Extra Sensory Deception Read Online Free Page B

talking about the rodeo.”
    Clara gave the TV a wary glance. So far, whenever she’d seen a picture of the rodeo or it had been mentioned in detail, her mind had been whisked away somewhere. She was very much afraid that the clown in the poster was in danger, and she felt obligated to warn him. She just couldn’t figure out how to do that. Even if she could explain how she knew he was in harm’s way, it was totally unlikely he would believe her.
    It was a problem she’d faced more than once in the past, and no matter what she did, the outcome had usually been awkward at best and downright unnerving at times.
    Rick had told her that Wes had offered them a tour before the show. Perhaps, if she met the clown, she could say something that would put him on his guard. Considering how she felt about clowns, she was looking forward to that possibility with a certain amount of dread.
    —
    “Clara’s going to the rodeo tomorrow,” Stephanie said, nodding at the TV. The video of a cowboy thrashing around on the back of a bull was accompanied by roars of approval from the spectators in the stands, while blaring country music tried to drown them out.
    Her husband sat on the couch next to her, apparently oblivious to the noise. His focus was on the phone in his hand, which emitted burps and bleeps with annoying regularity. So intense was his concentration, he failed to acknowledge his wife’s comment.
    Stephanie leaned over and punched him in the arm.
    The phone squawked, and George looked up. “You killed my avatar.”
    Stephanie compressed her lips for a moment. “I didn’t kill anything, but if you keep ignoring me for that silly phone that might change.”
    George sighed and leaned back. “Sorry. I was trying to relax my brain. It’s been a tough day.”
    “How about relaxing it with some intelligent conversation?”
    George looked around the room. “Your father is here?”
    She punched him on the arm again. “Enough of the smart mouth. I want to talk about the rodeo.”
    “What rodeo?”
    Stephanie looked at the TV, only to see a news story about a protest at the town hall. “It was on the news just now. Clara’s going.”
    “Good for her.”
    “I’d like to go.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I think it would be fun.”
    “For whom?”
    She sighed. “You don’t like rodeos?”
    “I don’t dislike them. I just think that if we’re going to fork out money for babysitters, there are better places I’d rather take you.” He stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “Like a fancy romantic restaurant and a movie?”
    She thought about it. “We could take the kids.”
    “Seriously? You want to sit in the stands at the fairgrounds for two and a half hours watching the kids fight over seats, beg for ice cream, throw popcorn at one another and—”
    “Okay, okay,” Stephanie broke in. “It was just an idea.”
    “A bad one.”
    “So we’re not going to the rodeo?”
    “Why don’t you go with Clara?”
    “She’s going with Rick.”
    “Ah.” George nodded as if he’d just realized something important. “Those two getting serious?”
    Stephanie shrugged. “I have no idea. Clara doesn’t talk about it much.”
    George gave her a sympathetic look. “What you mean is she won’t answer your probing questions.”
    “Something like that.”
    George reached out and pulled her close. “How about you and I plan a date night out? Somewhere quiet and romantic? Anywhere you want to go.”
    Stephanie smiled. “Now I know why I married you.” She snuggled closer to her husband. Who needed a rodeo when she had all she really needed right there next to her? She pictured Clara sitting in the stands with Rick. That was what she wanted for her cousin—the kind of happiness she had with George.
    Clara had some issues, though, that could ruin everything. What happened to her in New York had changed her. She had trouble trusting people. Then there was the Quinn Sense, making her feel like a freak. Yep, Clara had