GODDESS OF THE MOON (A Diana Racine Psychic Suspense) (2 page)

So far so good.

As if he were carrying a
package
of fine porcelain, he carefully let himself out the window, closing it and the screen after he hit the ground.

And he was gone.

The
Call

D
iana Racine spent three weeks bronzing in the South Texas sun
w
ithout one vision of a dead body or potential victim. Today, lying on a chaise with the ocean sounds as background music, she opened one eye, then the other, and settled her gaze on Ernie Lucier. He sat under the patio umbrella reading, his caramel-colored skin safe from the sun’s rays. He caught her looking, and his smile crinkled the corners of his gold-flecked hazel eyes.

“This
has been the best vacation ever,
” she said.
“
Do
we have to go home tomorrow
?”

“Some people have to work.”
He rose and was halfway to her when his cell rang. “Damn. I’d forgotten what that nasty thing sounded like.” With an apologetic shrug, he ret
urned to his seat and answered.

Diana watched a
vee
of brown pelicans soar above the palm trees fluttering in the warm breeze off the ocean. She pried herself from her chair and lazily strolled to
nestle in
Lucier’s lap
,
hoping to distract him from whatever th
e disruptive call had in store.

“What, Sam? I didn’t hear you.” Then, sotto voce, Lucier said, “Diana, hold on. Something’s happened.” He raised his voice, switching the phone to her side of his head so she could
listen
. “Did you say a baby’s been kidnapped?”

Diana pressed her ear next to Lucier’s. On the other end, Detective Sam Beecher reported that someone had kidnapped a newborn from
a
New Orleans
home by climbing in the nursery window while the parents were entertaining guests.

“Anything to go on?”
Lucier asked.

“Nothing,” Beecher said. “No prints other than footprints outside the window, but CSU says
nothing
unusual in the shoe.”

“Where was the baby?” Diana asked, moving into Lucier’s phone.

“In a
bassinet
,” Beecher said. “We dusted for prints, but nothing. The kidnapper wore gloves.”

“Don’t let anyone else near it until I get there
,” Diana said
.
“
The fewer hands messing up the
vibes the
better.”

Lucier signed off with a promise to return to New Orleans as soon as possible. He
rubbed
Diana’s neck. “Are you sure you want to get back into the psychic business so soon?”

“Darling, I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. One more time isn’t going to send me over the edge. Now, let’s pack and get an early plane back.
We’ve
no time to lose.
You know as well as I that every minute counts in a kidnapping.
”

“That I do.”
He pulled her close. “I never wanted this vacation to end, but what do they say about all good things?”

“Settled then.”
She planted a kiss on his lips and within ten minutes had folded all their belongings into two suitcases while he made plane reservations.

Was it too soon? They’d spent the last three weeks at an oceanfront house on South Padre Island. Sun, salt water, and a man’s loving attention did wonders to erase the memory of the serial killer who almost made her his last victim. Tanned and relaxed, she felt almost normal.

But in the eyes of the world, Diana Racine wasn’t normal. Not since, as a six-year old, her telepathic gifts led police to the body of a missing child. Remembering that day and the many that followed sent a familiar icy shiver through her. Entertaining the crowds that filled venues all over the world had saved her sanity. Even so, she’d never be considered normal
―
except in the eyes of New Orleans police lieutenant Ernie Lucier.

Yeah, she was ready.

Lucier
stuck his head in the bedroom door.
“
Gotta
go.
It’s over twenty miles to the airport, and our plane leaves in an hour and a half.”

“
Wow, that
was fast. I hope we don’t hit any traffic.”

“No
other flights
till morning.
Beecher and Cash will meet us at the airport. Beecher said he’d drive my car so I can look over the police report on the way.” He
zipped their suitcases a
nd carried them out to the car.

Diana
made a quick run-through of the house.
She always forgot something hanging behind the bathroom door or tucked in a drawer, but not this time. Heading for the door, she ran into Lucier.

“One minute.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I love you.”

“Me too.
You, I mean.”

“And you’re a great lay.”

Her laugh echoed through the house and accompanied them to the rental car parked in the driveway.

The Bassine
t

“W
elcome back, boss,”
Beecher
said
when they exited the secure area of the airport
.

“Thanks.”
Lucier
wanted to say it was good to be back, but then he thought of Diana next to him in bed, her lithe
, bikini-clad
figure
on the beach
, and he couldn’t get the words out.

“Detective Beecher,” Diana said formally.

“Ms. Racine,” he countered with a sly grin.

“Will you two stop it
?
” Lucier said.

Diana soft-punched Beecher in the arm.
“Hi, Sam.”

“Diana
. You’re looking well.
” Be
e
cher
led them to the baggage claim
.
“
Cash is parked in a marked car outside the entrance.
He’ll drive your car and we’ll follow him
t
o the Seaver house.
”
He
said to
Diana
,
“That’s the family name of the kidnapped baby.
I brought what we have for you to
read
on the way
, Lieutenant.”

“
Excellent
,” Lucier said.
After
picking up their luggage
, they headed to the waiting car
.

“Glad you
’re
back, Lieutenant
,” Detective Willy Cash said
.
“
You too, Ms. Racine.”

“Nice to be back.”
Diana
shot a glance at
Lucier
. “Kind of
,
”
she mumbled.

The lustful look Diana had on her face bumped up
Lucier
’s heart rate, and he squeezed her knee.
When they got to his car, he
tossed
Cash
his
keys
, and
Beecher
got in the driver’s seat
.
Lucier turned his attention to the report while t
he two cars headed to the
Seaver house
, situated
in a quiet Metairie suburb.

“
The mother
put the baby in the
bassinet
,
” Beecher said
.
“
T
hen when
she and her husband
went to check on her a couple of hours later,
she
was gone.
The w
indow had been pried open.
Mrs. Seaver is under sedation. Mr. Seaver is expecting us.
All
CSU
f
ound
were
the
parents’
prints
and the footprints outside the window
.
Agent Stallings is working with us on the case.
”

“
Ralph
’s a good man,
” Lucier said
.
”
Does t
he captain know
about Diana
?”

“
Yup.
He thinks
it’s
fine as long as we keep her name quiet
.
I
f the public finds out Diana’s on the case, all hell will break lo
o
se. Jake Griffin will be
on her tail
,
pen in hand,
salivating for a story.”

“
Heaven help us
,” Diana said. “Besides, you all know I
may
get absolutely no reading.
And don’t say a word about looking for an out, okay, Sam?”

“I wasn’t
gonna
say a thing. I’m over that. Saw for myself you’re no phony. Took me awhile, but I’m a believer.”

“Good. That’s what I need.
A believer.”

”
Any idea
how this guy zero
ed
in on the baby
?
”
Lucier
asked
.

“
Dunno
,” Beecher answered. “
The Seavers took the baby home from
the hospital
’s birthing center
yesterday
morning.
They
can’t think of anyone
who’d
want to
harm
them
.
”

“Any of the Seaver neighbors report anything unusual?”

“Nope, and we made a thorough canvass.”

“Someone from the hospital?”

“Could be.
We have
the hospital tapes from the last few days. Halloran
’s
checking
them now
to s
ee if anyone looks suspicious.
”

“Good work.”
Still,
with all the
visitors and employees
in and out of the hospital,
finding the right person was
like
extracting
a
specific drop of water
from
the ocean
.
He
studied the report until
Beecher stopped the car in
the driveway of the
Seaver residence.

Mr. Seaver answered the door before anyone
chime
d
their presence
. “I didn’t want the bell to disturb my wife. She’s terribly distraught, as I am. Come in.”

“Lieutenant Ernie Lucier, Mr.
Seaver.”
They shook hand
s
and Lucier introduced both Beecher and Cash, saving Diana for last.

“I’ve seen you perform
,” Mr. Seaver said
.
“
I’m glad you’re here
.”

“I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances.
I only hope I can be of help.
”

“Yes, well…
l
et me show you the nursery.”

Lucier
squeezed
Diana’s hand. He figured she was worried about not sensing anything that would help find the Seaver baby.
She glanced his way and offered a quick smile. Everyone
stepped
away
as she circled the
bassinet
.
Lifting
the
crumpled
blanket,
she studied for a moment, closed her eyes
,
then
stood still.
An unearthly silence filled the small room.

Lucier had seen her do this many times before, but whenever she slipped into the trancelike state, she seemed like someone else and not the woman he loved. The invasive effects varied each time
―
shallow breathing, shaking, REM flutters, even fainting or rest mode, as she euphemistically called it
. T
he enervation that followed each foray into her otherworldly life upset him more than it did her.

Today, Diana’s eyes pinched closed. Lucier and Beecher exchanged shrugs but made no move to disrupt her concentration. She
stood
motionless for almost four minutes.