I fell asleep and slept hard until I heard the door open. I glanced at the clock. It was two in the morning, and no sign of Patrice until now?
“Patrice?” I waited, but there was no other noise. I didn’t even hear the door close. Was it standing open? Was I getting robbed? I’d barely gotten off the couch when it slammed shut. “Jesus!” I shouted without thinking about it. Gripping my paperback like it was a weapon, I went to see what was going on. Sure enough, the door was closed—completely shut. I pondered what to do. All I could do was lock it up. I didn’t chain it because I was certain Patrice wasn’t home yet, which was strange in itself.
I decided to text her. The house’s temperature continued to drop; it was so cold in here. How had that happened? It had been warm earlier. Very warm. I rubbed my arms briskly and waited for a text back. Nothing.
I couldn’t stay here. I didn’t want to. I scurried down the hall and hopped in my bed, convinced that Patrice would be back at any moment. She never did appear, even though I texted her several times. I even called, but it went straight to voicemail.
Great. It was the middle of the night and my sister was God knows where. I lay there waiting for her to return, but it didn’t happen and eventually I fell asleep again. Only this time, I dreamed about a boy.
And a fire.
And a creature I could only describe as evil. Pure, palpable evil. I awoke with a start at six and went in search of Patrice again. This time she was in her bed and fast asleep.
What a horrible night! Time to let the sunlight chase the demons away.
I immediately started the coffee going. This was going to be a long day.
Chapter Eight—Henri
I spotted Sierra’s tiny frame as she entered the store. I was a little disappointed that her husband had not come with her. Joshua McBride was a paranormal tech guru and was well known far and wide, at least in the supernatural circles. I could always count on him to give me the skinny on the latest technical equipment. I wasn’t allowed to buy any new gear, much less spend a bunch of money on paranormal investigations. I hardly went anywhere to investigate anymore, and I shut my website down when Chloe was born. Yeah, I thought this part of my life was over forever.
That was looking unlikely at the moment. Haunted items continued to turn up in my shop. What choice did we have except to figure out how to defuse these ticking time bombs?
“Sierra! Glad you could make it. Running solo today?”
“Hey, Henri. Hi, Aggie. Yep, it’s just me. Joshua is working. Macie had some court business. So yeah, just me. Where’s Detra Ann?”
“She’s out, but she’ll be back soon. Um, it’s pretty quiet in here right now. Aggie, would you mind keeping an eye on the shop?” I could tell by her disappointed expression she wasn’t down for that, and I wasn’t up to arguing. “Fine, lock the door and put the Be Back In 15 Minutes sign up.”
Yeah, I was a pushover. In the worst kind of way. Every woman in my life told me what to do. Oh well, c’est la vie. Can’t complain about it. It had always been that way. Before Chloe and Detra Ann, it had been Aleezabeth and Lenore.
“Thanks,” Aggie said with a frown as she closed the door and put the sign up. “Actually, I have a confession to make to both of you. I didn’t take your advice. I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong. I may not be the expert you two are—okay, I’m not the expert either one of you are—but I am pretty darn sure that whatever is attached to this statue is nothing but evil. Evil incarnate, if you know what I mean. I don’t want to poison the well, but I think this statue is tied to a demon.”
I watched in astonishment as Sierra blinked at Aggie’s confession. “You touched it, didn’t you, Aggie?” Sierra covered her mouth with her hand. Did she have tears in her eyes?
Aggie stuttered her answer, “I’m sorry. I really am, y’all. I thought it was just like before, you know with the cup and the radio. Those were ghosts, but I don’t think whatever is attached to this item is a ghost. That’s my opinion, for what it’s worth.”
“But this isn’t like that—you are right about that at least. Aggie, I didn’t want you to touch it because you have abilities. You activated it. It’s bad enough that you are around it and handling it enough to sell it. I think you made it stronger.”
Aggie sank in her barstool and looked sorrowful but didn’t offer any explanation except to say again that she was sorry. I knew she was, and it wasn’t like her to confess such a thing. Unless she really did feel sorry about it.
“It’s okay, Aggie. Let’s just focus on the moment. Let’s figure out what’s going on with this statue. Keep in mind, there’s plenty more where this came from. Dozens at least, if we decide to keep them. These come from a cemetery on the grounds of a home for orphaned and abandoned children.” I led Sierra to the back of the shop. I’d decided to keep this thing away from the public until I could figure out what it was all about.
Sierra glared one last time at Aggie but didn’t scold her further. I noticed that Aggie did not follow us. “Tell me about this thing, Henri. What do you know?”
“As you can see, this is the dampness I was telling you about. See? We’ve examined it from top to bottom. There are no fountains, no sprinklers, nothing that would leave this thing virtually crying. Or appearing to be crying. I’ve put the cameras on it, at all different angles, but nothing. Nothing to see. It will start and stop whenever it wants.”
Sierra opened her bag and dug out the K2 meter. The statue’s eyes were watering, and a trickle of water seeped out of them. “Have you had the water tested?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“I’ll take a sample and see what Josh can come up with. I’m curious to know what the composition is. That might tell us more.”
Suddenly Aggie was there but didn’t ask any questions. She watched over the process and rubbed her arms as if she were cold. I felt an odd chill too but didn’t mention it. Aggie said, “I am sorry for messing around with it. It’s not like I was trying to make it worse. I don’t know why I felt like I could handle it.”
Sierra gave her a sad smile. “What’s done is done. What did you see, Aggie? How did it interact with you?”
We were all watching the statue continue to stream. The cloth beneath it was getting wetter by the minute. I’d have to get a new one soon.
“You are not to blame. I should never have agreed to take on these statues. This is my fault,” I said sadly.
Sierra patted my shoulder sympathetically and began to take pictures of the statue. “It’s not the end of the world, but you definitely can’t sell it. Maybe never. The bond is old—I’d even describe it as ancient. And as you mentioned earlier, it’s not completely human. I think a dead person is attached to it but also something else. A collector. A Soul Collector.”
“Soul Collector?” Aggie asked in a quiet voice. “That sounds ominous.”
“I’m not sure yet. I think we should attempt to get some EVPs. I’ve got a few cameras in my bag; I’d like to leave them up overnight.”
I nodded in agreement. “Let’s do that. I can help you with setting up the tripods and cameras.”
“Let’s do it.” The three of us arranged the camera display in zero minutes flat. I tried some EVP work, but we got nothing at all. Not even a peep. Sierra appeared frustrated, and I had to say I too felt like the truth was hiding from us. Too bad Detra Ann wasn’t back yet. Maybe that was on purpose. Maybe she was smarter than all of us. I kind of wished I wasn’t here too.
Sierra took pictures as she waited for something to happen, but what? What were we waiting for? Someone was tapping on the door of the shop. Aggie decided to take care of the customer. I prayed it wasn’t Mrs. Biederman. She wasn’t a huge fan of Aggie’s. I couldn’t understand why. Mrs. Biederman had an axe to grind with her, and the woman’s complaints were becoming burdensome.
“Let’s get Aggie back in here. I think it would do her good to tell us what happened, what she saw when making contact with the statue.” I thought
it was a decent suggestion, but Sierra shook her head.
“She’s already too deeply involved.” Sierra’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’d like to meet the owner, without Aggie.” I nodded in agreement although her request was something of a surprise.
“Hey, Aggie, would you mind watching the shop? Sierra and I have to run an errand.” I wasn’t sure why I was being so evasive. Maybe because I did not want to have to scold Aggie or make her feel like she was being singled out. “I don’t think we’ll be long.”
“You’re going to make a house call, aren’t you? That Mr. Glass is a true weirdo. You sure I can’t come with you? I’d love to see how he explains this.”
Sierra stepped forward and said with a confident smile, “I’d like to get a crack at him, Aggie. Since you already have a history with him, it might be better if it’s just me. Well, me and Henri. I hope you understand.”
“I won’t say I’m not disappointed, but good luck.”
Aggie looked unbothered by the suggestion, but I wasn’t buying it. She wasn’t fooling me one bit. She might appear aloof, hip and independent, but she was just a kid, a kid who needed affirmation. Still, I kept my mouth shut and thanked her as we left the shop. I called Detra Ann and gave her a heads-up. She sounded preoccupied with something else, and she was driving, so I promised I’d see her soon.
“It’s about a thirty-minute drive. I’m not going to bother calling him. I get the feeling that Mr. Glass isn’t one to appreciate surprise visitors. He didn’t even like it when Aggie came to take pictures. My wife has been over here, and she came home really disturbed by what she felt and sensed.”
“Damn it!” Sierra blurted out. “So, this Soul Collector has had contact with two mediums in a matter of a few days? Great. I’m not sure who he’ll be targeting. This is a dangerous situation, shades of the Leaf Academy. I assume you know what I am talking about.” Wow, Sierra was literally shaking. “You know what, Henri, I think I need to go back to the shop. I need to do some research first. This thing is connected to that gravestone, maybe more than one. If another medium shows up to interact with it, the Soul Collector might take that as an invitation. Please. Take me back. I already don’t feel right about this.”
“Sure, that’s not a problem. I can turn off here and make a U-turn.” I glanced over at Sierra, whose usually tanned skin was as white as a sheet.
“He knows, Henri. The man, Mr. Glass, he knows that those stones are cursed, that they are under the possession of a Soul Collector. He’s afraid, and he thinks he can escape his family curse, but he should not put others at risk trying to avoid his potential fate. What else can you tell me about him?”
“Um, Detra Ann says he talks to himself, but it’s like he has full-blown conversations with people who aren’t there. He’s paranoid and thinks everyone is out to get him. I regret that we ever even met this man. I’ll just call him and tell him he must take it back. I won’t receive any more of the statues either. I’ll take the loss if he insists on getting paid. I can’t have this kind of chaos in my life. What about my wife and daughter? Not to mention my employees and customers. Detra Ann told me she was interested in the statues, so I said yes. But man, I made a horrible mistake. A truly horrible mistake.”
Sierra didn’t typically sugarcoat anything, and now was no exception. “It wasn’t smart, that’s for sure. Note to self, never buy anything that comes out of a graveyard. But it’s best to be in this moment, not drowning in sorrow over a past mistake. We must keep our heads in the game. I’m not abandoning y’all, but I do need to do my homework. I want you to email me everything you know about Mr. Glass and these statues. I’ll take it from there.”
As we were pulling up at the store, I could see Detra Ann and Chloe walking inside. The sight of my two sweethearts made a lump in my throat. Sierra patted my hand to assure me that all would be well. “He knows she’s around, but that doesn’t mean he’s won. He won’t collect any souls this time. We can outsmart him.”
I hadn’t even allowed myself to think that far ahead. Was Sierra saying what I thought she was saying?
“In the meantime, you keep a close eye on Chloe. Children are especially vulnerable to this entity. It fixates and focuses on the innocent. If you notice anything strange, night terrors, bad dreams, hallucinations, you call me immediately. We don’t dare allow him access to that baby. Yes, he prefers children, Henri. Like the Maelstrom of the Leaf Academy. He likes them young and innocent. But we have the advantage.” Sierra’s voice caught as she adjusted her hair and closed her eyes for a few seconds.
“Really? What advantage do we have?” I asked as I brushed a tear away. Where did that come from?
“You have friends. We have each other. And we know what he’s about. But we do need to know more, so don’t forget to send me that email. Keep everyone away from that statue and wait for my phone call. Tell your wife too, okay? It’s going to be alright, Henri. This dude isn’t nearly as strong as the one at the Leaf Academy. I don’t mean to be extra. It’ll be okay. I’ll call you later.”
And with that, Sierra slid out of the car and went to her vehicle. I cleaned up my face and headed indoors.
I had a job to do, keep everyone safe.
I could do that. I had to.
Chapter Nine—Aggie
Sounds of clinking glass and music permeated the air. It was a sound that I welcomed. I had avoided the place for the last few weeks for fear of running into Phoenix and having to face my worst fear. Well, maybe not my worst fear, but a close second.
The tingling sensation filled my belly as I made my way through the already quite intoxicated crowd. The deep bass of the cover song the band was playing pulsated through my head, creating that buzz that drowns out the loud conversations and fills the space in between.
There’s really nothing like the smells and sounds of a local bar. That mixture of sweat and smoke, all blended with exuberant amounts of perfume and cologne. Not to mention the overwhelming sense of the people with different stories trying to forget or remember what unexpected twists and turns their lives had thrown at them. All gathered in one place and time. It was enough to make an empath want to explode.
“Aggie,” a female voice came from behind me. “Long time no see.”
Looking over my shoulder, I answered her, “Francine.”
“Yep, the one and only,” she replied, lifting the two bottles of beer she had in each hand. “Where have you been?”
“I’ve been working,” I replied, hoping to end the questioning. The last thing I needed was for Francine to know Phoenix had been avoiding me.
“They make you work nights at the antiques shop?” Francine furrowed the perfectly arched brows above her emerald green eyes.
“Sometimes. So, how is Joe?”
Francine and Joe had been together for five years. They were not married but seemed to like it that way. Joe didn’t seem like the committing type of guy, but I didn’t get why he felt that way with her. Francine looked like she stepped out of a Vogue magazine. Her tall thin frame and long dark hair reminded me of Angelina Jolie. Not many people could compete with that or resist it. What Francine wanted, Francine got.
“He’s good. Finally starting to work on those recordings he’s been yammering on about for a year,” she replied, taking a swig from one of the bottles. “I can’t say the same for Phoenix, though.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Her bright red lips parted into a sly grin. “Haven’t you noticed? Yeah, the guy has been sulking for the last few weeks. Do you have any idea why that might be? It’s because of you, isn’t it? Are you two fighting or something?”
Apparently, she already knew we were on the outs. “I have no idea, Francine.” I wasn’t about to spill the beans to her. She had the reputation of being a gossip.
“I’m sure seeing you here tonight will lift his spirits.” Her grin widened with a wink.
“I hope so.”
We made our way up to the stage. The l
ump in my throat felt like it grew at least another inch when I saw him. He flashed that wonderful, warm smile, and my knees buckled.
Don’t faint, Aggie. Not here, not now.
Although he was used to that by now and it might break the ice, I needed to hold on to some shred of dignity.
Phoenix gave a slight nod as I sat at the table beside the stage. The last note of Brown Eyed Girl slowly faded into the noisy crowd chatter, triggering my anxiety. I wiped my drenched palms across my blue jeans and tried to steady my foot, which was tapping uncontrollably. The small table shook from the vibration.
His gentle voice put me somewhat at ease. “Hey, Aggie.” Phoenix smoothed his hair behind his ear. He was undeniably gorgeous.
I managed to spit out a “Hey.”
“I’m glad you were able to make it. Would you like something to drink?” he asked as he pulled out the chair beside me.
“I could use a stiff drink,” I blurted out in true Aggie fashion. Get a grip, girl.
Phoenix chuckled. “You always have a way with words, Ags.”
“I’m going to let that moniker usage slide,” I popped back at him playfully.
“Oh, yeah. I forget you hate that nickname,” Phoenix said with a smirk. Sure you did. “I’ll go order our drinks. The usual, right?”
“Yes, that would be great.”
I wanted something stronger than the usual. My heart felt like it was going to come through my chest at any moment. Either the bar was unusually warm, or I had a fever. Sweat dripped slowly down the small of my back into the waistband of my jeans.
Phoenix returned quickly and handed me a bottle of Coke. “Here you go. Let’s go out to the courtyard. We’ll be able to talk out there. It’s getting pretty loud in here.”
A Watch of Weeping Angels (Devecheaux Antiques & Haunted Things Book 3) Page 6
