Iris Johansen: Blood Game

Eve sat down in the blue-padded rocking chair that she’d used since Bonnie was a newborn. “Climb up. I like Dr. Seuss too.”

“I know you do.” Bonnie scrambled up in her lap and cuddled close. “But since it’s such a short book, can-may I have my song too?”

“I think that’s a reasonable request,” Eve said solemnly. The two of them had their little traditions, and every night since she was a toddler, Bonnie had loved to share a song with Eve. Eve would sing the first line, and Bonnie would sing the next. “What’s it to be tonight?”

“ ‘All the Pretty Little Horses.’ ” She turned around on Eve’s lap and hugged her with all her might. “I love you, Mama.”

Eve’s arms closed around her. Bonnie’s riot of curls was soft and fragrant against her cheek, and her small body was endearingly vital and sturdy against Eve. Lord, she was lucky. “I love you, too, Bonnie.”

Bonnie let her go and flopped back around to cuddle in the curve of her arm. “You start, Mama.”

“Hushabye, don’t you cry,” Eve sang softly.

Bonnie’s thin little voice chimed. “Go to sleep, little baby.”

The moment was so precious, so dear. Eve’s arms held Bonnie closer and she could feel the tightening of her throat as she sang. “When you wake, you shall have…”

Bonnie’s voice was only a wisp of sound. “All the pretty little horses…”

EVE’S HEAD SANK DOWN TOrest on the steering wheel. Get a grip. She couldn’t sit here and wallow in the past. So her life right now seemed to be going down the tubes. She had to go on. She had to deal with the problem with Joe. She had to pick up Jane from the airport.

She lifted her head and started the car.

And she had to try to block out that bittersweet memory that was still echoing in her mind and heart.

All the pretty little horses…

“DAMMIT, I’VE MISSED YOUso much.” Eve gave Jane a hug before releasing her. “How dare you look as beautiful as if you’d spent the night at a spa. After that international trip, you should be haggard and rumpled. I always am.”

“I’m rumpled, but I got a new haircut in Paris that makes it look fashionable.” She glanced at the revolving baggage carousel. “I think I see my duffel. I’ll be right back.” She sprinted toward it.

So much energy, Eve thought. Jane was the complete package: beauty, talent, and a loving nature that didn’t preclude a streak of pure iron. She had graduated from college only two years ago and was already making her name as an artist in the galleries of the U.S. and Europe. It had been a blessing that Eve and Joe had been able to take Jane into their home when she was a street kid. She had enriched their lives then and now. It was a shining-

Her cell phone rang. Joe? she thought as she pulled her phone out of her handbag. Let it be Joe.

Megan Blair. She smothered her disappointment. It had to be important. Yet she still was wary to take the call. Megan’s psychic gifts were undoubtedly genuine, but Eve had wanted to distance herself for a while. And why on earth was she calling at this hour of the morning?

“Eve, are you okay?” Megan Blair’s voice vibrated with urgency as Eve picked up the call. “Dear God, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that-Is everything all right with you?”

“What are you talking about?” Eve glanced at Jane, who was pulling her black duffel off the carousel. “Everything’s fine. I’m just picking Jane up at the airport. She flew in from Paris tonight.”

“Good. Someone’s with you. Tell her not to leave you.”

“I’ll tell her no such thing. Why should I?”

“It’s this damn facilitator thing. I thought you were safe. I was unconscious, so I thought the emotion wouldn’t trigger anything.”

“You’re not making yourself clear, Megan.”

“I’ll try to slow down.” She took a deep breath. “Remember I told you that I had this other gift. Gift? No, that’s not the word. So far it’s been mostly a curse. Anyway, when I’m experiencing extreme emotion, it’s dangerous for me to touch anyone.”

“Yes, I noticed you treated everyone as if they had the plague.”

“It’s because I facilitate. Whatever latent psychic gift the person I touch possesses becomes active. Mind reading, healing, finding… whatever. But that sudden freeing of the psychic talent can be too much for some minds.”

“Madness. Yes, you told me all that. But you also said I didn’t have to worry because you were in a coma when I touched you in the swamp.”

“But it just occurred to me that I was still aware of those dead children that were buried on that island even then. That means that the coma wasn’t deep enough. At least, I don’t think it was. I just don’t know .”

“Shh. You’re upset for nothing, Megan.”

“Don’t tell me that.” Megan was silent a moment. “Look, I know you probably didn’t believe me when I told you about this weird facilitator stuff. You accept that I can hear echoes of what happened to those murdered children in the place where they were killed because you were there, you saw me going through it. But the other is too bizarre for you. Well, it’s bizarre to me too. But I’m not going to let anyone be hurt by it if I can help it. I touched you. I held your hands. That’s all it takes sometimes. Lord, I don’t want to hurt you, Eve.”

Jane was coming toward her, pulling her duffel bag, her brows lifted inquiringly.

“I’m not hurt,” Eve said. “Nothing is going to happen to me, Megan.”

“I hope not. But if anything strange does happen, don’t be afraid. We’ll work through it together.”

“I don’t think we’re going to have to work through it. I feel perfectly normal, Megan. Besides, you said the danger period had long passed by the time I left you at the hospital.”

“But that was before I realized that my emotional response was still active even though I was in that coma. The effect may have been delayed. Tell Jane to stay with you anyway. Just in case. Will you do that for me?”

“I’m not going to have her holding my hand, Megan. I’ll be fine. If there’s a problem, I promise to call you. Just try to relax.”

“No way. Dammit, I know this all sounds crazy to you. Hell, it is crazy. But I can’t let go until I know for sure that you’ve not been affected. I’ll check back later.” Megan hung up.

“What was that all about?” Jane asked. “You sounded very soothing. And why should I have to be holding your hand, Eve?”

“You shouldn’t, that’s the point.” Eve turned and walked with her toward the exit. “I’m fine.”

“And why doesn’t Megan Blair think you’re fine? She should know. She’s a doctor, isn’t she?”

Eve nodded. “ER. But she’s not practicing right now.”

“Too busy with this voodoo stuff?”

Voodoo. Yes, that was what Eve had thought when she had first met Megan. She had believed all psychic powers were crap and everyone who claimed to have them charlatans. But she had seen too much in that swamp while they were chasing that killer, Henry Kistle, to discount anything that Megan told her.

Except that last facilitator revelation. Eve still couldn’t quite accept that possibility as reality. It was too bizarre, as Megan had said.

“I guess you could call it voodoo. But Megan isn’t… I respect her, Jane.”

“Then I apologize for being flip. Heaven knows, I realize that there’s more out there than we can see or touch. It’s just that someone like Megan Blair is outside my realm of experience. Where’s your car parked?”

“Short-term lot.” She started across the street. “I brought the Jeep. I was expecting more luggage, or maybe a canvas or two.”