The Ninth Floor (4 page)

I stared at
him until it was like someone flipped a switch in my mind. “Oh my God. Blair?”

He laughed as
I came around the bed to see him better. “You should’ve seen the look on your
face. Priceless. You haven’t changed at all, Ryan.” He threw his arms around me
in a bear hug that lifted me off the floor and possibly cracked a rib.

“You have. I
didn’t recognize you.” My little brother was all grown up. Last time I saw him
he was twelve and I was home for the summer before my senior year of high
school.

“You’ve been
gone a long time, but I sure did enjoy all those letters and phones calls from
you.” He made a face at me.

“I sent
birthday cards,” I said. I hadn’t kept in touch with Blair. He was a fun
twelve-year-old, but I’d figured he’d become one of them. “I think Ashley took
out a damn ad in the newspaper announcing I was back.”

Blair’s
laughter filled the room. “That’s because it’s totally epic. People didn’t even
believe I had a sister. Mom’s being all dramatic, and Dad said we should invite
you to dinner. So how ‘bout it?”

“Oh, I can’t
tonight. Busy.”

“Then
tomorrow. You deserted me for eight years. I figure you sort of owe me.”

I scrunched up
my nose. “How about just you and me have dinner tomorrow, and you can give me
the scoop on everyone?”

“Nope, all of
us.” He flung his arm across my shoulders. “Consider it penance.”

Bee grinned
widely, tears glistening in her eyes. “Yes, you should definitely sit down with
your family. I’m only sorry I can’t be there too.”

“Fine.” I
elbowed Blair playfully in the ribs. I probably did owe him and Bee. “So why
the hell did it take you this long to come visit Bee? I quit my job and got on
a plane as soon as I heard she was sick.”

“Ryan,” Bee
said at the same time Blair said, “Hey! Last week were midterms. I just got
home for spring break.”

“I guess that’s
okay. What’s your major?”

“I have dual
majors in chemistry and biology.”

“Yikes.”

“I’m trying
for vet school.”

“Blair will
make a wonderful vet,” Bee said. “Just like you’re a wonderful reporter, and
Ashley is wonderful at whatever Ashley does.” Her sentence drifted away in a
large yawn.

That was my
cue that Bee was ready to call it a night. It was nearly seven when Blair and I
said good night and headed for the elevator. The same man who’d stood too close
to me the night before got on with us. I gave him a small smile, forgiving him.
Stress made people funny, and he was here so often, someone he loved must be
here too.

“So I know why
you haven’t come to visit her, but what about the rest of them? I’ve been here
two days and not one other family member has shown up.”

He gave me a
helpless shrug. “Well, Ashley is really busy, and Mom and Dad had a vacation
not too long ago.”

“Whatever.”
How was I related to these people? I quit my job and traveled a thousand miles,
and they couldn’t drive a few blocks. Disgusting.

Blair walked
me all the way to my car and smiled at me again. “I just can’t believe you’re
back. You have no idea how much I missed having you around.”

“I was only
here during summers. You couldn’t have missed me that much.”

“The summers
were the best. You always had the greatest and most fun ideas. Remember that
time you took me camping and told me about all the constellations?”

“It was in the
backyard.”

“It was
awesome. No one else ever took me camping, just you. I’m glad you’re back.” He
gave me one last hug before heading for his own car. I started the engine
before remembering that I couldn’t leave. I had a date.

*

Dr. Sadler was waiting just
inside the door. He raised his eyebrows at me. “I wondered if you would come
back.”

I made a face.
“I forgot. I was talking with my brother and it slipped my mind.”

“Oh, so that
was your brother?”

“Yeah, younger
brother.”

He smiled and
gestured toward the door. “Shall we?”

“I don’t want
to leave my car, so we should probably drive separately.” I hooked a thumb in
my pocket. “Where are we going? I’m not really dressed for dinner.”

“You’re
dressed fine for where we’re going. And no need to drive at all.” He pointed to
a little silver trailer across the street with a pink neon sign above it that
read The Diner.

It was exactly
the sort of place my mother couldn’t be dragged into. I grinned and hitched my
slouchy brown purse up on my shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Inside we took
a booth and each ordered a cheeseburger and fries. “This is your idea of a
date?”

“No. You never
agreed to go on a date. This is me giving you a break from being in there.” He
nodded toward the hospital.

I stared out
at the large structure, monstrous and hulking in the growing darkness. The
light from its many windows gave the air around the building a strange glow. It
was then I noticed for the first time that an entire floor had its lights off. “Are
they renovating one of the floors?”

“No. Why?”

I pointed up. “Why
are the lights off?”

“That’s the
ninth floor.”

“So?” Mrs.
Simpson’s rant about the ninth floor being haunted came to mind.

“Surely you’ve
heard the rumors?”

“Nope.”

He took off
his glasses and set them on the table, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Well,
it’s dumb. You’re better off not knowing.”

“What? You can’t
lead me this far then not tell me. What, was it closed because it’s haunted?” I
laughed.

He raised an
eyebrow.

“No.” I leaned
forward. “Are you serious? That’s absurd.”

He shrugged. “They
closed it well before I worked here.”

“Huh.” I
looked back at the dark windows. So weird. “Have you seen anything?”

He smiled and
matched my position, leaning forward. “You don’t believe in ghosts, do you,
Ryan?”

I pondered his
question for a moment. I didn’t
not
believe in ghosts. I just never
thought about them. Then I recalled how the TV had turned on by itself, and how
Bee insisted her name had been called. “Bee heard something this morning.”

Sadler rested
an arm across the back of his booth. “Bee has heard the rumors undoubtedly and
had a nightmare.”

I had to admit
his theory made sense.

“So what do
you do, Ryan?” he asked, blatantly changing the subject.

I started to
answer before I remembered I didn’t have a job anymore. “Um, I guess I’m
between jobs at the moment. I worked at a newspaper before I came back.”

“What did you
do there? A reporter?”

“No. That was
the goal, but I wrote obituaries and wedding announcements.”

Jack, as he
insisted I call him, walked me back to my car. I fumbled through my purse for my
keys. “Well, thank you for the distraction,” I said when I finally found them.

The parking
lot was too dark to read his expression. “Anytime,” he said softly.

I hesitated
for a second. Then I averted my eyes and unlocked my door. It wasn’t like I was
cheating on Briggs. He left me. But that didn’t mean I was emotionally ready to
jump into another relationship.

“Have a good
night,” I said.

Jack nodded
and took a small step back. “You too.”

After another morning visit with
Bee, I gave her a chance to nap—it wasn’t that I wanted to avoid Dr. Sadler—and
went to Blueberry to check how Vivian was coming along. I was surprised to see
the door propped open and the chipper socialite bouncing to pop music blaring
from a stereo behind the counter.

Vivian smiled
and waved as I walked around the loveseat. “Oh my God, I’m so happy you’re
here. I was thinking we should—”

“What’s that?”
I asked, pointing at the stereo holding her iPod.

“What?” she
shouted, cupping her ear and leaning closer to me.

I sighed and
walked around the counter to turn off the music. Once blissful silence filled
the room, I repeated, “What’s this?”

Her pretty
gray eyes flicked over to the stereo, and her face twisted in confusion. “An
iPod?”

“Yes, but how
did it get here?”

“Oh, I brought
it to spice up this place. It’s like a morgue in here.” Her eyes got huge and
her hands flew up to cover her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, I know.
It’s fine.” I wanted to tell her to remove the stereo at once. I intended to keep
everything just the same as Bee had it, but Vivian was doing me a favor. If she
hadn’t volunteered to work, I’d be stuck doing it or conducting interviews
rather than spending time with my aunt. “Just don’t play it so loud.”

Vivian
shrugged her bare shoulders and hopped down off the counter. “I was thinking
about the shelves over here.” Her hand waved in the vicinity of the purse and
accessory room. “We could—”

“I appreciate
your help, Viv, but I’m not trying to change Aunt Bee’s store. She’ll be back soon.
I just want to keep it the way she left it.”

Vivian rolled
her eyes dramatically and pouted until I turned and went to the refreshment
table. I grabbed a bottle of Smart Water and a cookie. “So you want to hang out
tonight? Catch up? We haven’t seen each other in what, eight years?” she asked.

“I can’t. I’m
supposed to have dinner with my family.” I scrunched my nose. “I also need to
get the apartment upstairs in a livable condition. Maybe some—”

“I can help.”
Her eyes glittered. “I didn’t even know there was an apartment.” The door
chimed as a customer entered. “I’ll see you later,” she said to me and went to
greet the browsing woman. “Hi, welcome to Blueberry. I’m your personal stylist,
Vivian. Oh my God—this color would look amazing on you.”

The woman
looked at her with wide, slightly frightened eyes before glancing at the bright
pink sweater Viv held up. I could almost see the ice melt as she fell in love
with the garment in Vivian’s hand. In a moment, they were chattering together
and starting a pile to try on. I shook my head. She was definitely better at
this than I would ever be. I was too blunt, too honest for sales. I waved to
Vivian and left to go look at mattresses so I’d have somewhere to sleep
upstairs. After all, if Vivian was helping me with apartment tonight, I couldn’t
have dinner with my family. I believed that was called a silver lining.

“See you
tonight, Ryan,” she called after me.

“Is that
Ryan
Sterling
?,” the woman asked and I slowed down to listen.

“Yeah, her
aunt owns the store.”

I glanced back
and the woman stared at me. I shook my head and went outside. Goodson Hollow
was strange.

*

I hung up the phone with Blair,
who wasn’t thrilled with me canceling. He made me promise I wouldn’t reschedule
the following night—that I’d actually come to the house. I solemnly swore I
would be there, no matter what came up. My mattress was being delivered the
next day, so it was up to Vivian and me to at least get one room clear enough
for it. After the details were all arranged, I went back to the hospital and
stopped at the kiosk to get a coffee before I visited Bee.

“I thought I’d
missed you today,” Jack’s voice came from behind me.

I closed my
eyes for a moment before I turned around. “Hi, Dr. Sadler.” It was better to
keep things professional between us.

“So it’s back
to Dr. Sadler, is it?” he asked with a crooked grin and tilt of his head.

I cleared my
throat, trying to come up with a way to explain that it just wasn’t a good
time, when the barista asked me what I wanted. I ordered a plain coffee and
Jack ordered the same. He pulled out his wallet.

“I’ll get
this.”

“No, that’s
okay.” I laid a couple dollars on the counter and took my coffee. I rushed
forward to the elevator doors that had just opened, happy to have a moment to
think, but the doctor was close behind. He pressed the button for floor ten,
and I held back a sigh.

I stared at
the numbers, willing them to light up faster, but it didn’t do any good.

“I had fun
last night,” Dr. Sadler said, turning so he could look at me fully.

“Yeah, it was
nice.” Nice, but too much too soon.

“Would you
like to have dinner sometime this week?”

“Oh, um, you
know, I don’t think I can. I’m trying to get settled in here, and there isn’t
much time for me to do that since I want to spend as much time with Bee as
possible. Now my family expects me to see them too, and I have the store to
consider—”

He held up his
hands in a surrendering gesture with a warm grin. “I completely understand.”

Did he really
understand the panic and anxiety I had about going on another date with him or
anyone? The elevator seemed to be stuck on the eighth floor. I was about to say
something when the light flipped over to ten. It still baffled me that they’d
closed an entire floor. I headed for Bee’s room, and he fell in step with me.

“Weren’t you
just here?” I asked when I realized he was going the same place as me.

“I was, but I
was called away on an emergency. Now, as luck would have it, I get to visit
with you both.” He ran his fingers through the soft curls of his wavy hair
before opening her door for me.

Bee had
company—a nurse speaking in soothing tones. Mrs. Simpson’s bed looked like it
hadn’t been slept in. It occurred to me that I hadn’t seen her at all yesterday
either. Surely she wasn’t released? She seemed like she was in terrible
condition. “Was Mrs. Simpson released?” I asked Dr. Sadler.

He glanced at
her bed. “She isn’t my patient.”

Bee looked
upset about something. I rushed forward. “Are you okay?”

“Your aunt
just had a little fright today. Nothing to worry about.” The nurse smoothed Bee’s
hair and offered her a small drink of water—her fluids were heavily restricted.