The Unseen. Heather Graham
well, and saw a man. He was the only person in their vicinity and he was dressed in costume, a big wide-brimmed hat, buckskins and boots. She assumed he had to be a member of the little group who’d just reenacted the scene between the men at the Alamo. He obviously knew Logan Raintree and wanted to speak to him, while Raintree looked as if he wanted the man to disappear.
What was his problem? Logan Raintree was being downright rude, and in her opinion, there was no excuse for that kind of behavior.
“Hello.” She smiled, hoping to compensate for her companion’s lack of courtesy.
She was startled when Raintree stood abruptly and even the costumed stranger took a step back.
“Who are you talking to?” Raintree asked suspiciously.
Kelsey stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. She stood, too, and said pointedly, “The gentleman you’re ignoring.” She turned back to look at the man in costume, but he was gone.
When she turned toward Logan Raintree again, his expression had hardened, and he seemed to have withdrawn from her.
“You saw a man?” he demanded.
“Of course I saw him,” she said. “He wanted to talk to you, and you acted like he was a martian or something.”
As she frowned at him, both of them standing near the chapel of the Alamo, she heard an intense whirring sound.
Birds.
Black birds…crows. Settling down, all around them.
“I’ll see you at the morgue tomorrow,” Logan Raintree said, and he began to walk away, his footsteps moving through the sudden sea of birds, scattering them in all directions.
Chapter Four
A murder could be easier to solve than the case of a missing person, Kelsey reflected. When a body was discovered, there was a chance to collect evidence and—usually—a trail to follow. When a person had simply disappeared, you had to assume someone must have seen something, but finding that someone was often next to impossible.
The files they’d been given contained all the known information about Vanessa Johnston, who was last seen purchasing gas at a station near the county line.
She’d spoken briefly with a young cashier when she had gone in to buy coffee, saying she was excited about going to San Antonio, and then she’d gotten back into her Honda and driven off. Neither she nor the car had been seen since.
Her cell phone records indicated that she’d made no calls. Nor had she used her charge card again.
“A car has to show up somewhere,” Kelsey murmured aloud to herself.
There was a tap on her door. She was in bed—having moved into Room 207—and she rose up, leaning against her pillow.
“Kelsey?” Sandy called.
“Come on in,” Kelsey said.
She hadn’t had a chance to speak with Sandy since she’d gotten back; the inn was now full, and there’d been a number of bartenders and waitresses in the busy downstairs area, along with the singer who was reprising old tunes with a piano player. The saloon had been bustling. She’d been glad, since she wasn’t ready to share anything about her day. Yet.
When she’d returned, however, Corey Simmons had been waiting for her, hoping to buy her a drink. She’d declined. Sandy had packed up his belongings, brought them to Kelsey’s room, then packed up Kelsey’s stuff. He wanted to thank her, he’d said rather sheepishly, for moving into Room 207.
“Hey, just wanted to make sure you’re okay in here,” Sandy told her, stepping inside. Sandy was wearing an apron, since she’d pitched in with the serving downstairs.
Kelsey smiled. “I’m fine, absolutely fine. Nothing’s going to happen to me in this room,” she assured Sandy.
Sandy let out a soft sigh. “Well, thank you. You were wonderful. I can hardly believe Corey decided to stay here.”
“Well, you know, if the inn’s filling up and someone else wants this room, I can always go to another hotel,” Kelsey told her.
“No! You’re staying right here. I’m not renting this room to macho men, cowboys or hunters. I’m keeping things calm. I have to make a living on this place!”
“Okay, then, not to worry. I’ll stay, and I’ll be just fine,” Kelsey said again.
“So, how did your day go? What’s up? What was the big meeting about?”
“Well…I’ve been asked to join the FBI,” Kelsey said.
“Really? Wow! I didn’t know the FBI went out and asked people to join it! Don’t they have an application process and training, and all that?”
“I imagine that’s the usual case.”
“Wow. You must be special!”
Kelsey shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know about that.”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“Why you? I mean, honestly, I think that’s amazing!” Sandy said.
“I am a United States Marshal,” Kelsey reminded her. “I have all the training that went along with that, and they’re both federal agencies.”
Even with Sandy, she didn’t want to talk about the reasons. And, in fact, those reasons hadn’t actually been discussed. Oddly enough, it hadn’t been necessary. They’d all understood.
“I don’t really know,” she lied.
Sandy came in and perched on the foot of her bed. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” she said evasively. “Sandy, forgive me, but I’m not at liberty to discuss any of this yet.”
“Oh, I’m sorry! Of course not. I’d just love it, though, if you moved to Texas. I mean, I know you love your home and all, but Texas is a great state.”
Kelsey made a point of casually closing the folder she’d been reading, then sat up straighter in bed. “I’ll make a decision by tomorrow.”
“And you can live right here!” Sandy said excitedly.
Kelsey laughed. “Don’t worry, the scuttlebutt about the room will die out. Or you can bring in one of those ghost expedition groups. Either way, you’ll get lots of business. But I’ll probably stay for a while. So, thank you.”
“This is great,” Sandy said happily, as if it was all settled. “I know Sean is off working now, but you have a cousin here. And you have me. It’ll be like home.”
“I’m sure it will.” Despite herself, Kelsey yawned.
Sandy stood quickly. “Okay, well, I’ll let you get some sleep. But I’m so thrilled you’re going to be here! Yay!” She walked to the door. “Good night.”
“Good night. Thanks, Sandy.”
When Sandy had gone, Kelsey got out of bed and went to the door. She hadn’t thought to lock it earlier; now she did.
She looked at the files again, but she really was tired. Facts, figures and faces were beginning to swim before her eyes. She left the bathroom light on, but turned off the others, set the files on the bedside table and slipped back into bed.
She should’ve realized she wasn’t going to sleep well that night… .
At first she felt as if she’d been disturbed by the sound of someone whispering. It was annoying, but not enough to completely wake her. Then she began to see it all again. The room changing, ever so slightly. The Oriental divider by the bathroom door.
She noticed