Sidekicks

by Linda Palmer

  We were the last ones to leave, of course. Before Cooper locked up, I led him inside the house, stood in the middle of the living room floor, and pointed a spot on the floor next to me. With a grin, he sat, legs crossed campfire style. I straddled his lap and hugged him for the longest time, relishing the steady beat of his heart and his warm breath against my cheek. Then I kissed him.

  With shadows lengthening around us, we stayed in our own little world, kissing and touching. Though a few articles of clothing might’ve gotten pushed aside, we didn’t get naked or have sex. Not that I wouldn’t have if he’d wanted to. Though he didn’t know it, I was so hot for him I ached, a brand new sensation. Cooper meant everything to me. And I’m sure if he’d had any idea I was that willing—eager, actually—nothing could’ve stopped us from hooking up.

  But he didn’t have a clue, so we wound up leaving around four with me still a virgin. Was he? Didn’t know; didn’t ask. We had forever to learn each other’s secrets.

  At least I hoped we did.

  On the way home, I wondered if an eighteen-year-old girl could really know her heart. A glance at Cooper assured me I could. That boy had forever tattooed across his forehead as far as I was concerned. I would never let him go as long as he wanted me, too.

  Simply put, we were a perfect fit.

  I thought about his house, which had so much potential as a future home for him. Not seeing any spirits around had not only given me a good feeling about it, I now felt sure I’d done the right thing in calling Detective Simms out there. If the ghost I’d run through that night had just been murdered, then he and his men would surely find proof of it. So I could now leave homicides behind and focus on spirits who’d found peace in death. I sincerely hoped none of them let any more murdered women slip their way into my psyche.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  “White dresses, veils, honeymoons.”

  Cooper choked on his own spit. Cough. Cough. Gulp. “Er. Might be a little soon for that.”

  “Who said they had anything to do with you?”

  Now his jaw dropped. “If you’re planning on marrying someone else, you can just forget it.”

  I hooted at that.

  “I’m serious.”

  “And I was lying. Though I do have a very strong feeling—and you know how strong they can be—that when I do walk down the aisle, it will be with you.”

  “Promise?”

  “Of course.”

  “Good.”

  Keeping his left hand on the steering wheel, fingers out, he used his right to pull off his class ring. Cooper handed it to me. “A token of my sincerity.”

  “I already have one.” I tugged on the edges of the jacket so he’d know what I meant.

  “Here’s another.”

  Unbuckling my seat belt, I stretched across the console and slid the ring back onto his second finger. “I’m not taking your senior ring, okay? But you’ve given me a great idea.” Now I tugged off my own, which no longer represented a senior year at Ville Cachée, though it still held meaning. I shoved it onto his pinkie, right hand. It fit. I took that as a good sign.

  He grinned and didn’t even pretend to argue. Smiling at his reaction, I settled in again and buckled up. I made him come into my house for a little while when we got there. Did we announce our kinda sorta engagement? Not even close, but we did let Mom talk us into a game of Uno. So it was late when I walked him to this truck.

  Our goodbye kiss felt extra special. I sensed a layer of depth I credited to near sex and sincere promises and honestly couldn’t think when I’d ever been happier.

  The following school week lasted two whole days with us off Wednesday through Friday for Thanksgiving. Cooper ate lunch with us Thursday, traditional American offerings that included turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes with giblet gravy, and pumpkin pie. My parents, who’d been born in the states, did throw in one Italian surprise—albicocca gelato that actually complimented the pie. I explained to Cooper that albicocca meant apricot.

  Though I offered to help with clean up, Mom shooed us out the kitchen door. We sat on the back deck steps without minding that the wind had a bite to it. I loved autumn and spring, which I considered transition seasons. Summers could be so hot. And winter usually brought us ice instead of snow, always stressful, especially when I had to drive on it.

  I rested my head on Cooper’s shoulder. “Have you heard from your mom?”

  “No.”

  “What will she and Patrick be doing today?”

  “The Marsh Thanksgiving tradition includes ham and sweet potatoes, eaten at dinner. There are always homemade cloverleaf rolls and a pecan pie, both made by Mom who is one heck of a cook.”

  “Bet you miss her meals, huh?” I kept my question soft to avoid jarring his thoughts.

  “Yeah.” It took a second, but he finally heard what had probably been an unconscious and therefore sincere reply. “But I’m doing okay.”

  “Will you get mad if I suggest something that’s for your own good?”

  Cooper’s gaze narrowed. “Suggest it, and I’ll let you know.”

  “Why don’t we go by your house and wish your parents a happy Thanksgiving?”

  “Mia—”

  “Cooper—” I mimicked his impatient inflection exactly.

  He groaned. “I know I’ll be sorry if I do.”

  “Because?”

  “Patrick has a knack for setting me off, and I’m not sure another clash won’t do my mother in.”

  “Is that why you left? To save your mother some heartache?”

  He just looked at me.

  “It was!” I punched his arm even though I was glad he hadn’t been run off.

  “Ouch. I told you not to hate her.”

  “And how could I not thinking she and her husband kicked you out of their stupid house?” I stood and brushed off my butt. “Come on. We’re going over there now.”

  “God you’re bossy.”

  “Well, someone has to be. How else will you know how to live your life?”

  That earned me his wry laugh.

  I could tell my parents were thrilled that Cooper was going to see his mom. They undoubtedly saw things from a parents’ point of view, perhaps imagining their lives if I’d run away.

  We got to Martinsburg mid-afternoon. Cooper sat in the car for a moment, his eyes on the house. Though he looked calm enough, his fingers, drumming on the steering wheel, told a different story.

  “Just do it.”

  With a shake of his head he got out of the truck. So did I. We met near the front left fender and walked to the door together. Once there, Cooper gave himself an all-over body shake as if trying to loosen up tensed muscles. He next tipped his head from side to side to get the kinks out of his neck.

  I felt so sorry for him. This had to be torture.

  He rang the bell.

  A side curtain shifted slightly and dropped into place again. The door flew back. Natalie Marsh stood there, clearly nervous as heck but managing a smile. Was she that dominated by her husband? Now I felt sorry for her.

  “Cooper. Honey. What a surprise. Have you come for dinner?”

  “No. We’ve already eaten too much. Can we talk? As in alone?”

  She glanced over her shoulder instead of answering.

  “Who is it, Nat?” Marsh’s question from another room made me jump.

  Natalie hesitated before calling out. “It’s Cooper.”

  I heard the footrest of a recliner slam down. A heartbeat later, Patrick Marsh strode into the foyer. “What’s up?”

  “I’m here to talk to Mom.”

  “Good, good. It’s past time. Come into the living room.” He started in that direction, motioning for us to follow.

  “Just Mom.”

  Marsh stopped in his tracks. “I think I should hear anything you have to say.”

  “So you can interpret for her and not get anything right?”

  “Now you listen here—”

  Natali
e held up her hands, stopping the argument before it started. She caught Cooper’s eye. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”

  “But I do mind. This is between me and you, Mom. It has nothing to do with him.”

  Her eyes began to fill. “But we’re a family.”

  I could tell Cooper hated those tears. His sigh confirmed it. “Don’t cry, okay? He can listen in if you really want him to.”

  Whew. One hurdle down. How many to go? We all walked into the living room. Marsh muted the TV, though he didn’t turn it off, which told me he didn’t rank this conversation higher than the holiday football game now playing out. That wasn’t very encouraging.

  I waited to see where Cooper would sit. He chose the couch, perching on the edge of the cushion. I took a spot right next to him. Natalie sat on the arm of her husband’s recliner.

  “I saw Grandma Ruby the other day,” Cooper said, jumping right in.

  That surprised Natalie. “She was in Martinsburg?”

  “No, Mia and I went to Nacogdoches.”

  “Oh.”

  “She told me she’s written lots of letters and cards and sent gifts through the years. What did you do with them?”

  Natalie and Marsh exchanged a quick look before she answered. “Pa— I mean we thought it would be better for all concerned if you believed your grandparents never made attempts to know you. It’s not like there would ever be a reconciliation, and I wanted to protect you from that man.”

  “‘That man’ being Grandpa Mel?”

  Natalie nodded. “Yes. Brett’s father was an obnoxious son of a bitch, and I offer no apology for my honesty. I’ll never forget or forgive the things he said to me when your dad and I told him we were pregnant. He did not deserve a grandchild as precious as you.”

  Whoa. Did she hate her in-laws or what? I swallowed hard.

  But Cooper kept his cool. “Well he’s dead now, and Grandma told me I inherited the old Ray home place. She gave me a key to the house. I’ll be getting the deed in the mail any day.”

  Marsh snorted. “And just what will you do with that eyesore?”

  “Believe me, whatever I do won’t involve you.”

  Cooper’s mom, no doubt sensing an impending explosion just as I was, tried to shift gears. “You should know that I’m not the only one who didn’t like Mel Ray. His own son couldn’t abide the sight of him.”

  “Yeah, well they’re together now and getting along just fine.”

  Natalie gasped and put her hand on her heart. “You’ve seen them.” It wasn’t a question. After all, she knew what her brilliant son could do.

  “Mia has.”

  Marsh visibly tensed at this news. Natalie’s gaze shifted to me. I saw nothing but resentment in those flashing green eyes of hers. “This is all your fault.”

  Cooper jumped up, his cheeks staining scarlet. “Don’t even go there.”

  “Well, we were doing just fine until she showed up—”

  “I’m not kidding…”

  I could tell he was counting to ten or something, very admirable considering the situation. Personally, I wanted to throw a sofa pillow at his mom and his stepdad. Or maybe that ham I smelled cooking would make a more lethal projectile.

  Cooper drew in a shaky breath. “You’re so blind, and I don’t understand why. Patrick Marsh is no different than Grandpa Mel. He’s a bully who insists that everything has to be done his way. I feel sorry for you and Grandma Ruby. You’re both victims with no choice but to give up your sons to get a little peace.”

  Marsh sprang from his chair, nearly knocking his wife off the chair arm. “That’s enough!”

  Cooper ignored him, his gaze glued to his mother. “You know it’s true.”

  “Leave now.” Marsh took his stepson by the biceps as if to drag him to the door.

  I caught my breath. Bad move, dude.

  But Cooper didn’t slug him or anything. Instead, he jerked his arm free, grabbed my hand, and strode out the front door. I could barely keep up as he charged down the sidewalk to his truck. We both jumped inside it. He started the engine and shifted into reverse, shooting out of the driveway and into the street.

  A car honked, my first indication that we’d barely avoided a wreck. As Cooper shifted again and hit the gas, I saw that car turn into the Marsh drive and noted Arkansas plates.

  Then we left them all far behind.

  I expected him to take me straight home or maybe to Marty’s. Instead, he drove to his house in the country, I guessed because he didn’t feel like he belonged anywhere else. By then dusk had arrived, but preoccupied with Cooper’s melodrama, I felt no fear of the impending dark.

  Silly me.

  *

  Chapter Thirteen

  The moment I stepped out of the truck, I knew something was wrong. I risked a peek at Cooper and caught him frowning at the barn.

  “Come on,” he said, striding in that direction without hesitation. “I want to get to the bottom of this.”

  With my sidekicks definitely working big time, I trailed him all the way there. He opened the doors and went right inside. I had to force myself to follow. I hadn’t made it two steps before I saw the first apparition, a woman. As always, her lower body had little form, but I knew without seeing that there were bloodstains down her front.

  My first instinct—to run—caused me to brake and pivot towards the door. But between me and escape floated another spirit. Female, bloody and bruised, she stared at me in silence. I gasped and fell back against Cooper who’d rushed up behind me.

  His arms came around my body; he held me so tightly. I felt another presence behind Cooper and tried to see around him even as I yelled out. “What do you want with us?”

  In my whole life, spirits had never been so silent. I could see, but I could not understand. Were their lips even moving? Before I could tell, I experienced a fourth mental tug and then a fifth.

  That last spirit swooped toward us. As she briefly engulfed our bodies I began to choke. I felt a searing pain across my neck—pain that cut off my breath. Desperately gasping for air, I turned in Cooper’s arm and grabbed a double handful of his shirt. My knees buckled. I’d have gone right down if he hadn’t caught me.

  The next thing I knew, fresh autumn air chilled my sweaty face. I reoriented to time and place. Thanksgiving. Cooper’s barn. But that’s not where I was, I realized the moment I opened my eyes. I sat on the passenger side of Cooper’s truck. The door stood wide open, with him leaning in slightly, his worried gaze glued to mine.

  I touched his cheek. “What happened?”

  “I’m so sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have come here. Never will again.”

  “Now that’s just stupid,” I said, furious with myself. “I’m fine now. Must’ve eaten too much turkey or something.”

  His dry laugh told me I hadn’t fooled him with my lame lie. “I don’t know what’s going on, but someone with better sidekicks than us is going to have to figure it out. I say we call Detective Simms tomorrow and turn the place over to him until they’ve caught whoever is behind these murderers.”

  “But that could take years. And what if we’re seeing these women because no one else can help?” When he didn’t answer, I looked him in the eye or tried to. I belatedly realized his attention seemed to be focused on my neck. I automatically put my hand where he looked. “What? Oh, ouch.”

  Cooper reached over me to nab his flashlight even though we had sun left. He turned it on, sucking in a shocked breath. “Shit!”

  “What? What?”

  He flipped down the visor so I could see the mirror. I looked into it, tipping my head back for a better angle. A huge red welt stretched clear across my throat, scary as a clown’s grin. I suddenly remembered the pain I’d felt. Was that why…? “Move.” I pushed on Cooper to get him to step back.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going back in that barn.”

  “Oh no you’re not.”

  “Think you can stop me, Mel/Patrick?”


  My naming names had the desired effect. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I just want to keep you alive.”

  “A spirit can’t hurt me.”

  “One just did.”

  He had point. “Well, that was a first, and I’m sure there was a reason. The ones I’ve known up until now never have.”

  “These aren’t the ones you’ve known.”

  “I just want to check on one thing, okay? I’ll be fine.” I jumped to the ground and slipped past him.

  Cooper caught up with me, cursing the whole way. “This is freakin’ crazy.”

  “Probably. Did you bring the flashlight?”

  He held it up.

  Though my heart jack hammered, I ducked back inside that barn. “I’m not scared of you. I want to help.”

  From the shadows, a female presence slipped into view. She appeared as a woman made of smoke—whitish, always in motion, impossible to see clearly beyond those almond eyes and all that hair.

  “I can’t see you very well. You can borrow some of my energy to help you manifest if you want.”

  “Mia! My God.”

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “Like hell you will.”

  “Shh. You’re scaring her.”

  “And you’re scaring me.”

  Though goose bumps danced down my arms, I ignored them and focused on the wisp of a woman beginning to take form before us. The first thing I made out was her body, which came into focus. The dark stain on her blouse took on a pink cast that cost me in strength. Feeling me stagger, Cooper stepped behind me as he had before. His arms slipped around my body. When her face actually had golden-tan flesh tones, she tipped her head back to reveal a deep red gash across her neck.

  I folded in two, screaming my horror. Cooper lifted me into his arms and lunged his way out of there. I clung to him when he staggered to a stop outside the door and immediately buried my face in his shoulder, well aware that his heart was beating as fast as mine.