“Are they dangerous? Can they find some kind of peace?” Ben asked.
“We keep an eye on them,” Monty replied. “Usually, they leave the tourists alone. With all the storm energy, they’ve been more active, but so far they haven’t threatened or hurt anyone.”
“As for finding peace, Jon and I have sent all the active ghosts who will go, either to the convent or on to the other side,” Monty told them. “Some repeaters remain, but I don’t think they are strong enough to cause problems.”
It still surprised Ben that Cape May had few wartime ghosts, given all the fortifications. Then again, the bunker and watch tower never saw the level of combat that their builders feared.
“Jon says that at various times, the Mob used both the bunker and the tower for dead drops,” Monty reminded them. “Not recently, but also not that long ago.”
Monty paused again. “Jon says you should talk to the nuns. They take in wayward and lost spirits and have gathered a lot of them off the beach over the years. Jon never wanted to go with them, but the nuns still come through every so often looking for more wandering souls.”
Ben and Erik exchanged a look. “I don’t know if they could tell us anything, even if they have ghosts there with information. Seal of the confessional and all that,” Erik said.
“Can’t hurt to ask,” Monty said. “Maybe there’s a ghost or two who want to unburden themselves before they go on.”
“I hadn’t considered that,” Erik replied.
“The nuns aren’t just mediums, right?” Ben tried to remember what he had read. “They also have pretty strong defensive magic, if I remember right.” The sisters didn’t mingle much with the residents of Cape May, but they weren’t complete recluses when they could be of help.
“Jon says that during the war they cared for the injured and the families of soldiers from the area who were killed or missing in action,” Monty relayed. “And later, after he was a ghost himself, Jon says he realized that some of the nuns must have magic or precognition because they served as unofficial advisors to the military when the threat level was high.”
“Huh. Spying nuns,” Ben said. “That’s a new one.”
“We were hoping they would see us, because they have a Tiffany angel statue that belonged to Samuels,” Erik said. “No idea if it ties in with the window drama, but it’s worth checking.”
“How is Haley handling your brand of weirdness?” Monty asked with a grin.
“We’ve kinda thrown her into the deep end with a few things, and she’s dealt with it like a pro,” Erik replied proudly.
“She’s good, and her schedule is more flexible than mine,” Monty said. “I also want to introduce you to a priest who has helped us out when we needed an exorcism or help with some really bad mojo. Father Dennis Moore. He knows about the supernatural and believes in it. Has some magic in addition to the power of the Church. I’ll text you his contact information and let him know you’ll be in touch.”
“Thank you,” Ben said. “I’m hoping the situation doesn’t escalate, but if it does, we’ll need all the help we can get.” Erik nodded in agreement.
“We’ll holler if anything interesting happens around here,” Monty promised. “Jon’s on the lookout. Keeps him out of trouble.”
Monty reacted as Jon’s ghost elbowed him. Ben and Erik laughed.
They left with a promise to get together again soon. The cop tailing them had waited near the cars, in a spot where he had a clear view of the beach around the lighthouse. He waited for Ben and Erik to get back in their car before doing the same and following them as they pulled away.
“I guess sending the angel statue to the nuns makes sense in a lot of ways,” Ben said as Erik drove toward Haley’s shop. “It would be safer from art thieves than in the cemetery, especially since the nuns have magic to protect it. And if the statue had any mojo, the nuns could contain it.”
Erik nodded. “Angels were often seen as helpers or messengers. The nuns themselves have also certainly fit that description over the years.”
He paused. “I emailed a friend of mine who specializes in forensic accounting and asked for a favor. I’m hoping he can find out who the biggest purchasers from the Commodore Wilson liquidation auction were, and cross-reference that with the ones where Bellamy handled the sale.”
“You figure that one of them also got away with the dome, since they would have had a lot of packing crates?” Ben asked.
“Worth a shot. Want to bet the top bidders also were mobbed up the wazoo?”
“That’s a sucker’s bet,” Ben replied. “Of course they were.”
Erik was quiet for a moment. “That evangelist who was the last owner owed many people a lot of money, including theMafia,” he mused. “Maybe he promised them the dome toward what he owed, or they just decided to take it to pay down the debt.”
“Not legal, but certainly possible,” Ben agreed. “And since the dome would be damn near priceless, sneaking it out avoided paying taxes.”
“That, too.”
Signs about the Awesome Autumn Festival had sprung up everywhere. Ben knew he would feel more enthusiastic if a Mob shootout wasn’t still a possibility. Although he would normally be looking forward to the roles he and Erik had agreed to play, the preparations seemed more like a distraction at the moment.
