“No,” Erik replied, which was technically the truth, despite their suspicions. “And if we did, we’d tell you.”After our team removed it to a supernatural supermax.
Hendricks made a skeptical noise but didn’t argue. “I want to be kept in the loop, Mitchell. You hear me?”
Erik appreciated Hendricks’s tenacity, but he also knew that while the cops might be able to go up against regular gangsters, the supernatural aspect of this case was out of their league. There would be plenty of time for the cops to help with the cleanup that was less likely to get anyone hexed.
“We hear you,” Ben replied, making sure the chief knew he had them both paying attention. “And we appreciated the squad car coming to the rescue. Did they catch the shooters?”
Hendricks swore under his breath. “No. The mobsters caused a traffic accident and got away. I’m sure the car was stolen, so getting the license number isn’t likely to lead anywhere. We’ll probably find the car abandoned and wiped clean.”
“You never know,” Erik said. “Sometimes they get sloppy. You could get a break.”
“Keep your heads down and your hands clean,” Hendricks told them, ignoring Erik’s last comment. “And try not to get killed. My mother would be very upset.” He ended the call before Erik had a chance to reply.
“Considering everything, Hendricks took that pretty well, I think,” Erik said.
Ben chuckled. “About as well as possible. I know the police academy doesn’t prepare you for guys like us, or at least it wasn’t covered inmytraining. I’m sure he’s also pissed that he thought it was safe to take the plainclothesman off our tail. Don’t be surprised if our shadow returns.”
Once they got settled, Ben put his detective skills to work to see if he could find drone footage or urban-explorer videos of Weston Hall that Erik hadn’t already viewed.
Erik called Alessia. “Are you and Haley together? I have another favor to ask. Would you be up for a quick video call?”
“We’re just stress eating and drinking some emotional support wine,” Alessia said, and Erik heard Haley’s laughter in the background. “Sure. I’ll open up the meeting space.”
Erik and Ben stuck with coffee for now, although Erik planned on adding something stronger once he was sure they were settled for the evening. He opened his laptop and started the video meeting. Alessia and Haley waved.
“What do you need?” Haley asked.
“I think I know where the missing Tiffany dome from the Commodore Wilson might be,” Erik replied. “We’ve done research and checked drone footage, but I’d like to know for surebefore we go tramping around a deserted old hotel. I wondered if the ghosts could answer a few questions.”
“Sure, we can try,” Haley said, and Alessia nodded.
Erik gave them a quick recap about the dome and why they zeroed in on Weston Hall as Haley rustled through her bag and set up for a reading.
“Please tell me you aren’t going in by yourself,” Alessia said. “Much as I loathe cobwebs, if you need me, I can be backup.”
“Ditto,” Haley offered as she lit a bundle of sage and a candle and set down a salt circle around the table.
“Thank you,” Ben said. “We contacted the people who can take both the dome and the haunted window out of here and hide them forever. I’m hoping that having a witch, a necromancer, and a vampire with us will be enough.”
Alessia laughed. “Bringing out the big guns? I like that plan.”
Haley finished her preparations and took a few deep breaths to relax while Alessia activated wards for protection. Summoning spirits carried risk, since there was no guarantee who might actually show up.
“Spirits of Weston Hall. I need to ask questions. Please come to me,” Haley said, eyes still closed.
“What do you want to know?”Haley channeled the spirit’s question in a voice not quite her own.
Erik already knew that Cape May homes built when Weston Hall was constructed rarely had basements because of the high water table. Instead, some had a non-public space beneath the main floor that served for above-ground storage. That elevated the porch and living areas, further protecting them from flooding, and also created a place for the mechanical systems and items that usually went in a cellar.
But given how large the dome was and how many crates it would take up, he strongly doubted it was stored in the hotelitself, which made Erik zero in on the former conference center’s warehouse as the most likely storage site.
“Can you go into the storage building and tell me what you see? I’m looking for several large wooden crates with shipping labels on them,” Erik told the ghost. “If anything is blocking the entrance, tell me. Afterward, our friends can help you pass over if you want.”
Haley nodded somberly. “It would be good to move on. I will try.”
Haley remained still as Erik guessed the ghost left to check the warehouse. They waited for a few minutes, hoping he would return.
“There are a lot of boxes and crates. But eight are long and very tall. They don’t appear to have been opened,”Haley reported.
