Chapter Five.
Bunny
We were searching for a figure that was supposedly seen here.
Rumour had it that a former patient was over seven feet tall and a gentle giant.
Locals had fondly nicknamed him Jimmy, but his real name was unknown.
Jimmy had lived here over one hundred and fifty years ago and had died here.
The legend went that he had been incarcerated as a child because he’d outgrown his peers rapidly.
Realising there was something wrong with Jimmy, his parents had brought him to The Asylum and left him.
To my mind, it was obvious the poor man was suffering from pituitary gigantism. How awful for a young kid to have been locked up in The Asylum, especially as he’d been sane. Jimmy must have felt so abandoned by his parents. How damn cruel.
Although, by all accounts, Jimmy had been treated well, seemed happy, and enjoyed helping in the infirmary.
I imagine his size quelled a lot of fights before they began.
For several hours, we attempted communication but received no reply.
It appeared we weren’t going to get anything when my SLS camera picked up an entity.
Excited, I called to Jack, showed him it, and we peered into the shadows down the hallway where the form was. There was a brief movement, and the figure on the camera waved, and I exclaimed in delight. The shadow disappeared at the same time as my image.
“Was that Jimmy?” I gasped.
“Think so. Jimmy didn’t want to talk, but wanted to say hi and acknowledge us,” Jack said.
“Well, as far as I’m concerned, we proved he existed,” I stated, and Jack nodded.
“We’ll take a break and return. There’s supposed to be a nurse down here who mistreated the sick,” Jack announced, and I frowned. That was the highest abuse of power. How evil did you need to be to harm your patients?
When we emerged, we discovered what was happening with Sunny and Magic.
Jack wanted to help Michelle, as did Pyro, but Harry stopped us.
As Harry stated, if we did, then we’d give the evil present there more victims and impede Michelle’s rites.
There was a monitor on the bus that we could watch while we ate dinner, prepared by Diaz.
Michelle was in full flow, and I admired her strength and convictions.
She clearly had experience and was managing the exorcism perfectly from what I could see.
As we neared the end of the meal, Callie entered, pale.
“Found it,” she stated, and Phil slid in behind her.
“You found the cemetery?” I asked, stunned.
“Yeah. It’s about a mile away, but still on Asylum land. The dogs went crackers there, and we’ve called the police. They couldn’t argue with us, as we were using cadaver canines that they use. They’re bringing people with them and are getting a warrant,” Callie said.
“For what?” Pyro inquired.
“Excavation. They plan to dig to see if they discover bones. The dogs just kept stopping and starting. After half an hour, their handlers insisted on the cops being called. They arrived pretty quickly. Once they did, the handlers walked the dogs again, and every couple of yards, the dogs signalled. So far, we’ve counted fifty.
The police are placing those crime markers on each site the dogs sat on,” Phil said.
“We’ve been asked to keep away but stay local for now. Although it’s highly doubtful we’ve killed fifty people since arriving,” Callie replied with a grimace. She saw the screen in front of us as she sat down, and Harry passed her a plate of food.
“What the hell?” she demanded, half rising. Her eyes focused on Sunny, and alarm crossed her face.
Jack pushed her down. “Michelle is there, and she’s got it under control.”
“What happened, Connor?” Callie snapped, turning to him.
Connor explained, and I ended up closing my eyes. Damn, Magic! I loved him to bits, but he did go overboard.
“Pyro, before going back out, please search his items again, and confiscate any weapons he has. A gun and now a flamethrower! I dread to think what else he might have!” Callie whined.
“Sunny already checked,” Connor said, and Callie turned a beady eye on him.
“And yet, Magic somehow made a flamethrower appear from thin air!”
“I’ll look,” Pyro promised, hurrying to reassure Callie. “Are you okay?”
“No. Some of those graves will tragically belong to the missing children. Others will hold the remains of the women who were raped and tortured. And some innocent victims who simply couldn’t cope with life. A whole lot of misery is about to be exposed,” Callie replied and rubbed her eyes.
“Did you tell the police about the journal from Caroline Rawlins?” Freddie questioned.
“No, Harry, did you finish scanning it in?” Callie inquired, and Harry nodded.
“I have the footage of it being found, and of each page, plus it was scanned. Even if somebody tries to make it disappear, it can’t. I’ve called a colleague from the university I was at, trying to get them to come and verify it, but they’re unavailable.”
“Someone will be here in the morning. Let me make a call,” I said, and Pyro nodded; he knew who I’d thought of.
“At this time of night?” Callie asked.
“Callie, she’ll be here before the sun rises,” I replied, grabbing my phone. I stood up and moved to go outside. “Babe, I’ve got a job for you…” I spoke as a sleepy voice answered me. For this, I was certain she wouldn’t mind being disturbed.
Callie - Thursday
Magic, Sunny, and Michelle arrived back after the sunrise. I was already in the RV waiting for Sunny to return. I wasn’t asleep because, hey, Sunny was in danger, but I knew I also needed rest. Relief hit me when his tall, muscled form entered and swept me up in a tight hug.
“Gonna bury Magic,” he muttered. Honestly, I couldn’t blame him.
Sunny was covered in scratches and bruises. There was even a bite mark, and I was furious at Magic.
“A bit late, we found the cemetery. The police are all over it,” I retorted as Sunny stripped and headed into the shower cubicle.
“Nice going! You phoned the cops, huh?” Sunny called over the water.
“Yes, they’re on site now,” I replied loudly. Minutes later, Sunny emerged and dried himself off before crawling naked into bed with me.
I fell asleep instantly.
◆◆◆
“Wow, Sunny has form!” Bunny said.
“Shit, he’s hot. Let’s hope Jett ages just as well. Although he might not live that long,” a voice I vaguely recognised spoke.
“Jett isn’t going to like you eyeing my bare ass, Sinclair,” Sunny rumbled, and I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I flipped the duvet over Sunny’s butt and stared at Bunny and Sin from Rage MC.
“Sin?” I murmured, recognising the woman as Jett’s old lady.
“You needed a specialist, and you aren’t gonna get better than me,” Sin stated without false pride. She wasn’t wrong. Sin was an expert in her field.
“Where’s Jett and the kids?” Sunny wondered, looking around.
Sin offered us an evil grin. “Oh, Jett’s at home, no doubt screaming for help from his brothers while they sit and watch amused. Fucker wanted a big family; he can take care of them.”
I choked back a laugh at the wicked look on Sin’s face. “How many do you have?” I asked.
“Too many. I lost count of them a couple of years ago,” Sin said, and I couldn’t stop my laughter that time.
Sin and Jett had been notorious for their children.
Jett wouldn’t stop knocking Sin up, and even when he had a vasectomy, it failed, and he gave her twins.
Sin loved her kids to bits, but she also adored winding Jett up.
They were total opposites, the biker and the bookworm archaeologist. Sin specialised in old documents and was well known in her field for it.
She had her own lab under the bookshop she ran with her adopted brother, Reid.
Sin was rather shy, at ease around Rage MC but totally uncomfortable with outsiders. I was surprised she’d flown here.
“Thanks for coming,” I offered somewhat awkwardly.
“For the sheer pleasure of seeing Sunny’s bare ass, it was worth it.
I’ve brought equipment with me, and I’ve been working all day on the journal.
For safety’s sake, I’ve scanned it into my system, and I’ve started testing the ink and paper.
I’ve sent samples back to Reid also to test,” Sin said, and I blinked.
Sin sat on the bed and patted Sunny’s leg, and he shifted quickly.
Amused, I hid a smile. “Wow, you’ve done a lot,” I replied.
“I arrived first thing this morning. Bunny had informed your security guard I’d be coming, so they set me up in an office and let me get to work. From the evidence I’ve gathered so far, you’ve got the genuine article. Solace said that there was another manuscript you were searching for?” Sin asked.
“Yes. On Tuesday, Jack, Pyro, Sunny, Magic, and Phil received a message saying there was documentation of the women who’d been abused,” I confirmed.
I hummed as Bunny entered our bedroom and handed me a cup of coffee.
Sunny sat up and, smelling, made gimme hands at her.
Bunny eyed his chest with a smirk before passing him a mug.
I didn’t mind women looking at Sunny, because he was certainly worth the view. Just don’t touch!
“Damn. I hope Jett ages as well as you,” Sin murmured again, and Sunny chuckled.
“You’re one lucky bitch,” Bunny agreed.
“While this is any man’s dream come true, you girls need to go, as I gotta piss soon,” Sunny said, and I laughed.
Neither Bunny nor Sin looked inclined to leave.
“Okay, we’ll go sort breakfast out.” Bunny sighed finally as it became clear Sunny wasn’t going to give them a sideshow.
“Definitely a lucky bitch,” Sin teased as she got up and left. She snapped a picture of Sunny, and my phone pinged.