“Oh, my God.”
“We need to hurry or Nat will get here and we’ll be wandering around the lawn,” Marley said, walking faster.
“Did he—”
“Please. Don’t push. It can’t be changed now. Do you hear an engine?” She paused to listen. “A great big engine. Who can that be?”
Gray followed her up the steps to the gallery. “It can be Nat Archer in his black Corvette. His baby. Let’s keep going. If it’s someone else, I don’t want him walking up on us while we’re sitting.”
“Why?”
He carried on toward the side of the house and Marley followed. “Let’s just say I’m into making sure I’ve got every advantage available. Between being looked up at and looked down on, there’s no contest about where the advantage is.”
“Hmm,” she said, and speeded her steps to keep up with him. Evidently she would always be at an extreme disadvantage.
“Sure enough,” Gray said when they got to the front. “One flashy black money sink. He loves that car.”
“We all have things that are important to us. I think for a lot of men, a car takes the place of a wife or children. In a very general way.”
“Nat loves a woman a hell of a lot more than he loves that car,” Gray said. “I hope you meet Wazoo one day. She’s something. Doesn’t come to New Orleans often. And before you start with the questions, I don’t know why they haven’t taken things farther. Nat’s a city cop, Wazoo’s a country witch. I guess they’re having problems working out the logistics.”
Marley laughed and clung to his sleeve. “Country witch?”
““I’m serious,” he said. “Now you get serious. And never mention Wazoo to Nat unless he does first. Which won’t happen. Maybe if you know him four or five years, you’ll meet her.”
She chortled. “I want to.”
Nat had bent down and his head and upper body were invisible from the back of his car. When he emerged, he carried several paper sacks.
“Hey,” Gray called.
Nat searched for Gray and Marley and nodded when he saw where they were. “Shall I come up there?”
“Why not? Unless you’ve got a better idea.”
“No one around?” Nat asked.
“Not a soul.”
“It won’t get better than that.”
Nat jogged up the steps and fell in with Gray and Marley as they started toward the back of the house again.
They got to the table and chairs, where the citronella flames threw long tongues of shadow and light. Gray waved Nat to the chair Sidney had used then sat down with Marley beside him.
“What’s in the bags?” Marley asked. She had never mastered patience.
“Things I want to show you,” Nat said. He slid forward on the seat of his chair and laced his fingers behind his neck. “Your turn first. You called me, remember?”
“We should probably have come in to you,” Gray said. “Now we’re all here, I don’t know why we didn’t do that.”
“Because we need neutral ground where we’ve got a chance at clear heads and no interruptions,” Nat said.
Marley decided she liked the way Nat thought. “And this is a haunted place,” she said. “That can be helpful.” She brought her lips carefully together. What would make her admit to something they couldn’t possibly understand?
“If you say so.” At least Nat didn’t laugh at her.
“I just meant the place has that reputation and it’s kind of…well, you know. It’s a thoughtful place.”
“Yeah,” Gray said. “There’s a little wine left if you want it, Nat.”
Nat declined and made no comments about why they might be out here drinking wine together.
“I’m going to tell you things you’ll have every right to question,” Marley said. “A lot of it is beyond understanding when you don’t have any background in paranormal events and the way they can happen with some subjects. Will you hear me out? Then we’ve got to talk about a suggestion that was made to us tonight.”
“I like to listen with my eyes closed,” Nat said, doing just that. “I’m wide-awake in here.”
Marley tried to start at the beginning. When she talked about a portal, she didn’t mention the Chinoiserie house and when she glanced at Gray he showed no change of expression. “You understand why I’ve got to keep that back,” she thought.
“Yes.”
Startled, she looked at him again and found him watching her with the same kind of shocked awareness she felt.
“I’ve never communicated this way with anyone outside my family before, Gray.”
“What does it mean? Tell me—” He frowned and she felt the channel close.
He held her hand and she didn’t immediately realize he’d done so with Nat there. They both looked at the detective whose eyes were still shut. They kept their tingling fingers together.
“Then, after I left your office the last time, I was so confused about what to do. I went home and Gray went with me.”
She brought Nat up to date, all but Sidney’s not very subtle suggestions.
“So you came out here this evening because Sidney Fournier asked you to?” Nat said. He slitted his eyes and this time he did give the wine bottle and glasses a long look.
Marley said, “She didn’t expect me to be here,” and giggled when Gray pinched her fingers.
“Gray always did like someone reliable watching his back.” Nat’s teeth were very white when he smiled. “He’s got good taste in that department and I’m sure you could make mincemeat of any bad guys or women.”
She bowed her head. “So, now you think I’m completely crazy,” she said. “And it probably doesn’t matter what Sidney had to say because you don’t believe a word from me.”
“I believe every word from you,” Nat said.
Gray’s grip on her hand tightened.
“You do?” Marley said.
“I don’t know what happened in that warehouse yet. Not for sure. But something did and you saw it. I’ve got to believe the rest. What do you say, Gray?”
“I’m a believer.”
“Sidney told us Amber had already left Danny before she disappeared,” Marley said. “She said their relationship was already over.”
Nat opened his eyes and sat up. He only gave their joined hands passing notice. “No shit. No kidding, that is.”
She shook her head. “That’s what she told us.”
He started to get up. “I’ll have her brought in. Danny, too.”
“You think that’s for the best?” Gray said.
“No.” Nat settled back in his chair. “Knee-jerk. But I’ll have Danny watched starting now. He looked me in the eye and lied. You’d have thought the church bells were already warming up for those two.”
“He needs to get his story straight,” Marley said. “At first he tried to pretend Amber didn’t return his feelings. Then he let it out that they were close.”
“And now there’s another take,” Nat said. He made a call and gave succinct orders. “I take it Sidney had some story about why she wouldn’t talk to us—to the police?”
“She said she was afraid.” Gray paraphrased Sidney’s conversation.
“I was going to tell you we’re pretty sure Amber doesn’t have a kid,” Nat said.
“Figures,” Gray said. “How much longer will it be before you can get some preliminary DNA results back on Shirley Cooper?”
Nat hesitated. He cleared his throat. “Shouldn’t be too much longer.”
“Damn, I wish they were faster. It could change everything about the case.”
“Will you look at these for me, Marley?” Nat said, not responding to Gray’s last comment. “I know I can’t expect too much, but it’s what I was talking to you about in my office. The things that belonged to Liza, Amber and Shirley.”
Marley came close to telling him again that she’d never worked with objects like this. Nat was lumping all paranormal gifts together and coming up with something resembling the t
ype of stuff they put on TV series about psychics.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Gray said when Nat put a silk scarf on the table, and a pair of gloves. “Marley doesn’t do party tricks.”
She was grateful to him, but sorry for Nat, who was doing his best to be open.
“I know that,” Nat said. “But it does happen that touching something belonging to someone can bring about an impression of that person, doesn’t it? It can be helpful in locating them.” He looked with hope at Marley.
“I’ve heard it can, yes.”
Nat didn’t miss her noncommittal response. “You don’t think there’s anything in it?”
“I don’t know.” She had to be honest.
They fell silent. Critters in the grass and nearby shrubs tuned up like they were getting ready for a rock concert.
Nat reached into one of the bags and retrieved some sort of hat made of draped and embossed mauve satin. “I won’t say who this belongs to, but will you hold it?”
She rubbed the spot between her brows. The start of a headache threatened to make this a hard night. “Yes.” Marley took the turban from him.
“I don’t like this,” Gray said.
“Say something unexpected,” Nat retorted.
“Please be quiet,” Marley said. “Both of you.”
Marley tried to sit comfortably. She began to shiver. A breeze gained strength and her flimsy white dress frothed around her calves.
The soft, satiny turban slipped between her fingers. Where the fabric was embossed, the texture felt rougher. Marley looked at the shimmer on the satin, at the shadowy lines where the folds settled. She let her eyelids lower and went into neutral. With her mind wide-open, she invited any response to come in.
Time passed and she felt peaceful. She also felt nothing unusual and saw no inkling of a portal, and heard no whisper from an Usher.
“You know better than to try putting on shows.”
Sykes was back. She deliberately ignored him.
“If you’re short of money, maybe I can help you out.”
“What does that mean?” She felt snappy.
“I leave you to your own devices and you get into the entertainment business? When do you pass the hat?”
“I’m not even answering you.”
A change in shadows along the balcony railings carried Marley’s attention in that direction. Flickering in and out, she saw the suggestion of her brother, wearing black tonight and looking vaguely demonic.
“Watch out for Gray,” Marley said.
“Oh, yes, little sister. I’m watching. He won’t get in on anything from me, but you better watch yourself. When you’re in lust with someone your judgment could get clouded.”
“That’s it,” Marley said. “You can report back to Uncle Pascal that I’m cool. Thanks. Bye.”
He sat on the balcony railing with an arm around a slender column.
Marley set the turban on the table. “Nothing from this, Nat. I tried, but I don’t feel anything. I’m sorry.”
“How about this?” He gave her the gloves. They were black, crocheted and fingerless.
“I like them,” Marley said, trying unsuccessfully to see the pattern. “They look old.”
“They probably are. Feel anything?”
She didn’t. Going from one item to another she grew tired and irritable.
“Give it up,” Gray said.
Nat’s phone rang. “Archer,” he answered. “When? You know her?”
Marley quit breathing.
“Friend Danny has a new lady love,” Nat said, slipping the phone away. “They were pretty cozy when they went into Danny’s place a few minutes ago and Danny didn’t seem to be looking upset over anything. That’s probably unimportant. The guys are just looking for something to report.”
Marley didn’t say anything and Gray got up. He walked to the railing and stood there looking out over the dark grounds. He also stood right in front of Sykes, whom Marley could see grinning at her. Gray’s hand rested on top of Sykes’s on the column, a fact Sykes obviously found humorous.
“We’ve got to wonder if we should be worrying about any woman being alone with Danny,” Gray said. “I always liked the guy, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
“Surely doesn’t,” Nat said. “But we can’t do anything unless there’s a complaint. Other than keep an eye on Danny.”
Sykes looked into Gray’s face as if he was looking for something.
Watching her brother unnerved Marley.
“Thanks for coming, Sykes. I’d appreciate it if you’d bug out now. I’ll make contact if I need you,” she said.
“Is that a promise? ”
“Yes.”
“Okay. He’s good-looking.” He ought to know when he was an inch from Gray’s face. “He could be interesting to sculpt. What does he look like with his clothes off?”
“Good night, Sykes.”
“Night. See you soon.”
“The only other thing I brought is this,” Nat said and produced Pearl Brite’s cycling helmet.
“I don’t want to do that,” Marley said. She stood abruptly. “No, I don’t want to touch it.”
“Why not?”
“There’s violence there. I…I don’t want to.”
“Then the helmet is exactly what you need to hold, Marley,” Nat said. “You’ve got strong feelings about it. That’s good.”
“Quit pushing her,” Gray snapped. “Not tonight. Let her think about it tonight.”
“Pearl Brite may not have long enough for anyone to take their time thinking about whether they want to help her or not.”
“That’s rotten,” Marley said sharply. “You know I want to help. You don’t know what I feel, but it’s not good. I don’t understand what’s going on and I have to think. Please put the helmet away. I’ll deal with it first thing in the morning.”
Visibly reluctant, Nat returned the helmet to its paper bag.
“Why don’t we all go back to town and do whatever we feel we have to do,” Nat said. “I’m glad I came out. It’s peaceful here. And it helps for us to spend time together off the record.”
Gray said, “Yes,” but Marley heard him as though through a closed window.
Her palms sweated and the still-visible welts there burned.
“Pipes has marks like these on her neck,” Marley said quietly, holding out her hands.
“What?” Nat spun around. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Gray said. “But we didn’t want to tell you too soon. She’s already the skittish type and we thought it best not to frighten her off altogether just in case she’s got useful information. Chances are that if we leave her alone, she’ll come to us eventually—if she’s got something to share.”
“Damn it,” Nat said. “You keep throwing these direct connections at me then telling me I can’t use them. I need to get to that woman and talk to her on her own.”
“The only way you can do that is by telling her about Marley’s experiences,” Gray said. “Do that and you could blow everything wide-open. We’d probably end up no closer to a solution if Pipes clams up.”
“You have gone too far, bitch.”
Marley jumped so hard her neck hurt. She looked from Nat to Gray, who showed no sign of having heard a grating male voice speak to her.
“Now I have seen you clearly. You are imprinted on my senses and I will find you. And you will tell me who betrayed me by telling you what you have no right to know. Anyone in my way will be removed.
“You’re going to tell me who and what you are. I will find out everything about you. I have never failed to get what I want. When I am finished, you will never get in my way again.”
Chapter 35
“Gray?”
Nat sounded uneasy.
“What?” Gray said.
“Something’s wrong,” Nat said under his breath.
Then Gray realized what the other man was talking about. Marley’s hands hung at her sides and she stared
toward the house. Her face wasn’t so much rigid, as lifeless—except for her staring eyes.
Gray took a step toward her and felt an invisible force pushing him back.
“Do you think you should touch her?” Nat said. “What’s the matter with her?”
“I don’t know,” Gray said. “Marley?” he added quietly. He wanted to get her away from what he felt stirring around them.
Something deeply evil.
“She can’t hear us,” Nat said. “They don’t have a handbook on this one. Not that I’ve seen. Did you ever see her do this before?”
Gray was past his usual level of caution. “Not exactly.” A current buffeted him and he was surprised he didn’t stagger.
“Something like it, though?”
Gray ran a hand over his hair. “She’s seeing something we can’t see. Let her go.” It would be better for him to be alone with her.
Marley walked directly toward a door that opened on a room barely visible through large windows. She paused, then took another step.
“She’ll walk right into the glass,” Nat said, talking about the panes in the upper half of the door. Gray broke from the restraint and shot forward to grab her.
The door swung open of its own volition and Marley walked inside.
“Holy shit!” Nat said. “I didn’t see what I just saw.”
“We both did,” Gray said, following Marley.
“You can’t just walk into other people’s houses,” Nat said.
“We’re being let in. Invited in, if you like. But you can stay here if you feel better about it.”
He went after Marley with light, rapid steps and realized he was behaving as if he were dealing with a sleepwalker.
Lamps on bentwood tables glowed, beads swinging gently from the shades. They hadn’t been turned on a moment ago. The room was typical of its period and purpose. Widely spaced rattan furniture covered with cool-colored cotton fabrics grouped for conversation beneath wooden fans on heated days. Large, faded floral rugs on gleaming old wood floors.
Gray felt Nat enter the house behind him and signaled for him to stay put. For himself, Gray allowed Marley to get farther ahead. He could reach her fast enough, but he didn’t want to risk intruding into whatever she was involved with in that other world of hers. Instinct warned him of the danger he could cause by breaking her concentration.
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