Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“I told you!” Montague said. Her eyes reflected the candlelight, and she looked more than a little wild. “Didn’t I tell you?”
Horror turned the blood in Nigel’s veins to ice. She’d warned them, yes—but he hadn’t believed, not really. Gloria was just a little girl, after all. What harm could she do?
He’d looked at her with an adult’s eyes, forgetting just how vicious children could be.
Dr. Lawrence nearly pulled her hand free from his. He gripped her fingers tighter to keep the circle intact.
Lawson swallowed, her throat clicking audibly from dryness. “Wh…why? She was trying to help you!”
Oscar’s mouth twisted into a snarl. “Because she wanted to hide the treasure! Everyone wants to hide it!”
“Lies,” Montague said, her voice shaking badly. “You killed Robin for no reason!”
Heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs to the landing. The candles flickered wildly, their flames shrinking, and the shadows seemed to thicken.
Gloria’s head whipped around, and she leveled a look of pure hatred in the direction of the door. “He’s coming.”
The door shuddered in its frame from a powerful blow. Then another, and another, as if the spirit outside meant to shatter it.
“Get out.” The low voice, almost a growl, caused Nigel to shrink back from the direction of the door. He was no medium; for him to hear Ullman’s voice meant the spirit was spending every ounce of energy it could gather. “Get out get out get out!”
Oscar’s hand jerked in Nigel’s, snapping his attention away from the door. His lips were drawn back from his teeth, and the expression of loathing wavered on his face. His eyelids fluttered wildly—then he pitched forward, tearing his hands out of Nigel and Tina’s grasp.
Nigel dove for one of the alligator clips. But before he could attach it to the iron railing, Oscar lifted his head, revealing his usual brown eyes.
Nigel flung his arms around Oscar. “Are you all right?”
Oscar’s skin was filmed with sweat, as though he’d been hard at work instead of sitting in a chair. He hugged Nigel back, then nodded. “Yeah. I’m okay. Just really tired. I had to eject Gloria before she was ready to go.”
The banging at the door had stopped, and the candle flames returned to their normal size. “Is Ullman gone, too?”
“He is.” Oscar sat back wearily. “He couldn’t come in, at least. Which might be a good thing for him.”
“How is that?”
Oscar looked to the door. “Because one thing I learned for sure. Gloria really, really hates her daddy.”