Ouch. Ivy glanced between Maya’s forlorn expression and Brendan’s look of deep frustration.
‘Well, you know me,’ she said, trying to sound bright and breezy for their benefit. ‘I can never leave a good mystery alone – what kind of investigative reporter would I be if I could?’
‘What can you do?’ Maya asked, looking doubtful.
‘I don’t know yet,’ Ivy replied, honestly.
Brendan grinned at them both. ‘If anyone can figure this out,’ he said, ‘it’s Ivy.’
Ivy felt a swell of determination at her boyfriend’s words. She had to put the Daniels family back together – for the sake of Marc and Carla just as much as Brendan and Maya. If there was one thing Ivy knew from experience, it was that it was never good for siblings to be estranged!
As Maya started out of the tomb ahead of them, Ivy turned to Brendan, feeling a tingle of sudden nerves race through her. She’d started out this night so confused and angry, ready to end their whole relationship if her suspicions were realised. Now they were alone again for the first time since the whole truth had come out – even the fact that she’d followed Maya to the mall that afternoon.
He just has to understand. She took a deep breath . . .
And Brendan’s arms closed tightly around her, warm and strong and familiar, pulling her into his hug. ‘How could you ever think I would cheat on you?’
Ivy’s eyes stung as she hugged him back. ‘I thought I’d lost you,’ she whispered into his hair.
Brendan’s reply was muffled, but she heard it clearly: ‘You could never lose me, Ivy Vega. I’m yours.’
Chapter Six
The sky was already fully dark when Olivia arrived at Franklin Grove Museum that evening. Located on the outer edge of the town centre, the massive museum hulked like a Gothic mansion, complete with stone turrets that loomed against the night sky.
Talk about a vamp-y atmosphere!
Olivia took a deep breath as she stopped in front of the giant oak front door. I’m only two blocks from the Meat and Greet and Mr Smoothie’s, she reminded herself. There are lots of people nearby.
She reached out and grabbed the big brass knocker on the door.
THUMP! THUMP!
The heavy knocks echoed ominously in her ears.
A moment later, the door opened with a long, slow creeeeak.
‘What do you want?’ a voice snarled. The inner hallway was so dark, Olivia couldn’t even see who was speaking. Then he stepped up to peer out of the doorway, and she sucked in a breath of pure shock.
The man facing her was tall and deathly pale, wearing a jogging outfit stained with muck, dust and paint-splatters.
I can’t believe it, Olivia thought. Am I actually standing face-to-face with a vampire handyman?
‘Well?’ he demanded, scowling. ‘The museum is closed.’
Olivia gathered herself together and smiled winningly. ‘Is my father here?’
The man narrowed his eyes at her, obviously taking in her pale pink twin-set and sparkle-encrusted blue jeans. ‘I really doubt that your father is here. You must have the wrong building.’
‘No, I don’t!’ Olivia grabbed the edge of the door as he started to swing it closed. ‘I’m looking for Charles Vega.’
The man blinked. ‘Really?’
Olivia nodded, trying to look as honest as possible . . . because there was no way she could pretend to be a vampire in this outfit.
Her ‘honest face’ must have worked, because the man sighed and turned around. ‘Hey, Chas!’ he yelled. ‘Your daughter’s here. And she’s pink!’
Olivia had to bite her lip to hold back her giggles. It was hilarious that anyone could get away with calling her formal bio-dad ‘Chas’!
‘Olivia!’ Charles appeared at the door a moment later, beaming and elegant in a tailored black suit. ‘Forgive the mess of me,’ he said, reaching out to draw her in. ‘I’ve been hard at work on this weekend’s exhibition and my designs for what I’ll do with the South Wing as soon as it’s turned over to me.’
What mess? Olivia wondered. She looked again at her dad’s perfect outfit, free of any paint stains or plaster.
Aha. He’d pulled his tie loose from his throat. Yeah, talk about getting really messy!
Grinning, she tucked her hand into his arm and walked beside him through the long, echoing rooms of the museum. Most of the lights were turned off, and without Charles by her side, she would have stumbled more than once. Dust-sheets covered the artefacts they passed, turning them into creepy, shapeless shadows in the darkness. The ceiling rose high above them, like the vault of a dark cathedral, while their footsteps sent hollow echoes thudding through the night.
I’m walking through a dark, creepy building in the company of a vampire, Olivia thought, and I’m not scared at all. How cool is that?
She had to do a quick two-step to keep herself from walking into a dark figure covered in a dust cloth – maybe a suit of armour? Either that or a mannequin . . .
‘Hey, where are those vintage fashions you mentioned before?’ she asked.
Charles’s smile could be heard in his voice. ‘I’ll show you later, I promise – once things have calmed down here.’
‘Yeah, there does seem to be a lot of work going on right now.’ Thinking of the handyman she’d met, Olivia’s lips twitched. ‘I can’t believe anyone ever calls you “Chas”!’
‘Well . . .’ Charles coughed. ‘You have to understand, I’ve known Albert for a very long time. We were rather wild together back in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, before we both matured and settled down.’