Fatal Strike (McClouds & Friends #10)(133)

He wished he could use his psi now. He’d pick Cindy up, waft her back to her car, and spin the Beetle in mid-air until it was pointed in the correct direction. Away from him.

But he did not do that scary, Greaves-style shit. “Hey, Cin,” he said, resigned.

She’d just freshened up her lipstick, and her blinding smile was an alarming, shiny candy-apple red. “Hey there, big guy.”

The flirtatious salute chilled him. She picked her way up the footpath, ankles wobbling. It was so Cindy, to wear spike-heeled dress boots into the mountains. “How’d you find me?” he asked.

“Connor knew where you were,” she said, scrambling up onto the leveled ground with some effort.

“And he told you?” Odd, that didn’t sound like Connor’s style.

Cindy rolled her eyes. “Are you kidding? That guy wouldn’t tell me what time it was if my life depended on it. I snooped in his office when I was babysitting Kevvie and Maddy. There’s a big accordian file on you.”

“Wow,” he said. “I’m touched.”

“Yeah, don’t bother trying to keep anything secret from those dudes. They are, like, scary. So anyhow. This is your new place?” She forced enthusiasm into her voice. “Sure is . . . remote.”

They stared out at the view for many long moments. “Two hours and forty minutes from downtown Seattle,” he said. “Not so remote.”

“Oh, well. I guess that’s cool. As a country place.”

“Nope,” he said. “Primary residence. No town place.”

Cindy hugged herself, shivering as she stared up at the fluttering snowflakes. “I thought you wanted a townhouse. In Capital Hill, or Queen Anne,” she said. “We’ve been talking about it for years.”

“Yeah, well. You always had this tendency to confuse what I wanted with what you wanted.”

Cindy gave him a soulful look. “I’m so sorry if I was selfish. But I’ve changed, Miles. Really.”

Snow gusted harder. Courtesy demanded that he invite her into the trailer for a hot beverage. Courtesy be damned. Being confined in such close quarters with Cindy was beyond what he could tolerate right now. “I appreciate the apology,” he said. “But I’ve changed, too. And you shouldn’t be here.”

She gave him that shimmering look that used to melt him, back in that other lifetime. “Miles. We’re good together. You’ve been my best friend since, like, forever.”

“I know. But you killed it, Cin,” he said quietly. “I’ve moved on. This snow is getting thicker, and it’ll be dark in a couple of hours. You should head back right now. There’s no place for you here.”

She sniffled. “It’s her, isn’t it? She’s the reason?”

He didn’t feel like responding to that, so he stayed silent.

“You’re so cold,” she whispered, forlornly. “When did you get so damned cold?”

When I was forcibly mutated into a freak with deadly psi abilities. It almost made him laugh. It would be impossible to share what he’d become with someone like Cindy. She’d probably think it was cool, even sexy. Yeah, just ask Greaves. Phenomenal psychic power was way cool, until you went nuts with it. Started killing the people you loved.

“Actions have consequences,” he said.

“I know,” she said. “I f*cked up. No forgiveness?”

“Of course I forgive you,” he said, more gently. “And now you should go.”

She sniffed again. “Fine. I get it.” She took a step, caught the heel of her boot on a mud rut, and stumbled.

He was there in a flash, catching her elbow. He helped her down over the rough part. Stepped back when they got to the straight stretch where her car was parked. That part, he’d let her go alone. Duty done.

He called out, on impulse, as she pulled her car door open. “Cin!”

She turned, wiping a rivulet of mascara tears from beneath her eyes. “What?” she demanded, her voice soggy.

“Get some help,” he said.

She stared at him. “Who do you think you are, preaching to me?”

“I’m not preaching. I just want you to be happy.”

“Happy?” She laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. “Get lost, Miles. You always were a condescending bastard.”

He thought about Lara. Her regal, unshakable dignity. The thought was a keen, sharp ache in his chest. “So stop letting yourself be condescended to, Cin,” he said. “By anyone.”

“Okay.” She gave him a tight smile. “I’ll start with you. Goodbye, and go f*ck yourself.”

“Goodbye,” he replied.

He watched her car vanish into the trees. A knot inside him was loosening. Wow. He hadn’t known that he cared that much.

And he really did genuinely wish her well. He wasn’t forcing it or faking it. He wished her happiness, fulfilment, peace. Dignity. That wasn’t too much to hope for an old friend, so he’d hope it.

From a safe distance.

That encounter had been stressful enough to warrant defrosting his ears and his fingers, so he headed into the trailer, which was not big enough for his six foot almost five inch frame. He had to hunch over like Quasimodo when he moved around the place. He turned on the space heater, put the water on, pulled out a teabag. Wondered, rather dispiritedly, if he’d better start thinking about putting fuel into his system. He’d take the time of a cup of tea to ponder his limited options.