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Ivy tempted me out of bed with waffles and lots of syrup.
Brody was working on bacon and only wearing boxer briefs. Not a bad view, but I hadn’t been expecting it, especially without the benefit of coffee first.
“Morning,” I said.
“Coffee? Wait, no,” Brody caught himself.
“It’s okay, I’ll get the tea. Thanks for helping with breakfast,” I said.
“You and Paul having a baby? Very cool,” he said.
“Thanks. You two together is cool, too. I’m happy for you.” I grabbed a small glass of Ivy’s ever-present smoothie pitcher while I waited for the tea.
“Don’t go crazy with the syrup.” Ivy put a big plate of waffles in front of me.
“Yes, Mom,” I teased.
We ate for a bit and my phone dinged. “Darla and Frankie are headed over. I can handle the attic now, I think. I have to go in but you can all join me, if you want.”
“Definitely.” Ivy nodded.
A few minutes later I heard voices on the porch. Darla and Frankie just walked in and had keys, so someone lingering there made no sense. It sounded like more than one man.
I took my tea and opened the front door.
Darla, Frankie, and a tall man with angular features and dark hair stood with them. He wore a suit, which for some reason felt odd.
“Can I help you?” I asked the stranger.
“This is Shane Porter. He’s an old friend,” Darla said.
“An old boyfriend of hers who is a necromancer,” Frankie corrected.
I frowned. “I don’t play with the occult. You can leave.”
Shane smiled. “I’m not that sort of a necromancer. I don’t use the dark arts, I’m a Christian. Darla and I met when she was trying to release the dead trapped on the plantation. You’re stronger than us, Dr. Oscar, I understand. I’ve grown in my craft since I tried to clear some of the tortured souls on the plantation years ago. I understand you had a bit more luck. I’ve made a study of stopping the dead for being stuck, being in pain, and attacking the living. Darla explained your unique situation and thought I might be able to help with this problem.”
“De,” Frankie prompted. He was apparently in favor of whatever this guy had in mind
I thought about it. “Mr. Porter, if you can walk through the gardens, tell me what’s out there, and come to the back door in one piece—we might be able to use you. But I spoke to my grandparents last night. I believe I have the answers we need.”
“The gardens?” Shane asked, his confusion obvious.
“Deanna...” Darla sighed.
“If he can’t handle that, he’s at worst a threat or at best can’t possibly handle this house,” I said.
“No problem, I’ll see you in a few minutes. But I thought your grandparents were dead,” he frowned.
I smiled. “They are.”
“You visited them? I understand seeing dead people here but you can project?” he asked.
“I go there when I need to. Heaven’s nice. Haven’t tried Hell. Yet, anyway.” I crossed my arms and nodded toward the gardens.
Darla and Frankie walked inside and I closed the door on Shane. Golems and necromancers weren’t things I wanted to deal with ever. They were gray areas where intentions were rarely pure and power could from above or the devil himself. I wanted to stay firmly with my angels but if I was going to let Darla handle some of my caseload, I had to see how she operated and with whom she associated.
Ivy and Brody had watched the drama from the foyer but were quiet so far. We all headed back to the rear windows and watched Shane enter the gardens.
“What will the golem do?” Brody asked.
“I don’t know. My best guess is nothing, if Shane isn’t a threat. I’m using the golem as a litmus test,” I explained.
“He’s fine. He’s got a church,” Darla said.
Ivy and I shared a look. We’d dealt with our share of “church people”. “You brought me a necromancing preacher?”
“I was trying to help. Frankie didn’t sleep well last night.” She hugged her fiancé.
“I get it. You love my brother. Cute. I also know this business. You both will get duped by demons and spirits that are strong. They act like a lost little kid or a confused old lady and bam, they’re in. If you’re going to flip haunted houses, you can’t fear them or trust everyone who presents nicely,” I warned. “I’ve had demons trick me into believing they were my own brother. An old boyfriend would be a breeze to replicate.”
“I’m not afraid. She’s overprotective,” Frankie said.
“I don’t like that golem and I need to figure out who helped Paul make it. He’s not sharing but the last thing I need is a necromancer around. He can help with this one thing as a test. If you want to use him on your cases, fine. I don’t need more new people around. We clean the mansion and circle the wagons until the kid is in school,” I said firmly.
Brody cleared his throat. “Look, I know I’m new back here. But with the baby and Greg complications, any supernatural juice on the side of good is a bonus. Ivy and I will go check out his church on Sunday.”
“Why?” Ivy asked.
“I’m not Catholic. I know you liked the garden idea but maybe another church would do? At least it’s a good excuse. We can check this guy out a bit more for them,” Brody suggested.
“Thanks, but I still don’t want more new people around. Besides, I thought you were getting married in the bar,” I said.
Ivy shot me a deadly look like only a drag queen could.
“Sorry, baby wants wedding cake. Wait, we have waffles and bacon. Tell me if the old boyfriend lives through the golem crap,” I said.
That was the moment I knew baby had taken over. I added syrup when no one was looking and let the two couples squabble.
I had eaten half a waffle before there was a knock at the back door.
Darla opened it.
Shane looked as neat and clean as when he’d presented himself at the front door. “Your golem is on guard, but he didn’t come after me.”
I shrugged. “Okay. Coffee?” I asked.
“Please.” Shane nodded.
Brody poured the coffee.
“I hope you don’t mind but I need to eat before we chat. Breakfast?” I offered.
“I’m good, thank you.” He looked around. “Beautiful old home.”
“Thanks. I hear you have a church. Not that I’m looking for one,” I warned.
“I’m not looking to convert anyone. My attendance numbers are good. I don’t advertise my other abilities. Those who need me, find me. Darla told me your case is personal, related to your family. That has special concerns,” he said.
“It does. We’ll need to talk to the spirit. I appreciate the offer to help, but I’ve got this. I have more information now,” I said.
“But the spirit might still take out their wrath on you. You’re related to the person they have a problem with. This spirit knocked Frankie off his feet. Right?” Shane asked.
I nodded. “You think because you’re not related that you’ll have more of an effect?”
Shane smiled. “I think a neutral party can’t hurt.”
“Neutral is not good. You’re on our side, the side of the living. The Oscar side. The good and not evil side.” I folded my arms.
He nodded. “I understand. The safety of the humans is priority. Your baby included, of course.”
“Good, I want the woman to move on and have her afterlife. Judgement isn’t our job. I don’t care where she goes, up or down. I don’t know her life. I just don’t want her taking out her drama with my grandparents on me, my brother, or my daughter,” I said.
“You can wait here if you like,” he said.
“No, I believe I have to be there. She needs to talk it out with a member of the family. We’ll play it by ear.” I put my dishes in the sink. “Ready?”
“De, maybe we should wait for Paul. Do it tonight, okay?” Ivy suggested.
“Paul?” Shane asked.
“My husband,” I replied.
Shane stood up. “If it makes you feel safer.”
I smiled. “He’s a doctor so if someone is injured, he’s handy. But we’re doing this now.”
I led the way upstairs and everyone followed.
Frankie and Brody worked the ladder and Frankie went up first. I followed and Shane brought up the rear with Darla.
I could see the four beings left. Our jilted old lady seemingly controlled the other three.
“Marian, you’re really advanced if you can control other dead people. Did you curse them like you tried to curse my grandmother?” I asked.
The ghostly figure glared at me. She was regal and well-dressed, her hair pulled up in a bun.
She nodded. “I only want justice. She stole the love of my life.”
“Neither men nor women are property. They can’t be stolen. You weren’t locked up here, you chose it. Even after my grandfather crossed over you didn’t follow him. Why?” I asked.
“I wanted to win more than I wanted him. I wanted revenge. To see your grandmother suffer,” she confessed.
“She’s dead, too. Why are you still here?” I asked.
“To torture us,” Frankie snorted.
Marian smiled.
“But you’ve been restricted in here for years. You’re really just avoiding judgement. If you go to Heaven, you have to let go of your past. That’s where my grandparents are. That’s where your husband that loves you is. If you go to Hell, I don’t care. You think it’s more fun here because you control these poor souls?” I asked.
“I was cheated of the life I deserved. Your grandparents did that. They weren’t even happy for long. I could’ve made him happy,” she yelled.
“And instead of going to be with him now, you hold these other dead people hostage to torture them? That’s not indicative of a nice person,” I reasoned.
“You dare judge me?” she railed.
“That’s not up to me. But if you want to show you’re a decent person, let them go,” I said.
“Sounds fair,” Shane said.
“You won’t give me peace,” Marian said. “Someone must pay for what your family stole from me.”
“Nope. You’ll have to leave or I’ll park angels up here around the clock to personally torment you every day,” I warned.
“It’s not worth it,” Shane prompted.
“We’re trying to be nice here,” Frankie added.
Marian closed her eyes and I felt the power shift.
“Death!” I called.
“What’s she doing?” Shane asked my brother.
Frankie smiled. “She’s got friends in high places.”
“Death? I swear...” I warned.
A sullen teenage girl in all black appeared.
“That’s sad,” I said.
The Goth girl nodded. “Overdose. What’s going on?”
“Marian has released her friends. Take them. If she’s smart, she’ll let you take her, too,” I said.
My angels arrived and stood between me and Marian. Death wasn’t the problem.
“I won’t go. I want another life,” she demanded.
Death absorbed the others, but Marian held fast.
“We can’t give you that. Unless you’re trying to possess another human, which you can’t or you would’ve already,” I said.
“Crap, De, shut up!” Frankie said.
“What?” I asked.
“The baby. She wants to possess the baby,” Darla whispered in horror.
“That’s insane,” I said. “Not even possible.”
“You don’t know that,” Marian said. “Invade the fetus and kill you from the inside? Or wait to be born and burn down the mansion. Even if I can’t possess the baby, I can befriend her. Trick her into believing I’m her grandmother and get her to do my bidding,” Marian said.
The sudden burst of fury blew my control. I hurled my every molecule of my power at her; a mother’s rage had been nothing but a trite saying to me until that moment. “Off my property! This is my world. The world of the living. You are banished to Hell now,” I ordered.
Marian darted.
Shane reached out and froze her. I redirected my power and together we had her. Death eventually consumed the struggling ghost.
“That was weird,” Death said, curling a pierced lip.
I leaned on my brother, exhaustion consuming me.
“Bad sis, putting out too much energy.” Frankie hugged me.
“I had to. She was so obsessed with revenge.” I shook my head. “Shane was helpful in holding her. Thanks.”
Darla smiled. “Allies are good.”
I nodded. “It’s really free in here. Clear.”
“It got quiet all of a sudden up there,” Ivy called up from the hallway.
“We’re good,” I called back down.
“Come on back,” Brody called.
I was the first one down, everyone trying to handle me like I was fragile.
“What’s for lunch?” I asked.
Ivy laughed. “You got this.”
I hugged her as everyone else vacated the attic that was now simply an attic.
“Think she’s duking it out with Gran now?” Frankie asked.
I rolled my eyes. “That crazy woman went to Hell. She’s not getting out.”