Page 67 of Psychic Obsession
"I'm not a precog, but yeah, let me take you to lunch.My treat."
She nodded."Okay."She grabbed Ava."Do we simply leave or go to the checkout?"
"Checkout.Do you have a lot you need to pick up?"He'd survive for a couple of days with what he'd managed to gather.
"Milk, and--" She took a deep breath."Ava only eats fish fingers."She looked away."Last month, she only ate chicken nuggets.I'm a horrible mother."She was blinking fast, and Frode was back to fearing a breakdown.They had never spoken like this.He might have greeted her on the street or waved at her from a distance, but he hadn't spoken to her for a long, long time, and they'd never been close.She was Hjalmar's friend.Someone Hjalmar had wished would be more than a friend.Plus, Frode was not a good shoulder to cry on.He didn't understand why she'd want to.He sucked at comforting people.
He walked toward the milk fridge and she followed.
"You're not.You have a neurodivergent kid."
She stared at him with wide eyes."You think?"
Fuck, had he said too much?"Eh...I believed it was what you were telling me.Late talker, avoiding eye contact, only eats a few foods.I'm no expert, and I'm not saying those things are the same for all neurodivergent, but--"
"I didn't mean to make you defend your thesis."She gave him a wobbly smile.
"I'm sorry if I was insensitive."
She shook her head."My parents only think she needs more rules.They say I'm too soft and give in too easily, but I can't watch my kid starve because she refuses to eat anything other than fish fingers."
And yet she'd moved here to have them help her raise Ava.He shrugged."At least it's fish.Rich in omega-3, right?"
She smiled and grabbed some milk.Frode looked around them.No killer, but he might be lingering on the other side of a shelf.He might be watching them.Did he know Frode was living next door to one of his victims?Did he know Frode had seen him through the rug?
A shiver took hold of him.They needed to get out of here.
"Frozen foods?"He headed toward the freezers before Ashley could reply.Urgency clawed at him, but he didn't know why.It wasn't as if the killer would do anything in here.He wouldn't roll out a rug between the freezers and slit Ashley's throat.
He stopped in the middle of the aisle."Have you bought any rugs since moving here?"
"Eh..."Ashley looked surprised."Yeah."
"Secondhand?"
"No.IKEA."
He blew out a breath."Do me a favor, don't buy any rugs until Hjalmar, Nesterova, or I tell you it's okay to do so, okay?"
A wary look took over her face."You're scaring me a little."
"I'm sorry.It's...I can't talk about it because it's an ongoing investigation, and I'm not a cop.I only consult for the police, so I'm not privy to all the details, but please don't buy any rugs, don't answer any ads about rugs."
She nodded and curled her arm tighter around Ava."Are we in danger?"
"I don't think so, but I'd like to get you out of here, and...Can we go to Overtime for lunch?"
Another nod."Sure, if it helps."
Frode ushered her toward the checkout once she'd stocked up on fish fingers.He stayed by her side until she'd strapped Ava into the car seat.He didn't know why he didn't want to let her out of his sight.She didn't fit the profile; she hadn't bought a rug, but she'd been in the same space as the killer.
She looked at him over the roof of her car."Right, see you at Overtime in a few."
He nodded."Yes."He more or less ran to his car and sent texts to both Nikolai and Hjalmar, telling them to meet him at Overtimenowif they were able to.He was aware the chance of catching them both free was slim, but he wanted them there.
* * * *
Nikolai's phone buzzed in his hand as he was jogging down the stairs of the precinct.He still hadn't gotten a report from Saylor and was about to go to bother him.Isaac had refused to come, saying Saylor was working as fast as he could, but Nikolai wasn't sure it was true.He respected the work Saylor did, but he also believed he disliked Nikolai being close to Frode.
