by Alexie Aaron
“Extraordinary.”
“That’s more like it,” he said and leaned over and kissed the top of her head.
“I’m going to make some coffee. You want some?” she asked.
“Sure. And something sweet if we have anything left.”
“I don’t know. Cid eats like a techie on java juice. I may have some emergency Pop-Tarts in the truck. I’ll start the coffee and then go fetch them,” Mia said leaving the hall.
Ted watched the monitor as she entered the kitchen. He was worried about the black mass. It had first appeared to them in the kitchen.
Mia looked around her and then up at the camera and said, “All clear.”
He sighed and checked out the other feeds, making note which cameras were showing low battery warnings.
Mia breezed by him and grabbed a coat before leaving the house for the truck.
Outside, Mia breathed in the fresh air of the cold morning. She turned her face towards the sun, closed her eyes and felt its warmth on her skin. She heard a faint sound and opened her eyes. Before her stood a man. He was wearing a forest preserve uniform. She stepped back surprised.
“I’m sorry, I had a feeling you didn’t hear me,” he apologized.
Mia tapped her ear com to alert Ted.
“I was distracted by the beautiful morning,” Mia explained.
“I’m Sam Centers. I normally do the check of the mansion for Mr. Jefferies. I was driving by and was curious about your vehicles being here,” he explained.
Mia held out her gloved hand and introduced herself. “You did get the information that we would be here investigating, I hope?”
“Yes, they said a group was going to be here in the house, but frankly it was a bit vague. Creepy place inside.”
Mia studied the small dark man a moment. She wasn’t good at reading corporals. Her bullshit alarm was ringing, but she wasn’t exactly sure why. “I’ve been in worse. Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee? My colleague and I just brewed a fresh pot.”
“No, I’m on the clock. Thank you just the same.”
“Ask him how he got here. Where’s his vehicle?” Ted said in her ear.
“You didn’t walk all this way, did you?”
“No, I have a golf cart. I left it down by the basement entrance. It’s easier and quicker to get to the furnace using that garage door,” he explained.
Mia shrugged it off. “If you will excuse me, I have to get something from the truck and get back on the job myself. Stop by any time, we would love the company,” she said in a friendly manner.
He smiled and turned heel and walked away.
“I think he’s a person of interest, if you ask me,” Ted warned.
“Great minds…” Mia started and amended, “Greatest minds, think alike.”
Ted’s warm chuckle kept her company as she located her bag of emergency sweets, locked the truck and headed back into the house and locked the door after her commenting, “I don’t know what good this does considering everyone and his mother has a key to this place. Didn’t Alan say he had the locks changed?”
Ted looked up and nodded. He raised his hand and pointed to the monitor.
Mia walked over to see that Sam Centers had his face pressed against the window of the garage door. He shook his head and moved away from the glass.
“I didn’t know we put a camera there,” Mia admitted.
“Cid and I did after we reset the booby-trap.”
“Good thinking,” Mia said and squeezed his shoulders.
“Don’t stop.”
Mia smiled and continued to massage his shoulders and neck. She felt the tension ease from Ted. Her connection with him helped her to feel safer too. Ted’s phone rang, putting an end to their moment of peace.
“Ted, here. Yes, Mr. Jefferies… Alan. Yes, it was quite a night here. Mia and I are holding the fort. I have a question about Sam Centers. He was here this morning. Mia talked to him, let me hand her the phone.” Ted put his phone in her hand.
“Morning, Alan,” Mia greeted him in her sing song voice.
“Heard you had a visitor last night.”
“Yes, and another one this morning, claims to have a set of keys to the building.”
“Shouldn’t. I haven’t had time to drop off a set to his office yet.”
“I don’t want to tell you how to do your business, but I would run a background check on him. He seemed awfully interested in the basement.”
“I’ll have Brenda do that this morning when she comes in. Oh, before I forget, Audrey will be there some time this morning.”
“Audrey’s coming,” Mia said to Ted. “I’m glad to hear that she wasn’t put off by Signor Punch upstairs.”
“Truth be told, she was mortified by her reaction. I think she wants to prove to you guys she’s made of sterner stuff.”
“That’s not really necessary, Burt’s been known to scream like a six-year-old when surprised. No one knows how they will react. After all, we’re all human. Speaking of humans, any word on why David Bonner was here at the mansion?”
“He’s conscious but claims to not remember anything about last night.”
“Bullshit,” Mia said and winced at her unprofessional manner.
“Yep, it’s bullshit alright. I’ll let you know things as I know them.”
“Have a good day, Alan, drop by anytime,” she said and ended the call.
“Alan, drop by anytime,” Ted mocked her in his impression of her sing song voice. “Careful, Mia, you’re going to give the lawyer wood.”
Mia handed him back the phone. “I didn’t mean to.”
Ted smiled ear to ear. “I know you were just being nice.”
“This social stuff is tough. I’d rather clean gutters than hold a small talk conversation.”
“Don’t look at me, people usually walk away when I open my mouth,” Ted admitted. “I think we should leave the polite conversations to Burt and Mike.”
“Good idea.”
A pounding on the front door startled them. Mia ran over, whipped back a curtain and studied the form on the porch. “It’s Audrey,” she announced as she unlocked the door. “And she’s bringing food!” Mia sang as she threw the door open.
Audrey almost fell in, but Mia had a hand out to steady her.
“Morning, Audrey,” Ted called over from the console.
Audrey smiled and returned the greeting. She handed Mia the boxes of doughnuts and coffeecakes she picked up from her favorite Polish bakery. “Beware, I’m an Irish lass bearing Polish gifts.”
“All donations of food are acceptable as bribes,” Mia said, peaking in the boxes as she walked towards the kitchen. “Paczkis!”
Audrey took off her coat and deposited her briefcase next to the console table. “She always so happy?”
“You brought food. You just became Mia’s best friend,” Ted explained. “We were about to dine on frozen Pop-Tarts, which aren’t bad, but Paczkis are much much better.”
“Alan told me you had a visitor last night,” Audrey said, unzipping her red hooded sweater.
“One this morning too, not to mention we have lost another vase to the screamer upstairs.”
“Never a dull moment, huh?”
“Actually,” Ted said as he transferred control to his iPad, “there are some investigations where we go weeks with nothing but a few disembodied voices to record.” He walked over and locked the front door. “Come on. The kitchen, while at times volatile, is much more cozy.”
Audrey followed the tall man into the kitchen. Mia had already set out three monster mugs of coffee and pointed to the fridge. “Milk’s in there, sugar on the counter. I hope you don’t mind. We’re out of paper plates and must use the Wedgewood.”
“What no Spode?” Audrey said in a nasal voice.
“The Spode was all dirty, I fear. Mike is not much on washing up. I’m going to tell his mother,” Mia vowed.
“Mike’s mother must be formidable,” Audrey mused.
&nbs
p; “Glenda Dupree is a bitch, a tyrant, and a dear,” Mia listed. “I love that woman. She’s not much into me, but I’ll wear her down.”
“Glenda loves you, Minnie Mouse. She doesn’t like to share her son, that’s all,” Ted said.
Audrey looked puzzled. Ted started to explain about Mia’s and Mike’s deception down in Lund. “The hospital staff assumed they were married, and Glenda had to hear that her son was married to ‘nut job’ here from her sister mere minutes after they left the hospital.”
“That’s Ms. Nut Job to you, Ted. You can call me NJ, Audrey,” Mia said, biting into her second Paczki.
“I hope I’m not intruding. I just can’t seem to stay away. I love mysteries and ghost stories. I found a stash of Gothic novels – you know the ones with the heroine running away from the mansion looking over her shoulder in fright – in my mother’s closet when I was just learning to read. I was hooked. Ghosts, secret passages, walled up-nuns,” she listed wistfully. “These stories of adventure and peril filled my mind and skewed my idea of Mister Right.”
“Tall, brooding, cranky, arrogant, heroic, sounds like Burt,” Mia pointed out. “I prefer smart, witty, and flexible, myself, but to each their own.”
Ted choked on his mouthful. Mia patted his back until he could breathe again.
“Hey, I have an idea. Next time you come, bring along a flowing dress, and we’ll take some pictures of you running away in fright,” Ted offered.
Audrey looked at the couple in front of her and slowly nodded. “You’re not making fun of me are you?”
“Nope. Ted sleeps on Batman sheets; he wouldn’t dare make fun of anyone.”
“Mia sees dead people and dumped her G Damn gorgeous boyfriend for me,” Ted added. “We understand the compulsion of thoroughly enjoying one’s hobbies.”
“I didn’t dump him for you,” Mia announced.
“Go ahead and tell yourself that. I knew you couldn’t resist all this,” Ted said, standing up and posing.
Mia blushed. “Okay, he’s right, but don’t spread it around,” she warned Audrey.
Audrey raised her hands in surrender. “My lips are sealed.”
Mia smacked the table. “You know what. Now that Audrey’s here, we can finish up the rooms upstairs. If you’re still game?” Mia said, looking intently at her. “You’re not going to let a little thing like Punchicide deter you?”
Audrey was briefly lost for words. “Punchicide meaning…”
“Death by Punch the marionette,” Mia filled in.
“Was that Punch? I thought he was always a hand puppet.”
“Evidently not,” Ted said, snagging another doughnut.
“No, I will not let that club-carrying sadist have the better of me. I wonder if Alan would let me have it as a souvenir?”
“Oh, I think Alan would let you have a lot more than that,” Mia confided.
“He’s my boss. Well, sort of my boss. He’s a client.”
Ted looked at Mia and said, “I love it when they argue with themselves.”
“Show her the tape we made,” Mia said excited.
“Best of Alan?” Ted asked getting up.
“Yes, I think she will find it quite illuminating.”
Ted pulled up a chair beside Audrey and opened a file on the iPad. Audrey watched as the screen filled with pictures. Ted selected Alan’s picture and pressed play.
Images of Alan Jefferies looking at Audrey ran. He mooned over her. His face lit up the minute she walked into shot. The worry lines on his face spoke volumes after the incident in the attic.
Ted tapped the iPad and stopped the file. Alan’s face was frozen with a screwy look on it. “That is a man smitten with you.”
“I’m not looking for a boyfriend.”
“Have one already or are you looking for a girlfriend?” Mia asked matter-of-factly.
“No, I’m just not interested in dating. I don’t want that whole couple thing. I’m enjoying not worrying about my weight, my clothing, or shaving my legs. It’s hard to be oneself when there is someone else to take into account,” she explained.
Mia nodded. “I respect that. But you should be aware of his crush. Try not to hurt him too badly.”
“I will do my best. Now, how about some good old fashion ghost hunting?” Audrey suggested.
Mia and Ted looked at her and smiled.
“Watch out ghosts, the duo of Red Riding Hood and She that Wears Hoods is coming your way,” Ted announced. “Now, girls, we must keep a PG13 rating so no sexy talk as you walk.”
“Yes, sire,” Mia said and winked at Audrey.
Audrey took a deep breath and followed them to the command console.
Chapter Twenty-five
“We don’t have to turn out the lights?” Audrey questioned as they walked to the room next to the nursery.
“Nope, that’s just for night vision filming. That’s where you see the Goth girls looking all like Alice in Wonderland. I can see ghosts in any light, and I can hear some of them. Others we hear after the fact on the digital recorders.”
“I notice you never take off your gloves.”
“Not on an investigation, unless I’m in the john.”
“Why not?”
“I’m sensitive to memories left on objects. It takes a physical toll on me. This is something I do rarely and only when Ted is around.”
“Why only Ted?”
Mia stopped at the door and turned around and faced Audrey. Her pupils were large, and the soft, moss green iris was eclipsed by the intensity of her stare. “Ted is the only one I trust to have my best interests at heart. He would not put me in danger for a better rating. Sometimes I get swept away in an investigation. Ted keeps me grounded. He has from the beginning.”
“Wow, I never thought about how vulnerable you are. Thanks for sharing that with me. I will keep it to myself.”
“I wouldn’t have shared it otherwise,” Mia said. “Now before we go in, we play by Ted’s rules. He has eyes on us with the camera inside. With the exception of the chicken dance, do whatever he tells you. If we encounter an entity, he will guide you on what to do next.”
“Thanks for squealing about the chicken dance, Minnie Mouse,” Ted’s voice filled both of their ears.
“Anytime, Teddy Bear.” Mia looked at Audrey and asked, “Ready?”
She nodded. Mia opened the door and walked in. She flipped on the light and moved slowly through the room, scanning every corner as she turned her head. She walked to the window and looked down. “We are in the room next to the library. I can see most of the walled garden. The wall on this side appears to be ten feet deep, narrowing to two feet after a dozen yards.”
Mia heard a rustling and turned around looking for the cause of the noise. A girl walked out of the morning glory wallpaper. She nervously smoothed her gown. Her eyes were filled with tears that would not fall. Her anguish was deep and lasting. A timid hand reached out to Audrey who was not aware of her. It dropped in frustration.
Mia stepped away from the window and said gently, “Hello, I’m Mia, and this is Audrey. We’ve not come to harm you. Can you speak to us?”
Audrey turned and followed Mia’s gaze. She saw a distortion of light, nothing more.
Ted talked softly in her ear. “Take your recorder and place it on the ground near the distortion and back away slowly.”
“Audrey is putting down a box you can talk into. This way you don’t have to shout for us to hear you.” Mia smiled. “I like your pinafore. You’ve kept it so neat and clean. Is this your room?”
Audrey looked at Mia and watched as Mia took in what the ghost was telling her.
“Thank you, Rebecca, we will heed your wishes and depart from your room. Can you tell me why you are still here? No. Thank you.” Mia nodded towards the door and followed Audrey out. She shut the door behind her.
“I left the recorder in there!” Audrey said in a panic.
“Did Ted tell you to pick it up?”
“No.”
> “We left it there on purpose to see if Rebecca had anything more to say.”
“Tell me about her?” Audrey pleaded.
“Rebecca is a young woman of about twelve years of age. She died in her room from the measles, I believe. Her face is spotted, and she looks overheated. She has the dark brown hair of the family. She doesn’t know why she’s still here. To her, she died a few days ago. She has no sense of time passing.”
“I wish I could have seen her. You are so lucky.”
“I’ve never thought my gift was lucky,” Mia told her honestly. “Do you know how many ghosts roam the earth? It’s staggering. I can’t help them all. I may be lucky in love, but do not envy me seeing ghosts.”
“Mia, I’ve never looked at it that way. I guess growing up I always yearned for what I didn’t have. Only in my adult years did I discover my own gifts. Please take no offence of whatever spouts from my mouth. I don’t censor my speech.”
“This is good to know, my friend. I think it’s a good quality. I’ve recently lost a friendship, which I found out the hard way, that was never really there. Continue to spout, blurt, leave tact in the company room. In short, be yourself,” Mia advised.
“If we are done with the touchy feely, Dr. Phil, I would suggest you move on to the next room,” Ted said in her ear.
“There’s a small room on the far side of the library. I think we’ll go there next,” Mia told Audrey and Ted. “There is a bathroom in between. Should we pop in there?”
“Nah, we’ll save the plumbing for another time. I’m surprised Mike hasn’t spent time in there already,” Ted joked. “I’m picking up some movement from Rebecca. The drapes have opened wide and fallen back. I wonder what she’s looking at?”
“Maybe Murphy, he’s a handsome man.”
“To you he’s handsome; to me he’s a dust-covered, unshaven farmer with a wicked blade.”
“The women of this house seem to like someone that can wield an axe,” Mia commented dryly.
“Bad joke,” Audrey said but laughed anyway.
They pushed open the door of the little bedroom. It was stark compared to the previous ones viewed. It was decorated as if to humble the occupant. Rough woolen blankets were tucked tightly around a hard mattress. There was no wardrobe, only a hook in the corner. The three drawer chest had mismatched pulls. The lamp had no shade to soften the light. The floorboards were rough and no varnish seemed to have ever been on them. It was an ugly room.
