“But this is different,” Chris protested, sounding a bit like a whiny child trying to get his way. “This town is abandoned. If several of us stay here together … .”
Jack cut off Chris with a firm headshake. “Absolutely not.”
“But there’s no danger.” Chris wasn’t ready to give up. “The town is completely abandoned. We haven’t seen a single soul. There’s nothing to worry about.”
My mind drifted to the presence I felt in the saloon. They might not have seen anyone – souls notwithstanding – but something was here. I was certain of that. Whether man, beast or something else entirely, I had no doubt there was something here.
Jack didn’t share my sense of distress, but he refused to waver. “We’re not staying here tonight. We’re setting up the cameras. That’s procedure. You can watch the footage live all you want. Tomorrow, I’ll go through the footage with you. We’ll make our next decision after that.”
“But … .”
“No. It’s not going to happen, Chris.”
It was fascinating to watch the man I thought of as the boss crumble as Jack put his foot down. Chris heaved a sigh and shrugged. “Fine. You’re always such a stickler for the rules.”
“That’s why you’re still alive.” Jack smirked as he pointed toward the edge of town. “Let’s start over there.”
“Sure.” Chris hurried down the steps, Jack following.
Jack stopped long enough to give me a considering look. “Do not wander off … and if you hear something again, call out to me. I’ll come running. I promise.”
Charlie!
My mind flashed to the vision I had of Jack looking for me. “I know. I’ll be fine. I freaked myself out in the saloon. I won’t let it happen again.”
“I don’t care about that.” Jack lowered his voice. “Just be careful.”
I watched him go, a combination of feelings I couldn’t quite put a name to flitting through my stomach, and then I turned my full attention to the hotel. It looked stronger than the other buildings, more protected from the elements for some reason. I was eager to see inside.
The feeling lasted exactly thirty seconds until I strode into what used to be the lobby and found Laura and Zach looking around. It was obvious they were flirting – Laura’s expression suggested they might even be considering getting filthy – but they both looked in my direction. Zach smiled, the expression coy and lazy. Laura glowered. I had no doubt we would never be friends.
“I just want to see the hotel,” I offered lamely. “It looks kind of cool from the outside.”
“It’s definitely cool,” Zach agreed, his lips curving into what I’m sure he considered a sexy smile. “And how was your day, Miss Charlie? I hope you’re over that pesky hangover. You were absolutely delightful last night when I ran into you on the street.”
I stared at him for a long beat. “I’m sorry if my drunkenness caused you extra work.”
“I like my work.” Zach offered up a saucy wink, causing me to roll my eyes.
“Is there a reason you constantly wink?” I challenged. “I mean … do you have something in your eye? Do you wear contacts? Do you have an aversion to the sun and your eyes tear when it’s too bright?”
Zach balked. “No. I … .”
Laura snorted, catching me off guard. “The winking is a little much, Zach,” she agreed. “You look like you have a nervous tic or something. You should probably stop doing that. It makes people uncomfortable.”
Zach made a face before moving toward the door. “Yes, well, I think I’ll check on the rest of your group. The light won’t last long. We need to be out of here within the hour.”
“You do that,” Laura said dryly, her expression unreadable as she watched him go. She waited until she was sure he was out of earshot before speaking again. “You don’t like him.”
It was a statement, not a question, and I had no idea how to respond. “No. He’s fine. Um … I think he’s swell.”
“Swell, huh?” Laura didn’t bother to hide her amusement. “I really want to dislike you, but then you say things like that and I can’t help but think you’re funny.”
“You want to dislike me? Why?”
“Because you’re competition.” Laura’s answer was simple, and she didn’t seem bothered to admit it. “The second I saw you walk through the door I knew you were going to be trouble.”
“Because I’m competition? Exactly who am I competing with you over?”
“It’s not like that.” Laura was matter of fact as she smoothed her auburn hair. I had no idea how she could look so put together in this heat. “You’re looking at it the wrong way.”
“How should I look at it?”
“We’re not competing for people, but status,” Laura explained. “Before you came I was the young one everyone wanted to take under his or her wing.”
I had serious doubts about that. “Isn’t Hannah younger than you?” She certainly looked it.
“Hannah doesn’t count because she’s in her own little world,” Laura replied. “She can’t compete because she simply doesn’t believe in competition.”
“And you think I do?”
“I think you’re competing whether you know it or not. The thing is … you like the work. I guess that’s to be expected because of your age. You’re enthusiastic because you’re just starting out. You need to take it down a notch or two.”
“And what about you?” I challenged. “Have you ever considered that making things a competition isn’t healthy?”
“No.” Laura was blasé. “Without competition I’d be bored.”
“Well, I think that says a little something about you.”
“It might, but I’m fine with that.” Laura flicked her eyes to the door over my shoulder at the sound of footsteps, forcing me to swivel quickly.
I wasn’t expecting the Chupacabra to appear in the doorway, but dread filled me all the same. It disappeared when I found Millie standing there, her gaze speculative.
“What’s going on here?” Millie asked.
“Nothing.” Laura adopted an air of innocence. “We were simply chatting. You know … getting a feel for one another.”
“Oh, joy.” Millie rolled her eyes until they landed on me. “I saw you talking with Jack and Chris. What was that about?”
I saw no reason to lie. “Chris wants to spend the night and Jack thinks it’s a bad idea.”
“Well, I happen to agree with Jack for a change,” Laura said. “There’s no way I’m spending the night in this dusty rat hole.”
“What if Zach decides to spend the night?” I challenged. “Something tells me you might change your mind then.”
“Zach isn’t stupid enough to spend the night here,” Laura replied. “Speaking of that, you might want to look elsewhere if you’re hoping for a little thrill while we’re here. I’ve decided that Zach is going to be my thrill, and I’m not keen on sharing.”
“You’re more than welcome to him.”
“Because you don’t like him,” Laura mused. “I can see it on your face when you’re around him. Why is that?”
“He just … irritates me.” I could hardly tell her that he made me feel uncomfortable. Laura was the type to use that to her advantage.
“Plus, you’re interested in Jack,” Laura added, tapping her bottom lip. “Be careful with that. He’s never going to give you what you want.”
My irritation bubbled as she moved toward the door. “I am not interested in Jack!”
Laura let loose a derisive snort. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. By the way, if you’re heading upstairs, use the front staircase. The back one’s so rickety it looks like it’s going to fall any day. I would hate for you to take a tumble and die.” She disappeared through the doorway before I could think of something nasty to say.
When I risked a glance at Millie I found her smiling. “What?”
“Nothing.” Millie made a clucking sound with her tongue. “You do bring a lot of drama to the grou
p. I like it. What are you doing here?”
I shrugged as I worked to rein in my temper. I liked Millie. She wasn’t the irritating one. I had to keep reminding myself of that so I didn’t take out my frustrations on her. “It’s a cool building. I thought I’d look around while they’re finishing the camera grid.”
“I haven’t been in here yet either,” Millie said. “Let’s see what this place has to offer.”
“I bet it won’t be much.”
“It’s still worth a look. Normally I don’t listen to Laura, but I don’t want to die, so we’ll avoid that back staircase.”
It didn’t take long to search the main floor. The ravages of time and weather had turned the furniture into dust-covered lumps, and there was very little of interest. The second floor was something else entirely.
After a nerve-wracking climb up a set of narrow stairs that I was certain was about to give way – seriously, if the second staircase was worse I didn’t want to see it – we stopped at the head of the hallway so I could drop to my knees and study the floor.
“This is newer, too,” I said after a beat.
“Newer than what?”
“Some of the floors look to be original and are giving way,” I answered. “The porch on the front of the saloon and these stairs look newer, though. I wonder why that is.”
“Maybe someone thought about restoring Hooper’s Mill at another time that was more recent,” Millie suggested. “As much as I don’t like the town – and I don’t, because it feels as if someone is watching me – I can see why a developer might try to save the place. It has a certain amount of … charm.”
Her words caught me off guard. “You feel as if someone has been watching you?”
“What? Oh.” Millie shrugged, noncommittal. “It’s just a feeling. I can’t explain it.”
I knew that feeling well. “Let’s look around the rooms. By the time we’re done I’m sure Chris and Jack will be ready to go.”
“There aren’t many rooms, eh?” Millie wrinkled her nose as she walked with me. “Only six. I wonder if that was standard for the time.”
“I have no idea, but I guess that most of the people who came to a town like this camped close to wherever they were working. Hooper’s Mill was probably a place to stock up on supplies and blow off steam.”
“Oh. You mean that this was probably a brothel masquerading as a hotel.”
That’s not what I meant, but now that she said the words it made sense. “Probably,” I conceded, flicking on my flashlight as I turned into the first room. It faced the street and a decent amount of sunlight poured through the intact window, so I lowered my flashlight. The bed in the middle of the room was long gone, but pieces of the frame remained. “Do you think they just up and decided to walk out one day?”
“What do you mean?” Millie asked, running her fingers over the aged metal.
“Why leave the furniture?” I challenged. “They must’ve had some sort of hint that the town was fading. Why wouldn’t they pack up the furniture when they left?”
“Maybe there was no one left by then to pack the furniture.”
“Because the Chupacabra ate them?”
Millie snickered. “I think it’s far more likely that the town dwindled – and quickly – to the point where only one or two people were left when they decided to abandon ship.”
“I guess that makes sense.” I rolled my neck as I stepped to the window, frowning as the view of the street overlapped with the flash I had of Jack.
Charlie!
This was where I stood in the vision. I was sure of it. I looked down, saw the spot where Jack would scream my name, and glanced to my left. In the vision, someone approached from that direction. For now, it was empty … except for a small something that gleamed on the floor.
I knelt, holding up my flashlight so I could see better. When I was sure the item was something other than critter eyes, I reached down and wrapped my fingers around a discarded earring.
“What is that?” Millie asked, drifting closer.
“I’m not sure.” I flipped the earring over and rested it in the palm of my hand. It looked old, and expensive. It certainly didn’t appear to be costume jewelry. “Do you think this belonged to one of the ladies of the house?”
Millie shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s interesting, though. Bring it with us. We might be able to learn more about it.”
“Good idea.” I pocketed the earring as I stood, shifting my eyes to the open doorway at the sound of footsteps. Jack appeared two seconds later.
“I was looking for you two.” Jack ran a hand through his straggly hair. He looked tired. “The camera grid is good to go and Zach is on us to get out of here before it gets dark. Are you ready?”
I nodded without hesitation. “If we’re not staying the night, I see no reason to stay longer than necessary.”
“Don’t push me on that,” Jack warned. “If you’re not careful I’ll ban you from staying if I ultimately allow an overnight visit. You won’t like it if that happens.”
He wasn’t wrong. “My lips are sealed.”
Jack cocked a dubious eyebrow. “That would be a neat feat since I’ve yet to see that happen.”
“I guess you’ll have to wait and see, huh?”
“I guess so.” Jack ushered me through the door and met Millie’s steady gaze. “What?”
“I didn’t say anything.” Millie’s lips curved. “You guys are like a snarky sitcom. I think it’s funny.”
“You can be quiet for the ride back to town, too,” Jack ordered. “I want a little peace and quiet.”
“Sir, yes, sir.” Millie snickered as she mock saluted.
“You two have been spending way too much time together,” Jack complained.
“Should we march, sir?” I asked, grinning.
“Just move.” Jack pushed me toward the stairs. “I’m officially going to need a drink with dinner if this keeps up.”
“Me, too,” Millie enthused.
“Not me.” I shook my head. “I think I’m going to become a teetotaler.”
“If you do we can never be friends.” Millie was solemn. “You simply need to build up your tolerance. Trust me.”
On that particular front, I wasn’t sure that was true.
14
Fourteen
Millie and Bernard rode with us back to town, opting to sit in the backseat and whisper to one another. I watched them a bit, my earlier suspicion that they were in a secret relationship only solidifying when I saw the way she smiled at him. After a few minutes, I realized Jack was watching me and I ceased spying.
“What?” I asked, uncomfortable.
“You know what.” Jack kept his voice low. “Mind your own business.”
The look on his face intrigued me. He clearly suspected the same thing I did. In fact, he might actually know something. I would have to feel him out about that later. For now, I changed the subject. “How was the grid?”
“Fairly decent. We added two cameras. I think we have the entire town covered – at least for the most part.”
“That’s good, right?”
Jack shrugged. “It is for Chris. I think he’s going to be watching the monitors tonight rather than television in his room.”
“Why is that bad?”
“It’s not. It’s just … labor intensive. I’d let the cameras record all night and then speed them up in the morning, but that’s just me. Chris is more dedicated on that front.”
“Chris is definitely dedicated,” I agreed. “He wants to spend the night at Hooper’s Mill. Are you going to let him?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“I could stay with him,” I offered. “We could eat dinner and turn around and go back. That way he wouldn’t be alone.”
“No offense, Charlie, but you’re not exactly a good chaperone. You can’t even keep Millie out of trouble.”
“I resent that,” Millie said, turning her full attention to the front of the vehicle. “I
was her chaperone.”
“That’s even more frightening,” Jack said. “If that’s how you see it, you definitely fell down on the job last night.”
“How was I supposed to know she was a lightweight?” Millie protested. “She just got out of college. I assumed she could hold her own.”
“I didn’t drink all that much in college,” I admitted. “In fact, I think I drank three times the whole four years.”
“Why?” Bernard looked pained. “The best thing about college is the drinking.”
“Word.” Millie solemnly nodded and bumped fists with Bernard, causing him to grin.
“I didn’t go to college to drink,” I said. “I had limited funds. I worked thirty hours a week and held down a full class schedule. I had to graduate in four years.”
“Why?” Millie asked. “If I were you, I would’ve dragged it out to five years.”
“I didn’t have the money for that.”
“Oh, well … I didn’t think about that.” Millie had the grace to look abashed. “You mentioned it before, but I kind of forgot … or maybe I thought you were exaggerating a bit.”
“Not everyone has a fat divorce settlement to live on, Millie,” Jack reminded her. “Some people actually need their salaries to survive.”
“I said I was sorry.” Millie turned petulant. “I forget sometimes that I have it easy in a lot of respects. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“And that’s why I’m not angry,” Jack said. “Hannah, Charlie and I all live on our earnings. I believe Bernard does, too.”
“Mostly,” Bernard agreed, turning to stare out the window. “Do they pay you well enough to have your own place, Charlie?”
“I have a small apartment. One bedroom.” It wasn’t terrible. It was nothing like the house I lived in as a kid – and had to sell or face financial ruin – but I didn’t own much and the apartment served my needs because we were always traveling. “It’s fine.”
Jack slid me a sidelong look. “Do you need more money?”
The question jolted me. “I’m not accepting money from you.”
The Chupacabra Catastrophe Page 12
