meant, and I hardly think you look the Druid type, although I’ll certainly sell them to you if you insist.”
She cleared her throat and continued. “Forgive me for being blunt, but you do need my help. That’s apparent. So, what exactly is wrong? How can I be of service?”
Jake blinked. “I’m not sure I follow you.”
She studied him for a moment. “No, I don’t suppose you do. Look, there’s a quiet little bistro around the corner. Would you like to get a cup of coffee?”
Jake hesitated. He shouldn’t. He ’d dallied long enough, it was time to go home and do some serious thinking. As if reading his mind, she put her hand into his and shook it slightly. “My name is Cari Valentine and I own this place. I don’t wish to seem too mysterious but I’ve been waiting for you. Not you, exactly, but someone. I knew someone important would be coming to see me, and I knew this person would need my help. I think that person is you.”
Jake smiled in spite of himself. “Oh? So you’re implying that I’m important?”
She smiled sweetly. “That remains to be seen, but I’ve learned to trust my hunches. Now, if you’ll let go of my hand, I’ll grab my coat and we’ll be off. Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t keep you long. I know you’re in a hurry.”
With that, she walked off, leaving a bemused Jake to follow.
**
It was a special meeting, during the day, and Amy was skipping school. Jason was reluctant to take her but she pestered him until he relented. After the last meeting she could think of little else.
They were going solo, without Alex and Elise. Amy revelled in the luxury of being alone with Jason. He was so handsome, so cool. As if sensing her thoughts, he looked over at her and smiled. “Did you have any trouble getting out of your classes?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m only missing study period, then gym. I told Mr. Tait I wasn’t feeling well. Told him I was going home.”
“He bought that? Man, he never lets me off that easy.”
Amy chuckled. “I held my stomach and mumbled something about cramps, pretending to look uncomfortable. I think he was more embarrassed than me. Sometimes being female has its advantages.”
Jason snickered. “Yeah, I can see how Old Man Tait would be mortified by that. Did you know he used to be a professional football player?”
“No, I hadn’t heard that. He’s such an ox, built like a refrigerator.”
“ A refrigerator filled with beer. Man, what a gut. Scary.”
Amy laughed harder. “What’s worse is that haircut of his. Didn’t anyone ever tell him that style went out a hundred years ago ? What do you call it? A pompadour?”
They both dissolved into fits of hysteria, and were still laughing, tears streaming down their faces when Jason pulled the car over a few minutes later. Amy wiped her eyes and looked around with interest. Several upscale automobiles lined the oak trimmed street, a variety of BMW’s, Range Rovers and Mercedes. The houses were e qually impressive. Not houses, she corrected herself: mansions.
Jason got out fir st, then opened her door. He was so nice, such a gentleman. He unlocked the truck and passed her a black cloak. “Wait until we get inside before you put this on. It would freak the neighbors to see a hoard of hooded people walking up the front lawn.”
“Who lives here?”
Jason put his fingers to his lips. “Remember the cardinal rule: anonymity. It protects us all. Don’t ask questions.”
Amy bit her lip, dul y admonished. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. Who were all these people? What kind of jobs did they have? Why was this meeting being held during the day, at someone’s house?
Another couple arrived behind them, older and well dressed. By unspoken agreement they didn’t acknowledge each other, even as they entered the foyer together. They slipped on their cloaks, in unison, and Jason arranged Amy’s hood so it obscured her face. He put his fingers to his lips,
She cleared her throat and continued. “Forgive me for being blunt, but you do need my help. That’s apparent. So, what exactly is wrong? How can I be of service?”
Jake blinked. “I’m not sure I follow you.”
She studied him for a moment. “No, I don’t suppose you do. Look, there’s a quiet little bistro around the corner. Would you like to get a cup of coffee?”
Jake hesitated. He shouldn’t. He ’d dallied long enough, it was time to go home and do some serious thinking. As if reading his mind, she put her hand into his and shook it slightly. “My name is Cari Valentine and I own this place. I don’t wish to seem too mysterious but I’ve been waiting for you. Not you, exactly, but someone. I knew someone important would be coming to see me, and I knew this person would need my help. I think that person is you.”
Jake smiled in spite of himself. “Oh? So you’re implying that I’m important?”
She smiled sweetly. “That remains to be seen, but I’ve learned to trust my hunches. Now, if you’ll let go of my hand, I’ll grab my coat and we’ll be off. Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t keep you long. I know you’re in a hurry.”
With that, she walked off, leaving a bemused Jake to follow.
**
It was a special meeting, during the day, and Amy was skipping school. Jason was reluctant to take her but she pestered him until he relented. After the last meeting she could think of little else.
They were going solo, without Alex and Elise. Amy revelled in the luxury of being alone with Jason. He was so handsome, so cool. As if sensing her thoughts, he looked over at her and smiled. “Did you have any trouble getting out of your classes?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m only missing study period, then gym. I told Mr. Tait I wasn’t feeling well. Told him I was going home.”
“He bought that? Man, he never lets me off that easy.”
Amy chuckled. “I held my stomach and mumbled something about cramps, pretending to look uncomfortable. I think he was more embarrassed than me. Sometimes being female has its advantages.”
Jason snickered. “Yeah, I can see how Old Man Tait would be mortified by that. Did you know he used to be a professional football player?”
“No, I hadn’t heard that. He’s such an ox, built like a refrigerator.”
“ A refrigerator filled with beer. Man, what a gut. Scary.”
Amy laughed harder. “What’s worse is that haircut of his. Didn’t anyone ever tell him that style went out a hundred years ago ? What do you call it? A pompadour?”
They both dissolved into fits of hysteria, and were still laughing, tears streaming down their faces when Jason pulled the car over a few minutes later. Amy wiped her eyes and looked around with interest. Several upscale automobiles lined the oak trimmed street, a variety of BMW’s, Range Rovers and Mercedes. The houses were e qually impressive. Not houses, she corrected herself: mansions.
Jason got out fir st, then opened her door. He was so nice, such a gentleman. He unlocked the truck and passed her a black cloak. “Wait until we get inside before you put this on. It would freak the neighbors to see a hoard of hooded people walking up the front lawn.”
“Who lives here?”
Jason put his fingers to his lips. “Remember the cardinal rule: anonymity. It protects us all. Don’t ask questions.”
Amy bit her lip, dul y admonished. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. Who were all these people? What kind of jobs did they have? Why was this meeting being held during the day, at someone’s house?
Another couple arrived behind them, older and well dressed. By unspoken agreement they didn’t acknowledge each other, even as they entered the foyer together. They slipped on their cloaks, in unison, and Jason arranged Amy’s hood so it obscured her face. He put his fingers to his lips,
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