Page 80 of For the Birds

“She’s a cashier.”

That would certainly make it harder to talk to her. If she’d worked the floor, we would have been able to hide in an aisle.

“Anything else you can think of?” I asked.

He paused for a moment. “Not off the top of my head, but if I think of something, I’ll let youknow.”

“Thanks, Bruce Wayne,” I said. “We’ll let you know something as soon as wecan.”

“Rose, I . . . thank you. You too, Neely Kate. Scooter was there for me when I needed help. I just want himsafe.”

“Just doin’ our job, Bruce Wayne,” Neely Katesaid.

Except this case was personal to all three of us, for a variety of reasons, and we all knewit.

I hung up and turned to Neely Kate. “I want to have a vision ofyou.”

She went stock-still. “Why?”

“I want to see if I can force a vision of where Scooteris.”

“Oh, my stars and garters. That’s a greatidea.”

“But . . .” I said hesitantly. “I’m not positive what I’llsee.”

“You’re worried about finding me in a compromising situation,” she said. When I nodded, she reached over and grabbed my hand. “Now that you know about me and Jed, I’m fine withit.”

I cringed. “I really don’t want to see you in bed withJed.”

She squeezed my hand. “You won’t. We haven’t slept together.”

“What?”

She shrugged and gave me a shy smile. “He wants to take itslow.”

As soon as I picked up my jaw, I gave her a warm smile. “That’s great, Neely Kate. I think he really likesyou.”

“I think he does too. So go ahead and have the vision.”

I closed my eyes and focused on us finding Scooter. An unchanging gray void surrounded me. I consoled myself with the fact that it wasn’t black, which signified death. Gray meant the future was yet to be determined. I changed the question slightly, thinking instead about what would happen after we found Scooter, and the vision changed.

It was nighttime and I was standing next to Neely Kate’s beater car on the side of an empty road. I was frantically calling Jed on my cell phone, but I couldn’t get any service.

“I’m comin’,” I said. “I promise I’m comin’!”

The vision ended and I said, “You’re still comin’.”

Neely Kate’s face blushed. “Oh, my word. I’m scared to ask what yousaw.”

I grinned. “Not what you seem to be thinking.” Then I explained the vision toher.

“What does itmean?”

“Heck if I know. I could try to have another, but they usually turn out thesame.”

“Why was I alone?”

“I don’t know, but you were calling Jed. Maybe you were goin’ to meethim.”

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