When the knob turned in his hand, he glanced back at her. “You’re right.”
The lights came on full as he opened the door. The dogs jumped, wagged, shivered. Since she didn’t consider pride an issue, Sonya took the stairs two at a time.
“I’m sorry. I panicked. But she can have the Gold Room and the basement. When the lights went out, I took someone’s hand, and it wasn’t Cleo’s because she was on the other side of me.
“I’m going up,” she added. “It wasn’t Cleo’s or either of yours. I took someone’s hand. I held it.”
Hers still shook when she reached the kitchen and got a glass of water.
“I panicked.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Owen said.
“What did it feel like?”
“A hand, Trey.”
“I mean, a man’s hand, a woman’s?”
“Oh. I…” She gulped more water, tried to think. “I honestly thought it was Cleo’s, but I was expecting Cleo’s.”
Closing her eyes she took herself back to the moment. “A woman’s, or girl’s. God, it was probably hers. Hester Dobbs.”
“I don’t think so.” Cleo stroked a hand down Sonya’s hair. “You didn’t say cold. The hand.”
“I didn’t notice.”
“You would have, I’m sure of it. The bell, Trey, it got icy.”
“True enough.”
“You said you reached for my hand, and took a hand. It got cold when the door slammed, and the lights went out, but not like the bell. I think it was one of the others. And she let you take her hand to reassure you.”
“Didn’t work that way. I screamed.”
“Again,” Owen said, “who wouldn’t?”
She sent him a wan smile. “Thanks for that.”
“Just fact. Let’s try it again,” he said to Trey.
“Oh. Do you have to?”
“Just give us a minute.” Trey bent down, kissed the top of Sonya’s head.
“I’m not going back down there, Cleo.”
“Why should you? Let them check it out. They’ll feel better. And I don’t think she can play that trick again so soon anyway.”
Sonya’s phone played the Eagles’ “Take It Easy.”
“Trying to.”
“It might have been Clover, or even Molly.” Cleo wandered as she spoke. “But someone who cared enough to let you take her hand. An opposing force. I know it scared you. It would’ve scared the hell right out of me, too. But I don’t think that was the intent.”
“You’re right. You’re right. When I brushed up against Dobbs, I got an ice burn. This wasn’t like that. At all.
“But I’m not going back down there.”
When the men returned, Trey sat beside her, took her hands. “Nothing down there now that shouldn’t be.”
“Good. I’m putting it on my never-go-there-again list.”
“Why don’t we do this? We’ll see what it takes to get those desks up here, and anything else you want, then we’ll call it. We’ll go out, grab some dinner.”
“Why don’t we do just that?”
* * *
Everything settled back to normal. Even Clover backed off her musical interludes as if she understood Sonya wanted the quiet. She worked through Monday morning without interruption until Cleo came to the doorway.
“Sorry, but I wanted to tell you I’m going to the store. Unless you want me to wait until you can go with me.”
“No, that’s silly, go ahead. I’m fine here,”
“I won’t be too long. Rock Hard’s tonight.”
“How could I forget? I checked with Bree. She said sexy club wear.”
“Is there any other kind? See you later.”
“I’ll walk out with you. It’s time for Yoda to have a round.”
The quiet and normal held, for the walk, back at work. This, she thought, was what she wanted. The big, beautiful house around her, the restless sea outside, the dog napping by the fire.
And her work.
She tried not to worry that if she didn’t get the Ryder job, she’d have an empty schedule very soon.
Something would come, she told herself. Do good work, and something would come.
When Yoda barked and ran down to greet Cleo, Sonya realized she’d worked another three hours. So much for Cleo’s won’t be long.
She shut down and found Cleo in the kitchen, putting away groceries.
“I love Poole’s Bay! I figured you’d text if you needed me, so once I got there, I just had to poke around. The little shops! All so cute.”