To Catch a Spirit

by Carrie Pulkinen

  “Hey, Richard. This is Logan Mitchell, and look, I’m going to be honest with you, man. I don’t believe in ghosts. But there’s been some strange stuff happening in my new house, and…”

  “You just want to get it checked out. I understand.”

  “Yeah. You think you can help me out? I live on Grayhaven.”

  “What’s been going on?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been hearing things, stuff’s been moving on its own. I swear someone touched me last night, but there was no one there. I think I’m going out of my mind.”

  “That’s pretty basic stuff. It doesn’t surprise me, where you’re at anyway. There was a huge massacre of Native Americans there years ago, so there’s bound to be some negative energy around. We’d love to help you out.”

  Logan breathed a sigh of relief. Richard sounded like he knew his stuff, and he was professional. A man he could do business with. “When can you come out?”

  “Well, let’s see…How about next weekend?”

  Logan cursed under his breath. “How about tonight?”

  “Uh, well… We don’t usually do investigations on Sunday nights.”

  “I’ll pay double your normal fee.” He was desperate. He couldn’t handle another night like last night.

  “We don’t charge a fee. We work for donations.”

  “How about five-thousand-dollars? Would that get you out here tonight?”

  “Can I put you on hold for a second?”

  “Sure.” Logan smiled. Though he couldn’t read Richard’s emotions over the phone, he recognized the excited tone of voice and the urgency to discuss the offer with his colleagues. Hopefully it was a deal they couldn’t refuse, but he was willing to double his offer if he had to.

  “Thanks for holding, Mr. Mitchell.”

  “Call me Logan.”

  “Logan, I discussed it with my team, and we are available tonight. We’ll need everyone off the property to ensure there’s no interference with our investigation. Will that be a problem?”

  “Not at all. What time should I expect you?” He’d be at the benefit for most of the night, and he could always crash at Trent’s place. Spending the night somewhere else sounded pretty good at that point.

  “Does six o’clock work for you?”

  “That’s perfect. I’ll see you then. Thanks.”

  He hung up the phone and let out a long breath. Maybe he could take control of the situation, after all. At least he was doing something about it now. He closed his laptop and padded to his bedroom to shower. He put his clothes in the appropriate hampers—he’d worn them for less than an hour, but the thought of putting dirty clothes on after he showered made him cringe. Then he tried to relax as the hot water beat down on his skin, loosening the tension in his tight muscles. Maybe having a ghost in his house wouldn’t be such a bad thing. At least he’d know he wasn’t crazy. And if D.A.P.S. could show him some scientific proof, he just might believe it.

  * * *

  “Thank you so much for doing this with me, Allie.” Tina pulled her blue Audi A6 into the parking lot of Allison’s apartment building. “It’s going to be so much fun.”

  “You’re welcome. And I’ll try not to run out on you quite as early this time.”

  “I’ll hold you to that. And if Logan Mitchell tries to talk to you again, you’re going to listen.”

  She rolled her eyes as she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. “I doubt we’ll have to worry about that. I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Bye, Allie.”

  Allison ran her hands through her freshly-cut hair and admired her beautiful new dress. New to her, anyway. So what if it was last year’s style? It looked good on her, and that’s all that mattered. She folded it over her arm and jogged up the stairs to her apartment.

  Rounding the corner, she looked up just in time to avoid running right into an old friend. “Hey, Richard! What are you doing here?”

  “Hi, Allison.” Richard was a round man, about five-and-a-half feet tall. His curly brown hair matched a full beard and mustache. His tweed jacket with elbow patches and thick rimmed glasses screamed college professor. Richard worked in the Astronomy Department at the University of Michigan, but his passion was the paranormal. A passion Allison used to share.

  “I’m here to see you.” He pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled nervously.

  “Oh. Well, come on in.” Allison opened the door and turned on a lamp. “Have a seat. I’m just going to put my things away.” She went to her bedroom and laid her new dress out on the bed. Dropping her purse next to it, she joined Richard in the living room.

  “What brings you out this way?” She didn’t need to read Richard to know he had something on his mind. The nervous way he wrung his hands and glanced around the room, not meeting her gaze, gave him away.

  “Well, you know, I was just passing through and thought I’d drop in to say 'hi'. It’s been a while.”

  She smiled and sat on the sofa next to him. “Yes, it has. How have you been? How are things at D.A.P.S?”

  “All right. That’s a lie, Allison. I wasn’t just passing through. I came here to talk to you. To see if you’re ready to come back. We need you.”

  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a long blink. She certainly missed her friends at D.A.P.S., but leaving the organization was her only choice. She couldn’t risk another spiritual assault like last time. “Oh, Richard. You know I feel awful about leaving you guys, but…I can’t.”

  Richard held her gaze. “Look, you’re the best. That’s all there is to it. We’ve tried out other mediums, but they’re all either full of crap or they don’t know what the hell they’re doing. No one can clear energy like you.”

  “Richard, I…”

  “We’ve got a case tonight. The guy’s desperate. Says stuff’s moving on its own, he’s hearing voices, he’s been touched. Allison, he’s offered us five grand to do an investigation. Five grand! Lindsay and Gage are in. If you come, we’ll split the money four ways. What do you say?”

  That was a lot of money, and Lord knew she needed it. She planned to take some online college courses in January to work on getting her therapist’s license, and the money sure would help.

  Five-thousand dollars. The poor guy must’ve been desperate to offer that much money.

  But Allison didn’t work with spirits anymore.

  “I’m just not ready. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to do that again. Not after what happened.” She shuddered to think about all those entities forcing themselves into her psyche. It had taken her months to clear out the residual energy the spirits had left behind. And the agonizing, debilitating depression that followed almost broke her. “I’m sorry, Richard. I just can’t.”

  He took a deep breath and looked at his watch. “All right. I understand. So, how have you been since? I mean, you’re okay now? Still doing well?”

  “I am. It took me a while to get here, but I’m good now. I just have to be careful.”

  “You mean you’re scared.” Richard’s eyes held hers for a moment, and Allison was tempted to reach out and read his emotions. To see if her friend was still the same warm, caring guy she worked with for five years, or if money had infected his soul like it had so many others. Five-thousand dollars was a lot for an investigation, and she could tell Richard was hot for it. But there wasn’t enough money in the world to make her willing to go through that hell again.

  “Yeah. I guess I am.”

  “You’re gifted, Allison. Denying your gifts is…Well, it’s a shame. I thought you liked to help people.”

  “I do. I like to help living people. But I have to take care of myself. I’m no good to anyone in that condition. You know that, Richard. Don’t you remember what I went through?”

  “Of course I remember. I do. But it won’t happen again. We were stupid. We pushed it too hard. Going to that old mental hospital on Halloween was a mistake. We were cocky; we thought we had it under control, and it got out
of hand. We’ve learned our lesson.”

  “You don’t know that it won’t happen again.” She smoothed her jeans with her hands.

  “Yes, I do. And I think you do too. Just consider it, okay?”

  Allison huffed. She didn’t like the truth slapping her in the face like that. It was her own fear that kept her from using her gift. Deep inside, she knew it was true. But it was a fear she wasn’t ready to face. “Look, Richard. Even if I did decide to come back—and I’m not saying that I am—it wouldn’t be tonight. I’m going to a benefit for the children’s hospital, and I can’t back out.”

  Richard’s frustration slipped into a smile. “Do you have a date?”

  “Yeah.” She laughed. “With Tina.”

  “Oh. Well, I better let you get ready. I have to meet the client at six, anyway. If you change your mind, you’ve got my number.”

  “It was good to see you again.”

  “Just think about it. Okay?”

  “I will.”

  Allison shut and locked the door after Richard left. How could he even consider asking her to go back to D.A.P.S? He knew what she went through. It’d been almost a year since it happened, but that wasn’t something she could just forget about.

  He was right, though. She was scared. And denying her gift was a waste. She knew that. She curled up on the couch and lay her head on a pillow as the memories swirled in her head. No, it wasn’t something she could just get over. Even after a year, it was still too much to handle.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Logan thumbed through the guest list at the Detroit Marriot at the Renaissance Center. The benefit would take place in the Renaissance Ballroom, but Logan and Trent stood in a smaller meeting room making sure everything was in order for the event. “You sure you’re okay with me crashing at your place tonight?”

  “Yeah, man. Mi casa es su casa. You know that. Got the guest bedroom all ready for you. Clean sheets and everything.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  Concern emanated from Trent. “You think they’re going to find anything?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so, though. At least I’d know I’m not crazy.”

  “Yeah.” Trent looked over Logan’s shoulder as he focused on the guest list. “Looking for someone special?”

  He dropped the paper. “Nah. It’s not important.”

  Trent flashed a knowing smile and picked up the list. “You wouldn’t be looking for a certain blonde, would you?”

  “No. Of course not. You know me better than that.”

  “Uh-huh. You find out her name?”

  “No.”

  “Then maybe you should be looking for her Realtor friend. You know her name, right?”

  “Aw, hell.” Logan snatched the paper from Trent’s hands and slid his finger down the list of names. “There it is. Tina Sanders and guest. No name for the guest. Shit.”

  “Well, you can always hope.”

  “Or hope not. I don’t know. There’s just something about her. I can’t explain it, but ever since I saw her the other night, I can’t get her out of my head. Something’s wrong with me.”

  Trent laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with you, man. You’re attracted to an intriguing woman. Go after her.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “You know why.”

  “Ahh, Logan. Listen, bro’. We’ve been friends for a long time, and…Well, you’ve got it hard enough as it is. Don’t punish yourself for your father’s mistakes. Live your life the way you want to live it.”

  “Thanks. That’s good advice.”

  “But you’re not going to take it.”

  “Probably not.”

  “All right, man. I’m done preaching. Let’s go raise some money, and maybe even have a little fun while we’re at it.”

  * * *

  Allison took one last look in her full-length mirror. Her new dress flattered her figure, and the royal blue against her pale skin didn’t wash out her complexion like so many other colors tended to. With her new haircut and her makeup done just right, she had to admit she looked hot. Maybe Logan Mitchell would notice her tonight. And why not? She was just as pretty as all those girls who threw themselves at him.

  Not that it mattered, though. She wasn’t interested in him. So what if she found her thoughts drifting to those piercing blue eyes and dazzling smile every now and again? She was a woman; she was allowed to wonder what he looked like underneath his designer clothes.

  Okay. So maybe she was a little bit interested, but it was his fault. If he hadn’t been screaming his emotions at her that night, she never would have known that underneath his cocky, incredibly sexy exterior was a lonely, frightened, intriguing man.

  Tina was right; she did have a soft spot for Logan Mitchell. But it didn’t matter, because she wasn’t going to get involved with him. She wasn’t going to get involved with anyone. Money was a disease that rotted people from the inside out. It’s what killed her dad. She wasn’t taking any chances with men. Especially wealthy ones. The wound was too raw.

  Still, it might lift her spirits if she at least caught his eye.

  Tina arrived right on time, wearing a sparkly silver gown that covered one shoulder and left the other bare. Her matching three-inch heels clicked across the short, tiled entryway on her way to give Allison a hug.

  “Oh, Allie! You look beautiful!” She motioned for her to turn, so she did a spin to show off her dress. “Wow.”

  “Thanks. You look pretty hot too.”

  “I know.” Tina grinned. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride together?”

  “No, I think I better take my own car. You know I don’t last long at these things. Besides, what if you meet someone? I don’t want to cramp your style.”

  She sighed. “Okay. But you’re going to have fun tonight, Allie. I can feel it.”

  “Oh? Are you psychic now?” She laughed and followed Tina out the door.

  Since Allison lived just outside downtown, the drive to the hotel was short. Tina pulled up to the valet, but Allison stopped a block away to park on the curb, where it was free. She had driven by the location many times, but this was her first venture inside the five-star hotel. It was typical—just like all the other luxury hotels she’d stayed in with her parents on the many vacations they took when she was a child. Before her dad gambled all the money away.

  Already unimpressed, she straightened her spine and put on her best smile as she strode into the ballroom with her friend. Soft jazz music piped in through hidden speakers, and a magnificent buffet sat against the far wall. They stopped by the bar to pick up a glass of wine before they began to mingle.

  Allison knew how to play the game. The benefit was a fundraiser, of course, but she knew the real reason they did it this way. Networking and face time. Any one of these high-rollers could’ve just as easily made a private donation to the hospital, but they wouldn’t be getting anything in return. And that’s what it was all about wasn’t it? You can’t get something for nothing, after all. No, these pretentious assholes preferred to make their donations in a public setting, so everyone would know what great people they were.

  Right.

  And since Logan Mitchell financed the entire event, he fit right in with all the others.

  She sighed. It was wrong to judge people. Especially when she didn’t even know them. Holding a benefit like this did encourage a lot of people to open up their checkbooks. People who wouldn’t have done so otherwise. Maybe she should give him the benefit of the doubt.

  Or maybe not.

  She spotted Logan across the room with a woman already glued to his side. Her dress barely covered the important parts, and she wore so much makeup, she must’ve had to apply it with a spatula. She giggled incessantly and petted his arm while he spoke to another man. Logan looked irritated, but Allison couldn’t be sure if it was the woman that bothered him or something else.

  “Look at him, Tina. I don�
�t think we have to worry about him trying to talk to me tonight. He’s obviously got his hands full.”

  “One wrong move, and she’s going to pop right out of her dress. But he doesn’t look too happy to be with her. I bet she just attached herself to him as soon as she saw him.”

  “Probably. But he’s not trying very hard to get rid of her if he’s not interested.” A twinge of disappointment squeezed in her chest. She turned to walk away, but Tina stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

  “Wait, Allie. I think you spoke too soon.”

  She turned around in time to watch Logan peel the floozy off his arm. He said something to her, put up his hands like he was telling her to stay, and he briskly strode away.

  “Aww, poor baby.” Tina laughed. “She looks so disappointed.”

  Allison didn’t notice the rejected female. Her eyes were trained on Logan. He looked amazing in his custom-tailored tuxedo, and he carried himself with such confidence. Almost too much confidence. He had something on his mind though, she could tell. The girl on his arm was part of what bothered him, but he was still disturbed by something. Something else entirely. She fought the urge to reach out and read his emotions like she’d accidentally done before. She wanted to know about more than what was under that tux; she wanted to know him. And that scared her. She needed to stay away from him. One heartache per lifetime was enough, thank you.

  “It’s not polite to stare.” Tina waved a hand in front of Allison’s face. “Why don’t you just go talk to him? You obviously want to.”

  “I do not.” She tore her gaze away from Logan to look at her friend. “And even if I did, he’d probably just dump me off like he did the last floozy. Anyway, he’s not the type of guy I want to get involved with.”

  Tina crossed her arms. “Okay, first of all, you’re not a floozy. And second, what is he? Too rich? Too handsome? Too successful? Come on, Allie!”

  “He’s all of the above. Just let it go, okay? I’m not interested in him.”

  Tina’s smile widened. “Well, I think he’s interested in you.”

  * * *

  “Thank you for helping to make this fundraiser a success.” Logan shook the man’s hand and turned to the woman hanging on his arm. Where the hell had she come from? She’d attached herself to him and had been getting on his nerves all night.