inches away, I could see what it was clearly. I stuck my finger in it.
“There’s a hole in the ceiling,” I said.
Gabriel jumped up on the bed and examined the opening. “Definitely man-made, probably with a drill.”
“It would give whoever had the room above a clear view of the bed,” I said.
He nodded. “We’ll have to find out who was staying in that room.” He shook his head. “How did my dad miss this?”
“Did your father bother to lie in the bed and get the victim’s perspective?”
“No.”
“Then maybe I’m not just wasting your time,” I said bitterly.
He blushed. “I apologize. This is a good lead. Thank you.”
I lightly pushed him off the bed and returned to my previous horizontal position. “I’m not done yet. Will you move me into the position she was found in?”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
He leaned down and placed his hands on my shoulders. Immediately, a rush of warmth coursed through me. I was glad he couldn’t read minds because all I could think of was how devastatingly good-looking he was. And then of how twisted I was for thinking about that at a time like this, in a place like this. But I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t shut the thoughts off.
I looked up into his dark eyes, at his slightly parted lips, so close to mine.
Then he abruptly flipped me over like a pancake.
“Hey!” I snapped, my voice muffled by a faceful of bed.
“She was found on her stomach,” he said.
“You could have done that a little gentler.”
“Fine, no more hands. I’ll just instruct you. Turn your head to the right.”
I complied and took a deep breath.
“Put your left arm under your body.”
It was uncomfortable. She wouldn’t have lain like that forsleep. Maybe she was trying to push herself up and, after the shot, fell down onto her arm.
“Spread your legs apart more.”
Thank God he’d stopped using his hands.
“Put your right hand on the nightstand.”
“Near the phone?” I asked.
“Not that far. Not even completely on the top of the night-stand, more on the edge.”
I reached my fingers out and delicately placed them on the wood. Then I lightly closed my eyes and focused. The room was suddenly cloaked in darkness. But Gabriel hadn’t shut off the lights.
I was seeing the past.
Quiet darkness. Slow breathing. I’m tired. Satisfied, and tired. The night didn’t turn out so bad after all. A click of the doorknob turning. I smile slowly.
I lift my head up and say, “Back for more?”
I begin to push myself up on my elbows, then hear a loud pop! Sudden, overwhelming pain fills me, then nothing.
I abruptly opened my eyes. Between ragged breaths I said, “I saw it.”
“Saw what?” Gabriel asked.
“The murder.” I sat up, my hand on my heart, willing it to slow. “I saw it happen. She was lying on her stomach, almost asleep. She heard someone come in. She started to lift herself up and said, ‘Back for more?’ and then she was shot.”
“Who did it? Who shot her?”
I tried to remember any details from the vision. “There was a shadow to the left.”
“Yeah, that’s where the killer was standing when he shot her.” Gabriel prodded, “Go on.”
My fingers pressed on my temples. “It was completely dark in the room. I could only make out a shadow. It’s not clear.”
Gabriel groaned in frustration. “That’s very convenient, isn’t it?”
I rolled off the bed and faced him. “Think I’m a fraud if you want. What motive would I have to make this up?”
He counted off on his fingers. “Publicity for your family business. Money. Your own show on TV. Who knows?”
“What could I do to convince you I’m for real?”
He looked me dead in the eye. “Solve the case.”
NINE
MY SLEEP WAS PLAGUED WITH NIGHTMARES. I KEPT replaying Victoria’s death scene in my head over and over as I tossed and turned.
Back for more?
Back for more?
Back for more?
Here’s what I knew. Victoria Happel was dead. She was shot in the head after having
“There’s a hole in the ceiling,” I said.
Gabriel jumped up on the bed and examined the opening. “Definitely man-made, probably with a drill.”
“It would give whoever had the room above a clear view of the bed,” I said.
He nodded. “We’ll have to find out who was staying in that room.” He shook his head. “How did my dad miss this?”
“Did your father bother to lie in the bed and get the victim’s perspective?”
“No.”
“Then maybe I’m not just wasting your time,” I said bitterly.
He blushed. “I apologize. This is a good lead. Thank you.”
I lightly pushed him off the bed and returned to my previous horizontal position. “I’m not done yet. Will you move me into the position she was found in?”
He shrugged. “Sure.”
He leaned down and placed his hands on my shoulders. Immediately, a rush of warmth coursed through me. I was glad he couldn’t read minds because all I could think of was how devastatingly good-looking he was. And then of how twisted I was for thinking about that at a time like this, in a place like this. But I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t shut the thoughts off.
I looked up into his dark eyes, at his slightly parted lips, so close to mine.
Then he abruptly flipped me over like a pancake.
“Hey!” I snapped, my voice muffled by a faceful of bed.
“She was found on her stomach,” he said.
“You could have done that a little gentler.”
“Fine, no more hands. I’ll just instruct you. Turn your head to the right.”
I complied and took a deep breath.
“Put your left arm under your body.”
It was uncomfortable. She wouldn’t have lain like that forsleep. Maybe she was trying to push herself up and, after the shot, fell down onto her arm.
“Spread your legs apart more.”
Thank God he’d stopped using his hands.
“Put your right hand on the nightstand.”
“Near the phone?” I asked.
“Not that far. Not even completely on the top of the night-stand, more on the edge.”
I reached my fingers out and delicately placed them on the wood. Then I lightly closed my eyes and focused. The room was suddenly cloaked in darkness. But Gabriel hadn’t shut off the lights.
I was seeing the past.
Quiet darkness. Slow breathing. I’m tired. Satisfied, and tired. The night didn’t turn out so bad after all. A click of the doorknob turning. I smile slowly.
I lift my head up and say, “Back for more?”
I begin to push myself up on my elbows, then hear a loud pop! Sudden, overwhelming pain fills me, then nothing.
I abruptly opened my eyes. Between ragged breaths I said, “I saw it.”
“Saw what?” Gabriel asked.
“The murder.” I sat up, my hand on my heart, willing it to slow. “I saw it happen. She was lying on her stomach, almost asleep. She heard someone come in. She started to lift herself up and said, ‘Back for more?’ and then she was shot.”
“Who did it? Who shot her?”
I tried to remember any details from the vision. “There was a shadow to the left.”
“Yeah, that’s where the killer was standing when he shot her.” Gabriel prodded, “Go on.”
My fingers pressed on my temples. “It was completely dark in the room. I could only make out a shadow. It’s not clear.”
Gabriel groaned in frustration. “That’s very convenient, isn’t it?”
I rolled off the bed and faced him. “Think I’m a fraud if you want. What motive would I have to make this up?”
He counted off on his fingers. “Publicity for your family business. Money. Your own show on TV. Who knows?”
“What could I do to convince you I’m for real?”
He looked me dead in the eye. “Solve the case.”
NINE
MY SLEEP WAS PLAGUED WITH NIGHTMARES. I KEPT replaying Victoria’s death scene in my head over and over as I tossed and turned.
Back for more?
Back for more?
Back for more?
Here’s what I knew. Victoria Happel was dead. She was shot in the head after having
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