Despite Mom’s rule of not discussing work at the dinner table, Mitchell, Dad, and I can’t seem to talk about anything else. While Mitchell and I fill Dad in on what we discovered at the law office, she glares at each of us, but when that doesn’t work, she eats in silence, only talking to Max and Jezebel, who are both sitting beside her, begging for food.
“Twenty-two-year-old Sky Lucas was walking her dogs in the park.” Mitchell uses the side of his fork to cut his lasagna. “Well, not her dogs. She’s a dog walker, so the dogs belonged to other people.”
“We get it. Go on.” I wave my fork in the air, not concerned by tiny details that don’t mean anything to the case.
“The dogs were found wandering the park, their leashes just dragging on the ground behind them. No sign of Sky anywhere. Her boyfriend reported her missing when she didn’t come home or answer her phone four hours after leaving with the dogs.”
“Does she live with her boyfriend?” Dad asks.
Mitchell nods as he swallows a bite of lasagna.
“How did no one at the park see anything?” I ask. “I mean, I guess I can see how Carmen was taken, which was at the same park but early in the morning. Plus, we know the attacker was waiting in the bushes, concealed from view. But Sky was out during the day. There had to be young kids and stay-at-home moms and dads around.”
“It might mean Sky knew her attacker,” Mitchell offers before taking a sip of lemonade.
“Okay, but then how did he get her to abandon the dogs? That part still wouldn’t make sense.”
“They could have been tied up somewhere and got free when Sky didn’t return for them,” Dad says.
“The park has that fenced in area for dogs, though. Wouldn’t she put them in there?” I ask, and immediately dismiss my own idea. “She would have removed their leashes first, so the fact that the dogs still had their leashes when they were found means she didn’t do that.”
“So we’re back to her tying them up somewhere,” Dad says.
“Thomas, Piper clearly isn’t sensing that’s what happened,” Mom says, setting her empty glass of iced tea on the table with nothing left but the squished lemon wedge. “Try the game.”
I take a deep breath because we really don’t have any other options. Of course, not having ever held anything that belonged to Sky is going to make this game nearly impossible.
“Hang on,” Mitchell says, removing the napkin from his lap and placing it on the table beside his plate. He leaves the room and returns a few minutes later with Jezebel’s leash. “I know it’s not actually related to the case, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to try holding this while your dad questions you.”
“It’s a good idea. Thanks,” I say, taking the leash. Jezebel, thinking we’re going for a walk, comes to my side and sits down, her tail wagging back and forth on the floor. “Not now, sweet girl. Mommy needs to borrow your leash for something first. Lie down like a good girl, and I’ll walk you when I’m finished.”
She slides her front paws forward until she’s lying down. Then she places her head on my right foot.
Dad puts down his fork and meets my gaze. I have to have a clear mind before he can start asking me random questions I already know the answers to. Then he’ll throw in questions specific to the case in hopes that my mind will call forth an answer to those as well.
I nod to let him know I’m ready.
“Are you enjoying your mother’s lasagna?” he starts.
“Yes.”
“Are you hoping she does the dishes so you don’t have to?”
“Yes.”
“Will Jezebel be sleeping in bed with you tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Did Sky tie the dogs up somewhere at the park?”
“Yes.”
“Where did she tie them?”
“To the water fountain by the restrooms.”
“How did they get free?”
“A kid untied them when he got a drink of water.”
“Do you know who attacked Sky?”
“No.”
“Can you picture her in the restroom?”
“No.”
I open my eyes. “That’s all I’ve got. Sorry, Dad.”
“Don’t apologize, pumpkin. You did great.”
More like if this were a child’s competition, I’d get a participation award rather than a ribbon for first, second, or third place.
“Tying up the dogs so she could use the restroom definitely makes sense,” Mitchell says, thinking aloud.
Jezebel stands up and nudges the leash in my hand.
“I did promise, didn’t I?” I stand up, my gaze going to Mom. “Do you mind if I go take Jez for a walk? I’ll help you clean up when I get back.”
Mom waves her hand in the air. “Go. And take Mitchell with you. Your father and I can handle loading the dishwasher.”
“Thanks,” I say, putting the leash on Jezebel.
Mitchell grabs both our jackets from the hall closet and hands mine to me. “Can you believe it will be winter soon?”
“Don’t remind me. I hate the cold.” I put the jacket on and open the front door. It’s been a very mild fall, and I’m hoping the weather continues to cooperate throughout the winter, but with Thanksgiving fast approaching, I’m not sure how much longer this will last.
Jez leads the way down the street. This dog loves her walks, which reminds me I need to have Dad work his magic on Mr. Hall so I don’t have to hide Jezebel anymore.
“Your abilities are expanding,” Mitchell says.
“They are. I still can’t see the future, though. Not for anything significant, at least.”
“That’s okay. I’m kind of convinced seeing the future doesn’t mean you can prevent it from happening.” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his coat and looks down at the sidewalk.
“You might be right, and in that case, it must make that particular gift really tough to have.”
Mitchell’s head lowers. “I think she saw it as a punishment.”
That’s an awful way to think of it. As if Jez can sense Mitchell is upset, she falls into step with him and nudges his hand with her head. Who knows? Maybe dog’s can have extrasensory abilities, too. Mitchell scratches the top of her head.
“Do you ever think of getting a dog of your own?” I ask him. “You’re really great with Jez.”
“Nah. I’m never home. Besides, you let me walk Jez, and since we’re always together, it’s almost like...” He clears his throat. “Not that I’m implying...” He looks up at the sky. “Hey, full moon. Look at that.”
I laugh. “You rattle too easily. That doesn’t bode well for your line of work.”
“That’s why I have you. Nothing rattles you.”
“Yeah, right.” He’s seen me completely shaken up from visions I’ve had.
“Seriously. You and my mom are the strongest people I’ve ever met, and I think it’s because of your abilities.”
“Maybe, but you don’t need psychic abilities to be strong. You’ve proven that.” Now it’s my turn to look away. I don’t do the whole “share your feelings” thing well. “Any clue who took these women, Detective?”
“Uh-oh. Reverting to titles instead of first names. I thought I crossed that barrier with you back in October.”
“Yeah, well, you jump to a lot of conclusions.”
Jezebel stops to smell a tree, and Mitchell and I awkwardly stare anywhere but at each other.
“What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Mitchell asks, and I’m relieved to be discussing the case again.
“Dad attempts to find a connection between Sky and the other two women while you and I check out that restroom at the park to see if something happened to Sky while she was in there.”
Mitchell places his hand on his heart. “Piper, are you asking me on a date to a disgusting public restroom?” he says with mock sweetness.
“Nothing’s too good for you.”
Equipped with coffee, Mitchell and I show up at the park at 7:00 a.m. I’m hoping to check out the bathroom before the daily crowd of walkers and moms with toddlers shows up. We head straight for the public restrooms located in the center of the park. I spot the water fountain where the dogs were tied up. It’s metal, which means it’s an easy object to read, but I don’t want to have a vision of the dogs. I need to see Sky, which means I need to go inside the bathroom.
“Will you stand watch out here?” I ask Mitchell. I’d rather not have someone walk in on me while I’m in the middle of a vision.
“I think I should go inside with you. Who knows what you’ll see?” His worried expression does nothing to ease my nerves.
“You can’t come inside the women’s restroom. I’ll be fine.”
He cocks his head at me.
“If I’m not out in five minutes, you can come in. That’s my best offer.”
He nods but doesn’t look the least bit happy about the arrangement.
I push open the door and step into the restroom. It’s brick with gray marble tile flooring. And it looks like the place was recently cleaned. Hopefully not too well since I need to get a read off of something Sky touched. Since I don’t know which stall she used, and the prospect of reading a toilet is enough to make me want to vomit, I opt for the paper towel dispenser on the wall near the door.
“Here goes nothing,” I say, clearing my mind and closing my eyes as I raise my right hand to the dispenser.
Sky stares at her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she washes her hands. “Stupid Tamara. How is it fair that she landed a cushy office job right after graduation and I’m stuck picking up dog crap? She always has everything handed to her. That should have been me.”
She walks over to the paper towel dispenser. The stall door behind her opens as she dries her hands, and a moment later, something sharp is pressed against her back under the hem of her jacket.
“Don’t move. Don’t even speak. You’re going to walk out of here with me like nothing is wrong, or I’ll drive this knife right into your spine. Do you understand? Nod your head.”
Sky nods, her entire body gripped with fear and one thought: This would never happen to Tamara.