The King of Halloween, page 5
Adam jerked to realize he’d slapped his hands on the table so close to Raj’s that they were nearly touching. He clenched his nails across the old plastic, uncertain what to do.
“Great.” Marianne sighed. “Another one.”
Blinking rapidly, Raj glanced over to the mayor. “Do you think it would help if Burt Soup showed up to the screening?”
“Shut up,” Adam shouted, his whole world tilting on its axis.
Mrs. Milner leaned over to ask, “What’s a burped soup?”
“You.” Adam waggled his finger at Raj, his brain shattered into a million pieces. “You can get the star of the Dead Sheep series, Burt Soup—the Nose himself—to come to our screening?”
“What’ll it cost us?” Mayor Gunderson asked.
Ha. He may as well ask what the price of putting the moon in his garage would be. Planetary theft was as likely to happen as the Nose showing up in Anoka.
“Ah, a plane ticket?” Raj said. “Maybe dinner, too.”
“I’m sorry.” Adam kept tapping his forehead, unable to process any of this new data. “You know Burt Soup? You…you can bring him here, to Anoka, for a little movie night?”
“Yeah. We worked together a few times. He’s a great guy. Really down to earth, and funny too. One time he…” Raj started to laugh to himself. “The goat kicked him and…” He broke down into giggles again. “The jam went everywhere!” Wincing, Raj whispered, “He tells it better.”
“Well, a big fancy movie star at one of our events. That sounds like a real shot in the arm for Anoka’s tourism. Wouldn’t you agree, Halloween King?” The mayor damn near nudged Adam in the ribs while he kept beaming at Raj like he was the second coming.
“Yes,” Adam spat out with gritted teeth.
“Wonderful. I’ll put that down under new business.” The mayor pretended to write while he glanced at their secretary. Then he dropped his pen. “Oh. It just hit me. If we’re going to have a fancy Hollywood star here, then we shouldn’t risk him getting wet or cold out on the lawn.”
“That’s why I offered my shop,” Adam said.
The mayor bulldozed him. “Why don’t we have it at your new hotel? There’s a ballroom, right?”
“Um…” Raj gulped and stared around the table. “Yes. I…suppose that would work. If people brought their own chairs.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll have our new and improved movie night at the Rushford,” the mayor declared. “Sorry, the Heartbreak Hotel.”
“Wait. Wait, wait, wait.” Adam flared his hands. “What’s wrong with my shop?”
“It’s a little small,” Marianne said.
“It’s cozy,” Adam sneered through gritted teeth.
“And spooky.”
“That’s ambience. It doesn’t escape my notice, Mayor, that you own the gas station just down the road to the old hotel. You wouldn’t happen to be trying to enrich yourself over the good of the community?”
Mayor Gunderson gave the old “Who me?” routine while pointing at himself. It was Mrs. Milner who learned over. “As if you didn’t suggest your cursed shop to line your pockets.”
He hadn’t. Business was just fine. In truth, he’d found a few old boxes of forgotten props and gotten really excited about decorating up the basement. Glaring down at his plans for making old bed sheet ghosts, Adam tried to claw back control of the situation. Maybe democracy could help him out. “We should vote on it. That’s the law, right? Vote for the people, of the people. So on and so forth?”
“Fine. All in favor of movie night being held in the costume shop on Main?”
Adam raised his hand.
“And all in favor of movie night moving to the Rushford hotel?”
Every single other hand shot up.
The mayor banged his coffee mug down in place of a gavel. “The hotels have it. Marianne here will contact you, Mr. Chowdery, with all the details.”
Adam’s whole life was circling the drain. September thirtieth, he was on top of the world. Then, come October first, it all came crashing down. No. He glared from the side of his eyes at the culprit. It didn’t crash; it was pushed by a saboteur.
“I think we’re done for the eve,” the mayor said. The others all voted with him, and the meeting was finished. Adam kept staring at the turncoat beside him. If it were to be a war, then let the dogs cry havoc or whatever war dogs did.
“A real-life movie star in our little town,” Mayor Gunderson cried out. “This is going to be the best Halloween ever.”
Yes. It will be, or my name isn’t Adam Stein.
“Mr. Choudhary?” Adam leaped to his feet and caught the man’s hand. “Why don’t you walk with me?” Adam’s smile split across his face as Raj nodded. “Excellent.”
CHAPTER FIVE
RAJ KEPT PRODDING at his phone, at first putting in a dozen reminders to check in with Burt, then as a distraction. He had no idea what Adam wanted, the man going silent as they strode down the hall, out the door, and into a cozy, chilled courtyard side by side. Raj was eighty percent certain he didn’t have a type. But that lingering twenty percent stood next to him in a pinstripe vest with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Absently, Adam batted at his hair, switching it to the other side as he glanced over his shoulder.
Oh god, he’s looking at me.
“Can…?” Raj’s mouth threw out a word without his brain having any input. He froze, staring around the courtyard as if it came from a ghost standing beside him. Though he doubted that crying out about a cold spot and running away would save him. Fearing he might go blind from staring too long at Adam, his gaze slid away until he noticed the statue dead center in the square.
“What’s with the scarecrow?” he asked.
“You don’t know?” Adam snorted once, then he stared up at the straw man hanging off the cross.
“No. I saw a lot of people dressed as scarecrows during the parade.” And, as Raj thought on it, he realized they were wearing a similar costume. In particular, the burlap head with black floss stitched across the mouth stood out. “I assumed people liked scarecrows here.”
“They do,” Adam said softly. “In a way. Stitches is sort of our town mascot.” He brushed his fingers over the gold part of the brass where a bent knee stuck out. Then, Adam leaped to sit on the pedestal at Stitches’ feet. “Would you like to hear the tale?”
“There’s a tale?” Raj was hooked in an instant.
Adam snickered. “Every good small town monster has to come with a spooky story. A young farm girl would cut through the fields every day to make it into town. On her path, she’d come across a scarecrow in the corn hanging off a wooden cross. She’d call out, ‘Hello, Stitches,’ then be on her way. Every day, come rain or shine. ‘Hello, Stitches.’ One Halloween night, her fortunes changed for the ill.”
A twisted grin plied with Adam’s lips, and his eyes crackled from below his brow. “Our sweet farm girl was attending a Halloween party. One of those Victorian fairs where you bob for apples, wear bed sheets, and stick pins in people. She was having so much fun, she didn’t realize how late the hour had drawn—midnight. Her friends pleaded with her to spend the night, but her mother was ill and she wanted to get back. Certain in her path, the girl set out into the night.”
“Never to return?” Raj guessed.
“Now, don’t go ruining the tale. Her path was safe until she got a few miles out of town. There, a pack of dangerous men who couldn’t take a no if their life depended on it found her. She pleaded for them to let her go back to her ailing mother, but they penned her in between their horses. The men tore off her witch’s hat, tattered her dress, all while jeering in her face.”
Fully invested, Raj sat beside Adam. He could hear the hooves pounding on dirt, the farm girl’s panicked pleas, the jeering laughter of men who didn’t deserve this world. “What happened?” he asked, terrified of the answer.
“Out of nowhere, one of the horses reared up. Perhaps it saw a snake, or maybe a spirit walking the earth. Either way, it threw the lead man to the dirt and gave her an opening. She fled into the field on foot. The men had to help their fallen leader, but he’d been bruised and scorned by a woman. He wasn’t letting that go.
“Her lead didn’t last long. She ran through the corn, broken stalks tearing her skin and hair while the world thudded with the clap of hooves and the braying of men. They realized they could easily catch up to her on horseback, but instead of snatching her up, they had their fun. They chased her back and forth until her feet bled into her shoes.”
“Damn,” Raj breathed.
“Exhausted and near death, she spotted a figure in the darkness. Beneath the minuscule moonlight, a man in a wide-brimmed hat stood in the middle of the corn. She was so turned around, she had no idea where she or home were. Calling to him, she ran to the silhouette while the horses surrounded her. As she drew near, her heart sank. Instead of a man to protect her, all she had was a half stuffed-scarecrow with lips of black twine.”
Adam paused his tale to stare up at the scarecrow. So too did Raj, feeling the weight of chasing after salvation only to have it all dashed in a moment.
“The men were drawing closer. They’d grown tired of the torture. She knew she was out of hope. Exhausted beyond approach, she fell to the scarecrow’s feet and cried out, ‘Help me, please. Stitches. Help.’ Then, all went dark. The girl woke the next day to sun streaming through the corn stalks. Her legs and arms were scratched and clothing torn, but otherwise she was in good health. Confused, she stood, and her heart plummeted.”
Leaning closer, Adam dropped his voice to a whisper. “Instead of her favorite scarecrow, his stand was empty. Weeping that those men took him to do god knew what, she wandered back to the road to get her bearings, which was when she saw it. Propped up in a line along the ditch were four crosses. Dangling off of each one was a man whose lips were sewn up with black twine.”
Goosebumps prickled up and down Raj’s arms. He started to rub them when he realized how close Adam was. They’d scooted together during the spooky story so Raj’s hip nearly pressed against Adam’s. He’d placed his hand on his knee, which—with a breath—would glance against Raj’s leg. The chills transformed into fire, and he couldn’t stop gulping.
“What happened to the scarecrow?” Raj asked.
“Never seen again. Perhaps he’s still out there, righting wrongs and protecting farm girls’ virtue. They say that if you cry out for help on Halloween night in Anoka, you’d best be prepared for someone to answer it.” Adam’s smile lit up the whole courtyard. Raj sucked in a breath without thinking, his body trembling not at the tall tale, but the man telling it.
Adam’s hand slid closer as if it was about to cup Raj’s thigh. Then he blinked and sat back. “That’s why everyone in Anoka says, ‘Hello, Stitches’ when they pass this statue. Just to keep on his good side.”
“That’s…amazing. Thank you for telling me. I need to put that story in my haunt, somehow.” Most of the rooms had already been decided, but he could have a walk-around scarecrow for now. The locals would love it.
“Is that what brings you to our sleepy little town? Haunted tales and spooky stories?”
“Honestly?” As Adam nodded, Raj closed his eyes. This wasn’t the first time he was asked why Anoka, and he feared it wouldn’t be the last. But the truth was, he didn’t have the answer they wanted. “I just…wanted a change of scenery.” He put on an innocent smile, but the way Adam’s face fell told him he saw right through it.
“Is that all there is?” Adam asked. He swiveled his head at an almost unnatural angle, like he was about to go a full one-eighty. Raj gulped, uncertain what to say. “You’re talented. It seems like you could have worked for any of the big haunts, or built one anywhere—even down in the Twin Cities. But you didn’t.”
Raj had done the big city living, usually with three or four roommates, while he was working on projects with two-hundred-million budgets. He got peanuts, and the people who told him to move pixels made bank. There was no way he’d have found a place as beautiful and perfect as the old hotel in Anaheim or Miami. “The Twin Cities don’t have a year-round Halloween costume shop.”
To his relief, Adam smiled, then nodded. “They probably do somewhere, but not as well stocked. They come to me for their summer theater productions. Some of them.”
When did I slide across the cold stone? All Raj knew was that one second there was granite between them, the next it was gone. Knees kissed, thighs touched, and hands…they hadn’t quite figured out where to go. Is that my heart pounding or the hooves of ghost horses? Raj tried to catch his breath, but when the weak light glittered in Adam’s ghost-blue eyes, it fluttered away.
It was anyone’s guess who moved first. Maybe they both did. Adam’s head fell to the right, and Raj mimicked him. Cold fingers bumped into his, and he reached over to take them. A spark shot up Raj’s arm, and he kept leaning closer. “Maybe I came here for…” Raj whispered his train of thought aloud. He couldn’t escape the hooves now, his body shaking from the beat of stampeding horses. Risking it all, Raj leaned forward.
“My man!” echoed through the courtyard.
Raj yanked himself back. Blinking through the stars in his eyes, he could just make out the tuft of blond hair and easy-going smile below it. “Logan?”
Adam did his best dismissive glance at the mysterious voice. He didn’t know what to expect to find, but a man with golden hair, chiseled looks, and soft brains wasn’t it. Cold nipped his fingers, and he turned back as Raj shot up like his ass was on fire. He ran to the stranger’s side and whispered with him for a moment.
“Who’s your friend?” Adam asked, piping in as much nonchalance as he had on tap.
“Oh.” Raj’s cheeks pinked, and he winced. “This is Logan,” he repeated the name. Then he swung the knife. “My partner.”
Partner? He… Of course, he has a partner. Why else would he come to Anoka, if not on the arm of some air-headed hottie? He’s probably playing sugar daddy to the baby himbo.
The disquieting and unfairly familiar sensation of shame spidered across Adam’s skin. He’d thought… No. He didn’t think that at all. They were little more than acquaintances who happened to both enjoy the same holiday. Ships on the other side of the harbor, really.
Raj leaned in close to the grinning golden retriever and began to speak with him. Adam did his best to not care, but once he heard the word “mayor,” his attention was snared.
“Yes. We’ll be hosting a movie in the ballroom. It was quite…generous.”
Adam hardly believed Raj could deliver on any of the promises he’d made, least of all bringing an honest celebrity to this town. But that was his mess to deal with.
“Cool,” Logan said with a thumbs up. “So, where’s the mayor? I should make my introductions and all…”
Adam dragged his toe across the cement so hard that sparks shot out. He turned to watch every minute detail as Raj happened to lay his hand across Logan’s strapping shoulders. Then the man pointed toward the only door. “Oh, that way. Got it. Nice to meet you…?”
“Adam Stein. You’d do well to remember that name.”
“Right. Okay. Adam. You two have fun or whatever.” With that, Logan bounded up the cement stairs and flung open both doors.
The man wearing the mask of naivety gave an almost apologetic grin for his partner. How could I be so stupid to think…? Adam clenched his hand tighter inside his pocket, doing his best to let that imaginary water roll off his back. He should have known.
He did know.
“So…” Adam dropped his palm onto the statue and began to circle it. “You came to Anoka for no reason whatsoever.”
Raj watched him make a half-loop. Adam only had to look from the sides of his eyes to see it now. Guilt. Regret. Secrets. He’s hiding something, and Adam knew what.
“That’s quite the convenient answer, don’t you think?” Adam froze in place, then crossed his arms.
The outsider blinked and shook his head. “Excuse me?”
“No. Because I know what you’re doing. You, Mr. Fancy Movie Man—”
“Fancy?” Raj snorted as if he could play this off.
“Move into a small town acting the bit part of humble entrepreneur while you scheme to buy up everything you can and destroy its rich history.”
A rage snort shot from Raj’s nostrils. “Are you serious? Of course, I’m not. I—”
“Bought the Rushford hotel.”
“It was condemned!” Raj shouted, his dark eyes flaring like a flint struck in the night. “I’m restoring Anoka history. Trying to.”
“So you tell the council now. Play the part for a year, be so humble and magnanimous that they have to shower you with praise, give you anything you want. Come five years, every quaint shop is abandoned because you built a Walmart where the hotel used to stand.”
“You’re insane,” Raj didn’t refute his accusation. “And I think you’re jealous.”
Adam laughed. “Jealous?” Just because you have gobs of cash to throw around and a California boy toy? Ha. As if. “I’m not jealous.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Am not.”
“Are too!”
Their petty grade school arguing drove both men closer. Adam didn’t realize how close until he nearly brushed his chest against Raj’s. A rattling wind cut around them, drawing him to the muscles hidden under Raj’s hoodie. Back off now, tiny boy, before you turn into twink paste.
Swallowing, Adam chased after his calm, customer voice. “I’m watching you.”
“Well, I’m watching you,” Raj said.
“I will protect this town with my life.” Even as the words slipped past Adam’s mouth, he frowned. That threat was a lot more serious than he’d meant.
Raj seemed to take it as badly as he had. A gravelly breath rattled in his nose, and he bit his lip. The flush in his cheeks and fire in his eyes would usually set off something other than alarm bells in Adam, but he kept wondering if California types carried bear mace. Or at least a bejeweled flail. When Raj started to curl his fingers into fists, Adam tried to diplomatically slide away without giving up any of his high ground.
