Liam set his fork down. There are lights on because I had an electrician out. The lightbulbs are all new. I left a light on inside the living room, and one on the front porch.
Sir, the lights are coming from an upstairs bedroom. The lights didnt bother Mr. Liam could hear papers rustling as Jack checked his notes Mr. Tom Lewis, from New York City. What bothered him is that he could swear he heard a scream.
All right. Im going out, he said.
He slid off his bar stool. Hed been alone thus far that night, though Katie was working her Katie-oke, and he knew that David would be in soon. Clarinda had taken his order and delivered his food. She came by as he stood. I take it youll be wanting this reheated when you get back?
He smiled at her. Yep, thanks.
The Merlin house again?
Yep. What made you say that?
She grinned at him. You dont usually leave your dinner for drunks on Front Street.
He nodded, thanked her and assured her that hed be back.
On the street, he looked for Bartholomew, but he didnt see the ghost, who usually hovered near or around him. It disturbed him to realize that he wished that Bartholomew was around.
He wondered if he should call for backup, but decided that he would be able to see in the house that night, and he wanted to move in quietly himself.
So thinking, he parked out on the road and walked onto the property.
When he reached the house, he moved quietly up to the porch. When he touched the front doorknob, he carefully twisted it and once again found it open. He pressed it inward carefully, remaining as silent as he could.
To his surprise, he heard conversation coming from the kitchen. Look, none of this stuff is worth stealing. I thought we could find some small thing that would bring in a few bucks, something that no one would notice, and maybe sleep a few nights in a place that wasnt a hellhole, someone said. But theres nothing. Were going to take a shrunken skull? There arent even any amulets or anything on that ragtag excuse for a mummy. And guess what? I dont like this place! Its creepy and scary. That damned door opened as if the house was sucking us in!
Dont be ridiculous. This is a housethats all there is to it. Things are things. The dead are dead, and I dont know about you, but Im certain theres got to be something that doesnt weigh a hundred pounds and can be sold easily, said a second speaker. Hes supposed to have all kinds of jewels, diamonds and so on.
You know what? Youre wrong. This is bad. I dont feel good about taking anything out of this place. It may be cursed, you know? said the first voice.
There seemed to be a slight hesitation between the two; Liam almost moved forward, but then the second speaker said, All right, so the house isweird. Creepy. We look fast, we get outfast. Hey, I was always kind of close to old Merlin. Ran errands and stuff. He owes me, honestly. So, nothing creepy will happen if were just careful about taking what we need, and not robbing the place blind.
It was enough. Aware of his gun in its holster beneath his light cotton jacket, Liam stepped forward, walking casually into the kitchen.
The first man, with scraggly blond hair and a scruffy face, let out a startled yelp.
The second one spun around as if he were ready to pounce on the threatened danger; he saw Liam and backed down.
Liam knew them both.
The scruffy blond was Gary White, a guitar player who wasnt bad, with a voice that, likewise, wasnt bad. He could get work. Thing was, while he wasnt bad, he just wasnt good. That meant he didnt work all that often, but he was still convinced that hed get rich one day, that hed be discovered in Key West. His last name fit himhis hair was so bleached out by the sun, it was platinum, nearly white.
The second man was Chris Vargas. He was dark haired, about a decade older than Gary, an inch taller, and he couldnt play guitar at all. He had a beat-up old rickshaw, and made money running tourists up and down Duval Street. He had a home in a tiny apartment above the garage of a house on the south side of Old Town.
What the hell are you two doing? Liam asked tiredly.
Gary looked at Chris in alarm. His mouth began to work. Uhuh.
That was all that he could come up with.
Vargas said, Oh, hey! We saw lights in here. We knew that old man Merlin just died. We thought wed better check it out.
Vargas, you ass, I just heard you talking, Liam said.
Chris Vargas reddened. He was a lean, lithe man in decent shape from running up and down all the time with a fair amount of weight behind him. He could probably be dangerous, under certain circumstances, Liam decided. His features were sharp, like a little rats. Hed been scraping for a living too long, drinking to drown his unhappiness a few too many nights.
All right, the man said softly. Wewe werent after much, Lieutenant Beckett. Honest to God. Just some little thing.
And you were in here last night, too, trying to scare those kids to death, huh? Liam asked.
No, we were not in here last night! Gary White said, indignant. He stood straight, and seemed really hurt at the accusation.
Liam looked at Chris Vargas. Vargas stared back at him, shaking his head emphatically.
Oh, God, were under arrest, right? Gary asked miserably.
How did you get in? Liam asked.
Gary looked puzzled. He wasnt the sharpest knife in the drawer. Umthe door?
You walked in the front door. How? You picked the lock? Liam asked.
No, it wasnt locked, Gary assured him.
Liam believed him. Gary White was just a bit too dense to be a good liar.
Look, Vargas said, we just walked in because
You were robbing the estate, Liam interrupted.
Not really robbing, White protested. JustAh, come on, Lieutenant. If you heard us, you know that were justAll right, so we were going to take something really little. And, hell, were not bad. The kids in here the other nightthose little bastards have broken into other places. They dont steal, but they smoke pot, yeah, they smoke pot up in the rooms and play with all the stuff the snowbirds leave behind.
If you werent in here, Liam asked wearily, how do you know about the kids?
Because everybody knows about the kids, Vargas said. Ah, Lieutenant! You know this is a small town, really. Everybody knows everything. And its true. I heard they got the bejesus scared out of them here. I hope its true. It will keep the little rug rats from causing real trouble.
Thats right, White agreed solemnly, nodding at Vargas as if the two of them were the most solid citizens in the world.
Gary White must have seen something in Liams face. He choked slightly, cleared his throat and asked, Are you going to arrest us?
This whole thing was beyond absurd. Two nights in a row. First, kids. Second? Two of the denizens of the place who werent known for violence, who just eked out a living. If he arrested them, an attorney would have them out on bail. And what would they get for trespassing? They hadnt stolen anything; he had arrived too soon, and, from what he could tell, they couldnt find anything they actually wanted to steal anyway.
He thought about the paperwork.
He thought about the paperwork.
And, to his knowledge, Gary White had never done anything to break the law that was more serious than jaywalking.
Get the hell out of here, he said.
They both stared at him.
Now, he said.
They bolted like lightning. He turned and watched them from the kitchen doorway. They had trouble opening the front door, the one crashing into the other, crashing into the door, then each other again.
Finally, they made it out.
He walked to the door himself. There was nothing wrong with it that he could see. The lock hadnt been picked.
Someone else out there had a key.
Tomorrow hed have to have the lock changed.
Going from the West Coast of the States to the east coast made it difficult to arrive with much of anything left of daylight, especially once daylight savings time was gone. But Kelsey had found an early-morning flight that got her into Miami around three in the afternoon. She could have taken a puddle jumper down to Key West from Miami International Airport, but she wanted to drive. Baggage claim at MIA was insane, but eventually she was ready to head out for the rental-car agency, and by four-thirty she was driving south.
The turnpike took her to Florida City, and she headed down U.S. 1, past the gas stations, one real restaurant and fast-food eateries to the eighteen-mile stretch of nothingness that led to Key Largo and from there south and then west to Key West.
Theyd improved the road, though she still saw signs and crosses where those in a hurry had tried to pass, only to pay the ultimate price. She managed to get behind a truck towing a huge boat trailer, but she didnt mind waiting for the passing zone.
It had been a long time.
The day was beautiful. The turquoise water glistened, the waves were gentle and calm. In a few areas, construction workers were still claiming land to widen the road and the stench of stagnant water overpowered the view, but the sight of a cormorant soaring above the water seemed to lift the stench beyond her windows, and then she was past it.
A new overpass made getting into Key Largo a bit easier and faster, and it was still daylight when she arrived. Key Largo was built up. She assumed shed see that all the way down the Keys.
By six-thirty she had lost the daylight, and she had come to the middle Keys where there were still vast tracts that didnt seem to have been built up much. Marathon had acquired another shopping center, but the lower Keys were still tiny and starkly populated. She slowed at the signs warning that her speed needed to be minimal in honor of the little Key deer that roamed the area, and at last, in darkness, she reached Stock Island and then drove on to Key West. Following North Roosevelt Boulevard around, she sought out the shopping plaza on the newer part of the island where the attorney had assured her he would leave the key to the Merlin house in a lockboxa brand-new key because the police lieutenant had suggested new locks. She found the shopping center easily enough, decided shed just stop quickly for a sandwich at a small Cuban restaurant and went to procure the key. As she punched in the number Joe Richter had given her, the door to his office in the plaza opened.
Kelsey. Kelsey Donovan! Young lady, you have grown up!
Joe Richter was probably about fifty. She remembered him the minute she saw him because he hadnt changed at all. His hair was snow-white, and he had a full head of it. He was lean, a gaunt man who managed to maintain a presence and a tremendous sense of dignity.
Joe, I remember you, of course, she said. When she had called about Cutters death, he hadnt reminded her that she knew him. But she had been distracted when she calledstill wallowing in guilt.
I was just about to leaveyou just caught me. I wanted to let you know we can do a formal reading of the will anytime you like. Youre the only heir, soThen, he added, clearing his throat, we do need to make arrangements for Cutters burial. Hes still at the morgue, awaiting your plans.
Thank you, Joe, for handling everything so far, Kelsey said.
He was my client for years, though even I had barely seen him lately, Joe said.
When did you see him last?
About six months ago.
That long? Was there any special reason you saw him then?
Joe shook his head. No. His will has remained the same since your mother died. I happened to be shopping down on Front Street, so I took a ride out. I told him he needed a maidhe said that hed tried hiring someone once, but shed left in the middle of the job, screaming. I guess the house isnt for everyone.
No, Kelsey agreed, smiling.
Well, young lady, Im going to suggest you get some help to clean the place out. Its going to need a lot of work. He hesitated. Can I do anything for you now? Would you rather stay somewhere else? I can get you a reservationOf course, you could have gotten your own reservation, if you had wanted, he added gently.
No, I think I need to get out to the house. Everything is actually working, right? Electric, plumbingthat kind of thing?
Oh, yeah, the police saw to it. All I had to do was hire the locksmithsafetys sake, you know?
Sure, thank you. Ill talk to you tomorrow, she told him.
He nodded and watched her head out to her car. She revved the engine and found herself looking around the plaza. She might have been almost anywhere in America, in this parking lot. This portion of the island was fairly new, created by dredging salt ponds, digging some places, dumping others. Once she headed down Roosevelt toward Old Town, things changed. Hospitals, restaurants, tourist shops and bars were interspersed among old Victorian buildings, and grand dames from the past sat side by side with neon lights. The Hard Rock Cafe was located in one of the old Curry mansionsin fact, it was haunted, of course. Robert Curry, unable to sustain the family fortune due to ill health and a lack of business smarts, had killed himself there. Also on Duval was St. Pauls Episcopal Church, rebuilt and rebuilt againand still the haunt of a sea captain and a group of children tragically killed in a fire. Key West jealously guarded her ghosts, just as she did her bizarre history and all her citizens who had come and gone.
Kelsey didnt drive as far as Duval, though, turning to take Simonton down to the wharf and then turning onto the private road that led out to Cutter Merlins house.
Her house.
She hesitated a minute at the overgrown gravel drive that led out to the house. Funnyas a child, she had never thought of the house as remote.
That night, in the darkness, the road looked like something out of a slasher film, and the house seemed to sit in a lonely jungle far from the mainland.
It wasnt far, she reminded herself. She and her friends had swum the distance from the houses spit of land over to the mainland many a time. Of course, they were good swimmers. They knew the currents that could sweep by, but the eddy would keep them closer to the road, and they had learned as kids never to strike out alone. Her mother had been an amazing swimmer and diver, and she had taught Kelsey that the biggest mistake those who knew what they were doing made was that they didnt take common-sense precautions.
Still, the house seemed so austere, so alone out here tonight.
All right. So much for the swimming. She had walked in and out of town as a kid. There was nothing far or remote about the place.