Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
What was contained in Lionel’s apartment had been deceiving.
At first glance it didn’t seem like a whole lot.
Further inspection proved otherwise. Just the papers in the desk drawers alone filled an entire large cardboard box.
And even though a good portion of it looked like it could be tossed away safely, it was too much to sort through in the apartment.
Especially given the ticking clock that was Mildred and her time constraints.
Natalie decided, and Liam begrudgingly agreed, to bring it all home with them and sort everything there.
So while Ralph looked on, commenting and giving unsolicited advice the entire time, Natalie packed boxes and Liam carried them down.
Even with tossing out quite a bit and dropping off boxes of donations, boxes stuffed Liam’s Jeep to the roof.
The sun was low in the sky by the time they were done and knocking on the landlady’s door to tell her they were leaving.
By the looks of her, more disheveled than before and bleary eyed, Mildred had apparently watched her stories and moved on to a late afternoon nap.
After an apology for disturbing her and an assurance they were done with the apartment and that all of her ‘valuable’ furnishings were still in place for the next renter, they took their leave of both Mildred and the ghost of Ralph.
With two hands on the steering wheel and looking a little bleary-eyed himself, Liam turned to Natalie. “I think I’m too beat to drive home tonight. Would you mind very much if we got a hotel room and headed home first thing in the morning?”
Natalie hesitated.
Not because she was worried about Jules opening the shop alone, that would be fine, but for other more spectral reasons. She and Liam had stayed in hotels before.
The more she thought, the more she realized, her in a hotel in an unfamiliar town, with unfamiliar spirits, had worked out badly more often than not.
With a cringe she asked, “Can I check out the hotel first? Get a feel for it before we book a room?”
He frowned, then she saw realization dawn in his expression. “Ghost check?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yes, please. If that’s okay.”
“Okay with me. I have enough of your little friends watching me at home. I don’t need strange ghosts watching me on the road too.”
She scowled. “At least you can’t see or hear them.”
“Babe, that’s not as much of a comfort as you think it is.” He let out a sigh. “How about we grab a bite and a drink and then go hotel hunting? I think we could both use a break and I’m starving.”
Natalie nodded. “On that we can agree. Should I search online where to eat?”
“Nope. I know exactly where to go.” Looking mysterious, he started the engine and with renewed energy, threw the Jeep into gear and hit the gas.
Boxes shifted with an ominous sound. Holding on to the door handle as he took the turn out of the parking lot too fast, Natalie glanced at Liam. “Where are you taking me that has you so excited?”
“You’ll see.” He grinned like a mischievous frat boy and Natalie wondered where they were going and what was in store for them when they got there.
What she saw after Liam parked the Jeep and led her inside by the hand was what looked like a McDonald’s but with beer taps and wine bottles.
The decor was modern with chairs and tables in bright primary colors, which made sense because it was packed full of children. Or at least they all looked like children to her even though the sign specified twenty-one and older.
“Where are we?” she asked, not loving she and Liam were by far the oldest people in this place.
He glanced back with a look of glee. “The Well.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question.”
When they reached the bar and he finally stopped dragging her through the establishment, he said, “It’s Yale’s campus pub. Isn’t it great?”
“Uh, yeah. I guess. So I take it you’ve been here before.”
“Yup.” He grinned.
She frowned. “You didn’t go here, did you?”
What kind of person was she that she wasn’t sure where her boyfriend went to college? Or to medical school.
“No. I couldn’t afford it. My college benefits from the Army had a cap on them. It wouldn’t have come close to covering even Yale’s undergrad tuition. But I had a buddy with rich parents. He went here. And believe me, I visited whenever I got a chance. It was only a two-hour drive from Boston.”
Boston! That’s right. He did mention living in Boston for a time.
She should really listen more closely. But to be fair, Liam didn’t usually talk about himself. Research, yes. His past, not so much. And he didn’t hang his diplomas on the wall like doctors normally did. Probably because, unlike regular doctors, all of his ‘patients’ were dead.
Besides, pretty much from the time they’d met she’d been a bit preoccupied with ghostly matters. When they weren’t actively solving some murder or another.
Her list of excuses about why she wasn’t a bad girlfriend complete, she realized Liam had gotten the bartender’s attention and was in the midst of ordering.
“I’ll have the IPA.” Liam pointed to one of the dog-shaped beer taps before glancing back at Natalie. “You want a Malbec?”
She shook her head. “With that selection of beer and those adorable doggie taps? I think I need to try one of those.”
“Make that two,” he told the bartender before he turned back to her. “And it’s not a doggie. It’s a bulldog. The Yale mascot.”
“Ah, of course,” she said, as if it mattered at a time when she was so tired, grimy, hungry and thirsty.
They collected their drafts and a menu and headed to a table.
The beer helped her relax. So did the food they ordered when that finally arrived. But there was still something nagging Natalie that prevented her from completely letting the events of today go.
She shook her head. “Where is Lionel’s computer, Liam? I mean it didn’t just up and walk away on its own.”
“Maybe he was robbed,” Liam shrugged.
Natalie shook her head. “I checked the drawers of the desk and found the user manual and the receipt for the computer. It was old. At least old in computer years. It wouldn’t have been worth much if anything at all. And if someone was that desperate, why not take the printer too?”
Liam tipped his head in agreement. “Not to mention, Mildred the guard dog was on duty, keeping an eye on his place… as long as it doesn’t interfere with her stories, of course.”
His little joke brought a small smile to her lips but it didn’t last long.
“Nat.”
She glanced up. “Yeah?”
“Are you forgetting that you can just ask Lionel about his computer?” Liam reminded. “Maybe he donated it and ordered a new one. Maybe he took it to the Geek Squad for repairs. It could be any number of things.”
Of course Liam was right. There could be plenty of explanations. But in the back of her mind she somehow felt the possible scenarios Liam had come up with weren’t it.