Lost Souls (Cainsville 3.6)

"Yet she obviously had. As evidenced by her agitation."

"So I made a critical mistake, one that I seem destined to repeat, whether it's with a client or--" She glanced at Gabriel and then took a quick sip of her tea. "My mistake was in pushing. I could see she was distraught. I thought if I could get to the root of it..."

Rose shook her head and drank more tea before putting the cup down with a clack. "I couldn't, and in trying, I pushed her away. Which is really a lesson you'd think I--" She straightened. "She left. Then, I had a dream that suggested she was in danger. From herself."

"Suicide."

"Yes. I called the next morning, and when I couldn't get a response, I went into a bit of a panic. I was trying to find a home address when her mother phoned me back, having gotten my message. My client was fine, and I was not to contact her again."

"Which seems suspicious."

Rose chuckled. "Not at all. Imagine you had a witness who walked out on an interview, and her family told you to stay away. Would that be suspicious?"

"Not considering my occupation."

"Precisely. I've lost clients who do want to continue...and are convinced otherwise by family members. The same as I assume you have with witnesses. I did phone again, from another number, a week later, and got my client on the phone. I didn't try to talk to her--I just wanted to make sure she was okay. She was."

As Gabriel was leaving, Rose handed him a box of cookies.

"For Liv," she said. "Take them across the road and tell her she forgot them."

Gabriel stared down at the box.

"It's an excellent excuse, Gabriel. Give her the cookies and clarify that her job is safe. Tell her that you're looking forward to seeing her at work tomorrow."

He tensed, his fingers tightening on the box.

"All right, then," Rose said. "Tell her you will see her tomorrow, and try to sound happy about it."

"I can

say that I'm pleased she's back. Her workload has been accumulating and--"

"No. Please no. Just hand her the cookies and say you'll see her tomorrow. I bet she'll ask you in, and then you can tell her about the ghosts, letting her know you're still taking the case."

He checked his watch.

"Don't even pretend you need to get home. When is the last time you went to bed before midnight?"

"I meant that it might be too late to call on her."

"When's the last time she went to bed before midnight?"

He set the box on the hall table. "It would be inconsiderate, given her travels. I'll see her in the morning."

He let himself out, saying goodbye as her sigh trailed after him.

THIRTEEN

GABRIEL

Gabriel arrived at the office just before eight. Olivia was already there, at the filing cabinet, pulling out work. When he walked in, she fixed him with her brightest stranger-welcome smile and trilled a "Good morning" that sent his heart plunging.

She swung over Lydia's desk, perched on the edge of it and grabbed a box from the desktop. A very familiar box.

"I have brought cookies," she said. "Rose stopped by last night. She said you wanted to bring me some, but she forgot to make a box before you left. I've only eaten one. Possibly two."

She grinned, and Gabriel had to bolt his feet to the floor to keep from mumbling something, striding into his office and shutting the door. To keep from being inexcusably rude. To keep from making this worse.