“Okay.” His shoulders slumped as he led her back to her chair.
“Thanks for understanding.” Addie noticed the regret in his eyes as they both glanced at Tim and Darcy, their lips locked tight, and she was grateful Jared didn’t try to kiss her again.
The fire blazed, lighting the whole area around them as tiny sparks and embers floated into the air before dying out. She considered asking him about his relationship with Darcy, since Darcy was so reticent about it.
“So, you and Darcy used to go out, right?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I just wondered. Was that before you started working at the Cliff Hanger?”
“Yeah. Do you like working there?”
Well, she’d given it a shot. “Yeah, I do, even if it is different from what I'd originally planned.”
“What was that?”
“Oh, working with my dad, researching ancient artifacts, going on expeditions to archeology digs and excavations, and exploring ancient ruins. But I enjoy meeting new people, seeing locals come in every day, getting to know them and Gerry’s usually pretty easy-going even though he tends to be a bit over-protective at times.”
“Rumor has it you don’t really need to work and that you’re rolling in dough.”
“Where did you get that idea?”
“Darcy.”
“Oh. Well, my dad did leave me a considerable inheritance, but I don’t want to depend on it. I think I would get bored if I didn’t work. The money’s there if I need it, but I’m trying to make it on my own. Did you always want to be a cook?”
He shrugged. “No, when I was ten I wanted to be an astronaut.”
“Doesn’t every ten-year-old boy?”
“Maybe. Darcy always accused me of being a daydreamer.”
“Right. So was it Darcy who changed your mind about careers?”
“No. It happened when I realized I’d have to eat food resembling cardboard and pee in my space suit.”
Addie laughed. “You’re hilarious.”
Jared opened another beer for himself. “Want one?”
“No, thanks,” she declined, not wanting to have to make another trip to the bathroom soon. Her head throbbed and she wanted the evening to end. Nightmares or not, she needed an ibuprofen and her bed.
“How’s your head?”
“It’s starting to hurt more. Maybe we should go.”
“Yeah, but ...” Jared nodded toward Darcy and Tim, faces still attached.
“Oh. I guess we can wait a little while longer. Listen, you know the story old Bart told me today?”
“Yeah, he really had you scared.”
She frowned. “Do you think there’s any truth to it?”
“I don’t know about his story, but there are rumors of strange things happening over the years at different spots along the cliffs. I wouldn’t worry about it though; the monster only kills young women at night when they’re all alone.”
“That’s not funny,” she said, thinking of the dead woman they found.
“You’re right. Sorry.”
Addie felt a drop on her head and stuck her hand out. “Was that a sprinkle?”
Within seconds, that sprinkle became a torrential downpour. Everyone scrambled for their things and headed up the hill toward the cars. They raced across the parking lot and all four of them jumped into the cab of Addie’s truck. It seemed Tim was determined to stick close to Darcy as he scooted in next to her in the backseat. Soaked to the bone and looking like drowned rats, they laughed.
“Does this thing have a heater in it?” Tim asked, rubbing his hands together.
“Yes.” Addie handed Jared the key since he was sitting behind the wheel. He started the truck, and turned the heater on high.
“Turn on the radio,” Tim suggested once they were on the road.
“She can’t. Lightening struck it a week ago and fried the wires.” Darcy fluffed her hair with her fingers, spraying water everywhere.
“Well, actually,” Addie hesitated. “It started working again.”
“What? How’d that happened?” Jared turned, frowning at her.
“I’m not sure. I guess the wires must have reconnected or something. I banged it with my fist out of frustration and it just started working again.” She didn’t mention the sparks.
Tim laughed, lifting his wet jacket out from under Darcy’s thigh. “That’s bullshit. Once a wire is fried, it’s fuckin’ fried. Women, shit.”
To Addie, Tim was nothing more than a creep and she couldn’t understand what Darcy saw in him. He wasn’t even attractive. With his scruffy, dirty brown, half-inch sorry excuse for a beard, he was a bit grotesque. She imagined that his breath must reek, but wasn’t going anywhere near him to find out. Then again, Darcy wouldn’t have been kissing him if his breath was all that bad.
Addie reached forward and pushed in the power button to the radio and it blared on.
“Well, whatever happened, the radio sounds great,” Jared said.
Jared pulled the truck into the parking lot of the Cliff Hanger, the wet gravel sounding mushy under the truck tires. When he threw the gearshift into park, Tim and Darcy jumped out and ran toward the bar.
Jared started to get out, but glanced at Addie. She hadn’t made a move to leave the truck and he slid back in. “Everyone’s going in for a drink. Aren’t you coming?”
She sighed. “No, I get a little tired of this place after being here all day and my head hurts. I think I’ll just go home. I’d like to go on to bed and get an early start tomorrow.”
He didn’t plead with her to stay but he didn’t leave the truck right away either. Instead, he turned toward her and said, “Addie, I know your feelings for me don’t go anywhere beyond friendship and that’s okay. I can accept that, but I want you to know I’ll always be your friend, so when I ask you to do something with me, I don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing myself on you. I’m sorry I tried to kiss you tonight. It won’t happen again, I promise. I also know it’s tough on you with your dad gone, so if you ever need a shoulder ... well, I’m here.”
“Thanks, Jared. You know, I don’t make friends very easily nor do I take them lightly. It’s good that we’re friends.”
“I’ll hold you to that. Will you be okay?” he asked, lifting the hair from her forehead with his finger and studying the bruise.
“I think so. It’s just a nagging dull ache.”
“Okay. Goodnight, beautiful lady, and pleasant dreams.”
Pleasant dreams? If he only knew.
Chapter 8
Rain drummed down above Addie's head on the roof of the truck’s cab and slammed against the windows. Wipers flew from side to side as the rain pelted the glass in quarter-sized droplets. It was almost impossible to see the road. Between the rain and Addie’s aching head, the three-mile drive home seemed like six. All of a sudden, something dashed across the street in front of her truck. She swerved to the left and the tires screeched, the right front fender just missing the thing before it disappeared into the thicket. Luckily, no cars approached from the other direction or she'd have been sitting sideways right in their path.
“God, what was that?” Addie gasped. It seemed rather large, too large to be a mountain lion, but it could have been a man. No, a man couldn’t possibly move so fast. Thoughts of almost hitting the guy the other day came to mind; he’d certainly moved quickly, hadn’t he? She maneuvered the truck back to the proper lane and slowed almost to a stop, but then remembered about the dead woman they’d found yesterday and sped back up, worried if she stopped whatever it was might attack her.
Oh, for the love of Pete, get a grip Addie. The rain probably made it seem larger—it was probably just a deer running across the road. Maybe it was time to brush up on her self-defense skills, just in case. She'd ask Maia if she wanted to practice with her tomorrow. Grateful for the company of the radio and determined not to think about the mechanics of it, regardless of what creepy Tim had said, she assured herself it was possible fo
r the wires to reconnect, fried or not.
The rain pounded down as Addie pulled into her apartment building parking space. She noticed Ed Lewis’s light was on and she was glad he was home. She enjoyed living alone, but there were times—particularly on rainy nights—she felt somewhat jittery.
Secure in her warm apartment and relieved the campfire outing was over, Addie changed out of her wet clothes and towel-dried her hair. She fixed a cup of chamomile tea and took two ibuprofen then headed straight for the sofa, pulled open the hide-a-bed and straightened the covers before getting in. She was still a little chilled and snuggled under the fluffy blue comforter, reaching for the remote to check the news. Once again, her veins grew hot. A prickly and burning sensation radiated down her arms, and before she even touched the power button, sparks shot out from her fingertips and the TV screen sprang to life. Startled, she jumped up from the bed, no longer cold.
“Okay ... now I’m beginning to freak out. First the radio in my truck, then the television at the bar, and now here? What’s going on?” Her voice trembled and she fought to steady herself.
Addie thought about the day her dad died and remembered the note she had found on his desk the day of his funeral. She didn’t know what it meant but felt it was important no one else find it, so she’d placed it in her keepsake box along with her other valuable possessions. The box and its contents were the only things she had belonging to her mother who had purchased it during a trip to Scotland. It was an antique, intricately decorated with wood mosaic. She remembered her father saying it had substantial value.
She went to her closet and took out the box, sat with it on her lap and flipped open the lid. Inside were her mother’s watch and gold bracelet, both her parents’ wedding rings, and the note. The only other valuable thing she owned was the locket she never took off. She picked up the note, carefully unfolded it, and read it again.
Addison will soon be of age. She will inherit the powers. Her safety is my main concern.
Addie stared at the note for a few minutes. What would she soon be of age for? What powers? Bart’s story raced to her mind. That’s absurd! She frowned and thought back to her childhood. Was there something special about her dad? About her? Surely, Maia would know. She read the note again and thought of her dad’s warning about keeping her safe. She considered her options and resolved to remain quiet for now.
Standing with her hands outstretched, palms up, she examined them—turning each over and back again as if they were foreign to her.
“If I can turn the television on without touching the remote, can I turn it off as well?” she whispered.
She hesitated, stretched out her hand toward the remote, trying to suppress the stinging pain in her veins as a stream of electricity flashed from her fingertips and the television turned off.
“Whoa, this is amazing!” she said, letting out a nervous laugh. Again, she stretched out her hand toward the remote, more sparks flew, and the television came back on.
She sucked in a breath. “This is unbelievable. What is going on here?”
Addie repeated the little game a dozen times before she walked to the kitchen to try it on something else. She stood by the blender on the counter, placed her hand close to it and it buzzed on as electrical energy shot out again. She clapped her hands with excitement, then proceeded to the toaster, and the same thing happened. She experimented with the distance. It worked just as well from ten feet away as it did from one. She flitted around the apartment like a giddy child with a new toy, turning on one electrical appliance after another, jumping with delight each time. She wondered if there was a way to tone down the sparks so she wouldn’t draw attention to herself. Sitting on the bed, she placed her hands under her legs and faced the remote, thinking only about turning the television on.
Nothing happened.
“Hmmm ... mind over matter, Addie. Meditate.” She stared at the remote and thought of nothing except the TV for twenty minutes. All of a sudden, it blared on.
“Yes!” Addie jumped with excitement.
“Hmmm ... I wonder what the sparks are for then. Could they hurt someone?” Inspired, Addie walked to the kitchen and retrieved a slice of bread from the package. Placing it in the sink just to be safe, she stuck out her hand, fingers outstretched, and focused on the bread, the sparks, and the toast. Nothing happened.
She straightened. “Huh. What do I need to do here? The sparks come easily when I turn on the TV, why won't they now? What do I need to think about?”
She glanced around the apartment hoping for a clue and picked up the note again. “‘She will soon inherit the powers.’ There's more than one power. What are they?”
She went back to the kitchen, eyed the bread. “What does bread need to become toast? Heat.”
Once again, she positioned her hands. Not only did she think of heat, but of fire. She pictured flames blazing from her fingers, until a small bolt of lightning flashed toward the bread and burned it to a crisp.
“Whoa, that was sort of scary.” Shaken, Addie decided to hold off on experimenting with sparks and fire for now. Exhaustion took hold so she brushed her teeth, and pulled on a long-sleeved shirt she liked to sleep in.
“I should check the internet to see if I can find anything about other people with strange abilities. Tomorrow,” she yawned. There’s got to be some explanation. I don’t want to turn into some freak. Unable to keep her eyes open another second, she fell fast asleep soon after her head hit the pillow.
***
Addie ran through the darkness, her legs heavy, the forest floor littered with sticks and mottled with holes. She tripped and scrambled to her feet, wiping at the tears stinging her eyes. She could hear it breathing as it drew closer, then a faint groan and her body trembled as she realized the sound came from her throat. She needed to hide. Her legs had grown sluggish, and she couldn’t run much farther. Veering to the left, Addie jumped over a fallen tree trunk and tumbled down the short slope on the other side, landing on her back. She rolled over, exhausted. The smell of dirt and leaves filled her nostrils and, using every ounce of strength she could muster, she managed to crawl to a little alcove in the thicket.
Every bone in her body trembled. Branches dangled from above and sharp twigs stuck her from behind. Her heart pounded against her chest when her foot slipped and she froze, not daring to make a sound. A loud thump, perhaps the drum of her heart, but then the trees shook. Another thump, and another. Leaves scattered. The limp branches vibrated. Addie covered her ears as the sound became deafening. Then everything grew quiet. It stood outside just inches from her. It reached, its long bony fingers clawing at her; pulling her up by her throat, her dangling feet kicking violently. “Daddy, please help me!” Addie choked and woke with a start.
She sat up, gasping, drew her knees close to her chest, buried her face in her arms, and rocked. Her body shook and she wiped away the tears trickling down her cheeks. Tears weren’t going to help. Nothing could help. Her dad couldn’t come to her rescue. Not this time—not ever again.
“Why, Daddy, why is this happening? What do I need to be kept safe from?”
In the bathroom, Addie splashed water on her face, hoping to wash away the nightmare that always seemed so real. She studied herself in the mirror. Her brown eyes, puffy and laced with red lines, stung. She opened the medicine cabinet and saw the pills the doctor had given her. She picked up the container and stared at it, tapping her finger on the top.
No, I won’t take them. I refuse to live my life in a fog. Drugs only temporarily mask the pain. I need to face it. I need to find out why.
Placing the pills back in the cabinet, she left the bathroom.
“Coffee, I need coffee.”
Addie shuffled to the kitchen, squinted at the light coming in through the window, and rubbed her tired eyes. She made coffee—extra strong—and as she stood waiting for it to brew, she remembered her new, yet, freakish skill. She shook off the nightmare with a glimmer of excitement, glad her day off woul
d allow her to experiment. She also wanted to take some time to explore the internet before she headed off to the cliffs.
Her feet felt wet and she looked down at the puddle of water around them.
“What is this?” She crouched down, opened the cupboard under the sink, and peeked inside. “Oh, this is just great, a leak.”
Sidestepping around the small pool at her feet, she walked to the table next to her bed where she'd left her cell phone, searched through her list of contacts, found the manager's funny picture, and pushed send.
“Hi, Ed. Um ... this is Addie.”
“Oh, Addie, hello. It’s kind of early for you, isn’t it? Is everything okay?”
“Yes. No. I mean, I’m fine, but there’s a leak under my kitchen sink and I was wondering if you could come up and see if you can fix it.”
“Is it a big leak or a little leak?”
She pondered that for a moment. Did it matter? “Well, there’s a puddle on my floor, so I’m guessing a big leak.”
“Ah, well, we can’t have that, now can we? I’ll be up in a jiff. Just give me a couple minutes to get dressed.”
“Okay, great, thanks.”
As she turned to hang up the phone, the doorbell rang. Startled, Addie jumped. It was too soon to be Ed. She glanced at the clock … eight-thirty … probably Darcy. She pulled on her robe and opened the door.
“Hey, Addie.” Darcy beamed. Not waiting for an invitation, she shoved her way in and sat on the unmade bed.
“Darcy, hi, what are you doing here so early?” Addie closed the door and joined her, pulling the blanket up in her lap to keep her legs warm.
“I just wanted to see how you were since I didn’t get a chance to talk to you last night. You went home so early and I wanted to know how things went with you and Jared.”
Addie rolled her eyes. “Jared and I are just friends. Besides, Darce, how could I go out with Jared knowing you and he used to date?”
“What Jared does is his business and what I do is mine. He can go out with anybody he wants. I don’t give a shit.”
Whisper Cape Page 6