by David Green
As I leave the bedroom, I realize I haven’t brought Ruby up to speed on the events at the Wheeler place, not to mention Harry and Maeve’s passing. I’ll add it to my to-do list.
Diana’s stood by the front door, watching the frame rattle and shake as the cops bang on it. She glances at me, and I nod to the bedroom. It’s not like the cops will notice her, but I don’t want the distraction.
Like I said, I’ve a couple of allies, but this isn’t them. I saw the car parked out front yesterday, and the people friendly with me like to keep a distance. Drawing in a deep breath and fixing a sleepy smile on my face, I open the door a crack and, even though I guessed who’s come to shake me down, I deflate like a popped balloon. Officers Butler and Gavin ain’t my friends. Quite the opposite.
“Damn, Lori,” Henry Butler smirks, nudging his partner. “Kind of ironic, right? Haven’s foremost Paranormal Investigator sleeps like the fucking dead.”
“Give him a break, Henry,” she says, trying to peer past me into my apartment. “Maybe he’s got a ghost in there. How about it, Holleran? Doing some pro bono work for the stiffs?”
I glance over my shoulder. Diana’s eyeless stare meets mine as she backs into my bedroom. “I like to catch the ones that slip through the net. Y’know, the ones the system fails.”
“Funny guy,” Henry says. “But then, you’re just one big joke, ain’t ya?”
“You want to do this on the doorstep, Nick, or can we come in?” Lori asks.
“Want to do what? You’re not here on police business or you’d have a warrant.”
“Come on, Nick,” Henry chides, sticking his foot in the door, “don’t be an ass.”
“Yeah. We just swung by to catch up. We were starting to worry. Didn’t see you here or at your office all day yesterday. Me and Henry, we’re doing our civic duty, checking up on Haven’s one-and-only Paranormal Investigator. I mean, where would we be if something happened to you? Whole city would go to Hell.”
I snort. Look, I don’t know what the problem is with these clowns. They don’t like me, and I’m not too fond of them. Fact of the matter is, these bastards are waiting for me to slip up, and right now, I’ve got the nagging feeling, a memory tapping me on the shoulder, begging for my attention, that I’m missing something real important.
“Appreciate the concern,” I say, opening the door a touch wider so they can see my bed sheet chic. “But I just woke up. It’s been a rough couple of days.”
Henry doesn’t seem impressed. Lori gives me a slow up-and-down. I flash her my lopsided grin in return. She scowls when she meets my eye. I’m holding out on that boyish charm working one of these day.
“Rough couple of days, huh?” Henry bites out through gritted teeth, his animosity palpable. “Then you’ll be glad to know the HPD’s looking out for you in your hour of need. These rough days have anything to do with a case, Nick? How’d it turn out?”
It starts as a chill at the bottom of my spine, then splits and spreads across my body. I’m hyper-aware and weak all at the same time.
Fear.
I’ve remembered what I’ve forgotten, the events I wanted to tell Ruby all about. I lean on the door a little and hitch up my bed sheet to stop it from falling. Butler and Gavin would love to haul me in for any infraction, the more embarrassing the better. Indecency fits the bill pretty snug.
My mind races as I play the guessing game. What do they know? Did they find Michelle Wheeler’s body? I didn’t clean the place up, just got the Hell out of there after Lucifer healed me. My brain had turned to soup. My blood and prints were all over the joint, and trying to explain why I killed her would grant me a one-way ticket to Haven Asylum.
And these goons have been staking me out ever since.
Shit.
“You know, I get a few inquiries,” I mutter, forcing myself to meet their eyes in turn, “but they’re pranks, more often than not. They hear about me and spin stories about their great-grandmother haunting a family heirloom they want to sell.”
That’s happened for real. More than once. Pranks and actual cases.
Lori pushes the door open wider. I slam my hand against it. I haven’t extended any invitation and they don’t have any legal right to enter.
But I’m starting to panic. Do they know? How? Michelle lived alone, had no family. Dean’s gang lost its footing when he died. They’d watch her leave the house, tail her every now and then, but they weren’t watching too close considering she managed to build a black altar in her basement. But the PD kept tabs. My sources there said so.
Damn Nick, how sloppy do you wanna get?
“Oh, Nick? You coming back to bed, sugar?”
I spin, and it’s a good job the cops can’t see my face because I can feel the shock in my expression. A naked leg appears through my bedroom door. Ruby’s red-painted toes wiggle, and her head pokes through the gap, a devilish grin on her face and a wicked twinkle in her eye.
“Oh! Excuse me, officers,” she gasps in a scandalized voice, though she doesn’t withdraw her leg. Instead, an arm comes through, and the door opens a little wider, revealing her bare shoulder and a slither of hip. “Thought maybe the neighbors were giving my young lover a hard time over our… Well, you know…”
I turn back to the cops. The embarrassed smile I’m wearing is 100% genuine.
“Look,” I say, half-expecting to see the ghosts of my parents appear behind them, just to make this the most uncomfortable thing that has ever happened to me. “Is this gonna take long? It really is the worst time.”
Lori glares over my shoulder at Ruby. Henry’s staring daggers at me. “Let’s cut the shit, Holleran. You wanna know what we found at your office this morning?”
My shrug is the most indifferent one I can muster, but I’m struggling.
“More like who we found,” Lori says. I want to scream. “A person of interest. Guy by the name of Marvin Clancy. He’s got a reputation for being kind of a freak, like you, See, one freak’s all well and good, but when they start hanging out? There’s usually trouble. So, how do you know him?”
I shake my head and force the frown forming away from my forehead. “Never said I did.”
Henry leans toward me, but I hold my ground. “Yeah, well, he seems to know you. I don’t know why he’s looking for you, but what you pretend to do, it’s a fucking scam. Idiots like Marvin Clancy, folks that are sick in the head, they convince themselves that demons roam the streets. Guys like you just make that shit worse. Don’t get involved with Clancy or it’s going to go badly for you, understand?”
I almost sigh with relief. They don’t know about Wheeler, though I need to do something about the place as soon as these bastards leave. What Henry’s demanding, I’m more than happy to oblige. I don’t want a single thing to do with a Devil Worshipper like Clancy.
And, if he really is a person of interest to them, getting involved will just drag me into their sights. I can’t afford to let them subpoena my unabridged case files, the ones I don’t send to the PD. It’ll hurt a lot of people, Ruby included.
If they think I’m aiding and abetting criminals, it might give them the pretext they need to secure a warrant.
I need to convince Marvin to back off. An idle threat wasn’t enough to shake him. That shadow I saw in my office window; I’d bet my bed sheet on it being him. The sonofabitch.
“Fine,” I snap, grabbing the door. “Let’s say I swing by the precinct in a few days and we can talk it over. Better yet, why don’t you call into my office? Monday morning. Is that everything, officers?”
Lori opens her mouth, and I slam the door in her face before she can talk. Damn, that was one of our more courteous visits. They must be starting to like me.
I head back towards the bedroom. Ruby stops me with a hand. “Not so fast, Nick,” she laughs, pulling her exposed limbs inside. “You’re much too young for me.”
/>
“Get dressed,” I hiss, just in case the cops have their ears to the door. “We gotta talk.”
…
After I’ve brought her up to speed, Ruby stares at me like I’m the dumbest sack of shit ever to walk the plains of Hell.
“So, you left a place where one of your friends imploded, headed to the home of a known criminal—and for the record, everyone knows Wheeler shot you, whether you gave evidence or not—then put a bullet in his wife’s head. You left your blood and prints all over their basement, and just went back to your office? What the Hell is wrong with you, Nick?”
Ruby’s dressed now. She’s sat on the sofa, Diana silent beside her, while I slump in a chair in my bed sheet toga. It’s cozy.
“You ever met the Devil before? Kinda leaves an impression, let me tell you. And you know what? Fuck you. A friend of mine died right in front of me and I saw the love of his life watch him ascend to Heaven knowing she couldn’t go with him, knowing she was stuck here. Michelle played me good; I’ll admit that. Maybe I shoulda taken a step back, assessed things. But I saw her face, Ruby. What Dean Wheeler did to her? That wasn’t fake. I couldn’t wait to let him finish the job if he turned Aware and Strengthened . I did what I thought was right. What I thought I had to do. By the time I realized I’d walked into her trap, it was already too late. And after that? Fuck, I don’t even remember arriving back at my office.”
Pity flashes in her eyes. Ruby pulls out her cell, types at it a little, then puts it away. It goes without saying she’s connected. All kinds frequent The Styx.
“I asked some friends to head over to the Wheelers’ and Harry’s place. They’ll take care of it, but you owe me. Big time. You already did, seeing as I brought you home last night.”
“I guess so. And thanks for looking out for the kid.”
“Spending time with this young lady is all my pleasure, and I’ll do it anytime, you hear? I insist.”
She takes Diana’s hand in hers, and the ghost lays her head on Ruby’s shoulder. I understand why the kid feels safe around her. Ruby’s a decent soul and grew up with the truth of Hell surrounding her. Not long after she turned six, she died. Choked on a piece of meat, if you can believe it. Her old man brought her back, and she learned Hell the hard way. Sixty years, she lived with the dead around her. Not that you’d think Ruby had seen so many summers by looking at her. Tall, toned, tanned and strong, with her shock of pink hair, Ruby’s the picture of health. And, despite being a massive pain in my ass sometimes, she’s got the biggest heart.
“I appreciate it, Rubes.”
And I do, but business needs attending to and my thoughts have returned to Marvin Clancy, the Devil Worshipper who’s decided I’m his personal hook-up to Lucifer himself. At my office, at The Styx. How long before he shows up here? Missing dog, my ass. A pup would run howling from a man like him.
For now, I’m putting a pin in Charon, the mist, and whatever the Hell happened to the Amarok.
“The fella asking for me at the bar last night. You seen him around before?”
“No,” she mutters, checking her cell again and stifling a yawn. Ruby’s stayed awake all night, I realize. My appreciation deepens. “Who is he?”
“Marvin Clancy. Devil Worshipper.”
Ruby bares her teeth. “What did he want? I hope to Christ you’re not helping him.”
I spread my hands, brows drawing in offence. “Me? Help a Devil Worshipper? Come on, Ruby. He said he could taste the Devil’s touch on me, wanted help to summon him.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“I told him to fuck off. But he won’t give up that easy. Let me know if you see him sniffing around, would you?”
“Sure.” Ruby grins. “I’ll add it to the list of IOUs. What’s your next move with the kid’s case?”
I glance at Diana. She’s staring through the apartment window at the fading, late-afternoon light, mesmerized by the view my digs boast of city lights and slow-moving traffic.
“Got a couple of leads to follow, but…I’ve got plans tonight. I’m meeting Rosa for dinner.”
Her eyebrows rise. “In the middle of the girl’s case?”
“It was her freaking idea!”
Ruby glances at Diana, who offers a sheepish smile and a shrug. She squeezes the girl’s hands. The icy touch of the dead doesn’t seem to bother her. She shoots me a look, then climbs to her feet. “I guess we all need a little normal, now and then. But you watch your back, Nick.”
I watch Ruby leave and turn to see Diana looking my way.
“Can you please get dressed?” she asks, turning back to the window. “I don’t know if that’s the way people dress at home nowadays, but you’re making me uncomfortable.”
I nod. Being dead’s probably difficult enough without the guy who’s supposed to be providing her closure dressed only in a sheet.
“I’ll change,” I say, climbing to my feet. I grab the TV remote on my way past. “Hey, you like Mickey Mouse?”
Diana nods. Of course. Who doesn’t like the Mouse? I flick on a streaming service for the kid to watch while I get to work. There’s a few hours left before I meet with Rosa and I mean to put them to use.
Heading to my bedroom, I key my cell, pulling up the number of Zia Bennett, a local reporter I helped a while back on the Whiskey Pete’s case. We kept in touch.
Glancing back through the door, I see Diana glued to the screen. The remote is clasped in her colorless hand. She’s Strengthening fast. Faster than I thought. I wonder what she’s watching. She giggles, other hand covering her mouth as she does. I shake my head. Less than a day in the twenty-first century and she’s already binge-watching.
She’s still just a kid, despite it all. Out of time, with only me and Ruby to rely on. At least she’s not alone.
Zia answers the phone.
“Hey, pal,” I say, closing the bedroom door to give me some privacy. “Long time, no see. Wondering if you could help me with some digging.”
“Sure thing, Nick. How can I help?”
“It’s a strange ask.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less from Nick Holleran.”
“I’m gonna need records for tenants at the building where my office is for the last…let’s say seventy years, with particular attention to 1968. That should cover it.”
“Wow, you’re right. That is a strange ask.” I can picture her eager grin, even on the phone. “You know I’m gonna ask you all about this, next time I see you.”
“I’ll give you the exclusive,” I reply. “Just let me know what you find. And keep it discreet, yeah?”
“Please. Who do you think you’re talking to?”
She hangs up, and my thoughts turn to Rosa. We’re meeting tonight and it’s hard to focus, but I need to consider the other angles I’ve got to explore. There’s work that needs doing, even though I’m hit with a wave of exhaustion that makes my limbs turn to water. I sink onto my bed, head in my hands, letting the cellphone fall to the mattress.
Truth be told, I need a couple more days rest. My mind’s spent. Thoughts come a touch too slow and my reactions feel offbeat. For the briefest moment, I consider bailing on Rosa, but it’s a move I’ve pulled more than I should. This is my chance to make good. It’s even more important to make the effort.
Even if I did get fatally stabbed last night. Even if I was saved from death a second time.
I run my hands over my face, raking stubble, then head for the shower.
Can’t let Rosa down again. Can’t do it to myself either. I’m lucky she even took my calls, responded to my texts.
Tonight’s about her. Not the cases, not the ghosts, not me. And I’m definitely not going to tell her what she’s got in common with the Devil.
ACT NATURALLY
“Sure you don’t want me to get you a seat, kid?”
It’s funny, but for a ghost with no eyes and crusted blood covering most of her face, I’m getting real good at reading Diana’s expressions. The one she’s wearing now tells me she thinks I’m dumb as all shit.
“I’ve been standing for sixty years, Nick. Another hour won’t hurt. Especially because I don’t feel pain. Besides, might look weird having three chairs at a romantic dinner for two.”
She finishes by sticking her tongue out.
The kid’s got a point. Rosa knows how this world works—I told her a long time ago, about Hell and the ghosts, and she took it like the champ she is—but for everyone else? Yeah, weird.
Plus, Rosa told me no ghost talk for one night. Having a dead girl sitting at the table with us might kill the mood. I aim to hold up my side of the bargain.
“You’re nervous,” Diana says.
“No shit,” I mutter, then grimace. Shouldn’t swear in front of the kid.
“Just relax, Nick.”
“Starting to wish I’d left you at home.”
“Why didn’t you? I wanted to find out if Moana managed to return the Heart of Te Fiti.”
“Because you came Aware the night after Lucifer brought me back from the brink. A few hours later, I run into Charon, an Amarok, a Devil Worshipper and whatever the Hell was in that mist. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
Diana’s lips twitch, annoyed, so I throw her a smile.
“Besides, I need you here. Smartest decision I made was listening to you when you told me to do this tonight. And I need all the help I can get.”
I pause as a server moves by. Don’t want people to think I’m talking to myself. Happens more often than I’d like, truth be told.
I’m being honest with her. Fighting demons, expunging ghosts, these are things I understand. Dating, not so much. Tonight’s important—for me, for Rosa—and I’m running on empty. Energy drinks will only take me so far. I need a real friend. One that doesn’t turn my guts to rot. I’m going to push myself for this. If the Wheeler case taught me anything, it’s that I have to live my life.