Lucky Stars by Kristen Ashley
By the time she was finished, Mickey had thrown money on the bar and was on his way to the door.
“Ms. Richardson,” he said into his phone as he made his way across the pub toward the door that would lead him to the driving rain outside, “start at the beginning, don’t leave anything out, don’t hesitate and tell me everything.”
Twenty minutes later, Mercy Richardson had told Mickey Dempsey everything.
Five minutes after that, when Dempsey was unable to get Jack Bennett on the phone, he called a mate of his who was a pilot and he pulled in a favour.
Five minutes after that, he was headed to the airstrip.
* * * * *
Jack
“Poppet, have you seen my phone?” Jack called as he entered his and Belle’s room at The Point.
“No,” she called back through the closed door to the bathroom.
Jack stopped in the room and looked around.
Something was wrong and it was more than the something he’d felt was wrong the entirety of the six weeks since they dispelled Caldwell’s spirit from Miles and even more than the something that had been nagging his gut all day.
As he took in their room, it hit him.
The dogs were not there.
This wasn’t unusual but it was rare. If they weren’t with him then they were with Belle. Or, oftentimes, Baron was with him and Gretl was with Belle.
But usually one or the other of them were close.
“If you need a phone, honey, mine’s in my bag on the bed,” Belle continued to talk through the door.
Jack moved to her bag on the bed, seeing some of the contents scattered over the duvet as he called out to Belle, “Do you know where the dogs are?”
“They’re not with you?”
That nag in his gut clawed deeper as Jack sorted through her stuff on the bed and in her bag but found no phone.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered, rounding the bed and pulling the house phone from its charger as he called back, “No, they’re not with me.”
He wasn’t surprised when he hit the on button on the phone, put it to his ear and found it dead. He wasn’t surprised because five minutes before when he’d been unable to locate his mobile, he’d tried this in his study.
His eyes moved to the windows to see the rain driving against the panes.
And he wasn’t surprised the house phone was dead because it happened often during storms.
They were due to meet the others in the drawing room shortly for pre-dinner drinks so he gave up on making a call that could wait but was about to go in search of the dogs when the door to the bathroom opened and Belle walked out.
Jack stopped dead and stared.
She was wearing a flowing, full-length gown of smoky, dark grey, the colour and fabric rich, striking and perfect for her.
One shoulder was bared, the dress held up over her other shoulder with a thick twist of the fabric that gathered the material tight across her chest and midriff, drawing attention to the sleek line of her neck, the elegant drape of her shoulders and the delicate length of her collarbone. The full, fluid fall of her skirt dropped to her feet which were encased in spike-heeled, black satin sandals with fragile-looking straps, the ones over her red-painted toes embedded with rhinestones.
Her glorious hair was pulled up from her neck and away from her face but fat curls dangled from the arrangement and there were thick tendrils resting against the long line of her neck.
She was also wearing the diamonds he’d given her after she’d flown with him to London and spent the weekend with him there. An event that happened the weekend previous. It was his congratulations gift to her for not losing her mind during the flight. She didn’t enjoy it with abandoned glee but she did control her fears and eventually relaxed and settled in.
The jewellery included a necklace that was one row ring of diamonds that sat at the base of her throat starting with a somewhat large but by no means ostentatious gem in the middle that became smaller as they rounded her neck. It had a matching bracelet, all the same size diamonds, and two carat diamond studs for her ears.
Although not ostentatious, as would not befit Belle, there were enough of them and all of them were of the finest quality that the entirety cost a small fortune.
On his Belle wearing that gown, it was a dazzling display.
And last, on her left ring finger was the reason Joy insisted, regardless of Jack’s continued concern about the fact they had not discovered Caldwell’s plans or sent Myrtle and Lewis home, that they have the small, intimate dinner party they were having that night.
His engagement ring. A Bennett heirloom cluster of diamonds surrounding a large cushion-cut diamond in the middle.
It was the reason for their trip to London the weekend before. It was the ring he slid on her finger when he’d officially asked her to marry him and she’d done exactly what she told him she’d do and immediately said yes. That was after she burst into tears but before she’d thrown herself in his arms and kissed him.
The dress she was wearing that she designed, the casual elegance with which she wore it and her unassuming beauty was what she gave him. The diamonds were what Jack could give her. The contentment registering in her eyes and her ease in her surroundings was what they could give each other.
All of it in one beautiful, shapely, petite woman. She embodied everything not only good and right between them but also, Jack thought uncharacteristically dramatically, in the entire fucking world.
“Weird, where are the dogs?” she asked, looking around and, for some adorable reason, twitching her wrist with the diamond bracelet on it.
“Belle, come here.”
His voice was thick, deeper than normal, strange and likely because of it, her eyes shot to him. Then she stopped moving and studied him.
“Are you okay?” she asked, tipping her head to the side.
God, he fucking loved her. All she had to do was tip her head to the side and it hit him like a bullet.
That was how much he loved Belle Abbot.
“No,” he answered and concern moved over her face so he finished, “But I will be when you come here.”
The concern fled, her face grew soft and she moved directly to him, close, fitting herself right to his front, her arms sliding around his middle inside his dinner jacket and as she did this his closed around her.
She tipped her head back and looked direct in his eyes.
“Okay, I’m here,” she said softly. “Now are you okay?”
“Absolutely.”
She smiled her sweet, small smile, the tips of her beautiful lips tilting up and she pressed closer.
“You know what I love?” she asked.
“What do you love?” Jack asked back.
“That Joy is doing this, celebrating us and it’s just family and close friends. That she’s happy with that. That you’re happy with that. And that tonight I can wear a pretty dress and enjoy myself with the man I love who I’m going to marry with people who are important to me close and I don’t have to mingle.”
Jack grinned down at her, tightened his arms and dipped his head close. “If you like, our wedding can be the same.”
Her brows drew together. “Are you sure?”
“I’d marry you in a Registry Office with only my family, your family and Yasmin there. I don’t care.”
She grinned back and agreed, “Then let’s do that.”
That was when Jack’s brows drew together. “You don’t want a big cake, a big dress, a big bouquet and a big day?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want a big cake, a big dress and a big bouquet and even if it was just you and me it would still be a big day.” She got up on her toes and finished on a whisper, “The biggest, best day ever, Jack Bennett.”
Oh yes, he loved Belle Abbot.
“Excellent,” he replied. “We’ll do it next month.”
With this he was awarded one of her lovely startled giggles but she said through it, “Fine by me.”
&nbs
“Perfect,” Belle whispered.
Yes, it would be perfect.
Unable to stop himself and not trying, he dipped his head even closer in order to kiss her.
Immediately, his Belle kissed him back. And Jack enjoyed it so much he decided to take his time and keep doing it.
So he did.
Therefore, when he finally stopped kissing his very soon-to-be wife and guided her to the drawing room, neither Jack Bennett nor Belle Abbot gave another thought to missing dogs or mobile phones.
They were both thinking more pleasant thoughts, such as their recent kisses and their bright future.
* * * * *
Lewis and Myrtle
“Lewis, Lewis, Lewis!” Myrtle cried, her ghostly body darting to her brother who, as usual during a storm, was floating at the window in the eastern turret, looking out and being moody.
“I told you,” he said to the storm, “I don’t want to go to the party, Myrtle. You go. Belle said she wants us there so go. But I’m going to stay here.”
“Lewis, no! It isn’t about the party,” Myrtle exclaimed and something in her tone made her brother turn his eyes to her. “Something’s, wrong, Lewis. I feel it. We have to tell Belle.”
“We can’t tell Belle, Myrtle. Tonight she and Jack are celebrating their engagement. She’ll be with him probably all night,” Lewis reminded her. “And, by the way, if you go to the party, you can’t let Jack see you. You have to be invisible unless he isn’t looking.”
She grabbed his vaporous hand and tugged. “All right, I’ll be invisible if Jack’s around but we have to go. We have to find someone. We have tell someone that something is not right.”
She watched her brother’s eyes narrow on her before he asked quietly, “What do you feel, Myrtie Mine?”
“I don’t know,” she shook her head, “I don’t know. I just know it’s bad.”
Lewis studied his sister for only one second before he nodded.
“Right, then let’s tell Angus.”
Myrtle’s phantom shoulders drooped with relief.
“Thank you, Lewis,” Myrtle whispered and, holding hands, they floated swiftly to the stairwell and down but suddenly and inexplicably, something happened. It was as if their ghost forms hit a wall and they couldn’t move.
“What on –?” Lewis muttered, looking down to his feet that strangely felt like they had bounds tied to his ankles and he saw the strange markings on the floor.
“Lewis!” Myrtle shrieked, his head snapped up and his eyes focused on the shadowy figure in the shadowed stairwell. “Oh no, Lewis! It’s her!”
Her eyes were on them. They were gleaming through the dark with a preternatural light.
And she was smiling.
The children watched as she lifted her finger to her lips then she dropped her hand, leaned forward and touched the markings on the landing.
“That witch didn’t think to protect you,” she whispered through her manic smile.
Then she straightened, whirled and dashed away.
* * * * *
Cassandra and Yasmin
“I’m so sorry we’re running late,” Yasmin said words to the windscreen that were meant for Cassandra who was sitting to her left in the passenger seat of her Audi. “I know it’s just family but it is formal and I couldn’t decide what to wear. This is a hazard when you have three closets full of clothes.”
“I’m sorry too, mate,” Cassandra replied quietly, her eyes riveted to the road, her hand clenched around her mobile which she’d tried and failed, several times, to use to phone Jack, Belle, Joy, The Point, Rachel, Lila, Jensen and Angus. “But we’ll get there.”
Before Cassandra left, Jack never believed she was clairvoyant.
Now, if he’d bloody answer his bloody phone, he’d find out she was.
And if he’d bloody answer his bloody, bloody phone, she could maybe save Belle’s life.
And, bonus, free the children.
“You need to hurry, Yasmin,” Cassandra said, still talking quietly.
She had not shared the vision she’d had while getting ready for the party at Yasmin’s house. She didn’t want to alarm Yasmin because the woman could be dramatic but mostly because she was driving.
“I know,” Yasmin agreed. “But we’re starting with drinks so we’ll just miss a martini or two.”
They’d miss a lot more if she didn’t pull her finger out.
On this thought, her mobile rang in her hand and Cassandra saw it said, “Lorna Calling” on the display.
She took the call and put it to her ear. “Hey, mate,” she greeted.
“Lach and I are on our way. Lach figured something out and –”
Cassandra cut her off, “The woman.”
“What?” Lorna asked.
Without being able to escape for privacy, she said simply, “Vision, Lor. I’ve seen it. You and Lach need to get down here. Now.”
“We’re both on our way,” Lorna assured then disconnected.
“What vision, Cass?” Yasmin asked into the car softly. “Is something wrong?”
“Just go faster, Yasmin,” Cassandra answered and the car speeded up, racing through the dark, wet night shrouded in thickening by the second fog.
And Yasmin went fast. Very fast.
Too fast.
“Yasmin, in the road!” Cassandra screeched just as the Audi’s tires hit a big log that was resting across the road.
Yasmin jerked the wheel automatically even though she’d already hit the log.
The car rolled. Then it rolled again. It rolled another half and a banged up, unconscious Yasmin Delacourt and Cassandra McNabb in an Audi TT coupe ended upside down on the side of the lane a quarter of a mile away from The Point.
* * * * *
Baron, Gretl and Shadow
The intelligent eyes of the grey horse watched as his turned back ears heard the two German Shepherds clawing and whining at the stable doors.
They’d been drawn in then locked in.
The big, darker dog gave up to step back and bark as the blonder, smaller dog continued to claw and whine with increasing alarm at the door.
Backing up, the grey stallion lifted up on his powerful hind legs and used its front hoofs to hammer at the stall door.
Then he did it again.
And again.
And Baron barked, Gretl whined and clawed and Shadow beat at his confines as the other horses whinnied and shifted and the rain poured down outside.
* * * * *
Belle
Exiting the bathroom on the way back to the drawing room, four things came to Belle.
One, there still was no Baron or Gretl.
Two, the children had not arrived. They couldn’t materialise in front of Jack but they could be there in spirit and find their moments to show themselves to Belle and the others when Jack couldn’t see. She knew this, they’d done it before. Not often, they were powerfully fearful of Jack catching a glimpse of them, but they’d done it.
Three, Miles was picking up Olive from the airstrip and, due to the weather, had called some time earlier when he’d learned her small commuter flight had been delayed. But still, even though the weather was worsening, they were later than expected and no call had come to explain why.
And four, Angus had not come down to have drinks and regale them with stories past of “wee ghosties”.
Baron and Gretl could be napping somewhere.
Myrtle and Lewis might be there but since Jack was, they hadn’t shown themselves.
And the weather was bad. Maybe Miles just assumed they’d understand this and didn’t want to interrupt the festivities with an unnecessary call.
But Angus didn’t often miss a chance to imbibe. He left a month ago, promising, like Cassandra had, to continue researching and looking for someone who might be able to assist them in getting Myrtle and Lewis home. That didn’t mean he hadn’t been around, mostly to check in, check Cassandra’s
As quick as her strappy sandals would allow her to do so, she moved to Jack’s study to look for the dogs.
When she got there, she flipped on the light.
No dogs.
“Strange,” she whispered, turned off the light, closed the door and was about to retrace her steps to go to the staircase and Angus’s room when she heard a noise come from the other end of the hall.
That was probably Elaine, Gemma or Carrie. Elaine was cooking. Gemma and Carrie were serving.
Belle smiled to herself. A dinner party at home with family and friends and the women were all in gowns, the men in formal attire and they were being waited on.
“I suppose I’ll eventually get used to it,” she murmured, thinking it wouldn’t be hard. She liked to dress up, especially since Jack so obviously appreciated it. She also liked to see Jack dressed up. He was beautiful always but criminally attractive became (nearly) unbearably attractive when he was in his well-cut tuxedo.
She began to move again toward the stairwell but another noise came from the other end of the hall. She stopped and looked that way.
“Elaine?” she called and there was no answer.
She took one step in that direction.
“Gemma?” she tried and when she got nothing she tried again. “Carrie?”
She took two more steps then suddenly the hall was plunged into darkness as the lights went out. A nanosecond later, the space was lit by a flash of lightning which was followed by a deep, bellowed roll of thunder.
“The storm,” she muttered. “The electricity went out because of the storm.”
She had no idea why she was talking to herself. She only thought it best to get back to Jack. He was protective, she’d been gone for a bit and there were no lights in the house. He’d want to know where she was. She’d go to him and ask him to find Angus and the dogs.
She turned back toward the drawing room just as another flash of lightning lit the hall.
And right before her stood a woman, her wide eyes bright with an unnatural light, her lips curled into an evil smile.
Belle opened her mouth to scream and braced to flee and in her terror missed the fact that the woman’s arm was raised over her head so she also missed that arm slamming down.