by Advocate
Glen’s dark eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "Partner?" she said quietly, hoping she didn’t sound as surprised as she felt.
She doesn’t know? Liv slowly turned to Kayla and glared. You are so dead, Ghostbuster.
Kayla swallowed. "She sure is." The tall woman took Liv’s hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. Fuck.
Liv squeezed back. Hard.
Double fuck.
Glen’s expression went a little cold. "How nice for you. Shall we sit?" She gestured towards their seats.
Robert Keith immediately slumped into his chair with a sigh of relief. He propped his cane against the wall behind him.
Glen and Kayla remained standing. Their faces were impassive but Liv could see by the rigid set of her lover’s shoulders that something wordless was passing between her and Glen. Another telepath perhaps? she wondered silently, a little surprised by how quickly she was starting to accept certain things that only days before she would have declared impossible.
Kayla’s research, began with the study of her own family’s highly evolved set of paranormal gifts. And although the Reddings’ phenomenal paranormal attributes had been diluted over the centuries, she herself had considerable telepathic abilities.
It was wholly by accident that the women had discovered that Liv too had heightened telepathic skills. Though Liv hadn’t even known that about herself. And for whatever reason, each woman brought out these talents in the other. A small part of Liv wondered how much that had to do with the bone-deep, almost innate, attraction they had for each other. She regarded Kayla carefully; the sculpted planes of her face, the sensuous curve of red lips, the penetrating intelligence that shone so clearly in those pale blue eyes. No, she thought a little dreamily. She would have had my heart in any case. But I’m still going to kill her.
A long moment passed while Mr. Keith busied himself with the wine list and menu, then Kayla and Glen took their seats and the Scotsman launched into a detailed diatribe. He ended by saying, "I awoke from a sound sleep my wi’ chills racin’ through my body and saw blood dripping down the bedroom wall in front of me."
Their first course was nearly over when Kayla quietly put down her fork, looked Mr. Keith in the eye, and asked, "Are you on any medication?"
"Kayla!" Glen cried. "She’s joking, Mr. Keith. Truly." Glen’s voice was sharp. "Explain that you’re just teasing, Kayla." She plastered on a smile as she patted Robert’s bony hand. "Americans have such odd senses of humor, don’t you think? Of course we believe you. Why don’t you go over a few more of the specifics?"
Liv went a little pale at the thought of Mr. Keith going into more detail about what had supposedly happened in his house. She subtly pushed away her plate of sweet potato and apple gallette and reached for her water.
Kayla tossed her napkin onto the table. "Glen."
"What happened is clearly not unheard of," Glen said calmly. Her eyes flashed another warning to Kayla while her voice remained as smooth as silk.
"I know it’s hard to believe, Ms. Redding," Robert broke in, willing to do whatever it took to convince her. He paused for a moment while their dishes were cleared and an enormous plate of steak tartare and fried quail’s eggs was placed in front of him.
Liv smiled her thanks at the waiter who set down her seafood pie and Kayla’s wild mushroom tart.
Glen appeared content to acquire her calories in the form of a very expensive bottle of wine courtesy of their new client.
Liv’s eyes narrowed. Maybe she’s a vampire. They don’t eat at all.
When the wait staff retreated, Mr. Keith leaned towards Kayla and with a deadly serious expression said, "I know what I saw. And now, thanks to my blabbermouth cook, so do the papers. It wasn’t a delusion," he said, sounding a little insulted. "I’m sure it was all a hoax." He waved his hand dismissively. "And I don’t want Edinburgh thinking I’m prone to hallucinations, now do I?" He jutted his jaw defiantly, as if he had just made everything clear and it was up to Kayla to draw her own conclusions.
Which were that Mr. Keith was probably drunk at the time.
"Mr. Keith is a very respected member of the community and City Council," Glen added for Kayla’s benefit. Throughout lunch she had managed to ignore Liv’s presence almost entirely. Though, to her annoyance, Mr. Keith seemed intent on addressing both Liv and Kayla when he spoke. "His reputation is above reproach and he’s hired us to confirm that there is nothing haunted about his house."
"This is a matter for the police, Glen, not me. If someone was trying to frighten you—"
Robert shook his head emphatically. "Absolutely not. I intend to open my home as an inn next month. The damage is already done. My housekeeper handed in her notice the same morning she walked into my bedroom and saw me… well, in my state of surprise and fright." He looked a little shamefaced, deciding they didn’t need to know about his soiled sheets. "When I told her what I’d seen, she quit on the spot. She wouldn’t even collect her parting wages in person. Her daughter, the uppity thing, said for me to post them to her!"
"An article claiming Mr. Keith’s house was possessed by an evil, potentially deadly spirit appeared in the next day’s papers, quoting the cook," Glen said conversationally, refilling her glass. "I’ve already interviewed her and her daughter. Besides Mr. Keith, they were the only other people who lived in the house. They don’t have anything to add that we can’t get straight from the source."
"That’s right," Mr. Keith huffed, before taking another bite. "And that’s why I hired you and Ms. Fuguchi. I’ve done my research and know you are both very well respected within the scientific community. I specifically requested you over several other paranormal researchers that Ms. Fuguchi works with. People will believe what you say." And you’re young and pretty and would surely make the papers and local news bulletins.
Kayla’s brow furrowed as Mr. Keith’s thoughts began roughly taking shape in her head. She didn’t have a word for word understanding of his mental musings, but she caught snippets and impressions and a few odd words, processing them all in the blink of an eye. Kayla all but sneered at her new employer. News bulletins? Like hell. And why was Glen interviewing the residents of Mr. Keith’s home? She didn’t work in the field. Ever.
"So you want us to make sure that everyone knows there’s nothing spooky or paranormal about your house that would frighten away guests?" Liv asked Mr. Keith, unable to sit quietly by for another second.
"Hardly," he snorted and used bony fingers to smooth down his wool, regimental necktie. "Specters and spooks are a big part of Edinburgh’s history and continued economic success, Ms. Hazelwood. A few of those never hurt any inn’s business. And my home has been host to its share of minor hauntings over the years. As is the case with nearly any self-respecting, authentic structure in Old Town." He leaned back in his chair and took a healthy bite of his lunch.
Kayla was happier than ever than she had made arrangements for her and Liv’s accommodations away from Old Town. Worried green eyes glanced at her in question, and the look on the younger woman’s face reassured her lover
Liv let out a shaky breath, saying a quick mental thank you. The house on Cobb Island loomed very fresh in her memory and she wasn’t quite sure she wanted to relive that experience so soon. But that’s what Kayla does all the time, right? You don’t see her complaining. She loves her job. And you haven’t given it a chance. So stop bein’ such a baby.
Mr. Keith tore off a piece of bread from a loaf that sat in the center of the table and used the chunk to sop up the juices and blood from his steak tartare. He popped the sodden treat into his mouth.
Liv looked down at her food to block out the vile image. Kayla’s lips formed a thin line and even Glen began to resettle her napkin in her lap rather than watch Mr. Keith eat.
"But there’s a fine line between healthy fun and having rivers of blood running down the walls, wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Hazelwood?"
Liv sighed. Her fork was nearly to her lips when Mr. Keith piped up.
Her stomach churned and she nodded her agreement, officially giving up on lunch. "No… er… I’m pretty certain that would not be a good thing."
The man grunted his approval over Liv’s answer and turned to Kayla, who was trying to get a few bites down while he was talking. "I expect that you’ll confirm the existence of something otherworldly, preferably having to do with the body snatchers, Burke and Hare, or perhaps medieval witchcraft. But nothing evil and certainly nothing that could be physically dangerous."
Kayla’s blood began to boil. Glen had some serious explaining to do. This man didn’t want a real scientific explanation, he wanted something to put on his brochures for the tourists. She was about to say as much when Mr. Keith added, "Scary sells. Evil repels. And what I saw was clearly the work of something terribly wicked."
* * *
Liv and Kayla sat silently in the back seat of the taxi that sped its way down Portobello High Street. The blonde woman’s forehead rested against the window as she watched the houses and shops fly by. Portobello, which was only a few miles from the heart of Edinburgh, dated back to the eighteenth century and was a popular seaside resort. By the early part of the nineteenth century, however, it had been annexed by Edinburgh and was now considered a sleepy hamlet of the city. A bit rundown, it still had its own brand of charm.
Kayla’s eyes closed as she contemplated this assignment and Liv. She sighed. Liv hadn’t said a single word since they’d left The Witchery. Not that I have to ask but… "Are you mad at me?"
Liv reached up with one hand and rubbed her temple, pressing against the throbbing pain that had developed there. "Yes, but I’m mostly tired, Kayla."
Oh, boy. Kayla tapped the driver’s shoulder and he wordlessly pulled over and accepted several crinkled bills from her out-stretched hand.
The women collected their bags from the front seat and began walking downhill along a short road that dead-ended at the beach. The temperature had dropped throughout the day, and a cold wind was blowing in from the gray sea, which was visible several hundred yards away. The sun was gone and a blanket of heavy, dark clouds had settled so low to the ground that Kayla imagined she could feel their weight on her shoulders.
Liv adjusted her bag over her shoulder and stuffed her hands into her pockets for warmth. She could taste the salt of the ocean on the back of her tongue. "I never realized we were so close to the water," she said absently. "Tomorrow I think I should buy a jacket. I should have thought to bring one."
"Hold up." Kayla placed her hand on Liv’s forearm to stop her stride.
It didn’t work.
"Hey." Kayla took several quick steps and moved directly in front of Liv to block her path. "Liv, please."
Liv let out an explosive breath and reluctantly stopped. A gust of wind sent her shoulder-length hair into disarray and Kayla found herself wanting to reach out and smooth down fair bangs.
"What?" Liv asked, her frustration from lunch returning with a vengeance.
"I’m sorry."
"Okay." The word was pronounced precisely. She shifted her bag higher on her shoulder and, cocking her head slightly to the side, looked Kayla dead in the eye. "Anything else?"
Kayla blinked a few times. "Uh… I guess not."
"Let’s go then."
Kayla visibly relaxed. That was easier than she expected. "Great." She scrubbed her face and exhaled a long, deep breath. "That’s great. I was afraid you were really—"
Liv silently walked around Kayla and headed down the street, checking the address plates mounted on each of the old Victorian houses as she moved past them.
Two dark eyebrows disappeared behind equally dark bangs as Kayla eyed Liv’s retreating form. Okay, it’s not that easy. She jogged until she had caught up with Liv and was padding alongside her. "I said I was sorry."
Silence.
Kayla threw her hands in the air, her own frustration boiling over. "But you’re still mad?"
"It would seem so." Liv’s voice was flat as she continued to hunt for their Bed & Breakfast, suddenly longing for the tacky but highly effective neon signs that signaled motels back home.
"I don’t know what else you want me to say."
Liv came to a sudden halt at the undertone of uncertainty in Kayla’s voice. "How about an explanation, Kayla? Why didn’t you tell your friend that we were going to work together? That’s seems like sort of a big thing to forget about. And it would have been nice to know I was having lunch with one of your old lovers."
Kayla blinked. "How did you—"
"I’m not a moron." Liv could see Kayla was painfully adrift. "That made me feel really lousy. Like some sort of unimportant afterthought." Her voice cracked on the last word and she knew that her emotions were starting to get a little out of control. Her headache was getting worse, and she was overtired and hungry.
Blue eyes went round with sudden worry. "I…I—"
You’re freaking her out. Liv winced. Just talk about it later, when you’re not spoiling for an argument. "Look, it’s not that big of a deal. You apologized. I’ll get over it."
Kayla couldn’t think of anything to say, so she reached out and slipped Liv’s bag off her shoulder, rubbing the spot where the strap had been. She slung it over her own shoulder where her bag was resting and gestured towards the pale yellow, three-story home just to their right. "This is it," she said softly.
A tiny smile edged its way onto Liv’s face despite her foul mood. "It’s lovely."
Kayla nodded quickly, eager to grab onto anything positive. "See the little garden." She pointed. "And they have a sunroom around back where they grow herbs and flowers, and a patio right on the sand. The owners are really great too. I’ve stayed here several times. It’s close to downtown but…" She looked around, at a loss for words.
"It feels different," Liv finished Kayla’s thought seamlessly.
"Yeah." Kayla’s face relaxed into a smile. "More cheerful."
"I can see that." She’s really trying. God, I love her.
Not five minutes later, after a short but warm greeting by the owners, Kayla was turning the key to their room. They were on the second floor and she had specifically asked for the room whose large window faced the beach. She loved breathing in the crisp ocean air as she slept and was secretly looking forward to snuggling up with Liv in the room’s small, but comfortable, double bed.
"Oh, Kayla." The room was decorated in a delicate floral-pattern of ivory and pink. It was cozy and painfully clean, the large windows and high ceiling giving it an airy quality that most rooms its size couldn’t pull off. "It’s beautiful." And not scary and dark in anyway. "I…" Liv’s words trailed off when her eyes strayed to the bedside table.
Lying across a box of milk chocolates, Liv’s favorites, was a single orchid.
Kayla bit her lip and waited.
You little sneak. Liv sat down on the bed and opened the box of candy, releasing the delightful scent of chocolate into the air. She all but swooned. Then she brought the fragrant bloom to her nose and sniffed appreciatively. "This was the phone call you made at the restaurant, wasn’t it?"
Liv had excused herself to go to the ladies room near the end of their meal. When she returned to their table, Mr. Keith and Glen were already gone and Kayla was just hanging up her cell phone. She’d been so angry with her that she hadn’t even bothered to ask what the call was about.
"I guess… I mean, yes." Kayla shrugged a little sheepishly. The look on her face reminded Liv very much of a painfully shy adolescent.
Kayla slowly removed the flower from Liv’s fingers and brushed its elegant petals softly against her cheek, smiling at the pink blush it left behind. "You see I’ve met this wonderful woman," she quietly confessed, causing Liv’s heart to melt a little more. "And she’s all I can think about."
Liv fondly ran her fingers through Kayla’s thick hair. "Even when she’s grumpy and acting like a jealous brat?"
"Even then," Kayla said seriously. "Because she does the same for me." She ducked he
r head and chuckled to herself. "I’m not sure about the scientific reasoning behind it – I suspect an evil combination of adrenaline, hormones and endorphins – but being in love has caused a serious lack of blood flow to my brain." She looked up, then pressed her forehead against Liv’s, bridging the already small distance between them. "There was no sinister reason why I didn’t tell you about Glen or vice versa, Liv. The simple truth is that she never even crossed my mind. It, along with my heart, has been otherwise engaged. I’m sorry."
"I’m sorry for not accepting your apology earlier." Liv tilted her chin up and brushed her lips against Kayla’s, humming at the little thrill the contact stirred in her gut. "Mmm… You’re getting much better at this relationship thingie. You’ve got the making up nearly down pat too. And this is really only our second argument." She thought back to the many cross words they’d exchanged on Cobb Island, then decided those didn’t count. She hadn't really known Kayla then.
Kayla cupped Liv’s cheeks, looking deeply into her eyes. "Thank God." She laughed weakly and flopped back on the fluffy comforter, feeling utterly drained. "Are you as tired as I am?"
"Am I still awake? I find that hard to believe, considering how tired I am." A single pale brow arched over a bleary eye, as Liv plucked a candy from the box and began to chew it with exaggerated slowness. "Oh, God, this is good."
"Yes, you’re still awake," Kayla murmured. She gently took the box from Liv’s hands and put it on the nightstand. "But you don’t have to be."
Wordlessly, the women undressed each other, trading kisses and tender touches that spoke more of love than passion and tasted faintly of rich milk chocolate. The covers were pulled down and they slid beneath the cool sheets. Bare skin met bare skin, prompting twin sighs as the women rolled onto their sides and Liv snuggled back into Kayla’s warm body.
A peaceful sleep stole over them while two mysteries, begging to be explored, waited for them across the misty streets of Edinburgh.
CHAPTER TWO