Fort Morgan (47 page)

Abi sniffed in agreement. Facing this
reality, Abi’s tears evaporated. She stared straight ahead in numb
silence. Fin tilted her head toward him and kissed her lips.

“
We must hold hope,” Fin
said.

“
How?

“
We know the power of our
own love,” Fin said. He stroked her head and kissed her forehead.
“Their love will move mountains. I feel it.”

A remnant sob came from Abi. He looked at
her, and she nodded in agreement.

“
Tell me the rest,” Fin
said with enough magic to shift her focus onto something else. “How
is Sandy? Delphie? What happened to this Katia?”

In response to his mind-leveling question,
she sat up next to him.

“
Delphie was hysterical,”
Abi said. “They had to medicate her. She’s here somewhere with Ms.
Behur’s doctors.”

“
Poor thing,” Fin
said.

Abi nodded.

“
Sandy is grim, like I
said,” Abi said. “I think she was looking forward to going home and
seeing her family. The last couple of days, she’s been talking
about sleeping in her own bed. Now, it’s likely that she will have
to bury her only sister as well as Ivan.”

Fin nodded to assure her that he was
listening.

“
They were supposed to fly
back with those military people they know,” Abi said. “You know,
the one’s Aife is obsessed with.”

“
The Fey Team?” Fin asked.
Abi nodded.

“
O’Malley is a big
supporter of theirs,” Abi said. “He asked if they would take Sissy
when they went back to Denver. They have medical personnel, so they
agreed. The soldiers were just a minute too late to keep Sissy from
hemorrhaging. MJ is beside himself. He couldn’t save Sissy from the
bullets and didn’t save her from this.”

“
But surely they caught
Katia,” Fin said.

“
They caught her,” Abi
nodded, “and she’s dead.”

“
Dead?” Fin asked. “They
killed her?”

“
She killed herself,” Abi
said. “She took poison.”

“
Poison?” Fin asked. “How
awful.”

Abi nodded.

“
She stabbed Ivan with a
steak knife from the board meeting,” Abi said. “This conniving,
selfish woman wanted to kill him and herself like
they
were the lovers
with some tragic pact.”

Abi snorted.

“
She’s dead?”

“
Cyanide,” Abi said with a
nod.

He pulled Abi’s shoulder. She tipped over,
and her head returned to his lap.

“
It’s weird,” Abi
said.

“
What’s weird?” Fin
asked.

“
Katia’s husband was
finally free to be himself,” Abi said. “He told me that
she
gave him this
freedom. Her love for him created this chance to a real, honest
life. He’d voided their prenuptial agreement and had planned on
giving her half of his fortune.”

“
A lot of money?” Fin
asked.

“
A true fortune,” Abi
said. “By all accounts, she married the boy for his money. Now that
he was so happy, she could have had his money, his prestige, and
his status. It’s what she wanted.”

“
So she didn’t kill
herself?” Fin asked.

“
It’s a puzzle,” Abi said.
“Katia stabbed Ivan first. Sandy attacked
her. . .”

“
Sandy?” Fin asked with a
touch of amusement in his voice.

“
Sandy kicked Katia’s
ass,” Abi said. “Sandy was able to give Sissy enough space to get
Ivan away, but Sissy’s exertion opened her wounds inside. MJ had
just arrived when Sissy was choking on her own blood. The tall,
blonde one. . .”

“
Colin,” Fin
said.

“
Colin took Katia from
Sandy,” Abi said. “I saw Katia put something in her mouth. I tried
to get it, but I was too late. The poison acted so quickly that I
couldn’t even make it come back up.”

“
How awful,” Fin repeated.
Abi nodded.

“
Sissy had never used a
wheelchair,” Abi said. “The nurse set the brake so the child would
be stable when Ivan arrived. Sissy didn’t even know the brake had
been set.”

“
The child fought against
the brake?” Fin asked.

“
And she still managed to
save her beloved,” Abi said with a sniff.

“
No wonder her stitches
opened,” Fin said.

Abi looked up at Fin’s kind face.

“
I mean, the brake was
set,” Abi said and started to sob again.

~~~~~~~~

Friday afternoon — 3:13 p.m. MT

Denver, Colorado

“
Any news?” Tanesha asked
Jill.

Shaking her head, Jill stepped aside so that
Tanesha could enter the loft. Jill hugged Tanesha before waving her
over to the sitting area.

“
I’ve been so focused on
trying to get this meeting together that I. . .” Jill
said.

“
We were so sure that
Sissy was coming home,” Tanesha said.

“
She should be here by
now,” Jill said. “That’s why I’m at home. I was to get everything
ready. I’ve worked all day. Everything is ready. Candy made a
special cake for Sissy and Charlie, but. . .”

“
They’re not coming,”
Tanesha said. “Does Delphie know anything?”

“
Delphie’s hysterical,”
Jill said. “Jake talked to her on his computer. She feels like she
caused this because she set Sissy and Ivan on the path to be
together. She knew Kate was trouble, but she never saw this coming.
Jake says he’s never seen Delphie this upset.”

Jill shook her head.

“
Does Jake have any sense
of what’s going to happen?” Tanesha asked.

Jill shook her head. Tanesha sat down on the
leather couch near the fireplace.

“
Fin?” Jill
asked.

“
Fairies suck at
prediction,” Tanesha said. “And anyway, he’s with Abi. She was so
upset that the hospital ordered her to bedrest.”

“
We’re all heartbroken,”
Jill said.

“
We watched Sissy grow
up,” Tanesha said. “A thousand days and nights of wishing her
happiness. First the eating disorder, and now this.
I. . .”

Tanesha shook her head.

“
She’s like our little
sister,” Jill said. Her eyes welled with tears.
“I. . .”

Tanesha hugged her. For a moment, they
leaned against each other for support.

“
I talked to Jeraine,”
Tanesha said. “We’re going to New York. He said that the Grammy’s
weren’t nearly as important as being there for our
friends.”

“
Who said that?” Jill
asked.

“
I know!” Tanesha
said.

Jill grinned at her.

“
When do you leave?” Jill
asked.

“
In a couple of hours,”
Tanesha said.

Jill nodded.

“
There’s no way I can go.
I. . .” Jill started.

The door to the loft banged open. Surprised,
Jill and Tanesha’s heads jerked up to look. Valerie was standing in
the doorway. Her face was flushed and her eyes red. She had a wild
look neither Jill nor Tanesha had ever seen.

“
Jill?” Valerie
asked.

“
Val?” Jill got up and
walked toward her.

“
I’m going to New York,”
Valerie said. “I wanted to know if you wanted to come with
me.”

“
I can’t,” Jill said. “I
have the boys and Katy and. . .”

“
Jake’s agreed to stay
with the kids,” Valerie said. “Aden and the kids are coming. Dad’s
picking up Charlie, and. . .”

Valerie gulped a breath, and tears seeped
from her eyes.

“
You and Jeraine coming?”
Valerie asked in a little-too-forceful voice.

“
Jer’s dad bought us
tickets,” Tanesha said. “We’re leaving in a couple of
hours.”

“
I have a plane,” Valerie
said. “You can come with me.”

Valerie’s head went up and down in a kind of
nod. She was so upset that she looked a little like a beautiful,
but demonic bobble-head doll. Jill cleared her throat, and
Valerie’s head jerked to look at Jill.

“
Are you okay?” Jill
asked.

“
Sissy has taken a turn
for the worse.”

Jill gasped, and her hand went to her mouth.
Tanesha stood straighter and looked tougher.

“
We’ll be lucky if we get
there in time,” Valerie said. “Where’s Heather?”

“
Heather?” Jill
asked.

“
Usually you guys are
together,” Valerie said. “Mike told me that Sissy and Heather were
really close.”

“
She used to babysit Sissy
when Charlie started school,” Tanesha said.

“
Then I assume she would
want to come with us,” Valerie said.

Jill looked at Tanesha.

“
She’s still recovering
from her. . .”

“
No, she’s not,” Valerie
said. “She dropped Tink off at Seth’s. She arranged for Edie to
pick up Mack at the Marlowe School and keep him here.”

Valerie shook her head.

“
Don’t you know?” Valerie
asked.

Tanesha shook her head. She glanced at Jill,
and Jill shook her head.

“
She’s disappeared,”
Valerie said.

“
I’m
sure. . .”

“
No,” Valerie said. “She’s
gone. Maresol found her car parked on the street behind their
house.”

“
What does that mean?”
Jill asked.

“
I’ll call. . .”
Tanesha started.

“
Tink tried to call her to
ask if she can come to New York,” Valerie said. “Heather’s not
answering.”

“
What are you saying?”
Jill asked.

“
I’m saying that your
friend has either been abducted or has disappeared,” Valerie
said.

“
What does that mean?”
Jill asked.

“
It means that Hedone has
gone to attend to her duties,” Edie said.

Her voice came from across the loft. They
looked up to see her standing in the doorway to the nursery.

“
What?” Tanesha
asked.

“
Hedone has her father’s
powers,” Edie said. “She is responsible for this kind of
tragedy.”

“
What?” Jill
asked.

“
Why don’t you go?” Edie
said with a smile. “Jill, you can have your meeting in New York —
Fin and Mari are there. You already know what I think. I’ll help
Jacob with the boys and Katy. Mack is a joy. I believe Honey is
going, so I’ll have Maggie, too. Heather probably took her new baby
with her, but if not, he’s welcome, too.”

“
That’s a
lot. . .”Jill started.

“
Abi said I could have
Fairy Corps help,” Edie said. “If I get stuck, there are a few
thousand fairies who beg me every day to help with your children.
It will be fun.”

Edie gave them a lovely smile.

“
If you’re coming, we’re
leaving,” Valerie said.

“
We have to pack,” Jill
said.

“
I’ll buy you anything you
need when we’re there,” Valerie said. “We have to go.”

Jill looked at Tanesha, who gave her a
slight nod.

“
Five minutes,” Valerie
said.

Jill went into the nursery to say good-bye
to the boys, but they were sleeping. She kissed their cheeks and
turned to go. Edie stood in her way.

“
You need to call your
father,” Edie said.

“
Perses?” Jill asked.
“Why?”

“
Not sure,” Edie said.
“Just a feeling. I think he’ll have the answer to your questions –
even about Sissy.”

“
Can we save her?” Jill’s
voice rose at the end in hope.

“
Fairy.” Edie pointed to
herself. She shook her head and shrugged. “I can only tell you that
everything is in motion and that Hedone is involved.”

“
Is that good?” Jill
asked.

“
No idea,” Edie
said.

Jill scowled.

“
Maybe I should take Katy
with me,” Jill said.

“
That’s probably a good
idea,” Edie said. “I’ll hold down the fort here.”

“
Thanks,” Jill
said.

“
I think there’s something
sparkly coming my way,” Edie said.

“
From James?” Jill asked.
She gave Edie a big smile. The fairy blushed and nodded.

“
Then we need to work this
out,” Jill said. “No more soul-magpie tricksters torturing our
children.”

Jill hugged Edie and jogged to get her
purse.

“
Are you coming?” Valerie
screamed from the kitchen.

Grabbing her purse, Jill ran down the long
stairs. Everyone has assembled in the kitchen. Aden nodded to Jill.
Tink and Wanda were holding hands. Nash was standing behind
Charlie’s wheelchair. Noelle’s face was wet with tears, and Teddy
looked grim. Mike had a large duffle bag over his shoulder. Sam and
Honey waited just outside the kitchen with Valerie.

“
Time to go,” Valerie
said.

Too upset to care what the press of
paparazzi witnessed, Valerie left through the side door. They split
up and made their way to the airport.