Kylie was quiet as pain played across her face. Alex wished he could say all good things. Her killer would be brought to justice. She could move into the afterlife without a mystery following her. Everything would be okay.
He couldn't promise any of it.
"I think so," she said. "It'll have to be. I don't have a choice. I can't not know."
"Okay. I think we've got a deal. Where are we talking about, anyway?"
"Stewardtown. It's a tiny place in northern Florida."
Alex blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting to take a trip several states away. Experienced ghosts didn't have a problem moving large distances through the spirit world, basically teleporting anywhere they'd already been. But with Kylie, he couldn't see that happening.
"How did you get here?"
Kylie sighed at the memory.
"I-95, and a lot of cars. A lot of riding in cars, and a lot of falling out of cars. Hours of walking along the road after falling out of cars. Even more hours waiting at truck stops listening for someone saying they were heading north. After hitting Maryland, I begged every ghost I could find on information on you. It wasn't fun."
Alex leaned back in disbelief. If Kylie had opened with that story he wouldn't have asked any questions. He would simply have taken her case.
"Holy shit," Cindy said. "Why didn't you just hop a plane?"
Alex held in a laugh as he thought of the drive home. Kylie in a plane. That was a story that wouldn't have ended well.
"No, she did the right thing," Alex said.
Kylie rose to her feet. "So, we're good? You'll help me? What's the next step?"
Cindy stood as well, letting her hand drift to the back of Alex's neck.
"Hold on, before we get too far ahead. Can Alex and I talk for a minute?"
"Sure." Kylie turned back and forth several times, in an awkward effort to go somewhere else. "Uh, you want me to wait outside?"
"Please."
"Okay. Just come get me when you're done. It's not like I have anywhere else to go. Oh, Cindy?"
"Yeah?"
"Alex had to grab my leg earlier. But it wasn't in a pervy, feel-me-up type way. I just wanted you to know so you didn't get pissed at him."
"Uh, sure. Whatever you say."
Kylie disappeared through the front door. Cindy stood up and placed her hands on her cheeks, her eyes wide. She paced, short steps, near the coffee table.
"Oh my God," she said. "Did that just happen? Another client? You just had a case last night."
"Yeah," Alex said, smiling. "Business is booming."
"A rich client," Cindy mused. "Think about it. People are actually seeking you out, more than ever. Ghosts and the living both. This could be big for you, Alex."
"Big for us," he corrected. "None of this happens without you."
Cindy halted her pacing long enough to embrace Alex. They shared a kiss, which Alex moved from quick to passionate. The sight of Paul earlier, and the loss of his wife, made Alex want to hold onto Cindy as long as he could. She didn't mind. She returned his energy, until they both had to come up for breath. She stayed close, her arms around his neck.
Both of them were lost in their own thoughts. A simple question of taking the case or not had its own complications.
"Solving a murder," Alex said. "Okay, I've done it before."
"But this is a little different. This isn't a hundred-year-old murder that you research in a library. Kylie was killed recently, wasn't she?"
"Definitely. She's still mourning her death. She can't even ride in a car without falling out."
Cindy smiled. "Is that why you went all pervy on her earlier?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. You know me. Can't keep my hands to myself. Don't you think I can do this?"
"Oh, I know you can do this. The question is do you want to? Florida? You'll have to take a few days off work."
Alex started thinking about logistics, timing, his work's vacation policy.
"Yeah, you're right. I've been fighting using vacation time for this stuff, but…."
Cindy finished his thought.
"But the money sounds good. And…Kylie needs help."
Alex broke away and engaged in his own pacing, staring at the carpet. So many thoughts and doubts rushed through his mind.
"Do you trust her?" he asked. "You think Kylie's being honest?"
Cindy nodded. "First impressions…I think she's okay."
"The last time I trusted a ghost who needed my help…."
The sentence was difficult to finish. Alex would never forget. Demons were released. Blood was shed. People died.
She nodded, caring and compassion in her eyes.
"Yeah, I know. It's up to you, baby. If you want to change your mind, now's the time. I support you either way."
Of course she did. That was Cindy. Alex may have been the one with demonic powers, but Cindy was where his strength came from.
"I'll help her," he said. His mind raced through the details. "I have to give work three days notice before using vacation. That'll push everything past Halloween, into next week. We won't be able to fly, not with her…condition."
Cindy laughed. "Are you sure that truck can make it to Florida?"
"Don't be jealous of the truck."
"You can always get Kevin to make one of those portals of his."
It was tempting, but Alex shook his head.
"No. If I'm going to do this, and this kind of work, we can't be taking shortcuts. I can't rely on Kevin and his magic."
"Fair enough." Cindy took a breath and nodded at the door. "Well? You want to tell her?"
Alex nodded, and kissed his wife one more time. Cindy went back to work at her laptop as he opened the front door. An unexpected conversation was taking place on the porch.
"…oh yeah, Alex and I go way back. He'd be lost without me. Just last night, the two of us did some work at a haunted house. We thought it was a ghost, but it turned out to be a demon. Possessed a girl. It was ugly."
"Are you serious? Demons are real?"
"Damn straight. Weird, right? But I guess it makes sense. It turns out ghosts are real, so why not demons?"
"And you and Alex got rid of it?"
"You bet. I held it, while Alex punched it in the face. Then I kicked it in its nuts."
Kylie couldn't hold in her smile.
"Demons have nuts?"
"Yeah. Big ones."
Alex closed the door behind him, drawing the attention of Kylie and Nate. The pair sat on the steps, their backs to him. Nate smiled and winked when he looked at Alex.
"Hey, man," he said. "We were just talking about you."
"I heard. Kylie, I see you've met Nate."
"Yeah. I didn't know he was your partner."
"Ah," Alex said, regarding Nate. "Partner, huh?"
Nate stood up. "Did I say partner? That was probably the wrong word." He quickly changed the subject. "So, Kylie tells me you have a job you might need help with."
Alex pointed at Kylie. "About that. We need to talk alone for a second."
She stood up as well and joined him. Alex was quiet as he stared at Nate. Kylie stared as well, and Nate glanced back and forth between the two, not getting the meaning.
"What?"
"That means you need to walk away."
"Ah, man. Every time I stop by, you send me away. I can eat at the big table, too, Pop."
"Nate—"
"Okay, okay. I'm going. I'll be out in the street jumping through cars."
Alex and Kylie watched him leave. Alex waited until he was out of earshot before speaking.
"So, we kicked a demon in the nuts."
Kylie laughed. "Yeah. He just popped up, right next to me. Scared me to death." She shook her head. "Terrible phrasing. Anyway, I've known him five minutes and can tell he's full of shit."
"He's a good guy. And he's not completely full of shit. Demons are real."
Her jaw dropped. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. Listen, we've got t
o talk."
"What's up?"
"We're in. We're going to help you."
The gratitude and relief that washed over her warmed Alex's heart. It was another reminder of why he did what he did. He tried to shove the good feelings aside as he prepared for what he had to say.
"But here's the disclaimer. Kylie, I want to help you, work with you. I want to get paid. More than that, I want to live. I've been taken advantage of before."
"What do you mean?"
"A ghost who said he needed my help, lured me into a trap once."
"You…think I'm lying?"
"No, not at all, but—"
"The Stewardtown Gazette, October 15th. Obituaries, second column, fourth one down. That's where you'll find me." A tear ran down her cheek. "My tombstone says With The Angels Now. But that's not true. I'm still here. Someone took everything from me. I don't even remember dying. The last hours of my life, gone. I just remember waking up in an alley. I…thought I was still alive, until I leaned on a wall." She took several deep breaths, to regain her composure. "I'm not lying, Alex."
"I don't think you are. But I just have to throw that out there, that's all. If you try to hurt me…." He searched for the words. "It will not end well."
"I got it. That won't happen."
"Okay. Then, we're good."
He extended his hand. Kylie shook it, then pulled him in for a surprise hug.
"Thank you," she said. "For helping me."
"You're welcome. But don't get excited. We haven't even started yet."
Alex frowned as he stared out in the street. He shook his head slowly, not quite believing what he was seeing.
"What?" Kylie asked. "What's wrong?"
She turned to follow his eyes. Her brow furrowed in confusion, but she laughed quietly, trying to cover her mouth.
Nate wasn't lying. He was literally jumping through cars. He waited in the street for a car to approach. As it drew closer, he jumped up as high as he could, trying to clear the vehicle without having any part of him touch it. He failed each time.
"Man. I was close on that one," he said. He turned to catch Kylie giving Alex a hug. "Whoa! Where's mine? Nate needs a hug, too! I'm like a big old teddy bear."
"Everything starts next week," Alex said as Nate rejoined them. "I have to take off from my day job, get things together."
"Okay."
He gestured to the house behind him. "You're welcome to stay here, if you want."
Nate's eye lits up, and Alex pointed to shut him down.
"Not you," Alex said. "Cindy would probably kill me if I let you stay."
"Is she home?" He looked at Kylie. "Have you met her?"
"Uh, yeah. I met her."
"Delicious, isn't she? I'll just pop in and say hi."
Alex put his hand up. "No. C'mon, Nate. I have to take a shower, eat, and try to relax."
"Alright, man. Kylie and I were going to head to Baltimore, anyway."
That took Alex by surprise. "Really?"
Kylie nodded and smiled. "Yeah. I've never been to the Inner Harbor before. Hell, I've never been outside Florida."
Alex didn't even bother thinking about how they were going to get there. But he trusted Nate. Somehow, he knew he'd take care of Kylie.
"Okay. You two have fun."
"Thanks. I probably will stay here tonight. Don't worry, I won't get in your way."
He waved as he watched Kylie and Nate leave the house and walk down the street. Nate told another of his jokes, making Kylie laugh. It was a strange sight, watching two ghosts simply walk away.
He leaned against the door after stepping foot back into the living room. The quiet, the stillness of their house was a welcome relief. The normal. Cindy still banged away at her laptop, her face serious and intense. Alex filled her in on their house-guest, to which she simply waved her hand.
"It's not like I can see her, anyway. And I don't walk around the house naked…most of the time."
Alex laughed and stretched. "I'll hit the shower real quick."
"Wait," Cindy said, holding up a finger. "Before you do, come here."
She slid over on the couch to make room as she minimized her work on the laptop. Turning to face him, she took a deep breath and smiled.
"I have a surprise."
"Will I like it?"
"I think so. I hope so." She gestured to the laptop. "You ready?"
"Hit me, baby," he said, laughing.
Cindy waved her hand over the keyboard and struck a key with a tada.
A website popped up. Alex's eyes traveled the page, unsure of what he was looking at. A slideshow gallery of images scrolled from left to right, showing what seemed to be haunted houses. Realistic drawings of demons were mixed in. There was an About Us page, along with Meet The Team, even a section for a blog. It was eye catching, very professional.
He took note of the site title. Demons LLC.
"Wow, nice," he said. "But what is it?"
"This is our new website."
"Are you kidding?" Panic threatened to take over, for multiple reasons. "How much did this cost?"
"Zero." Cindy let out her million-dollar smile. "There's a small web-hosting fee each month, but it didn't cost anything to make. Not bad, right?"
"You made this?"
"Yeah. Well, Kevin did. It took a few weeks. I gave him all the content, the pictures. I was the director." She laughed. "What do you think?"
Alex was amazed at what they'd accomplished, but terrified. He wanted to make money, but keep a low profile. How was that possible with a website?
"Do we really need a website?"
Cindy laughed. "Every business does. Even the small ones. And we are a business, a legal entity now. You're the one who said we needed business cards. This is the same thing, but on the Internet."
He was quiet as he stared at the laptop. It wasn't exactly the response Cindy was looking for.
"Do you like it?"
"It's awesome."
"You don't look in awe."
"It's just…." He couldn't find the words.
Luckily, he didn't need to. She took his hand.
"Baby, I know you don't want to get famous. You just want to help people, make a little money, and be as anonymous as possible."
He smiled. "That's about it."
"I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen."
She was quiet a moment, to let her words soak in.
"If you want to get out of that warehouse…." She motioned to the laptop. "If this is what you want to do, we have to grow. Get the name out there, advertise. Believe me, I've put a lot of thought into this. Demons LLC. Paranormal investigation. It'll grab the exact audience we want. I'm still working on a logo. But just imagine. You pull out a business card. Demons LLC is written across the top, in a cool font. Maybe some fire behind it."
Alex chuckled at his wife. Cindy's enthusiasm didn't take long to spread.
"Or maybe some wings. That would be pretty cool."
She kissed him on the cheek.
"Just trust me. Don't worry about a thing. I'll handle all the back-end crap, keep your name out of as much as I can. But, if you keep helping the living and the dead, and clearing houses of demons, your name will get out there. Think about it. A ghost hitchhiked across the east coast just to hire you."
He took a breath. She was right, as always. It was just a business name and a website, no different than having a business card. It was a good, intelligent decision to make. He was thankful Cindy was by his side. She was much smarter than him.
"Demons LLC?" he said, smiling.
She nodded. "Simple, effective. I was also leaning toward Alex Teague, Inc."
He vigorously shook his head. "No, no. Demons LLC is perfect. The site really does look great."
"Thank you." She closed the laptop. "You go take your shower. I'll get started on dinner. Maybe later, we can pick up where we left off this morning." She scanned the living room. "Is anyone here?"
"Nope. Just me and you
."
She quickly jumped on his lap and wiggled back and forth. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned in for a kiss. Alex rested an arm across her thighs and a hand on her hip.
"I'm proud of you," she said. "Money is good, don't get me wrong. But just agreeing to help Kylie, you made her day."
"Thanks. I'll try to make your day, too."
He tickled her. She jumped up and ran to the kitchen. Alex disappeared down the hall while Cindy browned a pan of meat for Hamburger Helper.
She was ten minutes into cooking when she realized the shower was simply running. There was no movement, no noise. Just the sound of running water.
Peering into the bathroom, there was no silhouette behind the curtain. Cindy walked to the bedroom at the end of the hall.
She smiled when she saw the bed.
Alex was unconscious. He'd started the shower to let it warm, and then plopped on the bed with the intention of resting for five minutes. That five minutes turned into a deep, snore-filled slumber.
Cindy pried his steel-toed shoes off and let them fall to the floor. Alex barely moved. One leg was hanging off the bed. She settled him square on the mattress and covered him with a sheet.
She kissed him on the side of the neck, drawing a moan from deep within a dream.
"Love you, baby."
CHAPTER 6
Alex was anxious to get home. Halloween. It was his favorite holiday growing up. What child didn't like getting candy, with the only price being to put on a silly costume? Along with Cindy and Alicia, the three of them would comb every neighborhood they could find. It was amazing that none of them were diabetic. Alicia tended to dress as Disney characters, whichever one was popular at the time. Alex liked to dress as a typical monster. A vampire, a werewolf, a mummy.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
Even as an adult, Halloween was still his favorite holiday. Not only did Cindy dress in a costume that could make a priest break solemn vows, but it was the one time of the year that everyone wanted to be the monster. Everyone wanted to be scary.
If only the people dressing up as ghosts and goblins knew what was really out there.
He parked in front of the house. Mr. Nelson, his neighbor across the street, waved politely as he put the finishing touches on a raggedy dummy hanging out of his tree. Checking out his own yard, Alex knew they were ready. He was going to scare every living thing that approached the front door for candy. He thought about even taking a shot at any ghost roaming through the neighborhood.
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