I didn’t even see the person standing on the sidewalk until I was only a few feet away from him. For one thing, he was standing in the shadows of the oak tree, out of the light from the streetlamp. But as I approached, he moved and spoke.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding yourself.”
It was Kevin.
I FROZE,
not believing my eyes.
“Kevin?”
“Come on. It’s time to go home.”
I couldn’t seem to catch my breath. “What are you doing here?”
Kevin was wearing an old khaki jacket, torn jeans, and had a beanie clamped down over his short blond hair. He wasn’t threatening me in any way, not physically, anyway. It was all in the attitude, in the way he carried himself and spoke. Kevin Anderson spoke, and Michael Cook obeyed. That was the way it always was. And dammit, part of me wanted to slip into that mode once again.
“I tracked you down,” he said.
“How?”
He looked at me like I was stupid. I was used to that look. “Your cell phone. You can track someone by the GPS on their phone. It’s really not even hard to do. Now come on. We’re going to the Raven’s Rest to collect your stuff.”
I almost moved. Almost. I sucked in air instead and squared my shoulders. “How did you know I was staying at the Raven’s Rest? How long have you been—” Realization dawned. “It was you following me the other night.”
He nodded.
“My God,” I muttered, anger rising within me. “How long have you been in Banning?”
“Just two days.”
“And you’ve been stalking me.”
A sneer found its way onto his lips, making his handsome face ugly. “I wanted to know just what you were up to. But now you’ve had your little fling. It’s over. Time to come home.”
“I don’t think so,” I said.
Kevin snorted. “Excuse me?”
“I can’t go home. I’m already there. Banning is my home now.”
Kevin grabbed me roughly by the arm. He wasn’t big, but he was athletic. I tried to pull away, but he held me tight. “I’ve seen you,” he said, “with that little scruffy guy. The long-haired fuckup from the cafe. Tell me, has he fucked you yet?”
“Leave Trey out of this,” I said through gritted teeth as I attempted to break free of him. Kevin yanked at my arm, nearly throwing me off balance.
And then he hit me.
I didn’t even see the punch coming. I wasn’t expecting it, as he’d never done anything like that before. But my head flew back as his fist made contact with my chin and the pain jolted through me. I somehow managed to stay on my feet, and I quickly brought my hand up to my mouth to examine the damage. My fingers were smeared with red. He’d split my lip.
For just a second there was a look of fear in Kevin’s eyes as he realized what he’d done. Then the steel returned. “You deserved that, you fucker. Now, unless you want me to beat the shit out of you, you’ll get your ass in gear and collect your stuff from the inn. We’re going home.”
“What the hell is going on?” Trey’s voice came from behind me. Apparently he’d looked out his window and seen an altercation was taking place. I turned to see him rushing down the steps, worry written on his face.
Kevin tried to grab hold of me again, but I jerked my arm out of his reach. To Trey he growled, “You keep out of this, you fucking hippie. This is between me and Michael.”
Trey was at my side. He took one look at my bleeding face and then glared at Kevin. “You got a problem with Michael, you got a problem with me, asshole.”
Shaking his head in mock wonder, Kevin said with a chuckle, “And that’s supposed to scare me?”
“Just leave,” Trey said. “We don’t want any trouble.”
He put his arm around me protectively. I’d have been proud of him if I wasn’t so damned scared. I touched my bleeding lip and knew it was swelling. I stared at the back of my hand, now smeared with blood. In the feeble light it looked black, unreal. I had that coppery taste in my mouth and swallowed. That didn’t help.
Kevin took a step toward Trey. “Out of the way, hippie.” To me, he jerked his thumb vaguely in the direction of the Raven’s Rest. “Come on. This is over. Get your ass back home.”
“No,” I said, surprising myself. Trey held me tighter, which gave me even more strength. “I’m through with you, Kevin. I’m sorry, but we just aren’t a good fit. I’m staying here.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.” It was typical Kevin logic. I was stupid; therefore, only he could know what was best for me. “You’re letting this pretty little jerk turn your head, but what you’re really doing is trying to punish me for some reason. Come back home. We’ll discuss it.”
“Good God, you don’t listen, do you?” Trey exclaimed.
“Fuck off, you little bitch,” Kevin said as he tried to push Trey aside so he could grab me.
Things moved rapidly after that, but to me it was as if they happened in slow motion. Trey rebounded from the shove and lurched forward to block Kevin from getting to me. Kevin’s fist came up and slammed into Trey’s nose. I screeched out Trey’s name as he fell back. Kevin kept swinging, even as Trey tumbled to the ground. He crouched over Trey, pummeling him with lefts and rights. I tried to pin Kevin’s arms to his sides, but he was too strong and too incensed. So I jumped up onto Kevin’s back, which threw him off balance. He stumbled, and we went over.
And then I heard the whoop of a siren and saw the flashing blue lights of a squad car.
The cavalry had arrived.
WE WERE
up in Trey’s room. He was in his bed, looking miserable. We’d spent the last few hours at the hospital in Dixon as they saw to his nose, which the doctor informed us didn’t need to be reset and would heal in time. Trey now had, however, a swollen nose, a cut on his chin, and two black eyes to accompany the scratches on his face.
They’d given him some pills for the pain, and he looked like he was barely awake as he forced a smile my way. “I almost had him, you know. Another couple of seconds, and he’d have been toast.”
“Yeah,” I said, grinning. “You’re my knight in bruised and bleeding armor.”
“What did Erin say? I missed all the fun of her hauling your jerk of an ex away, you know, with me lying there bleeding and everything.”
“Deputy Hughes said he’ll spend the night in jail at least. They’re charging him with aggravated assault and several other things, I think even resisting arrest. She told me to get a restraining order as soon as possible.”
“Can’t they just shoot him and be done with it?”
“She thought that might be going too far.” I was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching as his eyelids struggled to stay open. Even with bandages all over his face, I thought he was gorgeous. I stroked his forehead, as that was about the only unscathed spot. “You poor thing.”
“Hey,” he said groggily, “I’m a badass. Badasses don’t require sympathy. We revel in our badassery.”
“Well, now you’ve met Kevin.”
“Yeah. And why were you with him for so long? Explain that to me. Because from where I’m sitting, he’s not worth spitting at.” Trey frowned. “Maybe that’s what I should have done. Spit on him. Much better than fisticuffs.”
“I wish I knew,” I said, and then I kissed Trey’s forehead. “I’d better go. You need to sleep.”
“No, I’m good,” he said, the words barely audible. “I….”
“You’re almost asleep already.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Call me when you get up, okay?”
“You bet.” I kissed him on the lips this time, although gently due to my own damaged face. I felt a little guilty. I came away with a cut lip, while Trey—basically an innocent bystander—had the crap beat out of him.
I crept downstairs to find several people in the foyer. Aunt Janet and Gloria Ramsey were there, with worried looks on their faces, listening to Deputy Erin Hughes, who was filling them in on the details. They all turned to me as I approached.
“How is he?” Gloria asked, a hand on her heart.
“Sleeping,” I replied. “He insists he was just about to open up a can of whoop-ass on Kevin, and that if Deputy Hughes hadn’t arrived when she did, Kevin would be in pieces by now.”
“That’s my son, the little asshole.” She shook her head angrily. “If I get my hands on that guy, he’ll wish he’d never stepped foot in this town.” Flashing a guilty look at Erin Hughes, she added, “I’m just venting. Don’t mind me.”
The deputy nodded. “I understand. I’d feel the same way. Well, I’d best be going. Thanks for the coffee, Gloria. And you,” she said, nodding at me, “get that restraining order. Tomorrow.”
“I will.” I took my jacket off the hook by the door, which elicited surprised looks from Janet and Gloria.
“You’re staying here tonight, aren’t you?” Janet asked.
“I’d like to, but I should sleep, which I won’t do here. I’ve got to work—”
“Oh, honey.” Gloria shook her head. “I’ll get your shift covered. There’s no way you’re working in the morning. You go get a few hours of sleep and then come here and take care of Trey. Believe me, that’ll be work enough.”
I wasn’t about to argue with her. The thought of getting up in a mere few hours and trying not to fall asleep while serving breakfast and coffee was too much to contemplate. “Thanks,” I said.
“You need a ride?” Deputy Hughes asked.
“No, thanks. I’m good.” And I was. My car was parked out on the street.
It took several more minutes before I could extricate myself from the Ramsey household, as both Gloria and Janet thought it was madness that I wished to spend the rest of the night—what little there was—in “that haunted house.”
And, truth be told, I couldn’t explain to them exactly why I felt the need to return to the Ulalume Suite, other than something inside my head was telling me I must. I wanted desperately to stay with Trey and to be there when he woke up in the morning, but something compelled me to return to the Raven’s Rest.
It was nearly three in the morning when I used my key card to open the door of my room, and stepped inside. All was quiet. I arched an eyebrow and spoke to the empty room. “Coleman, are you here?” Feeling slightly silly, I tossed my keys onto the entertainment center and my jacket onto the back of a chair. Sitting down at the bottom of the bed, I took off my shoes and massaged my feet.
I hadn’t really thought I’d get any sleep, but I found myself getting drowsy, so I went into the bathroom and switched on the light, intending to brush my teeth. First I examined my lip in the mirror. It was swollen and scabbing up, but it wasn’t too bad. Certainly nothing compared to Trey’s injuries. I smiled and said to my reflection, “You’ve got to stay with him now. He’s been battered trying to defend you.”
Guilt hit me. I should be at his side. Why had I come back here? What did I hope to accomplish? What did Coleman want me to know? That he and Bryan were dead? We knew that! How they died? Where they were buried? That made sense, but how could I find out if Coleman wouldn’t tell me?
I prepared for bed and got under the covers, leaving just the light on the nightstand glowing. “Coleman,” I said aloud, “I can only stay here two more days. After that, I’ll be in my new apartment. So if you’ve got something to tell me, make it quick.”
I didn’t expect an answer, there not being the feeling that there was any supernatural presence in the room, and I didn’t get one. I switched off the light and was asleep within minutes.
I DREAMED.
I dreamed I was in my bed at the Raven’s Rest, sleeping but not sleeping. Groggily, I sat up, suddenly fully awake. The room was darkened, but I could see a blue-tinted figure standing at the foot of the bed. Coleman Hollis. He was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. There was the name of a rock band and their logo on the shirt, but it wasn’t clear enough to make out. Rush? Led Zep? It didn’t matter. The look on his face was wistful, slightly sad but yet not unhappy. His blond hair appeared white in the milky glow surrounding him.
I sat up. “Coleman?”
Yes
. His lips didn’t move, but I heard him nonetheless, as if the words were carried on a nonexistent breeze. His crooked smile grew.
You’re not Bryan
.
“No,” I answered, “but I’d like to help you find him.”
The figure nodded.
So lonely
.
“Tell me what to do.”
The blue-hued spirit seemed to frown.
So difficult. But I can show you
.
“I don’t understand. What’s difficult?”
Trying to tell people like this. Takes so much energy. Makes me weak. But I can show you, if you let me in
.
“In? What do you mean?”
The figure moved, coming closer. Although
floated
would be a better description. The spirit approached me, his legs not moving at all, coming
through
the bed. The top of his legs just seemed to melt right into the mattress as he neared me. My left leg chilled as the ghost went through it. I hissed, feeling Coleman go right through first my foot and then my calf. He stopped, and I shifted so that no part of me was making actual contact with the spirit, who seemed oblivious to the reaction his touch produced.
He leaned over me.
I need to be with you. Inside your head. Then I can show you
.
I didn’t like the sound of that. “You mean possess me?”
The spirit’s sad eyes bore into me.
It’s the best way. Then I can show you
.
“I want to help, but that’s asking too—”
It will only be temporary. Just to show you. Please. I won’t hurt you. You’re a friend. I can tell that
.
“I don’t know.”
Please. It’s the only way
.
I tried to reason it out. In a strange way, I knew I was dreaming, so did it matter if I agreed? Or was Coleman actually visiting me in my dream? If I let him possess me, would I awake as myself or Coleman or a combination of the two of us?
My mind was screaming at me to say no, that this was too risky. My heart, however, was telling me that I needed to help this young man, even if he was long dead. I’d said I would. And if this was the only way to find out why he was haunting the Raven’s Rest, shouldn’t I give it a try? As long as it was only temporary? I thought of Trey, who’d gone through so much for me. Getting scratched, getting beaten. He was ready to protect me, to do whatever it took to keep me safe. Maybe Coleman needed someone to take a risk for him.