Falling Awake

could do that if the wrong dosage is given, although the average person probably wouldn’t know how to use them to commit murder.”
    “But we’re not dealing with the average killer here.” Ellis’s mouth crooked downward. “Scargill could certainly have picked up not only some heavy-duty research meds but also a working knowledge of how to use them while he was at Frey-Salter.”
    She met his eyes. “In my dream I saw Belvedere slumped over his desk just the way I found him. The door opens. But it isn’t me who walks into the room; it’s Dr. Randolph Belvedere.”
    “A guy who would know a thing or two about sleeping potions,” Ellis said softly.

    She hesitated, thinking about the dream. “I think there was someone else with him but I couldn’t get a clear picture.”
    “Your dreaming mind was probably trying to insert Scargill into the dreamscape because you know he’s involved in this. But you don’t know what he looks like so you couldn’t get a clear picture.”
    “Okay, that makes sense.” It didn’t feel right though, she thought. She reminded herself that, while she had analyzed a lot of crime scene dreams, tonight was the first time she had engineered one for herself. She lacked experience in this end of the business. She shook off the uncertainties because there was nothing she could do about them now. “What happens next?”
    “I’m going to pay a visit to the center tomorrow. Do a little looking around, ask some questions.”
    “Maybe I should go with you,” she said eagerly. “I know my way around there.”
    “No, I want to go in without anyone knowing who I am or why I’m there. Besides, you’ve got your first official Kyler Method class tomorrow and the weekly reception for the seminar attendees in the evening, don’t you?”
    She groaned. “Forgot about both. I’d better not miss either or Farrell will really be ticked.”
    Ellis checked his watch. “I need some sleep. I’ll go back to the inn, get some rest and leave first thing in the morning.”
    She took a deep breath. “You can sleep here if you like.”
    He smiled his slow, sexy smile. “I like.”

30
    i sabel insisted on fixing breakfast before he left the next morning. He ate it sitting at the kitchen counter, and savored every bite. It took him a while to understand why the scrambled eggs, rye toast and phony soy sausages tasted so good. Then it hit him that the best part of the meal was that Isabel was sharing it with him.
    He wasn’t accustomed to having breakfast with his dates, he reflected while he munched toast and watched Isabel feed Sphinx. Probably because long ago he had made it a rule never to spend the entire night with any of them. Hanging around for breakfast was a step he had not wanted to take. Too much like taking off his sunglasses, maybe. He had sensed that a woman would look at him differently in the morning light, maybe seethe side of him that he preferred to keep safe in the shadows. Maybe he would look at her differently, too. Maybe he would be tempted to leave the safe zone.
    But somewhere along the line he had already taken the leap in the dark with Isabel. He looked at her and wondered what she was thinking about this business of sharing breakfast together. One thing was for sure, this was not the time to ask.
    “I’ll drop you off at Kyler on my way out of town,” he said. “I should be back this evening before the reception ends. I’ll pick you up.”
    She paused in the act of pouring more tea. “But I won’t have my car available. I’ll need to come home and change for the event.”
    “Pack a bag.” He forked up some eggs.
    “Ellis—”
    “Honey, I don’t want to have to worry about you today, okay? I’ll be a lot more comfortable if I know you’re surrounded by people you know at Kyler while I’m out of town.”
    She looked first startled and then she grew thoughtful. “You told me yesterday that you didn’t think I was in any real danger because if anything happens to me it would cause Lawson to reopen the inquiry into Scargill’s death.”
    His stomach clenched but he kept his expression casual. “That’s my working theory and I think it’s solid. But I don’t want to take any chances. With Beth and Lawson out of the loop for now, I don’t have any way of arranging protection for you untiltomorrow or the next day at the earliest. I’ve got a feeling I can’t let things sit that long. Promise me you’ll stay at the Kyler offices until I return,