Deadly Circumstances - A Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book 16) (Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mysteries)

by Terri Reid

  “Hi,” the blonde breathlessly offered. “It’s been so long.”

  Bradley shook his head. “I’m so sorry,” he said dispassionately. “But I can’t seem to remember you.”

  Mary nearly choked.

  The blonde eyebrows went up as far as her plastic surgery would allow. “You don’t remember me?” she asked, clearly taken aback.

  Bradley shrugged easily. “Nope, sorry.”

  “I was the homecoming queen,” she retorted.

  The music started playing in the background, a slow, romantic song. Bradley looked down at Mary and smiled, his eyes smoldering. “You promised you’d let me hold you in my arms,” he said softly.

  Mary smiled back at him. “I never break a promise,” she replied, her heart skipping a beat.

  He turned back to the confused blonde. “Congratulations on being homecoming queen,” he said. “But you’ll have to excuse me; I’m going to dance with my wife.”

  He guided Mary onto the dance floor and pulled her close, their bodies swaying slowly to the music.

  “I think you broke her heart,” Mary whispered, laying her head on Bradley’s shoulder.

  “Nicole Kohler doesn’t have a heart,” he replied softly, his breath tickling her ear.

  Mary lifted her head and looked up in surprise. “You knew who she was?”

  Bradley placed a light kiss on her lips. “Mmmmm-hmmmm,” he murmured. “But I didn’t like the way she treated you.”

  She smiled, sighed, and then snuggled back against his chest. “You are my hero.”

  Chuckling lightly, he laid his head on hers. “And you are the sexiest woman in the room.”

  “You looked at all the other women?” she asked. She tried to lift her head, but he kept it trapped with his own.

  Time to change the direction of this conversation, Bradley decided.

  “So, I thought when we were together, ghosts were kept away,” he said.

  She smiled, knowing exactly what he was trying to do and deciding to play along with it. “That’s only if the ghosts are trying to contact me,” she said. “But Mrs. Penfield was here looking for you. What a sweet woman.”

  “Yeah, you didn’t have to take her tests,” Bradley grumbled. “She wasn’t so sweet back in the day.”

  “I wonder if she was the reason we had to come tonight,” Mary mused.

  “Does that mean we can leave?” Bradley asked, a note of optimism in his voice.

  Mary laughed softly. “One more slow song,” she said as she snuggled closer to him with a satisfied sigh. “And then we can go.”

  He guided her in a slow turn in the corner of the dance floor where the glaring, grocery store fluorescent lights had been turned off and only dim light guided their steps. The music was slow, bluesy and romantic, with just enough sexual suggestion in the lyrics to be enticing.

  “One more song?” he asked, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

  She sighed. “I love dancing with you,” she said. “So I hate to go.”

  “Well, we could continue this song at home,” he whispered, his voice slightly hoarse. “In our bedroom.”

  She felt the heat immediately, her breathing shallow and her heart hammering. Looking up at him, her eyes soft with desire, she slowly moistened her dry lips with her tongue. “Maybe we should leave now,” she breathed.

  He looked down at her and nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Right now.”

  Chapter Seven

  Bradley placed his hand on the small of Mary’s back and guided her off the dance floor and toward the entrance. “Only a few more steps and we’ll be…”

  “Bradley. Bradley Alden,” a male voice called from behind them.

  Bradley stopped and turned. “Rick? Rick Thomas, is that you?”

  Mary turned and watched Bradley embrace a tall, dark-haired man. “It’s been too long,” Rick said. “I thought you were out of state.”

  Nodding, Bradley shrugged. “I was, for a while,” he explained. “Then I got a job in Freeport and…” He turned towards Mary. “Mary, this is Rick Thomas. Rick, this is my wife, Mary. Rick went to high school with me, and then we were in the service together. He re-upped and I went home.” Then he turned back to Rick. “I met Mary when I was working on a case in Freeport.” He glanced at Mary and smiled. “Best case I ever worked on.”

  Rick chuckled. “I can see that.”

  “Hi,” Mary said, coming forward and shaking Rick’s hand. “It’s good to meet you.”

  Rick smiled back. “The pleasure is all mine,” he replied. “When is the baby due?”

  “January,” she said. “So, we only have a few more months to go.”

  “Wow, you’re going to be a dad,” Rick said to Bradley. “How does that make you feel?”

  “Well, actually, I’m already a dad,” he said. “Clarissa is eight years old, nearly nine. And she keeps us hopping.”

  Shaking his head, Rick looked from Bradley to Mary. “Wait,” he said. “That’s right. You and Jeannine were married. What happened?”

  Before Bradley could explain, Mary placed her hand on Bradley’s arm. “I need to find the lady’s room,” she said. “So take your time with Rick. I’ll find you when I’m done.” She smiled over at Rick. “Nice meeting you.”

  “You, too,” he said.

  Rick turned to see Bradley watching Mary, a concerned look on his face. “Hey, it’s just a trip to the bathroom,” he teased. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. I don’t think the ghosts of East High will accost her.”

  Surprised, Bradley turned back to his friend. “What?” he asked. “The ghosts of East High?”

  Rick chuckled. “Wow, you have it bad,” he said, patting Bradley’s shoulder. “She’ll be fine; the bathroom is only a few yards away.”

  Taking a deep breath, Bradley nodded. “Yeah, you’re right,” he said. “I just worry about her.”

  “So, you were going to tell me about Jeannine,” Rick prompted.

  “Right,” Bradley said. “Well, it’s a long story.”

  Mary stopped and looked over her shoulder at Bradley and Rick before she went into the bathroom. Bradley was talking and Rick was nodding slowly, his face filled with sympathy. They must be talking about Jeannine, she thought.

  She turned back around and found herself surrounded by people. Dead people.

  “Can you see me?” a young man in buckskin asked.

  “Do you know where I am?” an older woman dressed in 19th century shroud asked.

  “I’m looking for my mommy and daddy,” a little girl in a long dress and pinafore cried.

  Hundreds of spirits, mostly from the early years of the town of Sycamore, came forward from all directions toward Mary, each with a request. She looked around, feeling a little panicked. She thought about answering their questions, turning them towards the light, but there were just too many of them to deal with.

  Mary could no longer see the walls of the grocery store; all she could see were layer upon layer of spirits trying to get her attention. Crowding in closer and closer. Crying, shouting and pleading for her help. She tried to move, tried to back away and get back to Bradley, but the throngs were too deep and the air seemed thick.

  “I’ve got to get out of here,” she murmured. “I can’t breathe.”

  She tried to move forward but stumbled, the throng moving up against her. “Please,” she whispered to the ghosts. “Please, I have to sit down. I’m feeling faint.”

  But they were so caught up in their own needs, they didn’t hear her quiet pleas.

  “I wonder if someone can be crushed by a stampede of ghosts,” she murmured vaguely as the room started to spin around her. She looked around helplessly as the darkness closed in. “I think I’m going to faint.”

  Chapter Eight

  Bradley was at Mary’s side before she hit the ground, wrapping his arms around her and holding her up. “Mary,” he said, his voice shaking with concern. “Mary, what’s wrong.”

  She trembled in his a
rms, took a shaky breath and slowly opened her eyes. “Hey,” she breathed softly. “I think I fainted.”

  Bradley took a deep, calming breath and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I think you did, too,” he said, trying to get the nerves out of his voice. “And now, the million dollar question is why?”

  She tried to look around, but Bradley was holding her too tight for her to move. “Are we in a crowd?” she whispered.

  Looking around, he nodded. “Yes,” he whispered back. “We’ve got company.”

  “Oh, how awkward,” she replied, biting her lower lip. “Can we just blame it on pregnancy?”

  He met her eyes. “Was it?” he asked.

  “No,” she said softly. “It was more, um, paranormal than that.”

  He nodded slowly. “I’m so sorry. I should have remembered about the cemetery. I should have never let you go alone.”

  This time a wide smile spread over her face as she looked at him. “Really? I think you walking into the ladies room with me would have been slightly more awkward than me getting a little lightheaded,” she teased.

  “Maybe we’re one of those couples who can’t bear to be separated from each other,” he suggested with a twinkle in his eyes.

  She grinned. “Or maybe we’re just plain weird.”

  Chuckling softly, he nodded. “Maybe we are,” he said and then studied her for a moment. “Are you okay now?”

  “Yes, I’m feeling much better now that the crowd is gone,” she replied. “I think you can let me go.”

  He loosened his hold, and she stepped away from him.

  “Are you okay?” Rick asked.

  Mary nodded. “Yeah, it’s just a pregnancy thing,” she said casually. “Little Mikey likes to cut off my circulation, and I get a little lightheaded.”

  “I feel so bad,” Rick said. “Bradley was watching you, and I was teasing him. I had no idea that you could actually be in trouble.”

  Mary smiled up at Bradley, her heart in her eyes. “You were watching out for me?” she asked.

  Bradley shrugged. “It was no big deal,” he replied, embarrassed.

  “No big deal,” Rick said. “He saw you stumble, and he was across the room in a flash.”

  “My hero, again,” she said. “I guess I’m going to have to keep you.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, you have no choice in the matter there,” he replied with a smile. Then he turned to Rick. “I’m going to get her home. I’ve got your number, so I’ll give you a call. Okay?”

  “Yeah, that would be great,” Rick said. “Nice to meet you, Mary.”

  “You too, Rick,” she replied. She started to turn and stopped, noticing the ghost of a teen-aged girl standing next to Rick. The blonde-haired girl with a beehive hairstyle was dressed in a simple peach-colored sleeveless sheath dress that reached down to her knees adorned with a satin ribbon at the empress waistline. But the sadness she wore on her face was what drew Mary’s attention. There must be a powerful reason for her to speak with me, Mary thought, if she is able to push through Bradley’s ghost blocking abilities.

  Only thinking of the girl, Mary smiled in her direction. “What’s your name?” she asked.

  The girl didn’t respond, but continued to gaze in their direction. Unfortunately, Rick heard Mary and thought she was speaking to him. “It’s Rick,” he said to Mary, speaking slowly and precisely. “Rick Thomas. Bradley’s friend.”

  I feel like such an idiot, Mary thought, a blush creeping across her face.

  “I’m sorry, Rick,” she apologized. “There was someone behind you that I was speaking to, but they’re gone now.”

  His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, and he nodded. “Oh, well, that makes sense.”

  Yes, he thinks I’m nuts, Mary thought with a soft sigh.

  “Mary sees ghosts,” Bradley inserted casually.

  Turning to Bradley in surprise, Mary sent him a shocked look. “What?” she asked.

  Grinning, Bradley nodded in Rick’s direction. “Rick grew up in a haunted house,” he said. “He saw stuff all the time.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief, Mary turned back to him. “Really? You see ghosts?” she asked.

  He shrugged, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation in the midst of his former classmates. “Would you like me to walk both of you to the car?” he asked.

  Mary nodded. “That would be nice.”

  “Don’t you need to…?” Bradley cocked his head towards the bathroom.

  “Not in that one,” Mary replied with a wry smile. “We can stop at a gas station on the way home.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Okay, that was crazy that your best friend in high school saw ghosts,” Mary said to Bradley as they drove west on Highway 20 towards Freeport.

  “He wasn’t quite as open about it as you are,” Bradley said with a smile. “As a matter of fact, he never mentioned it until tonight.”

  She turned from looking out the window and stared at her husband driving the car. “Tonight?” she asked. “How did that just drop into the conversation?”

  He shrugged. “I was telling him about you and how I met you,” he said. “And about Earl.”

  The reminder of Bradley’s first encounter with a ghost still made her chuckle. “You were so adorable,” she teased. “All Chuck Norris and Charlie’s Angels wrapped up in one.”

  He turned to her, his mouth in a grimace. “Really? Charlie’s Angels?” he asked. “Couldn’t you have just left it with Chuck Norris?”

  Chuckling, she shook her head. “Okay, let me try again,” she laughed. “All Chuck Norris and Clint Eastwood wrapped up in one.” She schooled her features so they looked as serious as she could muster and tried to mimic the famous actor. “So, ghost, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?”

  “I don’t think you’re taking my manly moves and nerves of steel seriously,” he replied, biting back a smile.

  “I took them very seriously,” she said. “Until you broke my favorite cookie jar.”

  He chuckled. “I had never even considered that ghosts were real,” he said. “My whole world was turned upside down when I met you.”

  She reached over and placed her hand on his arm. “Yeah, so was mine,” she said seductively.

  He looked down at her hand and then up into her eyes, and she shivered at the heat in them. “Good thing we stopped for gas and bathroom before we got on the highway,” he said seriously. “Because we are headed straight home.”

  Grinning at him, she nodded. “You’ll hear no complaints from me,” she said. “I want to get you home, Mr. Alden, and take total advantage of you.”

  “I really like it when you talk that way,” he replied with a smile.

  “Ouch,” Mary cried out, looking over her shoulder.

  “What’s wrong?” Bradley asked, slowing down as he took the Freeport exit.

  Rubbing the back of her neck, Mary shook her head. “My hair must have caught in my zipper or the headrest or something,” she said. “Because something just pulled my hair.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She nodded. “I’m fine,” she said, still rubbing her scalp. “No big deal, just a little surprising.”

  A few minutes later Bradley pulled the car into the driveway, then came around to help Mary get out of the car. With one hand braced on the car and the other on Bradley’s arm, Mary was able to push herself into a standing position. With a wry shake of her head, she turned to her husband. “A couple more months and we’re going to need a block and tackle to get me out of the car,” she said.

  He nodded, as if he were seriously considering the matter. “I’ve actually been thinking about installing a lift chair in the car,” he replied, biting back a smile. “You could press a button, and the seat would eject you.” He mimicked the sideways action with his hand. “Poof, you’re out of the car.”

  Placing her hands on her hips, she stared at him. “Oh, that’s a great idea,” she replied sarcastically. “Not!”

  She started to walk slow
ly toward the house, then turned and looked over her shoulder. “Um, what happened to the charming Mr. Alden that I was dancing with earlier?” she asked. “Hmmmm, I must have left him in Sycamore.”

  Chuckling, Bradley hurried to her side and kissed her cheek. “He had a momentary lapse,” he said. “Of course an ejection seat wouldn’t work.”

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Yeah, the angles are all wrong,” he teased. Placing his arm under her elbow, he guided her up the stairs.

  “Just one day,” she said, as she caught her breath at the top of the stairs. “If you were pregnant for just one day…”

  “I would be a total wimp,” he confessed, unlocking the door for both of them. “I don’t know how you put up with it or me.”

  They walked inside and he closed the door behind them. Mary turned and looped her arms around his neck. “Well,” she sighed dramatically, “if you weren’t so darn good-looking, I would have a really hard time.”

  He bent forward and kissed her. “Lucky for me I’ve still got my looks,” he said, nibbling his way from her lips down to the side of her neck.

  She moaned softly. “Oh, and you do that really well,” she said, closing her eyes and enjoying the sparks traveling through her body.

  A loud crash had them jumping apart. “What in the world…” Bradley exclaimed.

  “It came from the kitchen,” Mary said as she moved across the room.

  They crossed the living room and turned into the kitchen. “Oh, no,” Mary exclaimed as she saw the cookie jar Bradley had bought her to replace the one he’d broken lying in pieces on the floor. “How did that happen?”

  She started to moved forward, and Bradley stopped her. “I’ll clean it up,” he said. “There’s a little too much bending over for you.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  He smiled at her. “I’m pretty good at cleaning up cookie jars up from off this kitchen floor.”