Read Tuesday's Child for Free Online Page B

uncoordinated.”
    “Honestly, you did exactly what I told you to do. In fact you could say I asked for it.” He winked. “Literally. So don’t feel bad about it, please.”
    “OK.”
    “Anyway, as I was saying, as tempting as it was to say it was a ten-foot-tall burglar, I work in M.I.U. so that wouldn’t work.”
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that.”
    “M.I.U.” He saw the confused look and wished he could sign it to her. “Murder Investigation Unit.”
    “Got it.” She smiled at him. “What our American friends would call homicide.”
    Nate nodded. “Yes.” His keen gaze took in the pile of newspaper clippings on the corner of her desk. “You’re following my case.”
    Adeline glanced down at them. “Your case?”
    “Dane and I are heading this one up. Not that we’re making much progress.” He drew in a deep breath. “And I didn’t just tell you that, either.”
    “Oh…” She swallowed hard, her bearing changing and becoming distinctly uneasy.
    All of Nate’s senses kicked into action, his copper’s antennae twitching.
    She knew something, or at least thought she did.
    “What is it?”
    Adeline sucked her lower lip into her mouth, worrying it with her teeth. “This is going to sound stupid, but…” She took a deep breath. “I saw them. All of them. They all had their hair tied back or up.” She picked up the top clipping. “She was playing on a swing and wearing a red jacket. This one was walking the dog and wearing blue.”
    Nate jolted as if he’d been struck by lightning. Those details hadn’t been released. Was he wrong about her? Was she somehow involved with the murders? “Wait a minute. How did you know any of this?”
    Adeline carried on speaking as she sifted through the papers. “She was on her way to dance class in pink. This one was jogging in a gray toweling track suit and the first one…”
    Nate put a hand on her arm, cutting her off.
    She jerked her head upwards in surprise.
    He held her gaze. “How do you know all this?”
    “I told you, I saw them.” She took a deep shuddering breath. “Call it a vision or whatever, but, I just see them. Sunday in church, just as we left I lost my balance, and you asked if I was all right.”
    “I remember. You insisted you were fine, despite my thinking otherwise.”
    Adeline pulled out the picture. “I saw her on the swing, then on the ground. The same way I saw all the others.”
    “Do you ever see him?” Nate asked.
    “No. I don’t think so.”
    He looked at her. “Let me call Dane. Then I’ll take Vianne over to Cassie’s, and I’ll be back to take a proper statement.”
    “You believe me?”
    Was that surprise on her face? Had she really expected him to laugh at her? Any other cop might have done. Every part of his police training screamed at him to disregard what she’d said and to go with the evidence. But Nate’s faith left him open to things that most people wouldn’t consider.
    “As crazy as it sounds, you just told me things we hadn’t released to the press.” He stood up. “Let me drop Vianne off and pay you for mending Amelia Jane. She has dozens of dolls, but that one is more important than a teddy bear.” He pulled out his wallet and handed Adeline the exact money.
    Vianne came running into the office. “Look, she’s all fixed, and she can see now.”
    Nate smiled at her. “That’s wonderful. She looks really good.”
    Vianne nodded and turned to Adeline. “Thank you for mending her, Dr. Adeline.”
    “You’re welcome. Just take care of her.”
    “I will.” Vianne tugged on her hat. “Much obliged.”
    Adeline giggled. “I haven’t heard that in years. My grandmother’s green grocer always used to say that. He had a huge truck filled with fruit and veg. He came around every Saturday afternoon. He’d come to the door and tip his hat just like that and ask if she needed anything. Then he’d go and get it and when Nanna had paid him, he’d say ‘much obliged Mrs.