Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) - Pandora Pine Page 0,14
head back in the game. Would the Washingtons be demanding? Sad? Hopeless? Hopeful? There were so many unknowns.
“It’s going to be okay,” Ten whispered, taking Ronan’s hand as Kevin parked across the street from the Washingtons’ long-time home.
Kissing the back of Ten’s hand, Ronan nodded before unbuckling his seatbelt.
The four men climbed out of the SUV and headed across the street. They were all dressed professionally, in suits and loafers, and bundled up in winter jackets.
The house was a colonial, faced in smooth river stones. White electric candles burned in the windows. Ronan wondered if the candles were up for the holidays, or if they’d been burning in the windows since Skye’s death. A large wreath decorated with bright-red accents adorned the front door.
Kevin’s hand was steady as he rang the doorbell. He turned to make eye contact with everyone but didn’t issue any last-minute orders.
“Hello!” An older woman greeted them at the door. She was dressed in smart black slacks with a white blouse. Her bright smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Hello, Mrs. Washington. I’m Kevin Fitzgibbon, and these are my colleagues, Ronan O’Mara, Jude Byrne, and Tennyson Grimm.” Each of them raised their hands as Kevin said their names.
“Come in.” Mrs. Washington stood back from the door. “Follow me into the kitchen and please call me Muriel.”
The house was decorated for Christmas, with a large tree in the living room and garland wrapped around the banister of the stairs. As festive as the house looked, Ronan felt a chill. This was all for show.
“Would anyone like coffee or tea?” Muriel Washington gripped her hands tightly together.
“No, we’re all set, but thank you.” Fitzgibbon offered a smile before taking a seat at the large kitchen table.
A bright-pink sweatshirt sat over the back of one chair. Ronan had a feeling that was Skye’s. He avoided the chair and was happy to see the others did too.
“I’ll go get Butch. Please excuse me.” Without waiting for assent from her guests, Muriel left the kitchen.
“Am I the only one who feels like this house is going through the motions?” Ronan asked quietly.
The others nodded. Tennyson wore a worried look on his face. Ronan was about to ask him what was going through his mind when the Washingtons walked back into the kitchen.
“This is Butch,” Muriel said before introducing her husband to Ronan and his crew.
“We know you and Tennyson from your service to the community.” Butch was soft-spoken, but plugged in. “I have to admit we’re not the type of people who believe in psychics, but Tennyson’s reputation precedes him.”
Ronan felt his husband stiffen beside him. He knew what was coming next. Ten would have to open his gift and perform like a circus monkey to prove he had the powers others claimed.
“I can’t thank you enough for allowing us into your home, Muriel,” Tennyson said. “We spent the morning reading over the case file and familiarizing ourselves with what happened that awful night.” He shivered in the warm room. “What we’d like to hear from you and your husband is the more personal side of things. I want to get to know Skye through your eyes.”
Ronan was surprised by Tennyson’s direction. He assumed they would ask the Washingtons questions about the night of Skye’s disappearance, but Ten had changed the investigation by going with the personal touch.
Muriel smiled brightly. “Skye was the baby of the family. We had a son and a daughter, and assumed our family was complete, but then along came our little Skye.” Muriel’s eyes were glossy with unshed tears. “She was the peacemaker in the family. Neither her brother or sister could ever stay mad at her and she used that superpower to keep our family close.”
Butch nodded along. “She was a straight-A student, vice president of the student council, and ran track in the spring and cross country in the fall. Even though her events were all based on individual participation, Skye had this way of bringing the other kids together as a team.”
“She wanted to become a pediatrician.” Muriel shook her head as if she still couldn’t believe her daughter’s ambitious plan. “Her room is filled with pennants from Boston University. She was only a sophomore, but had her future mapped out.”
Ronan noticed Muriel talking about Skye’s room as if the teenager could walk into the house at any minute. He had no doubt the room looked the same way today as it had on the day of the crime.