Ben’s phone ringing had us all pausing. He grinned at the name on the screen before answering. “The Polterguys. Funny, we werejusttalking about you.” He hit speaker and soft white noise filled the space.
“Hey Ben. We actually need your help,” Adam hissed. The way he was quieting his voice had me concerned. Adam was usually laid back and go with the flow, this panicked whisper was the opposite of the guy we’d met over Christmas break.
“What’s wrong, Adam?” I asked. “Is everyone alright?”
“Yes and no,” he laughed darkly. “I’m currently locked in a fucking library. This ghost is out of control. How do I get it to stop and let me out? The guys can’t get down to me, and it’s the most insane one we’ve ever been to.”
“Okay, give us some background info on this location.” Lincoln was all business now. “We aren’t witches but we’ll try to help.”
“It was supposed to be an easy hunt. One of our viewers said she worked here but the moment we got here it was crazy. I’ve never dealt with anything like this.”
“Have you asked them to stop, told them that you mean no harm?” Ethan asked. If anyone else had been suggesting it, I’d question their sanity. “I know it sounds stupid, but I just feel the unease, even through the phone.”
“Hold on,” Adam grunted. The phone went silent for several minutes. When he spoke again he was laughing. “Holy shit! Ethan, I owe you a beer.”
“I don’t feel it anymore,” Ethan grinned. “Someone just rubbed your spirits the wrong way.”
“I blame Troy,” Adam teased, letting out a grunt. “Ouch.”
“Hey Troy,” I grinned. Troy never was one to take their shit. Of the ghost hunting trio, he was the one who took things seriously. “We actually were wondering what your plans are after this?”
“We’ve been bleeding the city dry of hunts, so if you’ve got an idea, we’re all ears,” Gavin added.
“We’re in Serenity Harbor, Maine,” Ryker informed them. “And this place is unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”
“I’d believe it after my day,” Adam sighed. “So what do you need from us?”
“We need you guys. We can’t cover all of this in thirty daysandfigure out what’s spiking the energy. If you’re willing, we’ll to split the pay.”
“A chance to investigate with you guys again? Sign us up.”
ChapterTwelve
Ben
The smell of musty papers and dust tickled my nose as I flipped through the pages of the old news articles. I’d already been at it for hours, but we were no closer to figuring out what was causing all of this shit. At least I had Brea with me. And the Polterguys would be here in a few days.
Speak of the devil.
Brea flopped down in my lap, a grin on her pretty face as she met my eyes. “You looked lonely and sad over here.”
“Well this definitely fixes it,” I teased as I pulled her in for a kiss. Her lips were so soft and she tasted like coffee and chocolate from her morning snack. I groaned, wishing we weren’t stuck in the basement of city hall. She looked a bit dazed as she pulled away, then her stomach gurgled and I chuckled.
“Hungry again?” I asked teasingly, until her face paled and a hand moved over her mouth. She was up in seconds and running across the space to the tiny bathroom. Worry began to spread through me at the sound filtering out moments later.
While she was in there I packed up our stuff, unwilling to stick around any longer if she was sick. With all the stress and going from being on the boat to walking on land, I wasn’t even surprised. Everything had been pure chaos since we’d arrived.
She came out just as I slid the last of the newspaper binders into their slot and grabbed her bag. She was a bit pale, but otherwise seemed steady for the moment.
“Come on, Red. Let’s get you back to the inn.” She didn’t even argue as she turned and headed for the stairs.
The fresh air had a bit of her color returning but she still didn’t look great as I guided her back to the inn. She took off the moment we stepped inside, muttering about a quick nap.
“What’s wrong?” Lincoln asked when I hadn’t moved for a few minutes, debating on seeing what the tiny pharmacy had to offer.
“She’s sick,” I told him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her get sick. But something had her throwing up at the archives.”
He frowned. “I haven’t either. Which is shocking, since she’s not exactly a super healthy person between consuming coffee like it’s her life force and hating exercise with an unmatched passion.”