Page 137 of Family Jewels

He reached into the closet and pulled out a dress. “This one.” Then he handed it to me and walked out of the room.

Chapter 30

Iwasn’tsure what to expect at space 239 at the Putnam Industrial Park, but I hadn’t planned on it being so empty. It was like a warehouse, but the only contents were two rectangular folding tables facing each other about six feet apart, with three chairs at one table and two at the other. The room itself was about thirty feet by a hundred feet, with no windows and three doors—one on the front wall and a large garage door and a smaller solid door on the back wall. The overhead industrial lights had been turned down so the lighting wasn’t so harsh but bright enough to see.

“We’ll sit at one table, and they’ll be at the other,” James said, leading me to the tables with his hand at the small of my back. I was used to him touching me, but this felt more possessive than usual. “You’ll sit in the middle.”

“And Neely Kate?”

“Will not be present.” The tension in his voice told me that he was worried. I was worried too. The meeting was supposed to start in fifteen minutes, and neither one of us had heard a word from Jed or Neely Kate.

“We’ll wait until they arrive, and then you and I will come in. Jed will greet them if he’s back; if not, Merv will do it.”

James had sent one of his men to check on Jed and Neely Kate, who weren’t picking up their phones. “Have you heard from the guy you sent to the Dyers’?”

He shot me a look. “You’ve been with me every second since you walked down your stairs. When would I have heard?”

“I don’t know. I’m just worried.”

“Jed knows how to take care of himself. I’m more worried about him getting back with the necklace in time. You’re certain Mable Dyer had it.”

“Neely Kate was positive.”

“I’m askingyou.”

“Ninety-five percent.”

He took my hand. “Have a vision. See if Jed gets here in time with the necklace.” We had reached the table, and he guided me down into a chair. Then he knelt on one knee in front of me, still holding my hand.

I almost jokingly asked him if he was about to propose, but the worry that he’d take me half seriously stopped me—not that I could imagine himeverdoing such a thing. One more dose of reality I didn’t have time to deal with.

I was lost in thought long enough for James to prod, “Go ahead.”

Closing my eyes, I squeezed his hand, focusing on the meeting itself. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

The vision was slow to come, and even then, it wasn’t like a normal vision. Everything was in slow motion and deeper than usual. I sat at this table, facing Buck and Kip. Two men stood behind them. I was seeing this vision as James, and I recognized all the men. I was categorizing their threat level as my gaze wandered. Tim Dermot stood behind Buck. He was always slow to draw and prone to thinking before he acted; threat level five out of ten.

Hugh Wagner was a surprise. He hated violence and barely tolerated fencing stolen goods at the pawn shop. It was a mystery why he’d come. I ranked him at a three.

Kip Wagner looked like he was about to shit himself from either excitement or fear, probably both. He’d waited years to be taken seriously, and after the shit he’d pulled over the last three months, he was finally getting his chance. He wouldn’t screw that up. Six.

But Buck Reynolds was a different story.

The way he studied Rose told me that she was the only reason he’d accepted this parley. Possessiveness washed through me, making my gut clench. My feelings for her confused the hell out of me, or more accurately, I was confused by my inability to shut them down. I’d become adept at avoiding attachments to anyone other than Jed and Scooter, but somehow she’d wriggled in. And I was paying the price.

Reynolds had figured it out, and now he was curious, not that I was surprised, especially since he knew she’d worked with me last winter. Rose had no idea how much of a legend she’d become, and I’d tried to keep it that way. The way the Lady in Black had disappeared, along with her mysterious hat and veil, had only fanned the rumors about her. The mystery. The ambition in Reynolds’ eyes as he studied her told me that he not only wanted my position—he wanted everything he thought I possessed, including the Lady in Black.

My vision turned red with rage, and my hand itched to reach for my gun.Over my cold, dead body.

The vision ended, and I was staring into James’ face, feeling queasy and lightheaded. “Reynolds wants everything you own,” I said in a rush.

James’ expression didn’t change. “Your fingers are like ice. What happened?”

“This vision was different.”

“How so?”

I shook my head, but the movement made me dizzy and I grabbed the table.

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