Aerilyn took a deep breath. She couldn’t afford to lose her focus. Pushing all thoughts of failure to the back of her mind, she re-analyzed the questions Joan and she had charted. If Thomas didn’t know much about his death, did he know anything else that would give them clues regarding the situation that led to his death?
Aerilyn referred back to the questions on the list. “What was your last clear memory before you died?”
“I was at The Plazza, drinking with my friends. That’s all I remember.”
“Where is The Plazza?”
“Near the college. We used to go there all the time.” The edges of Thomas’s body began to blur, melding into the dark gray of the veil.
“What is the pass code on your journal app?” she said with urgency. He was about to disappear.
“6219”, he said. His image flickered, and he stepped back through the veil, disappearing from sight.
As he vanished, Aerilyn fainted.
Dimly, she was aware that someone was patting her cheeks. She was lying on her back. Smooth, strong hands rubbed her arms, her hands. Someone was sitting close to her. She opened her eyes a little bit. The room swayed. Slightly dizzy, she gripped the mattress under her to steady herself.
“Should I call an ambulance?” Joan’s voice was breathless, panicked.
“She is coming around.” Cole’s voice was steady. “I’ll take her in my car.”
“I’m fine.” The room had stopped spinning. Aerilyn tried to sit. Blast it all! She’d done it again. A gorgeous man sat not two feet away and she had to slump into a stupor like a forlorn damsel in distress. It was mortifying.
“Lie still.” He pushed her back, his hand firm on her shoulder.
“I will get some water.” Joan hurried out, worry etched all over face.
Aerilyn sighed. Could it get any worse? She felt like an idiot. “I’m fine, really.”
“You gave me a heart attack.” He put his hand on his heart. “What the heck happened? One second you were fine, and the next you were slumped sideways on the bed. For a minute, I thought you were dead.”
Aerilyn was touched by his concern. Poor guy! He did look more agitated than she’d ever seen him. “It’s a side effect of the magic. Happens sometimes.”
“Would have been nice if you’d given us a warning that something like this could happen. Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?” He barreled on, without giving her a chance to put in a word.
“I’m fine, really.” She grabbed his hand. “Don’t worry.”
Joan brought a glass of water. Aerilyn sat to drink it. She gulped the water down, feeling the cool liquid hydrating her body. A dull headache throbbed. She ignored it. It would vanish in time.
“Has this happened before?” said Cole.
“A few times,” she said.
“You should’ve brought the emerald with you. The extra energy it gives could boost your power.”
Aerilyn handed the glass back to Joan. She was surprised that he remembered her words. “That’s true, but I don’t like traveling with it. Too much of a temptation for a thief.”
He grunted, his glaze flickering to their joint hands. Aerilyn let go. “A séance drains some power. It’s nothing to worry over,” she assured Joan who was still hovering protectively. “Really. Trust me. Please bring me a paper. I need to write down everything he said before I forget something.”
Joan gave her the paper on which they had written the questions. Aerilyn noted all the answers and handed over the paper to Cole. He read it aloud. “What’s this number?”
“I asked him about the pass code on his journal. It wasn’t on the list of questions, but something about that locked journal bothered me,” she said.
“I’ll bring his tablet.” Joan went downstairs to bring it up.
Cole touched her cheek with his finger. He smoothed back her hair. An undercurrent of sizzling electricity coursed through her body. Unnerved by the potent feeling, and their close proximity, Aerilyn scooted back a little.
“Something wrong?”
Why had she never noticed that there were tiny flecks of gold in his black eyes? “Nothing,” she murmured.
“We are both adults, single and free to make choices,” he said. “It would be silly to ignore that we’re both attracted to each other.”
“How do you know I’m single? Ah! Of course. The investigation.” She ran a hand over the mattress, ignoring his comment about their mutual attraction.
“I would like to take you out for dinner again. And this time it would be a real date.”
“I don’t mix business with pleasure.” Where the heck was Joan? Why was it taking her so long to get the tablet? “It’s not a good idea.”
“That kiss was definitely a good idea.” He winked.
“It was a mistake.”
“Come on. One date. Are you scared?”
“That’s not going to work a second time. In any case, I only date other wizards.”
Cole leaned back. He frowned. “Why?”
“It works better that way. The relationship is more equal.”
He raised an eyebrow, looking amused. “Are you saying you’re superior to me just because you can do hocus pocus?”
“Hocus pocus?” Aerilyn was incensed.
“Oh, you know what I mean.” He waved a hand.
“Right. Well, I am not acting superior. It’s just that people who don’t have the gift don’t understand a lot of stuff. It would be hard for you to relate to me.”
He shrugged. “So make me understand. What’s the big deal about magic anyway? It’s a part of who you are. Weren’t you the one who made this point earlier?”
Aerilyn was flabbergasted by his approach. Most men were intimidated when they realized that she really was a witch. Once they grasped that she could wield magic, their perspective about her shifted and changed in an essential manner. They either deferred to her or stepped away from her personal zone so as not to interact with her.
Either way, there was never any scope for a romantic relationship.
Cole was different. Earlier she saw disdain in his eyes. That was to be expected since he thought of her as a fraud. Now, she saw admiration in his eyes, and that was coupled with lust. It wasn’t something she had been expecting or was prepared for. Would it make sense for them to embark on a relationship when they were as different as chalk and cheese? Or perhaps that was the fun of it. The differences would make it all the more exciting,
Joan returned with the tablet. Aerilyn let out a breath of relief she hadn’t even known she was holding. Cole grinned, as if he understood her source of panic.
“This isn’t over,” he whispered, a wealth of promise in his voice.
“Sorry, I got delayed. Rachel came over to see if I was alright.” Joan handed the tablet to Aerilyn. “It’s not fully charged.”
After swiping to open the tablet, Aerilyn entered the pass code and accessed he journal. She read the last entry. Her heart skipped a beat. She reread the entry, aware that Cole was monitoring her facial expressions with the eyes of a hawk.
“Listen to this. This entry is dated a week before his death. I feel a little paranoid. Last night I looked out the window and saw a person standing under the shadow of the oak tree opposite our apartment building. It’s probably my imagination. They could not have realized that I am working on exposing them. I am being silly. Or not?”
“What does that mean?”
Cole stood. He began to pace the room. “It’s clear from what he said and what’s written in this journal that he was investigating Simon’s death. Simon was given a drug overdose, and Thomas wanted to catch the person responsible for it. He may have tried to find the identity of this Robin. Robin saw him or suspected him…”
“And killed him.” Joan sat on the chair. She squared her shoulders. “Read the older entries.”
Aerilyn swiped to an older entry. “Simon has been dead for a month now. I shadowed Robin from the college dorm to The Plazza today. He work
s there, but I’ve never seen him inside the club. Maybe he works in the back office somewhere? And where does he live? I have never seen him exit this building? There must be a back entrance that’s not accessible to the public and it is probably well hidden. I wonder if they sell the drugs directly in The Plazza. I am tempted to try to buy from them just to see what their reaction would be.”
Joan suddenly broke into loud crying. “I’m sorry. Sorry.” She rushed out of the room.
Aerilyn put the tablet down. “I will go talk to her.”
“Wait! Let me.” Cole went after her.
Aerilyn went back to reading the older entries. It began to make sense. Thomas was doing some sleuthing on his own after Simon’s death. He had earlier suspected that Robin was supplying drugs to Simon, not only for use but also to sell to other students. At some point, Simon desired to break free. He didn’t want to sell drugs. In order to protect their identity or perhaps to avoid the danger of allowing Simon to spill the beans, Robin gave Simon a drug overdose. It wasn’t clear as to how it was done. How was Simon forced to take the overdose?
In any case, with Simon’s death, Robin’s secret was safe, or at least that’s what he thought. But Thomas knew more than the drug dealer bargained for. His roommate had confided a few things under the influence of drugs. Thomas had no hard evidence. He hadn’t even met Robin; the drug dealer rarely came to the apartment and even when he did, it was always when Thomas was not there.
Thomas made it his mission to find the truth. He wanted to expose his roommate’s killer. He was conducting an investigation. And that led to his death.
Cole came inside. He looked perturbed. “Let’s go.”
“Joan?” Aerilyn stood.
“She is fine. Rachel is coming over. They will go back to her place. She wants us to take the tablet with us.”
It was too much for the grieving mother. They should have been more sensitive. “I should have taken care before reading it like this.”
“She chose to do this,” he said in a brusque tone. Aerilyn bristled at his words, but sensing that he was more upset than he was letting on, she kept quiet. “Let’s just get out of here. We will talk to her later.”
Aerilyn followed Cole outside. His silver Volvo stood outside. Aerilyn slid into the passenger seat and strapped her seat belt, the tablet still clutched in her hands. “Where are we going?”
“To my place. We have lots to talk about.”
She wasn’t sure if he meant regarding Thomas, or regarding their earlier discussion. For the moment she chose to keep quiet. There were too many things happening all at once.
Only time would tell how everything would turn out.
Chapter Seven
Cole finished his phone call and put the cell on his desk. He gazed out through the wide, glass pane window at the soft orange and red hues in the darkening sky. It was going to be night soon. He’d settled Aerilyn in the guestroom so that she could rest. The way she’d fainted back at Joan’s house scared the hell out of him. He hadn’t realized how draining it could be for her to connect with the spirits.
It was still hard for him to take her gift in stride. It was unusual, not to mention supernatural. Magic was a strange concept in his world – but she’d shown him beyond proof that she had the gift. Her talent added to her allure – but even without it, she was a smart, confident, beautiful, and enigmatic woman. It was a lethal combination. No wonder he was drawn to her like a moth to flame.
Nothing in his life – the best education, the Ivy League college, and the years of work experience - had prepared Cole for this moment. Aerilyn’s presence was an aberration he couldn’t possibly have foreseen. Maybe he was going crazy? Could he, Cole Hudson, one of the most eligible bachelors of Chicago, have fallen for a woman who claimed to be a spiritist? He fought the urge to pinch himself. Nothing seemed real or sane anymore – everything was extraordinary and amazing.
Cole was a practical man. In his line of business, he’d spent the last eight years dealing with unsavory characters. Although he had initially pegged her as a fraud, he quickly saw the error of his ways. She might have a gift that he would never fully understand, but Aerilyn was honest to the core of her being. Her frank admission regarding her failed murder investigation proved that. He was touched by her confession. She hadn’t tried to put a spin on it. She hadn’t made any attempt to make it seem that this time things would be different.
As far as he could tell, she wasn’t wholly positive about achieving the right results in Thomas’s case. But Cole had faith in his own abilities – and in the people who worked with him. Together, they would unravel this mystery. From now until it was done, he would devote his time so that he could bring those who were responsible for Thomas’s death to justice. He owed it to Joan – and also to Aerilyn who was doing it out of goodwill, and not because she expected some compensation or recognition.
There was some important work that needed to be finished. As always. But he’d managed to clear his schedule for a few days so he could take care of this pending issue. Until this matter was settled for good, Thomas’s murder investigation would be his priority.
And later, Aerilyn would be his priority.
The intercom buzzed, breaking into his thoughts. He pressed the green speaker button. “Yes, Meena?”
“Everything has been set up according to your instructions, sir.”
“Thank you, Meena. Are the servers here?”
“Yes, they have set up. Although, I could have done it myself, sir.” A brief hint of petulance wavered in her voice.
“It’s alright, Meena.” He wanted everything to be perfect; hence, a catering team from one of Chicago’s best restaurant was summoned. His housekeeper was a fabulous cook but he preferred something a little classier tonight.
He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he wanted to dazzle Aerilyn.
“Please tell our guest that I am waiting for her on the balcony, Meena.”
“Yes sir.”
Cole switched off the intercom. He put on his dinner jacket that was draped around the back of his chair and strode out of his study. After opening the wood and glass door that led out to the huge balcony, he stepped outside into the balmy, spring night.
As instructed, the white canopy, draped with twinkling lights, was set up near the edge of the balcony. A table sat under it. It was covered with a white tablecloth on which stood two white candles and a vase of fresh flowers. White chairs stood at both ends. Cole nodded to the servers who were standing at the far end, near the serving table, dressed in their white immaculate jackets.
The soft click of heels alerted him to her presence. He turned and was satisfied to see her eyes widen with surprise when she noticed the canopy, the servers, and the light.
There was absolutely no way to describe her beauty. It hit him, as always, like a punch in the gut. In the soft light, her skin sparkled with a luminous sheen. The white, off the shoulder dress she wore hugged her body in the right places, emphasizing her slim, willowy curves. The thin, silver belt encircled her tiny waist. A matching bracelet hung off one wrist. Silver hoop earrings – the kind she appeared to favor - dangled in her ears.
Her hair – a magnificent golden mass – was pulled back but left open.
Cole pulled out a chair and seated her.
“We could have ordered in or gone out for dinner. Why did you bother with all this?” She raised her hand, motioning to the spectacular setup.
He took a seat opposite her. “I wanted our first date to be special.”
“A date?” The panicked expression on her face would have been hilarious if he wasn’t a bundle of nerves himself. “When…did I agree to a date?”
He quirked an eyebrow. “It’s customary for a man to woo a woman before commencing a relationship. Although if you prefer to jump right into it, I wouldn’t mind at all.”
“Jump into what?” Her voice was strained.
“In the bed, of course.”
“I…we..this…” She s
topped. Cole admired the way she brought her emotions into control. “We are not having…” She appeared lost for the right word.
“Sex? O f course, we will.”
“Not now, not ever.”
“I doubt you mean that.” Cole signaled to the servers. One of them poured their wine. The other brought the appetizers. “I hope you don’t mind, but I preordered.”
“That’s fine.”
Cole waited until the servers had retreated to their corner. “You can’t deny that you’re attracted to me. Just like I am attracted to you.”
She drank the wine, her eyes watching him over the rim. “Sexual attraction doesn’t always have to mean anything.”
“True.” He offered her a mushroom and blue-cheese empanada. “But it would be such a waste to ignore it.”
To his surprise, she remained quiet for a few moments. He watched her eat the empanada. Her eyes glazed over with obvious enjoyment. “It’s quite complicated.” She licked her bottom lip.
“What is?” His stomach muscles tightened with suppressed desire at the gesture.
“I…I don’t get involved with men. I mean, men who don’t have magic at their disposal.”
“Why?” He was genuinely astounded. Did she think he wasn’t worth her time because he didn’t have magic?
“A few days ago you were yelling at my claim of magic and witchcraft, and today you wish to woo me?”
“I’ve already admitted that I was wrong to accuse you,” he said. When he was wrong, he had no trouble saying so. Accepting one’s mistake was usually the fastest way to get on the right path. Cole didn’t believe in wasting time holding on to wrong beliefs. “It’s wasn’t easy for me to see that you were telling the truth. Nothing in my experience had prepared me for such a revelation. But truth can’t be denied or hidden. You are a witch, but you are also a beautiful, desirable woman. One doesn’t preclude the other.”
A strange, haunting expression flickered across her eyes. It was gone before he could decipher it. “A relationship between us wouldn’t work,” she said, her tone flat and emotionless.
“We won’t know until we try it.” The servers came forth to serve the next course. After they retreated, he picked up his fork and dug into the delicious meal. “You can dump me later if I don’t measure up. How about that? It’s a good deal.”
The Spiritist: A Aerilyn Mathew Novel (Aerilyn Mathew Novels Book 1) Page 10
