“Then please do. I’ll pass the message along to all my staff who you are and what you’re doing. Whatever you can do today, I’m more than thankful for.”
“Then we’ll get started.” I stood and shook hands with her. “Thank you.”
“I think that’s my line, sir. I do appreciate you offering.” With a kind smile, Principal Holland faced Gwyn. “It seems you’ve found a good place for yourself. Study hard. Become badass.”
Gwyn laughed and shook hands with her too. “Thanks. Crazy as it sounds, I’m looking forward to it.”
“I bet you are.”
My phone pinged, so I checked it. “Ah, Eli has arrived. Let’s get this show started. Gwyn, we’ll clear your locker out first.”
We split at that point, Brandon going with Gwyn to clear her locker out, me meeting Eli at the front door. Booker reached me first, and boy howdy, he did not look happy. Peeved was an understatement.
“Gwyn really went to school here?” he demanded by way of greeting. “This place Eli swears is a hell wannabe?”
“You know what? Fitting descriptor of this school. And yes, unfortunately, she did. We’ve got her properly pulled out now, and the principal has given us full access so we can clear the place.”
“I’m glad. I mean, with so many kids here…”
“It’s a concern, for sure.”
Eli charged up, and I do mean stomping boots, eyes spitting fire. “I cannot believe Gwyn had to suffer through this environment. I’m going to punch her parents if I ever meet them.”
“Join the club. She’s clearing out her locker now. After she’s done, let’s tackle this place in force.”
“I’m all for it.” Turning her head, she called to the SUV, “Q! Armageddon!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sakes,” Quinn moaned. “It can’t be that bad!”
“You just don’t want to carry the gear all over the school!” his wife shot back, cackling.
“You bet your ass I don’t!” Quinn leaned around the open door so he was in sight for a moment. “Oh, wait, Brandon’s here too. I only need half of it, then.”
Truly, the moment a Havili was unprepared for something, we all might as well find a good spot of ground and start digging. We’d need the grave shortly.
Gwyn apparently was speed itself, as she came out with an armful of things, even more in Brandon’s arms. She perked up visibly when she spotted Eli.
“Eli, the bastard who attacked me and shoved me in the ravine is here, can we get him first?”
Eli’s smile was pure anticipatory glee. “That we can.”
Now, I hadn’t realized Gwyn’s attacker was in this area, but I was all for vanquishing him first. None of us were going to offerto pass him. If he was harassing teenagers, fucker would get what was coming to him.
We took a few minutes to gear up. Even I armed up with a holy water pistol and some salt because I wasn’t going to be too effective here, in a way. It was fine. Eli had this.
Apparently, Gwyn knew exactly where to go, which made sense—she’d no doubt tried to avoid him as much as possible. She marched straight to the back lot, where the football field was, and then deviated toward the back fence. It was mostly parking lot and one utility building here, and I could see the ravine running toward the back. He must have chased her far to get all the way here, as I couldn’t imagine anyone had call to be here. Unless they were making out or sneaking a smoke.
Lots of ghosts here, too, mostly hanging about. A few friendly ones, but the auras on most were an unhealthy and sickly yellow-grey.
Ever feel like you just stepped past enemy lines?
Yeah, that twisting of the gut was exactly what I felt just then.
Maybe I should have grabbed more than the water pistol? Eh, it was fine, I had an Eli. And a Brandon.
Gwyn’s hands shook but she balled them up into fists, threw her shoulders back, and faced down the worst of the lot. “You. You’re dead now.”
The ghost she faced laughed boisterously and the sound sent a shiver down my spine. There was no humor in his face, just twisted rage. He hadn’t been a handsome man in life, a scar running from lip to near his right eye, a crumpled hat sitting low on his head. The aura around him was this twisted sort of grey and copper—copper tinge normally meant an unhealthy fixation that had turned into something worse. An obsession that would cripple someone.
