Uncharted Territory (An Angela Panther Mystery Book 3)

by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

  I laughed so hard, tears streamed down my face.

  Mel laughed, too. "Guess goin' out with Price is off the table now, huh?"

  I sat next to my best friend. "Are you kidding? Did you not see the expression on his face? He's probably pushing back his hard-on while we speak."

  "Well, heck, I'm totally checking his pants when he comes back."

  And I knew I would too, whether I wanted to or not. "I gotta pee. Be right back."

  I walked over to the door, but when I turned the handle it wouldn't budge. "What the?" I jiggled the handle but nothing happened. "The door's locked." I flipped around and faced Mel. "Price locked us in here."

  "No way. Lemme try it." It didn't open for her either. "What the hell?"

  "I really gotta pee." I walked over to the mirrored glass window and cupped my hands, trying to see if I could see anyone through it but I couldn't. "What if this is all a set-up? What if Price just pretended to believe us, fed us false information and is behind this mirror, waiting for us to incriminate ourselves so he can come in and take us off to the slammer?" I knocked on the window. "Hello? Detective Price? I really have to use the restroom. Can you please unlock the door?"

  "If that's the case, you do realize we're probably being recorded and he just heard everything you said, right?" Mel asked.

  "I really gotta pee." I picked up my empty Diet Coke can and wiggled it. "My bladder's got a full can of soda in it."

  "Hold on." Mel adjusted her shirt, pulling down the top to reveal a little extra of her barely there bust.

  "Seriously?"

  "You gotta use whatcha got." She sauntered over to the window, her hips swaying more than normal. She bent at the waist and tapped on the window. "Excuse me? We just drank those sodas and we both really have to use the ladies' room. Would you mind opening the door for us?"

  Nothing happened.

  "If you had hips that'd probably work better."

  "Then you try. You've got those voluptuous Italian hips. Make those things sway, baby."

  "I'm not much of a swayer."

  "That's half your problem. You're too conservative."

  "Do you really think this is the right time for that conversation?"

  "I'm just sayin'."

  We both stared into the window.

  "Now I gotta pee," Mel said.

  "Sorry."

  "Call Fran. She'll help us."

  "Help us get into more trouble maybe."

  "She got the door to the Starks' house open, didn't she? I'm sure she can open this one, too."

  "Yes, because having my dead mother open a locked door in a police department when we're not sure if we're considered suspects in a child abduction is an excellent idea."

  "Well, when you put it that way…"

  "Uh huh." I tapped my fingers on the table. "But…"

  "But what?"

  "But if Price doesn't think I'm the real deal—"

  "After what you did earlier? If he doesn't then he's an idiot." She paused and then nodded once. "A hot idiot but still."

  I rolled my eyes. "As I was saying, if Price has any doubt about my abilities, then maybe bringing Ma here is a good idea." An image of my mother tossing police documents around the room flashed before me. "On second thought, scratch that. Let's just wait and see what happens when he comes back. If we get arrested, I'll call Aaron. He'll be able to help."

  Ma shimmered in behind Mel. "Did someone say they need my help?"

  "No, Ma."

  Mel beamed and waved her hand. "Hey, Fran. We gotta pee. Can you help?"

  "Dear God, please don't. I'm begging you."

  Ma huffed. "Tell her I can't open the door because my daughter don't want me makin' trouble."

  "I didn't mean it like that. I meant that using you to try and convince Price about my gift might make things worse."

  Mel winked and mouthed, "Nice save."

  "That ain't whatcha said." She made a sad face.

  "I'm sorry I didn't say what I meant and that when you were snooping, you misunderstood."

  Mel snorted.

  "Well seriously," I said.

  "I keep an eye on you 'cause you're gettin' involved in stuff you don't understand and I don't want anything happenin' to you. You got a problem with that, then too bad. That's what mothers do and you know that 'cause you do it with Emily."

  She was half right. "I'm not getting into anything I don't understand. And besides, what makes you think you can understand it better than me?"

  "I got all kinds a understanding about stuff now because I'm a celestial being."

  "Good grief."

  "I so wish I could hear both sides of this. I bet it's awesome," Mel said.

  "Ma's celestial status makes her better than me."

  "Well, duh. Everybody knows that."

  "I love Mel," Ma said.

  "Of course you do."

  The door opened and Price walked back in.

  Mel flew out of her seat and pushed past him. "It's about time."

  Price tilted his head. "What's wrong with her?"

  I hot-footed it to the door, too. "The door's locked and we have to use the restroom." I pointed to the mirror. "And whoever's behind that thing waiting for us to incriminate ourselves wouldn't open it for us."

  "Incriminate yourselves?" He glanced at the mirror. "There's no one in there." He pointed to the doorknob. "Locks automatically. Sorry. I should have mentioned that. All you have to do is press this little button and it'll open." He pointed to a small red button next to the light switch.

  "Yeah, thanks for telling me now."

  Just then Mel walked into the doorway. "Where's the ladies' room?"

  Ma giggled.

  Mel hit the bathroom first and while I waited for her to finish, I watched a room full of police officers at metal desks work. A few pecked at a keyboard while others talked on the phone. A little old lady in a long red robe floated behind one officer, shaking her head at his computer screen. She saw me eyeing her and waved. I raised my hand and waved back.

  ***

  Aaron eyed me from across the table. He wasn't smiling. Mel tapped my foot with hers.

  "Thanks for coming, Detective Banner," Price said. "I appreciate you taking time out of your day."

  Aaron nodded. "Not a problem, Detective."

  "As I said on the phone, Mrs. Panther and Mrs.—" he corrected himself. "Ms. Henderson aren't in any trouble but I thought since you've worked with Mrs. Panther before, she'd want you here."

  Price had called Aaron while we were locked in the interrogation room about to pee our pants. He sat next to Aaron, pulled a photo from a new file, and slid it over to him. "Caroline Saunders."

  Aaron eyed the photo and then glanced at me. "I've never seen Caroline, so I'm not sure."

  Price slid another photo to Aaron. "That's Tom Saunders, Caroline's father the night he killed his daughter."

  When Aaron lifted his eyes to me, I shrugged. "I got nothin'."

  The last photo Price slid from the file caught my attention. I snatched it off the table. "That's the angel statue from my dream."

  "That angel is at the entrance to Caroline Saunders' tomb," Price said. "She's interred at Oakland Cemetery here in Atlanta. From what I was told, the tomb was built to hold the remains of Caroline and both of her parents."

  "That doesn't make sense," I said. "Tiffany said she's with Caroline, near the angel but if Caroline's father just died last week they would have found Tiffany in the tomb when they put him there." I examined the photo again. "That's definitely the angel from my dream. I don't understand."

  "They didn't bury Saunders with his daughter," Price said. "He and his wife divorced a year after Caroline died and Saunders lost his rights to a spot in the tomb. He's buried next to his father in Tennessee."

  "Tiffany's in that tomb, Aaron," I said, standing and grabbing my purse again. "We need to go get her."

  Both detectives stood. "Hold on, Angela," Aaron said. "Detective Price can't just go there a
nd open the tomb because you say Tiffany's there."

  "But she is."

  "We don't know that for sure," Aaron said.

  "You may not, but I do."

  "I do too," Mel said.

  "Yah, I know it too. You want, I'll go prove it for ya," Ma said.

  I twisted behind me. "Thanks, Ma, but I don't think that's gonna help me right now."

  She flung her hand in the air. "People oughta start believing in the afterlife. I'm tellin' ya, they got a big shock coming when they kick the bucket, that's for sure."

  "Fran's still here?" Mel asked.

  I nodded.

  "Is this Fran uh, deceased?" Price asked.

  Aaron nodded. "And apparently she likes to hang around a lot."

  "Oh," Price said.

  "We're wasting time. We need to get Tiffany out of that tomb," I said.

  "Angela," Aaron said. "It's more complicated than that. There's procedure to follow and Price is right, because you know she's there, isn't reason enough to get a court order to open that tomb."

  Ma snickered. "Price is right. Get it? The game show."

  "Not now, please."

  Ma checked the table for dust.

  I exhaled. "Can't we talk to Caroline's mother? She can give approval to open the tomb, right?"

  Price leaned against the table. "Yes but I'm not sure she will."

  "But it's worth a shot, right?"

  Aaron chimed in. "Like I said, there's procedure to follow. Price would need a verifiable reason to even make such a request, Angela, and most people don't want to re-open old wounds like that."

  "Can we at least just go to the cemetery? Maybe Tiffany or Caroline will show up and give me something that'll make Caroline's mom agree to opening the tomb. Please?"

  Price nodded. "It's worth a shot. If you can get more specific information, I might be able to push my superiors to get the tomb open."

  Price's words hit me like a brick. "Your superiors?"

  "Angela doesn't want her gift going public," Aaron said.

  "Oh," Price said. "Then how does she—"

  I interrupted. "I didn't think about that." I was so set on finding Tiffany's remains I hadn't considered what that could mean to me personally. The thought of my gift going public hadn't even crossed my mind. My chest tightened and my stomach churned. "My family," I said and stumbled back into my chair. "Is there a way to do that without using my name?"

  Price pulled a chair up next to me. "If I need that tomb opened and I trust you enough to believe I do, then I'm going to have to go to my superiors. And if you're right about Tiffany, and again, I trust that you are, then this is a big deal. It'll make the news. This is a big case, Mrs. Panther. You know that, right? People are going to find out."

  "He's right," Aaron said.

  The news?

  I didn't want my name plastered all over the news. I couldn't do that to my family. They weren't ready for that and neither was I. I grabbed Mel's hand. "I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do."

  A tear dripped down Mel's cheek. "What if it was Emily?"

  What if it was Emily?

  "Ang," Ma said. "Mel's right. What if that was our Emily in that tomb and someone like you knew but didn't tell?"

  "But it's not her. And she's the one that doesn't know. Do you know what this could do to her?"

  "You know Tiffany's there," Ma said. "By the time word gets out, you'll be a hero."

  "Emily will be okay," Mel said. "She's strong like you. She'll get through it."

  "She'll end up hating me."

  "No, she won't." The side of Mel's mouth angled up. "Not forever anyway."

  "She ain't gonna hate you," Ma said. "Suck it up, buttercup. You got a responsibility to that girl and to Tevin, too."

  I rolled my lips together and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Ma's right. I have a responsibility to Tiffany and I made a promise to Tevin."

  "Thatta girl," Mel said.

  I turned to Price. "Let's go see what I can find out."

  Price nodded.

  "But if you have to tell your boss, I wanna be there. I don't want anyone else knowing about it without me being there, you understand?"

  "I'll do my best."

  "I swear to God, Detective, if this comes back to bite me in the butt I'll have my mother haunt you every day for the rest of your freaking life."

  Ma said, "I can do that, too," and slid the files across the table to prove it.

  Price stared at the table in shock.

  Aaron smirked. "I'd take her seriously if I was you."

  Price nodded. "I do."

  "I love your mom," Mel said.

  ***

  Before heading to Oakland Cemetery I dragged Mel back into the bathroom.

  "You okay?" she asked.

  I stared at my face in the mirror. "No."

  "It's gonna be okay. You know that, right?"

  "I hope so."

  She tipped the toilet lid down and sat. "When you first got the gift—as an adult, I mean, not when you were little—you resisted, right?"

  I dabbed a paper towel where mascara stained my face. "Uh huh."

  "What happened?"

  "The universe screwed me."

  "I wouldn't quite put it that way but yeah, you got taught a lesson."

  "More like I got punished."

  "Fine, you got punished and you got your gift back because you did something you didn't want to do."

  "What's your point?"

  "My point is, I think the universe has your back. They're not going to give you all this power and then let it destroy you. They need you. They just have a crappy way of handling things, is all."

  Mel was right. The universe needed me. It picked me for a reason and wouldn't just leave me hanging. I leaned my back against the sink. "The universe blows."

  "Yeah, and I heard it sucks at it, too."

  I smiled. "Okay, that was pretty funny."

  "Uh, it was really funny."

  "Yeah, it kinda was."

  "So you ready?"

  "Nope but doesn't that matter?"

  "Don't think so."

  "Freaking universe."

  "Yeah, it really does blow."

  As we walked out I said, "Don't wear out the joke."

  "You're no fun."

  ***

  Aaron and Price waited outside of the bathroom, staring into the room full of metal desks. I checked to see if the old woman was still there. She caught my eye and shrugged. I watched her grow increasingly sadder as she tried to get the officer's attention.

  "We can take my car," Price said.

  "Hold on a second," I said. "I need to take care of something." I pointed to the room. "Can we go in there for a minute?"

  Price glanced at Aaron. "Am I going to regret this?"

  "Probably," Aaron said.

  "Thanks." I swatted Aaron's arm. "I promise I'll be quick."

  We followed Price down the hall and to a metal door. He pressed a button like the one in the interrogation room and the door buzzed open. "After you," he said, moving over to let me go first.

  I maneuvered through the puzzle of desks and approached the officer. "Excuse me," I said, recognizing the program on his computer as the one where I'd found Tevin. "I think I might be able to help you."

  He tilted his head up toward me. "Yeah?"

  I gave the spirit a quick glance. "Three photos back. That's him, the man who robbed the store. Tell him his Aunt Millie said so. He'll believe you. He thinks I'm haunting him already. Which of course, I am." Her eyes twinkled.

  "Okay," I said, rubbing my cheek. "Three photos back. That's the guy who robbed the store."

  His mouth dropped open but he said nothing, so I grabbed the mouse and clicked three times on the back tab. "This one?" I asked the spirit.

  "Yes, that's him."

  I pointed to the picture on the screen. "That's your guy."

  He examined the photo and compared it to a drawing in a file on his desk. "How'd you know?"
r />   "It's a gift." I turned to walk away but stopped and smiled back at him. "And hey, you're right. Your Aunt Millie is haunting you."

  "What the—"

  I tapped my index finger to my temple. "A gift, remember?"

  His Aunt Millie giggled and shimmered away.

  Price stood there dumbfounded. "Jesus."

  "I'll never get it," Aaron said.

  "My best friend is the bomb," Mel said.

  "You got that right," I said, and swayed my hips the entire walk to the car.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  OAKLAND CEMETERY WAS SPECTACULAR, like something out of the movies. Filled with ornate headstones and tombs, intricately detailed monuments and wrought iron fences, every space was carefully thought out and designed. Old trees and massive azalea bushes in every color imaginable, lined the paths. I'd Googled it on the drive over and read that if you stood in the right spot, you'd get a great view of the city's skyline. I decided when I kicked the bucket I'd be buried there so I could finally enjoy the city's skyline at night.

  "Is Fran here?" Mel asked.

  "Nope. She took off before we left the station. Probably had a bowling game or something she didn't wanna miss."

  "That still gets me," she said. "This place is stunning. I'm so being buried here when I die."

  "I was just thinking the same thing."

  "We could be buried together. Imagine what the stone would say."

  "What would the stone say?"

  "I don't know but I bet it'd be funny."

  "Oh geez."

  Price parked the car and shut off the ignition. "You ready?"

  "Yup. Let's do this," I said.

  Much like hospitals, cemeteries weren't high on a psychic medium's list of favorite places but like Fran said, I needed to suck it up, buttercup. The air outside was filled with the energy of the dead and I braced myself for the onslaught of spirit I knew would come.

  A tour of senior citizens walked in, in front of us, all wearing matching red tee shirts with Dunmoor Assisted Living printed on the front. Several had spirits lingering near them. One lady had three, all bickering about which one of them would get to escort her to the light when she died. I thought I saw a man chatting with his spirit but realized he was just mumbling to himself. My heart ached for both of them.