Twisted Paths (22 page)
“I don’t understand it either,” Mary said. “You would think a parent’s first instinct would be to protect and defend their child.”
“Well, thank you for coming to the rescue,” Katie said, reaching over and placing her hand on Mary’s arm. “Bradley arrived just in a nick of time. I don’t know how long I could have lain hidden in the bathtub.”
“That was an excellent place to hide,” Mary said. “Besides, it was your text that saved the day.”
“I just have one question,” Katie said. “Before Bradley came up, when Hope was coming after me, how did you get the bedroom door to slam?”
“Slam?” Mary asked.
“Yeah, the door slammed shut and Hope shot it full of holes,” Katie said. “It was the perfect diversion.”
“Katie, Ian and I drove in after Bradley,” Mary said. “We watched him run into the house.”
“But, someone slammed the door and saved me,” she said.
“Well, maybe Faith was a better friend than you thought,” Mary replied.
Katie exhaled nervously. “Okay, well then, I think I better get home.”
“Are you okay?” Mary asked.
She hesitated for a moment and then nodded. “Actually, I’m good. And I’m grateful to have you as a friend. Thank you.”
She leaned forward and gave Mary a hug.
“You’re welcome,” Mary said. “And the feeling’s mutual.”
Mary got out of the van and opened the back door. “Hey, sleepyhead,” she said to Clarissa. “We’re home. Want to show your dad your new dress?”
“Uh-huh,” she yawned, slowly unbuckling her seatbelt. “And my new shoes?”
“And your new shoes,” Mary said.
Picking up several shopping bags and putting them in one hand, Mary placed her arm around Clarissa’s shoulders and guided her out of the van. “Thanks for driving, Katie,” she said.
“Thanks for buying the dresses,” Katie replied. “Have a great night.”
Mary pulled the back door shut and then guided Clarissa up the steps and into the house. Mary closed the door behind them, but they both stopped as soon as they walked in the house. “Something smells funny,” Clarissa said, as she slipped off her coat.
“I agree,” Mary said. “And it’s coming from upstairs.”
“Is it Uncle Ian?” Clarissa asked.
“No, he’s at Nick’s house, getting rid of the post-hypnotic suggestion,” Mary said. “I suppose we should just go upstairs and see.”
They climbed the stairs and found a second floor hallway filled with furniture and drop cloths. Climbing around the items, they made their way towards Clarissa’s room. The door was wide open and they both stopped and smiled when they saw what was waiting for them.
Bradley was standing in the far corner of the room wearing faded, torn snug blue jeans and an old sleeveless t-shirt, that were splotched with fresh pink paint. He was putting a final coat of paint on the wall with a roller and was dancing along with the Rolling Stones as he painted.
Mary’s heart skipped a beat at the way the muscles in his back rippled as he bent down and then reached up with the roller’s long handle.
“Pull your tongue back in your mouth,” Mike whispered. “There are children in the room.”
Mary blushed. “Shhhh,” she replied, “Can’t you see I’m in lust?”
He chuckled. “Well, Captain Wonderful showed up about three minutes after you left,” he said. “So he must have been watching and planning. He’s been at this all day. I think he wanted to surprise both of you.”
“Well, maybe we can sneak back down…”
“It’s pink!” Clarissa yelled.
Bradley spun around, roller extended like a gun.
“Whoa there,” Mike said. “That thing’s loaded.”
“I love my room,” Clarissa said, hopping from drop cloth to drop cloth to reach Bradley. “It’s the best room ever.”
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Thank you,” she said.
Mary followed Clarissa. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “What a lovely surprise.”
“Do you really think she likes it?” he asked.
“Look Mary, look! My bathroom’s pink too!!!”
Mary smiled. “Oh, yes, I think this is definitely a winner.”
She laid her hand on his chest, rubbing against the tautly stretched cotton tee. “And do me a favor and keep this outfit,” she said, with a soft sigh. “Suddenly pink splattered shirts are even more appealing than black spandex ones.”
He bent his head and caught her lips with his. “I’ll have it bronzed,” he said.
She shook her head. “Oh, no, you really need to wear it…often.”
He grinned and was about to kiss her again when the doorbell rang.
She sighed. “I’ll get it,” she said. “You finish up in here.”
She gave him one more quick kiss and made her way through the cluttered hallway to the staircase. She jogged down the stairs and was surprised to find the front door wide open.
“I’m sure I closed the door,” she said aloud, instinctively slowing her pace and carefully studying the room.
Her heart accelerated as her first thought turned to Gary Copper, and, she decided immediately, there was no way he was going to get past her and up the stairs to Bradley or Clarissa. She slid up against the wall and made her way to the closet where she stored her gun. Reaching up to the top shelf and punching in the security code, she retrieved the firearm.
Making her way carefully through the each room downstairs, she made sure everything was secure. Finally, she walked over to the door and peered outside. No one was on the porch and she couldn’t see anyone up or down the street. She closed the door and slipped the deadbolt back in place, her heart rate slowing considerably.
“Well, stranger things have happened in this house,” she said with a sigh of relief.
Turning to put her gun back in the safe, she saw a card sitting on top of the shopping bags she had just carried in. She walked over, picked up the card and gasped. “
Pleasant dreams, Mary
,” it read. “
Just remember, I’ll be watching over you. Gary
”
# # #
About the author:
Terri Reid lives near Freeport, the home of the Mary O’Reilly Mystery Series, and loves a good ghost story. She lives in a hundred year-old farmhouse complete with its own ghost. She loves hearing from her readers at
[email protected]
Other books by Terri Reid:
Loose Ends – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book One)
Good Tidings – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Two)
Never Forgotten - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Three)
Final Call - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Four)
Darkness Exposed - A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Five)
Natural Reaction – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Six)
Secret Hollows – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Seven)
Broken Promises – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery (Book Eight)
The Ghosts Of New Orleans -A Paranormal Research and Containment Division (PRCD) Case File
Table of Contents