The Candle (Haunted Series Book 23)

by Alexie Aaron

  Mia nodded, respecting Cid’s need to not say anything further. “There is a technique I’ve seen Angelo do. When he came upon a child traumatized by the paranormal, he would extract the bad memory, give it to a sensitive - in this case me - and give the child a new one. I’ll be destroying the memory because I don’t have a willing sensitive handy. Are you sure you want this?”

  “I don’t want you to pity me after you see the real memory,” Cid worried.

  “I could never do that. You’re my hero,” Mia said.

  “Hero!” Varden chirped.

  “Whoa, there’s a double meaning to that one. Okay, Varden, you keep a lookout. If someone comes, tell Mommy.”

  “Hero!”

  “He understands. He’s messing with us,” Mia said. “Come sit down.”

  Cid followed her back to the table and sat down. Mia pulled her chair up almost into his lap. She put a hand on either side of his face. “First, I have to travel your mind house and find the memory. I know the time, which helps. After that, I’m going to substitute it. If I’ve done this right, you’ll know the difference, but as time goes by, you’ll accept that it’s the first time we met.”

  “Yes. I understand,” Cid said.

  Mia pulled his forehead down to hers and entered his mind.

  Cid’s mind was pretty much as Mia expected. Everything was clean and orderly. There were signs on the doors with perfect calligraphy letters labeling the contents of the rooms. Mia looked until she found a door labeled Cid Memories. Mia walked into the room and found an antique library card catalog that encircled the room and towered far above her into what looked to be the night sky. She climbed the massive, towering structure by pulling drawers out a little bit to use as hand- and footholds. She didn’t fear falling. She knew that anything Cid constructed was sturdy and safe.

  Mia found the start of the childhood memories and climbed around until she found the drawer she was looking for. She balanced there by pulling out Childhood Recipes and perched on the drawer. Mia thumbed through the events and lifted out the card. She read the carefully typed description and frowned. How could an older sister behave this way? There was nothing there that would stop Mia from hating Candy Garrett. She took the card and replaced it with the memory Cid wanted.

  Mia climbed down, shutting each open drawer carefully. When she had reached the parquet floor, she tossed the card in the air and ignited it with her mind. The card burst into flames. She watched as it became ashes to be carried away in the swirling breezes of forgiveness and hope.

  Mia exited his mind house and pulled her forehead away as she let go of his face.

  Cid’s brown eyes held on to Mia’s as he retrieved the memory. “It’s still sad, yet beautiful. Thank you, Mia.”

  “I wouldn’t mention it to Ted. I don’t think he’d understand.”

  “Don’t worry. Although, he may have been the first to be kissed - which he’s already brought up four times this morning - I now know that I slept with you first,” Cid teased.

  Mia punched his arm.

  “Hero!” Varden squawked.

  “She is, Varden, she really is,” Cid said.

  Mike gave up his seat so Brian could settle in front of one of the computer terminals. He watched as Ted patiently dealt with both Jake and Brian. Mike didn’t want to like Ted, but he did. He walked over to where Burt was typing up his notes on what he could remember of his part of the adventure. He had the two pieces of the innocuous looking candle in front of him. Burt had lifted three sets of prints off the candle: his, Orion’s, and Cid’s. When Jake was running the match, they could see that Cid’s didn’t have the diagonal scar he received in a recent food-chopping incident. This supported the theory that Cid had only handled the candle prior to the accident.

  Burt stopped typing. He looked over at Ted and saw he was occupied with Brian. He tapped his screen. Mike leaned in.

  Burt typed, “I wish we could get Mia to put her experience on camera or at least record it in print.”

  Mike leaned in and typed, “I would like to know a few things myself. It’s too bad you three are the only ones who can remember the experience.”

  Burt responded. “How about we go and see if we can get Murphy to talk?”

  Mike nodded. He tapped Ted on the shoulder and said, “Where could I find Murphy this time of day?”

  “Probably in his new barn. It’s over the hill north of here.”

  “Thanks. Brian, don’t let Jake push you around,” Mike said before he left.

  Burt saved his work. He got up to leave, and Ted’s eyes shifted his way. Burt smiled but offered no excuse for leaving the room. He just nodded, grabbed his coat, and left.

  Mike was waiting for him on the path to the aerie. The two investigators walked for a while in silence. Spring had settled in and the land bore the fruit of Murphy’s attentions. The tree line was neat, and the raspberry brambles were contained.

  “It’s really nice out here,” Mike said.

  “Considering Mia and Ted aren’t attentive tenants, it’s amazing,” Burt said.

  “Give Mia kudos for hiring Lazar. He’s turned out to be quite a manager,” Mike pointed out.

  “I think she got lucky. Mia does everything with her heart first,” Burt said. “Which is good because I’m years behind in my rent.”

  “I don’t know how you can live off your ex-girlfriend?”

  “With grace but little dignity,” Burt joked.

  The two stopped and surveyed the meadow before them. The wildflowers were just starting to come into their own. The little red barn’s doors were open.

  “Murphy!” Mike called.

  Murphy looked up and was surprised to see not only Mike there but Burt. He set down the rake and moved quickly up the hill.

  “What’s the emergency?” he asked.

  “There’s no emergency. Do we have to have an emergency to speak with you?” Mike asked.

  “No, but you two rarely speak to me unless it’s PEEPs business,” Murphy said.

  Mike and Burt looked at each other.

  “Is that true?” Burt asked Mike.

  “He’s right,” Mike said. “I’m sorry, Stephen. I guess I usually think you’d rather not be disturbed.”

  “I’m working so…”

  “Okay, we’ll come to the point,” Burt said and waited for Mike to speak. Mike left him hanging, so he cleared his voice and said, “We were wondering if you’d like to go on the record about what you experienced in the other timeline.”

  “No.”

  Mike looked annoyed. “Mind telling us why?”

  “I think we have more to do in the present. Why hash over what happened in the past?” Murphy asked. “Plus, I’m sure you may not want to know some things.”

  “Like…” Burt asked.

  “How you looked dead with mushrooms planted in your gut,” Murphy said.

  “Fair enough,” Burt said and turned to leave.

  “There’s more. What aren’t you telling us?” Mike pressed.

  “Things that Mia may not want you guys to know. I’ll speak with her, and if she okays it, I will be happy to sit down and tell you from my perspective what happened. I can’t tell you everything because I wasn’t everywhere. I can tell you that you, Mike, were every much the hero as was Ted. You followed Mia’s orders, and in doing so, you didn’t get yourself blown up,” Murphy said.

  “Is that how Ted died?” Mike confirmed. “He blew himself up. Does he know this?”

  “Maybe. Mia should have told him.”

  “Gee, I called that one. I got his death right but the wrong timeline, imagine that.”

  “I think you need to leave that alone,” Burt advised. “From me, Murphy, I would like to thank you for saving me.”

  “You’re welcome,” Murphy said stiffly. “Can I go now?”

  “Yes, sorry to disturb you,” Burt said.

  Murphy disappeared.

  “I don’t have any memory of what I did. Maybe that’s best,”
Mike said. “I can’t imagine dealing with Mia as a twelve-year-old.”

  “She was amazing,” Burt said. “But she couldn’t have survived without Murphy. I’m convinced of that.”

  “I guess no matter what happens, it comes down to their awkward friendship, doesn’t it?” Mike said, smacking the dust off his jeans.

  “This is why we have to give Ted a break. He’s got a lot on his plate,” Burt said.

  “Still, I’d like a shot at being in his shoes,” Mike said.

  “Nope, never going to happen. Not even if Ted blows himself up,” Burt said and added, “again.”

  ~

  Glenda had finished packing and drifted down the stairs to look for her son. Mike wasn’t around, but Altair was there in his earthly form shelving books.

  “You’re a very efficient librarian.”

  Altair looked at the older woman and smiled. “I was looking for a book and was pleased to see it was still here, just shelved wrong.”

  “So, what do they have you doing these days?”

  “They?”

  “Mike mentioned you’re into protection.”

  “I’m not thrilled. I started off in world building and pissed off my boss.”

  This tickled Glenda. She liked raw language, especially if the person using it was unexpected.

  “Mrs. Dupree, how are you liking living in the city?”

  “Things are handy. Mike for one. I should have had other kids.”

  “It wasn’t to be,” Altair said.

  “No, but no use crying over spilled vodka. Speaking of, you’ve got quite an appetite for it.”

  “I prefer whiskey, good whiskey.”

  “Too much of a bite for this old woman.”

  The outside door opened, and Mia walked in with Varden. “Hospitality,” she called, holding up two bottles of Grey Goose.

  “Woka,” Varden announced.

  “I get a kick out of that,” Mia said. “So did the liquor store owner.”

  “You took your baby to the liquor store?” Glenda asked.

  “Yes. Tell them what we bought, Varden.”

  “Visky and Woka,” the tot announced.

  Mia reached into the diaper bag and produced the expensive bottles of whiskey Mia knew Altair liked.

  Altair smiled.

  Glenda studied the unspoken language going between the two. Her worries that this handsome creature would displace her son in Mia’s heart were unfounded. He looked indulgently at Mia. There was more of sibling vibe between them. She didn’t know why Mike still wanted Mia, but she would do everything in her power to make it happen. Why? Because that’s what mothers do.

  “Mia, I have to talk to you about the way you’re shelving these books,” Altair said.

  “Stuff Brian could destroy the world with stays on the top shelves,” Mia insisted, picking up a book and looking at it. “This is the book isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Should it be under lock and key?” Mia asked. “After all, I have birdmen in and out of this place all the time.”

  Altair shook his head. “I thought I’d give it to Orion.”

  “Really?” Mia asked, surprised.

  “He earned it.”

  Mia set Varden down in the play area and proceeded to put the bottles away. She walked the vodka over to Glenda.

  “I’ll just take one home and leave the other one here,” Glenda said.

  “I can’t guarantee that it’ll be here when you come,” Mia said, nodding over at Altair.

  “Does he have a drinking problem?” Glenda asked in a low voice.

  “No, but he will tie one on occasionally.”

  “I can hear you,” Altair called over.

  “I figured,” Mia said. “Anyway, he’s a responsible sot.”

  “Mia Cooper Martin!” Altair scolded.

  “Hero!” Varden shouted back.

  Mia giggled.

  Mike walked in, followed by Burt. Mia looked at the two men. Twenty years had changed them on the outside, but inside they were pretty much the same.

  “Ma, are you ready to go?” Mike asked.

  “Yes, my bags are upstairs,” she said. “You can add this to my tote, please.” Glenda handed Mike the bottle of vodka.

  “Sure. Be right down.”

  Burt walked over and watched Altair on the ladder. He was reading a book while he stood ten feet up. “You guys don’t get vertigo, do you?” he commented.

  Altair looked down and shook his head. “I only get a little motion sickness if I have to fly next to that one,” he pointed to Mia.

  Mia looked up from the book she was reading to Altair and stuck her tongue out.

  “Very mature,” Altair said.

  “I fingerprinted the candle,” Burt told him.

  “And?”

  “Aside from mine, there were Orion’s – probably happened when he bought the thing – and a very young Cid – which happened when he had control of the candle.”

  “It doesn’t mean someone didn’t handle the candle with gloves on,” Altair said, climbing down.

  “There is that,” Burt admitted.

  “Burt, what do you think of Gerald Shem?”

  Burt put his hand through his hair before he spoke, “He’s very useful, but a bit too connected to Angelo for me to completely trust him.”

  “You don’t trust Angelo?” Altair asked.

  “I haven’t since the first time he took off with Mia.”

  “Sariel respects him but warned us that he felt strongly that Angelo has his own agenda which no one really knows,” Altair said.

  Mia tried not to listen to the two, but when her name came up, she couldn’t help tuning in. Varden patted the book. “Sorry, peanut, now where were we?” she asked.

  “Puppy,” Varden told her.

  “Very good,” Mia said and tuned the men out so she could enjoy her time with Varden.

  Mike came down the stairs with the bags. He had changed his clothes. He dropped the bags, walked over, picked up Varden, and gave him a kiss. “You take care of your mom,” he said before handing Varden back to Mia. He nodded to the men and walked over and gently shook Glenda awake. “Come on, Ma, I have reservations for dinner.”

  “Coming,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure. Next time you have one of those candle thingies, make sure I get it.”

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Varden yawned. Mia took him over to the rocker and sat down and rocked, enjoying how much her youngest son enjoyed being cuddled.

  Altair and Burt continued on with their discussion, forgetting Mia was still within earshot.

  “I think that we’re all so interlaced with each other that it’s hard to really get a true read.” Burt lowered his voice, “Take Mike for example. He really thinks he stands a chance with Mia.”

  “He doesn’t?” Altair asked.

  “No. Mia’s had it with insecure males.”

  “Mike doesn’t seem insecure…”

  “Trust me.”

  “I have to agree that I don’t see Mia with anyone but Ted. Wait, maybe Sticks.”

  “Who’s this Sticks?” Burt asked.

  Altair reached for a book and opened it. “This isn’t his exact picture. It’s one of his grandfather when he was a young demon,” Altair said.

  “My god, that’s the Ted I met in the other timeline.”

  “It’s not just the looks. Theodore Martin would and did give his life for Mia, and so would Sticks. They may be different species, but they are made to be self-sacrificing heroes. When Mia was in Hell, Sticks would have helped her escape if she had wanted it. Hell would have destroyed him, and he knew that.”

  “I can’t imagine all the things you’ve seen in your existence. You have the unique perspective of being a demon and an angel.”

  “It doesn’t make life easier,” Altair said. “This is why I drink. Speaking of… Mia!”

  “Yes?” she asked, annoyed when Varden’s eyes popped open.

  “Where did you
hide my whiskey?” Altair asked.

  “Visky!” Varden said.

  “No, you’re too young,” Mia said, getting up. She walked into the kitchen and unearthed the bottle. She looked over at Burt and asked, “Are you joining him?”

  “Why not.”

  “Viskey!” Varden demanded.

  “No. How about a bottle of milk?” she asked her son as she balanced a tray with the bottle and two glasses on it with her free hand. She set it down by Altair who had found a comfy place to sit. “You’re a bad example,” she scolded.

  “It wasn’t I who took the kid to the liquor store,” Altair said.

  “Everybody is a critic,” Mia said. “If you will excuse me, I’m going to put Varden down for his nap.” Mia set Varden down and put his jacket on. She pulled on a hoodie that was way too large for her and grabbed the diaper bag.

  “Come back once the kids are napping. I would love to have a flight with you. You need to test out those wings after your transition,” Altair said.

  “Not if you’re drunk. Last time you flew drunk, we ended up in Green Bay. You know how I feel about Green Bay…” she said as she left.

  “I forgot she was here. We’re going to catch hell for talking about her love life that way,” Burt warned Altair.

  Altair smiled. He said what he said so she would hear things loud and clear. He knew it would open a discussion the two of them had to have.

  Mia met Ted on the stairs. She leaned over and kissed him as they passed. She put Varden down and smiled as he fell asleep right away. She looked in on the sleeping Brian. She rushed down the stairs with hopes of catching Ted before he left the house. She found him in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee.

  “Hello, spouse,” he said. “You want some coffee?”

  “I’ll pass. How’d Brian and Jake do?”

  “Actually, not too bad. There was some name calling, but once I got Jake calmed down, we did fine.”

  Mia laughed. “I hate it when Jake calls me poopoo head.”

  “I left a voice message with Ralph. I think we have identified the building, but I want to confirm it with him.”