chapter 11
After three attempts, Nick was able to start Brandee’s vehicle. He’d poked around under the hood and finally decided the car was old and tired. Maybe it needed a new battery, but more than likely it needed to be junked. A dealer might give her a hundred bucks for it as a trade-in, but that was being optimistic. After waiting years for his true mate, he didn’t want to lose her just because her car broke down in a dicey part of the city.
Nick waited outside Brandee’s apartment with his grimy hands in his pockets. The mid-September evening was the first to feel like autumn. At last Sadie exited the bar, wearing her woolen South American poncho.
“Do you still want to invade the girls’ privacy?” she asked.
He hesitated, but only for a second. “I need to know Brandee’s not living with a poltergeist. You won’t rat on me, will you?”
“I told you all my work is confidential. However, breaking and entering costs extra.” She winked.
“Fine. Money doesn’t matter if it reassures me that Brandee is safe.” He opened the outside door. The two of them tromped up the narrow stairway to the second-floor apartment.
At the door, he chose the key he thought was the right one and tried it. The door opened easily. Too easily, in his opinion. He made a mental note to install a dead bolt for Brandee.
Sadie flipped on the light and glanced around the small but neat apartment. “Not bad for the area. I live in a one-bedroom closet. This living room must be about four hundred square feet. Are the bedrooms roomy?”
“I’ve only seen one, but it’s tiny.”
Sadie’s lips curled up on one side.
“Oh, very clever,” Nick said. “Yes, I’ve been in her bedroom.”
She grinned. “Good.”
Nick took a seat on the lounger part of the sectional and stretched out with his hands clasped behind his head. He couldn’t help smiling when he thought about making out with Brandee on that couch. “Okay, Sadie. Do your thing.”
Sadie closed her eyes. “Spirit, if you can hear me, give me a sign.”
All remained quiet. Sadie wandered around the living room. “I can sense a presence.” Addressing the spirit, she said, “I’d like to know if I can help you.” Suddenly, she stopped and cupped her ear. “What was that?”
Nick swung his feet to the floor. “What? I didn’t hear anything.”
“Shhh! I wasn’t talking to you, Nick.”
He gripped the edge of the sofa and waited. Then he heard a noise too. It sounded like footsteps.
Suddenly the door swung open and Brandee appeared. Before he could say something, she looked up and shrieked.
Nick rose quickly. “Relax. It’s just me and Sadie. We heard—”
Before he could finish his sentence, she threw a set of keys on the floor with a loud crash. “Angie” was spelled out in chunky silver metal. A large brown stain covered Brandee’s blouse.
“Oh, my invasion of privacy! What the pluck are you doing in my apartment?”
“I was about to tell you.” But what could he say? He didn’t want to frighten her by mentioning ghosts. But what other explanation was there, besides a robbery or surprise party? If only I had a cake and balloons.
Thankfully, Sadie jumped in. “I was trying to see if there were any spirits present in your apartment. Nick said you described some otherworldly sounds, and I—”
Brandee jammed her hands onto her hips. “And you never thought to ask my permission? You just decided to come up here and look around? Un-freakin’-believable.”
Nick tried to reach for her, but she stepped away. “I didn’t want to scare you if it was nothing, sweetheart.”
“Oh, it’s not nothing,” Brandee said. “You’d probably arrest someone who was in your apartment without permission.”
“I, uh—well…”
“Give me my keys and get out. Right now. Both of you.”
Sadie crossed to the door immediately, but Nick didn’t move. He had to get Brandee to understand. The tenuous trust he had managed to reclaim couldn’t withstand any more suspicion.
“Brandee, please let me explain. I had to be sure you didn’t have a poltergeist or some kind of—”
She stomped her foot. “No, you didn’t. You didn’t have to poke around my home without my knowledge or permission. You didn’t. Angie and I have lived here for a year. If the boogeyman was going to get me, wouldn’t the spirit or poltergeist or whatever monster is under the bed have made a move by now?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she shut him down with her continuing tirade.
“I don’t know who you think you are. One minute you want nothing to do with relationships, and the next you’re taking over my life.”
“But—”
“But nothing! I said ‘Get out’ and I’m not going to say it again. Now hand over my damn keys. I have to change my blouse and get back to work. I’m not going into my bedroom until you’re on the other side of this door. If you still refuse to leave, I’m calling the cops. Oh, and here’s your damn camera.” She picked it up off the side table and thrust it at him. He didn’t want to take it, but she looked ready to throw it at him if he didn’t.
Sadie grabbed Nick’s arm and tugged. “Come on, Nick. Sometimes it’s better to live to fight another day.”
One more look at the murder in his girlfriend’s eyes told him perhaps Sadie was right.
Nick handed Brandee’s key ring to her. “We’ll talk later.” He followed Sadie out, and the door slammed behind them—hard.
***
After the shift from hell, Brandee flopped into the side chair. She didn’t want to sit on the couch where she and Nick had almost—forget it. She had to forget Nick Wolfensen.
Sadie’s presence is what really threw her. Ghosts? She couldn’t see the two of them together in her apartment for any other reason. She needed to talk to someone, bad.
“Ange?” she called out.
Angie rounded the corner, wearing her pajama bottoms and a tank top. She was brushing her shiny blond hair one hundred strokes like she did every night. “Yeah?”
“Can you talk for a few minutes?”
Angie stopped brushing and lowered herself to the couch. “What’s up?”
“I need a sympathetic ear.”
“Sympathetic is my middle name.”
Brandee smiled. “Well, Angie Sympathetic Tripp, what I have to tell you is going to sound weird.”
Angie sighed. “Weird is my other middle name. Angie Sympathetic to Weird Shit Tripp. So, spill it.”
“Remember when I ran up here to change my shirt during our shift?”
“Yeah, you had a collision with someone’s rum and Coke. I remember.”
“When I walked in, I caught Nick and Sadie sniffing around our living room.”
Angie reared back. “Nick and Sadie? Wait, you gave Nick your keys, but I thought it was to look at your car.”
“It was. But apparently he used them to let Sadie in so she could look for ghosts in our apartment.”
Angie’s jaw dropped. “What the… They were playing ghost busters? Here?”
“Yeah. Sadie said she sensed a presence, and Nick wanted her to check it out to be sure we were safe.”
Angie glanced around the apartment. “Oh my God. Did they find anything?”
“I have no idea. I was so mad at them for being here without my permission that I kind of went ballistic and threw them out before they could tell me anything.”
“Damn. I wish you’d at least waited to hear what Sadie found.”
Brandee couldn’t believe her roommate was more concerned with the possibility of unwanted ghosts in their apartment than the actuality of uninvited humans.
“Do you believe in ghosts, Ange?”
She shrugged. “I guess. Do you?”
Brandee gnawed on her fingernail. “I never really considered it until Nick brought up the subject. Mrs. Balog knocked on our door and told me and Nick to keep it down. I confronted her on the loud banging and grunting sounds that come from upstairs some nights.”
“I always assumed they were the sounds an old building makes. I’ve learned to tune out the racket.”
“Me too. But what if there’s more to it?”
“Oh, crap. Now I’ll be sleeping with one eye open.”
“I’m sorry. That’s exactly what I didn’t want. I never thought you’d believe in ghosts. I’ll talk to Sadie tomorrow.”
“Maybe I should do it. If you went ballistic on her ass…”
Brandee chuckled. “Yeah, I kind of did. I’m still pissed at Nick. I imagine it was his idea, not Sadie’s. I know he wants to look out for me, but he overstepped this time.”
“Yeah. Sadie kind of goes where the work takes her.” Angie resumed brushing her hair. “I can’t imagine her coming up here on her own.”
“Me neither. I know her nephew owns the building and everything, but I don’t think she feels entitled to the run of the place.”
Brandee kicked at the floor. “Yeah. I’m really disappointed. I was surprised when he wanted to do the boyfriend-girlfriend thing, but his definition of what that includes is drastically different from mine. He’s way too possessive.”
“Jeez. What are you going to do?”
Brandee hung her head. “I don’t know. What would you do?”
Angie held up her hands and leaned away. “Oh no. No, no, no. You’re not going to trick me into giving you relationship advice. I tried to warn you away from him. But when you didn’t listen, I decided to keep my opinions to myself. It’s all you from here on.”
Brandee slumped. “Great. I was hoping you’d tell me to break up with him.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to, but I think I probably should.”
Angie rose. “I’ll let you sleep on that. I’m off to bed so I can lie awake and listen to everything that goes bump in the night.”
“Sorry.” Brandee felt like the worst roommate ever.
***
Anthony slid into the booth across from Sadie the following night. He folded his hands and didn’t say a word.
She stopped shuffling her cards. “Are you angry?”
“No. Should I be?”
“I hope not. I apologized to Brandee and Angie for invading their space without their knowledge. They both seemed to understand it was only to assure Nick of their safety.”
“Yes, I spoke to Nick. Meanwhile, they spent a sleepless night, wondering what spirit or spirits might be haunting their apartment. Did you learn anything while you were there?”
“There’s definitely something around, but I didn’t have enough time to establish communication.”
“Could you do it from down here?”
“Probably, after-hours. I think the entity avoids people. If anything, that should make the girls feel safer.”
Anthony studied his clasped hands. “Okay, then. I’d like to ask you to stay after closing time tonight. Can you do that?”
Sadie’s lips curled slightly. “Is there cash involved?”
“How about not pressing charges? Will that do?”
Sadie let out a big sigh. “All right.”
Anthony laughed. “I love your entrepreneurial side, Sadie.” And he did. His only known relative was an interesting mix of kooky and clever. What some might call crazy like a fox.
She returned to shuffling the cards. “How long should I stay if no one appears?”
Anthony scratched the eternal stubble on his chin. “I think you’d know better than I would how much time to give a shy spirit.”
“I’ll stay until just after midnight. The bar will have been empty for about an hour. That should be enough time.”
“It’s a full moon tonight. I’ll stay with you to be sure you get home okay.”
“It might be best if you stay in your office. I don’t want anyone else around to spook the little bugger.”
Anthony’s eyebrows rose. “Little? Did you get the sense that it might be a child?”
Sadie’s brows knit. “Not exactly. It was odd. The only thing I heard sounded like a cough, but from about waist high. I hope I can tell you more later.”
“So do I.” Anthony rose and strolled toward the bar. He waved over Angie and Brandee.
When the two of them stood close enough to speak in low tones, he said. “I’m going to have Sadie stay after closing. She’ll make contact from down here. Hopefully, she’ll be able to make whatever is hanging around move on.”
Brandee placed a fist on her hip. “If she can talk to the spirit from down here, why did she have to go into our apartment last night?”
“She said it probably avoids people. Since she’s never around when the bar is empty, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to make contact with whatever shy spirit could be here. That’s another reason you girls should feel plenty safe.”
Brandee and Angie stared at each other.
“Do you feel safe, yet, Ange?”
Angie lifted one finger to say, “just a sec,” to a patron who was trying to get her attention. “I have to go, but let us know what she finds as soon as you can. I’ll feel better when this spirit thing moves on or goes into the light, or whatever it is they do.”
She scurried off, but Brandee was still looking at Anthony as if she had more questions.
“Have you heard from Nick?” she asked.
“Uh—yes, but I doubt he’ll be in tonight.”
“Coward,” she muttered and strode off to pick up an order.
***
Nick had another case, and just in time too. He needed something to focus on other than how hugely he had screwed up with Brandee, and he was getting nowhere on the identity of Katie’s kidnapper. But tonight the full moon would demand he shift. He only had time for some basic research on the assignment before he met the rest of the pack.
This new case was becoming an embarrassment to the department. It should have been solved by now. He didn’t wonder why they’d finally come to him. It had the stamp of paranormal all over it.
Banks were being robbed by seemingly invisible perps. Captain Hunter had managed to get some camera footage from one such heist to Nick.
Nick was scanning the footage over and over. Finally, he slowed it way down. A faint blur appeared and Nick thought he knew what he was after, but not who. A vampire could move so fast he’d be undetected by the naked eye or cameras. It fit with the rest of the story too—except in one important way. Vampires couldn’t pull this off during the day, and these robberies occurred only when the vault was opened. Someone was taking advantage of the short time it took to load or unload the vault. Unmarked cash—a few banded stacks at a time—seemed to disappear unnoticed until the next time the books were reconciled.
Shit. He couldn’t slow the footage enough to see a body or face. Stopping it on a blur only showed a dull wash of gray. Nick’s mind wandered to Brandee. How she’d worn gray that first night she followed him. Most of her red hair had been covered by a hoodie. The memory had nothing to do with the case, but everything reminded him of Brandee.
He glanced at his watch. He had just enough time to hop the train to Newton and meet up with the pack before the full moon. He usually arrived early to visit with his brother and sister-in-law before heading to the wooded area behind the school where the pack shifted. But tonight he’d have to go straight there.
After closing and putting away his computer, Nick’s mind drifted back to Brandee. Again. It was probably a good thing he had no time to chat with his brother before the shift. Now he wouldn’t have to tell him about finding his true mate, only to screw up royally. He’d wait until he’d repaired things with Brandee. A little voice in the back of his mind said, If you can patch things up.
He squashed that thought. He had to fix this. Roses, candy, holding a boom box playing a romantic song under her window…he’d do whatever. Hell, if he had to confess all his secrets—including his paranormal identity—to earn back her trust, he’d do it. Mother Nature and the Council be damned. But did he dare take the chance of scaring Brandee to death? He was almost positive she was his one true mate. No one had ever affected him the way she did…and he doubted anyone ever would.
***
Brandee had managed to talk Sadie into letting her stay in the bar after-hours to watch her communicate with the ghost. Sure, the psychic seemed trustworthy, but Brandee wanted to hear the interaction for herself. Sadie could make up anything the next day.
Sadie had insisted that Brandee stay behind the bar. She said, with Anthony in his office and another person around, she wasn’t sure the spirit would approach her. With that in mind, Brandee brought a book with her and squatted on a footstool behind the bar, out of sight of any ghost that might appear. It was the best she could do to be invisible.
The bar had closed at eleven as usual. The staff had done their rudimentary cleanup. Placing chairs on top of wiped tables, sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, and then everyone departed. It wasn’t unusual for Anthony to stay in his office a little longer, but he always left by eleven thirty or eleven forty-five at the latest.
Brandee didn’t know why he refused to stay open past midnight like other bars in the city, but she wasn’t about to question her easy hours.
She was beginning to think nothing was going to happen. It was nearly midnight and Sadie had tried a couple times to make contact without success.
Then at the stroke of midnight someone spoke. It was a voice Brandee had never heard before—definitely not Sadie or Anthony. The strange voice sounded kind of like someone who had just inhaled a lungful of helium.
Sadie responded cordially. She didn’t sound surprised or upset, so chances were it wasn’t a burglar.
“You’ll have to leave—we won’t work around you,” the odd voice said.
“I’m honored that you showed up despite my presence and that you’re allowing me to talk to you,” Sadie said.
“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” another voice said. He also sounded like he’d had a shot of helium—or maybe like a Munchkin—but the voice was definitely male.
“We wouldn’t have shown ourselves, but this place is a mess. If we don’t start soon, it’ll take all night to clean it.” There was a tsk-tsk noise.
Brandee had an overwhelming desire to peek over the bar. What would she see? Would she see anything at all? Spirits didn’t have bodies, did they? Yet one of them had said they “showed themselves.” And they mentioned cleaning… What did that mean?
Her curiosity won out. She lifted her head slowly and gazed at Sadie. At first she saw nothing, then she noticed Sadie looking down. Brandee lifted her head a little higher. A sight she never expected to see in a million years met her eyes.
Two little men—the smallest people she could ever imagine—only about a foot high but perfectly proportioned from the back. How did they get in? Did they hide in small spaces like the air ducts during the day and only come out at night when they wouldn’t be stared at? Did Anthony hire a tiny cleaning crew to get into the tight spots the staff missed?
They wore green and blue suits and felt hats. The hats nearly covered their hair, but the strands peeking out beneath their brims appeared white.
Suddenly Sadie looked up and spotted her. She shot her a disapproving frown and Brandee ducked down.
“Who else is here?” demanded one of them.
Sadie didn’t answer. Brandee heard tiny footsteps running toward her. Oh, crap. One of them jumped up on the bar and peeked over. The other appeared in the space beneath the bar where it lifted for the staff to come in and out.
Brandee glanced from one face to the other.
These were no midgets. They had completely black eyes and only holes for noses over fluffy white beards. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe. Were they a product of genetic experimentation gone wrong? Some kind of aliens?
Her vision clouded and her head swam. She knew what was happening but had no desire to stop the sweet oblivion of a good faint. The last thing she remembered was the sensation of her body slumping against the bar.