Haunt My Heart

by Medley, Lisa

  Regardless, the ring had certainly gotten Jason’s attention. So much so that he wanted to replace it. A fact that made her suddenly determined to keep it rather than turn it in as she had planned.

  Lucky talisman or not. The ring was hers, and it would stay.

  Jason was another story.

  Forty-five minutes later, she was the proud owner of her very own cell phone and account. She hoped there would be enough left over for curtains after using her bonus to pay in advance for the next six months service. She dropped her old phone into her purse, intending to return it to Jason, though she doubted he’d want it. The phone would be a bone of contention with him. He’d be angry when he discovered that her account had been terminated. He didn’t have her new number, and she debated whether to give it to him.

  Finally back to the office, she crashed from her carb lunch letdown and searched through her desk drawer for something chocolate.

  The scratcher cards caught her eye. She rummaged through the bottom of her purse for a quarter to reveal them with.

  Twelve cards in all. It took a while to get through them. A pile of gooey, silver shaving grew on her desktop. Hands shaking, she held the final scratched off card. A winner, clear as day.

  WINNER!! 2015 FORD FUSION

  She flipped the card over to read the fine print on the back, sure it was a mistake. That there must be some caveat. “Takes three cards to win” or “not valid in Virginia.”

  No such disclaimer existed.

  She emailed Ellie, subject-line reading COME NOW! with no text in the body. Seconds later, her friend slid, breathless, into her cube.

  “What? Are you on fire?” she asked with faux concern, searching the cube for danger.

  Sarah handed the card to Ellie.

  Ellie took the card and studied it for several long moments. She flipped the card to read the back just as Sarah had, then settled against the corner of Sarah’s desk for support.

  “You won?” Ellie asked, her eyes round with awe. “You won a freakin’ car?”

  Sarah nodded. “I think so. I mean, I haven’t called the number on the back yet, but am I reading it wrong?”

  Ellie picked up Sarah’s desk phone, handed her the receiver and started punching numbers on the keypad. “We’re going to find out.”

  The call rang through. “Papa Paul’s Corporate Office, how can I direct your call?” the Papa Paul’s receptionist said.

  “Um, I have a contest card from you I just scratched and, um…I think I might have won the car.”

  “Congratulations. Do you have the card in your possession now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you take a picture of yourself holding the card, then send it to me via email or text so I can verify it before we proceed?”

  “As a matter of fact, I can,” Sarah said.

  Sarah handed Ellie her new phone. “Take my picture. We have to send it to her of me holding the card.”

  Ellie did as instructed. Seconds later, the Papa Paul’s Corporate Office received it.

  “Congratulations. That is definitely the winning ticket. It’s for the 2015 Ford Fusion, which will be available after the first of the year. I’m going to transfer you to our legal department and then to marketing. You’ll need to take the ticket to your local franchise office, and they’ll send it by certified mail to our offices here in New Jersey. Congratulations again.”

  Sarah felt all the color blanch from her face as she hung up the phone.

  “Well?” Ellie vibrated with energy in front of her.

  “They’ll deliver the car sometime before the end of January.”

  “Are you still wearing that ring?”

  Sarah pulled it from beneath her sweater and smiled.

  “Holy shit. You have got to keep that thing.”

  “I think you might be right.”

  *

  Tanner didn’t know what a Ford Fusion was but Sarah’s excitement was contagious, and he’d fed his fill from the overabundance of energy she manifested for the hours following the phone exchange with Ellie and the Papa Paul’s Corporate Office. Sarah’s pink aura glowed with a pale yellow tinge, which he attributed to the light and airy happiness that radiated from her the rest of the afternoon.

  While in the office, Sarah tapped away on the contraption that he’d deciphered was called a computer. The device’s workings and purpose remained a mystery, but the fact that she seemed to manipulate it so deftly was impressive. Quite by accident, when one of her coworkers passed through him on her way through the cubical hallway, Tanner discovered he could tap into the energy of her coworkers as well, and made the rounds as Sarah worked. By the time Sarah’s work day ended, he felt like Hercules. Strong and ready for battle.

  Reclining against her desk, he admired the way the dying winter light from the west-facing windows played across her hair, bringing out shades of red hidden in her chocolate brown tresses. Someone in her family line had been a full-on redhead, no doubt. Her green eyes and fair porcelain complexion betrayed her lineage, even if her hair did not. Irish. He was sure of it.

  His own British/Scottish lineage held similar characteristics, and as the cultures mixed, so did each country’s physical features and traits. Sarah Knight was the most pleasant blending he’d ever had the fortune to meet.

  She’d spent a long and laborious afternoon fidgeting and presumably working at the computer, clearly distracted. He was relieved when Ellie came to collect her.

  “First Friday. It’s on like Donkey Kong, girlfriend. Pack that laptop up and let’s go. We have some celebrating to do.”

  Sarah closed the lid of her computer and packed her belongings as instructed. Tanner followed the twittering pair onto the street. Street lamps illuminated their walk, first to Sarah’s to change clothes before they traveled to a pub on Caroline Street. Tanner did his best to give Sarah her privacy, and Ellie rambled on relentlessly as they planned their evening.

  He watched the busy Friday night foot traffic pass below her window. The cold, dark winter evening seemed to drive even more business to the coffee shop and bookstore. It had not escaped his notice that the marquee board outside the store proclaimed to hold an extensive Civil War collection. A fine place for study if ever he were in the situation again. He longed for the smell and feel of a book, especially after coveting several of Sarah’s. The smell he could manage, barely. The physical feeling, however, eluded him.

  Although, he realized, he had yet to actually try. And after his infusion of energy today? Perhaps he could test it?

  A pile of paperwork lying on Sarah’s table caught his eye. Post and such littered the small dining table, which he had yet to see set for a proper meal. The poor girl seemed to exist on dining out and nothing more.

  A single sheet of thin parchment rested askew atop the pile, hanging ever so slightly off the edge at a precarious pitch. A strong breath could have dislodged it. He bent to study it, a notice of payment due to Fredericksburg Gas and Light for the impossible sum of $49.15—an amount that made him fear for her future fiscal solvency.

  Reaching out, he grasped at the corner of the sheet and his heart sank as he watched his hand pass through without so much as a twitch. If he couldn’t manipulate a thin piece of parchment, what would it take to become corporeal again? Filled with rage, he swiped at the paper once again and watched with awe as it swept from the table and floated to the floor. Bitly arched his back, rising from his cozy reverie in front of the fireplace and hissed his disapproval.

  Tanner froze, unsure of whether or not he was actually visible. Bitly had seemed to take notice of him before, but this was so blatant and in direct response to his actions, there was no doubt the cat had sensed him, if not actually seen him.

  Sarah peeked her head from the lavatory. “Bitly, you are getting pissy in your old age.”

  The cat yawned and curled again in the warm glow of the fire, his message delivered and received.

  Unaffected, the girls continued chatting. Tanner squat
ted near the fallen paper and pushed his finger at its edge, thrilled when it slid the smallest fraction to the right. With full and utter concentration, he pushed at the parchment again, and it moved an eighth of an inch farther. Before he could test his powers further, Sarah emerged from the lavatory dressed in a shockingly short black dress with neither corset nor bustle visibly employed. Her shapely legs were covered with thin black hosiery, and she teetered precariously upon sharp heeled footwear, which looked more like a weapon than a mode of travel.

  “I’m ready,” Sarah said.

  Ellie clapped the back of her hand to her forehead in a faux swoon. “You’re going to be a hit tonight. You’re going to freeze your ass off, but you look great.”

  Sarah blushed. “If you say so. Let’s go.”

  “Um, not that I want to throw cold water on things, but have you heard from Jason today?”

  “Not exactly.” She reached up and pinched the chain between her fingers, spinning it around her neck in a nervous gesture.

  “He hasn’t called to apologize after last night? Beg your forgiveness? Sent you expensive presents?

  The pink aura around Sarah morphed to dark blue. “He apologized with this chain.”

  “I thought that was new. It’s platinum, you know.”

  “I do.”

  “Well, good then. Just because he gives you an expensive gift doesn’t mean you owe him. He can’t buy his way out of being an asshole.”

  “I’m beginning to agree with you.”

  “Fantastic. This day keeps getting better. Let’s get down to the Ale House and eat before Art Walk starts.”

  Tanner followed, a silent sentry behind the girls as they made their way to the Ale House. The building beside their destination was one he recognized, but it had been a two story structure last he’d visited. Now it appeared the second floor of the tavern had been removed, leaving only the street level. His Fredericksburg dealings on behalf of the Major General had led him to the adjacent building a few times in the past. The now far past.

  Well before he’d died.

  Chapter Nine

  The cacophony of the packed Ale House pounded inside Sarah’s head. Instead of casing the patrons, as Ellie surely hoped she’d do, curiosity got the better of Sarah, and she mined her old phone from the bottom of her purse and checked it while Ellie retrieved two beers from the bar. Even though she’d requested the service to be terminated, the phone still showed a signal. She’d nuked it on her walk back during lunch and reset it to its factory settings, clearing all of her personal information. Jason could even sell it and recoup some of his money if he wanted to.

  There were no missed calls or messages, but the uneasy feeling in her stomach wouldn’t let up. He’d promised—threatened, if she wanted to be realistic—that he’d contact her. While she dreaded the imminent confrontation, she was also ready to get it over with, knowing the likely result would be the end of the one and only long-term relationship she’d ever had.

  Over the course of the day, she’d begun to come to terms with that idea. She didn’t need a man to make her life complete. She could do this. It would be a change for the good. A change for her future.

  She had a great apartment, a job she was good at and great friends. Not to mention a cat who loved her. Even though the past couple of days, Bitly had acted oddly. Maybe he was lonely? Maybe a friend to keep him company during the day would help? A thought she quickly quashed. Two cats in a five hundred square foot apartment brought her one step too close to becoming the neighborhood cat lady.

  Bitly could just get over whatever was bothering him.

  Sarah dropped the phone back into her purse and hung the bag on the chair beside her, before Ellie returned to chastise her for checking it again.

  “Raspberry Pale Ale for you.” Ellie handed her a beer. “And tall, blond and handsome for me.” Her eyes strayed to something behind Sarah. “Isn’t that your neighbor in the corner?”

  Sarah turned around and glanced. Sure enough, Adam stood with a group of guys hanging around a tall bar table full of Happy Hour tumblers. “Looks like it.”

  “Let’s go talk to him,” Ellie said, lasering in on her quarry.

  After his embarrassing intervention last night, Sarah couldn’t quite face him. Buy him a drink maybe, but certainly not face him. “You go ahead. I, um, my feet are killing me already. I’m going to run home and change shoes. I’ll be right back. Promise.”

  Ellie eyed her suspiciously and cast an appraising look at her shoes. “I was surprised you went with those. They look great, but I figured they’d be torture. Ten minutes. Don’t make me hunt you down.”

  “Don’t worry.”

  Relieved, Sarah handed her beer back to Ellie as collateral and spun around to make her way out of the already-overcrowded bar. By ten o’clock, the place would be unbearable. The art galleries drew her to First Friday. Not the bars.

  Her lie to Ellie had only been by half—her feet really were killing her already and walking along the uneven bricks was an exercise in fashion precision she was barely capable of performing. Removing the shoes and walking barefoot, however, wasn’t an option. The freezing temperatures had her rethinking her entire wardrobe choice. She might have to add pants instead of tights to her ensemble as well.

  She’d only walked a few feet when a red car caught her eye as it zipped into the handicap spot to her right. A Mercedes. Jason’s Mercedes. He was out of the car with his hands around her neck, his icy fingers pulling at her platinum chain before she could process why he parked in a handicap spot and his car was still running.

  “I see you got the gift all right, but couldn’t manage to call and thank me?” His warm fingers at the chain.

  Sarah cringed. “Thank you. I’m sorry. I…”

  Jason pulled the chain free and his face reddened when he saw the ring. “Are you kidding me? You put this piece of shit on an eight hundred dollar chain?”

  Sarah’s heart sped up and blood pounded in her ears, embarrassed as people passed them. “Jason, you’re being ridiculous.”

  “Get in the car,” he said, tugging at her elbow. “We have a dinner to attend.”

  “No. I’m out with Ellie. You never called, and I assumed you made other plans. How did you find me anyway?” She tried to jerk her elbow free, but his fingers dug in through her coat.

  “I tracked your phone. Let’s go.”

  He tracked my phone?

  Sarah finally tore her arm free. “Speaking of phones, you can have yours back. I got a new one today.” She reached for her purse and realized she didn’t have it.

  “The car. Now.”

  Jason grabbed both of her shoulders and pushed her toward the Mercedes. Her heel caught between the bricks, and she fell to the sidewalk, tearing both stockings and bloodying her knees.

  “It’s okay. She tripped. She’s fine,” Jason told some well-meaning passersby as he opened his passenger car door for her.

  Tears filled her eyes, and Sarah was one second away from screaming for help when she felt Jason’s looming presence lift from behind her. Ellie squatted beside her, eyes full of fury.

  “She’ll be going with us, thanks,” Adam said.

  Jason’s hands balled into fists at his side and a crowd began to gather. More than one spectator had his cell phone out, snapping or recording.

  Jason smoothed his jacket, then bent to help Sarah up from the sidewalk. Ellie already tended to her knees as best she could with a Kleenex from Sarah’s purse.

  “She fell. We were going to dinner, and she twisted her ankle is all,” Jason told Adam, his explanation aimed more at the crowd than her friends. He didn’t want his business reputation damaged with the truth.

  “Liar,” Ellie spat.

  “My purse?” Sarah asked.

  “You left it in the bar. We were trying to catch you, ’cause I knew you’d need your keys for your apartment.”

  On trembling legs, Sarah rummaged through her purse for the phone.

 
“There.” Sarah threw the phone on the passenger seat of his car and tried to walk away, but the broken heel of her shoe brought her to a halt.

  “Let me drive you home at least,” Jason cajoled.

  “No.” Sarah slipped off her shoes and stood on the freezing pavement, trying to decide what to do next, desperate to be away from Jason and away from prying eyes.

  “We’ll take care of her from here. I think you’ve done enough,” Adam said, dialing on his own cell.

  “Who are you calling?” Jason asked.

  “Depends on how long it takes for you to get into your car and leave. A cab if you leave now. The police if you don’t.”

  Jason raised his hands in acquiescence. “Whatever. I don’t need this shit.” He directed his glare at Sarah. “Not any of it.”

  He slammed the passenger door and walked around the front of his car. Seconds later, he peeled out onto Caroline Street at a ridiculously high speed for the busy pedestrian traffic. Street debris rooster-tailed behind his car.

  “Asshole!” Ellie called after him.

  “So a cab would be good,” Sarah said, all the adrenaline leeching from her and leaving her exhausted.

  “No way. It’s only a couple of blocks. I’ll carry you,” Adam said and smiled.

  “Um…I don’t know.” Sarah had had all of the attention she wanted for one night.

  “My hero,” Ellie said and stretched up to kiss his cheek.

  Adam shook his head. “I don’t know about that, but I think I can manage a block or two.”

  He scooped her up before she could protest and a few minutes later, she stood inside the foyer of the shared entrance.

  “I can make it from here. Thanks,” Sarah said, struggling to make eye contact.

  “Oh don’t you worry. I’ll be around later to thank you properly,” Ellie cooed at Adam, then turned her attention to Sarah. “Now, let’s get you upstairs and cleaned up.”