The Ninth Floor Read online

  “Ryan?”

  I looked back at her. “It is hard to sleep in a new place. It could have been a dream.”

  Her grip on my hand eased. “So it was a dream?” Bee looked back and forth between Dr. Sadler and me.

  “That would make the most sense.” He took her other hand and felt her pulse.

  I hugged her. I didn’t want to dismiss her fear without looking into it, but I knew what Bee needed to hear. “What else could it be? A ghost?” I laughed.

  Bee nodded. “You’re right. I know you’re right.” She let out a slow breath. “I’m being silly.”

  “Other than the fright, how are you feeling today, Bee?” Dr. Sadler asked.

  I helped her straighten the covers and ease back into her bed. “Fine. A little tired.”

  “Do you have any pain?” Dr. Sadler asked, pressing his fingers gently against her ankle to test the swelling.

  “A little.”

  He gave her the same speech about moving around as much as possible before sitting down and chatting with us. He wasn’t like other doctors I had known, and by the time he left nearly half an hour later, Aunt Bee was a lot more like herself. She was weak but cheerful. We worked on a crossword puzzle until it was time for me to meet with Vivian, and Bee looked like she could use the rest.

  Vivian waited for me in the hospital cafeteria, wearing a bright pink dress and an orange necklace, looking like the embodiment of spring. I glanced down at my torn jeans and the see-through black t-shirt I wore over a white tank. She definitely looked more upscale boutique than I did. I bought myself a cup of coffee and eggs and bacon. Then I sat across from her and her tiny, polite breakfast.

  “I was thinking more about your offer yesterday.”

  “Good morning to you too, Ryan.” Vivian’s high-pitched voice was chipper, exactly opposite of my lower, more reserved voice.

  “Sorry. Good morning.” I smiled. “So did you mean it? About helping me with Blueberry?”

  “Yeah. I think it could be fun to actually use my business degree for something. Daddy will be so surprised.” She giggled.

  We discussed her pay and the hiring of a part-time clerk. Vivian took my key and left to get started. I went back up to Bee’s room. We spent the afternoon taking a very short, slow walk and talking. “You’re so beautiful,” she said, brushing a curl from my face. “Are you going to tell me what happened with Briggs?”

  “Ah, I was wondering when that would come up.” I curled a piece of hair around my finger. Briggs Caleb Burke IV had been my boyfriend for seven years until we broke up nearly a month ago. He was just the sort of man my family expected me to marry, not that it mattered. All that mattered was he was the man I expected to marry.

  “There’s nothing to tell. I came home one day to a letter tacked to the door saying he was gone. I went inside thinking it was a joke, but it wasn’t. He was really gone and he’d taken the dogs with him. He won’t talk to me about it or tell me what happened. I have no idea why he left or what I did.” I shrugged but felt anything but indifference. The only contact we still had was about the dogs, and once I had them back, that would be done too.

  “He didn’t say anything?”

  “Not a word.”

  “Do you think there was someone else?”

  I threw my hands up. I had no idea. One day Briggs and I were the perfect couple. The next he ripped the rug out from under me and let me fall. I didn’t know anything anymore. Before she could ask me more of the questions I had asked myself a hundred times, there was a faint knock on the door.

  “Come in,” I called out.

  The door opened hesitantly, and a young man in a tight black t-shirt and worn blue jeans slipped in. He looked young, maybe nineteen or twenty, and was just a hair over six feet. He was familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on how. He ran his fingers through his messy golden-brown hair as a huge grin spread over his face.

  “Heard you were back. Had to see it for myself.” He walked over to Bee’s bed in two giant steps and kissed her cheek, but his gray eyes stayed trained on me.

  I stared at him until it was like someone flipped a switch in my mind. “Oh my God. Blair?”

  He laughed as I came around the bed to see him better. “You should’ve seen the look on your face. Priceless. You haven’t changed at all, Ryan.” He threw his arms around me in a bear hug that lifted me off the floor and possibly cracked a rib.

  “You have. I didn’t recognize you.” My little brother was all grown up. Last time I saw him he was twelve and I was home for the summer before my senior year of high school.

  “You’ve been gone a long time, but I sure did enjoy all those letters and phones calls from you.” He made a face at me.

  “I sent birthday cards,” I said. I hadn’t kept in touch with Blair. He was a fun twelve-year-old, but I’d figured he’d become one of them. “I think Ashley took out a damn ad in the newspaper announcing I was back.”

  Blair’s laughter filled the room. “That’s because it’s totally epic. People didn’t even believe I had a sister. Mom’s being all dramatic, and Dad said we should invite you to dinner. So how ‘bout it?”

  “Oh, I can’t tonight. Busy.”

  “Then tomorrow. You deserted me for eight years. I figure you sort of owe me.”

  I scrunched up my nose. “How about just you and me have dinner tomorrow, and you can give me the scoop on everyone?”

  “Nope, all of us.” He flung his arm across my shoulders. “Consider it penance.”

  Bee grinned widely, tears glistening in her eyes. “Yes, you should definitely sit down with your family. I’m only sorry I can’t be there too.”

  “Fine.” I elbowed Blair playfully in the ribs. I probably did owe him and Bee. “So why the hell did it take you this long to come visit Bee? I quit my job and got on a plane as soon as I heard she was sick.”

  “Ryan,” Bee said at the same time Blair said, “Hey! Last week were midterms. I just got home for spring break.”

  “I guess that’s okay. What’s your major?”

  “I have dual majors in chemistry and biology.”

  “Yikes.”

  “I’m trying for vet school.”

  “Blair will make a wonderful vet,” Bee said. “Just like you’re a wonderful reporter, and Ashley is wonderful at whatever Ashley does.” Her sentence drifted away in a large yawn.

  That was my cue that Bee was ready to call it a night. It was nearly seven when Blair and I said good night and headed for the elevator. The same man who’d stood too close to me the night before got on with us. I gave him a small smile, forgiving him. Stress made people funny, and he was here so often, someone he loved must be here too.

  “So I know why you haven’t come to visit her, but what about the rest of them? I’ve been here two days and not one other family member has shown up.”

  He gave me a helpless shrug. “Well, Ashley is really busy, and Mom and Dad had a vacation not too long ago.”

  “Whatever.” How was I related to these people? I quit my job and traveled a thousand miles, and they couldn’t drive a few blocks. Disgusting.

  Blair walked me all the way to my car and smiled at me again. “I just can’t believe you’re back. You have no idea how much I missed having you around.”

  “I was only here during summers. You couldn’t have missed me that much.”

  “The summers were the best. You always had the greatest and most fun ideas. Remember that time you took me camping and told me about all the constellations?”

  “It was in the backyard.”

  “It was awesome. No one else ever took me camping, just you. I’m glad you’re back.” He gave me one last hug before heading for his own car. I started the engine before remembering that I couldn’t leave. I had a date.

  *

  Dr. Sadler was waiting just inside the door. He raised his eyebrows at me. “I wondered if you would come back.”

  I made a face. “I forgot. I was talking with my brother
and it slipped my mind.”

  “Oh, so that was your brother?”

  “Yeah, younger brother.”

  He smiled and gestured toward the door. “Shall we?”

  “I don’t want to leave my car, so we should probably drive separately.” I hooked a thumb in my pocket. “Where are we going? I’m not really dressed for dinner.”

  “You’re dressed fine for where we’re going. And no need to drive at all.” He pointed to a little silver trailer across the street with a pink neon sign above it that read The Diner.

  It was exactly the sort of place my mother couldn’t be dragged into. I grinned and hitched my slouchy brown purse up on my shoulder. “Let’s go.”

  Inside we took a booth and each ordered a cheeseburger and fries. “This is your idea of a date?”

  “No. You never agreed to go on a date. This is me giving you a break from being in there.” He nodded toward the hospital.

  I stared out at the large structure, monstrous and hulking in the growing darkness. The light from its many windows gave the air around the building a strange glow. It was then I noticed for the first time that an entire floor had its lights off. “Are they renovating one of the floors?”

  “No. Why?”

  I pointed up. “Why are the lights off?”

  “That’s the ninth floor.”

  “So?” Mrs. Simpson’s rant about the ninth floor being haunted came to mind.

  “Surely you’ve heard the rumors?”

  “Nope.”

  He took off his glasses and set them on the table, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Well, it’s dumb. You’re better off not knowing.”

  “What? You can’t lead me this far then not tell me. What, was it closed because it’s haunted?” I laughed.

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “No.” I leaned forward. “Are you serious? That’s absurd.”

  He shrugged. “They closed it well before I worked here.”

  “Huh.” I looked back at the dark windows. So weird. “Have you seen anything?”

  He smiled and matched my position, leaning forward. “You don’t believe in ghosts, do you, Ryan?”

  I pondered his question for a moment. I didn’t not believe in ghosts. I just never thought about them. Then I recalled how the TV had turned on by itself, and how Bee insisted her name had been called. “Bee heard something this morning.”

  Sadler rested an arm across the back of his booth. “Bee has heard the rumors undoubtedly and had a nightmare.”

  I had to admit his theory made sense.

  “So what do you do, Ryan?” he asked, blatantly changing the subject.

  I started to answer before I remembered I didn’t have a job anymore. “Um, I guess I’m between jobs at the moment. I worked at a newspaper before I came back.”

  “What did you do there? A reporter?”

  “No. That was the goal, but I wrote obituaries and wedding announcements.”

  Jack, as he insisted I call him, walked me back to my car. I fumbled through my purse for my keys. “Well, thank you for the distraction,” I said when I finally found them.

  The parking lot was too dark to read his expression. “Anytime,” he said softly.

  I hesitated for a second. Then I averted my eyes and unlocked my door. It wasn’t like I was cheating on Briggs. He left me. But that didn’t mean I was emotionally ready to jump into another relationship.

  “Have a good night,” I said.

  Jack nodded and took a small step back. “You too.”

  Chapter 5

  After another morning visit with Bee, I gave her a chance to nap—it wasn’t that I wanted to avoid Dr. Sadler—and went to Blueberry to check how Vivian was coming along. I was surprised to see the door propped open and the chipper socialite bouncing to pop music blaring from a stereo behind the counter.

  Vivian smiled and waved as I walked around the loveseat. “Oh my God, I’m so happy you’re here. I was thinking we should—”

  “What’s that?” I asked, pointing at the stereo holding her iPod.

  “What?” she shouted, cupping her ear and leaning closer to me.

  I sighed and walked around the counter to turn off the music. Once blissful silence filled the room, I repeated, “What’s this?”

  Her pretty gray eyes flicked over to the stereo, and her face twisted in confusion. “An iPod?”

  “Yes, but how did it get here?”

  “Oh, I brought it to spice up this place. It’s like a morgue in here.” Her eyes got huge and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Yeah, I know. It’s fine.” I wanted to tell her to remove the stereo at once. I intended to keep everything just the same as Bee had it, but Vivian was doing me a favor. If she hadn’t volunteered to work, I’d be stuck doing it or conducting interviews rather than spending time with my aunt. “Just don’t play it so loud.”

  Vivian shrugged her bare shoulders and hopped down off the counter. “I was thinking about the shelves over here.” Her hand waved in the vicinity of the purse and accessory room. “We could—”

  “I appreciate your help, Viv, but I’m not trying to change Aunt Bee’s store. She’ll be back soon. I just want to keep it the way she left it.”

  Vivian rolled her eyes dramatically and pouted until I turned and went to the refreshment table. I grabbed a bottle of Smart Water and a cookie. “So you want to hang out tonight? Catch up? We haven’t seen each other in what, eight years?” she asked.

  “I can’t. I’m supposed to have dinner with my family.” I scrunched my nose. “I also need to get the apartment upstairs in a livable condition. Maybe some—”

  “I can help.” Her eyes glittered. “I didn’t even know there was an apartment.” The door chimed as a customer entered. “I’ll see you later,” she said to me and went to greet the browsing woman. “Hi, welcome to Blueberry. I’m your personal stylist, Vivian. Oh my God—this color would look amazing on you.”

  The woman looked at her with wide, slightly frightened eyes before glancing at the bright pink sweater Viv held up. I could almost see the ice melt as she fell in love with the garment in Vivian’s hand. In a moment, they were chattering together and starting a pile to try on. I shook my head. She was definitely better at this than I would ever be. I was too blunt, too honest for sales. I waved to Vivian and left to go look at mattresses so I’d have somewhere to sleep upstairs. After all, if Vivian was helping me with apartment tonight, I couldn’t have dinner with my family. I believed that was called a silver lining.

  “See you tonight, Ryan,” she called after me.

  “Is that Ryan Sterling?,” the woman asked and I slowed down to listen.

  “Yeah, her aunt owns the store.”

  I glanced back and the woman stared at me. I shook my head and went outside. Goodson Hollow was strange.

  *

  I hung up the phone with Blair, who wasn’t thrilled with me canceling. He made me promise I wouldn’t reschedule the following night—that I’d actually come to the house. I solemnly swore I would be there, no matter what came up. My mattress was being delivered the next day, so it was up to Vivian and me to at least get one room clear enough for it. After the details were all arranged, I went back to the hospital and stopped at the kiosk to get a coffee before I visited Bee.

  “I thought I’d missed you today,” Jack’s voice came from behind me.

  I closed my eyes for a moment before I turned around. “Hi, Dr. Sadler.” It was better to keep things professional between us.

  “So it’s back to Dr. Sadler, is it?” he asked with a crooked grin and tilt of his head.

  I cleared my throat, trying to come up with a way to explain that it just wasn’t a good time, when the barista asked me what I wanted. I ordered a plain coffee and Jack ordered the same. He pulled out his wallet.

  “I’ll get this.”

  “No, that’s okay.” I laid a couple dollars on the counter and took my coffee. I rushe
d forward to the elevator doors that had just opened, happy to have a moment to think, but the doctor was close behind. He pressed the button for floor ten, and I held back a sigh.

  I stared at the numbers, willing them to light up faster, but it didn’t do any good.

  “I had fun last night,” Dr. Sadler said, turning so he could look at me fully.

  “Yeah, it was nice.” Nice, but too much too soon.

  “Would you like to have dinner sometime this week?”

  “Oh, um, you know, I don’t think I can. I’m trying to get settled in here, and there isn’t much time for me to do that since I want to spend as much time with Bee as possible. Now my family expects me to see them too, and I have the store to consider—”

  He held up his hands in a surrendering gesture with a warm grin. “I completely understand.”

  Did he really understand the panic and anxiety I had about going on another date with him or anyone? The elevator seemed to be stuck on the eighth floor. I was about to say something when the light flipped over to ten. It still baffled me that they’d closed an entire floor. I headed for Bee’s room, and he fell in step with me.

  “Weren’t you just here?” I asked when I realized he was going the same place as me.

  “I was, but I was called away on an emergency. Now, as luck would have it, I get to visit with you both.” He ran his fingers through the soft curls of his wavy hair before opening her door for me.

  Bee had company—a nurse speaking in soothing tones. Mrs. Simpson’s bed looked like it hadn’t been slept in. It occurred to me that I hadn’t seen her at all yesterday either. Surely she wasn’t released? She seemed like she was in terrible condition. “Was Mrs. Simpson released?” I asked Dr. Sadler.

  He glanced at her bed. “She isn’t my patient.”

  Bee looked upset about something. I rushed forward. “Are you okay?”

  “Your aunt just had a little fright today. Nothing to worry about.” The nurse smoothed Bee’s hair and offered her a small drink of water—her fluids were heavily restricted.

  Bee sipped, swallowing several times.