Ghosts of Coronado Bay (12 page)

“This has got to be the craziest thing you have ever talked me into.” Gary Wallace stared at the basement window they’d just jimmied open. The museum, still closed because of the murder, was dark and quiet. “Why can’t Maya just call the police?”

“I told you, she’s got no proof. That’s why it’s up to us to get her out of trouble.” She hiked up her dress, knelt down, and crawled headfirst through the window. In the process, her dress rode high enough to show everyone her matching thong.

“Hey, Lucy. The moon’s sure full tonight,” Curtis said with a snicker, earning a punch on the arm from Gary.

“Enjoy the view, Curtis. It’s as close as you’re gonna get.” Lucy shook her butt at them before dropping down into the basement. Just as her feet disappeared from view, the sound of breaking glass reached the three teens standing by the museum’s foundation. Gary quickly knelt and peered through the window.

“Lucy, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m cool,” came her voice from the darkness. “I knocked something over. Hand me the flashlight.”

Gary stuck his hand through and moved the light around until Lucy’s face appeared like a floating head. She took the light and then stepped back, aiming it at the table under the window so the others could see where to land as they crawled through.

Once inside, Gary led them out of the storage room and into a hallway. Footsteps echoing in the silent building, they moved slowly through the dim light cast by the emergency exit lamps and the scattered ceiling bulbs left on by the staff.

“This is so creepy,” Fiona whispered.

“It’s worse than the library,” said Lucy.

“Shhh,” hissed Gary, holding a finger over his lips. “You want to get arrested?”

It only took a few minutes, and one wrong turn, for them to find their way to the stairs and up to the main floor. Before opening the stairwell exit, Fiona stopped them.

“What about the guards?”

“There’re two of them, according to Blake,” Lucy told them. She’d previously explained that Blake worked at the museum part time. “They check each room once per hour, but all they do is walk through and go on to the next exhibit. When we hear them coming, we just hide ‘til they leave.”

“Easier said than done,” Gary said. He tugged at the collar of his white tuxedo shirt, unaware he was smearing grimy fingerprints across the material.

“I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.” Lucy rubbed against him and gave him a quick kiss, then left him clutching at empty air as she turned and pushed the door open a crack.

“Hallway’s empty. Let’s go.”

Thanks to the museum’s marble floors, high ceilings, and cement walls, the atmosphere was even more cave-like than the lower hallways had been, amplifying the click-clock of the girls’ shoes until it sounded as if several horses were traversing the hall.

“Jesus, they don’t need alarms in here,” Gary whispered. “The guards can probably hear us from across the building.”

“Let’s hope not,” Fiona said. “I can’t run in these heels.”

“You do know where we’re going, don’t you?” Curtis asked, as Lucy paused by a set of doors.

“Of course. Unlike some people, I actually attended class the day we came here.”

Gary cleared his throat. “Only ‘cause Maya made you.”

“The reason doesn’t matter. C’mon.” She pulled open a door and peeked inside. “This is it.” She motioned for the others to follow.

With the lights dimmed low and the empty museum shrouding them in an eerie silence, the Black Lady exhibit looked nothing like it had during the class trip. Anchors, trunks, and glass cases magically morphed into weirdly threatening shapes. Shadows seemed larger than they should be. Furtive movements took place at the corner of the eye, disappearing when viewed head on.

“This place is majorly freaky,” Curtis said in hushed tones.

“How are we supposed to find this book and key?” Fiona asked. “We don’t even know where to look.”

“Behold, weenies, you have the answers in your hands.” Lucy flicked her flashlight back on. “It’s just a dumb old museum, you dorks. Just start searching through stuff. Fiona, stand by the door and listen for anyone coming.”

Lucy, Gary, and Curtis spread out, their flashlights darting around the dark room like drunken spotlights at a concert. Fiona took a spot by the room’s entrance, leaning against one of the heavy doors and alternating between watching her friends and stealing glances into the hallway.

“Isn’t this the room where that girl got murdered?” Curtis asked.

“No, that was - ow!”

The others turned at Gary’s startled exclamation.

“What happened?” Lucy shined her flashlight on him. He was shaking his hand like he’d burned a finger.

“Something gave me an electric shock.”

Lucy bit her lip, remembering Blake’s warning about Gavin. Were the psycho spirit and his pals in the room with them? Was one of them watching her, maybe right next to her? She shivered, and then told herself to stop being so silly. Without Maya, the ghosts were as impotent as an old man without his Viagra. If a tiny shock was the best they could do, they had nothing at all to worry about.

Gary had already returned to sorting through the items on a table, so Lucy went back to what she’d been doing, which was running her hands along the bottom of the old desk from the captain’s quarters, hoping to locate some kind of secret drawer or compartment.

Finding nothing, she stood up and was about to open one of the drawers when an intricately carved tobacco box tumbled over onto the floor from a nearby table.

“Shit!” Lucy jumped back, wondering which ghost had done it. According to Blake, there were several roaming around. A sudden chill passed across her shoulders, and she waved her arms back and forth, trying to dislodge it.

“Lucy?” Gary aimed his light at her.

Behind him, a wooden dish slid off a table.

“Dammit!”

Across the room, Fiona made shushing noises. “For God’s sake, be quiet, you guys. The guards will hear us.”

A fluorescent light in one of the display cases flickered on and then went dark.

Something hit the floor with a metallic clatter.

Three flashlights swung around, searching for the source of the noise. “Jesus, what the hell’s going on?” Curtis’s voice cracked as he looked back and forth.

“Just ignore it and keep looking,” Lucy said, doing her best to pretend her own hands weren’t shaking. “The sooner we’re out of here--”

Her flashlight went out.

“Knock it off, asshole!” she shouted, shaking the light.

“I didn’t do anything.” Gary frowned at her.

“Not you. I--” she stopped as the flashlight turned on again. “Never mind. I’m just freaked.”

All three flashlights went dark.

Lucy moaned and shivered as something cold brushed against her neck.

“That’s it, we’re outta here.” Gary grabbed her hand and headed for the doors, where Fiona was just another dark shadow among many in the cavernous room.

“Right behind you, man,” Curtis said. His flashlight rattled as he tried to shake it back to life.

Fiona stepped away from the doors. “You guys are making enough noise to wake the dead. Did you at least find the stuff?”

As if in response, the ceiling lights flashed on and off. Sparks flew from metal objects on the display tables, creating glowing, whirling orbs of multi-colored light that disappeared as quickly as they’d formed, leaving purple after-images in their eyes.

A tall display cabinet near Fiona began shaking, the items inside falling off their shelves.

Lucy had a horrible premonition. “Fiona, look out!”

The blonde girl stared at the vibrating case but didn’t move. “Holy crap, it’s an earth--”

The glass window exploded outwards. Fiona cried out as razor-sharp fragments sliced through her flesh. Warm liquid splashed across Lucy’s face, bitter and salty on her tongue and lips. She bent over and gagged, trying to get the taste out of her mouth.

“Fiona!” Curtis pushed past them, grabbed his girlfriend as she collapsed to the floor. All the lights in the room came on, blinding them with white-hot brilliance and sparkling off the dozens of crystalline spears jutting from Fiona’s shredded face.

“Call 911!” Curtis knelt beside Fiona, his eyes wide, cradling her head in his lap. Splashes of blood covered his gray tuxedo.

Gary pulled out his cell phone, then shouted in frustration when he couldn’t get a signal. “No service!”

“Gavin.” At first Lucy wondered who’d said his name, then recognized the voice as her own. “Oh, God, no. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

With a bang, the doors flew open, causing Lucy to cry out. Two security guards stood there, flashlights in hand.

“What the...?”

“We need an ambulance!” Curtis shouted.

At that moment, more blood sprayed out from Fiona’s body. At first, Lucy thought she was hallucinating, as the blood didn’t seem to be falling back to the ground. Then, she realized it was taking shape in the air.

A human shape.

Like a picture coming into focus, the body of a young man appeared before them, his white shirt and black long coat smeared with Fiona’s blood.

He pointed at Lucy and nodded. “You must be dear Maya’s friend. My thanks to you.”

“Thanks for what?” Gary placed himself between Lucy and the stranger. “Who the hell are you?”

“For bringing a virgin to me.”

Lucy shook her head. “No. No, it’s not supposed to work like that.”

The figure started to say something, but one of the security guards interrupted.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I want all of you on the ground. Now!” He drew his stun gun from its holster, and his partner did the same.

The man in black whirled around, pointing his finger at the two guards. “Silence!” Bolts of bluish-white electricity exploded from the stun guns, knocking both guards to the ground. They hit the floor, their legs twitching, their hands and shirts scorched and smoking.

“What the fu - oof!” The rest of Gary’s words disappeared as Gavin’s fist hit his stomach, doubling him over. A second punch sent him to the floor.

“Stop it!” Lucy shouted.

Gavin laughed and pointed at Fiona’s body. “Hurry, my friends, before it is too late.”

“Stay the hell away from her.” Curtis placed himself between Fiona and Gavin, his fists raised and ready.

He never saw the two additional bodies taking shape behind him, invisible hands appearing as they smeared the dying girl’s blood over themselves. Lucy did, but it was too late. One of the new figures struck Curtis from behind.

Then, all three of them turned their attention to Lucy. Gavin stepped forward and placed a freezing cold hand, wet and sticky with blood, under her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“Now, little girl. It’s time to finish things.”

Mary Ellen Gordon motioned for Kelly Pasternak and Sandi Taylor to keep quiet. “This is going to be priceless,” she whispered. “That little fire-crotch bitch is going to regret mouthing off to me.”

They’d seen Lucy and the others exit the dance, serious looks on all their faces, leaving Maya and her scrungy, underdressed date behind. Mary Ellen’s first thought was that the two crazy BFFs had been arguing, but then she’d seen Maya and her boyfriend smiling and looking all lovey-dovey as they did poor imitations of dancing.

That was when Mary Ellen knew something was up. And if it involved Little Miss Easy Pants, odds were good it was probably illegal, or potentially embarrassing, or both.

So she’d grabbed Kelly and Sandi and told them to follow her - that they were going to play a little practical joke on Lucy. They’d stayed a block behind the foursome, keeping to the shadows and constantly shushing each other whenever one of them complained about their shoes or dress getting ruined.

From across the street, they’d watched in stunned amazement as Lucy and the others broke into the museum.

This is better than I’d hoped for, Mary Ellen thought. She’d expected something typically juvenile, like spray painting a building or TP-ing some teacher’s car or house.

But breaking into a public building?

Priceless!

“C’mon, let’s go,” she said, after giving the loser crew a few minutes. “I want to catch them in the act.”

“What, inside?” Kelly’s voice carried an unmistakable tone of defiance, something Mary Ellen wasn’t used to. “No way. I’m not crawling through some window in this dress. Just call the cops.”

“No. I’m going to deliver the proof to the police myself,” Mary Ellen said, holding up her cell phone. Like everything else she owned, it was top of the line with excellent photo and video capabilities.

“Then you can go without me. I paid a lot of money for this dress. I’m not ruining it for a prank. I’m going back to the dance.”

“Fine. Sandi and I will do it. Right, Sandi?”

“Um...no, I don’t think so Mary Ellen. I mean, like, Kelly’s right. We look hot in these dresses, you know? The last thing I wanna do is tear it, or get dirt and stuff all over it. Besides, the guys are waiting for us.”

“I don’t believe you two. This is the chance of a lifetime. Don’t you wanna see that bitch in jail?” Mary Ellen tried one of her famous pouts, but in the near-dark it didn’t have the desired effect.

“Not if it means going back to the dance looking like a thrift-store reject. You can play Sherlock Holmes if you want. I vote for dancing and having fun. C’mon, Sandi, let’s go.”

The two girls walked away.

“Fine. Be that way. When everyone’s talking about this tomorrow, you’ll wish you were with me.” Neither girl answered.

Unbelievable, Mary Ellen thought, as she crossed the street. Well, who needs them? Now I can get all the glory. When Monday comes around, Lucy’s arrest will be the talk of the school and I’ll be the one everyone wants to talk to. I might even get my name in the paper!

Cell phone securely in hand, she knelt down in the damp grass and lowered herself into the darkness of the museum basement.

She’d only taken two steps when cold, wet hands grabbed her. She opened her mouth to scream, but only a weak gasp came out.

“Well, what have we here?” a rough male voice asked. He was no more than a gray shadow against the shadows. “Another mouse come to play.”

“Should we bring her upstairs with the others?” a second man asked.

“Aye, but I’m thinking we should bleed her first. See if she’s got virgin blood for Mister Hamlin.”

Something sharp stabbed Mary Ellen in the arm, and that was when she finally found her voice.

By then, Kelly and Sandi were too far away to hear her screams.

*  *  *

“...The magic, the magic of love, is inside you...”

Maya smiled against Blake’s chest as she hummed along to the song. It was magic. What else but magic could explain the transformation of a drafty gymnasium into the most romantic place on Earth? The couples dancing around them. The rainbow sparkles of the lights reflecting off the disco globes and glassware and girls’ dresses. The balloons and streamers dangling in the air like crystalline rainbows.

The whole night was magic.

“I’m so glad we came tonight,” she said, pitching her voice just loud enough so Blake could hear it above the music.

“I am, too. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”

Maya closed her eyes and let Blake guide her around the dance floor to the slow ballad, one hand in hers and the other lightly touching her waist. Her attempt to teach him some modern dance moves had failed miserably, so she’d told him to show her how they danced in his time. She didn’t know what it was they were doing - a waltz? - but it reminded her of how they danced in the old black and white movies her parents liked to watch, all moving in circles and swaying back and forth.

She always worked up a good sweat from dancing, and the cool chill Blake radiated was a welcome relief as they glided around the dance floor. Like having my own personal air conditioner.

The song ended all too soon, and the band picked up the pace, jumping into the latest hit by last year’s American Idol winner. Knowing Blake wouldn’t have a chance on the dance floor, she took him by the hand and led him to the snack table.

“I thought you wanted to dance,” he said.

“Maybe you don’t eat or drink, but I’m thirsty.” Maya downed a cup of soda and then immediately regretted it when she couldn’t hold in a loud belch.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I’m not usually such a gross-out.”

Blake smiled. “In my time, it was nothing to be embarrassed about. You simply said ‘Pardon me’ and continued talking or eating. It was the same if someone farted.”

“Eew. I will not be farting in front of...why are we talking about farts?” Maya put down her glass. “Let’s go back to--” She stopped as someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hello, Maya.”

“Stuart.” She turned and faced him, her good mood evaporating.

“Maya--” Blake began, but she stopped him.

“It’s okay. He won’t do anything stupid in public. Will you, Stuart?”

He glowered at her, but took a careful step back. “No. I just wanted to say you look nice tonight.” He gave Blake a sneering look, which Maya understood to be a putdown of his clothing. If only he knew...

“Thanks.” She kept her voice cold.

“Maybe you’ll have time for one dance with--”

Maya gasped. “Time! Holy crap. Nice talking to you, Stuart. We’ve got to go.” She pulled Blake with her out to the dance floor.

“So, are we dancing again?” Blake asked, when Maya just stood there, staring at her cell phone.

“Look,” she said, holding the phone out towards him. “It’s after ten-thirty, and Lucy hasn’t called or come back.”

“Do you think something’s wrong?”

She chewed her lip. “God, I hope not. If anything’s happened to her...”

Blake put his arms around her. “The ghosts can’t hurt them, remember? Maybe they haven’t found the book yet. Or perhaps they just wanted to give us some time alone together.”

Maya smiled. “Knowing Lucy, it’s more likely she’s having a quickie in the museum bathroom. I’ll explain later,” she added, seeing his confused look.

“How about this? We wait another quarter hour; if she hasn’t come back, we go to the museum and look for her.”

Something loosened in Maya’s chest. Maybe she was just being a nervous Nellie, as her grandmother would say.

If she’s off somewhere knocking boots while I’m worrying my ass off, I’ll kill her.

“Okay,” she said to Blake. “Fifteen minutes. Then, we go.”

“Good. That gives me time to show you one more dance...”

*  *  *

Lucy fought to keep from throwing up as she tried to focus on the blood-splashed man standing in front of her.

Gavin. His name is Gavin.

And, he’s going to kill us like he killed Fiona.

She’d regained consciousness just as two of Gavin’s men brought a struggling, screaming Mary Ellen into the exhibit room.

“Caught another one, sir,” one of the sailors had said. He’d pushed Mary Ellen to the floor, and Lucy had noticed she was bleeding from a cut on her arm.

“Excellent.” Gavin took a knife from one of the men and lifted Mary Ellen by the throat. “Another virgin delivered for our pleasure?”

Mary Ellen had shaken her head violently. “No! No, I’m not the one you--”

Quick as a viper, Gavin’s hand flashed out and back again. Mary Ellen’s head fell back, exposing a wide gash. For a split second it gaped like a giant mouth, and then a red fountain of blood burst forth.

Gavin reached out and caught some of the blood as Mary Ellen’s body toppled to the floor. He squeezed his fist and red squirted out between his fingers.

The sailors stared at him in silent anticipation.

“Nothing.” He opened his hand and shook it, sending droplets everywhere. “She was no more a virgin than I am. Get back to work.”

With Mary Ellen’s grisly murder looming in her memory, Lucy expected the thought of her imminent death to send her into a panic, but it didn’t. She assumed she was in shock. Either that, or the blow to the head she’d taken had hurt her worse than it felt. Not that it mattered. Gagged and bound in the middle of the exhibit room, there wasn’t much she could do except wait for Gavin to turn the knife on her. Gary and Curtis were still unconscious. Fiona’s body lay where she’d died, surrounded by a pool of blood. Mary Ellen’s was draped over a table, her head nearly separated from her body. The two guards looked like they were dead, as well.

It’s all so wrong. How did it go wrong? They weren’t supposed to...

Why haven’t they killed us yet?

Wearing expressions of sullen disappointment, the two sailors had joined their companions in turning over tables, tearing exhibits apart, and smashing chairs. But not Gavin. He walked back and forth in front of his prisoners, staring at them.

As if he were waiting for something.

But what?

One of the sailors cursed. “Dirty bastard!”

Gavin turned quickly at the man’s shout, but he didn’t appear surprised.

“What is it, Anton?”

“Me hand. Went right through the table. It’s like--”

Lucy jumped as the man disappeared in mid-word. She looked at another sailor just in time to see him fade into nothingness, his eyes wide as an owl’s.

Gavin swung around and faced Lucy, his body already turning transparent. “Be damned! An ordinary virgin still isn’t enough. We need the witch’s blood if we’re to become human again. Rest assured, I’ll make sure she comes to us. Her life for yours. Pray that she--”

He was gone.

Dammit! Lucy struggled to free her hands, but the ropes were too tight. Of course, they are. Who ties better knots than freakin’ sailors?

She continued twisting and turning anyhow, hoping to loosen the bindings, or find something sharp on the floor. Although her dress kept tangling around her legs, she managed to roll over and kick at Gary and Curtis, but neither of them woke up.

There’s got to be something I can do before they bring Maya here.

The guards. They had to have something on them she could use. Guns. Knives.

Radios.

That’s it! I can call for help.

Now all she had to do was roll and caterpillar crawl across a huge room filled with tables and other obstacles, all before the ghosts brought her best friend back. Praying Gavin didn’t decide to drop a cabinet on her, she put her plan in motion.

Her first attempt ended with her legs smacking painfully against a broken chair. Cursing and crying into the foul-tasting gag, she maneuvered her body around to a different angle.

I’ll be damned if some stupid ghosts are going to kill me. Or any more of my friends.

Even as she started rolling again, she had a sinking feeling her tough words weren’t going to be good enough.

*  *  *

“What time is it?” Blake asked, as he guided Maya off the dance floor.

“It’s been twenty minutes. I can’t take it anymore. We’re going. It’s not like Lucy to--” She paused as Blake’s eyes went wide. “What’s wrong?”

“Trouble.” He pointed towards the entrance to the gym.

Two of Gavin’s men stood just inside the doors. One was heavily bearded, the other clean-shaven with a scarred face, and both wore furious expressions. Because they were so far away from Maya, they were translucent images, barely there at all. She knew no one else would even be able to see them, as long as they came no closer to her.

One of the sailors pointed at them and motioned towards the doors. Maya felt a chill run through her as she recognized their faces.

“Those are the men who attacked me on the sidewalk.”

Blake gripped her hand. “Gavin must have sent them. This cannot be a good thing.”

The two men entered the room, gradually gaining solidity as they drew closer to Maya. Although the party lighting kept people from noticing the transformation, the two figures drew more than a few stares because of their age and clothing. By the time they stopped in front of Maya and Blake, all eyes were on them.

“We have a message, witch,” one of them said, pointing a callused finger at Maya. “If you want your friends to live, come with us.”

“We are not going--”

Maya cut off Blake’s retort. “We’ll come.”

Blake turned to her. “It could be a trick. Lucy might be perfectly safe, even returning as we speak.”

“She’s my best friend. I can’t take that chance.” She didn’t know how to explain it any better than that. Either he’d understand or he wouldn’t. But she wasn’t going to let anything happen to Lucy. Especially when it was her fault her friends were in trouble.

I should have never let them go. If anything happens to her, to them...

The sailors turned and headed for the door. Maya followed close behind them, dragging Blake along with her, so no one would catch a glimpse of the ghosts fading out. Several of her classmates put their hands out or asked questions, but she kept walking, ignoring their attempts to stop her.