Page 4 of In Her Path

Piper studied Jenna’s face, then acknowledged the implication. “That means he’s dead, doesn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so,” Jenna said. “But for some reason, he couldn’t tell me anything about it.”

“That’s unusual, isn’t it?”

“Well, the dead can usually talk, at least. Although they often talk in riddles that are hard to understand. And they’re often confused. They don’t really understand what happened to them. It doesn’t necessarily mean that their death was violent, but it might have been unexpected.”

“And it’s your job to figure that out,” Piper said.

“Lately it’s been our job,” Jenna said with a smile. “You and me together. And I suspect that it still will be, even if your voices have gone quiet for now. I’m pretty sure they’ll come back.”

Jenna’s cellphone buzzed. She saw that the call was from her Deputy. She could already guess what the call was about.

“This is Jenna,” she said, putting the call on speakerphone.

“Sheriff.” Jake’s voice came through, tight with controlled urgency. “You need to come down to City Hall. Now.”

Jenna straightened, alert to the tone she’d learned to recognize. “What’s happened?”

“Curtis Paige is dead.” A pause. “It doesn’t look natural.”

“When?” Jenna asked, professional focus clicking into place.

“Cleaning crew found him about twenty minutes ago. He was killed in the council chamber. Maria’s already there, along with Greg and Lewis. I’ve got the building secured, and I’ve called Dr. Stark.”

Jenna closed her eyes briefly. Curtis Paige, trying to speak, unable to form words.

That part had been unusual—being unable to speak at all. Now it sounded like the man in her dream had been trying to give her a warning. Or worse, make a final plea.

“Any obvious cause?” she asked, keeping her voice steady.

“I’m waiting for Dr. Stark to make an assessment.”

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Don’t let anyone touch anything, and keep the cleaning crew separate until I can talk to them.”

“Already on it.”

“Good. I’m on my way.”

She hung up, turning to find both her mother and Piper watching her with worried eyes.

Her mother stood as Jenna got up to leave reaching for her arm. “Jenna Marie, be careful. If someone killed a councilman—”

“I’ll be careful,” Jenna promised, squeezing her mother’s hand.

Piper had risen too, her earlier frustration replaced by alert concern. “Do you need me to come? I could—”

“I’ll call if I need anything,” Jenna said quickly. She couldn’t bring Piper to an active crime scene—not with her still recovering, not with her abilities in such flux. “For now, just stay here with Mom.”

Jenna moved through the house checking that her badge and gun were secure. Behind her, she could hear Piper’s footsteps, quick and determined.

“I should come with you,” Piper said, catching up in the hallway. “Maybe if I’m there, at the scene—“

“Piper, no.” Jenna turned, softening the refusal with a gentle touch on her sister’s arm. “Not this time.”

“But I could help. Even if I’m not hearing anything, I might pick up on something you’d miss. You know how it works.”

Jenna did know. In the months since Piper’s return, they’d discovered that their abilities complemented each other—Jenna’s dreams of the dead, Piper’s sensitivity to emotional imprints and impending danger. Together, they’d solved a case that would have remained a mystery without Piper’s insights. But an active crime scene, with a body barely cold—that was too much, especially with Piper still recovering from the trauma of her years away from home.