Hot and Haunted Read online

  “I won’t be more than four hours. We can finish our orientation when I get back, Arthur. In the meantime, socialize with others and get to know their stories. They can help you to get used to the area and what it has to offer.”

  She turned and went back into the house to get her purse. She always forgot about that sort of thing until the check showed up. Today she was heading out with a nice outfit, her purse, her hair combed, and her car ready to go. Being there for Esmerelda was a high priority.

  Hecate got into the car and started it up with a finger on the starter and a foot on the brakes. The navigation system came on with her destination programmed in. Hecate didn’t comment. It was usual for one of the ghosts to hitch a ride into the city on her vehicle. She didn’t mind as long as they pulled their weight.

  The drive would take her forty minutes, leaving her three minutes to get into the shop. She flipped open the center console and got change out for the parking. Downtown was always expensive.

  She drove on autopilot, as she always did. It wasn’t necessarily safe, but it was what she needed to do to get past the stress of being surrounded by metal and cut off from contact with the world of energy beyond sight.

  In her car, she was blind.

  She pulled into the first available spot within a block of the cake shop and numbed her mind to step into the world of motors and metal. This was for her sister. She could do anything for Esmy.

  She paid for parking and put her tag back on her dashboard before walking down the street to go in search of cake.

  Esmy was just picking up her phone when Heck walked through the door. She smiled. “You made it.”

  “I did.” She walked up and hugged her twin.

  Esmy felt warm, there was pink in her cheeks, and she looked so much like their father that Heck’s heart ached. All she had gotten from her father were his eye colour and the poker straight nature of his hair. The rest of her had the pigmentation and features passed on by their mother.

  “You are cold.” Esmy leaned back and frowned.

  “I had an extraction last night, and he was the sweetest man, so I stayed up late, helping him adjust to the move.”

  “You can’t give your life to the dead, Heck.” Esmy guided her to the tasting table. She signalled the clerk, and they sat down.

  “I don’t give it. They take it, whether I want them to or not, so I would rather control it. It seems to be what I was born for.”

  She looked at the small shot glasses of water and nodded. She picked one of the cups up, and frost began to form. “Damn.”

  Esmy looked at the woman bringing the tray of cake and asked sweetly, “Can we get a pot of tea?”

  “Of course. I am glad your friend could make it.” The woman smiled brightly and left to get the tea.

  There were tiny cards that explained the type of cake, from standard fruit cake to a raspberry swirl with lemon filling, and eight types in between.

  Esmy asked her, “How are you? Aside from ice cold, I mean?”

  “Good. How are you? Anything new?”

  “Well, funny you should mention it. Mom got a box in the mail addressed to me.”

  The server brought over tea and cups. Esmy immediately poured for both of them.

  “So, what is it?”

  “It is a book with the name Wakeman on the cover, but I can’t read the pages. It is weird.”

  “Why?” Heck wrapped her hands around her cup and sipped it quickly as it cooled.

  “It feels hot.”

  “A wedding gift, maybe?”

  Esmy reached into her purse. “It could be, but this was with it, and I can’t read it either.”

  Heck noted that the server was watching them, so she took the letter and set it down on the table while she picked up the fruit cake.

  “Hm. Pretty good. This one is surprisingly light and has a citrusy twang that I enjoy.”

  Esmy chuckled and took a bite, nodding and making a note on the card. “It is pretty good. Actually, very good.”

  “No chocolate cakes?”

  “No. Leo is allergic.”

  “Fair enough.”

  She nibbled at the vanilla ganache layer cake. “This one is nice. Fairly creamy, not offensive. It has some charm.”

  “Are you going to read the letter?”

  Heck leaned back and opened the letter while Esmy poured another cup of tea.

  The letters glowed to her gaze, and Heck quickly read through the words.

  “It’s addressed to you, Esmy. You are the inheritor of the skills and powers of the Wakeman family. You are going to receive a sizable inheritance as well as the mantle of ghost hunter.”

  She folded the letter up and slipped it into the envelope.

  Esmy hissed. “I didn’t get the power of the Wakemans.”

  Hecate picked up a lemon blueberry cake that had turned a slightly alarming colour in the baking process. “I know, but it is addressed to Esmerelda Wakeman. You are the firstborn. This one is a little acidic for my taste.”

  Esmy followed suit, grimaced, and shook her head. “I know I am the firstborn. I was there, but I didn’t get Dad’s talents for investigation.”

  “I know. Apparently, our grandfather doesn’t.”

  “We have a living grandfather?”

  “Yes, he is flying in tomorrow. He will call you and have you meet him at a place and time of his choosing.”

  “Heck, you have to come with me.”

  “I can. When he calls you, stall for at least an hour, or I can come to your place in the morning.”

  Esmy blinked. “In the morning?”

  “Yes, in the morning. That is when his plane arrives and he wants to meet you immediately. Speaking of meetings, when do I meet Leo?

  Her sister was busy examining the next cake. “What?”

  “I am going to have to meet him sometime, Esmy.”

  Her sister sighed. “I am not trying to keep you apart. I am just very much in love and don’t want you to point out anything about him that I won’t like.”

  “Is there something that I should know?”

  “Something small. Eat some more cake.”

  Heck took another slice that looked like a spice cake filled with red berry filling. She swallowed under duress. “Spice and cranberry are not a great combination.”

  Her sister made the same face, and then, she muttered, “He’s a werewolf.”

  Hecate’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Really. We met when I was coming back from a shopping trip down south, and he took to hanging out at my coffee shop until he ran into me.”

  Hecate smiled. “That sounds sweet.”

  “Yes. He memorized my address but simply waited for me to show up at the coffee shop. He didn’t want to creep me out.”

  “You were happy to see him. I can see it in the way you are glowing.”

  Esmy shot her a look. “A healthy glow?”

  “Very much so. You are in love, and I am really happy to see it.”

  Esmy blushed and looked down. “You don’t mind not being my bridesmaid?”

  “No. We both know my schedule is unreliable. For things that will be around indefinitely, the humans driven to the edge by ghosts are not inclined to wait.”

  They ate the next cake and shrugged at its lack of remarkability.

  “Leo’s aunt has a bakeshop, and she will be doing the dainties and the regular cake.”

  “You have met her?”

  “Yes. She is very nice with a lot of hair. His mother is a mermaid.”

  Hecate coughed on the piece of kiwi cream cake. “You don’t say. Nice cake. Very spring-like.”

  “I agree, but the green is kinda weird.”

  “It sounds like you are marrying into an interesting family.”

  “I think so. I mean, the neighborhood is right next to the new build, so we are going to be close to his family.”

  “Nice. I am glad you
will have folks so close.”

  “Mom and Stefan are excited as well. They will finally have me out of their hair.”

  “You will be starting a new life. Are you going to work or go straight to family?”

  Esmy blushed. “We are hoping to go straight to family.”

  “In that case, I am glad you are getting an inheritance.”

  “Leo says he has plenty of money.”

  “You don’t know if he does or not?”

  Esmy shrugged. “I trust him.”

  Hecate grimaced. “Give me his number.”

  Her sister actually pouted. “I don’t want to.”

  Hecate took another piece of cake and spit it out. “Sugar-free.”

  Esmy laughed and lifted her phone, rattling off the numbers.

  Hecate picked up her own phone and rapidly dialled the number.

  When it picked up, she asked, “Is this Leo?”

  “It is. Who am I speaking to?”

  “Hecate Wakeman. I was just eating cake with my sister, and I need to ask you a few questions about your intentions.”

  His voice was amused. “I intend to marry her, but can I meet you for lunch?”

  “With or without your fiancée?”

  “I believe we need to meet alone if that is all right with you.”

  “That is fine. Burgers Inn on Albert street?”

  “I will meet you there.”

  “Have you seen pictures of me?”

  “I have.”

  “Excellent, see you at noon.” She smiled and disconnected the call. Esmy looked worried. “I am just going to ask the questions that you don’t ask. Even if you don’t want to know the details, I do.”

  They went through the rest of the cake in silence until Hecate pointed at the lemon raspberry. “That’s the winner. It has the best blend of everything.”

  Esmy blinked and smiled slowly. “You are right. Are you warmer?”

  “I am. Thanks for asking.” She flexed her hands. “Can I take your letter?”

  “Sure. I can’t read it anyway. I don’t know why he didn’t address it to you?”

  “The hunting gene passes from the firstborn to firstborn. Based on the letter, whatever I have, it isn’t that instinct.”

  “You have great instincts. Feel free to tell Leo about the cake.”

  Hecate paused. “This is normally a couple’s thing, isn’t it? Or something you do with your bridesmaids.”

  “I wanted you in the wedding somehow, and your taste never fails.”

  Hecate sat back and poured more tea for them both. “Thank you. I know it is rough having me for a sibling.”

  “Not nearly as rough as you think. You try hard at everything you do, you have a heart as big as the ocean, and your capacity for forgiveness is limitless. You are also smarter than hell and extremely intuitive.”

  “I think I am blushing. I know my cheeks are getting warm.”

  Esmy changed the subject. “So, what are you wearing to the wedding?”

  “Well, I am going to stay away from the wedding colours, so I thought that amethyst would be nice. I found a dress at a second-hand shop that fits very well.”

  Esmy smiled. “It sounds lovely.”

  “I hope it will be. I have set four reminders on my phone and around the house, so I am hoping that I will be on time that day.”

  “I will have the bridesmaids give you a call.”

  Hecate knew darned well that Esmy’s friends didn’t want her at the wedding. She would ruin the colour palette they were trying to achieve. Hecate just didn’t match. She never had.

  Chapter Three

  Hecate paid for parking on the new street and got out, heading for the Burger Inn.

  She had only a tiny image of Leo from Esmy’s phone to guide her.

  A familiar voice spoke from behind her. “You must be Hecate.”

  She turned and looked at the handsome man with the ocean blue eyes. “You must be Leo.”

  “Leonard Fisher.” He extended his hand.

  She winced and stuck her hand out slowly.

  He touched her carefully, and his eyes widened when he took in the temperature. “No offense, but you are ice cold.”

  “No, not quite. But thank you for noticing.” She smiled. “I am sorry. My body temperature is a situational condition. I hear that you have your own hairy days.”

  “She told you that?”

  Hecate snorted. “She didn’t tell you about my... uh... occupation?”

  “No.”

  They were on the street with no nearby ears. “I work with ghosts. I help them transition from their attachment to humans or objects and work to free them as much as I can. The ones who need to remain to watch over loved ones, I take to my home, and they get to run around with other ghosts and counsel each other.”

  He blinked. “So, you believe in the paranormal.”

  “Oh, yeah. I can’t help it. It is all around me, and it literally has my number.”

  “Would you like to go somewhere quieter?”

  She paused. “Sure, but we have to take my car. If I get a call, I need to be able to head out in a moment. The living take a while to reach the panic stage, but if they don’t find out that help is on the way, they can do things like burning down the house.”

  “Sure. You drive, I will navigate.”

  She shrugged. She could engage in a trust exercise. She led him to her vehicle, and he paused. “This is what you drive?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I know. It is a bit of a beast, but it gets me where I need to be.”

  “I have a cousin that would love this.”

  She grinned and used the remote to unlock the doors. “Hop in.”

  He had to step up to get into her vehicle, but it had plenty of grab bars in the interior. Her SUV had taken her thousands of kilometers on nearly no gas, and she loved it. Having the metal husk playing host to anywhere from one to seven ghosts at a time was also a bonus. If she needed backup, she had it.

  He buckled up, and she did the same, smiling as her vehicle started, sang a little song, and pulled her into a driving position.

  “It seems you have all of the bells and whistles.”

  “It is very comfortable. That is why I chose it. I can’t be bothered fussing about whether my car will start or not. That is already an issue with the ghosts in the area.”

  “I was surprised that you could use a remote. The experiences with ghosts that I have had in the past all indicate a lot of electronic interference.”

  She wrinkled her nose, checked her rear view, shoulder checked, and slowly pulled out of her spot. “So, where am I going?”

  “Head down the number six highway, and we can have lunch at the Abbey.”

  “Oh, I love the Abbey.” She headed for the perimeter and smiled.

  “You have been there?”

  “I have. I spoke to my first ghost there on a family picnic in ruins. Sister Abigail Agnes. She was nice, and she just wanted to make sure that everything was running smoothly. She was a fixed-point ghost. Her sole interest was in the brick and stone of the place she once called home.”

  “Is she still there?”

  “Well, she is either there, or she left on her own because I did not remove her. I didn’t even know how. I had to find my dad’s bag to begin to focus some of what I now consider to be my occupation.”

  “How does that work?”

  “Oh, no. You had your turn. I need to know that my sister will be taken care of if you two start a family right away.”

  “Of course, I will take care of her.”

  Hecate sighed. “What if something happens to you? What happens to her then?”

  “I have insurance, and my family is very well off.”

  “How well off?”

  “A few million.”

  She inhaled and turned onto the onramp to get her onto the perimeter. “Can you afford to take half a million and put i
t into a trust for either my sister’s upkeep or that of your child or children?”

  He blinked. “I can definitely do that. Why are you so concerned? I am young and healthy.”

  “So was my father. He died the day he married my mother. They had their whole lives ahead, and then, he goes out to move some of their possessions into the house while she slept, and his car was crushed by a delivery truck.”

  “Esmy never told me. I knew he was dead but not the circumstances.” He paused and then continued. “He died instantly?”

  “His body did. His ghost returned to my mother’s side to be with her and explain what happened. My mom can’t see ghosts, but she knew he was one, so I have no idea how he came to be there. That was the night I was conceived.”

  “And Esmy.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Ah. That. No. she was already there. My mom was six weeks along at the wedding.”

  “That isn’t possible.”

  She smiled at the phrase. “I say that to myself at least once a week, but here I am.”

  Hecate sighed and asked, “What kind of plan do you have for the holidays? Do my mom and stepdad come to you, or will you go to them?”

  “I thought they could come to us. We will have plenty of guest rooms. For you as well.”

  She chuckled. “I am usually quite busy around the holidays. I don’t generally socialize much. You won’t have to worry about me crashing the party.”

  “It will be no bother and no worry. Everyone needs family around the holidays.”

  “Oh, I have family. Just not living family. My mother’s mother likes to shout recipes at me in Haitian Creole. She migrated here in the forties and had my mother in the late sixties. Her English slips when she gets excited.”

  “Your grandmother haunts you?” He seemed amused.

  “Yes. She’s the only proper haunting I have ever had. She is going to stick to me until I get myself a man. Her words, not mine.”

  He chuckled. “You seem far more well adjusted than your sister described you.”

  “I don’t blame her for whatever she said. I have an ice-cold body, skin for a tropical climate, I see ghosts and can never meet with my family on time because the dead need attention. They have a lot to be ticked about.”