Heart of the Witch (24 page)

When the police were finally finished with Nick and Ravyn, and they were driving back in his Mustang, Nick finally got the chance to speak. He said, using as much restraint as he could, "What the hell was that?"

Ravyn took a moment to answer. She'd been subdued, almost lethargic, since the rescue. "What was what?"

Nick's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Don't play with me, Ravyn. What happened back there?"

She shrugged. "I had one of my visions. I followed it, and you know the rest. That man was going to molest and maybe kill that boy. We helped rescue him, the pervert's going to prison, end of story."

"Okay, I got all that," Nick ground out between clenched teeth. "But what did you do? How did that asshole's hand suddenly break? And what was with the lightning or whatever happened back there in that house? Tell me what's going on!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied. "Somehow he injured his hand. Maybe he has weak bones. What's that disease, that brittle-bone disease? Osteo imper-something-orother. Maybe he has that."

"Bullshit."

She ignored him and continued. "And I didn't see lightning, but there was some kind of electrical current. Maybe faulty wiring? I was going to ask you the same thing. I don't know much about that electrical stuff. I figured, being a man, maybe you would."

She was good, he'd give her that. She almost had him convinced that she'd used nothing but a little psychic precognition. Almost, but not quite.

Two days after the hospital visit and rescue of the child, they were no closer to the Tin Man than they'd been when they started. Nick had been trying to get his hands on a list of local organ recipients, but those were highly confidential. Besides, the villain's transplant could be heart, kidney or liver and could have taken place years ago. And in another state. It would be like looking for a golf ball in the Amazon rainforest. Going by the man's self-imposed moniker of Tin Man, Nick guessed he could probably eliminate the kidney and liver transplants, but that only narrowed the search by a little. And it still didn't give him access to any records. And of course he didn't know for sure that the pill belonged to the killer.

The only thing he'd accomplished was spending more time with Ravyn—and increasing his desire to see her more each day. In spite of being convinced that she was holding something back, that she wasn't exactly what she seemed, he couldn't stop his growing feelings for her. He found himself thinking about Ravyn a lot. Thinking about Annie less each day. To be honest, more and more he had trouble recalling the way his wife's voice had sounded, her fragrance…

He shook his head.
You owe her more than this
. "I'm sorry, Annie," he whispered into the empty room.

The doorbell rang and Dog trotted over, but the beast stopped just short of the door and backed away, whining.

"Crazy mutt," Nick murmured.

He swung the door open and Ravyn stood there. He didn't like the way his heart did a little tumble at seeing her so unexpectedly. And when he invited her in, he didn't like that the house seemed a tad less lonely. He found the realization exciting on one hand, but irritating as hell on the other.

Dog snarled at her, growling low in his throat. Ravyn squatted down and put out her hand. "It's okay, boy. Come here." Her voice was gentle, coaxing.

Slowly the animal walked closer, head down. Ravyn reached out and lightly scratched his neck, murmuring soothingly about what a good boy he was. Dog came even closer and let her stroke the fur on his back while she slid a hand down and scratched his belly. He wagged his tail and gave a whimper, much as Nick figured he himself would if she touched him like that.

Suddenly, Ravyn's hands stilled and she closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed, and he saw a shiver pass through her body. "He's a hero," she said.

"What?"

"His owners didn't know, didn't realize." Her eyes were still closed. Nick and Dog fell completely silent as she spoke, held unnaturally still. "He saved the baby, but they thought he was trying to harm her. The toddler was going out to the road. He stopped her, knocking her down in the yard just as a car passed. The parents came out and saw him standing over her… They thought he was attacking her. They got rid of him. The man wanted to have him put down, but the woman said no, they'd dump him in the country."

She'd been speaking as if in a trance. Now Ravyn opened her eyes and stood, gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Wow," Nick said.

"Sorry. It all just came to me. I didn't think about it, I just… spoke."

Nick squatted and rubbed Dog's head. "You're a hero, boy." He was more convinced of Ravyn's abilities than ever, though he didn't know why. Her assessment just seemed… right. He truly believed Dog's story.

He looked back up at her. "Anyway, what's up? I doubt if you stopped by to have a vision about my dog."

"No, I didn't," she agreed. "We need to do something."

"Such as?"

Throwing her hands in the air, Ravyn stalked into the living room. Nick followed. Her leather coat flapped around her long legs as she paced the small area. "I don't know. Something. You're the investigator. What's next?"

Nick slumped onto his sofa. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and shook his head. "I have no freakin' clue. I'm out of ideas."

Ravyn tossed a handful of her thick hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms, stopping on the opposite side of the coffee table. "Think," she cajoled. "There has to be something."

He scrubbed his hands over his face. When he lifted his head, his gaze fell on the surface of the table. He froze. "Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"The photo."

She looked down to where only one photo, the one of Annie, rested on the table. "Your wedding photo?"

He nodded. "It's not here."

"You didn't move it?"

He clenched his jaw and spoke in a clipped tone. "If I had moved it, would I be asking where it is?"

"Sorry." She sighed and uncrossed her arms. "No, you wouldn't. Sorry."

He stood and shook his head, realizing he was being irrational. "No,
I'm
sorry. I'm a little on edge, but I shouldn't take it out on you." Looking around the room, Nick searched for the photo, realizing he must have moved it. But he didn't find the picture. Instead, he saw a thick coat of dust on Annie's knickknacks.

What, he wondered, did Ravyn think of a widower living among lace doilies, with a sewing machine nestled in the corner of a room covered in pink and mint green wallpaper? He didn't tell her he'd kept things just as Annie had left them. That all these years he'd foolishly hoped she'd come back.

His gaze returned to Ravyn, and their eyes locked for a moment before she looked away. Stuffing her hands in her coat pockets, she cleared her throat uncomfortably. "You must have loved her very much."

"I did," he replied. A smothering blanket of depression fell over him, and he struggled to break free, struggled to breathe.

Silence hung heavy in the room before Ravyn spoke. "The missing picture is just one more thing for you to feel guilty about, right? Like the woman at the police station?"

He honestly wasn't surprised that she mentioned Jacqueline. Ravyn had clearly sensed something there, and she was right. But how could he tell her about Jacqueline? How could he tell Ravyn that he'd been with her as his wife lay dying? Nothing had happened. But if he hadn't gotten the call from the hospital, he couldn't swear that it wouldn't have. He'd been drinking, and lonely, and Jacqueline was a very difficult woman to say no to. He wasn't sure he would have said it many more times.

He'd gotten there too late. Annie's parents were there, though they hadn't been when she died. She'd died alone. All because he was with another woman, seeking solace.

He closed his eyes, crushed by the memories, crushed by guilt.

He didn't even realize she'd moved, but suddenly Ravyn was there. She touched his cheek, and it was then that he became aware of his tears. Embarrassed, he stepped back and turned away. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he said, "Maybe you should go."

She put her hand on his arm. "Come with me."

"What?" He laughed shakily. "Come where? It's late."

"Please. Trust me. We'll take my car."

He had no idea why, but he nodded. He pulled his jacket off the hook by the front door and followed her through the dark yard to her car.

They drove to her house and she led him inside. He waited while she went up the loft stairs. Was he supposed to follow? Was she offering a little sexual healing? Even though he knew that wasn't the answer, he had to admit he liked the idea.

But, no. That wasn't Ravyn Skyler's style. He had no idea what she was up to, but he knew it wasn't a quick roll in the hay.

She came down the stairs wearing a black gown similar to the one she'd worn when he followed her that one night. Although it was long and completely covered her body, the satiny, nearly sheer material shimmered against her flesh as she walked toward him, and he felt his male response, immediate and intense.

He swallowed, and it made a dry clicking noise in his throat. He didn't know what to do next, but he couldn't speak, almost couldn't breathe as he anticipated her next move.

She took him by the hand without a word and led him toward the back door. It was then that he noticed the candles she held in her left hand. What the hell?

Without speaking, they walked across the damp grass to where a row of trees divided her yard from the water. Ravyn stopped by a low tree stump and placed the silver pillar candles on top, pulling a candle lighter from a hollowed-out place in the stump. He knew she'd never get the candles lit with the breeze coming off the water, but they caught as soon as she touched the flame to their wicks.

They stood next to the flickering candles, and she turned to face him, placing a hand over his heart. "Close your eyes," she whispered. They were the first words she'd spoken since they left his house, and he did as she instructed. "Turn your face to the sky." He did, and felt the light of the moon shining down on his closed eyelids in the darkness.

She began to speak softly, and his entire body relaxed. His mind seemed to drift away, as if he was in some kind of trance. Her words floated down on him like a soothing rain. "It wasn't your fault. You must let go."

He shook his head and started to protest, but Ravyn placed a finger over his lips. "Shhh, let it go," she commanded. "Annie knows how much you loved her. You've lived with the guilt long enough. Let it go."

Eyes still closed, he felt tears squeeze against the lids. If Ravyn knew where he'd been, what he'd almost done…

His breath caught in his chest at her next whispered words. "You would have done no wrong. You were seeking comfort and that is all. Annie knows this, and so should you."

An awareness moved through the night and over Nick. He could feel Annie's soul, her gentleness and her love. He stood silent, letting the sensation seep through him, wanting to feel close to Annie once more.

He could sense Ravyn standing next to him, but she didn't speak. The only sound was her soft breath, the wind rustling through the trees and the lapping of the water. He didn't know how long they stood there—it could have been seconds, could have been hours—but an odd serenity filled him. He heard another voice, feminine but not Ravyn's, whisper,
Let it go
.