“You know how I found her. You just don’t believe it’s possible.”
Blake takes a moment to call Ted and Lacy—filling them in we’re on our way and asking them to call the police to meet us.
We enter the full throes of the city, and I can’t help but wonder how things will change for Esther. What will Ted and Lacy do to keep her safe now? Will they go overboard and be overprotective? Or will they carry on with life as normal now that she’s back?
“It’s not that I don’t believe, per se. It’s just—I find it highly improbable. Not to mention, a bit freaky,” he says, throwing me a sideways glance.
“Freaky? Why? Do you have things to hide Blake?” I say, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t we all?” he snorts.
I lean back in my seat.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“If you’re for real—doesn’t it get, I don’t know—weird or something? I mean, knowing things all the time, or whatever. How does it work, anyway?”
I open my mouth to respond, but Esther leans forward and points to a house.
“That one’s mine,” she says.
“Yup. Been here before,” Blake says, winking over his shoulder as he maneuvers to Esther’s driveway.
For a moment, none of us move. We sorta sit in the knowing we’re out of harm’s way and we did a good thing tonight. Behind us, the puppy yips.
“What are you going to name her?” I ask.
“Him. It’s a him, remember?” Esther says.
I bite my lip and make a face.
“Oh, right. Him.”
“I don’t know yet. I was thinking maybe Fluffy. Or Spot,” she says.
“Way to get creative, kid,” I chuckle.
Before we have time to open our car doors, Lacy throws open the front door and races down the steps of their small two-story rambler. Ted follows close behind.
Without hesitation, Esther opens the back door of the Range Rover and drops into their open arms. Fluffy, or Spot, or whatever she’s gonna call the dog, because you know damn well they’re gonna let her keep him now, is squished between them. Both Blake and I follow but stand further back so the family can focus on Esther.
Lacy wraps her arms around Esther, sobbing uncontrollably and Ted drops to his knees beside them.
A squad car pulls up, its lights flashing, but siren turned off. Two officers step out, walking directly toward us. After what feels like forever filling him and his partner in—they’re finally satisfied enough to let us be on our way.
“Ted, Lacy—we’re gonna let the three of you get settled for the night. I’ll be back in touch with you tomorrow to discuss everything. I’m sure the police will want to follow up and talk with you more tonight, anyway,” Blake says. “Sounds like they plan on keeping at least one officer here for the night, too.”
Ted turns to the two of us and walks over.
“Blake, Diana. I don’t know how to thank you enough. We would never have found her this quickly—or at all—if it wasn’t for you.”
He holds his hand out in appreciation. Blake takes it first, shaking his hand vigorously and patting his shoulder.
“Don’t mention it. We’re just glad she’s home,” Blake says.
Ted turns to me and I fight the urge to leave his hand there. I quickly reach out, shaking it as well, and trying to avoid the feedback it might invoke. Instead, I get snippets of relief and joy—mixed with gratitude for having Aiden in his college English course. It’s how he and Blake became friends.
“Glad things turned out the way they did,” I admit.
“Yeah, makes two of us,” Blake agrees.
Walking around the front of the vehicle, he opens his door. For a moment, he hovers there, one hand resting against the frame. Curiosity plays at my mind as I watch his eyes lingering on the front room window, half grinning to himself.
Why do I suddenly wish my gifts were working on him? My whole known life I’ve wished I could shut it off, but now…
“Ready?” I say, breaking the line of thought.
“Yeah,” he nods, taking a seat.
I open my door and slide inside. This whole day has been a weird juxtaposition of discombobulating circumstances since the moment I ran into Blake—literally. Not only did I start off on the wrong foot, but I’ve gone through a more unusual day than I can ever remember having. In part, thanks to him.
“You did a good thing,” I say, turning my gaze back to the passing street lamps as he heads out.
“No,” he says, shaking his head, “we did a good thing. As much as it pains me to admit it, there might be something to your psychic abilities.”
“Oooh, the skeptic is turning?” I chuckle.
He raises a hand, “No, I wouldn’t go quite that far…but I’m not willing to completely dismiss it yet, either.”
“I feel so special,” I say, bringing my fists together and placing them beneath my chin.
“You know what I mean. If you were in my position, would you believe you?”
I lean forward, considering.
Part of me would love to say hell yes, I’d believe me. Then again, I can’t trust most people on their best days, let alone if they were talking about something completely out of the box. Most people are lying, obnoxiously self-centered jerks.
“I see your point,” I admit.
“It would be negligence to simply believe in something without proof. It’s my job to question everything. I’ve found sometimes the smallest, most insignificant details can lead to the path of discovery. For myself. For my clients,” he says.
“I take it you’re not a God-fearing kinda man, then,” I chuckle.
“What makes you say that?” he asks, his eyebrows tugging in as he turns my direction.
My mouth drops open slightly, and I scratch the top of my head.
“Your skepticism I guess. What you said about believing something without proof,” I say. “Am I wrong? Guess it wouldn’t be the first time today.”
“Yes and no,” Blake admits.
“You confuse me.”
Blake turns the Rover down my street, and instinctively, I place my hand on the handle of the door.
“I take it you don’t easily confuse?”
I chuckle.
