M Sellars - The Law Of Three

“She has her own fear, Rowan.”

“Has she been any better at recognizing hers than I am at mine?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, she has.”

“Any chance you could share?”

“No, Rowan. That is something for her to express if she is to come to terms with it herself.”

“You do know that she’s a Taurus, right?”

“Then I suspect that when she decides to express her feelings, you will be hard pressed to miss her point.”

I nodded as I stared out into the falling snow. “Yeah, but will I end up impaled on it is the question.”

“I thought Albright took you off this case?” I asked Ben, keeping my voice low.

My friend had just finished telling me that he’d been in touch with the officers searching the area where the phone call from Porter had originated. Unfortunately, they were coming up empty; of course, I had expected that to be the case.

“Yes and no,” he answered, keeping his voice hushed as well. “I’m not involved in the investigation, but I just got officially assigned to you and Firehair.”

We were standing in the kitchen, both of us working on steaming mugs of coffee. It was probably the best cup I’d had in a month and most certainly the best I’d had today: a rich, flavorful brew derived from freshly ground Kona beans with just a hint of cinnamon and hazelnut in the background. We owed this small pleasure to the fact that Nancy had always been the connoisseur of the drink within our group; therefore, her pantry was always fully stocked with the finer makings of java.

“Bodyguard duty?” I asked before taking a sip of my drink.

He nodded. “Somethin’ like that, yeah.”

“So maybe she had a change of heart,” I offered. “She knows that we’re friends.”

“Dream on, white man.” He shook his head and frowned as he spoke. “She wants ta’ make sure she can find us. It’s her way of keepin’ me under her thumb.”

I nodded in understanding. “If you’re watching us then she knows where you are at all times.”

“Where we ALL are,” he added. “‘Zactly.”

I gave him a quick shrug. “Could be worse.”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “At least this way I can keep my finger in without raisin’ too much suspicion.”

“You know, Ben,” I began. “If your connection with me is going to screw up your career…”

“Haven’t we talked about this before?” he interrupted.

“I’m just saying…”

He held up his hand and gave his head a quick shake. “Forget it. My career, my decision, end of story.”

Looking past my friend for a moment, I watched as Felicity re-filled her own cup. She was standing in the pass-thru alcove between the kitchen and the dining room.

Just by looking at her, you couldn’t tell that she was worn out, but I knew better. We were all running on adrenalin, caffeine, and extended second winds; at least she looked good doing it, which was more than I could say for myself.

The comforting sounds of a fire crackling in the fireplace on the other side of the alcove provided the ambient backdrop to the quiet conversations scattered throughout the dining area. The earthy scent of the burning wood filled the air. Outside, snow was continuing to fall in steady curtains of white. Were it not for the circumstances, this just might have been a perfect, laid-back day to sit and visit with friends.

“Helen seems to be fitting right in then.” My wife voiced the observation as she sidled up next to me and leaned her head on my shoulder.

“Yeah, that’s my sis for ya’,” Ben returned as he cast a glance back over his shoulder.

As my friend turned back to us, his cell phone began warbling. He plucked it from his belt and inspected the face. “Fuck me, it’s Bible Barb,” he muttered aloud as he glanced around then cocked his head in the direction of the hallway. “I don’t wanna disturb anyone, so I’ll be up front.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He was already answering the phone with a curt, one word admission of his last name as he exited.

“It’s a good thing,” I offered to my wife as I watched Ben leave.

“What is?” she asked.

“Helen fitting in so well. She can lessen the burden on you.”

“Aye, that she can, but I’m their Priestess. It is MY job to be there for them.”

I frowned with concern. “You don’t resent her being here do you?”

“Not at all.” She dismissed my question. “It is just that I have a responsibility to them. It is something that comes with the title High Priestess, you know.”

“Yes, I know, hon, and you HAVE been there for them,” I soothed. “But you need a break too, and Goddess knows I’m not much help in this department.”

“Aye, you aren’t,” she sighed the matter-of-fact statement. “On top of that, you’re just another worry for me, in and of yourself then.”

Her voice held a slight hint of animosity at the end, leading me to believe the second half of her statement was what bothered her most. I was only slightly taken aback by her brutal honesty. I’d grown used to it over the years.

Back up the hallway, I heard the faint treble of Ben’s cell phone ringing yet again.

“Sorry,” I said.

“No need to apologize,” she told me. “I’m not angry with you. Not about that anyway. I know you’ve as much to deal with as I.”

“But you’re mad at me about something else?”

“Aye, but this is neither the time nor place to discuss it then.”

“Felicity, I know how you are,” I said. “If you don’t let it out, you’ll just build up resentments.”

“Don’t you worry then,” she instructed. “I’ll get over it.”

“You say that now, but I have a feeling I’ll pay for it at some point.”

She agreed with a purposeful nod. “Aye, that you probably will.”

“Well, don’t sugarcoat it.” I offered the comment with its own thin lacquer of sarcasm.

“Aye, I won’t.”

“Uhmm-Hmmm!” The sound of Ben clearing his throat intervened before our conversation could dip any closer to the danger zone. “You two want me to get you some gloves and ring the bell?”

“No,” I said in a quiet tone, chagrined that our verbal discontent had been witnessed.

Felicity simply shook her head.

“That was quick,” I said.

“Yeah. No reason to drag it out. So listen,” my friend began as he reached up and massaged his neck. “There’s been a bit of a change in plans here.”

“She didn’t pull you off this completely, did she?” I asked, shunting my un-quelled annoyance off to another target.

“No,” he returned. “No, she didn’t. Believe it or not, she actually wants you and me to go look at somethin’.”

Felicity immediately pushed away from the countertop next to me and started from the room. As I reached out for her, she shrugged away from my hand and turned. She raised a finger and stared back at me, cold fire in her green eyes. A single tear was advancing across her cheek, and she held her rigid position for a weighty measure of time before she finally spoke. “Aye, go. You go, but you’d best come back.”

With the unmistakable instruction given, she turned on her heel and strode through the pass-thru into the dining room.

“I didn’t say I was going to…” My words trailed off almost immediately as I realized they were falling short of reaching her; not that she would have been paying attention if they had.

“Dammit,” I muttered as the lightning bolt of realization struck me square between my eyes. “I’m not sure, but I think I might have just figured out what your sister was trying to tell me.”

“She’s good for doin’ that kinda shit to people,” Ben affirmed.

“Yes, she is.”