might need a rain check though, depending on how all this goes.”
“We can do that,” she said as she imitated my actions with her own cell. “Maybe you can grab another nap on the way. Carswell is about an hour from DFW.”
“An hour, huh…” I grunted.
“A little over actually, according to Jante,” Constance added. “She tried to get us on a regional flight into Meacham since it’s closer, but DFW was the best she could do on short notice.”
“So we get the dollar tour instead.”
“Pretty much,” she answered with a nod.
“Lovely,” I sighed, watching my phone as the bars indicating signal strength appeared one after another. I shot a glance out the window then turned back and added, “Looks like we might be another minute or two getting to the gate. I’d better call Felicity and let her know we made it okay while I actually have the chance.”
“Good idea.” Constance nodded. “I need to call Ben too.”
I hit the speed dial for my wife’s number. Two rings later her mellifluous Celtic lilt poured into my ear.
“Row?”
“Yeah, honey, it’s me,” I told her. “Just wanted to let you know we’re on the ground at DFW.”
“Good. How was your flight?”
“Okay, I guess. I can’t really say. According to Constance, I slept through most of it.”
“Aye, that’s a good thing then. You needed it. But you still sound tired.”
“I am.”
She paused for a moment then pressed with, “Your headache is worse…isn’t it?” Her voice put audible quotes around the word headache to let me know exactly what she meant.
“It’s not that bad,” I told her.
“Don’t lie.”
My wife always seemed to know when I was holding things back from her, although she didn’t usually point it out unless she was truly worried. She was also far more aware of what was really happening with me on a preternatural level than she tended to let on, but then, she too was a Witch. The simple fact of the matter was that I knew better than to try sheltering her from my ethereal curse with a mundane lie. However, protecting Felicity was a hard habit to break, especially after everything we had just been through, combined with the fact that it wasn’t quite over yet. If it were that easy, I wouldn’t even be making this trip.
Fortunately for me, she understood my motivation.
“Okay,” I conceded. “You’re right. It’s bad enough, yeah… But I’ve had worse.”
“Will you have a chance to rest? I mean…before you have to…” Her voice trailed off leaving even the barest details of the impending meeting unspoken.
I shook my head out of reflex and regretted the action immediately as it only served to enrage the ache inside my skull. Stifling a groan, I let out a sigh then answered, “Probably not. Someone from Carswell is supposed to pick us up, and based on what Constance was told by Doctor Jante, she thinks they might be taking us straight to the facility.”
“They aren’t even letting you check into your hotel first?”
“We aren’t really sure. Just speculating at this point. But I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
“They should at least let you get some rest,” she said, concern making her voice rigid. “It’s not like this is your actual job. You’re doing the FBI a favor. You don’t owe them.”
“I know, honey, but in a way they’re doing us a favor too. You know that. Besides, it really wouldn’t matter,” I soothed. “I’m here now. You know I’m not going to be able to rest until this is over. I’m amazed I actually fell asleep on the flight.”
“Aye, I know…I know…”
“So, how are you doing?” I asked, changing the subject out of self-defense.
Felicity wasn’t going to allow it. “I’m fine. I’m just worried about you.”
“Well don’t. I’m doing okay.”
“We both know better than that, Rowan Linden Gant.”
She always invoked a maternalesque use of my full name whenever she wanted to make it clear that she was serious-especially if being relatively soft-spoken, as she was right now. Other than simply agreeing with the statement, I didn’t have an answer that wouldn’t be just another lie meant to protect her from the horrors that had become my world, so I said nothing.
After a healthy pause she demanded, “Promise me you won’t take any unnecessary chances then.”
“I promise.”
“You’re lying again,” she sighed.
“Yeah…but in my defense, you knew I would.”
“Aye… I did…” She paused again before adding, “I have a bad feeling about this, Row…”
I told the truth this time. “Yeah… Me too, honey. Me too…”
“Very bad…” she whispered.
The airplane had finally stopped moving, tones had chimed, and seatbelts signs had gone dark. Passengers both ahead of and behind us were crowding the aisle to wrestle carry-ons from the overhead bins, compounding the already claustrophobic atmosphere of the passenger jet’s cabin.
I hated for the call to end, but at the same time I knew if I stayed on the line with Felicity any longer, it was only going to make us both worry that much more. I had the distinct impression she was feeling the same way but simply couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye.
Noticing that the travelers ahead were actually beginning to move toward the exit, I seized the opportunity for a mutual escape and told my wife, “Listen, sweetheart, we’re at the gate. I’m afraid I need to go.”
“Okay… Be careful.”
“I will.”
“You’ll call me later then?”
“As soon as I’m settled in.”
Her voice softened even more as she cooed her Gaelic pet name for me. “ Caorthann…”
“Yes?”
“I’m loving you right now…”
“And I’m loving you right back.”
I knew her parting comment was heartfelt, but it still couldn’t mask the trepidation in her voice. I doubted mine was any better.
As planned, someone from Carswell was waiting for us at our baggage carousel holding a small pasteboard rectangle, which boasted R GANT in hastily scribed block letters. I can’t say it was welcome news, but having been forewarned I wasn’t at all surprised to discover that Agent Mandalay’s suspicion was dead on-a stop at our hotel was definitely not on the immediate itinerary.
CHAPTER 2
“While inside the interview room you should remain seated until it is time for you to leave or unless there is an emergency. If for some reason you need to terminate the visit before the end of the allotted time simply inform the stationed officer. Do not engage in any physical contact with the prisoner. You are not permitted to give anything to the prisoner and you may not accept anything from her either. Do you understand?”
I nodded to the corrections officer while adding a vocal “yes” to back up my visible acknowledgement of the strict instructions. It hadn’t been all that long ago that I learned audible responses were considered mandatory while inside prison walls. I didn’t know for sure if this applied to visitors as well as prisoners, but I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. I couldn’t afford for anything to screw this up, least of all something stupid like me not following a basic procedure.
The simple truth was that this meeting held far more importance for me than it did for the case investigators from the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit who had called me in. I’m certain they were well aware of that fact, but I doubted they knew exactly why. Only a small handful of individuals were privy to that answer, and even some of
