Jace and Daphne stood in the lot and she smiled as she emptied the chamber at the target, not hitting it once. He rolled his eyes as he reloaded her weapon. He handed it back to her, his dark eyes teasing.
“Let’s hope you’re a better waitress than a shooter.”
She grinned as she took the weapon. “Yeah, I was a great waitress, but I can’t hit the side of a barn door with this gun.”
Jace shook his head and helped her with her stance, mindful of how she affected him. He fought his attraction to her, feeling disloyal to Lindsay. Daphne was older than him by a few years and married. He reminded himself daily to ignore her but it was tough. One couldn’t ignore Daphne. He was still a guy, even if he was dead.
“Ok, it’s all in the breathing, try again.”
She pointed the gun at the target. They were about fifty feet from it and moved up closer. She squinted as she aimed, mindful of her breathing like he taught her. She squeezed off a handful of rounds and only grazed the target.
“Alright, we’re done for now,” Jace commented and under his breath he added. “Let’s go check out that new ripple I found yesterday.”
“Do you know how to get through?” she asked.
“Merrick said it’s all a mind projection,” Jace explained and shrugged. “Just think about home; I’m thinkin’.”
“Jace, we’re going to be in big trouble when they find out.”
Jace didn’t want to think about that. He and Daphne had unfinished business back in the world. If Merrick and the others had a problem with it, so be it. He had to get back and make sure everyone he loved was alright. He couldn’t move on until then.
Maybe that was why he was still in Oblivion. He remembered everything now. His dark eyes narrowed. He remembered every downward plunge of the knife that took his life and he even saw Cameron’s look of satisfaction as he stood over him while he bled to death from his wounds.
The one thing that escaped him was why his former best friend murdered him. It ate at him. He would find out what Cameron had to gain with his death. It made no sense. Daphne was leaving after Merrick and the others went out on patrols tomorrow.
He would tell them he found her gone and they would assume she ran. The homeless guy, Goose had taken off as well as the insurance agent Will. They were in denial of the danger to them in Oblivion. McNeal and Raymond didn’t go after them.
You got one chance with the group. The pair would find out the hard way they couldn’t make it without their protection. By then the demons would have them or they would fall prey to the Deadheads.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’ll cover you with Merrick.”
She looked relieved. “I just have to think about home as I’m walking through the ripple?”
“Yeah, and focus really hard, picture it in your mind. If what Merrick says is true, your mind will do the rest.”
“How do I get back?”
Jace grinned. “Think about me pacing outside that ripple in two weeks. That’s about it.”
She nodded and smiled, dimpling prettily. “I’d bring you a souvenir but I think I’ll be traveling light on my return trip.”
“Just come back, Daphne,” he warned. “Whatever you find; resolve it.”
“Something tells me it won’t be that easy.”
Jace knew his advice fell upon deaf ears. Daphne wanted revenge against her husband’s boss. The woman who ran the advertising agency where her husband worked would have a rude awakening very soon. Daphne planned to torment the woman.
“No matter what you find out; don’t deviate from our plan. I need to get to my family.”
“The guy who killed you will get a big surprise.”
“Cameron is going to wish he was dead when I’m done with him.”
“Natalie probably got caught,” Daphne mused, thinking of her killer and shook her head. “She was as dumb as a box of rocks. Knowing her, she probably posted killing me on Facebook as her status that night.”
Jace chuckled at her joke. “Cameron isn’t very smart either. He probably tripped himself up somewhere.”
Daphne’s smile faded suddenly. “What will happen if Raymond finds out what we’ve done?”
Jace looked grim. “I don’t know. Hopefully we won’t have to find out. Merrick will cover for us if he figures it out.”
Daphne handed him the 45. mm and glared at the target she missed by a mile. “Maybe when I come back I’ll be better at this. Right now I can’t concentrate on anything but my son.”
“Remember what I said. The living will take care of the living. He’ll be ok.”
She nodded and looked away, her expression bleak. “And the dead will take care of the dead.”