All in Bad Time

by Yvonne Montgomery

  "Thanks so much." Eve stopped, realizing what he'd said. "You mean you're working with him?"

  "I mean I've infiltrated his filthy organization. How in hell do you imagine I'm able to give you this information?"

  "How in hell do you imagine I'm dealing with the fact of a voice in my head, let alone figuring out what's going on?" Eve hit the sofa cushion. "Dammit, Charlie, you haven't told me much of anything."

  "You can't expect me to sustain a narration of my activities! I'm risking my life just being here. If any of them finds out—"

  Eve growled deep in her throat. "Listen to me. Things are happening here, stuff falling apart. You show up with cryptic messages every once in a while and that's supposed to be helpful? Well, it isn't!"

  "Eve, are you all right?"

  Aura Lee was standing in the doorway. Eve couldn't see her face, but she was fairly certain she was wearing her concerned expression. Inside her head Charlie was saying, "Talk to Max. Tell him what I've told you. Put some things together, for the love of God."

  "Eve?"

  She closed her mind to Charlie. "I'm all right."

  Aura Lee came further into the room. "I thought I heard you talking to someone."

  "Dreaming, I think." Eve pushed herself into a sitting position. "I hate to ask, but the doctor told me to eat something. I wasn't very hungry before, but now I'm famished."

  Aura Lee nodded wisely. "Of course you are. Let me get you something." She turned and then looked back. "Did Jerri tell you to eat anything in particular?"

  "Comfort food."

  Aura Lee's laugh was full. "That's the best prescription I've ever heard."

  Eve returned her smile. "Isn't it? Whatever you have will be fine."

  "I'll be back in a jiffy."

  Eve watched her disappear. When she heard a cupboard door and the clink of dishes, she closed her eyes and thought hard. Charlie? He'd been able to hear her before when she didn't speak. Charlie?

  She kept trying to reach him, but there was no response.

  What if he'd been discovered while he was communicating with her? What if she'd made him so angry he hadn't protected himself adequately? Charlie, please hear me, please tell me you're there. No response.

  After a while she stopped trying, fearing she might be distracting him with her continued efforts. She focused her attention on the fire, nearly getting lost in the flames. Her gaze rose to the painting over the fireplace. It portrayed a woman probably in her thirties. Her chestnut hair was worn in an upsweep and her gray-green eyes held a hint of mischief under flaring brows. Eve wondered if the firmness of her mouth suggested pain. The idea of pain made her think again of Charlie.

  By the time Aura Lee returned with a tray, Eve felt she'd ruined everything, even Charlie's chances of survival. Then she remembered he'd told her to talk to Max. That she could do.

  "Here you are, my dear. I hope you'll enjoy it."

  Aura Lee had taken the idea of comfort to an extreme. On the tray was a bowl of rich chicken soup swimming with plump dumplings. The scent of the broth alone had her salivating. An iced brownie was obviously the dessert, and a glass of deep red wine was waiting for her to drink it. "This is wonderful," Eve said, blinking back threatening tears. "Thank you."

  "You're more than welcome." Aura Lee beamed down at her. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

  Eve took a swallow of the wine, thankful for the warmth of it filling her chest. "Is Max around?" she asked carefully. "I'd like to talk to him."

  Aura Lee looked at her thoughtfully. "I believe he and Kerry are at her place. Do you want me to ask both of them to come over?"

  Eve fumbled with her spoon. "Yes, that would be fine."

  Pleased, Aura Lee nodded. "I'll call them right now." She hurried from the room.

  Eve took a bite of the chicken soup, closing her eyes at the blend of flavors on her tongue. No matter what happens at Wisdom Court, she thought in gratitude, we get the most delicious food.

  She was fighting off a desire to lick bits of icing off the brownie plate when she heard a sound at the door.

  Aura Lee bustled in, eying the tray and its empty dishes. "You really were hungry, weren't you? Do you want some more?"

  Eve smiled up at her, eyes at half-mast. "No, but thanks. Everything was so good. I can feel myself healing already."

  Aura Lee beamed in pleasure. "Goddess bless you, child. You look as though you might nap for a while."

  Nodding, Eve settled herself a little further into the sofa cushions. "I'd like to. Are Max and Kerry coming over soon?"

  Aura Lee set the tray on the liquor cabinet and turned back to shake out and smooth Eve's blanket. "Nobody answered so I left a message. You go ahead and sleep if you can. That's the best thing for you. They'll be over here before long anyway, if I know them." Deftly she plumped the pillow and slid it back under Eve's head.

  "Okay." Eve smiled again. "Thanks, Aura Lee."

  "You're more than welcome." Aura Lee picked up the tray and Eve caught sight again of the portrait over the fireplace.

  "Who's in the painting?" she asked.

  Aura Lee glanced over her shoulder. "That's our founder, Caldicott Wyntham."

  "What was she like?"

  Aura Lee's smile held a world of sadness. "She was wonderful." She walked toward the kitchen door. "Rest now."

  Eve lay still, relishing the comfort of a full belly and a warm place to sleep. All I need now is to know that Charlie is safe. Maybe he'll get in touch soon. Lips curving at the thought, she drifted into sleep. When Danica landed on the spot beside her, she didn't wake up, but the purring of the little cat followed her into her dreams.

  Chapter 16

  Kerry's kitchen was a cross between a badly organized library and a squalid dorm room. Dishes were stacked in the sink full of cold soapy water, and books of all sizes formed towers at the edge of a paper war zone atop the table. They'd been organizing piles of information since the early morning hours.

  Max glanced up from his notes with a frown. "My timeline is off again. When did Caldicott take the job at the bookstore?"

  Kerry had been reading through her sequential list of paranormal events, adding items as she compiled details gleaned from everyone at Wisdom Court. "What?"

  Max rubbed at the frown lines between his eyebrows. His light brown hair fell over his forehead and he pushed it out of his eyes. "The bookstore with the Russian, or whatever he was. When did she start working there?"

  Kerry cocked her head to read the titles on the spines of the books stacked along the kitchen counter. "Here." She drew a journal from the first pile and slid it across the table.

  Max's fingers brushed against hers as he pulled the book toward him. "Thanks, luv." He shot her a smile but she didn't see it. Kerry was trying to remember if Aura Lee had described music when she saw the hand extending through the surface of her silver tray. She didn't think so, but hadn't there been sound? Oh, of course, the strange humming that had increased in volume to an ear-splitting scream.

  "Bloody hell," Max said softly. He was glaring down at the open journal. "Bloody fucking hell."

  Kerry's eyes blurred as she went from one list to the other, trying to find where she'd left off. It was four lines down from the top. Maybe.

  Max flipped another page. "Bollocks."

  Kerry lifted her chin to frown at him. "What the hell, Max?"

  "You do realize we never finished reading this one, don't you?" he muttered at the pages.

  She sighed in irritation. "Tell me what's got your goat or shut up and let me work."

  Max's gaze scorched her. "We didn't finish reading this journal." He bit off the words, lips curled in a snarl. "We were interrupted when Eve arrived the other night. So much has happened, we didn't return to read the rest of it."

  "Oh my God!" Kerry nearly pushed her chair over in her haste to get to the other side of the table. "Let me see."

  Max snatched up the volume and held it out of her reach.

  Kerr
y narrowed her eyes. "Max," she warned, her voice rising. "Hand that over right now."

  "No."

  He grunted when she landed on his lap, and before she knew it, Kerry was trapped in his arms. He was stronger than he looked. "I want to see it."

  "No." His eyes were alight with mischief. He tightened his grip, bending his head to nibble on her earlobe.

  Kerry tilted her head closer to allow his lips better access to the spot behind her ear. "What, you want to gather the others and go over it together?"

  "Not bloody likely."

  The tip of his tongue was circling the inner rim of her ear. Kerry thought she would slide off his lap onto the floor in a puddle of melted nerve endings.

  His hands were moving across her belly, aiming lower for the softness between her legs. His fingers stroked in a teasing gesture, lower still and Kerry shifted in his hold. His teeth bit lightly at her neck until she turned her head toward him and captured his mouth with her own.

  The shrill ring of the landline phone cut through their fog like a chainsaw through lumber.

  Kerry moaned in disappointment.

  The second ring thrust more of the real world between them. Kerry kissed his lips lightly and began to wiggle off his lap.

  "No." Max's arms tightened. "Not this time. Let the voice mail pick up."

  Kerry softened, settled back onto his lap. "What if there's an emergency?"

  He licked her throat. "There's always an emergency." His voice was guttural. His lips searched for hers and, finding them, deepened the kiss until they breathed as one.

  She pulled away and turned her head, pressing her ear against his chest. At the slow thump of his heartbeat she fell into his rhythm. They held each other in a long span of wordless conversation.

  Finally Max loosed his arms and tucked her head under his chin. "I want you."

  "Me, too." His arms encircled her and Kerry let out a long sigh. This was the closest she'd ever felt to heaven.

  "But I know us, darling." He nuzzled her available ear. "Guilt-ridden over-achievers, the two of us. If we seek our bed we'll have fun, but the shadow will be there."

  Kerry smiled. His mixture of pedantry and romanticism was beyond wonderful. "You're right, damn you. The long arm of responsibility beckons."

  "When this is all over, I'll take you to Ireland, to one of those snug little inns and we'll stay in bed for a month." He tilted her chin up and captured her lips. He pulled back to look into her eyes. "No ghosts," he whispered, "no shrieks in the night, accept when you come." He kissed her again. "Just you and I and a bed."

  Kerry shivered. "We could buy tickets now."

  Max groaned at the thought. "Long arm... responsibility..." He turned his head, holding her to his heart. Again their separate breaths melded in one rhythm and Kerry felt a pang of pure happiness.

  When Max went still, Kerry whispered, "It's all right, love. We'll enjoy ourselves more if we've done the work."

  Max was scarcely breathing, and his arms were clenching her too tightly. "Max?"

  "Look," he said, voice guttural again, but not with passion. "Over at the counter by the sink."

  She turned her head in time to see a stack of books rising toward the ceiling light fixture, separating and floating down to land, one by one, on the table.

  "Shit." Kerry blinked and looked again. Another stack was moving directly toward them. "Somebody's impatient at our leisurely pace."

  The books fell to the floor, near their chairs. "Crikey!" Max pushed her off his lap and jumped to his feet. "Let's get out of here." Grabbing her hand, he tugged her toward the door. Kerry snatched up the journal and tried to keep up with his rapid pace.

  Max flung open the door and pulled her out, slamming it behind them. Rapid thuds of objects hitting the door followed.

  "Our books?" Kerry whispered, as if someone was listening.

  "What else?"

  The doorknob rattled violently and they ran down the hallway toward the outer door as if pursued by devils.

  * * *

  When they reached the main house, they silently looked at each other. "Are you okay?" Kerry asked Max softly. She reached up to caress his hair into a semblance of order.

  Max grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on her palm. "More than. And you?"

  Kerry sighed. "Cast out of heaven by the spirits of industry." When he laughed, she hugged him to her. "We got out alive, that's all that matters. Question is, should we tell them right away or check the lay of the land first?"

  Max grimaced. "I'm for easing into it later. Too much has happened lately to be ham-handed now."

  "Agreed." She reached up for a kiss. "Let's go in."

  When they opened the door, the perfume of food drifted to them and they exchanged a glance. "Chicken and dumplings, I'd reckon." Kerry inhaled deeply. "My God, I'm starved."

  "Me, too." Max shivered. "And cold. Those bastards ran us off before we could get our coats."

  "I'll bet everyone's in by the fire. Let's go."

  They entered the living room, making a beeline for the fireplace. Kerry shuddered as the heat hit her. "Don't hog all the heat, luv," Max murmured as he nudged her over to one side. Eve watched them from the sofa, giving a fleeting thought to the easy bond between them. She'd never experienced that. The idea of Charlie flashed in her mind and she wondered if being inside someone's head could be the greatest intimacy of all. The notion gave her pleasure and her lips curved in a smile.

  When she glanced up, Kerry and Max were staring at her oddly. Wait till they hear what I have to tell them. They'll probably call in a shrink. Or laugh me out of town. "Pull up a chair."

  Kerry sat on the sturdy wingback across from her and Max pulled an ottoman near it. Kerry eyed her with sympathy. "Did Jerri come see you today?"

  Eve nodded. "She's great. I thought sure she'd swoop in and put me in the hospital. Instead she just checked me over and told me to pig out on Aura Lee's food. Tough duty, right?"

  Max's smile was brief. He leaned against Kerry's chair and crossed one ankle over the other. "Are you ready to talk about what happened?"

  Eve closed her eyes for a moment, using her old trick of imagining words on a page to organize her thoughts. "Do you know someone named Charlie?" she asked him. Danica jumped onto the sofa beside her.

  Max smiled. "She's a lovely cat. I didn't get to see her when you arrived." He considered her carefully. "Do you have a surname for this Charlie you mentioned?"

  Shrugging her shoulders, Eve looked away from the curiosity lighting his eyes. "It was a casual introduction." She noticed how he groped for Kerry's hand. "Charlie is a common name."

  Evidently Max could read something in her face, or her voice. He leaned forward, his hand still clasping Kerry's. "Tell us, Eve."

  She studied him for a moment. What did she have to lose? Both of them might think she was delusional, but the whole place was crawling with apparitions, to say nothing of snakes.

  "He's been talking to me."

  Max nodded slowly. "Charlie."

  "Yes." Eve glanced at Kerry and was taken aback at the growing understanding spreading across her face.

  "How?" Max asked. "By telephone? Online?" he added when Eve raised her brows in question.

  Eve braced herself. Here goes nothing. "In my head." Danica bumped her head against Eve's arm and she petted her reflexively.

  Kerry shot a look at Max. When he didn't say anything, she frowned at him.

  Eve took a breath and let it out slowly. "He talks to me inside my mind." She waved in an offhanded gesture. "He was with me when I was trapped under my apartment."

  "He's been helping you," Max said.

  Nodding, Eve added, "When Brenna and I were in the tunnels, he woke me up to warn me about the drill Neal and the others were using to cut into the earth over our heads." She smiled a little. "Charlie always seems to catch me when I'm asleep."

  Max leaned back against Kerry's chair. "Well," he said on a long exhale, "one never knows how things work ou
t, does one?"

  "What do you mean?" Eve was confused by the gleam of humor in his eyes. "You do know him, don't you?"

  "Yes." Max paused for a moment. "As it happens, a colleague named Charlie sent me a message telling me something about your flat was dangerous."

  "How would he know that?"

  Max shrugged. "That's the least of our issues. All right then, tell me about this Charlie of yours."

  Rubbing her hands together, Eve thought back. "He might have, uh, approached me as early as before I arrived here at Wisdom Court. Looking at it now, he probably wakened me several times when odd things were happening. As I said, he usually shows up when I'm sleeping."

  "Do you hear his voice or think what he's saying?" Kerry paused. "I guess I'm asking how you communicate with him? Or he with you?"

  Eve considered how to accurately describe what she'd experienced. "The first thing I remember him telling me is to wake up." She caught the glance between Max and Kerry. "I didn't hear him so much as I jerked awake because he was in my mind saying it several times. Wake up, Evie."

  "He knew you were asleep."

  Eve shrugged. "Evidently."

  "And you were in New Jersey then?" At Eve's nod, Kerry said to Max, "That's quite a distance."

  "Where does this colleague of yours live?" Eve asked.

  "Near London." His lips twisted at the surprise in her face. "It's not a question of distance."

  Eve leaned toward him. "What isn't?"

  Max ran both hands through his hair. "I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's continue with you and I'll fill in from my end after that."

  "Okay." Eve recounted the times she could remember when Charlie had awakened her, and told them how he'd helped her regain control of herself in the hidden chamber beneath her rooms in the associate house. "He sounded stressed," she said slowly. "As if he was under pressure of some kind, but he kept trying to keep my spirits up. It was during that when he told me to talk to you, to give you a message."

  Max raised a brow.

  "He said he was getting close, was trying to get through." Eve frowned. "He was having some difficulties, he said."