Demonically Tempted (Frostbite) (7 page)

“Of course.” He inclined his head. “That’s why I’m here, right?”

I once again ignored the curtness in his tone, and now done with him, I moved onto more pressing matters. “So
what
do we do now on the case? I mean, he didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already know. And in fact, confirmed that Anna had been right about Lizbeth committing suicide.”

“As much as it pains me to say so,” Zach murmured. “I think we have to accept that the case is a simple suicide, and move on to the next one.”

“Rewind there big boy,” I snapped. “Shouldn’t we ask more people or do something else? We’ve barely done an investigation. I think, only because I have no idea really what is involved in an investigation, and we’ve only be at it for two days.”

“We have zilch to go on. We went to the location to find her ghost. She wasn’t there. We came to Hector in hopes he’d give up details and he knew jack shit. This case had no evidence at the time of the murder. That hasn’t changed.”

“But…but…but…” I reigned in my incoherent mumbling. “We still don’t know if she was murdered or if it was a suicide. We’re making assumptions. Shouldn’t we look into that more?”

“Who are we going to ask, Tess?” Kipp arched an eyebrow. “There are no more witnesses and the two that were there confirmed the original story. We cannot—”

“We can’t,” Zach interjected, but I raised my hand cutting him off to let Kipp finish.

“…solve every case,” Kipp continued. “I told you before that real life was nothing like television. We don’t solve many cold case files, especially old ones, such as these.”

I folded my arms. “That just seems so wrong.”

Zach nodded, and his gloomy expression matched my mood. “It is wrong, but what can we do? If all the leads are a dead end showing the crime happened as the detectives said it did, with no other leads to go on, then we’re shit out of luck.”

“Besides maybe you’re right,” Kipp added. “Maybe Lizbeth committed suicide and was content with that. It seems the most viable possibility.”

Why did I doubt that theory?

Zach stood, and headed for the door, missing Kipp’s words. “Anna said she committed suicide. Hector confirmed it. I think it’s best to leave it at that.” He knocked on the door and the guard on the other side opened it.

I approached Zach, with Dane and Kipp following in behind, not half as settled as they all were. Something nagged at me. But I did agree on one thing. We had nothing to go on. No matter how much that sucked.

Lizbeth’s murder, if it was that, would remain unsolved.

Chapter Seven

Within minutes, we were signed out of the prison and on our way toward Zach’s truck. At the hood, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “Y’all might as well head home for the rest of the day. I’ll go to the station and get Max to start working through another case. Once we’ve settled on one that appears workable, I’ll call you in.”

My mood lifted. “A day off?” Maybe two if I was lucky. The Lizbeth Knapp case took a couple days for Max and Zach to pick through, which meant I could stay at home and relax until they called me back in. Yes, I had a cushy job now and didn’t mind it one bit.

“Don’t look so happy, sexy,” Kipp said, thoroughly amused. “You have another matter to deal with.”

“What matter?” At Kipp’s arched eyebrow, I remembered. “The ghosts?”

“What ghosts?” Dane interjected.

“Last night I had ghosts come into my bedroom—I might add—and they said that there’s a spirit here in Memphis scaring them.”

Zach laughed. “You’re kidding me?”

“I wish I was.”

Dane’s features darkened before his eyes lowered, thoughtful, and he finally said, “What have they said to you about this ghost?”

I shrugged, not quite sure what annoyed him so much, but focused on the matter at hand. “They didn’t say much of anything. Just that there’s a ghost making them unsettled.”

I raised my hand at Zach’s grin. “And spare me the laughter. I know how messed up that sounds, but they want me to get rid of it.”

Zach obliged me by not laughing, but his gaze sure twinkled in delight. “And just how did they know about you to ask such a thing?”

“Um…you see…they’re…err…talking to each other.”

Zach’s control faltered and he burst out laughing. “That’s priceless.”

“It’s not funny. It’s terrible. Soon I’m going to have ghosts lined up at my house asking for help.”

“Did they seem honestly concerned?” Dane asked, ignoring
my
problems.

Although, I noted that cryptic note in his gaze again, and suspected he had thoughts rummaging through that mind of his that I should care about, but didn’t. “Maybe a little.”

“Don’t lie,” Kipp chastised.

“Fine.” I huffed. “They were worried.” Or downright scared shitless, but I wasn’t about to give Zach anything more to laugh at. Hell, it seemed absurd even to me. A ghost, scared? The universe had never been so backward.

“I’ll come with you on this.” Concern touched Dane’s features. “Anything that scares ghosts can’t be good and you’re not capable of dealing with this alone.”

“Hey,” I snapped.

Kipp stepped forward, as if he were prepping for a fight. “Watch what you say to her,
medium
.”

Dane groaned low, undoubtedly affected by the strength of Kipp’s wrath. “Back off,
ghost
. I’m saying it to protect her. She’s not knowledgeable enough to deal with anything that isn’t friendly.” His fists clenched at his side. “In fact, she could get herself into a world of trouble if she entered something like this alone.”

I restrained my smile. What was Kipp going to do? Touch Dane and freeze him to death? Still, though, what Dane suggested unnerved me. “What do you mean I’d be in danger?”

“Your gifts make you vulnerable.”

I glanced at Zach, who appeared befuddled, and even Kipp seemed speechless. I finally looked at Dane who remained expressionless. “You’ve totally lost me.”

“You have an open connection with Netherworld,” he said, concisely. “Meaning, the fact that you can see ghosts and talk to them, says on some level your soul is touching that place.”

“What. The. Fuck?” was all I managed to say to that complete nonsense.

Dane cocked his head, and studied me. “Max told me you were in car accident, died, but were revived, and have held this gift ever since. Right?”

I nodded, unable to find my voice.

“What that means is you lived for even a split second in Netherworld. Your soul entered that realm, and at the time, you chose to stay there—”

That got me talking. “Are you suggesting that I wanted to die?”

“Maybe not before. Maybe not after. But at the time you did die, you accepted your death, which brought you into Netherworld.”

I glanced at Kipp, damn sure my eyes were huge. He merely nodded in agreement that this was right out there. “So how did I end up alive again, if I decided to die?”

“It’s all timing really. Whoever saved your life must have done so in the exact moment you made the decision to go into Netherworld, but you hadn’t been purified and their actions forced you back into your body. But seeing that you accepted it, wanted death, your soul took a part of that realm with you because you wanted it. It’s why you can do what you can do.”

Zach asked, “Are you saying that she’s present in not only our world, but the Netherworld, too?”

I nodded at him. “Good question.”

“It’s much like that. But you’re not dead so you are not actually there.” Dane ran a hand over his gelled hair. “In basic terms, it means that the process was started, but before it could be completed you’re soul returned to your body. It’s something that once you’ve gained, you cannot release.”

“Do you have a connection there, too?” I asked.

“No. I can only feel ghosts. I’m a medium. I tap into energy and am sensitive to it. You and I, are not the same.”

Why did that sound like an insult? I parted my lips to offer a rude response, when Kipp interjected, “Ask about me.”

I looked at him and his gaze was lit up. I understood. This could explain everything we’d wondered. With serious hesitation, but curiosity, I asked Dane, “How does it work for ghosts then, are they in
this
world or in both?”

“Ghosts are different than you. When they cross into the shadows, if they fight their death then they’ll return to this realm and finish what they need to do to settle their souls.”

My head hurt. “Are they still part of the Netherworld, though?”

“They will hold some connection and return whenever they want, but the process won’t begin for them unless they choose it. It’s why being a ghost is not preferred. Why stay in limbo? Forever stuck.”

“That must be the
place
I told you of,” Kipp said.

“
Dark, but filled with spirits
,” were his exact words. Sounded accurate. A long-time question I’d been dying to ask rose in my mind. “Do you know what happens after they pass through the Netherworld?”

“How would I know if I’ve never been there?”

“Don’t get snarky with me,” I snapped. “I’m asking because you know about the Netherworld, so I figured you’d know about everything else, too.”

“I don’t,” Dane replied, brisk tone. “I, unlike you, have met many other mediums and such. I’ve learned what I know from them and it’s information that is important. Beyond that I can only make guesses as to what happens in the Netherworld process.”

I rubbed my temple. “It only gets more confusing.”

Zach and Kipp laughed.

Dane didn’t. His gaze remained absorbed and steady. “It’s really quite simple. Netherworld is a place for souls to cleanse before they cross over to Heaven or to be punished. But if a person decides they aren’t ready to find their peace and move on, they’ll return as ghosts to finish what they need too.”

Simple—not.
“Explain this then, all the ghosts I’ve met follow that line of thought. They only know what they need to so they can move on. But what if a ghost remembers everything about his life and doesn’t act like
normal
ghosts do?” I wouldn’t let this opportunity pass me by. Kipp wanted answers and I’d get them for him, no matter what my heart said.

Dane nodded, as if I confirmed his thoughts. “I’m feeling that in the ghost too.”

“The name is Kipp,” my lover said, through gritted teeth.

I glared at Dane. “Yes, really, can you do without the
ghost
business and just call him Kipp.”

“He’s a ghost. Not a person.”

Kipp took a step forward. “You—”

Zach’s knuckles against Dane’s jaw cut off his words. Dane dropped to the ground. Zach stood over him, scowling with tight fists. “Say anything like that again, and cop or not, I’ll make you regret it.”

Dane sighed, rubbing his jaw and stood. “I’m not here to make friends. I’m taking time out of my schedule, and I’m here to help Tess with her abilities. Punch me again and I’ll fucking walk out on her. Understand
that
?”

I pulled Zach away and kept my hand on his arm in hopes to settle him. Why were men so difficult? “Can we stop with the pissing contest?” I pondered, more than happy to understand a bit more of this, and actually had a thought rise. “Do you think it’s possible that Kipp refused to die and somehow his soul fought to stay, then because he didn’t have a body it got stuck?”

Dane stretched out his jaw. “It’s possible, and would make sense. I’d imagine he’s here for something, and the more I’m with you, I suspect that reason is you.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

“You said it yourself that he’s totally different than any other ghost. You both seem to have a strong connection.” Was that anger flashing in his features? “If he’s not here for himself, if his soul doesn’t need to be settled then he’s staying for another reason.” He gave me a pointed look. “You.”

I glanced at Kipp, who seemed as confused as I before I turned to Dane. “But why?”

“I cannot answer that.”

I didn’t believe him. Maybe because his eyes shone with hidden secrets.

Before I instructed Zach to punch him again to get the information out of him, Kipp said, “You see it, don’t you?”

I wanted to laugh at him for whispering since no one could hear him but me. Instead, I gave a soft nod. Dane’s expression, though, fighting to remain lax showed a hint of knowledge he tried very hard to keep private.

“I’ll go with you and see what we’ve got,” Dane said, only confirming he wanted to change the subject. “I can help you understand how to deal with this ghost if it’s troublesome.”

I pushed away my suspicion of Dane. We had matters that were more serious. “Yes, speaking of that, if this ghost isn’t friendly, why would I be in danger?”

“Let’s see what we’re up against and then go from there.” Dane sighed. “There’s a vast amount of information to tell you. And I don’t want to overwhelm you. Taking it step by step right now is the best way to proceed.”

It might have seemed like he was being courteous of me, but I didn’t believe that for a stinkin’ minute. He withheld information and I hoped to hell, it wouldn’t bite me in the ass later.

Kipp stared down Dane as if he wanted to flatten him where he stood. He finally glanced at me. “Let’s get this over with. The sooner you learn what you need to, the sooner this fucker can leave.”

That seemed simple enough, but the tight knot in my gut made me quite aware, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Chapter Eight

Midafternoon settled in. The sun rested halfway in the sky and the day was lovely. Too bad I wasn’t in the mood to enjoy it.

After plugging the address into the G.P.S. and driving for a while, Dane rounded the corner onto Poplar Avenue then arrived at Overton Park. The Memphis Zoo was to the south of us, but Dane continued driving toward the parking lot that led to Veterans Plaza.

By the time he entered the parking lot, I already spotted the ghosts waiting by one of the memorials to the Veterans killed during the World Wars. The park was lovely. The ghosts were just absurd.

Everyone had it wrong. I always wondered why paranormal investigators hunted for ghosts at night. They were as active during the daylight hours as they were at night. It only made things creepier in the dark. I might see ghosts, but being in the pitch black, being unable to see them was far scarier.