Of The Ashes: A 'So Fell The Sparrow' Sequel Novella

by Katie Jennings

  “And if we can help old man Barton out, all the better,” Ian added, taking a swig of beer.

  Grace’s eyes caught a woman heading straight for them. She was impossible to miss, what with her perfect waves of auburn hair, electric blue eyes, and pirate’s smile. Her body was tucked into skin-tight, black leather pants and a black top that resembled a lacy corset. When she came up behind Ian and covered his eyes with her hands, Grace froze in place, stunned.

  “Boo!” the woman said.

  Ian shifted in his seat, then let out a surprised laugh. “Hey, you. What the hell are you doing in Savannah?”

  He stood and hugged the vixen woman, then shook hands with the two men who accompanied her. One was tall and slim with a shaved head and a full, dark beard, and the other was nearly as tall and huskily built with a short crop of brown hair and sunglasses covering his eyes. Grace wondered if they were some kind of bodyguards.

  “I go where the hauntings are, same as you,” the woman replied with a grin, resting her hands on her hips.

  Alex waved at the woman in greeting, his smile huge. “Long time, no see, Mia.”

  She gave him a playful salute. “Alex Gallagher, the one and only.”

  Ian gestured to Grace. “Mia, meet my girlfriend, Dr. Grace Sullivan. Grace, this is Mia James. She’s the lead investigator of Paranormal Phoenix out of Arizona, along with her partner Brian and their audio-visual tech, Rob.” He motioned to the two men standing with Mia. They nodded with polite smiles.

  Mia extended a hand to Grace. “I saw you on Ian’s first show. That’s some house you got there.”

  “Thanks.” Grace eyed the woman with instant dislike as they shook hands.

  Mia gave Ian a sly grin, pointing at him and Grace in turn. “I didn’t realize you two were a thing.”

  Ian slipped his hands into his jeans pockets with a nod. His gaze found Grace’s, and she wondered over the spark of uncertainty she saw there. “Yeah, we are.”

  “Mmm…I bet that made The Sparrow House investigation more interesting,” Mia purred, snickering at the insinuation.

  Grace flushed and took a long sip of wine. Ian only laughed, then to her dismay invited the trio to join them at a larger table nearby.

  When they were all seated—Grace wedged between Jackie and Ian, with Mia seated directly across from Ian with her friends beside her—more drinks and food were ordered. Conversation immediately turned to ghost hunting, and Grace found herself more lost than ever in technical jargon and fondly shared memories of past investigations.

  Jackie didn’t seem bothered by it, but rather listened with apparent interest. Grace wished she could laugh along and enjoy herself without feeling so excluded.

  It didn’t help that Ian, though sitting directly beside her, barely touched her in that easy way he usually did. His hands were wrapped around his beer, and his attention remained locked on Mia. Grace couldn’t help but pick up on the subtle hints of intimacy between them, and though it wasn’t mentioned, she knew within minutes that at some point they had been lovers. Or, at the very least, they found each other attractive and had for some time.

  The thought put Grace in a wretched mood. Without wanting to, she felt incredibly drab in comparison to the striking Mia James. For the first time in her life, jealousy overcame her in a crushing wave. She debated getting up and walking back to the hotel alone, but genuinely feared Ian may not follow her. After all, he clearly thought the red-head across the table was much more interesting…

  “I still have dreams about Eastern State Penitentiary. I swear Al Capone’s spirit touched me,” Mia was saying, her smile devious. She lifted a glass of whiskey and coke to her lips, the ice inside tinkling.

  “We got some crazy evidence in that place,” Ian added eagerly. “Remember what we caught with the thermal camera in that one cell? To the naked eye it looked like this black, swirling shadow that was even darker than the room, but on thermal there it was, clear as day, this purple and blue shifting mass. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.”

  “There was a lot of violent, angry energy there,” Alex recalled. “Mia even got pushed. Remember that?”

  “Yes! In the doorway of that solitary confinement cell,” Mia replied, her eyes dancing. “I’ll never forget the feeling of those disembodied hands shoving me out of the cell just as I was trying to walk inside.”

  Ian chuckled. “That was one hell of an investigation.”

  “Was that where you all met?” Jackie asked curiously.

  Mia rested her elbows on the table, sliding her drink between her hands. “No, we met in Deadwood, actually. Three years ago. Me and the guys were there checking out the local haunts, and then this one,” she nodded at Ian with a playful grin, “waltzed into Saloon No. 10 with that arrogant swagger of his, acting like he owned the place. Dressed all in black, aviator sunglasses on, a devil-may-care smirk on his face…”

  “I do not swagger,” Ian protested.

  Alex snorted. “Oh yeah, you do.”

  “To make a long story short,” Mia continued, addressing Jackie. “I overheard him talking about ghost hunting, so I challenged him to a contest to see who could gather the best evidence in Deadwood. The winner would get bragging rights and the loser would have to buy a round of whiskey for the team.”

  Grace downed the last of her wine, feeling reckless. “Who won?” she asked, one eyebrow raised as she stared intently at Mia. Beside her, Ian tensed, and she knew her voice carried the animosity she felt.

  “He did,” Mia replied easily, sipping her drink. Her gaze flitted back to Ian. “That round, anyway.”

  The insinuation was back in her voice, and Grace wanted nothing more than to slap her.

  Ian cleared his throat, then quickly changed the subject. Grace ordered another glass of wine and sat back in her seat, not willing to contribute anything more to the conversation. If she did, she’d only get angrier and embarrass Ian and Alex in front of their friends.

  It didn’t take long for the topic to shift back to investigating and to Savannah. Mia claimed she and her team were there to check out the haunted Moon River Brewing Company. Alex wasted no time filling her in on the story of The Abby Ford House, and with every word he spoke, Grace could see Mia grow more and more eager for a piece of it.

  “We could come by and help you guys out, you know,” she suggested.

  Ian shrugged. “It’s nothing we can’t handle.”

  Mia gave him a slow smile. “Okay, hotshot. I get it. But you know I’m good, and you can’t be all over that house at once. I’ll get you the evidence you’re looking for.”

  “It’ll be like old times,” Alex added cheerfully. “Besides, I could use Rob’s help setting up all the cameras.”

  The audio-visual technician, Rob, gave a nod of agreement. “We’d love in on this one.”

  Ian pursed his lips, then smiled and raised his beer in a toast. “What the hell.”

  Mia cheered and tapped her glass to his, and Grace nearly rolled her eyes. Any chance she had of never seeing the woman again was blown apart with those three simple words.

  While the others launched into excited plans for the investigation, Grace slipped deeper into her own irritable temper, barely noticing when Jackie reached for her hand under the table.

  * * *

  “I’m not sure inviting them along was such a good idea,” Jackie said softly, removing her beaded earrings at the white-tiled bathroom counter of the hotel room.

  Alex came up behind her, shirtless with a toothbrush in his mouth. He pulled it out and asked, “Why not?”

  Struggling to maintain civility, Jackie set aside her jewelry. “They seem like very nice people, Alex, but I’m worried about Grace.”

  His brows drew together. “Why? She seemed fine.”

  A small laugh escaped Jackie’s lips. She smiled up at him fondly in the mirror. “Your sunny optimism so often blinds you, darling. She’s the furthest thing from fine.”

  “What’s she upset
about? Mia and the guys are awesome.”

  “I got the impression, and I imagine she did too, that Mia and Ian have something of a history together,” Jackie pressed, turning to face him. “A history that may be unfinished?”

  Alex brushed off the thought. “They dated a little bit a few years ago, but it wasn’t anything serious. It lasted a few months before they both decided a long-distance relationship sucks and so now they’re just friends. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

  “Funny, you seemed to think me seeing Dominic was a big deal at the time,” she pointed out, feeling a tiny spark of annoyance with him. Hypocrisy never sat well with her.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes. “That was different.”

  “Not really.” She rested her hands on her hips. “Regardless, I worry that what awaits us at The Abby Ford House may only be inflamed if everyone is tense and emotional.”

  “Well, I’m sure Ian and Grace are hashing it out right now.” Alex shrugged. “I don’t know what you expect me to do about it.”

  Frustration filled her, more at the situation than at him. She went to him, seeking the comfort of his arms. “We have to try and maintain harmony. I guess that’s all we really can do. Otherwise, I fear the spirits may eat us alive.”

  Alex tensed against her as he rubbed her back. “Are you still having that dream?”

  “Every night.” She sighed, closing her eyes. The steady drumbeat of his heart soothed her, as did his soft caress on her skin. “But I still don’t know what it means.”

  He held her tighter, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “Well, if it’s something important, we’ll know soon enough. The investigation starts tomorrow night.”

  A shiver ran through her. Her head tipped back so she could meet his eyes. “Tell me you’ll be careful.”

  He smiled. “I should say the same thing to you. You’re the one who tends to rush into harm’s way.”

  She wanted to remind him that she could handle herself, could handle the spirits, but knew better than to think so arrogantly. Something told her this investigation was going to be different than the others. More dangerous. Deadly, even.

  The very thought had fear skittering across her skin.

  “Come lay down with me, darling,” she murmured, rising on her tiptoes to kiss him deeply. Her hand found his as she pulled him from the bathroom. “I need to forget the troubles of the world for a while.”

  * * *

  Grace stared at the television, her vision blurring with unshed tears. Ian was busy taking a shower, leaving her to wallow in her own hopeless thoughts.

  They’d barely said a word to each other on the walk back to the hotel. Mia and her crew were staying at a different hotel a few blocks away, and Grace had avoided saying goodbye as the groups parted. It hadn’t escaped her notice, however, the way Mia hugged Ian tightly, her face slightly turned into his neck. It was much too intimate for two people who claimed to be nothing more than friends.

  She was plagued by the question of why Ian and the fearless Mia weren’t together. They had everything in common, shared a passion for the paranormal, and were obviously attracted to one another. So why wasn’t he with her?

  Why was he instead with a woman who hesitated at the idea of marrying him? A woman who couldn’t seem to pull herself together, no matter how hard she tried?

  When he came out of the bathroom, she avoided looking at him. Tears finally spilled from her eyes and she brushed them away, hoping he didn’t notice.

  He dressed in silence, then slowly lowered to the bed beside her.

  “We should probably talk,” he murmured, turning off the television.

  Grace’s heart clenched and she shut her eyes. “What exactly does she mean to you, Ian?”

  He released a long breath. “Right now? Nothing. At one time, a lot.”

  “Did you love her?” The question was hardly more than a whisper, and Grace steeled herself in preparation for his answer.

  “No,” he stated flatly. “But we did date for a while, and I won’t pretend it meant nothing.”

  “Why did it end?”

  “We both decided we were better off as friends. I was up in Seattle, she was down in Phoenix. Neither of us were willing to relocate. So, it ended.”

  “Just like that,” Grace sniffed bitterly, opening her eyes to look at him.

  He nodded. “Just like that.”

  “If you had the opportunity now, would you go back to her?” she demanded, feeling a flush of heat cross her cheeks. “It’s obvious she would take you.”

  “I don’t care what she would do,” Ian retorted, his own brand of anger flashing in his eyes. “But I don’t appreciate you being rude to her for no reason.”

  “No reason?” Grace managed a laugh, rising to her feet. “She practically threw herself at you, and you certainly didn’t stop her.”

  “I don’t know what you think you saw, but we’re just friends.” He shook his head, exasperated with her.

  Grace crossed her arms defensively. “And now you’re going to work together. Again. Where do I fit into this scenario exactly? The third wheel to your little ghost hunting adventure?”

  “I don’t know, Doc. Where do you want to fit in?” he fired back, standing up to face her. He ran a hand through his hair, looking like he’d prefer to ram his fist through a wall. “You’re the one who feels lost, despite everything I’ve done to include you in my life. I moved into your house, I introduced you to my parents, I even asked you to fucking marry me, but none of that was good enough for you.”

  Her breath stalled in her chest and her knees trembled so badly she had to sit down again. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as guilt swallowed her whole.

  “Tell me I’m wrong,” Ian declared, throwing up his hands. “Tell me where I’ve failed you, and when I’ve ever given you any reason to doubt my feelings for you. Because as far as I can tell, you’re the one who’s confused here, not me. I know pretty damn well what I want. At least, I did.”

  When she said nothing, he grabbed his wallet and cell phone from the nightstand, along with a pillow from the bed.

  “I’ll be in the van. Enjoy your time alone. I’m starting to think that’s what you prefer.” He stormed out, slamming the door as he went.

  Torn by the brutal blade of his words, Grace slid to the floor beside the bed. She tucked her knees into her chest and wrapped her arms tightly around them, a sob catching in her throat.

  Burying her face in her arms, she gave into the pain, knowing full well she deserved every bit of it. The only reason they were arguing at all was because of her cynicism and irrational fears. She felt threatened by Mia James because of her own fear of being cheated on again. And it didn’t help that the woman seemed so right for Ian, while she herself had never quite felt good enough for him.

  And now she may have lost him for good. The realization of it hit her hard and fast, and the pain that came with it was unbearable.

  Sometime later, she crawled into the bed they should have been sharing, all cried out and too exhausted to think anymore.

  * * *

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Grace awoke just after dawn, a headache throbbing behind her eyes. She reached across the empty bed beside her, disappointed he’d stayed away all night. A lump of regret formed in her throat, accompanied by a lingering anger over their argument.

  Ian had always been a master at turning the tables on her in a fight. While he was never dismissive the way Rick had been, he still managed to make her feel like the asshole even when he was just as guilty. And, in this case, his blatant disregard for her feelings toward his ex-girlfriend put him in the wrong just as much as her rudeness did.

  Maybe she was being too sensitive, but if the shoe were on the other foot she was certain Ian wouldn’t approve of Rick waltzing back into her life and flirting with her. Not that she would have allowed it, but that was beside the point. An ex was an ex for a reason, and it was never appropriate to
let them hang around without getting approval from the current girlfriend first.

  She may not have been an expert at relationships, but she at least knew that much.

  Riding on a fresh wave of self-righteousness, Grace climbed out of bed and took a shower. The hot water soothed away the hard edges of her headache, as did the aspirin she popped afterward. Within thirty minutes she was dressed and about to leave when the hotel room door unlocked and Ian stepped in.

  He caught her eyes just as she was gathering her purse and gray coat from the bed. Shame hit her when she spotted the tired shadows under his eyes, and she wondered if he’d slept at all.

  “I was just about to go find you,” she said, putting on her coat.

  Ian avoided her gaze. “There’s breakfast in the lobby. Are you coming with us today?”

  “Yes.” She approached him, keeping her tone neutral. She didn’t want to convey just how badly she’d missed him, or how much she wished he would hold her right then. “Unless you don’t want me to?”

  He folded his arms over his chest and shrugged. “We’re interviewing the staff this morning. It might be something you could help with.”

  She nodded. “All right. Lead the way.”

  He stepped back into the hallway, keeping a careful distance from her as they walked. Out in the expansive lobby, a full breakfast buffet was set up. Jackie and Alex waved at them from a table by the window. Grace attempted a smile, hoping she didn’t look as emotional as she felt.

  She grabbed a cup of black coffee and a plate with some toast and scrambled eggs, then settled into the chair across from Jackie.

  Her friend smiled warmly at her. “Everything okay?”

  Grace stabbed at the scrambled eggs with her fork. “Yep. Just dandy.”

  “See, I told you she was good,” Alex said cheerfully, crunching into a piece of bacon.

  Jackie ignored his statement. “Grace, if you don’t feel comfortable with Mia assisting on this investigation—”

  “I said I’m fine,” Grace snapped. “You can stop worrying about me.”