Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) - Pandora Pine Page 0,44

know,” Jude said in a low tone, “this isn’t my favorite thing to do either. I’m here because it’s part of the job.”

“Thanks, Jude.” Ten stiffened his spine and walked into the large dining room. The table seated twelve easily. It was dressed in an elaborate white lace cloth, which was bunched up at the opposite end of the table where he could see a McDonald’s bag and a bright red fry box.

Ten reached out to touch the lace. He jolted when he saw a vision of an old woman making it by hand. A little blonde cherub sat next to her watching her grandmother make magic with her hands and a crochet hook. “Family heirloom,” Ten announced.

“That explains why it was thrown back,” Ronan said standing up. “She didn’t want to stain the lace with hamburger grease or ketchup.” He pointed to the remains of the meal with a gloved hand.

Not wanting to but doing it anyway, Ten moved down the table to where Jennifer Blake lay dead on the floor. Thankfully, her brilliant green eyes were closed, Ten would have lost it if her eyes had been open and staring blankly at him. The woman looked just like she had yesterday at West Side Magick, with the exception of the hole in the center of her forehead. “Is this the only sign of trauma on the body?”

Ronan nodded. “There are no defensive wounds, no signs that the killer fought with Jennifer. I’m guessing her killer walked through the front door and shot her.”

Cisco was nodding along in agreement. “Is she here, Ten?”

“No. I haven’t sensed her spirit at all. The only thing I’ve gotten so far was a glimpse of Jennifer’s grandmother handmaking this tablecloth.” Ten knew what that meant. He needed to get closer to the body and touch her, to see if that would give him any more information.

Ronan shot him an are-you-okay look. Ten nodded in return. Now wasn’t the time or place to cry on his husband’s shoulder. He approached the body and knelt down beside her, away from the congealed pool of blood spread out from her head. With a shaking hand, he touched Jennifer’s shoulder and waited for the jolt. None came.

Ten’s eyes flew open in shock.

“What is it? What did you see?” Ronan’s blue eyes had gone wide with obvious anticipation.

“Nothing,” Ten said, surprised by the shock in his tone.

“This isn’t a time to play games, Ten,” Cisco half-growled.

“He isn’t.” Ronan knelt down across from Ten and reached a hand out to his husband. “Tell me about it.”

“When I touched her, I expected to be overwhelmed with memories or what happened to end her life, but there’s nothing. It’s like I’m touching stone.” Ten rolled back from the body and got shakily to his feet. He headed back toward the kitchen rather than stepping over the body to get to the front door.

“Wait, that’s it?” Cisco asked.

Ten took a shuddering breath. “Yes, Cisco. That’s it.” Without bothering to explain, Tennyson moved away from the body and the shocked police chief. There was more work to be done, but not in this house. Not with the body of an exuberant woman lying dead in a pool of her own blood.

19

Ronan

In all the time Ronan had worked with Tennyson on murder cases, cold or warm, he’d never seen Ten walk away from a crime scene like he’d done. Ronan wasn’t angry at his husband, merely confused. After assuring Cisco he’d get back to him, Ronan left the house to find Ten.

Ten was sitting in the backseat of Fitzgibbon’s SUV staring out the window at Salem Harbor. Ronan had been so deep in the case that he hadn’t noticed Jennifer’s driveway offered this spectacular view.

“You okay?” Ronan asked as he slid into the backseat next to Ten.

Ten turned to look at Ronan. “I’m not sure.” Confusion warred with sorrow in Ten’s eyes.

“Explain this to me.” Ronan’s voice was gentle.

Ten took a deep breath. “Do you want the long version or the short version?”

“Ordinarily, I’d say short.” Ronan snorted. “But this time, I want to hear the whole story.”

“When you retired, I thought we were done with cold cases, dead bodies, and police procedures. I loved the idea that you were home with Everly and picking up work at the Magick shop. These last eighteen months have truly been the best times of my life.”

“Mine too,” Ronan agreed. He didn’t want to interrupt the flow of Ten’s thoughts, but his husband needed to know how