“You were possessed?” Anna persisted.
“For sure,” the young woman said, her bobbed hair swinging as she nodded her head.
“Then what are we doing here?” Anna asked, stepping into the middle of the room. “So what if Greg rigged the music? It was just to make the séance more credible for the rest of us.” She noted the glum expression on Tiernay’s face. “Except that Greg didn’t tell you about the music,” she added, pointing at the box in the young woman’s hand.
“Yeah.”
“And he faked the music again at the cemetery.” The young woman nodded. Anna paused, wondering how far to push Tiernay. “Did it ever occur to you maybe he’s faked other things, too? That maybe Greg doesn’t believe that you’re the real deal?”
Tiernay’s head shot up and her eyes flared with anger. “You’re wrong. He does believe in me. He’s always been my biggest supporter.” She stalked toward Anna, and Anna remembered that she was alone in the house with this mercurial-tempered woman, and that no one knew where she was.
“Okay, calm down,” she said, taking a step back toward the stairs. “You came to me for help, remember?”
“Fine, but don’t get insulting,” Tiernay muttered.
“Look, it’s really stuffy in here, and I’m thirsty. Let’s go down to the kitchen and get a glass of water,” Anna said, edging around Tiernay and hurrying toward the stairs. “Don’t forget to turn off the light.”
Anna clicked on her flashlight and clambered down the steps while Tiernay turned back toward the string. Safely back on the second floor, Anna felt in her pocket for her cell phone. Only, it wasn’t there. Of course not. She had put it in her purse before leaving for The Diner this morning, but she hadn’t brought it along with her tonight. She heard Tiernay clattering down the steps behind her, and hurried down the hallway for the stairs leading to the first floor.
“Hey, wait for me. It’s dark in here,” the young woman protested.
Anna hesitated. What was she going to do, abandon Tiernay to run out of the house? The young woman hadn’t done anything to warrant that kind of behaviour, and Anna didn’t want to feel like an idiot. She slowed down, allowing Tiernay to catch up with her.
“Come on, let’s see what Sherman has to drink. I’m thirsty, too,” the young woman said. They climbed downstairs together. “The kitchen’s at the back,” she added, letting Anna light the way.
Once in the kitchen, Tiernay headed straight for the fridge. The light flashed on as she opened the door and had a quick look inside before opening the freezer door, too.
“Bingo!” she said with a grin, pulling out the vodka bottle. “Good old Sherman. Let’s have a couple of shots.”
“You go ahead. I’m just going to have some water,” Anna said, opening the cupboard doors to look for glasses.
Tiernay shrugged. “More for me.”
Anna handed her a juice glass and went to the sink. Turning on the faucet, she let the water run cold for several seconds before filling her glass. She glanced out the window while raising it to her lips.
The moonlight had disappeared, replaced by a black, overcast sky that threatened rain. The wind had come up, too; she could hear it howling outside the window. The trees were thrashing in the cemetery, and Anna thought she could see a light glimmering between them.
Tiernay walked up behind her. “Can I have some water, too?”
“Hey, look over there,” Anna said, pointing out the window. “Through the trees on the right. Do you see a light?”
“Yeah.”
“What do you suppose is going on in there?” Anna asked, exchanging an apprehensive glance with Tiernay.
Chapter Thirty-Two
They clambered down the slope toward the cemetery wall with the wind snatching at their clothes.
“Get out your tools,” Anna said when they reached the gate and discovered that it was locked. She waited while Tiernay fiddled with the mechanism, and winced when the young woman shoved the gate open and the hinges shrieked.
“Sorry,” Tiernay whispered. Anna rolled her eyes; too late for whispers now. They snuck through the gate and paused to get their bearings on the cemetery road.
“I think the light was coming from this direction,” Anna said with a nod, clicking off her flashlight and pocketing it. Tiernay nodded back, and they followed the ring road as silently as possible, aiming for the older section of the cemetery.
“Doesn’t she look familiar?” Anna whispered a few minutes later while studying the statue of a mourning woman towering four feet above her. “I’m sure I saw her when we were here on Wednesday night.”
“Yeah, on the way to Evelyn’s grave,” Tiernay said. They exchanged an uneasy look.
“Great,” Anna said. “Let’s hope that Evelyn is otherwise occupied tonight.” She noticed Tiernay fingering the silver snake in the neckline of her cloak, and her own fingers reached for the blue obsidian in her jacket pocket. It was ridiculous, she knew. A blue stone wasn’t going to protect her from a ghost she was convinced didn’t exist, but it was easy to believe in ghosts in the middle of a cemetery on a windy night. If only her gold cross wasn’t at home in her jewelry box.
Anna switched her flashlight back on and shone it on the ground where it was less likely to be noticed by anyone else. Together the two women stepped off the road and edged across the grass. Anna’s ears were pricked for any sounds beyond the rustling of the trees and the leaves that scattered before them, only to be caught up against the tombstones. The wind gusted against her back, whipping her hair into her face, and she set the flashlight on the ground and unzipped her jacket to stuff her hair inside. Bending to retrieve the flashlight, she could smell the decaying leaves and fancied that it was more than leaves that she was smelling. Shivering, she was about to share that observation with Tiernay when she noticed that the young woman was no longer there.
Anna turned, shining her light in every direction, but Tiernay had vanished.
“Where are you?” she whispered in a low, urgent voice. “Damn it, you must have eyes like a cat’s.” She waited, but Tiernay didn’t answer.
Anna hesitated, not wanting to go in search of the young woman in case she came back, but too afraid to stay there alone. Where was she? She searched for a landmark. A tall birch shimmied in the wind beside her, sounding just like whispering. She shifted from foot to foot, unable to hold still. A coyote howled, and Anna started violently. She was panting, for heaven’s sake. Enough! Tiernay or not, it was time to get out of here.
Anna had run a few steps back toward the road when she thought she heard voices. Pausing, she held her breath to listen. It was no hallucination; she was definitely hearing voices, a man and a woman’s. Swallowing to moisten her bone-dry throat, she shone her light on the ground and crept toward them. No one must know that she was there until she found out what was going on.
Raising her head, Anna spotted the same stand of evergreens she had previously seen on the way to Evelyn’s grave. One of the trees bent inward in a weird way, as if cradling a weight. Surprised that she was already so close, she sidled around them, intent on hearing what the man and woman were saying.
“I told you, you can’t stay. I’m waiting for someone.”
“What’s that?”
“No!”
Anna heard scuffling noises and dashed forward, snapping off the light as she emerged from the trees. A Coleman lamp was lit on the ground, and Tiernay was clutching Greg’s leather satchel to her chest while Greg tried to wrestle it from her. He let go of the satchel and wrapped his arms around Tiernay, jerking her off her feet and throwing her to the ground. She scrambled to her knees and crawled toward the bag, but Greg snagged the strap and swung it out of her reach. The bag burst open, and several bundles flew out. Anna crouched behind the bench as Tiernay pounced on one of them before Greg could snatch it up.
“Give me that,” he snarled, advancing toward her, but Tiernay jumped to her feet and danced out of the way. She was tearing a booklet
from the bundle and flipping it open, pausing to examine it as Greg caught up with her and snatched it from her hand.
“It’s a passport,” Tiernay said. “They’re all passports,” she added, holding up the bundle. “What are you doing with them?”
Brother and sister glared at each other, panting from their struggle. Without saying a word, Greg held out his hand, and Tiernay dropped the rest into it. He turned and hurried back to the lantern beside Evelyn’s grave, stuffing the passports back into the satchel as Tiernay trotted after him.
“Greg, what are you doing? What’s this all about?”
“Stay out of it, Tiernay. Go home before he gets here.”
“Before who gets here?” she asked. She grabbed her brother’s arm, forcing him to look at her.
Someone seized Anna from behind and dragged her to her feet. She screamed and struggled to break free, but her assailant wrenched her arm behind her back and she stopped, gasping in pain. Frogmarched into the circle of light on Evelyn’s grave, Anna panted as Greg and Tiernay whirled to look at her.
“Too late,” her assailant growled.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Emmanuel,” Greg said without inflection.
Cabrero shoved Anna toward them, and she fell onto her knees. She scrambled to her feet and turned to look at her assailant. The gun in his hand didn’t waiver as he pointed it straight at her head. Anna could feel her heart thumping in her chest as she peered into his small, cold eyes.
“What are your sister and your lady friend doing here, Greg?” the squat, muscular man asked.
“It’s a mistake,” Greg said, starting forward. The gun swung toward him, and Greg halted, holding up his hands. Anna glanced at him and saw a nervous smile on his face. Greg’s eyes didn’t waiver from the gunman’s.
“You have broken our agreement once again, my friend. Our business was to be conducted in absolute secrecy.”
“I know, I know. I can explain.”
“If you are going to suggest that these ladies should join in our business, I would urge you to remember how things worked out with Henry Fellows.”
“Of course not. I should never have allowed Henry to become involved, but he threatened to tell the police if I didn’t.”
Cabrero shook his head. “What a waste he was ‒ not only a snivelling coward, but a terrible forger, too. Not an artist like you. Your talent is the only thing keeping you alive right now. But I am running out of time. The Calgary police are asking a lot of questions about Henry. It’s getting too dangerous.”
“I can appreciate that.”
“Where is my merchandise?” Greg eased the satchel from his shoulder and held it out, keeping his other hand in the air.
“Anna, go stand beside Tiernay,” Cabrero said. Anna nodded and shifted toward the young woman, her eyes never leaving the gun.
Cabrero tucked the weapon into his belt and pulled a slim, powerful flashlight from his coat pocket, using it to examine each document as Greg passed it to him. While he was distracted, Anna glanced at Tiernay. The young woman’s eyes were terrified as she stared at her brother and Cabrero.
“What are we going to do?” Tiernay whispered.
“How well do you know him?” Anna asked, nodding toward Cabrero.
“He’s been to the house a couple of times. We had a glass of wine together, once. I had no idea what he and Greg were doing, Anna, I swear it!”
Anna grimaced and muttered, “Keep your voice down!” Tiernay nodded. “I don’t like what he said about Henry,” she added.
“Do you think Emmanuel killed him?”
“Unless you think it was Greg?”
“No!”
Anna took a step backward.
“What are you doing?” Tiernay whispered, her eyes darting to the men and back again.
“Our only chance is to run for it while they’re looking through the stuff.”
“No! We don’t know what he might do to Greg.”
“I’m willing to risk it. He’ll keep Greg alive because he’s useful, but what good are we to him?”
“No!” Tiernay whispered, grasping Anna’s wrist.
“Ladies,” Cabrero said as Anna glared at Tiernay. “Time to join us over here.”
Anna broke from Tiernay’s grip and looked up. It was too late. The gun was back in Cabrero’s hand and pointing straight at them. Sick with dread, Anna headed toward the men with Tiernay shaking at her side.
“We’re going for a walk. Greg, you will stay here.”
“No!” Greg shouted. Cabrero raised his eyebrows. “No,” he said in a lower voice. “There’s got to be some way to fix this.” He smiled at his partner, but Anna saw his eye twitch. “I swear they’ll never say a word.” Cabrero glanced at the two women.
“Why would they?” Greg continued. “If they say anything, it would only implicate me. Tiernay is my sister, and Anna is my fiancée. They wouldn’t do that.” Cabrero studied his face while Anna held her breath, praying that the gunman would listen to Greg and let them live.
“I have your assurance?”
“Of course. I swear it on my life.”
“Very well,” Cabrero said, removing an envelope from his coat pocket. “Here is your money. We’ll have to move the operation somewhere else, though. It’s not safe here anymore.”
“Thank you,” Greg said, relief flooding his face. Tiernay’s legs gave way, and Anna had to hold her up to prevent her from falling. “Come on, girls,” Greg said. He held out his hand, and Tiernay stumbled forward to grasp it. Greg slid his arm around his sister’s shoulder and turned to guide them away. As they circled around Cabrero, however, the gunman seized Anna’s arm. She stared at him with terrified eyes.
“Not Anna, though. You lied about her. Her boyfriend is a police sergeant. I know all about the people close to you, Greg. A pity,” he said, his merciless eyes appraising her. Anna turned a pleading face to Greg, who stared miserably back at her.
“If you don’t go now, I will change my mind about your sister,” Cabrero added, pressing the gun to Anna’s head. She heard a wheezing noise and realized it was coming from her own throat. There was a pause as she waited for Greg to think of something. His expression was wretched as he looked away.
“I’m so sorry, Anna,” he said, taking a stronger hold on his sister’s shoulders and dragging her forward. Anna’s breath caught in a half-sob.
“Greg!” Tiernay screamed, twisting to look back at Anna as her brother thrust her into the trees.
Anna, rooted to the spot with fear, watched them disappear. She glanced back at Cabrero, only to see his fist flying toward her. Toppling onto Evelyn’s grave, she blacked out.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Someone slapped her. Anna cringed, trying to raise her hands to protect her face, but they were bound behind her back. Wire was cutting into her wrists, and it hurt. She realized that she was sitting up, leaning against something cold and hard. As her eyes fluttered open, she saw Cabrero’s grim face inches from her own.
“That’s better,” he said with a nasty smile. “Time to get up.” Seizing her by the shoulders, he dragged her to her feet. Anna gasped as he wrenched her shoulder, and she staggered forward a step, trying not to fall. Cabrero grabbed her elbow and spun her around.
“This way,” he said, shoving her in a different direction. Anna raised her head and realized that she was still at Evelyn’s grave; it was Evelyn’s stone that she had been leaning against. How long had she been unconscious?
“Come on,” he said, taking her arm. He wore Greg’s satchel slung over his chest and carried the lantern in his other hand. Anna’s eyes were still watering from the slap, and she couldn’t see very well.
“Wh-where are we going?” she asked, but Cabrero didn’t respond. He even hummed as he pulled her along, his fingers squeezing her arm. She had a wild hope that Cabrero wasn’t going to kill her after all. If he were, why hadn’t he shot her while she lay unconscious, and abandoned her body on Evelyn’s grave? Wa
s he taking her hostage?
They were nearing the back of the cemetery; Anna could see the white stone wall through the trees. She had never been this far back before. As they drew closer, she saw a grey-stoned mausoleum, looking forlorn and deserted. It was square, about eight feet wide, with two columns holding up a triangular roof. She could make out a name carved on the lintel: “Beringer.” An iron gate barred the door.
As they drew near, Anna was seized with dread and tugged backward, trying to wrench herself from Cabrero’s grip. He shoved her forward the last few yards, however, and pushed her hard against the wall beside the door.
Tears welled up in her eyes and streaked down her cheeks. Cabrero pulled metal tools from his pocket and fell to work on the lock.
Anna turned her head to look at him. “What are you going to do to me?” she murmured.
“Huh?” he said, glancing at her in a distracted way.
Anna tried again. “Are you going to shut me in there alive?” she asked, her eyes glittering with fear.
He stared at her for a second before returning to the lock. “What do you take me for, some kind of monster?” he muttered. “I’m going to kill you first and hide your body inside.”
Anna’s legs gave way, and she slumped to the ground. “Why didn’t you kill me before when I couldn’t feel it?” she asked, all hope gone.
“What, and carry you all the way here? Do you have any idea how heavy a dead body is?” The lock on the gate clicked open, and he smiled with satisfaction. Dragging the rusty gate open, he pushed the door inward with a resounding crack. Cabrero thrust the lantern inside to have a look around.
This was her last chance. A burst of adrenalin coursed through Anna’s body as she clambered to her feet.
Town Haunts Page 19
