Chris Redding - Corpse Whisperer

Grace’s jaw dropped to the floor. “You’re the woman on the phone. Leave me alone.”

Zach stepped between them. “Miss Harmony doesn’t want you here. I’m not sure I do either. Go, Celia.”

“It’s a free country.”

“But you are harassing her and I can call security.” Through gritted teeth he said, “Don’t make me do that Celia. Don’t make a scene.”

Zach knew this woman. She wondered if this was the psychic who ruined his career.

He tugged on the woman’s arm. He was more than familiar with her. Then something struck Grace. The two looked like brother and sister. There was something to ponder.

He wouldn’t believe her when his own sister had powers, too.

Celia’s gaze bounced from Zach to Grace then she sighed. “Fine, but you’ll hear from me again, Miss Harmony.”

Her hair swished down her back as she passed Grace. Through her teeth, she said, “This isn’t the last of this.”

Grace’s shoulders slumped. This put an even worse spin on Zach’s reluctance to believe her. He was a skeptic even with a family member. She had no shot to convince him.

This was the last thing she needed now.

Zach studied Grace as she settled back into her chair. He was drawn to her, but he didn’t know why.

She’d told him about her gift. Rewinding in time didn’t make sense. But it did. It would explain why he felt as if he’d met her before. Why he’d trusted her so easily.

The whole idea boggled his mind as, at the same time, it answered many questions.

Right then the nurse came in and told them that Dolores didn’t make it.

Grace’s face went white, but he didn’t think from surprise. Celia had rattled her. He made a mental note to tell her to back off. Not everyone was so proud of their gift.

He sighed. As much as Dolores made him mad, he hadn’t wanted her dead. A part of his soul ached for her. She’d been a part of his life for so long.

Grace rose and crossed to him. Needing the warmth of another body, he pulled her to him. As if he’d pulled his car into his own driveway, his heart settled into a rhythm that matched hers.

Her touch soothed him and he knew all would be okay.

“I need to go see her.”

“Grace, maybe it’s for the best. If you don’t go she can’t ask you to help her.”

Grace leaned back to look at him, her brow knit. “I can’t just walk away. I was given this gift to use. It would be denying who I am.”

“You could come back tomorrow. Just wait a day.”

“Why don’t you want me to do this?”

She left his arms and took a piece of him with her.

“Can you survive another rewind?”

“It’s difficult, but doable. Zach, I have no choice.”

He sighed. “Okay.”

She nodded and left him, his heart going with her.

A voice stopped Grace at the door to where Dolores lay dead.

“Miss Harmony?”

Grace’s eyes closed. “What?”

“Will you listen to me?”

“Miss Johnson I asked you to leave me alone.”

“I can’t. You’re wasting your talent. You could do so much more good with it.”

Grace turned to face her. “No, I’m doing all that I can. Someone has died tragically and they deserve to do that in peace and privacy.”

“I’m not interested in saving Dolores Holten.”

“What did she ever do to you?”

“Marry and hurt my brother.”

Exhaustion weighed on Grace. She just wanted this rewind over and done. Then what the woman said hit her. “You’re Zach’s sister?”

“He’s not proud of me. That’s why he didn’t tell you.”

“But if his sister has powers why is he such a skeptic?”

“Because I steered him wrong once. He lost his career because of it.”

Grace leaned against the wall. “So my power is a threat to him.”

It all made sense. He would never really believe and even if he did he wouldn’t trust her. The realization went through her like a knife.

“Then maybe it’s good I’m rewinding.”

“Oh?”

A man in a white uniform wheeled a gurney past her into Dolores’ room. She knew he was from the morgue. This may be her only chance to see Dolores. They would question he down there.

“Look, if you’ll excuse me, Miss Johnson I need to go. I need to rewind.”

“Will you talk to me when you come out?”

“Of course.”

The woman let her go. Now she had to convince the orderly to let her alone with Dolores body.

Grace had no desire to honor her promise to talk to Celia who now sat with Zach in the waiting room. She’d only assented because she thought she’d have rewound by now. The orderly had stood by the fact that he had orders to get the body to the morgue for autopsy.

This was a murder case, he kept saying.

Zach eyed her, his face a closed book. Celia looked past him a worried look on her face. “Now will you talk to me? I may have some insight into this case.”

Grace ignored Celia Johnson. “Zach, can you get me into see the body?”

He frowned then raked a hand through his hair indecision written on his face. “Not my investigation, Grace.”

She stepped closer to her. “You’ll try?”

He reached out a hand to her and his touch warmed her very soul. His touch was of a friend or a stranger comforting a stranger. Not a lover or someone who believes in you all the way. But he must have some faith in her or he wouldn’t still be here.

Her heart slowed its beat, having been here before this and not liking the situation now either. “Thanks.” She turned to the Celia. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“You promised.”

“I can’t.”

Right then two detectives joined the party.

Zach’s world spun out of control when he saw his colleagues. They stared at Grace as if she were the spawn of the devil.

Had he misjudged, totally misread her? He didn’t think her story of rewinding had been hiding a murder. “What’s up, guys?”

“We need to talk to Miss Harmony. At HQ.”

This was serious. They really thought they had something on her. A chill started in his heart. “What’s going on?”

“I’ll go, Zach. It’s okay.”

Defeat lowered her shoulders while it etched lines in her brow. He longed to hug her and take away from all of this. But he couldn’t and his impotent rage threatened to choke him. “I’ll get you a lawyer.”

She handed him a card as she crossed the room. “Call Mark. His uncle’s a lawyer.”

Mark again. That guy ended up everywhere. Why did she trust him so much? He looked at the number. Why was that so familiar? He shook it off knowing he’d think of it when something else was on his mind.

His sister appeared in his personal space. “See. Even the cops here think she did it. Strange, huh?”

Zach’s temper spiked. “She’s innocent until proven guilty.”

“Yeah, you cops always believe that.”

“And normal people never try someone in the public domain?”

She shrugged, obviously undaunted by his accusation. “Talk to Jeff Becker.”

“Who is he?”

“The last person Grace convinced she could help. His mother’s dead and Grace was brought in for questioning on that one, too. She predicted it.” Celia looked smug. “I can do investigating, too.”

“If they had a case, why isn’t she in jail?”

“She made bail then ran.”

He shook his head. She wouldn’t have been stupid enough to get involved with him if that were true. “I don’t believe it.”

Celia pulled out a notebook and tore off a piece. “Here’s Jeff’s number. Call him. I think you’ll be enlightened.”

“The newspaper reports said nothing about her being on the run.”

A smirk lifted a corner of her mouth. “So you have checked up on her.”