Chapter 8
Beau and Hannah met us in town for dinner, as they had finally arrived and were starving, according to them. Davina didn’t come—she could barely stomach soup right now—but the rest of our group went in. Lachlan finally joined us, giving Gwyn a chance to properly talk to him.
I think she was immediately charmed by the accent, but then he started telling her how we’d met and she was pretty captivated.
It did make a good story. I wouldn’t want to live through it again, though, that’s for sure.
We’d chosen a little Mexican joint, as Mexican food was something Mack could navigate around with his food sensitivities, and I saw Beau waiting next to the entrance.
His white hair lifted a little with the wind, and he was dressed in clothes that looked to be loose and comfortable, which made sense with traveling.
He waved, perking up when we started piling out of the SUV.
Hannah was quick to join his side, also waving hi.
She’d caged her white hair in some kind of updo, also dressed very comfortably and with sandals on in concession to the heat.
“Hello, hello, we finally made it. Ah, this must be Gwyn.”
Mack promptly took her over to him to make introductions.
I could see how it delighted Beau, his own apprentice now being master enough to take on a student.
Gwyn seemed nervous to meet new people, but she did strike me as an introvert.
She was also tired, granted, after a long-ass day.
She’d even passed ghosts today on top of everything else.
Hannah told us our table was ready, so we went in, sitting around two long tables shoved together.
I ended up at the end cap, Quinn on the other side, our respective Mediums close at hand just in case.
The restaurant was lively and clearly popular.
Even after calling ahead, we’d had to wait for a table.
Despite all the conversations flowing around us, and the divine-smelling food, there was this air of unease I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
A tension lying just below the surface. I didn’t like the feel of it whatsoever.
We ordered, then I updated Hannah, who sat on my right side, on all the happenings so far. She and Beau listened carefully, frowns growing deeper as they took it all in.
“So despite the fact you’ve tried twice today to scope out the town, you were sidetracked both times?”
I shrugged. “That’s the size of it. Of course, I’d prefer having Gwyn over sticking to a plan—”
Hannah grinned, and I knew she felt the same way.
“—but it is grinding my gears a little that we still haven’t scoped out this town properly.”
“We’ll do so tomorrow.” Hannah’s frown stayed put as she looked about her.
“No one can rest easy here, not even those dense to the supernatural. Even they can pick up on something not being right. You can practically see the tension and unease like a dark cloud. The whole energy of this place is off.”
“I can confirm because even I feel something is off.”
Booker threw in “We’ve got a meeting with a historian lined up, so hopefully we’ll have some good data to work off soon.”
Beau grunted. “That’ll help for sure. All said, I think y’all prioritized things right. Rescuing Gwyn and securing our sleeping area does us more good in the long run. Even the short run.”
“Few issues to add to this.” Mack did not look happy.
In fact, he was groaning like he regretted every word before even saying it.
“One of the ghosts told me there’s an almost-demon running around causing the worst of the trouble.
He didn’t know the man’s name or where he was, just heard whispers of him. ”
Eli eyed Mack like he’d just announced he’d seen a viper earlier. “When you say almost-demon…”
“That’s literally as much as I know.” Mack splayed his hands in an apologetic manner. “I wish my source had more information, but he was repeating rumor to me.”
Eli made unhappy noises, like a gremlin who’d been told they had to have a bath. “I don’t like almost-demons, either. They’re trouble every single fucking time.”
“Have to agree with you,” I said. Unfortunately, Mack wasn’t done. “Tell them the other thing, hon.”
Quinn objected. “Why is there another thing?”
With all the enthusiasm of a man forced into a root canal, Mack said, “My source also tells me that whoever approaches Miner’s Creek doesn’t come back.
The ghost town apparently sucks in the dead and doesn’t release them.
He had no idea why and wasn’t curious enough to go investigate it himself.
Also too afraid to do so. I have no idea what’s happening over there, but that smacks of trouble. ”
There were groans from everyone. I didn’t like it either. I had no idea how we’d even start to figure out the problem. Someone should have warned me before I joined the division how much troubleshooting was involved.
“Well, seems we’ve got our work cut out for us.
” Hannah sat there, staring at the group, looking like she was tired already.
Anticipated exhaustion was the worst. “All said, we’ll need to take this in pieces, I think.
My main worry is Gwyn and how she’ll fare as we’re trying to unravel this knot. Gwyn, did Mack get you the manual yet?”
“There’s a manual?” Mack’s expression was of one who knew nothing.
“It’s the FBI. There’s a manual for everything,” Booker said laconically.
Man made a fair point.
“Ah, right, I didn’t use it for you,” Beau recalled. “By the time you came to me, you knew too much for the manual to be handy. But it’s perfect for her. We’ll get online tonight and download it.”
I could tell Gwyn liked the idea of a book very much. But then again, this was a girl who chose the library as her hiding spot.
There were a few ghosts rumbling around the room. I couldn’t see them, but I saw how the Mediums kept track of them with one eye. No one said anything, but the looks were very obvious.
We ate quickly, no one willing to linger over a beer or anything, and I left a nice tip for the waitress, who had done a good job. We were back out the door in thirty minutes flat.
“Well”—I looked around the group—“we’ll get a very good idea of how bad activity gets at night if you want to at least walk the main square and maybe peek at the river. Want to—”
I heard a yelp from nearby and turned, automatically putting my back to Mack and Gwyn, ready to react once I pinpointed the source.
Eli wasn’t waiting on my slow ass—she was already moving. Not a hundred yards from us, a young woman looked wildly about, her hand protectively covering her chest. Someone had groped her?
“You!” Eli barked, marching to the woman’s location. “Living or dead, you don’t get to harass—oh, you think running from me is a good idea?”
I followed her with my eyes as she darted across the street and into the little park.
The danger park, as I thought of it, after Mack’s description.
Quinn chased after her while Booker just shook his head, already resigned to his wife having an after-dinner workout.
Quinn had barely caught up when Eli grabbed something, and then next I knew, body-slammed it to the ground like she had the ghost in a choke hold.
She was too far away to hear actual words, but I knew she was threatening it. Mack flinched next to me and made an oooh sound, so something had happened.
“Narrate for me,” I pleaded. I fucking hated not knowing what was going on.
Mack adopted a sports commentator voice.
“Eli has the ghost by the throat, she’s not letting up the pressure anytime soon, ghost is arguing back that it has a right to do whatever it pleases, Eli’s losing patience, I think an exorcism is incoming—oh, oh, she’s doing it!
Ghost is pleading for mercy but doesn’t want to cross over, ghost is now trying to attack her, which I must say, not a good decision, don’t know why he’s going with that play.
Aaaand he’s been exorcised. Well, ladies and gentlemen, that’s a wrap. ”
I snorted. “Had fun?”
“Quite fun, actually. I should do it more often.”
“She really exorcised him, eh?”
“To be fair, I don’t know if we could have passed him on.” Mack’s eyes sought Beau’s, like he wanted a second opinion. “His aura was very dark, and with the way this location has been boosting ghosts, it might have made it super difficult to pass him on instead.”
Beau looked a little unnerved. “I saw the effort she put into exorcising him. An Exorcist like her, that should have been a cakewalk. Boy, what have you dragged me into?”
“Hell.” Mack seemed more resigned than anything. “Beau, got any friends you can call in?”
“I’m thinking I need to make some phone calls, for sure. Otherwise, we’ll wear out before the ghosts are cleared.”
Not a cheery thought whatsoever.
Mack’s expression turned grim and he shifted, eyes on Gwyn. “Beau, I’m more than a little worried having her in the middle of this.”
I could see why he was. Hell, I was worried about Gwyn.
It was bad enough we were in a town so haunted it resembled hell on earth, but these ghosts could pack a punch.
Even pros were struggling. I knew Gwyn had her pack of things to help fight off ghosts, but was it enough?
Was this group enough to protect her? I could send her home ahead of us, but I really didn’t want to.
She didn’t know my family, so it wouldn’t be comfortable for her.
Fuck, I didn’t know what the right answer was in this situation.
Beau assured Mack, “I’ll watch her back when you get busy. Learning how to handle something like this is part of the job. Better to teach her how to safeguard herself than keep her ignorant.”
Very true. Beau was wise in that regard.
Mack nodded unhappily in agreement, but he at least saw his mentor’s point. “I think… Uh-oh, a mob of ghosts just materialized out of nowhere. Eli’s about to get outnumbered. I’ll go help.”
“I got Gwyn,” Beau promised.