Ice and Steel

by Alexie Aaron

  “Sissy thought you’d need this,” she explained, easing Maude’s arms into the borrowed cashmere coat.

  Just before the taxi arrived, Mr. Stewart rushed out of the elevator with Maude’s purse. “I hope you don’t mind. I used the pass key,” he said.

  “Nonsense, it shows industry,” Maude said, trying to keep her emotions in check.

  “Would you like me to go to the hospital with you?” he offered.

  “No, I think this young lady has everything under control, thank you.”

  She let Albert carry her over the icy steps and settle her into the cab. Mia followed, sitting down before giving orders to the driver.

  “I ain’t no ambulance,” the driver said.

  “You are today,” Mia insisted. “I’ll pay any tickets.”

  The cab took off to the private hospital Maude had requested. Maude looked over at the concerned faces looking out at them through the window of the Uptown. Her seat partner was looking upwards at something else and turned in the seat, still watching as they drove off.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “It’s who am I looking at, that’s the question,” Mia said as two dark images moved across the rooftop of the building.

  Chapter Eight

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t authorize such a thing without board approval,” Mr. Stewart said, gripping the sides of his desk as he rose.

  Sissy Seeley stared at him, not backing down. “Maude was almost killed, and you need the board’s approval?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then get it.”

  “You don’t understand. The Waterfords and all but one of the board aren’t in residence,” he explained. “Even if they were, do you think they would authorize a ghost hunt?”

  “Excuse me,” Maude Abrams said from the doorway. She walked in regally, handing Sissy her coat as she moved to a chair and sat down. “I believe if you read Article Six of the condominium incorporation which states that in the absence of the president, any board member can authorize an action as long as they have sixty percent of the residents’ approval. I’m that board member.”

  “You still need sixty percent,” Mr. Steward mentioned. “There are ten in residence so you need six, including yourself, to okay this.”

  “Alan has Mr. Davis’s proxy,” Sissy said. “I and Naomi are number three and four.”

  “Here’s the proxy from the three bitches on three,” Naomi said out of breath as she rushed into the room. “It took some doing, but I managed to point out the prestige of being on cable at their age.” She plopped the hastily scrawled proxy with three elaborate, although shaky, signatures authenticating it on Mr. Stewart’s desk.

  “Well now this is a horse of a different color,” he said smiling. “I suppose you want to act right away?” he asked the young woman standing in the doorway.

  Mia nodded. “Mr. Mike Dupree is on his way with the contract. We want to make sure this is all done properly. We need full access to the building. We are insured, and we’re vetted by the Field Museum if there are any questions as to liability.”

  Clive was impressed. What the woman before him lacked in height, she more than made up for in intensity. “Alan can act on the condo board’s behalf,” she said. “I also need to speak to the night doorman. I believe his name is David,” Mia insisted. “He was the first to see the disturbance that attacked Mrs. Abrams in the pool area.”

  “He should come on shift at six tonight,” Clive said, looking at the schedule. “Are you going to be ready to start so soon?”

  “PEEPs are on the way. We’re here to help,” Mia managed to say without breaking into a smile.

  ~

  “Make sure we have full access to the interior and exterior of the building,” Burt dictated to Mike as he loaded the van.

  Ted had already rounded up Murphy, and they were headed into the city. Cid arranged for Tom to come by and let Maggie out. Chicago may be a pet friendly city, but Maggie was not ready for the traffic and distractions of the Windy City.

  “You know this is going to be a big job,” Mike said. “Eight stories is nothing to be sneezed at.”

  “I understand we will have the total cooperation of their security company. Ted will be able to link in with the Uptown’s cameras, which will save us a lot of cable,” Burt said as he looked over the list Ted left with him.

  “I’m surprised that you’re moving so quickly on this job,” Mike said. “Normally we would discuss this and work it into our schedule.”

  “An old lady was attacked in a steam room and then tossed into the deep end of a pool. She could have drowned. You know our policy. When someone is being harmed, we push their investigation to the top.”

  “You don’t have to tell me; I wrote it into the bylaws,” Mike said. “I’m at the address now. I’ll call you if I need anything else,” Mike said and turned his phone to vibrate. He waited until the doorman opened the cab door, and he stepped out, careful to avoid submerging his Italian loafers in a slushy pothole. Mike was dressed to the nines. The long, black cashmere coat and warm, brown leather gloves enhanced his good looks. He opted not to wear a hat. His hair was behaving today, and he didn’t want to anger it.

  He passed three very curious older women who had settled in the lobby. Each wore clothing that may have been intended for younger women, but they pulled off the look with their confidence. He smiled and said, “Good morning, ladies,” as he walked to the reception desk.

  The women twittered amongst themselves, speculating about who he was.

  Elaine, watching Mike’s entrance, was ruing her decision this morning to wear such a drab suit. “Can I help you?”

  “Mike Dupree to see Mr. Stewart,” he said, taking off his gloves.

  As he pulled each of the fingers of the glove, each of the females pondered what it would be like to be with such a man.

  Mia, who had been watching from the hallway, smiled to herself. Mike sure did know how to make an entrance. To her, he was just an investigator, but to womankind, he was a possible date. He had come a long way from the Kansan amateur ghost hunter to the posh cable television star of PEEPs.

  Mike caught Mia looking at him and winked. “Don’t you ever take any time off?” he asked her as he waited for Elaine to reach Mr. Stewart.

  “I was supposed to be house sitting, and well, you know how it goes,” she said, walking over. She nodded to the three ladies who gave her a noticeably chilly reception. “My husband will be along shortly,” she said loudly and held in her mirth as the frosty old ladies thawed. Mia leaned in and asked, “Do you know what you are doing to these women?”

  Mike coughed to cover his reaction. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Excuse me, Mr. Stewart. There’s a Mr. Dupree to see you? Yes, I will.” Elaine looked up into Mike’s handsome face and said, “He’ll see you now.”

  Mia could have sworn the receptionist’s voice had deepened. She expected seventies porn music to be piped over the music speakers at any minute. “I’ll show him the way,” she offered and tugged at Mike’s arm.

  Mike allowed himself to be led. He turned and smiled at the women in the lobby before he left.

  Mia pinched him. “You are such a bad boy, Mikey.”

  “I know.”

  Albert stood stoically at his post watching for any more arrivals. Surely he had seen the gentleman in the cashmere coat before, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. A large, paneled truck, decorated with yellow chicks chasing a marshmallow ghost, pulled over at the curb. Albert strode quickly outside and leaned in the open window.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I need to get to the loading dock. Did I pass the entrance to the alley already?” the driver asked.

  “It’s the next right. You may have to back in if you want an easier time leaving the alley,” he advised.

  “Thank you, I will. Hop out, Murphy, and direct me in,” the man said.

  Albert walked back into the building, keeping an eye on
the truck and its driver who seemed to be taking directions from thin air as he expertly backed the truck into the narrow alley.

  “Interesting delivery we’re getting,” Vince said from behind him.

  “Am I sacked?” Albert asked.

  Vince laughed. “No. Mr. Stewart gave me more hours. He thought that you may be needed elsewhere today. He was very cryptic. Do you think the man’s having a nervous breakdown?”

  “No, just had a few hard days. I’ll be in the building, so have Elaine call me when you need to take your breaks,” Albert instructed. He walked by the receptionist who was trying to figure out who was doing what without seeming to care one iota about the whole business.

  “It all looks good to me. I appreciate that you will not be using the names of the residents without their permission. The Uptown would like to maintain its aura of exclusiveness and privacy,” Clive Stewart insisted.

  “I agree with you, sir. My mother looked into the Uptown when she was considering maintaining an address here in Chicago. I understand there is quite a waiting list,” Mike commented.

  “Yes, but perhaps after the news gets out that the place is haunted, something will open up,” Clive said wryly.

  “We will try to get to the bottom of this before that happens,” Mike assured the man.

  Mia, who had been observing the negotiation, piped up, “Are you afraid of losing your job over this, Mr. Stewart?”

  “Oh, I assure you, Mrs. Martin, that my job was gone the minute Mr. Davis’s condo was vandalized. I’m in touch with my uncle, and a job’s waiting for me in Winterhaven,” he said resignedly.

  “It wasn’t your fault, and we’ll prove it,” she said stubbornly.

  “I appreciate that, but there are some people here who don’t care who is at fault, only that things happened that I should have been in control of. To them, the inconvenience of a brief worry is enough to give them reason to fire me. It’s time for me to make a change anyway. But if you could clear my name, it would be a bonus.”

  Mike and Mia walked out of the office. Mike tucked the contract into his coat pocket. “I’m going to head home for a change of clothes. I’ll be back within the hour.”

  “Thanks for coming over so soon,” Mia said.

  “Thanks for the heads-up yesterday. If Burt gives you any trouble about the consulting thing, have him come and talk to me,” he said.

  “I don’t think it will come up,” Mia said. She didn’t tell him it was Audrey’s idea. Mia wasn’t a rat and really didn’t care if Burt pulled a hissy fit or not. She was used to being in trouble; it was just how Mia rolled.

  A familiar beep of a truck’s horn alerted her that Ted had arrived. She pulled on her coat and patiently waited as a maintenance man raised the garage door. She watched Ted back up and stopped the truck a foot shy of the loading dock. Mia saw Murphy and waved at her friend. She was overjoyed that the ghost would be joining them on this investigation. The vital ingredients to a successful ghost hunt in Mia’s experience were her husband Ted talking to her through an ear com and Murphy beside her, axe in hand, ready to defend them against harm.

  Ted got out and bounded up the steps. He picked her up and hugged her long and hard. “That was the worst twenty-four hours of my life!” he said.

  “Liar, you barely knew I was gone. How’s Curly?”

  “Centipede is good. Cid and I decided to bring it along for a real time test.”

  “Cool beans,” Mia said.

  “Excuse me a moment,” Ted said. He approached a worker dressed in a set of gray overalls. They conversed while the man instructed Ted on how the door lifted and helped him position the ramp to bridge the gap between the truck and the dock. Ted politely declined the man’s further help. “I’ve got all the help I need. She may be small, but she’s mighty,” he said, angling his head towards Mia.

  Ted opened the back of the truck and began extracting boxes filled with cameras and other ghost detecting devices. Mia helped him lug in the equipment along with the long, portable console table. They would be setting up in the warehouse end of the receiving room. “Has Mike been here?” Ted asked.

  “Been and gone, home to change. You should have seen him arrive. He was all dolled up and caused quite a flutter in the lobby. I was glad I renewed my CPR training at the Y.”

  “He is quite a ladykiller. Let’s make sure it’s more figurative than literal,” Ted said.

  Mia just nodded absently, looking at the open garage door. Ted watched as she walked down the stairs, turned and looked up. “I thought I saw something moving up the… I guess I was mistaken.”

  A pinging sound caught Mia’s attention, and she looked up once more. She was yanked to the side and pulled off her feet by Murphy milliseconds before an icicle of mammoth proportions crashed into the spot where she had stood.

  “Holy icicles, Axeman,” Mia squeaked as Murphy set her back on her feet. “Thanks, Murphy, you once again have saved my bacon.”

  Mia chanced another glance upwards and shook her head. “Who’s playing silly buggers with me?”

  “I’d say that was more than play, Mia,” Ted said, concerned, pulling her once again into his arms. “I’d say that was intentional. Hey, Murph, you want to check it out?”

  Murphy nodded and disappeared.

  “They have been having a problem with icicles,” Mia explained. “It could have been accidental.”

  “No. It was too well timed. First, they get your attention and draw you out, then it’s all about choosing the right piece of ice…” Ted’s voice drifted off. “I didn’t know this was a dangerous investigation.”

  “Me neither,” Mia said, feeling a chill work its way up and down her arms. “There is something very unnatural going on here.”

  “Paranormal is unnatural, Minnie Mouse,” Ted said.

  “No, unnatural for paranormal. What I mean is…” Mia thought a moment and continued, “It’s as if these ghosts are taking orders from a living being. As soon as I figure out whom, I think we can close this case.”

  “Hopefully, we will get some film shot first. Burt wasn’t too keen on the expense of being in the city.”

  “What expense?”

  “Gas, parking, lodging,” Ted listed.

  “Between Ralph’s and Mike’s, I think we can all stay in the height of luxury for free. The Uptown will provide parking for the van and the truck. There’s just food, and yes, it’s more expensive in the city, but the selection… I’m just drooling at the thought of a good stuffed pizza right now,” Mia confessed.

  “How are you handling being here?” he asked, pushing an errant lock of hair out of her eyes.

  “There are a lot of ghosts roaming the streets. I was a bit miffed when everyone seemed so keen on me having a minder…”

  “Wait, Audrey’s not your minder,” Ted argued.

  “Come on, don’t give me that.”

  Ted raised his hands. “I think Ralph and I wanted you not to be lonely, plus you’re not exactly a city girl are you?”

  Mia wrinkled her nose and admitted, “No. But I got the distinct feeling that I was being Mia-sat.”

  “Just like Murphy must get when you ask us to keep an eye on him,” Ted said, lifting an eyebrow.

  “Well that’s different. He can get into trou… Oh.”

  “Just think of it as, it makes me feel better that you have a friend handy when I can’t be with you. I wouldn’t be able to function knowing you may be in danger, Minnie Mouse. In Ralph’s case, he just thinks that the city is more fun when you have someone to share it with.”

  “You’re a smart man, Teddy Bear,” Mia said and stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

  “That’s what I’ve heard.”

  “I’m smarter,” Cid said from behind them.

  “Where did you come from?” Mia asked startled.

  “Well first my mother and father…” Cid started.

  “Stop!” Ted demanded. “I’ve heard that all before. All lies, I heard you were hatche
d.”

  “Burt dropped me off. He’s swinging by Mike’s to save him cab fare.”

  “Pinching pennies already,” Mia said disappointed.

  “Mia, the guy has to maintain some kind of control, and if it saves us money, then so be it,” Cid defended.

  “You were right,” she said to Ted.

  “Was there any doubt? Now let’s unpack the truck before it gets cold enough in here to snow,” he suggested.

  Audrey finished her presentation work and hit print. She was in Sissy’s small office taking advantage of the offered equipment. Alan had left to attend to his duties at the law office, and Naomi was spreading lines of salt as Mia had shown her. Audrey would check on the job covertly. Mia and she didn’t want the older woman to feel like they weren’t sure of her ability to do the job properly.

  “So are you and Alan dating?” Sissy asked, entering the room with a tray of coffee and cookies. She set the tray down and waited while Audrey gathered her papers on the desk.

  “You know, we’ve never actually gone out on a date. Alan and I just have always been in situations where we were working together. I used to have a firm rule of not dating colleagues, but I have to confess I’ve broken it recently.”

  “So there’s a young man in the picture?” Sissy fished.

  “I wouldn’t call him a young man, but I’ve been seeing someone.”

  “Are you exclusive?”

  “I don’t really know,” Audrey admitted.

  “Naomi and I don’t understand why young people don’t just date. Why do they have monogamous relationships so soon without playing the field? I think if people dated more people, then when they do settle down, they would know that they had found the right person.”

  “I know you never married, Sissy. Was there one that got away?” Audrey asked. She accepted the cup of coffee the older woman handed her and sat back, waiting for her to answer.