Natural Reaction by Terri Reid

lunch.”
    Smiling, she nodded. “Yeah, that would be nice. I’ll call you next time I’m there.”
    “Thanks Mary,” he said. “Good luck with your client.”
    “Yeah, well, at least we know where she lives.”
    “Where she lived eight years ago,” he reminded her.
    “Oh, yeah, that’s true. Thanks again, Hal. Bye.”
    She hung up the phone in a slight daze and turned to Ian. “Bradley’s little girl was adopted by a family who lived in Freeport,” she said, shaking her head. “How weird is that?”
    Putting his laptop down on the coffee table, Ian shook his head. “Actually, I don’t find it weird at all.”
    She turned her chair to face him and folded her arms over her chest. “Excuse me, Mr. Professor; you don’t think that’s strange?”
    He grinned. “Okay Mary, you and I already deal in a, let’s call it, psychic world. We understand there’s more to our existence than most people do, right?”
    She nodded.
    “And we’ve heard those stories about families moving and their pets getting lost, but eight months later the pet shows up on the doorstep, hundreds of miles away.”
    “Yeah, but what does that…”
    “There are psychic connections that we haven’t even begun to explore,” he interrupted. “The mother who knows her son has been shot in a war thousands of miles away. The infant who stops crying once he feels his mother’s touch. The husband who begins to pick up the phone seconds before it rings because he knows his wife is calling.”
    “Okay, but what does that…”
    Ian lifted his hand to stop her. “A father who desperately searches for his wife and daughter is led to the town where his daughter lives,” he said, and then continued pointedly looking at her. “A woman searching for new meaning in her life is led to a town where she can reunite a father and daughter. Psychic connections.”
    “I prefer to think some of these things are guided by God,” she replied.
    Ian shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not saying they’re not. Why wouldn’t God use these gifts in order to help people communicate on a higher plane?”
    Mary ran her hand through her hair one more time. “This is a lot to consider,” she said, standing up. “I think I need chocolate.”
    Ian stood and followed her to the kitchen. “Aye, good idea. But then, we need chili.”

Chapter Fourteen

    Bradley drove the cruiser down Galena Avenue, stopping at the light on South Street and then turning left towards Highway 20. The day was cold and overcast and everything seemed to be wearing a shroud of grey. It seemed even Mother Nature was acknowledging Jeannine’s death.
    Her parents had been a little confused with his request to meet with them. He didn’t want to tell them anything until he was there in person, instead needing to look into their eyes and explain what he’d learned about her death. He owed them that much at least.
    He drove past Springfield Street and merged onto Highway 20. The road, as usual, was fairly empty during the midday hours. He leaned forward to press the cruise control button when a slight movement out of the corner of his eye, caught his attention. He turned quickly to find Mike sitting in the passenger’s seat.
    “Holy shit,” he yelled, swerving the car into the left lane.
    “Really? You’re a law enforcement professional and you drive like this?” Mike asked. “I’m surprised you even have a license.”
    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Bradley asked.
    Mike shrugged. “Going with you. I figured you could use the company.”
    Shaking his head, Bradley was momentarily confused. “You’re going with me?”
    “Yeah, a guy shouldn’t have to be alone at a time like this,” he said.
    Bradley gripped the steering wheel, stared straight ahead and didn’t speak for a few minutes. “Thank you, Mike,” he finally said, his voice cracking. “I appreciate it.”
    “Hey, no problem,” he said. “So, have you thought about what you’re going to