He shut the door, leaving her to stare at the spot he’d just been. She’d never made good decisions before. If people were counting on her, things were all downhill from here.
Chapter 24
Nothing was what it seemed. The inviting bed and events of the evening promised a good night’s sleep. Nightmares plagued her dreams. Her memories taking on a new shape. An unseen threat hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike.
Sleeping in a stranger’s house always set her on edge. What sleep she had managed hadn’t kept her out long. She’d showered last night and stepped out to find folded clothes waiting for her on the bed. On the nightstand, a bottle of aspirin and a tall glass of water waited.
She’d taken it and been thankful for Oscar’s foresight. Maybe he did know everything. She dialed Kent’s number.
His voice was groggy and scratchy.
“Hey, it’s Ryley, I need you to meet me at the bar in an hour. My house and car keys are inside in my bag.”
“Okay,” he grumbled short on words.
“Thanks. Oh, and I’ll probably need the night off, so can you find someone to cover my shift?”
“You owe me,” he said.
“Actually, I almost killed myself getting you alcohol. I’d say we’re even. Thanks, and see you soon.” She hung up.
Kent was like the younger brother she’d never had. He was a good guy and always helped when she needed it. She would have done the same for him.
Ryley slipped out into the hallway again and made her way to the library. It hadn’t been a nightmare. Her picture was on the board, along with every member of her family tree going back several generations.
“You aren’t the first psychic in your family,” Oscar said from the doorway. She turned to find him holding two cups of coffee. He handed her one.
“Every family has secrets, Oscar, including mine. If there were more psychics in our bloodline, my parents didn’t know. They never told me. I was always the outcast.”
“I had to dig deep to find your secrets, Ryley. Your father’s mother was gifted with the added sight, as were her sisters and the women before her. Your mother’s side was rather interesting, too. She left home at the age of sixteen in love with your father and running from her fate.”
“And what fate is that?” Ryley asked.
“She comes from a long line of witches, and not all of them are the good kind.”
“Bad witches on my mother’s side? You must have that mistaken for my dad’s relatives.” She sighed.
“They weren’t all bad. But there were a few white witches that would put Glenda to shame.”
Ryley sipped her coffee and stared at the names attached to her father’s. “A long line of witches and psychics. If he knew he never mentioned it. But he once told me he should have killed me when he had the chance.”
“Yes, well. His chance has come and gone, regardless of what rock he crawls out from under.”
She grinned. “You didn’t find his location in your research, did you?”
“Not yet, but I will,” Oscar said, and his eyes flashed with challenge.
“I’ve tried for years. Don’t sweat it if you can’t. He’s a master at staying off the grid. Years of practice hiding from the wrong people helped him hone that craft.”
“Yes, well. I’m aware of what put you into the witness protection system.” Oscar gestured to the door. “Now, I have food waiting. Let’s eat while we talk, and then I’ll return you to the bar to meet with the other bartender.”
“How could you possibly know I’m meeting him?”
Oscar shrugged. “You need your things, correct? That’s the logical conclusion.”
Ryley followed Oscar through the large house and into a dining room where the table was set for two. He pulled out the chair at the head of the table for Ryley before taking the seat next to her.
Within seconds, platters were being brought in as if on cue, filled with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and everything in between.
“Uh, hello. Where did you guys come from?” Ryley asked, staring at the strangers.
They smiled and nodded but didn’t reply.
“They show up and cook all meals. Morning, noon, and night.”
Ryley lifted a brow. “Unable to run a microwave?”
Oscar grinned. “Just one of the many perks living on the farm.”
Her stomach grumbled and turned, so she took a biscuit, bypassing the other things. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble. I could have grabbed something after picking up my car.”
“No trouble.” He reassured her and tossed her the newspaper. “I understand you weren’t ready to commit yesterday, but you might want to reconsider now. We can offer you privacy.”
On the front page of the newspaper was a picture of Ryley along with the headline Psychic Swindles Dying Man.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” Ryley snatched the paper and read the byline beneath.
Sources say self-proclaimed psychic, Ryley St. James, owner and bartender at Shadows Edge has wormed her way into the inheritance of a man she’s never met. Sources say that she must have gotten her hands on the will and knew to show up at the funeral to carry out her plan of stealing the inheritance from a grieving family that includes valuable property. We’ve tried to reach Ms. St. James for a comment but were unsuccessful. This is a developing story with more to come in later editions.
“Their research is impressive. I had to dig deep to find the deed to the bar. Most people believe you’re just the bartender,” Oscar said.
“I’d rather be slinging drinks than doing paperwork,” Ryley said with a shrug.
“And where did the money come from? I couldn’t find a paper trail,” Oscar asked with a raised brow.
“Here and there,” she answered evasively. “Felix is lying. You know damn good and well that I
