“Oh, never,” she said with a quick shake of her head. “Never communicated or anything either—I’m not even sure how we came to call him grandfather.”
“Thanks for your time,” Cole said, tipping her head and handing the woman her business card. “If you think of anything else that stands out, can you give me a call?”
“Sure, it’s not often I get to reminisce without people lookin’ at me like I’m a little loony.” Miranda waved and closed the door with a final nod.
Kaylyn tucked the journal back into her bag. “Is it me or does everything about this case seem too easy, and yet... insanely difficult?”
“Could have been an owner farther back than we can trace—maybe his spirit came when they moved the structure. Or it could be linked to something before the fire I guess.”
“Way to narrow it down, sis. In other words—”
“Don’t be an ass,” Cole yelled with a smack to the back of Kaylyn’s head. “I was just thinking out loud. Call Leon and ask him where he wants us.”
“I’m driving, you call.”
“You’re not doing anything right now except standing there and flapping your jaw at me. Besides, I missed a call from Dan while we were back there. I better return it before he gets cranky again.”
“Buy him some chocolate and tell him to suck it up,” Kaylyn said, without stopping to think of the dead brother involved.
However, Cole’s icy stare indicated that was the first thing on her mind.
Kaylyn mouthed a “sorry,” throwing her hands in the air and digging out her own phone.
“Go home and actually get some rest,” Leon said, without a greeting.
“Um, hi, Leon, oh-so-pleasant boss pro tem.”
“Yeah, no sucking up. I mean it. Get a jump on it tomorrow.”
“Okay, well we determined that the dog is likely part of the problem. We talked to the girl who lived there when she was growing up, and it was basically the first thing out of her mouth when we told her we were investigating. The inside disturbances were there as long as she can remember too, but apparently her family was exceptionally well-adjusted to paranormal shit, because they adopted the damn ghost and moved on.”
“Adopted the ghost,” Leon repeated slowly. “That’s dandy. Are you coming back by the office?”
“I thought you wanted me to go home and get some fucking sleep.”
“Kaylyn, don’t say fucking to me. I can handle all of your cussing, all of your crass, but when you mention fucking in context with anything you’re doing, especially going to bed, it gives me heartburn.”
Kaylyn blinked and nearly dropped the phone. Not even a snide comment came to mind as her cheeks flamed.
“Speechless are we? Good,” Leon continued. “If you’re coming back by the office I could use a favor. I have some paperwork that needs delivered to Jonah.”
“Why me?”
“Because you know where he lives, and I don’t really want to explain it to someone else in the staff to have them track him down, only to have them call me half way there because they’re lost.”
There must be something about the water they give people in charge at the office that makes them exceptionally cranky. “I take it you had a hell of a time finding the place? Fine, I’m going to go ahead and drop Cole off since we already took her car home. Then, I’ll pick up and deliver your package. Now can we get less fussy Leon back?”
The phone went dead, and Kaylyn took that as a no.
He wasn’t any more agreeable when she got to the office to pick up the paperwork. “Did I really do something to piss you off?” Kaylyn asked.
“No,” Leon shook his head and tossed a folder into a desk drawer. “Close the door.”
From his attitude she wasn’t sure if she was supposed to stay in the office when she did—or if she even wanted to, but she closed the door and took a seat in one of the armchairs near the desk.
“Five members of the Council will be here in the morning.”
Kaylyn nearly dropped the folder and her jaw onto the floor. That explained almost everything. “Me or Jonah?”
“Right now, Jonah. Which is why I can’t say anything else. To anyone,” he emphasized with a glare, “Also why I’d prefer you and Cole rested for tomorrow. I predict you’ll be getting an early call to come into the office.”
Kaylyn waved the folder in a mock salute. “I’ll get this over to Jonah and head home then. Although if I thought your mood was scary, I really hope he doesn’t feel like shooting the delivery person—”
“I’m going to make sure that everything is in order here before I head home.”
“Not the welcome back party you expected?”
“There’s always something,” he said with a faint smile. “Jonah already knows and he’s expecting you.”
Chapter 11
The drive to Jonah’s didn’t take long enough for Kaylyn’s suiting, especially since she still felt responsible for anything that might happen to Jonah as a result of his helping her. Strangely, it made her feel even more responsible since she’d tried to push him away and refuse his help.
He could be a crazy unreasonable man—the perfect match to her own crazy unreasonable tendencies, and it was unsettling.
She picked up the yellow envelope from the passenger seat and eyed the glove compartment where her own envelope awaited. Past and fate all wrapped up into one. She wagered that for every question it answered, it’d drag up at least a dozen new ones. There wasn’t time for that, since she had a damn frustrating investigation to take care of first. As well as an impending Council disaster.
Reluctant for the encounter with Jonah, she trudged slowly up the driveway, eyeing his car as she passed.
“I don’t care how fucked up my ribs are,” Jonah called from the door. “She’s mine.”
“I’m not going to steal your car. Although, right now I think I could outrun you.”
Jonah stared at the folder when she thrust it toward him, and for a moment, she wondered if he was going to take it. Finally, he sighed and grabbed the folder, as if simply by doing that he was accepting his fate.
“Should I ask what’s going on?”
Jonah raised his eyebrows and took a step back, waving for her to come in, “I’m surprised Leon didn’t fill you in.”
“I feel like this is a test,” she said.
Rubbing his fingers over his eyes, Jonah snorted. “Isn’t everything? But this in particular, no. The Council is sending an investigative committee in the morning to discuss my actions since taking over this office. And, no, Kaylyn, it’s not your fault. They’re probably covering their asses. Maybe I’ll get lucky and—”
He shrugged one shoulder. “It is what it is.”
“You want to share some of that attitude with me?”
“Not really that simple, but I can offer you some beer.”
“Planning on getting drunk before your investigation? Doesn’t sound like the best plan.”
“I offered you a beer. Booze and pain meds don’t mix, but I was also about to order some dinner—apparently delivery around here is limited to Chinese and pizza.”
“And subs,” Kaylyn added slightly won over by the prospects of beer and food. In the pit of her stomach, however, her doubts festered. She glanced out the front window and jumped slightly when she saw Ida standing outside.
“Interested?” Jonah asked.
“Um, yeah,” she said, keeping her eyes on Ida. “I’ll eat whatever. Haven’t had anything since breakfast.”
Jonah patted her shoulder as he took a step backward. “Something wrong?”
“Nah, I need something from my car. I’ll be right back.” She zipped up her coat and stepped outside. Glancing back, she saw Jonah move into the living room and out of sight, but as soon as she opened her mouth to speak to the apparition, she noticed that Ida was gone, too.
“Perfect,” she muttered walking out to her car to avoid suspicion. When she opened her car door, Ida was sitting in the pass
enger seat. With a huff, Kaylyn climbed in. “What on earth is going on? If you’re going to keep showing up, you could at least tell me what’s in the house.”
“You can’t keep hiding from the answers.”
Kaylyn glanced toward the house’s windows and rubbed the back of her neck. “Why do I get the feeling we’re not talking about the house.”
“We’re talking about you.”
“One thing at a time.” She kept her eyes forward, purposefully avoiding looking anywhere near the glove compartment where the envelope was still hidden. “Why can’t I finish the case first?”
“You need to understand and trust.”
“Right, why don’t you trust me to tell me why I’m supposed to be watching out for Jonah?”
“It’s as much for you as it is for him.”
“Then tell me what I’m looking for.”
“Jonah,” Ida said as she faded from sight.
Kaylyn smacked her hands against the steering wheel, and the glove compartment flopped open, dumping out the envelope she was trying to avoid. She picked it up and debated whether or not to stuff it back in its hiding place where it belonged.
Something tapped at the window, and Kaylyn jumped so badly she nearly ended up in the passenger seat. Jonah peeked in her window, and when she caught her breath, she rolled it down.
“If you’re trying to avoid me, you can leave, you know.”
“I’m not.”
Then his eyes fell to the envelope. “Ah.”
“Yeah.” Kaylyn had the sneaking suspicion she was being set up by beings beyond her understanding. She clenched her teeth and patted Jonah away so she could roll up the window. It took her a moment to debate on whether or not she should make a break for it while she was slightly ahead, but at this rate, even if she tried, she wouldn’t put it past her car not to start.
Then things would be more awkward as she tried to explain her sudden failed retreat to Jonah.
“Maybe I should have stocked up on more beer,” Jonah said with a humorless smile.
“We don’t have to; it just... fell on the floor and....” Why bother? she wondered. “You have enough on your plate.”
“Have you missed the part where I’m only allowed to work four hours a day? I think I have some time to spare.”
By the time the food was delivered, Kaylyn had already guzzled down one beer, even though she knew it was a bad idea on an empty stomach. She and Jonah sat on opposite ends of the sofa, subs in their laps and the envelope safely nestled on the coffee table—even though Kaylyn would have preferred it to be somewhere out of sight. She swigged at her second beer between bites while Jonah settled for water.
After a few quiet bites, Kaylyn twisted to face Jonah, “You don’t like being out here by yourself, do you?”
He made a sound in his throat. “What makes you think that?”
“It seems like you’re more of a ‘middle of the action’ person. You freaked because your office wasn’t organized—”
“I didn’t exactly freak,” Jonah said around a mouthful of his Italian sub.
“Mmh hmm,” Kaylyn hummed. “What’d you do to get transferred here?”
Jonah stopped in mid-bite and dropped his sandwich, grabbing a napkin to wipe his mouth.
“Um,” Kaylyn faltered, regretting her question.
Jonah shifted and she almost rescinded—she didn’t want to know if it made things this awkward.
“Long story short,” Jonah said. “I was dating my boss’ daughter for a year and a half and things didn’t work out. In a quite messy way. In that respect, I have my own history I’d rather keep quiet.”
“So, why does mine spread like wildfire and yours doesn’t?
“Gerard Cloutier, head of the Paris office, has practically threatened to excommunicate anyone who speaks about it.”
Kaylyn knew that name, and she was certain she’d seen him at the last conference she’d attended in Canada. He was the kind of guy who wore cufflinks to an informal breakfast. “He’s also on the Council. So, I assume his sending you here wasn’t a reward for good behavior. What on earth—” Kaylyn clamped her mouth closed and washed down her question with another swig of beer. She was in no position to ask anyone about relationship choices, but for some reason, the question kept niggling at her. Even though she told herself that it wasn’t for her to care about.
“Before we got together, Gerard convinced her to break off her engagement with her ex. I assumed she was exaggerating until I was the one under his fist, and—it really is a long story. We had kept it a secret for a while before it got serious. About six months ago, she found out she was pregnant.”
The last bite of sub wedged in Kaylyn’s throat, so she finished off the rest of her beer in a few gulps.
“If I’m driving you to drink, maybe I should save the rest of the story.”
“Just trying to keep myself from saying anything stupid.”
“I believe alcohol has the opposite effect in most cases.”
“Either way, you can’t leave me hanging after that bomb.” She gave him a sour glare and bit into her sandwich.
“Baby belongs to her ex, who’s now her current soon-to-be husband—again.”
Kaylyn swallowed her half-chewed food to avoid talking around it. “So, I take it that was somehow your fault.”
“Gerard somehow got the idea that I was helping her cover it up—even though I had no idea what was going on because I was working all the time.”
“Fucking drama.” Kaylyn wondered if there was ever an escape. Date people you work with—people who understand, and it’s not your love life on the line, it’s your entire career and reputation. On the other hand, Cole wasn’t having much luck on the dating people outside the organization front either—and neither had Kaylyn. With Ian, she’d decided to keep everything separate, and she felt like she was developing multiple personalities. One that sat at home, pretended to be normal, and made excuses for middle of the night disappearances, while the other ran around chasing ghosts and random creatures that most people wouldn’t believe in.
They finished their meal in quiet, before attention turned back to the envelope. As soon as Kaylyn weighed the possibilities again, she thought she’d lose her fresh dinner. So, instead of picking it up, she turned back to avoidance. “Why’d you tell me all of that?”
“I’m asking you to trust me; I thought I should do the same.”
She raised her eyebrow and gave him a skeptical glance. She was getting damn tired of people and ghosts with their hidden motives. “All part of your plan?”
Jonah groaned as he leaned forward and tossed his trash into the wastebasket. “Why are you so quick to be cynical and push people away?”
Kaylyn stared down at the carpeting, feeling the buzz building in her head. Months without drinking had done some serious damage to her tolerance... and her defenses. “It’s not really other people that scare me.”
Drawing in a shaky breath, Kaylyn closed her eyes grabbed the envelope from the coffee table and handed to Jonah. “I’ll chicken out.”
As she watched his fingers on the white envelope, she nearly did just that—barely keeping herself from ripping the paper from his hands.
“Are you sure?” Jonah asked.
“Don’t ask.” She stared across the room. “Just get it over with—like you said the worrying is probably worse than knowing.”
Goosebumps broke out on her arms as soon as she heard the paper rustle, and she clenched her hands in her lap. A warm hand touched her back, and she stiffened, before trying—largely unsuccessfully—to relax.
She turned and scowled at him. “Hurry up,” she snapped.
“Easy,” Jonah said, sliding the contents into his own lap.
“Well?”
“Well, you have to give me a minute to read.”
Kaylyn shifted, but Jonah’s arm came around her again, pulling her next to him. “No squirming against broken ribs,” he warned, and she stilled as much as possi
ble, but it seemed like it was impossible to keep her body from shaking.
“Your mom contacted Aicil when she was three months pregnant. Started working with Dr. Emmerson to research the curse, but he was trying to keep it all quiet.” Randolph Emmerson was a high-ranking investigator and former member of Aicil’s Council. The organization had removed him of the latter title after finding out about his attempts to keep Kaylyn from finding out about her past. Soon after Jonah took his position as leader of the Chatham office, Dr. Emmerson inserted himself into their business, forcing Kaylyn’s suspension and overseeing Jonah’s leadership with the treat of dismissing them both. As the truth unfolded, Emmerson had suffered a heart attack in route to his office, and finally admitted his part in trying to keep Kaylyn away from the Teague Hotel—and the entity that he’d never been able to overcome.
“Do they have names? Is there anything about my dad?” She turned to grab the papers away from Jonah, but he drew them out of her reach and grabbed her wrist.
“Marie Kerr....” He paused a moment, then sighed. “Her husband—your father was Roger Kerr. They were married for six years when your mother started having visions about a baby.”
“Visions? Was that the only time?” Kaylyn peeked over to see the information herself.
“Looks like it,” he whispered. “She found out she was pregnant shortly after they started.”
Kaylyn jumped, and Jonah growled in pain as she bumped against his side. He laid the papers on the arm of the couch, nursing his side as he rose.
“Sorry, are you okay?”
He glanced back and nodded. “Want some else to drink?”
“Anything stronger than beer?”
He grimaced as he eyed her. “Sure you haven’t had enough?”
At least more alcohol might dull her reactions—so she hoped.
Kaylyn pulled the top sheet of paper into her lap and continued reading Emmerson’s notes. Why the asshole didn’t come out and tell her this stuff baffled her. Jonah returned, taking a long swig of water and handing her another glass of pale amber liquid and ice.
“You wanted stronger,” he said with a wink.
She took a sip, and the potent liquid burned all the way down, but it tasted of vanilla, nuts, and spices. “Whisky?”
Beyond the Divide (Fractured Legacy Book 2) Page 9