HOLY SMOKE (An Andi Comstock Supernatural Mystery, Book 1)

by Ann Simas

  “Bummer.”

  “Yeah, but more of a bummer for the people who are dead.”

  He hadn’t been chastising her but it sobered Andi right up. “So, how does it work, being a cop? Do you get paid for overtime or do you work the hours out of the goodness of your dedication?”

  He gave her a look. “I like the way you put that. I guess it’s a little of both. My LT gets crap from above if we clock too many overtime hours, but sometimes, you just have to. Sometimes, I give up my time, just because I have to.”

  Andi understood that. She put in the extra hours, too. Sometimes because it was required and other times because she got a brainstorm and wanted to try out something new. Of course, she wasn’t solving crimes, but figuring out innovative ways to make the Bunny Hop game app more appealing to capture a larger audience was, in some ways, kind of comparable.

  They ended up at a Thai restaurant, which delighted Andi because she loved Phad Thai. They preceded their entrée with an appetizer of Ghai Satay and afterward, lingered over coffee and creamy coconut ice cream.

  Andi heard all about Jack’s family—his father had died ten years earlier, his mother had never remarried, and he had two brothers and a sister. In turn, she told him about her family—her parents had been married thirty-four years and she had a brother and a sister. The question she was dying to ask surfaced over and over in her mind, and finally, when the last few bites of ice cream were gone, she got the courage. “What did Father Riley mean when he said, ‘This time, it was Jack’s turn’?”

  Jack, with his coffee cup midway to his mouth, turned to stone.

  Andi put down her spoon. “I know it’s probably none of my business, but I guess after hearing to dead people talk to me five days a week, I’m ready to believe anything.”

  The cup arrived at Jack’s lips and he took a long sip before returning it to the saucer. “I’ve known Father Riley almost my entire life,” he said, “and I’ve never known him to divulge a confidence like that.”

  “He didn’t actually divulge anything,” Andi pointed out.

  Jack stared at her for several moments. “I guess you’re right.”

  “You don’t want to talk about it?”

  Jack shrugged, picked up his cup again, then immediately replaced it. He glanced around, apparently to see if anyone was close enough to hear.

  “I’m sorry. I—”

  He held up a hand. “It’s okay.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I get these feelings sometimes.”

  “Feelings?” Andi asked, confused. Everyone got feelings.

  “You know, those gut feelings we talked about?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, mine pan out. I get these…these pictures, I guess you’d call them, in my head, when I’m running through possible scenarios. It’s almost like I can see what’s going to happen sometimes.”

  “Like a psychic?”

  “No. Ah, hell, I don’t know! I don’t know what a psychic is or isn’t, sees or doesn’t see. I just know what I see, or feel.”

  “Is that why you believe me about Sherry?”

  “I suppose, in part.”

  “In part?”

  “You were one-third of the group, so I took in what you all had to say, and what my gut was telling me, and I had to run with it.”

  “And then the ME gave you some corroboration….”

  “Yes.”

  Andi worried her bottom lip for a moment. “Where’s it all going now, Jack?”

  “Have you got your journal with you?”

  She reached into her purse and withdrew the book, handing it across the table. Jack flipped to the back of the book, where she had started recording Sherry’s conversations in order from the last page. He read and reread them, then handed the journal back.

  “Can we finish this discussion back at your place?”

  He looked and sounded so intense, Andi knew he wasn’t fishing for an invite for a make-out session, although the thought did send her pulse running. “Yes.”

  Once inside her apartment, Jack helped Andi remove her coat but when she offered to take his, he said, “No, thanks. I can’t stay.”

  “Okay,” Andi said, drawing out the word in her confusion.

  “I wish to hell I could tell you what’s going on in this case, but cops just can’t go around discussing investigations with lay people, especially those who aren’t involved.”

  “I see.” She walked to the closet, opened it and reached inside for a hanger. She took her time hanging up her coat. Once she turned to him, she hoped her features were neutrally schooled. “I thought I was involved, since without me, there wouldn’t even be an investigation. And,” she added as an afterthought, “you really haven’t told me anything more about the investigation, have you?”

  Andi didn’t know what Jack thought she’d say, but apparently he hadn’t expected her to have a logical comeback. At least, she thought it was logical.

  He sighed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, his gaze directed over her head. “Look, Andi,” he finally said, his eyes back in line with hers, “I like you, okay? I mean that, as in I’d like to date you, but I don’t know you, do I?”

  “Look, Jack,” she replied, deliberately parroting him, “I don’t know you, either, but I know you are a good man. Not just because Father Riley trusts you, but because in our brief time together, you’ve shown yourself to be a man of principles and honor.” He looked startled, but she didn’t give him a chance to speak. “I’d like to date you, too. I enjoyed tonight immensely, and I’d like to see you again. But Sherry is a separate issue. Run a background check on me if you must, but I’ll tell you right now, I’ll come up in the system because I got a speeding ticket last year—forty-five in a thirty zone. Would have cost me two hundred and sixty bucks, but I went to traffic court and the judge reduced the fine to seventy-five, bless his heart.”

  Jack shook his head, almost imperceptibly. “You must have smiled at him.”

  Andi acknowledged the compliment with a cheeky grin and said, “Actually, I comported myself as a professional and explained that I had not driven on that road since the speed limit had been reduced. I also told him I was sorry I’d done it and promised I’d never do it again.”

  “Apology and remorse,” Jack said dryly. “Works in traffic court every time.”

  “Exactly.” She stepped closer to him. “So, after you run the background check on me, will you keep in touch about the case and I’ll do the same, so you know what Sherry’s saying to me?”

  “I already did the background check, and I also found that you are a good Samaritan.”

  Andi frowned. “What?”

  “Most people don’t know it, but when you run a name through the system, it comes up, not only for criminal acts, but also for reporting criminal acts.”

  “Ahh,” she said. “You must mean when I called and reported that someone was breaking into the neighbor’s house when I lived in the studio on Mrs. Flannery’s second floor.”

  “That would be a yes.”

  Andi crossed her arms over her chest. “So, what’s your answer?”

  He studied her for several moments. “I’ll do it, but you have to promise me that you will not go out and do any Nancy Drew shit on your own.”

  She raised her right hand. “I swear…although, I was more of a Judy Bolton girl.”

  “Who the hell is Judy Bolton?”

  “About the same era as Nancy Drew. My mom let me read her books. She has the whole collection. All first editions.”

  “Back to my stipulation….”

  Her right hand went back up and she repeated, “I swear, again. Besides, don’t you know I’m a computer geek? Any research I do will be done with my trusty laptop.”

  He pulled his hands out of his pockets and put his palm flat against hers. “I didn’t even know I liked computer geeks,” he muttered. He dropped his hand and grasped her upper arms, pulling her toward him. He lowered his head and took her l
ips.

  Andi didn’t need a second to think about it. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back. He was smokin’ hot and his kiss had the effect of spilling molten lava through her body.

  When he eased away, she longed to beg him not to stop, but on the other hand, she was not a woman who begged.

  His lips were so delicious, the memory of that kiss would keep her plenty warm in bed later and she’d be having some erotic dreams in the nights to come. That would have to suffice for now.

  Jack promised he’d keep her informed. “But if you blab to anyone, you’ll be out of the loop in a nano second.”

  “Who would I blab to that’s not already in the loop?”

  “You are such a smart ass.”

  “I know. You’ve told me that before.”

  In reply, he shook his head and gave her another kiss.

  “Jack?”

  “What?” he mumbled, his tongue half in her mouth.

  “Will you tell me why you’re a believer?”

  “I’m not.”

  “You are,” Andi said, pressing a little closer to him. “Father Riley intimated it and you didn’t ever really deny it. Gut instinct alone wouldn’t be enough to convince you.”

  He stared down at her with stormy eyes, obviously struggling with his decision to answer. Or not to answer. “When I was eight, I got pneumonia. I had to go the hospital. I was drowsing and when I opened my eyes, I saw the Virgin Mary standing in the doorway of my room.”

  “Really?” Andi asked, intrigued.

  “See, you think I’m nuts.”

  “I don’t! That was a really, like wow, why hasn’t that ever happened to me?”

  He tilted his head at her uncertainly. “You don’t think I was hallucinating?”

  “No. Why? Did you tell someone who thought you were?”

  “I’ve never told another soul about it, except….”

  “Father Riley?”

  He nodded.

  “And what did he say?”

  “He said, regardless of whether or not it was the Blessed Mother, I saw something and whatever it was, it was a holy experience.”

  Andi chewed on her lower lip. Jack’s gaze dropped to watch. “I think that’s exactly right. Have you ever seen anything else?”

  “Maybe.” He kissed her again. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore, okay?”

  “Okay.” Damn, could he kiss.

  He followed with several more before he stepped away and made his exit. “Lock the door,” he ordered.

  Andi wanted to watch him walk down the steps, but he stood on the landing, frowning at her with one eyebrow raised.

  “Don’t trip over my umbrella,” she said.

  He gave the object in question a side glance. “Maybe you should let it dry out inside.”

  “Maybe.” She stepped over the threshold, picked up the umbrella and gave it a couple of quick open-and-closes to shake off any remaining rain drops, then shut it and went back into her apartment, clutching the handle.

  “Lock the door,” Jack said again.

  Finally, she closed the door and made as much noise as possible so he’d know she locked both the knob and the deadbolt.

  She could have sworn she heard him whistling as he made his way downstairs.

  CHAPTER 11

  Andi did, indeed, have erotic dreams, but dreams were not reality, so she didn’t dwell on them overlong. To do so at Sunday mass might be considered a sin, and she didn’t want to be hampered with any sins. She’d save dream rumination for later, when she was home alone.

  Father Riley chatted with her after the service, indicating that he had not heard anything from Jack, so Andi felt somewhat better. Jack had not lied when he said he didn’t have any updates to give at the moment. And for sure, he wouldn’t lie to Father Riley.

  When she got home, she thought about sitting down at the computer to do some research, but if she plugged headaches and gastrointestinal ailments into the search engine, she knew she’d come up with about a gazillion hits. Instead, she picked up the phone and called her sister Natalie and asked if she had any interest in seeing an afternoon movie and catching dinner afterward. As it turned out, her brother Dell was there repairing a leaky faucet. Natalie invited him along. They all liked Bruce Willis, so they chose his new movie, then stuffed themselves on pizza and beer afterward.

  Natalie and Dell were so busy with their jobs and personal lives—she worked in public relations and ran marathons and he was a firefighter who was helping a buddy build a house—the three of them rarely got any large blocks of time together. Andi almost told them she’d met a cop she was interested in, but that would have necessitated an explanation of how they’d met, then she, who was the world’s worst liar, would have ended up blabbing every moment of her life since she’d started working at Orion’s Belt.

  Better to just keep her mouth shut about hearing the dead and at the same time, keep personal relationships, or at least the prospect of them, out of the conversation. They talked about Thanksgiving, and Dell asked if he could bring a guest. Natalie admitted she’d wanted to ask the same thing. Andi wondered if she’d be wanting to ask Jack by then, but again, kept her trap shut. The big issue would be, since she was cooking this year, would they all fit in her dining area?

  When she got home, she considered the dimensions of her eating area and the table and decided she could serve the food from the bar. Eight could sit comfortably at her table with the leaf in, and if she did end up inviting Jack, he’d fit, too, even with those wide shoulders of his.

  With that settled, she headed off to bed, with the hope of more dreams of her and a certain cop….

  . . .

  The week passed in a blur. During a particularly rainy night, the roof of the Orion’s Belt building developed another leak, this time directly over the server room. Work was a nightmare because the main server went down exactly when everyone seemed to have deadlines to meet. The head of IT was not a happy camper.

  Andi had a habit of saving to her hard drive as well as to the server, so she continued to work, with Brent checking on her progress every few hours to make sure she was still okay and on target to get the Energizer Bunny chapter finished. She had never seen her boss stressed before, but while it was obvious he felt some pressure, he somehow managed to remain calm, which soothed the entire team.

  Voices also popped into her head with regularity. Phil had reiterated Father Riley’s words, that more and more people chose memorial services and cremation due to the high costs of funerals and burials. Until she no longer had a reason to come to this particular block, Andi guessed she’d be hearing from a lot more people crossing over.

  Sherry popped in, interspersed with all the other voices.

  On Monday: This is not the way it’s supposed to happen, Andi. I don’t know why it’s taking Jack so long to figure this out. And do you know Vaughn still has not come out of the house? I’m so worried that he’s going to kill himself with grief. Will you go see him, Andi? Tell him I’m okay.

  “Whoa!” Andi said. “Jack is moving as fast as he can, considering the ME is waiting for tox results. And won’t Vaughn think it’s weird if I just show up?”

  Tox results! He just needs to look at the teeth! Just tell Vaughn you’re an old friend of mine.

  “What about the teeth, Sherry?” Andi asked, flustered. “No organic matter remains after the cremation. There won’t be anything in the teeth for Jack or anyone else to find.”

  Andi was certain Sherry actually wailed.

  This is not the way it’s supposed to happen, Andi. Just tell Jack, the answer is in the teeth! Please give my children a hug and a kiss for me. Please!

  Also on Monday, in the evening, Jack called to say the results of tests on the organ samples would be delayed. “Somehow the samples got misplaced,” he told Andi.

  “But you said the ME kept samples back, just in case.”

  “Yes, and he sent them out again. The lab promised a rush.”

/>   Andi wasn’t any happier than he was about this complication. “Did you let Father Riley and Phil know?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Did you read the email I sent you today?”

  “No, I haven’t been home yet.”

  “Sherry is convinced the answer lies in her teeth. She’s insistent that you look at her teeth.”

  “I know it’s frustrating, Andi, but try to be patient.”

  On Tuesday: This is not the way it’s supposed to happen, Andi. Has Jack called the ME to find out where the results are? Why haven’t you gone to see Vaughn?

  Andi felt Sherry’s frustration as if it were her own. “Jack says the ME had to resend the, uh, your…the samples, because the others were misplaced. It’s too soon to have heard back.” She didn’t answer about Vaughn, because she didn’t know what to say.

  Nor did she tell Sherry what was, at the moment, foremost on her mind. Jack had invited her out on a real date for Saturday night. Some of his buddies were playing at Lorenzo’s, one of the city’s nicer restaurants, and he’d asked Andi to join him for dinner. That just seemed like a cruel thing to mention to a woman who was caught in limbo between death and the afterlife, especially since the ongoing conversation between her and Sherry was not of the school-girl variety.

  On Wednesday: This is not the way it’s supposed to happen, Andi. I miss Vaughn so much. And my babies…they need their mommy and I can’t be there for them. They cry for me at night, Andi.

  That broke Andi. “I’ll call Vaughn when I get home tonight and see if I can go over on the weekend.”

  Thank you, Andi. And tell Jack, it’s the teeth. The teeth. The teeth!

  Andi emailed Jack and gave him Sherry’s quote verbatim.

  On Thursday: This is not the way it’s supposed to happen, Andi. And nothing more.

  On Friday: This is not the way it’s supposed to happen, Andi. I need to move on. I must move on!

  “Jack and I are meeting at my place after work. He says he has news.”

  Will you come by here tomorrow then? I only seem to be able to be on this block or at home or at my parents’ and I don’t want to wait until you come back to work on Monday.