“I didn’t realize Maya spent the night again.” I accepted the mug of coffee he poured from the carafe on the corner of his desk. “Do your children always converge on your house this way? I mean ... when something is happening, that is.”
“Pretty much.” He grinned. “Even though three of them have their own roofs to hide under, I often find them under mine.”
“Which you like.”
“Am I that transparent?”
“You love your children,” I replied simply. “That’s written on your face whenever you’re in a room with them. They obviously irritate you — I’m pretty sure most of them are aware of the phenomenon and get off on it — but you still love them.”
“I do indeed.” He squinted one eye as he regarded me. “How are things with you and Braden?”
I wasn’t expecting the question. “Oh, well ... .” I felt my cheeks flood with color.
“I wasn’t asking for specifics,” he said hurriedly, mortification washing over his handsome features. He was responsible for all of his children’s looks, which was a good thing. “I was asking in a broad sense.”
“Things are good. I ... um ... .”
“You’re incredibly uncomfortable with the question,” he surmised, pressing the heel of his hand to his forehead. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. That’s not fair.
“It’s just ... Braden has been the one I’ve been worried about for months,” he continued. “After Lily died a second time, well, he was the one hurting. Aisling was as well, to a certain extent, but she had the baby to focus on, and that eased her pain quite a bit.”
“He’s okay. I mean ... he talks about her sometimes. His mother, I mean. I don’t push him. I just listen when he wants to talk.”
“What does he say?”
“I can’t tell you that.” I made a tsking sound with my tongue. “I know you’re worried, but I’m not talking behind his back. Let’s just say he seems pretty good to me and leave it at that.”
Cormack’s smile was rueful. “I guess I can live with that.” He sighed and turned back to his computer. “I’ve been trying to get the home office to unseal Carroll’s file. They’re putting up a fight. They don’t seem to agree with me that his spirit is still hanging around.”
“They think you’re lying?”
“They think I’m misreading the signs.”
“How is that different from lying?”
He chuckled. “That’s a very good question. I don’t have an answer. I don’t believe they’re going to unseal the records, though, which puts us at a disadvantage.”
“Yeah.” I combed my damp hair. “I’ve been thinking about something. I keep circling, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.”
He steepled his fingers and offered me a grave look. “Lay it on me.”
“You might think it’s ridiculous.”
“Aisling was attacked by a mirror monster, stumbled over zombies and managed to survive storms that made people crazy. Nothing sounds ridiculous these days.”
I was intrigued. “Storms that made people crazy? Well, we’re definitely coming back to that. For now, I think I know why Carroll disappeared and then suddenly came back to this area.”
“You have my full attention.”
“It never made sense to me that he’d want to return,” I explained. “Also, why go after a teacher the way he did? Why invade a child’s mind? I don’t think the attacks were a choice but a necessity.”
“How?”
“That’s what I’m getting to. I think he’s been around for a few weeks gathering strength. I think he was weak before and started feeding on people to build himself up. All the people he fed on turned into the ghosts we’ve been seeing.
“I’m willing to bet that if we go through the files of people who have died or gone missing in the immediate area — and only files from the past three weeks — we’ll find all our ghosts,” I continued. “I think he’s killing them and harnessing their energy.”
“You still haven’t explained how.”
“That I don’t know. I’ve only figured out the part about where he was the past fifty years.”
“Well, I’m officially intrigued. Where was he?”
“The library.”
He stilled. “The main office library?”
“No. The library we uncovered at the aquarium. It was closed up years ago, covered so people would never know it was there. Why?”
“Well ... huh.” He stroked his chin. “That’s a very intriguing point. I never got an answer to my inquiries regarding the closing of the library. With Aisling giving birth, I let it fall by the wayside. Apparently I need to up the pressure.”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” I admitted. “The library closed about the same time Washington disappeared. The thing is, as far as I can tell, Carroll disappeared at the same time. He was a loner, so nobody noticed until he was gone several days. They assumed he either did something to Washington or saw something happen to him and fled. Perhaps he even disappeared voluntarily. I believe whatever happened to Washington happened at the same time Carroll went missing. I think they’re tied together.”
“Do you have any ideas on how to prove this hunch?”
“Just one ... and it’s not something we can do here.”
“Why not?”
“Lily,” I answered simply. “You don’t want those ghosts in your house, and we need to find a way to break the spell keeping them silent. We need answers, and the ghosts are the only way to get them. That means we have to talk to them on the island, which is where they seem to be strongest.”
“Well, I’m all for keeping Lily safe. What do you need?”
“A few supplies ... and Aunt Maxine.”
He nodded without hesitation. “A séance. That’s the plan, right?”
“That is the plan. I need her help ... and I’ll need a few of your sons, too. I won’t risk Aisling because she obviously has more important things on her mind, but I need at least three of them.”
“Well, Braden is a given. Cillian should go because he might recognize some of the faces from the research he’s been conducting. I’ll send Redmond, too. That will keep Jerry from trying to join in.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll attend as well,” he stressed. “We’re in this together now, Izzy. We have no choice but to figure out what’s going on and end it.”
I was glad he insisted on coming. I had no idea what I was doing and he would be a grounding force.
“Then that’s the plan after breakfast. What are we having for breakfast, by the way?”
“Waffle bar.”
I smirked. “Yup. Another theme. Your children are extremely food-oriented. You manipulate their behavior with food.”
“Of course I do. They’re like dogs sometimes. You have to give them treats to perform.”
I laughed. “I’m guessing you don’t want me to tell them that.”
“I don’t mind if you tell them. They already know. It’s not exactly a secret. They were like a pack of monsters as children. It always took chocolate to rein them in.”
“Well ... that’s a horrifying visual you just painted.”
“Just wait until you have your own pack of monsters. You’ll see I’m right.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“For now.”
Twenty-Five
Aisling was agitated about being cut out of the action until her father pointed out the obvious issue with her attending.
“You’re on maternity leave.”
“So what?”
He realized his mistake right away and adjusted tactics.
“If you get possessed by one of these ghosts, Lily will pick up on the malevolent emotions and never stop crying,” Cormack said, using a tone that I was certain he probably whipped out to placate his youngest child when she was young. “You don’t want that.”
Aisling’s expression was so dark I figured she mig
ht never again welcome the sun. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re tucking me away like the lone female I am to protect me.”
“It’s not about being female. It’s about being Lily’s mother. She needs you to take care of her.”
“And you don’t want me there to muck things up,” Aisling muttered. “I get it.”
“I want you safe. More importantly, I want my granddaughter safe. That means you need to stay here, away from danger. It won’t always be this way, but she’s not even three weeks old yet. You’re still recovering ... and I have to do what’s right for you and her. You’re not coming.”
Aisling steadily met his gaze and then switched course faster than anyone I’d ever seen. “Can we have an ice cream bar for dinner tonight?”
He flicked the spot between her eyebrows. “Yes. We’re having grilled steaks, corn on the cob and potatoes. It’s going to be the first big grilling night of the season.”
The corners of her lips turned up. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“No. Also, you’re going to have the whole day with Griffin to do ... whatever it is you guys do. It will be relaxing.”
“We can’t do that for another six weeks. The doctor said so.”
It took Cormack a moment to realize what she was implying. “I can’t believe you just said that to your own father.” His expression darkened. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Where do you think we got that kid you’re so fond of?” she fired back.
“And ... I’m done.” He held up his hand and strode toward the door. “Griffin, you’re in charge while I’m gone,” he barked.
For his part, Griffin seemed amused by the scene. Most men would’ve put up a fight at the thought of their wives going off to face evil ghosts, but he didn’t as much as say a word while Aisling was wheedling with her father. “I like being in charge. There’s still leftover cake from last night, right?”
“Yup.”
“Then I love being in charge.” He held out his hand to Aisling. “Come on, baby. We’ll have a cake-eating contest. That’s dangerous, too, because you go crazy when you have too much sugar.”
“I don’t go crazy.” Despite her words, Aisling followed her husband. “I want ice cream with the chocolate cake.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged.”
AUNT MAXINE MET US AT the aquarium’s front door. She didn’t put up an argument when I told her what I had planned over the phone. When I saw her in person, though, I sensed things were about to take a turn.
“I thought maybe you forgot me,” she said as I unlocked the door, giving a cursory look to the four Grimlocks I had in tow. “How are you, Cormack?”
“I’m fine, Maxine.” The smile he sent her was small but heartfelt. “It’s good to see you.”
“It is,” Redmond agreed, giving her an awkward side hug as I pushed open the door. “I was going to stop in for a visit, but ... well ... things got complicated, like they always do.”
Maxine’s smile was warm. “I knew you would eventually stop by, Redmond. It’s not your way to hold a grudge. The same with your father and Cillian.”
“I’m still kind of angry,” Cillian admitted. “I know you meant well, but ... you should’ve told us what was happening.”
“I considered it,” Maxine acknowledged as I led everyone into the room. “I didn’t know if I could do it until I was already knee-deep in the spell. I didn’t want to get your hopes up if I couldn’t pull it off. Even after that, it was her idea to keep it quiet.”
I stilled as I locked the door. “Mrs. Grimlock didn’t want to see her family?” I found that hard to believe given everything I’d heard about the woman.
“Oh, she wanted to see her family,” Maxine said. “She was desperate to see them. It was the fact that she couldn’t stay that kept her from storming into the house and demanding time with each child. She went there every night to watch you through the windows. Did you know that?”
I spared a glance for Braden and found his eyes misting. Instinctively, I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, a gesture that wasn’t lost on my aunt.
“What did she see us doing?” Redmond asked.
“I believe there was a game of sock hockey in the foyer ... and she watched as Aisling broke into your father’s desk to steal licorice.”
“I knew my stash was light,” Cormack muttered.
“She spent some time at the townhouses watching Aisling and Aidan,” Maxine continued. “She wanted to see Griffin, of course. She was thrilled with him, thought Aisling ended up with a fine specimen of a husband.”
“Did she say that?” Cormack asked.
Maxine bobbed her head. “She did. She said Aisling found the perfect man, someone who reminded her of you but who had enough patience to put up with you. She thought it was miraculous a man like that existed.”
“Hey, I think it’s miraculous that I didn’t kill Griffin for putting his hands on my baby,” Cormack shot back. “Why do I never get credit for that?”
Maxine snickered. “She also spent time watching you and said she was thrilled at the way you parented the children, that you somehow found a balance between spoiling them rotten and being a firm disciplinarian.”
“He wasn’t all that firm,” Braden countered, his voice low. “Did she say anything about me?”
Maxine’s eyes were kind when she turned to him. “Yes. She said you grew up to be handsome and brave ... and that she was most worried about you because you seemed enamored of the other her.”
“The other her? Is that how she referred to ... what came back?”
“It was another part of her,” Maxine pointed out as we moved toward the hallway that led to the gate room. “It was the weakest part. The strongest came back to save you.”
“And she did save us,” Cillian said, clapping Braden hard on the shoulder. “That’s the important thing to remember. She saved us, made sure that ... thing ... couldn’t take Aisling. She was our mother until the end.”
Braden forced a smile. “Yeah. That’s the important thing.”
THE GRIMLOCKS TOOK A STEP back to allow Maxine and me to prepare for the séance. I wasn’t sure who came up with the idea, but by tacit agreement the four of them spent their time marveling over the construction of the gate and holding other manly discussions about sports, hamburgers and why Ford made a mistake when it didn’t add another truck to its fall vehicle lineup while we got down to the nitty-gritty in the library.
“I was starting to worry,” Maxine admitted, keeping her voice low. “I hadn’t heard from you in a few days. You should make more of an effort to keep in touch.”
“The phone works both ways,” I reminded her. “You could’ve called me.”
“I didn’t want to infringe on the new life you’re building.”
I sighed. “You’re part of my life, Aunt Max. It’s just ... what’s been happening here is weird. It took me by surprise. I’ve been busy.”
“With Braden?”
I steadfastly ignored her gaze as I chalked a pentagram on the floor. We’d decided to bolster the power we would be funneling into the séance with wards and charms in an effort to break whatever spell was keeping the ghosts from talking.
“Oh, are you not talking about him?” Amusement flitted through her eyes as she straightened. “Are you embarrassed?”
“I’m not embarrassed.” My temper flashed. “Why would you think I’m embarrassed?”
“I’m simply trying to ascertain why you wouldn’t want to share your good news with me.”
She sounded far too amused. “It just happened.”
“What just happened?”
“Aunt Max.” I adopted my sternest voice as a form of warning. “I’m not trying to be difficult. No, really. It’s just ... it’s new. We’ve already been dealing with crap from his family. It would be nice if we didn’t have to deal with crap from you.”
“You’re the only child I’ll
ever have.” She turned solemn. “You’re my niece, but I think of you as my child. Do you know what that means?”
“I’m your only chance to torture someone?”
“Exactly.” She grinned as she straightened. “You need to stop taking life so seriously. If people take the time to joke with you, it’s because they care. Braden’s siblings run him ragged because he probably did the same to them over the years. You’re a new element, but they clearly like you.”
“Yeah, well ... I like them, too.” The simple truth sent a pang coursing through me. “I like them a lot.”
“Even Aisling?”
“Especially her. She’s outspoken and tough. She’s also weirdly vulnerable, especially now that she’s dealing with a baby that seems to pick up on the moods of others.”
“Wait ... what?” Maxine made a face. “The baby is empathic?”
“I’m not sure I’d go that far,” I hedged. “The baby is absorbing the emotions of those around her. It could be normal, but it somehow feels deeper than that. We’ll have to wait to see how it plays out.”
“Have you spent much time with the baby?”
“Here and there. She’s extremely popular when it comes to being cuddled by her parents, uncles and grandfather, so you have to fight for a chance to hold her.”
Maxine snickered. “That is going to be the most spoiled child who ever walked the face of the earth. I mean ... she’s the first grandchild and will probably stay that way for at least a few years. She is going to be the absolute devil.”
“Right now she’s just a baby who likes it when the people who hold her are calm. She had a rough go of it for a bit because Aisling was anxious. Now that Aisling has calmed down, the baby is doing the same.”
“That’s good. I think Aisling will be a decent mother if she gets out of her head.”
“She’s already a great mother ... and Griffin is a terrific father.”
“Well, that’s a given.” Maxine dusted off her hands as she finished lighting candles and glanced around the room. “I think we’re ready. It’s much cleaner in here than I thought it would be. Electricity would be nice, but this isn’t half bad.”
Only the Quiet Page 24