Dead Endings: Chapter 4

Alex hesitated. Cailen offered him the other brandy. He eagerly accepted.

“I went to pick up a few things from Chris’ place for his mother…my aunt. The police finally said we could go in, and she wanted some of his personal things. I didn’t go…where it happened, but when I went upstairs, I heard something break.”

Cailen nodded him on.

“There were two glass candle holders on the kitchen table. One of them was in two pieces. I didn’t see anything that could have fallen on it, but there it was–broken. So I wrapped the pieces in a paper bag from under the sink and threw them away. Then I went back upstairs to grab the stuff I came for.”

He took another shaky sip of the brandy. “As soon as I got back to the bedroom…it happened again.”

“Something broke?” Cailen asked.

“Yeah…the other candle holder. Neat as you please. Two pieces again.”

“And nothing could’ve fallen on it this time, either? Or knocked it over? An open window…?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. All the windows had been shut and bolted since the police left. I was terrified someone might be in the house, so I went through every room with Christopher’s rifle.”

Cailen inwardly made a face at the thought of this shaky guy walking around with a gun, but she schooled her expression into one of agreeable interest.

“No one?”

“Not a soul. I couldn’t understand it, so I just left it there and went back upstairs to get the boxes.”

“And then?”

“And then…I heard clicks.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Uh…like a clock?”

“No. Clicks, like things unlocking. Everywhere. So I went to the top of the stairs and looked down into the kitchen.” The young man bit his lip until it turned white.

“All the cabinets were open. All the drawers, the doors, the windows. Everything was open.”

The baby giggled again in the background, and Alex started at the sound. Cailen reclaimed the brandy glass and set it safely on a shelf. He stared at his now-empty hand a moment longer, then looked back up to meet Cailen’s serious gaze.

“It’s not possible,” he said. “There was no one there. I checked. And when I turned back around to get the stuff and get the hell out of there…I…I saw him in the bedroom, by the window.”

“And you’re sure it was him?”

A nervous bubble of laughter escaped Alex’s lips.

“He looked right at me. It was Chris. Chris, with wet hands. Wet, red hands.”

Cailen grimaced. Oh, the dead and their flair for the dramatic.

“All right,” she told him. “Come with me. Let’s sit down and go over this.”

She put a firm hand on Alex’s shoulder and steered him down the corridor by the stairs until she found an empty, lavishly decorated study. As they passed through the doorway, she turned and managed to catch Gabriella’s eye. Cailen jerked her head, motioning for her roommate to follow, and sat the unsteady man down in a plush, leather chair.

Gabriella entered a moment later and shut the door until only a crack of light from the outside shone through. Alex regarded her presence with obvious reluctance. He started to rise, but Cailen put a hand back on his shoulder and urged him down.

“Alex, this is Gabriella. Gabriella, Alex.”

“Pleasure…” Alex croaked, looking like an animal that wanted to flee.

Cailen kept her hand clamped tight on his shoulder and added, “Gabriella, Alex has seen Christopher.”

“Now, wait a second–”

Gabriella kneeled in front of the chair until she was eye level with the young man. Cailen didn’t doubt that she was also purposefully blocking his way, should he try to bolt. Gabriella wasn’t shy about tackling when she needed to.

“Alex, please wait. Tell me about Christopher.”

“I…” He glanced up at Cailen and she released her grip, hands spread in apology.

“We believe you. Seriously.”

“You…believe me? I don’t believe me. Tell me that it was the wind or something! A burglar! Anything but Christopher!”

The women exchanged a look. Gabriella stood and leaned against the edge of the desk.

“I know it’s not something anyone wants to see, but your eyes didn’t deceive you. Sometimes the dead linger.”

Alex buried his head in his hands. “Why is he still there?”

“Spirits that stay are usually here because they can’t let go. Trauma, unfinished business, regrets… Judging from how he died, any one of those things could be holding him back.”

“He was furious,” Alex murmured through his hands. “I’ve never seen him make that kind of face. And the blood–”

“Don’t think about that,” Cailen interrupted. “They can’t help how they look,” she lied.

Gabriella didn’t correct her, and she looked pleased. “Please, tell me what you saw,” she implored. “Tell us everything.”

With a sigh, Alex again relayed what had happened in the apartment, the words coming to him more easily this time.

“When I saw him and he…looked at me, I heard more breaking sounds. I didn’t look–I just ran. I guess that’s like him, though. He always had a terrible temper.”

Gabriella leaned forward. “Do you think that had anything to do with his death? Did he have enemies?”

“Ha. No. Christopher had a fuse about as short as a match, but he was also a fun, generous guy. He never stayed mad for long. Like I told the police, no one had any reason to hate him, and definitely not to kill him. But…you guys know how he was. Where did you say you knew him from again?”

Cailen fiddled with a miniature globe on the desk and left the finer points of lying to the expert.

“School stuff from ages ago,” Gabriella replied confidently. “We haven’t really been in contact for years, but when we heard, we went to pay our respects at his grave. I’m sorry we missed the funeral. We were lucky enough to run into Elizabeth there. She told us where the reception was being held.”

Alex gave a sad shake of the head. “Oh, God–poor Elizabeth.”

“She was really upset. They must have been very close.”

“They were for a long time, but we haven’t seen her in a while. She… Her fiancé died not that long ago. And my grandfather also just passed… Now Christopher. So much death.”

“I’m so sorry,” Gabriella said. “I can’t imagine how terrible this is for everyone.”

“We’re all getting old hat at this funeral stuff. Christopher’s dad practically has the catering service on speed dial.” He laughed without humor. “And now this. I don’t know what to do about any of this. How do I explain to his mom that I left the boxes behind because her murdered son is haunting the apartment?”

Delicately, very delicately, Gabriella broached their purpose. Cailen made a mental bet on how she would approach it.

“Alex, we could have a look.”

“…Why the hell would you go in after what I just told you?”

Gabriella took a deep breath. “We can help with Christopher.”

“You can…help?”

“Help him move on.”

“Now, just wait a second–”

“What my friend is trying to say in her New Age way,” Cailen interjected, “is that you have a problem.”

“I–”

“Do you want those boxes?”

“Yes…?”

“Do you want the dead guy?”

“No…?”

“Do you want people to think you’re crazy?”

“No!”

“Do you want to handle the dead guy, or do you want us to handle the dead guy?”

“I–”

“It’s settled, then.”

“But–”

“Beggars can’t be choosers!”

“But I–”

“And we’re going!” Cailen declared. She pulled Alex up and hustled him out the door. “Have another brandy!” she added as they marched back out into the reception hall.

***

Everett met them on the steps of Christopher Markle’s abode–breathless from jogging the ten plus blocks from the coffee shop, and very surprised that they’d managed to find a way into the apartment. His face grew even more surprised when he spied their companion.

“Hi, guys. Who’s your friend?”

Cailen prodded the sandy-haired man forward.

“This is Alex, Christopher’s cousin. He requested our help.”

“I really didn’t! I–”

Everett seized his hand. “Nice to meet you! Sorry for your loss!”

Alex looked frazzled. “Who… Who are you?”

“Everett Jung. A friend.”

Cailen jerked a thumb toward him. “He’s the hostage I promised.”

“I’m…the what?”

“You’re the keeper,” Cailen added, pointing at Alex.

Gabriella massaged her temples again. Hostage and keeper eyed each other without enthusiasm.

“Anyway…” Gabriella said at last. “Now that we’re all here, let’s do this.” She turned to the bright red door.

Alex fiddled with his lapel. “I…don’t know about this.”

“I won’t force you to let us in, Alex,” Gabriella said. Cailen opened her mouth, but Gabriella silenced her with a hand.

“I won’t force you, but from what you’ve told us, this could become a problem. Sometimes they move on by themselves, but the ones with enough anger to move things, break things…they’re usually not inclined to leave peacefully.”

Alex looked up at the red door before his eyes trailed to the second story window. A breeze ruffled the curtain through an open pane. He fiddled with his lapel again.

“This was murder,” Gabriella reminded him. “I don’t know if we can get anything from him that could help, but if there’s even a chance, I think it’s worth taking. Christopher wasn’t the first victim, and he probably won’t be the last.”

“There were others?”

“There were.”

“Who are you guys?”

“Just people trying to help.”

Alex rubbed the back of his neck and struggled to process this new information.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’m starting to think I just imagined it all, and this is the most elaborate con in the world.”

“We don’t expect you to just trust us,” Cailen said. “That’s why we’re leaving Everett with you.”

Everett started. “Hey! I didn’t agree to that!”

“Everett,” Gabriella pleaded. “Please just stay with him and explain what you can. We might not get another shot at this.”

“And give him your wallet,” Cailen added. “You look shifty. I mean, what if you just run away once we’re inside?”

“Lord, Cailen, you’re not helping,” Gabriella sighed.

Alex looked even more reluctant, so Gabriella slid her leather wallet out of her coat pocket. She held out her empty hand expectantly in Cailen’s direction.

“What? C’mon. I was just kidding.”

“Wallet,” Gabriella ordered. “Now.”

After some grumbling, Cailen complied and Gabriella handed both wallets over to Alex’s bewildered ownership.

“I meant it when I said we’re just here to help, but I understand that this must seem incredibly weird and you need some insurance. We’re not here to steal your cousin’s stuff or make trouble. I promise.”

Gabriella’s sincerity was just as convincing (if not more so) than her lying, and when she wanted to, she could really nail it. Alex met her steady brown eyes with a sigh.

“All right. All right.”

“Fine,” Everett said, a little sulkily. “I’ll stay out here and fill him in.”

“Thank you,” Gabriella said. “We’ll try not to be long. If you hear anything weird,” she added, “just ignore it. You said he likes to break stuff, and I’m not expecting this to be a quiet encounter.”

She shed her anorak and handed it to Everett. Cailen gave a long-suffering sigh and removed her black coat as well.

“Why are they taking off their jackets?” Alex whispered to Everett.

Everett looked down at the garments and raised his eyebrows. “Maybe to avoid getting blood on them…”

While Alex and Everett carried on a hushed conversation behind them, Cailen and Gabriella stared up at the dignified edifice in front of them.

The slim, four-story residence was sandwiched between two equally elegant buildings and decorated by great slabs of limestone cladding. Two wide, double bay windows marked every floor, the lowermost covered in decorative ironwork vines. The whitewashed frames gleamed with fresh paint.

Cailen looked back at Alex with a pained expression. “This whole thing was his?” she asked.

“Yes. It’s been in the family since the ‘20s. He only uses…used the first two floors, though. No one’s lived in the upper levels since our great grandparents passed away.”

Gabriella whistled appreciatively. “I guess that’ll help with the noise.”

Cailen threw her a grim look. “Do you really think it’ll be that bad?”

Her roommate undid her earrings and plucked at her tailored dress sadly. “I didn’t expect us to get in so soon. I would’ve brought my ‘work’ clothes if I’d known.”

“You have a set of clothes for stuff like this…? Oh, gods, what are we walking into?”

“I’d take the earmuffs off,” Gabriella suggested. “And maybe the glasses.”

Cailen shook her head in disbelief, but removed the muffs and handed them to Everett. The glasses would have to stay, though.

“I thought this would be like Warner’s place… What else will I need?

Gabriella grinned. “A sense of when to duck?”

“Great.”

Gabriella accepted the key from Alex, and together they mounted the remaining steps to the door. When they reached the handle, a strange sensation made Cailen pause at the same moment Gabriella did. Gabriella touched the knocker gingerly and Cailen’s ears popped with a painful little tweak.

“Jesus,” she hissed, but Gabriella seemed too distracted by the sudden spike in energy to chide her for the blasphemy.

“Delaney…whatever you do, stick close.”

“Same to you.”

Gabriella turned the handle.

To be continued in Chapter 5.

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