Deceptions: The Mystical Encounters Series, #2

By Kimberly Readnour

Some things are best left unseen...

A Mystical Encounters Novel

Heather Reiner has always felt like an outsider. And she doesn't have a normal afterschool job, either. That's because she's got amazing psychic abilities that help the police, well, mostly Detective Tanner, track down dangerous criminals.

Heather has no choice but to embrace her gift of second-sight when her visions take a dangerous turn by revealing a government corruption. And if that weren't bad enough, Heather learns that a local college student is missing, too.

When Heather tells Detective Tanner about her psychic intuition, he asks for her help solving the two seemingly unrelated cases. Yet the hostile police chief is convinced she's a major fraud, and Heather doesn't trust him.

With the help of Tanner and her hot new boyfriend, Heather decides to stop the criminals before they set their diabolical plan into motion. Unfortunately, this also makes her a prime target. But nothing could've prepared Heather for what she'll have to face if she hopes to solve the mystery, or the potentially fatal consequences if she doesn't...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kimberly Readnour
• Release date: Aug 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781508499022

Kimberly Readnour

Kimberly is an award-winning author. She is a former Registered Nurse who hung up her stethoscope to pursue other avenues. Within the last five years, she has discovered her passion for writing. Now, whenever there is downtime, you will find her tucked away with the computer, creating the stories floating around her head. Kimberly lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children. The oldest is away at college, but when she returns, they enjoy hiking, camping, and simply hanging out as a family.

Book preview

1

Why didn’t I catch a ride with Barry, my boyfriend?

My stomach churned. The ceremony for the new playground equipment had concluded, but not without complications.

Fine job, guys. Fine job indeed, the mayor said.

The mayor stepped away from the podium and approached Barry and me. He reached to shake Barry’s hand and rested his other one on my back. I immediately stiffened at the slight pressure and everything went black as the mayor’s praises faded into a vision. I gulped. Change was coming. I just didn’t know what kind.

Barry leaned closer after I snapped back to reality, and I tried telling him what occurred. With the steady flow of people approaching us, that moment proved impossible.

After the last person had walked away, I scanned the area to make sure we were alone. Barry, you’re not going to believe what I saw—

Well, that went well, Mom said, her voice sounding from behind.

My mouth clamped shut. Mom didn’t need to know about this new vision.

Our opportunity lost, Barry leaned in and whispered, I’ll meet you at home.

My eyes flashed to his. His taut expression left little doubt about his curiosity, but he’d have to wait.

Which makes me ask again: why didn’t I just leave with him?

Trying not to arouse Mom’s suspicion, I tried sneaking a peek at Barry, but the scattering crowd made finding him impossible. Darn, there were a lot of people here today. My mouth drew into a frown as I hurried to match Mom’s pace. We’ll be home soon; then I could tell him.

My uneasiness only increased the further we walked. Mom’s silence wasn’t helping either. Half afraid she’d overheard what I started to tell Barry, I shifted my gaze toward her. My shoulders relaxed from the extra swing in her arms and widened smile. She was happy, lost in her thoughts. I looked ahead and sighed. Almost there. Mom’s maroon Chevy Impala sat about twenty feet away.

Let’s go out to eat, Mom spoke, breaking my concentration. She started digging in her purse for the keys.

What? My gut tightened. I just wanted to get home. I approached the passenger door and gripped the handle tightly.

Um… My mind scrambled for something to say. I didn’t want her to know why I wanted to get back to Barry, and I didn’t think she’d buy the I miss my boyfriend line.

Yeah, let’s celebrate, Mom said. She unlocked the car and opened her door. There’s this café I’ve wanted to try.

Really? I pulled the handle a little too hard, knocking myself off balance. Her idea of celebrating differed from mine, but it didn’t make any difference. The vision I incurred back at the ceremony blew any chance at being festive.

All right, I said, peering over the car roof.

The twinkle in Mom’s eye caused me to pause. She slid into her seat, and a twinge of guilt for not sharing her enthusiasm nudged at my conscience. I couldn’t recall the last time I’d seen her so excited.

More cars than usual clogged the streets as we putted along. Mom didn’t seem to mind. She droned on about the quaint restaurant as she navigated through the traffic.

Suzy, my manager, told me this is the best café in the county, and my coworkers agreed, Mom said her words rushed.

I half-listened as I typed a text to Barry explaining my absence. Mom’s exasperated huff broke my concentration, and I glanced at her.

I’m glad we get to spend some time together. It’s been too long, Mom said, her tone serious.

What could I say to that?

Okay, that’s one chicken tortilla soup with a turkey club, one plain cheeseburger, and two sweet teas? the waitress asked.

Yes, thank you, Mom said.

I nodded, wishing she’d rush the order. The clang of the dishes scraped across the metal kitchen shelf, along with the endless chatter of the patrons, had made ordering a challenge. At least, the waitress had gotten our order correct.

An image of Barry’s anxious face flitted across my mind as I took a sip of water. His concern about what I’d seen worried me. I should be with him now, not here. He deserved an explanation. Plus, I was dying to share the details.

Well, what do you think about this place? Think the food will be as good as they let on? Mom asked, crinkling her face as her gaze darted around the diner.

I’m sure the food’s okay, Mom, I said, trying my best to reassure her. Hmm, I wasn’t the only one with doubts. When we had pulled along the curb out front, I about choked. Had her coworkers played a joke? My first impression was not positive. The place looked like a dive, making me lose what little appetite I had. Sandwiched between two quaint, older structures, the building itself was a hole in the wall.

The heavily pitted stonework encasing the storefront showed the wear and tear of Mother Nature. The weather-beaten sign displayed a barely legible name, The Mole Hole. I chuckled at how appropriate the name was, considering the place was a hole. I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing and reminded myself not to judge by appearances. Sometimes, these little dives served the best food.

What’s so funny? Mom asked.

Another giggle slipped out. This place is named appropriately. I lowered my voice. It is a hole.

Mom nodded, widely smiling. I see your point. Her shoulders relaxed as she released pent-up tension. That was all it took for the verbal floodgates to open wide, allowing words to flow from her.

While we waited for the chef to prepare our food, she asked, Wasn’t the memorial for Johnny nice?

Yes, I sighed, trying my hardest to discourage this conversation.

The effort was futile because she kept babbling. I ground my teeth together and took a deep breath. With a fleeting look toward the kitchen, I willed the cook to hurry. Maintaining a neutral expression proved harder to do, and her nonstop chatter about Johnny wasn’t helping.

Why did she keep bringing up this subject?

Johnny’s chapter had closed a few months ago, and I so didn’t want to relive that experience. Today’s ceremony had been taxing enough. But Mom kept talking, dissecting the ceremony like a lab experiment. She was proud of me. The privilege of having a prestigious daughter had eluded her for many years, so I understood her enthusiasm. But I didn’t want to be here listening to her. I wanted to be with Barry, telling him about the vision.

…And the cheeseburger for you, dear, the pleasant tone of our waitress rang out.

I reached for my glass and moved it out of her way as she placed my meal in front of me. My stomach growled in approval, betraying my desire to leave.

Looks good, Mom said, eyeing her food.

Six bites and the burger disappeared off my plate. So much for wondering if they had the best food, I hardly tasted it. Clearly not in the same rush, Mom took her sweet time eating her club sandwich, and her pace did not improve as she moved on to her soup. With each agonizing slurp, I was on the verge of pulling my hair out. The minutes ticked by, my eagerness to be with Barry increasing by the second. My legs shook, and I kept glancing at the door. Mom slurped away. I shifted my hands underneath my thighs in an attempt to keep from grabbing the bowl and pouring the remains into the nearby plant.

God, hurry up.

When she finally finished and went to pay the bill, I wasted no time in heading for the door. I didn’t want to risk Mom changing her mind and ordering dessert.

I shifted in my seat and stared out of the car window at the passing houses. The setting sun would soon transform the sky into the magical hues of twilight, and it reminded me of the later time. Aside from all the drama today, it sucked that the day was almost over. Mom pulled the car into the driveway, and I quickly undid my seatbelt, eager to escape.

My gaze drifted toward Barry’s grandma’s house as I stepped onto the concrete. Barry’s car was parked in its normal spot, but a dark silhouette shadowed the driver’s seat. My eyes narrowed, straining to figure out what he was doing.

Was he asleep?

A laugh escaped while a silly grin spread across my face at the thought of him sleeping. I raised my hand to my mouth to hide my smile.

What are you laughing at now? Mom asked.

I think Barry fell asleep waiting for me, I answered, pointing to his car.

Mom glanced over at him and chuckled. All right, I’ll be inside if you need me.

As Mom walked to our front door, I stepped toward Barry’s car and halted about five feet away as I devised a plan to mess with him. I pulled out my phone and typed a quick I c you in a message. After hitting the send button, I paused to allow the text to go through, drinking the sight of him in. Barry’s facial features were smoothed into an angelic stillness, and his head was tipped back against the headrest with his mouth partially opened. He appeared younger. Vulnerable. A soft smile crossed my lips, mixed with a hint of regret over sending the text. He was so content that I shouldn’t have disturbed him.

A few seconds later, Operation-Mess-with-Barry was complete. The tone of his cell phone jarred him awake, and I snickered despite my guilt. He straightened in his seat and reached for his phone while the corners of his mouth drew into a half-smile. His head immediately jerked to where I stood. My chest filled with warmth the moment our gaze met. I waved, but it probably went unnoticed since he turned and sprung out of his car.

There you are, he said, jogging over to me.

Hey, I said.

Hey, gorgeous. His eyes peered into mine, loaded with unasked questions. He leaned down, drawing me close, kissing me gently.

After moving away from him, I suggested a walk to discuss the vision I had seen. He agreed without hesitation. He knew I wouldn’t want Mom overhearing our discussion. As Barry slid his hand into mine, we took off down the sidewalk. With a quick peek toward my backyard, I marched forward. My personal refuge spot seemed taboo, and we hadn’t been back in the woods since Johnny’s discovery. To be honest, I didn’t have any wish to return there. Those trees no longer held power over me, and the last thing I wanted to do was dredge up horrible memories—not just for my sake, but for Barry’s as well.

Okay, I’m dying to know. What exactly did you see after the mayor touched you? he asked.

Something weird. The police chief and mayor were together, but they weren’t at the City Hall or any place public. They were alone in a dark alley. I can’t place where, but there was a rusty metal door behind them. My head turned to face Barry. In a hushed voice, I said, It was nighttime, and the police chief handed the mayor a thickened manila envelope before saying, ‘This should hold you for a while.’ Barry, I know that envelope contained something important, like a payment for something, but I didn’t actually witness him opening it. It was the way he smirked and the way his eyes widened when he looked at it. That was greed. The envelope had to contain money or something equally valuable.

Barry released my hand and ran his fingers through his sandy blond hair, slowly exhaling. His eyes widened as he contemplated the information I had just given him. With a shake of his head, he cleared his throat before saying, Wow. Everyone has been wondering what the relationship could be between the mayor and Bart, the police chief, since Bart isn’t the most reputable guy.

My eyebrows quirked at the venomous way he spat out Bart’s name. Why the sudden hatred?

There are tons of complaints against Bart, but yet he’s still the police chief. The mayor keeps backing him every time someone demands him to step down or be fired. I guess now we know why—Bart’s probably paying him off. Your intuition has been spot on thus far, so there’s no doubt in my mind. I just wonder what the reason behind the payoff is.

His furrowed eyebrows made it clear how unsettling he found this news. His concern disturbed me, but what bothered me more was how much I wanted to ease his frustration. I wanted to interlace his fingers with mine and kiss him until I had smoothed every worry line, then run my hands through his soft sandy waves. Stunned by the direction of my thoughts, I lowered my face, trying to hide the sudden redness inflaming my cheeks.

Where had those thoughts come from?

I shook my head, trying to focus. The only person I could trust with this information was Detective Tanner. Tanner was our friend Nicole’s uncle, who we had confided in when I had the vision about Johnny. He had been the lead detective ten years ago on Johnny’s case, so he was knowledgeable about the facts, but by being Nicole’s uncle, that gave us the edge we needed. Too small to keep a full-time detective on staff, this town used Tanner from the neighboring city.

Should we call Tanner and tell him about my vision? I asked after clearing my throat. I saw Tanner and Bart arguing before Johnny’s dedication, and when I said something to Nicole, she told me they don’t get along.

Yeah, we should probably contact him, Barry said. If Tanner knew something shady had occurred between the mayor and Bart, perhaps he could figure out what’s going on. But Heather—his eyes narrowed as he turned to face me—I want you to be careful. Make sure no one can overhear you when you tell Tanner. I’m not comfortable with the idea of you directly involved with dirty police work. Barry frowned and mumbled, I don’t trust Bart.

As we turned the corner back toward home, I nodded in agreement. Barry grabbed hold of my hand again, and my cheeks warmed at the reminder of wanting to kiss him. I looked away, suddenly finding the scattered purple crocuses interesting. We strolled beside each other, lost in our thoughts, with Barry oblivious to my embarrassment.

The sound of a diesel motor startled me as a pickup truck roared to life. I glanced up, noticing my house not too far away. Time was up. I huffed out a breath. I needed to make the call to Tanner now. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to make the call. I was just having difficulty figuring out the best way to inform him.

How do I start that conversation?

With my free hand, I pulled the phone from my pocket and stared at the screen. I was stalling. I knew this. But there wasn’t any choice in the matter. I needed to call. Taking a deep breath, I released Barry’s hand and glanced over at him. His mouth drew into an encouraging half-smile. The corners of my mouth lifted slightly in response as my heart swelled from his concern. I scrolled through my short list of contacts and tapped Tanner’s name. I’ll just wing it.

Tanner, the detective answered sternly.

Detective, it’s Heather. I cringed at the shakiness in my voice.

Yes, Heather. What can I do for you? he asked in a much pleasant tone.

When he addressed me, his demeanor always changed. He was such a serious guy, but likable.

Um, I’m not sure if it’s important, but I need to tell you about something that happened at the ceremony earlier today.

Okay, he drew out. What happened exactly?

After the dedication, the mayor came up beside us to offer his congratulations. He placed his hand on my back, and I saw something…concerning. I paused as a sharp intake of air resonated through the phone. He remained silent, so I explained my vision.

Who else knows about this? Tanner asked, interrupting before I finished.

Just Barry.

My gaze shifted to Barry. His eyebrows rose at the mention of his name. With a quick shrug, I looked down to concentrate on what the detective had to say.

Good. Keep it that way. Listen, I don’t want to discuss this matter over the phone. Unfortunately, I’m getting ready to leave town and won’t be back until Monday afternoon. After releasing an aggravated sigh, Tanner said, "I guess we’ll have to