"It's okay, honey," Mike said. "I don't expect you to tell us that."
He walked over to hug her too, and then they sat down. I poured Tess a glass of lemonade and took the seat next to her.
"Are you okay? Really?"
She shrugged. Sighed. "I guess. This never gets any easier. And I really,reallydidn't want to see anything about Cletus McKee."
"We've talked about this before," I said gently. "You don't know for sure that all your visions will come true. Most of them are about things so far in the future you may never know."
"Yeah. But I saw you die," she reminded me. "That first death, before your friends resuscitated you. And there have been a few others."
"But until you know for sure, why carry that weight? Maybe your visions are a horrible preview of something thatmighthappen. I believe in free will, not a fated destiny."
She smiled at me, but her eyes were so tired. "So do I, as you know. We've talked about this. I can only hope you're right."
I winced. "Brace yourself. Ruby's car just came up the driveway."
Mike raised an eyebrow, but I just tapped my ears.
"Superior Tiger Hearing," Tess reminded her uncle.
He snorted, but then he stood and squared his shoulders. "Time to face the music."
Ruby rushed into the house and headed straight for Tess, who hugged her. I wasn't sure who was comforting whom, and I'm not sure they knew, either. Then Ruby and Mike headed for home. From the look in Ruby's eyes, her husband was going to get an earful.
"Michael Callahan," I heard before they closed their car doors, and I winced. It's never good when people use your full name.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Tess usually shared with me, because she knew anything she told me went into the vault, but I never pressed.
She nodded, busy with her phone. "Just texting Eleanor to be sure she still wants to work this afternoon. If not, we'll just stay closed. I'm not up for going back."
I sat on the couch next to the cat and pulled Tess down to curl up on my lap. She put her head on my shoulder, and we sat in silence for a while. I stroked her hair and waited for the tension in her shoulders to relax.
"I can't believe you went to Beau's on fish and chips day and didn't order any for me," I finally said, making her laugh a little.
The sound sent a jagged wave of relief through me. If she could laugh, she was okay.
"It was bad, Jack. He … Cletus. Somebody shot him. It was dark, and somebody shot him, and he died right in front of me." Her breath hitched again, and I held her close, saying nothing, until she calmed down again.
"Maybe it won't happen."
But she shook her head. "Pretty to think that, but I'm so afraid that my visions are always right. That no matter what path people take, somehow they end up in that particular spot, with that particular death."
"What spot? Did you see where he was?"
"It was too dark. I could barely see him, except there was a flash of light after he fell, as if someone opened a door, maybe? I don't know. But …"
I waited.
"He wasn't old, Jack. He looked the same as he does now." She jumped up to pace.
"People can look the same for lots of reasons. Maybe he dyes his hair later on or gets work done. Maybe it was too dark to really see. Maybe?—"
"No. I saw clearly when that light flashed. If this death happens—whenit happens—he won't be more than a decade older than he is right now."
"Tess, I've never asked this before, but …" I took a deep breath. She was so tired and heartsick. Should I really ask?
"Go ahead," she said wearily. "What is it?"
