Untrained Eye (2 page)

Chapter 2

THE STALE SMELL of coffee mixed with moldy sandwiches made my
stomach grumble as I sat in the hot sticky confines of a Nevada police station.

All the blinds were drawn to block out the heat, air-conditioning
groaned, every door was open but it still felt like I was being baked in one of
Nan’s pies.

I hated police stations. I mean, really hated them.

Although nobody took much notice of me, I still eyed the nearest
door, ready to make a break for it. The two detectives in conversation with
Renee didn’t know me but I was certain that they’d arrest me and haul my butt
back to Serenity Hills.

I guessed I would always feel that way.

Dumb, that it had been a year since I’d been released. Even
without being cleared, I would have served out my sentence and then some. It
didn’t matter, I was still an ex-con. If they knew who I was,
what
I
was, then I doubted they’d be interested in my opinion. In fact, they’d have
stuck me on their huge suspects list.

“Aeron, you want to come over here?” Renee beckoned to me across
the cramped office space and I sighed.

What could I say? No, not really. No, I didn’t want to touch
pieces of jewelry that victims had left behind. I didn’t want visions of what
they’d been through. I didn’t want to go through all that pain.

What I wanted didn’t seem to matter no more and I couldn’t just
stand there staring up at the notice board.

“Comin’.”

Trying to navigate the tiny space in the heat made me feel
crankier than usual. I couldn’t quite fit in between the desks so I had to do a
kind of sideways shuffle. Not the coolest impression to make on two pretty
harassed-looking officers.

They welcomed me with tired smiles. I felt for them. They wore
that same exhausted, beaten expression my father once had. He was the police
chief back in Oppidum, my home town, and he’d had to investigate the killings
that everybody thought was me. These guys looked much the same, like they’d
aged years in the months they’d been on the case.

“They found this one last.” Renee held up an evidence bag with a
wedding ring in it. Back in Oppidum, she’d have looked concerned. She would
have been thinking that some poor lady had once worn it. Now, she just acted
like it was another number, another case.

I swallowed the bile gurgling up from below. I didn’t need to
touch it. “Blonde hair, black roots, Caucasian. Mid-twenties. Her name was
Lou-Ann.” I fought back the tingling sensation in my hands. “Strangled. The guy
had a scar on his right wrist. Some kind of mark from getting burned.”

The detectives exchanged a glance.

“Yeah, him. Take a look under his garage.” I turned away, my hands
starting to sting. It had been a month or so since we’d left St. Jude’s and
Renee had been working me at every opportunity.

I understood that she needed to block out all that had happened to
her there and before it. Only, if she didn’t let up, I was pretty sure I might
buckle. I’d had a headache for days. In fact, that morning I’d passed out in
the shower and nearly removed my brain cells on the taps.

My heart pounded, my hands poured with sweat and I knew I needed
to get out. I needed to be anywhere but in a police station living some poor
woman’s pain.

The detectives were mumbling questions my way but I didn’t hear
them. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I was drowning. I clattered
my way outside to the waiting CIG vehicle. Frei was in the driver’s seat, as
always, looking happy as a bear woken from a good sleep.

“You’re getting faster.”

“Need a cold drink,” I mumbled, clambering into the back and
slumping down into the seat.

Frei handed me a can of ice cold pop. We’d figured I needed sugar
after seeing stuff. “You look like crap.”

“I feel it.”

Her eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. “Then we’re done with
this.”

Not sure I’d heard her right, I cocked my head.

“You’ll be no good when you do have a job if you keep going like
this.” Her icy blue eyes met mine before she slid on her aviators.

“She won’t like it,” I managed between shuddering breaths. My
heart was doing weird fluttering things.

Renee stepped out of the station on cue and Frei shrugged. “She’s
not in charge.”

No, she wasn’t but Renee was still in charge of me. She was a
proper agent while I was just a nobody who bundled around reading people.

It felt like she was mad at me for it too.

“They’re bringing him in. They’re going to see if they can get a
warrant for the guy’s arrest.” Renee climbed into the front with Frei without
so much as a glance at me.

I’d noticed she’d begun to separate me from every part of her day
and it hurt. Maybe in logic, she was trying to find a way to do her job. I
closed the door to the back, telling myself that again and hoping it would
help.

Frei pulled us out onto the dusty highway. I could feel her
watching me behind her lenses somehow. She saw more than any of us did. She saw
an over-arching picture that none of us had a clue about. I couldn’t explain
why I felt that way but I was glad she had that burden, not me.

“Hopefully, they can stop him now,” Renee said, slipping on her
own sunglasses.

“They will if they listen to Lorelei. It’s up to them now.” Frei
glanced to the left before switching lanes.

I sipped my can, trying to hide my surprise at her praise.

“What do you mean?” Renee frowned. I felt her anger rumble off
her.

Here we go.

“Lilia wants us back at the base. Lorelei needs to rest.” If Frei
had noticed the frown dipping below the line of Renee’s glasses, she wasn’t
showing it.

I was glad somebody was taking notice though ’cause I was ready to
curl up and sleep where I was.

“But—”

“We’re heading back. Deal with it.” Frei’s tone was cutting and
Renee flinched.

“Lilia have a vision?” Renee asked, her shoulders sagging.

Nice to know that she cared for my welfare.

“No.” Frei sped up as we hit the open road. My stomach rolled with
it. “She doesn’t want Lorelei run into the ground.”

“She’s fine,” Renee muttered without so much
as a glance at me.

“You guys realize I’m back here, right?” Great way to make me feel
inconsequential.

Renee stared out at the scenery as if I hadn’t even spoken.

“Good to feel part of the team,” I snapped. My hands pulsed as I
did so. A wave of pain ripped up and down my arms. I gripped my chest. Tears
filled my eyes with the agony.

“What is it?” Frei asked. “You seeing something?”

“No,” I wheezed. I didn’t know what it was but it weren’t nothing
I’d experienced before. “In pain. Fine.”

“You don’t look fine.” Frei pulled the van over to the side of the
road. I dropped the can on the floor.

“Aeron, what’s wrong?” Renee turned to look at me.

The van spun before my eyes. I clung onto my head. I clattered to
the floor, thinking I was in trouble.

Big trouble.

Chapter 3

THE LONG, BLAND white of a hospital corridor looked like every one
Renee Black had ever been in. Why couldn’t they do something to make them look
less clinical. Why were all the chairs weird patterns and the windows
non-existent, and
where
was the doctor.

“Renee, sit.”

She turned to glare at Frei. As always she sat bolt upright,
shades on, looking like she didn’t feel a thing.

“She’s been in there for hours.”

“Ladies?”

Renee turned to see the doctor in green scrubs. “You have news, is
she okay?” She tried to calm the sudden breathless gasping that erupted.

“I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean you aren’t sure?” She put her hands on her hips.
What kind of doctor was this idiot?

“Renee, sit down and let the man speak.” Frei nodded up at him,
flashing her badge at the doctor. “Give us what you have.”

“Nothing.” He shook his head as if he was confused. “Technically
Miss Lorelei has suffered a heart attack.”

“Technically?” Renee slumped down and perched forward in her
chair.

“Yes, the symptoms she displayed were conclusive however . . .” He
rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “Her heart is perfectly healthy. We
checked the structure. We checked her ECG. Her toxicology screen was clear.” He
shrugged with a look of confusion rippling his brow. “She doesn’t even have a
temperature.”

Renee looked at Frei who slid off her aviators. “Is she
conscious?”

He nodded. “Tired. I would hazard a guess that she’s shaken up,
but there’s nothing wrong with her at all.” He frowned. “If I hadn’t seen it
myself, I wouldn’t understand it at all.”

“Can we take her with us?” Frei sounded no more worried than if
Aeron had gone on a day trip.

“Yes, you have medical staff . . . er . . . wherever you are?”

Frei nodded.

“Good. I will give you my notes. I would certainly recommend she
remain under observation at the very least.” He glanced down the corridor. “I
don’t have anything else to offer. I’m sorry.”

Renee heard his genuine regret and tried not to scoff. He would be
sorry until the next case rolled in for him to deal with.

“Thank you, doctor.” Frei was up on her feet and holding out her
hand. “Appreciate the help.”

What help? Renee turned to stare down the corridor, wondering
which room Aeron was in. Maybe it was her fault. She was pushing her too hard.
She was being inhospitable. She rubbed her hand over her face. It wasn’t
Aeron’s fault she couldn’t get her out of her head.

“Renee, quit being a pain in my ass.” Frei’s icy glare made her
skin prickle. “Cry it out, see a counselor, write a freaking romance novel for
all I care but get over it.”

“What?”

Frei gripped her arm and hauled her to her feet. “You’ve been
glowering since you woke up in St. Jude’s. So she touched you, she rescued you,
she healed your face. Big deal.” Her grip got tighter as she shoved her along
the corridor. “You fell in love with someone you can’t have. It’s not the poor
kid’s fault. Give it a break.”

Renee yanked her arm free. “A break? If you had a heart, maybe
you’d understand that you can’t just forget about it.”

Frei’s eyes narrowed. “What would you know about
my
heart?”
She stepped into Renee’s personal space. “You think I wanted to see your face
slashed open? You think it was easy for me to see you give up.”

“I did not—”

“You did. You quit on me, you quit on her.” Frei gripped hold of
her arm once more. “If you ever do it again, I’ll put a bullet in you myself.”

Renee managed to open the door before Frei barged her through it.
Frei didn’t get angry.
She was stoic, quiet. She didn’t have a temper.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whispered her way.

“No, the only person you were thinking about was yourself.” Frei
nodded to Aeron who stood staring out of the window. “You’re lucky she’s got a
good heart.”

Renee felt the familiar wish to run and cuddle Aeron. Her stomach
wriggling with nerves at the sight of her. Her heart ached that Aeron would
never understand why. “And you?”

Frei gave a curt nod to Aeron as she glanced their way. “You’re
the one who just told me I didn’t
have
a heart.” She strode over to
Aeron. “The doctor said we can take you back to base now.”

“He did?” Aeron sounded groggy, croaky. She sounded scared.

Renee shoved her hands in her pockets to keep her emotions in
check. Aeron didn’t need anyone touching her. It would be better when they got
her away from all the sensations.

“They won’t tell me what happened,” Aeron said.

Frei opened her mouth. “They—”

“Said it was a virus.” Renee shot a glare Frei’s way. She had been
out of line but Frei had all the tact of a bulldozer. “Couple of days and
you’ll feel better.”

Aeron turned to meet her eyes. Big brown soulful eyes that looked
so very lost and lonely. Renee pulled down her sleeve and held out her hand.
“Let’s get you somewhere nice and quiet, okay?”

Aeron nodded, looking every bit the twenty-something she was.

Frei pulled out a pair of latex gloves from her pocket. “Long
story but just in case you touch anything.” She shrugged at Aeron’s wide-eyed
look. “It’s a hospital. Helps if you don’t pass out every two seconds.”

Frei’s words sounded as cold as ever but Aeron held her gaze for a
moment. A gentle smile spread across her beautiful face. “Thanks. I don’t want
to repeat earlier.”

After she slid on the gloves, Renee took her hand, Frei adjusting
her stride to Aeron’s labored pace. Her father had suffered from heart problems
before Aeron had healed him. Maybe there was something genetic?

Renee would check with Lilia when they got back.

“Did they get the guy?” Aeron mumbled as they walked her down the
long busy corridor.

Renee nodded. “He had someone down there. They freed her. You
saved her life.”

Aeron smiled. Her tall, strong frame seemed to relax with the
information. “Good to know.”

They took her into the elevator and Frei pressed the button for
the roof. Aeron glanced at her and Renee felt her squeeze her hand. “You okay
there?”

“Why we going up?” Her voice wobbled like she was afraid.

“We’re flying you back.” Frei raised an eyebrow at her. “You have
issues with it?”

Aeron squeezed Renee’s hand again. “I ain’t ever been in an
aircraft before. I mean . . . will it take off?”

Renee and Frei exchanged a glance.

“What do you mean?” Renee asked, keeping her voice gentle, hoping
her tone would soothe her.

“Well, I mean . . . Look at me . . . is it gonna carry me?”

Renee couldn’t help herself, she wrapped an
arm around Aeron’s waist and squeezed. “Our ride is a lynx. It’s a rotary wing
aircraft.”

Aeron glanced at Frei and Renee smiled.

“It’s a utility helicopter. A tactical troop and stores carrier,
air-borne command and casualty evacuation.” She could feel Aeron’s fear turn to
curiosity so she kept going. “It takes two crew members and has an eight man
capacity. Maximum speed is 201 miles per hour and it’ll fly for 328 miles.”

“That don’t make much sense to me,” Aeron mumbled.

Renee turned her so she could look up into big brown eyes full of
confusion. “The maximum take-off weight is 11,750 pounds.” She nodded as Aeron
raised her eyebrows. “That means it can take a few of you and still be just
fine.”

Seeing Aeron’s doubt still lingering, she glanced at Frei and
shrugged. She tried to think of how she could make it sound more fun than
scary. “It’s been in service in the United Kingdom since 1977. The US Military
doesn’t use it but the CIG pilots favor it over the others in service.”

“We have pilots?” Aeron looked to Frei as if she wasn’t sure Renee
was telling her the truth.

“Three pilots.” Frei shot Renee a bored look as the elevator doors
opened to the blazing heat.

Renee led Aeron out toward the chopper, feeling her hesitation.
“It was the world’s first fully aerobatic helicopter and set the official
airspeed record for helicopters. It’s made by Augusta Westland. The seats will
dig in. They’re canvas strapped to metal. You’ll feel like you’re sitting in a
child’s chair. It’s noisy but I promise you that you’ll have the best pilot in
the United States.”

“We will?” Aeron stumbled along behind her as if her feet objected
to moving.

“Yup, been flying since it was legal and in the cockpit since they
could walk.”

Aeron glanced around the rooftop. Frei hopped up into the back and
held out her hand.

Aeron turned to look at Renee as she let go. “Aren’t you comin’?”

Renee smiled, jumping into the pilot’s seat. “Helps if I do,
yeah.”

Aeron’s grin made Renee’s stomach wriggle, again. “Why didn’t you
just say it was you in the first place?”

Renee nodded to the copilot and put on the headset as Frei helped
Aeron with hers. “I wasn’t sure how much confidence that would inspire.”

Aeron let out a breath that rattled the speaker as Renee ran
through her checks. Then she tensed as the telltale static crackled through her
headset. It happened whenever Aeron came into contact with electrical things.
She quite often blew things and shorted electrical circuits. Still, Aeron was
okay in the car . . . it would be the same in a helicopter, she hoped.

Renee held her breath, said a silent prayer, and started up the
engine. The lynx whirred into life and she smiled. Phew.

“You kiddin’ me?” Aeron’s warm tone rippled with excitement and
Renee scolded herself for ever taking anything out on her. She was lucky Aeron
had such a good heart. Frei was right.

“Thanks to you, Lorelei. Now Renee has her peripheral vision, we
have our
second
-best pilot back again.”

Renee shook her head at Frei’s taunt. It sounded like she’d
forgotten their spat already.

“Second best?” Aeron cocked her head, then groaned, scowling up at
the metal she’d bumped herself on. She looked comical sitting so low down, her
knees up to her chest. A lynx wasn’t made for comfort but Renee trusted them.
Her father had learned to fly them in Europe and had enlisted it in CIGs fleet.
It felt good to fly his baby.

“Don’t listen to her,” Renee said, easing them off the ground. She
wanted Aeron to have a smooth first ride. “Urs can’t help that she can only fly
fixed.”

In reality Frei could fly any aircraft. In fact, the speed she
drove her car made it feel like she was attempting fast jet maneuvers.

“She’s saying that because you’ll prefer my ride when we get to
the airport.” Frei’s tone held definite good-natured teasing in it now.

“I will?” Aeron sounded relaxed. That was good.

“I travel in style, Lorelei.”

Renee smiled as Frei started to give her own rundown on the light
aircraft that they would take to the base. The lynx would be flown up in stages
to join them. It felt good to fly again. She owed Aeron so much for that.

She sighed.

It seemed like a long, long list. Renee felt the need to balk at
that. She’d never let her feelings get the better of her before. Somehow, she
had to figure out how not to take that out on Aeron and still do her job.
Somewhere in her mind, a little voice chimed,
Good luck with that.