Relics (17 page)

It was still a bit early, not quite dinner time, when Stuart parked at the curb and opened the doors for us. We thanked him politely and made our way up the walk. Company waited for us on our front porch.

A figure dressed in a full, felted, burgundy skirt and pink angora sweater sat on the swing. Slim legs were crossed at the ankles. Brandy Malone stood up when we reached the porch, fluffing platinum blonde hair. A burgundy snakeskin bag rested next to high heels with ankle straps, also made of burgundy snakeskin. The shoes put Brandy almost up to Thulu's six feet.

A deep smoky voice purred, “Okay, so who am I?”

“Johnny Depp,” I quickly replied.

The answer was a long, drawn out, agonized, “Nooooo.”

With her lips pouted prettily, Brandy said, “I'm Ed Wood, silly. Johnny Depp just played him in that movie. Honestly La Fi, don't you know anything?”

I knew lots of things, actually, including that. But it was more fun to make Brandy work for it. Thulu had unlocked the door and turned off the alarm. We followed after him.

“I'm thinking of this for Halloween. What do you think?  Then segue into a sort of futuristic theme for the night?”

“Hmmm.”

“That isn't helpful. I'm going to change.” She glided from the room, with more grace than I could manage. That was so not fair.

I adored Reo and was curious what he would make of all the events over the last few days.  I was sure his abilities would be a great help with the case.

Brandy had left the room, but it was Reo who returned. He'd helped himself to the kitchen and balanced a tray with chips and dip, napkins, a bottle of wine and three glasses. Brandy's show was dark, and he had the night off.

His Halloween outfit was packed away in his bag, which swung from one arm. He now wore khakis and a nice shirt, and his face was freshly scrubbed. He came into the family room where we had settled down. Thulu took the tray from him and set it on the table.

Parker, Jenna and Sophie had checked in shortly after we got home and were sitting in their usual mid-air positions.

Jenna reverted to shyness with Reo there. I noticed she did that around the living. I'd have to find out what that meant. Reo gave her a smile and said hi to her and Parker.

Seeing that we had grownup talk, Parker soon took the other two outside again.

We started to fill Reo in on what had happened in the last two days. Jeez, two days!  It seemed like so much longer.

Reo was very curious about everything. He asked some very pointed questions and looked at the pictures of the relic and panels. The picture of the dragon pitcher brought a smile to his face.

In a falsely innocent voice, he asked, “How far are you in your scheme to keep that one?”

I frowned at him. “I'm not planning on keeping any of them. They are all bad luck, if you ask me.”

Reo gave me a look of disbelief and shook his head.

I gave him a superior look and changed the subject. “Anyway, have you ever made contact with someone in a coma?”

He nodded. “Yeah, once.”

“You have?” We quickly explained the Mason situation and Jones's idea. Reo thought it was worth trying and agreed to go with us.

We finished up the details of the ghosts, relics and everything we could remember. It was a relief to bring Reo in. He would add a balance we needed.

Not that Thulu and I were not capable, but this case had quickly escalated to one beyond anything we had ever dealt with before. I might not admit it, but I felt we were way out of our league. I was grateful to be able to bring in someone we could trust, in addition to Nana Fae, of course.

“I'd like to know why Jones doesn't find the relics himself,” Reo said while slicing cheese off the slab. Thulu and I were still too full from lunch to do more than nibble at a cracker now and then.

“We haven't really asked him. I just figured he couldn't find them or he wouldn't need us,” Thulu said thoughtfully.

“Well, I don't think making assumptions about anything is wise right now. I've felt weird all week. Anxious, but I don't have a handle on what's making me anxious.” Reo gave us a steady look. “I hate when things are all muddy and murky.”

“Yeah, must be a shame to have to cope like a normal person.”

He rolled his eyes and went on. “Well, it can be frustrating to know something's up, but not have a clue where it's going to come from. Kind of hard to prepare for it.” Reo shook his head, as if he were trying to shake the feeling out of it – or rattle things together. He added, “But since when are you a normal person?”

Thulu called Jones to set up a time for the three of us to see Matt Mason. We settled on late morning the next day, and Jones gave us the address. Jones seemed unsurprised that we knew a telepath, but he was happy Reo was coming along. We also said we'd bring the cup with us. Reo said we needed to get it out of the house, and we didn't argue. He declined the offer to see it; something about tempting Fate.

Thulu called Nana Fae and filled her in on the latest developments, while I called Jane in. I told her what we had discovered that afternoon and asked for her permission to email the jeweler, requesting a copy of the receipt and a picture of the locket. She agreed immediately, and I got on the computer and used her email account to send off the request to her jeweler.

The kids and Sophie came back in, and we spent the rest of that night just hanging out. We talked, watched a bit of TV, drank more wine and tossed out any ideas about the case when one would occur to us.

It was a nice, pleasant evening; as normal as one can be, considering two ghost kids and a dog were part of it. Reo thought Sophie chasing the ball was hysterical. Occasionally he asked Parker to throw it.

Sophie had gotten very good at fetching it. Once she took the ball to Reo to throw, but of course that didn't work out so well. I think the look she gave him was pitying. Jenna grabbed the ball and threw it for her.

Because of the wine and not wanting to call a taxi, Reo stayed in his room. He was enough of a fixture to keep extra clothes and toiletries at our house. He'd staked out one of the rooms as his own, and any other guests we had were usually put up in one of the other rooms.

As it got late and we got sleepier, we did our final tour of the house and made sure the alarm was set.

“This was nice. I liked tonight,” Reo said as we went upstairs. Just outside his door, he stopped and turned to us. His smile was almost melancholy. I didn't think he'd had enough to drink to get maudlin, but braced myself anyway.

“You can't put the genie back in the bottle.” He turned to go in.

“What does that mean?” Thulu asked.

Reo turned back to us with a very thoughtful look. “I have absolutely no idea.”

“Very helpful,” I said. He shrugged elaborately, but smiled when I went over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

He gave his head one of those weird shakes of his and went into his room.

Thulu and I smiled at each other and went into our own room, shutting the door behind us. From the exotic of the morning, to the amazing afternoon with Jones, it had been nice to get back to a normal evening with Reo. Too bad it was the last one. Normal would never again have the same meaning for us. The next day, our world as we knew it changed forever.

I woke up to another sunny day and the smell of coffee and frying bacon winding its way up to me. I showered and got dressed in jeans and a sleeveless top before going downstairs. The shower helped, since I'm not a morning person. Everyone was in the kitchen.

“There's Sleeping Beauty,” Reo said from the breakfast nook. Jenna thought that was hysterical and shrieked with laughter. It was too early for my head to take that, but I didn't want to upset her, so I hid my headache behind a wavering smile. I got my morning coke from the fridge and downed the first few swallows quickly. Parker took pity on me and said they were going to go exploring.

I joined Reo at the table. He and Thulu were both dressed for the day. Reo wore fresh khakis from his closet and Thulu was in jeans. Both wore colored T shirts. 

The nook was cozy. Booth style padded benches attached to the wall. Their backs allowed for a view through the bay windows onto our deck and garden.

Thulu was at the stove, removing the last of the bacon from the pan. He set aside that skillet and put another on the glass topped stove. He poured the eggs he'd already mixed up to scramble into the pan. He added peppers, onions and ham from other bowls, stirring everything in a slow swirl. It was hypnotic.

The toaster popped up four slices of toast. I went over, took them out and added four more. I got the whipped butter and started buttering.

While I waited for the next batch, I finished my coke and poured a large glass of ice cold tomato juice. Reo had gotten out the orange juice and poured two glasses for himself and Thulu.

We were all so used to each other there wasn't a lot of conversation. Just companionable silence, with a comment once in a while or a request to pass something. Soon we were in the breakfast nook, eating and drinking. Thulu had added slices of provolone to the top of the eggs. The simple meal was one we often had after a night of drinking, and it was quite satisfying.

After breakfast, we loaded up the dishwasher and turned it on. Thulu went into the study to see what he could find about pageants. He didn't have much luck, and I could tell he was having one of those moments. He was sensing things, but they were just out of his grasp.

Soon it was time to leave for the medical facility where the Masons were treated. Thulu went downstairs and retrieved the cup. We put the chest containing it into an innocuous looking bag to hand over to Jones. We untied the key from the journal, put it in the lock and taped it in place.

A sense of purpose, still keeping us rather quiet, seemed to hang over us on the drive. The facility was a bit far out of the city. It was gated, and we were stopped at a guard gate.

“I wonder if the fence is to keep people in or keep others out,” I said.

Reo said, “Both, I think.” He pointed to a building set apart from the others by quite a bit. It was almost hidden away by hedges and trees. The windows seemed to be of that heavy duty reinforced glass I usually associated with mental hospitals.

We pulled into a parking lot next to what was the main building. Jones's limo was already parked at the far end. Stuart leaned against the car, reading something. When he recognized us, he gave a wave. We waved back.

The grounds and buildings were very well kept. The buildings seemed older, made of red brick with white trim. They felt substantial, but without that institutional feel.

Inside the main doors was a reception desk with a few chairs against the wall. Several sets of double doors were set into the walls to our left and right, and a single door was behind the reception area. Everything seemed modern and recently decorated.

Jones sat in one of the chairs against one wall. When we came in, he rose with a nod. His usual charm was subdued, but he managed a smile when we introduced him to Reo. Jones went to the desk and said something quietly to the receptionist, a heavyset woman in her late forties. He pointed to us. She nodded.

Jones joined us, and I handed him the bag. He looked puzzled for a moment, but smiled as he realized what it held. He motioned for us to follow him to the door on the right. The receptionist buzzed us through, and we entered a wide area with a nursing hub. Doors and hallways led off in different directions.

“These folks are with me,” he said, motioning to us. “Has there been any change?”

A nurse in her forties looked up, smiled at Jones and shook her head. Jones continued around the hub to the farthest door. We followed after him.

He opened the door to a room with a view of a garden. We filed in, and Jones closed the door behind us. A door to our right led to the bathroom. The room was bright, cheery and sunny, with light filtering in from the windows. Several chairs and a table stood nearby, and fresh flowers were placed around the room. There were two beds, one on either side of the room. The curtains to both beds were opened all the way.

A young woman occupied the bed to our right. Her short blond hair was tousled, and I recognized the woman from the pictures on the web. Even in sleep, though, Carolyn seemed drawn. IVs were hooked up, and one went into her arm. I frowned when I saw this.

“Jones, you need to wake her up.”

He sighed. “To what purpose?  She has no one.”

Thulu had been looking at Matt and now turned to face us.

“That's for her to decide, Jones. Not you. She's an adult. She deserves to be allowed to make her own decisions. Besides, maybe her husband will respond to her.”

Reo looked at Jones thoughtfully. “Are you afraid she'll recognize you?”

Jones seemed surprised. “No, not at all. I will adjust her memory.”

Thulu, Reo and I looked at each other. Thulu and Reo had matching frowns, and I was sure we each had the same thoughts. Adjusting memories?  Would he do the same to us?  Thulu gave a slight shake of his head, and Reo shrugged. We'd chat about it later; I'd make sure of that.

We stared at Jones. He sighed again.

“Very well, after we talk to Mason, I'll make arrangements for the doctors to begin the process to wake her up. Will that suffice?”

The three of us exchanged looks.

When I turned to the other bed, I was surprised to see Matt sitting up. I realized that I could see through him slightly.

“Hi, Matt, I'm Fiona –” I started.

“No! Fi, stop!”

I froze at the restrained panic in Reo's voice. Matt had turned toward me when I spoke, but changed his focus to Reo.

Reo took a deep breath, adopted a very calm tone, very low. “Matt, you need to lie back down and connect to your body.” Matt looked at him enquiringly, and then he looked down at his body. He looked up in shock and opened his mouth, but Reo cut him off.

“No, don't talk yet. I'll help you, but you must lie back. Can you still feel your body?  Nod or shake your head.”

Matt closed his eyes for what seemed a long time, but it was only about ten seconds. He opened his eyes and nodded once slowly.

“Okay, Matt, that's great, you're doing fantastic!  Now, I need you to lie down and completely connect to your body.”

Reo kept up a steady stream of soft instructions and encouragement, and Matt obeyed. I realized that the heart monitor had been beeping at a very, very slow rate. It picked up speed until it reached a more normal rate as Matt reconnected to his body.

Reo had broken into a sweat. He reached for a tissue and wiped his forehead. His hand was shaking as he looked at me apologetically.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you.”

“No need to apologize, sweets. I should apologize. I'm so used to the dead, I didn't even think to stop what was happening."

“Well, looks like we got here just in time. I wonder what triggered that.” He glanced at the door, and I wondered why the nurses hadn't come in, but I was glad they hadn't. Getting Matt back into his body would have been awkward with others there.

Reo helped himself to a glass of water from the table. He sat down and took deep, steadying breaths. The rest of us waited while he regained his composure.

I watched Jones. His expression was impassive. I wondered if he was disappointed that Reo had saved Matt.

Reo gathered himself and said to me, “We're going to go in. I'll lead and you'll observe, if you can. If not, I'll do my best to see what's going on and to find out where the dagger is.”

He pulled a chair over to Matt and motioned for me to move another. Jones got to it first and set it beside Reo's before I could move.

Matt seemed pale. His dark hair was flat to his head, and his beard had been shaved since the last picture we'd seen. Dark circles had formed beneath his eyes, and his cheeks seemed sunken.

Reo took my hand and Matt's. He closed his eyes. I followed suit, not sure what to expect.

At first, there was nothing but red-tinged darkness. I heard Reo's voice, as if from a distance,
“Fi?  Can you hear me?”

I nodded, waited and nodded again.

“Fi, can you hear me?”
I nodded once more. A pause. “
You're nodding your head, aren't you?  I can't see it with my eyes closed, silly girl. Just think at me.”

“Yes, I hear you. And I'm not silly.”

“Excellent!”
He drew out the word.
“What do you see?”

“Dark. I see darkness, with a hint of red.”
It was getting lighter, and I saw a figure that became clearer. It was Reo.
“Oh, I see you.”

“Good. Now take my hand.”
I looked down and saw nothing.

“Concentrate, Fi. Imagine your body, and it will be there for you.”

I thought and finally managed a vague form. I don't think it looked much like me because I heard Reo snort. It was the best I could do under the circumstances. I was too nervous at the thought of being in someone else's head. Hell, I wasn't the telepath.

“Okay, that'll work. Now we try for Matt.”

I felt Reo's hand in mine, very solid, as he moved and pulled me along with him. We passed something. I'm not sure what it was, but I felt a blast of ice cold, which quickly turned hot, before settling into a more comfortable temperature. The darkness had also returned.

“Matt?  Hi, it's Reo. We met a few minutes ago. Matt?”

“I hear you. I don't know where I am, though. Was that a hospital room?”

“Very good, Matt, yes it was. You're in a coma, and we're here to help you.”

“A coma?  Was I in an accident?  I don't remember one.”
A figure started to form. I was pleased to see that his was even worse than mine. The blackness lightened. Objects took form around us. We were in a pleasant family room, comfy sofa and chairs, widescreen TV, and aquarium in one corner. Matt's form became more solid, and suddenly all three of us were
there
in that room. It felt bizarre and as real as anything else. I was disappointed to see I still hadn't managed more than an amorphous, shadowy figure. Oh, well.

“I'm an architect. There was something on our job site. They called me in. Did I get hurt there?” Matt said from beside the aquarium.

I squeezed Reo's hand.
“Job site?”
 I thought at him.

“What job site, Matt?”

He smiled, and we heard the pride in his voice. “We landed a very lucrative job – my partner and I. Our design was chosen for the Grant Corporation.”

“That's great, Matt. They're a big deal, huh?”