“You’re starting to sound like Mike,” Ted said.
“Oh, sorry.”
Mike looked at Mia and understood. Burt had turned the angel into a recently-bedded vixen. He took out his comb and said, “Trust me, Mia.”
She did. Within minutes, he had pulled her hair back and braided it loosely, letting it fall over her shoulder. He took off his leather bracelet and wound it around the end. “There,” he said. “How does she look now?”
“Like a professional PEEP,” Ted declared.
“Okay, send in the first interviewee,” Burt said, rubbing the bruised muscle of his shoulder.
~
Cid, Audrey and Murphy looked at the list of hotspots. They only had two more cameras to set up. So far, there hadn’t been any interference. The hotel staff had mentioned that most of the incidents had happened after dark. Murphy didn’t pick up on anyone lurking in the areas they were working in, so maybe the team would complete the setup before anything happened.
“How’s this angle?” Cid asked Ted.
“Can you move the camera back a bit? All I can see is the corner. The activity is supposed to happen on the bed, over.”
Cid looked at Audrey who was cracking up.
“That’s what she said, over.” Audrey couldn’t resist.
“Miss McCarthy, whatever has come over you?” Ted said, realizing what he just said and quickly droned, “Cancel last transmission.”
Cid and Audrey laughed so hard that Audrey flew into the bathroom. Cid sat on the floor, stared into the camera, and announced, “Ghost hunter down.”
“You guys, you’re worse than Mia and Mike,” Ted complained.
“How is the dynamic duo doing?” Cid asked.
“Mia slugged Burt, and her and Mike seemed in sync.”
“Bizarro World, dude,” Cid said, getting up. He walked over to the bathroom door and knocked on it. “Miss Audrey, are you alright?”
“Um yes, I’m just washing my… Maybe we should get a camera in here,” she said, opening the door.
The steam rising from the sink fogged the mirror where something was writing GET OUT!
Cid picked up the camera and filmed the scene. “This could have been written before we got here. The letters timed,” he suspected.
Audrey was taking readings. “All seems to be within normal parameters, Captain.”
Ted rolled his eyes. It was going to be an interesting evening with Audrey in this kind of mood.
~
Mia waited until John Groban, the bartender for the Price Hills Resort, sat down. She leaned over and clipped a small microphone to his collar. “This is to help boost your voice. This room has a high ceiling so your voice may get lost,” she explained.
“No problem,” he said, oddly comforted by her hands on him. He didn’t like being in the hotel, even in the daylight.
“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked.
John smiled, taking in the role reversal. “No, I’m fine.”
“Okay, I would like you to take us back to a few moments before the incident. I understand you were alone in the bar on the main floor?”
“Yes, I was taking stock. The owners wanted to make sure the bar had everything possible for making the latest martinis and margaritas. I knew we would have to order some special liquors, so I had come in specially to do the ordering. Some of these could take months to get in,” he explained. “I was in the liquor cabinet when I felt a presence behind me.”
“Was it just a feeling, or did you hear or possibly smell something?” Mia asked.
“No, just the hairs on the back of my neck raised. I turned around, and a beefy-looking man dressed in a pinstripe suit was sitting across the bar in one of the booths. I yelled over, ‘Sorry, but the management has closed the bar until the grand reopening.’ He just stares at me like I’ve insulted him. I walk out from behind the bar and towards the man when he gets up and disappears.”
“Could he have left the bar before you got to him?” Mia asked sweetly.
“No, I was four feet from him when he vanished, miss.”
“That must have been scary,” she sympathized.
“That was nuthin’. I shook that off. I’ve seen a few things in my line of work. So I go back to my inventory when a hand grabs me by the back of the neck and pushes me down to the floor, and then the kicking starts. All the while, this guy is saying stuff about my heritage and my mother’s lack of husband.”
“That’s horrible,” Mia says. “How long did this go on for?”
“Long enough to break two ribs and bruise my kidney.”
“I’m sorry this has happened to you, John.”
“So you believe me?” John said, surprised.
“I’ve seen some things too in my line of work,” Mia said.
“And cut,” Burt said.
“Do you want to go back into the bar?” Mia asked John.
“No, miss.”
“I could go back in there with you. Maybe have you wear some protection. We could sort out this difference of opinion?”
“Miss, the guy knocked the shit out of me.”
“Fair enough,” Mia said, knowing when to back off. “You’re not still seeing the man, are you?”
John paled. “How did you know?”
“Tell me about it.” Mia motioned for Burt to start filming.
“I was walking across Michigan Avenue in the city when I get shoved. That isn’t odd considering that it was a rush hour crowd. I barely missed getting winged by a cab. I look back, and there’s that same guy in the pinstripe suit looking at me. How is this possible?”
“It’s a rare occurrence, but sometimes a spirit will follow you home. I think he’s been with you since the incident here. He’s with you now,” she added.
“Why? I didn’t do him no disservice.”
“He seems to have other ideas. We could go back into the bar and straighten this out,” Mia offered. “Or you can take your chances on your own.”
“Who’s going to protect me, that lug with the plastic smile?” he asked, indicating Mike.
“No, John, I am,” Mia said sweetly. “Plus, we’re going to use some precautions.”
“And cut,” Burt said. “Mia, may I have a word with you?”
“Sure thing,
