Free Frost by Phaedra Weldon Page B

have forty-eight left. If you want to stay human you're going to have to not use the power. If she finds you, physically, she'll try to convince you to take the position."  
    "She can't make me do this."  
    "No. She can't physically make you—but Nature's shrewd. You know that. She'll basically fuck with what's most important to you."
    I shifted in the snow. "Look—if Lee wants the job just give it to him. He worked with Jason right? So—" I shrugged. I was frustrated and a bit overwhelmed.  
    No. I take that back.  
    I was really overwhelmed.  
    "Lee doesn't deserve the job, Jackson. And Nature will do everything in her power to prevent him from getting it."  
    "Why?"
    The snow around us increased in thickness as the wind picked up. "Because he's the one that convinced your mother to kill your brother."  

-10-

    The wintery wonderland of Fargo vanished and I found myself back in the empty room. Santa wasn't around (thank God!) and I could still hear the sounds of the kids in the rec room. I checked my watch, but since I hadn't looked at it before I visited dear old dad it didn't mean a lot to me. I couldn't figure out if I'd been gone at all.
    But believe it or not, Winter's words echoed in my head. Stop using it.  
    How does one stop using a power that can't be controlled? Nuts.  
    Winter's words came back to me about Lee. I didn't know who this Lee was but they were responsible for my mother going off the deep end. I was pretty sure mom was our perp, but I wanted to wait on the forensic evidence first. I also wanted more info on Lee, but no amount of shouting for Winter or dad brought the vision back. And I sure as hell wasn't going to hunt down Santa just so I could lay another one on him and teleport back to Winter.  
    Either way, I had a doozy of a story for Crow later and shoved my hands into my pockets as I walked back into the room.  
    Amelia saw me and smiled wide as she waved. I was drawn to her and knelt next to her.  
    "I was afraid you'd left," she said in a quiet voice.  
    "No. Just had to talk to Santa for a bit."  
    She looked to her left then her right. "You know that's not really Santa don't you?" she said in a low voice.  
    Laughter bubbled up inside and when it spilled out, Amelia joined me. But we weren't laughing about the same things. "Amelia, never believe you know more than you think you know. But I have a question to ask you."  
    "Yes?"
    "Did Jason ever mention where he lived?"
    "Well yes he did. He lived here."  
    "Here?" I glanced over at the door to see Crow and Sarah talking quietly. "You mean he lived at the hospital?"  
    "Yes. He said he had to stay here since his presence protected us." Amelia tapped her chin, her new hat still perched on her bandana swathed head. "I think he said it was downstairs. But I don't know where. I never saw it."  
    That was all I needed.  
    I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbed Crow. "Sarah, are there empty rooms downstairs?"  
    "Empty rooms? Well I guess so. The floor between the morgue and the lobby is empty. It's used for storage right now. Why?"  
    "I'll be right back," I leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips. Now that I had a better handle on what was happening—even if it was so far out as to be nuts— I felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of me. "I need Crow for a bit. Don't leave without me. We're still looking for Jason's killer."  
    Crow never asked me what I needed him for in the elevator. The first time he spoke was when the elevator opened to a darkened hall.  
    "Oh. Fun."  
    I smirked at him and slowly pulled my gun. He did the same and we held them up as we walked carefully into the hall. I found a light switch and flipped them. A few lights flickered on to our right. Following that corridor we found one of the rooms unlocked, and inside of there we found what I believed were my brother's things.  
    There weren't many. Folded neatly on an old   hospital bed were three shirts, two