After the Midnight Hour

by Linda Randall Wisdom

  “Or maybe you’re the one behind this, Caleb, you old son of a bitch,” Jared muttered, once he’d finished stacking the damaged wood. “What did you do, climb your way out of hell to make my life miserable for trying to make this place livable again?” He kicked one of the wooden rails, then cursed as painful vibrations ran up his leg. “Serves me right for inheriting a haunted house.”

  He looked up at the aging structure, noting that it and the nearby barn still needed a paint job. And he should probably plant something around the house to make it look more like a place someone was living in.

  “Damn, before I know it I’ll be trading in the Harley for a minivan and drinking lattes,” Jared muttered as he pulled off his T-shirt and tossed it to one side. Then he returned to work, stacking rails and fence posts, with no idea he was under observation.

  She made her way to Jared’s bedroom. She’d learned that the window there had the best view watching him while he worked. Not that she could see him with conventional eyesight. His image came to her the same way a dream might visit her in the middle of the night, if she could still dream. She hovered at the window, which was now kept shiny clean, thanks to Maya’s regular applications of vinegar and water. From there, she “saw” him working on the fence.

  Was there a chance that while Jared worked to clean up the property he might come across the key that would release her from this maddening existence?

  She also wondered about the location of the treasure. Was it hidden separately, or in the same place as the key? Maya’s gods had never made that clear. It was as if they had enjoyed weaving puzzles for Rachel to solve.

  Thoughts tumbled around her like skeins of tangled yarn. So many days she’d drifted along the windows of this house in vain hopes of seeing a human being. More often than not she’d viewed little outside, other than field mice or wild rabbits scampering across the weedy fields. No human had lived on the property since 1956, when the owner at the time arrived with the idea of turning the property into a dude ranch. Except he’d stumbled upon her one night, screamed “Ghost!”, run out of the building and never come back. If he ever told anyone what he saw, they must not have believed his story. Or they chose to stay away.

  She wondered what Jared’s reaction would be if he knew the truth about her. She had been spending all her evenings with him. She knew the more time she spent with Jared gave her a larger risk of discovery.

  “I know you are in here, chica. I sense your presence.” Maya walked into the bedroom. She crossed the room and threw open the window, allowing the morning breeze to flow in. “It is not good for you to be in here.”

  Why not? He can’t see me. She was always surprised that her sense of humor had remained intact through the decades.

  Rachel watched Maya turn to Jared’s bed. The older woman shook her head in disgust at the sight of its sheets and lightweight blanket pulled haphazardly up to the pillows, which were stacked against the wall. She muttered under her breath as she pulled the covers back to the end of the bed so she could straighten and tuck them in, so tightly a marine drill instructor would be impressed. Once bedding was adjusted to her satisfaction, she fluffed the pillows and placed them neatly side by side. From there, she moved to the chest of drawers, pulling a rag out of her skirt pocket and dusting the surface, which hadn’t been allowed to gather a speck of dust since she had taken over the household duties.

  “With all that he is doing with the land, he may find the key that will free you,” she continued, voicing Rachel’s own thoughts. “I know there are times when you have felt like a prisoner because of the curse that bruja—” she spat out the word “—placed on you, but my gods were also able to save you by offering you a safe place. I feel it in my heart that the key will be found soon, chica. And once we are free, we will go to all the places you read to me in your books.” Her dark face was wreathed in a broad smile as she worked. “You will see all the places that you have only seen in that box Señor Stryker watches. We will be happy again. We will be free and we will be safe. I feel it in my heart.”

  I thought I would be happy here before. I wanted to be a wife and mother and have a full life. Rachel drifted back to the window. Harley was running in circles around Jared. Faint sounds of his barking drifted through the open window.

  “That dog is noisy and he leaves fur everywhere. He sometimes smells bad and he scatters his food around the kitchen.” Maya sniffed. “Dogs are meant to live outside and guard a house. They are not meant to live indoors. And I find him sometimes sleeping on the couch.” She bent down and plucked a tuft of fur off the small rug by the bed. She sighed as she held the clump in the air. “He will be the death of me yet.”

  Sorrow filled Rachel. But we’re already dead.

  Jared didn’t need any training to tell him something was bothering Rachel. Plus, things still didn’t add up where she and Maya were concerned. Why did Rachel wear the same old-fashioned dress every day, but always manage to look clean and neat? Why wasn’t she willing to tell him anything about herself? Maya was extremely protective of Rachel, yet so far he’d never seen the two women together. It seemed all he did was come up with more questions.

  “She’s a vampire, that’s what she is,” he muttered to himself as he trudged back to the house. “She sleeps in a coffin under the house all day and only comes out at night. She just pretends to eat dinner. And Maya’s her Renfield.” Grinning at his fanciful notion of the old woman being vampiress Rachel’s human servant, he paused by the back door to pull off his boots, and walked inside in his stockinged feet. It only took one time walking through the house with muddy boots to learn never to do it again.

  The rich aroma of chicken and dumplings teased his nostrils, making his mouth water in anticipation of the meal. His hunger pangs dimmed when he noticed strain etched on Rachel’s face.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  She attempted a faint smile. “I am all right,” she assured him.

  What if she was sick? In the short time Jared knew her, he’d never seen her look this wan.

  “Maybe you need to see a doctor.” Or blood, a tiny mocking voice in his mind added.

  Rachel didn’t look at him. “I don’t think a doctor could help me. Besides, the stew is ready.”

  He looked down at his filthy clothing. “Give me about ten minutes to get cleaned up.” As he walked out of the kitchen he didn’t see the pained look on Rachel’s face, one that had nothing to do with physical hurts.

  When Jared returned to the kitchen, Rachel spooned out the chicken into two bowls, adding fluffy dumplings to both.

  Throughout the meal he watched her pick at her food. For once there was no attempt at conversation, and when they were finished, she was a bit abrupt when she pushed him out of the kitchen so she could clean up.

  “Hey, Rach!” Jared called out ten minutes later. “There’s an all-night Avengers marathon coming on. Feel like staying up and watching it with me?”

  She found him sprawled on the floor with his back resting against the couch. He looked up and grinned.

  “I always thought Mrs. Peel was kinda sexy in all that black leather.” He raised his eyebrows up and down in a comical fashion.

  “And you expect to stay awake all night for this marathon?” Rachel sat primly on the couch.

  “Sure, why not? All I’m going to do tomorrow is head into Sierra Vista to pick up some supplies. The way I see it, I’m giving you an education in classic television.”

  She looked down at him. The ends of his hair were still damp from his shower and lay against his collar. Her fingers itched to touch the strands to see if they felt as silky as they looked. She settled for breathing in the clean crisp scent of his skin. She noticed he never wore any kind of cologne. Caleb had worn so much bay rum it had seemed to seep out of his pores.

  Every time she looked at Jared she felt an odd sensation, as if she was looking down from a high precipice, or tumbling down a mountain. What surprised her was that it was a good feeling.


  Jared was a very masculine man who should have made her uneasy. His job was violent, but while she’d seen him lose his temper, she’d never seen him take it out on anyone. A tiny part of her whispered that there was still the chance something could happen that would turn him brutal. Caleb had first given her the impression that he was a kind and gentle man. It wasn’t until they were married that his true nature asserted itself. Her wedding night had given her her first glimpse of an angry man who insisted everything be done his way. Or else there was Hades to pay.

  She tore her eyes away from Jared and focused on the television screen. “Jared, this woman is fighting the men and winning,” she said in surprise.

  He nodded. “Yeah, she kicks butt, all right.”

  As the night progressed, Rachel curled up on the couch with her legs tucked up under her heavy skirt, her cheek resting on her arm. Harley used great stealth to creep up onto the other end of the couch and curl up on the cushions without her noticing, she was so absorbed in the show. Rachel didn’t understand half of what the people said or did, but she enjoyed it much more than Jared’s usual choices.

  All day her invisible self thought of Jared Stryker and what she knew she had to do before her secret was revealed. Anticipating the day, or night, would come when Rachel would need to hide from Jared, Maya had fixed up a small room in the attic that wasn’t easily discovered. No one had gone up there for years, and she doubted Jared would have a reason to do so. It wouldn’t be easy for her to remain hidden at night when Jared was downstairs, but she knew it would be for the best. She could venture through the house while he slept or when he worked night shifts at his job, and she could still hover during the day. She had to remind herself that her first priority was finding the key so she could obtain her freedom.

  Rachel told herself it would be best if this was her last night spent with Jared. She could count on Maya manufacturing a story to explain away her disappearance. Rachel dreaded the thought of never talking to him again. The idea of no longer spending time with him was painful. She knew she would treasure the memories she had stored up, and keep them close to her heart.

  “Aren’t you sleepy?” she asked him a few hours later. “You were up early this morning and now it is so late.”

  Jared shook his head. “Working nights all these years changed my body clock. It’s probably why I find it hard to get up in the morning. I’m used to sleeping through half the day.” He turned his head and glanced at her. “Are you tired?”

  “No,” Rachel said softly. “I like this program more than those scary movies you enjoy so much.”

  He continued looking at her. “Why don’t I get a pillow for you? There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be more comfortable.”

  She shook her head. “I am fine the way I am.” But she couldn’t help giving in to temptation by placing her fingers on top of his head and turning it so he was again looking at the television. She was right that his hair felt like heavy silk. She ignored further temptation to let her fingers linger there.

  Rachel wasn’t the only one resisting temptation. Jared’s senses were more tuned to Rachel than to the classic British television series he was pretending to be interested in. All evening he’d been breathing the fragrant jasmine scent he now associated with her, and he heard the silky rustle of petticoats each time she shifted her position on the couch.

  He wanted to climb up beside her and gather her in his arms. He had it all planned in his head. He’d settle her on his lap and wrap his arms around her. Then he’d find out if her lips were as soft and kissable as they looked. He’d make sure to tease her into saying his name in that slow drawl that sounded as if she’d just walked off the set of Gone with the Wind. He was also curious to find out what was under that old-fashioned dress that covered her so thoroughly from her throat to her ankles.

  But he held back because he knew touching her so intimately wouldn’t be right. Not when he still knew so little about her.

  Both were lost in their own thoughts and unaware of the minutes, then hours, passing. When the marathon finished, Jared stood up and stretched his arms over his head.

  “Look at this! You stayed awake all night,” he teased, gazing down at Rachel, who was still curled up on the couch. “I bet you’ll want a nap right after breakfast.”

  “I just might.” She smiled back at him. Then her eyes widened with shock as she realized the implication of his words.

  All Jared saw was a woman who invited kissing. He took a chance and leaned down to kiss her.

  But before his mouth could settle on hers, Rachel was gone.

  Jared was so stunned by her sudden disappearance that he stumbled forward and almost fell onto the couch. Righting himself, he stared at the sofa as if it unexpectedly contained a worm-hole leading to another dimension. If he didn’t know it was impossible, he’d swear she’d disappeared right before his eyes.

  Awakened by the commotion, Harley sat up and batted a paw at the empty space that Rachel had occupied.

  “Whoa!”

  Jared staggered a bit as he fought to come to grips with what he’d just seen. Or not seen. He felt light-headed, as if he’d been punched in the stomach. He continued fighting for breath. Logic told him that people didn’t disappear into thin air, even if it had just happened in front of him. “What happened here, Harley?”

  The puppy’s whine wasn’t the answer Jared was looking for. He felt the need to sit down, but settling on a couch Rachel had just disappeared from didn’t seem like a good idea. For all he knew a black hole resided there and he’d be sucked down next.

  At that moment, Jared heard sounds of Maya walking around in the kitchen. He wondered if Rachel might be in there, except Maya wasn’t speaking, which was unusual in itself. Not to mention he didn’t know how Maya could have gotten into the kitchen without him seeing her, since he knew full well the back door was locked. She couldn’t have gotten there any other way unless she’d somehow slipped past him at the same moment Rachel disappeared.

  “Why is that demon box on now?” a scowling Maya muttered, walking into the room.

  She stopped short when she saw Jared’s rigid body and stunned expression. He slowly turned to face her, opening his mouth as if to say something, but seeming to have trouble forcing words out.

  She immediately sensed what was going through his mind, and knew none of it was good.

  Chapter 5

  “Maya, what the hell is going on?” Jared broke free from his frozen stance and marched into the kitchen with the force of a vengeful tornado.

  She ignored him as she filled the carafe with water and poured it into the coffeemaker. She used the amount of coffee grounds Jared preferred to make a heavy-duty brew, and switched it on. She then moved to the refrigerator and pulled out eggs and bacon.

  Jared moved swiftly to block her way. When she started to go around him, he shifted in the same direction. His harsh expression boded ill for the old woman. That same look had put fear into more than one killer, but Maya didn’t reveal any apprehension. Instead, she faced him squarely, her dark eyes snapping with irritation as he prevented her from performing her duties.

  “Where is Rachel?” he demanded with a deadly inflection in his voice. “And what the hell just happened in there?”

  Maya arched an eyebrow, not bothering to pretend she didn’t know what he was talking about. “What do you think happened?”

  He took a deep breath to keep his temper in check. He was still in shock that a scant second before his lips would have touched hers she’d suddenly disappeared into thin air.

  “I think I imagined that Rachel disappeared in front of me.” He remained on the housekeeper’s heels. “And it seems that just as she vanished, you somehow popped into a room I know for a fact was unoccupied a few minutes ago. Just don’t tell me you two are the same person or I might have to shoot someone. And it won’t be me!” He managed to keep his voice down to a dull roar.

  The woman displayed no fear of his threat.


  “If you wish answers, you will have to ask la niña, Rachel.” Maya cracked three eggs and dropped the contents into a sizzling frying pan.

  “What a great idea,” he said with a sarcastic bite. “And I’d do it except she doesn’t happen to be here, does she?”

  The woman didn’t turn a hair at the sound of his increasing roar. “Do you think you can frighten me?” she asked. “You may make a lot of noise and you have guns you could threaten me with if you wished, Señor Stryker, but nothing you say or do will make me afraid of you. Many years ago cruel, evil men with black hearts tried to frighten me. Once they almost beat me to death, but I never begged for mercy or allowed fear to enter my heart. I refused to show them fear and I will not fear you, either, señor.”

  He felt anger that anyone would hurt this proud woman. Maya had a habit of irritating him no end, but he would never dream of hurting her physically. He drew in a deep breath. “Crazy things have gone on here that I don’t understand. I haven’t asked questions before because I wanted to respect Rachel’s and your privacy, even if you were trespassing. Hey, it was obvious you’d both been through something bad. But I can’t ignore all this weirdness anymore. Why do the two of you look as if you walked out of a history book? Why do you stare at my microwave oven and call it the work of the devil? Why did you scream with horror the first time I turned on the TV?”

  Maya’s nostrils flared, as if the idea of her screaming in horror was impossible, but Jared wasn’t finished.

  “Then let’s discuss why I only see you during the day and Rachel at night. Just tell me one thing. What exactly are you two?” He felt his patience unraveling with every passing second, and his sanity trailing not far behind.

  Maya’s never-idle hands stilled ominously over the frying pan.

  “We are a part of your past,” she said softly.