The Naughty Nine: Where Danger and Passion Collide

by Nina Bruhns

  “Because, as I’ve said at least one thousand times—” Actual count three. “You were holding my hand shut and manhandling me out the door.” Giselle ground her teeth together. She’d be tearing her hair out soon if he didn’t get over it.

  At almost midnight, the Savannah night air remained hot and damp. The irritable mood must result from the weather. There could be nothing else to blame the mood on. Oh, no. It couldn’t be that in less than two days she’d be jobless, someone had tried to kill her…twice, and she’d just managed to steal—accidentally of course—an object belonging to a crazy man who claimed to be a wizard and therefore could probably turn her into a toad. No, it had to be the Savannah heat and humidity.

  Ry held the medal, tilting it this way and that to catch the light of the streetlamp. The light glinted dimly off its surface. “It looks like a Revolutionary War era military medal. But it could be a fake. There are a lot of them out there.”

  At Giselle’s arch look, Ry continued. “I used to collect as a kid.” He turned the medal over and examined the backside. “It might be something Kopeleski thinks belonged to the ghost he’s trying to summon. An object personally owned by a subject during their lifetime sometimes helps summon the spirit form.”

  Giselle gaped at him. “How do you know so much Mr. Non-psychic Detective?”

  Ry started. His eyes shot to hers and then away. “I don’t. But you can’t help but hear things in Savannah.”

  Yeah, sure. There had to be more to this. If only she had the time to question him about it.

  “If it really is Revolutionary War era, it’s got to be worth money. So how are we going to get it back into the nudist camp before the crazy wizard discovers that it’s missing?” Giselle rubbed her forehead. A headache pounded beneath her temple.

  “I don’t know,” Ry said. “But it just got a lot harder.” He nodded toward the group of three people knocking on Kopeleski’s door.

  “I’ve got an idea.” Giselle fished in her purse and pulled out her cell phone with a triumphant look at Ry.

  “How’s your cell phone going to get the medal back into that house?”

  Giselle punched in a number. Mary Ellen, who lived a few streets away, arrived less than five minutes later. Mary Ellen swanned to Giselle’s side and gave her a hug.

  “I need a favor,” Giselle said.

  “I’ll do any favor you want. I owe you one for the Vector incident,” Mary Ellen replied.

  “You have no idea. The little skunk accosted me again earlier tonight. It was a nightmare. I’m telling you he—”

  Ry interrupted. “After all we’ve been through, that was the nightmare? Besides, we don’t have time for this. What’s your plan?”

  “It’s simple. Mary Ellen takes the medal and gets herself invited into the Kopeleski house where she drops it as close to the table as possible.”

  “How’s she going to get invited in?” Ry asked. “He’s not the most hospitable man on the planet. He’s not even the most hospitable man on the block.”

  “Yeah, but he’s a man. Just look at her.” Giselle pointed at Mary Ellen and her obvious movie-star-quality beauty. Her long blonde hair was swept into a messy up-do with tendrils escaping around her face. She wore hip-hugging, tight blue jeans and a sequined, green camisole blouse. If she wore makeup, Giselle couldn’t see any evidence of it. Yet her complexion was perfect. Even standing on a stoop in casual clothing, Mary Ellen was sexy.

  Ry considered for a moment then nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. He’ll let her in.”

  Giselle’s gaze narrowed to a glare. The jerk.

  “What? I’m agreeing with you. Why are you looking at me like I’m going to need shin guards again?”

  “Never mind, genius,” Mary Ellen said, obviously attuned to her best friend’s feelings for the man.

  “Once she drops the medal, she just makes an excuse and leaves,” Giselle said. “Piece of cake.”

  Ry looked doubtful. “Why is it nothing with you is cake? The cake always seems to turn to a pile of―”

  “Don’t say it. This is going to work. And to be sure that she’s safe, we’ll watch from across the street. Anyone can see into this guy’s house through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s like a stage.”

  “Yeah.” Ry had a sour look on his face as he seemed to remember the proof of that statement. Giselle remembered too. Eeewww.

  Mary Ellen took the medal and put it into her jeans pocket. As she stuffed it down, her toned belly, complete with sparkly ring, was on display. Giselle noticed Ry noticing and jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow.

  “What? I didn’t say anything.” Ry said, holding his hands up to defend against another blow.

  Mary Ellen laughed as she trotted off down the sidewalk in the direction of Kopeleski’s house. She had almost reached the stairs to the front door when a figure emerged from a parked vehicle and began to approach. It soon became obvious that the two would converge.

  “Uh-oh. This is not good news,” Ry said.

  The figure, Madam Divinity, reached the foot of the stairs almost simultaneously with Mary Ellen.

  “I had no idea M—Madam knew Kopeleski.” Ry stepped back into the shadows of the porch as if he feared being seen.

  “Why would you?”

  “No reason.”

  “After you,” Mary Ellen could be heard saying, and then Madam preceded her up the stairs. Kopeleski opened the door before either of the ladies knocked. As he greeted them, he seemed to assume that Madam and Mary Ellen were together because he invited them both in without a question.

  “She’s in. I told you it would work.”

  “She’s not out yet,” Ry commented. “I think we should get closer and make sure that she’s all right in there.”

  Ry and Giselle moved to a position across the street from casa Kopeleski. Ry had obtained binoculars from his Jeep and stared through them into the house. Giselle could see with her naked eyes that the parlor of the house had filled with at least ten people, including her friend.

  “Kopeleski can’t seem to take his eyes off Mary Ellen,” Ry observed.

  “That’s good.”

  “Not really. It doesn’t give her an opportunity to drop the medal without being seen.”

  “Oooh, good point.”

  Dammit, Mary Ellen always had been too attractive for Giselle’s own good. And now Ry thought her attractive. Giselle had never minded that her friend was so gorgeous until now. A good friend, a best friend, wouldn’t be so damn beautiful in front of her boyfriend. Okay. Okay. So Ry wasn’t her boyfriend. Still Mary Ellen wouldn’t be so attractive to him, if she were a real friend. Mary Ellen did have a nerve, if she thought about it.

  Ry removed the binoculars from his eyes. “You have a peculiar look on your face. What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing.” Giselle shook her head. Shame on her for thinking such things. Mary Ellen had braved the nudist den of a crazy wizard for her. Mary Ellen was a good friend and Giselle was a bad, bad friend. Second time in one night. Dammit.

  Giselle’s attention returned to the stage-like windows, one slightly obscured by a wrought iron balcony wrapping around it. A small table with a candlelit lantern at its center and a small chair beside it sat to one side of the small area. Vines emerged from potted plants that were scattered about and wound over the railing and down the side of the house. Cute, but annoying, since Giselle had to strain to see around the table to get a look at Kopeleski.

  He wore an old-fashioned tuxedo and had the appearance of an orchestra conductor in his tie and tails. His wild gray hair had been pinned back in what looked, in the distance, like a barrette. Who would have thought it? Kopeleski a metrosexual.

  Kopeleski spoke animatedly to Mary Ellen and Madam Divinity. Mary Ellen flirted outrageously in return, if body language was anything to go by. If she kept that up, he’d never leave her alone long enough to drop the medal. Madam Divinity’s face twisted as if she’d just tasted a lemon.

  “I wond
er what they’re saying. It’s so frustrating. Hey, wait a minute.” Giselle punched a number into her cell phone and heard Mary Ellen’s phone ring across the street. She seemed to apologize to Kopeleski and Madam as she answered it.

  “Hello?”

  “Can you leave your phone on speaker mode so we can hear what’s going on in there?” Giselle asked.

  “We’ll see,” Mary Ellen said brightly. “‘Bye now.” Mary Ellen punched a button on the phone and Giselle could hear her say, “Sorry about that. My boyfriend wants to get together later.”

  “Boyfriend, eh? Maybe I can do something about changing that later,” Kopeleski said suggestively.

  Giselle decided to gag when she had more time.

  “All cell phones and pagers must be turned off,” Kopeleski announced. “We are about to begin.”

  As people milled around the table and took a chair one by one, he said, “I have asked Madam Divinity, who is a powerful medium, to attend tonight’s séance. She is particularly adept at psychometry, which, as you all know, is the ability to read from an object. Since I have obtained a military medal that originally belonged to our subject, Madam should be invaluable in assisting me to summon him forth. Our subject passed from this life to the other side two hundred and twenty-six years ago at 12:17 a.m. This morning will mark the day and time that is the anniversary of our subject’s death. It is the ideal time to attempt to summon him to our presence.”

  Kopeleski seemed to take notice of the object, or lack thereof, on the table. “The medal.” His head swiveled back and forth. “Has anyone seen the medal that was on the table?”

  Kopeleski searched about the table and on the floor nearby with frantic, jerky motions. Mary Ellen put her hand in her pocket, pulled the medal out and bent to the floor.

  “She dropped the medal,” Ry said.

  “Is this it?” Giselle heard from inside the house. Mary Ellen reached toward the floor.

  “Don’t touch it!” Kopeleski shouted. “I’ve spent a lot of time cleansing it of all psychic energies except that of its original owner. We don’t want to pollute it with the energy of any other person before the séance. Who knows what kind of static interference it would cause our efforts if someone else handled it. Only Madam should touch it at this point.”

  “Uh-oh,” Giselle said.

  “Yeah,” Ry agreed.

  Madam Divinity kneeled, picked up the medal and held it reverently in her hand. Then she rose and placed it at the center of the table.

  “Well, I think I should be going. My boyfriend did sound pretty urgent about wanting to see me.” Mary Ellen backed toward the door as she tried to make her excuses.

  “Oh, no, my dear, we are just getting started. I’m sure you will find this fascinating,” said Kopeleski, ushering Mary Ellen, who had edged to the doorway of the room, back toward the round table.

  “There aren’t enough chairs. And I really should go.” Mary Ellen tried to pull away from the grip Kopeleski had on her arm, but he held her firmly.

  “Oh, that won’t be a problem. We can just pull up another chair. We can’t possibly let you leave now.” The grossness of his smarmy tone was exceeded only by the cloying way he stroked Mary Ellen’s arm.

  Mary Ellen looked from side to side, like a small animal trapped in a cage, but took a seat with the others. “I don’t know. I guess I—” Mary Ellen’s cell phone stopped transmitting.

  Oh, no. She’d trapped her best friend in a house with crazy wizard, a loony medium, and who knew who else. Giselle needed to get closer. She might have to save her friend from human sacrifice or something.

  Giselle debated whether she could jump the short distance from the top of Kopeleski’s stairs to the balcony. The window from the balcony into the house was open. From there she’d be able to hear and reach Mary Ellen in an emergency. She started to explain her idea to Ry and saw that he was watching the house through the binoculars. No. He’d probably try to convince her not to do it. She didn’t have time for that conversation. They might be tying Mary Ellen up for the human sacrifice even now. Although, Ry would be able to see that. But still. She couldn’t be too careful with poor Mary Ellen’s life.

  Ry didn’t notice Giselle slip across the street. Or if he did, he didn’t do anything to stop her. Maybe he was okay with it. As Giselle ran up the stairs to Kopeleski’s front door, she glanced back to see Ry gesturing and waving. Maybe not as okay as she’d thought. In fact, he appeared a bit perturbed.

  Did he just make the gesture she thought he did?

  Studiously ignoring his waving arms, she stretched one leg toward the balcony as she balanced on her other leg. If her limbs would miraculously grow a couple inches longer in the next five seconds, this would be easy. As it was, the extension made her wish she’d more faithfully attended her yoga classes.

  Giselle gave a hop and grabbed at the balcony railing with her outstretched hand. The wrought iron shuddered at the impact of her leap. Giselle held on and pulled herself over the balcony railing. She crouched on the other side. No one in the house seemed to notice the noise or movement outside. One step. Two. Then she crouched under the window and leaned over a window box full of plants and flowers. Her eyes just cleared the windowsill as she peeked inside.

  Evidently the proceedings had commenced. The lights had been lowered and candles lit the room. The assembly sat around the round table. They had their joined hands atop it. All, that is, except for Madam Divinity. She sat with a person on either side of her, touching her sleeve lightly. Madam held the medal in her cupped palms and appeared to be in a deep in a trance.

  “Well?” Kopeleski’s impatient tone startled Madam.

  “The impressions are confused,” Madam said, frowning. “There are several energies on this object. The strongest is female, not male.”

  “What? That can’t be.” Kopeleski looked around accusingly then back at Madam. “You must be wrong. I am very disappointed. I was told you were a strong medium. What you say can’t be true. I cleansed this item myself. Try again,” he demanded.

  Madam glowered at him then closed her eyes in concentration. “The impression is definitely female. There are disturbing elements all around her, chaotic and violent. But there is also a growing affection surrounding her.” Madam opened her eyes. “This woman is alive. She has not passed into the next realm. I see that this woman will have great love, but great tribulation. I see a harridan in her life. A mother-in-law who hates her.” Madam paused. “Aha! I know this person. I read this person today. I am certain that the energy on this medal is from that horrible Giselle something-or-other.”

  “Giselle Hunter,” Kopeleski growled with a malevolent grimace twisting his features. “She was here earlier. She must have touched the medal. I knew she was a toxin, poisoning all she came into contact with.”

  Now that was a bit extreme. A toxin? A poison?

  “I can’t believe any man would fall for that ridiculous woman,” Madam continued to grouse. “To top it all off, she’s fat.”

  Fat? Being called a toxin was bad enough, but this? It was just too much. Giselle barely contained her urge to jump through the window and claw out Madam’s eyes.

  “I assure you the next time I see that woman―” Kopeleski’s threat trailed off. Rage burned almost red in his eyes. Must be the candlelight.

  Giselle decided she’d better get off the guy’s balcony. Kopeleski wasn’t using Mary Ellen as a human sacrifice. But it appeared that he wouldn’t be squeamish about using her for one if he got his hands on her.

  Giselle edged back toward the railing when the unthinkable occurred. The Scooby Doo themed tones of Giselle’s cell phone rang out into the night and through to Kopeleski’s parlor. She looked down at the offending instrument in her hand. Dammit. She hadn’t turned it off. Who could be calling now? Of course it was Willie. She jammed the off button but…too late. Kopeleski’s eyes met hers through the open window. Oops. Better jump down to the sidewalk below instead of to the porch. Much safer to
break a leg than to meet Kopeleski on his porch steps.

  Swinging one leg and then the other over the railing, she had a quick impression of Ry running across the street. Giselle closed her eyes and leaped forward. When she landed, she ended up sprawled facedown. But it didn’t feel like sidewalk paving underneath her. It wasn’t soft but not bone breaking either. It had a familiar feel. It felt like Ry. Giselle opened her eyes and saw she was right.

  “This is getting to be a habit,” Ry said. “It’d be nice if we could do this where I had something soft to lie on.”

  “Okay, next time you pick the spot.” Giselle smiled down into his face.

  “How dare you interfere with my research?" Above them on the balcony, Kopeleski screeched furiously. “I will have you arrested. Everyone saw you trespassing on my property. You were on my balcony, peeping into my window.”

  He spun around to the others in the assembly. Several leaned out of the window to get a good view of the goings on. “You all saw her, didn’t you?” The shaking heads in response didn’t please Kopeleski.

  “You saw her, didn’t you?” he said, addressing Mary Ellen.

  “I didn’t see a thing,” she said with a saccharine tone.

  This served to further enrage Kopeleski. He pointed an accusing finger at the end of a ramrod right arm in the general direction of the assembly. “You are all useless. Get out. And you―” He swung around with a flourish to tower over Giselle and Ry on the sidewalk below, and his swinging arm struck the table on the balcony, toppling the lantern. The lit candle within the lantern fell into the window box.

  “Urmmm. Mr. Kopeleski?” Giselle tried to warn, pointing toward the plants and flowers, which had started to smoke. She scrambled up and Ry followed.

  People exited in a rush from Kopeleski’s front door, including Mary Ellen who winked at Giselle and kept moving to her car. The image of rats and a sinking ship came to mind.

  Only Madam Divinity remained inside the Kopeleski house, still leaning out the open window. “Aha! I told you that she was involved. And you insulted me by saying that it wasn’t possible. I know that horrible fat woman’s aura. And who is that down there with her?”