“You know it’s in Cambridge?”
“I think so. I’ve followed scents over the Memorial Bridge several times. That’s where I lose them. I think the wind off the river interferes with tracking beyond there.”
“Then it does sound like you’re getting close. Has Sadie confirmed any of what you’ve seen with what she saw during her astral projection?”
“She said it was too dark and she can’t get back there for some reason.”
“That’s weird. I wonder why not.”
“She said maybe her subconscious is protecting her, refusing to let her go somewhere dangerous or mentally disruptive.”
“I don’t know… She seems mentally sound, and how much danger can she be in when she’s in astral form?”
Nick shrugged. “I don’t know how her gift works. I just wish it did—now more than ever—and unfortunately her subconscious, or whatever, isn’t cooperating.”
“What if you took her around the area during the day? Would she recognize anything?”
Nick shook his head. “She says no. She didn’t pay attention to the outer surroundings. Just the roof she landed on.”
“Maybe Kurt could take her up in a helicopter. He’s a pilot—or at least he was in the military.”
Nick rose. “That’s brilliant. I’m just sorry I didn’t think of it sooner.”
“Glad I could help.”
“Don’t tell anyone I discussed the case with you. If it works, I’m taking credit for it.” He laughed.
Anthony cuddled Claudia on her couch, but she seemed distracted. He stroked her cheek and tucked her hair behind her delicate ear, careful not to disturb her pearl earring.
“What’s wrong, honey?”
“Nothing.”
“In my experience, when a woman says ‘nothing,’ there’s always something. Come on. Out with it.”
She sighed. “I wish you’d spend the whole night with me sometime. I don’t understand why you can’t. I’m perfectly willing to black out all the windows. Is it that you don’t want to see my morning face with no makeup and bed-head?”
Shit. Maybe it was time to let her in on his secret. He still didn’t know if she could handle it sober, and he’d feel horrible if he caused her to start drinking again. No. Not yet. Trying to sound natural, he said, “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re beautiful when you wake up.”
“How would you know?”
“I woke you one morning. As I recall, you had cried off your makeup, and bed-head didn’t begin to describe your hair.” He grinned, hoping to lighten the mood and let her know he was teasing at the same time.
She groaned. “True. I guess if you saw me like that and didn’t run for the hills, you really aren’t bothered by appearances.”
“You won’t get rid of me that easily.” How could he get her off the subject of staying overnight? He shifted so he could hide his erection. “Speaking of getting rid of people, Kurt is trying to romance Ruxandra.”
Claudia sat up and faced him. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. He’s not having much luck at the moment, but he seems determined to win her over.”
Claudia covered her mouth with open fingers. “I don’t know whether to be grateful or horrified.”
“Be grateful. He’s a grown man, knows what he’s getting into, and seems willing—if not eager—to tame the shrew.”
Claudia laughed. “Unbelievable.” Then she quieted. “I know she’s beautiful…I mean, absolutely gorgeous, but what else does Kurt see in her?”
Anthony shrugged. He couldn’t very well say his friend was doing him the favor of a lifetime.
Her eyes widened. “You don’t suppose he’s after her money, do you?”
Anthony almost asked, “What money?” but stopped himself. Letting Claudia come up with her own plausible answer might be wiser.
“I don’t know,” he said.
Claudia spoke softly as if thinking out loud. “I never thought of him as opportunistic, but I only know the convivial, flirty Kurt. Come to think of it, he does seem kind of superficial, and she’s always dripping in diamonds and furs. She must be loaded. And as far as I know, he doesn’t currently have a job.”
“I never ask about people’s finances. You could be right.”
“And I never asked about yours, but you volunteered the fact that I shouldn’t worry about the tea shop.”
“True. I don’t tell people unless they need to know. You’re the manager and needed to know we could afford to take a risk.”
He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and jokingly whispered in her ear, “Now that you know I’m loaded, do you think you could love me for my money?”
She laughed. “I never expected you, of all people, to be so blatant about gold diggers. And, for your information, I’m not one of them.”
He grinned. “I know. And I’m glad.” If only she knew about my time in Alaska during the Gold Rush. I knew plenty of them.
He turned her chin to face him. “You’re perfect.” He was about to kiss her, but Claudia dropped her gaze, bit her lip, and closed her eyes.
Uh-oh. “What’s the matter?”
She shook her head.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me. You know that, right?”
She hung her head. “I’m so far from perfect it isn’t funny. There’s something I’ve done…”
There was something momentous in the atmosphere. As if she were about to reveal a horrible secret.
“It’s not the kind of thing I like to talk about, but you should probably know. I killed my sister.”
Anthony couldn’t imagine his sweet, gentle Claudia being capable of killing anyone. It had to have been some kind of accident. Something she’d been blaming herself for.
He took both of her hands in his. “Tell me about it.”
She looked away.
“Claudia, honey. I’m not here to judge you. Is this something that contributed to your drinking?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Most definitely.”
Hell, it was a wonder he didn’t end up with a drinking problem, too, with all the lives he’d taken. “I understand confession can be good for the soul. I’m far from priestly, but I’m willing to listen if it’ll help.”
She sighed. “I had a sister two years older. She was the brainy one. Really, really smart. My parents couldn’t afford to send us both to private colleges, but she got a partial scholarship to Dartmouth. She wanted to be a doctor. A pediatrician. Meanwhile, I was lucky enough to get into BU. My parents took out a second mortgage on their house so I could go. I should have gone to a state school…” A tear shimmered in her eye.
“Marion had just come home for the summer after her sophomore year. I was celebrating my high school graduation at a party on the other side of town. Of course I’d had too much to drink. Since Marion was the smart one, I distinguished myself by being the social one. I had lots of friends, went out every weekend, and drank a lot.
“Anyway, that night I knew I was in no shape to drive and our designated driver left us all in the lurch after a fight with her boyfriend, so I called good ol’ reliable Marion. She took the highway, probably to get there faster. Another car crossed the center line and hit her head-on in a high-speed crash. The driver of the other car was drunk and apparently bounced. He survived. My sister did not.” Claudia broke down and sobbed.
Anthony grabbed her and held her tight. How could she blame herself for an accident like that? He wanted to shake her, but that was the last thing she needed. Instead, he stroked her hair and murmured, “Shhh…” until she stopped.