Page 100 of The Haunting of Lockton
It was fairly busy for a weeknight. Several bars were packed with Thirsty Thursday drink specials. Restaurants were busy, too, as people ventured out into the cold night for dinner. The upcoming holiday brought people out as well. I parked in the small lot beside the cluster of stores, not far from Callum’s shop.
“There’s Jules.” Skyler unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door.
Julian and Taylor waited for us beside the SUV, both bundled up for the cooler weather that evening. Taylor seemed more dressed up than usual. His short dark hair held product,and as we approached them, his cologne tickled my nose. A pleasant scent of something fresh and crisp.
“I thought we were meeting Callum at his house,” Skyler said.
“We are,” Taylor responded, hands in his pockets. “He lives in the loft above his shop.”
“Ah.”
“It’s quite convenient,” a silky voice said from the shadows. A man then stepped forward, wearing a knee-length black coat, skinny jeans, and a red shirt with the top few buttons undone. His alabaster skin, nearly as pale as mine, stood out against his black hair and light blue eyes. “I can wake up, have my morning tea, then walk downstairs to open up shop.”
“Callum,” Taylor said, the word coming out more as a soft exhale.
Callum’s gaze moved to him, and the collected coolness in his expression morphed into something akin to tender. “It’s nice to see you again, Taylor.”
“Yeah.” Taylor looked as though he meant to step closer but stopped himself. “It’s been a while.”
“It has.” Callum’s stare lingered on him a beat or two more before moving to me, then to the twins. “Good evening. I heard you wished to speak with me.”
“Not fortune-telling stuff though,” Skyler clarified. “We’re not like those people earlier who want to know about marriage and how many kids we’ll have.”
“Very well.” Callum seemed amused by him before he turned back the way he’d come. “Follow me upstairs. We can speak inside.”
The four of us followed him to the back of the building and through a doorway, then went up a flight of stairs to another door. He opened it and went in first, then shut it behind us. The loft had an open floor plan, with the kitchen and dining table tothe right, a living room ahead of us, and a few closed doors to the left. Probably his bedroom and the bathroom.
Various plants filled the space, some hanging from the ceiling, and others sat on shelves near the window, the position allowing them direct sunlight throughout the day. The gothic-styled décor fit Callum’s aesthetic. Gargoyle figurines sat on shelves, and black-and-white art hung on the walls depicting graveyards and old manors.
“Looks just like it did the last time I was here,” Taylor said, sweeping his gaze around.
“I’m nothing if not a creature of habit.” Callum stared at him, his eyes unreadable. And then he looked at me. “Apologies for not properly introducing myself. I’m Callum Gray.”
“Paxton Crane.” I nodded to him. “Thanks for meeting with us on such short notice.”
“It’s no trouble. I had no plans this evening, so the company is nice.” Callum motioned to the living room. “Please have a seat while I put us on some tea.”
Skyler grabbed the edge of my coat sleeve and tugged me down with him on the leather couch. Julian sat on Skyler’s other side, leaving the armchair for Taylor. He didn’t sit though. He stayed standing and watched Callum move around the kitchen with what I could only describe as a wistful expression.
Callum filled a kettle with water and placed it on the stovetop, then stepped over to a cabinet and grabbed a glass jar filled with what looked like tea leaves. “What is this concerning?”
“I thought you were psychic,” Skyler mumbled. “Shouldn’t you already know?”
Julian knocked his knee against Skyler’s in a silent “stop being an ass” gesture. Hell, I nearly did the same.
“It doesn’t work that way,” Callum responded without missing a beat. He joined us in the living room but remainedstanding. “The gift of sight doesn’t open my eyes to everything or make me all-knowing by any means. There are steps one must take in order tosee. However, some things can come to me by accident through touch, such as brushing against someone.” He focused on Julian. “Do you wish to know more about yourgift? Is that why you’ve come?”
Julian’s lips parted. “I…” He averted his gaze to the hardwood floor. “Yeah, I do want to learn about that, but we’re here about the Lockton investigation.”
“Aren’t the two related?” Callum returned to the stove as the kettle whistled. He prepared the tea leaves and left it to steep before resting against the counter. He’d removed his coat, and as he crossed his arms, the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt rolled up to reveal black markings on his forearms. Tattoos? “Your gift allows you to sense and communicate with spirits. A valuable tool in your line of work.”
“It is,” Julian agreed. “But while it’s been useful during other investigations, I’m still not sure how to fully tap into it.”
“Even those born with magic need someone to help them understand it,” Callum said. “Same goes for you. You have all the necessary tools but little knowledge of using them. With the proper training, you could truly make a difference.”
“Can you help him?” Skyler asked.
“Can I? Yes. The question is whether I will.” Callum looked at Julian. “The answer depends on you. But I suppose that’s a topic for another day. What aspect of your investigation do you have questions about? I know some about Lockton but not much.”
