saw David appear behind Jenny. Ellie instantly regretted her last words. That part of her life was over. She had no idea how much he had heard, but his face was blank and the ice blue aura had returned.

"David, how is he?" Ellie asked.

He looked from Ellie to Jenny, clearly uncertain of how to proceed.

"This is Jenny, Jake's girlfriend," she said, gesturing in Jenny's direction.

"Fiancee," Jenny corrected her.

It was another detail that Jake had left out.

David slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ellie. Jenny." He nodded in Jenny's direction, but kept his eyes on Ellie. "Jake passed away on the operating table. His wounds were just too severe."

Jenny's face twisted into a grotesque mask of pain, and she slid to the floor weeping. Ellie could only stand there. "I don't understand how this happened," she said faintly.

"I spoke to Jake's doctor. The only thing they can speculate is that Jake fell asleep at the wheel. He collided with a truck that was carrying timber in the back. One of the beams pierced his windshield, and a piece of glass became imbedded in his throat. Unfortunately, he lost a lot of blood, and we were never able to revive him." David's words were careful and cautious.

Instantly Ellie thought of Jake's dream. He had died a bloody death due to a wound to the throat. Jenny's weeping turned into hysterical sobs.

David turned his attention to the weeping woman at his feet and gently pulled her up. Jenny clung to him, and David was clearly uncomfortable. His eyes pulled at Ellie's, but she could only stare at the spectacle. She felt cold inside.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Ellie sat quietly at the table after recounting the whole sordid story to Kevin. Jeffrey was manning the counter, not complaining at having been left to fend for himself. Ellie didn't care if the customers got served or not.

Kevin reached across the table and took her hand. "God, Ellie, I am so sorry."

"I'll be okay," she said softly. "At least I'm not pregnant."

"Who would have thought?" Kevin said.

"I know. For all Jake's babbling about thinking that he wouldn't be a good father, and how with his past he would just mess a kid up, and then he turned around and was going to have one. Jenny said he was really excited about it," she said tonelessly.

"I don't think you should be alone tonight," Kevin said firmly.

"David was going to try to pull some strings at the hospital. See if he could come over for a few hours later on," she said. She felt a surreal sense of calm.

"Well, he won't be able to stay the night, and I know that I can. I'll call Eric in a minute. I know he won't mind," Kevin said.

Ellie finally focused on him. "Thanks, Kevin. That would be nice." She couldn't even think straight. She just kept thinking about Jake's premonition of his death.

After delivering the horrifying details of Jake's accident, David had taken charge. He referred Jenny to a doctor, just to make sure that the shock of hearing that her fiance was dead wasn't sending any kind of shock into her system that would affect her pregnancy. Then he had called Kevin at the shop and asked him to come and get Ellie.

"She shouldn't be left alone," she had heard him tell Kevin as they were getting into the car.

She knew that Kevin had no idea what to say or what to do, but she appreciated his presence. A large part of her wanted to shut herself away in a room somewhere and not come out until she could make some sense of it all.

"Jeffrey," she heard Kevin call out. "Finish what you're doing and then that's it. We're closing for the rest of the day."

"Good idea," was the soft reply.

Ellie watched the two men quickly usher the remaining customers out of the store, and Kevin turned off the glowing "Open" sign in the window. Jeffrey cleaned the machines and did the dishes as Kevin counted out the register and got the deposit ready.

When Kevin returned to the table, deposit bag under his arm, she looked up him. "I don't understand why this happened, Kevin," she said.

"It was an accident, Ellie. Accidents happen," he said.

"He was wide awake when he left. It doesn't seem right that he fell asleep at the wheel right afterwards. He had just had a cup of coffee too." Ellie knew she was repeating herself.

"From what he was telling you, he hadn't been sleeping very well, right?" Kevin asked.

"Yes."

"Maybe after talking to you, he felt some peace. Then he got sleepy, and it just happened. It's not your fault, Ellie." Kevin had cut to the quick of the issue.

"Then why do I still feel somehow responsible?" she asked. "He hadn't been sleeping because he was having horrible dreams about ME dying. Even Jenny said it was my fault."

"Those were the words of pregnant woman in distress. Of course she would try to blame someone," he answered.

But Kevin hadn't seen the look in Jenny's eyes when they wheeled her away weeping in a wheelchair. Her eyes had locked on Ellie, and she said those words again as she pointed at Ellie. "It's your fault he's dead. Your fault." Then she had collapsed into tears again.

David had said the same thing as Kevin, but that didn't erase the fearful dread at those words. Jake had come to her because he had been having terrifying nightmares about her and because the shadows that had haunted him his whole life had returned. Then in his dream last night he had dreamed he was going to die because of her. She was the reason that he had been in the position that led to his death.

"Do you believe in premonition?" she asked Kevin.

"Oh no, we aren't going there," Kevin said, shaking his head. "It was an accident, Ellie. It was a terrible coincidence. No matter what Jake believed, there isn't anything supernatural here. Come on, let's get you home." He took her shoulders and pulled her out of the chair.

"I know just what you need," he said.

Ellie put herself in Kevin's hands, hoping for the pain in her soul to end.

At Ellie's insistence, she and Kevin sat in Linda's library an hour later. They had collected Skipper and several bottles of wine from Ellie's apartment. The wine had been at Kevin's insistence. Although he suggested that it would be better if they stayed at her apartment, Ellie thought that staying at Linda's would be a better option. There was a part of her that felt at ease in the old house, and it offered her more comfort than the thought of her tiny apartment.

Kevin had started a fire in the fireplace and as the sky darkened into twilight Ellie was silent, staring into the fire's flames.

"What are you thinking, Ellie?" Kevin asked.

"It's not that I loved him romantically anymore. But it was a really nice feeling to not feel like I hated him anymore either," she said after a pause.

"That's understandable." Kevin walked over to her and refilled her wine glass. She hadn't even noticed that she had drunk the first glass.

"Do you really think that getting drunk right now is the best answer?" she said.

"I can't think of a better time to get absolutely shit-faced," Kevin replied. He raised his glass. "It's better to do it in the company of those that love you."

Ellie felt the sadness of the moment rest on her chest, but the tears no longer came. She didn't know if that was because she had no more to give to Jake's memory, or because she had exhausted her daily quota of tears somehow.

She raised her glass as well. "To Jake."

Kevin nodded, and then they both drank deeply. Ellie's cell phone was sitting on the end table next to her, and it started to chirp. She looked at it, but saw only that it was a call from a private number.

"Hello," she said.

"Ellie?" David's voice was husky and filled with concern. "How are you?"

"I'm doing okay, David," she replied.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"Over at Linda's. With Kevin," she said.

"I'm glad he's with you. Do you want me to come over in a bit? I think I can swing a few hours away," he said.

"Sure. That's fine. I'll be here." She didn't know what she would have done without him that afternoon.

"Okay then, I'll see you in a while," David said before hanging up.

At Kevin's questioning glance, she relayed the short conversation.

"You know what I think?" Kevin asked.

"What?" Ellie was too exhausted to think.

"I think we should get into some comfy clothes, have some more wine, and play some cards or something like that. Let's do something that will take your mind off of this for a while. Linda doesn't have a television, does she?"

"No, I did notice that," Ellie said, a slight frown crossing her face. "Seems odd."

"I think we have determined that Linda was odd," Kevin said.

Ellie forced a slight smile onto her face. "Okay, Kevin. Let's do it."

"Slumber party!" he said with a delighted grin on his face.

As Ellie and Kevin started up the staircase toward Ellie's new room, she told Kevin about her discovery in the master bedroom. Kevin was delighted by her description of the old-fashioned clothes and insisted on seeing them for himself. They reached the top of the stairs and Ellie pushed open the doors. She was surprised to see the light was on and the curtains were closed again.

"That is odd," she commented. "That light didn't work this afternoon and I know I opened those curtains."

"Are you sure you jiggled the switch right?" Kevin asked. "These old houses can be temperamental."

"I'm sure, Kevin," she said. "The only thing I can think of is that Linda and Randall are having someone else coming in and cleaning the house, which I guess makes sense. I feel like my life has turned upside down in these last four days."

Kevin squeezed her arm. "Come on, let's check out that closet."

The two of them crossed the room and Ellie pulled open the closet door.

"How fabulous," Kevin breathed. "Tweed and polyester." He pulled out jacket after jacket from the rack. "Hey, look at that."

He pointed at a full-length mirror in the corner. He grinned at Ellie and whipped one of the jackets off its hanger, pulled it on, and started admiring himself in the mirror.

"Kevin," Ellie shooshed. "That isn't yours. You shouldn't be doing that."

"Oh, Ellie. You are such a goody two-shoes. You gotta have a little fun every now and then. What's it hurting? I'll put it right back where I found it in just a minute," Kevin said.

He ignored her continued requests until finally she just gave up. She stood with her arms crossed, leaning in the doorway as Kevin tried on jacket after jacket. She rolled her eyes when Kevin found the derby hats and started accessorizing his jackets.

He turned and struck a pose for her. "Doesn't this look like fun, Ellie?"

She smiled despite herself. Kevin's silliness was addicting, and after the day she had, a bit of silliness didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"All right," she said. Then she dove into the closet like a kid, with Kevin clapping in the background.

Soon they had both modeled a dozen different outfits, pulling on pants and skirts over their existing clothing. Ellie found kid gloves in a drawer next to the women's clothes, and then a lace parasol standing behind the mirror.

She twirled the parasol over her shoulder, her ruffled lace shirt and long skirt complete with the kid gloves that were edged with lace and a pillbox hat on her head.

She smiled smugly at Kevin. "I would have fit right in during that time. This is just like my favorite dream."

"Why yes, ma'am," he said, leaning over and giving her a bow. Then he took one of her hands and kissed the top of it.

"My, my, sir. I do declare," she said in her best Scarlett O'Hara accent. Kevin giggled in delight. He knelt and dug further into the closet. Ellie could only figure that he was looking for shoes. She continued to twirl her parasol and admire herself in the mirror.

"These would be great for Halloween costumes. We should ask Linda if we can borrow some of them next year," she said. She heard Kevin's muffled response but couldn't understand it. "Kevin, what are you doing back there?"

The only thing she could see of Kevin was his butt up in the air underneath all of the hanging jackets and suits. He slowly crawled out, dragging a box behind him.

"Hey, Ellie. Check this out," he said.

Ellie went over and knelt beside him. "What is all this stuff?" she said.

"Looks like a lot of the kind of stuff you'd find if you were doing seances," Kevin said. He pulled a long velvet tablecloth from the box, which was covering a medium-size clear ball sitting on a base of four ornate legs.

They exchanged a puzzled look.

"A crystal ball?" Ellie said.

"Looks like it," Kevin said. He pulled a deck of cards from the box. They were larger than the standard playing card size, and as Kevin turned them over to show the pictures, Ellie saw that they were tarot cards. A hat also sat in the box, one that would fit tightly to the head and had costume jewels hanging down in front. The final object that Kevin pulled from the box was a Ouija board.

"I haven't played with one of these since I was a kid," Kevin exclaimed.

"I don't like those things," Ellie said, backing away. They reminded her too much of the things that Jake had talked about. "Put it all back, Kevin. I think it's time we put all this stuff away and go back downstairs."

"Aren't you even the least bit curious, Ellie?" Kevin asked.

"Curious about what?" she said.

"What it's like on the other side. Haven't you ever thought about that?"

"You don't even know that there is an 'other" side,'" Ellie retorted. "For all anyone knows, when you're dead, that's it. You're gone. Game over."

"Don't you want to believe that people go to heaven?" Kevin asked.

"Are you asking me if I think Jake went to heaven?" Ellie said. "I don't believe in any of that kind of stuff, Kevin. I also don't think that it's very cool of you to be bringing up any of this 'life after death' talk right now either. The timing is pretty inappropriate."

She stood up and started pulling off the clothes that she wore. Kevin sat in silence for a few moments, watching her re-hang the clothes that she had pulled off the rack.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. I wasn't trying to offend you, really." His voice was apologetic. "I've lost people close to me too. I'd like to think that everyone gets a second chance at something better, no matter what they did in their life here. That idea also helps me not be scared of what would happen if something happened to me."

Ellie paused in her work and sighed. "I think that's everyone's reasoning, Kevin. I'm just a bit more cynical than most, especially when people around me keep dying. Look, why don't you finish putting your stuff away and meet me downstairs. I'll go change into something more comfortable and grab another bottle of wine."

"Okay." Kevin's voice was quiet, but agreeable.

Ellie left him in the closet and walked quickly into her room. She shut the door behind her and leaned back against it, breathing deeply. She had lied, and she knew it. Although she still considered herself a skeptic, part of her did wish and hope for a better place for herself and her loved ones. She hoped that her parents were there.

Ellie had just gotten changed into sweatpants, a big sweatshirt, and ribbed socks when she heard the doorbell. She had forgotten that David was coming over. As she entered the hallway she looked into the master bedroom. She saw Kevin's figure still sorting through all of the clothes that he had tried on. He poked his head out of the closet.

"David?" he questioned.

"I don't know who else it would be. I'll meet you downstairs," she said.

Kevin waved and kept on working. Ellie took the stairs quickly and crossed the front foyer. Skipper already waited at the door. She picked him up and pulled open the door. David was there, with a smile and a bottle of wine.

She greeted him warmly, and he kissed her on the cheek. "I've seen this look before, I think," he said teasingly. She blushed, remembering that day by the lake that seemed like an eternity ago, even though it hadn't been more than a week.

"Kevin and I are having a slumber party," she said.

"That sounds like a great idea. I'm sorry I can't stay for it," he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Ellie jabbed him in the ribs and he grunted.

"Not with company in the house," she said, although she returned his smile. She was tired, and she wanted nothing more than to rest and forget all the horrors of the day.

"David! How delightful to see you!" Ellie and David turned to see Kevin, in perfect drag queen style, sashay his way down the stairs. He had a box under his arm. The men shook hands.

"What do you have there?" David asked, pointing at the box.

"It's just a game for later," Kevin said, avoiding the question. He headed for the library and Ellie and David followed.

As they walked, David held out his hand for Skipper to sniff. Skipper showed no interest. He laughed and took Ellie's hand instead.

"He's usually very friendly," Ellie said with a slight frown.

"I'm sure he just sees me as competition, so he can't be too nice to me," David said. Ellie put Skipper down, and the dog followed Kevin into the library and then lay down on the cushion that Ellie had set in the corner.

By the time Ellie and David entered the room, Kevin hands held two glasses of wine. The mysterious box was nowhere to be seen. He saluted them.

"Cocktails, anyone?" he said with a smile.

"I'd love to, but I have to go back to work," David said. He handed Kevin the bottle of wine that he had been carrying. "But this is for the two of you. I figured there would be some alcohol consumption during the course of your evening. As long as neither of you are driving, you should feel free to imbibe." He glanced at Ellie.

"Imbibe we will, guaranteed," Kevin said. Kevin took a long sip of wine and then looked around. "It appears that I left my overnight bag upstairs. Ellie, do you mind if I go slip into something more comfortable?"

"Not at all, Kevin," she said.

"I'll be right back. You kids be good," Kevin said, giving them a meaningful look.

Ellie stuck her tongue out at him. He giggled and then was gone.

Ellie gestured to David to sit on the sofa. "This is quite cozy," he said, looking around.

"It is," Ellie agreed. "Since you can't have any wine, is there anything else I can get for you to drink?"

David waved his hand. "No, I'm fine. I actually can't stay long."

"I thought you said on the phone that you had a few hours," Ellie said, pouting.

"I know, but we're short-staffed right now. They need me," David said. "But I managed to wrangle a forty-five-minute break. My manager said that I should use it to sleep, or to be stupid and go over to see my girlfriend." He shook his head with disdain. "Just in case you weren't clear of the option I chose, it was you."

Ellie tried to hide her excitement that he had called her his girlfriend, but she was also worried. "Are you getting enough sleep?" Fresh memories of Jake's accident plagued her mind.

David sat up, sensing her thoughts. "Don't worry about me. I'm used to pulling these kinds of shifts. I can function pretty well on not that much sleep."

Kevin made a grand entrance into the room. "Did you miss me?"

Ellie and David couldn't help but laugh. "We did," Ellie said.

"Good." Kevin flopped himself down on the sofa across from Ellie and David, picking up his glass of wine again. "So what's up, doc?" he asked David.

"How long have you been waiting to say that?" David asked wryly.

"Too long," Kevin chuckled. "I was starting to think I'd never get to use it."

"Things are busy. I was just telling Ellie that I'm going to have to head back in a minute."

"Umm, the doctor's life is a hectic one, I'm told," Kevin said, swirling the wine around and around in his glass.

"That it is," David agreed. "How is Eric?"

Ellie was grateful when the subject changed to the benign topic of Kevin and Eric's relationship. Kevin soon had both of them laughing as he related in over exuberant detail the story of his and Eric's last disagreement.

"So needless to say, I have to go out and buy a new mattress pad because Eric swears that the featherbed has it out for him," Kevin finished.

Ellie took another sip of wine and glanced at David out of the corner of her eye. Despite having just worked a whole shift, and apparently getting ready to work another one, his aura was robin's egg blue. He was totally relaxed. He turned toward her and caught her looking at him. He put his arm around her and squeezed her tightly to him, then looked at Kevin.

"You gonna take good care of her tonight?" he said.

"You betcha," Kevin said, taking another swig of wine.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "We'll see who really is taking care of whom later on," she commented under her breath.

"I'd better get going," David said, and the three of them stood. He and Kevin shook hands again. "It was good to see you again, Kevin. You're a good guy, helping Ellie out like this."

"It's not a problem," Kevin said. He sat back down, clearly intending to give Ellie and David their space to say goodbye privately. Ellie walked David back down the hallway to the front door.

"It was really nice of you to stop by. You didn't have to. I'm in good hands here," she said.

"Perhaps it was also an excuse to see you again," David said as he pulled her into his arms.

"I like your excuses," she said with a smile. David bent his head and kissed her deeply. She wasn't sure if it was the wine or the kiss, but her head spun. He gave her one final squeeze and then turned to leave.

"I'll talk to you soon," he said.

Ellie waved and blew him a kiss as she closed the door. She skipped back down the hallway to the library.

"Me thinks someone is in love," Kevin said, drawing out the "o" in love.

"I like him a lot," she said.

"I am delighted that you have rekindled your interest in the opposite sex again, darling," Kevin said. "But now it's time to have some real fun." Kevin pulled the box out from underneath the couch and placed it on the coffee table. It was the Ouija board.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

David hurried down the patio steps, worried that he was going to be late getting back to the hospital. He didn't see the figure at the bottom of the stairs until it was too late and they collided. David didn't go down like the other man, but the wind was knocked out of him.

"Sorry, I didn't see you," he said as he held his hand out to the man on the ground.

The man struggled to his feet, ignoring David's outstretched hand. David gasped. It was Joe Klein glaring back at him, but this time the man looked twenty years older than he had the last time David had seen him just a few days ago. Joe looked gaunt and his hair had turned pure white. The only thing that hadn't changed was the crazy gleam in the man's eyes.

"Mr. Klein, is that you?" David asked. "You don't look well."

"You again," was the muttered reply. "I'm here to see Linda." Joe dusted himself off slowly and peered over David's shoulder.

"Mr. Klein, I tried to tell you when you were here before that Linda has gone on vacation indefinitely," David explained as he deliberately stood at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Joe's ability to move around him.

"I see lights on in that house," Joe said, looking up at the house with suspicious eyes.

"I told you my girlfriend is house-sitting. She's here now." David didn't want the agent harassing her, though. "Her friend Kevin, who you also met the other night, is staying with her," he added.

"I think you're lying," Joe snarled. "Linda wouldn't just leave without telling me."

"Mr. Klein, are you feeling okay?" David said to try to change the subject. The last thing he wanted to know was anything more about the agent's relationship with Linda Jordan. "I'm a doctor. I can help you."

The agent's face fell. When he looked back up at David, it was with haunted eyes. "There's no cure for what I've got," he said sadly and then turned away. "I'll come see her later."

David wanted to pursue the man, but a glance at his watch told him he didn't have time to waste. His manager would be pissed if he wasn't there for the evening rounds. He made a mental note to call Ellie later and tell her to keep an eye out. He was sure the man wasn't dangerous, but better to be safe than sorry.

Inside the house, Ellie was scolding Kevin. "I told you that I'm not into that stuff," she said. She refused to budge from her place in the doorway to the library.

"Ellie, it's just a game. We're having a slumber party here. We will just be playing a game," Kevin argued. "Have a glass of wine and let's have some fun."

"Don't you think pretending to contact the dead is a little bit morbid considering the circumstances?" she said heatedly.

"Maybe, but we're already in kind of a morbid mood, don't you think?" Kevin countered. "Besides, I found something else upstairs in the closet that might pique your interest."

Kevin pulled out a piece of paper. Ellie could see from her position in the doorway that it looked like a newspaper clipping, but it was obvious that in order to read it she'd have to get closer. Unable to contain her curiosity, she moved toward Kevin. He didn't move from the couch, but continued to hold the article outstretched in his arm.

Finally, she moved to the opposite couch and snatched the piece of paper out of his hand. She sat down to read it and she could feel Kevin watching her carefully.

PROMINENT COUPLE VANISHES. FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED, read the article's title. It was from the local paper and was dated November 12, 1914. Ellie was amazed at the paper's condition considering it was almost a hundred years old.

She looked at Kevin. "What is this, National Enquirer circa 1914?"

His shrug was unreadable. "There's more to the story than Linda told us," he said.

Ellie looked back down at the article and continued to read.

Neighbors in the high-class Lake of Isles community have

confirmed reports of screams coming from the Joseph Bradford

home earlier this week. Police officials are refusing to comment

beyond the fact that they have been unable to locate Joseph

Bradford or his wife, Lillian. The couple was last seen at

a dinner party that they hosted a week ago. A guest at the party

said that the couple had been arguing over some financial matters.

The couple excused themselves early and asked the guests to leave.

The Bradfords moved to Minneapolis last year after Joseph

Bradford purchased shares in a mining operation on the Iron Range

in Northern Minnesota. Joseph Bradford's partner, William Parker,

has not been in touch with either Bradford since the dinner party.

Attempts to contact the Bradfords at the time of this writing have

proved unsuccessful.

"So do you think that Linda knew about this?" Ellie asked.

"I would think so considering this was stuffed in her closet," Kevin replied.

Ellie was beginning to understand what Kevin was after. "So what are you getting at here? You want to try to contact the spirits of the Bradfords or something?" Ellie said.

"All in the spirit of entertainment, of course," Kevin said with a grin. "Plus you don't believe in this stuff anyway. It probably won't work."

"You are truly morbid, Kevin. How old are we?" Ellie said as she gave the article back to him.

"This is good stuff, Ellie; it's better than any old TV program. Aren't you the least bit curious about what happened here almost hundred years ago?" Kevin was clearly intrigued.

"We aren't going to find the answers with a Ouija board." Ellie shrugged.

"Maybe not, but it makes a good story." Kevin sipped his wine again. "We can give Melanie some good material for her next book and maybe collect some of the royalties."

"Money is a good thing." Ellie grabbed her wine glass and took a sip thoughtfully. "We could always bypass Melanie and write our own book." She knew that she was letting Kevin see that she was warming to the idea.

"Heck, yeah," he said. "I've been known to be able to string some words together on occasion that even make sense."

Ellie started to relax. As long as Kevin wasn't taking the whole thing too seriously, she was able to look past how ridiculous it all seemed. She nodded toward the half empty wine bottle sitting on the end table.

"Fill it up, garçon," she said.

Kevin obliged, and then filled up his own glass as well. They toasted each other and sat back.

"You in then?" Kevin finally said.

"You do realize this is absolutely ridiculous," Ellie said, rolling her eyes.

"Sure. But it'll take your mind off all the other stuff going on. It's just for fun, Ellie." Kevin sat up and pulled the indicator out of the box and set it on the board.

"Okay, then." Ellie sat up as well. "How does this silly thing work?"

"You never did this as a kid?" he asked.

"No, I was always the sensible kid," Ellie replied.

"You poor, poor girl. No wonder you grew up so serious," Kevin remarked with a sly grin.

"Let's say instead that I didn't waste my time on silly fantasies."

Kevin ignored her statement and instead started to give her directions. "We need to place our fingertips on the indicator. Once it starts to move, we ask it questions. It will either point to yes or no, or spell out words."

Ellie rolled her eyes again, but reached out in an imitation of Kevin nonetheless. She touched the indicator lightly with both hands and then looked at Kevin. His aura was shining a brilliant emerald green. He was excited.

"Nothing is happening," she said.

"Give it a minute," Kevin said. "We have to see who is around." At Ellie's look he sighed. "Work with me here, Ellie. Try closing your eyes."

Ellie twisted her face into a frown, but did as he asked. After another few moments, she felt the indicator move, pulling her hands with it. She opened her eyes and looked at Kevin.

"It's not me. You should be able to tell that," he said.

The indicator moved slowly and then picked up speed, moving into a figure eight pattern.

"It's ready." Kevin's face lit up with expectation.

Ellie tried to sense if he was moving the indicator or not, but didn't feel any pressure coming from his side of the indicator. It moved along, tracing a figure eight over and over again in a slow, but consistent motion.

"Hello, great spirit. Thank you for being willing to talk to us. We'd like to ask you some questions," Kevin said to the air around them.

Ellie snorted.

"Shhhh!" Kevin said to her. Once he was certain she wasn't going to interrupt again he continued. "Are you a man or a woman?"

The indicator danced, and moved over to the word "Yes."

Kevin and Ellie exchanged confused looks.

"Do you know if you are a man or a woman?" Kevin asked.

"Yes" was the answer.

"These things are a bit tricky," Kevin whispered to Ellie. "Sometimes you have to take it real slow."

Ellie rolled her eyes but said nothing. This was all Kevin's show.

"So if you know, why won't you tell us?" Kevin jumped back into the questioning.

The indicator paused, as if frustrated. Then it moved to the letters.

"A-N-D," Kevin and Ellie spelled together.

Ellie considered what it was saying, and then asked, "Are you are saying that there is more than one of you here?" She felt silly addressing the air, but she wanted Kevin to see that she could loosen up when the occasion called for it.

"Yes" was the response.

"Good call, Ellie," Kevin said. He seemed pleased.

"Are you the woman?" Ellie asked.

"No" this time.

"You are the man?" Kevin asked.

"Yes."

"But the woman is here too?" he continued.

"Yes."

"So you both want to talk to us?" Ellie asked.

"Yes."

Ellie didn't want to admit it, but she was a bit spooked. She didn't want to believe in ghosts, but after the day she had had, the memories that had resurfaced, and the combination of the wine with the Bradford story, she was starting to think that she could almost believe anything.

"Do you know what happened to the people who used to live here?" Kevin picked up the line of questioning, since Ellie had gotten quiet.

"Yes."

"Did Joseph Bradford kill his wife?" he asked.

"Kevin!" Ellie was horrified that Kevin went there, although it was a possibility that everyone had considered. She was relieved to see the answer indicator go to "NO."

"But something bad happened to them." Kevin's question was more of a statement.

"Yes."

"Can we find out what happened to them without using this Ouija board?" Ellie asked, eager now to be done with it.

The indicator paused and Kevin glared at her.

"MAYBE."

"That is an ambiguous answer," Ellie said.

"Ouija boards are always ambiguous. That's part of their allure," Kevin said. "You really never get a straightforward answer. So your imagination takes over."

"Do we have to keep doing this?" Ellie asked Kevin. Then the indicator started moving to letters as if to answer her question.

"E-L-L-I-E."

"Quit that, Kevin. That's not funny," she said.

"I didn't do it." Kevin appeared to be just as surprised.

"H-E-L-P."

Ellie took her hands off of the indicator. "Put it away," she said. "I'm not in the mood for any jokes. This isn't fun, Kevin."

Kevin pulled his hands away as well. "I wouldn't do that to you, Ellie. I'm not cruel like that."

"Just put it away," Ellie refused to be drawn into any further discussion about it. She went to sit on the floor next to the fire and stared into the flames.

She heard Kevin behind her, shuffling around.

"I'm tired, Kevin. I think I want to go to sleep," she said finally.

"Okay."

"Is it okay if we sleep down here? The couches look comfortable enough," she said.

"Sure, Ellie, whatever you want," Kevin replied. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "I wasn't trying to upset you. Honestly. I wanted to help take your mind off of things."

"I know, Kevin," she sighed. "But I think sometimes we have to work through this stuff on our own, and that means thinking about things that make us upset. I'm going to need to deal with this thing with Jake at some point whether I want to or not."

"Okay, Ellie, but I'm here for you," he said. "I'll go grab some pillows and blankets, and we'll get set up here for the night."

Ellie nodded.

As Kevin moved away, she thought about Jake and Jenny. She'd have to call and see when the funeral was going to be. She could skip it, but that didn't feel right. At least she didn't have to deal with having to organize it, she thought, and then felt guilty for thinking that way.

A few minutes later Kevin returned carrying two pillows and two folded-up blankets. "Found these in the hallway closet upstairs," he said. "It was stocked like a hotel."

Ellie got up and helped Kevin make up the two couches, and then lay down as Kevin threw a few more pieces of wood into the fire. "That'll burn for a little bit longer anyway," he said. Then he lay down too, facing her. They talked quietly.

"Thanks, Kevin. You've been a real friend to me today," she said.

"You don't need to thank me, Ellie," he said. "I know you'd do the same for me. I am really sorry about everything that happened with Jake."

"Thanks," she said softly. "I'm going to try to sleep now."

Kevin nodded and then rolled over.

Ellie lay facing him still. She was still awake when his even breathing said that he was asleep. She envied how fast men always seemed to fall asleep. Her brain was working a million miles a minute, but she knew that she was physically and mentally exhausted. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. Sometime later, she finally drifted off.

# CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Ellie woke in her dream. She knew that her body was still on the couch in Linda's library, but that didn't deter from the realistic quality of the dream. She was standing in the corner of a small room. The girl from her previous dream, Emma, sat off to her left at a dressing table looking into a mirror and brushing her hair, which was longer than the last time Ellie had seen her. The man that Linda had called Henry paced the length of the room and back again. She was amazed again how much he resembled David.

"Are you all right, dear?" Emma said.

It was obvious to Ellie that Henry was anxious, but she had the advantage of being able to see his bright orange aura tinged with just a bit of purple. He was worried about something.

"Things are getting too damn close for comfort," he answered.

"It will all turn out okay," Emma assured him. "I can feel it, Henry. This is just what we needed to get us back on track."

He looked up from his pacing and Ellie watched their eyes meet in the mirror. Henry came up behind Emma and put his hands on her shoulders.

"How did I ever get so lucky as to have such a beautiful wife?" he asked.

"I have no idea," she laughed.

He kissed the top of her head. "You had better hurry up. Your sister is expecting us soon."

"Yes, Lillian hates it when people are late," she agreed.

Ellie was shocked to hear the name. Could they be talking about Lillian Bradford? Was David right that she was creating a reality in her dreams based on the Bradford story? The scene grew fuzzy, and she had the sense that time had shifted.

Now she was standing in the foyer of Linda's house but everything was different. The house had that new feeling of a home just recently completed. People were everywhere, laughing and drinking. Emma and Henry were ushered through the door. A butler arrived at Henry's shoulder, and Ellie saw that he looked a lot like Jeffrey.

Henry helped Emma out of her jacket and handed it along with his jacket to the man, who promptly disappeared.

"Emma!" she heard a familiar voice say. She turned and there was young Linda coming toward them.

"Lillian," Emma replied. They kissed each other's cheeks, and then Lillian greeted Henry.

"You are looking as dashingly handsome as ever," Lillian said to him.

Ellie decided that since it was a dream, it was easier to stop struggling and watch and observe. It was just a dream after all. It didn't surprise her then when Randall appeared at Linda's side, and she heard Emma say, "Joseph. It is good to see you again."

Ellie shifted uncomfortably as she saw Randall embrace Emma and hold her just a few seconds longer than Ellie thought was appropriate. Then he released her and clasped Henry's hand. Ellie watched Emma's face and saw that her smile was strained and it didn't reach her eyes. Her aura was tinged pink with alarm. Emma didn't like Randall any more than Ellie did.

"Should I be jealous, old man?" Randall winked at Henry.

Henry laughed. "No more so than I should be of you. Your house is lovely."

As the two couples moved deeper into the house, Ellie felt time shifting again. Then they were in the library, and Joseph and Lillian were speaking in hushed tones in the corner. Henry and Emma were standing next to the fireplace watching them. Henry took Emma's hand and Ellie moved closer to hear their conversation.

"It will be all right, dear. There is nothing to worry about," he said.

Emma nodded and sat down, turning toward Ellie. The awkwardness of her movement caused Ellie to look down. She saw that Emma's stomach was swollen. She was very pregnant.

"Do you feel all right?" Henry asked with a concerned expression on his face.

"Yes, I'm fine. Little Henry Junior is just kicking up a storm," Emma replied with a smile.

Henry looked delighted. Even though she was on the outside, Ellie could feel the warmth and love that passed between them.

"I promise I won't be gone long," he said, touching Emma's stomach. "I'm sure that Joseph and Lillian will take very good care of you and Henry Jr."

"Of course," Emma answered. They looked up as the other couple approached them.

"The arrangements have been made," Joseph said to Henry. Lillian moved to Emma's side as the men started to talk in hushed tones.

"How are you feeling, dear sister?" Lillian asked.

"I feel good," Emma said, and Ellie could tell that she did. "It shouldn't be long now. I hope that Henry gets back before the baby comes."

"I'm sure that he will. Joseph would go himself, but with the authorities keeping such a close eye on things, we can't risk it now," Lillian said. Ellie watched Lillian look at Emma's stomach with longing.

"I know that things have been difficult for you," Emma said. "Are you sure it is okay for me to stay here?"

"We'll just have to keep you out of the public eye. That's all. We've come too far in our plans to let anything slip now," Lillian answered.

"I can't believe that anyone would accuse Joseph of something so horrible," Emma said.

Ellie, the silent observer, wondered what that meant.

"It is all rumor and speculation. No one can prove anything," Lillian said.

This time Emma remained silent. The men had turned their attention to the women again.

"It is all settled. Henry is leaving immediately," Joseph told them.

Ellie saw tears welling up in Emma's eyes, but the woman refused to let them fall. Ellie admired her strength.

Time shifted again, and Ellie saw that there was a telegram in Emma's hands. This time the tears were falling freely, and Joseph was holding her up as her heavy body sagged.

"It can't be true," she cried.

Lillian's anguished face came into view.

"Joseph, help Emma upstairs. I'm afraid this news may send her into labor."

Joseph picked her up and carried her up the stairs.

Ellie woke up. The tears still streamed down her face from her dream. She wiped them away. The vividness of her dream refused to fade. She still felt the immense sadness weighing on her, threatening to pull her underneath its heavy tow. She had seen the words on the telegram right before the dream had faded away. The final sentence read: HENRY MISSING. PRESUMED DEAD.

"Kevin," she said urgently to the softly snoring figure on the other couch. Kevin didn't stir.

"Kevin!" she said a bit louder.

Kevin shifted and turned toward her. "Ellie?" he said. His voice was thick with sleep. "What's the matter?"

"Did you find anything in that box that said Joseph and Lillian had family here?" she asked.

"What are you talking about, Ellie?" he asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"I had that strange dream again. It wasn't the same dream, but it was the same people," she said. She quickly went over the highlights of her dream.

Kevin's look told her that he thought she might have drunk too much wine.

"I'm not crazy, and I swear this doesn't feel like a projection of my grief or any other psychobabble like that," she said.

"Aren't you the one who was telling me earlier that you don't believe in this kind of stuff?' Kevin asked.

"Yes," Ellie said reluctantly. "Maybe I am just dreaming all of it. But Kevin, it just felt so real. I can't explain it. But I have this feeling in my gut that whatever happened to the Bradfords, this Emma was part of it."

"So you are seeing ghosts and reliving memories in your dreams?"

Ellie could tell that he didn't believe her. "Let's just go with the hypothesis for now that I am getting information somehow in a way that isn't immediately explainable, and see what we can find out," she said.

"How do you suggest we do that?" Kevin asked.

Ellie paused. "That newspaper article came from the paper. We can start there. Dig up some old newspapers and see what we can find. If Lillian did have a pregnant sister and she gave birth here, then there would be a birth notice or something, right?"

"I would guess so," Kevin said reluctantly.

"We might find some other articles on what actually happened to the Bradfords too," Ellie said.

"Going all Nancy Drew after all, huh?" Kevin said with a wry smile.

"Hey, you're the one who said that I should find something to distract me from what's been happening," Ellie said.

"I just didn't know that would mean your attention would be focused on something you're literally dreaming up," Kevin replied.

"Beggars can't be choosers," she argued. "I didn't mean to wake you, by the way. I just couldn't wait to tell you about this."

"That's okay. Crazy lady." he winked at her.

"Let's get some sleep. I'm going to keep the coffee shop closed for the next few days," she said. "Out of respect for Jake."

"I wonder if this makes me a Hardy boy," Kevin joked.

Ellie lay back down and closed her eyes. She wondered if her dreams would take her back to that time long ago. Thankfully, they did not. 

# CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The next morning found Ellie and Kevin at the downtown branch of the Hennepin County Library.

"How does this work again?" Ellie asked Kevin for the third time.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Ellie, I don't know how you've managed all this time without figuring out how to use modern technology."

Ellie shrugged. "I have told you that I prefer the regular old forms of communication."

"Here, let me do it," Kevin sighed.

Ellie switched chairs with him so that he was facing the computer terminal instead. Kevin pulled up a search engine and typed "Joseph Bradford." Instantly there were several hits, and they scrolled through them.

"These all look like they have to do with his business dealings," Ellie commented.

"Nothing newer than the early 1900s it looks like," Kevin added. "These are all historical references to the companies that ran the iron mines up north."

"Wait, go back," Ellie said, catching a glimpse of a word that got her excited. "What's that one?"

Kevin clicked on the link, and it took them to a genealogy page. A family tree ran down the page, and ended with Joseph Bradford.

"Looks like the agent was right that kids didn't happen in that relationship," Kevin commented. "You see how Lillian's name is underlined?" He pointed to Lillian's name.

"Yes," Ellie said.

"That means we can click on that and there is more information," Kevin said.

Ellie felt like Kevin was talking to a four-year-old by his tone. "So what does that show?" she said, ignoring it. It wasn't her fault that she had never had any use for the Internet before.

Kevin clicked on the link, and it pulled up another family tree. "Lillian's maiden name was Kellogg. Okay, this is weird."

Ellie saw what he was looking at. Another branch led from Lillian's name to another name: Emma Decatur.

"She did have a sister named Emma." Ellie felt vindicated.

"Ellie, you are seriously creeping me out," Kevin said.

"Emma's name is underlined too. Can you click on that?" Ellie asked.

Kevin did as she asked.

"She was married to Henry Decatur. That's odd." She frowned.

"What?" Kevin asked.

"I don't see any children. In my dream, Emma was definitely pregnant, and quite far along."

"That really may have been a dream," Kevin offered.

"Why would the rest of it have been true, but that wouldn't be?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know, Ellie. Maybe it could be the fact that you were dreaming about seeing people who lived a hundred years ago?" Kevin said as he crossed his arms.

Ellie drummed her fingers on the desk. "Do a search on Henry Decatur," she said after a few moments.

Kevin sighed, but typed the name into the search engine. A few seconds later they found a reference to a page that was obviously done by someone who had an interest in the Decatur family.

"The Decatur family was a well-to-do family from the South. The family's fortunes went downhill in the early 1900s when they lost all their money in some bad business investments," Kevin summarized after a quick scan.

"That would make sense," Ellie said. "It seemed like the Bradfords were helping Henry and Emma out financially. If they were expecting a baby, I would guess that they were looking for all the help they could get."

"The family heir, Henry, disappeared a few years later. Nothing here says what happened to him. And the plot thickens," Kevin said slowly.

"What?" Ellie asked, craning to read the words on the screen.

"It says that Henry and his wife had originally relocated to try to get back on their feet, but it doesn't say where. Then they basically disappeared."

"So the Bradfords and the Decaturs were both here. Joseph was in some kind of trouble and asked Henry for help. Then within what, weeks of each other, all four of them disappeared?" Ellie said, looking at Kevin.

"I think that we have indulged your morbid curiosity enough for one day," Kevin said.

Ellie didn't answer.

"Do you even know when the funeral is?" Kevin asked.

"What?" Ellie was still deep in thought. The images of Emma and Henry from her dream filled her head.

"Jake's funeral," he repeated. "Do you even know when it is?"

"No," she said. "I'm not calling Jenny either."

"The Internet to the rescue again," Kevin said. He pulled up the Star Tribune webpage and typed in Jake's name. Immediately a link was pulled up under the obituary section.

"I can't look," Ellie said, turning her face away.

Kevin read the short story quickly. "It's tomorrow at the Hillwood Funeral Home in Apple Valley."

"I can't go to that," Ellie said.

"Ellie, you said yourself that it would look weird if you didn't. Don't you kind of owe it to Jake? Especially considering how you left things? You said you guys had a reconciliation of sorts, right?" Kevin pushed.

"Yes," Ellie admitted.

"Then why wouldn't you want to go?" he said.

"Because I feel responsible for what happened and Jenny Marks hates me," she said, looking down at her hands.

"Maybe she does, but there's really no love lost there, is there?"

"I did like her once. But after what happened with Jake, there was no way I would have continued being friends with her."

"Let me ask you this then." Kevin turned in his chair and swung her chair so that it was facing him. She was forced to look at his face. "Would you be able to live with yourself if you didn't go, despite how the new queen bee feels about you?"

Ellie knew the answer to the question, and knew that Kevin knew it as well. "Will you go with me?" she asked.

"Anything you need, Ellie." He squeezed her knee. "But maybe you should ask David. I will definitely go with you if he can't make it, but I need to start paying attention to my boyfriend soon. He's going to start thinking that I went straight on him at this rate."

Ellie smiled. "That's a good idea. Thanks, Kevin. I don't know what I'd do without you." She gave him a quick hug.

"Duh, you'd be sinking into a hole of despair," he said, flipping her hair out of her face.

"No doubt," Ellie agreed.

"Shhhh," a woman at the next computer terminal said with a finger to her mouth looking at them.

Kevin flung his arm around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here."

# CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The next morning, in David's car on the way to the funeral, Ellie questioned her decision.

"I really appreciate you taking me to this funeral, David, but I don't know if this is a good idea," she fretted. She realized if she kept pulling at a thread on the sleeve of her sweater she'd probably unravel it.

"Nothing is going to happen at a funeral, Ellie," he reasoned. "If there is one place that people are on their best behavior, it's at a funeral."

Ellie had to admit that his logic made sense.

They arrived at the funeral home, and David placed his hand against the small of her back and led her into the foyer. A large placard indicated that the Coulter funeral was to the left. Ellie could hear the distraught weeping from all the way down the hall.

Jenny stood outside the door next to a table that held a sign-in book. She was openly crying, and was being comforted by a woman that Ellie knew all too well: Jake's mother, Kathryn. Kathryn saw her, and the frown tightened on her face. Both women were enveloped in a deep shade of purple.

Kathryn had never fully approved of Ellie, especially her foster care background. Ellie had always felt like Kathryn had tolerated her for Jake's sake, but once the decision to divorce was final, she had made it clear that she had no interest in further contact.

Ellie saw Kathryn whisper something in Jenny's ear, and Jenny's sobs instantly stopped. They both turned and silently watched Ellie and David approach.

"Kathryn, Jenny," Ellie said.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Elizabeth," Kathryn said. She was the only one to ever call Ellie by her formal name.

"Just because Jake and I got divorced doesn't mean that I didn't still care what happened to him," Ellie said defensively. "I feel awful about what happened."

"Yes. I understand that he was on his way back from having gone to see you," Kathryn said. "Although in talking with Jenny, we have no idea what about."

She kept her arm protectively around Jenny, who sniffled and glowered at Ellie, but said nothing.

"He had a few things that came up that he wanted to run past me," Ellie said. She had no desire to try explaining Jake's revelations to these two women who were obviously distraught.

"Like what?" Jenny chimed in. "He didn't tell me where he was going. That seems pretty suspicious."

"I have no idea why he didn't tell you," Ellie lied. "It wasn't a big deal, but it was really between Jake and me."

Ellie watched Jenny square her shoulders. Even in her distressed state, she was still lovely. Her heart ached for the baby that was going to grow up never knowing his father.

"Hi, I'm David Mitchell. We met the other day," David interrupted and drew the women's attention. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

He shook both women's hands, and Ellie watched in amazement as they both started talking over each other in response.

"Dr. Mitchell, it was so good of you to come," Jenny said breathlessly.

"You were so good to take care of our Jenny the other day in her time of need," Kathryn said right on her heels.

David nodded and smiled. "It really was no problem. It's my job. Is this where we sign in?" He pointed at the sign-in book. "We'll just go ahead and do that and head inside. We don't want to take you away from your other friends and family."

Ellie could see that Jenny was going to say more, but then a few more people arrived behind them, and the two women had no choice but to greet the newcomers. As soon as Ellie was inside she felt like she could breathe again.

"See, that wasn't so bad," David whispered in her ear as they settled into a pew.

"You apparently have the ability to charm rattlesnakes," Ellie whispered back. "I'll have to remember that."

David flashed her a knowing grin and rested his hand on her knee. She relaxed instantly.

She looked to the front of the room. The casket was closed. It was surrounded by several bouquets of flowers. There were about twenty people already in the room, some sitting, some kneeling and deep in prayer. Ellie recognized some of Jake's high school and college buddies, but others she could only assume were friends of the family that she had never met. She and David sat in silence and waited for the ceremony to begin.

Ellie knew that she couldn't put if off any longer. She motioned to David to stay put and then she got up and walked up to the front of the room. She stood in front of the casket and wondered what she was thinking coming here. She saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head. There was no one there. Strange.

She finally made the sign of the cross because it seemed the appropriate thing to do and nodded to the casket, and then she turned to walk back to her seat. A somber man in a gray suit passed her and gave her a tight smile. It was Barry James, Jake's best friend. Barry had always been nice to her, even when things with Jake had gotten nasty. She wondered if it was because he knew about all of Jake's transgressions and had felt guilty about knowing.

She settled back into her seat next to David, who searched her face to see if she was okay. She patted his arm and then closed her eyes for a few minutes, taking a few deep breaths. She just had to make it through the ceremony now.

A few minutes later, Kathryn and Jenny walked down the center aisle and took their seats at the front of the room. The ceremony was brief. Barry got up and said a few words, and most of the people in the room broke down in tears. Jenny was sobbing again, and Kathryn did her best to comfort her. Ellie felt a tinge of anger that she had never been shown that kind of empathy, even when all of the awful things came out about what Jake had been doing behind her back.

As if he sensed her distress, David moved his arm behind her and she was able to slide closer to him. She had moved on, and she needed to focus on her future. Finally it was over, and she and David slipped out the door while everyone gathered up front around Kathryn and Jenny.

"There, now you can say that you did the right thing." David squeezed her shoulders as they walked out the front door into the cool November air.

"I guess so," Ellie said. "Now I just have to work on moving forward and putting this all behind me."

"I am ready, willing, and able to help with that," David said. He opened her car door for her and pecked her cheek as she got in.

Her cell phone chirped just as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"Hey, gorgeous. Hope everything was okay today." Kevin's voice echoed in the interior of the small car. "You think you're going to be okay on your own tonight?"

"I think the worst is over, Kevin. I'll be all right," she said, glancing sideways at David.

"Everything going okay with you and David?" he asked.

"Just fine," she replied, blushing furiously.

David looked over at her and grinned. She knew he could hear every word.

"How much longer are you going to keep the shop closed? I heard Melanie is just throwing fits about losing her favorite writing haunt," Kevin said.

"I think we should be back in business next week," Ellie said. "That will give me time to get inventory done again, and maybe get the hang of this whole computer thing."

"Do you think it would be okay then if Eric and I took a little break? Get away for the weekend? We've had this little outing planned for the last couple of months, but if you need me, I'll stay." The words tumbled out of Kevin's mouth, and Ellie realized that he had been looking for the right opening to bring it up.

"Of course you should go," she said. "You and Eric deserve the break. Really, I'll be okay."

"Okay, thanks, Ellie. You are a stellar boss," he said.

They chatted for a few more minutes about things around the store, and then Ellie hung up. "Sorry about that," she said.

"No problem," David replied. "I think it's great to let Kevin have some time off. I'm happy to take his place this weekend. I'll try to rearrange my schedule so I have the evenings free."

Ellie's stomach did a little flip-flop. She could have David all to herself for the weekend? Things were looking up.

"I don't want to be any trouble," she murmured.

She felt a finger on her cheek and she looked into David's eyes.

"You are the furthest thing from trouble I can think of, unless you count the part where I lost my heart," David said quietly.

Ellie didn't know what to say, but she knew one thing for certain. "I know exactly what you mean," she said. She was ready to jump in with both feet.

# CHAPTER THIRTY

Over the next few days, Ellie threw herself into her work. Kevin and Eric decided to leave on vacation early, and David was busy at the hospital, although he tried to call at least once each day to check in. Ellie had settled into Linda's house and had established a comfortable routine, but she couldn't wait to see David again.

She called the local technical college and asked if there was a student who would be interested in making some extra money. They sent over their best and brightest, a quiet boy named Joel, who helped Ellie set up her entire network in the shop. Luckily, Joel was as patient as he was brilliant, and he was able to guide her through how to use each piece of hardware and software that he assured her was going to "transform her business." He also said he'd help her set up a website for the shop. It was all over Ellie's head, but she nodded in agreement to whatever he said.

Three days after the funeral, the phone rang. Ellie thought it was probably David checking in. She left Joel in her office and grabbed the phone in the back.

"Ellie's Coffee Isle," she said, a bit out of breath.

"May I speak with Elizabeth Coulter please," the deep voice said on the other end.

"Speaking," she said, slightly annoyed. It sounded like a telemarketer, because no one called her Elizabeth unless they didn't know her.

"Ms. Coulter, this is Vincent Thomassen," the man said. The name sounded vaguely familiar, and Ellie realized why just as he confirmed it. "I was Jake's lawyer for your divorce proceedings. I am very sorry to hear about your loss."

"Oh yes, Mr. Thomassen," Ellie said. She still felt a heavy knot of guilt in the pit of her stomach every time she thought about Jake, but she had stopped randomly crying, which she took as a good sign. "What can I do for you?"

"I actually need you to come down to my office," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"There are a few things regarding Mr. Coulter's will that I need to discuss with you," he said after a brief pause.

"Jake's will?" Ellie said. She was shocked that Jake had ever had the foresight to create a will. "I don't understand what that has to do with me. We've been divorced for months now."

"Yes, of course." Mr. Thomassen cleared his throat and Ellie felt stupid. Of course Jake's lawyer would know how long they had been divorced. "But I think it's best to discuss this in person. Are you available this afternoon?"

"I guess so," Ellie said, feeling a sense of dread. "Are you sure we can't discuss this over the phone?"

"Yes, I'm quite certain," he replied. He gave her the address of his office. "Will two o'clock work for you?"

Ellie glanced at her watch. It was already noon. She tallied all the things that she had left to do in her head, but she knew there was no way that she could wait to find out what he wanted to talk to her about. "Okay, that should be fine."

"Excellent. I will see you then," and he hung up.

Two hours later Ellie sat in Vincent Thomassen's waiting room, her knees shaking underneath her somber navy blue skirt. She had gone home and changed, not wanting to meet Jake's attorney wearing blue jeans.

A bored receptionist had taken her name and waved her into a chair. The woman had to be at least seventy years old by Ellie's estimation, and she was chewing bubble gum like a teenager. Her aura was a pale honey. She didn't seem to have a care in the world. A typewriter that could be possibly as old as the receptionist sat on the desk in front of her, and she alternated between typing a few words and then answering the phone.

"Mr. Thomassen is currently in a meeting," was the answer to each call, and she scribbled notes on a notepad. Occasionally she would look in Ellie's direction and smile patiently. "It'll just be a few more minutes," she assured.

Ellie just nodded, and tried to take deep breaths to calm herself. Vincent Thomassen's waiting room smelled like sour smoke, and she wondered if clients still lit up there, although smoking was banned in public buildings in Hennepin County.

The office was located downtown in a tall building on Seventh Street. Ellie had forgotten how unnerving it was to drive around downtown, and had gotten lost trying to find a parking garage that was within walking distance of her destination.

The room was painted a light gray, and the shades looked like they hadn't been cleaned in years. The sky outside was gray, as it so often was in November in Minnesota. The chairs might have been comfortable twenty years ago, but now the cushions were hard and Ellie shifted about trying to get comfortable.

The new things in the room were the magazines on the table, and she had already tried thumbing through the latest edition of People. It had not held her interest for longer than thirty seconds, though, and she finally put it down after trying to read the same story for the third time.

Finally, the door to the inner office opened, and a large balding man in an expensive suit stood there. Both Ellie and the receptionist looked up expectantly.

"Ms. Coulter?" he said in the same gruff voice that Ellie remembered from their earlier phone conversation. His aura was gray. He was indifferent, and Ellie didn't know if she should take that as a good sign or not. She nodded and he motioned for her to come into the office. As she brushed past him, he said to the receptionist, "Hold my calls, Darlene."

Ellie stood just inside the door until he pointed to the chair on the other side of a heavy mahogany desk. The desk was covered in piles of paper, and Ellie couldn't see a free spot on the entire surface.

She reluctantly sat down with her purse in her lap. Even that barrier gave her little comfort as she watched Vincent Thomassen watch her. After a few moments of silence, she couldn't stand it any longer.

"What's this about, Mr. Thomassen?" she asked.

Mr. Thomassen finally sat in the chair across the desk from her and sighed. "What was the date of your divorce, Ms. Coulter?"

"Jake brought me papers to sign sometime in early spring and said it would take about two to three weeks for the divorce to be final. I don't remember the exact date," she said.

He pulled a file from underneath a stack of papers on his left side. Ellie could read "Jacob Coulter" on the printed tag identifying the file.

"You never had legal representation in these proceedings, correct?" he asked.

Ellie immediately grew defensive at the man's tone. "No, I didn't feel it was necessary. I sent Jake a check for the court costs, and the paperwork was all very straightforward. We discussed it and agreed that it didn't make any sense for both of us to get attorneys since we agreed on everything. Jake said it wasn't an issue for him to take care of it."

"Well, that is part of our problem, I think." Mr. Thomassen paused again. "We're in a bit of a snag now, you see."

"Why is that?" Ellie asked.

"You may or may not have been aware of this, but Mr. Coulter was reluctant about getting divorced," he answered.

Ellie's feeling of dread grew. "At first, yes, I know he was. But I signed the paperwork he gave me, so I knew that he had finally accepted that it was over," she said.

"How familiar are you with the divorce process?" he asked.

"Jake told me I just needed to sign the papers that he gave me, and then it would be filed with the court. A judge would sign off on it, and then it was done," she said.

"Did Mr. Coulter advise you that the divorce had been finalized?" he asked.

"Yes, I just told you. He called and said he got the letter in the mail and that everything was done. I actually didn't hear from him again until just a week ago," Ellie replied.

"And therein lies the issue, Ms. Coulter," Mr. Thomassen said. "As I mentioned, Mr. Coulter was entering into this whole process with great reluctance."

"I wish you'd get to the point, Mr. Thomassen," Ellie said.

"Mr. Coulter never filed the paperwork with the court," Mr. Thomassen bluntly stated.

His words hit Ellie like a punch in the stomach. "What?" she said a bit too loudly. "What do you mean?"

"He was holding off, perhaps to get his feelings in order on the matter. I didn't know that he still intended to get divorced until I spoke with him about that matter a few weeks ago. He indicated to me that he had put it off intentionally, and since you already believed that you were divorced, he didn't see any reason to hurry things along until some recent changes in his life."

Ellie was barely listening, and Mr. Thomassen paused. "We were actually supposed to meet next week. He was eager to get the process finalized."

"Well, no wonder. His girlfriend is going to be giving birth any day now," Ellie snapped.

"He had mentioned an intention to get married in the near future," he confirmed. He waited for Ellie to process the information. "I know this may be difficult for you, especially considering the circumstances. But we will need to discuss the terms of Mr. Coulter's will."

"What?" Ellie said. He had her attention again, but her mind was spinning. Is it possible she had been so stupid? She had completely trusted Jake and he hadn't given her any indication that he was deceiving her. She felt like a complete idiot. Suddenly things that Jake had said during those late night phone calls made complete sense.

"Since you and Mr. Coulter were officially still married, that would make you his widow. All of Mr. Coulter's estate is legally yours."

Ellie stood up in alarm. "WHAT?" she cried. "No. No. No. This isn't happening. That's not possible."

"Perhaps you should take a few moments. This must be a shock," Mr. Thomassen said, leaning back in his chair.

"A shock? No, why would you ever think that?" Ellie ranted. "You've just told me that not only have I been married all this time, but now I've inherited Jake's estate by default."

"That is the long and short of it, yes," he agreed, his fingers forming a triangle in front of his face.

"How was this even ethical?" she said as she started pacing the room. "Isn't there some law against deception like this?"

"It was my understanding that my client intended to get divorced at some point," Mr. Thomassen said calmly. "He stopped communicating with me earlier this year, and I did not receive any communication from you or a legal representative who was looking after your concerns. As far as I knew, the two of you had worked things out."

"I just don't understand how this could have happened," she said. She gnawed on her fingernail as her mind tried to process what was happening.

"Regardless of how it happened, it is a reality," Mr. Thomassen replied.

"What about Jenny?" Ellie saw a potentially explosive scene about to unfold in her future.

"Mr. Coulter's current will does not provide for Ms. Marks. I believe it was also his intention during our upcoming meeting to update his will to accommodate for her," he said pointedly.

"Does she know yet?" Ellie asked.

"No. She and Kathryn Coulter are due here in about an hour to discuss the specifics of Mr. Coulter's will. I thought it best that I advise you prior to that meeting, as I'm sure this news will be...unexpected," he answered.

"You don't think she knew that Jake hadn't filed the papers yet?"

"Do you think she knew?" He threw the question back at her.

Ellie thought back on Jenny's reaction at the hospital. If she had known this... Ellie shook her head.

"I would think not either," he said.

"I need time to think," Ellie said. "This is all a bit overwhelming."

"Of course," Mr. Thomassen said. "I can have the necessary papers drawn up for your signature next week."

"What do you need my signature for?' she asked.

"Transfer of assets papers, and that sort," he said as he started shuffling papers about.

Ellie wondered how he could keep anything straight with the mess on his desk.

"I don't want it. Any of it," she said, putting her hand down on the pile in front of him, drawing his attention back to her face. "Let Jenny have it."

"I would advise that you take some time to think about that, Ms. Coulter," he replied. "If that is what you want, then we can do that. But you've been through a great loss, and I think it would be best if you took some time to process this. There is the matter of your former home as well as Mr. Coulter's business holdings."

Ellie sat back down in her chair, exhausted and overwhelmed. She couldn't think anymore. "I don't want it," she said flatly.

"Here's my card." Mr. Thomassen pulled a business card from his left-hand drawer. "Think about it over the weekend. If that is still your decision on Monday, then give me a call and I will draw up the paperwork."

Ellie stood and took the card. She shook her head again. "Fine," she finally said. "You'll hear from me on Monday."

Mr. Thomassen nodded and then shuffled some more papers around, revealing a phone. He picked up the receiver and dialed.

"Darlene," he grunted, "bring in my messages, will you?"

Ellie realized her appointment was over. She walked toward the door as it opened to reveal the wizened old woman, who nodded in her direction before dismissing her as well. Glancing at her watch, she realized that Kathryn and Jenny could potentially appear at any moment, and that was one confrontation she intended to avoid until she could get this whole mess settled. She left the building as quickly as she could, ducking her head the whole way.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Back at the shop, Ellie tried calling David at the hospital but a nurse told her that she wasn't able to locate him. Then she dialed Kevin's cell phone number and got his voicemail.

"Kevin, please call as soon as you get this message. I got some crazy news today and I really need to talk to somebody about it," she said, trying to control the panic in her voice. She wanted to say more, but decided that anything more might worry her friend into hightailing home instead of calling her. It wasn't like she was dying.

Ellie heard the bell at the front door and realized that in her rush she had left the front door unlocked. "Dammit," she said under her breath, and went to the front to tell whoever it was that the shop was closed.

Melanie Wilson stood in the doorway, peering about. Her face brightened as she saw Ellie emerge from the back room. "Finally!" she exclaimed. "What the hell has been going on, Ellie? I've been calling you for days, and then the shop has been closed. I've been worried sick. I've been trying to call Kevin too but just kept getting his voicemail."

Melanie's face dropped and Ellie realized that hot tears were streaming down her face. She had thought the random crying was over, but what she had found out in meeting with Mr. Thomassen hit her like a ton of bricks.

Melanie guided her to a table. "Oh, sweetie, just calm down. I'll make us a pot of coffee."

Ellie watched in amazement through her tears as Melanie adeptly moved about behind the counter getting the coffee ready. She hummed while she worked and never even asked where any of the supplies were kept.

Melanie caught Ellie's stare and shrugged. "I've been coming here practically every day for three years. I've paid attention."

Soon two cups of steaming coffee were on the table, and Melanie sat down across from her. "Okay, kid, spill it," she said.

Ellie tried to start at the beginning, but everything came out in spurts that were all over the place. She started with the funeral, then jumped back to the conversation she and Jake had had right before the accident, and then told Melanie about her and Kevin's discovery about the Bradfords in the library.

Melanie asked questions throughout, and finally Ellie had told her everything, including the strange dreams that both she and Jake had experienced. Ellie found herself on the verge of telling Melanie that she could see people's auras, but at the very last minute she held it back. Her story sounded crazy enough. By the time she was done, Melanie had her notebook out and was scribbling notes.

"This is just about the weirdest damn story I've ever heard in real life," she said when Ellie was done.

Ellie burst into a fresh batch of tears, and Melanie instantly looked regretful of her words.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. That was probably the wrong thing to say. Ask my husband. Hell, look at what happened the other night at Linda's. I'm famous for it. I really am sorry about Jake, though."

"It's okay, Melanie. I needed someone to talk to," Ellie said, sniffling. There was nothing menacing about Melanie's aura. She was genuinely concerned about Ellie's well-being.

Ellie saw Melanie shift in her seat uncomfortably, and she realized the woman was unsettled for other reasons besides her unbridled tongue. "Is there something else on your mind?"

Melanie tapped her pen against her notepad, as if debating her best plan of action. "There are some other things that you may want to know."

"Like what?" Ellie asked.

"The story that agent babbled about the Bradford home fascinated me, what with him thinking it was haunted and all," Melanie started.

"I think the story had that effect on everyone there, obviously," Ellie said.

"So I'm gathering." Melanie paused again. "So I've been doing some digging into the Bradfords myself. That fairy tale seemed a little too farfetched for my tastes."

Ellie leaned forward in her chair, her afternoon's revelations forgotten for the moment. "Did you find anything?"

"I found quite a bit actually," Melanie said. "More than I expected really. And the interesting thing is the bits and pieces that you dreamt line up pretty well with what I've found."

"Tell me everything," Ellie demanded.

Melanie flipped over her notebook and started looking through the pages. "For starters, Joseph met Lillian when he was visiting some friends in Louisiana. They fell madly in love, like kids those days always did, and decided to get hitched." Melanie's finger ran down the page through her notes as she continued.

"The problem was, Joseph didn't really have a lot of money, and his soon-to-be bride definitely had a lifestyle to which she was accustomed. Joseph wasn't real keen on the idea of working for Lillian's father or living in Louisiana. He wanted to return to Minnesota. So he came back up here determined to make his fortune so that he could provide for his wife and the expected kids that he figured were just over the horizon."

"So far it doesn't sound that bad," Ellie commented.

"Just wait--it gets better," Melanie said, waving her hand in the air.

Ellie wanted to ask another question, but decided to wait. She could see that Melanie was on a roll.

"Like I said, Joseph didn't have a lot of money. So he decided to invest everything he had in the iron mines up in northern Minnesota. See, he had a buddy that had done that, who was starting to make a little bit of money."

Melanie looked at Ellie for a reaction. Ellie shrugged, not sure where the story was going.

Melanie dropped the bomb. "His buddy was a Mr. Henry Decatur. The Decatur family had a long reputation of having mob connections here in the cities. Joseph was desperate to earn a decent wage, and Henry's family had the connections. Shortly after that, Joseph took Henry with him on a visit down to Louisiana to see Lillian."

"Henry met Emma," Ellie said, starting to connect the dots.

"Bingo. Everyone was so delighted that the tides of fortune appeared to be turning for Joseph, and as an extra added bonus, he brought home a handsome young man who promptly asked for Emma's hand in marriage." Melanie glanced around the empty cafe. "Would you mind terribly if I had a cigarette?"

Ellie couldn't have cared less at that moment, even though she hated the smell of cigarette smoke. "Go ahead, but only one," she said.

Melanie smiled gratefully and pulled a cigarette pack from her purse. As she lit the end, her eyes closed in an expression of ecstasy. Ellie just shook her head. Smoking was one habit that she would never understand.

"Can you keep going now?" she asked Melanie.

"Oh, yes, things are right as rain again," Melanie said, digging back into her story. "So all is going well in the lives of our two young newlywed couples. Emma was apparently braver than her sister, or perhaps less used to the creature comforts in life, so she came back to Minneapolis with Henry right away. Now that Henry was married, he was more than a little uncomfortable with the dirtier dealings that he had previously been associated with and seemed more interested in going legit. So he got himself a clerk position with an accounting firm downtown, and Emma got herself a job at the downtown Dayton's department store. Money was tight, but by all accounts they were content."

"They didn't seem like flashy people in my dream," Ellie agreed. "Not like Joseph and Lillian."

"No, those two were the exact opposite. Lillian stayed behind in Louisiana, and Joseph got himself embroiled deeper and deeper in some pretty unsavory business transactions. But between that, and his legitimate holdings in the iron mines, he amassed a small fortune in just a few years. So he started work on Lillian's dream home."

"Linda's house," Ellie said.

"Yes. The house took a lot longer to build than anticipated. There had been a smaller house on the property just like the agent said, but Joseph had it torn down."

"What took so long?" Ellie asked.

"There were a few 'accidents' along the way," Melanie said, using finger quotes. "In fact, it seems that as soon as Joseph started building that house, his luck started changing in a big way. Just as it was finally being completed, Joseph's investments went south. But since most of Joseph's money came outside the regular channels, he wasn't as hard pressed. At least, not until the feds started making some inquiries."

"That doesn't sound good," Ellie said. "Joe Klein made it sound like the Bradfords had the perfect life. What with their glamorous parties and all."

"Nobody's life is perfect," Melanie snorted. "In fact, from what I gathered there was definitely an undertone of tension between Lillian and her sister."

"Tension, really?" Ellie was surprised because she had not felt that emotion in the women in her dreams.

"Oh, no, my dear. It's the classic story of jealousy and deceit," Melanie said with a satisfied smile. "You see, even though Henry and Emma were poor, they were very much in love. There had been some question about Lillian's fidelity while she had remained in Louisiana while the house was being built, and then Joseph forced her to come here to Minnesota. Rumors abounded of their stormy relationship and bitter arguments, which always seemed to end up revolving around one single topic toward the end."

"Having children," Ellie guessed.

"Maybe you are psychic, sweetie," Melanie said, looking only slightly chagrined that Ellie had guessed that latest plot turn in the story.

"Eventually, Lillian had given in to Joseph's demands to start a family, especially once they moved into their new home. But then fate played a cruel trick on the Bradfords, because try as they may, they couldn't conceive."

"Then Emma got pregnant," Ellie said.

"The plot thickens again, because yes, Lillian's sister got pregnant," Melanie agreed. "The timing couldn't have been worse because money was getting tight. Henry lost his job right around the same time. He was forced to look to his old pal Joseph for help. I can only speculate that it was on one of those types of unsavory errands that Henry was running for Joseph that he disappeared."

"That's so sad," Ellie said. "What about Emma?"

"Lillian told her friends that Emma had returned to their parents' house when the news came that Henry had gone missing. I haven't really had a chance to do any further digging into what eventually happened to her," Melanie answered.

"What about the Bradfords?" Ellie asked.

"Well, that part the real estate agent did have right. The Bradfords had a big dinner party one Saturday night, and guests at the party said that they were arguing, even more so than usual, I guess. The Bradfords had hired a psychic to lead a seance in the house as part of the evening's entertainment and apparently once it kicked off things went south quickly. The guests all scattered after a woman started having a seizure. A few evenings later, screams were heard coming from the general direction of the Bradford house, but nothing was reported to the police at that time."

"Why not, for heaven's sake?" Ellie was disgusted.

"Let's just say that to have loud, shrieking noises coming from the Bradford house was not all that unusual," Melanie quipped. "After about a week, the neighbors started realizing that they hadn't seen the Bradfords in a while. They knocked on the door, but there was no answer. The police were eventually called, but no trace of them was found."

"What about their belongings, their furniture? Surely they turned up at some point to collect that," Ellie said in disbelief.

"All of that was apparently handled through Joseph Bradford's attorney and it was sold to pay off Joseph's debt. Some speculate that the Bradfords just up and decided to move back to Louisiana and start over. Others think that Joseph's underworld dealings finally caught up with him. Whatever the case, the Bradfords were not heard from again around here."

Ellie sat back her chair. "How did you find out about all of this, Melanie?"

"I've got my resources," Melanie said. "I'm a writer, remember? I learned a long time ago where to dig and how to ask the right questions. People around here have long memories. You just need to know who to ask."

"Are you planning on writing a story about the Bradfords?" Ellie asked.

"I think I can fashion something that would be loosely based on their story. It has all the elements of a story that sells: romance, passion, crime, and an ending that is wide open for interpretation." Melanie looked at her watch and grimaced. "Damn, I lost track of time."

As if on cue, the phone in the back of the store rang. Ellie waved at Melanie. "It's okay if you have to go. I'm better now. I'm sure that's Kevin calling me back."

"If you're sure." Melanie looked doubtful.

"Go!" Ellie said. Then she quickly walked to the back of the store.

"Hello," she said breathlessly.

"Hey, gorgeous."

Ellie was delighted to hear David's voice. "Hi David," she said.

"What's going on? You get your new-fangled network all set up?" he asked.

"Oh, wow, David. A lot has happened since this morning," she sighed. That morning seemed like a million years ago.

"What's going on?" he asked, the concern evident in his voice.

"It's a very long story," she said. "I was hoping that you were going to be able to come over tonight and I'll tell you all about it then. I'll even make food."

"Now that sounds like an invitation that would be difficult to resist," he said. "If you're sure that your news can wait until then."

"Yeah, it can wait," she said. She hadn't figured out the best way yet to tell him that she had still technically been married until just a few days ago.

"I can probably scoot out of here around seven," David replied. "Will that work?"

"Perfect," Ellie said. "I'm starting to get the hang of Linda's kitchen, so I'll have everything ready."

"See you then," he said.

Ellie glanced around the shop and felt better about things than she had since that morning before Mr. Thomassen's call. Everything would be okay; she just had to take it all one day at a time. She quickly gathered her things and locked the door. She had errands to run before David's arrival.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

By six-thirty p.m., Ellie officially knew the secret to making everything in life seem brighter: two glasses of wine. She was giggling to herself, and Skipper pranced around her feet as she danced to music that was playing softly from a radio in the corner of the kitchen. Every once in a while she would even try to sing along, even though she knew that her voice was horrible. Skipper retreated to another room when it became evident that she wasn't going to stop.

She could hear his toenails clacking all along the front hallway and occasionally a soft "woof" would reach her ears. She giggled again, wondering who he was "talking" to. She hoped he wasn't getting tracks all over the floor.

The doorbell rang, and Ellie looked up at the clock in surprise. David was early. She felt a moment of panic. She had gotten behind because Kevin had called while she was at the grocery store, and explaining everything to him had taken forever.

He had insisted that he and Eric return home, but she assured him that there was nothing that they could do. She could survive over the weekend on her own, and in the meantime she would figure out the best approach for dealing with Jake's estate. She was feeling much better; now she just had to figure out the best way to explain everything to David.

She checked the stew that was brewing on the stovetop once more and then pulled the apron over her head, setting it on the kitchen counter. Skipper followed at her heels as she followed the hallway to the front foyer. The doorbell sounded again.

"Patience is a vir..." Ellie's words were cut short as she opened the door. Standing before her was Jenny Marks.

"We need to talk," Jenny said, the tinge of hatred present in her voice. She was oozing red and black and Ellie was alarmed.

She pushed past Ellie into the foyer. It had been snowing outside, and Ellie could only surmise that Jenny had stood outside for a time, as she was dripping wet.

"Jenny, how did you find me here?" Ellie asked, trying to keep hold of the feeling of peace and calm that she had been feeling just moments before.

"I'm not going to wait around until you figure out how to elbow me out of everything that belongs to me and my baby." Jenny stuck out her finger and wagged it in Ellie's face. "Jake was going to marry me. He wanted to give me and the baby a good life, and I'm not going to let you ruin what's left of that."

"Please take your finger out of my face." Ellie was furious over the obvious assumptions that Jenny was making. "You are jumping to conclusions without knowing anything about what you are talking about."

"Oh, I know how you feel. You've been trying to figure out a way to worm yourself back into Jake's life ever since he dumped you," Jenny spat.

"I left Jake," Ellie corrected, "and it was quite possibly the smartest thing I ever did." She saw Jenny's eyes narrow in disbelief. "I didn't want him back, Jenny. I wanted him to leave me alone."

"Liar," Jenny hissed.

"You can believe what you want to believe. But I can see that this isn't going to get us anywhere if you are going to act like this, I think you'd better leave," Ellie said as she opened the door and pointed out into the night. "Maybe once you've calmed down we can have a rational conversation."

"You were trying to convince Jake not to file those papers. That's what had him so upset and that's why he got into the accident," Jenny accused in an anguished voice.

"I'm done talking, Jenny. Get out," Ellie said flatly.

Jenny made a strangled noise in the back of her throat, and Ellie thought for a moment that the woman was going to square off against her. But Ellie stood her ground, refusing to let Jenny see how unsettled she was.

Jenny finally decided that leaving was the better option, and she shoved past Ellie. Ellie slammed the door behind her. She looked down at Skipper, who had been sitting next to the staircase the whole time.

"Good riddance," she said, and walked back to the kitchen to check on her stew.

She didn't look up to see the black shadows swirling above her head around the chandelier.

David had flowers and a bottle of wine in hand, and was humming as he approached the house. Despite all of the craziness, he felt like things were starting to get back to normal and things with Ellie were going great. During their phone conversations over the last three days she had sounded positive and upbeat. He thought she was starting to put her past behind her. He wanted nothing more than to tell her how he felt about her, but he was afraid that would scare her away. He just had to play it cool and enjoy being around her.

The snow was starting to come down harder than it had earlier, and he was looking forward to being snowed in with Ellie for the evening. He had a feeling they'd be settled next to the fireplace for the majority of the night.

He was on the steps headed up to the patio when he heard a groan. He paused and looked behind him. He thought he saw something disappear around the corner of the patio, away from the side facing the driveway. David slowly made his way back down the stairs, and as he got closer he started to run. He saw a small pool of blood marring the crisp white snow.

He rounded the corner and stopped as he gaped at the scene in front of him. In the dim light, he could just make out a body in the snow being dragged alongside the house. It was Jenny Marks. He could tell she was bleeding by the red drag marks in the snow. But he didn't have time to focus on her. As his eyes met Joe Klein's, he saw madness dancing there.

"Let her go," David growled.

Joe regarded him carefully, but didn't seem afraid. "Mine. She was promised to me," he said as he licked his lips and glanced furtively down at Jenny.

Joe Klein looked...hungry. His physical condition had deteriorated even further from the last time David had seen him. Joe was little more than a walking skeleton. An insane one.

David advanced slowly toward Joe. "I don't know what the hell you are doing, Joe, but you are going to be in some big trouble. I'm going to take Jenny into the house now and I'm calling the cops."

Joe's laughter raised the hair on the back of David's neck. "Police have no power here," he scoffed. Suddenly he cocked his head into the air as if he heard something that David couldn't hear.

"NO! MINE!" he yelled at the air.

David didn't give him another opportunity to say anything else. He rushed at the man and plowed into him, slamming them both into the brick wall behind Joe. David threw two punches that immediately bloodied the older man's nose. Joe started to whimper, and David stepped away in disgust when he realized that the man wasn't fighting back.

Joe slouched to the ground. "Mine," he whimpered plaintively, but he didn't move toward Jenny.

As David crouched by Jenny's head, Joe suddenly was on his feet and running toward the small tree line that masked the property line from the street. David was going to chase after him, but then Jenny groaned again.

He knelt down next to her and felt for a pulse. It was thready but there, and he sighed in relief. He felt her hands and cheeks. She was cold. He needed to get her inside.

He had no idea what had brought Jenny Marks to Ellie's doorstep, but he suspected it wasn't good. He remembered that Ellie told him earlier that whatever she had to tell him was too lengthy for a phone conversation. He pushed those thoughts aside. He needed to focus on helping Jenny. Abandoning the flowers and wine in the snow, he pulled the unconscious woman into his arms.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Ellie was setting the table in the dining room when she heard pounding on the front door. She ran into the foyer.

"Ellie!" she heard David yell through the heavy door.

She yanked the door open and saw that David was carrying a woman. Not just any woman either. He was carrying Jenny Marks. He pushed past her into the house.

"Help me get her someplace warm," he said.

"The library. I've got the fire going," Ellie said.

She followed David down the hallway and into the library. She felt only the slightest pang of jealousy as she saw him gently place Jenny's limp form down on the sofa.

"Blankets? Do you have something warm that we can bundle her in? I've got to get her out of these wet clothes," David said as he took charge immediately.

Ellie rushed to fulfill David's orders, bringing him blankets from the hallway closet. Then she hurried upstairs to get a pair of her flannel pajamas, although she didn't believe that the bottoms would fit Jenny in her swollen state.

She watched David deftly remove Jenny's clothes, and looked away in modesty as he redressed her. Of course as a doctor, he had seen a woman naked millions of times. Then he bundled her in blankets and checked her forehead. Jenny had only mumbled a few times as David had moved her about, and her breathing appeared shallow, but steady.

"What happened?" she asked.

"It appears she had a run-in with Linda's crazy real estate agent," David said.

"Joe Klein? Why? What happened?" Ellie asked.

"I have no idea, but this is the third time that guy has been skulking around, and now I'm convinced he's dangerous. We need to call the police," David said. Then he nodded toward Jenny. "What was she doing here? I know the two of you aren't friends."

"I hope you are not implying that I had anything to do with this," Ellie said defensively. "Look, she came over here, how she got this address I have no idea, and she obviously wanted to start something with me. I told her that until she could hold a rational conversation, I had no desire to get into anything."

"What was she so upset about?" David asked.

"That's what I was going to tell you tonight." Ellie sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Turns out that Jake and I weren't divorced yet."

"What?" David stopped working on Jenny and gaped at Ellie.

"I told you I had a lot to talk about tonight," Ellie admitted.

"Okay," David said, shaking his head, "One thing at a time. So she came over here and confronted you. You asked her to leave. Then what happened?"

"She left," Ellie said simply.

"When was this?" David continued his questions.

"She left probably about twenty minutes ago or so," Ellie said.

"You didn't hear anything after she left that would have indicated to you that she was in any kind of trouble?" David said. "You didn't hear that guy yelling at me when I found him dragging her through the snow?"

"No, but then again I was back in the kitchen," Ellie said. "How dangerous is he, David?"

David shook his head. "I just thought the guy had a thing going on with Linda. But attacking a pregnant woman is sick, and he said some pretty disturbing things. You can't stay here by yourself."

He turned back to Jenny and started exploring her head carefully. He winced as he found what he had been looking for. There was a gash just above Jenny's ear that had been hidden by her long hair.

"It looks like he clobbered her in the head, probably took her completely by surprise when she was leaving. Bastard."

As David continued to tend to Jenny, Ellie immediately felt bad for every awful thought that she had had about Jenny since the woman had left the house. "What can I do?" she asked. "Should we call an ambulance? Do you think the baby is okay?"

"Why don't you go see if you can find some gauze and something that we can use to clean this. Then we're going to call an ambulance and the police."

"I'm glad you're here, David," she said to him. "Doubly glad that you're a doctor too."

"We do come in handy sometimes," he said dryly. "Now go see what you can find."

Ellie returned a few minutes later with a first-aid kit that she had found in the pantry. "Hope this helps," she said as she handed it to David.

"Thanks," he said.

He opened the box and pulled out some antiseptic. With a piece of gauze, he started cleaning the wound on Jenny's head. Jenny, still unconscious, started thrashing. Ellie was alarmed.

"I'm calling the ambulance now," she said. She opened her cell phone and looked at it in surprise. "Damn, I think I let the battery die."

David pulled his out of his pocket and frowned. "Mine's dead too."

Jenny's groan drew their attention. David placed his hands on her stomach and gently prodded. He smiled suddenly.

"That was a strong kick. I think the baby is fine," he said to Ellie.

She closed her eyes with relief. "Thank God. Let me go look for Linda's phone."

Ellie did a quick scan of the three floors and returned to the library with a frown on her face as well. "This whole thing is getting stranger by the minute. Linda doesn't appear to have a phone in the house."

David stood up and started pacing. Ellie could tell he was frustrated.

"Ellie, this evening is turning into a nightmare. Look, I think Jenny's okay for now but it's hard to say if she's out of the woods yet. I don't want to move her. As soon as she wakes up, I'm taking the both of you out of here. I don't want any argument."

Ellie sat down on the opposite couch. She couldn't believe the crazy things happening in her life, and she said so to David.

"A week ago my life was so normal that it was infinitely dull and boring. Now it seems like everywhere I turn I'm confronted with some new drama. I think I'm bad luck to be around," she said with a twisted smile on her face. She was trying not to cry.

"None of this is your fault, Ellie. Although I will admit that there are a lot of bad things that have happened to you recently," David said, sitting down beside her. They both studied Jenny, who appeared to be peacefully sleeping now.

"How much longer should we wait?" Ellie asked. "It seems like she's been out for a long time."

"She's just asleep now. Try not to worry. I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to either one of you," David said, trying to assure her. Ellie laid her head on his shoulder, and then he reached out behind her so that his arm was around her.

"You look like you've been through the wringer, Ellie," he said.

"I feel like I've been through the wringer," she replied. The wine was starting to have a now familiar effect on her senses, and Ellie felt the lids of her eyes growing heavy and her jaws cracked in a wide yawn. "I don't know why I'm so tired all of the sudden. I had a couple of glasses of wine; that must be it."

"It's okay. You can close your eyes for a few minutes," David said, reading her mind.

The long day and the emotional drama had finally caught up with Ellie, and within moments, she was asleep.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Ellie recognized the observer dream now. She was standing in the corner of her bedroom in Linda's house, but she knew that this was a much earlier time in the house's history. She thought it was funny how it looked exactly the same, right down to the canopy bed and pastel, floral wallpaper.

She looked across the room and gasped. Emma was lying prone on the bed. The entire bottom portion of the bed was soaked in blood.

"There, there. There, there," she heard a voice murmuring close by.

She looked next to her and saw Lillian standing in the doorway, coddling an infant in a blanket. Lillian was speaking in those hushed tones to the baby.

"Lillian," Emma croaked from the bed.

Ellie had the distinct feeling that she had been screaming. Emma reached out, but her arms trembled. Ellie could see that she was weak from the childbirth.

"See, Emma. I don't know what you were fussing about. I told you we didn't need a doctor. Women have been doing this since the beginning of time," Lillian said, but she didn't look up from the baby in her arms.

"Lillian," Emma said, more loudly this time. "Give me my baby. I'd like to hold him."

Lillian ignored her, and took the baby over to the vanity table where a bowl was sitting on top. Ellie watched her gently wipe the birthing residue off of the child, and then rewrap it in another blanket tightly. Lillian had not stopped her cooing and caressing of the baby.

Emma tried to sit up. She swooned weakly and fell back against the pillows.

"Lillian, bring my child over here!" she said.

Her sister finally turned in her direction.

"Why, Emma, you look awful," Lillian said, "You can't be trying to care for a child in the state you are in. Let me take little Jack off for a nap, and then I'll be back in to take care of you."

"I want to hold my baby," Emma said through clenched teeth. "I have spent the last two days in labor, and he is the last bit of Henry that I have. And his name is Henry Junior, after his father."

Ellie had no idea what to make of the exchange. The tension in the room was thick.

"You are delirious, sweetie, and it's no wonder. You've been in a lot of pain over the last few days. You'll make a lot more sense after you've had some time to rest," Lillian said. Without another word, she left the room.

Ellie could tell that Emma was stunned. Her stomach twisted in disgust when she realized that Lillian wasn't planning to come back and help Emma get cleaned up any time soon. Emma looked pale and helpless in the middle of the huge bed. Her lips quivered, and even though Ellie was sure she was exhausted, she didn't break down. Then she saw a glint of determination in the young woman's eyes. Her next words raised the hair on Ellie's arms.

"I know you're there," Emma said flatly. "I don't believe in you, but I can feel you. I need help. Can you help me?"

Is she talking to me? Ellie thought. "Hello?" Ellie said tentatively.

Emma didn't reply. Ellie slowly approached the bed. Emma sat waiting expectedly, but didn't seem to see her.

"I need to get out of this bed," Emma said. "I need to go find my baby. But I'm feeling pretty weak." Her lips quivered again, but then she went still and pulled herself under control. "Dammit, help me!"

Ellie reached out and touched Emma's shoulder. She watched the other woman jump. So she could feel her, but not see or hear her.

Emma's breaths were coming in short gasps, "Okay. Okay. I can do this. God, I hope you aren't here to hurt me."

Ellie wanted to hug the girl and tell her how sorry she was for everything that had happened to her. No one should have to go through what she was going through alone. It was that thought that propelled her into action. She gently reached over and took Emma's hand. She could see goose bumps fly up the girl's arm, but she didn't pull away. Emma's breath was still fast and sharp, but she was cooperating.

Then Ellie sat down on the bed next to Emma and took her arm. Now it was time to wait.

Emma took a deep breath and then pushed herself toward Ellie's side of the bed. She swung her legs over the bed. Ellie's heart ached seeing the streaks of red up and down her thighs.

"I'm going to try standing up now," Emma said. "I hope you are strong. Don't let me fall, okay?"

Ellie waited patiently as Emma pushed herself off the bed and to her feet. Ellie watched Emma's face contort in pain. No sooner had she settled onto her feet than Emma's knees seemed to give out and Ellie quickly placed her shoulder under Emma's arm and brought her back up.

"Thanks," Emma whispered. Then she pointed toward the bathroom. "That way."

Ellie slowly took each step with Emma and after a few steps Emma seemed more steady. They made it to the bathroom and Emma flipped on the light. "I think I've got it," Emma said as she pushed herself way from Ellie's solidness and crossed to the sink and mirror.

Ellie watched her slowly touch her face. It was drawn and gaunt. Her cheekbones stood out, and it looked like she had not eaten in weeks. Her nightgown clung to her slim form, and from the waist down was covered in dried blood. Emma braced herself against the sink and bowed her head.

"I'm probably crazy," Emma said a few moments later. "My husband's gone. I think my sister has hated me since before I was even born, and now she's trying to take my baby away from me. And I'm asking for help from ghosts." She shook her head and then turned on the faucet. It was obvious she didn't expect a response, even if Ellie could have given her one.

Emma pulled the nightgown over her head and tossed it on the floor. Gently, she started to clean herself. Her face got pinched and red, but she did the task slowly and methodically. Ellie turned her head away, being respectful of her privacy even though Emma couldn't tell the difference. She wondered where the girl was drawing the reserve of strength to go on.

Then Emma started to speak again, and Ellie realized it was in an effort to distract herself. She said how happy she was going to be when she could hold Henry Jr. in her arms. She talked about Henry Sr.'s smiling face and how he had kissed her silly every time they had dissolved in laughing fits over something ridiculous. She spoke of her family's home in Louisiana, and playing in the backyard with her younger brother and the kids from the neighborhood.

The water in the sink turned pink as she rinsed off the cloth each time, but she was somehow disconnecting herself from it, and finally she just started humming. Ellie thought she had heard the song before, but couldn't place it.

After what seemed like an eternity, Emma seemed satisfied that she was clean enough for the moment. She limped past Ellie back into the bedroom, and pulled a clean nightgown from the bottom drawer of the dresser. Her dressing robe hung from the bed, and Ellie saw that she was avoiding looking at the bed itself as she pulled the pink terrycloth robe from the bed post. Emma found slippers underneath the foot of the bed and carefully wedged her feet into them. She ran her fingertips through her hair.

She took a deep breath and shuffled out into the hallway, which was dark. Ellie followed closely behind her. It seemed like the house was empty.

Emma cocked her head and listened and then Ellie heard it too. It seemed to be coming from Joseph and Lillian's bedroom across the hall. Then Ellie heard a baby's squall. It was Emma's son.

Emboldened by the noise, Emma made her way to the French doors that opened into their bedroom. She paused and put her ear to the door. Ellie could hear mumblings and low voices, but nothing from the baby. Emma raised her hand to knock, when suddenly the door opened in front of her.

Something inside pushed Ellie off to the side and seemed to suck Emma into the room. All Ellie could see were bright auras of red and black and orange shimmering from inside the room and she raised her arm to block out the fiery light. She heard Emma screaming.

Then she felt her body lifted off the floor and slammed back down and felt blows all over her body, each one bringing a fresh hell of pain. Her screams joined Emma's. Henry Jr. was crying. And, as her world went black, she thought she could hear Lillian laughing.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Ellie emerged from her dream like a person deep under water, searching for the surface when the air was running out. Her mouth opened with a gasp and she sucked in as much air as she could hold in her lungs, the exhalation bringing with it her first signals of consciousness.

"Ellie. Ellie, sweetie," she heard an unexpected voice say. She opened her eyes and then bolted backwards on the couch.

"Linda!" she cried out.

"Yes, dear," Linda laughed in reply. "Who did you expect? Ellie, you just scared me terribly there for a moment. Were you having a bad dream?"

Linda looked phenomenal. Her white blond hair had recently been done, and she was wearing an emerald pantsuit. An expensive bag sat at her feet, and as Ellie started taking in other details around the room, she could see another piece of luggage sitting in the doorway.

Ellie's head swung from right to left. She had been lying on the couch, alone. The couch across from her was empty. "Where's David and Jenny?" she asked anxiously.

"It's all right, dear. They are upstairs," Linda said, patting her on the forearm.

"Upstairs, why?" Ellie asked. The vestiges of her dream still remained, and she was horrified to realize that she was suspicious of Linda and her intentions. This wasn't the Lillian of her dreams, she had to tell herself. After all that had happened in the last week, she should be delighted to see her old friend.

"Apparently that young lady was quite close to her due date, and that bump on the head sent her into preterm labor or something like that. David was quite concerned, so he wanted to move her upstairs to somewhere more comfortable." Linda tsked. "What an unfortunate accident. I had no idea that Joe had such a violent streak. It's so scary to think how people can appear so normal but have such awful intentions. That poor girl." Linda handed Ellie a cup of coffee that she had been holding.

Ellie took it in a trance. The parallel to her dream was uncanny. She wished again that she could see Linda's aura. Linda seemed calm and serene.

"Shouldn't we be calling an ambulance? I couldn't find your phone, Linda," she said.

"We did call, dear, as soon as Randall and I saw how serious things were. Unfortunately, we were quite lucky to have made it back here ourselves." Linda pointed to the window at Ellie's questioning glance. "Look for yourself. It's nasty out there."

Ellie got up and made her way through the office to the window at the front of the house. The window pane was covered in a thin layer of ice. Beyond it, she could barely make out tall snowdrifts. She couldn't see the lake. It looked like a complete whiteout. She knew it had been snowing when she fell asleep, but this was ridiculous. She felt like she was on the verge of understanding, but she still didn't have all the pieces.

"Winters in Minnesota are just dreadful, aren't they?" Linda called from the library. "Come. Sit. David told me that you have had the most awful week. I'm so sorry that I wasn't here for you. Drink your coffee too. It'll help warm you up."

Ellie felt the soothing tones in Linda's voice more comforting than she remembered. As much as she had disliked it before when Linda fussed over her, today she felt like the mothering was exactly what she needed. She went back over and sat down on the couch where Linda had patted.

"Are they all right upstairs?" she asked. "Shouldn't we check on them?"

"Jenny is in very good hands with David," Linda assured her. "Randall is keeping an eye on things. He'll let us know if there is anything we need to be concerned about, but I just know that our David has everything under control. We are so lucky to have him here."

Ellie felt odd listening to the intimate way that Linda was talking about David. She made it sound like she had known him for a long time. She felt anxious about the whole situation, but there was nothing that could be done but wait for the ambulance. She didn't want to get in David's way.

"I guess we'll just have to wait then," Ellie said out loud, sipping her coffee. Her words earned an approving nod from Linda.

"Yes, dear. I'm sure all will be well," Linda agreed.

"Where have you been, Linda? I admit that with the way you left, I didn't expect to see you back so soon," Ellie said, wanting to deflect the conversation away from having to explain her story again. She was almost sick of it herself.

"We got to London, and had the most wonderful time there," Linda said, apparently sensing Ellie's reluctance to talk about anything at that moment. "Randall was so sweet, after he saw how upset I was after the party. I really feel quite silly now. Just an old lady who got a little depressed, and probably worried everyone around her," she said, shaking her head.

Ellie absently patted her hand and encouraged her to continue. She felt surreal, after the wildness of her dream, and now the heavy snows. She sipped her coffee again and made a deliberate effort to keep her attention focused on Linda and what she was saying, although a large part of her just wanted to stare into the fire and try to digest the message that her dream had tried to tell her.

"But you really can't cry over spilled milk, can you? So I found myself in London. Randall had it all planned out. We were going to go to Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and maybe even over to Rome and Venice."

"That sounds like it would have been nice," Ellie said vaguely.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" Linda agreed. "But after a few days, I told Randall in no uncertain terms that as wonderful as that all was and as marvelous as it all sounded, I had responsibilities here that could not be ignored."

"We would have managed, Linda," Ellie said. "I hope you didn't rush back for that. I would have taken good care of the house, and Jeffrey was doing a fantastic job at the shop, at least, while the shop was open this week."

"That is one thing that is very good about Randall," Linda said, standing up. "He is very good with the details. He always says that I'm the emotional one, but in all actuality I don't know how he'd get anything done without me."

Linda went over to the fire and threw a few more pieces of wood into it. Ellie watched the flames climb higher before adjusting to the new fuel and coming back down to their original size.

Ellie was starting to feel sleepy again. "Man, I don't know what this is all about," she said out loud.

"What, dear?" Linda asked.

"It is so crazy. I've just been falling asleep lately without even trying. That's what happened earlier. David told me to shut my eyes for a few minutes, and I fell into such a deep sleep that I didn't even hear him and Jenny leave the room, or you and Randall coming back," she said. She tried to keep her mouth shut, but it opened in a yawn despite her efforts.

"From the sounds of things, you've been through quite an ordeal over the last few days," Linda said sympathetically.

"Yeah, but I can't believe how tired I feel again. You would think that my body would recognize that I just had some good sleep. I feel like I could just drift off again right now." Ellie stood and immediately sat back down again as she felt an uncomfortable head rush.

The effort of standing seemed too great at that moment, and she had wavered ever so slightly. "What's the matter with me?" she said. Then she frowned. There was something behind Linda. She squinted to try to make it out.

Linda returned to her side and stroked her hair. "You shouldn't fight it, Ellie. That doesn't help anything."

Ellie heard something new in Linda's voice. It was...expectation. She looked up at Linda. "Linda?"

"You will be asleep in a few moments, and that is good," Linda said. Ellie looked at her coffee cup in mortification, and then back at Linda, who nodded. "We can't have you up and about, accidentally stepping into something that you wouldn't understand."

"Wouldn't understand?" The words managed to escape Ellie's lips with great effort.

"Don't worry, dear. Slight change of plans, but you are still in them. That is a wonderful thing for you, don't you think? I've grown somewhat fond of you, and it would have been a shame to have to toss away the planning that has been going on for the last several months, don't you think?"

It was like all of her muscles were frozen. Ellie was unable to respond to Linda's question, although she suspected it was rhetorical anyway. Linda tossed Ellie's legs onto the couch and then pulled so that Ellie slid back down on the couch. Linda was surprisingly strong.

Then she knelt in front of Ellie, her face filling Ellie's entire view. "The sleep is coming. It should be pleasant. No more dreams," she whispered as if talking to a confidante.

Ellie's eyes widened. She finally could see who was standing behind Linda. It was Emma. And Emma was watching her and slowing shaking her head, as if in disappointment. Then she was gone.

Linda nodded. "I know about the dreams, yes. I know about everything. Poor Ellie, with all of your loneliness and all of your pain." Linda's words were tinged with a sarcasm that Ellie had never heard before. "Until I met you, I thought I was self-involved." Linda laughed at her own joke.

"Darling?" Ellie heard Randall's voice coming from the hallway, and then he appeared over Linda's shoulder in the space that Emma had just vacated. Ellie was terrified. She didn't know what had come over her friend, and now she was frightened for David and Jenny as well. "Everything taken care of in here?"

Ellie definitely had hoped for a different reaction than the one she saw on Randall's face. Not shock or outrage, but instead he looked...satisfied.

"Everything is fine here," Linda said, standing up and turning to greet him. She put her arms around his waist and then they both looked down at Ellie. "It was actually easier than I expected. I believe she just came out of one of those dreams again, so I had no idea how she'd react."

The emphasis on the word "those" confirmed that Linda knew the dreams that Ellie had been having were out of the ordinary. Ellie wondered how much they actually knew about her dreams.

"I thought she'd be asleep by now," Randall commented, pointing at her open eyes.

"She will be," Linda purred. As if Linda's words were the reason, Ellie felt her eyes starting to shut. She screamed in her head that she needed to stay awake. She needed to understand. She was in hell. But the blackness overtook her, and Ellie had no choice but to surrender.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Ellie woke up to screaming. At first she believed it was her own, but then she realized that her mouth was closed. She was groggy; the effects of whatever drug Linda had given her were starting to wear off. She was lying on a hard surface, and she was in darkness. She felt it pressing in on her and within seconds she felt like she was starting to hyperventilate.

The screams were close by. She heard metal clanking and she jumped with a yelp.

"Ellie?" She heard David's voice through the darkness and she sagged with relief.

"David!" she said a bit loudly, because David shooshed her immediately.

"Not too loud, Ellie. You don't want to draw their attention," he said.

"Where are you, David? I can't see anything," Ellie said. She tried not to panic as she felt the darkness close in on her. She sat up and felt heavy weights on her wrists, and an identical clanking to what she had just heard. She had metal handcuffs on.

"Don't bother trying to move too far. These things have a pretty short tether," David sighed. "I can't see you either."

"What's going on, David?" she asked.

"Something bad, that's about all I can tell you," he said.

Ellie heard the slight tremor in his voice, and that scared her badly. David was afraid. "When I woke up, you were gone," Ellie said.

"You were out like a light," David said. "I knew you were exhausted, so you obviously needed it. A short while after you fell asleep, I could see Jenny starting to twist around. I didn't know if she was in distress, or coming to. When I got up to check, I heard the back door open. Like I said, you were out. I thought for sure that you'd wake up, but you didn't, although you were kind of moaning in your sleep."

"I was having one of those crazy dreams again," Ellie confirmed. "I don't know if I would have woken up if you had tried."

"I had a feeling," David said. "But I didn't even have a chance to try waking you up. Suddenly Randall and Linda were just there. I was shocked to see them. I thought at the time that they were just as shocked to see me. I quickly gave them an outline of what was going on with Jenny, and that's when she started showing obvious signs of distress. I told them to call an ambulance, but Randall said that it might take a while for it to get there since the snow had started coming down really thick. He suggested we move her up to your room so that it would be more comfortable for her there if something was going to happen. It made sense at the time, so he helped me."

At that point Ellie could hear metal clanking again and realized it was coming from David's cuffs as he moved around. She wondered if David was running his hands through his hair.

"We got her up to the bedroom, and Jenny just started going into convulsions. Then I saw that her water had broken. Linda had returned by that point, and said that the ambulance was on its way, but they didn't expect to be able to get here for at least an hour. They asked what they could do, so I told them my plan in case the ambulance didn't make it in time. I guess after I explained to them what to do, I was no longer useful," David said ruefully.

"What do you mean?" Ellie said.

"I thought I had Jenny stabilized for the moment, but she was in labor. There was no doubt about that. She was already dilated. I knew that if the ambulance didn't show up soon, I was going to be delivering a baby. So I rolled up my sleeves, and tried to get all the supplies I could think of that were readily available here to assist her and make her as comfortable as possible. I had just checked her pulse one more time when Randall came back in the room. I asked about you, if you had woken up yet. He said that Linda was looking after you."

At that statement, Ellie laughed a short, bitter chuckle. "Oh, she looked after me, all right."

David paused to see if she was going to say anything else. She didn't, so he continued.

"Jenny still hadn't regained consciousness and that was the thing that worried me the most. I wasn't sure if I was going to have to deliver the baby and then worry about Jenny fading away on me or not. I was constantly moving back and forth, monitoring the baby's progress, and then her vital signs. Randall was watching, but he stayed out of my way. Finally, Jenny's eyes opened, and I could see that she was able to focus on me.

"I calmed her as best as I could and explained the situation to her. She seemed more satisfied when I told her the ambulance was on its way. She didn't remember the attack, so I reminded her where she was. I don't know how much she actually heard, because the contractions came again. Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out. I assume it was from the pain." David's voice was pained now.

"Randall was right there then, asking if he could do anything else. I told him that there was nothing more to do other than wait, and try to keep Jenny comfortable. I had no idea if there were going to be any additional complications that we had to worry about or not.

"He told me that women have been having babies since the beginning of time so he was sure it'd all work out okay."

A chill went down Ellie's spine as David repeated the exact words that she remembered Lillian saying in her dream.

"Then what happened?" she asked.

"That is the last thing I remember. Judging from the knot on the back of my head, he must have clubbed me and then I was out," he said. "When I woke up, I was in here with these handcuffs on my wrists. I tried standing up, but there is only so much slack on them. Any idea where we are?"

"I think we are in the room across from where you left Jenny," Ellie said. She quickly explained to David about the black walls and covered windows.

"That would make sense," he agreed. "Every few minutes I can hear yelling. I had told Randall that it would be dangerous to move Jenny, and no doubt by now she's close."

"Close to giving birth or just close to us in general?" Ellie said.

"Both," David replied. "I just woke up a few minutes ago. I didn't know that there was anyone else in this room with me."

"You didn't hear me breathing?" Ellie asked.

"Given the circumstances I need a little slack here, Ellie," he replied, and she felt bad. "I actually woke up to Jenny's screams. I think that has been ringing in my ears ever since. I would say that her contractions are just a few minutes apart now."

As if confirming David's hypothesis, they heard Jenny screaming again. "There has to be neighbors close by that can hear this," Ellie said.

"I hope so, Ellie," David said. "Do you have any idea why your friends are doing this to us?"

That was the question that Ellie had been dreading ever since she had woken up and realized that she and David were bound, in the darkness, and Jenny was in labor. "I think they want Jenny's baby," she said. "And Linda said something to me right before she drugged me that they had been planning something that involved me basically ever since she's known me."

"Do you have any idea what this plan is? Why are they holding us prisoner? Do you think they want to hurt us?" David asked anxiously.

"They wouldn't do that," Ellie said. For as insane as all of this was, she still couldn't believe that either Linda or Randall would be capable of murder.

"There's no way they'd be able to trust that we'd keep their secret if that was the case." David's logic was frightening, and Ellie didn't want to admit that he was right.

"I don't know, David," she said.

"You've known Linda for what, a few months?" he asked.

"Yes," Ellie confirmed.

"During this entire time, you never saw anything out of the ordinary? She never gave any indication of any kind of malicious intent?" he asked.

"No," Ellie answered. "But there is something, different, about her," she said reluctantly. "Both her and Randall."

"What?"

Ellie wasn't sure if it was because she couldn't actually see David that she was thinking of letting go of her secret, or that she realized that it was time that she just let it all out.

She took a deep breath. "They don't give off any auras."

There was a short silence. Ellie was afraid she had lost him.

"Auras?" he finally asked. "I'm not sure I understand what that means."

"Everyone, all the time, gives off an aura that's says how they are thinking or feeling at any given moment. It's really hard to lie or be deceitful when your aura shows the exact opposite emotion," Ellie said.

"And you can...see these auras?" David said.

"Yes," Ellie said softly. "I've been able to ever since my parents died. It's something stupid and silly, but something that makes me just weird enough that most people wouldn't want to be around me, or I wouldn't want to be around them. My foster families always acted so nice, but I could see that they hated having me around."

"This is a lot to process, Ellie," David said. "But I'm sorry you had a rough childhood. You never said anything about your parents."

Ellie shrugged as if he could see her. They were entering territory that she had no desire to reminiscence about. That single event had changed her life forever. "It's the past. No sense dwelling on it."

David plunged ahead. "Okay, so Linda and Randall don't give off these auras. What does that mean?"

Ellie was relieved that even if he didn't believe her, he was still playing along. "Well, it would have made it really easy for them to get close to me. I wouldn't have had any idea of their true intentions."

"Have you ever met anyone else before that didn't have these auras?"

Ellie chewed on her lip. "No, and I guess I should probably have spent a little bit more time thinking about that. Maybe all of this could have been avoided."

"It's not your fault, Ellie. These two are up to no good. But we have to figure out what they are planning. Why do you think that they are after Jenny's baby?"

Ellie realized that David was unaware of her latest dream, or memory, or whatever she wanted to call it. She quickly recounted it to him.

He whistled softly. "Damn, Ellie. That gets crazier by the minute. So not only do you see auras, but now you are seeing ghosts too?"

David's words clicked two puzzle pieces together in her head, and Ellie felt like she had been punched in the stomach. The memory was so vivid and she wondered why she hadn't questioned it before. "It wasn't me that saw ghosts." Her voice quivered. "It was Jake. My dreams got really vivid after Jake died and earlier tonight I actually saw Emma while I was awake. That last day, when I saw him I don't know why but I hugged him before he left and I felt like this, shock wave, pass between us. What if Jake passed something to me so that I could see ghosts too? What do you think that could mean?"

David was quiet for a long time. "I'm a calm, rational person. This kind of thing belongs in movies, books, or fairy tales. But I'm going to take a leap of faith because I don't' think you are crazy. You said that the dreams were coming more frequently and becoming more vivid. You say that Linda and Randall are different and that they seem to be focused on you for some reason. You say that Jake had some kind of insight into all of this and that is why he died. I don't know what it means, Ellie, but we'll figure it out together."

Ellie sighed in relief. "Thank you, David. It means a lot that you don't think I'm a total loon."

"I don't think I could ever think that," he replied.

Ellie wanted to be close to him; to touch him. It would make her feel like maybe there was a chance that this nightmare would end and everything would go back to normal.

"David?" she asked. "How far away are you?"

Her hands reached out and explored the darkness. She heard David's voice again and started to crawl slowly toward it.

"I don't know, but it can't be more than a few feet. Follow my voice," he said.

Ellie heard the clank of the chains and knew that he was reaching for her too. She shuffled forward a few more inches and then didn't have any further slack on her end. Her fingers reached out blindly, and then suddenly she felt fingers reaching back to her.

"David," she said in relief.

"Are you close, Ellie?" he said. His voice was still several feet away from her.

At that moment, Ellie realized the hands grasping at her weren't David's and she opened her mouth to scream.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

David tried to jump to his feet as he heard Ellie's sharp intake of breath but the chain caught him up short and he slammed back to the floor, shaking.

"Ellie, what is it? Are you okay?" he yelled. He was greeted with silence.

At that moment, a door opened and light streamed into the dark closet. Linda stood in the doorway. She smiled brightly.

"David! We are so happy that you are here," she purred.

Now that David could see, he frantically peered around him. He was in a long closet. Ellie's guess had been correct, and he wondered how she knew. He had to admit that the idea that she was something akin to psychic was a bit unsettling to him. But he didn't see Ellie anywhere.

"Where's Ellie?" he demanded. "She was just here. What have you done with her?"

Linda frowned as she looked past David and saw the empty chains lying on the floor. "Ellie isn't the priority right now," Linda said after a short pause. "But you, Doctor dear, need to come with me."

"I want to know where Ellie is," he said. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me."

Linda threw back her head and laughed. Then her face stilled and her gaze drove a dart of fear into David's soul. Her face had changed, and it was much more menacing.

"You are just precious that you think you have any choice in the matter, Doctor, but we don't have time for this. You are coming with me," Linda said.

She moved forward into the closet and grabbed the metal between the cuffs that held him. Instinct told him to take a step back, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing that she had scared him at all. David knew a thing or two about intimidation. At her touch, the cuffs fell away. David was dumbfounded.

He rubbed his wrists from where the cuffs had bit into his skin. "Who are you?" he said.

Linda did not respond. Instead, she took hold of his wrist, and the grip felt like a vise of steel. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Which do you prefer?" she asked. The sweetness had returned to her tone, but David knew it was nothing but velvet covering ice.

"I just want to know where Ellie is," he pleaded. "I don't want any trouble."

"You'll see Ellie again in due time. You have other matters to attend to right now," she replied. She pulled on his wrist and he was jerked forward.

"I'm coming," he said.

"Good. That's good," Linda said.

David needed time to gather his thoughts and try to figure out what had happened to Ellie, but for the moment he knew he had to play their game. He nodded and followed Linda across the hall. As he entered the room, he saw why he had been summoned.

Jenny was writhing in pain on the bed. Randall stood to the side with a syringe, getting ready to inject something into her arm.

"What are you doing?" David demanded.

He strode to the bed and gently examined Jenny. His heart dropped into his stomach. "The baby is in the breech position. We need to get her to a hospital."

The hair rose on the back of David's neck as he felt cold hands on the back of his shirt.

"There isn't going to be an ambulance, a hospital, or anything of that kind," Linda whispered in his ear, her words sending chills up David's spine. "You are going to deliver this baby for us and you'd better make sure it lives if you ever want to see Ellie again."

Ellie understood now that she and Emma were somehow connected. She remembered the pawing cold hands from the darkness which had brought back vivid memories of Jake's premonition of her death. It was a relief of sorts to hear Emma's comforting murmurs in her ear. At least, until the lights seemed to come on announcing that she had arrived at her destination.

As her vision returned, she saw that a few feet in front of her, Emma was strapped to a long stone table that reminded Ellie of an altar. The woman was able to draw her head up just enough to look at the heavy cloth bounds that were drawn through metal eye hooks at each corner of the table securing her arms and legs. The room was thick with shadows and the air felt chill. Ellie looked around. She thought they were in a basement. They were alone.

Ellie could see Emma's anxiety level rise dramatically as the woman looked over to her right to the other side of the table. Ellie heard cooing, and moved so that she could see around Emma. Henry Jr. sat in a bassinet on the floor in the middle of a symbol that Ellie could only assume was demonic.

"Hey," Emma hissed.

Ellie turned to the woman on the table. Emma was looking directly at her.

"I've seen you before. Was that you, helping me earlier?"

Ellie nodded. This whole situation was surreal. "You brought me here," Ellie said.

"Me?" Emma laughed wildly and Ellie could tell that the girl had reached her sanity threshold. "In case you can't see, I'm tied to this thing right now. I didn't bring you here."

"But you did," Ellie insisted. "Or at least your spirit..." And she stopped. Emma's eyes had widened in shock as she processed what Ellie was telling her.

Emma started pulling on the bonds holding her arms fiercely. "I'm not dying here. I'm going to get the hell out of here with my baby. Well, HELP ME!" she yelled at Ellie.

Ellie automatically went to her side and tried to grab the buckle of the bond holding her left arm, but cried out in frustration when she saw her hand go right through it. "I can't," she said.

"Please," Emma whimpered. "I can't let anything happen to my baby."

Ellie quickly crossed to the farthest wall of the basement hoping to find something hidden in the darkness that could help her. She felt a rush of chilly air fly up the back of her legs and she whirled around. The Bradfords had entered the room, and they weren't alone. Not knowing if they would be able to see her, Ellie tried to fade as far back into the shadows as she could.

Joseph and Lillian moved to stand at the edge of the symbol staring down at the baby in front of them. And standing across from them, so that the three of them made a perfect triangle, was a figure dressed in a dark black robe.

It looked as if they were worshiping the baby, but the sharp knife in Lillian's hand made Ellie doubt that. She sensed that the black robed figure in the room was far worse than the Bradfords. She needed to think clearly. She needed to help Emma find a way out.

Although she was still strapped to the table, Emma had not cried out when the three had appeared; she was, in fact, still struggling against her bonds. Ellie was in awe of Emma's inner resolve. The woman wasn't about to give up without a fight, even in her current state.

There was a rustling noise far off in the darkness. Emma called out, "Who's there? What's going on? Let me go!"

Then heavy footsteps brought another figure into Ellie's line of vision and it crossed to the table. Ellie's mind spun. It was Emma's husband, Henry.

"Henry?" Emma cried. "Henry! Is that you?" Ellie could hear the relief in Emma's voice.

The man stared down at Emma, his expression blank. He reached over and gently touched Emma's hand.

"Henry," Emma pleaded, "talk to me. What happened to you? I thought you were dead."

"I love you." Henry's voice was devoid of emotion.

Emma began to cry, and Ellie could see that strong resolve draining away.

"Henry, I love you too," Emma said. "What's wrong with you? Let me up. Help me get free," she said.

She bounced the hand underneath his to show him that she couldn't move.

He looked at her hand, and there was a moment of surprise as if he was seeing it for the first time. "Of course," he said.

Slowly he went around the table and undid the clasps that held her. As she sat up, she swung her legs to the side and slid into Henry's arms. She clasped her arms around his neck and buried her head into his chest.

Ellie turned her head to watch the three in the circle. They hadn't moved although all of them appeared to be watching what should have been a joyful reunion. Lillian had a small smile on her face, but Ellie didn't think it was a smile of happiness. There was something wrong with this picture.

"I'm so glad you're here," Emma was saying. "You have to help me, Henry. Our baby is here." She looked up at him, but he wasn't looking at her. He was staring over her shoulder at the three people on the other side.

Emma turned and followed his gaze. He was staring at Lillian, whose sly smile had grown into a wide grin.

"How are you feeling, dear Emma?" she said. "Isn't this lovely? A family reunited." She stepped forward like an animal on the prowl.

"Leave us alone," Emma spit out, pushing her back against Henry. "Just give us our baby and leave us alone. I don't know what you've gotten involved in but we don't want any part of it. You are sick, Lillian. Sick. We're leaving."

"No, I'm afraid you're not, Emma," Lillian said. She continued stepping in Emma's direction, and then casually went around the stone table, drawing her finger along the top. "I'm afraid you have a lot more to give that we need. That IT wants. We've barely gotten started."

"What are you talking about?" Emma hissed.

"Henry?" Lillian didn't answer her, instead looking at Henry.

Ellie watched Henry's arms encircle Emma, and then he was lifting her back up on the table. She struggled against him. Ellie was helpless and she whimpered in frustration.

"What are you doing? Why, Henry, why?" Emma pleaded. There was no answer.

Lillian helped Henry hold down each arm and leg and soon Emma was bound again. She wept softly. The struggle had weakened her, and Ellie could see Emma was bleeding again.

Lillian leaned over her. "It will all be over soon, dear one," she crooned "You and Henry were part of the bargain. We give a little, the two of you in this case, and we will get so much more. I almost wish you could be here to see it." Lillian threw her head back and laughed. "In the meantime, though, we need to get rid of unwelcome guests."

Lillian turned her head and met Ellie's eyes. Ellie let out a small scream as Linda plunged toward her. Lillian punched Ellie in the face, and then Ellie was returned to the darkness.

# CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Jenny's labor was difficult, and she was in a great deal of pain. David was torn between trying to do something to ease her trauma while keeping things in check with the baby. Linda's whispered threat lingered in his ear. He had three lives hanging in the balance.

Turning the baby had been his first priority; otherwise, he would have to attempt a Caesarean. Without proper tools and monitoring that was his absolute last resort. He forced himself to focus on the work at hand, and tune out the stares from the silent watchers.

Randall and Linda sat in chairs three feet from the bed, observing the scene as if sitting and watching a play unfold. David knew they whispered to one other several times, but he didn't avert his attention from his patients. It was too critical.

It all happened fast once he managed to turn the baby. Jenny was fully dilated within moments, it seemed, and it only took a few pushes for her son to enter the world with a lusty cry. When he placed the baby in Jenny's arms, she squeezed his hand for just a moment.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Then her full attention was on the baby in her arms. Her expression was one David had seen many times. It was the look a mother has only for her child; the one of instantaneous unconditional love. They both had forgotten about their observers.

David felt a cold hand on his arm, and he found himself looking into Linda's eyes.

"Excellent work, Doctor," she praised him.

David couldn't have cared less what she thought; he only had one concern now. "I want to see Ellie," he demanded.

"All in good time," she said. She cocked her head toward Jenny. "We have some business to attend to first."

"You have no business with this woman and her baby other than ensuring their safety," David protested. "My business with you is done. As soon as I find Ellie, we are all leaving you two alone to your sick fantasies."

"You have held up your end of the bargain, Doctor, in more ways than one." Linda chuckled. "But the business at hand isn't with you in any case." She motioned toward Randall, who stepped closer to the other side of the bed, staring down at Jenny and her baby.

David tried to read the expression on Randall's face. All of the color had drained out of the man's face, and he looked ill. Then David saw Joe Klein emerge from the bathroom glaring at Randall.

"MINE!" Joe screamed as he rushed at Randall.

The scene unfolded in seconds, but David couldn't believe his eyes. Randall turned and his face changed as Joe reached him. Then Randall's jaws got wider and he latched onto Joe's shoulder. Joe's wild screams turned into painful hollers. Then his face went slack and Randall let him slip to the floor.

Randall turned with glowing eyes to Linda and his face returned to normal, except for the bright red blood that covered his mouth and chin. "That was sloppy, dearest." His voice was heavy with sarcasm. "Very sloppy."

Linda shrugged. "I forgot about him. No harm done. As if he was ever a threat anyway."

"He knew too much," Randall spat.

"Are you going to yell at me all day or are you going to heal yourself?" Linda asked in a bored tone.

Randall looked like he was going to say more, but then he looked at the bed. Jenny started to whimper and held her baby closer as Randall approached.

"You have to excuse Randall for his haste," Linda said to David. "It draws so much more from him than me. I've never understood why."

David shook his head. "What are you talking about? Are you both crazy?"

"Energy, Doctor. I'm talking about sustenance," Linda said. She made it sound like she was talking to a child. "Everything needs to be fed in order to survive. Me, Randall, this lovely house. Everyone and everything."

"I don't know what your angle is, lady, but I'm taking Ellie, Jenny, and her baby out of here. Keep your twisted sickness to yourself," David said as he moved toward the bed. Then he was flung against the far wall.

His head smacked hard against it, and lolled forward as he fell to the floor. He had missed the bureau by less than a foot.

As his vision cleared, he found Linda was right in front of his face. "Exactly who do you think you are talking to, Doctor?" Her voice got louder. "You of all people don't have a choice in what happens here. You'd do well to remember that."

Linda turned her head away and took a breath. Then she put her hand against David's cheek. David felt strange, as though his jumbled thoughts were turned inside out. Linda smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"I'm sorry, David. I didn't mean to be harsh. We have so much to show you. You and Ellie both. You will understand everything soon, I promise," she said, brushing his hair out of his eye.

David nodded. He didn't know why he had been so judgmental. He could see now that explanations were coming in due time. Linda was right.

Her face beamed and she looked radiant. "Good. I'm so glad we've reached an understanding. Now, David, Randall and I have to do something else before we can go see Ellie. Will you sit over there like a good boy and wait for us?"

"Of course," he said.

Linda's hand stayed on his chest as he pushed himself up the wall. Over Linda's shoulder he could see Jenny staring at him. He couldn't remember why she would look so frightened. Randall was on the bed and had pulled her into his lap. She had been gagged, but he didn't see anything wrong with that. Randall cooed softly to the baby in her arms and stroked Jenny's hair.

For some reason, this didn't bother him either. He thought that perhaps it should, but it didn't. Linda pushed against his chest and guided him to a chair that was propped in the corner facing the bed. Another gentle nudge and he was sitting down.

Linda leaned down, and David could smell the perfume at her neck. It smelled like lilacs, and David closed his eyes, drinking it in deeply.

"You may want to turn your chair around, sweet boy. These matters aren't for you," she whispered in his ear. "At least, not yet."

Then she licked his ear and David felt a bolt of delicious electricity shoot through his body. Then she grabbed the sides of his chair and in one strong shove swung it around.

The energy coursing through his body left him dazed for a period of time and he couldn't form a coherent thought, much less move. When he finally felt like himself again, and gained awareness of his surroundings, he broke out in a cold sweat. He didn't dare make a move to brush the drops on his forehead away. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd been so afraid. He didn't know what was happening behind him, but the obscene noises were enough to ensure that he would never be the same again. Where was Ellie?

CHAPTER FORTY

Ellie gazed at herself in the mirror. The dress was beautiful. It was a green silk sheath dress that fit like a glove and ended just above her ankles. It had a lace overlay that went right up her neck to right beneath her chin. Her hair was swept up in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, and she wore a long strand of pale beads. She smiled and swished back and forth. This was just like her favorite dream.

Then she saw Linda's face in the corner of the mirror. The edges of her dream faltered.

"You look lovely, Ellie. David will be so happy to see you again." Linda smiled.

David. Ellie's heart started to beat faster. She thought it was possible that she loved David Mitchell.

"Can I see him now?" she asked. Her voice was high and girlish.

"He's waiting right outside." Linda gestured toward the door.

Ellie finally took note of her surroundings. She was in Linda's closet again. As she smoothed the dress down her hips with her hands, she felt something in the back of her mind nagging at her. But that was eclipsed by thoughts of David.

"You think he'll like it?" she asked.

"Of course, darling. He'll love it. Randall and I couldn't be more thrilled about the two of you." Linda put her hands on Ellie's shoulders. "After all of this time, we can finally move forward."

Ellie felt warm waves pulse through her body and she staggered. Linda's hands were under her shoulders, helping her up.

"You are going to love it here, Ellie," Linda said as she moved her across the room to the door. "It is so wonderful."

Ellie was about to ask what she was babbling about, but then the door opened and she saw David standing in the middle of the room. He looked tired, but his face lit up when he saw her. Linda's odd words flew right out of her mind.

"Ellie!"

"David!"

He met her in two strides as she rushed toward him. Then she was in his arms and he crushed her against him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Ellie nodded, but could see more unspoken questions in his eyes. She wondered why he looked so frightened.

"What's the matter, David?" She reached up and stroked his cheek.

"Don't you remember, Ellie? Linda and Randall have been holding us hostage. You disappeared when we were both locked up in that closet," he said. His eyes anxiously searched hers.

The nagging feeling was in the back of her head again. "Linda was right here, David. She helped me pick out this dress for you." She took a step back and twirled in a circle for him. She looked at him hoping for approval, but found an expression of disbelief. "You don't like it?" she said with a pout.

"Ellie," David said. Then he stopped and appeared to be searching for the right words. "Ellie, there is something wrong here. With this house, with these people. We are in danger, Ellie."

Ellie shook her head violently. She didn't know why David was saying these things. She grabbed the sides of her head. It was like there were two voices in her head and she couldn't keep either one out.

David tried to grab her arm but she pushed him away. Something was wrong. Her vision blurred and for just a moment Emma's dark eyes floated over David's shoulder.

Ellie looked up at David, the terror in her face now mirroring his. "You're right. There is something evil here, and it wants us," she said in a horrified whisper.

"How do you know that, Ellie?" he demanded.

"I saw it. Emma showed me," she said. She started to glance around the room. She sensed that Linda and Randall were close.

"You remember I told you about my dreams?" she continued. "I realize now that Emma was asking me to help her. To help her escape. But I failed. Whatever these gifts are that I have, they aren't strong enough."

She could see that David was having a hard time processing this information. She stepped closer to him. "Linda and Randall, or Lillian and Joseph, are who they really are, somehow. And they aren't the worst things here, David," she said as she looked around the room.

"I've seen something too," David said. "They killed Jenny and her baby. I think. God, Ellie, I can't believe I'm saying this. I think they ate them."

Ellie looked into David's eyes and saw the truth there. "Oh my God," she whispered. "We've got to get out of here, David."

"I don't think so." Randall's booming voice filled the room. "The party is just getting started."

Ellie watched in horror as Linda and Randall entered the room, one from the wall on the left and one from the wall on their right. Her jaw dropped. She heard Emma's screams echoing in her mind.

Linda and Randall were ghosts.

# CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

As Linda and Randall slowly circled them, Ellie's mind worked furiously. She was trying to process all the pieces that Emma had given her, knowing somewhere in those fragments was the answer to the puzzle.

She saw that Linda and Randall looked younger, much younger. David was trying to push her behind him, but the two spaced themselves far enough apart that there was always one of them right in front, ready to catch them if they made a move for the door. The room darkened, and then small drops of light appeared around the perimeter of the room. Something far darker had joined them.

"Ellie." Linda's tone was disapproving. "You speak so ill of our wonderful home. It takes care of us and gives us everything we could ever want or need. Youth. Riches. What it asks for is so small in comparison."

"I don't understand any of this," David said, still moving to try to protect Ellie. "What are you? What do you want from us?"

"I told you earlier, David," Linda said, "every living thing needs nourishment. What exists here has been here so much longer than us. We were lucky that it saw our potential, otherwise, yes, it would likely have used us up too. There are many ways to feed it, but nothing gives it more strength than love. Isn't that the most beautiful thing?"

"Nothing nourishes like the power of love," Randall agreed. "What you feel here around you is powerful beyond your imagination. When you are chosen, you become a God."

"You're no gods," Ellie said. "You are nothing but sick people."

"Ellie," Linda admonished in that motherly tone that Ellie hated. "You of all people I would think could appreciate what this house is all about."

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked.

"Let's just say, our home has a special appetite for people who themselves are special," Linda said with a knowing grin.

Ellie realized that Linda had known about her all along. She had been targeted. Linda and Randall had been playing her like a puppet, maneuvering her into this time and this place.

"How?" she asked.

Linda clucked her tongue. "I'm surprised at you, Ellie. For such a smart girl, you are pretty slow sometimes."

Ellie realized the link that she had been missing. "It was Jake, wasn't it?" For just a moment she was transported back to the basement of their house, just days before she had left Jake for good. Jake had put black paper over all of the windows and the area was dank and dark. It stank with some kind of herbs that he had been burning, and in the back, Ellie had found that Jake had converted his old workbench into something resembling an altar. It had dead flowers and candles strewn over the surface. And in the middle there was a picture of Ellie.

Linda nodded. "Of course it was Jake. I almost feel bad for the poor boy. In his pathetic little attempts to understand his own condition, he awakened something else that scared the dickens out of him."

"You came after me because of Jake," Ellie said, still trying to wrap her mind around the idea. "Why me and not him? I mean, he was the one that did all of it. He was 'special' too."

Linda and Randall laughed. "Jake wasn't exactly what we were looking for," Randall said. "Although we should thank him again for sending us that special treat." Randall licked his lips.

Ellie didn't know what Randall was talking about, and then David answered, "Jenny and her baby."

Linda's face lit up. "A mother and child's love is truly sweet and pure. It is second only to that one other love."

"What is that?" Ellie asked.

"Silly Ellie." Linda shook her head. "Have I taught you nothing in the last few months?"

They stopped circling now. Ellie stood facing Linda, and David faced Randall. Their backs touched, and Ellie grabbed behind her for David's hand. The touch of his skin was reassuring.

The answer burst into Ellie's mind. "True love," she whispered.

Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, and she turned to find David had turned as well and was gazing down into her eyes. She saw the truth that she had suspected there.

"True love," Linda said behind her. "So rare a gift that it can keep our benefactor strong for decades."

Linda's words connected more dots for Ellie. "You stole it. You stole it from Emma and Henry."

"We stole nothing," Linda scoffed. "I once had plans for Emma too. But she went off and died before I could convince her to join us. Henry was devastated. It was unfortunate." Linda chuckled. "But I did my best to comfort him in his last moments."

The candles flickered for a moment, and Ellie saw Randall's eyes narrow over David's shoulder. "I thought you said you had her under control," he said to Linda.

"Get these two ready," Linda hissed at him. "I'll deal with her."

Linda vanished, leaving Ellie and David with Randall.

"I am not going to get used to that," David murmured as he pulled her close to him.

Randall stared at the wall so long that Ellie thought he might have forgotten they were there. Then his face changed and Ellie screamed.

"This should be nearly painless," he said as his jaws widened. His arms seemed to elongate to encircle them. The last thing Ellie saw was his red eyes as she and David sank to the floor in each other's arms. The edges of reality went blurry again.

# CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

David never fully lost consciousness. He felt his body being lifted up and stretched out on a table. He swung his head to the side and saw Ellie was lying beside him. She was staring back at him, but her face was slack. Randall's head emerged from beside her, and David knew that he had been "feeding" on her. He didn't really understand why Ellie had been so important to them, but it was clear that whatever special abilities they possessed, it was something that the couple found irresistible.

He didn't see anything in Ellie's eyes, and this scared him badly. He had to hold out hope that they would get out of this.

"Why her?" he managed to ask.

Randall chuckled. "My dear boy, you're asking the wrong question. The question is really, why you?"

"What are you talking about?" David said. He felt sick. Was it possible that this was all his fault somehow? What had happened to Jenny Marks and her baby? What had happened to Ellie?

"We already told you that Jake would have been a perfect match what with his own abilities, but in this case, we needed something else, or more appropriate, someone else. We needed a woman. Lucky for us, Jake led us right to Ellie. So that when the time came and we sent you out into the world to meet your match and fall in love we'd know right where to put you. Then all's you had to do was bring your true love home, which you did just like we knew you would," Randall said. Randall had moved to Ellie's feet.

"You didn't have any children." Ellie's voice rang out. "Lillian was barren."

Randall's face contorted in pain. "A minor detail. One that was corrected easily enough," he said.

David felt Ellie's hand crawl into his. He looked back at her, and this time saw a look of alarm and pity in her eyes. "David. I think you are Emma and Henry's son," she whispered.

His stomach clutched. "That's not possible," he sputtered. "They died over a hundred years ago."

"Time means little here. The house slumbers as do we, until it is time to feed." Linda reappeared behind Ellie's head. She was watching Ellie thoughtfully. "You are quite the perceptive one, aren't you, dear?"

"You let that get out of control." Randall was looking at Linda. "You have caused a mess. What with that agent and now you can't keep that little menace from putting her nose in where it doesn't belong. That is your fault."

"It is taken care of," Linda replied. She jabbed a finger in Randall's direction. "You worry about your part and let me worry about mine."

Ellie moaned and closed her eyes. David looked at her with alarm. His thoughts were all messed up. He felt around at his memories of early childhood. They were fuzzy and if he was honest with himself, there was a sense of falseness in them. Like if he poked at them long enough, they would disappear.

"How?" he asked. He had to know.

Linda looked at him and smiled indulgently. "We were so proud of you. Wanting to become a doctor. It is very simple, darling. As I said, time has no meaning in this place. So we sent you out at the time we needed you. It has been so long since someone had been here. We needed you. The house needed you."

"But my life, are you saying it's all false?" he said.

"Oh, my poor Jack." Linda came around the table and placed her hand on his arm. "I know this is confusing for you, but you did exactly what you were supposed to do. We picked a girl for you and you fell in love. True love."

"No, no, no." He whipped his head from side to side. "This isn't real."

"David," Ellie said to him. "It's okay. I love you anyway. And I'm supposed to tell you that Emma loves you too."

Linda reached over David and slapped Ellie hard across the face.

Even as she felt the pain of Linda's strike, Ellie heard a whisper in her head. It was a voice she had heard before, but had blocked out of her mind. The voice told her what Linda and Randall had planned for her. It told her what they had done to Emma and Henry. It was the voice of the Third, as it told her it called itself. It was the voice of the figure she had seen in the basement with Lillian and Joseph the night they murdered Emma and Henry. And then it offered her a deal.

Her chest heaved as she considered it. She had to make a decision quickly. Images flashed through her mind. No matter what Linda said, there was no way she was going to let Ellie live. They may let David live, but only to wipe his mind clean and use him again like they were using him now.

Ellie chose. Her binds fell to the side and she sat up.

"I told you to bind them," Linda spat at Randall.

"I did," Randall said. There was a note of fear in his voice as he studied Ellie's face. "Lillian, I think we have a problem."

Linda whirled and looked at Ellie, who had taken those few moments to swing her legs off the table and now stood facing them.

"I'm amazed my Jack ever wanted you," Linda said. "You were so broken. So weak. You almost ruined everything because you were so self-absorbed. You don't deserve him." Linda rushed at her and hit a wall of resistance just a few inches from her. "What's going on?"

"You are the one who is broken, Linda, or should I just go ahead and call you Lillian?" Ellie said.

Linda stepped back but Ellie could see the fear on her face. "You have the chance of a lifetime at your fingertips, you silly girl. Don't pretend to think that you have the upper hand here. I've lived a century longer than you. Don't make the same mistake Emma did."

"She didn't want anything but to live her life with her husband and her son," Ellie said. "She had no use for your riches or grand schemes of wanting to live forever."

"Everyone wants what I have," Linda said, shaking her head. "Everyone wants to live forever."

"This isn't living, Lillian," Ellie said. "In the end, you don't have the upper hand either. You are nothing but a slave to the darkness of this place."

"That's not true," Linda cried out and tried to rush at her again. Ellie put up her hands and Linda was propelled backward. She felt a rush of cool air that brought goose bumps to her arms, and she saw a dark figure step beside her. The Third had arrived. And Ellie knew now that this was the creature of evil who found her when Jake tried to shield her with the safety spell and who wiped her memory of the incident so its evil plan could be set in motion.

"It has no use for you anymore. You and Joseph are the weak ones. Your love is tainted and dark. That is why it convinced you to release David. You and Joseph weren't cutting it anymore." Ellie's voice rose.

"No," Linda moaned.

Randall slowly backed away from Ellie and bumped into the wall.

"It is releasing you now. Releasing you to hell, where you belong." The Third's hands flung out and a wave of energy hit Linda and Randall full force. Their shrieks were deafening and Ellie felt sick watching their bodies go up in flames. Ellie felt an intense wave of heat hit her and she stumbled backward, overwhelmed by the smell of burning flesh. Then suddenly they were gone and the room was silent.

# CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

David watched Ellie carefully as she released him from his bindings.

"What the hell just happened here, Ellie?" he finally said. After Linda and Randall's spectacular destruction, he had watched the dark figure next to Ellie nod in her direction and then slowly fade away.

"It's over," she said. She looked up at him and smiled.

Then she wrapped her arms around his waist, and David had to admit that felt great. He still couldn't process that he had been born almost a hundred years ago, and had apparently been a captive of the house all that time. But it made sense to him now why he had always felt so comfortable there.

"What do we do now?" he asked. "I feel like my whole world has been ripped apart."

"We stay," she said simply.

Ellie's words surprised him, and he felt the knot of fear return. "What does that mean?" He pushed her away, searching her eyes. He knew that something had transpired between Ellie and the dark figure that had banished Linda and Randall.

"This is where you belong, David. It is your home. And I'll stay with you, of course." She smiled warmly and tried to hug him again but he stopped her.

"I don't belong here, Ellie," he said. "And neither do you."

Ellie looked frustrated. "You heard everything we said, David. This is where you came from."

"I'm not staying here, Ellie. This is a bad place. Horrible things happen here. We're leaving." He grabbed her arm and started pulling her with him out onto the landing.

She struggled against him. "David, please. There's something I need to tell you. Something you aren't going to like."

Her fevered speech made him move faster. "I need to get you out of here, Ellie. Away from whatever it is that lives in this house," he said.

"No, David. You aren't listening. You can't leave." And then Ellie dropped the bomb. "Neither one of us can," she said. Her smile had faded, and her eyes were haunted.

They stood on the patio with Skipper and watched the sun come up. It was cold, but they didn't feel it. Ellie knew the time had come. Already things were changing. Everything around them was covered in heavy snow. The world was silent.

David had not spoken to her since she had finished telling him what had happened in those few moments before the Third banished Joseph and Lillian back to the depths of hell. Ellie explained all of the images of the future that the house had shown her, and how his parents had died. It sounded too fantastic to be real.

"You don't know that was the truth, you know," David finally said. He didn't look at her.

"We were kidnapped by soul-sucking ghost monsters, David," she argued. "I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen even if the Third hadn't shown me what happened to Emma and Henry."

"So you made a deal with the devil," he said. "A deal for both of us."

"Like it or not, David, this is where you grew up. It has had its hooks in you since you were born. It wasn't going to let you just waltz out of here, even if we had somehow managed to escape from Joseph and Lillian. What we have is what it wants."

"So we're trapped here forever," he said.

It frightened Ellie that he wouldn't look at her. She stepped in front of him and gently reached up to touch his cheek. Finally his eyes dropped to hers. She saw a man in torment. She wrapped her arms around his torso, and after a moment she felt him put his arms around her. She was relieved.

"Don't worry, David. This is just the beginning. We have time now. We'll figure it out. Together."

She heard a rumble inside the house. She knew she'd have to be careful what she said from now on. "We'd better go back inside."

David took her chin and kissed her softly. "If you say we'll get out of here, Ellie, I'll do whatever you tell me to do. I believe you."

She nodded. She had to appear confident for him. Then she took his hand and pushed the front door open. Skipper scooted through the door first. David glanced at her and followed Skipper. It was like they were swallowed by the darkness on the other side of the threshold. Ellie took a deep breath and hoped again that she had made the right decision. Then she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

###

Ellie made a deal, and now it's time to pay the price for it.

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# Note from the Author

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Ellie's story! If you enjoyed Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1), please consider leaving a review and sharing your thoughts. I'd also love to hear what you liked (and what you didn't!) if you'd like to drop me a line at cege@cegesmith.com. As always, thank you for your support.

# About Cege Smith

Everyone loves a good origin tale. Cege's started when she was eight years old. She snuck out of bed late one night and into the living room to watch TV. Flipping through stations with the volume turned down low, she came across a rerun of a movie called The Exorcist. She was terrified yet mesmerized.

Cege wasn't unfamiliar with the idea of the battle between good and evil. She attended Catholic school in a small town in rural Wisconsin, and at the time knew the 'age appropriate' stories from the Bible. Nothing in those stories prepared her for the visual onslaught of watching the battle between the priests and the demon for the soul of the young Linda Blair. Cege was deeply disturbed by the movie, but nonetheless a seed was planted that night. That seed grew into a rampant fascination with all things supernatural.

Sleepovers turned into B-rated horror film marathons. Her library card was used to bring home piles of books about ghosts and vampires. She still isn't quite sure who she loved first, Stephen King or Freddy Krueger. By the time she was twelve, Cege took a turn at penning her own spooky tales. That love of things that go bump in the night and scare you to death has only grown stronger throughout the years.

The paranormal and supernatural take center stage in all of Cege's stories. Over the years, she has crafted her own origin stories about vampires (the Bloodtruth series), zombies (the Twisted Souls series), and ghosts, angels, and demons (the Shadows series). She's also taken on the folklore around the Fountain of Youth (the Immortal End series beginning with Ageless). There is something for every reader of the paranormal in Cege's books.

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