Viator (The Viator Chronicles Book 1) (30 page)

He laughed. “No. It’s nothing—just some business. I’ve got to get back to it, so I’ll see you Saturday.”

“Yes. Thanks again for the roses.”

“My pleasure. Bye.” He hung up.

Erin sat still for a few minutes. She couldn’t get rid of her anxiety about his business and those men from sent by Grekov. She helped Matt put their bowls of soup on the table, poured three glasses of milk, and they sat down to eat.

The wind and rain blew past that night and by morning the sky had cleared. A few clouds hurried across the sky, and the breeze kicked up whitecaps, but the sun shone. Erin had slept well, and her day was busy. It was nearly six o’clock, and she was cleaning up for the weekend when the store phone rang.

“Anacortes Music. This is Erin.”

There was silence on the other end of the line.

“Hello?” Erin said.

“Erin Holley?” said a man’s husky voice.

“Yes. Can I help you?” Erin said.

“You live on Gibraltar Road?”

Erin stood up. “Who is this?”

“Relax. You have nothing to worry about … as long as your friend fulfills his obligations.”

“What? What friend? Who is this?” Erin asked.

“Give him my message.”

Erin heard the click of the phone as the caller disconnected. She hit the button to retrieve the last incoming phone number. It didn’t look familiar at all—even had a different area code, so Erin punched the numbers into her phone. It rang ten times before she gave up. She replaced the receiver and sat wondering. Could this be one of those men Gary had spoken to at Deception Pass? She dialed Gary’s office number and left a message on his voice mail, left a message at his home, and tried his cell number. He answered.

“Arthur here.”

“Gary, it’s Erin.”

“I’m just about to go into a meeting. Can I call you back?”

“Do you have just a minute?” She frowned and sat in her chair facing the window.

He paused. “Sure. Go ahead.”

“I just received a phone call from someone who wants to make sure my friend fulfills his obligations. Do you have any idea what that’s about?”

He was quiet for a minute before answering. “Why would I?”

“You’re the only person I’m seeing.”

“You have other friends. It could be anyone.”

Erin grew angry. “My first thought is that it’s one of those men working for Grekov. They did not strike me as being overly ethical.”

Gary laughed. “You have a good imagination, baby. That’s just business—they’re not going to call you. They’re certainly not going to threaten you. I really don’t know anything about this.”

“They seemed pretty threatening at Deception Pass.”

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing. Look, Erin, I’ve got to go. We can talk about this more tomorrow.”

“All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Gary disconnected. Erin drove home as quickly as she could, keeping an eye on her rearview mirror.
Was Gary telling the truth?
She hoped so. She was afraid for him.

Chapter 43

The streetlamp threw a faint, cold light onto the ground, barely illuminating the sidewalk and path up to the little house. The still air smelled heavy and damp. Erin stood on the sidewalk shivering in the cold, staring at the pale house. A boxwood hedge bordered the walk to the door, separating it from the dry lawn. There were no stars or moon. The sky above seemed murky and dense, and Erin’s gaze wandered from it to the silent house. She felt the presence of a dreamer inside.

Erin took a step up the path and stopped. The still air felt tense as a bowstring, almost as if her movement would cause it to snap. She sucked in a breath and held it, her heart beating fast. Standing still, she scanned the house with her mind, reaching into every corner, searching for the dreamer and the possible presence of mortifers. She sensed the icy cold inside the house, but all she could find was the dreamer.
No. What was this? Two dreamers? Strange
.

After taking a long look into the edges of the darkness up and down the street, Erin silently drew her sword and walked up the path. Each step was a struggle, and when she reached the door and put her hand on the knob, she felt the cold through her glove. She turned the handle and cracked the door open.

Pale light from the streetlamp lit up the room, revealing a dusty wood floor and an old sofa covered with a blanket facing the doorway, empty. Beyond was a hallway. Erin crept past the sofa and into the hall, and her teeth began to chatter from the cold. Several rooms opened off the passage. The house was much larger than it had appeared from the street. Erin scanned each room as she passed, but she felt drawn to the door at the end of the hall.

The silence and cold were numbing her, and her steps slowed as she neared the door. She turned the handle and looked down a stark wooden staircase into complete blackness. She stared into the dark until her eyes adjusted and she could see the shape of the bannister, then she started down the stairs.

Her feet were silent on the steps, but her ragged breathing was loud in her ears, and she crept slowly into the cold basement. The stuffy air smelled faintly sweet like rotting fruit. She clamped her teeth together to keep them from chattering, but she couldn’t stop the loud pounding of her heart. No sound came from below.

When she reached the dirt floor, she slowly turned around and tried to peer through the darkness. The dreamer should be here, but where? She stepped away from the stairs.

A hand grabbed her hair, jerked her head back, and a knife pressed against her throat. Her sword hit the ground with a dull thud. She gasped and felt the knife graze her flesh; a trickle of blood ran down her neck. She froze.

“Erin, is that you? Shit.” Gary’s voice boomed out into the dead air. A match flared and a candle was lit. Gary’s face shone in the yellow glow. “Dammit, Bagley. It’s Erin. Let her go.”

The knife was pulled away, and Bagley let go of her hair. Erin whirled around. “What the hell are you two doing? Look at this—you’ve cut my neck.” She wiped the blood off her throat and showed them the wet crimson on her glove. She looked from one to the other. Bagley just stared at her, but Gary sat down on a chair with a smile on his face.

“Don’t you realize this is a dangerous place? I can feel it. You’re in danger here,” Erin said.

Gary stood up and walked toward her, still smiling. “This is just a dream. Except for you.” He put a hand around the back of her neck, pulled her to him, and kissed her.

She pushed him away. “This isn’t a joke.”

His brow knotted into a frown as he looked at her. “No. But you took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting you.” He looked her up and down. “Baby, you look good. I like your dress.”

Instead of her usual black pants and jacket, Erin was now wearing a short, slim red dress, cut low in the back. “This is obviously your dream,” she said.

“Oh, is that how this works?” Gary said with a grin. “I just couldn’t resist.” He turned around, and Erin felt the warmth of her own clothes wrap around her again. She picked up her sword, sheathed it, and grabbed Gary’s arm.

“Let’s get out of here. Come with me—we’ll go where it’s safe,” she said.

He glanced at Bagley. “All right.”

“Arthur,” Bagley said.

“What?”

“This’ll be a problem.”

“I’ll deal with it.”

They followed Erin up the stairs and out of the house. She held them each by the arm. “Think of another place—a peaceful, safe place. Remember what it was like in Fiji, Gary. The sand, the sun, the incredible blue water.”

He smiled at her. “We’ll have to go there together some day.” He reached out to touch her but faded and was gone.

She paused and turned to Bagley. “Tell me about a wonderful place you’ve been—someplace you’d love to go back to someday.”

“I don’t have a place like that.”

“Then think of home. Think of your own bed, of being at peace. Feeling safe.”

A few minutes later, Bagley was gone.

Erin frowned.
Gary and Henry Bagley? Who had they been waiting for?
She walked down the street and faded into the darkness.

Chapter 44

Erin leaned toward the mirror to watch closely as she smoothed the ruby lipstick over her mouth. She blotted her lips on a tissue. Aleesha liked it when her guests looked their best. Erin’s white silk pants and blouse made her look cool and breezy, and with her hair piled on top of her head, she felt elegant. She walked downstairs to wait for Gary.

Gwen and Matthew were already at Edna’s, so Erin poured herself a small glass of white wine and stepped outside into the garden. The air was mild, and she slipped off her sandals as she walked down the path to the beach. The sun had warmed the rocks, and she stood on them at the edge of the beach to look out across the Sound. Gary would arrive soon, and Erin struggled to keep herself composed. Bits of her dream of the night before were vivid in her mind, and she felt a chill of fear when she remembered the knife at her throat. She didn’t want to believe these dreams had any connection to reality, but she couldn’t be sure. She had enough questions to frighten her.

She heard the crunch of gravel on her driveway. She gulped the rest of her wine and walked back to the house, arriving as Gary got out of his SUV.

“You look ravishing,” Gary said. He kissed her lightly and grasped her elbow, leading her to the back of his car.

“Thanks,” Erin said. “How was the drive?”

“Not bad,” he said, smiling. “Where are Matt and Gwen?”

“They’re at Edna’s already.”

“I brought them some presents.”

Gary opened the back of his SUV. Inside were two new bicycles. Erin’s mouth dropped open as she stared at the bikes. The boy’s bike was silver, and there was a smaller purple girl’s bike. Gary’s grin was as big as she’d ever seen.

“Matt’s bike was wrecked—he needed a new one. Of course if I got one for Matt, I had to get one for Gwen. I had a lot of fun picking them out. Do you think they’ll like them?”

“Do I think they’ll like them? Are you kidding? They’re going to be thrilled—but Gary—you shouldn’t do this.”

Gary pulled her to him, wrapped his arms around her. He spoke softly. “I want to do this.”

Erin kissed him. “You’re wonderful. What can I say?”

He squeezed her close. “Mmm … I like hearing you say that. Let’s get the kids so they can see their new bikes.”

Erin laughed. “All right.”

Erin went to Edna’s while Gary unloaded the bicycles. She came back in just a few minutes with the children and Edna.

“Awesome! Mom, did you see this?” Matt said as he looked over his new silver bike.

“It’s a princess bike!” squealed Gwen as she clapped her hands.

They both hopped on their bikes and rode them around the driveway for a few minutes. Erin slid her arm around Gary’s waist, giving him a quick hug.

“I didn’t know when I was going to be able to get a new bike,” Matt said. “Thanks, Gary. It’s awesome.”

“Thanks, Gary,” Gwen said, and she hugged him.

“I’m glad you like them,” Gary said.

Erin looked at her watch. “Let’s put the bikes in the garage for now, kids. Gary and I have to go. You can ride them more tomorrow.”

After the kids put the bikes in the garage and Edna took the children home, Erin and Gary walked into the house to get her purse, and he went to the refrigerator and pulled out the bottle of wine. He poured himself a glass and refilled Erin’s.

“Thank you,” she said. “What a surprise. I never dreamed you would do something like that.”

Gary peered at her over the top of his glass as he drank his wine. He put his glass down. “I’d do anything for you, you know.”

He walked to the window to look outside. She followed him and stood beside him to gaze at the water.

“Did you get any more scary phone calls today?” he asked with a grin.

“No.” Erin frowned. “Are you making fun of me?”

His eyebrows shot up as he looked into her face. He kissed her then, long and slow. When he stopped, Erin pulled him close and kissed him again.

“Mmm,” he said. “Are you sure we have to leave soon?”

“Yes.”

Gary laughed as she grabbed her purse and pulled him out the door.

Cars lined the street in front of Aleesha’s house, and they had to park in the next block. Aleesha opened the door as soon as they knocked.

“Erin, you look like an angel in that white silk,” Aleesha said. “And Gary, it’s so good to see you again. I think the last time I saw you was at dinner here.”

“It’s been too long.”

Bruce approached them and wrapped his arm around Aleesha’s waist. He smiled at Erin. “I’m glad you finally got here. Michael was afraid you might not come after all.”

Erin blushed and glanced at Gary, who frowned slightly and looked at her. Aleesha laughed at Bruce and kissed him. “What do you mean, darling?”

Bruce shook his head and winked at Erin, then turned to Gary. “You look familiar. Have we met? I’m Bruce.”

Gary shook Bruce’s hand. “Gary Arthur.” His brow was still knotted, and Bruce’s smile dropped from his face. He glanced back at Erin.

“Aleesha, your house is packed. How many people have you invited?” Erin said.

“Nearly twenty tonight, dear. With the nice weather we can eat outside, and I’ve borrowed some tables for the patio. It’ll be so much fun.” Aleesha turned to Bruce. “Would you get something for Gary to drink? I’ve got to talk to Erin in private for a minute.”

Bruce looked at Aleesha with wide eyes and nodded. He asked Gary what he’d like and led him to the bar that had been set up in the living room.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into Bruce,” Aleesha said. “Come into my room where we can have a word in private.”

She grabbed Erin’s hand and led her through the crowd. Erin tried to squeeze past a large woman who moved into her path, and she tripped over the woman’s shoe, falling hard into a man standing nearby. He turned and grabbed her arm to keep her from falling to the floor. It was Michael.

“I’m so sorry. Are you all right?” Erin said.

“I’m fine—you?” He held onto her arm.

“Yes.” She straightened her hair as Aleesha came back to see what had happened. She grabbed Erin’s hand again. “I need to talk to her first, Michael, but I’ll bring her back.”