Page 64 of Shattering Dawn

Okay, it wasn’t the whole truth, but it was simpler this way. She had to make Irene take her seriously, and this was not the time to try to explain that bad guys were after her because she had been subjected to some bizarre paranormal experiments.

“Wait, you’re certain it was Falcon?” Irene asked.

“Yes, he shot three people in cold blood, Irene.”

There was another short silence on the other end of the line before Irene spoke again.

“Are you saying he killed three members of a drug gang?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s one of the bad guys,” Irene said. It sounded as if she was trying to reason with herself. “I mean, isn’t that what an undercover cop would do if things went south with an operation? Shoot the real bad guys?”

It dawned on Amelia that Irene had a certain amount of logic on her side. “The local police said the three men looked as if they had been executed.”

“You said Falcon got away. Did you actually see him shoot those three people?”

Amelia closed her eyes. “No.”

“Are you even sure Falcon was there? You’ve never met him. How did you recognize him?”

Amelia opened her eyes and tried to think of a reasonable explanation. “I saw him from a distance once when he was leaving your apartment.”

“Did you see his face?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Look, we both know you’ve been under a lot of stress lately.” Irene’s voice gentled. “We also know that, aside from the therapist you were seeing for a while, I have been the primary focus of your social life lately.”

“Irene—”

“Don’t get me wrong. I am very grateful for our friendship. I enjoy our pizza and wine and movie nights, too. But I know that youhave a problem with me dating Falcon. Ask yourself if you’re jealous because I’ve been spending so much time with him.”

“It’s not that.”

“I’m horrified that you and your new friend got caught in what sounds like a very dangerous situation tonight,” Irene said. “I was pleased when I saw you leave with him and a suitcase. I assumed you were starting a new relationship. I told myself that was a good thing. But now I’m concerned. How much do you really know about your so-called assistant?”

“Irene, I understand that you don’t want to believe me. I can’t give you the proof you want. The best I can do is tell you that I’m sure Falcon is not who he says he is. Please be careful.”

“It sounds like you’re the one who should be careful, Amelia. My turn to give you some advice. Ditch that assistant and come home.”

“Irene, please.”

“In the meantime I’m going to get some sleep. You should, too. Good night, pal.”

The phone clicked off. Amelia looked at Gideon.

“Obviously that did not go well,” he said.

“No. It didn’t. My Cassandra talent in action.” She got to her feet and put the phone on the table. She realized she was still clutching the crystal. She set it on the nightstand. “Irene was right about one thing. I can’t prove Falcon was there tonight. Actually, she was right about something else, too. Maybe he really is an undercover cop and maybe he did execute those three men to protect his identity and the mission. It was brutal, but everyone knows the drug business is horribly violent.”

“This is no time to doubt yourself or your conclusions. I don’t believe in coincidences, so I don’t think that gang from out of town just happened to show up at the ruins on the same night that we were tomeet our informant. You heard what Richards said. Lucent Springs hasn’t had any major problems with the narcotics trade until now.”

She stopped, turned around, folded her arms, and raised her chin. “You’re absolutely right. Ididsee Falcon’s prints at the scene of the killings tonight, and I believe you when you say someone tried to kidnap me. I’ve got to develop more confidence in my own talent. It’s just that for weeks now I’ve been wondering if it’s driving me mad. I’ve started to question a lot of things.”

Gideon gripped his cane and got to his feet. “Remember, it’s all about control. You can handle your new senses.”

“Thanks for the encouragement.” She managed a shaky smile. “And thanks for restoring some of my memories. I can’t wait to tell the others. They hate the amnesia as much as I do. They’ll want you to do your dream therapy with them, too.”