Dr. Bescardi looked at Ana’s test results and allowed herself a sly smile. The girl wasn’t as amazing a find as Dr. Reid, but she was talented enough to make studying her worthwhile. So if I can’t get Reid to see reason, at least I won’t come out of this empty-handed. But the thought was fleeting. Carol Bescardi’s mind had a natural tendency to leap to the highest rung on whichever ladder she was contemplating at the moment. Once a goal was conceived, her desires usually followed at lightning speed.
What if I could get both of them? As soon as it occurred to her, she knew she’d settle for nothing less.
Ana had returned to the lobby, pending interpretation of her tests. When Bescardi called her to come back into the examination room, she could tell the doctor didn’t plan on being completely open and honest. To Ana’s eyes, Bescardi looked as though she’d been dipped in a glaze coating. That generally meant that half-truths mixed with a liberal dose of half-lies and slanted perspectives would be the order of the day.
Ana sighed. She had hoped to be honestly evaluated so she could walk away once and for all, with no intention of returning. She knew that was what Spencer was hoping for her, too. Ana’s sigh conveyed discouragement. Bescardi reacted to it.
“Tired...Ana?”
“A little, but we’re almost done, right?”
“Well, I suppose. If you want to leave without a complete assessment of your talent.”
Ana recognized the bait, but didn’t see the harm in simulating interest. “I thought I was receiving a comprehensive assessment. I’m not?”
Bescardi went into full performance mode. “Well, I do my best, but…it’s this city, you know? As sensitive as a true ESP-er is, being in the midst of all this noise, and humanity, and unbridled emotion…well, even if the subject isn’t aware of it, it can make a tremendous difference in performance and, hence, outcome. You understand, don’t you?”
Yeah, right. Ana let the wry comment die unspoken. “I guess.” She shrugged. “But the city’s not going to ‘keep it down’ for you, so there’s not much you can do short of relocating.”
Bescardi perked up, visibly brightening as Ana provided just the lead-in she’d been hoping for. “Funny you should mention it. I’ve been toying with the idea of hosting a retreat of sorts. Specifically for gifted people such as yourself.”
Ana felt a shiver of anxiety. It was part recognition of a trap, and part reaction to the desperate hope pouring off of the doctor that the trap was baited correctly. She kept her voice level. “Sounds…interesting.”
“Oh, it will be. And such an opportunity for people like you! Imagine a peaceful, country setting far from all the distractions and intrusions that keep you from realizing your full potential. And you’d meet other sensitives! Think how exciting that could be!” Bescardi’s enthusiasm was verging on fanatic. Ana didn’t want to think what the reaction would be if her response was a flat refusal.
“So…when are you planning to do this?”
“I haven’t nailed down the details yet, but I’m thinking it’ll be soon.” Bescardi recalled the conditions of Dr. Reid’s agreement to be examined. “Certainly within the next couple of months. In that interval, if you come across someone…special…who you think might appreciate the opportunity I’m providing, please invite them, won’t you?”
“Sure.” She wants me to pressure Spencer into coming. Ana shivered. It was the sensation her mother called ‘a cat walking on your grave.’ For the rest of their session, Ana couldn’t look at Dr. Bescardi without thinking of a cat, it’s paws coated with cemetery dust, watching…waiting…for a chance to walk through human souls.
xxxxxxx
Reid was thoroughly enjoying himself.
Morgan was relentless. The young doctor was impervious. When the two collided, the entertainment factor in the BAU bullpen skyrocketed. The day was coming to an end when Reid’s phone buzzed for attention. He smiled at the caller ID photo he’d taken on the sidewalk in New York. He made sure Morgan heard him answer before moving off toward a more private corner.
“Ana! How’d it go?”
Morgan knew when he was being taunted. But he also knew when to let go. Although he was burning with curiosity about the kind of woman Reid would allow into his world, he didn’t want to jeopardize a budding relationship. Whether it was friendship or romance, Morgan knew subjecting it to too close scrutiny was off-limits. At least for the moment. But he kept a close eye on the conversation.
Reid turned his back on the bullpen and gave his undivided attention to the call he’d been anticipating for hours.
“Is everything okay? Are you out of there?” He could hear street noise in the background and Ana’s voice, when she answered, was raised to compensate for it, but he still wanted to hear her say she was free of Dr. Bescardi’s clutches.
“I’m fine. I’m on my way home. Just wanted to talk to you. That’s okay, isn’t it? Is this a bad time?”
“I don’t think it’ll ever be a bad time when you call.”
“Wow. Thanks, Spencer.”
The blissful look that transformed Reid’s face told the roomful of profilers more than words ever could.
“So what did Bescardi say about you?” Reid could feel the others observing him, but it was friendly interest, concerned curiosity. He was sure Ana had been subjected to something much less pleasant in the clinic.
“She says I’m an empath, which I pretty much figured out myself when I was about seven. The rest, she says needs more study. A different kind of study.”
Reid’s alert switch tripped to the ‘on’ position. “I don’t like the sound of that. How ‘different’?”
“Well…you’ll love this…” The sarcasm in Ana’s tone belied her words. “…she wants to schedule a retreat of sorts. For us. For people like us.”
Reid was facing a corner wall, cutting out distraction, concentrating on every nuance and pause. “Ana, please tell me you’re not even vaguely entertaining the idea of going somewhere remote with that woman. Please.”
“Spencer, hear me out. You know I’m not stupid. Like anything, there are pluses and minuses to this. Just listen, okay?”
Reid huffed out a small, exasperated breath, but kept still and listened with every sense at his command. “What’d she say to you?”
“First, I don’t trust her any more than you do. But if we’re together, what’s she gonna do? Overpower us? Dr. Bescardi isn’t the type to get her hands dirty or her makeup smeared, right?” Ana took silence as affirmation. “Second, she has a point. Remember how it felt when we left the street and went into the park? It was like, the further in we got, the easier it was to…see…you. To…hear…you. Remember?”
“I remember.” Reid thought he would never forget. It had been one of the finest moments of his life.
“So Bescardi says that if we’re out of the city entirely, it’ll make a big difference in how we sense things.” Ana could feel the reluctance streaming across the airwaves. “Spencer, when you found…” She swallowed and put effort into keeping her voice steady. “…my sister…Sarah…you were in a small town, and then in the woods. I bet that made a difference. There wasn’t any city noise, any deluge of human emotion, interfering with you.” Her voice grew smaller, sadder. “I want to know if it really mattered. I want to know all I can about…that…about S-Sarah.”
Reid leaned his forehead against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will away Ana’s pain.
The observers in the bullpen saw the change in their friend’s demeanor. Worry began to supplant cheerful curiosity. Rossi frowned. He’d been watching the banter and teasing from the vantage of his elevated office. Now he saw the change in Reid’s body language and expression. He stepped out onto the catwalk for a closer look, leaning against the railing.
“I understand, Ana. But…”
“And just one more thing, Spencer. You told me you owed Bescardi a total of three sessions, no more than eight hours each, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, a retreat like this would count for more than that. You’d be done. You’d never have to see her again unless you wanted to.”
Silence stretched between them.
Reid wanted to give Ana whatever she asked for. And he understood about her wanting to know more concerning her sister and his part in finding her. And he had enjoyed stretching his abilities. He’d told Rossi that he might even be looking forward to his next appointment at the clinic. But this wouldn’t be at the clinic. And he didn’t trust Bescardi.
“Let me think about it, okay?” He looked around and saw Rossi watching, looking down at him with worry lines etched across his brow.
“Okay.”
“I’m not saying ‘no’, but…”
“I understand. And Spencer?”
“Yeah?”
“I promise I won’t go without you. Promise…get it?”
That put the smile back on his face. “Like you promised to never hate me?”
“Exactly.”
“So you won’t hate me if I don’t go along with this?”
“I won’t hate you. Just the opposite.”
“Really?”
“Really. Promise.”
There wasn’t anything left to say that could make a better ending, so Reid whispered “Me, too,” and hung up. But his smile vanished when he looked back up at the catwalk.
It was time to talk with Rossi.