She pictured the video in her mind again: she saw the assistant, who Elizabeth assumed was ZoAnn, strutting around the box that had several hilts protruding from its top. She reached for the one in the center and pulled it out with flair – and then froze as she saw the crimson blood on the blade. She stared at the blood for a few unsettling seconds, and then screamed as she dropped the sword and slowly backed away from the box. At this point, some people in the crowd had also began screaming and four men from backstage rushed onto the stage, attempting to open the lid to the box. Security guards began running down the aisles attempting to calm the crowd, as someone backstage started to close the curtains. As the curtains were halfway closed, the video ended abruptly.
Elizabeth couldn’t help but put herself in his situation; inside a box and couldn’t get out, knowing the swords would slice through the box at any second. And then, she imagined the pain...
She shivered and shook her head, trying not to think of something so traumatizing. The articles she read all said it was an accident, and yet, Nolan firmly believed Aaron was murdered.
Suddenly, the motor in the Jacuzzi stopped, and the bubbles ceased bubbling. She snapped alert. She pushed the button on the control panel to start it up again, but nothing happened. She looked around, trying to see where it was plugged in. Her gaze followed the power cord to one of the walls of the gazebo... and stopped on the plug that was now on the cement floor.
Her heartbeat accelerated, and she paused her music, listening for any nearby sounds. Someone must have unplugged it, but she didn’t see any signs of someone being there.
She climbed out of the Jacuzzi, picking up her towel to dry her hands before plugging it into the outlet again. The motor started up again, and she moved back to the tub. As soon as she slid one leg inside, it turned off again. She snapped her gaze toward the outlet. The plug was lying on the ground again... but nobody was around.
Fear pumped through her body as her mind raced to explain the mysterious unplugging. She couldn’t believe... she didn’t want to believe.
Slowly, she moved out of the tub and picked up her towel again, wrapping it around her body. “Who is there?” She paused and then added, “Because I know someone is there. I don’t scare easily,” she lied. Her inquiries were met with silence.
From the other side of the gazebo, she heard the limbs from the bushes shake – and yet, there was no wind. She spun around. The movement of the bushes transferred from one plant to the other, slowly moving closer to where she stood.
She clutched the towel tighter as her heartbeat shifted into overdrive. She needed something to use as protection, but she hadn’t even brought her shoes out with her. Running in the opposite direction and screaming was the first thing to cross her mind, but fear paralyzed her as she realized she was all alone. Who would hear her cry for help?
Nobody.
FOUR
ELIZABETH CLUTCHED her towel around her as fear shook through her. By this point, she was shaking so hard that most of the excess water on her skin had been scattered into a puddle around her. Still stiff in terror, she remained completely focused on the movement of the bushes that was rapidly moving toward her.
Aside from some dim lighting above the Jacuzzi, the area all around the gazebo sat in shadow. Faintly, she began to make out the figure of a man slowly walking toward her through the bushes. She gritted her teeth. If Nolan or Thomas was trying to scare her, she’d... she’d... well, she didn’t know what she would do, but she knew it wouldn’t be very nice.
Suddenly, the man stepped into the dimly lit gazebo. As her vision adjusted to his appearance, relief poured over her and, at the same time, anger made her blood boil.
“Samuel Livingston!” she snapped. “What are you doing here?”
He flashed a Cheshire grin that she desperately wanted to slap off his face. He slowly looked her up and down, making her squirm slightly and wish that her towel was longer.
“Well, if I’d known you were going to relax in the Jacuzzi Cali-style, I would have been here sooner.”
She tightened the towel around her. “Sam, answer my question. You were not invited here, so why are you in front of me right now?”
His eyebrows rose. “What? You don’t want a visit from your own loving boyfriend? Why aren’t I invited?” A strange look crossed his face as he stepped closer, and he scowled. “You’re not meeting some other guy here, are you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Sam? I can barely keep you interested in me, so what makes you think another man would find me entertaining?”
Sam shrugged as he pulled one of the deck chairs forward and plopped down into it. He kicked his sneakers off and reclined, crossing his feet and resting his hands behind his head.
“You’re not wrong babe, but...,” he nodded toward the house, “the least you could have done was to tell me you were staying at a billionaire’s mansion.”
Her heart ached, knowing that he wouldn’t try to disagree with her when she labeled herself uninteresting. It was a small thing but, after everything she had put up with from him over the last year or so, she decided in that moment that enough was enough. It was time to break up with him.
“Well, the reason I didn’t tell you is because I’m here on a work assignment. I’m getting the estate ready to sell.”
He looked at her with the same distrustful gaze she had seen on him countless times before. “Your firm sent you? Ha! Why don’t I believe you? Since when does a law firm start offering real estate services?”
“Fine, don’t believe me. I don’t care anymore.” She picked up her phone and took a few steps away, and then turned back and glared at him. “And one more thing – the next time you see me relaxing in a Jacuzzi, don’t pull the plug. That really pisses me off.”
“I didn’t pull any plug!” he said, waving his arms in protest. “I went to the house and rang the doorbell and, when nobody answered, I decided to walk around back. I saw the light on here next to the swimming pool, so I made my way here.”
He had lied to her plenty of times before, but she still had trouble deciphering if he was telling the truth. “Whatever, but I’m not in the mood for company right now. You should leave.”
“Really? That’s how you’re going to treat me?” he snapped, jumping to his feet and pushing his fingers through his greasy brown hair. “I drove over five hours to come to see you and you’re going to brush me aside like a piece of garbage? I don’t think so.”
He picked up his shoes and stormed over to where she stood, glaring her in the eyes. A mix of guilt and fear festered in the pit of her stomach. Sam had a short fuse, and she’d seen him get violent toward other people. The last thing she wanted was to be on the receiving end of his temper. Even though she no longer wanted to be around him, she felt guilty for turning him away. It was after sunset now, and a five-hour drive in the dark wasn’t fun no matter who you were. Maybe she should at least let him stay the night. There were plenty of other bedrooms in the house, and she was sure they were ready for guests. After all, Nolan had mentioned that Aaron had guests stay over all the time.
“Fine. You can stay the night, but you have to leave in the morning. I do have work to do here.” She took fast steps toward the house. “Let’s go find you a room, but I should warn you that this mansion is rumored to be haunted.”
Sam barked out a boisterous laugh. “Haunted? Do you expect me to believe that?”
“No, but that’s what I’ve been told. I’m just giving you fair warning, so don’t blame me if you get scared.”
He laughed again. “Me? Scared? Yeah right. You must have me confused with someone else.”
Elizabeth didn’t say any more as she marched into the house. She pointed him toward the game room and muttered something about changing her clothes before hurrying up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
As she undressed, she grumbled to herself. The least he could have done was admit to unplugging the Jacuzzi. But then again...
She paused before slipping off her bikini top. The Jacuzzi had been unplugged twice before she heard him rustling in the bushes. Even then, he wouldn’t have been close enough to unplug the Jacuzzi. So then, who unplugged it?
The ghost?
She snickered and finished pulling on a red t-shirt and faded jeans. She slipped into her pair of cheap athletic shoes and continued thinking as she tied the laces. Nolan had told her that he smelled Aaron’s cologne when he felt him near, and she hadn’t smelled anything while outside in the Jacuzzi. Obviously, someone was trying to spook her... or make her believe in ghosts. Maybe it really could have been Nolan or Thomas.
It wasn’t more than twenty minutes later when she came back down the stairs and into the game room. She found Sam was playing pool on the other table, and she chuckled to herself. If only he had chosen the first table. Then she really could have frightened him.
As she watched Sam play, she realized that, despite who her company was, she was a little relieved that she didn’t have to be alone her first night. She was still irritated that he had ruined her relaxing time in the Jacuzzi but, now that he was here, she felt a little more secure. Surely hauntings were harder to happen to multiple people.
She walked to the pool table and leaned against the side. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered what she had ever seen in Sam to make her want to date him. He always wore baggy shirts and low-riding jeans that showed his boxer shorts. His greasy brown hair had some natural waves, but it was always unkempt. She knew he showered, so he was never stinky, but he never wore men’s cologne or tried to look good. Lately, she had added his outright lack of manners to her list of character flaws.
Sam shifted his cue stick in his hand and leaned over to take a shot. CLACK. Several of the balls rolled in different directions, two of which landed in different pockets.
“Yes!” Sam exclaimed, pumping his fist.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re enjoying yourself, at least.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been down to Dean’s to play, but it’s just like riding a bike baby.”
She lowered her eyes and traced her finger across the table’s wooden frame. “So, I was thinking... because you’re definitely not afraid of ghosts, do you want to go explore somewhere spooky with me tonight?”
He hit another ball into the side pocket and lifted his head. “Where is that?”
“This mansion has secret passages, and the caretaker of the estate showed me where one of the entrances is.” She hunched her shoulders and wiggled her fingers at him. “Want to go check out a haunted tunnel?”
“Secret passages? You’ve got to be kidding me. Why would anyone have hidden passages running through their house?”
She shook her head and moved closer to the mirrored wall. “Well, this mansion is a historic structure. I’m sure it was built in the late 1800s. However, it’s probably because its last owner was a magician, and he liked magic, mystery, and scaring people.”
He chewed the corner of his cheek for a moment, tapping his finger on the end of the cue stick in thought. “Alright, what the heck. Maybe it’ll be fun. Do you have flashlights or something?”
“I was thinking we’d just use the flashlights on our phones.”
“I guess that works.”
She placed her palm on the cluster of golden vines painted in the mirror and, just like when Nolan was here, the glass shifted and opened. Reflected in the mirror, she watched the surprise spread across Sam’s face and his mouth dropped open. She figured Nolan had been amused by the same expression on her face, too.
Once the door was completely open, she turned on the flashlight on her phone and pointed it into the tunnel. The light cascaded across the old wooden paneling and chased away the darkness. She was relieved to see that there weren’t any spider-webs coating the ceiling. Hopefully, she wouldn’t see any rats or lizards, either.
She glanced at Sam over her shoulder. “Are you ready to go?”
He fumbled with his phone for a second and then turned on his light. She motioned for him to go first, but he grasped her arm and pushed her ahead of him. The coward! She resolved that the next guy she dated would be someone a lot braver.
They took careful, unhurried steps as they walked down the corridor. Although she couldn’t see it, she felt the floor declining slightly. For some reason, this passage led lower into the house. Her thoughts began to swirl in her head. What if it led to the basement? Would she get in trouble for entering if it did?
After a couple minutes of twists and turns, the tunnel came to a fork. The left side had a short hallway that ended in a door, and the right side led away into the darkness.
“See if the door opens,” Sam ordered.
Once again, she rolled her eyes. If only he weren’t so spineless. She jiggled the doorknob and, surprisingly, it wasn’t locked. However, the door opened out and, despite her best efforts to push on it, it wouldn’t budge.
“Oh, good grief,” he snapped at her and pushed her aside to take over. “You’re so puny. If you’d go to the gym three times a week like I do, you might have some muscles.”
Elizabeth bit her bottom lip, holding back a laugh. When had Sam ever gone to the gym in the time they’d been dating? And why was he lying to her, knowing full well that she knew the truth? Maybe he was trying to stoke his ego to help him ignore the anxiety he was feeling.
He squared up to the door, grasped the knob, and slammed his shoulder against it as hard as he could. The loud THUD was followed by a small whimper, released from Sam’s throat. She covered her mouth and, once again, held back her laughter. He tried again to no avail, but this time his whine was a little more audible.
“Are you okay?” she asked, hesitantly.
“Just get over here and help me.” His voice was tight with irritation.
She stepped closer to the door to help push it open but, just as before, it didn’t move an inch. “Maybe we’re not supposed to go inside. The caretaker told me that the basement was off limits, so maybe this door goes down there.”
“Fine,” he replied tersely and moved past her, heading toward the other tunnel.
She was glad that he led the way this time. His steps were quicker than hers, but she didn’t care. The passageway seemed to be more of a curve, and the floor noticeably inclined. After a few more minutes of travel, Sam unexpectedly tripped, falling forward and sending his phone flying. It landed ahead of him, revealing the base of a staircase. He cursed as he pulled himself up, dusting himself off.
“Are you ok?” she asked.
“I’m fine.” He replied in an irritated tone. Apparently, the only thing he had hurt was his pride.
They continued up the stairs, which only numbered twenty or so, and were met with a sliding door. Sam tested the latch and, finding it unlocked, he slid open the door.
“Oh, look. It’s a bedroom.” He walked in further. “Is this the one you’re staying in?”
She stepped inside and looked around. “No, I’m not sure which one this is.”
“I wonder if this is the master suite, then. After all, you said the guy was a magician. I know if I were him, I’d want a passage that led to my bedroom. It’d be a real hit with the ladies.”
“Yeah, sure.”
The moonlight shone through the window and cast an almost ethereal glow over the room’s furnishings. She took a step toward the center of the room, admiring the rooms décor. Suddenly, she felt it... A wave of frigid air washed over her, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Before she had the chance to shudder, she smelled the rich, musky smell of a man’s cologne...
She held her breath as her body began to tremble. No! There wasn’t a ghost in the house; she refused to believe it. It had to be her imagination playing tricks on her. However, she would much prefer to err on the side of caution.
She turned toward Sam. “Sam, let’s go back to the game room. I don’t feel right about sneaking around like this.”
>
He huffed and threw her a glare, setting down the crystal figurine he had been examining. “Oh, come on, this whole thing was your idea. Did you forget that?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten, but I suddenly feel like we’re... intruding.”
“Intruding? In a dead man’s house?”
“Yes. I don’t know how else to explain it, but I’m going back to the game room. You can stay and look around if you want, but don’t break anything.”
She hurried back, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the twisting passages. It didn’t take long for her to find the game room, and when she stepped back through the mirrored entryway, she let out a sigh of relief.
The sound of clamor echoed out of the doorway, and she turned just as Sam stumbled into the room. “Good grief, why were you going so fast? You were practically running.”
“No, I wasn’t... not really.”
“Whatever,” he grumbled. He turned off his phone and walked back to the pool table.
She placed her hand on the mirror and triggered the door to close. Once the wall had closed, her hands slowly stopped shaking and she began to breathe easier.
“Do you want to play a game of pool with me?” Sam asked.
She really didn’t want to, but right now she could use something to get her mind off of what had happened. “Sure.”
She picked up a cue stick as Sam set the balls in the plastic triangle. Suddenly, a loud noise from somewhere upstairs made her jump. Sam looked at her with wide eyes but didn’t say anything. As she listened closer, she heard it again. And again. It sounded like...
“Why are the doors slamming?” she whispered.
The Magic of a Billionaire Page 4
