Ice and Steel

by Alexie Aaron

  “Well, no.”

  “You may want to tell Alan that there is someone else in your life, so you don’t lead him on,” Mia advised.

  “But what if Burt and I don’t make it?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Right now I have a lawyer interested in me. If I tell him there is someone else…”

  “Oh, Alan’s your spare,” Mia said and bit into the roll she buttered.

  “You make it sound so mercenary,” Audrey snapped.

  “I’m just trying to understand your situation. Remember, I have little to no real life experience. True, in the last few years I’ve had three serious relationships, one ending in marriage, but I don’t understand how to play the courting games. All I know is that when you and Burt are ready, you’ll know it. If it looks like Burt isn’t going to be ready, and you love Alan, then tell Burt it’s over. If you don’t like either, there is a certain doctor I know that’s interested.”

  “Not Doctor Walters!”

  “That’s the one. He’s rather too much into my business for my tastes, but he’s good looking and rich.”

  “My mother always wanted a doctor in the family,” Audrey mused.

  Mia watched her as she ate. Audrey was, as Ted would say, a conundrum wrapped in bacon. On one hand, she was clearly interested in Burt, but she didn’t want to let go of Alan. Now that Mia had thrown Doc Walters in the mix, Audrey was considering him too.

  “Life seemed so much easier when I was a kid,” Audrey said.

  “Not mine,” Mia said and started laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Audrey asked.

  “I don’t think that there is a time in anyone’s life that is perfect.”

  “You seem pretty happy,” Audrey observed.

  “I am. I think I’m living the best moments of my life right now, although, I’ve got this problem with seeing ghosts to deal with, if you get my meaning. No one’s life is perfect. You just have to get out there and live it. If Ted hadn’t come along, I don’t know where I’d be right now,” Mia admitted. “I know I worry him though. That’s why he was over the moon when you decided to join me here. I think Ted worries that when his back is turned, I’ll disappear.”

  “Well, you did,” Audrey pointed out. “Give him time, Mia.”

  “Oh, I’m not going anywhere, believe me. I just don’t want to know that I am killing him with my tendency to run into buildings on fire.”

  “I’d like to point out that he knew you were this way before you guys decided to wed. I bet it’s part of what he loves about you. Don’t take chances, but don’t change, Mia, or the two of you will have problems.”

  “Heard and understood,” Mia said and patted Audrey’s hand across the table. “This is good, isn’t it? I’ve never had a girlfriend before,” she admitted. “We are good, aren’t we?”

  Audrey nodded and sniffed. “Sorry, I’m a bit emotional.” Audrey patted her pocket. “My phone’s vibrating, let me see. Speak of the devil, it’s Alan. Excuse me,” she said, getting up and walking out of the dining room.

  Mia continued to enjoy her meal. She thought that this week together with Audrey would turn out to be more than fun, it would be educational. She perhaps could pick up pointers on how to act normal out away from the farm. Ted liked her the way she was, but she knew from Ralph that she could be rather alarming at times.

  Audrey walked back. “Mia, would you mind us stopping at the Uptown Senior Living Condos before we go shopping?”

  “I have no time table, and I hate shopping,” Mia said honestly. “Why?”

  “Something’s bothering Alan, and he would like your take on it.”

  “Me? Oh, it must be spirit related,” Mia guessed.

  “He thinks so. Anyway, he said he’d be happy to pay for your time. I’m thinking that we can make a little money on this deal,” Audrey said, lifting her eyebrows.

  “You are a mercenary,” Mia said. “I’d do it for free.”

  “That’s why we’re poor. We think too much with our hearts. He offered the money, and I negotiated the deal,” Audrey said. “You can give me fifteen percent, and I’ll apply it to my new coat.”

  Mia nodded. “How soon?”

  “After you finish your second dessert should be fine,” Audrey said and signaled the waitress.

  ~

  Albert was dead on his feet. He’d been up all night. After the Seeleys’ lawyer came, he volunteered to help David with the police presence until Mr. Stewart arrived. Alarms were checked and double checked. He helped accumulate footage from the senior condominium’s security cameras. He calmed David down after he realized that he would have to explain his dip in the pool at two in the morning. “Just tell them the truth. We don’t know. All of this could have been an elaborate hoax to distract us while the vandals took apart Mr. Davis’s place.”

  David seemed to accept this line of thinking and rose to the occasion. He personally took a team of officers through every empty condo in the place, watching carefully that the men remained respectful of the vacationing owners’ things.

  Albert manned the desk until Mr. Stewart arrived. He then showered, shaved and put on a fresh uniform.

  “How did they get in?” his boss asked him. “Do you think David let them in?”

  “No, sir, I do not,” Albert had said with conviction. “I’m sure the police will find that the vandals came in with the delivery people or, perhaps, the cleaners earlier in the day and hid. In that case, you and I better be prepared for a dressing down from the board.”

  Mr. Stewart didn’t seem too bothered by it. “I guess I’ll lose my job. This has been a bad year for me. I lost my wife and my job, and it’s only January. I hate this year. Perhaps I’ll take my uncle Murray up on his offer to run a trailer park down near Winterhaven, Florida.”

  “I’d miss you, sir. It won’t come to that. At least they didn’t find a body stuffed in your chimney. Poor Mr. Davis.”

  Albert had been opening the door for Mr. Davis and his family for the last five years. In that time, he thought he had gotten to know the man well. He would have never thought the man capable of murder. There must be some mistake. The police took him away after Mr. Jefferies arrived. Mr. Jefferies returned and went into a closed door meeting with Mr. Stewart. Afterwards, he went up to see Naomi and Sissy for a while.

  Mrs. Abrams left the building after volunteering to let the police inspect her apartment for hidden intruders. “Where do they think I hid the creatures, in my underwear drawer?” she said smartly as Albert opened the taxi door for her. “You and I both know that no resident of this establishment played any part in what happened last night. No live resident that is.”

  “Mrs. Abrams, are you claiming we have a ghost problem?”

  “Just stating the facts,” she said.

  He told the driver to take the woman to her destination, the public library, and closed the door firmly.

  He turned around and almost stumbled over a petite young woman. “I am so sorry, Miss. I didn’t see you!”

  “I’m a good hider. You wouldn’t be Albert by chance?” she asked.

  “Yes. How can I be of service to you?”

  “My name is Mia Martin. My associate Audrey McCarthy and I were asked to come here by the attorney Alan Jefferies.”

  “I know Mr. Jefferies. Come in out of the cold. Let’s see if we can sort this out.”

  Mia followed the tall man, noting that a spirit of a large older woman moved with him as if she were his shadow. Judging by the strong resemblance to Albert, Mia assumed she was a relative, perhaps a mother or grandmother. Mia tried not to make eye contact with the woman. She looked formidable and was very protective of Albert. She wore a vibrant purple suit and her hair was styled around a stunning purple hat.

  The heat of the lobby helped to ease the chill Mia felt upon entering the building.

  “How old is this place?” she asked as she moved to the expensive marble-inlayed wall and put her gloved hand on it.
/>   “You’ll have to ask Mr. Stewart that. I’m thinking fifty years tops.”

  “It looks older,” Audrey said, turning around, taking in the reception room. “Of course, it could be the intention of the architect. Art Deco,” she identified.

  Albert looked at the redhead and agreed, “Rich people like older buildings. The residents of this place like the warmth the décor implies. I assure you this building isn’t made of stone. It’s steel and lately, due to the weather, ice and steel.”

  Mia thought Albert’s comment was telling. “Have you been having a problem with ice?”

  “The steps ice over, and the whole eighth floor of the building’s exterior has more icicles than Mammoth Cave has stalactites. We have to knock them down daily because of the harm they would do if we let them grow too large.”

  “I’d love to see those. How long has this building had this problem?” Mia asked.

  “Just this winter. It could be the large snowfall combined with that arctic blast we got. The sunshine melts the… Well, you don’t need me to tell you how an icicle is formed. Can I ask why Mr. Jefferies asked you to come?”

  “He asked us as consultants to review the recent problem you’ve been having here. I, and my associate, have quite a lot of experience in diagnosing whether you have a spirit infestation or not,” Mia said quietly, glancing over at the all-too-interested young woman at the reception desk.

  Mr. Stewart walked out of the back room and over to them. “Hello, I’m Clive Stewart. You must be Mrs. Martin and Ms. McCarthy,” he said, extending his hand.

  Mia and Audrey shook the nervous man’s hand. Audrey waited until his attention was elsewhere to wipe his sweat off her hand.

  “Albert, if you have a moment. Elaine, watch the door for a few minutes. Please follow me,” he said, walking briskly around the desk.

  Mia made note of the two elevators as they passed them. Mr. Stewart took them down an adjacent hall that opened up into a large storage area. “My office is in here.” He directed them into a large room with a large glass window looking out into the storage room.

  “Albert, please shut the door behind you. I don’t think the maintenance crew needs to be privy to this conversation. You know how Pete and John like to gossip.”

  “They do like to keep us all informed,” Albert said wryly.

  Mia and Audrey took a seat in front of the building manager’s cluttered desk. Albert drew up a chair, and Mia could feel the relief as he sat down.

  “You must be exhausted,” she said.

  “Yes, Ma’am, I am.”

  “Please call me Mia, the Missus is a new thing, and I may not know whom you are talking to.”

  Albert nodded.

  “Mr. Jefferies, Sarah and Naomi Seeley’s attorney, has asked that we give Mia and Audrey a few hours to investigate the Uptown Senior Living Condos for evidence of paranormal activity, Albert,” he explained.

  “Ghost hunters?” Albert asked.

  “We prefer paranormal investigators,” Audrey corrected. “We’re here today to assess whether there is a problem that may need further attention. We have no cameras or devices, just we women.”

  Mia almost choked, keeping her laughter in check, we women indeed.

  “Understand that I can’t let you into the residents’ homes without their permission. Before you say it, I did let the police in, but that was another matter,” Clive said quickly.

  “That shouldn’t be a problem for this assessment,” Mia said. “I would, however, like to enter Mr. Davis’s home. I have permission from his lawyer to do so, but I believe there is a police presence there.”

  “We’ll see what we can work out,” Mr. Stewart said uncomfortably. “I asked Elaine to make you a temporary visitor pass. This pass has a keycard attached that will get you in and out of the working areas of the building. Not to mention the stairwells and the basement. It can be accessed by a swipe of the keycard in the large elevator or the stairs next to the employee locker room.”

  “Do you have a blueprint of the Uptown?” Audrey asked and explained, “It would help us navigate and determine where the disruptive sounds are coming from.”

  “I’ll get you a copy,” Clive said, making notes.

  “Also a copy of the original blueprint if available,” Mia said.

  “Why?”

  “I’m sure there have been changes in the last fifty years. If I could see what it looked like originally, perhaps I can help to determine how your vandals got in without your alarms going off,” Mia explained.

  “That would be a police matter,” Clive said.

  “I’ll share whatever I find with the police, unless it’s paranormal, and then we will run that information through you and Mr. Jefferies,” she promised.

  Elaine tapped her foot, looking at her watch. She didn’t like watching the front door. She stood looking outside at the gray day and the certainty of the cold she was going to develop if she had to go in and out into it, opening the limo and cab doors for this lot. She was paid to answer the phones and deal with complaints, not be a doorman. Elaine didn’t believe in teamwork, but jobs were hard to come by so she pushed down thoughts of quitting until the job market picked up.

  Albert returned and thanked her for watching his post.

  Elaine walked quickly back where the two women stood waiting patiently.

  The smaller of the two with the ice queen look asked for the identity badges Mr. Stewart had her make up this morning. Elaine attached each card to a blue and gray striped lanyard. “Wear these around your necks in plain sight,” she instructed. “No one should bother you, but if they have any questions, tell them they can call me or Mr. Stewart.”

  Mia thanked her and handed Audrey’s badge to her while she put hers around her neck.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Mia asked.

  “If it’s about the building, yes.”

  “Have you noticed anything in the last few days that can’t be explained by reason or science?”

  “No.”

  “Thank you,” Mia said, turning on her heel and heading for the elevator. Audrey followed her as she untangled a few curls from the lanyard.

  “I forgot to ask what floor the Seeleys lived on,” Mia said.

  “Six. They live in 6D.”

  Mia pressed the button for the sixth floor and turned to ask, “I imagine Alan told you, but you’ve got no notes, how do you remember all this stuff?”

  “6D sounds like sixty and seniors start off at sixty and…”

  “Gotcha. Very clever. Oh before I forget, Albert has a spirit attached to him. An older woman dressed to the nines, looks like him. Perhaps his mother or grandmother.” Mia warned, “She’s fiercely protective. Watch yourself around the man.”

  “Is it the red hair or our conversation this afternoon? For your information, I’m not after a stable full of men.”

  “Come on, you had to be thinking it. He’s a handsome guy, and I know how you love a guy with a spare tire…”

  “Mia Martin!” Audrey said in mock disdain. “You’re going to get yours,” she warned.

  “Oh I can’t have any, Ted won’t approve,” Mia teased back.

  The elevator stopped and the door opened. Mia stuck her head out and looked both ways. “Nice,” she said, stepping out. “Fancy schmancy.”

  “A little too much peach for my tastes but not your standard hallway,” Audrey said.

  They walked in silence, each taking in the atmosphere of the hall. They first headed in the wrong direction and turned around and retraced their steps past the elevator and on down the hall to 6D.

  Sissy put down the phone. “Elaine says the ladies are on their way up.”

  Alan, who was helping her move some dishes from cupboard to cupboard, looked pleased. “You’re going to like these girls. One can actually see ghosts, and the other is full of joy all the time.”

  “Which one’s your girlfriend?” Naomi asked.

  “Audrey is the gal I like, but she doesn’t seem
interested in me,” Alan confessed.

  “What’s wrong with you aside from your taste in footwear?” Sissy asked.

  Alan, now paranoid about his shoes, looked down at his feet. He didn’t have time to ask what was wrong with his shoes because there was a light tap on the door.

  Sissy pushed past him and walked over to the door and peered out. “Two dolls, it must be them.” She opened the door and smiled. “Hello, you must be the…” Sissy stopped, staring at Mia. “Fredericka?”

  Mia was flabbergasted. She searched her memory and nodded. “I’m Mia, her granddaughter. You used to come visit my grandma Fredericka when she was ill. Sarah Seeley.”

  “Sarah, hell, call me Sissy, all my friends do. Naomi, this is Fredericka’s grandbaby, the arsonist.”

  Mia swallowed hard. How did they know about her burning down her father’s house? Although she did it for a good reason - to release the spirit of Mia’s Misty Mother from the insanity of being trapped within the walls of her home - she didn’t want it to become common knowledge.

  “Oh, I remember that. Fredericka thought you did the right thing and was very happy you came to live with her. Fredericka used to read our tarot cards. She was very good.”

  “Thank you. You are…”

  “Land sakes, I used to bounce you on my knee. I’m Naomi. Your grandmother and we used to paint the town red before she married that Cooper boy. Now he was a strange one. I wonder whatever happened to him?”

  “Probably dead like the rest of our friends. Come on in and sit. Bring Alan’s girlfriend with you,” Sissy ordered.

  “Hey, I didn’t say…” Alan started to say.

  Audrey tried to ignore his embarrassment, but he looked so cute when he was blushing. She winked at Alan as she approached him. He was juggling a handful of china plates. “Alan, put those down before you drop them,” she instructed. “Here, give them to me.” Audrey took the plates and set them safely on the counter. She was enjoying his discomfort.

  Mia witnessed the exchange and worried a bit about the situation. Part of her wanted Burt to settle down with this vivacious creature, but part of her worried that he wasn’t up to the task of landing the mermaid himself. What was the etiquette of former lovers interfering in the love lives of each other? She pushed away the thought as a cup of coffee was handed to her.