The Wantland Files

by Lara Bernhardt

  TJ jumped and yanked the headphones off his ears. “Holy shi—” He glanced at her and continued. “I mean, holy cow! Okay, Wakefield. Come check this out. This is raw footage. No one has looked at it or tampered with it. I want you to be present when we review it as a group and record it for the show. We will definitely want to record this, Stan.”

  Sterling slouched back into the dining room. “Now what are you blathering about?”

  “Here.” TJ thrust the headphones at him. “Wait, though. Watch before you listen. Here’s the footage from Stan’s camera.”

  Stan turned his screen so everyone could see. With a click of the mouse, the night-vision footage played, their eyes glowing neon green as they stood in the hallway. Stan pointed to Sterling’s hair. “See there? Your hair ruffled. And then here you reach up to smooth it back down. Clearly you felt whatever ruffled it.”

  “I’ve already said I felt something. Presumably wind.”

  “Wind that affected no one else?” Stan rewound the footage. “See? You’re standing near Kimberly. You honestly believe her long hair is impervious to a gust of wind that set your short hair on end?”

  “I’m significantly taller than her. A wind gust above her head would be unnoticed by her but felt by me.”

  “Oh, come on!” TJ yelled.

  Stan held up a hand. “Just show him the rest. We know he felt it. Move on.”

  Grumbling and shaking his head, TJ continued. “Here’s the FLIR footage from the camera I carried. Watch.” He switched to the rainbow-hued images from the heat camera. He slowed the footage, allowing them to see a burst of red color as it swooped from Kimberly to Sterling, racing over his head and disappearing through the ceiling.

  She leaned forward. “That’s at the end of the session. Right after the entity let me know she’s after the children. She flew through the ceiling.”

  “Yes,” TJ said. “But she had a message for Wakefield on her way out. Aside from messing up his hair.” He turned his attention to Sterling as Stan stepped closer with his camera. “Mr. Wakefield, your camera remained with you, in your possession from the time our session ended last night until you handed it to me a few minutes ago. Correct?”

  Sterling shifted and crossed his arms. “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “No one could have tampered with this footage except you, since it remained in your possession. Correct?”

  “I didn’t tamper with the footage. I didn’t touch the camera. You can ask Kimberly. I was with her all night.”

  Her jaw fell open. “It wasn’t—”

  TJ rested a hand on her arm and murmured, “Don’t worry. I’ll edit that part out.” He turned back to Sterling and raised his voice. “Do you swear you neither tampered with nor allowed someone else to tamper with this footage that you recorded last night?”

  “Why would I? That’s ludicrous.”

  “Answer the question, Wakefield.”

  “I said I didn’t tamper with it.”

  TJ held up his hands in victory. “Post hoc, ergo propter hoc.”

  “What is this? Kid thinks he’s Perry Mason or something.”

  “Perry Mason? Who the heck is that?” TJ asked.

  Sterling shook his head. “You’ve never heard of Perry Mason? The courtroom drama?”

  “No. Worked as a paralegal for a few years, though. Guess it shows.” The younger cameraman sat up straighter.

  Sterling rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Especially since you just labeled your own argument fallacious.”

  TJ uncrossed his arms and sat forward. “What?”

  “Nothing. Can we please get on with this?”

  She turned to Stan’s camera. “By Mr. Wakefield’s own admission, this footage remained with his camera”—she gestured to the equipment—“in his possession since we ended last night’s session.” She gave the camera her gravest look. “TJ?”

  TJ passed the headphones to Sterling and indicated he put them on. “Wakefield will now hear the audio on his personal footage at the precise moment his hair ruffles on Stan’s footage and the entity flares red on the heat camera.”

  TJ turned and locked eyes with her, a smirk on his face, as his finger hovered above the mouse.

  He depressed the button, and the footage continued.

  Seconds later Sterling jumped up so fast, his chair clattered backward to the floor. He yanked the headphones off his head and stared at TJ, accusation burning in his eyes. “No, you . . . that’s not . . . you . . .”

  TJ stood, facing Sterling. “This is raw, unenhanced footage. We listened to it for the first time minutes ago. We didn’t have the opportunity to add anything to the footage, which remained in your possession at all times. Unless you added this yourself, you recorded it last night.”

  Sterling’s hands shook as he ran his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t hear anything last night. That sounds like someone is standing right behind me, speaking into the camera microphone. But there was no one there.”

  “Spiritual entities leave us messages via EVP,” TJ said. “Happens all the time.”

  “There is no way the camera recorded sound that wasn’t there. If someone spoke, I should have heard it while it happened.”

  Kimberly watched the exchange until she couldn’t stand it. Normally she sprang exciting tidbits on others. She’d had enough of Sterling stealing her thunder. Now TJ, too? Enough. This was her show. “We have audio?”

  “We sure do,” TJ confirmed.

  “Can you analyze it a bit? Determine what’s being said?”

  “Don’t need to.” TJ’s smirk resembled the one that normally graced the face of now-deflated Sterling, as if it had hopped from one to the other.

  Her hands curled into fists. “TJ, you are rapidly becoming the most annoying person in the room. Let the rest of us hear.”

  “Sorry, Ms. Wantland. I just wanted to build suspense.”

  “You’ve built it. Let’s hear if the payoff is worth it.”

  “Right.” TJ unplugged the headphones from the sound jack and rewound the footage. “Here it is.” He pressed “Play.”

  In the background, voices of her crew chattered. A female voice overpowered them all, clear and distinct, as though standing behind Sterling, but no one had stood behind him.

  “Get out.”

  28

  Kimberly sat once again at a table in the hotel restaurant with Rosie and Michael. She tried and failed to ignore a despondent Sterling at the bar. At four o’clock in the afternoon, the restaurant was between lunch and dinner crowds and mostly empty but for her crew, exhausted but intrigued by the footage.

  After everyone had recovered from the shock of hearing the dark entity speak on Sterling’s recording, TJ had played the isolated section over and over. Get out, get out, get out.

  Her fanboy waiter drifted to the table for the fourth time since bringing their meals. “How is everything? We still doing okay? Ms. Wantland, do you need anything?” He seemed eager for an issue that he could fix. Anything to extend his contact with her.

  She looked about the table. “I think we’re still good.”

  “Okay. If you need something, just let me know.” The young man lingered as if hoping she would suddenly think of something.

  “We will.” She smiled at him until he backed away.

  Michael and Rosie didn’t speak, both sipping their diet sodas with the nervous countenance everyone in the crew wore. This was huge, and they all knew it. She felt very strongly that Edna Miller had remained in the home after passing. And for some reason was now hostile. Whatever left the spiritual entity in this current bitter form, she needed to resolve the issue for the Williams family.

  Could she help the woman move on? She had helped spirits before. Once she determined who they were in life, she could usually help them understand it was time to cross over. But Edna Miller demonstrated hostility toward her and wanted them to get out. Would the confused woman be able to remember who she had been in life? Would she listen? Ho
w could Kimberly entice the hostile spirit to leave the Williamses’ home and translocate to the next plane of existence?

  Michael swirled his straw through his soda, clinking the ice cubes against the cup, which dripped a puddle of condensation on the table. “What are you thinking, Kimmy?”

  She sipped her hot tea while she pondered how best to answer. What she was going to suggest probably wouldn’t thrill him. “I’m trying to decide how best to proceed. With what we saw and heard today, I feel pretty confident I know what we’re dealing with.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sterling signal for another drink.

  Rosie rested her arms on the table and leaned forward. “I think you need to proceed with caution. This entity has already tried to strangle you. She’s told us to get out. This is a dangerous disturbance you’re dealing with.”

  She took a deep breath. “That’s true. But that’s why I’m thinking we might need to try something a little more unconventional. We need to get that thing out of there. I keep imagining her strangling that little toddler boy. I’m sure he’s seen her.” She shuddered.

  Michael cocked an eyebrow at her. “Unconventional? In what way?”

  “Something we don’t normally like to do. But I think we should continue our investigation tonight with the Williamses in the house.” She watched him carefully for his reaction.

  He frowned. “Why in the world would we do that? You just said you’re worried about the entity trying to hurt one or both of the children. Why do you want to put them in harm’s way?”

  “I want to resolve the disturbance. And I think the best way to do that is to lure the entity with the children. I believe she’s been looking for them this week. And part of her hostility may come from believing we’ve taken them from her. If she’s focused on the children and not me, I should be able to handle her better.”

  “It seems like too much of a risk. We send the families away for a reason.”

  “I know. And normally I’d agree. But not this time. Besides, we’ll all be there. If I truly felt like this would endanger any of the family, I wouldn’t suggest it.”

  Michael pursed his lips. “I don’t know. I really don’t like it.”

  “I knew you wouldn’t.”

  He rubbed his hands together. “Maybe we need to take it slow another couple of nights. You know more about the entity we’re dealing with. That should help you handle it.”

  “On the contrary, that’s exactly why we need to wrap up this investigation. The Williamses need this entity purged. Sterling appears to be having a meltdown. Let’s pull out all the stops tonight and go in aggressive.”

  “Would the family even agree to that?” Michael seemed to be grasping for a way to say no.

  “Danielle asked me this morning if they could come back home. This has taken such a toll on them. I don’t know how much more they can take.”

  Rosie nodded. “It’s taken a toll on their marriage, too. Stephen is threatening to leave. I told her he didn’t mean it, but I’m not so sure. He’s exhausted and missing work. Danielle says he doesn’t want to admit to his boss what’s really happening at home, so he’s blaming her, claiming she’s suffering from postpartum depression so severe it’s endangering their baby. I think he’s said so many negative things about her, he’s actually starting to believe it. Look at them.”

  The family occupied a table in the back corner of the restaurant. Drew sat in a high chair, dragging a spoon through his plate of food. Danielle and Stephen didn’t speak. Baby Josh perched on Danielle’s knee, gnawing a fist and oddly silent.

  “That’s absurd. Danielle would never hurt her children. But the tension is so thick, even the baby feels it,” she said. “Stephen doesn’t believe we can help and didn’t want us here to begin with. We have to end this, Michael.”

  Michael nodded. “Okay. I’ll call RandMeier and give him a heads-up. We’ll need to go back early to reset cameras and wire for remote sound and images. We can change the dinner table from footage review to real-time footage tracking. It’s doable.”

  A huge weight lifted off her shoulders. “Thank you, Michael. Trust me. I can do this. I won’t let The Dark hurt those kids. Rosie, we need anything and everything in our arsenal tonight that can combat a hostile spirit. And can charge my energy. I have to do more than connect tonight. I have to get through to her and convince her to translocate. I’ll talk to Elise about—”

  “Oh no.”

  Rosie’s tone of voice startled her more than the interruption. She followed her stylist’s gaze. Amber had just walked in and was threading her way through the tables toward Sterling.

  “Ugh,” Kimberly said. “Doesn’t she have clothes to be wearing somewhere? Sterling said her schedule kept her busy, but here she still is.”

  Rosie elbowed her. “Might be a good time to go check on your cohost. I’m not sure how much he’s had to drink, but I am sure it’s enough he’s in no position to handle the situation that’s about to unfold.”

  She fought the urge to jump and run to his side. “He doesn’t need or want my help. He made his opinion of me and my show amply clear at this morning’s footage review.”

  “You know better than that. Something is bothering him. I don’t believe deep down he meant what he said. Just go over and say hi. Maybe invite him to come sit with us.”

  “If he wanted to sit with us, he wouldn’t be at the bar. And if he wanted to share what’s bothering him, he would. He doesn’t want to share. At least not with me. You can go talk to him if you want to.” She wouldn’t admit how much it bothered her that he chose not to share with her. She stayed in her seat but strained to hear what the succubus said to him. And she couldn’t help but watch out of the corner of her eye.

  Amber shoved her way next to him, standing between two bar stools. “Hi, sweetie.”

  “Get lost, Amber. I’m not your sweetie. I don’t know how you have the balls to come anywhere near me after the shit you’ve been saying online.”

  “How did you expect me to react when you tried to break up with me?”

  “Like a normal human being. You overreacted like a crazy person. And I’m done. I didn’t try to break up with you. I did break up with you. We’re finished. Go home.”

  She felt the angry heat rolling off Amber at his words. Did Sterling have any idea how much danger he was courting? Amber didn’t act like a normal person because she was a succubus. He’d never get that through his thick skull. But Amber’s next move surprised even her.

  The young woman placed a hand on either side of Sterling’s face and pulled him in for a lengthy kiss.

  Kimberly jumped to her feet, expecting to see Sterling dazed and entranced again. But he still seemed very much in control of himself. Impressive. Or perhaps it meant he’d developed feelings for someone else.

  “Okay, Amber. We can keep going out if you like. But the circumstances will be very different. No shopping sprees, no extravagant meals, no movie premieres, and definitely no private island in the Bahamas. You good with that?”

  She sat back down. Was Sterling actually taking her advice? Severing Amber’s connection with him by cutting off all gifts and trips? She couldn’t stop the smile that bubbled to her lips. He’d listened to her. Her irritation dissipated, replaced by a warm-and-fuzzy feeling she hadn’t experienced in quite some time.

  Amber, smiling as if at a petulant child, rested her hand on his arm. “Stop trying to punish me, silly. I’ll forgive you. We can go back to the way we were. Like none of this ugliness ever happened.” The young woman gave him her wildest smile and batted her thickly lashed eyes.

  “I’ll never forgive you for what you said. But I’m not punishing you. I’m just being honest. I won’t be able to take you out or buy you anything. Still interested in me?”

  “Sweetie, stop this silliness.” Amber looped her arms around his neck and thrust her breasts forward. “I’m not just with you for the money.”

  Kimberly squirmed in her seat and lifted her tea to distr
act herself. Amber could writhe all over Sterling if she wanted to. It was none of her business, and she didn’t care.

  Rosie gave her the look. “Girl, go deck that floozy, and get it over with. Your eyes are burning with hate right now. I can tell you want to throw her out the door.”

  Kimberly sipped her tea again. “It’s not my place. He can do whatever he wants with his life.”

  Rosie clicked her tongue. “It’s your place if you want it to be.”

  Sterling unhooked Amber’s arms from his neck. “I’m glad to hear that. Considering I’m unemployed now. You’ll need to make some pretty significant sacrifices. Might even have to pay for dinner occasionally.”

  Amber dropped her arms and jumped back as though burned. “What?”

  “My agent called today. SpookBusters didn’t get renewed. I’ve been canceled.”

  Amber gaped at him. “You’re lying.”

  “I wish I was. It’ll be announced tomorrow. Ought to be all over the Internet a second later.”

  The pale young woman narrowed her eyes. “I don’t do canceled.” She turned and strutted out of the restaurant, stilettos clacking angrily with each step.

  “Oh, my God,” Rosie said. “Did you hear that? No wonder he’s a mess.”

  She nodded, not sure what to say.

  “Well, what are you doing just sitting here? Get over there. He needs someone right now. And it needs to be you.”

  She didn’t know what her stylist meant by that last sentence, but she couldn’t let Sterling sit alone now that she knew what was eating him up. No one should cope with news like that all on his own. She tried to imagine how she’d feel if The Wantland Files was canceled. She shivered. The show was her life. She knew no show lasted forever, but she always thought of life after the show as the distant future. Three seasons. How many more did she have left before she would be faced with the same devastating call Sterling had received today?

  She stood up and crossed to the stool beside him, sliding into it wordlessly.

  The bartender sidled in front of her. “Get you something, Ms. Wantland?” His voice carried the intentionally casual cadence of someone trying not to geek out.