The Ninth Floor (22 page)

He shook his
head. “I’m not sure what I want to do, but this is the most excited I’ve been
about the future in a long time. If it doesn’t work out, I can always do
something else. But I think it will. I think it will be great.”

It was hard to
ignore the trickle of excitement in me as well, but was I setting myself up for
another heartbreak? All of this, of course, hinged on us getting back together,
and at the moment, it was hard to think of why we shouldn’t. It was the easiest
solution. Yes, we’d hurt each other, but wasn’t part of being in a relationship
working through the problems? I reminded myself that he didn’t work through the
problems though. He just left.

“I have to
think about it. I don’t know.”

During our
short separation, I felt we’d both grown older, had changed—and maybe not in
the same ways. I missed Briggs, but moving on with Jack didn’t seem impossible.
Maybe Briggs wasn’t the person for me anymore. Maybe Jack wasn’t either. “Do
you think we were too young when we got together? Like maybe it would’ve been
better to meet a little later in life. Would we even like each other if we met
for the first time now?”

He took my
hand. “Even if we just met last week, I’d still want to do this.”

I wished I
believed him. “Why did you come back?”

“I told you.”

“And that’s
it. You just missed me and came back?”

“What other
reason would I have?”

I shrugged. My
hand moved in a slight circular motion, making the crimson liquid in my glass
swirl slowly. I was tired. I was tired of everything. At the moment, the only
thing I wanted was someone who understood. Was that person Briggs?

“How did you
know my dad owned the paper?”

Briggs looked
away. “He must have mentioned it.”

“Why would you
go to my parents’ house when you came back instead of calling me?”

“Why are you
giving me the third degree? What does it matter why I’m back? I’m here and I
want to be with you.”

I laughed,
though none of this was funny. “Go home, Briggs. When I have everything sorted
out, I’ll let you know if there’s a place for you in my life.”

“You don’t
mean that, Ryan.”

I stood up and
got my purse. “Actually, I do.”

“Where are
going? You didn’t drive.”

“I have a
ride.” I didn’t slam the door even though I was sorely tempted. How dare Briggs
be one more person keeping things from me? I walked up the driveway, looking
for Aiden’s car. Doubt wriggled in. Maybe he hadn’t trailed us out here. I didn’t
want to go back inside and admit I didn’t have a ride. On that note, why did
Briggs assume I wasn’t lying about the ride and come after me? Was he waiting
for me to cave first, or did he know about Aiden too?

Headlights
flipped on about fifty feet from the top of the driveway. I stopped and stared
at them. I hadn’t really thought this through. I expected Aiden, but a
pragmatic voice reminded me that this car wasn’t necessarily his. My phone
rang. I jumped.

“Hello?”

“Do you need
something, Ryan?” Aiden asked.

“A ride home.”
The car moved forward and stopped beside me. I let out my breath when I saw
him. I pulled open the door and got in.

We drove
without talking. When he stopped outside my building, I asked, “How much do you
know about Briggs?”

“What would
you like to know about him?”

A world of
possibilities opened up with that question. “Why is he back?”

Aiden shook
his head. “I don’t know.”

He walked me
upstairs and waited until I unlocked my door to say, “I don’t know why he’s
back, but I know he doesn’t deserve you.”

I paused. “How
do you know that?”

He shifted his
feet, but his eyes met mine. “He left his job months before he left you, and
you weren’t the only woman in his life.”

I didn’t know
how to respond. “Are you sure?”

“I shouldn’t
interfere, but—”

“But it’s hard
to watch someone make the same mistakes over and over again.” I stretched my
neck to either side. “Seriously, thank you for telling me. You’re the only
person I know who will tell me anything.”

“Are you okay?”

I laughed. “I
don’t even know what that means anymore. Have a good night, Aiden.”

I went inside,
put the dogs on their leashes, and headed back out. Aiden was still waiting on
the other side of the door. I raised an eyebrow at him.

“I thought you
might like some company on your walk.”

“Even if I
said no, you’d just walk behind me.”

He smiled a
little. “Yes.”

I handed him
Sid’s leash. “Then you might as well be useful.”

He nodded. We
went downstairs, and I started down my usual path when he stopped me. “You
shouldn’t always go the same way. Try to avoid patterns where someone can
anticipate you.”

“Okay. Where
should we go?” I followed him in the opposite direction for a block or so.

“I think I
know how you can get onto the ninth floor of St. Michael’s, if you’re still
interested,” Aiden said out of the blue.

“How?”

“The hospital
administrator is the only one with the key. However, if you knew a hospital
board member, he or she could probably get you access.”

“I don’t know
any of the board members.”

“You’re
related to two: Blythe Sterling and Ashley Sterling.”

“Is that so?”
It still wouldn’t be easy, but at least it was possible.

“What would you think about us
having a third roommate?” I asked Vivian the next morning as she shuffled out
of her room in a fuzzy pink robe and her glasses. I’d been thinking about Aiden
through my entire bowl of cereal. He was protecting me, so why was I making his
job harder? I’d decided to let him be my driver, though we had to think of
something else to call it— driver sounded too pretentious. Once I decided that,
it wasn’t a big leap to suggest he stay here with me and Vivian. It made sense.
That way if I got spooked, Aiden could take care of it.

She laughed. “Last
night went well, huh?”

I was confused
for a moment until I realized she meant Briggs. “No. The date went terrible. I
told Briggs to go back home and that I’d call him if there was ever a place in
my life for him.”

She scrunched
up her nose and poured coffee. “Then who would move in? Jack?”

I glanced at
my watch. I had so much to explain, but there really wasn’t time to get into
it. “I know I’m the one who brought this up, but I’m actually in a hurry. It’s
not Jack either. Just some guy I know. I’ll tell you more about it tonight.” I
wanted to be on time this morning since I left the hospital early the day
before. I felt like I needed to spend more time with Bee.

“I found
something yesterday that I need to show you,” she called after me.

“Okay. Later.
Thanks, Viv.” I shut the bathroom door and took the fastest shower I’d ever
taken. I threw on some clothes and left with my hair wet and no makeup, calling
out, “Bye,” as I shut the door and trotted down to Aiden’s car.

“Do you live
in here?” I asked as I climbed in.

“No.” He put
his coffee in the cup holder and looked at me. “I know your routine.”

“Hmph. Well,
come on. To the hospital, James.” I pointed forward.

“Who’s James?”

“Just the name
of every movie chauffer.”

He started the
car. “What changed your mind?”

“I didn’t say
no before. I said I needed to think about it, and now I have. I’m going to try
very hard not to make your job any more difficult than it needs to be.”

“I appreciate
that. As far as I can tell, the stalker doesn’t actually follow you around. For
now I think our public interaction should remain the same. If he’s around, I
don’t want to spook him into doing some drastic.”

“Sounds good.”

My happy cloud
didn’t dissipate until I walked into the hospital, and everything I’d been
avoiding thinking about came rushing back. Dread about whatever new challenge
the day held for me and Bee twisted my stomach.

“Good morning,”
I said with as much cheer as I could muster when I entered the room. Bee smiled
and Jack gave me a curious look.

“I thought you
might miss this morning,” he said, handing me a cup of coffee like he did most
mornings.

“I never miss
a day.” I took the coffee and went for my chair. I was aware of every movement
I made and I couldn’t quite meet his eye. I’d made a lot of decisions this
morning and one was about him. As much as I liked Jack as a person, I just didn’t
want to date him. I wanted to focus on what was important and that was Bee and
the safety of all those around me. There was no time for romance, and even if
there was, Jack wasn’t for me—not really. He was older and at a different point
in his life than I was. As right as I knew my decision was, I still felt guilty
looking at him. He was such a nice man, and I didn’t want to hurt anyone.

I cleared my
throat, realizing the silence had gone on too long. “So how’s everything this
morning?”

Jack was
looking at his chart, his face withdrawn. “Everything looks pretty good. Bee
had a good night.”

I smiled at
her. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, I
think.”

“That’s great.”

Jack said
goodbye and nodded his head toward the door. My hands got clammy, but I
followed him.

“Are we still
on for tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“Great.” He
leaned in a little and I took a step back, forcing a smile.

He searched my
face before giving me his own smile, but it didn’t meet his eyes. Jack wasn’t
dumb. He probably knew what was coming. I’d almost convinced myself to tell him
then, to get it over with, when he clamped his hand on my shoulder and
squeezed. “I’ll pick you up tonight.”

“See you then.”

I rubbed my
hand over my face when the door clicked behind him. I’d never broken up with
anyone, much less two people. If only I could Google this. I chuckled at myself
as I went back to Bee. Her head was tilted to the side and her lips were moving
fast. I had trouble understanding what she was saying so I moved closer. “Bee?”

“Getoutgetoutgetoutgetout,”
she said over and over again.

I reached my
trembling fingers toward her, touching the paper-thin skin stretched over her
weary bones. “Bee?” I barely whispered.

Her head
snapped in my direction, and her eyes were wild. She looked different,
distorted somehow. “Get out.” Her bony fingers dug into my arms. “Out, out, get
out.”

“Stop it. Ow.”
I tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong. “You’re hurting me. Stop.”

A cruel laugh
spilled from her lips. Her hand released and I stumbled back. My throat
tightened as tears threatened. “Bee?”

She looked up
and smiled. “Did Dr. Sadler leave?”

I nodded,
still rubbing my arm. “I’m going to go get a drink. I’ll be back.”

“Okay, Ryan.”

I wanted to find
her nurses and ask if she also did this with them or if it was just me, but
part of me worried that if I asked them any questions, they’d die next. I
headed for the elevator, trying to slow my breathing. Briggs and Blair stepped
off together, and I stifled a groan.

“What
happened?” Blair asked.

I shook my
head.

Blair
understood and frowned, looking toward her room. “When’s Ashley’s friend coming
to give a second opinion?”

I swallowed
hard, forcing myself to be calm. “Monday. It’s okay. I’m okay. I can’t deal
with you today, Briggs. You have to go.”

“Ryan…” he
called after me, but I kept walking. I didn’t have anything more to say to him.
Bee was completely back to normal when we returned. I let Blair do most of the
talking while I observed. She seemed so weak and frail, but as I looked at the
angry bruises starting to form on my arm, I realized I never tested the
ridiculous possession theory.

“I’ll be right
back.” I left before they could question me too much. Hospitals have chapels.
Surely they’d have something in it I could use. It was worse than a long shot,
but I didn’t really have any other explanation. I went down to the lobby and
asked the front desk for directions.

The chapel
room didn’t look anything like what I pictured in my mind. It was bright and
sterile, like the rest of the hospital. It did have little candles in red glass
votives and folding chairs set up in rows. A chaplain who looked to be at least
80 came up to me.

“May I help
you with something?”

“Do you
believe in possession?” I blurted. Before I could be embarrassed, the look on
his face registered in my mind. He didn’t look shocked at all. He took a deep
breath. “Let’s have a seat.”

I followed him
to the front row of folding chairs. “I believe that good and evil exist in this
world, even in this hospital. However, evil only has the power over you that
you give it. Do you understand?”

I nodded. “So
you do believe in possession?”

He looked
down. “Yes and no. It might be easier for you to tell me why you think you’re
possessed.”

I nearly
choked. “Not me. My aunt’s staying here, and she has moments where she is very
strange.”

“And you think
it’s a demon?”

I had never
felt so ridiculous in my life. “I think it’s something from the ninth floor.”

His face shut
down and he stood up. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

“What?” I
stuttered. “But—”

“You’ve been
talking about it, haven’t you?”

“What?” I
repeated.

“It’s no
wonder people are dying again,” he muttered. He looked at me with hard eyes. “You
seem like a smart girl, so listen to me. There is nothing on the ninth floor.”

“I know it’s
closed down, but—”

“No,” he said
with more force. “You’re not listening. There. Is. Nothing. There. There is
nothing to worry about, talk about, or acknowledge.” His intensity made me
squirm.