The Naughty Nine: Where Danger and Passion Collide

by Nina Bruhns

  At this point in the story Ry had winked at her. Yeah, he’d broken in all right.

  Ry explained that he had gone inside to chat with whoever was inside—code for entered to search the interior. There was no one around, but there in plain sight he found architectural plans—code for he pulled the plans out from under or in something.

  At that point, Ren—or perhaps Field—came into the garage and for some reason—wonder why—took exception to Ry’s presence and attacked him. He had been holding his own when Field—or maybe it was Ren—came in and the two goons muscled Ry into the trunk of their car and drove away.

  “They muscled you? What happened to your special forces training?” Madam asked.

  Special Forces? Giselle would have to find out about that later.

  “I was fighting with one when the other came in behind us. I think he used a stun gun on me. I was out for a while.”

  How dare they stun her boyfriend. If it had been a real gun, Ry would have been killed. Giselle didn’t even want to think about that. But somehow Ren and Field were going to get it.

  “Oh. You poor baby.” Giselle stroked his arm. “I’ll kiss it and make it better later,” she whispered into his ear.

  “Where is it?” Ry said.

  “Wherever you want it to be.” Giselle placed a hand on Ry’s knee and then stroked up his thigh, before giving the crotch area a little grope.

  “Don’t make us gag up here,” Madam said.

  Fortunately, once he’d regained consciousness, Ry had been able to pick the latch of the trunk open and escape, much as Giselle had. Ry had last seen Ren and Field driving deeper into South Carolina. Ry thought they’d been headed in the direction of Bluffton. It was definitely worth a look at Lester’s property there.

  It was Sunday at 10:56 p.m. Giselle had no ghost. But she did have Ry back. They’d find out what Lester was up to and then she could find another ghost. Maybe.

  * * *

  “Okay, where is it, Mr. Wizard?” Ry asked.

  They’d been driving around the countryside for over half an hour. Going down first one dark, rut-filled driveway, and then another; always reaching a dead end. This dead end appeared to be about as scenic as the rest, boasting its share of overgrown vegetation, insects, wildlife and probably snakes.

  Madam turned the engine off and the headlights of the Cadillac continued to beam into the underbrush. Red eyes glowed from beneath a bush to the right and a frightened raccoon scampered away.

  “I could have sworn this was the way.” Kopeleski scratched his head. “Maybe we took a wrong turn back there.”

  “Where? We’ve turned at least ten times since the last dead end.” Giselle leaned forward between the front seats to maximize the effect of the disgust in her voice.

  “It’s difficult to know. I’ve only been out here during the day. Everything looks different in the dark.”

  Was that it, or was Kopeleski conspiring with Lester to keep them away from the Bluffton property? Did Lester even have property in Bluffton? They only had Kopeleski as a source for that information. He could have told them anything to keep them away from where Lester’s goons had been taking Ry.

  “It seems to me, that if you really are a wizard, you could locate the property no matter the time of day,” Ry said.

  “Yeah. Do a locater spell or something,” Giselle said.

  Kopeleski considered it. “I could. I could. But I would need hair from Lester’s head. And it would only work correctly, if Lester were on the property at the time of the spell. Otherwise, the spell might locate every place within one hundred miles that Lester has been in during the last week.”

  “That’s stupid,” Giselle huffed.

  “You’re stupid,” Kopeleski countered.

  “I’m stupid? Who professes magical powers but can’t even locate a place he’s been to before?” Giselle retorted.

  “Don’t talk to him like that.” Madam turned in her seat to wag a finger at Giselle. “He has a thousand times more psychic power in his little finger than you have in your whole body.”

  That wouldn’t be hard since Giselle had none. What was a thousand times zero but zero.

  “Is he really trying?” Ry said with a snort.

  “He’s trying his best under extremely difficult circumstances. That woman—I mean Ms. Hunter—is a very disturbing psychic presence. We need to recalibrate our frequencies. You should know that.” Madam faced front again and turned the key in the ignition.

  The Cadillac’s engine flared. With no room to turn around unless she drove into the unknown muck, Madam opted to back, back, back, back toward the highway.

  “This is useless. Let’s go back to Savannah,” Ry said.

  “If we can ever find it again,” Giselle grumbled.

  “I heard that,” Madam said.

  “I meant for you to.”

  “Don’t pick on snooky.”

  “Shush it, Mr. Wizard. You’ve been not helpful enough for one night,” Giselle said.

  Madam slammed on the brakes and Giselle and Ry flew forward against their seat belts. “I’ve had about as much from you as I am going to take without rendering you bald,” Madam threatened.

  “Do your worst. I don’t think you’ve got that kind of power. I don’t think you have enough mojo to give me a haircut let alone make me bald,” Giselle said with a laugh.

  “I’ll have you know that I’m extremely powerful and dangerous when crossed.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve been warned. Can we get back to Savannah now?”

  It appeared Madam had finally reached the end of the driveway. She backed onto the highway, changed gears and shot forward.

  Giselle continued. “I’ve been warned about you before. Edward told me how mean you are. He didn’t tell me any details, but I got the impression you had done something terrible to that nice old man. He said if I were smart, I wouldn’t have anything to do with you.”

  “Edward spoke to you?” Madam’s eyes met Giselle’s in the rearview mirror.

  “Snooky, watch out,” Kopeleski cried, clutching the side panel of the car with one hand and the dash with the other as the car veered off onto the rough shoulder of the rural road.

  Madam righted the car.

  The silence was palpable.

  “Ry’s Edward spoke to you?” Madam finally said.

  “Do you know more than one Edward? I’m talking about the elderly black man with a lot of gold teeth. How many Edwards do you know who would say you’re as mean as a snake?”

  Madam gasped.

  “There’s only one Edward,” Ry said dryly.

  “Incidentally, I was supposed to tell you that Edward said to come and see him. He’d like to talk to you.” Then Giselle said pointedly to Ry, “You.” Then to Madam. “Not you.”

  Ry laughed. “Edward never did want to talk to Mama.”

  “That pigheaded old man,” said Madam. “I just can’t believe you met Edward.”

  “Who’s Edward?” Kopeleski said.

  “Never mind, darling.” Madam patted her honey’s arm with one hand as she steered with the other. “What are the chances you would see Edward,” Madam said to Giselle. “Where did you see him? What else did he say?” Madam was eager now.

  “Mama,” Ry said in a low tone. “Just leave it alone. Don’t bother Edward.”

  Just then, the car reached a crossroads with a sign indicating Savannah was twelve miles away. Madam turned in the direction of the arrow. Giselle opened her mouth to question Ry about Edward. Kopeleski piped in.

  “I just remembered. Lester is having a party at his house in Savannah tonight to raise money for VICTIM. Ren and Field will probably be there. I could probably get us in since I was invited. Maybe you could find out some useful information there,” he offered to Ry.

  “When is this party?” Ry asked.

  “Tonight at 11:59 p.m.”

  Giselle glanced at her watch. It was now 11:35 p.m.

  Kopeleski just remembered? Was thi
s a setup? Was there really a party or was Kopeleski luring them back to Lester’s house for some nefarious reason? What the heck.

  “Okay, let’s go,” Giselle said. She had nothing better to do. Might as well give the crazy vampire another chance to kill her.

  A Girl, a Guy and a Ghost: Chapter Seventeen

  Lester’s castle gave every appearance of a humdinger of a party when they arrived. Light spilled from the windows on either side of the façade like gleaming eyes in the darkness. As Madam’s car passed in front of the castle, the door opened for a line of entering partygoers. Now the jack-o-lantern face had a mouth. Music and laughter burst out and then was cut off when the door closed again.

  They rounded the corner onto a side street lined with cars, trucks and even a few RVs, making it difficult to find a place to park. Giselle observed stickers adorning the bumpers of several vehicles that proclaimed, Why are we VICTIMS? Unite and fight. It appeared that the fundraiser would be well-attended.

  “For the love of God, Mama, just park in an illegal space,” Ry growled when Madam made a turn to circle the block for the third time.

  “I don’t want another parking ticket. I’ve already had three this month.” Madam made another right turn.

  “It’s midnight. You’re not going to get a ticket,” Ry said.

  “You don’t know that. The Savannah meter maids are incredible. They can morph from nowhere the second you leave your car illegally parked. I swear that trash can over there would probably turn into one if I park in front of that hydrant.”

  A tiny blue and white vehicle, hardly noticeable except for the amber light whirling on its roof turned from a side street in front of Madam’s car and screeched to a halt. Madam swerved to go around. As they passed, a figure hopped out of the smaller vehicle and placed a white envelope on the windshield of a pickup parked in front of a hydrant.

  “See what I mean?” Madam said with a self-satisfied smirk.

  “Look.” Giselle gestured to an area about a half a block ahead where a hearse with painted flames burning from headlights to windshield was parked with one wheel on the curb.

  “I’ve seen a hearse, even one with flames painted on it,” Madam said dryly.

  “Not that. That.” Giselle pointed to Ren and Field. The two hulks strode along the sidewalk toward their land-boat-like automobile situated in front of the flaming hearse.

  “Those are the two guys who work for Lester,” Kopeleski said.

  “No kiddin’. Thanks a lot for the valuable information. Like we didn’t know that already,” Giselle said with a sarcastic lilt.

  “I want to talk to those two…with my fists.” Ry reached for the car door handle.

  Before he could pull it open, Lester’s henchmen glanced in their direction. They started as they seemed to spot the Cadillac and its passengers. Ren—or was it Field?—said something to the other and the two goons hopped into the car. Before the Cadillac’s occupants could react, Ren and Field peeled away with their tires squealing.

  “Should I try to follow them?” Madam asked as the taillights disappeared around the corner.

  “No.” Ry sighed. “Just park.”

  Madam pulled up and backed into the space vacated.

  The wizard barely waited for the car to stop before he jumped out. “This is going to be a blast, snooky.” Kopeleski ran around the front bumper and opened Madam’s door.

  A blast? Had the crazy wizard not been following along with what was going on? But then, Kopeleski did seem to be one tarot card short of a full deck.

  “I can’t wait to introduce you to my peeps,” he said excitedly, as he held his hand out to Madam and drew her from the car.

  His peeps? He wasn’t missing just one card. He lacked the entire major arcana of the tarot deck. Although, he did get points for opening the door of the car for his date, which was more than Ry did. Ry had exited and was loping down the sidewalk before Giselle could even get out of the car.

  At the foot of the stairs, which led up to the porch of the castle, Ry paused. Party noises—music, voices and movement— could be heard from inside.

  Madam and Kopeleski continued up to the front door as Ry turned to Giselle. She ran to catch up with the group and arrived a bit breathless. Ry faced Giselle and cupped her shoulders with his hands.

  She felt a tingle go from her shoulders down to her feet. How could a man’s touch be so thrilling? She’d like to jump his bones right here in front of Lester’s castle. How inappropriate was that? This wasn’t exactly the right time for romance. They had things to do. But with Ry’s hands on her body, she suddenly couldn’t remember what those things were. Maybe he felt the same.

  “I’m going to go around to the back and check out that garage again. I want to see what Ren and Field tried to hide in there,” Ry said.

  Maybe not. Worse, he wanted to go back into danger. Just when she’d gotten him back. Giselle still hadn’t recovered her equilibrium from the losing him the last time.

  “No way.” Giselle frowned. “Who knows when those guys will come back. They won’t just throw you in the trunk this time. I don’t think you should go in there alone.”

  Ry smiled. He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb. “I’m prepared for them this time. Besides, I’ll take a quick look and then join you at the party. I’ll be inside before you can say vampire.”

  Giselle nodded. “Okay, but be careful. Don’t get stunned again.”

  “You’re just worried there will be more injured spots you’ll have to kiss later. Afraid you can’t handle the job?” he teased.

  “Oh, I think you know I can handle kissing anything you got, mister. I just want it to be in good working order at the time. You get me?” Giselle retorted.

  “Don’t worry.” Ry released her. “Mama,” he called up the stairs. “I’m going to make a stop. I want you to keep an eye on Giselle in there until I get back.”

  Madam came off the porch to stand beside Ry. She didn’t appear pleased if the sour look on her face was any indication. The feeling was more than mutual.

  “Isn’t that like putting the fox in charge of the hen house? And anyway, I don’t need or want your mother’s protection,” Giselle protested.

  “Yes, I’m sure Ms. Hunter can take care of herself,” Madam said with a saccharine sweetness.

  Ry scowled. “I’m not comfortable with either of you being alone in there.”

  “I’ll be safe. Armand is with me,” Madam said.

  Giselle noticed right away that she wasn’t included in that safety assurance.”

  “Skippy the happy wizard doesn’t count. We don’t know whose side he’s really on,” Ry said.

  Madam began a sputtered protest, but Ry stopped her. “No, Mama. We don’t know for sure.”

  He put a hand on Madam’s arm. “I really need you to do this for me, Mama.” He glanced toward Giselle. “Can’t the two of you cooperate long enough to stick together for a few minutes at a party?”

  At the disgruntled looks on each of their faces, he asked, “Please?”

  They continued to look mutinous.

  “For me?”

  Madam caved first. “All right. No one can accuse me of being an uncaring mother. I’ll do it for you, son.” She glared at Giselle. “Just for you.”

  Ry’s produced a dazzling one-thousand-watt smile. “Thanks, Mama.” He kissed her cheek.

  Giselle could hardly let Madam be the better sport. “Okay, I’ll do it for you, Ry.”

  She bathed in the warmth of his approving smile for a moment before he turned to sprint toward the side of the house.

  “Hey.” She stopped him before he could turn the corner. “What, no kiss?” Giselle said it in a stage whisper. Ry turned back and blew a kiss in her direction. Giselle smiled. She could feel the smile slide off her lips as she faced the glare of Madam.

  “Just stay out of my way,” Madam said in a haughty tone, showing the second of her two faces. “I have neither the time, nor the inclination to baby sit you
, Ms. Hunter.” Madam pivoted on one heel and started back up the stairs to Kopeleski.

  “Back atcha, lady.” Giselle climbed the stairs and followed Madam across the porch to the front door of the castle.

  Kopeleski knocked and the door swung open. A tall, but lean, man of about fifty blocked the entry. He had a tangle of curly black hair, a black mustache and a beard streaked with gray.

  Giselle saw the partygoers eating, drinking, laughing and chatting inside the house, a tantalizing few feet beyond him.

  The man had an unremarkable face, except for the black eye patch he wore over his right eye. Dressed in black with knee-high black boots on his feet, he could almost have been a pirate. Giselle looked down his arms. Two hands and no hook. Maybe he wasn’t a pirate after all.

  “Are you a VICTIM?” the man said it in a bored monotone, his voice gravelly.

  Kopeleski leaned toward him and whispered. The man stepped back and let him enter with Madam. Giselle moved to follow and Mr. Eye Patch held up his hand like a cop with a stop sign.

  “Halt. You can’t enter without identification.”

  Dammit. Her purse was locked in Ry’s Jeep. “I don’t have my identification. But I’m with the people you just let in.”

  “No, no. You need your VICTIM membership identification badge or I’ll need to issue you a temporary visitor badge,” he growled.

  Dammit, this complicated matters. “Can you hurry? I don’t want to miss the party.” Now that she could smell the food, Giselle realized just how hungry she was. It had been hours since she’d had anything to eat or drink.

  Mr. Eye Patch opened the door and escorted her to a table just inside. “Are you a vampire?” he asked.

  “No. Are you a pirate?”

  The man scowled. “There’s no need to get insulting. I have to ask you these questions so I can issue you the correct identification.” He pointed with a jerky motion at the paper cut-out badges on the table.