Primal Instinct

Unless they had some sort of malevolent side, she couldn’t see their thoughts, but everyone—good or bad—gave off some sort of buzz that she picked up on in her brain. With familiar people she had learned to ignore it, the way someone ignores the slight sound a computer or TV makes when it’s on but has no volume. Just the slightest buzz. The more people that were around, the louder the buzz.

But Adrienne had heard nothing when she had walked into the barn. That’s why she had been so shocked to see the agents—she hadn’t heard their buzz.

Nothing. As a matter of fact, she still couldn’t hear it.

But they were here, and they wanted her help. She couldn’t afford to help them. The best thing she could do, she knew, was be cold and turn them away. But looking at Agent Perigo, she knew turning them away would not be easy.

“Guys, I appreciate that you’ve come all the way out here. But Chief Kelly shouldn’t have sent you. Whatever your case is, I can’t help you.”

“Adrienne...” Agent Harrington began in a cajoling tone.

“Can’t or won’t?” Perigo interrupted Harrington and got right to the point.

The urge to slap Perigo was itching its way through Adrienne’s palm again. “I have responsibilities here.”

“The FBI would more than compensate you for your time. Plus, don’t you have Vincent to run things for you if you’re gone?” Perigo continued.

“It’s not just that,” Adrienne backpedaled.

“Then what is it, Adrienne?” Seth asked in a concerned voice. He sounded completely sincere. Adrienne wondered for a moment if he practiced that voice.

“There’s a discomfort that comes with using my gift.” That was putting it ridiculously mildly. “Plus, like I said, I can’t—or am not willing to—uproot my life. I’m needed here.”

Adrienne watched as the two men looked at each other across the table, communicating without speaking. Obviously there was a plan B, although it looked as though both of them found the thought of it distasteful.

“Adrienne, we were sent here by our superiors with a directive to obtain your cooperation in our case.” Agent Harrington paused, but she knew his statement wasn’t finished. She didn’t have long to wait. “By any means available to us.”

Adrienne looked at Harrington, then Agent Perigo, confused. “‘Any means available?’ Are you planning on making me leave the ranch at gunpoint?”

“No. Nothing so drastic, I assure you,” Harrington responded with a smile. “But our instructions are to either bring you back with us or bring in your ranch manager, Mr. Vincent.”

“Why Vince? What does he have to do with this?”

Agent Perigo interjected, “Do you make a practice of hiring and cohabiting with convicted felons or fugitives on your ranch?”

“What?” Adrienne expressed her shock before she could help herself. Not a good logistical move.

“So you’re unaware of Mr. Vincent’s past history and that he is currently wanted in the state of Nevada for parole violation?”

Adrienne shook her head. “I knew he had some trouble with the law a while ago. But he never offered much information about it, and I never asked.”

Harrington leaned toward her. “Isn’t it dangerous to work and live with a man you know so little about?”

Adrienne smiled grimly. She had never been concerned about her safety with Vince—she had known from the beginning he meant her no harm. That was one of the few good things about her gift. “Let’s just say that my talent makes me an excellent judge of character. Vince would never harm me.”

Agent Perigo sighed. “Regardless. Our instructions are clear. We’re either to bring you in or bring Rick Vincent in. You choose.”

Adrienne could feel temper rising up through her body. Obviously nobody in the FBI had changed in the past decade. They still didn’t care who they used—or used up—to get what they wanted.

“Common blackmail? Is that what the FBI has resorted to?” It was all she could do to keep her fist from banging down on the table.

Harrington reached a hand out toward her, but she jerked back in her seat. “Ms. Jeffries.”

At least he had the sense to revert to last names if they were going to use blackmail.

“We have to uphold the law. There is a warrant out for Mr. Vincent’s arrest.”

“That you will conveniently overlook if I agree to help the FBI on the case.”

Agent Harrington cleared his throat. “Let’s just say, if we had your help on the case, we would probably be so busy, we may totally forget we even saw Rick Vincent here.”

Adrienne was too angry to say anything. She did not want to be forced back into helping the FBI but couldn’t stand the thought of Vincent going to prison. The older man had no evil in him whatsoever. Whatever crime he had committed, it was in a past far behind him. Now he was kind and helpful and wonderful with the horses, if a little gruff with people.

They sat in silence for long moments. Adrienne had no idea what the FBI agents were thinking, but they wisely did not give voice to their thoughts. She glanced at Harrington first but found him looking down at his hands. She then glanced over at Agent Perigo with hesitation, unsure of what she would find.

He met her eyes directly. Instead of the hostility she had expected to see, she found sincerity and the slightest hint of compassion. No matter what he thought of her abilities, or her personally, he obviously found this stalemate distasteful.

And he had the most gorgeous green eyes she had ever seen. Just the slightest hint of gold in them. For the first time Adrienne wished she had met Agent Perigo under different circumstances. Wished he didn’t work for an organization that was sure to leave her broken by the time this was all over.

Adrienne looked away from Agent Perigo’s piercing eyes and down at her kitchen table. She couldn’t see any way out of this. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to Vincent, as long as there were any other options. Plus she was older now, wiser, more able to protect herself from the FBI. Because she had no doubt that what had happened before, ten years ago, would happen again if she wasn’t careful. The solution was making sure it didn’t repeat itself.

Of course she had no idea how to do that.

She looked up from the scarred kitchen table, hoping she didn’t resemble it by the time this was all over.

“Okay, fine. I’ll help you.”

An hour later, just before lunch, Adrienne watched Agents Perigo and Harrington drive away. She had been given instructions about where and when to report tomorrow, and had assured them she would be there. Then, just before leaving, Agent Perigo made a special trip out to the barn to say goodbye to Vincent. All for Adrienne’s benefit.

Jackass. Obviously, she had been mistaken about any compassion she had seen in him.

Vince immediately knew something was up.

“That FBI agent came out to the barn to say goodbye to me,” the older man stated as he washed his hands for lunch. “Seemed a mite odd.”

Adrienne rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know. If it helps, I think it was a gesture meant for me, not you.”

“We never really talked much about you working for the FBI.”

Adrienne began making each of them a sandwich. “I worked for them briefly years ago. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. Not something I discuss much.”

“I’ve found, in my general experience, that anything having to do with law enforcement is not a pleasant experience.”

Adrienne smiled at that. Although her and Vince’s experiences with law enforcement were different, the resulting feelings were the same.

“And now they want you to come back and work for them again?” the older man asked.

Adrienne slapped mustard onto the sandwich and rubbed it around with more force than necessary. “That pretty much sums it up.”