Echo 8 by Sharon Lynn Fisher Read Free Book Online

trillions of miles of space between them, it’s as if they are right on top of each other.
    â€”Physicist Brian Greene, “Spooky Action at a Distance,” PBS.org
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    T HE E CHO lay on the floor with his arm draped over his eyes. Tess raised her hand and tapped the window with her knuckle.
    His arm dropped, and in a heartbeat he’d crossed the room to the door.
    She turned on the intercom. “Are you okay?”
    â€œOh my God,” he choked out, “are you ?”
    â€œI’m okay,” she assured him.
    â€œI had no idea, I swear. I never would have…” He shook his head. “This is insane. You’re sure you’re okay?
    â€œI’m sure. Just take it easy. It wasn’t your fault.”
    His eyes fixed on the white at her temple. “You really shouldn’t be here.”
    â€œI need to ask you some questions. But if I’m too close—if I’m making you uncomfortable—we’ll figure out another way.”
    â€œMaking me uncomfortable?” He laughed. “I’m glad to see you. I was afraid I’d killed you.”
    â€œI should be dead, Jake. I need to understand why I’m not.”
    Jake frowned, and his gaze flitted in a random, nervous way before settling again on her. “What do you want to ask me?”
    â€œMaybe we could start with how it felt, and what you were thinking about while we were connected.”
    He hesitated, and more color stole into his already flushed cheeks. “I don’t understand why you’re bothering with this. Wouldn’t it be easier to just have your bodyguard shoot me?”
    She braced herself against the door. Her legs felt like dry spaghetti about to snap. “That’s exactly the way we’re managing you now. I’m looking for a better way. I need to understand how much choice is involved in … in what you do. I need to understand if it’s possible to control your impulse to feed.”
    Jake chewed on this a moment. “Did you say you’re a parapsychologist?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œAnd that’s what, exactly?”
    â€œA scientist who studies psychic and paranormal phenomena.”
    â€œYou mean like ghosts?”
    â€œYes, but that’s not my particular specialty. I’m more interested in precognitive ability, and psychokinesis.”
    He eyed her like she was some kind of strange insect, which struck her as ironic. “Are you a Ph.D.?”
    She nodded. “I have a doctorate in psychology. I did extra coursework in psi through the University of Edinburgh.”
    â€œSo what does a parapsychologist write her thesis on?”
    â€œI wrote a scholarly analysis of the impact of quantum physics on our understanding of psi phenomena.”
    Jake’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay, I’m impressed.”
    â€œTess?”
    She turned from the window to see Abby headed for her, bearing a cafeteria tray and a disapproving frown. “I knew I’d find you down here. You should be resting.”
    The tray was loaded with food—cereal, toast, blueberries, even a steaming mug of coffee. Tess’s stomach growled. “You’re an angel, Abby. I’ll take a break right now.”
    Tess turned back to Jake. “I want to continue our conversation. I’m just going to slip across the hall and eat something first, okay?”
    â€œOkay, Doc.”
    Abby followed Tess to the conference room, and they sat down at the table.
    The director gave her a troubled look. “I don’t know what to do about this damn board meeting.”
    Tess poured milk in her coffee. “What do you mean?”
    â€œI can’t leave you alone here. But I’m supposed to go in”—she glanced at her watch—“less than an hour.”
    Tess laughed. “Apparently you haven’t noticed all the people with black suits and matching accessories wandering the halls.”
    â€œI know,