Chapter Six. #2
“Would someone like to talk to us? This is called a light sensor. It lets us know you’re here, and as you can see, it has two buttons. Green means yes, and red means no. Can you press green if you understand how to use it?” I asked.
We waited, and just as Magic went to open his mouth, the green light flashed.
“Wonderful!” Phil exclaimed. “Thank you for replying. Are you male?”
The light sensor turned red.
“You’re female?” I confirmed, and it lit up green. “Are you alone?”
Red.
“Are there two of you?” I counted until I hit twelve.
“Holy crap, twelve are here?” Phil murmured.
“That’s tragic,” Pyro muttered.
“Are you all female?” I inquired, and red flashed.
“This is a Ghost Box. It allows you to communicate with us. Can you tell me your name?” I asked as I pointed to what Magic held.
“Emma.”
“Hello, Emma. It’s nice to talk to you,” I said.
“Liar.”
“No. It is. I’m sorry you were imprisoned here.”
“Why? Death. Freedom.”
“You found freedom in death?” Pyro put the words together.
“Yes. You leave.”
“You’d like us to go? Can we stay and chat to someone else, maybe?” I inquired.
“Why?” The word burst from the ghost box, making us all jump.
“Shit!” Magic exclaimed.
“She’s asking why we want to talk to her? Damn, that’s intelligent, not residual,” Phil said.
“Dude, Emma’s answering questions, of course she’s intelligent,” I replied, and Phil sent me a dirty look.
“Rude,” the ghost box spat, and everything fell silent.
“Think we just lost her,” I murmured after several attempts to regain contact.
The radio crackled, startling us.
“Can you return to the command centre? Ashford, River, and Jack have found something,” Harry announced.
“On our way, dude. Emma, you have my gratitude and respect for talking to us today,” I said.
“Thank you,” a voice whispered in my ear, making me flinch. Thank you for respecting her. Shit, I felt lower than ever.
Jack
My fingers were itching to pry the lock box open, but I held still.
Especially as River Carey kept watching me.
It had taken most of the night to discover this, and now I itched to know if the list of names was inside.
The tour bus slowly filled as the parties returned.
Finally, Callie and Michelle arrived back from the field with Detective Maines.
“It’s locked,” River said.
“Open it,” Maines replied.
River dipped his chin and carefully pried the rusted lock open. It snapped after some effort, and River stepped back. He looked at me.
“Ashford found it, so he should open it,” River said, and I nodded in agreement.
Ashford came forward and opened the lid, and we hissed. Inside was a book and loads of trinkets in tiny bags.
“Use gloves,” Sin ordered, appearing, and Ashford moved away.
“You’re the expert here,” he said, deferring to her. Sin donned some gloves and placed a sheet down to protect the items from damage. Carefully, she picked up the book and opened it.
Her lips tightened, and tears formed in her eyes.
“It is a journal of every woman and girl child who was raped or sexually assaulted under Mr Edwin Lawson’s management.
He details their names, ages and how they died.
Lawson also noted how much he sold their bodies for and their clients,” Sin stated bitterly.
“Shit, what?” Maines exclaimed.
“Lawson kept this for blackmail purposes. It’s here that he shows extra payments for his silence,” Sin pointed to a column.
“There are some powerful names in here, Hayden,” River said, peering over Sin’s shoulder.
“Those of families who’d like to keep this quiet?” I asked.
“Yeah. This type of scandal could ruin several families. Some might even still be alive, although elderly by now,” Maines agreed.
“As this was found by Ashford, who works for the GSI, it’s their property,” Sin stated.
Maines opened his mouth to argue, but Sin kept going.
“As a consultant for the GSI, I would suggest each page is scanned, and samples are sent off for analysis to prove this is genuine. Once that is completed and we’ve recorded that this exists, the GSI can hand it in. ”
Maines held Sin’s gaze. “How long will that take?”
“Sunday night, Monday morning at the latest,” Sin replied.
“Do it,” Maines ordered, and Sin took the book and disappeared into Harry’s office.
Callie and I swapped glances.
“You realise, Detective Maines, those victims out there now have names. This lot may also contain DNA that you can link to the bones and existing families,” I said.
I rattled the box, and Maines looked down. He almost flinched at the sight of earrings, necklaces, and locks of hair kept in tiny bags.
“I don’t know if I’ll have the resources,” he murmured.
“Oh, you’ll have the money, trust me,” Callie promised, and Sunny reached out and squeezed her.
“Definitely,” Sunny agreed.
“Sorry, but I can’t magic funding out of thin air,” Maines replied with a tired smile.
“I can do whatever I wish. I’m rich as Midas.
This is a drop in the ocean for my inheritance.
Detective Maines, I request DNA tests be run and matched to the bones so we can provide them with proper graves and gravestones.
If they’ve any family left, they deserve to know,” Callie stated emphatically.
“Then those lost souls may finally find peace and rest,” I added.
Callie nodded. “What Jack said.”
“Monday at the latest, Miss Sinclair, please. I need to return to my team. If you all don’t mind, I’ll see you all sometime later tonight,” Maines said.
“Let’s get an early bedtime. It’s only an hour till we break anyway,” Callie suggested.
“No probs,” Harry replied with a yawn.
I joined him, though I’d never felt so exhausted.
Callie - Friday
I woke up feeling tired. This had been a disturbing investigation. I’d had several nightmares, which had jolted me awake. Women had been screaming, and in one, a faceless man had chased me. Rubbing my eyes, I was surprised to see that Sunny was already up.
“Did I oversleep?” I asked, noting he’d showered and dressed.
“No, I let you sleep an extra hour. You needed it, babe, you had a rough night,” Sunny responded, handing me a decaffeinated coffee. It was all I was allowed to drink nowadays. Somehow, I’d tricked my mind into thinking it was the real thing.
“Thanks. I’ve got to get the teams organised for tonight, I will shower, and I shall meet you on the tour bus,” I said.
“I’ll wait,” Sunny replied, and I eyed him suspiciously.
“What’s going on?”
“That asshole owner has been around and thrown his weight about. Tried ordering the cops off his land and was really pissed when he was informed it was a crime scene.”
“Do you think he knew?” I asked, appalled.
“Yeah. The way he’s acting is suspicious, babe. Fucker went straight to the cemetery. He took a direct path, which meant he knew it was there.”
“Damn. What a bastard. First, he allows investigative teams that torment and rile the spirits, and he’s been hiding the graves? What type of man does that?”
“A greedy one. Come on, honey, let’s face the day. Don’t go anywhere without an escort,” Sunny warned.
◆◆◆
The warning was unnecessary because as we left the RV, the asshole owner, Peppin, hurried over.
“How dare you investigate over there!” he yelled. Maines rounded the tour bus and paused. “I demand you leave my land.”
“No. You signed a contract so that we can stay until Monday morning. We won’t be leaving,” I replied.
“You fucking well are, you bitch,” Peppin hissed.
“Get out of my wife’s face,” Sunny warned, moving forward, and Mr Peppin stepped back quickly.
“If you want us to go, fine; we will once we have the compensation in the bank and it’s cleared,” I snapped.
“What?”
“There is a penalty charge if you throw us off because you don’t like what we’ve found. You signed it, and therefore you’re liable to pay it if you force us to leave!” I informed him.
“That’s a lie!”
“Check your paperwork,” I retorted, turned my back on him, and greeted Maines.
Peppin cursed under his breath and disappeared.
“Asshole. He’s been annoying the day detective all day. Man’s a prick,” Maines said.
“Can’t disagree!” I agreed and headed onto the tour bus.