by Alexie Aaron
“Dear me, I think there were five that got away. But it didn’t mean I wanted to settle down with them. They just wanted a conventional life of babies and houses in the country. Me, I’m too much of a child myself. Don’t look at me funny; I’m still a child inside. I won’t go through a second childhood because I refused to leave the first one.”
“What about Naomi?”
“Ernest broke her heart, and she never trusted again. Sure, there were a few long term liaisons, but nothing came of any of them. We have each other, and when one of us goes, there still are friends and my brother’s children to look after us. They are good people. People shouldn’t look to have children just so that they won’t be lonely when they age, in my opinion.”
Audrey nodded but suspected some of Sissy’s statement was more bravado than truth.
The phone rang and Sissy picked it up. “Hello? I’ll tell her, thank you Elaine.” She set the handset down and reported, “That was Elaine. She says that your team is all here and awaiting your presence in the staff conference room.”
“I guess it’s time to start.”
“You look nervous,” Sissy noticed.
“I am. I want to lead this investigation. I think if I give a good presentation, then Burt will let me. The rules are, first one in usually gets the job.”
“What about the fey young lady?”
“Fey? Mia?”
“Yes, Mia. I know she can see ghosts. Her grandmother had the sight. You can tell a person who has the sight because of the extra shine in their eyes. She may not remember this, but when she was a tyke, Fredericka used to bring her to our summerhouse on the lakeside. She loved to build sandcastles. We used to watch her talk nonstop to her playmates. Playmates we couldn’t see. Fredericka explained that two young children had drowned in the lake, and she suspected that their bodies were never recovered. They were content to build sandcastles with her granddaughter.”
Audrey moved her hands over her arms, fighting back a chill. “Didn’t that creep you out?”
“Funny thing is, when Fredericka explained things, we weren’t scared at all. We just accepted it.”
“Mia doesn’t talk much about her grandmother,” Audrey said. “She doesn’t talk much about family at all. I know her parents were less than supportive, but a grandmother so open, you’d think we’d hear about that.”
“Fredericka was warned not to talk her gobbledygook to Mia by her parents. They wanted their daughter to grow up normal. If she ever wanted to see Mia, she would have to abide by their rules.”
“Sad.”
“I agree, but she managed to find her way, didn’t she?” Sissy said with a twinkle in her eye. “Don’t worry about Mia. Now scoot, make your presentation, and perhaps we could keep this conversation between us?” she requested.
“My lips are sealed,” Audrey promised. She knew she would have to really constrain herself. Her inner nurturer wanted to run to Mia and hug the pain out of her.
Chapter Nine
“Diamonds?” Mike asked interested. “You think this is all about missing diamonds?”
“It’s one theory,” Audrey confessed. “There are a few others that seem more plausible, but they don’t explain Mr. Davis’s fireplace being destroyed.”
“I think we’re missing the point here,” Burt spoke up. “We have numerous reports of moans and screams. One resident was assaulted. Mia’s witnessed one ghost in the Seeley apartment,” Burt added to the list. “The place is haunted, and the residents want it to stop.”
“Yes,” Audrey agreed. “But we do have to figure out why they are haunting, don’t we?”
Mia nodded, but Burt shook his head. Mia glared at the lead investigator and looked frustrated. “Excuse me, but if you want to shortcut the investigation, you need to find out what the end game is for the ghosts. I feel very strongly that they intended to scare the residents away from the building. Why?”
“Rent control,” Cid said. “The landlord wants the old folks out so he can charge more money.”
“It isn’t rent control because the people here own their apartments,” Mia countered.
“Former residents haunting the place,” Burt suggested.
“The hooligan I saw couldn’t afford the taxes, let alone the condo itself. He looked out of place. A hired thug,” Mia insisted. “Audrey’s theory fits in with the body found in the chimney of 7A. It looked to me that it came from the eighth floor. The Seeleys mentioned the missing diamonds and…”
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves here,” Burt said. “First we find the ghosts, we communicate with them, and then we see what it takes to get them to leave,” he said firmly. “Mike, you take the lead…”
“Oh no,” Mike said. “Audrey’s put too much work into this. I say let Audrey run this.”
“She doesn’t have the experience. I’ll do it,” Burt said and began to gather the papers from the conference table.
“Paranormal Entity Exposure Partners,” Cid said out loud. “The emphasis is on the ess in Partners. Don’t we have a say in the picking of a lead?” he asked.
“Partners as in Mike and I,” Burt corrected. “We make the decisions.”
“PEEPs is a team effort,” Mia said, trying to keep her voice even. Ted put a hand on her thigh to keep her from getting up and leaving the room.
“Please, let’s not waste any time on this,” Audrey said. “I understand how things are.”
Mia was about to say something, but Audrey looked at her and shook her head. Mia could sense that she didn’t want a conflict or the embarrassment it would cause.
“Well, let’s get moving,” Burt said. “Ted, I need those cameras up and running, Cid…”
Mia stopped listening. Her anger at the stupidity of Burt’s commandeering the investigation was causing a throbbing in her head. She sat still and waited for Ted to release his hold on her. The moment he did, she was up and out of her chair. She ignored Burt’s question on where she was going and continued down the hall, out into the lobby and out of the front door. The cool air hit her, and she breathed it in.
“Can I call you a cab?” Vince questioned her.
“No. I’m just cooling off. I’m Mia Martin,” she said, holding out her hand.
“Vince Delcotto,” he said.
“You look familiar,” Mia said.
“I did a carpet commercial a few years back,” he said proudly.
“That’s it!” Mia said enthusiastically. “You were great in it.”
Vince puffed up, pleased that his solo foray into local advertising was noticed. “It may have been my only sixty seconds of fame.”
“Well, I hear we all get fifteen minutes. That would mean you’re due fourteen more,” Mia said.
“I hope you’re right, Ms. Martin,” Vince said with a smile. “Please excuse my impertinence, but your lips are turning blue. May I suggest you either return inside or let me bring you a coat?”
Mia shivered and said through chattering teeth, “I’ll go inside. I was just trying to cool my hot temper before I said something I regretted.”
Vince held the door open for her. Mia thanked him and walked through. She avoided the receptionist and walked over to the bank of elevators and pressed the call button.
“Mia!” Audrey called from the hallway. “Burt’s hopping mad and…”
“Fuck Burt,” Mia said. “I’m going upstairs to check out the eighth floor. Wanna come?”
“Shouldn’t we be on com?” Audrey asked.
“Do you want me to be on com when I tell you exactly what I think of Burt Hicks?”
“I guess not. But you don’t have to be angry on my account. I took a shot and was turned down,” Audrey said. “As a business woman I’ve learned that I’m not going to get every job I apply for. Sometimes I’m not the right fit. And in this case, sleeping with the boss doesn’t help.”
The elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside.
Mia waited for them to close before speaking. “I think that sh
ouldn’t matter. Although, it was one of the reasons Burt and I weren’t a good fit,” Mia admitted. “He’s got to be in charge and right, even if he’s wrong.”
“He’s just trying to secure his position in PEEPs,” Audrey defended.
“There are better ways, but since you’re not upset, I’ll let it drop. I’m not going to apologize though. Let him find another sensitive if he wants to fire me. He’ll have to find another tech, another office for PEEPs, and another house to rent,” Mia listed.
Audrey laughed. “You really like to play hardball don’t you?”
“Let’s say, I’m holding all the aces,” Mia said mixing her metaphors. “If I want to walk off in a huff and go cool off, I don’t feel obliged to crawl back to the bozo who pissed me off in the first place.”
Mia’s phone vibrated. She looked at it and saw a text from Ted.
Cid’s bringing you and Audrey ear coms. Where are you?
Mia typed back: Heading for 8B. Will wait for Cid by lift.
Ted handed Cid the earpieces and directed him to the eighth floor. Burt walked over to where he and Cid had set up the command post and stood there awkwardly.
“Can I help you?” Ted asked.
“Where’s your wife?”
“Cooling off somewhere, I suppose, why?”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Yes.”
“Do you disagree with my decision?”
“Not exactly, but I do have a problem with the way you made it. Not cool, dude.”
Burt was about to argue but stopped.
“You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t think so too. Mia will have walked it off. She chose not to confront you in front of the others. It shows a certain amount of maturity on her part.”
“Leave it to you to defend your wife,” Burt said.
“Exactly, she is my wife, and I understand her. Audrey was consulted by Alan Jefferies and asked for Mia’s help. Audrey acted as lead when she put this together, and when things seemed like a good fit for PEEPs, she insisted we be called in. If I or even Cid had done this, it would have been our investigation. Think about it awhile before you start pointing fingers,” Ted advised. “And if you’ll excuse me, I have two investigators to get on com.”
Burt picked up a camera and set it down again.
“Let it go,” Mike said from behind him. “You fucked up. Starting a war with both Martins isn’t going to get this job done. I suspect Audrey’s gone to smooth the troubled waters for you. She’s the professional here. You’re an asshole.”
Burt dropped his mouth open. Mike picked up his ear com from Ted and walked off. “Testing, Mike the Fabulous is on com,” Mike said.
“Copy that,” Ted said.
Murphy eased slowly out of the shadows of the basement. He’d been tracking the knife-carrying ghost when he became distracted by an incessant tapping. He followed the sound and found himself below the main floor. He passed by an oil burning furnace no longer in use by the building. Instead, a more economic gas system had been put into place. The two, no longer needed, storage tanks stood empty between him and the tapping sound. He moved in between the iron tanks as a mist. He reformed on the other side.
Before him, with his back to Murphy, sat the spirit of a very large man. He was using a small hammer and a chisel on the brick wall. He wasn’t getting anywhere fast. Little chucks of mortar had fallen away and lay scattered on the cement floor.
“Do you want some help?” Murphy asked.
The ghost whirled around startled. His face was hideously deformed. Murphy, who had seen some deformities in his day, was not prepared for what this poor man had to go through eternity with. The bottom half his face looked like it was melted. The jaw was only supported by the layers of flesh beneath it. The man’s eyes held, first, sadness but quickly turned to hate as he gazed upon the handsome farmer.
“Wadda ya lookin’ at?” he said through the swollen lips.
“I’m asking you if you need some help,” Murphy said, pointing to the wall.
“Don’t tell Skinny. He’ll tell the boss, and all will be lost,” he said in hushed tones.
“I don’t know any Skinny,” Murphy said.
Appeased, the large man held out his hand. “Benny.”
“Murphy,” he said and put his hand in the enormous mitt and shook it. “Who’s this boss, and why should we not tell him what you’re doing?” Murphy asked quietly.
“Trying to find my bones. If I find dem, den I’m out of here. My ma didn’t raise me to scare old people. I got me some respect,” he said proudly.
Murphy nodded. “Stand back,” he suggested and raised his axe. He brought it down on the brick wall, connecting where Benny had chipped out the mortar.
The mortar gave, and the bricks surrounding the area fell away exposing an iron plate and part of a hinge.
Benny shook his head. “Not another safe,” Benny said disgusted. “Dis here building is full of dem.”
Murphy hunched his shoulders. “Why so many?”
“Rich pe’bles. Why you here?”
“I’m with friends,” Murphy said.
“Wanna nodder friend?”
“Sure, why not.”
Benny looked up irritated. “I gots to go. Da boss is callin’,” he said and disappeared before Murphy could move to track him.
Murphy put his axe between the iron panel and the bricks and pushed. He pried away the remaining bricks to expose the rest of the safe. It had a large combination lock with a lever handle. Murphy didn’t have the skills to open it, so he left it alone and eased himself out of the corner of the basement and went in search of Benny and his accomplice Skinny.
Chapter Ten
Mia knocked on 8B’s door. She heard movement behind the door before it opened. Standing before her was a large man in his early sixties. His full face broke into a smile. “You must be the young ladies Naomi told me to expect. Come in. I’m Howard Duff, and you are?”
“Mia Martin.”
“Audrey McCarthy.”
“You’re not related to Mugs McCarthy? He used to play for Green Bay.”
“Green Bay? Heaven forbid. Not to my knowledge,” Audrey answered.
“Have a seat. Can I get you a beer?”
Mia wanted to say yes, but beer made her sleepy, and she had a long day ahead of her. “No thank you, we’re on duty,” she said. “Did Naomi tell you why we wanted to see you?”
“Something about ghosts in the building. She’s been hearing screams in her apartment. Probably the plumbing.”
“Have you heard anything?” Audrey asked.
“Well, the situation is, I wear a hearing aid, but I take it out at night,” he admitted. “Without it, I couldn’t hear an air raid siren if it was attached to the side of my head.”
“Howard, how long have you lived here?” Mia asked, getting up to examine the wall of trophies.
“About a year, why?”
“Do you know who had the apartment before you?” Audrey asked.
“Not really. I could ask my lawyer. He took care of the purchase.”
“That’s not necessary. I could get that information from Mr. Stewart,” Audrey said quickly.
“Wow, you sure have a lot of trophies,” Mia said, distracting Howard from the notion of getting a lawyer involved.
“I have a couple,” he said and gave a good-natured chuckle. “I figure when I’m too old to remember what I did to earn them, seeing them might bring back bits of the glory days to stir the memories.”
“I think that’s a good a reason,” Mia said. “I hope you’ve insured them. I bet they’re valuable.”
“Nah, just to me. I do, however, have a few signatures from the greats that would fetch a pretty penny if I was to Ebay them. I keep them in the safe.”
“So you use your safe?”
“Oh yes. It’s one of the reasons I bought this place, the extra security measures. It’s over here between the kitchen and the dining room.” He encouraged Mia and Audrey
to follow him. “Turn your backs. Give me a minute, and here it is.”
Mia and Audrey turned around to see a four foot square steel box set into the wall.
“I didn’t expect it to be so large,” Audrey blurted out.
“It’s a big one,” he said, reaching in. He drew out one of several footballs he had housed in there. Look at this one, George Halas.” He turned the ball so Mia could read the signature. He replaced it and brought out another. “Here’s Bear Bryant.”
“They’re coaches,” Audrey noticed.
“Yes they are. Good ones.”
Mia didn’t ask why they were housed in the safe while the precious metal cups and rings were in the display case. She felt each person had their own idea of what was valuable. To Howard it was the footballs he’d had signed by the coaches.
“There’s a bit of history about this safe,” Audrey offered.
“Really?” Howard said, replacing the football and closing the door securely. He slid a panel back in place and escorted them back to the living room.
“Yes. This safe used to house diamonds.”
“It’s as good a place as any,” Howard said disinterested.
“Millions of dollars’ worth,” Audrey pressed.
“I don’t get it,” Howard started, “How could shiny rocks be worth so much?”
“People kill for them. Risk life and limb to obtain them,” Mia added.
“I can see putting your all into breaking through the defensive line and running the ball into the end zone, but bust your butt for a rock? Nah, it makes no sense to me.”
“I have to agree with you,” Mia said. “You’ve got the right attitude.”
“That’s what the coaches said,” Howard said proudly.
Cid returned to the command center to find Ted busy setting up an additional monitor.
“With all the feeds that the security company is sending me, I either have to rotate the cameras or set up another monitor,” he explained.
“However are you going to be able to watch all that?”
“I’ve set up an alarm if someone or something is picked up by the cameras. It took a bit of programing, but I think it’ll work,” he said, knocking his fist on the wood of the table for luck.
