Ghostly Asylum

by Lily Harper Hart

  “That’s true,” Shawn said. “So how did you get inside without that happening?”

  “There’s more than one door,” Anna said. “I took him through the side door and up the back stairway.”

  “The back stairway?” Harper narrowed her eyes. “We saw the footprint in the dust in the hallway. If Anna brought Eric in through another door and approached the ward from a different direction, who did that footprint belong to?”

  “That’s a very good question,” Jared said. “We have a few other issues to discuss while we’re pondering that.” He strode to the door, looked both ways down the hallway before returning to the bed. “We have a new set of problems to deal with. The first is that now we know that backup isn’t coming today.”

  “I’m sorry about that.” Eric lowered his gaze. “We should’ve powered through.”

  “It wouldn’t have helped anyone if you guys got lost,” Jared argued. “You did what you thought was right and now isn’t the time to second guess yourself for that. What’s done is done.”

  “He’s right,” Zander said. “If you got turned around on the lake you could’ve ended up in Canada without realizing it. We would’ve been worse off for that. The boat isn’t overly large either. It might’ve sunk on the open lake.”

  “Oh, well, that makes me feel much better,” Eric said dryly.

  Harper patted his arm reassuringly. “It’s okay. We’re just glad you’re all right. When we found the boat empty we weren’t sure what to think.”

  “And we still don’t know what happened to John,” Jared added. “I think we can all agree that someone human is doing the bulk of this. Eric didn’t hit himself from behind. That means someone else did it.

  “Now, John would be the obvious culprit because we know he was out there on the boat at one time,” he continued. “I can’t rule him out as an accomplice – it’s entirely possible we’re dealing with a team rather than one person – but I think someone in the group that remained behind has to be involved.”

  “Because of the way Molly disappeared?” Zander asked.

  Jared didn’t get a chance to answer, in fact he was mid-nod when Eric bolted to a sitting position and dug his fingers into Zander’s forearm. “Lay down or you’ll make yourself sick,” Jared ordered.

  Eric ignored him. “What do you mean? Molly disappeared? But … how?”

  Harper’s heart pinched at the horrified look on Eric’s face. “It happened while we were sleeping. She was in a sleeping bag next to Zander and Shawn when we fell asleep but … she wasn’t there when we woke up.”

  “That’s how we found the boat in the first place,” Jared said. “We were outside looking for her.”

  “You lost her?” Eric’s voice took on a hard edge. “How could you do that?”

  “It’s not as if we did it on purpose,” Zander protested. “She was there when we went to bed.”

  “And yet the four of you are perfectly fine,” Eric snapped. “Let me guess, you guys were all wrapped up in each other and she was left alone. You guys slept wrapped around each other, didn’t you? You couldn’t be bothered to notice the poor girl who was left on her own.”

  Jared bit back an angry retort. “We did our best. We didn’t know this would happen.”

  “Uh-huh.” Eric wasn’t convinced. “Let me ask you something, Jared, if I’d been left in charge and Harper went missing in the middle of the night, how would you feel right about now?”

  “I would probably kill you,” Jared replied calmly. “That doesn’t change the fact that this is the last thing we wanted and we’re doing our best to find Molly.”

  “Really? It looks to me as if you’re all sitting around.” Eric crossed his arms over his chest, his fury evident. “I shouldn’t have left her. I should have taken her with me.”

  Zander narrowed his eyes, suspicious. “You know, now that we’ve found you, something was brought to our attention a few hours ago. We wanted to ignore it, pretend it wasn’t true, but I’m starting to think those idiot camera operators had a point.”

  “I’m starting to think they did, too,” Harper acknowledged, pinning an increasingly distraught Eric with a hard gaze. “Are you and Molly involved?”

  “What? We’re co-workers,” Eric protested, averting his gaze.

  “Are you co-workers who occasionally kiss?” Zander pressed.

  It wasn’t a funny situation, but Harper couldn’t stop herself from cracking a smile when Eric’s face flooded with color.

  “You are.” Harper couldn’t decide if the news made her happy or sad. Molly had been after Eric for so long she lost count of the times she bought the girl ice cream to soothe her frazzled nerves when Eric refused to notice her. “When did this happen?”

  “When you guys were caught up with your new boyfriends,” Eric spat, shaking his head. “It was just one of those … things. We went to a bar one night to complain about how you never remember to include us and one thing led to another.”

  “And then you had second thoughts because she’s younger than you,” Jared volunteered. “That’s why you guys were sniping at one another. You pulled back and hurt her feelings.”

  Eric nodded, morose. “And then I left her and she … .” He broke off on a strangled sob.

  “We’re going to find her,” Jared said, leaning forward and resting his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “We were actually up here looking for her when we found you. We’ll get right back to it.”

  “We should probably take Eric downstairs so he can rest in the foyer,” Zander said. “He’s not strong enough to go with us.”

  “Screw that,” Eric snapped. “I’m going with you. I have to … I have to apologize. She has to know I didn’t mean what I said.”

  Harper was curious to know what he said, but now wasn’t the time to press him on it. “You can’t come with us. You’re sick and you’ll probably have a bit of vertigo. You need to rest. However, I don’t think taking him to the main floor is a good idea.”

  “Why not?” Zander asked.

  “Because someone thinks that he’s out of the picture,” Jared answered. “They don’t think that he’s a concern. If that individual realizes that he’s still alive, that he might be able to identify his assailant, then Eric might become a target a second time. We have to keep him buttoned up.”

  “No way,” Eric argued. “I want to find Molly. I … need … to find her.”

  “We’re going to find her and bring her to you,” Jared said, his eyes serious as they locked with Eric’s miserable orbs. “I swear to you that I won’t let you down a second time.”

  “I think that means that Eric should stay here,” Shawn said. “He was obviously safe here overnight. I think he’ll be safe a bit longer, although he shouldn’t stay alone.”

  “Definitely not,” Jared agreed. “In fact … Harper is going to stay with him.”

  Harper balked. “What? You just spent twenty minutes explaining how we were all going to stay together as a group. Now you want to separate?”

  “Now I want you safe,” Jared corrected. “I think you’re safe here. Anna brought Eric here for a reason.”

  “No one ever comes in here,” Anna supplied. “I don’t know if it’s because of the fact that it was the children’s ward, but it’s mostly empty. Only a few souls ever breach the walls.”

  “That doesn’t change the fact that I can’t stay here,” Harper said, adopting a pragmatic approach. “Forget the fact that Jared swore up and down he wouldn’t be separated from me – which I won’t forget, mind you – but you can’t find Molly without me.”

  “And why is that?” Jared asked, planting his hands on his hips. He was ready for a fight should it come to it. He truly believed Harper would be safe if she stayed with Eric. That was the most important thing to him.

  “Because you need me to converse with ghosts in case they can help us,” Harper fired back. “Unless you’ve suddenly become a conduit without me knowing, I have to be a part of your team.”

&
nbsp; Jared worked his jaw, Harper’s smug expression setting his teeth on edge. He wanted to argue with her assessment, but she was right.

  “Oh, she rendered him speechless,” Zander said, grinning. “I wasn’t sure that was even possible.”

  “I’m not fond of any of you right now,” Jared gritted out. “I can’t come up with one single thing to trump what she said, though.”

  Harper beamed as she patted his arm. She’d already won. They both knew it. “That means someone else is going to have to stay with Eric and you’re going to have to listen to me crow about being right until the end of time.”

  Jared pursed his lips to keep from laughing. He didn’t want to encourage her. “I’m willing to put up with that for the time being. We still don’t know where to start looking for Molly, though, so I wouldn’t get too smug.”

  “I know where to look for her,” Anna offered. “In fact, I think I know exactly where she is.”

  And just like that, a new search was afoot.

  18

  Eighteen

  Ultimately it was decided that Shawn would stay behind with Eric. The reasoning was vague – and Jared would’ve much preferred to leave Zander behind – but eventually he realized that separating Zander and Harper was a bad idea because it would leave both of them with degraded focus.

  “Where are you taking us?” Harper asked, doing her best to ignore the way Jared and Zander crowded her as she followed Anna toward the end of the hallway. “Do you know where you’re going?”

  “I think she knows where she’s going,” Zander noted. “She’s lived here for decades. I would trust her sense of direction over yours any day of the week.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “You know what it means.” Zander was unruffled. “I’m sure you remember the time you navigated us to that hunting shack in the middle of nowhere and we found that ‘hunting’ was really code for cross-dressing that one time.”

  Jared was interested despite himself. “You found cross-dressing hunters in Michigan? Do tell.”

  “It wasn’t as bad as he makes it sound,” Harper said, keeping Anna firmly in sight as she rolled her neck. “I accidentally transposed two of the address numbers and we ended up at the wrong cabin. The owner was very nice when we explained the error.”

  “He was also wearing a frilly apron and nothing else,” Zander noted. “That includes underwear.”

  “It was a hot day,” Harper argued. “He didn’t have air conditioning and he wasn’t keen to sweat in certain places if he didn’t have to. I don’t think he was a cross-dresser as much as a nudist.”

  “I see.” Jared smirked. “You guys sound like you get very little work done when you’re on a case.”

  “That’s not true,” Zander countered. “We get a lot of work done. It’s just not always done in a linear fashion.”

  “Good to know.” Jared’s fingers itched to link with Harper’s, but he fought the urge because he didn’t want her to think he was overbearing. “Do we have any idea where we’re going yet?”

  “Anna apparently isn’t feeling chatty,” Harper replied. “We’re just following her right now.”

  “So she could be leading us to a horrible death. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

  Harper shrugged. “At least we’ll be together.”

  Jared didn’t miss the pointed statement. “I didn’t want to leave you behind just to leave you behind. That’s not why I suggested it.”

  “That’s not how it felt,” Harper sniffed.

  “Stop being difficult, Harp,” Zander chided. “He was trying to protect you. He shouldn’t be shamed for it.”

  “Thank you, Zander.” Jared was surprised and thankful for the backup. “I appreciate you taking my side on this.”

  “Oh, I’m not taking your side,” Zander clarified. “I’m simply pointing out that I understand what you were trying to do. I don’t think it was right.”

  Jared’s smile slipped. “You make me tired.”

  “Right back at you.” Zander winked, a gesture that caused Jared’s jaw to tighten. “I admire the fact that you want to keep her safe, but we’ve been taking care of ourselves for a very long time. We don’t need constant parental guidance.”

  “That’s not what I was doing,” Jared protested. “Wait … is that how you see me? Am I the dad in all of this?”

  “That’s not how I see you,” Harper replied. “Not only would that be gross and wrong, but I don’t see you as a constant killjoy. That’s Zander’s thing.”

  “I don’t know whether to thank you or stop listening to this conversation,” Jared muttered.

  “I would thank me,” Harper said. “As for what happened upstairs, I understand why you did it, too. That doesn’t mean I agree with it or appreciate the fact that you tried to cut me out of my own investigation, but I understand it.”

  “Maybe we should stop talking for five minutes or so,” Jared suggested. “My head is starting to hurt.”

  “I think that’s a fine idea,” Zander said. “That will allow Harper and me a chance to talk about the big pink elephant in the room.”

  “You mean Eric and Molly?” Harper scratched her cheek as Anna led them to a rickety looking spiral staircase. “Yeah, I’m a little upset that we didn’t notice either. Do you think that means we’re self-involved?”

  “Of course not. We have giving hearts.”

  “That doesn’t mean we’re not self-involved.”

  “True,” Zander conceded. “If we admit to being self-involved, though, it’s a label we’ll never be able to shake. I prefer to think of us as distracted. It’s not our fault that we found unique and intriguing mates at the same time.”

  “Just for the record, I’m not okay when you use the word ‘mate’ to refer to me,” Jared interjected. “It makes me think of animals.”

  “If the paw print fits,” Zander teased. “I thought you were going to be quiet for five minutes, by the way.”

  “I forgot. Continue.”

  “So, what were we talking about?” Zander turned an inquisitive look to Harper, but she was too busy glaring at the staircase. “Hmm. That doesn’t exactly look safe.”

  “It’s the only way to hit the far side of the institution,” Anna supplied. “They designed it this way on purpose. You have to trust me.”

  Harper relayed the information and then moved to descend. Jared swiftly cut her off.

  “I think we should go down one at a time so we don’t tax that thing,” Jared said. “Just to be on the safe side.”

  “Okay.” Harper started to move again, but Jared shook his head.

  “I will go first,” Jared said. “You will go after me and Zander will bring up the rear.”

  “I don’t like what that implies,” Zander groused.

  Jared ignored his tone. “If you want to go first, Zander, be my guest. Just remember we have no idea what – or who, for that matter – is down there.”

  Zander swallowed hard. “You go first. I like bringing up the rear.”

  Harper snickered as Jared gave her a hasty kiss.

  “I’ll be quick and call up as soon as it’s okay for you to come down.”

  Harper nodded. “Okay.” She watched as Jared descended, her heart rate picking up a notch, although she had no idea why. The staircase rattled as Jared progressed, and it took him almost a full minute to hit the floor beneath.

  “It’s okay, Heart,” he called out. “It’s rickety, but you’ll be okay.”

  Harper spared a glance for Zander and forced a smile. “Don’t take too long bringing up the rear.”

  Zander risked a glance over his shoulder, the lonely darkness causing him to shudder. “Don’t worry about that.”

  Harper sucked in a breath and started down, increasing her pace when she imagined Zander sitting on the second floor alone. She’d barely hit the floor when she called up for Zander to follow and he almost ran down he was so worked up. He threw his arms around Harper’s neck, catching
Jared in the process, and heaved out a relieved sigh.

  “We made it.”

  Jared shook his head as he placed his palm on the small of Harper’s back. “We’re a crack team of paranormal investigators, aren’t we?”

  Harper ignored the jibe and focused on Anna. “Where is this?”

  “The back of the institution,” Anna replied, resuming her trek. “We weren’t allowed down here when we were alive. I didn’t realize it existed until after I died.”

  “And what’s down here?”

  “Mostly office space.”

  Something occurred to Harper. “Dr. Bennett’s office space?”

  Anna nodded and pointed. “It’s right over there.”

  Harper retrieved her flashlight from her pocket and switched it on, narrowing her eyes at the closed door. She didn’t hesitate when she strode forward and tried the handle, looking to Jared for approval before pushing it open.

  “It won’t hurt to look,” Jared said. “Let’s see what’s inside.”

  Zander was relieved when they pushed into the small room and found a window on the wall. He strode to it, yanking on the curtains as Shawn had upstairs. They ripped with little complaint. “Hmm. We’re on the south side of the building. I can’t see the boat or the dock.”

  “This wasn’t on the plans, was it?” Jared searched his memory. “Did you see office space on the plans?”

  “No.” Harper moved to the filing cabinet behind the desk, sparing a moment to stare at the faded and disintegrating framed photograph on top of the rectangular piece of furniture. She recognized the man in it from her vision the previous day. John Jacob Bennett. “I’m starting to think quite a bit of this building wasn’t on the plans. There has to be a reason for that.”

  “And what do you think the reason is?”

  Harper shrugged as she thumbed through the faded files. The filing cabinet, metal like the one upstairs, had kept the files inside remarkably dry. “Here’s your file, Anna.”