There she had no trouble with the lights. She walked over to the new furnace and reset the connection. She checked out the job Wayne supervised and was pleased. She also liked the thought process involved in the layout of the new electrical box. She heard drilling and walked over to see a hole emerge almost directly above an open-ended conduit. She walked deeper and found another hole joined another conduit. Kiki knew a lot of electronics were going to be used and applauded Pete’s insistence of two separate circuits.
She poked around in the corners and was puzzled by the fear the darkness caused the contractors. She pulled out a few trim pieces she thought Cid may have overlooked and carried them with her to the stairs. She didn’t feel the hatred of the depleted ghosts as she ascended the stairs with a recharged elemental attached to her.
Chapter Eleven
“Clark,” Kiki called from the doorway. “I found these trim pieces. Why don’t you take five and show me where you want to store them in the workshop?”
“Right away, Boss.”
“And shut the window. I reset the furnace. It should be down to a workable temp in a few minutes.”
Jesse closed the window. He looked at Kiki. “Thanks, Boss.”
She didn’t respond. A spark of red light emanated from her eyes.
“Cid,” he called.
“Yes?”
“Put on the grocery list some Visine or Clear Eyes, you know the stuff that promises to get the red out. I don’t know if it’s the booze or the sawdust, but the red has returned.”
Cid nodded. “Visine, it is.”
“You ought to get your eyes checked,” Gary said. “There’s no shame in wearing glasses. Chicks like guys in glasses.”
They heard the front door close.
“The ghost is back inside Kiki,” Jesse reported. “I saw her eyes change.”
“So you were just giving Cid a heads-up,” Gary said.
“Yes. Also, if the ghost left, he must have drained the monsters downstairs. I think now is the time for us to feed the wire to the electric box.”
“Working on this house is like a chess game,” Pete said.
“Except there will be no pawns sacrificed,” Jesse vowed.
Cid held the bundle under his arm. He reached for the door, but Kiki insisted on opening the garage door. He surmised that the ghost repossessing her remembered they salted the doorway.
He walked over to his and Jesse’s area. He set the bundle down, knelt and organized the antique pieces so they would be protected from warping in the cooler space. He heard a footfall behind him. Cid pivoted to find Kiki behind him. She was holding some wire. Her eyes were red.
“Hello?” Sally called from the bottom of the stairs. “I thought I heard someone. Kiki, your ride just pulled up.”
Kiki’s eyes turned back, and she looked confused by the wire in her hands. She returned it to Carl’s stock, brushed off her jacket, opened the garage door, and walked out to the sedan.
Alan got out, and before he opened the door, he drew her into his arms. “I missed you,” he said. He kissed her hard enough to make her knees weak.
Kiki enjoyed the kiss. She didn’t know why she was so reticent with Alan during this renovation. All she did was complain about Cid. She vowed to mend her ways.
“You saved my life,” Cid told Sally as he closed the garage door.
“I was a bit worried when I saw you return with her. She was fine when she left. I thought she had already left with Alan; otherwise, I would have warned you.”
“You mean warn us.”
Sally handed him a folded piece of paper. “Warned you.”
Cid opened it to find the Hangman picture. He groaned. “It’s targeting me. She had wire in her hands to hang me. Kiki is a strong woman. I outweigh her, but if you add in a superpowered ghost then…”
Sally put her hand on his chest. “Don’t think of what could have happened but what didn’t happen. Do you think we should warn Alan?”
“I think Alan is aware. I hope he’s strong enough to do what needs to be done to free her permanently.”
“In town, there’s a great little bistro,” Kiki said. “Let’s go there.”
“I thought you put the town off limits to your employees.”
“I’m the captain here. I can go where I want.”
“I’ve got a special place in mind.”
“I really don’t want to be gone too long from the job.”
“Kiki, I haven’t seen you in days. Let me spend some time with you.”
Kiki shrugged and sat back, enjoying the soft seat of the sedan. “You don’t have a car,” she realized.
“It’s from the office pool,” he explained.
“How are you going to explain the use?”
“Creative accounting,” Alan said. “Don’t worry, nothing to get me or anyone else in trouble. How was your morning?”
“I walked over to check on the boys and found they had a door propped open. The place was blazing hot. I found the thermostat was offline. I don’t know why they didn’t go down and reset it.”
“That means entering the basement.”
“So?”
“Where do most of the paranormal problems occur?”
Kiki was silent.
“I take it you went into the basement alone without having someone with you.”
“Yes, I’m not afraid of ghosts, Alan. I found some trim pieces that were overlooked and went in and got Cid to carry them back to the workshop and put them away.”
“Why? Did he need them?”
“I don’t understand where you’re going with this?”
“Did you find he noted on any of his reports needing to replace that trim?” Alan asked.
“No.”
“It’s not like you to interrupt work and then take one of the team away from a job.”
Kiki fell silent again.
“I take it you were in the garage when I
