Good Will Ghost Hunting: Demon Seed [Good Will Ghost Hunting 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“Say what?”

“Whatever the heck you were going to say to me about him. Dang it, I’m the producer, and he can darn well show up every once in a while and give me a little respect. He’s acting like we’re mortal enemies or something.”

“No, sugar, that’s not it at all—”

“Oh, please. Spare me, Aidan. Do
not
give me the ‘it’s not you’ speech again. If I hear that one more time, I’m going to puke.”

Will spent most of the first night avoiding Kal. That meant he spent most of it in front of the camera, a place she knew darn well he hated being.

She derived a little silent satisfaction from his discomfort.

Kal spent most of the evening acting cold or downright snotty to Will the few times she saw him. Two could play that game. Aidan ended up helping her at base and with the technical end of things.

That Will was willing to be uncomfortable to avoid her made Kal feel even more determined to find out what the heck was going on with him. She wished he’d at least man up enough to come tell her to her face why he was acting like this. Instead, his quiet, chilly avoidance was even worse than if he’d been obnoxiously confrontational with her. That she could handle, especially after a life spent placating her father.

Why couldn’t he be a prima donna, or snooty, or even an insufferable know-it-all?

At one point Aidan went to help check out one area that other investigators reported showed signs of paranormal activity. As Kal was checking the cameras, she noticed one had somehow moved out of place.

Might as well go fix it myself.

She grabbed a two-way and went upstairs to take care of it. As she walked down the corridor, around the corner she heard Will talking with Aidan.

Shoot.
She thought they were one floor down.

She steeled herself, threw back her shoulders, and started down the hall when Will’s voice came to her and stopped her in her tracks.

“You know why, Aidan. Drop it.”

“You’re going to hurt her feelings, dude. There’s no reason to treat her the way you’ve been treating her.”

“It’s nothing personal! It has nothing to do with her. You know that. Just tell her for me.”

“You tell her. You’re acting like an asshole, Will. What’s she supposed to think? She’s a real sweetie. Why don’t you just be nice to her, huh? Is that too much to ask?”

“Subject closed.”

Kal gritted her teeth and rounded the corner. In the corridor, Will looked up, startled.

Alone.

That was enough to stop Kal in her tracks. “Where’s Aidan?” she asked.

Will looked like he was about to poop a cinder block out his butt. “What?”

She cautiously walked forward, a chill running through her. “Aidan. You know, him, right? Big guy, loud shirts, your flippin’ cousin. I heard you talking to him.” There was no place Aidan could have gone, no doors, no stairs, nowhere. He’d have to walk past her to get back to the elevators.

Will shook his head. From the guarded look on his face, she knew he was lying. “Just me.”

Kal shivered again and ran her hands up and down her arms. Maybe there
was
something supernaturally weird going on in this building. Instead of arguing with Will she shoved past him, adjusted the camera, and angrily stalked back to the elevators.

When Aidan showed up at base twenty minutes later, Kal turned in her chair. “What the heck is going on? I went upstairs to adjust camera five, and I heard you and Will talking. I walked around the corner and it’s just Will. Where the heck did you go?”

Aidan’s turn to lock down. He slowly shook his head. “No, sugar, you’re wrong. I was with Cabrio.” He walked over and gently laid one hand on Kal’s shoulder as his other reached for something hanging around his neck. It felt like her brain clouded over. “I was with Cabrio,” Aidan repeated. “I wasn’t talking with Will…”

She felt like she fell into his sweet butterscotch-colored eyes. Five minutes later, Kal startled awake. Apparently she’d nodded off over the monitor bank. That was definitely not like her.

Aidan sat next to her, an amused, albeit slightly forced-looking smile on his face. “You okay, sweet cheeks?”

She couldn’t stifle the yawn. “Was I asleep?”

He grinned. “Yep. You were mumbling something about a corridor.” But his body language changed, relaxed.

Relieved.

“I went upstairs to adjust a camera.”

He laughed. “So that’s what you were talking about. No, sugar, you’ve been right here. Sorry, you looked so cute, I couldn’t help but let you sleep for a few.”

Whatever was going on, Kal had too much on her plate to worry about it. Although it was more comforting to think she’d dozed off on the job and dreamed the incident than to question her sanity. Then again, that answer didn’t feel right to her either.

They prepared to wrap for the night. A private security company would stand guard over their equipment until they returned the next evening to finish the investigation. Kal had switched off the monitors and was going over her notes when she felt more than heard someone walk into the room behind her.

A glance in one of the darkened monitors showed Will’s reflection in the doorway. She stiffened. It didn’t matter that she apparently dreamed something, it didn’t change the fact that he exhibited as much warmth as a block of ice where she was concerned.

“Yes, Hellenboek?” She didn’t turn to face him.

In the monitor, she watched as he stepped a little closer, but not by much.

“I…is there anything else tonight?”

Kal took her time responding. “Nope. You can scurry off to your hidey-hole until tomorrow evening. Not that I expect you to show up, but eleven o’clock, lunch, in the hotel restaurant. Production meeting.”

“Kal—”

“We’re done here tonight, Hellenboek. You can get out of here. I know you’re dying to get away from me.”

Her eyes flicked to the monitor again. He hesitated, then turned and left without further comment. When he was gone, the nervous breath Kal had been holding escaped her in an explosive rush. She could certainly give him a taste of his own medicine.

Although she hated being mean like that. Well, it was her or him, and she wasn’t going anywhere. Trying to do things the nice way hadn’t gotten her squat.

* * * *

The next day, Will not only showed up for the lunchtime production meeting, but the afternoon one as well.

He didn’t speak but at least he was there. Kal softened her attitude toward him slightly, toned back her grouch mode. That made her feel less guilty even if it didn’t change his reaction any.

The film crew managed to pick up a few interesting things on tape, and two of the volunteer investigators captured EVPs—Electronic Voice Phenomenon. That meant a really good show to cut together. She could splice the plentiful incidental scares in with the captured evidence and have a pretty great episode.

At four in the morning, Kal declared the shoot officially wrapped and ordered everyone to start breaking down and packing equipment. She rode an elevator upstairs, alone, to retrieve one of the cameras when the car stopped with a jolt and the lights went off.

Shoot.

She fought her racing heart. She’d never been scared of the dark before, but she’d left her two-way on the monitor table, and her cell phone was clipped to her backpack at base.

Crud.

Five minutes later, the elevator hadn’t moved and no emergency lights came on. Kal felt her way around to the panel and tried to remember which button was the emergency button.

Her anxiety ratcheted up when she felt a cool breeze brush against her arm, not like the air-conditioner, but something cold and clammy.

Kal started slapping at the buttons, fighting her panic, until she found the one at the bottom that tripped the buzzer. The cool breeze worked its way up her bare arm, across her shoulder, to the back of her neck.

With her heart hammering in her chest, Kal started pounding on the door and screaming for help.

The cold breeze encircled her neck and settled against her other ear. In her mind, as if whispered to her, she heard a soft, “Hello.”

Her control snapped.

In the total blackness she started crying, screaming as she attempted to pry the door open and kicked at it. After another interminable moment she heard Aidan on the other side.

“Kal, honey? Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not freaking okay! Get me the heck out of here right now!”

“I’m working on it.”

“There’s something in here with me!” She continued screaming and kicking, pounding on the door. The cold feeling slithered down her other arm before wrapping around her legs.

“What did you say, Kal?” Aidan asked.

“Get me out!” she shrieked.

A moment later, the lights came back on, making Kal scream again. She whirled around, crying, certain she’d see…

What?

She was alone.

A moment later the door opened, the elevator stuck three feet above the floor below her destination. Aidan reached in and pulled her out and into his arms. He was alone.

“You okay, babe?”

She nodded. She tried to quit crying, but now that relief had displaced her fear, she clung to him, desperate, emotionally overloaded as the adrenaline crash hit her.

“Shh, it’s okay, babe,” he softly reassured her. When she recovered, he held her at arm’s length. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She wiped her face on her shirt. “I’m sorry, I guess I freaked out.”

“What was it?”

She started to say, then paused. “I…guess I just freaked out. Not enough sleep and the total darkness got to me.”

He nodded, but looked concerned. “You sure?”

“Yeah.” She started to head for the stairs—no way in heck she’d ride that elevator again—and stopped. “Crumzola. The camera.”

He smiled and held out his hand. “Let’s you and me go get it together. We’ll walk.”

She smiled and let out a relieved breath as she laced her fingers through his. “Thanks, Aidan.”

* * * *

Aidan waited until the next Sunday evening to talk to Ryan again. He found his boss alone, cooking in his Atlanta condo.

“Expecting company?” Aidan slipped onto one of the barstools at the counter.

Ryan glanced up from the skillet. “Not particularly. To what do I owe this visit?”

Aidan nervously twisted his hands together. “What’s going on, Ryan? Why are you so insistent that Kal and Will be together?”

“I have my reasons. You should know that.” He glanced at him. “You haven’t done a very good job at keeping them together, have you now?”

Aidan wouldn’t meet Ryan’s gaze. “I don’t want Will to bolt.”

“You’re practically hiding her from him. That’s not what I wanted. Even you’re smart enough to know that.”

“I love her.”

Ryan arched an eyebrow at Aidan, who clarified. “Like a sister. Duh.” He studied his hands. “She reminds me a lot of Chloe,” he quietly added.

Aidan knew he didn’t imagine that Ryan’s posture changed, stiffened. Yeah, a low blow and a calculated risk, but he had to find out what in home’s name Ryan’s game was. He also knew he didn’t imagine the sudden tension in Ryan’s voice.

“That took place many years ago. You know damn well I don’t wish to talk about her.”

“You’re not going to hurt them, are you?”

Ryan glared at Aidan, his green eyes blazing. “Do you
really
need to ask me that? Have we not been through enough together, known each other long enough to answer that question?”

“You know what I mean. Don’t give me that self-righteous crap.” Aidan composed his thoughts for a moment while he watched Ryan cook. “She’s a good person. She’s a total, complete innocent. You’re not trying to bring her into The Firm, are you?”

Ryan slammed a pot onto the stove and jabbed his wooden spoon in the air at Aidan, spattering béarnaise sauce on the counter in the process. “What did I just tell you, Faust?” Ryan’s voice rose, loud and strident. “Do
not
question me or what I must do! I have my reasons. That’s all you need to know.”

Aidan studied the other man. “You won’t tell me what’s going on because you don’t want Will to find out. Tell me I’m wrong.”

Ryan’s shoulders slumped. “Drop it, please. Just do as I ask.” He waved his hand and Aidan disappeared, sent back to Tampa. Ryan looked at the food, then dumped it in the sink and used the garbage disposal to take care of it.

He’d lost his appetite. Aidan was a man with a good heart. A truly good heart. He was loyal and loving and protective of those he considered friends and family.

Unfortunately, Ryan didn’t need a good-hearted man. What he needed was a well-positioned sneak to push Kal and Will together and get the ball rolling. Aidan had done everything possible except throwing a blanket over Kal and buying her a chastity belt to keep Will away from her.

He sighed. That left him with only one alternative, the one he’d hoped he wouldn’t have to resort to. Besides being risky, it would make him even less popular than he already was. Not that popularity was a huge concern of his. Unfortunately, there was no other way.

After washing the dishes, Ryan walked to the living room, sat on the couch, and closed his eyes. Once done, he couldn’t undo it. He allowed himself no grief, no regret. The past was over, no matter how much he wished he could relive it. Will had to return to The Firm. Despite Ryan’s repeated attempts throughout the years, Will had steadfastly refused to rejoin them. Ryan had hoped Will wouldn’t force his hand, allowing him the chance to pursue a little happy ever after of his own for a change.

It wasn’t to be.

Considering his position, perhaps that was for the best after all. His own happiness was irrelevant. He had a job to do.

Ryan touched his dark red garnet amulet and muttered a low, rumbling incantation dredged from the bowels of his memory. As the dark mist gathered and congealed in front of Ryan, he gave it the information it needed before sending it on its way. Then he stood and walked to the kitchen. There he poured himself three fingers of bourbon, straight, and downed it.