There was something else I wanted to talk to him about, but it would have to wait until we were alone. For now, I decided to help him out.
“I’m confused about how you can be so sure it’s an incubus,” I offered, earning a surprised look from Jack. He clearly wasn’t expecting me to take up his usual position of group skeptic. “I mean ... what evidence do we have?”
Chris blinked several times in rapid succession. “What evidence do you need?” he asked finally.
“I would take any evidence at this point,” I admitted. “We have several dead women with no marks on their bodies, who appeared to have had sexual contact before their deaths, and who might’ve had open bedroom windows. From the police reports I saw, law enforcement officials agree the windows were open but in two of those reports it’s not known if a responding officer opened the window to get some air in a stuffy room or if it was already open when they arrived.”
“That’s true,” Chris hedged, clearly uncertain. “I thought you were with me and agreed that it made sense for it to be an incubus.”
He almost sounded hurt, which made me feel like a real jerk given the fact that he’d taken a chance on me when I was fresh out of college. I owed him a great deal. If it hadn’t been for Chris I wouldn’t have met Jack. “I think it’s quite possible it could be an incubus,” I said hurriedly, loyalty winning out. “I just want to know what proof we have.” It was a lame response, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“She’s trying to help me,” Jack announced, catching me off guard. “I was teasing her earlier that she always jumps in with both feet without having proof and she took it to heart. She believes it’s an incubus.”
Chris looked relieved. “Oh, well ... that makes sense.” He grinned at me. “Don’t let Jack dampen your enthusiasm. You’re a dreamer, Charlie. That’s what we all like about you.”
“Speak for yourself,” Laura muttered.
Jack shot her a look before focusing on Chris. “I’m the one who doubts this is an incubus ... and that’s not only because I didn’t know they existed until this case. We don’t have any concrete evidence that we’re dealing with anything paranormal.”
I was glad to see he was at least partially back to his former self. He didn’t have to believe simply because I did.
“Well, that’s what we’re here to prove,” Chris noted. “Speaking of that ... what did you find, Hannah?”
Hannah, who had been watching the interplay with a blank face, finally smiled. “You’re probably going to like what I have to tell you.” Her eyes sparkled when they locked with his. They had a flirty way of interacting that only they understood. It made them adorable.
Chris grinned indulgently. “Lay it on me.”
“The coroner is baffled. He can’t find any reason for these deaths. They all appeared relatively healthy. None had heart problems ... or blood clots ... or died of strokes. The bodies seem to indicate they all simply stopped breathing for no apparent reason while in bed.”
“Which is unlikely,” I mused.
Hannah nodded. “Very unlikely. They’re running toxicology results — and put a rush on them because they’re worried it could be some environmental factor they’re not aware of — but right now they’re simply stumped.”
“See.” Chris shot Jack a knowing look. “It’s an incubus.”
Jack shook his head. “Of course you would go there. Everyone else heard, ‘We have no idea what it is,’ but you heard, ‘It’s a demon.’ Did anyone else find anything of note?” He glanced between faces, receiving nothing but head shakes in response. “Well, for now I think we should break up for dinner and take a few hours downtime. We’ll hit this again in the morning.”
Laura, who had been mainly silent since returning to the villa, stirred. “What about dinner? Aren’t we all eating together?”
“I have no idea what you’re doing,” Jack replied. “I’m taking Charlie out for seafood and a walk on the beach. That’s a two-person outing. The rest of you are on your own.”
And just like that, Jack had cleared the evening for us. I was relieved because we had a few things to discuss.
JACK LET ME PICK THE RESTAURANT. Folly Beach was a seafood community, which appealed to me, but there was no limit to the places I could’ve selected. I finally opted for the Folly Beach Crab Shack because it looked kitschy and fun ... and who doesn’t love crab?
We settled in a corner booth that allowed us to sit next to one another without looking like idiots. The menu was so overloaded with options I didn’t know where to start.
“Have you ever had oysters?”
“I have,” he confirmed, his nose wrinkling.
“I take it you’re not a fan.”
“That depends. I don’t mind them fried, but they wouldn’t be a first choice even that way. Raw oysters taste like snot dipped in seawater. Frying them adds some texture to the mix.”
I made a face. “Seriously?”
He chuckled at my reaction. “Try them and decide for yourself. I don’t want to inform your food choices. Besides, oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac. I’m never going to suggest that’s a bad idea.”
My cheeks colored as he winked, and I went back to the menu. “I don’t know. I need to think.”
“They have a Major Cluster Shuck,” he offered. “That sounds funny enough to order.”
I found the option on the menu and frowned at the price. “I’m not ordering a meal that costs a hundred and fifty bucks.”
“I’m paying.”
“Then I’m definitely not ordering it.”
He made an exasperated sound. “Charlie, I need you to stop worrying about money. I know you want to be self-sufficient, but there are certain things I want to do for you and making sure you’re fed is one of them. I don’t want you going hungry.”
That was a hilarious statement on the surface. “I don’t think turning down a hundred-and-fifty-dollar dinner means I’m going hungry. Besides, I don’t want to eat sea snot anyway.”
“Fine.” He held up his hands in capitulation. “I’ll make sure you have a pile of seafood in front of you before the night is over, so don’t even try picking a cheap entree. It’ll cause a fight.”
I knew something else that was going to cause a fight and now seemed the time to broach the subject. “Speaking of that ... you know you can’t act like an alpha dog and bare your teeth when I talk to other men, right?”
His expression was incredulous. “Where did that come from?”
“The bar earlier.” I refused to back down. “I was getting information from Liam, not trying to date him. You acted as if ... well ... like I was your property.”
His frown was pronounced. “That’s not what I was trying to do. I ... .” He trailed off and then pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. “You’re right and I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
I wasn’t expecting the quick turnaround. “Just like that?”
He nodded. “I knew it was wrong when I was doing it. I was on edge because I lost you in the bar and that filled me with fear because. You look like the victims. It makes me uneasy.”
I rested my hand on top of his. “I get that you’re worried, and that actually fills me with this giddy girly feeling that I should be ashamed of because I fancy myself a proponent of female empowerment. I’m glad that you care enough to act like an idiot.”
“There was a compliment buried in there, wasn’t there?”
“Maybe not a compliment but certainly emotional reinforcement. I’m glad I have you in my life. But you can’t hover. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m capable of taking care of myself. I’ve been doing it for a long time. I, more than anyone else in our group, need constant protection the least. I have a few weapons in my arsenal.”
He let loose a grim sigh. “I know. I’ve seen you in action. I’m betting that’s only the start of what you can do. This might make me sound weak, but I don’t like that you don’t need me. I mean ... you ne
ver needed me. I convinced myself you did because you were young and naive when you started with us.
“It turns out you were never any of those things and I only told myself that was the case,” he continued. “I’m the head of security. It’s supposed to be my job to protect you. Knowing you don’t need it leaves me feeling adrift.”
I’d already come to the same conclusion. The surprise was that he was self-aware enough to see it. “I don’t need you to protect me, Jack.” I kept my voice low so there was no chance of the other diners hearing me. “That doesn’t mean I don’t need you. You offer much more than muscles and a smart mouth.”
He smirked and leaned closer, briefly resting his forehead against mine. “Thank you for that. I’ll do my best not to embarrass you when you’re grilling a suspect from here on out. I can’t guarantee I won’t act like an idiot again, though. You bring it out in me.”
“I kind of like it when you act like an idiot, even if I find it irritating. It proves you’re mortal. Dating a superhero isn’t always easy because you make the rest of us look like dolts.”
The charming smile he mustered took over his entire face, making him even more handsome than usual ... if that was even possible. “That was very smooth. You’re getting better at bolstering my ego.”
“Your ego doesn’t need bolstering.” I sat back and considered the next thing I wanted to say. “You also don’t have to change who you are, what you believe, because of me. I know finding out what I can do threw you, but your natural inclination is disbelief when it comes to the paranormal. Don’t change simply because you think it’s what I want.”
He worked his jaw. “I don’t know if I can give you what you want on that one,” he said. “I assumed all paranormal things were bunk when I took this job. Now I know that I was wrong, so it opens the door for me to question things. I don’t know that I can go back.”
That seemed fair. “Okay.” I squeezed his hand and went back to looking at the menu. “I just wanted you to know that you won’t hurt my feelings if you go back to thinking I’m full of crap when I get excited about the possibility of Bigfoot ... and the Chupacabra ... and ghosts.”
He snorted. “Bigfoot is still crap.”
“If you say so.” I furrowed my brow as I stared at the menu. “I want the Charleston Steamed Seafood Tray. There are a few oysters, so I’m going to try them … but ask for them to be fried just to be on the safe side. Maybe they’ll make me jump you, huh? That might be fun.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He pressed a kiss to my temple and lingered a moment before pulling back. “We should get some key lime pie, too. That’s a favorite of mine.”
“Sounds good.” I shifted my eyes to the middle of the table, where a hole containing a bucket rested. “What’s that for?”
He laughed at my confusion. “The shells. Seafood is a messy business.”
“Oh.” I brightened considerably as realization dawned. “That’s genius.”
“It is.” He grabbed one of the plastic bibs from the center of the table. “So are these. I expect you to use one so you won’t be wearing your dinner for our walk on the beach. I have specific plans for you.”
That sounded intriguing ... although wearing a bib wasn’t high on my fashion list. “Are you going to laugh at me if I wear it?”
“Yes. And you can laugh at me for wearing one. We’re in this together, right?”
“Yeah. We’re in this together.”
For better or worse now, there didn’t seem to be a way around that.
MY SHORTS FELT UNCOMFORTABLY TIGHT when we hit the beach an hour and a half later. I ate my weight in seafood — Jack was right about the oysters, which seemed like a non-entity in all the batter — and a walk was exactly what I needed to alleviate the feeling.
“That was really good.” My fingers still felt greasy from cracking the crab legs despite the fact that I’d gone through four packages of the wet napkins provided. “I don’t think I’ll be able to eat again for a week.”
He laughed as he swung our joined hands. “I bet you rally in time for breakfast. They have crawfish omelets in the hotel dining room. I saw them on the menu.”
“I thought crawfish was a New Orleans thing.”
“It’s a Southern thing, and I happen to love a good crawfish omelet.”
The mere thought of food was too much to bear, so I turned my attention to the water. It was picturesque, the breeze strong enough to ruffle my hair, and the setting sun made the water look as if it was on fire.
“It’s pretty here,” I noted. “It feels ... magical.”
“It does,” he agreed, sliding his arms around my waist from behind and pressing his chest to my back so he could kiss my neck. “I like Charleston a great deal.”
“Is this where you would choose to live if you could pick anywhere?”
He hesitated. “I don’t know,” he replied after a beat. “I haven’t given it much thought. I mean ... I love the city, but there are a lot of places I love. Where would you choose to settle?”
“I don’t know that I’m ready to settle anywhere.” That was the truth. “I like traveling and seeing new places. It’s still exciting.”
“Fair enough. You don’t want to travel forever, though, do you?”
It seemed a roundabout way to ask a question, and it made me smile. “I’ll want a home of my own eventually. I enjoy traveling, but there’s joy to be found in claiming something for yourself.”
“There is,” he agreed, kissing the ridge of my ear. “I know you haven’t traveled much, but if you were forced to choose right now where would you want to live?”
“I really liked New Orleans. The city had an energy that I’ve never felt anywhere else. I liked the music ... and the architecture ... and the food. I could see living there.”
“I like New Orleans, too,” he said. “I think you fit there. Your personality meshes well with the city.”
“What about your personality?”
“I’m happy wherever you’re happy.” It was a simple answer, and I melted into him as he began to sway. “We have time before we have to decide on any of that. For now, we should just enjoy a fantastic sunset on a beautiful beach.”
I couldn’t argue. My eyes were heavy-lidded thanks to the glare of the sun when I raised them to the water. It really was breathtaking. I enjoyed the view for a few moments before something on the water caught my attention.
“Is that a boat?” I squinted to get a better look.
“What?” Jack sounded distracted, his nose buried in the crook of my neck. “After the shark incident, I prefer we not get on a boat for the foreseeable future.”
My heart skipped as I focused my full attention on the water. “That’s not a boat.” Slowly, I separated from Jack and moved closer to the water. “I thought maybe it was a sailboat, but ... that’s not it.”
He frowned, his gaze following mine. “I don’t see anything, Charlie.”
“No?” That made me even more uncomfortable. My stomach twisted as I shielded my eyes with my hand and stared. It took me a moment to adjust to what I was seeing, and when I did, I inadvertently let out a gasp. “No way!”
“What?” Jack was instantly alert, his body going rigid. “What do you see?”
It was hard to explain. I wasn’t even sure what I was seeing was real. It had to be, though. There was no other explanation. “There’s a woman standing on the water. I mean ... like standing, as if she’s walking across the waves.”
“That’s not possible, Charlie.” Jack’s voice took on an edge. “I don’t see her.”
There was a reason he couldn’t see it. The woman was most definitely there, but she was no longer alive. She was a ghost ... and she was somehow anchored to the water and staring at the shore. It wasn’t difficult to make out her dark hair and slim frame. She was clearly one of our victims. The question was: What did she want?
“It’s a ghost,” I said finally, swallowing hard. “I think it’s one of our dead women.”
Jack was bewildered. “Why is she out there?”
“I think we need to find out.”
“Um ... yeah. That’s the understatement of the year.”
Seven
The ghost never moved. She didn’t speak. She didn’t come when I beckoned. She simply remained in her spot, staring at the Folly Beach landscape.
Jack finally insisted we return to the villa. He never caught sight of the ghost and I’d lost her in the darkness. She was still out there, though. I could feel her.
Laura was in the living room watching television when we entered, her eyes narrow slits as we crossed in front of her and headed for the stairs. “How was dinner?” she asked.
“Good,” I replied. “I tried fried oysters.” It was an automatic response. I barely registered who I was talking to. I also didn’t give enough thought to how she would take the statement.
“Oh, well, how great for you guys,” she drawled. “I was forced to eat alone because everyone else went out on dates.”
“There might be a lesson in that,” Jack countered, putting his hand at the small of my back and prodding me toward the stairs. “If you were a nicer person we might care that you had to eat alone. But you’re miserable, so we don’t care if you’re miserable.”
“Well ... thanks for that,” she said. “You know, you used to be much nicer before Charlie came into our lives. I’m starting to think she’s a bad influence on the group. I wonder if Myron would like to know how she’s screwed up our chemistry.”
Myron Biggs was Chris’s uncle and the head of the Legacy Foundation. He was also Millie’s ex-husband, although they didn’t interact all that often. He’d been at the center of several kerfuffles the past few months. Almost all of them had been initiated by Laura, who was feeling out of sorts because she believed I supplanted her in the group dynamic. Er, well, at least that was what I deduced.
[Charlie Rhodes 06.0] The Incubus Impasse Page 7