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“I don’t know about that. I’ve seen the venue and, admittedly, it’s not as grand as the manor, sir, but it’s still a beautiful idea. I would have loved to see it finished. It’s too bad it won’t be now that it’s in the hands of only Jason.”
Dominic paused and looked at her expression. “Is that so?”
“As I understand it, it would have been a celebration of the city and its history, the people, and the culture which stays strong to this day. A place I could see myself frequenting often. The man who died was the man behind the idea.”
“Hm, a shame then. It was pitched much differently to me.” He shook his head and continued, “Besides, the amount he was asking for, I wouldn’t kill someone over. Again, risk and reward.”
“You’re not a gambler.”
“I’m a businessman. I take risks when I must, but not when they’re unneeded.”
“A safe and profitable way to think of it.”
“Not as safe as you would think.” He chuckled and looked at his cigar like he desperately wanted to light it. He took his eyes off of it to refocus on Anastacia. “How much do you know of my past dealings with Knight?”
“Not much of anything, I’m afraid. I can tell you two have a past. It’s just hard to figure out what exactly that past was— or currently is.”
“We have an agreement of sorts. Have had it for a bit of a time now. He never keeps the focus on me during his investigations and I feed him information.”
“You’re an informant.”
“Be careful with that word. It’s not a friendly term in some circles I deal in. Think of me like an information broker for places he can’t reach as an officer of the law.”
“And you’re lost among the shuffle in his cases?”
“I’ve done things, as I’m sure you can imagine, but nothing I’m not ready to step up to. It costs my lawyer’s time and me money when I’m blamed and innocent. Knight ensures we skip the messy step of interrogations and court appearances by keeping me out of it. He wants information, I provide it.” He dragged the cigar under his nose for a long whiff of the tobacco. “I’m a charitable soul like that.”
“I see.”
“As you could probably surmise, it surprised me when Knight came to me with you in tow and accused one of my boys of murder. Connecting me to a murder, in which I have no stake. Something tells me I may lose my tentative partnership with the detective. That I’m being made into a scapegoat for something I didn’t do. You followin’, baby?”
“I’m following well, Dominic. You think someone in the station is trying to pin something on you and the deal with Knight may break up. You needmeto help getyouout of the spotlight.”
“Oh, I’m so glad we’re understanding one another.” He leaned forward and reached for Anastacia’s knee.
Mel’s hand latched to the car door and the lights inside the cab blinked at a fast pace. Angry static punctuated by the screeching strings of loud rock music replaced the soft jazz that had been playing. Anastacia cringed as the sound pierced her ears. The car began to slow, drifting to the right side of the road. Montgomery and the unnamed driver added to the cacophony as their arguing rose over the radio noise. Anastacia watched as Dominic’s head whipped from the lights, to the windows, toward the speakers flanking the window behind him, before settling back to her. Fighting the urge to laugh, she schooled her face into a mask of absolute calm, hands relaxing in her lap.
Dominic’s eyes flashed to her side, toward Mel. She wondered if maybe Dominic could pick up on Mel’s presence. Even as he settled back into his seat, Dominic’s eyes never left the spot where Mel sat.
The front window rolled down and Montgomery twisted in his seat. “Everyone good?”
“We’re good.” Dominic waved at him to continue. The window rolled back up and Dominic took a moment before he spoke again. “I’ve noticed somethin’. You seem to be calm when these extraordinary things happen. I can’t help but think you may have a little more insight than you let on.”
Anastacia shifted in her seat under his scrutiny. “What kind of insight could I possibly have?”
“Extra sight. The kinda extra sight where you see things no one else does. Maybe the kinda sight that reaches beyond our normal, everyday life.”
This time Anastacia leaned forward. Putting her elbows on her knees, she leaned her chin onto her hands. If Dominic’s sharp inhale wasn’t enough to confirm that her eyes were blazing gold, the Gatekeeper still staring at her was. Now less of a black smudge, and more of a creature with edges and angles along its body. “The sight to see the small shadow on your shoulder, sticking to you? Waiting for the chance at a new soul who doesn’t meet your expectations? Or maybe just waiting for the day someone’s heart or lungs give out…?”
His eyes fluttered to the shoulder she nodded at in fear.
“Don’t worry, they don’t hunt the living from what I understand,” she assured him, shifting her focus to his other side. A small child's face, a paler shade than she had been in life that would have matched his, peeked around his gut at Anastacia. Her eyes were large with a hesitant smile playing across her small lips as she waved a petite hand. “Or are you talking about the sight to see the small soul on your other side? She doesn’t look trapped, but won’t leave you either. A niece? A daughter?”
Dominic’s hand lurched to the side in search of the small spirit. His plump digits only fell through her form as he searched diligently for any sign of her. His eyes turned glassy, seeing only the empty leather seat next to him before he turned his focus back to Anastacia.
She paused as the two spirits faded now that she didn’t focus on them. Still there, still present, but pushed to the background. It was a change. If not for the present situation, she would have celebrated the hint of control over her gift.
“I knew it,” he whispered and waggled a finger at her. A grin slid back to his face, the other hand wiping at his eyes before tears could form. His laughter poured out from the large, billowing rolls of his stomach. He coughed and pounded his chest to get his breath back. “I knew I liked you, baby! You aren’t afraid of death.”
