Just as she turned the corner, Pyro called out to her.
“Start with the dining room. Haures despises dust where he eats. Also, be sure to lay out his green ledger on the table. He takes notes in it over breakfast.”
Candice pretended to clean for a half hour before she felt like she was alone again. Pyro was nowhere to be found. Once she was sure that the coast was clear she went to lay out the ledger on Haures’s desk.
She was hoping for a moment alone to look through the ledger because it could be holding the information she needed. The book was heavy. She struggled to get it out of the leather bag at his desk. After tightening her grip on the spine, she hefted it out.
The entryway was dim so the cover was perfect for snooping in the book.
On closer inspection, there was a clasp locking the cover together. Haures wasn’t a fool.
Thankfully, Candice thought, neither am I.
She pulled out a tiny pin from her pocket and picked the lock within minutes.
She lifted the cover and saw columns of very neat cursive, all written in dark red ink. I hope it’s only ink, she thought as she turned the page. If Haures was truly the demon she was hunting, there was no telling what sort of barbaric things were hiding in his home.
The first column on the page held a list of alphabetical names, organized by last name. That made it easy to find her brother’s name. She flipped to the back of the book, scanning the Q’s.
To her shock, she saw her name on the list.
Quimby, Candice.
In the next column was a question: Deceased?
Obviously the answer was no. There was a blank space for her date of death.
The hair on her arms bristled. She nearly shut the book in a fit of jitters, but, she couldn’t stop now. She was so close to finding her brother.
There were a few more Quimbys on the list. She didn’t recognize any of them. Near the bottom of the list she finally saw her brother: Reagan Quimby. Deceased? Yes. Date of Death: 17th October, 2009.
The next column contained exactly what she was looking for. She wanted to jump in triumph!
The last column read: Collected? Yes. Location: Personal Archives, Call No. 1964b.
He was here!
But, “Personal Archives” didn’t tell her much. Was the collection somewhere in the penthouse? She thought that was the likeliest scenario. She just had to find the hiding spot.
At last, after all the guesswork and years of searching, she could say with certainty that Haures was the demon who captured her brother’s soul. She needed to be careful until she had Reagan’s soul safely removed and on the run with her. Haures and Pyro must never find out that she pulled back the curtain on their operation. Only when she was as far away as possible could she relax.
This was more progress than she expected. She grabbed a pen from a coffee cup on the desk and copied the call number on her hand. She’d have to mark it down in her notes when she got home.
With all her info copied down, she clasped the lock on the ledger and placed it on the dining room table.
Haures was right, she thought as she walked to the door. She had a busy week ahead of her.
With one last look at the entrance hall, Candice closed the door behind her and turned the key in the lock.
Chapter Eleven:
Friday - 8:00am
Shelley didn’t remember setting an alarm, but she jerked awake at the sound of one. She fumbled for her phone, knocking a few books from her nightstand before she finally turned it off. She slumped back onto her pillow and tried to pretend that the aching in her lower back, arms, and legs was just a trick of the mind.
It was too early to do anything. The night before was way too busy. Most of it was a blur, buried beneath a fog of martinis. Still, she remembered certain flashes — like Tadin showing up, and the delectable look on Danny’s face when Tadin insulted him.
Kismit leapt onto the bed and stepped over to her face.
“Stop it,” she said. She tried to brush the furry cat away, but Kismit wasn’t going to be ignored, so Shelley threw the covers off herself and carried the cat into the kitchen.
“Tadin?” She called, looking around for him, but he didn’t answer.
Was he running an errand? Maybe he was doing some last minute prep for their opening day.
“Of course,” she said, taking a glass of water along on her hunt for clothes. “Tadin must have set the alarm. We don’t open till ten — I could have slept a little longer!”
Regardless, she admitted that the extra time to get ready was a good idea. She even had enough time to grab a coffee down the street. Just getting out of the apartment was a great primer for the long first day ahead.
Multiple scenarios ran through her mind as she stood in line at Dunkin’ Donuts. Today could be busy, with lots of curious people anxious to see what the new store had to offer. She’d seen that sort of day happen at a few different places around town, but usually those were restaurants. The scenario she settled on, for her own sanity was that today would be very quiet. Most people would probably just walk by the window. Maybe a few people would wander in, but they wouldn’t buy anything.
She paid for her coffee and started back for the gallery.
Just paying for her coffee was enough to bring out an old fear to the front of her mind: finances. How long would it take the gallery to get out of the red? It was a worry that attacked her during all the quiet moments of the day. Dare she even think about sustainability at this point in the game! Sipping the three dollar coffee felt like sipping death. She could have saved that money and used it for paying the gallery’s rent and utilities.
“Stop it,” she said. “You can’t berate yourself for drinking a tiny cup of coffee!”
Nothing good could come from penny pinching to the extreme. She wasn’t buying useless entertainment, and she had a nest egg saved up. She’d saved a lot since before she planned the gallery with Tadin’s help.
Besides, she thought, if worse comes to worse, you can always back out of the lease. It’s only for a year, after all. She was sure that some business person would be glad to take over the space. But, for now, it was her baby, and she was going to give it everything she had to ensure that the gallery was a success.
She sipped her coffee and glanced down at the time. There was a half hour before she unlocked the doors. That was just enough time to settle in and make the place look inviting. Maybe she would put one of her new paintings out on the sidewalk to lure in some people.
She pulled her keys out of her pocket and went to unlock the gallery when a man stepped up to the front windows, peering inside with his hand at his forehead. She saw that he was an older gentleman when he stepped back. He wore a faded black suit and crimson tie.
She stopped and smiled, keys ready to open the door.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “but, we don’t open until ten.”
The man turned to speak with her. He wasn’t frail, but he appeared to be the kind of man who walked around carefully.
“Is this your shop?” he asked. “I was just on my way downtown when I spotted it. I don’t remember this being here.”
“It opens today,” Shelley said, trying not to look antsy as she stood with her keys in hand. With so much to prepare, it figured that this man would trap her outside so that nothing would get done on time. Still, he was a potential customer. She couldn’t just tell him to leave. But, she was too busy for small talk. The one thing that would make or break her business was public relations.
“I see you’ve put up a new sign. That’s beautiful.” The man motioned up at the sign.
“Thank-you,” she said, her cheeks turning red. “I carved it myself.”
“What a talent! I assume your name is up there?”
“Yes, Shelley Macyntire,” she tucked her keys in her pocket for a moment and shook the man’s hand. His own was soft and cold.
“Haures Grantley,” the man introduced himself. “I’ve lived in this city for
many years — more than I care to admit, and it never ceases to amaze me what an independent spirit can accomplish in Portland. You’re a first-time store owner, correct?”
“How can you tell?” she asked.
“Well, for a used book store, it looks incredibly neat. Just wait until a few months from now. There will be books piled in stacks all over the place.”
“I hope not,” she took her keys back out and turned them in the lock. She was eager to get away. There was something about the way Haures was looking at her every move that made her uncomfortable. He can’t be hoping to rob the place, she thought. I have no money. It’s my first day! But, there was something out of line. She couldn’t put her finger on it.
“That’s a good thing!” Haures stepped closer. “You’ll never run out of books to sell. There used to be a beautiful bookshop a few blocks down from here. They sold all sorts of eccentric books. Most of them were rare, so I kept coming back. Little gems, all of them. I’m a self-professed collector. One-of-a-kind things are so exciting, don’t you think?”
I can’t shake this guy, Shelley thought. She had to set the cash register up before she opened. She wished Tadin were here to help. Where was he?
“I’m sorry,” she interrupted. “I’m not trying to be rude, but I have a ton of things to do before I open. So, if it’s all right with you...”
“My apologies,” Haures smiled. His teeth were abnormally bright. She expected him to run his tongue across them. “I’m just curious to look around. Do you mind it if I come inside while you get ready? I can just browse through some of the books. I promise I won’t get in your way.”
Something was definitely triggering her fight or flight instincts. A voice in her head screamed absolutely not!
Again, she smiled and tried to get away.
“If you don’t mind, I really need some privacy. It will only take me a few minutes, then you’re more than welcome to look around.”
With that, she hurried inside and locked the door behind her.
The empty gallery was a welcome dose of silence. She brushed her hair out of her face and took a deep breath. It was just nerves. There was no sinister old man out to get her. It was just her imagination playing tricks.
Still, to be safe, she went over to the stairway and called up to the apartment.
“Tadin?”
She waited a moment. There was no response.
“Tadin, are you up there?”
She couldn’t remember if his engagement ring was on the desk when she got up or not. Still, where could he have gone?
“Okay,” she breathed. “It’s just first-day nerves. That’s all it is.”
Haures was waiting patiently outside when she checked the cash drawer and flipped the “open” sign in the window.
“Ready for business?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Please,” she motioned him in and prayed that someone else wouldn’t be far behind. With a single customer in the gallery she noticed how awkward the silence was between them. Every footstep accentuated the stillness of the space. She should have set up a CD player or something.
Haures admired some paintings on the wall while she moved behind the counter.
Suddenly he stopped and brought a hand to his mouth.
“How much is this piece?” he asked.
She walked over and saw that the painting he was looking at was the portrait of Tadin.
“I don’t know if this one’s for sale yet...” she started, but Haures interrupted.
“I’m sure you must have a price. This is a beautiful portrait. Is it done from a model?”
“He’s my business partner, actually.”
“I see. So, it’s a special piece to you?” Haures said with a glimmer in his eye.
Shelley swallowed.
“It’s really a prestige piece. I’d be willing to sell you any other one for a discount —”
“But, I want this one.” He pulled out his wallet. “Name your price. I only collect one of a kind artwork.”
“I’m sure you don’t have enough in your wallet,” she said and hoped that was the end of it. But, Haures pulled out a small stack of hundreds and counted them out.
“How does six hundred sound?” he asked.
She stepped back, stunned.
“Six hundred?” She couldn’t believe it. That was more than any college graduate made on a single piece right out of art school. It was foolish to turn that down. But, the painting was so dear to her…
“That’s a pretty good chunk of change for your first day,” Haures said.
The debate was painful. However, she gave in to the sale in the end. The promise of money was too strong.
Haures beamed as she rang up the purchase.
“This will make a wonderful addition to my private collection. I’m so glad you said yes to parting with it.”
“Well, it looks like it’s going to a good home,” she smiled. It felt like she was losing a piece of herself.
Haures held the framed piece in his hands and admired it.
“Beautiful. What is the model’s name again?”
“Tadin,” she said. “Tadin Hough.”
“Excellent,” he gave the portrait one last glance. “I will definitely be coming back for more.”
Shelley was pleased. Such a satisfied first customer on her first day was a dream, even if he was eccentric. Suddenly she remembered that she never offered him a bag for the painting and turned to the shelving behind her.
“Wait one second — I have a bag you can use to protect the painting —”
But, when she turned back, Haures and the painting were gone.
She glanced around the shop. Perhaps he was hidden behind the bookcases. But, when she went to look, he had disappeared.
Almost like a ghost, she shivered.
Giving the six hundred dollars one last look, she placed it in the cash drawer and shut it with a tiny ring.
Chapter Twelve:
Friday - 9:15am
Tadin slipped away before Shelley woke up. She slept fitfully, tossing and turning most of the night. He barely got any sleep himself, with all the noise Shelley made. He knew she was nervous about opening day, but there was nothing he could do to set her mind at ease.
At seven-thirty he crept out the back door and carried his engagement ring to the nearby park on Union Street. Once he got there, it wasn’t long before Maris joined him beneath some trees.
“You’re early,” said Maris. “Are you anxious or something?”
“Of course I’m anxious,” he replied. He was worried that Maris’s solution turned out to be a failure. He needed to see the device — to know that it was the real deal. “Were you able to finish the thing?”
Maris handed him a small brown box. Its edges were worn and it felt too light in Tadin’s hand. He raised an eyebrow.
“Is this just an empty box?” he asked.
“No,” Maris answered. “Open it up.”
A gust of wind tugged at their clothing as Tadin opened the box. Inside he saw the paranormal monitor, its matted black plastic catching the sunlight. It looked almost exactly like the sketch Maris drew a few days earlier, except the actual product had a clip attached to its underside.
“You wear it on your belt,” Maris explained. “It’s disguised as a cell phone, so you shouldn’t get any questions. Shelley might wonder why you need a cell phone, though.” He winked.
Tadin clipped the device to his side and modeled it for Maris. A surge of energy ran from his waist down to his feet, then shot up to his face. It felt like a buzzing sensation, similar to standing on an escalator. After a few minutes the charge went away and he felt like his normal self.
“Well?” Maris asked. “How do you feel?”
Tadin shrugged.
“A little more energized, I guess. I feel like I just drank a bottle of Moxie.”
Maris held a hand up in front of him.
“Try giving me a high five,” he said, nodding at
his outstretched hand.
Tadin hesitated. He glanced around the park, afraid that some passerby would see him slip up — would witness his hand passing through Maris. The idea sent chills through him. What would they do if that did happen? Would they run to the news and report him?
No, he shook his head. That wouldn’t happen. But still, what if he messed with someone’s emotions — terrifying them into changing their daily routines, their habits? That sounded even worse than being reported on the nightly news. As a last resort, he could disappear if anything went wrong.
Still, he hesitated.
“Come on!” said Maris, a stern expression on his face. “You gotta get over the fear, Tadin. Trust in yourself and jump. You know what to do, and I can’t do it for you. Take some energy from the monitor...”
Tadin closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He concentrated, and the buzzing sensation returned, this time intensifying at his hip where the device was clipped. He wasn’t sure how it all worked, but he willed the energy to move to his right hand, and slowly it rose. The ball of energy gained momentum until at last it felt like it would shoot from his fingers.
There was nothing left to wait for. He readied his hand, calculating, and then threw it forward with all the strength he could muster. Doubt still nagged in the back of his mind, struggling to make him to stop, to waver, but he shook it away. His arm plummeted forward and —
SMACK!
He heard the sound and felt the impact all at once.
His eyes flew open and a huge smile spread across his face. Maris grinned as well and broke into a laugh that shook his entire body. He reached out and grabbed Tadin by the neck — as if he had a physical body again.
“It works!” Tadin jumped up into the air and landed back down. He wanted to run down to the pond and rake his fingers through its glassy surface, to watch his hands actually affect the environment.
“Of course it works,” Maris shoved his hands in his pockets as another gust of wind tugged at them on the grassy patch. “It would have sucked if it didn’t, so I’m really glad I was right on this one.”
Macyntire & Hough (A Paranormal Romance) (The Macyntire & Hough Saga) Page 8