Copper Beach

asleep?” she asked softly.

    “Getting there.”

    “I told you to take the bed.”

    “I don’t follow orders well.”

    “You don’t have to be grouchy about it,” she said. “I was just trying to make sure you’ll get the rest you need.”

    “I’ll sleep fine right here.” Eventually.

    “Are you drinking something?”

    “Yeah.” He opened the second bottle. “Helps take the edge off the afterburn buzz.”

    “You got into the minibar?”

    “Uh–huh.” He swallowed some of the brandy.

    “I could use a glass of wine myself.”

    “Help yourself. There are a couple of small bottles of wine in the bar.”

    She crossed the room, opened the minibar and studied the assortment. Then she glanced at the printed card that detailed the prices of the items in the bar.

    “Geez, look at the prices,” she said.

    “Go for it.” He saluted her with the miniature whiskey bottle. “Live large. I’m paying for the room, remember?”

    “Okay, thanks.”

    She chose the little bottle of white wine, untwisted the cap and sat down on the edge of the bed.

    They drank in silence for a while. He saw no reason to try to engage in conversation. It would only make things more complicated.

    “How are you feeling?” Abby asked.

    “Coming down. Finally.” It was the truth, he realized. The alcohol and time were working. He would sleep soon.

    “Before you crash, I just want to say thank you again. This is the second time you’ve saved me from someone who wanted to kidnap me.”

    He closed his eyes. “I’ve told you before, I’m just doing my job. But in fairness, I don’t think Gideon Barrett would have grabbed you against your will. He just wanted to get me out of the way for a while so that he could talk you into accepting his offer. And he would have made you one hell of an offer, trust me.”

    “Looked a lot like an attempted kidnapping to me. It’s sort of scary knowing that people want to kidnap you.”

    “I know,” he said, gentler this time. She had good reason to be afraid, he thought. “You’re handling it well. Lot of folks in your position would be basket cases by now.”

    “If I’m dealing with it well, it’s because I’ve got you watching my back. So thanks, anyway.”

    He opened his eyes. “Even if I do have my own agenda?”

    She smiled. “Everyone has an agenda. I can deal with that, so long as a person is honest about it. You’ve been up front about yours from the beginning. Well, almost from the beginning.”

    The last thing he wanted was her gratitude.

    “Finish your wine, turn out the light and go to sleep, Abby,” he said.

    “Okay.”

    She set the empty bottle on the nightstand, switched off the lamp and got into bed.

    Sam contemplated the little brandy bottle and decided not to finish it. Too much alcohol might prolong the recovery phase of the crash. He set the bottle on the table beside the chair, leaned back and watched the shadows on the ceiling for a while. He thought about the array of people who were trying to grab Abby and the lab book.

    “I’m missing something,” he said after a while.

    “What?” Abby asked from the shadows.

    “Don’t know. Can’t think clearly tonight. But in the morning, I need to go back to the beginning of this case and look at everything from a different angle.”

    “You mean back to that first blackmail note?”

    “No, back to what happened in Vaughn’s library.”

    “You think that’s where it all started?”

    “The answer is there, somewhere.”

    “Maybe our chat with Grady Hastings tomorrow will give us a lead.”

    “I’ve never interviewed a crazy psychic,” Sam said. “Should be interesting.”

    The deep sleep crept over him.

37

The woman walked down the endless basement hallway. He knew she was going to open the lab door, knew the killer was waiting for her on the other side.
He tried to go after her, but he was trapped in the shadows. He tried to call to her, desperate to warn her, but he could not get her name out.

At the door she paused, her hand on the knob. She looked back at him. For the first time, he saw her face. Not Cassidy.

“Abby.”

    “SAM, YOU’RE DREAMING. WAKE UP. IT’S ALL RIGHT. I’M HERE.”
    Energy shivered in the atmosphere, summoning him from the nightmare. He came awake on a surge of adrenaline and psi, aware of the warmth of Abby’s hand on his bare arm, aware of her comforting energy.

    He opened his eyes and saw her bending over him. Her