The Acceptance

Something had happened—but what?

Everyone she cared about was safe; she trusted in that. If any of them, any innocent person, was in great peril, she’d know.

Bliss droned on in great reluctance, schooling Gaby on patent costs for various deals of prostitution. Blowjobs, hand-jobs, visuals, and extra participation . . . it all sounded repulsive and far-fetched. But to catch her guy—

A disturbing premonition of dread invaded Gaby’s thoughts. Bellicose urgency brought her to her feet, but unlike her other episodes, this impending doom affected her differently.

This had to do with Luther, not evil incarnate.

“Oh fuck.”

Bliss grabbed her hand. “Gaby, wait.”

“Can’t. I need to get out of here. Now.” Gaby jogged to the front of the house and caught Mort just as he started to unlock the door to Ann and Luther. “Don’t.”

He turned to her in surprise. “It’s okay. It’s Ann—”

“I know who it is.” Pulling him away from the door, Gaby studied his face, praying for the support she desperately needed right now. “Mort, you know me, you trust me.”

His earnest gaze never faltered. “One hundred and fifty percent.”

“Well, Ann and Luther don’t.”

Sympathy darkened his features. “Gaby . . .”

“They don’t know me, and they sure as hell don’t trust me.”

Luther’s fist rattled the door. “Mort! Open up.”

After glancing at the door with nervousness, Mort put his shoulders back. “What do you need me to do?”

Thank God for friends. Gaby headed for the steps. “Stall them while I sneak out through the basement.”

“I changed that window, Gaby.” Mort turned her around. “Go out through the kitchen door and into my shop. In the backroom there’s a window you’ll fit through. It’ll put you in the alley.”

How had she gotten so lucky? “You’re my hero, Mort.” Changing routes, Gaby rushed through the house.

Bliss stayed hot on her heels. “Gaby, wait. I have to tell you something.”

“Not now.”

In an uncharacteristic display of backbone, Bliss smacked Gaby’s shoulder. “Yes. Now.”

Caught in a quandary, Gaby nodded. “Fine. Follow me and talk along the way.”

They both heard the front door open, and Luther’s voice questioning Mort. She didn’t have much time.

Holding a finger to her lips, Gaby held open the door leading into the graphic novel shop connected to Mort’s living quarters. Bliss went through, and Gaby closed it again with a quiet snick of the latch. “Come on.”

Unlike the dusty, disheveled shop of old, Mort’s establishment was now well-organized, colorful, but at this time of early evening, empty of customers. The front shades were lowered, leaving the interior in deep shadow.

Gaby made her way to the back of the shop, through a door to a private office complete with desk, phone, fax, and other business devices. “Huh. Mort’s really stepped up in the world.”

Pulling over a chair to enable her to reach the locked window, Gaby started to climb.

“Luther’s in trouble.”

Sharp fingers of dread yanked Gaby back. She spun to face Bliss. “What are you talking about?”

Bliss rubbed her temples. “I’m sorry I ain’t more clear, Gaby. But everythin’ is jumbling around in my brain.”

“Just tell me what you see.”

Nodding, Bliss looked up, bit her lip. “I see Luther in that awful room.”

Gaby’s heart stuttered, and she reached for the chair-back for support. “The room where Lucy was tortured?”

Tears tracked Bliss’s cheeks. “And Gaby? I see you there, too.”

Contrary to Bliss’s reaction, that relieved Gaby so much that her knees almost gave out. “I’m with him? You’re sure?”

“That’s what I keep seeing, yeah.”

Glancing heavenward, Gaby whispered, “Thank you, God.” If she was there, she could keep Luther from harm. What happened to her didn’t matter so much. “I have to go.”

Openly crying now, Bliss clung to her shirt. “But why do you have to go? I’m scared.”

Gaby disengaged her fingers. “A man was killed. I don’t know why I didn’t know that sooner. Maybe because I really hated him and didn’t care if he died.”

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. The problem is that Luther will think I’m involved, which means he’ll be honorbound to take me in for questioning—or more.”

Bliss shook her head hard. “No. Luther cares about you. He’s a good man.”

“I know he is, and that’s why he’d arrest me.” The need to see her safe, even if behind bars, would motivate Luther as much as suspicion on her involvement. “But, Bliss, I can’t protect him if I’m under arrest.”

Angry footsteps sounded in the hallway, spurring Bliss to panic. “Okay, okay, get on your way then. Hurry.”

“Go back into the next room so Luther doesn’t immediately know how I left.” After a quick hug, Gaby waited for Bliss to exit the office.

The girl rushed out, inadvertently leaving the door ajar, and Gaby didn’t waste time closing it. She stepped up onto the chair, unlocked and opened the window, and hoisted herself out. She was just dropping down into the dark alley when she heard Luther’s booming voice calling her name.

Poor Luther.

He said he trusted her, but he didn’t.

He said he believed in her ability, but how could any sane man believe what she did?

She’d convinced herself of many far-fetched dreams, and now the demiurgeous intrusions of her life brought reality crashing in.

Knowing Luther would feel betrayed, Gaby couldn’t make herself go. She adjusted the window so it appeared shut. Resting against the brick walls of the alley, she fought with her conscience, hopeful of Luther saying anything to belie the urgency for her escape.

In the next second, she heard Luther barge into the room with Bliss. “Where is she?”

In a teeny, frightened voice, Bliss said, “She’s gone.”

Two heartbeats later, he exploded. “God damn it.”

Ann’s much calmer voice chastised his language. “Luther. Bliss is upset.”

“Where is she going, Bliss?”

“I don’t know. Really I don’t.”

To Ann, Luther said, “I guess this is all the proof I needed, huh?”

“Proof of what?” Mort demanded.

Trying to soothe him, Ann said, “We just got a call about a murder victim, a man mutilated much like Lucy, except his heart and testicles were removed.”

Oh shit. Gaby knew it was the same man, the one she’d threatened with just that retribution. Someone had heard, and was setting her up.

Mort now matched Luther’s outrage. “You think Gaby was involved?”

“She split, didn’t she?” Luther shot right back.

Bliss started crying again. “She went because of you, Luther.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Rage vibrated in his every word.

Hiccupping, Bliss said, “She knows you’re in trouble and I guess she knew about the dead guy—”

“Of course she did.”

“—and she said she can’t keep you safe if you arrest her.”

“Perfect. Just fucking perfect.” Luther laughed without an ounce of humor. “God save me from Gaby’s half-