Found(116)

“Maybe to send a message?” Nadiah said. “The first girl he took looked a lot like Lauren—maybe he’s still searching for her. Does the second girl look anything like her?”

“Not really.” Rast reached into his jacket and pulled out a small holo cube. He flipped the bottom switch and the smiling, life-sized head of a girl with pale creamy skin and long black hair sudden popped into view. “See?” he said. “She’s white and Lauren is African American.”

“I see.” Nadiah studied the holo closely for a moment. There was something about it that bothered her but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. And there was no denying that the second girl who had been taken looked nothing like Lauren.

“So…” Rast clicked off the cube and put it back in his pocket. “I need to see if I can find her.”

“I hope you do,” Nadiah said quietly.

Rast gave her a sharp look. “But you doubt it.”

“If she’s the one I saw in my dream then yes, I’m afraid so.” Nadiah sighed. “Well, I guess I should go and let you work.”

“I have to do everything I can to find her,” Rast said seriously. “Even if…you’re right. I still have to do my job.”

“Of course you do.” She nodded. “Thank you for taking time to talk to me.”

“Anytime,” Rast murmured. Nadiah started to get up but he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Nadiah, look at me.”

“What?” She searched his truegreen eyes with her own.

“I mean that. Anytime you have something to tell me, something you saw or you know or whatever—just call me,” Rast told her seriously. “Day or night, doesn’t matter.”

Nadiah’s heart jumped. “You mean it? You’ll listen to what I have to say now?”

Rast sighed. “Yes. From now on I’ll listen.” He looked down. “I’m sorry I treated you like you were crazy earlier. It’s just…it was hard to believe anyone could actually have a talent like your…”

“My gift,” she finished for him. “The Sight.”

“The Sight. Right.” He nodded. “Well, come on.” He rose and held out a hand to her.

Nadiah took it, feeling her heart start to pound as he drew her to her feet. “I’m sorry if I upset you, talking about your sister,” she said softly, looking up at him. “But I needed you to believe me.”

“I understand.” He nodded. “You know I haven’t talked about her to anyone for years.”

“Really? Not even your parents?”

He shook his head. “Especially not them. It’s a forbidden subject in their house.”

“But how sad,” Nadiah protested. “She was such a beautiful girl—so vibrant and full of life. Someone like that shouldn’t be forgotten.”

Rast’s eyes flashed. “I’ve never forgotten her I just…never had anyone I could talk to about her before.”

“You can talk to me about Jessie—if you want, I mean.” Looking down, Nadiah realized her hand was still loosely cupped in his.

Rast seemed to realize it at the same time because he dropped her hand abruptly and cleared his throat. “Well, I’d better go. Call me if you have any more information.”

“I will.” Nadiah nodded, feeling like an idiot. Of course he didn’t want to talk about his dead sister! To dig up such an old and painful memory. Why had she offered such a thing? “Uh, thanks for listening,” she said, feeling foolish.

“You didn’t give me much choice, did you?” Rast said dryly. He sighed. “Well…goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” Nadiah echoed.

Rast nodded and walked out of the HKR building with a swift, businesslike stride. She watched him go, wondering why she wished she was going with him. He’s just a human, she reminded herself. And a cranky, irritating one at that. But she couldn’t get his look out of her mind—the bright sheen of unshed tears in his green eyes when he’d talked about his sister. There was tenderness in Detective Rast—buried somewhere beneath the hard outer shell, she was sure of it. But who or what would ever be able to draw it out?

Nadiah shook her head. “Only the Goddess knows. But not me, that’s for sure,” she murmured to herself. Then she sighed. It was time to be getting back to the Mother ship before anyone found out she was missing. By the time she got back it would be almost time to go to bed.

She shivered at the thought of another night of unrelenting nightmares. Still, at least now she knew that if she saw anything, Adam Rast would listen to her and take her seriously. With a last look at the detective’s broad, retreating back, Nadiah headed back for the shuttle which would return her to the Mothership.