Coldhearted (9781311888433) (6 page)

“
Well, see you guys later,”
Jules said, and then turned to walk away.

“
Hey, wait,” Edie said,
halting her.

She turned around, facing Edie, smiling.
“Yeah?”

“
Um…can I have your card?
With your number? Maybe we can get together some time, talk
about…you know…weird stuff.”

Jules withdrew another card from her pocket
and handed it to Edie. “The GPS is investigating the old Grimsby
Sanatorium this Saturday.” She leaned in, whispering, “It used to
be a mental hospital.” She pulled back and smiled. “Lots of
activity, I’m sure.”

Mason furrowed his brow. “What sort of
activity?”

“
The paranormal kind,” Jules
replied, and then turned back toward Edie. “No pressure. Call me if
you want to go. It’s this Saturday. You’ll meet the others. They’re
big fans of your uncle.”

“
But…” Edie trailed off,
hesitating, and then continued, “but what do you think is inside
the sanatorium?”

“
Ghosts,” Jules replied,
matter-of-fact. “I mean, a mental hospital’s bound to have crazy
activity, right? Scary stuff. But in an awesome way,” she
added.

Edie didn’t need any more scary right now.
But she didn’t want to disappoint Jules...

“
Sure,” Edie said with a
smile. “As long as nothing else comes up, I’ll call
you.”

Jules beamed. “Great.” She turned toward
Mason. “You can come too, if you want.”

Mason gave her a small smile. “I’ll, uh,
think about it,” he said, sounding polite, but not really
gung-ho.

Jules didn’t seem to notice, gave a goodbye
wave, and then headed off to lunch inside the cafeteria.

Mason escorted Edie outside. Light snow was
falling, but she minded her steps, hoping not to fall. Mason sensed
her timid movements and offered his arm.

After she’d wrapped hers around his, he
inquired, “GPS?”

“
Grimsby Paranormal
Society,” she translated.

“
So…Jules is like some…ghost
hunter?”

Edie shrugged. “I guess. We’ve only just met.
She seems nice though.”

“
Yeah, she is. You’re not
really going to that abandoned sanatorium, are you? I mean, it’s
probably locked. They’ll be breaking-and-entering.”

Huh. I didn’t think of that.

“
Well, I’ll ask her,” Edie
said. “If that’s the case, then no, I won’t go. I don’t want a
criminal record. But…I’m sure that’s not the case.”

“
Still…I don’t want you
getting into trouble.”

They’d made it to the student parking lot.
Now they were standing next to his pickup.

But Edie didn’t let go of his arm. “I’m glad
you’re concerned for me, but I’m sure it’s okay. I don’t think
Jules is willing to risk her future, either, over whether or not
there are ghosts in an old, mental hospital.”

Mason wobbled his head.
“Well, you don’t know Jules. We’ve grown up together.
She’s…passionate about the supernatural. Always has been. I had no
idea she was one of those thrill-seeking, ghost hunters, though.”
He paused, and then continued, “She thinks there are aliens too.
She’s obsessed with
The
X-Files
.”

Edie chuckled. “Well, it was a good show. She
doesn’t sound so bad.”

Mason shifted his arm, forcing Edie to let
go, but then he caught her hand, holding it gently. “If you do go
there, let me know. I’ll go with you.”

Edie raised an eyebrow. “Really? But you’re
not a believer.”

“
Neither are you,
right?”

Edie hesitated, and then said, “Right.”

Mason squeezed her hand. “I want to be there
with you, just in case there’s trouble, natural, or…dare I say,
supernatural,” he said in a dramatic tone.

Edie giggled, despite the very real fear that
they may encounter a nasty ghost. She felt anchored to Mason, and
she knew that as long as she had him in her life, everything would
be fine.

“
C’mon,” he continued with a
smile. “I’m starving.”

He opened the passenger door and helped Edie
up into the cab. She adjusted her seatbelt on, and then watched him
walk around the front of the truck to the driver’s side, enjoying
the view. But she was forced to look away, distracted by a dark
shadow in the distance that seemed to be watching her. Then it
detached itself from the school’s bricked wall and vanished around
a corner, like a fleeing wraith. Edie let out a yelp when Mason
slammed his door shut. She’d forgotten about him, immersed in
fear.

“
Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m
not used to having passengers. I didn’t realize how loud I could
be.”

Edie shook her head. “It’s okay. I just
thought…”

“
What?” he asked, and then
turned over the engine.

The truck roared to life, sounding strong. No
one would’ve ever guessed that hours earlier it’d died for no
apparent reason.

“
Nothing.” She forced a
smile. “Let’s eat. I’m hungry too.”

“
Edie.” Mason clasped her
hand. “What’s wrong?”

Edie sighed. “I thought I
saw…someone…watching me. That’s all.”

Mason smiled.
Is he making fun of me?

“
Edie…of course people are
going to stare at you. For one, you’re famous, and two, well…you’re
bound to have admirers.” He let go of her hand, reached up, and
tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. His fingers
were hot against her skin. Yet…she shivered, watching her breath
escape. “Cold?” Without waiting for her reply, Mason turned up the
heat.

“
Thanks,” she said, forcing
another smile.

He gave her a genuine smile back, oblivious
to her deception. They headed out of the parking lot, and then onto
the main road, leading away from the school. It wasn’t the frosty
weather that’d made Edie shiver. Mason’s touch was hot enough to
heat her throughout the winter. No, it was the other touch that
she’d felt: the unseen touch.

A cold, bony finger had traced a line under
her jaw from ear to ear, slitting her throat.

Chapter 6

Edie was wearing Mason’s scarf protectively
around her neck.

He’d had one inside his truck. It smelled
like his cologne and Edie loved inhaling every bit of it.

Jack’s was crowded with every senior from
Grimsby High. A seating attendant directed them to a little table
right in the center of the room so everyone could stare.

Great.

“
What do you think?” Mason
asked, staring at Edie over his menu.

Edie looked around, and then replied,
“It’s…nice.”

Mason put his menu aside. “You don’t like
it?”

“
No, no, it’s just…well, I
feel like everyone’s staring at us.”

Edie looked around for that dark shadow from
the school, but it hadn’t made itself known…yet.

Mason waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry
about them, and believe me, they’re not staring at us. They’re only
thinking about their growling stomachs.”

Edie took another look around and realized
that he was right. No one was looking at them. It just felt that
way.

She turned back toward him with a smile.
“Thanks for taking me here.”

He smiled back. “My pleasure, Edie.”

An auburn-haired waitress approached with her
hair in a loose bun. “Hey, Mason.” She turned toward Edie. “Ah, new
girl?”

Edie smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

“
Rebecca, this is Edie St.
John,” Mason introduced, smiling, proud to show her off.

Rebecca gasped. “You’re Landon St. John’s
niece? Oh, I heard you were coming to Grimsby.” She paused, and
then continued, “I’m sure it’ll be all right, but I’ll ask my
manager anyway.”

“
Ask him what?” Edie asked,
nervous.

Rebecca waved her hand. “To a free meal, of
course,” she said, and then gestured at Mason. “You too, hon.”

Edie felt like a celebrity and didn’t like
it. “Oh, that’s nice, but—”

“
No buts,” Rebecca said,
cutting Edie off. “Now what will you have?” Rebecca was waiting for
Edie’s order, smiling, pen over pad.

“
Uh...” Edie shrugged, and
then looked around at everyone else’s meals. “Burger and
fries?”

“’
Kay,” Rebecca said,
writing it down. “And to drink?”

“
Coffee, please,” Edie said,
still feeling cold.

This lingering finger on her neck was
becoming worrisome.

Mason chuckled, oblivious. “Coffee with
burger and fries?” he said, as if it were the craziest combination.
Yet he was smiling sweetly at her, as if it weren’t a sin.

Rebecca gave him a light slap on his arm. “If
that’s what she wants, then that’s what she gets. Now do you want
your usual? Burger, fries, and a vanilla milkshake?”

“
Milkshake?!” Edie blurted
out, laughing. “It’s freezing outside.”

Mason smiled. “As you’ve reminded me, Edie,
I’m hot all the time. I don’t feel the cold.”

Rebecca bent over, her face close to theirs.
Edie could smell cigarette smoke on her uniform. “You two going
out?” Rebecca asked, curious, obviously in need of gossip.

“
No,” Mason and Edie said in
unison.

Rebecca stood and tapped the pen against the
pad, twice. “You could’ve fooled me. Well…I guess if you won’t fess
up…I’ll put your orders in, and then come back with your
drinks.”

When Rebecca left, Mason and Edie started
staring at each other, smiling.

“
What?” Edie asked, still
smiling.

“
Nothing,” he replied, still
smiling.

Then they laughed at the same time, giddy
with each other’s company.

Edie felt Mason’s scarf caressing her skin.
“Thanks for this,” she said, holding up the tasseled end for him to
see.

“
No problem. I wasn’t using
it anyway. You can keep it, you know.”

“
Oh, no, I—”

“
Yes, stop. It’s yours.” He
smiled. “It looks better on you anyway. It’s not red, but blue
looks good on you too.” He lifted his hand to brush his hair back
and winced.

“
Is your finger okay?” Edie
asked.

Mason appraised the bandage. “It hasn’t
started bleeding again, but it’s still kind of sore.” He wiggled
his finger. “I didn’t know paper cuts could be so brutal.” He
sighed dramatically. “Well, it’s official. I’m never going to pick
up a book again,” he declared.

Edie chuckled. “What about your school
texts?”

“
I’ll get the audio
version,” he deadpanned.

Edie chuckled again. “You’re silly, Mason
Fenwick. No wonder all the girls have a crush on you.”

He furrowed his brow. “Who told you
that?”

Edie hesitated, biting her lip, and then
said, “Jules. She…also said you’ve recently gotten out of a bad
relationship.”

Mason frowned and took a glance around;
perhaps on the lookout for his ex. Satisfied at not finding her, he
gave Edie a small smile of relief, but then frowned again. “We
dated for years. In the beginning it was…fun, but after awhile, she
changed. I changed. I’d thought about ending it sooner, but I
didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and I didn’t want to be alone.
Late last year, she ended it, said she wanted to see other people.
Little did I know that she’d been cheating on me already.”

Edie gasped. “No. That’s awful.”

Mason lifted one shoulder into a half shrug.
“It’s in the past now. I’m over it. Over her.” He caught Edie’s
eyes. “I’m ready to move on,” he said in a determined voice.

Edie’s heart was racing like a jackhammer.
Suddenly, she was hotter than a lava bed. She loosened Mason’s
scarf.

“
Edie?”

Edie looked up into Mason’s expectant eyes.
“Yeah?”

“
Have you made up your mind
about going to that sanatorium?”

Oh. She wasn’t expecting
that question. She was expecting something along the lines
of:
Will you marry me?
Hey, it was possible.

“
Uh, I don’t know yet,” she
replied. “I still have a few days to think about it.”

“
Remember, Edie, if you do
go, I want to be there with you, okay?”

Edie nodded and smiled. “Okay.”

Mason opened his mouth to say something else,
but Rebecca cut him off, arriving with their drinks.

“
Here you go,” Rebecca said,
“and your orders should be ready soon.”

“
Thanks,” Mason said, taking
his milkshake.

When Rebecca put the coffee in front of Edie,
she was so hot, she couldn’t drink it.

“
Problem?” Rebecca asked,
surprisingly observant. Then again, she was a waitress.

“
Uh…can I get a milkshake
too?”

“
Of course,” Rebecca said.
“Be right back.”

Mason slid his over to Edie. “Take mine.”

Edie waved his offer away. “It’s okay. I can
wait.”

“
I insist. Or better
yet...”

With a spoon, Mason dipped out some of his
milkshake and stirred it into her large cup of coffee, mixing the
two extremes.

“
This tastes way better. Try
it,” he insisted.

Edie watched Mason dip a straw into the
milkshake/coffee mixture, and then motioned for Edie to do the
same. She did, and then took a small sip, not sure, but she was
surprised at how good it tasted.

“
See?” Mason said. “Better,
right?”

Edie nodded, silent, and continued sucking on
her straw. Mason was staring into her eyes, as he did the same.
Then he stopped, but continued staring at her.