Mystically Bound (Frostbite, Book Three) (13 page)

Once Zach held the ability to blink again, he
grabbed the piece of paper off the nightstand and he read the
handwritten note. “You have no idea who left it?” At the shake of
my head, his lips thinned. “Why would someone write you a note and
not just tell you? It doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I muttered in agreement.
Which had been exactly what Gretchen and I concluded last night.
“The craziest part is it had to be someone who’s staying at the
house. There’s no other way someone would get into the bedroom
without being detected.” I rubbed my eyes. “It is slightly amusing
that the people who might be suspects, also might be the very same
people trying to help me.”

“Oh, I find nothing about this
amusing
,” Caley grumbled. “I’m trying to stay calm.” Her
eyes bulged out of her head, so she wasn’t doing a very good job of
it. “But you get a note telling you your life is in danger and to
get out, and you slept here last night?”

Even now it sounded as insane as it had last
night. Gretchen had voiced the very same concerns, but only one
truth mattered. “As much as I want to leave—and trust me, I do—I
can’t.”

“Because of Kipp?” Caley asked.

I nodded, giving her no wiggle room to argue.
“Wayde has the answer to save Kipp—for that reason alone, I’m
staying put. Besides, while it seems that someone is trying to
protect me, how can we believe it’s actually that?”

“Meaning?” Zach asked.

Gretchen sighed. “What if the killer is
sending us the note because they want us to leave?”

Zach agreed with a nod. “It could be a way to
push you out easily. Hoping it’d spook you enough to return to
Memphis.”

I snorted. “Well, they’re wrong. I’m not
leaving until I get that damn book to fix Kipp. Anyhow, it’s sad
what’s happened to Alexander and for me to leave him like this when
I’m the only one who can see him seems harsh.”

Caley rolled her eyes. “Now you’re having
guilt over another ghost?”

“What am I to do, Caley?” I implored. “I
can’t want one ghost to be okay and not want it for the others.
What kind of selfish bitch would that make me?”

She hesitated. “But what if all this gets you
killed? Have you even thought of that? How dangerous it all
is.”

“How can I
not
think of that?” I
blasted back, fluffing the pillow at my back to lean against it.
“As it stands right now, there’s no motive for Alexander’s death.”
I gave her a long look. “None at all. Sure, maybe once we close in
on a suspect it would get more dangerous, but honestly, at this
point I’m thinking the case won’t get solved.”

“She’s right,” Gretchen agreed. “Even if we
help Alexander become stronger, I doubt he’ll be able to tell us
anything about his death. From what Tess has learned from him, he
doesn’t know who did this to him.”

“Which means,” I continued. “We’ll be running
in circles trying to look for a suspect who right now is totally
out of reach.”

Zach considered me a moment. “How do you want
to handle this, then?”

With little options, only one plan stood out.
“I think it’s best to continue on like we have. Find a way to get
Alexander to be a friggin’ normal ghost and see if anything comes
of that.” I paused, staring into Zach’s warm eyes. “But more than
anything, I think we need to save Kipp on our own.” I looked at
Gretchen, hating to insult her and hoping it came out gently. “As
much as you trust these people, I don’t. Whatever the note means
and whom it’s from, it’s warning enough we need to act.”

“So, find the Lux?” she asked.

I gave a firm nod. “I’ll do what I can to
help Alexander. Really, I will. But my priority at the moment is to
get that book. If I could solve his death, I would, but what if I
can’t? Then where will I be?”

Her expression darkened, and I continued,
“Exactly. In the same place I am now, only I’m missing Kipp more
than ever. I think our best plan is to strengthen Alexander so he
can talk to us. See if he knows where the book is. I mean, he was
the leader of this group, he has to know, right?”

“I’d imagine he would,” Gretchen said, but
behind that acknowledgment, I sensed her sadness that she, and I,
suspected Alexander’s murder was unsolvable.

I quickly took her hands, loathing I didn’t
have a quick fix to all this. “We never know, in the Lux, there
might be a spell to force Alexander to cross over. Maybe we can
help him that way, or something.”

She squeezed my hands in return, smiling
softly. “You’re right—the Lux might be our answer.” The sadness
cleared from her eyes. “I, too, suspect whoever is behind this
won’t be easily found. My only concern is not leaving Alexander in
the condition he’s in right now.”

“So…” Zach interjected, looking at Gretchen.
“How do you strengthen this ghost?”

Frustration etched into her features. “I have
a few spells that could work, but it’s nothing I’ve ever done
before. I think we need to run them by Alexander. Out of anyone,
he’ll know which one will work for him.”

Zach nodded, then to me he asked, “Do you
plan on talking to him today?”

“As soon as he shows up.” I gestured toward
Gretchen. “She suspects it’s more of a wait-for-him type of thing,
because of his…um…condition.”

Zach shook his head in disbelief and proved
that, even though he believed me, the ghost stuff still shocked
him. “Let me handle the investigation on my end for Alexander’s
death. Max dug a little here in Louisiana and as far as the police
are concerned, the case has run cold.” He said to Gretchen, “Give
me the names of everyone here, plus anyone who you know was close
to Alexander, and we’ll get Max to check ‘em out.”

I curled my lip. “Max will check them
out?”

Zach pushed off the bed, reaching into his
pocket, and took out his cell phone. “He’s here, as is Eddie.”

My eyes widened. “Here in the house?”

He shook his head. “I thought too many of us
would only raise suspicions, so they’re staying at a hotel.”

I swallowed past the emotion tightening my
throat. “You all came here—to help me?”

“Of course we did.” He cupped my shoulder.
“Not only do we want to keep you safe, but Kipp is our family. We
want him back as much as you do. If we help you now it will hurry
this along, get the answers you need and this can finally end.”

I shut my eyes, willing myself not to burst
into tears. At this rate, a serious mental breakdown loomed from my
raw emotions. But as I’d done so many times, I shoved my needs away
and opened my eyes to Zach. “How is Kipp doing? You know, at
home.”

“Brandon hasn’t left his side at the
hospital.” Zach’s voice roughened. “I think he’s waiting for Kipp
to wake up.”

Meaning, Zach kept Kipp’s brother informed
about our happenings. It surprised me that Brandon believed me
enough he waited. Funny how not long ago, I went through hell
getting these men to accept my abilities. Now, it shifted to
everyone trusting that I could actually save Kipp.

My throat closed in, chest tightened, and I
had to force my voice out. “It’s good he’s waiting there.”

Zach smiled softly with a quick nod before
sadness swept through his eyes, crinkling the corners. “How was
Kipp when you saw him?”

Sometimes I forgot I wasn’t the only one
missing Kipp. Now, I couldn’t see anything else but Zach’s pain.
They were partners, best friends, and had been roommates; Zach’s
misery was bare in his expression. “He’s okay.”

“But you still don’t know why he’s staying
there?” Caley asked.

I shook my head, fighting back the tears
welling in my eyes. “To keep us safe, whatever that means.”

Zach dialed numbers on his cell phone. “Are
you going to try and contact him again?”

“She shouldn’t,” Gretchen interjected.

His fingers paused over his phone and when he
glanced up at Gretchen, she continued, “I allowed her to go there
once because I thought it would help. But using magic always has a
consequence.” She pursed her lips, then to me said, “Just as you’ve
learned with the binding spell. Until we know what the consequence
is about traveling into the Netherworld, I don’t think it’s wise to
go there again.”

I hated the thought of not seeing Kipp again,
but… “She’s got a point. Playing around with mystical things
without any knowledge of the recourse doesn’t seem like the best
choice.” As I said it, though, a thought rose. “But Nettie appeared
to travel there and come back.”

Gretchen gave me a pointed look. “How do you
know that? We’ve only read one passage in her diary. Do you really
want to trust Wayde’s word on what exactly happened to her?”

Good point.

“Which means,” Zach interjected. “You need to
get Nettie’s diary to find out if she suffered anything from going
there.”

I nodded. “You know, even when Wayde showed
me the diary, there was something he wanted to hide. What if that’s
what he’s hiding; that going there might be dangerous.”

“All these maybe’s and what if’s…and no
answers,” Caley mumbled.

I snorted. “Welcome to my world.”

The day had come and gone, and nothing eventful
happened. I’d done the binding spell with Wayde, and he sealed his
promise that he did, in fact, know of a way that could put Kipp
back in his body. And I had to promise I’d do whatever I could to
help with Alexander until I couldn’t possibly help any longer.

Caley and Zach stayed for a while, mainly to
visit over breakfast. After that, they returned to the hotel with
Max and Eddie to investigate all the names of members close to
Alexander that Gretchen knew of, including those staying at the
house.

Lunchtime had been the highlight of my day.
Amelia had done herself proud with her homemade beef soup and
grilled cheese sandwiches. Then after I took an incredibly long
shower later that day, she’d prepared a pot roast and potatoes for
dinner. My stomach hadn’t been so happy in a very long time.

I’d gone out to the swamp every half hour to
see if Alexander arrived—and even spent a good two hours sitting
out there waiting—but he never showed up. And that had nothing to
do with the daytime. Spirits were as active during the daylight
hours as they were at night and I preferred seeing them in the
afternoon sun. It made things much less spooky.

Gretchen had figured, as did I, Alexander
needed time to recoup, and we both figured by nightfall he’d arrive
again. Which was why I now stood at the edge of the stinky swamp
again, waiting for that damn orb to show itself.

The night was warm and a breeze fluttered
through the air, rustling my hair. I tucked it behind my ears,
keeping the horribly crunchy strands away from my face. My headache
had lessened some, but still created a slight ache in my temple and
I rubbed at the mild throb. “Is he ever going to show up?”

“I don’t know.” Gretchen settled on the
ground, sitting cross-legged and using her flashlight to scan the
swamp. The beam spread over the tall plants and lit up the dark,
murky water.

I joined her and the grass was slightly damp,
but it beat standing around. My exhausted body still hadn’t
recuperated completely. Perhaps after dealing with the Hannah Reid
case, the demon, going into the Netherworld, and now this, my body
had enough. But my heart and head ran the show now. “Do you think
Zach and the others will discover anything incriminating about
anyone?”

Angling my flashlight toward Gretchen, I saw
her shrug. “Possibly, but even with that information, I’m not sure
how it will help us. Knowing someone is a criminal isn’t proof they
murdered Alexander.”

“True.” I sighed, turning my light toward a
croaking bullfrog sitting atop a lily pad, which paid no attention
to me. “But, at least it’ll give us an idea who to focus on. I
can’t imagine anyone going from no criminal record to murder.”

She snorted softly. “Anyone has the
capability to murder if put in the situation where they have no
choice.”

Wasn’t that true enough? I never thought I’d
kill someone, and still didn’t know how I felt that I took Brody’s
life during the Hannah Reid case, except to know that if I hadn’t,
I would’ve been dead myself. That’s where I left it.

Do or die.

I nearly confirmed her right, but goose bumps
swept over my skin, then I spotted something at the edge of the
swamp taking my already unstable mood and sending it spiraling
downward. “Didn’t I tell you to stay away,” I spat at the two
ghosts.

“Oh, they’re back again,” Gretchen mused.

I didn’t find anything about this laughable.
I’d been doing nothing all damn day and
now
they had come to
pester me. I swore it was built into their ghostly bodies to annoy
Tess at all inappropriate times until she agreed to help.

The older gentleman, who now I suspected was
part of the Glasgow family, approached Gretchen and me, with the
younger ghost in tow. His dark eyes were full of suspicion,
crinkling and creating more wrinkles at the corners. “We have
noticed that Victoria is missing.”

His crankiness made no sense. “Err...that
would be because she asked me to save her and I did.”

He skipped a stepped, coming to a direct
halt, a frown marring his aged face. “She’s crossed over?”

Why was he looking at me as if I’d done
something wrong? And lowering his tone as if chastising me? “Ah,
yeah, it was really kinda sweet—”

He closed the distance between us and folded
his arms. “Don’t even think about doing that to me. I don’t want to
leave. Got it?”

I gawked at him for a few seconds, unable to
do anything else before I said, “Do you honestly think I have a
problem with the idea of not helping you when I’ve done nothing but
asked you to stay away from me?”

His eyes narrowed “I’m making myself
perfectly clear. I’m happy in this state and I don’t want you
interfering.”