Kaylyn’s body shook as she drew in a ragged breath. She opened her mouth slightly to speak, only to clench it again.
“Hiding your feelings and trying to do everything on your own doesn’t make you any stronger than the rest of us.”
“Why are you doing this?” She squirmed and yanked her wrist away.
“Because I don’t know if I can trust you. I never know if you’re telling me everything, or if you’re covering something up with some macho act.”
“I don’t do emotional.”
He saw her try to fight it, but her voice shook with every word, and tears brimmed her eyes. “You’re doing a good job at faking it, then.”
Kaylyn smacked the armrest, “Right, so does that make you happy? Every fucking night I dream that my parents died in that house. And I can’t do anything about it.”
The windows were starting to fog over in the car, and Kaylyn traced her fingertips through the cool condensation. “The morning I woke up in the hospital, I was terrified. Nurses came running in the room because I was screaming. I never remembered why.” Kaylyn closed her eyes, tears running down her cheeks. “I knew something was wrong, when the dreams started—I just assumed… that work was getting to me.”
After a few minutes, Kaylyn’s breathing had returned to normal, and she wiped the last of the moisture from her face. “Now what?”
“You think you’re up to going in?”
“People probably wonder what we’re doing in here.” Kaylyn gestured to the windows, now so grey that the outside world was no longer visible.
“You’re avoiding again.”
“Because I don’t know the answer. I was gung-ho to barge in there and face whatever might be there. But, thanks to you, I lost my juju.”
“I needed an honest response.”
“You are an ass.”
Jonah smirked, “I deserve that one.”
“Let me lead.” Jonah warned Kaylyn with a glare as they approached the front door. He knocked on the front door, and after a chorus of rattling and scuffling a woman holding a toddler, opened the door a few inches leaving the chain lock on.
“Can I help you?”
“I didn’t mean to disturb you, but I work with a firm called Aicil,” Jonah handed the woman his business card and glanced at the mailbox while she studied the card. “You're Mrs. Swanson?”
“Yes.”
“We’re doing some research on the history of this house and looking for information about the former owners, do you know if they left anything behind?”
“There was plenty of junk in the attic when we move here ten years ago, but we had it hauled off.”
Jonah heard Kaylyn take a sharp breath, and before he could continue, she jumped in.
“Has anything weird happened upstairs?” Kaylyn ignored Jonah’s warning glance, “In the master bedroom—does it make anyone uncomfortable?”
The woman grimaced, then something crashed in another room. “Look I don’t have time for this, the kids are wound up tonight.” Mrs. Swanson began to shut the door, but Kaylyn jumped forward, preventing the door from closing.
“When I was a kid, something happened in that room.”
Jonah growled and grabbed her forearm, shaking his head.
The young woman squinted. “If you used to live here, then, who are you really looking for?”
“I just want to see the room. I think I saw something when I was younger, when it happened, and being in the room might bring it back. Please, then we’ll be out of your hair.”
Jonah closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Not even five minutes in and he’d already lost control of the situation.
“Come back when my husband is home.” Wrestling with the toddler in her arms, Mrs. Swanson pushed the door closed with her hip.
“She’s in there,” Kaylyn whispered, “I saw something at the top of the stairs.”
“I told you to let me handle it. You have no patience. How far did you get by freaking her out? She probably thinks we’re both nuts.”
The door opened, silencing the pair.
“The kids are in the playpen, and my husband will be home in ten minutes. What you said about the master bedroom…. What were you talking about?”
“You have noticed something there.”
Mrs. Swanson’s movements didn’t give much away, she simply pressed her lips together and waited.
“The room caught fire when I was twelve, and after that, my sister and I never felt comfortable in there. My parents never said anything, but they moved out of here as soon as we went off to college.”
Kaylyn hadn’t mentioned the uncomfortable feelings earlier, which meant it was either an effective ploy, or she still wasn’t giving Jonah all of the details.
Mrs. Swanson closed the door, unhooked the chain, and reopened the door. “We turned the master bedroom into an office and exercise area. It felt suffocating when we tried to sleep there. You just want to look, right? I’ll give you five minutes.”
“Deal,” Kaylyn smiled, but avoided Jonah’s gaze.
“Thank you, ma’am, and sorry for the inconvenience.” Jonah said, trying to look professional while Kaylyn dashed up the stairs.
Mrs. Swanson smiled weakly, glancing to the living room, where the sound of squealing children emanated. Then, she nodded and followed Jonah up the stairs. They caught up with Kaylyn outside of the bedroom door. Kaylyn pushed the door open and took a step inside, as if she was about to venture into a dangerous and unknown land.
Jonah stepped up behind her, watching her hand tighten around the doorknob until the muscles in her arm shook. “Kaylyn?”
“No!” She lunged forward tripping over a table. Jonah managed to catch her and grab the lamp before it hit the floor. Kaylyn looked back at him. “She’s here, Jonah. They’re—”
“The charm?” Jonah glanced at her neck and pulled the collar of her shirt to the side. “You took it off?” He spoke through clenched teeth, his face inches from Kaylyn’s.
She stared back at him for a second before something near the back wall caught her attention. Jonah kept his hands on her shoulders, attempting to keep her close but, since he couldn’t see anything, he had to judge his movements from her cryptic reactions. Kaylyn jumped backward at him, knocking him off balance and into a desk.
Mrs. Swanson waited in the hallway, her hand clasped at the shirt material near her throat, as she watched Jonah struggle with Kaylyn. “Get her out of here.”
Jonah glanced at Mrs. Swanson in recognition, and pulled on Kaylyn, “Let’s go.”
“I can’t,” she whispered, “I can’t get away. She has a hold of my wrist, Jonah.”
Jonah pulled her back, but he couldn’t budge her wrist from where it hovered, stuck in midair. “Kaylyn?”
Kaylyn moved away from him, but it didn’t look like she was moving of her own accord. Then, without warning, she fell back against his chest and went limp.
“Get out of my house.” The homeowner repeated.
Jonah tried to force a smile to calm Mrs. Swanson, but short of tossing Kaylyn over his shoulder and carrying her out, he didn’t have many options. “What do you see Kaylyn?”
“Why did you bring her here?” She whispered, looking up at him with distant and glassy eyes. “The entity still has a connection with this place. It’s weak, but if he realizes that she is here—”
“Who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re supposed to keep her safe.”
“It does matter. We need answers. I can’t just keep her hidden away.”
“No you can’t,” Kaylyn grimaced. “She is fighting me. You have to figure out her part in this. Break the bond.”
She went still, her eyes falling shut and then bursting open again with a choked inhale. With a moan, she rested her head against Jonah’s chest.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“It happened again.” Her eyes fluttered as if she was forcing them to open.
“Can you walk?”
<
br /> Kaylyn nodded and pulled herself up. Jonah took her elbow, to ensure she wouldn’t face-plant on her way down the stairs. “We should go.”
“Yes, you should,” Mrs. Swanson said. “I don’t know who you really are but—”
“We won’t bother you again.” Jonah dragged Kaylyn down the stairs and out the front door with Mrs. Swanson followed close behind them.
“I’m sorry ma’am.” Jonah turned to face Mrs. Swanson again, “I didn’t think she’d have such an intense reaction to the memory.”
The woman watched from the porch as Jonah put Kaylyn in the passenger side of his car and knelt down by the open door. “What happened?”
“I saw it all. Everything that was supposed to happen. I think.” She drew in a long shaky breath and blinked, as if still trying to get away from the images. “My parents in bed… There’s something else-something dark—like in the dream.” Kaylyn pulled the seatbelt around herself. “Can we just go? I want away from here.”
Kaylyn curled up on the couch. She hadn’t spoken a word since they’d left the house, and Jonah tired of her avoidance. “What possessed you to leave the necklace in the car?”
“I don’t know.”
“And if you would have gotten killed or hurt? The entity could have been feeding off your presence. Did you consider the safety of that family? Or did you bring them up just to talk me into taking you out there?”
Kaylyn opened her mouth. “I,” she stuttered, “of course I—”
Jonah crossed his arms and took a seat in the armchair.
“I made a bad call,” Kaylyn’s voice began to crack, “it’s after me. I just wanted—I thought everyone else…” Kaylyn squeezed her eyes closed and leaned against the armrest.
Jonah leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. He saw Kaylyn’s body begin to shake as she cried, so he moved to the couch next to her.
“Come here,” he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her back to lean against his chest, “just don’t sue me for sexual harassment.”
“Now that you mention it.” She sniffled and pushed the damp hair away from her face.
“It might be targeting you, but full access to you could have made it stronger. You put everyone at risk.” Jonah leaned his elbow against the back of the couch and settled back. “However, I also knew the risk in taking you there. So I should have been more guarded.”
“Did you really think I was lying about the whole thing?”
“I didn’t think you were telling me everything. And I was right.” He squeezed her shoulder, and took a deep breath. They were both exhausted and there was no point in pushing the issue further. “It’s late. We should get your bed fixed up.”
“So that’s it? No ordering me to tell you more about what I saw?”
“Not tonight. But if you want to talk, I’ll listen.” He sat back and rubbed his hand over his knee. “How about that beer you wanted earlier?”
Kaylyn
“Damn it, Jonah,” Kaylyn pulled the pillow over her head. “I’m getting a hotel room if you don’t stop waking me up at six-fucking-a.m. I’m suspended. Let me sleep.”
“Cole just called me.”
Kaylyn sat up, the blanket pooling in her lap. She blinked a few times before Jonah became anything more than a blurry blob.
“Since she’s also off the Teague case,” he explained, “she’s taking a personal day today to visit her sister.”
Kaylyn rubbed both sides of her face. “You didn’t tell her—”
“That you’re here? Of course not. I told her I didn’t remember the address off the top of my head, and I’d call her back.”
“Perfect. I’ll activate my new cheapo phone and call her.” She looped her arms around her knees. “Will the necklace protect me if I meet her somewhere?”
“It will keep the entity from harming you directly, but I can’t guarantee it will keep it from tracking you.”
“But if you’re right about a second entity, who has been warning me about the attacks, it will repel her—or it—as well.”
Jonah rested his back against the doorframe. “Give me a little time before you leave the house. I’m going to make some calls on the way into the office, and I’ll call you when I get a chance.”
“Will do.” Kaylyn shuffled to the bathroom. The humid air carried the scent of men’s body wash. Wondering if she’d ever escape the smell of Jonah, she pulled the shopping bag from under the sink and unloaded her own soaps.
She turned on the hot water and stripped off her pajamas, revealing the charm around her neck. Rubbing her finger over the engravings, the lines twisting out from the core—it was almost identical to the tattoo on Jonah’s back.
And thinking of that tattoo only led her to wonder what other tattoos he had hidden away.
Stop thinking about your pretentious boss and his damn tattoos. She unhooked the chain, leaving the necklace on the counter as she slipped into the relaxing stream of the shower. Letting it beat over her back in quick pulses until her muscles loosened and the sleepy fog receded back into its daytime hiding place.
After agreeing to meet Cole for an early lunch, Kaylyn settled at the kitchen table with the stack of files, her laptop, and a notepad. Beginning with the fire at the Teague in 1988, Kaylyn laid out a timeline of events across the table. Below this line, she matched up her own timeline, starting where her Aicil file began—the fire in her parents’ home in 2000.
The dreams… She scribbled a note on a piece of paper and added it to the timeline—dreams begin late August 2013. The Teague files dated the sale of the hotel to Alexander Roarch on August 4. Three days after she came on full-time at Aicil, and a couple of weeks before the dreams began.
The sound of Jonah’s car rumbled through the house, and Kaylyn tossed down her pen. She listened to him open and close the door, then make his way to the kitchen, but didn’t look up from her stack of papers.
“What on earth have you been doing?” he asked, his keys clattering onto the counter.
“You were the one trying to convince me all of this is connected. And, as much as it pains me to admit it, I think my dreams began soon after Roarch bought the hotel.”
Jonah straightened and moved closer to her messy timeline. He tapped the report from the fire at her house. “We need to figure out the connection here. Something must have linked your family to the hotel before the fire.”
He plucked up the other papers from her personnel file. “What kind of lawyer is your dad?”
“Family court.”
Jonah rolled his head and dropped the files back into the pile. “Not helpful.”
“What are you doing home already?”
“I said I was going to lunch. I needed to get away from Emerson.”
“Lunch? What time is it?” The chair scratched against the tile floor as Kaylyn jumped up.
“Eleven-thirty.”
“I’m supposed to meet Cole soon. I thought you were going to call.”
“Didn’t get a chance, but I did call Mr. Roarch. He confirmed that he and a group of workers were in the hotel at the same time your house caught fire.” Jonah popped open the fridge, and slid a few things around before turning his attention to the cabinets instead.
“So, someone has to be in the hotel to fuel the entity? Why didn’t it jump out after me the day the workers were scared off?”
“Maybe it didn’t know how to find you,” he said, thumping a box of cereal onto the counter and grimacing at it. “If it’s not omnipresent, it won’t know where you are at all times. My guess is that it recognized you at the hotel and built up enough energy to follow you home. Then, it had to wait for another burst of energy to produce the fire.”
“The thing could still be following me?”
“Yes, but no one has been in the hotel since the fire, and he assured me that no one else would enter.”
“And you believe him? He’s been nothing but a douche canoe since we started.”
Jonah’s face twisted, b
ut Kaylyn’s beeping phone deterred him from commenting ,and he returned his attention to fixing a bowl of cereal.
“Yes, Cole, I’m on my way.” Disconnecting the call, she slid the phone in her pocket. “I should be good to go?”
“Don’t, under any circumstances—”
“Take off the necklace. I’m stubborn but not—oh, never mind. I don’t have time to debate my sanity.” Kaylyn grabbed her coat off the back of a chair and headed for the door. “See you this evening, boss.”
“You’re forgetting something,” Jonah called after her.
She pulled her keys out of her pocket and shrugged. Then, she remembered her keys could get her just about anywhere, except back into Jonah’s house. “Oh…”
“Grab the extra key from the bowl next to the door, the alarm code is 5-8-2-6.”
“Thanks.” Having that information was unsettling—it felt too personal—but she grabbed the key as instructed, and slipped it on to her key ring for safekeeping.
When Kaylyn arrived at Cole’s house, her sister was more interested in her computer screen than answering the door.
“You rush me to get here, and there isn’t even any food.” Kaylyn tossed her coat on the couch, and plopped down next to her sister.
“I wasn’t calling to rush you. If you had let me say more than five words, I would have told you that I sent Dan after food, since I couldn’t get him out of the house any other way. I need to catch you up on the work situation, since Mr. Emerson took me off the Teague case.”
“I know.” Kaylyn said without thinking.
Cole grunted and crooked her head to the side.
“Jonah told me this morning. He stopped by to tell me you called and make sure I was settled,” she shrugged, looking across the room. “We talked… a bit.”
“Well,” Cole continued to stare at Kaylyn with narrowed eyes, “Emerson had another team review the evidence, and they came up with nothing.”
“Surprise.” Kaylyn threw her hands up in imitation. “If that’s—”
“Damn it, Kay, will you shut up and let me talk before Daniel gets back?”
Fractured Legacy (Darkness Bound / Frqactured Legacy #1) Page 11