Fatal Charm (24 page)

Dominic quickly explained to us what he’d found out. He’d followed the guy’s tracks to a tree where there were hoof prints and other signs of a horse being tethered. “I’m sure it was the guy who tried to attack you,” he told Jade. “There were more hoof prints and I found the trail he’d left when he rode away. I followed for about a mile, until it was obvious he was long gone. He must be miles from here by now.”

“Thank goodness!” I cried.

“But what if he comes back?” Jade asked nervously.

“He wouldn’t try anything that dumb. Still, I’ll keep watch.”

Jade nodded, looking relieved. But I felt a sick sense of dread and knew it wasn’t over. Since I was the only real witness, I had some hard decisions ahead. If I didn’t go to the police with the truth about that night, the murderer would go free and might kill again. But I’d be humiliated and embarrass my family if I reported a murder I witnessed while out of my body. No one would believe me.

After the campout I’d figure out what to do.

Simon’s piercing whistle split the air, and we all headed back to mentor duty. Only this time the ride took on a new, improved personality for me. Jade wasn’t my enemy anymore. It’s strange how seeing her smile at me lifted my spirits. I guess deep down my half-sister mattered to me all along. Maybe that’s why I’d spied on her, not out of anger, but because I wanted to know her.

She seemed to want to know me too.

At the next break, she excused herself from the group of guys hanging on her and came over to sit on a log next to me.

“That day we met wasn’t the first time I saw you,” she admitted. “I was at the Santa Clara County Fair and you were part of a fencing group. You wore this cool silver costume.”

“I remember that. It was nearly two years ago and I was so nervous. It was my first performance with Foils and I was afraid I’d fall or drop my saber.”

“But you didn’t. You were amazing! That’s when I decided to be just like you. I took fencing lessons, only I never really got the hang of it.”

“No award-winning competitions?” I teased.

“Okay, so I may have exaggerated a little. I’m more into gymnastics.”

We talked like this for a while, comparing likes and dislikes. There were still a lot of rough topics we avoided. It was easiest talking about Dad, especially when it came to his terrible lawyer jokes.

“What’s wrong with lawyer jokes?” Jade quipped.

I knew this one. “Lawyers don’t think they’re funny and—

“—nobody else thinks they’re jokes.” Jade finished.

We laughed, switching to some “how many lawyers does it take to screw in a light bulb” jokes. When Melina and Lindsay, who were eating granola bars near us, asked what was so funny about light bulbs, we laughed harder.

Simon’s whistle blasted and we hustled to help the kids back on their horses.

The next few hours were peaceful, with no warning visions of shadowy riders. Aside from some minor complaints from the kids, they were doing great—better than some of the mentors. Even Melina was more confident on a saddle and hadn’t squealed all day. With brief splashes of sunshine and crisp mountain air, it was hard to believe there was any danger. Tomorrow, I’d deal with issues like killers and breaking up with my boyfriend. But for now, on this beautiful Saturday afternoon, I was enjoying myself.

We made it to the lunch spot ahead of schedule.

Jade waved me over to her table, but Evan was glued to her side so I shook my head and sat with K.C. again. After we were done eating, Jade came over and hooked her arm through mine. “Come on, we have to talk private,” she whispered.

Once we were confident Melina and Lindsay were safe with other mentors, we found a trail that led down to a bubbling stream. It was a steep climb down, with large boulders to climb over and slippery ribbons of water trickling off the hillside into the stream. Once we reached the bottom, there was a large granite plateau reaching over the stream. It made a great place to stretch out and enjoy the sun.

“So what did you want to talk about?” I asked her.

“I’ve been thinking about your being psychic and having that séance and astral traveling.” She pushed red bangs from her eyes. “Can you teach me?”

“Being psychic is just something I am. I have no idea how to teach anyone else. Most of the time I can’t figure out my own abilities.”

“Could your grandmother teach me?”

“I don’t know … maybe. Why are you so interested?”

She glanced down, her feet dangling over the edge of the slab and a few inches over the rushing water. Then she looked back at me with moist eyes. “I want to see my dad once more—I guess he’s technically my stepdad—just so I know he’s okay.”

My heart ached for her, and I assured her that her stepfather was fine. But she wasn’t satisfied and kept after me to show her how to contact the other side. I told her I didn’t know to explain anything. But she was persistent. Finally I promised that after the ride, I’d talk to Velvet and arrange a séance for Jade. I thought that would satisfy her, but no—she wanted me to demonstrate astral traveling.

“It’s not like a circus trick. You’d only see me lying down like I was asleep.”

“Please, you can check in on Darlene’s murderer to make sure he’s far away,” she wheedled, clearly used to getting what she wanted. “I’d feel so much safer if I knew he wasn’t after me.”

“It won’t work in the daylight,” I argued.

“Can’t hurt to try.”

Exasperated, I threw up my hands and gave in. I doubted anything would happen anyway. I told her I needed complete silence while I meditated. She nodded eagerly, even finding a thick pine branch and sweeping off pebbles from the rock so I wouldn’t get poked in the back. I cleared my mind, took cleansing breaths, and called on my spirit guide for assistance. I didn’t see Opal, but I sensed her comforting support.

I lay back on the rock, closing my eyes. Then I shut away all thoughts and focused on leaving my body. It felt good to relax with the sound of bubbling water and sun warming my skin. I hadn’t slept well last night, so I was tired. Tension flowed away.

I was surprised to feel myself lifting. Through closed eyes I watched as I floated above myself. I looked down on a large granite rock and two girls far below. It was so surreal; I didn’t quite believe it was happening. But a part of my brain urged me to go on, to complete the task, so I surrendered myself to the light.

That same buzzing echoed in my head as I hurtled forward, colors and shapes flashing by at a speed beyond human sight. Only I didn’t get the same sense of traveling to a far distance as I had before. It was almost like I was circling in the same place, waving through treetops and zooming down into a dark fog. As I neared the darkness, the shapes clarified and I saw a man. He crept through prickly bushes like a cougar creeping up on his unknowing prey.

Gold flashed on his finger and there was a dark emptiness in his eyes.

The killer.

Only instead of riding away as Dominic told us, he must have circled back and spied on Jade and I. He followed us out of camp—and was now sneaking up on us.

Panic was like lightning jabbing my essence. I fluttered like a bird with damaged wings spinning out of control. My emotions were a cyclone, tossing me with fear. I couldn’t reach out to stop him. Like before, I was wretchedly helpless. And he was stealthily creeping closer, around the corner of the streambed, hidden by boulders. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sharp knife.

“Jade!” I tried to shout. “Run!”

That didn’t work, so I swept back toward my body, looking around desperately. What could I do? There had to be something. If I returned to my body, I might be able to run, but he was closer to Jade and she wouldn’t have a chance. Seconds ticked by and I couldn’t think of any way out.

Two girls against a murderer with a knife—not very good odds.

I hadn’t been able to save Darlene—what could I do now?

Pay attention
, a voice ordered in my head.

I looked back at Jade, who was bending over my “sleeping” body. She wasn’t paying any attention to the subtle footsteps behind her. I scanned the area for a weapon—anything! There were a few river rocks within reach and the branch Jade used to sweep the rock. There wasn’t a quick escape route either. We’d have to go back the way we came. I didn’t see an easy way across the rushing stream other than swimming through icy water or leaping high to grab a low-hanging branch that stretched across the water from an ancient oak on the other side.

The killer kept moving, slowly, holding the knife between his teeth as he pulled himself up a boulder several yards down from the plateau below Jade.

There was no more time. I made a quick decision—slamming back into my body just as the killer slipped the knife back in his hand and reached out—

“Move, Jade!” I shouted, and this time I had a voice.

Jumping up with such force that I pushed Jade out of the way, I grabbed the pine branch and flung it at him. He cried out. His knife fell from his fingers, clattering down rocks and splashing in the water.

He swore and lurched forward, but I was already grabbing one of the rocks I’d spotted earlier. I flung it at him. I missed, but when he ducked I scrambled out of his reach.

Jade had done as I’d hoped and jumped for the low-hanging oak branch in a springy gymnastic move, swinging up and mounting the heavy branch like a gymnastic bar. She scooted across the branch, then down the tree and took off running. She was out of the killer’s range—but I wasn’t.

“Who the hell are you?” he demanded, reaching down for his knife, which had only landed in shallow water.

I didn’t wait around to answer, scrambling to climb up the steep bank. My hands grabbed onto roots and I inched upward. But I wasn’t fast enough. He was closing in and I could feel the wind from his knife as he swiped at me.

So close! Too close!

I climbed faster, higher, but he was coming up behind me with his knife—

There was a sickening thud and a hoarse cry.

I looked down as the man crumpled to the ground, his head spilling blood.

Jade held a long stick as thick as a baseball bat; the tip dripped blood.

“Ohmygod … is he dead?” Jade’s face was ashen. She tossed aside the bat and met me halfway. She pointed to the unconscious man. “I know that face! I’ve seen him before—with Darlene.”

“You said you didn’t know him.”

“I didn’t get a good look that night, but now I remember. I don’t know his real name, just that she called him Prince Charming because he was the most romantic guy she … um … dated. He came to the house a few times and gave her candy, flowers, and wrote romantic poems. But she said he was kind of strange and overly possessive.”

“So he made sure no one could have her,” I said sadly.

As we clung to each other, shaking and crying, there were shouts and suddenly Dominic was there. He explained that he noticed we were gone and had been searching for us when he heard a cry.

Dominic checked the man’s vital signs and said he was alive, but there was no compassion in his tone.

Catching a dangerous attacker caused a lot of excitement at camp. We tried to shield the kids, but they knew something serious was happening when a ranger arrived. He ran a quick check on the attacker’s ID and told us his name was Mick Hatha and there was a warrant out for him; apparently he had a long record of violence against women. His injuries weren’t bad and he was starting to wake up when he was handcuffed and led away by the ranger. Jade and I had to go along, too, to give our statements.

We urged Simon to continue on with the ride and not spoil the kids’ fun. Although Josh, Dominic, and Evan wanted to come along with us, Jade and I insisted they stay for the kids. The ride must go on.

Josh followed us to the ranger’s pickup. “Are you sure you’ll be fine?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend more time together.”

“Me, too,” I said for completely different reasons.

He bent over to kiss me and I moved so it was only the faintest brush against my lips.

“Bye, Josh,” I said sadly. “Make sure the kids have the best trip ever.”

“I will. You and your cousin take it easy.”

“We will.” I paused, glancing over at Jade who was waiting for me in the pickup. “By the way, Jade isn’t my cousin. We’re sisters.”