Echo 8 by Sharon Lynn Fisher Page A

that.”
    She lifted her glass for him to clink. “Thank you. For everything.”
    â€œYou’re welcome, Doctor.”
    They ate their dinner in silence and slid the plates back onto the coffee table. She sank against the sofa with her glass. “Can I ask you a question?”
    â€œSure, go ahead.”
    â€œThe stuff you gave me to read earlier … that was about you, wasn’t it?”
    He gave her a wry smile. “What makes you think so?”
    â€œJust a hunch.” A good one, apparently. “Who sent you the file?”
    â€œDirector Garcia.”
    â€œHave you always known? Or was the Bureau the first to talk to you about your abilities?”
    Ross shrugged and settled back against the sofa. “My father always said I had good instincts. Those are an advantage in my line of work. You really can’t make field agent without them.”
    â€œThey’re an advantage in any line of work,” she said. “But from what I read of your file, your instincts are better than most people’s. Why do you think they’re sharing this with you now?”
    He met her gaze. “They intend for me to train while I’m here. Garcia notified me today.”
    She frowned. “Did he say why?”
    â€œNot yet. I think it has something to do with the Echoes. He’s coming here to discuss it with us.”
    â€œWhen?”
    â€œI should know soon.”
    Tess eyed him, uneasy. She didn’t like the idea of his agency getting more involved in their work. She knew full well she didn’t have any right to expect they wouldn’t. But the FBI viewed the Echoes as a threat to public safety. Ross’s superiors didn’t care that Jake and the others had once been human. What she and Jake had discovered could resolve all this— if she could make the administration listen to her. She was counting on Ross’s help for that.
    â€œIt’s interesting to me that you’ve used your ability without even being aware of it,” Tess said. “When I spoke earlier about suppression, I was talking about individuals who block or sabotage their abilities. Can you tell me about a hunch you’ve had since you’ve been here? Something that’s ended up happening?”
    Ross stared at his glass, turning it in his hands. “I knew Jake would attack you when we went in there last night.”
    â€œThat’s right, you told me.”
    â€œAnyone could have guessed that. It’s what they do.”
    â€œTrue enough. But tell me more about your hunch. Was it just your sense of the danger of me going into a room with an Echo?”
    He considered this, lifting his eyebrows after a moment. “I’d forgotten this until now, but I had a dream the night before.”
    â€œAbout the attack?”
    â€œNot really. It made no sense, like most dreams. You and I were arguing about something—I can’t remember what.”
    â€œI’m sorry to inform you that was no dream. It really happened.”
    The corners of his lips turned up. He had a boyish, charming smile that she hadn’t gotten to see often enough.
    â€œWe were sitting at a table in the cafeteria,” he continued, “and there was a plate between us. There was a donut on it—one of those powdered-sugar ones. I was trying to give it to you, and you wouldn’t take it.”
    â€œThat doesn’t sound very much like me.” She laughed. “What makes you think the dream was related to the attack?”
    â€œYou never touched the donut, but at one point you showed me your hands and there was powdered sugar all over them. Then you just disappeared.”
    â€œPowdered sugar…” It tugged at her memory, but a couple moments passed before she figured out why. “You’re thinking of that white residue I touched on the floor, before Jake reappeared.”
    Ross nodded. “After you disappeared I woke up in a panic. The