Ghostly Attachments (Haunted Series)

by Alexie Aaron

“You work here?” Sire asked.

  Gerald just smiled, knowing the narcissist would just assume. “Who are you visiting this evening,” he asked, waiting not for the voiced answer but the one in the man’s head.

  “I’m meeting a young friend of mine who is visiting,” he said. Gerald read, “I picked up her scent and followed my nose.”

  “Did you sign in, Mister…”

  “Applegate, Leo Applegate the third,” Sire said. He thought, “It’s none of your goddamn business, lackey.”

  “I’m sorry, Mister Applegate, but due to the limited space, you will have to wait for your friend on the lower level waiting area.”

  “I see,” Sire said, barely able to control his temper. “But my friend won’t know where to find me.”

  “Give me his or her name, and I will be happy to send a message. Or who your friend is visiting?”

  Sire glared at Gerald, and his thoughts of what he would like to do to him made Gerald squirm. Gerald however was able to pick out a very important piece of information as the man stomped off. He thought, “No one treats Harold Bakersfield this way.” Gerald now had a name.

  Bev nodded to Gerald as she followed the man down the hall and into the elevator. She smiled and refrained from conversing, pretending to be deep in her own thoughts. The vileness of this man made her doubt whether humanity created him or if he rose from the primordial ooze of Lucifer’s many rivers of evil.

  The elevator stopped at the street level, and Bev hung back, letting the man leave first. She walked a few feet behind him, and as he exited the building, she nodded to Gerald’s driver who had been waiting outside in the sedan. The man hailed a cab, and Bev watched as the taxi drove off with Gerald’s driver tailing him.

  She walked back into the building and walked into Gerald, not realizing he had been close behind her.

  “I have his name.” He smiled. “Harold Bakersfield, lately of Spring Island, Michigan,” he informed her.

  “You were smart to have Sabine bi-locate from the car on the way here. He smelled her. This is one powerful, experienced bi-locator. Even in human form he can detect her essence. He’s dangerous. I hope we haven’t endangered Brian or his sister.”

  “Do you regret using Brian as bait?” Bev asked.

  “No, he will be protected. I have the administrator’s permission to place several people here to protect the young man. And his sister has a watch already put on her.”

  “How did he get here so fast? Komal told us when he left, and he couldn’t boat or drive here in that time.”

  Gerald thought a moment. “I suspect he had a helicopter and pilot on the mainland somewhere on call. He could easily, if the weather was favorable, land here in Chicago, even on top of this very building. But I checked, only medevac helicopters are allowed to use the building’s landing pad.”

  “He must have a lot of money and resources. Can we stay ahead of him?” she worried.

  “Now that I have Bakersfield’s name, I can start cutting off those resources. Planting information for the IRS to find. Soon assets will be frozen, at least the ones in the states.”

  “What about elsewhere?”

  “Don’t worry, I know a guy…” Gerald’s voice trailed off. He squeezed Bev’s hand reassuringly before letting it go so he could make a few calls.

  “Hello you,” Brian whispered as he opened his eyes and saw Sabine staring at him. “What are you looking at? Do I have a zit in the middle of my forehead?”

  Sabine giggled.

  “Perhaps spinach in my teeth?” Brian moved his hand towards his face.

  Sabine caught his hand in hers and brought it to her lips and kisses each gnarled knuckle before putting it to her cheek. “You are perfect, no zits, warts or spinach.”

  “You are a filthy liar but a beautiful one.”

  “You, sir, are my knight. You are kind and valiant.”

  “You forgot brave, sexy and humble,” he said wryly, lifting an eyebrow, trying for an arrogant stare.

  Sabine giggled again.

  “You are in a fine mood tonight, my lady of caliber.”

  “Seeing you, being with you, makes my life complete somehow.”

  Brian smiled, touched by her sentiment. “Me too, Sabine, me too. As long as I am on this earth I hope to make you happy. I know I don’t have long. I understand if you want to walk away.”

  A cloud of frustration crossed her face. “Let’s not waste our time on this plane of existence talking about rubbish. Soon Gerald will have Sire dealt with, and we can OOB together. Discover the world out there. As long as you are with me, I am content.”

  A small tear formed in Brian’s eye. It brimmed over and took a lazy path down his cheek. “You are so beautiful inside and out. I admired you from afar many a time. I never had the courage to talk to you. How could I even in my knight persona approach a creature as lovely as you?”

  Sabine leaned in and caught his tear with her finger. She brought it upwards to the light and marveled at the colors reflected in it. Brian’s aura was a mass of shifting colors. As some died out, others stubbornly forced themselves forward. She prayed that Gerald would neutralize Sire before she lost Brian forever. One last time bi-locating with her love is all she wished for, one last untainted memory to give her courage to face the echoed loneliness of her days without him.

  Gerald put down his phone and Bev searched his face. “It’s good news, isn’t it?”

  “Oh yes, we have found the cracks in the pavement, and we are rising. It’s time to get our assault team together. I don’t want Sabine or her knight involved. How hard would it be to get Mia on board again? We need her special talent.”

  “I’m sure if you offer to even the favor score for her boyfriend she would be willing to participate in this raid. Mia’s loyalties are transparent. She loves that group of baboons. She would do anything to ease their way,” Bev said.

  Gerald noticed a bit of green-eyed envy on Bev’s part but let it go. “Call her. We move tomorrow at first light. I will have a helicopter pick her up at the nearest helipad to her location. I will text it to her once you have her agreement.”

  “Me? You call the wench, she likes you better,” Bev complained.

  “Beverly, for one with second sight, you are blind as an old bat.”

  “Old! How dare you,” she said meaning every word. “Alright, I’ll do your dirty work, but don’t you complain if I’m not as good of a bargainer.”

  “Oh, I know that you two women will do your best to fleece me at every turn.”

  Bev just smiled and picked up her phone.

  ~

  Mia listened with some interest at the deal Bev suggested she make for her. Gerald would clear PEEPs books which included Burt’s and Beth’s debts plus negotiate the purchase of the land and access rights to where Murphy’s grave stood now. Mia was astounded by Bev’s knowledge of her present state of affairs.

  “You can build a secure tomb. I suggest adding an alarm. So you can return the axe and Murphy, keeping your asset safe when you don’t need him. I don’t want you to have him at your house. That will just feed your twisted ideas and his.”

  “What the ef are you talking about?”

  “Honey, I know men, dead ones are just the same. That farm boy has the hots for you, baby, and you’re not exactly innocent in lusting after him are you?”

  “I think you have reached a new low, Auntie,” Mia growled into the phone. “But I see your reasons and find your plan a sound one. Tell Gerald to have the copter land outside the treed area by my home. I’m covered with webs and grave dirt. I am not going anywhere until I’ve had a hot shower and a change of clothes,” Mia insisted.

  “Will do, text me when you get there,” Bev instructed before hanging up.

  Mia looked over at Burt who was busy with Ted and Mike securing the weapons. She also saw Murphy checking out the small stand of hardwood in the Hofmann’s backyard. Was her aunt right? Did she have designs on the creature feeling up the tree out there?
“Pah,” she thought, “The woman had been reading too many paranormal romances.”

  She got up and walked over and explained that she had to leave.

  “It’s as good time as any. Things have calmed down. When will you be back?” Burt asked.

  “Not sure, but can you give me a day or so?”

  “What about Murphy?”

  “I’ll drop him off on my way home.” Mia explained, “I think that he would start annoying the neighbors with the sound of his axe.”

  “True. Did you get any information on what we do with the smoking pistols?”

  “Oh, that. I almost forgot. Father Santos will be calling Beth as soon as he can. “He’s traveling from Montreal to Ludington, Michigan, and the cell phone reception was crap when he was trying to explain things to me. All I got was water softener, salt and a lockbox, out of the snatches of conversation.”

  “I’ll send Ted out to the local 24hour Wal-Mart as soon as we have a list.”

  Mia walked over and moved in to kiss him. He ignored her attempt and continued with the project he was working on. The rebuff puzzled her, but she brushed it off as fatigue. She bent down and hefted the heavy canvas bag up into her arms. Mia whistled at Murphy and said, “Come on, old man, time to go home. My feet are tired.”

  The men laughed as they watched mini Mia Cooper stride out of the yard carrying the cast-iron axe head over her shoulder as if it were a bag of feathers.

  “That’s some woman you’ve got there,” Mike commented.

  “I hope I can keep her,” Burt mumbled, his confidence shaken by a momentary loss of physical self-esteem.

  “Dudes, less chick, more work,” Ted ordered as he stood there with an armload of inventoried rifles. “This is that last of them. What’s the plan, man?” he asked Burt.

  “We are going to drop them off at the local PD.”

  “No way, the coppers will nab us for sure,” Ted said shaking his head.

  “Not if we do it right. Beth is going to enlist the little old ladies, the ones that own the illegal elephant gun. They were so happy to get it back that they actually volunteered to help as long as we don’t mention they have it,” Burt explained.

  “There were quite a few weapons that weren’t reported missing. How did you figure out that the big gun was theirs?” Mike asked impressed.

  “Beth saw an old black and white photo of the girls when they were young on safari. The biddies have quite a past. I am sure those pearl handles have seen a lot of action too.”

  “They’d get along with Ma,” Mike said, remembering the tales he heard about his mother from his aunts and uncles.

  “Your mother is the coolest of cool, dude,” Ted informed him. “Tell her she won the pot next time you talk to her.”

  “What pot?” Mike asked.

  “Just tell her,” Ted said and walked quickly away.

  Burt hid his laugher by turning away and began fussing with a few gadgets.

  ~

  “Thank you, Father,” Beth said and ended her call. She looked at the list of instructions and whistled. She hoped this would work as the pistols were starting to stink of burnt wood and molten metal. She opened the Hofmann’s garage and walked over to the water softener. She exhaled a sigh of relief as she saw several unopened bags of salt stacked in the corner by the appliance. She hefted a bag over her shoulder and headed for the backyard.

  She met Ted on the way who gallantly took the bag from her. “It’s a temporary measure until we can get a few items on my list,” she explained to him when he asked if this was for the pistols.

  The coal scuttle had developed a reddish color of heat at the base of it. As Ted poured the salt into the bucket the glow faded back to the black hue. Bev took the tongs and adjusted the pistols so that they didn’t touch each other and encouraged Ted to pour more salt in, covering the weapons.

  “That’s it?” Mike asked puzzled.

  “Oh, no. This is just to keep the combatants contained until the other materials are delivered.” We should also get the empty case too as a precaution. I can split another bag and insert the box in there.”

  “Damn, I expect this is another Gerald favor?” Burt said frowning.

  “From what I hear, this and all the others are already paid for. I suspect that is why Mia left earlier,” Beth theorized.

  “Do you know where she went?” Mike asked.

  “No.” Burt admitted, “I didn’t ask, she didn’t tell me.”

  Mike looked at Beth and she shrugged. “Must be some trip if it wipes all our favors away,” Mike said.

  “Yep. And if it is anything to do with why she was gone before, I’m really regretting her leaving.”

  “Ah, Dude, Murphy is with her,” Ted said, patting Burt on the back.

  “No, she’s dropping him off. Where she’s going, Murphy can’t follow.”

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Mia parked her truck on the dirt road and walked into April’s property. The woodpile would be the best place to hide the axe head with summer full on, and April was unlikely to bring any of the wood into the house to burn. Mia searched her memory for a time there was a fire burning in the grate since April had been owner and could not find any. April was house-proud and wouldn’t be happy dealing with the sooty aftermath of a cozy fire or two. Mia removed a few stacks of old hewn wood and placed the sack in the pile, covering it up so it couldn’t be seen by April. Murphy had not appeared, but she was confident he was back here at the farm somewhere. It had to be exhausting to him to pull power in order to re-locate. She wished she could have said goodbye but that was par for the course.

  She heard a strange whistling sound. Mia turned and scanned the woods for the source. A light appeared in the trees nearby. She looked at her watch and knew she would have to move quickly in order to make her commitments, but curiosity pulled her away from these thoughts. Mia climbed over brambles and pushed through the summer underbrush until she was even with the light. It was Murphy. He had made it back home. She looked around her in the dark and the shadows looked familiar. He had lured her to the place she had exited and entered the vortex.

  He tapped his chest and said, “Wait here.”

  An understanding flashed through her. “You’ll wait for me here. Why?”

  He pointed at her and said, “Need me.”

  “Yes, if something happens I will find my way to you. Although I don’t plan on dying just yet,” she said without confidence.

  He shook his head and mimed her bi-locating out of her body.

  Mia remembered Gerald’s and Bev’s warnings but felt she needed to understand what Murphy was talking about. In an OOB state she could converse more easily with him. She lay down upon the soft pine needles and bi-located.

  Murphy looked at Mia and steeled his spine. He was nervous but needed to make his intentions known. “I’m here for you, forever.”

  Mia floated over and touched down next to him. “I know that, Murph. We will always have each other. We have been friends for years.”

  Murphy moved forward and Mia backed up. She didn’t understand what he was doing until she crossed the threshold of the ley line. He reached out and touched her. He continued forward, pulling her to him. Stephen Murphy bent his head down and kissed Mia, long and hard, and she felt it. Every sense in her body woke up and she responded. The impossible had happened. Her conscience mind negated that she was a corporal being, and he was a man dead for over a hundred and fifty years. All she knew was that she was locking lips with the man who had saved her life, again and again. She felt the roughness of his homespun clothing in her hands and the prickliness of his beard upon her face.

  Suddenly he pulled apart from her, “Mustn’t go too far.”

  Mia stood there very aware that she would have gone farther and farther, losing herself in the new physicality of their relationship. She looked up at him, and he was still protecting her. Protecting her from himself, God, the devil, whatever the fuck was out there. Stephen Murphy would honor h
er.

  Mia moved back into her body. She pushed herself up and nodded to the man fading in front of her. “I’ll be back, Murph. Don’t you worry, we haven’t finished this conversation.” She turned away and ran as fast as she could out of the forest and into reality.

  All the way home as the truck bumped over the pitted dirt roads Mia relived that kiss. She felt guilty concerning Burt. This was nuts. She wasn’t going to tell her flesh and blood boyfriend she almost made out with a ghost. This wasn’t possible. It wouldn’t happen again. She squirmed in her seat as the memory of how Murphy made her persona feel. Those senses now caused her to feel moist. “Oh, I’m going to hell for sure this time,” she said aloud.

  She pulled into her drive, and after rushing through her security measures she ran into the house, ripping off her soiled clothing as she went. The cold water of the shower wasn’t just to wake her up but to quench a desire she had no right to have. What was happening to her? She sank to the tiled floor and started crying, her sobs echoing throughout the bathroom. First was the feeling that her relationship with Burt had hit a major snag and now Murphy? She reached up and turned the water warmer, and on wobbly knees she stood up and began to wash the night’s soil from her body and Stephen Murphy from her mind.

  Mia rode in the plush interior of the corporate helicopter that had picked her up in front of her house and was presently on route to the small Michigan coastal community. She looked out the tinted windows, watching the landscape below her but not actually seeing it. She tried to sleep, but her mind was on Murphy. Was this desire just a momentary thing brought on by the excitement of the evening? Her near death experience and being rescued by this axe-wielding man? But he wasn’t a man. Mia had to drill this into her befuddled brain. He was dead. Were the dead capable of love? Answering herself, she brought up an image of a face over her cradle. She smiled as she remembered fondly the young spirit who cooed to her. She knew she was loved and loved this spirit in return. But Murphy? No, that was desire. No, love. No no no!