Shadowing My Dreams (Haunted Hearts)

Chapter 8

8

Archie

“ I have the file that you sent me. It’s pretty thorough.” I flipped open my laptop and typed in my passcode – RedRuM. I had a thing for horror movies, which I knew was a little too on the nose. I kept that to myself.

I hit enter and waited as my laptop spun to life.

“You’re gonna need my wifi. It’s…”

“Wait. My computer is a little slow.” I groaned.

“I think you mean old. It looks like you’ve had it for… I mean, I’m not even sure they make this size anymore. It’s almost a fucking desktop,” He teased, and I deserved it. It was old and slow, but I had bills to pay, and this still worked.

“Quit teasing. It works it’s just… Yeah. It’s pretty old.”

“No shit. I could get haunted by a second ghost as we wait for this shit to work. I could just grab mine. I didn’t know I was dealing with a grandpa.”

“I am not a grandpa,” I demanded.

“Well, you definitely don’t look likemy grandpa.” He leaned over my shoulder and quickly backed away. “Sorry, I… Sorry.”

“I hope I don’t look like your grandpa. I’m only twenty-six.”

“Then I’m your elder . That means you have to respect me.”

“Should I call you grandpa?” Dammit! Stop flirting.

“No, I think it fits you. You have an old-fashioned sense of… buying computers.”

“You’re confusing me,” I said frustrated. God, he was so hot and then… cold and then hot. He was making my head spin, and I needed to focus on the spirit, not the hot boy.

“I don’t think it’s too confusing.”

“Are you… flirting with me?” I turned around and asked directly.

“I… Uh… yeah. Old habits die hard, and you’re… fairly easy on the eyes.” He grinned, and my toes fucking curled in my shoes. He made me weak in the knees just because he was so fucking hot, but then I got to see his real personality, and it wasn’t as shitty as I first thought.

“I… You think I’m… We really need to keep this professional, Jack. So… as hot as you are, I don’t think it’s… uh… a good idea to…” Fuck.

“You think I’m hot, huh?”

“You’re an ass.” I turned back to the computer.

“Look, it’s just… I’ll try to keep it in check. I mean, I’m terrified to touch you so…”

“Well, there is that.” I’m repulsive. I know it. Even if that’s not what he meant, and I know that wasn’t what he meant, it still got under my skin.

“You need my password yet, Gramps?”

“Oh, I… Yeah.” I clicked on my wifi. “Which is it?”

“Daddy69,” he grinned.

“You’re fucking with… Oh, you’re serious,” I groaned as I saw that exact wifi pop up as available. “Password?”

“8Inches!”

“Are you…”

He grinned.

“You may just fucking kill me.” I moaned, partly with desire and partly with annoyance.

“I’d be gentle,” he held his hands up. “Sorry, cute boy and I flirt. I’ll try to stop myself. I did say that I’m never touching you again, didn’t I?”

“You’re going to have to, probably. But we’ll deal with that and my wounded ego another time,” I sighed. “Here is the attachment that you sent me. Let me open it.”

“Should I order dinner while we wait? Your computer might take… Oh, it’s opening.”

“You really are as big of a dick as you… appear, aren’t you?” I snickered.

“I was. I… uh… don’t want to be that guy anymore. I mean, dying changes a person. I guess? I’ve barely left my house since I got back. I’m trying to be more present and take better – make better choices. I never realized how lonely I was until I was lying there in the hospital, and the only person who came was Daveed. I was a crappy friend, and I tried really hard not to be someone’s boyfriend for long. I… Sorry, it’s… nice to actually say that to someone.”

I was shocked. He was really opening up and that could be super dangerous for me if he kept saying things like this. “Change is good.”

“As long as that change doesn’t come with dying, I’d agree with you.”

I read one of the documents. “So, your house was built in nineteen-twenty by the original owner. They sold it in the late forties. Then that person sold it a few years later.” I scrolled down. “There were a lot of sales between forty and sixty. Oh, here is an owner that bought it in seventy-four. He didn’t really look like a disco gay, did he?”

“I have no idea what… Oh!” He laughed. “Disco! He had short hair. He wasn’t wearing bellbottoms. Maybe?”

“Pamela Myers owned it from seventy-four until ninety-four, and then she sold it. There’s an address here.” I opened my browser and typed in one of the many websites that helped me with my investigations. I typed in the name and address and waited.

“What are you… Shit! That has so much information. Can you do that for anyone?” He gasped.

“There’s no such thing as privacy if you’ve ever signed up for anything, got on the internet, or have an address. Big Brother can always find you. This is a website that connects to all the public records. I can even find your credit history if I need to, or your porn history if I were interested.”

“God, I hate this world. Maybe I am the grandpa? Who watches porn when you can just fuck?” he leaned a little closer but was careful not to touch me.

“I’m glad you’re finally seeing things my way. You are older than me.” I held up my hand. “Hand me my cell phone, please. It’s on the other side of you.”

He picked it up, and I saw how careful he was in putting it in my hand without touching me. It was totally for the best. I may have softened on him a little, but he was still the kind of guy I shouldn’t give the time of day to. A player stayed a player – leopards didn’t change their spots. But his aura also couldn’t lie. He didn’t either. He believed what he said. He wanted to change. Maybe I could be… STOP!

“He was definitely wearing more modern clothes,” I suggested. “You can usually spot something before the sixties pretty easily.”

“Well, you maybe.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never really cared about fashion too much. I prefer jeans and tank tops.”

“Yeah, I know.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you in a shirt with sleeves since I met you.”

“I mean, I’ve been home. I’m not sure I’ve even worn jeans.”

“You haven’t. It’s been gym shorts the entire time.”

“You noticed,” he answered playfully. “I figured you needed something pretty to look at.”

“I… Will you please stay focused? I’m gonna call this last known number.”

I punched in the number and waited as I put the phone on speaker so Jack could also hear.

“Hello,” an older male voice answered.

“Hi. This is… Jack,” I Lied. “and I am calling with a very weird question. You see, I bought 11254 West Knoll a few years ago and…”

“My mother used to own that.”

“Yes, I’m aware that Miss Myers owned it. I was wondering if she may be able to help me out with some history from when she was the owner.”

“I’m… sorry. Mom passed away about six years ago.”

“Oh, I’m… I'm the one who’s sorry. I didn’t know.” Fuck. I hated making someone feel bad and someone’s mother dying was…

“I was fairly young when she first bought it, but I might be able to help answer your question. Thank you, by the way. She had been sick for quite some time. It was a blessing in the end.”

“Did she live here when she owned it?”

“Oh, no. We lived up in the hills. Mom rented the place out. It was her income property. She also owned a coupleof others in West Hollywood, too. Those rents helped pay for my college, she said. She sold the one you live infirst. Said that it was time to let it go.”

“We’re actually looking for the name of someone who used to live here. We’ve been doing a little reno and came across some stuff – some photos and would like to return them to their original owner. It’s hard to tell if it’s the seventies, eighties, or nineties, to be honest. You know how the film was back then?”

“I still have most of her files. I could see if she has that list of names. I used to visit with her every now and then, but I can’t remember much. She had quite a few tenants through there over the years.”

“Makes sense. It would… I would really appreciate any help that you could give. A list of names would be perfect.”

“She kept almost everything, and I’ve yet to… go through any of her file cabinets. But I have them in my garage. I’ll look and see what I can find.”

“Thank you. Do you have my number?”

“Uh… 3407?”

“That’s it. Thank you, and we reallyappreciate you looking for us.”

“I’ll see what I can find tonight when the kids go to bed. Happy to help.”

I ended the call, and Jack smirked at me.

“What?” I sighed.

“You are a very good liar.”

“Am I gonna get grounded?” I couldn’t stop myself from playing along. He was wearing me down with his fucking charm.

“Nope. I think you deserve a prize.” He nodded. “Thank you. I don’t remember why I ever doubted you.”

“Let’s see if you feel that way later.”

“We’ll see.”