Page 10 of Flying Blind

“Oh. Good. I have wondered.” She smiled. “How long until we are home?”

“If I was following the GPS, twenty minutes. The way I drive? Five.”

Zara laughed and hung onto the panic bar above her head. No one drove like Emma, and if they did, it wasn’t for very long.

Chapter Three

Zara was still wearingher convention costume, so she went to her bedroom and changed into a sundress. Emma was specific about how to greet a gentleman caller.

She was seated and preparing tea for herself and Emma when there was a knock at the door. Zara got to her feet and went to greet the visitor who was a swirling vortex of nothing. “Hello. You must be Randolph. I am sorry. I can’t see or hear you, so you will have to trust me that I know you are there.”

A hand carefully caught hers. She heard his voice. “Pleased to meet you, Zara. My grandmother speaks very highly and incessantly of you.”

She blinked as his shadow had gotten close to her, and then he released her hand and faded away. She nodded, turned, and walked back to Emma. She sat and heard a muttering voice that sounded like it was underwater talking to Emma.

Emma said, “He says you can only hear him when he touches you. May he touch you? Watch it, Randolph.”

Zara smiled. “He can.”

“Good. He has to explain some things that my little grandbaby should not be discussing. I will be in the next room. Shout if you need something.”

Zara smiled. “I will flash some knee. That usually brings you running.”

“Smartass.” Emma leaned toward her and kissed her forehead.

When Zara felt alone, she felt careful fingers touch her arm. “Hello again, Zara.”

“Randolph.”

He chuckled. “Please, call me Rayd.”

The name reverberated through her head, and she blinked. They had been near each other at dozens of events over the last few months.

“You are Nikolai’s business partner?”

“I am. I partner with various family members in different businesses. Your friend Luna spoke to me at the Shattered Diamond.”

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