“Splendid.”
“Who’s the bad guy here?” Audrey asked.
“It depends on your perspective. If you’re August, Arnold is. If you’re Arnold, August is.”
“Cid trusts your judgement. Who do you think should win this game?”
“Arnold. You see, he’s tired and wants to release Gadus. His body may still be that of a young man, but his mind isn’t as sharp, and he worries that if he doesn’t get his house in order, the shift of power will return to August.”
“How much do you know of the original conflict?”
“Arnold came to me when he heard I dealt with difficult things involving the paranormal world. We sat sipping brandies until he opened up and told me that his grandfather was a negative elemental who he has had imprisoned in the family mansion after the man tried to kill him. He also confessed to being in love with a female demon he calls Miss Gee. I didn’t want to grill him, and I could tell he was hesitant to give me too much information. We talked about him retiring. He mentioned Bridgeton as his successor but worried that he wasn’t strong enough to deal with the family heritage.”
“We suspect August has already possessed Bridgeton.”
“That would be my move if I were August. It must be tough navigating without a body.”
“What did you advise him?”
“I told him to get the family home in order.”
“Which meant more than renovating the bathrooms,” Audrey confirmed.
“Yes. He put the project in Bridgeton’s hands, who palmed it off on the family lawyer. I don’t know how many sets of contractors worked on the place.”
“Twelve,” Audrey supplied.
“When it became evident that August was powerful enough to get the ghosts to kill for him, I decided to step in and recommend Kiki Pickles because I knew Cid would work it out.”
“There’s a contract in place that says they can’t mess with the ghosts.”
“When has a contract ever gotten in the way of Cid doing the right thing?” Calvin asked.
“You’re a brilliant chess player, aren’t you?”
“Not as good as some, but I dabble.”
“In your opinion, is Arnold expecting to take Bridgeton’s place?”
“No.”
“What happens next?” Audrey asked.
“I think that’s up to Cid. He’s got to take all the facts, get Arnold to tell him his story, and then we’ll see what happens.”
“This is a dangerous game.”
“I have picked my players well, Ms. Stavros. I expected there would be a fight.”
“Do you know what will happen to Gadus once she is released?”
“I expect return to her gold and wait to be summoned.”
“I believe she is in love with Arnold.”
“Then she returns with a broken heart. Arnold intends to let nature have its way, and he will die soon. Either way, Gadus will have a broken heart. This way, she can return without shame.”
“But what happens if August wins?”
“He will continue to enslave her or turn her in to be punished. I don’t think he has the balls to face a demon court considering how he obtained Gadus originally.”
“How was that?”
“By deception. You see, the floor that is in the Walnut Grove House, which is used as a summoning circle, was stolen from a property once owned by Lucrecia Borgia. Gadus did not approach August; she was stolen. August Atwater is really Augusto Borgia but too distant a relative to be recognized by Gadus as part of the original family.”
Chapter Twenty-one
Kiki and Alan strolled down the walk that skirted the large cathedral. They stopped before they entered the small chapel where they would meet with Father Santos.
“I wish we were walking in to see all our friends and relatives here,” Alan romanticized.
“Next time,” Kiki promised. She leaned into Alan. “I don’t know how you can still contemplate a life with me when I’ve disappointed you so.”
“I don’t remember you disappointing me,” Alan said softly.
“We both know that, given a choice, I’d wait until the check is deposited before releasing those ghosts.”
“I remember you offering to do the opposite. Don’t second-guess yourself. You have big dreams, everyone does. You saw only one way of securing that dream.”
“I was greedy. What do I need a block in Chicago for? Who the…” Kiki stopped, realizing where she was standing. “Who do I think I am, thinking I need a block of buildings?”
“I know who you are. You’re a woman who was also thinking of the steady employment you could give your contractors and other craftsmen. You also want to rescue the buildings and neighborhoods before they become pale imitations of what Chicagoans built and treasured.”
Kiki melted. This handsome man, who gave of himself again and again, was in love with a spoiled woman with sister issues. Kiki knew she was a woman who was first to blame others when things didn’t go her way. She vowed to get some professional help. Alan deserved better.
“Ready?” Alan asked.
“Yes.
He opened the door to a small narthex. Father Simon was waiting for them there.
“May God be with us,” Father Simon said. “I’m going to walk Kiki through the nave to the crossing. This is where the north transept and the south transept are directly across from each other. If you were to look at this spot from Heaven, you would see that this chapel is built in the shape of a cross. Here, Father Santos will read you. Nothing can hide itself in the cross. If he finds traces of the negative elemental, he will motion for me to bring you into the vestry where he will encourage these traces to leave.”
Before Alan could ask, Father Simon said, “We ask that you sit and pray. Do not enter the vestry. It is for your safety that you stay here.”
“I don’t…”
“I’ll be fine, Alan,” Kiki said. “I’m
