Read Cindy Spencer Pape - [Guardian Investigations 01] for Free Online Page A

freely.”
    Gifted. I suppose that was one way to put
it. Derek just nodded and Leah squeezed my hand. “Her room is right here.”
    It looked like a typical little girl’s
room, dominated by a white canopied bed, neatly made with bedding in a pink and
turquoise flower-power pattern. A shelf on the wall held rows of books and
horse figurines. An open pink backpack stood by the door, and there were
several school books sitting on the desk, along with a box of coloured pencils
and a spiral notebook.
    “Did you make her bed, or was it not slept
in?” Evan asked the parents while I looked around.
    “It was like this,” Derek answered with a
shake of his head. “If she’d left on her own—I can’t imagine she wouldn’t have
taken
Harvey
.”
He gestured at the bed. A well worn, floppy plush wolf cub sat centred on the
frilly pillows.
    “None of her shoes are missing, either,”
Leah added. “Or even a jacket. And she was in her pyjamas.”
    “That’s her favourite toy?” I gestured at
the bed.
    Both parents nodded.
    I looked up at Evan. “Stay close, okay? If
I get in too deep, it helps to have someone on hand who can pull me out.”
    Evan compressed his lips and his brows knit
together, but he nodded. “You sure you’re okay with this?”
    I shrugged, though his concern wrapped
around me like a hug. “It’s what I do.” I turned to the girl’s parents. “It
would help if you’d step out of the room, though. If they’re hurting her—let’s
just say you wouldn’t want to watch that.” The big fear, of course, was that I
wouldn’t be able to link with her at all—which could well mean she was dead.
    I sat on the bed and leaned back against
the headboard, while Evan walked the parents out of the room. He assured them
we’d be with them soon, then shut the door and came back. He leaned against the
bedpost, standing as close as he could without actually touching me. “What do I
need to watch for?”
    I grimaced. “Just make sure I keep
breathing. The last time—the little boy was strangled. I woke up with bruises
around my throat too. If you see me physically struggling, do something to pull
me out of it—my captain’s fond of ice water.”
    “I hate—” he began. The he leaned down and
kissed me, hard. “Be careful.”
    “I promise.” I pulled back and smiled up at
him. His eyes glowed with intensity, and it took a second to catch my breath.
“Don’t worry so much. I’m not driving a car, this time. I’ll be fine.”
    I leaned into the pillows and got
comfortable, then took a deep breath before I picked up the stuffed wolf cub.
Instantly, I was no longer in this cheerful, girly bedroom. I smelled mildew
and earth, and when I opened my eyes, I blinked at the harshness of one
incandescent bulb suspended from a bare-rafter ceiling. I was lying on my side
on something lumpy, looking straight up at the ceiling. My wrists were bound
behind my back, and they’d been that way for a while, judging by how my arms
hurt. My ankles were bound too, and there was a foul rag tied tightly around my
mouth. I could feel the damp tracks of tears down my cheeks, but now my eyes
were dry. I’d finished crying a while ago. I wanted my mom, and I wanted my
dad. And I had to go to the bathroom.
    The basement room was empty. No other
furniture, no other people. The steps or door had to be behind me—I couldn’t
see either.
    Ericka. I
gently probed, trying to see if I could establish a two-way contact. I couldn’t
most of the time, but once in a while, it was possible, especially if the
victim had some psychic ability. I’d never tried with a werewolf child before,
so I had no idea.
    “Ericka, I’m here to help.”
    “Who? What? Who are you?”
    “My name is Hannah, and I’m here with
your parents. Do you know where you are?”
    “No. I want my mom.”
    “I know, sweetie. She wants you, too.
We’re coming. We just need some help in finding you. Did you see the person who
took you?”
    “It was Faith. She put something over my
nose and it burned. Then she dropped me out my