“A good point,” Win commended. “A very good point. So good, I’m convinced there’s a connection. What troubles me is her body’s condition, and the condition of Stephania’s body.”
There was that. Ghost lady had a hole in her chest. Did that mean I did, too?
Maybe I really was dead and the spells and the theory about see-through spirits was just bunk. Just because I was a solid mass didn’t mean it wasn’t some kind of cosmic fluke, right?
Maybe I’d been shot or hurt by the same person who’d hurt ghost lady. I was afraid to say it out loud just yet, but truth was, it was a very real possibility.
“We need to call the hospital tomorrow and see if anyone by my name or description was brought in. I don’t know if they’ll give out that kind of information, but it’s worth a shot. There’s a chance I’m really dead, Win. We might need to call the police, too. Maybe I met the same demise the ghost lady met and they have information about me.”
Win’s face hardened and his fist clenched, but he shook his head. “Surely you’ll accuse me of hiding my head in the sand, but my gut says no. Certainly, those are possibilities, but they don’t feel right, and while I’ll without a doubt explore those avenues, for now, I’m setting them aside in favor of what we do have. A likely connection between you and the ghost lady.”
“But what is connection? None of this make any sense, Zero. Not one thing. If my malutka is not dea—er, left the Earth like ghost lady, who have her body?”
I needed to divert this chatter away from the idea of holes in my body and death or I was going to scream.
“Okay, so tomorrow we call the police, the hospital and go to the horse farm—”
Win fought a yawn, but it was an unsuccessful attempt. “And the donut shop this Joseph chap frequents. I’d like to have a crack at him.”
“And I’d like a maple bacon bar, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. If he gets hinky, he could hurt you, Win. He did chase us down in a car with nary a thought and we don’t even know why. You don’t really think he wouldn’t hurt you, do you? He tried to kill you. You don’t just strike up a casual conversation with someone who does that.”
“We’ll be in broad daylight, and I’ll have 9-1-1 at the ready. Either way, we’ll discuss that tomorrow,” he deflected.
There was just no convincing this man he wasn’t in spy shape, was there?
Knowing he wasn’t going to listen, I decided to move forward. “So, what do we suppose Egan Joseph was doing at that chop shop? It’s too much of a coincidence that our ghost lady led us to his work, my name was handwritten on a piece of paper, and he showed up to the place where both our cars are parked.”
“And who else was he with?” Win asked. “They looked quite unsavory, and I’ve seen my fair share of unsavory.”
“This all needs to be tabled for the moment. Everyone’s tired. Now, skedaddle, Winterbutt,” Belfry chirped. “You need your beauty rest, and so do I. Don’t forget to stick me in the purse before you bed down for the night.”
Stretching, I decided I was tapped, too. I had nothing left to offer until we were able to talk to people tomorrow. Bel was right, it was time to call it a night and let Win grab a few hours of sleep.
Just then, Gooch returned from his foray to the vending machines, his arms full of bags of chips and candy bars, with a soda and some Gatorade.
“Brought you something, sir. I don’t know what you like, but you get first pick. Though, you should drink that Gatorade. It’ll replenish your electrolytes, and you need it after what happened.”
Win scooped up the washcloth with Belfry tucked inside and dropped him in the purse with a smile as he rose. “You’re too kind, Gooch. Please put it on my tab, and about your car… If there’s any damage, of course I’ll handle it. Do you trust me to do so, or do you want out now? I admit, I didn’t expect today to become quite so dangerous.”
Gooch eyeballed him for a moment before he grinned, rocking back on his high-tops. “Are you kidding? Wait until I tell my friends a British guy, who I’d bet my Xbox is British Intelligence or something cool like that, in a kooky sweater with a purse, outran a bunch of bad guys in my Ford Fiesta. No, sir. I don’t want out.”
If he only knew how close he was to the real story. “Maybe we should send Gooch home, Win. He’s just a kid, and I’m not only afraid for your life, I’m afraid for his. Whatever Egan Joseph’s problem is with you, he knows Gooch’s car now. I’m terrified for him.”
Win nodded. “My friend—you know, the one I’ve been on the phone with all this time? She’s quite worried about your safety, Gooch, and I have to agree with her. Those hoodlums know your vehicle. This is no longer a harmless hunt for someone. I suggest you go home tomorrow, once you’ve rested.”
Gooch drove his hands into the pocket of his pants and shook his head. “And leave you with nobody to help you? I mean, not that you need a lot of help, but I’m not exactly blind. You’re a little jacked right now with the cane and stuff. Also, I’m not deaf, sir. I’ve heard some of your conversations. Couldn’t help it. No way am I leaving you alone. I’m all the way in. Aaand…I think I have a solution about the car, if you’re game.”
Win cocked his head, pulling off the ridiculous knit hat and dropping it on the table. “And that is?”
“I have a friend here in Seattle. He’ll loan me a car, and he can have mine. We’ll just swap.”
Win held up a hand. “Gooch, that’s very kind, but—”
“I won’t take no for an answer, sir. I’m invested, and maybe even a little bit attached to this. Don’t make me follow you, because I won’t sleep at all if I don’t know you’re safe.”
“How about we talk about it tomorrow, mate?”
“Deal.” Gooch headed to one of the two beds and scooted back to the head of it, propping himself up with a bag of chips and looking over at Win as he struggled to get into his bed. “Do you need help?”
Win managed to settle himself, pulling the comforter over his legs as he sipped at his Gatorade. “Not at all, Gooch. You concentrate on getting a few hours’ sleep. You were so right to make this call. You shouldn’t drive when you’re tired, and now that I’m here, I admit, I’m quite tired, too.”
He nodded, pulling off his baseball cap for the first time, revealing a full head of dark curly hair. “You’re right. That wouldn’t be safe. I would never want to see anyone harmed at my hands, and I don’t know what you’ve been dealing with, but it looks like it was rough. I’m glad we’re doing this.”
Win took another sip of his Gatorade and sighed. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve been in a hotel. What about you, Gooch?”
He popped a chip in his mouth. “This is my first.”
Win sat up and craned his neck to look at Gooch. “This is your first stay in a hotel room? I daresay you’re in for a treat, my friend. Especially in the department of room service. So why have you never been in a hotel? Not much of a traveler?”
Gooch looked down at his hands and shook his head. “Never had the money to travel, I guess. It was just Mom and me since I was two. Single mother who worked two job and all, you know? There wasn’t much money left for trips. But we still had a good time.”
“I do know. My mother was single, too, chap. We share that in common. She was a bonnie lass, my mother was. Yours?”
Gooch was slow to smile, but when he did, it wreathed his face. His mother clearly meant a great deal to him. “If bonnie lass means good person, then yeah. She’s the best. Or she was until…”
Win sat silent for a moment, closing his eyes before he said, “You know, Gooch, I don’t mind if you share. As you drive me hither and yon, I feel as though we’ve begun a relationship, as odd as that sounds under these strange circumstances. In fact, I do hope we won’t lose touch when we finally part ways. However, should you wish to share, do know, I’ll always lend an ear. No judgment. No explanation required if you wish to keep it to yourself.”
“Cancer. My mom has cancer. Stage t
hree breast cancer, but…” His words hitched then, and my heart tightened in my chest as I let my head fall to Arkady’s shoulder. “But her insurance is pretty crummy and we’ve gone through all of what little savings we had. She was diagnosed just before I was supposed to leave for college. She didn’t like it, but I decided to stay with her. I can study software engineering later. But if something happened to her, and I didn’t spend the time with her that I’d lose if I were in college, well…” He stopped and shrugged his shoulders.
I watched Win swallow before he said, “So you put off college to care for your mother. That’s quite a sacrifice, young man.”
A tear slipped from my eye, running down my cheek to land in my lap, and Arkady ran a hand over his eyes.
Gooch shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s no big deal. She took care of me, right? No way I’d leave her on her own, especially since her stupid insurance company denied her this last batch of treatments. It’s the last one, for cripes sake! I dunno… I really thought we were gonna make it, you know? Things were looking good, but without this last bit of chemo, I don’t know what’s going to happen. The doctor said to go without it is…risky.”
Win’s jaw hardened, his eyes glittering. “Insurance companies are all owned by the devil, I declare. Damn them all,” he murmured.
Yes, I silently agreed. Damn them all.
“So I’ve been taking as many Uber shifts as I can when I’m not working my day job at the mill, but it just never seems like enough.” He paused again and inhaled, scratching his head and leaning forward to pop his sneaker off. “Anyway, we’ll get through it. We always do.”
The air in the room took on a life of its own for a moment. Tense and smothering.
But then Win, in his husky voice, asked gently, “What’s your mother’s name, Gooch?”
He gave Win an odd look, but he answered anyway. “Sheila.”
“Ah. Well, Sheila raised a fine young man. A fine one indeed. Do tell her I said so, won’t you?”
He chuckled, a surprising sound coming from someone so quiet, but I understood now why he spent so much time internally. His mother was dying, and I didn’t think I could bear it.
“I will. Anything else I can get you before we crash, sir?” he asked as he leaned over and turned off his lamp on the nightstand.
Win leaned over and turned his off, right after he took a quick peek at Belfry and tucked the washcloth around his chin. “I’m right as rain, Gooch. Sleep well, my friend.”
“You, too, sir.”
If I was ever on the fence about how kind Win was, if I ever wondered about his capacity for compassion, tonight cinched the deal.
In choosing the man I loved, as crazy as our entire relationship had been, as utterly impractical, my throbbing heart, so full right now, reminded me I had chosen wisely.
As darkness settled over the room and the hush of sleep was upon them both, I blew Win a kiss and whispered, “Good night, International Man of Mystery. The sweetest of dreams.”
Arkady and I had spent the night chatting with each other, sometimes touching on our immediate circumstances, other times just shooting the breeze, and as a by the by, I still couldn’t get any of the other spirits to talk to me.
They flitted their transparent selves to and fro, but never once would engage.
I was literally being snubbed, but Arkady took me on a tour of Plane Limbo to ease my sore ego, something I’ll never forget.
Not in all my years.
No matter what happened, I’d cherish the time we’d spent together and how much I treasured our friendship. Apparently, I didn’t need any sleep or food, because I was neither hungry nor tired since I’d arrived.
Yet, I could understand how monotonous a place like this could be for someone like Win, who thrived on activity and a certain amount of excitement, and who cherished a good meal.
Plane Limbo was lovely, surreal, vivid and stirred deep peace within me, but I was already missing Whiskey, Strike, Enzo and Carmella, and even rigid Dana. Thinking I’d never see them again, smell their scents, hear their voices, ruffle my pets’ fur and feathers, brought on a new gnawing ache I hadn’t felt while I was so enamored by the beauty of this place and being with Arkady.
The night had felt like an eternity, and at the same time a mere fleeting moment, when in reality, by the time Gooch and Win had settled into the room at the Marriott, they’d had a total of three hours’ sleep before their respective alarms went off.
But Win was already awake. He’d washed his face and brushed his teeth with a hotel-provided toothbrush and ordered room service. He’d greeted me briefly, letting me know it was all clear on his end to view him from above.
The hole I’d looked down through to see his activity the day before opened up at the sound of his morning greeting, as though someone had pushed a button, making me gasp in surprise.
As Gooch made his way to the bathroom, Win asked, “Breakfast, Gooch? This one’s on me this time.”
Gooch rubbed his eyes and stretched with a small smile. “I’m fine with whatever you have, sir. Thank you for thinking of me.”
When he heard the shower turn on, he looked upward. “I’m gathering you heard what Gooch said last night? Both of you?”
“Dah, Zero. He is good boy, this Gooch.”
My heart clenched again for what Gooch was bearing alone. But he wouldn’t be alone anymore. I knew Win would see to that. “I heard. We’ll talk about what to do when this is all over, yes?” I asked.
“Absolutely. Until then, I’m going to catch the early morning news on the telly, have a bite of breakfast to fuel up, and head out to that donut shop to find this Egan Joseph.”
Win clicked the television on just as room service brought the food he’d ordered. The waiter pushed the cart into the room and settled it by the table.
“Shall I serve you, sir?” he asked, giving the briefest glance to Win’s outfit before averting his eyes.
Win grinned at him. “This will do just fine, young man, I can serve myself. And if you’re wondering about the state of my dress? Wonder no more. I’m on my way to a practical joke. Tell me, how do you like my sweater?”
The waiter snickered and nodded. “It’s very festive, sir.”
Win winked and grinned. “There’ll be a lovely tip in that compliment for you, young fellow.” He held up his phone with the app for the hotel.
The waiter nodded his head and smiled. “Thank you, sir. Have a wonderful day.”
As the waiter took his leave, Win turned the sound up on the television before taking the dome lids off the plates of food, revealing a hearty breakfast of poached and scrambled eggs, an assortment of sausage, ham, bacon, yogurt and fresh fruit, and whole wheat toast, topped off with a steaming pot of coffee and a carafe of orange juice.
He filled his plate, poured a cup of coffee and sat down, shaking out the linen napkin and placing it in his lap. Slicing up some fruit, he dropped it into the purse for Belfry.
“Thanks, Winterbutt,” Bel chirped.
I decided when his mouth was full was the best time to mention my fears about going to the donut shop alone. “Win, I really wish you’d reconsider going to see this Egan Joseph. He was huge, and so were his friends. I don’t doubt you could really give him a run for his money if you were healthier, but you’re on two and a half hours of sleep at best and not exactly in the greatest condition. I know I sound like a broken record, and time is of the essence, but we need to reassess.”
He nodded his head, sipping at his coffee. “Heard and noted.”
“But you’re going to ignore me anyway and keep up with this crazy wild goose chase.”
He dropped a plump strawberry into his mouth. “I am. I simply want to talk to the man, Stephania. No more, no less. I’m reassessing absolutely nothing where your life is concerned.”
“Why don’t we call the police, Win? Please? I’ve been gone long enough to warrant worry. And before you protest, I know you’re worried about them finding out you virtually
don’t exist, but I’m sure you can find a way around it. Like, call in an anonymous tip, or—”
“Where you and your life are concerned, I would tell the police I was the Dali Llama if it meant they’d listen. I’d stroll right into the police station as is, Stephania. I don’t care if they find out I don’t exist. But I doubt they’ll move as quickly as I can, even with my unfortunate medical issues.”
“Okay, so instead of going to the donut shop, you can go to the police first and then take it from there.” If I stalled him long enough, maybe he’d give up looking for this Egan.
“But something we must consider—and I’ve given this a great deal of thought—”
“If they find Stevie’s body first and, for all intents and purposes, she appears dead, the coppers might want an autopsy. They’ll hack her open before she can get back in or before we can get to her first. Amiright, mate?” Belfry asked.
I blanched. “Okay, fair point,” I whispered. But—”
Win threw up a hand, reaching for the remote control to the TV and leaning forward in his chair, his brow furrowed.
I didn’t hear what the reporter said at first, but a picture of an older woman flashed on the screen. Apparently, she’d been murdered.
“Any information on Genevieve Grant, also known to her friends and family as GG and owner of Granny’s Antiques, please call…”
My mouth dropped open. “That’s not…
“The same GG we talked to? Indeed. ’Tis not.”
Chapter 13
“Well, I can’t say I’m not relieved Egan Joseph didn’t show up for his donuts today. You know, seeing as he only tried to kill you last night.”
Win grumbled, the lines on his handsome face pronounced in the gloom of daylight as we sat in the car at a gas station after leaving of Perry’z Donutz. Yes, it’s spelled with the letter Z, something else Win grumbled about.
Overall, he was flat-out grumbly today.
However, I had noticed a turn in the tides. The more entrenched we became in the mystery of my missing body, the lighter his mood was, proving that Win was happiest when he was spying. That concerned me, but it was a concern for another time.
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