[Charlie Rhodes 06.0] The Incubus Impasse

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Just a little,” I teased. “When will you know about the new guy?”

  “Not for a bit,” Chris replied. “We have more important things to focus on right now. Although ... there is something I need to tell you, Charlie.”

  The change in his tone was enough to have my heart skipping a beat. The first thought that took over my mind, unbidden, was that I was being cut loose to make room for the new guy on the team. The mere thought made me sick to my stomach. “What’s that?” I tried to sound relaxed, but my skin was practically vibrating.

  “You’ll no longer be the intern on the team with a new face coming in,” Chris started.

  Oh, geez. Here it comes. What was I going to do? How was I going to find another job? How would I manage to pay for the new apartment? Was I going to end up homeless?

  “There’s only one spot for an intern,” he continued “You’re being promoted to a full-time member of the team. The position comes with a significant raise, a 401(k), dental and a designated parking spot.”

  I stood there, rooted to my spot, and searched for the correct response.

  “Charlie, now is the time to say ‘thank you,’” Jack prodded.

  That was enough to snap me out of my fugue state. “Seriously? I get ... all that?”

  Chris nodded. “The raise goes into effect this week, so your next check should be a lot bigger. Human Resources is going to email all the specifics to you. I told them that was okay because we were out of town.”

  “That’s great.” My mouth was dry. “I ... um ... that’s awesome.”

  Chris beamed at me. “I’m glad you’re happy. I need to run upstairs and make sure Hannah is up. We have another full day ahead of us. I figured we would go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast and make plans for the day. Are you guys okay with that?”

  “Yeah.” Jack nodded, his eyes never leaving my face. “I have something I want to talk to you about anyway.”

  “Great. See you in a little bit.”

  I was still considering my good fortune when Chris left the room. Slowly, very deliberately, I focused on Jack. “Did you do this?”

  He appeared surprised by the question. “What?”

  “You were worried about me not having enough money. Did you pressure Chris into giving me a raise? If so, it’s sweet, but I don’t want a raise until I’ve earned it.”

  There was a momentary darkening of his eyes and I thought he was about to argue. Instead, he heaved out a sigh and shook his head. “I didn’t bring it up. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have brought it up eventually, but you didn’t want me to get involved so I decided to take a step back.”

  “You maneuvered me into a different apartment,” I reminded him. “That’s not taking a step back.”

  “You’re safer in that apartment, and I’m not sorry about that.” His voice was firm. “As for this, I had nothing to do with it. You’ve proven your worth with this team. I wish you could just accept your accolades and enjoy it.”

  I let loose a shaky breath. “Do you promise you didn’t have anything to do with this?”

  He nodded. “I promise.”

  I thought my cheeks were going to split thanks to the wide smile taking over. “Then we should definitely celebrate. I can’t believe I got a promotion.” I threw my arms around his neck as he hugged me. “Is this the best day ever or what?”

  “It’s a great day. You deserve it.”

  I did deserve it. Things were definitely looking up.

  Seventeen

  I was riding high on life after breakfast when Jack announced we were sticking close to the villa, at least for the morning. He had computer searches to run — multiple now that he had access to the Legacy Foundation researchers — and his morning was officially scheduled.

  I wasn’t great with computers, or searches for that matter, so my morning was wide open.

  “I think I might run down to the street across from the hotel and check out some of the stores,” I said. “There’s one that has a big shark coming out of it.”

  He looked amused ... and also reticent. “You’re going shopping? That doesn’t sound like you.”

  “I don’t really consider it shopping. I just thought I might look around. It’s a cool area.”

  He pursed his lips. “You’re not thinking of renting a kayak and going back out to the lighthouse, are you?”

  Honestly, it hadn’t even crossed my mind. That didn’t mean I wasn’t annoyed with the accusation. “Why would you assume that?”

  “Because you have more guts than brains sometimes.”

  Well, I was officially offended. “Thanks for that.”

  He frowned. “Charlie, I don’t want to start a fight. I just want you to be careful. I don’t expect you to hang around the villa doing nothing today. That’s not fair. I just don’t want you finding trouble. After what happened in your dream last night ... .” He left it hanging.

  “I’m not going out on the water.” That was the truth. “There’s nothing I can do out there. It would be a waste of time and not nearly as much fun without you, despite the way this conversation is going.”

  The sigh he let loose was long and drawn out. It reminded me of my father, who often got frustrated when he thought I was being flaky or evasive. “Fine. Have fun downtown.”

  “I will.” I grabbed my purse from the counter. “If you’re lucky, I might buy you a souvenir even though you’re being a butthead.”

  His lips quirked. “If it’s a coconut bikini for you to wear, I’m all for it.”

  “Ugh. That’s so perverted. Why does that turn men on?”

  “It’s built into our DNA.” He leaned forward and gave me a kiss. “Do me a favor and try to stay out of trouble, okay? If you feel something is amiss or there’s danger of some sort, call me.” He gestured toward my phone. “I’ll come running.”

  He always did. It was both a relief and annoying at the same time. “I’ll be fine. It’s the middle of the day.”

  “If we were talking about someone else, I’d agree. You, however, seem to draw trouble like laundry with a profound case of static cling.”

  It sounded like there should be an insult wrapped up in that, but I decided to let it go. “I’ll text you regular updates of my movements. Will that make you happy?”

  “Actually, it will.”

  “Then we’re both happy.”

  “Absolutely.”

  DOWNTOWN FOLLY BEACH WAS A TOURIST’S wet dream. As far as I could tell, they had something of a system for the commercial development. Restaurant, bar, kitschy shop, coffee shop. Rinse and repeat. It made me laugh and I found I liked it.

  Because the store with the shark going through the sign made me laugh, that was my first stop. I bought a shirt for Jack that featured a cartoon shark chewing on a sign and then moved to the Black Magic Cafe for coffee. The decor was right up my alley and I took my coffee to the back patio, where a sign warned (in no uncertain terms) that computers and tablets were not allowed.

  “Well, that’s welcoming,” I muttered as I gripped my phone. “Can I text on this here?” I asked the waitress who was passing by.

  She looked amused by the question. “Most people don’t bother asking.”

  “I like to follow the rules.” Mostly, I silently added. Oh, who was I kidding? I was just trying to figure out if I should be furtive when texting Jack with annoying updates.

  “You’re fine. It’s a wi-fi thing,” she explained. “We don’t have a problem if you sit here and text while drinking your coffee. It’s the people who try to take over the tables for hours after spending only five bucks who are the problem.”

  That actually made sense. “Thanks.”

  Once she was gone, I texted Jack my first update. I took a photo of my coffee and the cutesy little patio and sent it to him with the message, “Wish you were here.” I didn’t expect him to text back, but he did within a few seconds.

  I already miss you.

  I’m embarrassed to admit that I went warm a
ll over. He had that effect on me. In fact, he was the one and only person who had ever had that effect on me. It was interesting to think about, which I didn’t because my stomach occasionally reacted with uncomfortable butterflies when I did.

  The waitress returned a few minutes later to check on me. “Do you need anything?”

  I shook my head. “I’m good for now. Thank you.”

  “Sure.” She moved to the far end of the patio and pulled a cigarette out of her apron. “Don’t tell anyone,” she warned with an admonishing finger.

  I had to laugh. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  After lighting up, she exhaled in a way that told me she might very well enjoy the nicotine more than sex. “I’m Clara, by the way.”

  “Charlie.” I watched her for a moment, debating. Ultimately, I decided to go for it. She seemed the sort of woman who had her finger on the pulse of the community ... at least the part of the community I was interested in. “Have you heard about the dead girls?”

  As far as opening lines went, it wasn’t my best. Clara struck me as the sort who preferred when people were upfront with her, though. I wasn’t wrong.

  “Yeah. That’s all anyone talks about. Business owners want to bury the news, but the workers are afraid.”

  “What are they saying?”

  Clara fixed her eyes on me, curious. “Are you a cop?”

  “Do I look like a cop?”

  “You look like your standard hipster. But there’s something about you.”

  “I’m with a group helping with the investigation,” I admitted, seeing no reason to lie. “But I’m not a cop.”

  “What sort of group?”

  Most people didn’t ask that question. Certain assumptions were made when you said you were helping with an investigation. Most people let it go at that point.

  I hesitated ... and then remembered the name of the establishment I was visiting. “We look into the paranormal aspects of certain cases.”

  She barely blinked. “People have been talking about that, too. They say we have an evil creature on the loose.”

  “What sort of evil creature?”

  “Vampire is what everyone is saying, but I think that’s just because of the window thing. The cops say the houses were locked but the windows were open. That just screams vampire. Nobody’s said anything about marks on the neck, though. I think that would’ve leaked.”

  I liked the way her mind worked. “There are no marks on the bodies at all.”

  “Is it true the women were raped?”

  “Um ... .” Hmm. That was a trickier question. “It seems that sexual contact might be involved. I don’t know too much on that front. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” She waved off the apology. “I get it. I don’t believe it’s a vampire.”

  “What do you think it is?”

  “I don’t know. Something else.” She took another long drag on the cigarette. “People are afraid. Nobody is going anywhere alone after dark, especially those with dark hair.” Her gaze was appraising when it slid back to me. “You should probably be careful.”

  I chuckled hollowly. “Oh, you don’t have to worry. I have a bodyguard.”

  “Where is he today?”

  “Running searches. He won’t tolerate me being gone for long, though, no matter how he pretends otherwise. He’s all for female empowerment ... unless he feels something bad is about to happen. I try not to take it personally. He means well.”

  “He sounds like a good guy.”

  “He is. I ... .” I trailed off, my eyes automatically moving to the other side of the street to track movement. There, to my utter surprise, Brock Wilson was cutting down an alley behind a restaurant. He seemed to have a clear destination in mind and didn’t as much as glance in my direction

  “Well ... that’s weird.”

  Clara followed my gaze. “You know him?”

  “Kind of. Do you?”

  “He’s a familiar face. I don’t think he works here as much as lives down here.”

  Oh, well, that was interesting. I hadn’t considered that. What if Brock was our culprit and he hunted in Charleston proper because he assumed it would be easier pickings and discarded his victims in Folly Beach so he could enjoy his handiwork? It was definitely worth considering.

  “I have to go.” I was already on my feet. The gate leading away from the patio was closed but that didn’t stop me from heading toward it. “The coffee was great. I’ll definitely be back.”

  Clara watched me with a mixture of amusement and concern. “You might want to call your bodyguard if you’re going to chase that guy. He’s bigger than you.”

  I had no intention of doing that. “I’ll be fine. Thanks again.”

  BROCK HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE BEACH. He cut around the hotel and headed toward the pier, veering at the last second to a sandy spot where he had a clear view of a group of women spread out on a blanket and happily laughing about ... whatever they found amusing.

  I studied them for a moment to see what had piqued his interest and immediately zeroed in on the brunette at the center of the action. Her hair was a dark, chestnut brown and she had a heart-shaped face. She was dressed in a relatively modest bikini, especially by today’s standards, and she seemed to be having a good time with her friends.

  I picked a spot in the shade of the restaurant balcony that happened to be located at my back and lowered myself to the sand. Given the brightness of the sun and my dark clothing, Brock would have to be really looking — or have superhuman sight, which wasn’t out of the realm of possibility — if he wanted to see me. From there, I simply watched.

  He was a fascinating specimen of a ... well, I had no idea. It was possible he was a simple man, of course. The fact that he kept showing up made me more suspicious. He had a blanket with him and he spread it out, as if he was simply a single man who wanted to enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet on the beach. He had a book, but I couldn’t read the cover from my location. Finally, I used my phone to zero in and then almost choked when I realized it was a book about female empowerment. Obviously he was trying to use the book as a way to lure the women. Why, though? That was the question.

  I settled in and texted Jack. I told him I was on the beach enjoying the sun. I didn’t mention Brock, which made me feel slightly guilty, but I knew he would abandon everything and come running if I told him, and I still wasn’t sure what I was dealing with. Besides, a quick glance up and down the beach told me there were plenty of people present. He wasn’t going to attack out in the open like this. If he was an incubus, he hadn’t survived this long by acting like an idiot. No, this had to be a scouting mission. It was the only thing that made sense.

  He watched the women for a good thirty minutes before he even made an attempt to approach them. When he did, it was with a bright smile. Because of the wind, I couldn’t hear what he said. In a surprising move, though, he directed his attention to the blonde on the corner of the blanket rather than the brunette in the center of things. I figured that was because he didn’t want to make it obvious which woman he was stalking. Besides that, Clara had made it clear that everybody was on the lookout for a guy who paid an inordinate amount of attention to brunettes. He could simply be trying to ease their suspicions. It would be the smart way to go.

  The blonde looked up with polite interest and said something back to Brock. There was no intrigue in her demeanor. Whatever he said didn’t exactly flip up her skirt. She was calm and pleasant ... and utterly uninterested.

  That didn’t stop Brock. He plopped himself down on the edge of the blanket and started chattering away. He seemed animated, as if he was expounding on the nature of the universe and he had some unique knowledge. He used frequent hand gestures.

  The women weren’t impressed. There were five total, and two of them shot each other so many eye rolls they could’ve fueled a middle school for a full year. It was obvious they didn’t appreciate the interruption. I had legitimate sympathy for their situation. Th
ey were trying to have a good time, just their little group, and they were being hunted. Did they realize? I had no doubt they understood that Brock was trying to hit on a member of their group. There was an underlying danger that they didn’t seem aware of, though. To them, he was just an annoying guy who didn’t have a shot. They didn’t appear fearful.

  Which left Brock. Did he realize they were disdainful? Did he really think he would be able to entice one of the women into isolating herself from the group and disappearing with him? Why did he even think that was a good idea? If something happened to that woman, he would be the first suspect.

  I had so many questions and zero answers. It was frustrating.

  Brock continued talking for a good twenty minutes. Most of the women stopped listening. The blonde, though, the one he first approached, continued to feign interest. It wasn’t because she was attracted to him. Anyone could’ve picked up on the “stay away from me” vibes. Well, anyone but Brock. He simply kept talking.

  And talking, and talking and talking.

  I was growing bored when I noticed a subtle shift in the interaction. The other women remained uninterested in Brock. The one he focused his full attention on had turned her body so it was leaning toward him. Suddenly she was attentive and hanging on his every word.

  My heart did a long, slow roll. Was this how he operated? Did he make initial contact, woo them with some sort of magic, and then cut them loose until he could enter their private domain under the cover of darkness? That had to be it. There was no other explanation for the change in the woman’s demeanor. She’d simply been uninterested one moment and engaged the next.

  He’d clearly done something.

  Brock got to his feet and extended his hand. The woman didn’t hesitate to take it. She was on her feet and staring into his eyes, her friends all but forgotten.

  My heart pounded in my ears. Was he seriously going to remove this woman from the beach when there were so many witnesses? It certainly looked that way. And why was he changing his target now? Why go for a blonde when it had been brunettes? Was that just a coincidence after all? Was he willing to move on anyone who showed interest? Perhaps the pressure from law enforcement and women acting in their best interests to protect themselves had made it so he had no choice but to deviate.