Hidden Talents

anyone that we're going to search Asterley's files.”
    Serenity dropped down onto the chair that Lloyd had just vacated. She realized she was trembling. “This is a bit above and beyond the call of duty, partner.”
    “All part of the service, partner.” Caleb leaned against the counter and cradled his mug in his hands. “I'd like to ask you something.”
    “What is it?”
    “Did you tell Radburn that the legend about the vision pools was nonsense because you were trying to discourage him, or do you really think it is nonsense?”
    “Don't be ridiculous,” Serenity said. “Of course it's nonsense. Can you imagine any reasonable, intelligent person actually believing that it was possible to have visions in a hot springs pool? Get real.”

12

    S ERENITY FINALLY DECIDED TO SAY SOMETHING AFTER Zone lost her grip on the sack of pinto beans and sent the contents skittering across the floor. It was the third minor accident Zone had had that morning.
    “Zone, are you all right?”
    “I'm fine.” Zone went behind the counter to fetch a broom. She didn't meet Serenity's questioning eyes. “Just a little clumsy for some reason.”
    “You're sure?”
    “I'm sure.”
    “You seem a little tense,” Serenity said.
    “I am not tense,” Zone snapped in a very un-Zonelike fashion. She wielded the broom with such force that she managed to knock a carton of rye crackers off a bottom shelf. Beans shot in a variety of directions. Most of them missed the dust bin.
    Serenity thoughtfully studied her assistant. Zone had never lost her temper in the four months that she had worked at Witt's End Grocery. Something was very wrong, but good manners as defined in Witt's End inhibited Serenity from pushing the subject.
    “All right,” Serenity said gently. “I didn't mean to pry. I think I'm the one who's tense. Maybe I'm projecting my mood onto you.”
    Zone looked up from her sweeping. She searched Serenity's face. “Why are you tense?”
    Serenity shuffled a stack of papers. “No particular reason. I was just thinking about all the stuff that I have to do before I can get this mail order business going.”
    Like prowl through Ambrose's files in the dead of night .
    Like hope against hope that the man I love won't turn on me because I'm putting his family through a second generation of blackmail .
    Like wonder who among the people I know and trust here in Witt's End hates me .
    “It's going to work, Serenity. I know it is.”
    “I hope so.” Serenity smiled briefly. “I thought you were the one predicting danger, turmoil, and confusion.”
    “I was. I still am.” Zone folded both hands on the handle of the broom. The long orange-and-saffron-colored sleeves of her robe drifted down like giant wings. Her eyelashes and brows were a sharp contrast to her shaved head. “But I'm no longer certain of the cause. I assumed at first that it was associated with Caleb, but now I'm wondering if there's someone or something else involved.”
    “Something else?”
    Zone's eyes were troubled. “Serenity, do you mind if I ask you a question?”
    “No.”
    “You've lived here all of your life. Do you believe in the vision pools?”
    Serenity stared at her. Then she laughed. “You're the second person to ask me that this morning. Are you serious?”
    “Yes.”
    “Well, you'd know more about visions than I would,” Serenity said easily. “I'm just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill shopkeeper. I'm not really into vortices of power and vision pools.”
    “So you don't believe in them?”
    “I'll tell you something, Zone, when I was a teenager I spent several nights in the caves, hoping against hope for a vision. I got nothing, not even a preview of what I'd be getting for my birthday. I tried the experiment once more a year ago, after a friend of mine named Stewart Bartlett left town. I was feeling alone and a little depressed at the time.”
    “What happened?”
    Serenity chuckled. “I guess you could call it a wrong number.”
    “You actually saw something?”
    “I dozed off and my imagination cooked up a little dream for me,” Serenity admitted. “But it made no sense. And it was kind of screwed up. It was just a dream.”
    “You're sure?”
    “Positive.” Serenity was very concerned now. “Something is wrong, isn't it, Zone? If you decide that you want to talk about it, you know you can trust me.”
    “I know.” Zone clenched her fingers around the broom. “You've been very good to me, Serenity. I don't know