Gypsy Witch Read Free Page B

would reflect its glow. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she focused her attention on the golden facets of the topaz, letting her mind wander.
    She felt strangely unsettled. Was it Ben? A more stable relationship would be great but it was early days yet. She and Ben had plenty of time to work out their issues. He wasn’t the kind of man who’d commit hastily and he might never grow beyond the shocking loss of his wife. Polly, who’d also been an officer, had been shot at what should have been a routine stop. Elena didn’t need tarot cards or a crystal ball to see that Ben had distanced himself from his emotions—except his lust—to keep his heart safe.
    Would he change? Could he?
    Probably not, Elena realized, and if he didn’t drop his insulting attitude toward her profession, which was not only her craft but her very spirit itself, he wouldn’t become a permanent mate. It just wouldn’t work.
    Maybe the kids were the source of her tension. Tom tended to be a little formal and distant with her, but she expected that from Ben’s son. It might take Tom a while to open up. Polly had died just a couple of years before.
    But what was with Gina? She was usually chatty and totally upfront about her feelings. Tonight was different, and Elena sensed that her daughter was holding back.
    Unable to draw any visions from the topaz, Elena uncurled her legs and went to check on the kids. They were sitting in front of the TV watching a Star Wars DVD. As Obi-Wan Kenobi intoned, “I feel a great disturbance in the Force,” Elena felt Gina’s forehead. Nothing special there, but—
    “Mo-om!” Gina batted away her hand.
    “Okay, but when are you going to tell me what’s up?” Elena sat down and crossed her legs.
    Gina evaded, staring at the TV set. “Nothing’s wrong.”
    The movie’s music softened and Elena could hear sirens splitting the night. She stood. “That sounds close. I hope everything’s all right.” She glanced at Tom.
    “Me too. Um, can I go to bed now?” He stood.
    “Are you okay?” she asked. Something was definitely going on. Usually the kids watched DVDs until all hours, often falling asleep in front of the screen. She stared at Tom.
    He returned her scrutiny, meeting her eyes without faltering. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. It was hot today and we walked around a lot.”
    “Where did you go?”
    “Through Capitol Park and over to J Street.”
    Hmm. “Why?”
    He shrugged. “Just to walk. It felt okay at the time but now I’m tired.”
    Either this kid is the best liar in the world, she thought, or everything’s fine. “Of course you can go to bed if you’re tired,” Elena said. “Gina?”
    * * * * *
     
    Tom slept in Elena’s guest room so often that it had started to feel like home. Even the cat had adopted him, curling up by his side in bed or occasionally kneading his chest with paws that only sometimes scratched, purring like a furry little machine. That usually sent him straight into dreamland, but tonight he couldn’t sleep, cat or no cat.
    The sirens bothered him. He always worried about his father’s job. Dad said it was usually boring, but Tom knew that bad people could do bad things, like what had happened to his mom. Oh, they’d caught her killer, but he still didn’t have a mother. Though he missed her a lot, he always told himself that he and his dad got along fine, especially since they’d met Elena and Gina.
    The thought comforted him, so finally he slept.
    He was roused by the creak and groan of metal as Dexter opened the first-floor window of Tom’s room, tearing out the screen. Puffball screeched and, back arched high, leaped toward the window and clung to Dexter's metal visor. The knight, startled, fell away into the darkness.
    Tom ran to the window and looked out. Dexter had fallen onto his back and now, weighed down by armor, tossed like a turtle, helpless on the ground. Tom clambered outside and shooed Puff away from Sir Dexter, then helped the knight