Page 70 of The Curse of Redwood

How could I ever return to Redwood?

Only an idiot would go back.

An hour later, I had showered and was on my way to the sports bar. Taylor had texted and said he and Rich were already there and had snagged us a table. I parked and got out of the car. As I moved down the sidewalk toward the bar, I breathed in the smell of wet leaves and rain in the air. Plastic pumpkins glowed in store windows, and signs on the lampposts advertised the ghost tour. I stopped to read over a flyer.

Experience the haunted history of Ivy Grove!

Visit Lockton Asylum where many men lost their lives in twisted experiments. And journey with us to Redwood Manor, the most haunted place in town.

Prepare for an evening of fright and chills.

I rolled my eyes and continued walking. Those people didn’t know the half of it. If they did, they’d never willingly go to Redwood. It was a true house of horrors.

When I arrived at the bar, Rich waved me over from a table in the center of the room. I walked over, passing through a cloud of cigar smoke. I swear, it was one of the only bars in town that allowed inside smoking.

“Hey, man,” Rich said, standing from the table to greet me. He clapped me on the back before sitting back down.

Danielle sat beside him and waved at me. “Good to see you, Carter.”

“Same,” I responded. I had thought it was going to just be the guys, but whatever. The more, the merrier.

Taylor scooted his chair closer and leaned toward me. “She called last minute and asked if she and Rich could hang tonight. So, he invited her along.”

“Fine with me. I’m going to get a drink.”

Two rum and cokes later, I was feeling a lot better. The tension in my shoulders had eased a bit, and I actually smiled and helped carry the conversation. The horrors of the day were far behind me as I drank and visited with my friends.

However, that peace only lasted so long.

Around eleven, the door opened, sending a small gust of wind to ruffle my hair. I turned to see Callum Gray enter the bar. He wore black on black. Dark skinny jeans, a black shirt, and a black coat that hung to his knees. The dude looked like a vampire hunter.

“Over here!” Taylor shouted, waving his arm in the air. When I looked at him, he smiled. “I invited him earlier. I didn’t think he’d actually show up.”

“Good evening,” Callum said, once at our table. He remained standing.

“Hey.” Taylor stood and offered him a chair. “Have a seat. What’s your poison? First drink’s on me.”

“I’ll just have a water, thank you,” Callum responded, sitting to my right. He watched Taylor walk toward the bar before turning to me. “How are you?”

“You’re the psychic,” I said like a smartass, before tilting my glass up and finishing off my drink. “You tell me.”

He pressed his lips together. “It doesn’t work like that.”

The rum in my veins took away my filter. “Why? Do I need to pay you first?”

“How’s your head?” he asked, not reacting to my rudeness. “You’ve still been having headaches, have you not?”

“It’s bearable,” I answered, losing some of my bite.

“Here you go,” Taylor said, placing a glass in front of Callum. “One plain, boring water. If you want something else, I really don’t mind.”

“This is fine.” Callum touched the bottom of the cup. The condensation on the glass left a wet streak as a drop of water trickled down.

“Suit yourself.” Taylor then turned to Rich and Danielle, who looked to be getting a bit too lovey-dovey in such a public place. Rich slapped Taylor’s arm at something he said, and Taylor snorted a laugh before diving into a conversation about some big party happening that coming weekend.

“I only came tonight because Taylor said you’d be here.”

I focused on Callum. “Don’t tell Taylor that. Pretty sure it’d break the guy’s heart.”