The Hot Zone (A Rainshadow Novel Book 3) (11 page)

“No.”
She choked and sputtered on a mouthful of coffee, aware that she was turning a dreadful shade of red. She waved one hand wildly in a negative way. “No, I didn’t mean that at all.”

“But you will concede that I was useful, both last night and this morning?”

She was mortified. “For pete’s sake, stop twisting my words. It wasn’t like that. I wasn’t trying to use you.” She groaned. “Okay, maybe this morning I did use you. A little. I apologize.”

“No need to apologize.” He let go of the doorknob and walked back across the room. He halted in front of her. “I get the picture.”

She stared at him. “Cyrus—”

“I just want to make sure we both understand what’s going on here.”

Before she could come up with a response to that, he bent his head and kissed her. It was a quick, efficient, proprietary kiss, the kind of kiss that promised more to come at some point in the future. She was too frozen with confusion to even begin to figure out how to react.

Before she could pull herself together he was walking back across the front room and letting himself out the door.

And then he was gone.

She looked at Lyle.

“Damn it, I did not use him last night,” she said. “That is a total misreading of the situation. It was just one of those things.”

Lyle chortled and deftly hopped from the kitchen counter to the windowsill. He set about rearranging his collection.

She slid off the stool and picked up the dishes. “That’s one of the things I admire about you, Lyle. You’ve got your priorities straight. I think you’re onto something. It’s risky to trust people. But like the ghost hunters say, good rocks will never let you down.”

“Your ex is on the island?” Rachel’s eyes widened. “Oh, my. That’s bound to make your life a lot more interesting.”

“Tell me about it.” Sedona collapsed back into the chair and gazed morosely at her friend.

They were sitting at a table in the tea shop at the back of Rachel’s bookstore. Rachel was engaged to Harry Sebastian, a member of the powerful Sebastian clan. Harry’s family had been guarding the secrets of the Preserve for generations. Lately those secrets had been surfacing in a number of unsettling ways. To deal with them Harry had taken charge of Foundation Security on the island.

“The thing is, why is Brock here on Rainshadow?” Sedona said.

Rachel twitched a lock of red hair behind her ear and studied Sedona with her aura-reader’s eyes; eyes that saw beneath the surface. “Obviously he’s here because of you.”

“That’s what’s got me worried. He’s the one who dumped me, remember? I told you, the SOB cancelled our MC the minute he found out I hadn’t returned from my last job.”

Rachel shuddered. “That was cold.”

“Well, in fairness to him, it’s not like our MC was ever going to turn into a Covenant Marriage.”

“Still.”

“Still. It’s the principle of the thing. He could have had the decency to wait a couple of weeks. Maybe even a whole month.”

“So a few weeks ago he was in a rush to end the MC and now he’s come looking for you.” Rachel drummed her fingers on the table and smiled. “He must have received a rather nasty shock when Cyrus opened your door this morning.”

Sedona winced. “It’s all over town, isn’t it?”

“The news that Cyrus was seen leaving your cottage at a very early hour today?” Rachel smiled a commiserating smile. “I’m afraid so. Small towns, you know. That old graveyard is a bit out of the way but it’s not exactly remote.”

“I don’t suppose it helps to say that the situation was not exactly as it appeared?”

“In my experience those sorts of situations are never exactly as they appear—not in small towns.”

“Doesn’t stop the gossip, though, does it?” Sedona said, resigned.

“No. If anything it makes the gossip more interesting.” Rachel sat back in her chair. “So what was the situation at your cottage this morning?”

“Complicated.”

“Naturally.”

“Okay, here’s the short version,” Sedona said. “Someone set a psi-trap for me last night, right in the middle of my own cottage. I managed to get outside. Lyle sensed I was in trouble and went for help. He must have concluded that Cyrus Jones was the closest person at hand.”

Shock replaced the amusement in Rachel’s eyes. “Good grief. You’re serious.”

“Sadly, yes.”

“Wait a minute.” Rachel’s red-gold brows scrunched. “A psi-trap exploded in your cottage and you got out safely?”

“Thanks to my talent,” Sedona said, skating over that part of the story as quickly as possible. “But here’s the thing, Rachel—whoever set the trap came back to see if it had worked. I heard the footsteps. The intruder didn’t stick around. He was long gone by the time Cyrus arrived.”

Rachel squinted a little. “And the following morning your ex shows up at your front door.”

“It did occur to both Cyrus and me that those two factoids could be strung together. However, in all honesty, I just can’t see any connection.”

Rachel reached across the table with one hand and touched Sedona’s arm. “Don’t worry, we won’t let anyone smuggle you off Rainshadow and take you back to that clinic. You’re safe here.”

Sedona closed her eyes for a moment and then looked straight at Rachel. “Thanks for the reassurance. It means a lot, believe me.”

It was so good to have friends who cared, she thought, but not so good to lie to them. She hated not telling them the whole truth about her talent but they already knew she had been psi-burned. She did not want them thinking that she might be an unstable multi-talent on top of everything else. You have a right to your secrets, she reminded herself. She was very sure that Rachel and her fiancé, Harry, had a few of their own.

“Where does Cyrus Jones stand in this?” Rachel asked. “After all, he’s a Guild boss.”

Sedona shook her head. “He didn’t set that trap. Lyle would never have gone to him for help if that had been the case.”

“Okay, point taken. And while it’s true Cyrus is Guild, he’s also Arcane. Not only that, he’s a Jones.”

Sedona frowned. “That matters?”

“It matters within Arcane. The Jones family
is
the Arcane Society in some ways. One of their ancestors, an old alchemist named Sylvester Jones, founded it back in the 1600s, Old World time. It was a secret society of psychics before the First Generation colonists even arrived on Harmony and discovered that there is such a thing as a latent paranormal sensitivity in humans.”

“Not so latent, not here on Harmony,” Sedona said.

“True. But that’s my point. The Arcane Society families were strong talents before they even got here. And within the Society, the Joneses have always been rumored to be the most powerful. They pretty much control the Society, or at least what’s left of it. It’s true, Arcane isn’t what it used to be back on Earth, but believe me when I tell you that the Joneses can protect you.”

“Why should they?”

Rachel smiled knowingly. “Gee, I dunno. Maybe because Cyrus Jones spent the night at your place?”

“I told you, nothing happened. I was sleeping off a bad burn.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’ve got friends here on Rainshadow.”

Sedona drank some tea while she thought about that.

“Rachel, are you still sure that my aura is stable?”

“Positive.”

Sedona’s phone rang. She glanced down, saw the same city-state code and number as the voicemail she had dumped that morning. She reflected on Cyrus’s advice. There was only one way to find out why people from both sides of her family were pursuing her.

Against her better judgment, she took the call.

And regretted it immediately.

“Sedona?” The older woman’s voice had a brittle edge that made it clear that she had not wanted to place the call. “Is that you? This is Margaret Callahan—your aunt.”

The subtle stress on the word
aunt
was interesting, Sedona thought. The Callahans had always taken great care to downplay any familial relationship.

“I know who you are, Margaret.”

“I left a message for you last night. The least you could have done was show me the courtesy of responding.”

“What’s going on?” Sedona asked. “Did someone die?”

There was a startled silence on the other end of the connection.

“No, of course not,” Margaret said. “Why would I call you about a death in the family? Never mind.”

“I’m a little busy at the moment,” Sedona said. “If you have something to say, please say it fast.”

“There’s no need to be rude,” Margaret said. “Not after all this family has done for you. I’m calling because the Snow family’s lawyers have been trying to get in touch. I’m told that you have not returned their calls.”

“Nope. I’m only taking this call because a friend of mine insisted.”

“I’ll come straight to the point. The reason the Snow lawyers have been attempting to get in touch is because your grandfather wishes you to attend the annual reception that is going to be held in honor of his birthday later this week.”

“Good grief.” Sedona nearly dropped the phone. “You’re kidding. That’s what all the phone calls have been about? A birthday invitation?”

“Yes. It seems to me the least you could do is to attend the festivities.”

“Why in the world would I want to do that?”

Margaret cleared her throat. “When they were unable to get hold of you, the lawyers contacted us. Your mother’s family.”

“Yes, Margaret, I am aware of who the Callahans are. But I still don’t understand why the Snows would want to get in touch.”

“It’s very simple. It seems that your grandfather has inserted you into his will.”

“Really . . .” Sedona smiled. “I can see it now. Paragraph Five, Clause Number Seventeen:
To my illegitimate granddaughter, one dollar
. How exciting. Of course I’ll travel all the way to Crystal City to thank Granddad for acknowledging me as blood. Who wouldn’t?”

“Your juvenile sarcasm is unwarranted,” Margaret said. “The lawyers informed me that your grandfather has provided quite generously for you in his will. In addition, he has set up what I’m told is a substantial trust fund. You may begin drawing on it immediately. All he asks in return is that you do him the courtesy of showing up at his birthday party.”

“Is this some sort of sick joke?”

“I don’t go in for jokes of this sort,” Margaret said. She sounded grim and determined, now. “I have been assured that your grandfather is serious. I believe he wants to make up for everything that happened all those years ago when his son seduced your mother and convinced her to humiliate herself and embarrass the entire family by running off with him.”

Sedona thought about that for a few seconds.

“I don’t believe it,” she said finally. “Not for a minute.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Maybe I’d buy that story if I were Bob Snow’s only surviving descendant and he was panicked because I was the only one left to carry on the bloodline. But that’s not the case. He’s got two legitimate sons who have both started to produce lots of legitimate grandsons and granddaughters. Bobby Snow doesn’t need me.”

“Obviously Robert Snow has had a change of heart.”

“Unlikely.”

“People change, Sedona.”

“Not much,” Sedona said. “At least not in my experience.”

“The least you can do is give your grandfather the chance to show you that he regrets the way things were handled in the past.”

“Why?”

“Why?” For the first time Margaret loosened the tight rein she had been keeping on her temper. “Because like it or not, you’re family. Who do you think paid for that expensive boarding school you attended?”

“I thought that the costs of keeping me tucked away out of sight until I turned eighteen were split fifty-fifty between the Callahans and the Snows.”

There was another short pause.

“It was agreed that boarding school would be best for you,” Margaret finally said. “But the Callahans could not afford to pay the fees. The Snows offered to handle that end of things.”

Sedona heard distant chimes clashing.

“Oh, wow,” she said. “You pressured the Snows into paying those fees on the grounds that you all wanted me out of the way and boarding school was the most effective way to pretend I didn’t exist. Nice work, Margaret. Not a lot of folks can say they got the better of Robert J. Snow in a business deal.”

Margaret chose to ignore that. “There is a considerable amount of money at stake. It is not only the compassionate thing to do but also in your best interests to attend your grandfather’s birthday celebration.”

“Gosh, I don’t know. It will be pretty expensive. I’d have to take time off from work. Then there’s roundtrip airfare, a rental car, the price of a hotel room. Oh, and I’ll need a nice dress.”

“I have been told that your expenses will be covered,” Margaret said, her cool tones plunging well below zero. “Obviously I did not state the question correctly. I should have said, what will it cost your family to make sure you show this small degree of respect to your grandfather?”

Sedona held the phone away from her ear and stared at it for a few seconds, trying to make sense of the call.

“Sedona?” Margaret’s voice was tinny.

Sedona put the phone back to her ear.

“Forget the money,” she said. “What I want to know is why you have decided that I should attend this shindig.”

“I told you, whether you appreciate it or not, you are a Snow. Your grandfather clearly regrets the animosity of the past. He realizes that your parents’ actions were not your fault.”

“Gee. That’s real broad-minded of him. What about the Callahans? Should I look forward to an invitation to Grandmother Callahan’s birthday party? Or, hey, yours, Aunt Meg?”

“I am trying to be patient, Sedona. It’s not surprising that you still harbor some immature resentment toward both sides of your family. But you need to understand that what your father and mother did all those years ago was a terrible shock to both the Callahans and the Snows. A lot of people were hurt.”

“Including me.”

“Yes,” Margaret said quietly, “including you. Now Robert Snow is attempting to make amends. The least you can do is be gracious enough to accept this invitation. As I said, it’s in your own best interests.”

“I’m guessing it must be in your best interests as well or you would not have made this call,” Sedona said

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Margaret said.

“Right. Sorry, I’ve got to go now. I’ve got a new job, not to mention there have been some recent complications in my life.”

“Complications?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary. Awhile back I was kidnapped by a mad scientist who took me to a secret lab and used me in some bizarre experiments. Last night some twit set a psi-trap for me, which I barely survived, and now everyone on Rainshadow seems to think that I’m sleeping with the local Guild boss. Just the usual. Don’t worry, nothing I can’t handle.”

There was a horrified pause on the other end of the connection.

“Sedona, are you . . . having para-psych issues?” Margaret finally asked tentatively.

“Nah. I feel great. I don’t suppose you happened to notice that almost two months ago I went missing for about three weeks?”

“Missing?”

“Like I said, it’s complicated. But I appreciate the call, Margaret. I think you have cleared up a few questions for me.”

“You will go to your grandfather’s reception? It will mean so much to him.”

“You haven’t told me exactly how much this call was worth to old Bob,” Sedona said.

“You are the one who will benefit. I thought I made it clear, not only is Snow putting you back into his will, there is a generous trust fund that you can access immediately.”

“I’m not talking about what’s in it for me,” Sedona said. “I’m asking what’s in it for you. How much did old Bob’s lawyers pay you to make this call? A quarter of a million? Half? Oh, and let’s not forget that you plan to squeeze me for more money if I do start drawing on that trust fund. After all, I’m family, right, Margaret? And the Callahans have another generation to put through college, right?”