Chapter 9

• Felicity watched the man behind the steering wheel. “Thanks for the ride home.”
• Brent smiled over at her. “No problem.” He glanced back to the street. “Do you need to go anywhere else?”
• She pressed her lips together for a moment and thought. “Actually, if it’s not a problem, could we stop at the grocery store for a moment?” It still felt strange saying it out loud. “I’m always afraid to take a cab. With the visions back again, I’m afraid I’ll phase out on some poor cab driver.”
• He found it odd that she thought of the driver before herself. “No problem.” Turning his head, he grinned at her. “If you phase out on me, I’ll just sit here and talk to myself until you’re back.”
• She laughed. “Okay, but if it happens inside the store, just put me in a cart and get me out of there.”
• Brent frowned. “Does it happen often when you’re out somewhere?”
• “Not too often, then again I don’t go out in public much.” She shrugged. “Most people will just accept I’m not feeling well as the reason.”
• He glanced at her. “And those that don’t?”
• She shrugged. “I don’t usually hang around afterward to ask their thoughts.”
• Brent turned into the parking lot. “So, you don’t mind if I come in then?”
• Felicity smirked. “No, actually it will be nice to know if it happens, someone there will know what’s happening.”
• Parking the car, he took his time turning it off. He wasn’t sure he knew what was happening. It hadn’t been that long since he’d realized what Jac could do and now to be discussing visions like they were an everyday thing. That’s what you get for wishing for something different to happen.
• “Detective Jordan?”
• He turned to see the curious look from the petite woman beside him. “Sorry, I’m still digesting all of this.”
• “I understand.” She turned to get out of the car, waiting until he was out on the other side. “So, how long have you known about Jacinda?”
• Locking the car, he stuffed the keys in his back pocket. “A few weeks.”
• She laughed. “No wonder you’re still digesting.” She smirked at him as they walked towards the entrance. “I guess we’ve taken your stable little reality and shook it up a bit.”
• “It needed some shaking.” Brent followed her as she wandered slowly in the produce section.
• She glanced up from the vegetables. “Jacinda helped with a case recently?”
• He blew out a breath. “Yeah.”
• Setting the lettuce in the cart she asked quietly. “What does the department think of this?”
• He smirked. “They think she’s a brilliant researcher.”
• Pausing with the peppers in her hand, Felicity gave him a wide-eyed look. “They don’t know?”
• Brent shook his head. “Nope. Just Reid and I know.” He shrugged. “It’s easier that way.”
• She stood there studying him. Had she really been lucky enough to stumble on a few people that not only believed her but wouldn’t expose her?
• “Are you – okay?”
• “Yes, just deep in thought.” She pushed the cart a few more feet and then paused. “I’m not used to anyone knowing.”
• “I know.” Brent watched her for a moment like he was trying to understand where her mind was. “We won’t tell anyone if you’re worried …”
• Dropping the oranges into the cart she interrupted him. “I’m not worried about that.” Quickly she headed in the direction of the dairy section. He followed along behind her. She looked up at him as she pulled the cooler door open. “So, tomorrow when this Ricky comes to do the sketches, do I have to tell him anything?”
• Brent shook his head quickly. “No. Ricky does a lot of work for Reid, never asks questions.”
• She frowned. “Why?”
• His mouth quirked. “I never asked.”
• Laughing she turned the cart down the next aisle.
• Brent watched her put several more items in the cart. “I’m going to make a guess, you’re a vegetarian?”
• “Wow, you are a good detective.”
• He grinned and stood up to his full height jokingly. “I try.” Following her to the cash, trying to ignore the few men they’d passed leering at her as she breezed right by them. “So how do you support your vegetable habit?” He asked as he helped her put things on the counter. She didn’t strike him as the type of person to live off wealthy parents. “I’m assuming you don’t have any contact with your family …” He didn’t know how to word it, so he stopped.
• Placing the last item on the counter, she gave him a hard look. “You assume correctly.” Then she smirked. “If I tell you what I do to support my food habit, I might have to kill you.”
• Brent’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?” He leaned down close to her. “I have my ways of finding out things.”
• Felicity laughed quietly. “I don’t doubt it.” She looked up at him for a moment. “You’ll be the first person I’ve ever told.”
• He was silent for a few seconds. “You can trust me.”
• “I think I can.” Studying him for a moment, then she glanced at the items the cashier was ringing through. “I’ll be right back.”
• Brent watched her go over to the magazines. She bent down and pulled a small book off the bottom of the rack. Coming back over, she stopped right in front of him and held out the book.
• He took it with a doubtful look, smirking she started putting the bags in the cart.
• Looking back down at the book in hand. A children’s story? What did this have to do with anything? He eyed her for a second, and then looked back at it. A rabbit and a squirrel, vaguely familiar, must have read it to one of his nieces recently. Looking at Felicity again, he gave her a puzzled look.
• Felicity laughed as she paid the cashier. The lost expression on his face was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. Leaning towards him, she tapped the author’s name on the book he held. When he looked up at her again, she pointed to her own chest. His eyes widened. Turning, she accepted the change from the clerk.
• Brent looked at the book again and then tossed it on the counter. As he paid for it, he watched her pushing the cart to the entrance.
• Walking quickly, he caught up to her. Opening the trunk of the car, he helped her put the bags in. She was still smirking.
• Getting in the car, Brent turned to her and held the book up. “You’re B. Woods?” She nodded but offered no comment. He looked at the book, again before setting it in the backseat. “That answers my next question.” She lifted her eyebrows at him. He shrugged. “I’ve been trying to figure out how you moved around the country, without your parent’s help or working in the public.”
• “That would be how.” She said quite lazily.
• “Huh.” He knew it wasn’t a very intelligent comment, but his brain was on overload from everything he’d been forcing it to take lately. He started the car. “Do you need to stop anywhere else?”
• Felicity smiled. “No, that was it.”
• Brent nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll get you home then.” He drove in silence for the next few blocks. He kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She’d been quiet since they left the store. “Do you want a ride to Jac’s office in the morning?” He shrugged. “So you don’t phase out on some poor cab driver?”
• Felicity chuckled. “That would be great, thanks.” She turned back and looked out the window. For the first time, she was not looking forward to the aloneness and safety of her little house. Today had been event-filled, and in a good way for a change. She turned to study the man driving in the dusk light. He had certainly accepted everything better than anyone she’d ever met. She smirked. Okay, the four people today that had believed her were the only people that had accepted everything.
• Brent pulled the car into her small driveway. He noted she had no car. Then gave himself a mental smack, of course, she didn’t have a car, how would she know when she could drive safely without phasing out or not? He turned the car off and reached for the door handle. “I’ll give you a hand.” Without waiting for a response, he climbed out of the car.
• Felicity walked around to the back of the car. “Don’t want me to toss the bags of food around?”
• He grinned at her reminder of their first meeting. “We can’t have you eating dented vegetables.”
• She chuckled as she opened the door, quickly setting the bags on the counter. Turning, she jumped when he was right behind her. “Oh, thanks.”
• Brent smirked. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
• “I’m not used to having anyone here, or really near me in any way I suppose.”
• He watched her, studying how quickly she was putting things away. “I’ll get out of the way.” She straightened and looked around at him quickly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
• Felicity leaned back against the counter. “Yes and thank you again, Detective.”
• Brent paused with his hand on the door handle. “Brent.” Opening the door, he left quickly.
• As he drove home, Brent thought about nothing but Felicity Dante. She hadn’t been anything like he’d expected. He shook his head. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but she definitely wasn’t even close