Chapter 6
SIX
Colin promised to get in touch in a few days, so there was nothing to do but wait.
Quinn did her best to keep busy and try to avoid Rhys, who couldn’t accept that the ring was useless and kept insisting she try again.
If she couldn’t discover what had happened to the nameless woman, he would have to rely solely on the science, which would be a huge disappointment to those who would be tuning in to see Quinn at work, or find another subject for the show’s comeback.
Quinn ordered him to stop pestering her and promised that she’d get back to him when she had something to tell.
Little good it did her, but she did try.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Quinn decided she needed a fun night in and invited her brother Logan and his son Max to join them for dinner and a film that Friday, something she made sure to do at least once a month.
Logan’s partner, Rafe, had walked out on Logan days after the first lockdown had been lifted, having realized that he wasn’t emotionally equipped for either monogamy or parenthood.
Logan hadn’t dated anyone seriously since then, and, although he adored Max, he was at times quite lonely, especially since their brother Jude was still stationed in Germany.
Jude was married now and had two little girls.
The family lived on base and had come to visit only once since the children were born, at Christmas last year.
As soon as dinner was done, Gabe excused himself and headed upstairs to finish some paperwork, and the children migrated to the lounge to watch the movie.
Not interested in the film, Logan invited Quinn to join him in the garden, where he questioned her about the case.
He had been a little put out to learn about his sister’s secret ability on X, but once he’d got past his annoyance, he’d been surprisingly interested and wanted to hear about Quinn’s Trinidadian ancestor to whom Quinn could trace her gift.
Perhaps it was because Logan was a member of the medical community that he needed to understand the logistics, and make sense of the visions Quinn experienced.
If she hadn’t been having them since childhood, he might have suggested she see a neurologist, in case the mind trips were the result of a tumor.
“Too bad you can’t see into the future,” Logan said. “I’d love to know what the world will be like in fifty, one hundred, even a thousand years.”
“I’m not sure I want to know,” Quinn replied as she looked up at the darkening sky.
People had always looked to the stars for answers, and she was happy to do the same. And dream rather than fear what was to come.
“Why not?”
“Because I would be tempted to see my own future. And I’d rather not know the date of my death, or learn of the losses I am destined to bear.”
“But maybe if you knew, you could change your future,” Logan suggested practically.
“Maybe. But different decisions could lead to different outcomes, some of them even more terrible.”
Logan sighed. “I wish I could have seen my future.”
“Was there something you would have changed?” Quinn asked.
Her brother nodded. “Perhaps I would allow things to happen in their own time.”
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It’s just that I always rush things. I want what I want right now,” Logan complained.
“Nothing wrong with that. Instant gratification.”
“Sometimes instant gratification leads to heartache down the road.”
“Are you referring to something specific?”
“Nah, I’m just talking,” Logan said and grinned. “I’m getting maudlin in my old age.”
“Don’t talk to me about age,” Quinn grumbled. “When my mum was my age, I thought she was ancient.”
“You’re only as old as you feel,” he said. Quinn rolled her eyes at that, and Logan laughed softly. “Sounds like you need another drink.”
“Bring it on,” Quinn said and gazed at the sky until Logan returned with a glass of wine.
They talked easily for another hour until the film ended and it was time for Logan to take his sleepy five-year-old home. Quinn saw them to the car and kissed Max before Logan settled him in his child seat.
“I love you,” Quinn said.
“Love you, Aunt Quinn,” Max murmured.
“Love you, Aunt Quinn,” Logan said and gave her one of his bear hugs. “Next time at mine.”
Quinn nodded, waved to Max, and went back inside.