Page 35 of Kane's Bounty
“There, there, you’re fine. I’m here.” After a few minutes, she said, “Maybe you’d better introduce me to your friends.”
Lena wiped her eyes. She took hold of Grandmother’s hand and smiled. “Rose Lanier, this is Kane and Joshua Lakeland. Kane…” She didn’t know how to finish the statement. What could she tell Grandmother about Kane?
Rose narrowed her pale-blue eyes at both men before studying Kane carefully. “Telepaths,” she said.
“Yes ma’am,” Kane said.
Joshua looked sharply at his brother, then asked Rose, “How did you know we were telepaths? Are you a dowser?”
She shook her head. “I just have a sense for some things. I’d guess you’re a bit more too.”
Joshua didn’t say anything.
Rose nodded as if to say he couldn’t fool her.
“We need to talk, Gran. Something has happened and I don’t know what it means.”
“What is it?”
They started walking back toward the house. Gran looped her arm through Lena’s and listened. The older woman was taller than her granddaughter. She was past seventy, but strong both physically and mentally. Not very much got past Rose Lanier.
“First of all,” Lena began, “Someone else besides me has triggered a vision.”
Rose stopped. “Oscar?” There was no mistaking the horror the idea caused her.
“No, not Oscar, thank god.”
“Who then?”
“Kane.”
She stopped again and turned to look at Kane. He appeared a little embarrassed. Her heart swelled a little more every time she looked at his sharp features and they softened.
Rose moved closer to the bounty hunter. She examined his face. “It’s very important. The stones never do anything without a good reason. If they responded to you, there must have been a need.”
He dug his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I was about to throw them in the sea. Could have been self-preservation.”
Rose circled him with her hands on her hips. “Maybe, but I’ll have to hear about the vision.”
“That’s the thing, Gran. There were two visions. Two visions that are opposing. The two cannot exist in the same universe. And I triggered the same two visions today when I asked for the future.”
“Impossible.” In spite of her claim, something in her tone indicated she knew more. “We had better go inside and hear the entire story.” She still didn’t take her eyes from Kane and he continued to look uncomfortable.
Then she turned and walked ahead of them to the house.
Kane leaned down and his breath brushed her ear. “Your grandmother lied just then when she said impossible.”
“I know.” She had never seen Grandmother lie before, and since the men were telepathic, she couldn’t imagine why the older woman would choose this moment to fib. There had to be more to it.
He took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. She looked up at him, then down at his big hand entwined with her delicate one. Joshua had already started after Grandmother and so they were relatively alone.
“Are you going to tell your grandmother about us?”
A knot started to form in her throat. “She probably already has an idea.”
“I’ve had a crazy thought.” He kicked the dirt and looked ahead to where his brother was holding the front door open for Rose. “Could those stones have maneuvered us to preserve themselves? Could all of this be a manipulation?” With his hand still clutching hers, he moved the two between them, first toward him, then toward her.
The idea her stones had that kind of power was both intriguing and terrifying. She’d never known of the Stones of Adeline to do anything but offer a glimpse of the future. “I don’t believe the stones are cognitive. I’d hate to think what is between us is not real.” The lump in her throat grew and tightened until the last word came out as a croak.
