catch it. But if we can observe the phenomenon, we need to get out there to find the cause of it.”
Sachi stared at the woods. Personally, she thought there was as much paranormal activity going on out there as at an Apple Store Genius Bar in the middle of a mall, but maybe that was just her.
It was damned hard to focus on anything other than the two gorgeous, blue auras calling to her from John and Oscar.
For all she knew there could have been a freaking herd of screaming banshees tooling around out there at full tilt and she might miss them, as distracted as she felt.
Mandaline glanced at Sachi. “We’ll put together a plan and come back on Tuesday night to get started.”
“How much do I owe you?” Tammy asked.
“Not a thing. We never charge for what we do. Our friend, Julie, who started all this, she refused to charge. You’re welcomed to make a donation to the charity of your choice in her name, if you’d like, but we won’t take your money for this.”
Tammy smiled. “Thank you so much.”
They walked around to the cars and said their good-byes. Sachi forced herself to shake hands with both John and Oscar so as not to look like a totally antisocial freak.
She didn’t know what she expected. When Mandaline first met Brad and Ellis, she’d had a series of wacky and realistic visions when they touched.
All Sachi felt was idiocy for flinching at the contact. Back in Mandaline’s SUV and on their way down the driveway, Sachi forced herself not to turn to look back to where the men stood with Tammy in front of the house.
In the backseat, Anna and Brad were talking.
“You all right?” Mandaline quietly asked Sachi.
“Yeah, boss. I’m fine.” She stared out the window at the deepening night and tried not to think about blue auras or gorgeous guys or anything else that disturbed the calm eddies she wanted to swim through in the river that was her life. She didn’t want any rapids or white water. She’d had more than her fair share of those as it was. Enough to last her a lifetime.
All she wanted was peace, and her dad.
* * * *
Anna didn’t hang around when they returned to the shop, and Brad went upstairs, leaving Sachi and Mandaline alone by the back door. Sachi had managed to pry her car keys from her father’s hands after promising to not try to sneak in a round of skeet.
She wouldn’t have put it past him to call the field just to make sure they were closed and that she couldn’t get in to shoot.
“If it counts for anything,” Mandaline said, “I like them both.”
Sachi leaned against the side of her car. “Yeah, whatever,” she grumbled.
“I also watched them. They were both watching you.”
Sachi cursed the little surge that raced through her. “So?”
“Oh. My. Goddess. Knock it off, Sachi.” Mandaline grabbed her by the shoulders and gently shook her. “Call either of them. Hell, call both of them. Ask them out.”
“I do not need a guy in my life right now.”
“Would it hurt to ask them out for pizza or coffee? Tell them you want to talk about Tammy Evans.” Mandaline grinned. “After all, you are in charge of this investigation.”
“ What ? Oh, fuck no. No no no. What the fuck? You cannot do that to me, girlfriend.”
“Watch me.” Mandaline grinned and dropped her hands. “I just did.”
“I took a fucking bullet for you! See if I ever do that again.”
Mandaline crossed her arms over her chest. “And that’s why I’m forcing you to confront this. If not them, someone, sometime. The Universe is going to keep dropping guys in front of you until you finally give in and take a chance.”
“ Them ? Did you just say them?”
Mandaline grinned. “I most certainly did.” She turned and headed for the back door. “And if you don’t get off your ass, I really will toss a love spell your way.” With that she closed the door behind her. Sachi heard the deadbolt snap into place.
Still grumbling, she unlocked her car and got in.
Sachi stared at the woods. Personally, she thought there was as much paranormal activity going on out there as at an Apple Store Genius Bar in the middle of a mall, but maybe that was just her.
It was damned hard to focus on anything other than the two gorgeous, blue auras calling to her from John and Oscar.
For all she knew there could have been a freaking herd of screaming banshees tooling around out there at full tilt and she might miss them, as distracted as she felt.
Mandaline glanced at Sachi. “We’ll put together a plan and come back on Tuesday night to get started.”
“How much do I owe you?” Tammy asked.
“Not a thing. We never charge for what we do. Our friend, Julie, who started all this, she refused to charge. You’re welcomed to make a donation to the charity of your choice in her name, if you’d like, but we won’t take your money for this.”
Tammy smiled. “Thank you so much.”
They walked around to the cars and said their good-byes. Sachi forced herself to shake hands with both John and Oscar so as not to look like a totally antisocial freak.
She didn’t know what she expected. When Mandaline first met Brad and Ellis, she’d had a series of wacky and realistic visions when they touched.
All Sachi felt was idiocy for flinching at the contact. Back in Mandaline’s SUV and on their way down the driveway, Sachi forced herself not to turn to look back to where the men stood with Tammy in front of the house.
In the backseat, Anna and Brad were talking.
“You all right?” Mandaline quietly asked Sachi.
“Yeah, boss. I’m fine.” She stared out the window at the deepening night and tried not to think about blue auras or gorgeous guys or anything else that disturbed the calm eddies she wanted to swim through in the river that was her life. She didn’t want any rapids or white water. She’d had more than her fair share of those as it was. Enough to last her a lifetime.
All she wanted was peace, and her dad.
* * * *
Anna didn’t hang around when they returned to the shop, and Brad went upstairs, leaving Sachi and Mandaline alone by the back door. Sachi had managed to pry her car keys from her father’s hands after promising to not try to sneak in a round of skeet.
She wouldn’t have put it past him to call the field just to make sure they were closed and that she couldn’t get in to shoot.
“If it counts for anything,” Mandaline said, “I like them both.”
Sachi leaned against the side of her car. “Yeah, whatever,” she grumbled.
“I also watched them. They were both watching you.”
Sachi cursed the little surge that raced through her. “So?”
“Oh. My. Goddess. Knock it off, Sachi.” Mandaline grabbed her by the shoulders and gently shook her. “Call either of them. Hell, call both of them. Ask them out.”
“I do not need a guy in my life right now.”
“Would it hurt to ask them out for pizza or coffee? Tell them you want to talk about Tammy Evans.” Mandaline grinned. “After all, you are in charge of this investigation.”
“ What ? Oh, fuck no. No no no. What the fuck? You cannot do that to me, girlfriend.”
“Watch me.” Mandaline grinned and dropped her hands. “I just did.”
“I took a fucking bullet for you! See if I ever do that again.”
Mandaline crossed her arms over her chest. “And that’s why I’m forcing you to confront this. If not them, someone, sometime. The Universe is going to keep dropping guys in front of you until you finally give in and take a chance.”
“ Them ? Did you just say them?”
Mandaline grinned. “I most certainly did.” She turned and headed for the back door. “And if you don’t get off your ass, I really will toss a love spell your way.” With that she closed the door behind her. Sachi heard the deadbolt snap into place.
Still grumbling, she unlocked her car and got in.
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