Only the Quiet Page 7

  “That’s him,” I confirmed as I leaned forward to get a better look at the boy. “He looks like a normal kid.”

  “He’s not talking,” Oliver noted. “He’s interested in the animals, but he’s not talking.”

  “No, I ... .” A shadow flitted across the screen, causing me to straighten. “Did you see that?”

  “What?”

  “Rewind a little bit and go back.”

  Oliver did as I instructed.

  “There!” I pointed at the shadow again. “I can’t make out any features. I ... do you know what that is?”

  Oliver shook his head. “No, but look at the child after the shadow passes.”

  On the screen, within seconds of the shadow crossing through the frame, Granger turns in my direction and starts babbling. I couldn’t hear what he was saying through the footage, but I already knew because I’d witnessed it the previous afternoon.

  “He was definitely possessed,” I muttered.

  “Or propelled by a magical force,” Oliver countered. “We can’t be sure. That didn’t look like a normal possession to me.”

  “Have you seen a possession before?”

  “I have.”

  “Other than in The Exorcist?”

  He scowled. “I don’t live my life by things I’ve seen in movies.”

  “You don’t know what you’re missing.” I flashed a smile before sighing. “Show it to me again.”

  After watching the footage a third time, I could do nothing but shake my head.

  “I think I need to talk to Granger.”

  “He might not remember anything.”

  “I know, but he’s still our best shot. If we can’t get him to explain what happened ... well, at least we’ll know where to start looking.”

  “I guess there’s no harm in trying.”

  Seven

  Braden was waiting in the aquarium when we made our way out of the security office. His attention was solely focused on a snake, one of the few reptiles we housed in the facility — he was busy tapping on the window to get the serpent’s attention — and obviously didn’t hear us approaching because he didn’t look in our direction.

  “Don’t you know a watched snake never hisses?” I challenged.

  He swiveled quickly, sheepish. “Hey. I ... um ... Tara said she was going to track you down. She went that way.” He pointed toward the door that led to the basement.

  “We were in the security office watching footage of yesterday’s event.”

  He straightened. “Anything good?”

  “I guess that depends on how deeply you value the image of what looks to be a shadow swooping across the screen,” Oliver replied, striding forward and shaking Braden’s hand. “Izzy is far more excited about it than I am.”

  “Yes, well, she’s an odd duck.” He winked at me to emphasize he was teasing and then planted his hands on his hips. “So ... I finished up my work early today and thought maybe you could use some help here.”

  “Really?” I managed to keep my tone even, but just barely. His sudden appearance threw me. Of course, I figured that’s what he was going for. “Isn’t there a baby at your house that needs tending?”

  His flirty smile slipped. “That’s another reason I had to get out of there. Lily’s lungs are apparently the sort that never grow tired of screaming.”

  My heart sank. “What about the salve I sent with your father? He’s supposed to rub that on her chest. It will calm her.”

  “Believe it or not, it’s already starting to work. Lily is no longer auditioning to be a banshee later in life. The screaming has stopped, which is why I escaped when I did. I had no inclination to be present when she decides the silence isn’t to her liking.”

  “The salve should prevent that.”

  “Yeah, well, she’s Aisling’s daughter. I happen to believe her mind will eventually overcome whatever woo-woo you did with the potion you concocted.”

  “It’s not a potion. It’s a magical remedy.”

  “Is there a difference?” His gaze was challenging.

  “Well ... yes.”

  “Great. I can’t wait to hear about it. You can tell me while I’m helping you with ... well ... whatever you’ve got going today.”

  I recognized his game. He was trying to get me to invite him on my afternoon trek. I had no intention of doing so. “I have nothing going on today,” I smoothly lied.

  “She’s going to the deaf school,” Oliver volunteered. “We saw something on the security footage. It looked like a possession ... only not. Whatever it was, the kid was acting normally before it happened. He went back to normal after the lights came back on. We need to figure out what happened to him that caused his brief outburst.”

  My mouth dropped open as I lobbed my most hateful glare in Oliver’s direction. “Wow! And I thought you were the tight-lipped sort.”

  “That’s what you get for assuming.” His smile was smug. “One of us has to stay here and monitor the soul transfers. We’ve yet to bring anybody else on — even though it’s overdue — since Renee’s death. That means Izzy was going to the school alone, Braden, which I wasn’t keen on. You’re here now, so you can go with her.”

  Braden’s eyes twinkled with delight. “That’s a happy coincidence, huh?”

  I could think of a few other words to describe it. “It’s ... something,” I muttered, shaking my head as I narrowed my eyes at Oliver. “Actually, I think it’s a fine idea.” I brightened considerably. “Someone needs to question Granger. He knows me ... well, kind of. He should recognize me at least, which means he won’t be thrown by our visit.

  “You know a lot of the people in the home office so you can finish sorting through the files that were sent our way and narrow down the list of people applying for the job to five,” I continued. “We both agreed that I would make the final decision on our new co-worker, but you can narrow the list so my decision will be easier.”

  Now it was Oliver’s turn to frown. “I don’t believe I agreed to that.”

  “Yes, well, we’re both dealing with things we didn’t agree to, aren’t we? I guess you’ll simply have to suck it up ... just like me.”

  We stared at each other for a long beat. It was a standoff of sorts. Finally, he heaved a sigh and relented.

  “Fine. I’ll cull the entrants to five. You’re still in charge of the final decision.”

  “I can’t wait.” I shot him a sunny smile. “Have fun with your files.”

  “Have fun with your Grimlock.”

  The corners of my lips turned down as I turned my gaze to the left and found Braden watching me with the smuggest expression I’d ever seen outside of a George Clooney flick. “This is a work trip,” I stressed, not for Oliver’s benefit but Braden’s. “We’ll be doing work things and nothing else.”

  Oliver snorted as Braden’s grin widened. “Right. Have fun with your ‘work things.’ Make sure to call if you don’t intend to return. I don’t want to worry about you.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I graced him with an absent wave as I pinned Braden with a pointed look. “We’re working together. Nothing more.”

  “Did I mention anything else?” His smile never dimmed, which I found frustrating. He was unbelievably full of himself. “I think you’re the one who has dirty thoughts on her mind. You should probably wash your brain out with soap. I’m a good boy.”

  I wanted to strangle him. It should be impossible to be that smug. “I don’t have dirty thoughts.”

  “Really?” He leaned closer, so close in fact, that his lips were extremely close to mine. “I can see inside your head. You’re having a dirty thought right now.”

  Sadly, he wasn’t wrong. I was having a dirty thought ... and it made me want to smack both of us. “I am not.”

  “You are.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “You like to hear yourself talk, don’t you?” It took all my strength, but I took a step away from him. “We should probably get going.
I don’t have a vehicle so you drive.”

  “I’m happy to drive.” He spun his keys around his finger. “I’ve always wanted to serve as the personal chauffeur of a beautiful woman. I’m so glad I get to mark that off my bucket list.”

  I growled without realizing it. It reminded me of a bear ... or an angry cat. “We should get moving. We don’t have all day.”

  “I do. My father cleared my schedule to help you. He said you’d earned it after shutting Lily up.”

  “Lily is a baby. She’ll straighten herself out eventually.”

  “I certainly hope so. I don’t know how long my sister can hang on if things stay this way.”

  “Your sister is stronger than you think,” I said as I strode through the doors that led to the parking lot. “She’s a freaking Amazon.”

  “Oh, I know.” Briefly, he took on a far-off expression. “She’s stronger than the rest of us combined, I think. Er, well, sometimes I think that. Right now she seems fragile. I’m not used to it.”

  Even though he agitated me — which was obviously his plan — I felt sympathetic toward his plight. His relationship with his sister seemed an ongoing project, one that he was willing to work on even though he clearly wasn’t sure what his next step involved. “She’s fine. She’ll find her footing.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I know so. Now ... let’s get going. We need to come up with a convincing lie if we expect the administrators of the school to allow us to talk to Granger.”

  “Why can’t you just do your thing?” He waved his hands in such a way that I knew he was indicating my magic.

  “Because I’m not adept at mind control.”

  “Have you ever tried?”

  “Actually, I have.”

  “Oh, well ... how did that go?”

  “Not well.”

  “You don’t strike me as a quitter. Maybe you should try again.”

  “And maybe we should think of another way to get access to the kid. I think I’m going to put you in charge of that on the drive to the school.”

  “That sounds reasonable.”

  “I thought so.”

  BRADEN’S IDEA of schmoozing our way into the school was to flirt with the administrative assistant. At first I thought it was the dumbest idea ever. But five minutes in, I realized he was really good at it. His skills were on full display when Kelly Martin — she of the blond hair and covetous eyes — called for Granger to be brought to the front office so we could question him away from prying eyes. All the while, she kept batting her lashes at Braden ... and he let her.

  “It’s so nice that you’re taking such an interest in Granger,” Kelly cooed as we waited for the boy to make his way to the front office. “So few people actually care about the psychological needs of children after a trying event. You must have children at home to be this ... in tune ... to the needs of a frightened little boy.”

  I knew exactly what she was doing, though I managed to keep from snorting directly in her face by sheer force of will. That didn’t stop me from rolling my eyes at her back, something Braden found hilarious as he tried to keep a straight face.

  “I don’t have children of my own,” he replied, allowing a charming grin to flit across his open features as Kelly sighed in relief. “I’m not married ... yet. Eventually I would like a child or two of my own. I think fatherhood is a noble calling.”

  I almost choked on the bile that threatened to bubble up. “So noble,” I intoned, earning a playful look from him.

  “Right now I’m just an uncle,” he continued. “My sister gave birth to my first niece a few weeks ago. We’re all staying under the same roof to help her with the transition to motherhood, so I feel like a surrogate father of sorts.”

  That was freaking ludicrous. “Weren’t you out of town until two days ago?” I challenged.

  Braden’s smile slipped. “I was still with my niece on a spiritual level.”

  I thought about gagging to show my opinion of his “spiritual” beliefs, but the idea fled when I looked to the door and found Granger walking through it.

  He was a small boy — at least two inches shorter than he should be for his age, I surmised — and he had dark eyes. He was paler than most of the other kids, which told me he didn’t spend much time outside. I could practically sense the fear wafting off him as he stepped into the office.

  “Hello, Granger.” Kelly immediately started signing when she saw him. “This is Braden and ... I’m sorry, but I forgot your name.” She acted contrite as she met my gaze, but I knew better.

  “Izzy.” I signed my own name to him. “I was at the aquarium with you yesterday. Do you remember?”

  Kelly served as interpreter and signed the question. The boy opened his mouth, and for a moment I thought he would actually speak, but instead he started signing.

  Kelly translated the boy’s hand gestures. “I remember you,” she said. “You came in right before Mrs. Tate fell down.”

  Fell down? That was a nice way of putting it. I glanced to Kelly for reassurance. “Do they know what happened?”

  Kelly nodded. “They know that something bad happened and Mrs. Tate fell down and couldn’t get up,” she replied, signing again. “They’re well aware that she’s not coming back and they’re sad. They also know that she’s in a better place.”

  “Is this a religious school?” I asked, glancing around to see if I’d missed the signs.

  “No, but it’s always better to talk about a happy place on the other side with young children.”

  I exchanged a quick look with Braden, who seemed to understand my agitation, because he smoothly led Kelly away from Granger and toward the front window. “I just love the view here. It’s a beautiful piece of land. How long has the school been located here?”

  Obvious confusion etched its way over Kelly’s face. “Oh, well ... it’s been years. Close to twenty, I think. Doesn’t your co-worker need me to translate for her?”

  “I believe she has everything under control.” Braden cast a final look over his shoulder before drawing Kelly’s attention to something on the other side of the window. “You must spend a lot of time sitting and dreaming while you’re here. That fountain is wonderful. Do you throw coins in and make wishes? I know I would if I were in your position.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened to comical proportions. “How did you know I did that?”

  “Just a guess. You look the sort.”

  I tuned out the rest of their conversation and focused on Granger. I was in a precarious situation because I couldn’t sign — other than the basic alphabet — and he was obviously in no mood to communicate. That meant we would have to come to a meeting of the minds if we wanted to interact. Still, this was better. I didn’t want Kelly involving herself in the conversation we needed to have.

  “I think you saw something yesterday,” I supplied, keeping my voice low as I drew the boy to a set of chairs and a bench on the other side of the office. “Can you read lips? I just ... I need to know if you saw something.”

  Granger stared at me without response.

  “Can you read lips?” I repeated.

  Slowly, he nodded. “Good. I wish I’d paid better attention to that book when I was a kid so I knew more than the alphabet. I can’t go back in time and fix that, so we’re going to have to move forward. That means I need you to tell me what you saw. Anything. Just tell me one thing.”

  Granger carefully held his hands out and shook his head. It was a universal response that told me he either didn’t understand what I wanted him to do or couldn’t comply.

  “Do you remember what happened yesterday?” I asked, desperate.

  There was a flash of something dark in his eyes, something that took me by surprise and forced me to lean closer.

  “You do, don’t you?” My voice was barely a whisper as I searched for a hint of recognition in his dark orbs. “Was something else there? Someone who looked and sounded different, perhaps? Did you hear something? How about a whisper?�
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  Granger didn’t answer. I caught a hint of something in his head, though. A quick flicker of darkness that practically beckoned for me to follow.

  I spared a glance for Kelly and found her completely entranced with Braden, and took advantage of the situation by grabbing both sides of Granger’s head before he could pull away.

  I didn’t have much time, so I shoved my consciousness inside his head and immediately went for his memory. I was hopeful I would be able to catch a glimpse of what happened, even if the boy was unsure what he saw. Instead, I ran into a roadblock in the form of an ethereal figure.

  It wasn’t solid, and yet it stymied me, glowing green as it shook its head. I tried to move around it, but the figure cut me off at every turn when I tried to access Granger’s memories.

  “What are you?” I asked, confused. I’d never encountered anything remotely like what was happening now. “What are you doing here?” I wasn’t sure if I spoke out loud or simply in Granger’s head. Ultimately, it didn’t matter.

  “Get out.” The specter glowed brighter, reminding me of the shadows I’d witnessed in the aquarium the previous day.

  “Just tell me what’s going on,” I prodded.

  “Get out.”

  I refused to back down. “I need to know.”

  The phantasm lost its patience. “Get out!” It screamed so loudly it blew me backward, forcing me away from Granger and nearly knocking me off the bench.

  The noise I made as I struggled to maintain my seat was enough to draw Kelly’s attention. She was full of annoyance when she strode in our direction.

  “What happened? What’s going on?”

  “Nothing.” My voice sounded raspy as I collected myself. “We were simply having a nice conversation.”

  Kelly obviously didn’t believe me. She hurried to Granger’s side and pulled him to a standing position. “I think that’s enough for the day. Perhaps you should be going.”

  I was so shaken, all I could do was agree. “I think that’s a fabulous idea.”