Protector: The Flawed Series Book Three Page 10

  There was John, his old high school teacher and mentor, but Logan didn’t know how much of his recent findings he wanted to share with anyone, even John. He was still trying to absorb the fact that his mother was dead and his father had an ability, and beyond that, the memory-loss condition that kept Logan from getting to know him.

  What was really bothering him was his lack of answers. He still hadn’t found out what was wrong with him. He scratched his head with the nails that needed trimming again and tried to remember the first trace of his slipping control.

  He was pretty sure his control had been in tact before the incident in Carlsbad Caverns last August. That day in the cave Jade had begged him to drop his barrier. That was when she’d first sensed his true feelings about her. He ran his fingers through his hair and realized it was on that trip that he’d first let his hair grow long.

  As his fingertips met a tangle and he tugged it out, a thought struck him. If the strength had come with the hair, maybe the emotions had, too. The lack of control had seemed to begin at about the same time. He couldn’t be sure but…

  There was one way to find out.

  He headed to the bathroom, filled with renewed purpose. He only vaguely considered what Jade might think of his unexpected haircut. It would grow back to this length in about a week if he didn’t maintain it. But if this solved his problem, maybe he’d keep it short instead.

  He pulled open the bathroom drawer and grabbed the electric shaver. His hand jarred, and the sharp tips of the cutting instrument blurred before his eyes.

  Logan stared at the tool for a minute, briefly considering. This was it.

  With the two-inch guard in place, he made a bold swipe across his head and watched the hair fall. There was no going back now.

  Soon he was left with a shock of thick fuzz that stood out on every side. Not his best look. He fiddled with the smaller attachments and tapered the hair around his neck and ears. This clean-cut hairstyle looked like it could belong to any average guy.

  He surveyed the look with a nod of approval. Returning to the living room, he waited expectantly to see if any new emotions surfaced. Nothing. He eased down into the recliner as if settling himself upon a bed of nails and held his breath. Still nothing.

  He shrugged and grab the stack of tests once again. They couldn’t be put off any longer.

  As he graded, all Logan felt was relief from his decision. He wouldn’t truly know if it had worked until he ran into something that would elicit a strong reaction. His super-human strength would be gone too, but what did he need that for, anyway?

  ~

  “This is amazing, Hugh!” In the studio, Kelsey stood watching him put the final touches on his latest piece. The gala was tomorrow, and she could feel the pressure from the event rising in the back of her mind like a wave gaining momentum.

  A light rap on the door drew her attention. Bill stuck his head inside. “Got a minute?”

  “Sure.” She glanced at Hugh. “Be right back.” In the hall, the door clicked shut behind her. Kelsey sent one last glance through the small window and saw Hugh still intent on his work.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” Bill said.

  “No problem. I’ve got a second.”

  “Okay. Well, I just wanted to let you know that I have all the forms for the kids doing the drama presentation except one.”

  “Who are you missing?”

  “Amy Foreman.”

  Kelsey thought for a moment. “Oh, wait. I have hers—her mother dropped it off with me when you were out to lunch. You can grab it from my desk.”

  “Great.” Bill glanced down at a clipboard in his hand and checked an item off it. “I’m still surprised Bercovitch agreed to let you bring the kids on stage during the event.”

  “What better way to show how important drama therapy is? Plus, all those adorable faces are bound to tug at the heartstrings of our wealthy guests. I just hope we can pull it off. I’m not used to corralling more than one kid at a time.”

  “With the nurses’ help, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

  Kelsey nodded. “Everything else set for tomorrow?”

  “Just have to get the programs printed.”

  “Perfect. Things are finally coming together. Tomorrow might be a little crazy, but I feel like we’re ready for this.”

  Bill glanced through the window at Hugh painting. “How’s he doing?”

  “Amazing,” Kelsey said.

  “Quite the focus.”

  “You’re telling me. I wish I had his certainty.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The way he paints. It’s so deliberate. He only uses three colors and the same brushes—like a lot of artists who favor certain tools. I get that, but he’s so…focused.” She shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. All I know is, I never quite know if one of my paintings is done until I’ve stepped back and eyed it from different angles. But when Hugh sets his brush down, he’s finished.”

  “Plus,” Bill said, “you got him to talk.”

  Kelsey couldn’t keep from smiling. “I know!”

  “Everyone in the office is insanely jealous of you—you know that, right?”

  She bit her lip, but the grin wouldn’t go away.

  “They’ve been trying to get him to speak for ten years, and you were the one who actually did it.”

  “It wasn’t all me. Maybe he needed ten years to warm up.”

  “Maybe, but I doubt it. I see the way his eyes light up when you enter a room. The others can see it too. You have a special touch, and it was just what he needed.”

  Her heart surged with warmth. “Well, it’s his success, not mine. I’ve been a catalyst at most. What’s important is that he’s finally coming out of his shell.”

  “If only all those rich people could see all that—Sprawling Plains would have funds coming out of the wazoo. Too bad Hugh can’t come on stage for the gala.”

  Kelsey shook her head. “I’d never do that to him. He’s made too much progress to risk losing it all. You know what he’s like around a handful of people. A crowd that size could paralyze him. Definitely not.”

  Bill sighed. “I know. I wasn’t suggesting it. I just meant…if…you know?”

  “Yeah. But think about it. This gala might be a big deal for the hospital, but whether or not we make our budget, what really matters are the kids like him. Over the last few weeks he’s begun to flourish, and I just keep thinking what all this could mean for him. Maybe one day he’ll outgrow the hospital’s care.”

  “Yeah? You think so?”

  “He’s almost an adult. If he keeps improving, imagine him living in an apartment somewhere, talking to his neighbors, making friends…”

  “But how would he do all that with his condition?”

  “I don’t know, but we could find ways to help him avoid sunlight. I wouldn’t mind delivering his groceries if that’s what it takes.”

  Bill shrugged. “If anyone can get him to that point, you can.”

  “I sure hope so.” Kelsey glanced back at the window. “I’d better get back to him.”

  “Well, I’m off to the print shop.”

  When she reentered the art studio, Hugh put his brush down.

  She took in his latest work. Like the others, it was rough, textural, and almost crude, but beautiful in its own way. Blunt swipes of paint layered one on another, creating a thick coating across the canvas. Out of a black box in the center reached a pale golden hand. The image seemed so poignant to her, so reflexive of Hugh’s experience.

  She turned to him and found his eyes on her. “I love it, Hugh.”

  “Bright.” He pointed to the hand reaching from the box.

  She nodded. All his pieces touched on this same theme of brightness versus darkness. In each case, the figure was the bright element and the darkness filled the background.

  She strode over to his other works, letting them sink into her. She stopped at the first one he’d done, the image of the glowing figure, legs spread
wide and arms outstretched.

  “I love them all, but this one is my favorite, I think.”

  A faint smile tugged at Hugh’s lip. It took her a moment to recognize the expression. Pride, she thought.

  The look vanished, and Hugh glanced upward at the high windows. His pale brows knit together. “Not bright.” He pointed at the ceiling above.

  The afternoon light in the room was fading fast, though Kelsey hadn’t noticed until he pointed it out. “You’re right, it’s getting dark in here. We should probably turn on the lights.” She walked to the wall and flicked the switch, then returned to the painting. Hugh’s gaze followed her the whole way.

  “Bright.” He pointed up to the fluorescent lights that slowly hummed to life.

  Kelsey smiled. “Much better, right?”

  He didn’t respond.

  She pointed at his artwork. “You’re sure you want to put this painting in the auction?” She frowned. “You sure you want to let it go? It’s not too late to change your mind. If this one’s too special, we don’t have to sell it.”

  Hugh stared at the painting for a moment, then pointed at the newest one of the hand reaching out of the black box. “That one.”

  “Oh. Okay, we can do that. We’ll just have to make sure they’re extra careful with it, since the paint is fresh.” She scanned the canvases. “Any others? You still want this one to go in the sale?” She pointed again at the first one.

  Hugh walked up to the easel and carefully lifted the canvas with both hands. “Don’t sell.”

  She nodded. “Okay. That’s—”

  He handed it to Kelsey. “Keep.”

  She frowned and cocked her head. “What?”

  “Kelsey keep.”

  ~

  “We should stop here,” Ethan said when they hit the outskirts of Denver, though his appetite grew more ravenous by the mile as they sped closer to their destination.

  “I can rest again?” Nicodemus asked.

  Ethan ignored the hopefulness in the man’s voice. “No. We need to make arrangements for the night.”

  “Can’t I just use my magic when we need it?”

  “Too risky. Your power has limits. We’ll find an apartment first, then I need to make one more stop before we head to Pueblo.”

  “What’s that?”

  “We’ll need to reserve a storage locker, preferably within walking distance from the apartment.”

  “Why?”

  “Let’s just say Kelsey will have to make it through a little conditioning. Eventually I might let her into my nest.” Ethan’s long-term vision for his union with Kelsey was a retreat somewhere in the mountains, remote enough that they would be completely isolated. Until he could use Nicodemus to acquire such a property, he’d have to settle for something a bit less comfortable. But that might be for the best. He could handle sharing an apartment with Nicodemus for a few more weeks if he had a private space of his own with Kelsey.

  “Conditioning, eh?” Nicodemus’s voice rang with what could have been appreciation. “How long’s that gonna take?”

  “Time will tell.” Ethan wasn’t quite sure how long it took to break someone’s will, but one thing he was positive about. No matter how long it took, he would enjoy every moment of it. And after tonight, he would have all the time in the world.

  When Kelsey woke up the morning of the gala, she didn’t hit snooze as usual. Instead, she crawled out of bed and hopped into the shower, humming an upbeat radio hit. Usually the overplayed song irritated her, but today it just made her…Happy.

  Her progress with Hugh still clung to her like a heady buzz, and if positive vibes said anything, the fundraiser would be a success.

  Kelsey had never seen the kind of affection in Hugh that he’d displayed over the past two days. She wasn’t sure how the therapists would analyze this case, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was Hugh, and he was thriving.

  She strode into the office ten minutes early and used her energy boost to knock out her entire inbox by five after eight.

  Bill rapped on her door a few minutes later, accompanied by the rich, calming smell of espresso.

  Kelsey closed her email and looked up. “Aww. You brought me coffee?”

  “I figured if you’d already had a cup then you could probably use a second.”

  “I’ve been too focused to even think of it.”

  “How could you forget coffee?”

  “No idea.” She took the cup from him.

  “It’s going to be a long day,” he said.

  “Long, but eventful.”

  “It’ll be great.”

  “I sure hope so,” she said. “Sprawling Plains needs every cent we can muster. Not to mention the kids.”

  “And you too, right?”

  Kelsey frowned. “How did you hear that?”

  Bill shuffled his feet. “Misty told me about the cutbacks.”

  “That’s a topic for another day. I gotta keep positive today.”

  “So, what’s on our agenda?”

  Kelsey checked her clock. It was a quarter after. “We’re supposed to meet with Regina to discuss final preparations.”

  “Right.”

  “Have you seen her?”

  Bill frowned. “No, actually. Her office was dark when I passed just now—like she’s not in yet.”

  “That’s odd. It’s not like her to be late, especially with a big day like today. Oh well. We have plenty to do. First, did you get the programs in?”

  “Yeah, they look great.”

  “Have you proofed them yet?” Kelsey asked.

  “No. I can do that now.”

  Kelsey nodded and started to speak when her intercom buzzed.

  “Line three,” Misty said. “It’s Regina.”

  Bill’s eyes widened. “Uh oh. Can’t be a good sign, can it?”

  Kelsey picked up her phone. “Hey, Regina, how’s it—”

  Over the line Regina’s voice sounded brittle and thin. “I’m not going to make it in today. I’m so sorry.”

  “What happened?”

  Regina choked back a sob. “It’s my mother-in-law. She went missing last night—must’ve wandered out of the house while I was at work. When I got home she was gone, and none of the neighbors had seen her.”

  “Oh, no!” Kelsey said.

  “We were out all night looking for her—my husband, my brother-in-law, and me. Some stranger found her and brought her in to the hospital this morning, and she was able to tell them her name, so they called us immediately. We’re over here now.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “She was hurt when they found her—bruises all down her side and cuts on her face and hands. They don’t know what happened because she can’t remember anything.”

  “That’s terrible!”

  “She’s shaken up, too—she’s was frantic when we arrived, but the men are calming her down. I know this is horrible timing, but there’s no way I’ll be able to help with the gala. I just talked to Mr. Bercovitch, and he said you’d be the new point person. Anyway, I thought I should tell you personally.”

  “It’s okay, Regina. Take care of your family.”

  “You sure you’ll be all right?”

  “We got this.”

  When Kelsey hung up the phone, Bill’s face had gone pale. He pushed up his glasses with a knuckle. “What is it?”

  “Regina won’t be able to help with the gala. Her mother-in-law went missing—she has Alzheimer’s. They found her, but she’s hurt and in the hospital. I’m stepping into her role for the event.”

  “Oh no,” Bill said. “I mean, you’ll be great, but now we have to figure out what all Regina had left to do.”

  Kelsey tried to hide the worry in her voice. “It’s okay. We’ll check her office for her notes. We can do this.”

  Bill swallowed. “I hope so.”

  “It’s all planned,” Kelsey said. “All we have left are the finishing touches. I have to start meeting families around nine, so I’ll take
a quick peek at Regina’s list and see what all we need to do.”

  “Page me if you need help.”

  “Oh, I will,” Kelsey said.

  Her intercom buzzed again.

  “Yes?” she said.

  The receptionist’s voice came through her speaker. “Mr. Bercovitch wants to talk to you. I think it’s about the gala.”

  Kelsey sighed and met Bill’s worried gaze. “I’ve no doubt it is. No pressure.” She took a deep breath and answered the call.

  ~

  The last twenty-four hours had been torture for Ethan, stuck in a small vehicle with Nicodemus. But all those hours of fighting for the radio and enduring his jerky acceleration foot and getting only short bursts of sleep had finally paid off.

  Ethan had finally made it to Sprawling Plains Mental Health Center.

  He sat in the lobby and waited for Nicodemus to return, inwardly cursing the visual impairment that kept him rooted to the chair, relying on Nicodemus’s report. He should be the one scoping out the place, searching for Kelsey. Unfortunately, his eyes did him little good in the blinding whiteness that encased his vision. The subtle hum of the fluorescent lights sent minuscule vibrations through his body, as if mocking his shortcoming.

  Ethan normally had no qualms with his lack of sight—his ability more than compensated, and he often used his genuine blindness to his advantage. But during this operation, letting people know he was blind would make him stand out unnecessarily. Kelsey knew he was blind, and he wanted to take her by surprise.

  He re-crossed his legs and adjusted the magazine he held as a prop. He scratched his beard that had grown full since his encounter with the girl back in Carlsbad. It helped with the panhandling. Today it aided his disguise.

  They’d picked up a few things at a costume shop earlier, and he’d made his hair and beard a salt-and-peppery gray. From a thrift store he’d purchased a well-worn, brown fedora that smelled like moth balls. It made him cough and gag, but that only improved the disguise. He’d also found a gray blazer and twill slacks. The final touch was donning a pair of large glasses that gave him the appearance of low vision rather than blindness. In this getup he easily passed for an elderly man, decades older than he actually was.