Elizabeth Basque - Medium Mysteries 02 - Silver Lake (8 page)

Mack sighed. He knew I had premonitions, and that I was almost always right.

“
What was he like?” he finally asked.

“
Oh, he’s a fine young man, Mack. You would be proud of him.”

“
He’s well? Healthy? Happy?” Mack dropped his guard a little. He tried to mask how important these questions were to him, but I knew better.

“
All of the above,” I managed. “He’s happy enough, but…”

“
But what?”

“
I don’t trust Lana. She’s a model, you know.” I said it as if being a model explained my lack of trust.

“
Did you meet her?” Mack asked me.

“
Yes. Yesterday, and again today.”

“
And?”

I didn’t want to tell him. “Stop it,” I barked. “Let me have my own thoughts, please. I’m trying to help you. And Garrett.”

Mack did stop probing into my mind. Good. I downed my beer and went to get another one. When I returned, Mack was seated, floating in my chair and fiddling with my mouse. He couldn’t get it to work.

“
Show me what you found,” he told me.

“
Well, I haven’t found much,” I said. “Move over.”

Mack moved out of my chair and sat to the left of me, but he wasn’t really sitting on anything. Just air.

I sat down. “Mack, I wish you would let me get some more concrete information first. I don’t want to upset you.”

“
Well, you’ve already done that,” he retorted. “Show me.”

I clicked on my mouse, and the engagement photo popped up. “I’ve done some research on Lana,” I explained. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Not for an international model, anyway. She’s climbed the ranks, starting in Europe a few years ago, and graduated to the United States. She’s led a glamorous life…”

Mack invaded my space, floating closer to the computer and passing through the left side of my body. I shivered and scooted over to get out of his way.

He was studying the photo carefully. “What’s that jewelry she’s got on?” he asked, peering closely.

“The ring’s something else, isn’t it? It’s got to be at least three karats,” I said, quoting Julie.

“
No,” Mack whispered. “On her wrist.”

“
It’s a beautiful bracelet. She was wearing it yesterday, too. I’ve never seen one like it.”

“
Well, I think I have,” Mack said. “Zoom in on it.”

I made a few clicks, enlarging Lana’s wrist. The photo wasn’t so high definition that it was really clear, but it was detailed enough.

Mack gasped. “Who
is
this woman?” he growled.

I glanced at him, a little nervous. I didn’t want to see Mack angry again. “Like I said, I didn’t really find much useful information about her…Mack, what’s wrong?”

“I know that bracelet,” Mack declared. “You’re right. There is no other like it.”

“
How do you know?” I asked.

“
Because I had it made. I gave it to Bella as a wedding gift.”

Chapter Fourteen

I was confused. I didn’t see why this would necessarily upset Mack, other than stirring up more memories. “Maybe Garrett found it after you died and gave it to Lana,” I said. “Or maybe Bella gave it to him.”

“No. No, that’s not possible.”

“
Why not?”

Mack rose above me now, and away. I got up. “Why not, Mack? It would be a completely normal, appropriate thing to give to her. She is his fiancée.”

But Mack shook his head. “You don’t understand. He couldn’t have given it to her.”

Mack was right. I didn’t understand. But I waited patiently for him to continue.

Mack was trying to make sense of something, I could see that. He looked into the distance, rubbing his chin with his hands. And his eyes took on that dark look that had frightened me before.

“
Remember I told you that Bella and I honeymooned in Europe?” he said. It was more of a statement. I simply nodded.

“
Well, I wanted to give Bella something really special. I wanted her to be happy. So I had this bracelet designed by one of the best jewelers in Ireland. He’s known all over the world for his work. If I’d known what that witch had in mind for me…” He clenched his fists in frustration. “Anyway, I told the jeweler I wanted to give Bella something that was one of a kind. Something no one else in the world had. That thing cost me a fortune. And when we arrived in London, the jeweler delivered it to me personally. I made him sign a contract that he would never duplicate it. That cost me money, too, but I didn’t care.”

“
Go on,” I said, trying to decide whether to have another beer. “I’m listening.”

“
Bella was delighted, of course. I was glad that she loved it. Well, we continued our honeymoon. We had to work a little, but we spent most of the time relaxing in southern Europe. She had some business to take care of in Portugal, where she had numerous properties. I offered to go with her, but she said she would only be a couple of days.”

The suspense was killing me. “And? What does this have to do with Lana?”

“The thing is, when she joined up with me again, she didn’t have the bracelet anymore.”

“
What do you mean? Surely she wouldn’t have sold it,” I said.

“
No, she didn’t need money. She said she’d lost it.”

My lips puckered into an
oh
. That was interesting.

“
She mentioned that she bumped into some family while she was there. I was disappointed, but she acted so sorry!” Mack looked like he’d been hit by a train. We were both realizing that his black widow, Bella, had been deceitful to him from the beginning. I could tell he was hurt.

“
So, now you think she didn’t lose it after all,” I said quietly.

“
That’s exactly what I think. How could she have? What are the odds, Pauline? That my Bella lost the bracelet, and now it shows up on my son’s girlfriend’s wrist?”

“
But that would mean there is a connection with Bella and Lana!” I exclaimed.

I hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. The realization of this fact shocked us both more than anything else. Mack had a look of horror on his face. I imagine I did, too.

“Oh, Mack. What does this mean? Where is Bella now? Do you know?”

“
No, I don’t. Like I said, I left my home the night I died, and I never went back.”

I began pacing back and forth. I couldn’t get my head around the fact that Bella and Lana were somehow connected. Bella, who had killed Mack. And Lana, who was engaged to Mack’s son.

“They are both from southern Europe.”

“
You’re right.” Mack was so frustrated he couldn’t keep still. “You have to see him again, Pauline. You have to.”

“
But he doesn’t want to see me,” I told him “When I told him I was a Medium, he thought I was trying to scam him. I tried to convince him. I told him to ask me anything about you, but that backfired.”

“
How so?” Mack swooped down from above and came face to face with me

“
Garrett asked me what you gave him for his tenth birthday. I didn’t know.”

“
It was a horse,” Mack said. “A good Arab. Garrett loved horses.”

“
What was the horse’s name?” I asked.

“
Thunder,” Mack answered. “His name was Thunder. Garrett loved him, and he took good care of him. You should have seen them together. Thunder galloped like the wind, and Garrett was a good rider. They were the best of friends.”

This was another memory Mack hadn’t thought about in a while, I could tell.

Then the ghost shook himself. “It’s not important now. You’ve got to talk to him. Go to him, Pauline.”

I could see the genuine concern on Mack’s gray face. I didn’t want to add to it, but I knew I had to.

“Mack, there’s something else you should know about.”

He stood like a soldier, though, prepared for anything. “Tell me,” he said simply.

I told him about the day before, when Julie and I found Garrett’s house. How Lana had another man there, how we’d followed her, and how when she met up with Garrett she didn’t even bat an eye about first kissing this other man, and then later, kissing Garrett.

Mack was ready to explode. In fact, he was so enraged that his fury sent my books and magazines
tumbling to the floor from the shelves, and my kitchen cabinet doors swung open and closed. Even though I was used to ghost activity, Mack’s emotions had caused real physical movement, something I hadn’t seen him do before. He could turn over a chair, lift a remote control or a book, but that was far different than this display of anger.

I put a hand on his cold ghost arm. “I’ll go, of course I will,” I said gently. “Believe me, Mack, I will do anything I can to help your son.”

This calmed him down a little. “I know you will,” he said quietly. “You don’t know what it’s like, having kids. You do your best, and you hope no harm will ever come to them. I don’t want to see his heart broken.”

“
Broken hearts can heal,” I tried to reassure him.

“
Can they?” he asked, as if to himself.

“
Well, Garrett has to be told the truth,” I said.

“
Of course. About that man, Lana’s lover. And more importantly, about the bracelet. I wish I had a picture of it, so you could have some proof.”

“
I’ll do whatever it takes to convince him, Mack. I’ll go to his office tomorrow.”

“
Good,” Mack said, sounding a little more at ease. “And I’m going with you.”

Chapter Fifteen

Arguing with Mack was like hitting my head against a brick wall. When his mind was made up, there was just no use.

I really didn’t feel like holding my class that night, but I couldn’t ask Julie to do it again so soon.

Mack was in no mood for the class either, and when Dan the ghost with the cat showed up, Mack lit into him pretty hard. He scared Dan so badly that I felt bad for the thin, pale spirit and his cat, who’d both ended up disappearing before Mack had finished with Dan.

So, that left the ghost, Mary, for our class, and she wasn’t really all that exciting. She’d decided to appear in a rocking chair and knitted the whole time. A few class participants drew pictures of her, and it was always interesting for the classmates to compare what they saw.

But I was glad when the class ended. Julie helped me clean up as usual, and afterward, in my apartment, I caught her up on the latest details regarding Garrett.

Julie was, of course, mortified. “Oh, Mack!” she exclaimed, looking up at his shadowy figure. “I’m sooo sorry! I wish I could just give you a big, giant hug.”

Even Mack had to crack a slight smile at her genuine concern. “Thank you, dahlin,” he said.

“Don’t worry, Julie,” I said. “I’m going to go see Garrett tomorrow morning.”

“
And I’m coming along,” Mack chimed in.

“
Really
?” Julie could be overly dramatic at times. Or maybe, under these circumstances, she exuded the perfect amount of drama. It would have been more exciting if it hadn’t felt so damned dangerous to me.

“
Really,” I answered dryly.

Speaking of dry, it was martini time. It had been a hell of a day, and I felt I’d earned it. I let my cigarette dangle from my lips as I shook the cocktail shaker. I was a real pro at this.

I glanced through the opening from where I was in the kitchen to Julie and Mack, who were just a few feet away in the living room. Julie was looking wide-eyed up at Mack.

“
Are you going to, you know, show yourself to Garrett?” she asked him.

“
I’m not sure,” he answered, his tone serious. “I would like nothing more, but I think my son will have enough on his mind after Pauline talks with him. I don’t want to overwhelm the lad.”

“
I hate to say it,” I told him as I brought my glass of liquid relaxation into the living room, “but I think you’re right. Let’s get this all out in the open and when it’s sorted out, then you could see your son.”

“
Let me come,” Julie said, excited. “Please? I can help. I’ll have your back.”

I gazed up at Mack, questioning. He thought for a moment, and then nodded.

“All right,” I said, seating myself in my favorite spot on the couch. I tucked my feet under me and took a sip of my drink. God, it tasted good. “But we all have to keep our cool. We want to convince Garrett that he’s making a mistake.”

“
I wish I’d taken a picture of Lana kissing that man,” Julie said bitterly. “That would have gone a long way.”

“
Well, we’ll get through to him. Somehow.”

“
I’ll help you, Pauline. Remember, I’ve helped you before. But it’s getting late. I’d better get home, get some rest. What time should I be here tomorrow?”

“
How about nine?” I suggested, looking at the clock. It was almost eleven. I needed rest as well.

“
Nine, it is,” she said as she gathered her purse. “Mack, don’t you worry. We’re not going to let anything happen to Garrett.”

“
No, we won’t.” I noticed he included himself, but I kept quiet.

Julie blew him a kiss, and he did smile then, and pretended to catch it. “Back atcha, sweetie.”

After Julie left I made myself another martini. Surprisingly, Mack stayed. I could tell by the way he hovered over me and looked down his nose that he didn’t approve, but he didn’t say anything.

He followed me into the living room, and I turned on the TV for him. There was a baseball game on, but I didn’t pay attention. I never did, unless it was the Dodgers. Or the Red Sox. I always felt like a traitor, watching the Red Sox, but Mack loved them, and he told me stories about the players and the team.

That night, neither team was playing, and I had other things to think about. I pondered about the bracelet. How could I convince Garrett that Mack had given it to Bella?

“
That’s easy,” Mack said, reading my thoughts again. “I had it inscribed: ‘Bella Mackenzie.’”

“
Well, why didn’t you mention that before?” I half-mumbled.

“
I didn’t think of it before,” he said. “Sometimes, things, memories, are a bit hazy.”

I finished my drink, and set the glass down. “I’m going to bed.”

Mack didn’t say anything as I got up. I didn’t mind if he stayed. If I knew him, he would be there in the morning to make sure I got up on time.

I made my way to my bedroom, put on my jammies and pulled back the covers and climbed in bed. I doubted the TV would keep me up.

I rested my head on my pillow, grateful to finally be in bed. As I drifted off into my drunken slumber, I tried to hold on to the thought that the next day might be one of the most important days of my life. My thoughts drifted from Garrett to Mack. Mack, who was keeping vigil over me so I could help his son.

And then I was out.

Chapter Sixteen

The next thing I knew, my alarm clock was blaring. I still had one of those old clocks that honked a monstrous noise so loud it would wake the dead. And apparently, it did, because when I hit the snooze button, I heard a tap-tap on my closed bedroom door.

“
I’m up,” I mumbled.

Thank God Mack was gentlemanly enough to give me privacy to get up and get ready. I knew I was no spring chicken. I always looked like hell in the mornings. He kept his eyes on the TV as I ambled into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. While it brewed, I went into the bathroom and began the task of making myself presentable. I remembered a time when it took me less than five minutes to apply just a little makeup. Those were the days. But they were long gone. I had to put Visine in my eyes twice in the mornings now to get the red out.