Hide My Thoughts: A Romantic Suspense Thriller Book (Hide Me Series 2) by Lisa Ladew Read Free Book Online Page B

help you, maybe she would know someone who could. I’m not really interested in that scene anymore.”
    “Do you have her number?”
    “No, but I’m sure I can get it. What in the hell is going on with you, West?”
    West pictured himself trying to explain what had been going on with Katerina and shook his head. He didn’t have that kind of time to waste right now. If someone could help Katerina, that was a priority. “Sorry Brody, I don’t have time to explain it all right now. Get me that lady’s number, and I’ll call you back ASAP and explain everything. It’s quite a story.”
    “Okay. I’ll call you back then.”
    The phone went dead in West’s ear and he knew he’d upset his brother. But he also knew his brother would get over it quickly. None of the Shepherd boys could stay mad for long. It wasn’t in their makeup.
     
     
    ***
     
     
    West sat on the couch, silently urging his phone to ring. It had been an hour. He’d eaten a snack and finished another beer. He hadn’t heard a peep from the bedroom. He sincerely hoped that Katerina was sleeping. What had the psychic lady’s name been? It came into his mind almost immediately. Madame Gabriel. He opened a web browser on his phone and typed in the name. Google returned dozens of results, but as West read the titles, his heart sank. She was a psychic to the stars. She went to a movie star’s house and read their palm or their aura or something. Not what he was looking for at all. She was probably nothing but an old fraud. West huffed out a breath and knew he was back to the drawing board.
    His phone rang and he knew it was Brody. He answered it automatically, ready to try to pick his brother’s brain a little bit more.
    “Brody?”
    Silence on the line for a beat, and then a woman’s voice spoke. “This is Mr. Shepherd, I presume? No, I am not Brody. My name is Agnes Gabriel. Your brother insisted that I speak with you. Quite rudely actually, I must tell you. But that doesn’t surprise me. You Americans seem to think rudeness is your birthright.”
    The voice was clipped and the accent British. West blinked in surprise at the words, which he thought were rather rude themselves, but the tone they were delivered in was warm and teasing. West felt himself responding to the warmth and decided he liked this woman already. He would give her a chance – even if she couldn’t help, maybe his brother was right and she knew someone who could.
    “I’m sorry my brother was rude, Mrs., uh, Madame Gabriel. I explained to him how important this was to me, so maybe he was just responding to that.”
    “Mmm, yes, that could be. So what exactly is it that you want from me, Mr. Shepherd?”
    “Please, call me West.”
    “Okay, West then.”
    West poured out the entire story, starting slowly, but gaining speed and intensity as his words began to flow. He didn’t think he could make her understand exactly what he needed, and how people’s lives could depend on Katerina gaining some measure of control over her abilities, without telling her everything. Well, almost everything. The mind-blowing sex he kept to himself.
    West spoke nonstop for twenty minutes, and then took a few deep breaths, waiting to see what she would say.
    “West, I’m not certain that I can help you.”
    West felt crushing disappointment spread through him. He was running on very little sleep, and he didn’t know how much more he could deal with.
    “Knowing our story, can you think of anyone who could?”
    “No, in fact, if I can’t help you, there is a good chance that no one can.”
    “So you’re willing to try then?”
    “Yes, but my consulting fees do not come cheap.”
    “Name your price,” West said, willing to pay anything and not caring if she knew.
    “Ten thousand dollars plus travel expenses.”
    West didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll double it if you can be here tomorrow.”
     

Chapter 7
     
    Lance hauled Svetlana’s body out of the bomb shelter with the help of a