Miss Nobody

Chapter 9

ROSES & WHISKEY

Evening Day 3

Remember, he's the Sheriff's nephew. I smiled at Keiran, maybe if I'm on his good side he won't try to poison me. "That's okay, I'm getting used to being scared," I smirked.

He chuckled. "When we were kids we would dare each other to come up to the haunted Lodge. None of us were ever brave enough to get past the gates." He leaned against the staircase banister and shifted a thick notebook in his hands. "Let me guess-" He looked at the roses. "-you have a secret admirer."

"Something like that. How are you settling in, Keiran? Is it nice to be back?" I changed the subject. Asking him questions was easier than answering them.

He stood up straight and grinned. "I didn't think I'd ever come back but when they called me-" He gestured to the lodge. "-I guess I'm still curious about the mysteries behind the gate." He shrugged. "Town hasn't changed in ten years. It's nice to see a new face." His gaze roamed over me. "Cherry says you haven't been here for very long."

I nodded. I'm sure Cherry had regaled him with all sorts of gossip but how much of it was true?

"Have you been to Main Street yet? It's...quaint." He shrugged. "The only thing exciting about this town is the curse and every once in a while my mom's cafe has an open mic night." He laughed.

"Chef told me a few of the stories but he didn't want to scare me out of the woods like they did with his granddaughter." According to his bookshelf, he knew about all sorts of things he didn't want me to know, or there wasn't enough time to tell me.

"He was careful with what he shared. That's why I'm here actually. I'm hoping you could help me out, I don't understand the old man's filing system or handwriting." Keiran ran his hand through his shaggy russet hair and held up the thick notebook. Papers poked out from all sides.

"Yeah, that's the way Chef liked to keep things." I laughed and headed up the staircase. "Come in, I'll show you his code."

He placed the notebook on my small coffee table and looked around, noticing the hole in my floor. "This is where they keep you?"

I laughed and placed the roses on my nightstand. "The peeling paint is so charming and I have my own peephole." I pointed to the bowling ball-sized hole in the floor and shrugged.

He laughed and sat on my armchair. "They have me over in the employee bunkhouse. Over that ridge in the back."

I knelt on the floor next to the coffee table and opened the notebook. "I didn't know they had that."

"It's infested with mice, so maybe-" He shrugged and looked around the room again.

I shuddered, mice freaked me out but I hadn't seen any animal droppings up here. "Chef has...had a cat. I could bring Hermione over. If you could help keep an eye on him?"

"That's a good idea, I don't really want to use poison. Him?"

I nodded. "It's a male cat." I read Chef's notes as Keiran followed along, and we tried to decipher some of his handwriting.

Twenty minutes later we finished the first page. "I think that one is an A." I stood to stretch my legs. "I'll be right back." I headed to my small bathroom. I locked the door behind me and turned the fan on, my phone vibrated in my small dress pocket and I pulled it out.

A message from Jonny. Good night.

I smiled and blushed. I looked at the time and realized it was later than it seemed. I texted Jonny back. Good night. Sweet Dreams.

Jonny replied, Only when you're in them. Another text from him. Ben will keep an eye on you again tonight.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that I woke up in the laundry room, nor did I want Ben in any kind of trouble if he wasn't doing his job. It wasn't his fault that I needed a babysitter. I texted Jonny. Where are you? I used the bathroom while I waited for Jonny's reply. Still nothing by the time I washed and dried my hands. Whatever.

Keiran closed the notebook as I exited the bathroom. "This is giving me a headache."

Yeah, me too. I shoved the phone in my pocket. "I could use a drink. Would you like one?" I asked Keiran, not liking to drink alone and half hoping a few drinks would keep me from sleepwalking.

He smiled and nodded.

"I have a little bit of whisky and a little bit of soda." I pulled both bottles out of my tiny fridge and placed them on the coffee table. I grabbed two glasses from the top cupboard and poured us both a healthy drink, emptying the remainder of the bottles. Two shots should be enough to keep me asleep.

Twenty minutes later I drank the last of my cocktail and Keiran had me giggling, telling me stories about some of the antics he got into around town as a kid. "It wasn't until the end of summer that we finally gave up." A haunted look overcame his smile. He threw back his drink, swallowing the last of it.

"After searching all summer for the biggest fish, you guys just gave up?" I questioned him, too buzzed not to pry further.

He shrugged. "It was the last day of the contest. Our little boat had blown too far out on the lake." He stared at his hand. A ring of small scars encircled the meaty flesh.

"So what happened?" I gently nudged him to finish his story.

"We caught something big." He flexed his hand and seemed to shake off the memory. "But it wasn't a fish." He smiled at me and abruptly stood up. "It's boring. You know what I find more interesting?" He continued without waiting for my reply. "The type of fish found in the lake are only found in one other body of water and it's on the other side of the world." He brought his glass into my small kitchen and placed it next to the sink. "Some think there are connecting tunnels deep under the water allowing the fish to go back and forth."

I hid my yawn behind my hand.

"See, I told you it was boring." Keiran sat on the edge of the armchair and smiled.

I laughed. "Sorry, it's the alcohol." He didn't need to know about my weird night habits. "So what did you catch?" I asked with genuine interest.

"Come to Open Mic Night at my mom's cafe tomorrow and I'll tell you." Keiran winked at me.

"Now you're bribing me with boring stories?" I teased as I stood and stretched, ready for bed.

Keiran stood and smiled. "If that's what it takes."

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to show my face in town right now. People still think I had something to do with Chef's death."

"I think it would be good for you. Show them you aren't someone to be afraid of. That you aren't some cold-blooded killer. I don't normally say this but my family has been in this town for a long, long time. Being seen with me will only benefit you." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

I sighed, maybe he's right. Proactive. I wanted to keep my job and place to live. I nodded reluctantly. "I guess it couldn't hurt."

Keiran picked up Chef's notebook. "Good. I'll pick you up tomorrow night."

I nodded and shut my door behind him already regretting agreeing to this...outing. I turned off the lights and got under my cool covers. I scrolled through my phone to cancel my...meeting with Keiran but I never got his phone number. I placed the phone next to my roses and quickly fell asleep.

A knock on my door woke me up. I made sure I wasn't naked and answered it.

Keiran smiled. "Forgot Chef's notebook." He walked past me and picked up a thick book from my small coffee table.

I glimpsed the cover, The Codex Gigas. "Hey, listen. About tomorrow night." I ran my hand through my straight, smooth hair nervously. "I don't think it's a good idea. I'm going to have to pass. Sorry."

Keiran smiled brightly. "No worries." He leaned against the door frame, the big book tucked under his arm. "Tell you what. Instead of telling you the rest of the story, I'll show you." He reached for my hand.

I smiled and put my hand in his, it was icy cold and shivers ran up my arm.

He pulled me down the stairs and across the pavement into the woods.

"This is the way I went with Chef." I smiled at the memory.

"I know." Keiran held up the book. "He told me in his notes."

I nodded. "It's almost his birthday."

We stopped at the edge of the pond and I looked at Keiran, excited to find out how his story ended.

He looked at me expectantly. "Well?" He gestured for me to go on. "Did you find it?"

A sense of dread thickened like sour milk in my stomach.

Keiran turned to look over the water.

The cold pond water gently lapped at my toes. "What am I looking for?" I whispered.

"It's in the water." Keiran laughed. "Better find it before they do." He held up his hand, the faint scars shiny from the full moon. They formed a half circle, like sharp but small teeth tried to take a chunk. He turned around, walking away from me and the pond, disappearing into the dark.

I stepped forward, my ankle now under the water. "What am I looking for?" I was knee-deep in the water now and sinking in the murky mud. Go deeper, deeper, echoed over the stillness of the pond. I dove in head first like I was a professional swimmer. I deftly swam to the middle of the pond and dove under the water. I scanned underwater but it was too dark. My feet tangled in my long nightgown and I spun around losing which way was up.

Just as I was about to panic, two strong hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me up above the water line. I gasped the air, my heart in my throat, my legs numb. I was pulled to the shore. I laid back against the dirt and tried to catch my breath.

Jonny laid next to me, shirtless, soaking wet, and breathing heavily. "What the fuck are you doing?" He sat up and examined my pupils. "Do I need to call my sister?"

Mrs. Ortega flashed in my mind.