Chapter One

Chapter One

Aletta watched the double-winged airplane with the open cockpit fly across a pale blue sky, its propeller buzzing like blades on a fan. Everything else faded away, and Aletta stared mesmerized even as the high-pitched hum of its engine turned into a series of sputters and groans. Suddenly, the small yellow plane tumbled end over end until it smashed into the earth, pieces of it flying everywhere, seeming as fragile as the shell of an egg dropped on the floor.

Aletta started so violently that Clester Henry yanked his hands from in front of her eyes. “My Lord, Lettie, I didn’t mean to scare ya,” he said.

The vision of the smoldering plane crash faded away and the gymnasium returned, with its smells of popcorn and sweat and the noise of squeaking sneakers and clapping fans. Aletta checked to make sure Gyp, her toddler, was still playing at her feet, then turned around and saw Clester, a guy she’d known since high school, his narrowed hazel eyes looking at her with concern from under his John Deere cap.

“Are you all right?” he asked. “You jumped like a wildcat.”

Aletta forced herself to speak. “I didn’t see you when I came in.”

Clester had sneaked up behind her and placed his hands over her eyes. “Guess who?” he’d whispered, but she hadn’t heard him because the moment he touched her, the little plane buzzed in her ears and the horror of it going down played out in front of her eyes. Her psychic gift had sprung to life when he touched her, just as it did when she touched someone. Usually, she could control