Adeline nodded. “All right, then. Why don’t you do the honors, Holly?”
She wasted no time. With quick but careful fingers, Holly pulled away the decayed shreds of fabric to reveal the large book. On the front of the black cover was the tarnished gold Infurnam Aeris symbol. Goosebumps rising, Holly traced it slowly with her finger then lifted the cover to reveal the antique parchment paper and the handwritten words within.
But the words began to fade before she could make them out. It was as if the very air was erasing them.
The paper looked different now and bending closer, Holly gasped as realization dawned.
The pages were dust. No, not dust - ash, as if the entire thing had been burned to a perfect block of pale gray cinder. But the cover was still intact. Holly didn’t touch it again. She just stared, not daring to breathe.
“My God,” said Delilah.
And then a phantom breeze gusted through the room, a cool zephyr just strong enough to scatter the ash that had been the pages of the grimoire. It swirled up into the air, a dust devil that dissolved to nothingness before their eyes.
Steve Cross stared at the empty leather binding. “What happened?”
Abner shook his head. “It must have been magick from Henry Hank’s arsenal.”
Delilah stared hard at Holly. “I think it would be best if we get you out of Brimstone.”
“I told you, I don’t want to go.” Holly’s eyes sparked as she gazed at her grandmother. “There has to be another way.”
“Whatever you decide,” Adeline said, “Holly and I need to work on honing her skills immediately.”
“Yes!” Holly cried.
Delilah opened her mouth. “That’s not enough-”
“I might know another way,” Steve interrupted.
“What’s that?” Adeline’s eyes were bright.
“We disinter Henry Hank and destroy - or at least scatter - his bones. It’s supposed to work. We just have to make sure no one sees us in the cemetery-”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Ben Gower folded his hands on the table. “H.H. Barrow isn’t in that mausoleum. He’s not even in the cemetery.”
“He’s not?” Abner sat forward. “I was just a boy, but I remember the funerals. The entire town turned out.”
“Indeed,” said Ben. “I was just back from college, working in my father’s pharmacy. Dad was friends with Mort Dodd, the undertaker.”
“I remember him,” Addie said. “He had the dry goods store at the corner of Main and Rotzig. Used to sell caskets right alongside the dry goods.”
“That’s right. He and Dad played cards every Friday night. Anyway, not long after the funerals, Mort got drunk and told my dad that Bill Delacorte ordered five caskets. One for Carrie, and two each for Henry Hank and Pinching Pearl.” Ben paused. “Bill swore him to secrecy and my dad swore the same to me, but they’re all dead, so I don’t see that it can matter now. The point is, Carrie was buried in sacred ground, but the caskets of Henry Hank and Pearl each contained a body’s weight in rocks.”
“Why?” Addie sat forward.
“Well, Henry Hank left a specific set of instructions with his son-in-law. He didn’t want to be buried in consecrated ground, and he didn’t want Pearl there, either. He wanted them both to be buried in their Infurnam Aeris robes, along with some funny knives and herbs and such, and interred in the basement under Pearl Abbott’s house. Really shook up Mort. He told my dad that he and Bill Delacorte slid the caskets down through the old cellar door by themselves. He said that after they got the caskets inside, they nearly hightailed it out of there instead of moving them onto the pedestals in the room as prescribed in the will.”
“Why?” Delilah asked.
“Dad said it was colder than a witch’s tit down there. Real unnatural. He said Bill was as scared as he was even though he'd been Henry Hank’s right hand man, and a member of his club, to boot.” Ben cleared his throat. “Anyway, Dad was never quite the same after that. He said they got the caskets set up where they were supposed to but that there were things down there. They couldn’t leave fast enough.”
“Things?” Steve asked. “What kind of things?”
“I don’t know. Dad wouldn’t say anything more about it.”
Abner rubbed his chin. “So, the remains are still down there?”
“As far as I know,” Ben said. “Why?”
“Because Steve is correct; we may be able to defeat Barrow if we destroy his remains.” He paused. “The portal is supposed to be under the house.”
“The portal?” Delilah asked.
“The place where the Brimstone Beast came from,” Steve said.
“That’s the story my people tell,” Abner explained. “I don’t know how much is true, but the house was built on cursed ground. I think the serpent stories were made up to keep kids away. Whatever the truth is, there’s something wrong with that place. Chalk it up to geology or elemental spirits, but chalk it up. If you’ve ever been in the house, you know there’s a reason no one but the likes of Pinching Pearl and Henry Hank ever stuck around.”
“A perfect place for such dark souls,” Adeline said. “We need to destroy the bones right away.”
“Indeed.” Abner looked at each of them in turn. Delilah was pale, terrified. Addie appeared uneasy but determined, Steve was a little too intrigued, and Ben, Ben just looked old and tired and unafraid. But Holly. Holly wore a look that frightened him. Her blue eyes sparked with gold as she stared at the remains of the book. Her mouth was set in a firm line and there was nothing childish about her.
“Adeline,” the girl said without a glance at her grandmother. “Let’s go practice. I want to learn. I need to learn.”
“In a minute.” Addie looked to Abner. “When are we going to Pearl’s house?”
“You don’t have to come,” Abner said. “This is a job for strong backs.”
“We’re coming,” Holly said firmly. “Addie and I are the only ones who can see the ghosts. You need us.”
Delilah stared at Holly. “You can’t-”
Abner knew Holly spoke the truth. She’d been there and had the heart and courage to go in again. She was young and strong and their best hope. They needed her and she needed Addie. He told Delilah, “Nothing will happen to Holly. I promise you.”
“Adeline can go, but not Holly. I won’t have it!”
Abner heard the terror in Delilah’s voice. “As you wish.”
“But-” began Holly, eyes shimmering.
“She is your grandmother.” Abner spoke gently. “You must honor her wishes. Addie, why don’t you take Holly and help her work on her skills. They will be useful should she need to protect herself and Delilah.”
“I will go with them, Gram,” Holly said, eyes swirling. “I will.”
Delilah looked confused. “I-”
“Holly!” Abner stood up, glared down at her. “If you use your talent to bend others to your will you are no better than your great-great-grandfather.”
The girl turned her fiery gaze on him, then suddenly looked down. “I’m sorry,” she said. When she looked up again, her eyes were blue once more. “I’m sorry, Gram.”
50
Do Not Go Meekly
Rain and dirt drizzled into Arthur Meeks’ room from the open window abutting the mountainside. He’d called in sick, telling that bitch Piggy he had the stomach flu so that he could spend the morning in his room to plan his revenge on Fancy Pants. He’d gone through a whole pack of Pall Malls and was halfway through a second even though it was barely past noon.
He pushed a pile of dirty clothes off the footlocker, unlocked it, and removed his stash of chloroform. Now he studied the old amber bottle. He’d found it on one of his visits to the basement a couple of years back. He’d found lots of interesting things down there. Useful things.
Turning the bottle in his hands, he knew it worked despite the fact it was decades and decades past its prime because when he’d first liberated it, he’d r
emoved the stopper and inhaled deeply until he began to get woozy. “Gonna go to sleep, little girl. Gonna sleep forever Little Miss Fancy Pants, but first, I’m going to punish you. Punish you real good.”
Methuselah twitched and complained, so he set the bottle aside and opened the trunk again. He kept his most interesting photos in it along with ropes and handcuffs, gags, and other instruments he might need when punishing a small girl. He pulled a handful of photos out and released Methuselah. As he stroked, he thought about what he would do to Holly. About the last things he would make her see and feel before she died.
Adeline drove Holly to the Humble Station and spent the next three hours helping the girl learn to control and use her talent. She was heartened by the fact that Holly had been practicing on her own, and while the girl wasn’t at all sure of herself yet she did understand far more about the power than Adeline or Carrie had at that age. She was a natural.
They worked in the back office, where Holly practiced turning her power off and on at will. She had amazing prowess, though she didn’t believe it, and when Ike knocked and asked if they’d like cold sodas, Addie said yes, and that Holly would tell him what to bring. Once he was out of earshot, Holly’s eyes swirled the tiniest bit gold as she whispered, “Grape soda, Dr. Pepper, and Pepsi.” In a moment, Ike returned with the requested sodas. He had no idea how he chose them - they just “felt” right, he said.
The three sat down and Ike looked at Adeline. “You’ve told me all sorts of things, but what haven’t you told me yet?”
“That I’m going to Pearl Abbott’s house. She and Henry Hank are buried in the basement and Steve Cross and Abner think destroying the bones is the best way to stop Henry Hank.”
“Why are you going? I can’t feature you doing much digging.” He tried to smile but worry etched his face.
“I’m the only one who can see the ghosts.”
Ike glanced at Holly, eyebrows raised.
“Dee won’t let her go and I don’t blame her. It’s too dangerous.”
Ike nodded. “I agree. It’s too dangerous for you, too.”
“It’s too dangerous for all of us.”
“Why not just burn the place down?”
“The bones must be destroyed or at least separated. Most fires don’t burn hot enough to do that. They’re taking sledgehammers and gasoline, I believe.”
“I wish you wouldn’t go,” Ike told her softly.
“I wish I didn’t have to, but I do.”
“Then I’ll come along,” Ike said.
Addie patted his hand. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Haven’t we always done these things together, darling?”
“We have.”
“We’re not stopping now. Besides, if something happened to you, I wouldn’t want to live by my lonesome. I’m coming along. We’ll all be happier that way.”
Holly sipped her soda then looked at them, the gold in her eye a bare twinkle. “I’d better come,” she said.
“No, you mustn’t,” Addie told her. “You promised your grandmother and you can’t break that promise. If anything goes wrong, you let Dee get you out of Brimstone, and fast. You promise me that!”
“I promise. Let’s practice some more.”
“I figure several gallons of gas should do it,” Steve told Ben. After Addie and Holly left, the men had driven back down the hill, Steve following Ben’s Metro in his Mustang and Abner bringing up the rear in his F-250. The rain was slow but steady now, and Main was nearly deserted; parking was easy for a change. Abner drove on to his shop to pick up a few sledge hammers, promising to be back shortly.
“Will four cans be enough?” Ben called from the hardware section. “That’s all I’ve got in stock. If we need more, we’d better go over to the auto parts store.”
“Four should do it.” Steve pulled out his wallet, but when Ben returned with the cans, he refused the money.
“We’re in this together. You’re contributing strength. I’ll get the cans.” Ben smiled. “Trust me, I’m getting the better deal.”
“What are you going to do with all those gas cans?” Eddie Fortune, dapper in his apron and cap, approached them.
“Don’t you have work to do?” Ben asked.
Eddie gave them a winning smile. “There’s been almost no business while you were gone, Mr. G. I mopped the floors, cleaned the fountain equipment, swept the backroom, put all the new stock out, filled out reorder forms, got-”
“Very good, Eddie,” Ben said. “But eavesdropping isn’t on your work list.”
“Mr. G, you’ve been gone most of the day, and heck, you’ve been gone a lot lately, and I haven’t said a word. I’ve held down the fort, right?”
Ben nodded. “Are you asking for a raise, young man?”
“No, sir! I just want to know what’s going on. Maybe I can help.”
Ben glanced at Steve, a question in his eyes.
“You’re too young,” Steve said. “Your mother would kill me.”
Eddie’s face lit up. “You need another strong back? I’m your man,”
“No, Eddie.”
“Just tell me what you’re doing. You know I can keep a secret.”
“Eddie’s trustworthy,” Ben said. “I vote we let him come along.”
Steve raised his brows at Ben.
“We could use a lookout,” he explained.
Steve had reservations, but he trusted Ben as well as Eddie, and the truth was, they could use the help. “Fine,” he said, “but if your mom finds out, I had nothing to do with this.”
Ben grinned.
“All right! When do we go? Where do we go? What’s this all about?” Eddie started to take off his apron. “You said I could be a lookout. What am I looking out for?”
“Don’t take that apron off yet. We’re still open.”
“Yes sir, Mr. G. What-?”
Steve hooked Eddie in his gaze. “Listen, Eddie, I know you like ghost stories.”
The teen lit up again. “Ghost stories?”
“You may not like them so well after we explain what we’re doing.”
“I’ll like them more.”
“We’ll tell you on the way.”
“There’re no customers, Mr. G. Can’t you tell me now?”
At that moment, Abner walked in, the brim of his Stetson dripping rain. “Got the sledges,” he said.
“Good.” Ben locked the door behind him and turned the Open sign to Closed. “We need to tell our lookout here what we’re up to.”
Abner looked the boy up and down, unconvinced.
“He’s my cousin,” Steve said. “The kid’s trustworthy and knows just about all there is to know about local ghosts.”
“What do you know about Henry Hank Barrow and Pinching Pearl Abbott?” Abner looked Eddie in the eye.
“Barrow was a crazy hospital honcho. He had a cult. I don’t know anything about Pearl except for what you told me.”
“Well,” Abner allowed, “I suppose most people don’t know about Pearl. Her ghost never made an appearance before Holly Tremayne came to town.”
“Delilah Devine’s granddaughter?” Eddie’s eyes widened.
“What do you know about her?” Abner asked quickly.
“I know she likes root beer floats.”
“And that’s all you need to know,” Abner said. “As for the ghosts of Barrow and Pearl, they’re going to hurt her if we don’t do something.”
“Something criminal,” said Steve. “You know the old house below the hotel?”
“Sure. The haunted house. I’ve been in there. It’s creepy as hell.”
“You’re going to stand guard while we go in, exorcise the ghosts, and burn the place to the ground. And that’s more than you need to know, Eddie.”
“I thought that place was haunted!” Eddie’s eyes lit up. “What-”
Steve cleared his throat. “Rule number one: If you’re going to be an accomplice to a crime, Eddie, the less you know, the better.”
&n
bsp; Eddie nodded, trying unsuccessfully to hide his glee.
Holly and Adeline returned to the Brimstone Grand just as rain began falling in earnest. Lightning ripped the sky and thunder shook the windows behind them.
“You made it just in time,” Peg Moran said from the front desk.
“We surely did.” Adeline glanced out; it was just past five but it looked like twilight out there.
Holly shuddered. Adeline pulled her closer and realized it wasn’t the thunder that had made the girl shiver.
The bellhop had arrived, pushing an empty luggage cart before him, obviously trying to look busy while he eavesdropped. Something passed between him and Holly - something Adeline didn’t like at all - and then, the unnerving glint still in his eye, the bellboy disappeared.
Delilah stood at one of the tall penthouse windows overlooking Brimstone and watched the storm rage. She wrapped her arms around herself as thunder boomed and lightning spiked. At least I’m indoors this time. She wished Holly and Adeline had stayed here but Addie had insisted it was safer to work with Holly away from the Grand - and that was something Delilah couldn’t dispute.
“Miss Delilah, you have company.”
Delilah turned to see her granddaughter and Adeline. “Holly, I’m glad you’re safely back. Frieda, bring some hot tea and cookies, please.”
Frieda disappeared as Delilah forced a smile. “Adeline, you and Holly come sit down and get warm. Shall I have Frieda light a fire?”
Addie shook her head as she sat. “It’s a summer storm. I think half this water is humidity.”
“No thank you, Grandmother. I’m fine,” Holly said, her voice a little too crisp. “And I don’t want any tea.”
Grandmother? She’s still upset with me. “That’s fine, dear. You don’t have to drink it.” She paused. “The men left shortly after you two did. They’re in town picking up what they need to destroy the bodies and the house.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand any of this.”
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