Gift of Fire

there?”
    “Long enough.” Oliver smiled reassuringly. “But don’t worry. I won’t try to explain any of this to Warwick or anyone else. I’m not sure I understand it myself.” He came toward the bed and extended his palm to reveal two white tablets. “Here. Take these and call me in the morning.”
    Jonas eyed the tablets with suspicion. “What are they? Some mumbo-jumbo herb treatment?”
    “You could say that. They’re aspirin.” He handed Jonas a glass of water with his other hand.
    Jonas sat up cautiously, took the glass, and swallowed the pills. “I’d appreciate it if you would keep your mouth shut about the psychic stuff.”
    “I will,” Oliver promised calmly. “Who would believe me, except another psychic? And there aren’t too many real ones running around. You’re the only one I’ve ever met.” Then he smiled faintly. “So Elyssa and Yarwood were right after all, hmmm? You really do have a talent for psychometry?”
    “Something like that,” Jonas said unencouragingly.
    “It’s a very unusual ability,” Verity interjected with enthusiasm. “He can pick up on certain images from the past when he touches an object associated with those images. Unfortunately, he’s a bit limited in some respects. He can only tune in to scenes of violence.”
    Jonas groaned. “Verity, I think that’s enough.”
    “However,” Verity continued, “the talent makes it possible for him to authenticate all kinds of objects from the past, even when they aren’t associated with violence. He can’t actually see an image of a chair or a piece of jewelry, the way he can with weapons, but he can feel the age of the object. Enough to know whether or not it’s a reproduction.”
    “Verity, I doubt if Crump is really interested in all this.”
    “I’ve been telling Jonas that he should use his ability to set up a consulting business. That’s why I had him take this Job. Don’t you think it’s a marvelous idea, Oliver?”
    “Not if it gets both of you killed,” Oliver said bluntly. Jonas exchanged a significant look with the other man. “Thank you for those words of wisdom. I agree completely.”
    Verity turned on him. “Now, just a minute. What happened on this job was bad luck, that’s all. Think of it as an industrial accident. The odds of this sort of thing occurring again must be zillions to one.”
    “Something tells me that your math might be shaky,” Jonas retorted.
    “So we’ll be a little more careful next time,” Verity said briskly. “Actually, this assignment was completed quite satisfactorily. Doug will get the written evaluation of the villa that he wanted, and Elyssa will get a few answers about the legendary treasure. We can show everyone the secret passage and the room and the chest. That should satisfy all parties concerned.” Then her eyes narrowed in disappointment. “I wish we’d found more than just an empty treasure chest, though. Finding a pile of Florentine coins would have been a nice professional touch. Great publicity.”
    “I think I’ll live without the advertising,” Jonas drawled as he sat up on the edge of the bed.
    “In fact, you might live a lot longer without it,” Crump said. He was smiling one of his rare smiles.
    “Now that I’m going to be a father, I have to think twice about taking undue risks,” Jonas agreed complacently.
    Verity glared at both of them. “Why do I get the feeling that another career option for Jonas is going down the drain?”
    “Face it, honey. I was born to wash dishes for you. Besides, in a few months I’ll be learning a new profession. I’m going to be a hell of a daddy.”
    Verity’s mouth curved at the corners and her eyes softened. “Think so?”
    “I have a talent for it, just like I have a talent for being a husband. I can feel it in my bones.”
    “I think maybe I will invest in a wedding dress,” Verity said thoughtfully. “Might as well do this right.”
    “We’ll have to hurry up and get you to the altar,” Jonas said blandly, his eyes roving her still-slender figure. “It won’t be long before you’ll be too round for a wedding gown.”
    She threw a pillow at him.
     
    Verity lay quietly in the shadows of the canopied bed and listened to Jonas toss and turn beside her. She knew he hadn’t slept at all since they had climbed into bed two hours ago. He had made love to her with a gentle urgency, as if he needed to assure himself that everything was really back to normal. But afterward he