Circle of Fire (Damask Circle 1)

Something in his eyes made her want to reach out and touch him. She clenched her fingers around her coffee cup and turned away, knowing she had to react with her mind—not with her emotions, and definitely not with her heart. They had only led her to tragedy in the past.

“Why won’t they suspect me?”

“You are … ordinary.”

Ordinary. She almost laughed at the bitter irony of it. How often had she heard that in the past? No one suspected the truth, not even her own sister.

“Madeline, I don’t mean—”

“It doesn’t matter.” She turned to face him. “I can’t change what I am. Nor can I deny that I’m afraid. But I just can’t run off wildly without some proof.”

He sighed. “I’m in no position to prove anything.”

Mist drifted around him, darkening his hair where it touched. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to feel the heat of his body, to hold him close and caress away the lines of pain from his face. Maybe I am insane. I want to touch this ghost in ways I never touched my husband. Shaking her head, she stepped away from him.

Something flickered in his blue eyes, and a slight grimace twisted his generous mouth. It was almost as if he’d sensed the reason for her fear. But that’s ridiculous—he’s a ghost—an astral traveler—not a mind reader. The sharp ring of the telephone interrupted the heavy silence. Maddie glanced at her watch and frowned. It was barely seven. Who would be calling at this hour? She headed inside to answer it, then hesitated, meeting Jon’s steady gaze.

“We won’t meet again,” he murmured. He reached out, as if to touch her cheek, then let his hand fall. “For that, I’m sorry. Stay safe, Madeline.”

“No …” Maddie watched him fade until there was nothing left but the warmth of his voice in her thoughts.

She closed her eyes and fought the rise of tears. Damn it, why should she cry for a ghost when she hadn’t even cried for her husband? She bit her lip and watched the mist swirl around the spot where he’d stood. Maybe because Jon had shown her more warmth in the few hours she’d known him than Brian had ever shown in the six years they were married?

The insistent ringing broke through her thoughts. She took a deep breath, then ran down the length of the verandah to the back door, fleeing her thoughts as much as running for the phone.

Slamming the door open, she snatched the receiver from the hook. “Hello?”

“Maddie?”

She froze. It was Jayne … Oh lord, let Evan be safe. Yet the note in her sister’s voice told her something was terribly wrong. “What is it?”

“It’s Evan,” Jayne sobbed. “He’s disappeared, Maddie. Just gone … without a trace.”

“I NEED YOUR HELP. YOU CAN SEE THINGS … YOU SAW something last night … I need to know …” Jayne’s voice faded into silence.

Maddie closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. After all the years of denials, after all the years of fear, Jayne was not only acknowledging her abilities but also asking for help. It was a miracle Maddie had never thought she’d see, and one that left her oddly frightened.

If Jayne knew, maybe Steve did, too.

And maybe he knew about Brian. She took a deep breath. No, Steve was a cop. If he suspected anything, he would have reported it.

Her thoughts stuttered to a sudden halt. She’d asked Jon for some form of proof; perhaps this was it. Evan had disappeared, just as he’d predicted.

So Jon was real. And dying.

She clenched her fingers against the phone and tried to remain calm. “What do you expect me to do that Steve can’t?”

“Steve’s restricted by the law, though he’s looking … but you’re the only one who can … who can help Evan. Only you.”

There was an odd certainty in Jayne’s voice that made Maddie frown. Maybe she wasn’t the only gifted member in the family, after all. “Jayne, my gifts are decidedly unreliable and … well, dangerous.” Which had to be the biggest understatement she’d ever made. “I’m willing to try, but Steve’s a detective. Surely he—”

“No! Maddie, you must look for him. Please, promise me.”

The desperation in her sister’s voice reminded Maddie of Jon. “Okay. But I’ll need to see his room, first.” She hesitated, then added, “Does Steve know you’re asking me to do this?”

Jayne’s silence was answer enough. Maddie closed her eyes. She’d taken to visiting Jayne and Evan when Steve wasn’t home. He’d never bothered to mask his opinion of her, and lately that opinion had been openly hostile.

“Maddie, please …”