Chapter Six.
Lyra
Ghosts actually existed. Who’d have thought?
And even better, William wasn’t some wispy mist. He was actually full-bodied, articulate, and without chains.
After telling me to leave, he’d disappeared and refused to talk to me again.
Fine. But that didn’t mean I was planning to abandon the lighthouse.
For one, I had nowhere to go, and I’d put my heart and soul into making this a nice place to live.
No, an ornery ghost was not about to drive me from my home. As it was the weekend, I wasn’t expecting Benny, Tom, and Dean.
For nearly two weeks, this town hadn’t seen me.
Today seemed perfect for my return. The roads had been cleared of the snow, although another load was expected this afternoon.
I wanted to stock up on medicines; I’d forgotten to order them, and I needed some fresh milk.
Benny had been kind enough to bring me a few bits, but I had no intention of avoiding town forever.
Because of icy roads, I drove carefully in the Mercedes; it hugged the road, feeling a lot safer than my old rust heap. Once parked, I headed down towards the marina café, where I felt the need for a hot drink before hitting the supermarket.
Karen was on duty again and offered me a glare. I held her gaze until she looked away and cleaned another table. Customers stared, but ignoring them, I gazed out of the window. The sky was heavy with snow clouds, rolling in from the sea.
“What do you want?” Karen asked.
“Can I have a chicken salad sandwich and a hot chocolate, please?” I answered, determined to use manners.
My phone rang, and I frowned—unknown number. Curiously, I answered and held the phone to my ear.
“Where the hell are you?” Cale demanded. The shock of his voice made me stiffen. “Lyra, answer me!” he almost bellowed.
“That’s none of your business,” I finally replied. I was as rigid as a board, and I’d no idea what my face looked like, but several people sent me a concerned glance.
“Lyra. Don’t mess with me,” Cale growled out.
“I’m not. Where I am does not concern you. Cale, you dumped me, remember? Quite publicly at that,” I sneered.
“Lyra. Where’s the folder for the Sinclair account?” Cale snapped.
Startled, I froze and started laughing. “What? Can’t precious Serena find it? That’s not my problem. I quit. Go away, Cale. Just remember, I said you’d regret treating me how you did. Looks as though karma is biting you straight in the ass.”
“Lyra, I swear to God. If you don’t tell me, I’ll—”
“What, Cale? What will you do? Humiliate me in front of the entire workforce. Steal my work and give it to Serena. Ask the staff to take a vote on whether you should date a loser like me? How about having your friends post all over social media what a sad sack I was because I stalked you constantly? Oh, wait, you already did that. Go to hell. Now you’re seeing Serena for exactly what she is—spoiled, useless, and a bimbo who has no idea how to run the accounts or that office. ”
Cale gritted his teeth so loudly I could hear it.
“Lyra, you’re deliberately sabotaging—”
“Sabotage nothing. It’s been nearly four weeks since I’ve been gone, yet Serena’s only looking at the Sinclair account now? A client that important and nobody’s looked at it in a month? Yeah, get lost. Cale, you reap what you sow,” I hissed and cut the call.
“Girl, I don’t like you. In my opinion, you’re going to bring trouble to the town. However, nobody should put up with that sort of crap from a man,” a female customer said, and I laughed. There was a hysterical tinge to it, and she shook her head. “Stay strong.”
“Yeah,” I muttered and turned to gaze out of the window. Karen came over minutes later and banged my hot chocolate and sandwich down. I snorted. Some things never changed! After the phone call, my throat had closed, but I choked the sandwich down and swallowed my drink before heading out.
The supermarket was its usual unfriendly self, but I wasn’t paying much attention.
I couldn’t believe the barefaced cheek of Cale.
I understood why he was panicking. The Sinclair account was one of the biggest my former company had.
Serena had claimed credit for landing them, even though she’d used my work to do it.
Now I’d quit; she was floundering. Not only was Serena unaware of where the file was (in the filing cabinet, obviously), but she’d no idea of figures, sales, and every other piece of pertinent information.
Distracted, I picked up my bags, totally ignoring the cashier, and headed out.
The drive home was cautious but smooth. I unpacked and hurried into the lighthouse to put the shopping away and wandered upstairs.
My sofa was still on order, but I’d bought a sofa bed, which I planned to donate once mine arrived. I grabbed my laptop as I sat down.
The phone rang, and I saw it was an unregistered number, as it had been before. Cale was not letting this go. I sighed, leaned back, and answered.
“Lyra,” yup, Cale again, “stop this pettiness. Tell me where you hid the file.”
“Nowhere. It’s in the same place as always.” Cale wasn’t demanding this time, meaning he was up to something.
“Where have you hidden it? This is a matter of confidentiality,” Cale threatened.
“Why is that my fault? The Sinclair file remains exactly where it has been for the past two years. If Serena is the one managing it, she knows where it is,” I replied.
Someone drew a breath. Ah, someone was listening. I hit record on my phone.
“This is being recorded,” I declared at the same time Cale spoke. I didn’t think he’d heard me. Oh well, I’d said it!
“Lyra, I realise you’re upset over Serena and me…”
“Grow up, Cale. You and Serena humiliated me in front of the entire office.”
“Lyra…”
“No! You don’t get to cut me off!” I snapped and felt Cale’s silence down the line.
“Now, there’s footage proving what you did to me.
I have it. Your friends and colleagues blasted that all over social media, including the vote on whether you should date a loser like me.
You will not bully me any longer. Serena claims Sinclair was her file, her project, her research; then she knows where it is.
Because in your and Serena’s opinion, I’m a lowly number cruncher.
If Serena’s so damn special, she’ll be aware of the figures whether she has the file or not.
“I didn’t take it. Have security review the CCTV of me leaving work.
I had my small handbag and nowhere to hide a file.
The worrying thing is, I’ve nearly been gone a month, and this is the first time Serena’s looked for it?
No, I won’t be bullied, embarrassed, or lied about any further.
You two made your bed, lie in it. Don’t contact me again.
If you do, I will send the footage to HR, instruct a solicitor, and sue you and the company! Now get lost!”
I hung up as my hands trembled in distress. Oh my God. I’d stood up to Cale, not once but twice. There’d been someone listening in on the conversation. Cale had tried to set me up. Well, that had backfired. I wished they would leave me alone.
I dropped my head into my palms and swallowed hot tears.
Ten to one, that had been his boss or HR staying silent. Now they’d been warned. I wouldn’t be bullied, not anymore.
I glanced toward the doorway, spotting William, who stood there staring at me.
“Rough day?” he asked almost gently.
“Why do you care?” I hissed bitterly, and William seemed taken aback. “Just like everyone else, you want to get rid of me. Well, tough! This is my home, mine, and I’m not handing it over to a ghost!” I cried as tears flooded my eyes.
William looked horrified and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.
“Don’t you dare try to be nice! You’re like all of them. Mean, nasty, rude, you don’t care who you step on, and you want what belongs to me, just like them!” I accused.
William disappeared with a guilty look as I broke down and sobbed. “Why can’t life treat me nicely for once?”
I was so grateful that I had stocked up on medication. After crying myself to sleep, I woke up with a huge headache. As I wiped the sleep away from my eyes, I sat up and winced. My head hammered.
The painkillers were downstairs where I’d left them, and I needed headache tablets. As I walked down the stairs, I could smell something delicious. Frowning, I entered the kitchen and saw William standing at the range cooker.
“What are you doing now?” I asked wearily, heading over to the bags and opening them. I pulled out a pack of painkillers and removed two pills. William handed me a glass of water, and I swallowed the tablets before sinking onto a chair.
“Preparing a stew. I can cook that blindfolded,” William replied.
A howl came from outside, and I frowned, walking to the front door.
“I wouldn’t open it,” William advised, but I ignored him, and it blasted me backwards. William hurried over as I struggled to shut the door. Outdoors, a blizzard raged.
“It is only two o’clock,” I gasped, checking my phone as he helped close it. “It’s too dark out there.”
“The lantern is lit. Only a fool would venture out in this weather, but my duty is done.” William turned back to the stove and stirred the stew pot. “I hope you don’t mind, but I made enough for both of us for the next couple of days. It has been many years since I’ve consumed real food.”
“You’re able to eat?” I asked, dumbstruck.
“Before Christmas, my response would have been a resounding no. But after that, and I can now manifest, I’m guessing yes. We shall soon discover if I am capable.
“Why are you being nice?” I demanded suspiciously.
“Because you had a terrible day and I don’t like women crying.”
“Even when you want to kick them out,” I snorted.
“That’s not personal,” William began, and I cut him off.
“Stop! Do you realise how many times someone has said that to me? Passed over for promotion? Sorry, nothing personal. Not getting the bonus despite having earned it. Sorry, nothing personal, Lyra. That’s total crap. It is personal!” I hissed.