Oracle Rising (33 page)

Her smile.

Her sensual eyes.

There wasn’t anything he loved more.

His heart skipped as he inadvertently used that word. Did he have feelings for her after just one simple date?

Could that be true?

It was more reason to get the truth out there. If he had any hope of her forgiving him when this was over, he’d need truth on his side.

He wanted to learn more about her.

She was deep, and he needed to plumb that wealth of substance. She wouldn’t be shallow like his ex-wife.

He could tell.

The way she kissed him, and the way she felt in his arms was hard to ignore.

There was something there.

He knew it.

Blowing off their date was going to be a huge mistake. He could feel it in his soul. So, he was going to get word to her that he was sorry.

That’s what it always seemed to come down to in his life. It was always the same thing—
Rhett being sorry.

When it came to the opposite sex, he always managed to get the short end of the stick. Here was a girl he could really fall in love with, and he was blowing it.

Duty and obligation were trying to keep him from her, and he had a choice to make. While he had to accept it, he didn't have to give up.

He needed her to know he was thinking about her.

Rhett wasn’t a bastard. He was just an innocent bystander.

As he pulled out paper, he scribbled down a few things. Then he realized that he couldn’t pour his heart out. She might think he was some stalker creep.

He didn't want that.

Balling it up, he was confused. What did he want to come across like?

Certainly not a sap.

So, he’d keep it short and sweet.

Women liked that, didn't they?

‘Juliett,

I’m not going to be able to keep tonight’s date. Something has come up with the case. I’m sorry I won’t be able to make dinner for you. I’m sad that I have to cancel this close to the date. Maybe, sometime in the future, we can reschedule, if you still want to see me. I’ll call you. I promise.

Rhett.’

He read it over and over again.

Each time, it sounded worse and worse. Instead of overthinking it, he folded it up and put it in an envelope. At least he wasn’t ditching her without some notice. She couldn’t call him a heartless bastard, could she?

Now…how to get it there.

How did people do this before email and texting? If he had her number, he would have called.

Okay, maybe he wouldn’t have. It would have killed him to hear the hurt in her voice. This was going to wound her, and he knew it.

There was no doubt in his mind that she was going to hate him. He hated himself for being too weak to keep her safe.

Staring out into the bullpen, he saw Deputy Roosevelt Prince. He was the deputy who had followed her that first day. He knew right where she lived.

He’d be the perfect messenger.

When he motioned to the man, he strolled in.

“Remember that pretty brunette I had you follow?”

“Yeah.”

“I need you to take this to her, and keep it quiet. Okay?” he asked.

“Sure thing, boss. I’ll do it right now.”

“Thanks.”

He watched the man leave. The entire time, he was starting to doubt whether he should have sent it.

Well, now it was too late.

For her heart.

For his.

For everything…

       
                
* * *
  O R A C L E   * * *

Juliett’s Cabin

When there was a knock at the door, Maura made sure she was the first one there. If the killer was knocking, she wasn’t taking a chance.

Jagger had left to begin his spying, and it was just the three women there. When she glanced over, Avalon was calm, and that helped her relax.

If this was the killer, and they were in danger, wouldn’t she be alerting them?

Probably.

“I would, Maura,” Avalon said, not even glancing over. “It’s a deputy. You can relax.”

That didn't exactly make her feel better. They just told the sheriff to stay away, and no one had told Juliett yet. It was on their agenda, but when she got there, the woman was so happy to be seeing the sheriff that she opted to wait for Nate.

This made her uneasy.

When she opened the door, the man smiled. “I have a message for Juliett Deveraux.”

Maura was going to abscond it, cutting the sheriff off at the pass, but before she could, the woman appeared at her side.

“That’s me.”

“The sheriff asked me to deliver this, ma’am. You have a good day, you hear?”

The woman’s face lit up. “Thank you!”

Maura knew this was going to be bad. She could tell. She was a woman, and if that note had anything in it about the date being cancelled, they were screwed. No girl liked to get ‘dumped’ via note.

What was the sheriff thinking?

When the door was closed, she tore into it. “He’s so sweet. I’ve never met anyone like him,” she gushed. “You were so right, Avalon. He’s amazing. I’m so glad I gave him a chance. Tonight is going to be special, I can tell.”

Maura could see the adoration oozing from the woman and her megawatt smile.

This was going to be very bad. “Maybe you shouldn’t…” she began, only getting cut off by the other woman.

“Well, what does it say?” Avalon asked, moving closer to Juliett.

She began reading it with so much joy, and as the words sunk in, she realized what was happening.

He was running.

Backing out.

Ditching her.

Well, shit!

When she looked up, there were tears in her eyes. The joy had turned to pain.

Why was she shocked?

“He doesn’t want to see me,” she whispered, crumpling the note in her hand. “He told me he’d call me sometime, which we all know is code for kiss off.”

“Oh, Juliett,” Avalon said, glancing toward Maura’s aura. The woman knew about it. She could read it in the colors.

“I knew this was going to happen. How could someone like him ever want to be with me? I should have known better. I got my hopes up, and in the end, it was my heart that was broken. Again. Freaks don’t deserve love.”

Avalon hated to see her in pain. Not only was she crying, but her aura was clouded with so much sadness, that Avalon wanted to weep with her.

“Juliett,” Maura began, getting Avalon’s attention. The look the woman was giving her said it all.

They were all screwed.

“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go to my room. I need to be alone,” Juliett said, escaping with her dignity completely gone. She’d thrown her heart into this, and she’d screwed up.

Again.

With that, she was gone. They could hear soft crying coming from behind the door.

Maura opened her mouth, only to be interrupted by the very angry woman before her.

“What did you three do?”

“What? We didn't do anything. The sheriff is being followed and set up by the killer. Being near him is the last thing she needs.”

Avalon could feel her blood pressure rise. It wasn’t easy, but they’d managed to make her angry.

“This can’t be happening. I told Nate what had to happen in order for her to survive. She’s dead now,” she stated. “Fate is going to play out its original plan.”

“What?”

“If the sheriff abandons her, she’s not going to survive. He’s the only way to keep her alive. I had bought her some time, but you three managed to unravel all of it!”

Maura didn't know what to say.

“Avalon…”

“Tell them to get here, and fast. We need to have a little talk.”

At first Maura didn't move.

“NOW!” she practically yelled.

Maura jumped. “Okay, stay calm. I’ll call the men, and I’m sure we can fix this.”

“We may be past that,” she stated. “You three really screwed this up.”

Sadly, she wasn’t exaggerating.

Juliett was dead
.

       
                
* * *
  O R A C L E   * * *

When Nate got the text, his heart surged—and not in a good way. He didn't know what was wrong, but he got a message from Maura to get home, and fast.

As they raced in, guns in hand, there were no dangers lurking in the cabin. Maura was sitting on the couch, and she looked worried.

Avalon was angrily pacing back and forth.

Before he could say anything, she pointed at the couch. “Sit!”

Nate lifted a brow.

This was new.

He’d never seen her this angry. In fact, she was electrified with it. Her red hair snapped around her shoulders as the dress she wore wound itself around her legs.

“Avalon, honey, are you okay?”

She tried to regain her control.

The men stared at Maura for some sort of explanation.

Maura mouthed, trying to cue them in,
‘We’re in big trouble.’

He had no idea what they could have possibly done. Instead of arguing, he did what his fiancée asked.

“What the hell did you do?” she asked, blindly glancing back and forth between them.

Nate didn't know what she was talking about. “Avi, what are we discussing? I’m a little lost here, so I don’t know how to answer?”

“I’m talking about the sheriff.”

Oh, now he got it.

She was talking about THAT. He was well aware that they’d had done the exact opposite of what she had worked out as her plan.

“He’s being singled out by someone. If she’s with him, she’s in danger. We suggested that he stay clear of her until this is all over. That’s all.”

“That’s all? That’s all?” she repeated, her voice getting higher.

No one spoke.

“Didn't I make it perfectly clear to you that she had to be with him?” Avalon asked, as she stopped in front of him. “Wasn’t I to the point when I said he was the
ONLY
way she was going to get through this?”

“You did say that.”

“But you thought you knew better, right?”

He didn't know what to say. Luke and Maura weren’t to blame. They didn't know what Avalon had told him. This had been on him, and he knew it.

“Listen.”

“No, you listen, Director Carter. I’ve seen his aura. He’s completely safe. If she’s with him, she’s safe too.”

He didn't like how she dropped his name like he was nothing more than a co-worker, but he’d save his anger for later.

“We can save her. With all of us here, she’s safe.”

She wanted to scream.

It was irrational, but she was pissed.

“While you may genuinely believe that, I’ve seen the future. I know what’s going to happen. I can tell you that you’re very wrong. He’s the
ONLY
one who
CAN
save Juliett. I’m not telling you this as Avalon. I’m telling you this as Oracle. Maura knows I’m never wrong.
WE
can’t help her. We’re only holding back what fate wants to deliver. The poor woman is going to die at the hands of this maniac. She can’t help herself. Rhett Longfellow is the only one who can. You ignored me, and now she’s going to pay for it.”

“What?” the men said together.

“It’s like this is a game. I get that you three are the important ones. I know Jagger’s opinion matters more, but you should have listened to me. The second he walked away, she was marked to die. Her future has changed again. Rhett is the one person on this earth who can save her.”

“I didn't mean to…”

Again, she cut him off and began pacing. “It doesn’t matter what you meant to do, Nathaniel. You can’t run this like a FBI operation. It has to be delicately handled. Fate is a bitch, and bending the future isn’t done with a heavy hand. This isn’t a job for the FBI. It’s a job for
ME
.”