Page 50 of All You Want
“Everything looks in order down here,” I assure her. “However strangely Evan set it up.”
“Did anything happen while we were in there?” She draws back from me with horror etched on her face.
“No, everything’s okay.” I keep my face in the shadows and open the basement door. “Let’s get some fresh air.”
“Yeow!” A whiff of fur zips by my ankles.
“Ahhh!” Tami yelps and stumbles back. She misses a step, but I tighten my grip and stop her fall.
Her teeth chatter, and her eyes widen. “What was that?”
“Why, I believe it’s a cat.” I pull her closer to me and guide her through the basement door. “Do you want me to catch him?”
“We can’t leave him down there by himself,” she replies. “He might starve.”
“Maybe not, if there are rats and mice down there,” I remind her.
“Don’t. Spread. Rumors.” She grits her teeth. “Not tonight. Let’s leave the door open a crack so he can get out. He might be the same kitten who snuck in while the workers were here. I tried to feed him, but he’s so wild, he wouldn’t come to me.”
“Try leaving a bowl of milk for him,” I suggest and leave the door ajar by wedging a piece of wood.
Tami nods but doesn’t reply. She has a faraway expression in her eyes, and her shoulders are slumped as if burdened down by a rackful of worries.
“You look exhausted. You should take a nap before tonight.”
“I can’t. There’s still too much to do. I have to reset the haunt effects, and I don’t know where Evan is. He’s not answering his phone. If he doesn’t show up for the ghost hunting tonight, my grand opening’s going to be a big bust. My friends will be disappointed, and people will laugh at me.”
“The cell towers are back.” I frown as I check my phone. “Is there anyone else you can call?”
“There’s Molly.” She taps on her phone and walks away from me toward the kitchen.
“If she’s not skunk-drunk.” I hear my voice grow growly, and I suppress the anger threatening to spew.
“She’s been good,” Tami says and then waves for me to be quiet. “Hey, Molly. You up for some extra hours?”
I step away toward the kitchen to let her have some space, but I keep my ears perked. I don’t trust Molly or her brother, Randy, who Tami hired as a security guard.
Tami ends the call after asking Molly to go over the guest rooms and make sure all the effects are in order. She swivels her wide hips toward me and takes my arm. “Now that’s taken care of, it’s time for lunch. Let’s make sure Madam Goldilocks’s Boudoir is not too hot and not too cold.”
“Are you sure it’s wise to give Molly and Randy the keys?” I walk with Tami through the kitchen toward the hallway leading to Goldilocks’s headquarters where she used to run card games in her parlor.
“What do you have against them?” Tami turns her blue eyes toward me. “Is it because they grew up poor?”
“No, nothing like that.” I’m taken aback that she’d accuse me of caring only for the wealthy. “I just think you’re too trusting. Have you changed the locks since the workers left?”
“Why should I bother?” Tami rolls her eyes. “It’s not like they’re going to drive all the way back here to steal anything. We’re too far from the interstate for a quick getaway, and it’s much easier to steal in San Francisco where the police don’t do anything.”
“Yeah, well, at least we try to enforce the law.” My fists tighten at the thought of all the lawlessness Shane told me about.
“You worry too much.” Tami pushes open the double doors to the Goldilocks Suite. “I’ll have Randy stand guard down here, and Chad upstairs.”
“Did you tell them already?”
Tami quirks a doubtful look at me and shrugs. “Of course, I did. Why leave anything to chance?”
“Switch them last minute.” I give her a meaningful look.
“Why? Why would I have them standing guard if I didn’t trust them? I mean, I know both of them from forever. Chad is your brother, for Pete’s sake, and even though Molly didn’t know Randy growing up, I know their family.”
