Page 43 of Shattering Dawn
“We’ve attracted some attention here in Lucent Springs. One or more of the locals may be taking an interest in us.”
“I wish we knew who.”
“Maybe Pete Ellerbeck,” Gideon said.
“The manager?”
“Think about it. He’s closer to the situation than just about anyone. If you’re right, if someone was murdered in my room—”
“I’m certain of it.”
“He has to know something about what happened, even if he doesn’t realize it. We’ll see what we can get out of him when we interview him.” Gideon gripped his cane and pushed himself to his feet. “Meanwhile, we both need some sleep. Neither one of us got a lot of rest last night and today has been a very long day.”
Alarmed, she stood quickly. “Where are you going?”
He turned in the doorway and looked at her in mild surprise. “I thought it was obvious. I’m going to bed.”
“You can’t sleep in that room.”
“Why not?”
She swept out both hands. “Because someone died in there. Obviously.”
Gideon glanced into his room and then looked back at her. “Assuming your analysis is correct, that happened seven months ago.”
“Trust me, there’s still way too much negative energy in that room. It’s not just the vibe of the actual death, it’s all the panic and horror and desperation. The whole room is saturated with it. Now that I’ve seen it with my other vision I can’t unsee it.”
“I understand,” he said. “But you’re a lot more sensitive to that kind of energy than I am. There’s no reason it will bother me.”
She folded her arms and raised her chin. “Just because you don’t sense it in your waking state doesn’t mean it won’t affect your dreams. You’re the one who gave me the lecture on how dreamstate energy is the source of all the psychic senses. If that’s true, it’s vitally important to practice good sleep hygiene.”
He looked at her as if she had just dropped in from another dimension. “Sleep hygiene?”
“Never mind.” She unfolded her arms and waved at the bed nearest the closet in her room. “You can have that one. I prefer the one closest to the window.”
Gideon glanced at the beds. “There may be something to your theory about negative energy affecting the dreamstate, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to accept your offer.”
“Why not? You slept in my living room last night. This isn’t much different.”
“It’s different.”
“Why? Because we would be sharing the same room? Separate beds, Gideon. We’re adults. It will be like camping out in the same tent. Sort of.”
His jaw tightened. “It would be different.”
“How?”
He braced a hand against the doorframe and looked at her with slightly savage eyes. “Earlier this evening you felt sorry for me because you assumed my talent probably complicated my relationships.”
“And you got pissed because you didn’t want me offering sympathy.”
“I don’t want your sympathy any more than you want me thinking you’re weak because your talent has made your life difficult. But you were right about one thing. My psychic vibe definitely screws up personal relationships.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning I can’t sleep with someone else in close proximity.”
She reflected on that for a beat. “Because other people’s dreamstateenergy affects your own dreams? I can see where that might be a problem.”