Mikki nodded agreement. “If you taught us the tricks, so to say, we’d know the ridgy-didge from the dodgy.”
“Well…” Shea shrugged. “Sure, I guess so.”
“Excellent.” Elspeth beamed. “Now, the next thing.”
“There’s a next thing?”
Izzy grinned.
“Of course, sweetie. We want you to join us on our ghost hunts.”
“Join you,” Shea echoed. “On your ghost hunts.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Right.” Shea didn’t quite know what to think.
“Now, this goes hand-in-hand with your shop.”
“It does?”
Harry walked in with a rolling silver serving table upon which sat various drinks and an array of delicious, mouth-watering finger foods.
“Thank you, Harry. That’ll be all for now.”
“As you wish.” He left the room, not one expression on his dour face.
“I reckon he’s a brother,” Mikki said. “Has to be related to Wally. No way could that expression be anything but family genes.”
Izzy laughed. “You won’t give it up, will you?’
“Wally scarred me for life.”
Elspeth handed out little plates and forks, set the finger food plates on the long, low coffee table situated between the sofa and armchairs, and dished out everyone’s drinks. Like the good hostess she was, she checked that everyone had everything they needed before resuming her seat.
The food tasted delicious, the Diet Coke icy cold. Shea inhaled appreciatively before taking a bite of a tiny, homemade spring roll.
“Do you like ghost hunts, Shea?” Mikki queried.
“Well, I don’t know. I’ve never been on one.”
“In that case we need to organise a trip.” Mikki turned to her aunt. “We were talking about going to Harver Croft and seeing if that old station hand really is haunting that old shack.”
“That’s right.” Elspeth took a dainty bite of some kind of hot pastry that smelled divine. “We were going to make it a girls’ night.”
Izzy glanced between Mikki and Elspeth.
Mikki grinned at her. “Yep, that’s right. You, me, Aunt Elspeth, and we were hoping you would come too, Shea. See how you like it.”
“You can come as well, Marietta, if you’re into ghosts,” Elspeth graciously invited.
“Thanks,” she replied. “I’ll think about it and get back to you.”
Translation: if the trip is during the stalking time she’d be coming and there’d probably be a big-arsed team situated in the dark out of sight around the shack, ready for trouble and to protect everyone. Shea could just see it all ticking around inside Marietta’s head. And if this was all over by then, well, she doubted very much that Marietta was into ghost hunts, but she’d been surprised before so who knew? Regardless, she liked Marietta, got on well with her.
“So what do you say, sweetie?” Elspeth waited expectantly.
“Just how does this gel with my business?” Shea asked cautiously.
“You could advertise ghost tours and take bookings for a small percentage of the profits that the tour operators charge. Some of the people looking for unusual gifts would be intrigued by ghost tours, and you’re in the prime position to advertise the tours. I’ve had several tour guides ask me about you already.”
Okay, that didn’t sound too bad. She could put a couple of small posters on the wall, some leaflets on the counter, take names and phone numbers. Easy money. “But why do I have to go on a ghost hunt?”
“So you can honestly tell people that you’ve done a tour-”
“I have to do a tour as well?”
“Of course, along with the ghost hunt. It means so much more for someone advertising these things to have experienced it themselves.”
“Plus it’ll be fun because we’ll be there,” Mikki pointed out. “You’ll learn what its like to hunt a ghost, the technology used, the equipment, everything.”
“I think the tech stuff is more up Cole’s alley.” Shea glanced at Marietta.
Her bodyguard was serenely eating and drinking, her gaze going now and again to the window before sliding back to listen with seeming enthusiasm to the conversation. She was either really interested or a great actress.
“Ohhh, great idea.” Mikki looked at Elspeth.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Elspeth looked back at her.
“Got Cole in their sights now.” Izzy cheerfully bit into a small biscuit topped with cheese and a thin slice of tomato. “If he’s a tech wizard, they want him.”
“Heck yes!” Mikki and Elspeth announced excitedly at exactly the same time.
“We need to meet with him,” Elspeth announced. “What’s he doing tonight?”
“Homework,” Shea replied dryly.
“Of course. Bring him over on the weekend and we’ll show him the Full Spectrum POV Camcorder with Night Vision.”
“And our new EDI Meter,” Mikki added enthusiastically. “He’ll love it!”
“In fact,” Elspeth leaned forward with all the zealousness of a true lover of the paranormal, “he could help us a lot. A lot.”
“He could?” Shea asked dubiously.
“He can research the best equipment. I mean, we know a lot but Cole’s a whiz with the computer, he knows a lot about tech stuff, he could find us the best. In fact, I bet he could dig up a lot of information about supposedly haunted areas that would assist us in planning our trips.” Elspeth snapped her fingers. “That does it. That boy has to come on a trip with us so he can see how much fun it is.”
Okay, Shea had to admit that Cole would probably love doing the research for them on the equipment, but as for an actual ghost hunt? “I honestly don’t know if he’ll want to go, or like it.”
“Just ask him,” Mikki suggested. “Even better, make him come here to meet with us.”
“Make him?” Izzy’s eyes danced with amusement.
“You know what I mean. I’m certain once he sees what we do, he’ll want to come.”
“I’m not promising anything,” Shea cautioned. “I’ll encourage him to come but it’s his decision at the end of the day. I don’t want anyone placing pressure on him by playing the helpless females out at night just to con him into going on a hunt to, you know,” she made little air quotes, “‘protect’ them.”
“Of course not, sweetie.” Elspeth picked a piece of non-existent lint off her gauzy skirt.
“Damn,” Mikki said bluntly.
Marietta gave a faint gurgle of amusement.
“He’ll know if you’re faking it,” Shea reminded them. “He knows the signs.”
“Point taken, mother hen.” Mikki rolled her eyes.
“I understand.” Elspeth nodded. “Tell him what we’re doing, what we plan, what we’d like him to do, and if he’ll come and see us at least.”
“Sure.”
“And we’ll let you know when it all happens so you can organise everything.”
Shea looked blankly at her.
“Going on a tour and the ghost hunt, sweetie. Your experience, remember?”
“Oh yeah. I forgot.”
“Maybe you just need some sugar.” Mikki held out a plate of dainty cakes. “Here, these have oodles of icing sugar on them.”
Izzy’s eyes twinkled as she surveyed Shea. “Welcome to my world of nutty friends.”
Mikki winked. “All the best people want to be our friends. You’re privileged.”
Shea couldn’t help but laugh.
Taking a sip of wine, Elspeth smiled.
The evening sped past and it was dark outside by the time they took their leave. At the end of the driveway the gates slid open, Mikki’s car then Izzy’s pulling out onto the road and veering right. Marietta followed them out, turning left to head back the way they’d come.
Relaxing back in the seat, Shea enjoyed the cool summer night breeze coming through the window. “Are you into ghosts?”
“Don’t bel
ieve in ‘em.”
“So I take it you won’t be going on the trip?”
“What makes you think Aaron will allow you all to go?”
“He can’t stop us.” She glanced sideways. “Can he?”
“You’d be surprised what Aaron can do when he deems it necessary.”
“Seen him in action, huh?”
“You have no idea. He gets into the thick of things when needed.”
Intriguing. “Such as?”
“That’s for him to tell you.”
“Bummer.”
Marietta smiled.
Shea had tried to prise things out of Aaron before with only a small success. The man was tight-lipped about some of his business, but she accepted that he had areas that by necessity had to be kept secret. Didn’t stop her trying, mostly to tease him, loving the way he watched her with amusement before finally kissing the questions right out of her mouth.
Damn, the man could kiss her senseless. Made her moan with - okay, not going there, she thought, shifting on the seat as a familiar little arc of warmth hit her loins. Cripes, just the thought of Aaron with his sinful mouth and wicked hands was enough to make her start fantasizing, though most of those fantasies had become decadent reality.
Forcing her mind from those tantalising musing, she watched as they left the elite district behind for the industrial area. Street lights shed bright, harsh light on empty parking lots and yards of various businesses - plumbers, electricians, panel beaters, mechanics, garages, tilers, builders, all manner of businesses one would expect to find in an area such as this.
She became aware of Marietta checking the rear-view mirror every few seconds. “Something wrong?”
“Car following us. Don’t look,” she ordered sharply, her arm shooting out to prevent Shea from the automatic response of turning to look around the seat.
Alarm zinged through Shea. “Cars come along here all the time, don’t they?”
“There’re no other cars around, but this one has been behind us for several minutes now.” Marietta touched the communication device in her ear. “You nearby, Richie?” She manoeuvred the car with ease. “How far away are you?” Silence as she watched the road. “You’re supposed to be on my tail.” She flicked a glance in the rear-view mirror. “There’s a car tailing us for the last few minutes. I’ve got a feeling, Richie.”
Shea gripped the seatbelt, relieved that Marietta seemed so calm but keeping a watch on the low headlights reflected in the side mirror.
Marietta took another glance in the rear-view mirror. “Control Centre, you hearing me?”
Worriedly, Shea looked at her.
“We’re being tailed, our back-up tonight is blocked in by an accident so we’re on our own.” She listened, nodded. “No worries. We’re continuing on the planned route.” Marietta went quiet, her attention on both the road ahead and the car behind.
“Marietta?” Shea probed worriedly.
“Since Cartwright is in the state now and keeps disappearing on us, whenever any of you go out you not only have one of us with you but another security team is tracking us nearby for added protection. Unfortunately, Richie and Kelly were only a block away from us and have been blocked in by a car accident, so we’re on our own.” She shot Shea a reassuring smile. “Not for long. The cavalry is on the way.”
“How will they know where to find - oh right, GPS tracking.”
“Aaron has you covered.”
Shea swallowed nervously, her heart beating faster as adrenaline started to seep through her. They were halfway through the industrial area and she realised just how isolated they were, just how-
“Hang on!”
Before Shea could respond Marietta yanked on the steering wheel, tried to swerve but not in time, the little car juddering forward and spinning almost out of control as the vehicle behind smashed into it.
It happened so fast that Shea was left trembling and shocked.
Marietta regained control fast, spoke with urgent yet calm efficiency. “Gail, we’re being rammed. This bastard is trying to run us off the road.” She glanced into the mirror. “Hold on, Shea.” She yanked on the wheel, sent the little car angling sharply to the side as the larger vehicle roared past.
Now Shea could see it was a big four wheel drive which heaved to the left, the rear smashing into the front panel driver’s side of Shea’s car, forcing it off the road into a vacant lot with a huge shed.
Marietta hung on grimly, slamming on the brakes as the four wheel drive thundered past, regaining control as the car spun to face in the opposite direction.
The car coughed, shuddered, the sound of a wheel grinding.
“Shit,” she muttered. “Come on.”
The four wheel drive backed up, the engine revving.
Marietta floored the pedal, the car lurched forward but didn’t move, one of the front wheels grinding horribly.
Shea was still in shock when Marietta shoved out of the car, one hand palming a steel baton she extended with a snap of her wrist. Before she could take a second look, her bodyguard was hauling her out of the car and pushing her forward. “Run for the shed!”
The four wheel drive roared to life behind them, high beams flaring brightly.
Marietta was faster but she didn’t leave Shea behind, putting herself between Shea and the four wheel drive as it came barrelling after them.
They made the corner of the big shed, careening around it as the vehicle roared past missing them with inches to spare. It slammed to a halt in a cloud of dust.
Marietta didn’t wait, yanking Shea around the opposite side, shoving her back against the wall behind her as the four wheel drive’s door slammed shut.
Then three more times doors slammed.
“Four.” Marietta held the baton in one hand, Shea’s wrist in the other.
Oh shit, no. No no no. Frantically Shea peered around, breath coming harshly as she spotted a partially open door further down the side of the shed. “There!”
“Let’s go.”
They ran, Marietta yanking the door open just as a figure appeared at the end of the shed. The street light glinted off something he held in one hand.
A gun? Shea went cold.
Without a word Marietta shoved her inside, following quickly, cursing when the door shut but swung open again in a clear indication that the lock was not working. The inside was dark and she took her hand off Shea’s arm, seconds later a narrow beam filtering through the blackness from a pen torch. “Follow me. Right behind me.”
Shea wasn’t going to argue, her legs trembling, hands shaking as she followed Marietta through a winding path between boxes and pellets.
The door behind them slammed open and Marietta flicked the torch off.
“I know you’re in here, Shea,” Phillip sing-songed. “You and your little friend.”
“Sssshhh.” Marietta’s breath was at Shea’s ear as she drew her down behind a crate.
Then she vanished. One second she was there, the next she was gone.
Shea tried to see her, but the darkness was too dense.
A powerful beam suddenly swept the huge room loaded with boxes. “Where are you, bitch?”
“Phillip.” Marietta’s voice sounded from the opposite side of the room.
How on earth had she gotten over there so fast in the dark?
He swung sharply in the direction, gun raised. “Ah, the friend.”
“You don’t want to do this, Phillip.”
“Don’t pull that psycho-babble bullshit on me.” Lifting his arm, he aimed into the darkness. “Show me your head and I’ll blow it off.”
Listening to the hate-filled voice, Shea thought, Aaron’s coming. He’s coming for me, for us. She clung to the knowledge, knowing he’d arrive, knowing he was making his way to her as fast as he could.
Now she could see another figure behind Phillip, the shape of a gun in his hand.
“You’ll go to gaol,” Marietta said in a reasonable tone.
“They ha
ve to prove it’s me first.”
“It’ll be proven, don’t doubt it.”
“It’s all gone anyway thanks to Shea. Where are you, Shea? Going to let your friend take the hit first? That’s not nice. But then you’re not a nice person, are you?” He fired a sudden shot in Marietta’s direction.
Slapping a hand to her mouth, Shea huddled down, scared, wishing she knew what to do to help. She had to trust Marietta - did trust her - but Marietta was risking her life for her, so she couldn’t just sit there and not help.
About to call out to distract Phillip and give Marietta a chance to do something, her attention was caught by a door opening abruptly in the opposite wall as two figures entered, one of them shining a torch around, the beam catching Marietta.
Phillip fired off a shot but she was already gone, boxes falling in her wake as she disappeared between them.
Closing her eyes, Shea tried to ease the pounding of her heart, focussed on the one sure thing in her life at that moment. Aaron’s coming, he’s coming. He’s coming for us.
“Find her,” Phillip ordered. “I’ll get the bitch then we’re going to make her hurt.” He laughed, low and ugly. “Got some friends to help me make you hurt, Shea. Going to give you a whole world of pain.”
Heart thundering, on her hands and knees, Shea peered cautiously around the edge of the crate, desperately trying to see where Marietta was while keeping an eye on Phillip and the second man.
They were coming right towards her.
She was a sitting duck.
There was a sudden curse, a yell of pain, a gun firing and one of the men came stumbling out from behind a heavy crate with his hand cradled to his chest. “That bitch! That bitch broke my fingers, blinded me!”
Phillip’s torch light flicked across his face revealing the blood trickling down to cover his eyes as he desperately tried to wipe it away to clear his sight.
“You’re an idiot.” Phillip fired several shots in the direction his henchman had stumbled from, the ringing loud in the shed. “Waste of good money hiring you.”
Shea took the opportunity to slide out from behind the crate, grabbing a small box and heaving it as far across the room as she could while seeking shelter once more.
Phillip turned, fired off another shot, then started stalking forward, sing-songing in that frightening monotone. “Come out, come out, wherever you are, Shea. Come out and face me.” Suddenly he yelled savagely, “Face me, bitch!”
The Wells Brothers: Aaron Page 35