Ethan looked from one to the other. He wasn’t angry for the simple reason that he’d had to accept Blessed as a reality. He didn’t want to believe any of this, but there was Blessed, always Blessed, and Autumn was Blessed’s niece. “Can you speak to your mother telepathically, Autumn?”
Autumn shook her head. “I wish I could, but Mama can’t hear me. I don’t try to talk to people anymore. If they hear me, they think they’re crazy. Well, there was the boy at the gas station, and he liked talking to me in his brain, once he got used to it. He called me dude. He’d say, ‘Hello, dude.’ He was always wanting to borrow money from He thought I was a teenager, like him.”
“Try to talk to me, Autumn.”
She did try, and so did he. He concentrated on her, concentrated on relaxing, on opening up, but nothing happened. He had to admit he was relieved.
Joanna said, “I overheard Shepherd say she knew Autumn had her father’s gift. The only thing is, I don’t really know how she knew it.” Joanna broke off and looked at her daughter. “Oh, no, you didn’t say something to them, did you, baby?”
“She sneaked it out of me, Mama. She was handing me a glass of really bad lemonade and she asked me—like she wasn’t really paying attention or she didn’t care—if I spoke to my daddy very often and I nodded before I thought about it. She smiled at me and said when my daddy was young, he could always call her from wherever he happened to be. She’d always been sorry she couldn’t talk back to him when he called her, but she couldn’t, but she bet I could, couldn’t I? I nodded. I told her I could talk to Daddy anytime because it never cost any money.
“She said she just knew my daddy hadn’t called her in more years than even she could count, and wasn’t that sad? I didn’t think it was sad because she’s so scary, but I didn’t say so. She said she’d tried and tried to call him, but it never worked. She asked if I would try to talk to her in her head, but I knew that wasn’t good. I ran away. I’m sorry, Mama.”
Joanna hugged her tightly. “It’s all right,” she said, though she knew it wasn’t okay at all. “I can see how it happened, sweetie.”
She looked at Ethan. “Martin never hinted that he had a gift. It was probably all tied up in his mind with his family, and he wanted no part of it. It was only after he went to prison that he called to Autumn telepathically, maybe because he missed her so much. She was only four years old, but he got right through. Apparently they could see each other while they spoke, so he did see his daughter growing up. Martin didn’t want Autumn to tell me about it until she was older because he knew I’d be upset, most likely not believe her, think she was sick. Then he died unexpectedly and Autumn told me.
“I knew Autumn was grieving him terribly, and I thought she was imagining it, that it was her way of not letting him go. But after visiting the Backmans, I believe her. I’ve talked to her about it for a very long time this past week, and she’s told me things her daddy said that she couldn’t have known about without his telling her.
“I wasn’t ready to tell you or anyone, Sheriff, because I haven’t figured out yet how I can protect this child, not only from Blessed but from anyone else who would take advantage of her. But I will do anything to keep her out of the Backmans’ hands. Anything.”
For the first time in his professional life, Ethan felt uncertain to the soles of his size-twelves. Joanna obviously believed it all, but she couldn’t prove it to him, or to anyone else. He was an earthling, and he felt like someone had thrown him into an alternate universe. Something within him fought against believing it, demanded more proof. But there was Blessed.
Always Blessed.
27
GEORGETOWN, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Monday evening
They arrived home about nine o’clock, the Porsche’s gas tank nearly kissing empty. They were greeted by a hysterical Astro, who’d been chasing kernels of popcorn Sean was throwing to him. Gabrielle was on the living room floor, laughing as Astro jumped over her, back and forth, chasing more popcorn. They joined in the game but not or long. Both of them were exhausted.
Autumn called him at midnight.
Dillon? Are you there?
Autumn? That’s you, isn’t it? Where have you been? Are you all right I tried to call you but you didn’t answer.
He turned on the bedside lamp. He was clearer to her now. She saw he had black whiskers. She could see his dark eyes. He looked wonderful.
She was so happy he was there she nearly burst with it. Hello, Dil-lon. I’m okay but just barely. I’m sorry you didn’t get me. I’m kind of new at this, just you and Daddy, really. Ethan told me how you were off chas-ing bank robbers.
Yes, I’ve been real busy here. I’m sorry. Tell me your last name, Au-tumn, and where you are. Who is Ethan?
I’m Autumn Backman, and my mom and I are in Titusville, Virginia, with Sheriff Ethan. He’s real nice and wants to help us.
Can you turn on a light, Autumn? I can’t see you as clearly as I’d like.
No, my mama’s asleep next to me. I don’t want to wake her up.
A heat of silence, but she saw a brief smile on his mouth. Tell me what’s been happening.
She old him about Sheriff Ethan Merriweather and his three pets, particularly all about Lula, who always caught the most kibble. She told him how maybe the sheriff really believed now that she was talking to Dillon, but . . . He doesn’t want to believe me because it’s weird and I’m a little kid. People don’t want to believe you when you’re only seven.
She told him how Blessed put the whammy on Ox, but Ethan had helped snap him out of it with a hard kick to his chin, how they’d been looking for Blessed, but he was hiding real good.
I need you, Dillon, my mama needs you. You’ve got to catch those bank robbers so you can come here and help us. Things are bad. Blessed is here. Blessed is scarier than the Phantom of the Opera.
Then she floored him. She told him about the dead people in Bricker’s Bowl, told him about Shepherd and Grace. She didn’t wink out once, her voice and face steady. Mama and I got away and drove to Titusville, hut Uncle Tollie wasn’t here. He knows a lot of people, Dillon, but he’s old, maybe too old for you to know him.
What’s his full name, Autumn?
Tollie Tolbert.
She saw him scratch his chest. Then he smiled at her, sort of embarrassed because he’d forgotten she could see him. I know about Tollie Tolbert. He was an FBI agent, just like me. Everyone called him T Squared, you know, because both of his names begin with a T. So he lives in Titusville, Virginia, and you and your mama know him. I’m relieved, Autumn, because Tollie’s tough, doesn’t take grief from any-body. He knew my dad, worked with him occasionally in New York. My dad always said Tollie could make a witness talk faster than opening a can of tuna fish. He had this evil-eye thing going. Where is he, Autumn?
In a place called the Everglades. That’s in Florida. He hasn’t come back yet. We’ve been waiting for him.
Okay. Ah, maybe I’d better give you my cell phone number. Can you memorize it so you won’t have to turn on a light and wake up your mama?