"It's okay, I thought I'd be walking home anyway." Adam reached up and loosened his tie.
Barret almost tripped as he forced himself not to watch. "Anyway, I found a couple of people who have seen our suspects around town." He told Adam about Lisa and the man at Chubby's, then told him what Mike had said. "Tomorrow, I'll go talk to Mike and Verna and see what happened at the hardware store. I'm just glad we have confirmation that they've been in the area. I mean, I didn't doubt your vision, but having peopleactually see them will help when this goes to court. I can always claim you're a confidential informant who saw the men in the lot that night, but other than that, I don't think I can use anything you've told us as evidence."
"That's the problem with what I do. No one believes it. I'm used to that. It's frustrating when I know someone has killed and the police can't use my information, but hopefully, something I gave you will lead to stuff you can use."
"I heard you had an interesting case earlier. Something about an expensive necklace?" Barret had only heard that one of the officers was called to escort someone to the bank but didn't have details.
"Shit, that had to be the craziest reading I've done. The woman thought the necklace was old and from France, but it ended up being one that Napoleon's wife wore. You should have seen the diamonds on this thing. To think she'd kept it in a box in her house for years and her grandmother before her had left it in a drawer in her dresser. She'll still have to have what I told her confirmed, and I'm not sure how she can prove it has ties to Napoleon's wife, but I told her what I saw. I about died of shock when I got a vision of Napoleon with this woman, then looked her up online and saw she was his wife."
"Damn, that makes me want to sit down with Becky and go through all Mom's jewelry again. Maybe bring it over for you to read." Barret grinned. "Have you read stuff that old before?"
"Oh, yeah. Several times. I had an Asian vase that was really old, and one guy had me read a coin that was ancient, but this is the first time I've seen an actual historical figure in one of my visions. I made her promise to call me once she learns more about the necklace and let me know what she finds out." Adam laughed. "Can you imagine having something like that just sitting in your house and never knowing? I don't think I have anything like that at my place. Everything I own is new."
"Same with my place. I have some of dad's old tools and fishing gear, but it's hardly valuable to anyone but me. The house I live in is older, but I haven't found anything in it that tells me the history of the place." Barret slowed as they approached his car. He hit the fob to unlock the doors.
"I can always come do a read on your home, if you'd like. Tell you about the people who lived there before you. Might not be anything interesting, but you never know," Adam offered as he got into the car.
"You can do that? Read a home?"
"Sure, I can read anything. Everything has a history. Even something new was boxed and shipped by someone. Everything has a memory to it. If I touch something enough, like the sheets on my bed, my pillow, I slowly stop getting visions of the person that made it or shipped it. It takes a few weeks before I can climb into bed after buying new sheets and not have visions rush me. It probably works that way with any item. Once I've seen the memories there are to an item a few times, they stop showing for me. I've really never tried it other than my bed and a few other personal items." Adam lifted a gloved hand. "It's gotten so I feel strange without the gloves on."
"Don't you miss touching people? I'd miss Becky's hugs, holding hands on a date, comforting someone who was hurting. Simple things I take for granted, but I'd miss if I couldn't do them." Barret started the car but had to wait for traffic to clear before he could pull out.
"Sure, I miss that stuff, but I've gotten used to not having it. I can still hold hands. I just do it with my gloves on. And I don't have a sister like you do. My family is gone. There isn't anyone to hug me like that." Adam smiled. "Don't feel sorry for me. I like being able to help people. If there's a few sacrifices I have to make to do it, so be it. Now tell me more about what you found out at the truck stop yesterday."
Barret let the subject change happen. He wasn't going to keep at it and make Adam uncomfortable. He quickly filled him in on how he hadn't found anything of interest at the truck stop. Then he went on to tell him about the plans to look into local businesses that might have inventory shipped every few months. "I'm looking for other ideas if you have them."
Adam shook his head. "I'll think about it, but I really don't know. Everything I order come through UPS usually. Maybe some of the ranches had hay delivered or sold cattle. It's really up in the air where these guys came from. I wish I'd seen more. I've debated on asking to read Trina's clothing, but I'm not sure I'll get more than I already have, and honestly, I'm not sure I can go through seeing that again."
"I wouldn't ask you to. Besides, her clothing is at the lab still. We're waiting for results on stains and other things found on them." He glanced over at Adam. "Are you doing okay? Not just mentally, but physically after doing that read on Trina? I know you were feeling a bit beat up."
Adam sighed. "Yeah, I'm okay. It doesn't take too long to recover physically. It's not like the blows are physical. Maybe more vibrational jolts of energy hitting my body. It's hard to explain. I feel bruised for a day, but then it fades. Mentally, well, I'm probably doing as well as you are. I'm not about to go off the deep end, but I'd love to be able to forget what I'd seen."
"Me too, and I only heard and read about it. I don't even want to think about seeing it. You're a stronger man than I am. You got a busy day tomorrow?"
"Nothing scheduled, but there's been an uptick in tourists lately. I'm hoping for a couple walk-ins. I've noticed Becky is busier at the bakery as well. I think we're going to have a good summer. I know people are tight on money, but it doesn't cost much to drive up here and see the falls and browse the stores before detouring off to Yellowstone," Adam told him.
"How long has it been since you've been to Yellowstone?" Barret asked.
"A few years. I try to go back every few years but always get busy. Being most people come to my shop to see me, I hate being away. Jacey can handle sales, but I'm the only one who can do a reading. Never fails that when I decide to take a day or two off, people show up looking for me. I tend to try and take more time off in the winter, but as beautiful as Yellowstone is in December, I get enough cold and snow here."
"Yeah, I'm not a fan of the cold either, but I love how this place looks when it's coated in snow. Nothing like looking out in my backyard and seeing the pines covered in white." Barret pulled up in front of Adam's apartment.
"Want to come in for a cup of coffee or some tea?" Adam asked.
Barret was tempted, but he was too tired to be social. "Another time? I'm beat after today. I just want a hot shower and my bed."
"Then another time." Adam opened the door and got out. He leaned down and looked at Barret. "Keep me updated if you learn anything, okay? I know I'm nobody, but I'm curious how the investigation is going."
"You're not nobody. You're probably more invested in this case than anyone else. I'll let you know when I learn more. Let's hope it's soon."
"Night." Adam closed the door.
Barret watched him run up the stairs on the side of his shop and disappear into his apartment. As he pulled away, he wondered if he should have gone in for that cup of coffee, because something told him sleep wasn't going to come easy tonight.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Adam walked into Whitestone Bakery and waited in line, knowing he shouldn't add more sugar to his diet, but unable to resist the urge of the sweet treat he enjoyed so much. If only the bakery wasn't directly across the street. Had it been farther down the block, he could have resisted.
