Modern Pantheon: Ghost

by Grayson Barrett

  Chapter 14

  With only a few hours of sleep, we left at around four in the morning, fleeing before any early risers came to find us. With the minimobile at the Cane Manor, we couldn’t go back there, so we ended up finding a coffee shop in the suburbs that had early hours. Lara and Cameron finally found something they had in common – a caffeine addiction.

  “So what’s the plan for today?” Lara asked as she sat down.

  I may not be an addict, but the coffee was still liquid greatness at my level of exhaustion. Unlike Cameron and I, who each had a cup of basic, black coffee, she had her own concoction. In Lara’s college years she worked part time at a coffee shop, which is why she actually knew what everything on the menu was. Her drink, which consisted of roughly twenty-three syllables, required preparation. She sat with us, but between sleepy nods, she kept staring at the front counter where they played around with the high-tech coffee maker and various bottles of syrup.

  “I got Kelly’s number, but her phone is off.” Cameron told us when we sat. “If she’s smart, she got rid of it, but it’s worth trying throughout the day. Otherwise, the only thing I’ve got is Daniel’s address, but I doubt he’ll be there. He lives an hour away from downtown, so he probably spent the night in Minneapolis. I know he often did.”

  “We might as well start there,” I said.

  “You start there. I can’t go with you,” Cameron said. “Now that Emmitt’s gone, I’ve got business at Cane Industries. The board’s been in an uproar since Emmitt’s death trying to find an interim CEO.”

  “Do you think Daniel will be the new guy?”

  “No. The Board will want a strong leader. Someone who can run a company. Daniel nearly fainted at the prospect of delivering a speech.”

  “Okay,” I said as Lara took another desperate look toward the counter.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you, Thomas.” Cameron asked. “Do you think Kelly’s the killer?”

  I had a few answers prepared for him. Being a fugitive gave me a bit of freedom. At least I didn’t have to worry about pissing off the Guardians; I’d already covered that. Still, I couldn’t tell Cameron the truth, so I decided that the best way was to rummage through my bag of lies and see came out. “Magic isn’t accessible to everyone. It is possible that Kelly is one of the chosen few that has the ability to summon spirits from those departed. If you know anything about her bloodline, I may be able to do some research to see if she’s got the gift. However, there are a few ways to summon spirits, even for those without an affinity for magic.”

  “And those are?”

  I shrugged, thinking up more bullshit. “Magical artifacts. Ancient rituals. I can’t say for sure, but I’m pretty sure she summoned the ghost last night. She ran when it appeared, suggesting guilt. She also ran the night of the murder. She had close access James Freidman, the spell’s inventor. Plus, Emmitt was threatening to take away thirty grand from her and her husband. That’s motive and means – the only thing missing is a confession.”

  The teenaged girl behind the counter came around to set Lara’s drink in front of her, at last. Lara dove into it.

  “You’re sure she was the one that summoned it?” Cameron asked. “I didn’t see her do anything.”

  “Depending on how she did it she might not need to gesture or say anything,” I said. This was especially true with a spell as potent as this one, as I proved when I summoned it in the car.

  “But last night you said the ghost was sentient. And speaking of that, did it seem to you guys that the ghost got more powerful as the night went on?”

  I shrugged, noncommittally. Lara furrowed her brow, thinking.

  “Maybe this ghost has his own vendetta.” Cameron said. “Is it possible it went after Daniel all by itself?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Once summoned, the ghost could go overboard and hurt others in its attempt to kill its victim, but it can’t summon itself. Only a mage can do that.”

  I could see a touch of annoyance grow on Lara’s face, suggesting that I might be revealing too much to him, so she interrupted. “Since we don’t know where Kelly is, I think our next move should be talking to Daniel. You can get us in contact?”

  “It will take time. I wasn’t on speaking terms with any of the rest of the family. Emmitt didn’t exactly parade me around.”

  “Does he live here?” she asked.

  “No, Daniel lives in some secluded lake house up north. He’s currently staying at the Hotel Minneapolis.”

  “That’s all I need to know,” she said. “I want to talk with him as soon as possible – preferably before he leaves for the office.”

  “Dressed like that?” he said, looking down at her wrinkled dress. “Lovely as it is, I could buy you an outfit along the way that is a bit more professional.”

  She clenched her jaw in anger before saying, “All I need from you is a ride.”

  “Here,” he threw her the keys, a small smile on his lips. “I’ll take a cab back to the Manor and make a few calls to see if I can track down Kelly.”

  “Thank you,” she said, getting up and handing the keys to me. “Let’s get going.”

  She strode out quickly, drink still in hand. I hesitated as Cameron stared at her quickly departing back, smirking lightly.

  “Sorry if she comes off rude,” I said.

  “Is she single?” Cameron asked.

  “Don’t go there,” I warned, but grinned nonetheless at the thought of them hooking up. “Also, a word of advice – don’t spread around that you know anything about magic.”

  “In my world, if you do that, people will think you’re ready to move to the institution. I’m just curious. Why all the secrecy?”

  I answered with a rehearsed lie. “Because people don’t like what they don’t understand. And they don’t like the thought that there’s something bigger and more powerful than themselves out there. Trust me, it’s better for everyone if no one knows about my world. I lost my phone, so call Lara if you find anything.”

  “Good luck, Thomas,” he said earnestly.

  I nodded to him, and as I followed Lara out to the car I realized that I had grossly misjudged Cameron in so many ways when we’d first met. For one, I realized that he was definitely older than the teenager I initially thought he might be. Initially, I saw a young-spirited innocence, but now I saw in him the sort of calm that came with confidence and knowledge. Lara was right – he is the kind of guy that knows more than he typically lets on. It doesn’t make him devious. Rather, it makes me glad that Cameron Cane was on our side. I stepped out of the coffee shop, prepared for the new day.

  Chapter 15

  Without Cameron, Lara was free to chastise me for being so open with him as I drove. Yet she didn’t function nearly as well as most did without sleep, so I hardly understood her mumbles. Luckily, that didn’t last long, because she quickly switched her focus to guessing the room number of Daniel’s apartment. As I drove, she continually researched the hotel, tapping the touch screen of her phone until she came up with all her answers.

  Before setting off, I rummaged through the dashboard where I found a bunch of papers bound by a paperclip. It may not be as prestigious as a ring, but I at least knew the elemental makeup of steel. A magical paperclip is better than no magic at all, so it would simply have to do. Lara and I traded seats for the second half of the journey, giving me time to throw every one of the few spells I could do from rote memory into the metal.

  Last night I’d been stripped both mentally and physically. Now, I was back. Even if all I had was a paperclip ring, it was all I needed.

  An hour or so after we left the coffee shop we arrived back in the metropolitan downtown, inside one of the state’s grandest hotels. I stood beside Lara, knocking on the door to room number 713. Sadly, knocking happened to be the only way to determine if she guessed the right room. I had that honor.

  Several seconds went by. I didn’t want to be creepy, since the door had a peephole, b
ut I put my ear close for a few seconds to listen and heard a shower stop. About a minute later, Daniel opened the door wearing a ruffled suit. It wasn’t the same one from yesterday, and his hair was still wet. Scrambling to open the door, his anxious face turned fearful at the sight of us. “Err, sorry, sir. And madam, but, err, do I know you?”

  “Sorry to bother you, Mr. Ca–”

  His face nearly split apart with the smile that appeared. “You’re that guy! That guy that distracted the ghost!” He stepped out quickly and grasped my hand, shaking it firmly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  “You’re welcome,” I said, trying my best to hide my blush. Jerking back just as quickly, the jittery man said, “But, um, why are you here?”

  “My name is Thomas Amberose. This is my associate, Lara Mercer. I’m trying to find out the truth behind the death of your brother.” I smiled politely and offered my hand.

  Of the three brothers, Emmitt was a militant businessman, and James was the criminal. That meant the only one left was the odd duck – Daniel. He filled the entire room with jitters every time he moved, and while the other brothers dressed to impress or show off their bulk, Daniel would benefit a lot from a personal shopper. The basic brown suit he wore had dark oval patches on the elbows, while the knees had newer gray ones. I doubted the style ever worked.

  “Who are you working for?”

  Suspicious little thing, I thought as I looked at him. “We’re investigating the murder at the request of Cameron Cane.”

  “Who?”

  “Cameron Cane?” I said, surprised the name didn’t immediately register, until I recalled Cameron’s elaborate explanation of how they’re exactly connected. While he calls him Uncle, it’s a bit more distance. “Your, err, relative?”

  “Oh, right. I remember now. Come on in.” He sat down on the couch across from us. “I apologize, Mister Amberose, but I don’t have much time. Today’s a busy day for Cane Industries. We have a lot of changes coming in the near future, but I can spare a few minutes for you.”

  There was a reason these suites cost bundles of cash per night. The maroon carpet was soft enough to encase one’s foot in bliss. Windows lined the largest wall, partially blocked by silky smooth curtains. The room even boasted a hot tub on a raised platform, not far from a chandelier that looked more delicate than an icicle. He closed the door behind us and motioned us to the sofa.

  I smiled, and decided to start with an easy question. “You were Emmitt’s brother?”

  “That’s right,” he had a mousy, high-pitched voice that didn’t hide any wavers.

  “You knew him well?”

  “We were close, yes. Saw him a few times a week.”

  Typically, I try to keep my questions vague and open-ended. He didn’t seem to be the talkative sort, so I had to lead the conversation.

  “What do you think happened?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  Wow... I thought, at a loss for words. Helpful.

  Lara took over by saying, “Someone tried to kill you yesterday. Who.”

  “I, ah, don’t know,” Daniel grabbed a throw pillow and twirled the corners nervously. “People enjoy my company most of the time. I don’t have any enemies.”

  Lara and I exchanged passive looks that covered up our annoyance. “Okay,” she said. “What about Kelly? What’s the history between you two?”

  “Kelly? Kelly who?”

  “Kelly Freidman,” Lara snapped.

  “What about her?” he said, his face innocently blank.

  “Does she have a grudge against you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I...” His face turned scarlet, almost matching the maroon pillow. “Maybe.”

  Definitely not the CEO type. Boy, was I glad I didn’t have stock in Cane Industries.

  “Maybe?” Lara demanded.

  He shrugged, but didn’t elaborate.

  I sighed and told him, “We saw you arguing with her.”

  “You saw that? How?” he turned the pillow in his lap. “We weren’t anywhere that we could have been seen. Is there a tape, or, err...”

  “Tape?” I said. “No, we saw you at the dinner last night.”

  He crunched up his eyebrows, which rose a second later with comprehension. “Oh, that wasn’t Kelly. That was Katherine.”

  My mind hit a brick wall. Lara jumped in again. “Who is Katherine?”

  “Oh, her. She’s... she’s nobody. Nobody special, anyway.”

  Both of us took a moment to just sit and stare at him as he nervously pulled at the pillow’s lacy edges. Then, I said, “Mr. Cane, we’re looking into your brother’s death. We want to know who did it, and I’m certain that you would like to know as well. If you tell us anything that you know, we’ll have a much easier time with that.”

  “Unless you’ve got something to hide.” Lara said, upbeat. “If so, than by all means, incriminate yourself by keeping silent.”

  “Me? You think I killed my brother?” he looked up at us. “Well, of course I didn’t do that.”

  “I don’t think you did,” I said. I guess this means I’m the good cop.

  “Where were you the night of the murder?” Lara demanded.

  “Me? I was at Emmitt’s manor, but I didn’t do it. I don’t know how to summon a ghost.”

  “You were at the Manor?” I asked.

  “Yes. We were determining what was going to happen in the future. You know, in the case of our father’s death.” He dropped his gaze nervously. Although we both waited for a story, it simply didn’t come.

  “And...” Lara said.

  “And what? There’s not much more to it.”

  “Can you go through what happened?” I said, slightly annoyed.

  “Oh, okay,” he said setting the pillow aside and rubbed his hands together. “I wasn’t actually there in the room. I was downstairs in the study. Emmitt goes up to the tower whenever he needs a break. I don’t know exactly what he was doing, but that’s not unusual. My shows were on, so I watched them while I waited. When he didn’t come down for a long time, I tried to go up to check on him, but the chain on the door blocked me. He didn’t come when I called, so I waited a few hours, yelled up to him again, and still heard nothing. Then, the next morning, I called the cops. That’s when they... they found him.”

  I nodded. “You didn’t hear anything?”

  “I... err,” he looked down nervously, “I had the TV kind of loud.”

  “You were all alone,” Lara said with a flat voice.

  “Yes, in a different part of the house.”

  “Did anyone else come to visit that night?”

  “No, it was just the two of us there. I got there in the evening, and we hardly got any work done.”

  “Do you know anything about the murders?” Lara spat with a hint of accusation. He opened his mouth, but closed it as he turned that same shade of red as before.

  This time, I cut her off. “You do know about Magic, right?”

  “Yeeees,” he said, elongating the word nervously.

  “You know how to summon the ghost?”

  “James is the one that discovered the spell, so it was probably him,” he said, looking down.

  “Probably?”

  “I don’t know. He was arrested the night of the murder, and he was really angry about...” He opened his mouth, but closed it as he looked away from us.

  “About what?” Lara hissed. I held up my hand in front of her, theatrically urging her to calm down.

  “Well, about James’s wife, I guess. She disappeared the very same day.” He grabbed the pillow again, and started pulling at it with renewed nervousness. He didn’t, however, speak.

  “I talked to James, and he didn’t know why Kelly left him.” I said. “Do you?”

  “No...?” He elongated the word and spoke it a question.

  “Daniel, please.” I said soothingly, like the good cop I was.

  “Well... Yes. I found something out about Kelly.”

>   “Go on,”

  “It was an accident, really. I wasn’t looking for anything. One day I saw Kelly at a restaurant, but she wasn’t with James.”

  “Wasn’t with James? Was she alone?”

  “No. She was with a man. It looked like a date to me, and she even kissed him right on the mouth, but she swore it was just a business meeting. Emmitt didn’t believe it when I told him, but he still made a few phone calls.”

  “To whom?” I asked.

  “I don’t know for sure, but think it was one of Lance Ruben’s men. Emmitt said he wanted a tail put on Kelly.”

  “Do you know anything about the relationship between Lance Ruben and Emmitt Cane?” I asked.

  “A little. Lance was a business associate.”

  “Business associate? Like a customer?”

  “No, Mr. Ruben is not a customer. I don’t do much of the business end of things; I’ve never had a mind for numbers, and Emmitt always thought I wasn’t very good with people in a business setting.

  “So what does Mr. Ruben do for you?”

  “For a long time Lance Ruben gave us stuff.”

  “Stuff?”

  “Technology, mostly. I don’t know where he got it, but it was really advanced. He stopped about a year ago, but I think that’s because they made some new deal.”

  “New deal?”

  “Emmitt went to talk to Lance about a year ago, and when he came back, he knew how to use magic. He didn’t have a chance to get very good at it, but he was getting a lot better.”

  Lara and I looked at each other. Teaching someone how to use Magic was a fairly simple undertaking if they can get around to believing it. However, I doubted the Imperium would allow such a thing. Since the Guardians kept a close watch on Venir activities, there wasn’t a chance they’d get away with it behind the Imperium’s back. Besides, the Venir didn’t actually know how to use magic, although he did have connections in the mage community. Whatever this deal was, Lance wanted it badly. Badly enough to upset the Imperium.

  “So why would Lance put a tail on Kelly?”

  “Because he thought Kelly was having an affair.”

  “Was she?”

  Daniel’s face reddened again, and if he said no another time, I’d let Lara be the full-tilt bad cop. Lucky for him, he said, “I think so.”

  “You think Kelly was cheating on James.”

  “Lance’s man tracked him to a cabin, out in the woods. Kelly Freidman took the man to the cabin she and James own by Square Lake.”

  “So what did Emmitt do when he found out about this?” I asked.

  “Well, he did a few things. The first thing Emmitt did was to convince his dad to change the will, so that James only gets his money if he divorces Kelly.”

  “Why not just tell James that his wife is cheating?”

  “I wanted to, but Emmitt and James don’t get along. They only got to speaking again recently, and Emmitt didn’t want to risk making James angry. He tried to make it look like Dad changed the will, but I think James saw through it. I said I’d tell James what I knew, but Emmitt told me James wouldn’t believe me, and I guess Emmitt is probably right. So he decided it best to end it indirectly, so he changed the will.”

  “Changed the will?” I repeated for clarity. “To say that James only gets his money if he divorces his wife, Kelly.”

  “That’s right,” Daniel said.

  “Then what?”

  “Then...” Daniel said, looking down again. “Nothing. That’s it.”

  I’m not a good liar, but next to Daniel, my lies were like those of a professional scam artist.

  “No, it’s not.” Lara leaned toward him.

  “Yes it is, now I’m a very busy man, so please leave.”

  “You said Emmitt first tried to convince James to leave, which implies something else happened. What aren’t you telling us?”

  “Nothing, now please, go!”

  I breathed in deeply as Lara said, “Daniel, do you know anything about the Imperium? They’re not very forgiving. If they find out you’re involved in this, they could put you on trial. They could sentence you to death.”

  “Look,” I said, “it’s obvious to us that you’re not the bad guy here, but we don’t have any proof.”

  He kept his head down, and by the way he fidgeted, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he broke into tears. Finally, Daniel caved. “James said he didn’t care about the money, which made Emmitt really, really mad. However, Emmitt got furious when James started using magic to make his life hard. James used magic to bust up his car, and then set off a bunch of fire alarms. Since he used magic, Emmitt couldn’t go to the police. He was furious – he even talked about killing Kelly.”

  “Talked about? Did he follow through on the threats?” Lara demanded.

  “I... No, I can’t tell you. I can’t–”

  Lara leaned forward again and howled, “Daniel, you–”

  “Alright! Emmitt told me he tried. He said he knew a spell that would take care of Kelly. You know, for good. I don’t know if he actually went through with it. Emmitt was a good man. He didn’t want to kill her. I’m sure of it. I think he just wanted to scare her.”

  “Kelly is dead?” I asked.

  “I... I don’t know. Katherine said she talked to her, so I guess she might not be.”

  “Katherine?”

  “The woman yelling at me last night. Katherine is Kelly’s sister.”

  “What did she want?”

  “She wanted to know where Kelly was. I told her I didn’t know, but she looked angry. Then, when the ghost came, I guess she got scared and ran. Katherine demanded I let her talk to Emmitt, which I thought was really weird, because everyone knows that Emmitt is dead.”

  “She didn’t know?”

  “I guess not. It was the second page in paper, but maybe she didn’t read it.”

  “We’d like to talk to Katherine. Can you tell us where to find her?”

  “Yeah, she works in a place up in North Branch that sells flowers.” Lara had a notepad in her hand faster than I could tell him to ‘hold on.’ He gave an address, and a quick set of directions. “It’s the first right – you can’t miss it. I hope you don’t think Emmitt’s a bad man for what he might have done to Kelly.”

  “I’m sure he was a great man,” I told him.

  “Please, if you find out who did it, can you please tell me?”

  “Of course, Mr. Cane.” I said.