Page 22 of The Burnt (The Declan Hunt Mysteries #3)

Charlie’s phone chirped with a text from Declan.

Leaving Katherine’s. Meet me at Bar-None at five for a debrief?

Charlie replied.

See you then.

Charlie prepared some quick notes, then headed out of the office, waving to Mrs B. “I’ll see you tomorrow. And don’t forget to set the alarm.”

“If someone would show me how, I’d be glad to do it, but…”

Charlie looked at the time. “Oh, right. I gotta run. I’ll show you tomorrow.”

He arrived at Bar-None at a quarter to five and found Mickey working behind the bar. In spite of the cold weather, he was dressed in a form-fitting black tank top. He’d dyed his hair icy-blue with white highlights. He looked like a very sexy Smurf.

“You’re in early,” Charlie said.

“Yeah. My daytime guy couldn’t make it in, so I’m working both shifts today.”

“Is it the flu?” Charlie asked.

“Not unless the flu is a muscular redhead named George. Now, what can I get you?”

“I’ll take a…Alley Kat Pale Ale,” he said after scoping out what was on the beer menu posted on the wall.

“Excellent choice. So, are you here alone or is the other half of the dynamic duo joining you?”

Charlie was about to reply when Declan walked in, planted a kiss on his lips and said, “I’ll have what he’s having.”

They made their way over to Declan’s favourite table in the back. After taking a sip of his drink, Declan asked, “How’d the day go?”

“Well, I had no luck finding the reclusive Michelle Coleman. She’s only reachable by snail-mail unless we want to take a twenty-four-hour drive south.

I had an iffy image match with the aged picture of Milo.

It’s a guy in the States who’s probably too old—or it might just be the effects of too much time in the California sun.

Anyway, I’m waiting to see if he gets back to me.

On the positive side, thanks to a bit of inspiration from Gwen, I have an appointment to interview Simon’s housekeeper Jasmine tomorrow afternoon.

I’m hoping I can get her to dish the dirt on what happens in the Griffin household. ”

“That’s all good news,” Declan said. “At least you’ve got balls in the air. I had less success. Katherine didn’t recognise any of the pictures of Milo you provided, so that’s a bust. I did find out something interesting, however. It turns out that she’s the executor of Archie’s will.”

“What?” Charlie said. “That gives her motive. As the executor, she can claim a percentage of the estate’s value. And as the next-door neighbour, she’s got plenty of opportunity.”

“Slow down, Sherlock,” Declan said. “Life’s not always like it is on TV.

But there was something else strange. She took a few things out of Archie’s house.

One was a stuffed bear that belonged to Freddy, and the other was a picture of Freddy that Archie had on his bedside table. She said they were special to Archie.”

Declan took a long sip of his drink. “It doesn’t make sense.

What is it with fathers? I mean, there’s Archie who basically set up a shrine for the kid he had no time for when he was alive.

And then there’s The Sarge and me…’adversarial’ only begins to describe our relationship.

I don’t think he’s ever once said that he loved me. ”

Charlie shrugged. “Maybe it’s a guy thing. Maybe we’ve had it programmed into us that saying ‘I love you’ is a sign of weakness and we should never talk about it. I don’t think I’ve ever said ‘I love you’ to my dad.”

Charlie took a swig of his beer. “But I want that to change. And sooner than later. I’m tired of hiding my feelings.”

Declan furrowed his brow. “Do I do that? With you, I mean? I hope not, because I’m not afraid to say that I love you.”

Charlie leaned over and kissed him hard on the lips. “I love you, too.”

Declan smiled. “So—work–life balance. How do you feel it’s coming along?”

“Well…you were pulled away to deal with Katherine and I was gone to deal with Gran, so we’re pretty well even there. I figure as long as we’re communicating, we can make this work. And I do love working with you.”

Declan gave Charlie a crooked grin. “Me too. Hey, I’ve got something I’d like you to give me a hand with, back at the office.” Declan took Charlie’s hand and slid it up toward his crotch. “If you’re up for it?”

“Oh, I sure am.”

They paid the tab and ran back to the apartment above the office.

Charlie roughly pulled Declan’s shirt off over his head as Declan frantically undid Charlie’s belt while kicking off his own shoes.

Charlie slid Declan’s pants down to his ankles, then shoved him back on the bed, hauling his pants off, sending them flying across the room.

“Ooh, you bad boy,” Charlie said. Declan was wearing no underwear.

Charlie dove face first into Declan’s crotch and started to nibble, lick and taste.

He wrapped his hand around Declan’s shaft and began fist pumping as he played with the tip of Declan’s cock with his tongue and lips. Charlie was ravenous.

Declan moaned and said, “Slow down, Charlie. Slow down,” but it was too late. Declan came. “Sorry. I was just so turned on. God, I’ve missed you.”

Charlie grinned. “Oh, not to worry. We’ve got all night. We’re just getting started. Give me a second. I just have to go to the bathroom.”

Charlie went to the cabinet below the sink to get some supplies for a night of fun.

When he came back, Declan was on the phone.

“Gary… I don’t think it’s anything to worry about… Tomorrow. Morning… All right. See you then.”

Declan disconnected. He had a frown on his face.

“Is there a problem?” Charlie asked.

Declan put his phone on the nightstand. “It seems the cops were keeping an eye on Archie’s place after all. They saw me at Katherine O’Grady’s and wanted to know what I’ve been up to. I’ve been summoned to the office to explain myself.”

“Are you in any trouble?” Charlie asked.

“I’ll find out tomorrow. In the meantime, I think we should finish what we started just in case I can’t use my ‘Get Out Of Jail’ card.”

* * * *

Charlie tossed and turned in bed. He got up to go to the bathroom, but something was wrong.

He looked over and Declan was sound asleep, snoring softly.

The only light in the room came from the alarm clock on Declan’s side table.

The clock read three a.m. Charlie scanned the room.

He sensed he was being watched. If something was about to go down, Charlie had to be sure it wasn’t just his imagination.

There was definitely movement in the shadows beside the bathroom door.

Someone stepped into view. It was Dave, the burnt barista from Charlie’s dream the other night.

The ghost sipped at his coffee, and as he stared at Charlie, something began to happen.

A delicate shimmer surrounded Dave, then he began to shrink.

Whatever was happening, it didn’t seem to concern him.

He just stood, stared, sipped and shrank…

and altered form. As his height diminished, his proportions changed.

His skin was no longer blackened and tattered.

Dave was changing into a young boy. Was this what he looked like as a kid? Charlie wondered.

Dave was also dressed differently. He wore a little sailor suit complete with cap.

His skin had reverted to the fresh pink of a healthy young child.

And Dave now had hair! It was long, curly and blond.

The young Dave smiled at Charlie and winked, then ran into the shadows calling out, “Bye, Baby Bunting. Daddy’s gone a-hunting, to get a little rabbit-skin, to hide his Baby Bunting in. Find me! ”

Charlie tried to scream, but nothing came out.

The next thing he knew, he was sitting up in bed gasping for air.

Declan was still asleep beside him. He’d been dreaming, but it had felt so real.

Charlie snuggled back into Declan and tried to sleep, but he kept seeing movement in the shadows wherever he looked.

Charlie could feel the ghosts in the building, and for some reason, they were trying to tell him something.