From the Shadows

by B. J Daniels

  It wasn’t the time for either of them to even consider getting romantically involved. He’d been going through his own baggage, and now he would soon own this hotel. He still didn’t know what he was going to do with it.

  The best thing he could do right now was just be here for Casey. Once this was all over... She hadn’t heard him approach but had seemed almost relieved when he’d joined her in the kitchen doorway. With Jason behind this, he didn’t like Casey being down here alone.

  Jason had grinned when he saw Finn there. “Glad you’re both here. This will be fun.” Finn highly doubted that. “Let’s see if Megan is really still around. Don’t pretend you don’t want to know.” He’d glanced pointedly at Casey.

  Now Finn considered those seated around the table. Most of them had spent the day drinking, and from the open beer cans around the table, they weren’t stopping now. They looked bored after their ghost scare. If it weren’t for the approaching storm, they would still be out by the campfire waiting to see Megan’s ghost again. Was it possible Jason had been behind that stunt, just as Casey suspected? He could very well be working with Claude and Devlin.

  One thing was clear: Jason had known he had to raise the stakes or he would lose the others to their own devices tonight. But a Ouija board?

  “You do realize there is no scientific evidence that a Ouija board is any more than a toy,” Benjamin said.

  Thunder boomed so loudly that it seemed to shake the hotel walls. They all started at its closeness and then laughed nervously. The lights dimmed as if about to go out. It felt as if the entire room was holding its breath. In the jittery silence, Finn could feel tension replace boredom.

  The lights flickered before coming back on. Jason laughed. “Seems Megan is anxious to talk to us.” He glanced toward the door where Finn and Casey stood. “Turn out the overhead light. Let’s give her what she wants.”

  Finn reached over and hit the switch, leaving only the candle flickering in the middle of the table and the dim lights from the hallway. Dark shadows filled the edges of the room. He looked at Casey.

  He wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but then again, she knew her own mind. Like him, she was probably curious to see just how far Jason planned to take this.

  * * *

  “ARE THERE ANY spirits here tonight?” Jason asked the now-silent room.

  Casey could hear nothing but her own pulse thrumming in her ears and the sound of the storm raging outside. A bolt of lightning was followed soon behind by a crack of thunder. No one seemed to move, and then the planchette slowly circled the board once more before stopping on Yes.

  “Are you a good spirit?” Jason asked.

  Laughter broke the spell. “Not a chance in hell,” Patience said.

  Next to Finn, Casey shifted on her feet.

  “What’s your name?”

  For a moment the planchette didn’t move. Then, very quickly, it swung to M, then E, then G-A-N. The room had grown deathly quiet, while outside it sounded as if the storm were growing stronger.

  “This is ridiculous,” Benjamin said, but he didn’t get up and leave. His face looked pale in the candlelight. All of their faces had taken on an eerie glow.

  “Where did you die?” Jason asked.

  Silence. The pointer didn’t move. Casey could hear the tick of the clock, the hum of the refrigerator and the storm as it was attacking the hotel as if wanting in.

  The planchette began to move slowly. B-U-C-K-H-O-R-N.

  “Is there anything you want to tell us?” Again, nothing moved.

  Then the pointer hurriedly spelled out four words. There was a collective gasp. GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

  Benjamin did more than scoff. He started to get up to leave, but Jason waved him back down.

  “She’ll only appear if we are all here,” he said and looked up directly at Casey again.

  She could feel Finn watching her. She knew he was worried about where this was headed. He wasn’t the only one.

  “Megan, we’re all here,” Jason said. “How do we know you’re here?”

  Silence. It felt heavy against her chest. Maybe this foolishness would—

  A cup that had been sitting at the edge of the table suddenly fell. The percussion of it striking the floor and shattering made them all jump. There was a smattering of nervous laughter.

  “Megan’s here, all right,” Jason said. “She isn’t going to clean up the mess she made, either.” More laughter.

  But Casey didn’t join in. “Casey, come on. Don’t you want to ask her something?” Jason said.

  She felt the tension in the room. Her nerves stretched to breaking as she felt Jason waiting for her to say something. And Finn thought Jason had a crush on her? Was he mad?

  Walk out. You don’t have to do this.

  Only she didn’t move. A dead Megan didn’t scare her. Nor did a live Jason.

  “Ask her what she broke of mine,” she said, surprised that her voice sounded normal to her ears. Jason looked startled.

  He studied her for a moment and then shrugged. “Why not? I believe you just asked her.”

  The planchette began to move. Casey watched it slowly slide around as if not knowing where to go next. She felt some of her tension release. She was pretty sure that only she and Megan knew the answer. She wanted to laugh since it meant Jason didn’t know.

  But then the device landed on the B. She caught her breath as she watched it move more quickly now, going to the R, then A, C, E, L, E and T and stop dead.

  She could feel all eyes on her, including Finn’s.

  “Well?” Jason asked without looking at her.

  “It was my bracelet,” she said, confirming that Megan had told Jason about her favorite bracelet and probably a lot more. Megan had admired the bracelet, then had wanted to take a closer look and then had jerked it, breaking the link. She’d said she was sorry, that it was an accident, but it was just another of her lies.

  “I’m sure you can fix it,” Megan had said, knowing it wasn’t true. “Or maybe not. It looks cheap. I’m sure you can find another one at a thrift store.”

  Megan had known that the bracelet had been given to her by her grandmother and that it wouldn’t have mattered if it had been cheap—which it wasn’t.

  Casey had never worn it again. The bracelet was still hidden in the bottom of her jewelry box because she couldn’t part with it, and also, even if fixed, Megan had ruined it.

  “It was a bracelet?” Jen asked and then shivered as she removed her fingertips for a moment before putting them back on the pointer.

  “Come on,” Benjamin said. “If this isn’t just a toy, ask Megan what we all really want to know. Who killed her?”

  Silence. Casey thought she could hear the beating of everyone’s heart in the room. “Who killed you?” Jason asked. The planchette didn’t move. Hardly anyone seemed to be breathing.

  Nothing happened.

  It was Finn who let out a laugh that startled everyone. The pointer jumped across the board. Jen had to wipe her damp hands on her jeans. Patience pulled back her fingers and took a drink of her beer as if she didn’t want any part of it anymore.

  “Wasn’t Megan hit in the back of the head?” Finn asked, clearly aware that was the case. “What if she doesn’t know who killed her?”

  Benjamin was staring at him. “You don’t really believe that she’s here, answering our questions, do you?”

  He shrugged.

  Jason piped up. “She knew about the bracelet. Apparently only she and Casey had known about that.”

  “Apparently,” Casey said, meeting his gaze.

  “Finn’s right,” Jason said. “Maybe she doesn’t know who killed her.”

  “Well, then, that’s just sad,” Benjamin said. “If you’re the killer, wouldn’t you have wanted to look her in the eye when you killed her? I would have. I wo
uld have wanted her to know it was me.”

  Jason had his fingertips back on the pointer. The second Jen put hers back on, it moved.

  Casey watched it. F, then U, then B-E-N. Everyone laughed except Benjamin.

  “There must be something else we can ask her,” Jason said.

  “Ask her if she’s sorry for the way she treated us,” Shirley said.

  Silence again. They waited. The planchette began to move. No.

  “At least she’s honest,” Jen said.

  “Does she know what a bitch she is?” Benjamin said.

  Yes.

  The group was growing restless. Jason seemed to sense it. “If you had to guess, who wanted you dead the most?”

  Silence. Everyone stared at the board. Then, slowly, almost painfully, the planchette began to slide across the board. B-E-N.

  Ben erupted, shooting to his feet in anger. “I’ve had enough.” He stormed out of the kitchen, shoving past Casey and Finn still in the doorway.

  “Any more questions?” Jason asked.

  “Tell her to show herself,” Patience said, refusing to put her fingers back on the pointer. “No more cup tricks. I want to see her.”

  “We’ll give it a try,” Jason said with a shrug. “But since you don’t believe in this... Megan, show yourself.” Nothing happened.

  “I’m with Ben,” Finn whispered to Casey. “You ready to go?”

  Casey turned on the lights. “I think everyone’s had enough,” she said to Jason.

  The atmosphere in the kitchen changed in an instant as the electricity went out, pitching the room into darkness.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  IT TOOK A MOMENT for the backup generator to come on. Finn found himself holding his breath. No one seemed to move. The lights flashed on and off for a few moments before they remained on.

  Jason laughed. “Nice one, Megan.”

  “Unless you believe that was the storm,” Patience said and rose to leave.

  “I’ve had enough, too,” Shirley said. “I need a beer and a smoke. It sounds like the storm might be moving on.”

  “I agree with Shirley,” Jen said, getting to her feet. “Megan doesn’t have the guts to show herself.”

  The door behind Casey slammed shut with such a crash that someone let out a startled cry before Jason started laughing. “Tell me that wasn’t Megan. You had all better watch your backs.”

  Finn opened the door. There was no one in the hall. Just a chill wind. Ben had apparently left the back door open on his way out.

  Jason put away the Ouija board. “Who’s going with me to the bar?” Jen said she would go. Shirley, too.

  “Count me in, too,” Patience said.

  Finn figured they just wanted out of the hotel. It did sound like the thunderstorm was moving on.

  “Have fun, but I’m calling it a night,” Casey said as she started down the hallway.

  Finn might have gone after her, but sensed she needed to be alone. After they had all left, he stood in the kitchen. He’d read in Anna’s journal that she’d completely remodeled the space about five years ago. He blinked at the bright overhead lights, all the stainless steel and white cabinets, now that the shadows had all scurried away.

  He could see Casey as a girl, propped up on a stool, watching the chefs cook. According to her grandmother, she’d loved the activity, the sound of pots and pans, the smells of the food. The cooks always fed her treats and told her stories about meals that had been served to the rich and famous over the years.

  If there were ghosts in this hotel, they were here in this kitchen, he thought as he turned out the lights and headed up for bed.

  * * *

  CASEY TRIED TO shake off what had happened in the kitchen. Her rational mind told her that it had all been a show, orchestrated by Jason. Like Megan, he liked to fool with people. He especially liked to fool with her.

  As she got ready for bed, she thought of Finn. It had been so sweet of him to suggest the ice cream. He was so protective and caring. By tomorrow, she would have signed away the hotel and have no reason to stay any longer. Leaving had been all she’d thought about. Until Finn.

  It was late when she heard a door open across the hall. Finn must be having trouble sleeping as well. She swung her legs out of bed, moving to her door as if drawn like metal to magnet. She cracked it open, thinking she would thank him again for the ice cream.

  “Hey,” Finn said and looked glad to see her. He wore a T-shirt and running shorts, his hair wet as if he’d just showered. That certainly brought back some memories. “I like your pajamas.”

  She realized that she hadn’t grabbed her robe. She’d been in a hurry. She hadn’t just wanted to thank Finn for the ice cream; she’d wanted to tell him how glad she was that he was here. She couldn’t imagine what it would have been like without him even if he hadn’t bought the hotel. She also wanted to say that she was glad he wasn’t upset with her about Megan’s diary.

  But he smiled at her, and all the things she wanted to say went out of her head.

  “Are those moose?” he asked as he stepped closer.

  She looked down at her pj’s and laughed. “My grandmother bought me these Christmas before last. At least they don’t have feet in them.”

  “I like them.” He was close now, so close she could smell the soap from his recent shower. Her memory shot right back to that first day and him naked as a jaybird with water and soapsuds rippling over that incredible body.

  “I just wanted to thank you,” she said into the tense silence that had fallen between them. “For the ice cream. For...everything.” Her skin felt hot, her heart a drum in her chest; she felt as if she didn’t dare breathe. He was so close that he would barely need to move to kiss her.

  She wasn’t that inexperienced girl who’d gone into the woods with Jason. She was a woman who could appreciate a real man’s kiss.

  “You’re most welcome,” he said with a slight bow. He hesitated. “We’ve both had quite the day.” He took a step back.

  She nodded, hating the stab of disappointment that pierced her chest.

  As she started to turn toward her room again, she heard him mutter, “Oh, hell.” He caught her hand. She felt her pulse jump as he turned her back to him. Eyes locked with hers, he pulled her closer. Her breath caught again in her throat. She felt as if she’d been headed to this point her whole life.

  “I’ve been wanting to do this from the first time I saw you standing in my bathroom holding a gun on me,” Finn said, his voice thick with desire. He encircled her in his arms, drawing her into him as his mouth dropped to hers.

  The kiss was tender and sweet, tentative and then fierce in its need. She lost herself in him. Time seemed suspended. She could feel his heart pounding like her own, just as she could feel the heat of him.

  As he slowly drew back from the kiss to meet her gaze, his voice was rough with emotion as he said, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He cleared his throat. “I just want you to know that I’m here for you.” Just across the hall. Just a few steps away.

  “You really aren’t angry about the diary?” she had to ask.

  He looked surprised by the question. “No. I’m just glad you told me. I hope you feel better having done so.” She did. Their gazes locked, stealing her breath.

  He drew back, letting her go. “Sleep tight,” he said with a slight bow. “Watch those bedbugs.”

  She grimaced. “Not funny.”

  “Better than ghosts,” he said, then mugged a face.

  “Yes,” she said, smiling, the kiss still warm on her lips, branded in her memory as the best kiss ever. “Anything is better than ghosts.” Even as she said it, she knew that wasn’t true. A killer would be worse. A killer pretending to be a ghost.

  * * *

  WORKING LATE AT night alone in the underbelly of the ho
tel was taking too long. The explosives were set, but laying the electrical detonator fuse, which was just a long length of electrical wire, took precision if the explosives were to go off as planned.

  Guessing at how much fuse to put between the various bombs was the tricky part. The idea was to cause them to go off one after another in a chain reaction.

  Just being down here with all this dynamite was so dangerous that a person often had to wipe the sweat away. A hand trembled at even the thought of what could happen with just a wrong move as the fuses were connected to each bomb.

  But the alternative would be much worse. The fallout too much to bear.

  The coil of wire was hefted, and the fuse was strung from one support spot to the next. So close now, working only at night, when no one would think of coming down to investigate the noise. It was almost done.

  Once all the wire was laid, all that was needed was a battery. When it was time, the electrical current would be sent through the wire, causing it to heat up and ignite the flammable substance on the detonator end, which in turn set off the primer charge, which would trigger the main explosives.

  Kaboom! Kaboom! Kaboom!

  The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Oh, how the Crenshaw would fall! But before it did, if anyone got to snooping around and came down into the underground maze of tunnels below the hotel... Well, that couldn’t happen. It wasn’t quite ready yet. There was one thing that had to be done first.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Sunday

  JASON HAD NEVER had trouble sleeping. Usually he’d had enough to drink after work—he used the term work loosely since he sat behind a desk in his beautiful corner office to do the ridiculously easy jobs his father thought he couldn’t screw up.

  Everyone in the company was aware that he couldn’t be trusted to follow through. In his boredom, he often missed deadlines, did a sloppy job or totally blew off the menial assignments. He was a joke. A bad joke.