“I was about to call you,” Zach said, as she sat by his desk.
He did have the receiver in his hand.
“She isn’t pregnant,” he said.
“Yes, she is.” Grace ran a hand over her face. Her hand longed to touch him. Just once so she could convey her feelings. He wouldn’t get it. Would he fall in love with her this time? “She just didn’t tell you because you brought it up.”
“You talked to her? I think you need to stay away from her.”
I can’t. How could she tell him? “We chatted. She is pregnant. She wants you back.”
“The child is mine. I’ll do what I need to.”
“But the baby isn’t yours.” she said louder than she wanted. If only she could go forward instead of backward. She’d be through all this. Frustration ate at her patience.
Zach frowned. “So the great Karnak knows that, too.”
Grace bristled at his tone. “No need to make fun. Dolores is in danger. In two nights, I think, someone is going to enter her home and shoot her. Have you checked out her new tenant?”
His back straightened. “I’m in the process of doing that. None of your concern.”
“He’d be a major suspect.”
Zach leaned back in his chair his arms crossed. “Why can’t you tell me who did it?”
“I can’t. I don’t have control over these things.”
“Is she really pregnant?”
“Yes, Za-Mr. Holten.”
“Then why didn’t she tell me? Dolores isn’t exactly one to back down from a confrontation. As a matter of fact I didn’t even confront her. I said it in passing conversation. Look, I have a pile of work to do so if you don’t have anything more specific to tell me about Dolores and her alleged killer I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
Grace stood, knowing what her next move would be.
She needed to find out about Dolores’ tenant.
With Dolores at work, Grace was able to knock on the garage apartment door without prying eyes.
Too bad no one answered. She could see the furniture that came with the place and some boxes, but no other signs of life.
As she headed back to her car, her phone jangled. Mark’s cell number showed on her screen.
“Hey, Gracie.”
“Hey, Mark.”
“That wasn’t enthusiastic. Have I become a burden or are you having a bad day?”
“Bad day. I’ve rewound and everything is different again. I can’t even rent the apartment by Dolores.”
“Dolores?”
“I’m sorry, Mark, I’m speaking as if you rewound also. Dolores is the name of the person who is going to be killed.”
“I knew a Dolores once. Hot chick.”
“Unless you’ve lived in Glen Hills, New Jersey, I doubt you know her. Are you in California or on your way to see me?”
“Is that what I did last time?”
“Yes.” And professed your love. A love she couldn’t ever return. That part she certainly didn’t want to go through again. She could only hope that was different, too.
“Did you try to find out who the tenant is?”
“Yes, but she won’t tell me. I just knocked on his or her door with no answer.”
“Maybe he’s at work.”
“He?”
“Just a guess. So tell me about Dolores.”
“She’s pregnant. I don’t know who the father is. He’s my prime suspect, but I also think I need to find out about this tenant.”
“Why would this person be the killer? They didn’t rent the apartment last time.”
She sighed. “I know, but I’m grasping at straws here. No one believes me as usual.”
“Except for me.”
“Except for you. I’m even further away from the truth than I was last time. This is so frustrating.”
“I’m sure it is. But you always find a way.”
She enjoyed that at least one person on this earth believed her. She didn’t feel so isolated when she talked to Mark. Their friendship was her safety line in a crazy world. She’d hate to lose it.
“I didn’t last time. Maybe I’m losing my touch.”
“Not you Gracie. That would never happen.”
His voice warmed her.
“How can you be so sure?” she said. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Not her ability. Not her reasons for rewinding. She wasn’t even sure of her own heart.
“I just am, Gracie. I better go.”
He clicked off before she could ask him again where he was. Disappointment had her redialing. She only connected to his voicemail.
She didn’t bother leaving a message.
Zach couldn’t get the sight of Grace in his chair out of his mind. Her eyes had pleaded with him. As far as she knew, she was telling the truth.
He’d checked out Dolores’ tenant and his name was indeed Mark. Mark Handon. He’d have to find out if Grace knew him. She could be a reference. Then he’d do more research. This all didn’t sit right with him.
But first he needed to see Grace. She seemed familiar to him. Almost as if he’d met her in a dream.
His head shook. “I’m losing it.”
He found out where Grace lived and paid a visit on his way home from work. Easy since they lived in the same block just different apartment buildings.
So different that hers was on fire.
And Grace stood there hugging herself. Zach tried to talk himself out of going to her. There was something about her, a fragility that his alpha male heart couldn’t resist. Grace Harmony was a woman who needed to be protected. He just wasn’t sure if it was from herself or some outside source.
“Hey,” he said.
She jumped, her head whipping around to face him. She let out a breath when she saw him. “You.”
“Yeah, me.”
“What brings you here?”
“You.”
Her perky mouth dropped open. “Me?”
“Yeah. I can tell when someone’s lying and you aren’t. I’m not sure why you think what you’re saying is the truth, but you believe in your message.”
She licked her lips. “So, you’ll help me?”
“I haven’t decided that.”
Her big eyes teared up. Oh, God, don’t cry. He’d melt. She wiped away tears, as she turned away from him. A sniff then a snort came out of her. “Fine. I need to find a place to stay tonight.”
“I have a sofa bed.”
Why did he say that? He was tempted to look behind him to see if someone else said it. He didn’t even know this woman, but he was drawn to her. He shook himself mentally. Only her need to be rescued attracted him. A real need, not the fake, manipulative one that Dolores sported when she found it useful.
Dolores could take care of herself.
This lady was truly in distress.
“I couldn’t impose.”
“It wouldn’t be.” He tugged at her arm. “Have you eaten?”
“No,”
“Good, I’ve got some dinner to make and you might as well share with me.”
She studied him for a long minute and he expected her to decline. “Okay.”
With her arms still wrapped around herself she followed him to the car. “Mine’s blocked in by fire trucks.”
“We can come back later for it. Or tomorrow.”
“Later, I need to work tomorrow.”
“What do you do?” He slid into the car.
She belted herself into the seat. “I’m a paramedic at Centre Community Hospital.”
“My office is down the street from the hospital.”
“Yes, I know.”
She looked straight ahead for the two minute drive to his place. Her shoulders slumped and her feet dragged as she followed him up two flights of steps. “My humble abode,” he said when he unlocked the door.
“It’s nice,” she said even though her gaze never left her feet.
Zach put a hand on her back to usher her inside. She flinched as if his touched burned her.
Grace didn’t want to move away from his touch, but the visions it inspired took away her breath.
Instead of the erotic, steamy dreams she’d been having about Zach, she saw him in a very different scenario. Sitting on a lawn chair, two children sat on his lap. He played with them.
Some part of her knew they were her children, their children. Her heart raced and her breath quickened.
“Are you okay?”
Grace nodded, her words not available. She moved to the couch, shaking off the vision. “I’m fine.” Her voice made a come back. “You just startled me.”
Zach closed the door as if the subject were done. “I’ll get started on dinner. Can I get you a glass of wine?”
“Sure.”
Her mouth remained dry and part of her brain tried to understand the vision. She’d never had them until recently. What if every time he touched her this happened? She’d gotten used to the colors. These scenes would disturb her more.
Zach handed her a glass of amber liquid while she was still immersed in thought. “Is spaghetti okay?”
She smiled up at him. “Comfort food.”
“You look like you could use some comfort.” He held out his hand, a smile lighting up his eyes. “Come sit with me in the kitchen.”
Stark white cabinets lined one wall of the long skinny kitchen. A mural decorated the opposite wall.eH Zach was cooking in a vineyard. He motioned to the painting. “Friend of mine did that. I don’t use much cabinet space so I took them down. Now I feel as if I’m outside.”
“Nice,” was all Grace could think to say.
Grace found herself in cold storage. Her guess was the morgue. She opened a drawer sure that was the right one. When she uncovered the sheet, instead of Dolores an inert Zach lay there.
She nudged him. “Zach, ask me. Ask me for help.”
Then his eyelids snapped open like a shade let loose. “No, Grace you can’t help me.”
She screamed. Someone shook her.
“Grace.”
“No,” she said. Zach wouldn’t let her go.
“Grace, wake up.”
In that moment of clarity, as sheyou become awake, as the shreds of the dream still lingered on, but she realized that it was not real, Grace knew Zach’s arms were around her. For real. He wasn’t prone on a slab.
Her heart pounded in her throat. Her limbs shook as they grabbed him. The dream had been so real. She could see him on that slab as if her brain had taken a photo. If the dream was a premonition it was the first one she’d ever had.
“Bad dream,” he said, pulling her tighter.
She squeezed back the tears hanging onto her dignity with a fingernail.
Her gaze eventually traveled up to his eyes. He brushed a hair from her face, his look tender. Licking his lips, he leaned towards her.
All of her self-control went into not kissing him. She could sink into his arms, but it wouldn’t mean as much to him. This would be a fling and she couldn’t risk what she’d seen, the future she’d seen, on her need to be surrounded by a warm body.
“Don’t.”
He backed away, a frown creasing his face. “There’s something about you Grace. And that isn’t a line. I don’t need lines to get women in my bed.” His head shook, but he didn’t let go of her. “Just a day ago I didn’t know you, but I feel as if I have.”
She chuckled. “That’s a very bad pickup line, Zach.”
A smile replaced his frown, a sheepish one.
Her heart had slowed from the nightmare, but not completely. His touch didn’t launch any visions. Instead she felt safe and warm like home on a winter’s day.
Every fiber of her being longed to stay this way, but she had a murder to prevent. “I need your help.”
“What can I do?”
“I need you to believe me that Dolores is in trouble.”
“Oh, Grace.” He kissed her forehead then stood.
She felt cold again though the apartment was even cool. Darkness painted the windows. The only light in the room came from the hall light that Zach must have turned on when he came to her. She pulled the covers around her.
“I don’t see why she would be.”
“Do you know that she’s blackmailing the father of her baby?”
“Her alleged baby.”
“Ask her. She’s pregnant. She admitted it to me.”
“Okay, say she is. Why would she be blackmailing them?”
“Because he’s married.”
Zach crossed his arms, leaning more on one leg than the other. “Who is it?”
Could she tell him? No, he didn’t trust her yet. “I’m not sure.”
“Then how do you know she’s blackmailing someone?” He rubbed a hand down his face. “This is all ludicrous. Nuts. We’re talking about a woman I once loved.”
The pain in his eyes was palpable. The lines around his mouth deepened.
“Zach, what motive would I have for lying to you?”
His shoulders slumped. “None whatsoever.”