The Lost Night by Jayne Castle

Author:Jayne Castle
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction, General
ISBN: 9781405518659
Publisher: Hachette Digital
Published: 2012-09-03T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

There had been no word from Rainshadow for nearly twenty-four hours. All Marcus Lancaster had been able to discover was that a storm in the Amber Sea had knocked out communications on the island. It had been difficult getting even that minimal amount of information because the clinic severely restricted access to outside news. Under normal circumstances, he relied on reports from his associate on the island, but now those had been cut off.

His intuition told him that something had gone terribly wrong. He could not let her escape.

“Tell me about your recurring nightmare,” Dr. Oakford said. “The one you say you’ve had ever since childhood.”

Marcus forced himself to pay attention. It was unsettling to discover that he needed to concentrate in order to employ his talent today. He should have been able to deal with Oakford without even having to think twice about it.

He must have done a halfway decent job of concealing his inner agitation, though, because Oakford was clearly oblivious. He conducted the therapy session in the same superficially calm, emotionless tone that he always employed. Marcus was not fooled. He could read voices and faces the way others read GPS maps. Beneath the surface of Oakford’s well-modulated, blandly professional speech patterns, currents of anticipation were infused with the need for positive feedback.

Marcus reminded himself not to smile. Smiling was not an appropriate response in this particular situation. What was the matter with him today? He had been handling Ian Oakford and the other members of the staff with exquisite ease ever since Rachel had left the clinic. He had been biding his time, performing the role of the model patient brilliantly and always, always keeping in mind that it was in his own best interests to remain at Chapman until the project on Rainshadow was completed.

It was getting increasingly difficult to fake his diagnosis, though. Today he had to rez a little talent just to get himself into the part. It was critical that he remain in character because Oakford wanted to talk about the recurring dream. That was dangerous territory because the dream was linked to his childhood.

He had gone to great lengths to bury his past—quite literally. Now here was Oakford trying to pry open the places where he kept his secrets.

Truth be told, the memories were very good. What a rush it had been coming into his talent as a teen, Marcus thought. What kid wouldn’t have reveled in the realization that he could make almost anyone believe almost anything, at least for a while? And what young male wouldn’t have savored the delights of being able to manipulate any girl into bed?

Later, in his early twenties when he discovered that he could pull off the perfect scam—that he could persuade seemingly intelligent, well-educated, sophisticated investors to trust him with their money—he thought he had found his true path in life. For a while he had convinced himself that the exhilarating sense of power that he experienced every time he added another financial trophy to his growing empire was enough.

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