Don't Touch (11 page)

He took her hand. “Who said I was pretending.
I can’t speak for Tom; he usually has his own agenda. But I mean
what I say Ryan, I consider you a part of my life just as much as
Tom, or Captain Heinz, or my dog.”

She poked him. “Your dog. How
flattering.”

Pulling out his cell phone he flipped it
open. “See look you’re even in my top five. If I was going to leave
you high and dry lady I wouldn’t be standing here talking to
you.”

Putting up her hands waving she laughed.
“Okay, okay, as long as you don’t start any of that Paris Hilton
BFF crap I guess you can hang around.”

Tom came out to the last comment. “I don’t
think I even want to know. I’m starving lets take our new partner
to the Jar.”

Ryan started for the car then looked at her
hands she had left her gloves on the table. Jack pulled them out of
his pocket. “Oh sorry here.”

Taking them she smiled, he was taking care of
her again.

Sitting in the small country restaurant
seemed like such a treat. A sign on the wall over the kitchen
window read. “Eat like nobody’s watching.” It was a tiny place but
the wonderful fragrances coming from the kitchen said it had big
taste. The menu was full of good home cooking. “I don’t know what I
want it all sounds so good.”

Jackson grinned. “It is all good you can’t go
wrong in here. I’m having the open face roast beef. Smothered in
gravy with green beans, grits, and fried okra.”

A shiver went down Thomas spine. “I don’t get
how you can eat grits… it’s… gritty.”

Leaning over Jackson half whispered. “Yankee
transplant.”

Ryan nearly snorted soda up her nose. “I
figured as much, you're much too stiff to be a southerner.”

Thomas took the jibing. “And from whence do
you hail my lady.” He said elegantly.

With her best southern accent. “Why sir, I’m
a true Floridian. A Cracker tried and true.” The trio finally
controlled the laughter long enough to order. They ate chatted,
sipped coffee. Until Ryan decided they had beat around the bush
enough. “Take me home and let’s see what that tube of lipstick has
to say.”

Thomas left a tip on the table. “You don’t
have to do this tonight. We can go back at it in the morning.”

Ryan was determined at this point. “Nope I’m
doing this tonight. It’s the one piece I fear the most. If I wait
until morning, I won’t sleep a wink for worrying about it. I have
to face it now before my mind has a chance to work on the
idea.”

Sitting on her bed for a while she talked
herself up. Jack and Tom looked up when she came out of the bedroom
with the hospital bag, her name scrawled on the outside. “This
stuff has been in here over a year and no fresh air. Could be
hazardous.”

The jokes were to cover up her shaking hands
as she dumped the bag on the dining room table. Sorting through the
stuff, scrubs, badge, three pens and a pencil, change for the
vending machine, her scrub jacket. There was something in the
jacket pocket. The tube. She turned the pocket up and it clattered
to the table.

Ryan was distracted from the object when
Jackson held up a lacy bra grinning like a letch. “Do you still
wear ones like this? Nice.”

She snatched it from his hands turning red.
Thomas snickered breaking the tension. “You are both rotten.”

Ryan turned her attention back to the tube,
it was just like the others. A sliver twist tube and cap with the
brand mark stamped in. No way was she going to sit down for this
one. It took her to the floor once before. It felt like stepping
into the ring for a fight. Jackson moved behind her, he would catch
her if she fell.

Her fingers wrapped around the object. The
vision came easily only not as fast. This time she was able to
understand what was happening. Jillian looked in the mirror trying
to smooth the color on her lips but she was shaking. The killer
held the mirror. Ryan’s heart began to pound. She could see him. He
wore a ski mask the only feature she could see were his eyes. They
were sky blue with light crow’s feet around them.

She could feel Jillian’s fear as if it was
her own. It was consuming her as he watched Jillian. Ryan had to
push it away. The killer grabbed her hand and violently took the
lipstick from her. He held her arm squeezing. Ryan started panting
in fright, she heard Jackson in the distance telling her to let
go.

Ryan felt someone trying to open her hand but
she held tighter. The concern for her in those prying fingers was
enough to hold the emotions back so she could think. Ryan
physically pushed out with her arms in an effort to push herself
away from Jillian. It worked.

She was looking at the scene almost as if she
were on a film set. The killer had Jillian by the arm putting on
the lipstick. “That is how you do it!” He shouted at her. She was
wearing the jeans, a tee, and hoodie. He was angry with her, more
than the others. Jillian fought him, struggled. It was enough
suddenly the knife was there and before he was ready to do it the
blade was plunging into her flesh.

Ryan jumped and opened her mouth to scream
but realized it wasn’t like the first time. She was only watching.
The fear she felt was her own at the horrific sight. She had to
know what happens next. Jillian was screaming but no one came to
her aid. Ryan couldn’t watch anymore so she looked around the two
people. They were in a double wide trailer; all of the flooring was
that ugly 1970’s vinyl.

Blood was running into the worn grooves. The
table was a square, wooden with the barrel chairs. Her heart was
pounding in her ears so loud she couldn’t hear poor Jillian
anymore. The fridge had notes tacked to it. She tried to focus on
the lettering but it was too far away. The blood was running to her
feet, there was a lot of it.

The vision flashed and she dropped the tube
trying to step back away from the running fluid. Stumbling backward
she fell into Jackson who lowered her gently to a chair.

He grabbed a paper cup from the counter then
poured her some water from a bottle in the fridge. She was trying
to breathe normally before she hyperventilated. He held the cup and
she took it her fingers brushing the back of his hand.

She looked into his eyes surprised that he
was as frightened as she was. He was scared she had seen too much
that it would harm her. She held on to his emotions the concern and
something else she wasn’t sure of. The cold water helped bring her
back to earth. Thomas knelt beside her rubbing her sleeved arm.
“Take slower breaths, sweetheart.”

Nodding she pointed for the notebook on the
coffee table. Thomas handed it to her carefully. He didn’t want to
touch a pen so he handed her the whole cup. Ryan wrote everything
down. As the ink flowed her heart slowed and the emotions subsided.
The vision she knew would be there for a while. It was there to
stay.

When she was finished she pushed the pad away
and kicked the lipstick across the room. Her voice a bit shaky.
“Sorry, I just need it to be far away from me. No wonder I was a
babbling fool for weeks afterwards.”

Jackson rubbed her shoulder. “You didn’t know
what it was then, or how to prepare for it.”

Thomas was careful to bag the lipstick and
pull her writing out of the book. “You may have given us just
enough information on the location. We might be able to start
narrowing down areas to search.”

Jackson could see she how badly shaken she
was. His heart ached for her. They stayed with her for another hour
as she calmed. Ryan put on a front that she was fine. He put a hand
on her sleeved arm. “You sure you’re going to be alright
tonight?”

She smiled weakly. “I’ll be alright.”

When they left she ran to the shower turning
on the hot water with just enough cold not to get burned. Ryan
stood under the spray and let the heat run over her body. Though
her skin was red from the high temperature she shook chilled to the
bone. Only when she pruned did she get out.

Ryan fell asleep watching television. She
didn’t want to dream, but she was so drained from the day and the
rush of so many emotions. It started out pleasant. Hiking on the
Ocala Forest Trails with her sister.

Amber was chattering away, telling her about
another new boyfriend. It was like old times as they chatted and
laughed. Then they ran into a trailer. Without a second thought
Amber went inside. Ryan begged her to come out as screams echoed
through the trees and blood sprayed the windows.

Jumping up yelling Ryan looked around. “A
dream, just a dream.” She was laying on the couch in her living
room. She grabbed the phone dialing.

Glancing at the clock as the phone rang
Jackson expected it to be work calling in these wee hours of the
morning. “Prince”

It was Ryan’s shaking voice he heard. “I’m
not okay.”

Within minutes, he was on his way. He could
tell she had been crying. They should have never left her alone. He
could see her standing in the open door waiting as he pulled
in.

Jackson ran up the steps and wrapped her in
his arms. Walking her in and closing the door he held her close.
Trying to let her know he was there to chase away the evil. Sobbing
Ryan curled into his lap like a frightened child. Her heart was
pounding like a rabbit against his chest. He kissed her hair and
asked. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Thinking only to hide from the visions she
buried her face in his neck. Taking comfort in the warmth of his
skin. “I feel like an idiot, I had a nightmare. I just keep seeing
it over and over. The first time I was the victim. I could feel the
blade tear its way under my skin, the way my body tried to hold on
to the steel as it was pulled out only to come back.”

He cradled her stroking her hair. “This time
was different?”

“Yes, I was terrified. I pushed myself out of
Jillian. I watched it though, knowing it was already done. I know
that girl’s last moments are on that tube of lipstick. Only I could
see what happened to her, see the monster. I don’t care what
Barbara says this isn’t a gift it’s a curse. That girl’s murder
will haunt me till I die.”

Holding her tight letting her grieve, Jackson
felt heavy with guilt. “Ryan, I’m sorry. I should never have let
any of this happen. I promised you wouldn’t get hurt.”

His guilt touched her in more ways than one.
“You didn’t do anything. I volunteered remember? I have to do this.
I have to get my life back, even if it hurts me to do it. I can’t
let it kill any more of me. I shouldn’t have called you; I’m the
one that’s sorry.”

He scooped her up and carried her to the
hall. Luckily the doors were open and he could see the bedroom.
Ryan didn’t protest she was too afraid to be alone right now. No
matter that it was past history or that the dreams weren’t
real.

Being alone let her mind wander back into the
place where those visions were stuffed away. No matter how deep she
shoved them into her subconscious her mind found them.

Jackson kept one arm wrapped around her as he
pulled back the covers. She slid in and he tucked the blanket
around her, then sat next to her. Carefully brushing the hair from
her face. “I’m glad you called me. You call me anytime you need
something. Even if it’s just to tell me you burnt toast.”

She smiled still too unnerved to laugh but
his calm voice and soothing hand rubbing her back chased away the
visions for now. Scooting over she patted the bed.

Jackson kicked off his shoes and lay next to
her resting her head on his shoulder. She was so soft and smelled
like sweet flowers. Pressing a kiss on her hair he felt her relax.
“Your neighbors are going to talk.”

She snuggled close. “At least they won’t be
talking about me being crazy.”

He waited until her breathing became slow and
rhythmic before letting sleep claim him.

Early in the morning Ryan was jarred from
slumber by a frantic pounding on the front door. “What on
earth?”

Rolling to his feet Jackson rubbed his eyes
and answered the door. “What are you doing with my sister
Detective?”

Amber stood her hands on her hips yelling at
him. Jackson grabbed her by the arm and jerked the woman inside
before closing the door. “Keep your voice down, Miss Reign.”

The woman jerked away from him and continued
her rant. “Ryan! Sis, are you alright?” She pointed an accusing
finger at him. “I should report you to your superiors. Taking
advantage of a…..”

Ryan walked into the living room her face
flushed with anger. “Of a what, Amber? A crazy person, nut case,
mentally handicapped maybe?”

Amber backtracked waving her hands. “Ry, I
didn’t mean it like that. You’re vulnerable. You haven’t been
around in a while. He’s using your….. “

“Disability, is that what you were going to
say? Jack is using my disability to get in my pants? How would you
even know if I have one? You haven’t been around in a long while
either. I am an adult. I have not been under any kind of mental
health care. As a matter of fact I think you may be the one in need
of the straight jacket. Coming into
my
house yelling at
my
guest.”