Skellyman

by Rie Sheridan Rose

  “I’m stronger than I look,” he said, grinning at her. “There’s life in this old man yet.”

  She shivered.

  Picking up the bag, she followed him into the driveway and let down the tailgate on the truck. “Call me if Daisy’s a problem. I’ll talk to her on the phone. That usually settles her down.”

  George lifted the video console into the back of the truck with difficulty. He arched his back, working out a kink.

  “She’ll be fine, honey. And she can stay as long as you need. I can get her to school in the mornings, and your mother loves having her there to spoil.”

  “We’ll see, Papa.”

  “You have the dress for church?”

  “Yes, here it is.” She looked down at the dress she had snatched from the closet. It was the blue one.

  Ice shot down her back.

  As soon as her father left, she poured herself a Coke and, after a moment’s hesitation, added a splash of rum. She knew it wasn’t good to mix alcohol and painkillers, but psychologically she needed the boost. Especially after what had happened in Daisy’s bedroom.

  It was the only way she could not run screaming from the house.

  She gulped down half of the drink then stood for a moment with the cold glass held to her temple. What a day.

  Mask mewed up at her, rubbing against her ankle. Brenda looked down at the little creature. The animal didn’t seem fazed by being back in the house. They were supposed to be sensitive to supernatural vibrations, weren’t they?

  Maybe I am imagining the whole thing.

  “Hungry, baby? Hang tight a moment.”

  She put down half a can of food for the kitten, and filled the water bowl. So few demands for so much love. Too bad humans weren’t so easy to live with.

  Chuckling at the notion, Brenda took her drink and wandered into the playroom, staring at the spot where the Space Invaders cabinet had sat. She took another sip of her rum and Coke.

  I’m not crazy. I know what I saw. What the hell caused it?

  As she stood at the doorway, she noticed a large stain on the floor near the couch. Damn. She’d forgotten about the drinks spilled the night before.

  She should clean up the mess before Phillip got here. There was a sticky residue from the soda, and the fruit juice had left a distinct odor in the air.

  Setting her glass on the coffee table, she fetched a damp cloth and swiped at the mess, balancing awkwardly without her left hand to steady herself. She’d never realized how much she depended on her off hand until she couldn’t use it. At least she hadn’t broken her right.

  Not being able to write would drive her insane. Her journal had seen her through many a sleepless night in the past year.

  After cleaning up as much of the spill as she could manage, Brenda looked at the clock. Gracious! It’s already after five.

  Phillip would be here at six-thirty. She hadn’t begun to get ready. The house was still a wreck. Dinner wasn’t started. Why the hell had she invited the man over?

  Finishing her drink and leaving the glass in the sink, she hurried to the bedroom. This was one door that she’d be sure was closed tonight. It looked like a whirlwind had hit it.

  The thought stopped her in her tracks. Okay, so she hadn’t expected to lose the day of housecleaning…but she hadn’t left this big a mess when they fled the house last night…had she?

  She studied the room. The drawers of the dresser were ajar, and clothing was scattered about the floor. Her jewelry box had been turned upside down on the top of the vanity. The closet door was wide open.

  “What the hell is going on here?” she whispered, clapping a hand over her mouth immediately after. What if someone answers me?

  She couldn’t stay in the house. There might be someone lurking anywhere. She had to get out. Go somewhere safe.

  But where? It was already getting dark outside, and she couldn’t drive, even if the car had been here.

  She bit her thumbnail. An hour. Phillip would be here in a little over an hour. She had to go somewhere until he got here. He’d know what to do.

  Backing cautiously away from the bedroom, Brenda cleared the doorway then turned and ran for the front of the house. She tore open the door and flung herself through it.

  To collide with a solid wall of flesh.

  Chapter 22

  Brenda screamed, flailing against the obstruction with both fists—until her broken wrist flared with pain and the shock pulled her up short.

  “Whoa, there!” Strong hands seized her arms and held them fast.

  She struggled against the hold.

  “Calm down! What’s wrong?”

  Finally, the words sunk into her panicked brain, and she slumped against Phillip, gasping for breath. “Oh, thank God you’re here.” She felt tears prickling behind her lashes.

  He stroked her hair with one hand, the other arm circling her back like a comforting bulwark. “Shhh, it’ll be all right.”

  “Someone trashed my room, and the video game went nuts, and I couldn’t call you, and my arm hurts…”

  She knew she was babbling, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. The words just gushed out.

  “Slow down. What happened to your arm?”

  She sniffed. “I fell off a chair trying to rescue the kitten from a tree.”

  “How did you fall off the chair?” He frowned. “I can’t see you taking silly chances like that”

  “I didn’t exactly fall. Or, at least I don’t think so. Phillip, I swear the chair was pulled out from under me.”

  If he noticed that they were now on a first name basis, he didn’t acknowledge it.

  “Come sit down and tell me all about it.”

  She led the way into the kitchen, wanting another drink, and feeling most comfortable in her mundane space with its everyday, lived-in look. As she grabbed one glass at a time from the cupboard, Phillip stepped up and relieved her of them.

  “I believe I asked you to ‘sit down’.” He sent her a look. “I’ll take care of this. What were you looking to put in these?”

  “There are cold sodas in the fridge, and some rum under the counter. I’d like a liberal splash in mine.”

  “Is that a good idea with your medication? You are on painkillers, right?”

  “Okay, then…just a tiny splash…but I really need something. I’m extremely rattled right now.” She gave him a little grin. “I promise not to get sloppy drunk.”

  “Whatever you say, princess.”

  The endearment was casual, but it warmed her. I could really grow to like that…

  “Sorry to have babbled like that,” Brenda apologized. “It’s been a crazy twenty-four hours.”

  “No problem.” He handed her the cold drink.

  She sipped it gratefully.

  “Now, what’s this about your room being trashed? That could be serious in light of the other incidents you’ve had to deal with lately.”

  “It was probably my fault…I was in such a hurry to get out of the house last night, I may not even have locked the front door. I honestly can’t remember. All I know is that someone went through my bedroom like a cyclone. The place is in utter chaos. It’ll take me a week to get it all back together.”

  Phillip’s expression was grave. “Is anything missing?”

  “Not that I could see at a casual glance. I didn’t really look, I just ran.” She took a steadying swallow of her drink then set the glass on the table with a sigh. “I’m scared, Phillip.”

  He reached across the table to take her good hand. “That’s perfectly natural, Brenda. The gut reaction at a time like this is fear. That’s why a burglar is more apt to trash your things when they commit a robbery. The initial fear may prevent a logical inventory and give them time to get rid of the haul before there’s a stolen goods notice out on it.”

  “That makes sense,” she murmured. “I’ve never thought about it like that.”

  “Why don’t you show me the room, and we’ll see if we can tell what’s
missing.”

  “Yes, officer,” she teased, smiling up at him. All her earlier terror was washed away in the strength of his presence. She felt perfectly safe with this man beside her.

  Leading the way down the hall, Brenda happened to glance through the open door into Robbie’s room. Normally, the door was shut. Daisy must have been in her brother’s things again. Brenda hadn’t had the heart to clear his belongings. They were all she had left of him.

  Now, she stopped dead in her tracks.

  “What is it?” Phillip asked.

  “Something’s wrong here,” she replied with a frown, trying to figure out what had caught her attention.

  The room was neat as a pin. She had straightened it the day before the car accident, and he hadn’t had time to mess it up again. Her heart lurched at the thought.

  But something was missing. She couldn’t quite figure out what…

  Then it struck her, with a sudden chill that made her shiver. While Robbie’s everyday, utilitarian baseball bat was kept in the front closet, he had been given an autographed bat for his tenth birthday that was his pride and joy. It had been mounted in a place of prominence on his bedroom wall. Now, it was gone.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered.

  Phillip’s arm came around her. “Brenda, what is it?”

  “What if he is still in the house?”

  “The burglar?”

  She nodded, mouth suddenly dry. “Phillip, there was a baseball bat on the wall there.” She pointed a shaking finger at the empty mounting. “What if he’s still in here and now he’s armed?”

  “Come on. Let’s get out of here. Chances are good he’s long gone, but there’s no sense in playing with the odds. Besides, you’re in no shape to cook tonight. I’m going to call this in so someone can come check through the house for us, and then I’m taking you out to dinner.”

  Brenda looked down at her clothes. She was in sweats and a rumpled t-shirt. “I look a mess,” she protested.

  “You’re beautiful to me,” he answered lightly.

  She could see in his eyes that he meant it, and the thought thrilled her.

  “Besides,” he continued, “I’m not promising you a gourmet banquet. Remember, I’m on a cop’s budget.”

  He grinned down at her.

  “If you want to change, go ahead. It’ll take a few minutes for the squad car to get here.”

  “All right. Whatever you say, officer. Let me clean up a bit then.”

  He stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Just grab something to change into and don’t touch anything else. We don’t want to mess with the crime scene any more than necessary.”

  She shivered. “I hadn’t thought of it as a ‘crime scene.’ I-I think I’ll just grab my purse and coat.”

  Phillip made his phone call as she collected her things.

  When he hung up, a sudden thought struck her. “How will we know it’s safe to come back?”

  “I asked that we be notified when the search team is done. But I’m not bringing you back here until daylight—when I’ll be better able to make my own assessment of whether or not it’s safe for you here.”

  “I guess I could go back to my parents’ after dinner.”

  Phillip met her eye steadily. “I was sorta hoping you might let me put you up for the night. In the interest of safety and so on.” There was the trace of a smile on his lips.

  The thought sent a spark of fire through her. “Can I tell you after dinner?”

  “Sure,” he agreed. “I understand.”

  There was a knock on the front door, and Phillip went to answer it. He had a soft conversation with the team of policemen, handing over Brenda’s keys to the house.

  She slung her coat across her shoulders. The sleeves were too tight for her cast. She’d need to get something else to wear for the next few weeks…

  “All set?”

  Brenda nodded—her heart racing. Whether it was the pain medications, the alcohol, or the adrenaline, she felt like a schoolgirl on a first date. What is it about this man…?

  They drove in companionable silence. Brenda could feel him across the gap between the bucket seats. The sturdy warmth of him. He made her feel completely safe for the first time in days.

  He turned into the parking lot of Tu Familia’s, a popular Mexican food restaurant across town. “This okay with you?” he asked, shifting in his seat to face her.

  “Sure.”

  “Sorry to be so predictable, but my Uncle Teo owns the place, and he gives me a family discount.” He grinned.

  She liked his grin. It came to him easily and often.

  “I love Mexican food,” she promised.

  “Good. Because I eat here a lot.”

  The implications of that simple statement—that what he ate, and the frequency with which he ate it might be a factor in her future—made her a little scared, but happy. Shyly, she returned the grin.

  Phillip came around the side of the car and helped her out. “They’ll probably make a fuss over you. Most of the wait staff is family. Don’t let it get to you.”

  Brenda gulped, suddenly a little daunted. George and Mary were all the family she had besides Daisy. She wasn’t used to large groups of cousins and so on…her parents had both been only children. And she was well aware that she didn’t look—or feel—anywhere near her best.

  Phillip tilted her head up with a finger under her chin. “If it gets to be too much, let me know, and we’ll get the food to go,” he said softly. “You’ve got a built-in excuse not to feel up to meeting a bunch of people tonight.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  His hand on the small of her back felt totally natural as he opened the door to the restaurant. Inside was a whirl of color and sound—bright blankets and sombreros decorated the walls, and a mariachi band blared over the sound system.

  The hostess greeted Phillip with a squeal of delight. “Buenas noches, mijito! I thought you had abandoned us for the evening!”

  Her warm gaze slid to Brenda. “And who is this lovely lady…?”

  “Tia Consuela, this is my friend Brenda. She was going to feed me tonight, but as you can see, there’s been a change in plans. Is there a free table?”

  “For you, of course!” She turned with a swirl of starched skirts and led the way to a secluded alcove.

  There was a candle burning in the center of the table. “The usual, Felipe?”

  Phillip nodded, turning to Brenda. “Do you need to see a menu?”

  “What do you suggest?”

  “I like pretty much everything,” he replied with a laugh, “but I can particularly recommend the carne guisada or the chile rellenos. Unless you’re the fajita type?”

  “I’ll try the chile rellenos,” Brenda told Consuela. “Thank you.”

  As they waited for their meals, Brenda found herself a bit tongue-tied. She had been so looking forward to this dinner…and now she could think of nothing to say.

  Phillip reached across the table and took her right hand.

  “It’s okay, Brenda. Relax. I know things’re a little crazy for you right now. Food and sleep, that’s what you need.”

  She felt her cheeks heating up. “I’m just a bit out of it tonight. It’s been a really…weird day.”

  “Tell me what happened with the chair.”

  “I don’t really know. I guess I was careless. I thought it was stable, but all-of-a-sudden, it slipped out from under me…”

  “Just slipped?”

  She sighed. “Well, it felt like it was pulled…but there was no one in the yard but me.”

  Phillip’s face hardened.

  “So, another unexplained event? I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it right now…can we just enjoy dinner?”

  “Of course. Let me try and take your mind off your worries.”

  He flashed her his grin. “You don’t have any siblings, do you? Believe me—you didn’t miss much. Though there was this one time—
”

  He began to regale her with stories of his childhood, and soon had her giggling. It was almost a letdown when the food arrived, but it didn’t seem to slow the flow of Phillip’s words much.

  The food was hot and excellent. Brenda pushed back from the table with a sigh of contentment.

  “I don’t know when I’ve been so full!”

  “Glad you liked it,” he said with a smile. “Like I say, I spend a lot of time here.”

  She yawned behind her hand.

  “Let’s get you somewhere you can rest,” he murmured immediately. “Tia Consuela,” Phillip called as he helped Brenda to her feet, “add dinner to my tab.”

  “That tab is longer than your arm, Felipe! Someday you’ll have to do something more than throw a kiss to your waitress,” the woman teased.

  “Next time,” he promised, shepherding Brenda out the door.

  Brenda let herself be led, surrendering to his strength. It felt good to let someone else take responsibility for decisions.

  When they reached the car, Brenda noticed a piece of paper tucked under the windshield wiper on her side of the vehicle and awkwardly pulled it free as Phillip reached to open the door for her.

  She scanned the note—then froze.

  “What is it, Brenda?”

  She stood motionless, gaze darting wildly about the crowded parking lot.

  He took the note from her numb fingers and scanned it swiftly. His face hardened once more.

  The note read: I’M WATCHING YOU, BITCH.

  Chapter 23

  The skellyman watched from the shadows of the parking lot where he lurked to see Brenda’s reaction to his note. It was everything he’d hoped it would be.

  He grinned to himself. It was obvious from the way that Spic supported her that she was on the verge of collapse.

  The Bitch was so easily manipulated. The slightest fuel to her paranoid fire, and she was ready to have a meltdown.

  But it was too early to give her all she deserved. He still had plans to make. Everything had to be just perfect. If he pushed too hard, he might break her before he was completely ready. There’d be no fun in that.

  Of course, he’d always been hard on his toys…