They turned on the flashlights Cid had insisted they carry in their tool belts as they descended the large stone steps.
“Careful of the last step. The riser is off,” Pete reminded Gary.
“This would never pass code elsewhere,” Gary said. “I guess it pays to own the town, the country, and the officials therein.”
“Now, now, you promised me you weren’t going to get political,” Pete said. “If we are going to work together, we’re going to have to put all but our football team preferences aside.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Gary said and patted his friend on the back. “What can we talk about? The weather?”
“How about Cid and Sally?” Pete asked.
“What about Cid and Sally?” Gary asked.
“Don’t you think they’d make a good couple?” Pete asked, turning on the lights as they passed them.
“Cid’s gay,” Gary said.
“He’s not,” Pete insisted. “He just likes to cook. Quite a few of the great chefs are male.”
“He’s very well-groomed.”
“Most guys believe in using a comb, Gary. It wouldn’t hurt you to dig that crusted grout out from under your nails from time to time,” Pete observed.
“Okay, if we say Cid’s not gay, then Sally could be?” Gary said. “Afterall, she’s been in the Army.”
Pete sighed. “Gary, no offense, but you’re an idiot.”
They had reached the southwest corner. “Eureka! I see tiles now…” Pete’s voice drifted off as he gently lifted the dust-laden tiles up and rubbed the dust off with a rag. “Shine that light over here,” Pete requested.
Gary did so.
“Not in my eyes! What the fuck made you do that?” Pete asked, fighting the blue dots. “Are these green or blue?” he asked, holding his prize out.
“Blue, but the ones over there are green,” Gary said leaning over. He crouched down and picked up a stack and handed them to Pete.
“They may be a match,” Pete said. How many are there?”
Gary crouched down, exposing his lower back as he did. “Stop it.”
“Pardon?”
“Stop putting your cold hand on my back.”
“Not me. My hands are full of tiles, and all I can see are blue dots.”
“Faye, I’m sorry,” Gary said standing up, pulling up his pants. “She doesn’t like butt cracks.”
Pete slid the green tiles in the pockets of his coat and gently put a hand on Gary’s arm. “It’s time we went upstairs. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
Pete looked around, and just beyond the cone of light, there was movement. He moved the light and there were shadows of men everywhere. “How far are the stairs?”
“Fifty feet,” Gary estimated.
“We’re not going to make it. Time to salt in and call for reinforcements,” Pete said, pulling out the supply Cid insisted he take. Gary and he had just enough salt between them to salt the two of them in. Pete pulled out his phone and shook his head. “No bars. Did you bring the walkie-talkie?”
“Yes, but I left it upstairs,” Gary said. “What do we do?”
“Hold tight. Kiki said she was locking this place up at six. We start screaming at six.”
Kiki checked her whiteboard before walking into the kitchen. “Anybody see Holy Shit or What the Fuck?”
Cid, who was piling the hot biscuits in baskets, shook his head. “Not since lunchtime. Why?”
“They haven’t filled out the chart. I warned them. No shoddy paperwork on this job.”
“Maybe they are still over there,” Cid said looking at his watch.
Kiki picked up her phone and called. “Pete’s job is on the west side, so there should be reception. Nope, it went right to voicemail.” Kiki walked out and called, “Walrus, call Gary on the radio!”
Jesse walked in, took in the concerned faces, and asked, “What’s up?”
“Gary and Pete are AWOL,” Cid said.
“Both of their trucks are here. And I’ve just come from the workshop. Carl’s the only one down there,” Jesse told them.
“No answer on the radio,” Wayne reported.
“It’s almost six. Let’s go and see if they lost track of time,” Cid said grabbing his coat. He stopped and walked over and opened up the cupboard and drew out two kosher boxes of salt.
Sally looked at the cupboard in amazement. “What’s all this salt for?”
“Ghosts,” Kiki said. “Most ghosts can’t cross a salt line. Didn’t Carl explain ghost deterrents to you?”
“Must have slipped his mind. He just told me to stay out of the house.”
“I’ll have Cid give you the particulars when he comes back,” Kiki said, staring out the window. She could see Cid and Jesse run over to the house. The parking lot lights were on, and Kiki could just make out what Jesse was carrying. It was a small thin iron pipe.
“Faye!” Cid called out just before they entered the house.
Faye appeared wearing lounging clothes. “What’s up?”
“Gary and Pete haven’t checked in yet. They were supposed to be on the second floor checking out the fireplace tiles,” Cid said.
Faye disappeared, and before Jesse had unzipped his jacket, she reappeared shaking her head. They aren’t on the top two floors. I fear they are in the basement. I won’t go down there at this time at night. It’s not safe,” she said and left.
“Well, I guess it’s us. Let’s assume that it’s a hostile situation,” Cid said, heading for the basement stairway.
Cid opened the basement door at six on the dot. The men’s screams filled the air.
“HELP! WE’RE IN THE BASEMENT!”
Cid covered his ears and frowned.
Jesse banged his pipe against the wall. “WE HEAR YOU!”
“We’re in the southwest
