Chapter 4

As Brent raised his hand to knock, the door flew open. He studied the aggravated expression on his partner’s face. “Guess this means you’ve been waiting for me?”

Reid stepped back and scowled. “Maybe now that you’re here someone will tell us why we’re having this meeting.”

Brent thought it would be better if he didn’t comment. Reid seemed more like his usual grouchy self. He saw the smirk on Jac’s face that confirmed she knew he was a bit irritated, to say the least. He glanced over at the smirking doctor. “Well then, please put him out of his misery.”

Sandy laughed as she went over to sit down. “I only wanted to have to try and explain this once.”

Jac pointed to the other chair and grinned at Brent. “You were supposed to bring back inside information.”

He sat down and shrugged. “Hard to do that when all I did was sit in a room, alone.” He gave Sandy a serious look. “Now, what’s going on?”

Sandy leaned forward in the chair. “I had quite the interesting session with Miss Dante.” She paused for a moment like she wasn’t sure how to begin this. “I’ve actually asked her to meet me here in about an hour.” She smiled waiting for the reaction she knew was coming.

Reid held up his hand. “What do you mean here? Why?”

“I believe the four of us—actually the three of you can help her. I’ve already done my part in helping, by getting the judge off her back.”

Jac gave her a curious look. “What did you do?”

Sandy clasped her hands in her lap and smiled. “I’ve told the judge that she has dreams and believes they are real—which isn’t uncommon, and that I would be helping her through this.”

Brent was getting more confused as they went. He studied the doctor for a moment. “And?”

Sandy shrugged. “She does have dreams, only they’re real and she has them when she’s awake.”

Reid smirked. “What like a vision? Come on . . . and you believe this crap?”

Jac turned and glared at him. “Just sit there Reid.” Her tone wasn’t pleasant.

Brent covered his face for a moment, trying not to tell his partner out loud that he’d just walked himself into the doghouse. He glanced at Reid who clearly knew his mistake. Letting out a deep breath, he looked back at the doctor. “Why do you say they’re real?”

Sandy turned from looking at Reid. She should have known he would be the most open to this. The man had accepted Jac’s ability with nothing more than a ‘wow’. “Felicity explained how she’s been in so many right, but wrong places in her life. You have to admit that alone says there’s something different going on.”

Brent glanced at the scowl on his partner’s face. He figured he’d better just do the talking this time. “So, she sees what’s happening to others?”

Jac leaned forward again. “Does she know these people?”

Sandy thought for a moment. “I don’t believe so.” She smiled at her friend. “She also suffers after them sometimes— just as you do.”

Brent watched Jac sit back and chew her lip. “Okay, if these dreams are real, I can see how Jac can help.” He glanced at Reid for a moment then back to the doctor. “I’ve seen how she is after doing what she does, and she could help Miss Dante through that I suppose – but what do Reid and I have to do with it?”

Sandy glanced at Reid, then back to Brent. This was the part she wasn’t sure how to explain the most. “The things she sees are happening— now— in this time.” Jac sat silently looking at her. “When Jac sees things, they’re in the past.” Brent nodded. “The latest incidents of what Felicity has been seeing, and you’ll have to confirm all this with her, is of a child, a little boy.” Both men suddenly took on their detective expressions, listening to pick out the information. “Apparently there was a little girl as well, but someone took her, and now the little boy is alone in the dark…”

Brent leaned forward. “Who took her?”

Sandy shook her head. “I don’t know the details. She wasn’t connected with the girl child, but the boy and still is.”

Reid stood up, putting his hands in his pockets. “Still is?” He looked at Brent to see if he was getting all this as he was.

Sandy nodded. “Really, you’ll have to ask her about the details of it all I know is when she went to the police to get help for this child, she was sent to me.”

Jac sighed. “I can relate to that.” She glanced at Reid. “Of no one believing me enough to help someone.”

Reid opened his mouth and then closed it again. He turned to Brent and studied him. Taking a deep breath, he looked back at the doctor. “If she knows details, we can look into it.”

Sandy smiled. “I figured you would.” She paused, looking back at Jac. “Would you pick up any of it if you touched her?”

Jac’s eyes widened. “You want me to touch her and see what I can see?” Sandy shrugged. “Other than it being a bit of an invasion, I don’t know if I want to…”

“I agree with that,” Reid added in quickly. He looked at Jac for a long moment. “I don’t think you being involved in this, in any way, is a good idea.”

Jac chewed her lip. “Whether it is or not— isn’t the point.” She stood up and looked out the window. “If these dreams, visions, are real and I believe they are if Sandy thinks they are, then this woman has been going through most of what I have all my life.” She glanced at Brent to see if he was following her point, he was. “She’s been alone or an outcast, probably moving from place to place just to survive with some sort of serenity.”

Sandy nodded. “She’s right, Felicity was getting ready to move on, I asked her to just stay long enough to come here tonight.”

So many pieces were falling into place for Brent. It made perfect sense now, why she’d leave her family, why she moved so often. Of course, the links of her being involved in so many crimes and scenes all made sense now too.

Brent leaned back in the chair and looked at the others. Jac was chewing her lip, Sandy sat waiting patiently and of course, Reid had that stubborn look on his face. Clearly, the man didn’t understand he was standing on very thin, basically see-through thin, ice at this moment. He cleared his throat. “I vote we see if any of us can be of help at all.” He watched Reid’s face for signs of objections. Reid was too busy falling into Jac’s soft pleading brown eyes. He glanced back at Sandy. “Does she know we’re going to be here?”

Sandy shook her head. “I didn’t want to scare her off.”

He blew out a breath. “Well, she saw me today, but I don’t think she would have been so cavalier if she’d known what I do.”

Sandy nodded. “I know, and I don’t know how to get around that.”

Reid shrugged. “We’ll just avoid it, for now, tell her when we need to.”

Brent raised an eyebrow at him. “Which means you can’t start interrogating her as soon as she walks in the door.” Reid snarled at him. “Does she know about Jac?”

Sandy shook her head. “I thought it best to leave that up to Jac.”

Jac bit her lip. “I suppose she would trust more easily if she knew about me.” Sandy nodded. Jac sighed. “Okay, we’ll start out with me and hope she will trust us after that.”

Sandy smiled. “Okay then.” She stood up and headed towards the kitchen. “I’m going to go make coffee.”

***

Felicity stood across the street from the address she’d been given. Getting pretty careless, aren’t you? She looked to both ends of the street again. Why had she agreed to come here? She didn’t know what she was walking into— really didn’t know anything about the Doctor. She leaned against the street post again and looked at the house. Let’s face it, you’re in shock and curious at the same time. The doctor actually looked and sounded like she’d believed every word. That’s never happened – ever. Her own mother hadn’t believed her, even when she said she did. Who was this friend of the doctors? What did she share in common with her? No one had anything in common with her, she knew this, she had searched through every means possible. But she had to know for sure. And if this went badly, what did it change? Nothing. She was still ready to move on.

Okay. Taking a deep breath, she started across the street towards the house. She clutched her bag to her side, making herself take those last few steps to the door.

The doctor opened the door, smiling at her as she invited her in. As the door closed behind her, she swallowed down the apprehension suddenly straightening her spine.

Sandy smiled. “I’m glad you decided to come, Felicity.” She motioned towards the other room. “The friend I mentioned is waiting.” She turned and led the way in. Motioning to Brent she grinned. “I’m sure you remember Brent from earlier today.”

Brent stood up and walked over. He stopped and smiled, looking into her pretty blue eyes. He held out his hand. “Brent Jordan.”

Felicity looked up at him for a moment then smiled. “Felicity Dante.” She smirked. “That entrance wasn’t quite the showstopper I managed earlier today.”

“Did you make it home all right with all of that?”

“Yes, I managed to not throw it around again.” She looked over at the couple standing close together behind the doctor. She offered a polite smile. “Hi.” The lovely dark-haired woman smirked hesitantly.

“I’m Jacinda Brown.” She touched the arm of the tall man standing beside her. “This is my boyfriend, Reid Merritt.” He nodded politely at her.

Sandy motioned towards the chair. “Please sit down.” She watched as she sat hesitantly on the edge of the chair. “I realize this is probably a bit odd for you.”

Felicity laughed. “A bit?” She flipped her long hair back from her face. “This is the first time in my life someone has believed a word I’ve said, so you’ll have to understand if I’m a bit on edge.”

Sandy smiled at her. “We completely understand.” She motioned towards Jac. “I’m fairly certain Jac understands exactly what you’re feeling.”

Jacinda sat towards the edge of the couch. “I have a hundred questions—but I think I should show you something first.” She chewed her lip for a moment, looking down at her hands. “I also see things.” The other woman’s face showed nothing. “It’s not the same as you, I have to touch something to see.”

Felicity sat there for a moment digesting this. “What sort of something?”

Jac watched her eyes for those telltale signs of disbelief. “Something that can hold memories, vibrations. Wood, metal…”

“You see memories?”

“It’s hard to explain really.” She looked over at Reid for a moment then back to the woman. “Um, it would be easier to show you— than to explain.”

Felicity sat there for a moment, silently wondering if she were in some sort of dream. “What do you need to show me?”

Jac got up slowly, going over, and sat on the edge of the table in front of Felicity. “Something personal, but please not embarrassing.” She gave Brent a knowing look. He smirked.

Felicity nodded slowly. She didn’t have much that she’d call personal really; she looked down at her hands. Spotting the bracelet, she always wore, she held up her hand. “My bracelet?”

Jacinda nodded at her. She took a deep breath and held out her hand.

Felicity undid the clasp and set it in the other woman’s hand. Watching as she took deep breaths. Glancing around at the others, she noticed they were almost holding their breath waiting, the same as she was.

She watched a tear roll down Jacinda’s cheek from beneath her closed lashes. And she knew. The brown eyes opened and looked at her. Felicity knew from the distraught expression that she really did know.

Jac swallowed. “Even though her son didn’t make it – she still gave this to you?”

Felicity swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes. She was just relieved to know.” She accepted the bracelet back. “I wish I’d been able to find him sooner.” Looking up from her wrist, she whispered. “The others that were trapped survived.”

Jacinda stood up out of anyone’s reach and held her palm over her stomach. Reid started to get up and she shook her head. “I’m fine, just a little queasy.” She gave Felicity a shaky smile.

Felicity smiled back. “I can relate to that.” She shrugged. “But usually I’m too disoriented; to feel nausea.” The other woman nodded still focusing on breathing through the feeling. She looked over at the redheaded man. He wasn’t paying attention to Jacinda; he was studying her instead. “Is the word freak going through your mind right now?” It wouldn’t have surprised her if he’d said yes.

Brent shook his head. “No. It’s more like wow, actually.”

Felicity knew her jaw dropped; she honestly didn’t know what to say.

Jac chuckled quietly. “It’s a nice surprise, isn’t it?”

Felicity nodded and looked around at the others. “I feel like I’m in a dream today and seriously I don’t want to wake up.”

Brent sat there for a few minutes, and then glanced at Reid a few times. He knew this would come out more pleasantly from himself than his partner. “Sandy told us about your latest . . . vision. About a boy?”

Felicity looked at him for a long silent moment. “You’re a cop.” It wasn’t a question. Brent nodded. She looked over at the doctor. “I’ve been trying to figure out how all of this was going to help that child.” She looked at Reid and smirked. “And you detective would be his partner,” Jac smirked and nodded.

Reid gave her a puzzled look. “You read people too?”

Felicity shook her head. “No, you just look the part.” Jac patted the frowning man’s knee. Taking a deep breath, she looked back at the other man. “So, how exactly do you plan to help?”

Brent’s brows drew together. “I’m not sure. Can you tell us about any of it?” He didn’t know if these seeings or visions, stayed with her, maybe if they were gone as soon as she came back to—from— he had no idea as he seemed to have found himself in unfamiliar water again.

Felicity looked down at the floor. She could tell them, but who said they would believe her? She picked up the bag she’d tucked in behind her when she’d perched so cautiously on the edge of the chair. “I can show you what I’ve written down after the last few.” She pulled the weathered notebook from her bag and flipped it open. Glancing up at them, not sure why she needed to explain, but did anyways. “I carry it because I never know when I’m going to see.” She found the starting point to the visions with the little boy and girl and then held the book out to him. “I write it down as soon as I’m focused again, while it’s all still fresh.”

Brent took the book and glanced down at it. The handwriting was messy, but he still managed to read it. He read through the first page and then glanced up at her; she sat there watching him with a look of anticipation on her face. He looked back down again, skimming over the next few pages. It was quite detailed, giving him the time she saw things and the details of what she saw. Numbers were beside some of the entries. “The numbers are …” He continued to read.

“I can sketch fairly well, so I try to draw parts of what I’ve seen sometimes.”

He looked up at her. He wondered if that was what all the paper and pencils she’d dropped had been for but decided that could be asked at a later date. “Do you have those with you?” She nodded reaching back into the large, faded bag. Pulling out an old folder, she handed it to him. He handed the notebook over to Reid and tried not to smile as Reid almost ripped it from his hand. He opened the folder and studied the first sketch. It didn’t reveal anything he could follow, so he flipped through the next few. He looked back up at her again. “No people?”

She sighed. “No. It’s probably the only thing on the planet I can’t draw well enough to make them look real.”

He pursed his lips and looked back down at the sketch. They were good, but without a face, he didn’t know what they could do. He handed the folder over to Reid and sat back. “Can you remember what they look like?” She nodded. He waited for Reid to look up from the sketches. When he did look at him, he could tell without words that they were on the same wavelength. What she saw was real. The sketches were real. “Can you get Ricky in on this without alerting anyone— just yet?”

Reid rested his chin in hand for a moment and studied Brent.

Sandy cleared her throat. “I’d say my work here is done. I’m going to get going.”

Felicity gave her a shocked look. “You’re leaving?”

Sandy smiled. “Yes, the four of you will figure all of this out and after the last case I knew too much about, I’ve had my fill of police work.”

Brent laughed. “We promise not to let Jac do anything she shouldn’t. Now that we know what she shouldn’t do.”

Jac pouted when Reid nodded. “Fine, it will strictly be hands-off for me.”

Sandy smirked at Jac’s pun. “Make sure it is.” She smiled down at Felicity as she stood up. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

Felicity lowered her head for a moment then offered a smile. “Thank you for everything.”