He pulled his truck into the visitors’ parking lot at the school. The bell hadn’t rung yet, and he could see the grounds filling up with kids. He smiled. He wanted to have kids. He planned on being a dedicated father. Chase believed if he was going to do something, he’d better do it right and he fervently believed parenting kids was the most important job of all.
He walked down the hallway and paused outside Sue Hanks’s classroom. It was decked out for Halloween. She looked up when he opened the door and smiled brightly at him.
“Hi, Chase, what brings you here this morning?”
Avoiding the kids’ desks, he leaned a hip against the teacher’s desk. He got right to the point. He asked her to keep an eye out for Aidan and make sure he didn’t cut school. Sue asked for an explanation, and Chase admitted that he couldn’t give her one at the moment, but he told her to call Travis if she needed corroboration.
She shook her head. “I trust you, Chase. I’ll give you a call if I lose Aidan at any time during the day.”
The bell rang. Chase thanked her and quickly left the building. He loved kids, but he wasn’t sure if he liked them en masse.
His next stop was Ernestine’s place. It was still pretty early, but since the day was fair, he knew where she’d be. Carrying the stack of books, he walked the path and found her sitting on her favorite bench feeding the birds.
Her feathered friends flew off as he approached. Ernestine looked up, not a glimmer of surprise in her eyes. She was prepared for his visit.
He showed her the books. She shook her head. “I never knew these texts were ever translated into English. Vincent Bennett was well traveled indeed. The owner would not have given these up for any price. His blood, spilled on the books, would increase their power.” She frowned. “Vincent would have had to kill the previous owner himself. He could never trust something this important to a subordinate no matter how loyal. He would have to make sure the power passed to him and only him.”
“There are more. I counted thirty in total.” Chase sighed. “There were hundreds of glass bottles filled with I don’t know what. They were found with the books in the secret room in the library.
Ernestine nodded knowingly. “Of course, he’d have kept them close. Don’t let anyone else get their hands on those books or those bottles. They’re very dangerous to someone who cannot understand them. Bring me everything from that room as soon as possible. I know what must be done with them. Gillian can help me.”
“It wasn’t easy getting this stuff, but if you need everything, we’ll get it done. Hopefully, once you’ve disposed of it, we’ll have cut the head off the snake.”
Ernestine touched his frowning face and said, “Be careful, I don’t want anything bad to happen to either of you. And you’re beyond my protection.”
* * * *
When he returned to Bennett House, he ignored all the paper work waiting for him and slowly walked up the grand staircase. He smiled down at Pita, who had greeted him at the door.
“You still here?” he asked as usual. “Well, okay, you can stay, but just this once.”
Reggie was sleeping on her back. She instinctively cradled her injured arm in her sleep. Pru lay at the bottom of the bed and lifted her head an inch to acknowledge his presence, then went back to sleep. Chase took a very quick shower, dried off and joined Reggie in the bed. She murmured in her sleep and cuddled up beside him. He could hear Pita’s soft purr. Chase McCann was home at last.
* * * *
A couple of hours later, Reggie woke up. Chase still slept beside her. She decided to let him sleep and bring him food for a change. Carefully, she slipped out of the bed. She wrapped her terry cloth robe around her impressive body. Her fluffy slippers made her clumsy as she descended the back staircase to the kitchen.
She opened the door so Pru could run in the garden for a bit. Reggie looked around the kitchen. It was pretty well stocked. She wondered if Chase had raided his own kitchen to outfit this one for the length of their stay. He’d even brought a waffle iron. Her mouth watered at the thought. Reggie figured, how hard could it be? Surely waffles were just pancakes with little square craters to hold extra syrup.
She was proud of her progress when the doorbell interrupted her. She paused for a second to admire its rich tones. Perfect. Not too loud or jarring but not too whimsical or weak. The bell rang again before Reggie was able to make it to the door.
Jackie Blake stood on the threshold. Reggie was mortified. It was just past noon, and she was still in her bathrobe and burning waffles in her client’s new home.
Petite and poised, Jackie Blake smiled knowingly as the door opened. She was the perfect contrast to Reggie. Small, dark-haired, delicate boned and immaculately groomed. Jackie Blake made Reggie feel like a troglodyte. Her manners were impeccable, and Reggie wanted to smack the woman as she stood so composed and patient in the doorway.
“Hi, Jackie, to what do we owe this pleasure?” At ease, Chase walked down the grand staircase while rolling up the sleeves of his light blue shirt. He looked like the ultimate man of the manor. Reggie wanted to smack him too. He got that do-you-smell-something look, and Reggie raced to the kitchen, but not in time to save her first batch of waffles. Discouraged, she threw away the physical evidence and started anew. It wasn’t going well when Chase and Jackie walked in a little later and found her talking to the waffle iron, her language mildly profane.
He stood beside Reggie. “Regina Stanton, I’d like you to meet Jackie Blake.”
Jackie couldn’t have been nicer, and Reggie grudgingly warmed up to her a little, but she still didn’t like the way Jackie touched Chase’s arm every now and then. Chase showed her around the entire house while Reggie went upstairs to shower and change. On principle, Reggie refused to dress competitively. She pulled on a pair of threadbare jeans and a yellow T-shirt. She stuck her tongue out at her reflection in the mirror and marched out.
She could hear muted voices on the third floor and followed them. Chase was doing most of the talking. Jackie said very little, so eager she was to approve of everything Chase showed her. He had her in the palm of his hand. She was obviously there to catch a sneak peek at their progress, but Chase had charmed her so thoroughly she asked few questions. She loved everything. Tour complete, Jackie stunned Reggie by hugging her and saying, “Congratulations, the house is so beautiful. It was such a pleasure to meet you.”
Okay, so she was rather sweet. Her pleasure sure seemed genuine so Reggie rewarded her with a heartfelt smile. She grew tired of being cranky, it took up too much energy.
“It was a pleasure to meet you too. I’m so sorry for my earlier state. You see, we didn’t get much sleep last night.”
As soon as she’d said it she regretted it. She’d made it sound like they’d spent the whole night having sex in their client’s bed. She sputtered. “Oh dear, that sounded so much better in my head.”
Before she could explain, Jackie laughed with genuine amusement. “Thanks for showing me around. I hope to see you both again soon.” She walked out, smooth as silk.
After Reggie heard the engine of her BMW start up, she started to laugh. Chase joined her.
She put a hand up to her mouth. “Can you believe I said that?” She cracked up all over again. “The woman must think I’m crazy. Note to self—sleep…good, experimental cooking…bad.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. Jackie’s cool. Nothing shakes her composure. That’s one of the things that makes her such a good agent.” He took Reggie’s hand. “Come on, I’ll show you how to make waffles.” He pulled her toward the kitchen.
Chapter 28
Over fluffy, golden waffles, Chase told Reggie about Ernestine’s reaction to the books. She wasn’t surprised.
“Well I guess we go back in there today and get the rest.” He looked like he wanted to object, but she shook her head. “It has to be today, Chase. He’ll be weak after yesterday, plus we saw to it that he wasn’t able to recharge last night. It won’t be pleasant, but
I know that with a little assistance from Constance, we can do it.”
She didn’t wait for him to agree. Instead, she started for the garden in search of Constance.
Constance was cooperative and Reggie was right. They had very little trouble clearing out the secret room in the library. The bad smell still wafted around and they could hear a faint hissing sound, but they felt no supernatural energy pushing back at them. The whole operation took under two hours. It wasn’t an enjoyable afternoon, but no one got hurt this time.
They boxed up all the contents with meticulous care. Reggie called Ernestine and told her how many boxes they had for her. She asked that they take everything to Gillian’s and that she’d see them here. It seemed fitting that they all meet at Gillian’s house. It had once been owned by Ernestine herself. The house had known its fair share of unexplained phenomena, and it was all coming full circle.
In Gillian’s driveway, Reggie was grateful that Travis came out and helped Chase unload the boxes from the truck. She hated touching those books and those bottles. Even with the gloves she’d worn, she could still feel its unnatural residue.
Once inside the house, Reggie was happy to see Sam there. He had a set of crutches propped up on the chair beside him, but he looked well.
Reggie hugged him carefully . “Am I glad to see you!”
“Right back at you, Reg,” Sam said.
Travis had already picked up Ernestine and the books Chase had dropped off the day before. Before they started unloading everything, Reggie said, “Careful, guys, this stuff is covered in some sort of gunk that defies description. You may want these.” She tossed some gloves on the table.
Gillian smiled at her friend. “Good thinking, Reggie, but I have my own.” She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. She wore gardening gloves with little daisies on them. “Believe me, I’m reluctant to touch that stuff. Who knows what horrible images I may tune in to. I’ve never picked up impressions from inanimate objects before, but I’d rather not test that theory today.”
Ernestine said, “Gillian, I’d rather you not touch any of this stuff even with gloves until I’ve checked it out.” Gillian frowned and started to object, but Ernestine shook her head resolutely. “Trust me, you’ll go through everything in time, but not right now. You are just coming into your powers as a Guardian. You’re more vulnerable to this kind of magic than you know.”
Gillian looked about to argue and Travis stepped in. “Gilly, you can’t take this lightly. Look what that thing did to Sam. If Aunt Ernestine says you’re too vulnerable, believe her.”
They stood facing off against each other for a few more seconds in silent battle. Finally, without a word, Gillian stepped back. Travis smiled at her. Once again witness to their unique psychic communication, Reggie felt goose bumps form on her arms. It was incredible to see them do it. In that moment, Reggie knew in her gut that Gillian would someday be a great Guardian and that Travis would be her protector. Reggie felt the butterflies in her stomach react and in response, put a hand on her tummy.
They started with the books. Ernestine pressed her lips together firmly, creating a thin straight line of her mouth. She looked apprehensive and nodded to the boxes holding the bottles. Chase opened the first one for her. She looked inside and immediately turned to Reggie.
“Reggie, you and Chase are done here. We’ll take care of all of this.”
Reggie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “What are you talking about? We risked our lives to get that stuff, and now you want to shut us out? No way!”
Chase moved to her side and supported her stand. “You can’t ask us to just drop that stuff off like a bunch of old clothes.”
Reggie had never seen Ernestine look so severe when she said, “Go! Both of you! Leave this with me.” She looked at Travis and Sam for assistance.
Sam said, “I don’t blame you guys for being upset, but Ernestine knows what she’s doing. In fact, she’s the only one here who does right at this moment.”
Travis ran a hand through his perpetually mussed hair and appealed to Chase and Reggie, “Please?”
Reggie turned to Chase and saw the answer in his eyes. She said, “Okay, but we go under duress. You have to call us if you find out anything. We won’t be left in the dark.” She called to Pru and walked out of the house.
Before Chase could say anything, Ernestine took his hand and said, “Look after her. She doesn’t like feeling useless. I will let you know what I find.”
He nodded. He kissed the old lady’s wrinkled cheek and walked out to his truck.
* * * *
The following week the Town of New Crescent pulled out all the stops in preparation for Halloween. The Sinclair house was buzzing with activity as Travis’s parents got ready for both a party for the children and a ball for the adults. Saturday was October 31, and there was an air of excitement all over the town.
As the day drew near, Reggie grew more and more tense. She still hadn’t heard anything from Ernestine. She’d talked to Gillian, but she too had been shut out. Bennett House was suspiciously quiet. They’d stopped work on the house until after Halloween, but Reggie wondered if they’d been too cautious. They’d cleared out the books and bottles containing the sum of Vincent’s knowledge of dark magic. She hadn’t felt Vincent’s presence since. She’d tried to contact Constance a few times but failed.
Sadly, Reggie wondered if Constance had taken her earlier advice and crossed over into the light. It bothered Reggie to think she’d left without saying good-bye. Constance was stubborn, impatient, and often rude, but that didn’t mean Reggie wanted her gone. She needed closure before bidding farewell to the irascible ghost..
Reggie was coming to the realization that there really wasn’t much reason for her to stay at Bennett House much longer. The thought of leaving the house gave her a twinge. That was nothing compared to the desperation she felt at the thought of leaving Chase. What do they do now? She knew that Chase was feeling the strain as well. They still shared a bed, and they still had amazing sex, but there was so much left unsaid between them. Reggie didn’t know where to start. Finally, she’d decided that after Halloween, she’d arrange for the work to start again on the house and she’d move out. The thought brought her no satisfaction, only despair.
For weeks, Reggie had been preparing for some sort of epic struggle with Vincent. It was a tremendous letdown when there had been no such final battle. They’d won, but Reggie didn’t feel much like a champion. Their story ended with a whimper, not a bang, and she moped around the huge house feeling dissatisfied and irritated.
Chase had told her that even Aidan Spencer’s behavior had improved. That thought made Reggie happy. The poor kid got a rough break with parents such as his. She fervently hoped that he’d rise above what his parents had taught him. She made a point of taking Todd for ice cream again despite the cooler weather. He reported to Reggie that he and Aidan were getting along okay, but they were no longer friends. Todd had made his stand and was not backing down from it. He made Reggie proud
* * * *
Halloween day dawned gray and grim. The skies looked ominous threatening rain all day. The weather didn’t help Reggie’s melancholy. She tried hard to shake it. After all, she’d always loved Halloween at the Sinclairs’. When she been a child, she’d joined all the other kids and finished up her trick or treating with a visit to the Sinclair estate where she could count on doubling her haul of candy. Once she’d grown, Reggie always attended the adult party. She could remember how excited she’d been going to her first. She’d dressed as a fairy. In retrospect, Reggie laughed at the idea. She’d have made a much more convincing Amazon, but back then, she hadn’t yet been ready to accept that she’d never quite fit the profile of a fairy.
Chase had left early to help Travis with the last minute touches on their haunted house. Since Sam was pretty much immobile, they’d found the perfect role for him to play. Dressed as a mad surgeon, Chase would ghoulishly operate on Sam in front of
the children. Reggie didn’t even want to think what horrible things Chase planned to remove from Sam’s bound body. The kids would love it.
Reggie’s costume was pathetically easy to prepare so she drove to the Sinclair estate in good time to help out with the set up. She left the haunted house to Chase, Sam, and Travis, instead she got a beat on the DJ and headed toward him. She smiled when she saw the look on his face when he laid eyes on her. Fatally attracted but terrified at the same time, he looked like a rodent caught in the headlights. Reggie had indulgent affection for him. Peter Jabonowitz was almost a foot shorter than she was, and he looked up at her with a kind of titilated fear on his face. A woman of her impressive proportions dwarfed a man his size, but he soldiered on and appeared to enjoy their interactions. Reggie admired his courage.
She smiled with genuine pleasure. “Hi, Peter. It’s good to see you again. I’m here to help.” She hugged him with enthusiasm then grabbed his elbows when his knees started to buckle. He was a sweetheart and just the sight of him cheered her up.
Peter didn’t need much help. He’d provided the music for the last Sinclair party, so there wasn’t much Reggie could do. Once they finished setting up, Reggie smiled at him and turned to head into the house. “See you on the dance floor Peter.”
Inside, Travis’s mother Ruth Sinclair was finishing the set up for the kids’ party in the game room. Most years, they used the great room, but since both parties were on the same night, the kids got bumped to alternate digs. From the game room, it was an easy walk to the guest house, where the haunted house awaited them, so it worked out great.
Just before it got dark, Reggie used a guest bedroom to change into her costume. She wrapped bandages all over herself and used red food coloring and corn syrup to suggest oozing blood. The sling cradling her dislocated shoulder added authenticity. Using the mirror, she gave herself a black eye and drew stitches on her forehead and cheeks.
Spirit [New Crescent 2] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 21
