Resurrecting Harry (22 page)

“What will it be, Bess? Are you going to let go of the past and live your life, or stay here, abide Martin and Gail, and drown in it?”

She inhaled slowly, and her body trembled as she exhaled. His mouth against her neck comforted her as much as it thrilled her. When he held her close in the darkest part of the night, it sated her.

Besides, Harry had chosen him.

“You, Erich. I’ll leave with you.”

Erich walked toward the deli for a second time in a matter of hours. He couldn’t shake the blaze of anger he’d seen in Gail’s eyes. He recognized that driving need — to not only succeed, but do one better than before or anyone else. It gnawed at one’s gut and could only be quenched with the sweet nectar of victory. She’d burned Harry with it when grief blinded his instincts, and now she was after Bess.

Gail wouldn’t rest until she was the star of Bess’s séance.

Maybe he shouldn’t have left Bess alone? With a slow, measured breath, he tried to expel the nervous quiver in his stomach. Gail had just left; it would take her time to get home, complain to Martin and for the two of them to form some sort of plan.

After gaining Will’s help, the two of them would return together to collect Bess. He would take her out of this god-forsaken place and on a train to a simpler way of life within the hour.

Once they were back east, he could cement the relationship they had begun to build.

The bustle of the lunch crowd inside the deli grabbed Erich’s attention. He ignored his first instinct — to push himself behind the counter and demand Will’s attention — and instead got in line behind the owner of the hardware store and his wife. Erich tapped his foot and struggled against the urge to scream as the woman reviewed the menu over and back and then placed the same order both Harry and Erich knew to be her usual. She stepped away, and he approached the counter. “The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh?”

Will cocked his head. Of course, the statement sounded odd from someone who’d only spent hours in the shop. “What can I do for you, Erich?”

“I took your advice and talked to Bess. She’s agreed to go back to New York. Can you drive us to the train station?”

“Sure. When?”

“Right now.”

Will laughed, like Erich had just told some epic joke. “It’s the middle of the lunch rush. I can’t take you right now.”

Why did everyone react like he was an over-dramatic school girl or a small child afraid of the boogieman? The danger was more than a figment of his imagination, and he’d save Bess from it, no matter how many laughed in his face. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

“I’ll come by after the shop closes at 3:00.”

He slammed his hand against the counter. “We can’t wait. I have to get Bess out of town before Gail and Martin hurt her.”

“What? Erich, I know you’re suspicious of their motives. Heck, everyone is, but you’re taking this too far.”

“I don’t believe I am.”

Maybe it was because of his determination, or Will’s own fondness for Bess, but the portly man posture softened, and he weighed the issues. “Do you have proof?”

“No.”

“Well, then, I have a business to run. If you’re not going to order something, please step aside.”

Erich reached across the counter and grabbed Will’s arm. “I’m begging you.”
Where had that come from?
Harry would rather die than surrender his pride to anyone for any reason. But, to Hell with Harry and his arrogance. Erich wasn’t about to stand idly and let that group of vultures prey on his Bess.

Will’s jaw set. “The line is stacking up behind you. If you’re so worried about Bess, go back to her place and stay with her. I’ll come by after I close.”

He slumped back from the counter. If he still had Harry’s face, Will and Bess would believe the threats, and they’d be acting on them. Instead they thought he was delusional. Frustrated didn’t even begin to cover the well of emotions pooling inside him. If he couldn’t get Will to come now, then his advice was second best. Erich would keep watch for the enemy in the interim.

Stepping out of the diner, he bristled against the cool breeze blowing up the street. He was used to extreme changes in the weather, but that was back east. Southern California endeared itself as the state of non-changing weather. Drastic shifts like what they’d experienced in the last twenty-four hours were rare and only added to his discontent. Erich rounded the corner and hit a brick wall.

A tall, brick wall wrapped in black leather. Jaden stood in front him, a long, black braid draped over his left shoulder. Not hidden by dark glasses, his eyes sent a chill down Erich’s spine.

“For every step forward you take, you slide back two.”

Games and puzzles. Erich was sick of them, especially now that something sinister permeated the air. The scent of evil was so powerful it twisted his belly into knots. Reading a situation: a gift from Harry? Perhaps. “I got an idea, Jaden, either help me out or step aside.”

“Have you wondered why things have gone from bad to worse since you convinced her to call off the séance?”

“Let me guess. It has something to do with my selfish love for her.”

Jaden tossed his head and chuckled. “Love. Surprisingly, that isn’t the gaffe in the plan this time. How well do you know your Proverbs?”

Erich tried to push his way past Jaden, but that was like trying to wrestle a draft horse to the ground. Jaden held him at bay without any effort what-so-ever.

Erich said, “I don’t have time for Bible verses. Bess is in danger.”

“If you don’t remember them and soon, the waiting will be over.”

Pulling his arm back, Erich prepared to ram it into Jaden’s chest, even if it doing so didn’t clear the path. To his surprise, Jaden evaporated, leaving the street empty. Erich shook off the ominous warning and started running toward Bess’s house. He focused his mind to his body and paced his breathing. The scent of smoke rode the breeze. Maybe someone burning leaves. Another sharp inhale and it became apparent that wasn’t the source. Nor was it the scent of burnt bread or pies put on the sill to cool. This was thicker, heavier, like a campfire accelerated with an igniter and contaminated with plastic and rotten eggs.

He stopped and scanned the horizon and found the black, billowing smoke rising above the trees and houses. The image of Bess passed out in the chair while the pan burned dry on the stove flashed in his mind.

Had she tried again to contact Harry? Maybe drank more of that home-made brandy? She wouldn’t. Not after all his warnings.

Who was he trying to fool? Of course she would.

Erich’s stomach did a back-flip, but even with its contents pushing upward, he quickened his pace, dashing into the street without looking. A searing pain flashed in his gut, and he cradled his would with his hand. The sound of a fire engine in the distance bore down on him. Wheels squealed, but he didn’t even glance back to see how close he’d come to being run down. His life meant zero in the grand scheme. Bess had to be safe.

Why did I leave her alone?
Why had Jaden stolen precious moments that could have been used to prevent...

As he came up on the corner of her street, the sight ahead froze him in his tracks. Bess’s neighbors were assembled on the lawn, gawking at the same truck that had whizzed past him two blocks back and was now setting up in the driveway. His lungs burned and hands trembled. He’d never forgive himself if Bess was caught inside. Sprinting up the street, he called her name.

He joined the crowd as a stream of heat billowed over him. The entire house was engulfed in angry, orange flames. He tried to ignore the thought too horrible to consider and shoved through the neighbors he’d never taken a moment to know in this body. A large fireman blocked his progress. “Where do you think you’re going, Bud?”

“In the house. Bess is in there.”

The hard, mask-like veil that draped the man’s face didn’t shield his emotions. Erich knew the firefighter’s thoughts mirrored his own. No one was inside that house and still alive. “I’m sorry, sir, but as you can see, there’s nothing left to do.”

Something in Erich’s gut told him Bess wasn’t caught in the house. Or maybe he just hoped. He’d rather give Jaden back this body in this fire than go on without Bess. He tried to push past the fireman again. “I won’t stand by and do nothing.”

He never should have left her with such a heavy heart and so many questions. He knew her resolve to contact Harry still lurked, but chose to ignore it. Instead he clung to the notion they had all the time in the world, despite the fact he knew better. Time is fleeting, and fate is a mean-spirited bitch.

The fire roared again, and a flash of heat smacked him in the face, forcing him to look away. The smell of fuel oil permeated the air. Maybe the fire wasn’t caused by Bess’s carelessness, Martin or one of his cronies. Maybe it’d been that damn furnace.

“Whoever started this fire intended to leave nothing in the aftermath,” a firefighter said to the one standing next to Erich.

“You think Mrs. Houdini is still in there?” His partner answered.

“If she is, God rest her soul.”

Hope rose above the anguish. Martin and Gail would have no use for a corpse. They needed Bess to repair Gail’s reputation. They’d probably taken her and set the fire to force him into compliance.

But what to do? Rush to the Cooper’s? That’s what they’d expect, probably want, and it would get him nowhere.

“Are you sure Mrs. Houdini is in there?” Standing square in front of Erich was the firefighter who had held him at bay.

Erich almost hadn’t heard what was said. The snapping and cracking of the beams of the house giving way under the stress of the fire held his full attention. Words caught in his throat, and he shook his head while swallowing the lump that blocked his voice. “I left her here half an hour ago. She didn’t mention going anywhere else.”

“I saw her leave. Ten minutes later I noticed the flames,” the elderly woman from across the street said. If anyone knew the goings-on in the neighborhood, it would be her. “Shortly after
you
left, Dr. Cooper drove up in the driveway. He and Bess exchanged some pretty heated words out here in the yard, but then she settled down and got in the car with him.”

That was all Erich needed to confirm his suspicions. He spun away from them but the firefighter grabbed his arm and held him back. “Did the doctor go into the house?” The fireman asked the neighbor.

“Not that I saw,” Miss Busybody answered. “I went in my house a moment later and didn’t come back out until I heard the explosion. Do you think it was the furnace?”

The firefighter turned to Erich. “The neighbors say you’ve been living here.”

“I have. To help Bess.”

“Or help yourself to Mrs. Houdini’s money?”

Erich’s fingers curled up tight, just like the muscles in his stomach.
Is this what the neighbors think?
“I don’t need to listen to this. I’m going to the Cooper’s and check on Bess.

“If Dr. Cooper never went into the house, then you were the last one in there besides Mrs. Houdini. It’s a little convenient that you were out of the house at the time the furnace exploded. Wouldn’t you say?”

Erich fought the fireman’s hold. “Why would I do such a thing? Let me go! I need to check on Bess.” Another hand gripped his shoulders, and Erich pivoted to see Will.

“I came soon as I heard Bess’s house was on fire. Is she okay?”

“Apparently she left with Martin, but this clown thinks I started the fire and won’t let me go,” Erich said.

“Come on, Frank. Erich’s been a good friend to Bess, doing work around the house. He wouldn’t do this.”

“You smell the sulfur? This fire was started with fuel oil. And enough of it to burn down every house on this block. It didn’t happen by accident.”

“He was up at the deli talking to me. It wasn’t him.”

Erich wanted to speak in his own defense, but Stanley, the police chief he’d served at the deli, approached and addressed the man just identified as Frank. “What’s going on here?”