“But does the Smiley Killer know you didn’t set the cops on him?”
Teag rested his head in his hands, elbows on the table. “I don’t know. The detective didn’t even catch Steven.”
“Maybe Walker was closer to finding the killer than he thought,” I said. “Maybe Steven was afraid of getting caught, but Ann and Edna trapped him in the rug before Walker caught up to him.”
“What do I tell Anthony?” He asked, not raising his head. Teag’s voice was wrecked. “I’ve got to tell him. He’ll want to tell the cops, but they won’t believe us. Hell, they’ll think it’s suspicious that we know so much, probably think we’re in on it.”
“Let’s take things a step at a time,” I said. “Sorren should be here soon. We’ll try to destroy Sophie’s brooch, and see if that damages the ghost. And if we have to, Sorren can probably steal the rings they found with Ann and Sophie from the evidence room.”
“There are three other missing pieces of jewelry, Cassidy,” Teag argued, his voice rising. “We don’t even know where they are. If he gave them away, they could be anywhere.”
I shook my head. “I doubt he gave one to the detective,” I said. “But it would be interesting to see if they found one of Walker’s own pieces near the body.”
“I’ll check later. It’s probably not written up yet.”
“I think the other pieces are somewhere here in Charleston,” I said. “Call it intuition. I wish we could get Alicia to question Ann’s and Sophie’s ghosts.”
“You heard what she said. Asking a medium to poke around a case where the serial killer is a ghost is just asking for trouble,” Teag countered.
“I know. And I agree. It just feels like we’re missing something.”
“We’ve got to stop him, Cassidy,” Teag said. “Right now, he’s killing the people who tried to trap him, but if he succeeds, what’s to stop him from going on another binge? And the police won’t be able to do anything because he’s a ghost.” His gaze was intent. “We’re the only ones who can.”
Sorren showed up right after sunset and listened with a grave expression as we recounted what we had discovered. “I think we need to destroy the mementos,” he said when we finished our story. “If the trophies all still exist, then he’s probably using them as anchors, and each one we destroy weakens his hold.”
“Like a Horcrux?” I asked. Teag snorted. I didn’t expect Sorren to get the reference, but he did.
“A little, only in Steven’s case, an unintentional anchor. I doubt he planned on ending up disembodied,” Sorren replied with a wan smile. “The fact that he took the pieces as trophies implies a strong emotional connection. Let’s deal with the one we have, and I’ll see if Rowan and I can’t get the other piece away from the police.” Rowan is a witch who’s helped us out on more than one occasion. She and Sorren together probably wouldn’t have much of a problem stealing the ring back, or at least, not compared to the odds for Teag and me.
“How do we do it?” Teag asked, lifting his head and straightening his spine. I knew he was frightened, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him.
“I’ve heard volcanos work well on cursed rings,” I replied.
Teag rolled his eyes. “We don’t have a volcano handy. But I’ve got a friend with a pottery kiln. They get pretty hot. And at least the pin is just costume jewelry. It should melt pretty easily.”
“And how do we explain that we need to borrow his kiln to melt a pin? Not suspicious at all,” I replied. “What about a bonfire?”
“Not exactly stealthy,” Teag countered. “What about a welding torch?”
Sorren nodded. “That could work.”
“My dad has one in his garage,” Teag said. “He showed me how to use it back when I took a shop class one summer to help him work on the cars he likes to tinker with. And even better—he and my mom are on vacation, so no awkward explanations.”
Which is how we ended up in my car heading toward Goose Creek just outside of Charleston. I drove, and Teag rode shotgun, armed with an actual shotgun which was just beneath his seat, with shells filled with rock salt, a tactic Kell picked up from something he’d seen on TV. If it worked, I didn’t care who thought of it. Sorren was in the backseat. We stashed the brooch in the back in its own lead box, to mask its resonance from my magic.
Just in case, we brought canisters of salt and a couple of iron crowbars, since both salt and iron play merry hell with ghosts. I had several protective charms, my athame and the old dog collar that summons my ghostly protector, my late Golden Retriever, Bo. Teag had holy water and a silver-soaked rope net in his bag. Sorren carried an old iron dagger, but his biggest weapons were his speed, strength, and vampire resistance to ghostly mojo. With any luck, we’d pull the plug on Steven the serial killer’s rampage before he knew what was happening.
Teag’s parents lived out in the country, down a long lane off the secondary highway. I pulled into the driveway, backing in, so the hatch faced the detached garage that served as his father’s workshop. A security light overhead glowed brightly.
“No neighbors close by,” Teag said. “So we don’t have to worry about anyone seeing us, although it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve come by to borrow a few tools. I have a key.”
That meant we didn’t have to worry about turning on lights, although Sorren did lock the door behind us, just in case. Teag went to get the propane torch and returned with a welder’s apron and mask plus fire-proof gloves. He also brought an old cast iron frying pan.
“Dad uses the pan for small welding jobs. We’ll take it with us when we’re done—in case crazy ghost cooties linger—and I’ll buy him a new one,” Teag said.
“Get what you need,” Sorren said. We’ll set the wardings.” Teag set up the welder while Sorren and I put down a circle of salt and iron filings to keep ghosts at bay. We made the circle large enough to give Teag space to work and still have room for Sorren and me inside the warding.
Outside, the wind picked up. I felt the hair on the back of my neck prickle. Teag pulled on the protective apron and welder’s mask, holding the welder’s wand in one gloved hand as he readied to turn on the power with the other.
“Don’t look at the arc while I’m working,” Teag warned. “It can damage your eyes. That’s why I’ve got the mask.”
Sorren and I turned our backs, watching the shed for any sign that Steven had somehow guessed our whereabouts. I had a bad feeling, and as the shutters began to bang against the outside of the garage—on a night that had been still—my sense of foreboding grew stronger. From the way Sorren held himself, ready for a fight, I knew he picked up on the same uneasiness.
The welder hissed, and I felt the heat on my back, although Teag hunched several feet away. “Here we go,” he warned us, and I knew without looking he lowered the flame to the brooch.
A sudden gale-force wind rocked the garage, ripping shutters free from their moorings and howling around the small building. An inhuman force pounded on the door until I was sure the wood would splinter or the lock would break. The howl of the wind rose to a banshee screech, and I heard shingles rip free from the roof.
“Almost done,” Teag said through gritted teeth.
Three large trees stood close enough to the garage that the unnatural wind lashed the building with their branches. I wondered whether any other houses in the area were also being assaulted with the ghostly temper tantrum, or whether Steven reserved his strength for us alone.
“There it goes!” Teag called out in triumph, though we could barely hear him over the wind. The hiss of the welder stopped, and I turned to congratulate him just as a deafening boom sounded overhead and the roof came down on us.
For a moment, my head rang as if a thunderclap sounded right next to my ear. I staggered, in pain and disoriented, and then Sorren pulled me down and jerked Teag forward, throwing himself over both of us as the ceiling collapsed.
“We’re easy prey here,” Sorren said when the last of the roof had fallen around
us. “We need to get to your car. I don’t think the ghost can keep up this level of energy for long.”
“Got a plan?”
“Teag takes the shotgun with the salt rounds. Cassidy—call your dog and use your athame. I’ll go after the ghost with iron.” Sorren paused. “Are you injured?”
“Had the wind knocked out of me and I can’t hear much, but otherwise okay,” I assured him.
“Same here,” Teag agreed.
I lifted my head and saw that the door still stood open and beyond it, I could see my RAV4 looking mostly untouched. Already, Steven’s attacks waned as he depleted his energy. The wind no longer howled as loudly, and the bits of roof still overhead appeared likely to remain so.
Sorren shifted his weight off of us, allowing Teag and me to get our feet under us. “I’ll meet you at the car. Get in the passenger side; I’ll drive. Go!” He hissed, and sprinted to the largely intact rear of the garage, grabbing a crowbar from the workbench and pulling the iron knife from his belt. I shook the dog collar that wrapped around my left wrist, and a large, spectral dog appeared beside me. Teag put the cast iron skillet under his arm as he loaded the shells, and together we broke from cover and ran.
The ghost of a young man popped up between us and the car, blocking our way. His eyes blazed with rage and madness, and his mouth opened in a feral howl. Even so, I recognized Steven Delarue from his obituary photo. We were the Smiley Killer’s next target.
Teag couldn’t get in a shot without blowing out the windows on the RAV, but Bo’s ghost leaped for Steven, ninety pounds of pissed-off poltergeist, teeth snapping. Steven vanished, but Bo remained on guard, hackles raised.
“Cassidy! Behind you!” Teag shouted. Before I could turn, I felt a whoosh of air and heard metal clang.
“Get in the damn car!” Sorren yelled.
We ran, as the wind picked up again, hurling chunks of gravel from the driveway. Teag got off a shot in the direction the wind was coming from, and immediately the air stilled. I jerked open the rear door of the RAV. “Get in,” I yelled. “Cover yourself with the net.”
Before I could slam the door, Steve was practically in my face, ghostly hands outstretched. I fit his victim preference, and he had me pinned between him and the car.
I threw a handful of salt with my left hand, and brought my athame up in my right, blasting him with cold power. Bo snarled and lunged, sinking spectral teeth into Steven’s leg.
The ghost flashed and disappeared, and I scrambled to the passenger door, heart pounding so hard I could barely breathe. I threw myself into the car just as Sorren slammed in from the other side. We were moving almost immediately, as Steven lunged at the car, ripping long gouges in the hood as if he had clawed the metal with his fingertips.
“Teag, stay down and under the net,” Sorren ordered. “Cassidy—any time you want to take some shots to clear the road, be my guest.”
I rolled down the window, angled the shotgun and pulled the trigger, sending the blast out in front of us. A hail of rock salt hit the hood, but Steve’s ghost vanished.
“He’s losing strength.” Each time he came back, the vengeful spirit appeared less solid.
“Destroying the brooch hurt him,” Sorren said, his inhuman reflexes serving well as Steven appeared right in front of us. Sorren dodged, and the ghost blocked us again, but each appearance grew fainter. I wasn’t sure Steven had enough juice to actually hurt us, but I didn’t want to find out for sure.
I racked the shells again, and this blast took Steven through the chest. The ghost flickered and disappeared, and this time, he did not come back. “How long do you think that’ll keep him down?” I asked, my heart thudding like I’d been on a rollercoaster.
“No idea,” Sorren replied grimly. “But we’re coming up on the main road, so you’d better hide the gun.”
Good thinking. I tucked the shotgun under the front seat and rolled up my window, then patted the dog collar, sending a silent “good dog” to Bo’s ghost, wherever he went between appearances. I hoped his afterlife included plenty of puppy biscuits.
“You okay back there?” I called to Teag, never taking my eyes off the road around us and the shadows along the sides.
“I’m in one piece,” Teag replied. “Think I’m gonna have bruises from where some of the roof came down, but nothing’s broken.”
I glanced at Sorren, knowing he had taken the brunt of the fallout. He had dust and splinters in his hair and a gash over one temple that practically healed as I watched. Otherwise, he looked unharmed, although I felt certain that without his protection, Teag and I both would have been seriously injured. I also sent up a prayer of thanks that he adapted with the times as he drove us to safety.
“Thanks,” I said.
He shrugged. “You’re welcome. Healing quickly has its benefits.”
“What now?” Teag asked, still staying down and under the salted rope net.
“If it’s all right with both of you, I’d like to take you back to Cassidy’s house. It’s more thoroughly warded than yours, something I intend to rectify shortly,” Sorren replied. Anthony had only recently come into full knowledge of what we really do, and so fully protecting the house would have raised difficult questions. Now, he’d be grateful for the added security, but that would have to wait until the current crisis was over.
“Is it okay if Anthony comes to your place, too?” Teag asked, just as I opened my mouth to make the offer. “I’d feel better knowing he’s safe.”
“I suspect Kell is going to show up as well,” I said, and the thought warmed me. Kell might not have magic, but he stood his ground in front of forces that had sent others away screaming. “Maggie’s probably already there. I don’t imagine she left after she fed Baxter, and if we’re lucky, she’s got food waiting for us.”
I thought about suggesting we pick up Anthony on the way but then changed my mind. He’s a lawyer, and I didn’t want to compromise him if anyone caught us with weapons and a bag of questionable relics and supplies.
We must have worn Steven out because he didn’t appear again, although Sorren and I stayed on alert until we pulled in beside my house. It’s on-street parking, but I had a friend put a distraction spell on the spot by my door, so other people don’t notice it’s open. It helps when we come back bloody to not have to circle the block for parking.
We hustled Teag inside, and as soon as we crossed the wardings, I felt my shoulders relax. Baxter heard us coming and barked up a storm, a six-pound ball of attitude. Sorren gave him a look, and Bax quieted immediately. Glamoring a dog to make him stop barking doesn’t seem fair, but it works.
Maggie met us at the door. “Are you all right?” She asked, taking in the three of us in her question.
“Yeah. For now,” I replied.
Teag’s phone rang, and he reached for it. “Anthony,” he mouthed. His partner didn’t wait for a hello. Even though the phone wasn’t on speaker, Anthony was loud enough for me to hear.
“Teag! Where are you? And why are there police here asking about the Smiley Killer? What’s going on? They want to take you into protective custody.”
Teag paled. “Oh, God. Has there been another death?”
“Teag, you’re freaking me out,” Anthony warned. “And yes, they found another body. One of the cops from the original investigation.”
Teag choked. “The blond,” he stammered and met my eyes. I knew what he meant. His dream-memory had two men asking questions. Now, both were dead.
“Teag?”
Teag swallowed hard and pulled himself together. “Tell the cops I’m safe for now and decline protective custody. Then get a bag together for both of us. Sorren will be by as soon as he can get over there, in Cassidy’s car.”
“Where—”
“Don’t ask, and you can’t tell,” Teag warned, but I felt sure Anthony could figure it out. We’ve used my place as a safe house before.
“And if they won’t take no for an answer?”
“You’re a lawy
er. I’m a witness, not a suspect. If they’re not going to arrest me, they have to let me walk. Besides, you can tell them honestly, you don’t know where I am.”
After a moment of silence, Anthony spoke again. “All right. But I want to know what the hell is going on.”
“I’ll tell you everything. I promise. Just… get here. I need to know you’re safe,” Teag begged, and I could see the strain of the last few days in his face. He ended the call and sagged against the arm of my couch. Sorren was already out the door, heading for the car.
“Come in the kitchen,” Maggie said. “I’ve got coffee on, and I figured you wouldn’t mind if I made pizza rolls and cookies. I had a feeling it might be a late night.”
I hugged her. “You’re the best.”
She grinned. “Damned straight.” In one move, she scooped up Baxter and deposited him in Teag’s arms. “Here. Hold him. He’s a therapy dog. Then come sit down before you fall down. I want to hear all about it, but I figure I can wait until Anthony and Kell get here, so you don’t have to go through it twice.”
My head snapped up. “Kell’s coming?”
She nodded. “Yep. Called right before you got here, said he’s on his way with ‘supplies’ and information.”
“Then pass me a cookie, and let’s wait for the reinforcements to arrive,” I said, as Baxter snuggled into Teag’s arms and Maggie poured coffee for all of us.
Memory Remains
Kell arrived first, with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder that I felt sure included his ghost hunting equipment as well as salt, an iron blade or two, and a shotgun with rock salt rounds.
“The new deaths have something to do with the Smiley Killer,” he said after he hugged me tight and kissed me hard enough to let me know he’d been worried about me.
“Afraid so,” I said, taking his hand and drawing him into the kitchen where Teag and Maggie—and Baxter—still waited.
“The victims’ ghosts are really active,” Kell said, and I frowned as I realized he sported a freshly blacked eye. He noticed my gaze and looked chagrined. “Yeah, I got clocked by a flying trash can lid. She was trying to get my attention.”
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