by M J Waverly
One of the girls wore an engagement ring in the photo. “Jason look.” I pointed at the ring. “Martha said Fred Barnes dumped Alice for Kara. In my dream the other night, I'd seen one of the girls wearing an engagement ring. Someone watched them. I felt their anger. Bitter, venomous hatred."
“Could have been the killer?” Jason’s face paled.
With my phone, I took a photo of the student council photograph.
Snowball hissed, and I sensed the dark presence from my room. Suddenly, the room was plunged into darkness when the lights went out.
I froze. “Jason?” I grabbed his upper arm.
“I’m here, Sidney. The power went out.”
In the glow of my smartphone, I shone it on Jason, casting an ethereal light around his face.
“Let's go back up to the main room, tell Martha so that we can continue." He grabbed my hand and guided me up the stairs. I didn't want to think about the spider webs in the hallway in the basement. Good thing it was dark, and I couldn't see them.
Once we were back upstairs, everything was normal. We searched for Martha Williams, but she wasn’t around. Must be taking a break since she was an elderly lady.
At the main desk, Alice Hartley worked at her computer. “Did you find what you needed?” She didn’t look up. Emma Bailey’s head pushed through the monitor followed by the rest of her body.
I cocked my head, waiting for the power surge.
“The power and the lights went out downstairs,” Jason said. He looked at me with a funny expression.
Emma floated next to me in a pink lace dress and beige shawl. “What are you doing?”
I ignored her. It can be hard to have a conversation with a ghost when other people can't see. The other person usually thinks you need to see a psychologist.
Alice shrugged. “We’re scheduled for maintenance and repairs. They must be starting in the basement. Unfortunately, the library will be closing in a few minutes.”
“What?” Jason said. “You didn’t say anything about maintenance before we went downstairs.
“Because I forgot. I’ll put the materials back, and you return in a few days to finish your research.”
“What?” Jason said.
Emma stood on top of Jason's head and looked down. "He's handsome."
“You’ll have to make later arrangements, but now you’ll have to leave.” Alice gestured at the door.
Other students filed out of the library, some of them mumbled under their breath, shooting disgruntled glances at Alice.
This sudden coincidence of having archives maintenance was very suspicious. Now, that I knew Alice had been on the student council with the party girls, I added her to my list of suspects.
"I remember her. She and Ingrid argued before she died." Emma drifted over to Alice Hartley. The temperature plunged, and cold air surrounded the check-out desk.
Alice’s teeth chattered. “They need to repair the thermostat.”
Emma narrowed her eyes. “She used to come into the administration office a lot. She and Ingrid use spells to keep me out. It made me mad.”
Not good.
Emma tilted her head, and her eyes bulged wide. Silver energy pulsed over Emma. Her pink lace dress and beige shawl transformed into a torn and ragged black lace dress
Her nails extended like claws. Emma’s hair writhed like Medusa’s head of snakes, and she glared with black dilated eyes at Alice.
I touched Jason on the arm. “We’ll have to come back another day.” I cut my eyes in the direction of Emma.
Alice looked up and down and around as if she sensed something.
Understanding flashed in his eyes.
“Thank you. We’ll check back in a few days.”
The lights blinked off and on, and then Emma's eyes bulged out, and steam exploded from her ears followed by a blood-curdling scream. "You were not nice to me."
Alice’s computer started to spark along with the computers in the corner of the library.
“What? No. No.” Alice Hartley rushed away with Emma following her.
“Time to make our exit.” I grabbed Jason by the hand.
Once we were in my truck, he ran his hand through his hair. It stuck up in funny angles. Very cute.
“What was that?” He waved both his hands in the direction of the library.
"Emma was unhappy with Alice Hartley. Alice is about to have a horrible day. Emma said that Alice and Dr. Smith argued the same day that Ingrid died."
Jason whistled low.
“Not only that, but Alice and Ingrid met other times.”
Jason shrugged. "She's the librarian. Dr. Smith worked as the college administrator. They'd have meetings using spells to keep Emma out.”
“Dr. Smith and Alice used spells to keep Emma out.” I rested my hands on the steering wheel.
“They used magic.” Jason frowned.
“Yes, and I think Dr. Smith’s murder and the sorority sisters are connected.”
“At least, you took that photo of the nineteen eighty-two Cloverville Community College student council. We can start there,” Jason said.
With what I’d learned about Alice Hartley, and now her bizarre behavior, I put her at the top of the list of suspects.
Eleven
On the drive over, I cranked up my radio when the heavy metal ballad, My Heart Beats for You by Vintage Velvet played. The ancient speakers in my truck blasted out the beat. I tapped my hands in tune with the guitar riffs.
Who had watched the sorority sisters with such hatred in my astral travel? Alice Hartley? Could it have been Ingrid Smith? The sorority sisters may have sought revenge. If Alice had been heartbroken and jealous because she believed Kara Ross had taken her boyfriend?
I understood the betrayal of a boyfriend. Thinking of Camden gave me a severe case of acid reflux. Once upon a time, my relationship with him had been wonderful and exciting. An ache spread through my chest, and I rubbed my sternum.
At least, I thought it was good. Filled with dreams of making it in Los Angeles as writers, he had an agent, and I had some moderate success on freelance jobs. We were moving forward.
I was in love and happy.
Then one day after talking to Nana, I became homesick for Cloverville and my family, and all the strangeness in my hometown. Not that Los Angeles has its share of strange. It’s a different kind of strange.
My inner-muse kicked in, and I started writing about Nana and the ghosts. Then, I brainstormed. What if our town had been filled with zombies trying to pass as human? Zombietown. I wrote a treatment. I couldn't stop
I had to run out for some coffee cream one day during a manic writing session. When I returned home, I found Camden at my computer reading it. He didn’t know about this project. I hadn’t told anyone. Hell, I hadn’t even backed up my files.
Camden thought it was awesome. That night we made love and fell asleep in each other's arms. The next morning, he was gone, and my computer hard drive had been wiped clean. He never returned my calls. Broken-hearted, I never dreamed he'd steal my television series.
Six weeks, after his abrupt departure. I read Camden Lawrence had a development deal to create a new series, Zombietown.
My idea. My concept. My story. However, I didn’t have proof that I wrote the series. As everyone knows, Zombietown is a huge hit.
Bitterness lingered in my mouth.
I had read some reviews that the last five episodes hadn't matched the witty dialogue, pacing, and character development of the first eighteen episodes. The episodes I’d written. Old History.
Move forward. Move on. These were my mantras whenever I ruminated about Camden and Zombietown.
Needless to say, I have huge trust issues, but I liked Jason. Definitely handsome, and I was attracted to him. I didn't pick up any vibes that he was a bad guy. It was me, and I intended to tread carefully with this job. And with him.
I parked my truck in Hunsinger Automotive. The parking lot was filled with cars. Customers walked in and o
ut of the store. Hard to imagine Third Eye Investigations Headquarters operated from upstairs.
Once I left my truck, I strode up to the front of the store. Jason opened the door.
"Come on in." Jason’s dad, George waited on customers, wanting tires. Other sales advisors answered phones. Good vibes resonated in the business.
A comfortable waiting room with a cracker machine, leather seats, and soft drink machine were to the left. A television hung from the wall with a talk show on the screen.
"Good Afternoon." Mr. Hunsinger waved at Jason.
Todd met us and gave me an iced coffee. "Here you go."
"Thank you," I said, surprised to have been greeted with caffeine. After the visit to the library, I needed extra.
"This way to the lair." Jason motioned toward the stairs that led up to a red door. I followed him. Third Eye Investigations was located in a small room filled with tripods stacked against a wall. Cameras and camera lenses of various shapes and sizes lined a shelf. Files and papers overflowed on rusted metal desks that formed an "L" in one corner. Jason sat down in a squeaky office chair behind an old wooden, scratched up desk.
“This is Third Eye Investigations Headquarters.” He spread his arms wide as if presenting his kingdom, and then he turned on his computer.
Along with being ghost bait, cleaning and organizing appeared to be in my future. In one corner, a filing cabinet was covered in an inch of dust.
Mental note: need furniture polish, polishing rags, and a bucket.
“Where do I work?” I placed my ice coffee on top of the dusty filing cabinet.
Todd and Cyrus hovered near a computer monitor. The Zombietown soundtrack played as Jason motioned for me to come over to his monitor. My stomach dropped, and energy coursed through me like a zap of static electricity. I darted my eyes around the room, checking for moving objects. My ice coffee cup levitated two inches above the filing cabinet. No. Not now. Sometimes, when I’m nervous, my telekinesis kicked in. I grabbed the ice coffee.
“I love this show,” Jason grinned like a goofy boy.
Holding my ice coffee, I walked over and stood behind the guys. Todd and Cyrus mesmerized by the show didn’t notice us. I smiled and pretended to be interested as I tried to breathe.
Miles, the main character on Zombietown, confronted his brother, James in the forest near their family home. Blood rimmed James’s mouth.
“Where is she?” Miles screamed. “Where is Susan?”
Susan was the main character’s girlfriend, whom he loved more than life. However, she had been cheating on Miles with his best friend.
“You were too good for her,” James punched the air with his fist as tears flowed down his cheek.
I remembered writing that scene. I loved it. I sipped my ice coffee.
“What did you do?” Miles asked in a low monotone voice. Rain droplets hit his face as lightning flashed in the sky.
"She's gone, Miles. She won't hurt you anymore."
Miles realizing his brother had eaten his girlfriend's brains dropped down to his knees and reached his hands up to the sky. "Susan," he shouted.
The ending shot showed James transforming from a human-looking- zombie to a full-blown zombie as he lunged for his brother. Great cliffhanger if I said so myself.
Anger burned through me. Damn you, Camden.
I gripped my ice coffee until my knuckles grew white. Move forward. Move on. Karma happens, Camden. Karma happens.
“No,” Jason said. “They can’t leave us on a cliffhanger like that. Love this show. I’m behind on watching it, so I’ve been catching up when I can.”
Cyrus stretched and extended his hands and yawned.
Todd stood up. “I heard the last five episodes aren’t as good as the first eighteen. It’s like they hired a new writer or something.”
Satisfaction flowed through me. The viewers had picked up on the difference between my writing and Camden’s. Serves you right you, thief. And you didn't have to take out the restraining order against me.
I might have done some damage to Camden’s new Porsche with my apartment key. I don’t talk about the incident. Not one of my better moments. He didn’t press charges, but he did warn me to go away and never return.
“What do you want me to do?” I looked from Todd to Cyrus down to Jason, who sat in his office seat.
“We'll figure that out." Jason motioned toward the lone dust-covered filing cabinet in the corner. “We have our research cases filed in here along with some books.”
I lowered my leather satchel, walked over, and opened a drawer. Inside were handwritten notes and drawings and other pieces of paper.
“Have you guys ever tried to put this stuff in order?” I asked as I lifted up a jar of some dried green yuck. “What is this?”
“Dried ectoplasm we scraped up on that spot in the foyer when we filmed the story about Emma Bailey.
“Gross.” I placed the jar on top of the filing cabinet. I wondered how Alice Hartley and Emma were getting along at the library. Interesting what Emma had said Alice and Ingrid using spells. Did they have a Book of Shadows? I would be talking to Dr. Smith as soon as I finished work.
“I was thinking you could write our blog since you’re taking a writing class and all.” Jason leaned forward.
“I could do that.” I glanced around. “I need a place to sit.”
Jason scooted his chair back. “No problem. Hey guys, I’ll need your help.”
Cyrus and Todd looked up from their computer monitors. “What do you need?”
“Let’s put together a temporary set up for Sidney.” He gestured at a corner piled up with miscellaneous odds and ends.
“In the meantime, you can use my desk. Check out our website, and tell me if you have any ideas for the blog.”
I closed the filing cabinet. “I can deal with this later." I sat down at Jason’s desk and read some of Jason’s blogs to get a feel for his writing style.
Minutes later, Jason returned with a long plank of wood, followed by Todd and Cyrus each lugging a sawhorse. Pointing to the open area along the wall next to the filing cabinet, Jason waited while Cyrus and Todd situated the saw horses, and then he lowered the plank of wood onto it.
“There you go. A desk.” He beamed.
“That’s my desk.” I arched an eyebrow. “It’ll work.”
“Temporarily, until we can come up with a more permanent arrangement,” Jason said.
“What about a chair?” I asked.
He removed a pile of papers and books off of a dusty rose print ottoman. He pushed it behind ‘my desk.' I stared at it warily.
Jason watched me with a worried expression. He seemed to care that I liked it. And it was nice to feel wanted. It may not be the best of circumstances working with ghost hunters, but Nana always said bloom where you're planted.
“It’ll work.” I smiled. “I’m good at making do with resources I have at hand.” I needed to get things clear. “There’s one thing I won’t do.”
Jason frowned. “What’s that?”
“I won’t back up your hard drive.”
He grinned and held up both of his hands in a surrender gesture. "No problem. I’ve been talking to Cyrus and Todd about what happened at the library.”
Todd and Cyrus returned to their desks. I stood up, but Jason motioned for me to stay at his desk. He sat down on a metal folding chair and leaned back. “We need to figure out who killed the sorority sisters.”
Cyrus folded his hands behind his head. “Where do you think we should begin?”
“With the nineteen eighty-two student council.” I removed my phone and passed it to Jason, who showed the photo to Cyrus and Todd.
Jason explained the connection between Dr. Smith and the sorority sisters.
“Do you think one of the student council members did it?” Todd’s eyes widened.
"I think Alice Hartley did it," I said.
“I agree. She’s at the top of our list, but we need to find out more about the
other student council members before we rule them out.”
Jason returned my phone. His hand skimmed my fingers, and he lifted his head and our gazes connected. Shivers traveled down my spine. "What's the plan?"
"Todd and Cyrus will research on the internet. You and I will visit Dr. Smith. I think she knows more than she's letting on," Jason cut his eyes over at me. "I have a feeling you want to ask her questions."
Spooky, how Jason’s abilities were growing since he’d become involved with the Poltergeist Party Girls.
Twelve
Before we could leave to talk to Dr. Smith, Jason had to work downstairs because customers kept streaming into the store, and he was needed.
I worked on the blog, and the words flowed. I didn't sit down and stare at a blank screen like I usually did when beginning a new project. I finished the blog and emailed it to Jason for his approval.
Todd had to leave early for a catering job, and Cyrus had to photograph an engaged couple at the park.
“Will you be okay, up here by yourself?” Cyrus snapped his camera bag shut.
"I'm fine. I thought I'd do more research, and then head home to finish my homework," I said. I had to write my loglines and a premise from my villain's point-of-view for homework, too.
"Listen, it's not my place to butt in people's personal shit, but I thought it would be good if you knew about Jason."
Somewhat surprised by Cyrus's brusqueness, I merely nodded. "Okay."
“Jason recently ended a bad relationship.”
Ava mentioned Jason’s engagement.
“His fiancée cheated on him. When Jason found out, he broke it off. Hurt him real bad. He’s still recovering,” Cyrus stared at me.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “I have no intention of dating Jason if that’s what you’re worried about.”
"Yeah, but you're pretty. You have this ghost hunting, magic woo-woo thing in common. Jason could fall, and I don't think he's ready." Cyrus grabbed his camera bag, but held my gaze.
"I promise. I understand where Jason is coming from in a broken relationship. I understand the sting and pain of someone you love with all your heart's betrayal." Camden’s face formed in my mind.
