Puzzle (Haunted Series)

by Alexie Aaron

  He mimed digging and for someone to be available to dig for him. His powers to manipulate things in this world were limited. “Homer may have one, otherwise we have that gardening stuff we lifted from the Gruber place,” Mia admitted. There was a lot of stuff that had found its way into the PEEPs vehicle from that investigation. Alan Jefferies was quite generous with the equipment they found in the basement of the mansion. Mia didn’t remember a shovel, just little stuff, and of course the still. Murphy insisted on the still. He couldn’t drink but thought it was an important addition to the farm’s equipment.

  “Ted would know what we have, but he’s not here,” she explained.

  Murphy took in her worried expression and tried to be sympathetic. Truth was he was concerned for the tech himself. He and Ted had gelled. Ted was the only person not gifted with the sight that Murphy let see him. He also stood back and let Ted win his girl from him. And now his girl needed reassurance. “Ted’s smart.”

  “You’re right. How about that, Stephen Murphy was right today,” Mia said sarcastically, but her voice had a softness to it that she reserved for her best friend. She motioned for him to follow her.

  She found Homely tinkering with something in the back of his van by the light of a propane lantern. He looked up as she approached.

  “Whatcha doing?”

  “This and that. I’ve got a carburetor with an attitude. You look like you have something on your mind.”

  “Actually, I’ve come to bum a shovel off you if you have one back there. I’ve got a small gardening spade but…”

  “You have some heavy digging in mind,” he finished. Homely leaned into the van and came up with a shovel. “It’s more a Homely-sized shovel than a Mia-sized one. Show me what you want dug up.”

  Mia smiled. This was his way of asking to be part of things. “Better bring that lantern. The moonlight isn’t cutting too well through those trees.”

  They walked for a bit in silence. The crunch of their footfalls on the decaying leaves and dry sticks stilled the chorus of crickets as they approached.

  “I get the idea, Mia, that it’s not just you and I taking this walk.”

  “You’re a very perceptive man, Homely. Dang, can I call you Homer? I mean Homely doesn’t suit you.”

  “Honey, you can call me dog shit, and I’d come a running,” he teased. “Although, I heard you’re spoken for.”

  “Yes, the poor fool,” Mia said. “One of the best con jobs of my life.”

  Homely chuckled. He’d heard the story from Burt, who was happy for Ted but a bit melancholy about how quickly Mia had moved on from their past relationship. “I heard you had to hogtie the boy.”

  “Yup, it pays to watch The Real Housewives of the Rodeo,” Mia teased.

  Murphy looked aghast at Mia until he figured out she was lying for the sake of humor.

  Murphy stopped and pointed out where he had cut an X into the dirt. “Bones,” he said.

  Homer spun around looking for the speaker. “Tell me you heard that.”

  “I heard that. I guess X marks the spot, and take it easy as we may find some bones. I’m going to run back and get something to put them in,” Mia said and turned heel and ran towards the command truck.

  Homely, who had witnessed what bad ghosts could do, was a bit uncomfortable in the woods all alone with gravelly-voiced Murphy. If memory served him, the ghost carried an axe that could cut through to this world. “If it is alright with you, sir, I’m going to start digging.”

  CRACK!

  Homely jumped. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said and began to dig.

  ~

  Mia’s eyes were on the brambles on the ground as she ran. She was being so careful not to get her feet tangled that she didn’t see the dark shadow cross her path until she plowed into it. The two of them went down hard. Mia rolled away and was on her feet, ready to do battle.

  “What the hell, Mia?” Mike’s voice came from the darkness.

  Mia clicked on her flashlight and saw the senior investigator on the ground. She rushed to him apologizing, “Mike, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you, and I thought I was being attacked.” She reached out a hand and helped him to his feet. “Why are you skulking in the woods?”

  “I wasn’t skulking,” Mike argued as he began to pick the burrs off his sweatshirt. “I wanted to talk to you away from the others.”

  Mia paled. “Ted, he’s okay isn’t he?”

  Mike’s slow sexy smile appeared on his face. “Mia, he’s fine. Last I saw he had Burt and the teens in hand.”

  “Phew, you gave me a start there, big fella. So what’s going on?”

  “I wanted permission to take over the investigation.”

  “Sure,” Mia said and started walking.

  “That easy, no hysterics?” Mike said surprised.

  “Sire, this scullery maid knows when she can’t hold the kingdom together.”

  “I think you’re more than a scullery maid. I would have said queen.”

  “Now, you’re flirting,” Mia said dismissively. “I’m needed where I do my best stuff, communicating with the other side. Coordinating all these people is beyond my patience threshold. Hell, I’m surprised I haven’t slugged that smart-mouthed brat you guys left me with.”

  “Funny, I thought he reminded me of you.”

  “See what I mean? What an effing handful,” Mia said, meaning it. “Thanks for not publically tossing me out of the castle, m’lord.”

  Mike looked down at her a moment and shook his head. “I’ll never figure you out, will I?”

  “Mike, I haven’t got a clue what I’m about, so don’t waste your time trying.”

  “Bring me up to speed on what’s going on. Start with the open window…

  ~

  He waited until the buffer had passed before making his move. Ira pushed a hand up through the black of the flooring. He felt the change in density as soon as he broke through. He grabbed the edge of his prison and, with all his strength, raised his body until his other hand found purchase. Ira set his shoulders, and with his mind, he demanded cooperation of his long dormant muscles. He pulled up hard. His head moved through the solidifying tar like the point of a spear, making room for his shoulders. Once they cleared the barrier, his body shot upwards, freed from his prison. The whirling sound of the buffer returned. Ira flattened himself against the wall, trying to be invisible in the dark hallway. The closer the machine came, the more Ira pushed backward until he found himself in a lit classroom on the other side of the wall.

  He moved through the desks towards the blackboard. This used to be Mr. Livingston’s English class. He looked around and, judging by the level of dust on the floor, two things occurred to him: one, no one had been in here for some time, and two, the janitor hadn’t cleaned the room at all. Books lay stacked in piles on the floor. The window was gone where Mr. Livingston used to have his violets thriving. He had a gentle nature, and the flowers suited him. Sure, the kids whispered about him being gay, but Ira’s parents raised him to not judge others. Ira suddenly felt the passage of time. How long had he been trapped in the floor? How long had this classroom lain dormant? He pushed his hand through his dark hair in confusion.

  The door opened. A stout man walked in followed by a tall thin one. Behind them were two high school kids. Ira ran to greet them. He reached out a hand in welcome but was ignored. “I’m so glad you’re here. You must have heard me before…”

  One of the teens walked by Ira without even glancing his way; the other walked through him. It didn’t take much more of this treatment for him to figure out what was going on. To his horror, Ira came to grips with the truth. He may have escaped his prison but had entered a new one of invisibility.

  ~

  Mia brought along another lantern and placed it down before speaking. “Sorry, I took so long, but I was waylaid in the woods by a wolf.”

  Homely chuckled. He liked this waif of a woman. She may be a little crazy, but he liked crazy. Her unconventiona
l upbringing brought a dimension to her that most people didn’t have. She was socially awkward but soul savvy. She laughed at herself and graciously took a ribbing when she was in error. Mia also had a quick tongue and used it to support her position. Her upfront manner was impressive. She played no games and would be no man’s pawn.

  “Any luck?” she asked him.

  “I’ve been easing up a bit, fearing I might damage something. Could you bring those lights closer?”

  Mia did as she was instructed. She set the lights down and got on her hands and knees and peered into the hole Homely had dug. She raised her hand for him to stop. “I think I see something.” She reached in and brushed away soil from a metallic lump. “I think it’s an old padlock. I don’t think the shovel is going to damage anything. See if you can scrape away some of this dirt. Maybe we can find out what this lock is attached to,” she suggested.

  Homely worked quickly, and soon they had the side of a sizable old steamer trunk cleared. “I don’t think that’s going to fit in your evidence bag, honey.”

  Mia shook her head in amazement. “I think we’re going to need some help unearthing this. Mia got up and looked around, smiling when she caught a glimpse of Murphy. “Murph, could you guard this while Homer and I gather the team and get some coffee in us?”

  Murphy nodded and took a military stance.

  “Thank you, soldier,” Mia said. “Come on, Homer, you need a break, and we need to get our money’s worth out of that lazy kid.”

  “Mia, I do believe you’re being too hard on the boy,” Homely counseled. “Remember how you were at his age.”

  “I do remember. I burned down my family’s house at his age, no telling what he’s got in mind,” Mia warned. “I know I’m being a bully, but I think he needs a firm hand. No poor-little-Dave routine. He fucked up, and he’s got to rise above it.”

  “Seems to me, maybe you’re expecting too much. I’d go easy on him. He knows what he did. He could have run off, but he called for help. Give him props for that at least.”

  Mia looked up at Homely Homer and nodded. “Yes, he did. He called us, and now I have no fiancé. I’m stuck out here trying to make sense of all of this without the advantage of Ted’s big brain. Homer, I miss him. On investigations, he’s always in my ear or by my side. He… well… you know. I guess I’ve been taking out my worries on the kid. Geeze, I feel like a bozo.”

  Homer, pleased he’d got her to realize the source of her anger, commented, “What does a bozo feel like?”

  Mia laughed and lifted her hands. “The last bozo I felt, well, it wouldn’t be ladylike to talk about,” she said saucily.

  Homer burst into laughter. “Mia, you’re a piece of work.”

  “That’s what they tell me. Beat feet, old man, we have a treasure chest to dig up before the pirates get restless.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Mike handed Mia a mug of coffee as she stepped out of the darkness. “I heard you coming,” he explained. “Homely, what can I get you?”

  “Some of that dressed up like a girl, extra sugar.”

  Audrey motioned for Mia to sit next to her. She had found the stash of folding lawn chairs and half-circled them around the opening of the command truck. “Mike’s called a powwow. You came just in time. I volunteered to come get you and was building up the courage to walk through the woods.”

  “There are some blackberry brambles to walk through. The copse of trees is pretty thick considering the surroundings,” Mia warned.

  “It wasn’t nature I was timid about…”

  “Oh the ghosts!” Mia realized. “So far, they are pretty harmless. If ever you feel nervous, call for Murphy. There is only one with full form, the rest are mere wisps of memory.”

  Homely came back with his cup of coffee and sat by the girls. “Cid’s got Dave busy with watching the feed,” he told Mia. “They stuck another camera down by the basement entrance. He now has six feeds to watch.”

  “Six?” Mia asked, counting the exits on her fingers.

  “The drive. They thought it would be best to have heads up if the cops show,” he explained.

  Mia nodded in understanding. She briefly thought back to a time when cops would be referred to as “law enforcement professionals” by Whit. She winced inwardly at the memory and pushed it away.

  “Can I have everyone’s attention?” Mike said, jumping off the back of the truck. “It will only take a minute.”

  Dave and Cid walked up and chose to sit on the edge behind him.

  “We’re best at figuring things out when we have a meeting of the minds. I’ve talked to everyone and gathered what I could of information. I’d like to share it with you. Please feel free to interrupt, ask questions and give answers if you have any,” Mike requested. “We’re dealing with a unique situation. We have an entity inside that, for some reason yet to be established, seems to be testing and training who ever falls into its trap. Once inside, you are put through academic puzzles and physical education drills. Cid and I passed all the tests but were weeded out after a few questions of a standard psych evaluation test.” Mike turned and looked at Mia. He was surprised she didn’t have a witty remark about him failing a psych evaluation. Instead he saw her staring intently at him, giving him the respect of a leader. He continued, “Outside, there is a group of Civil War ghosts. They’re stuck here and don’t know for how long or why.”

  “It’s typical to not be aware of time passing in the dimension in which they walk,” Mia interjected. “When I am out of body, I have to pay strict attention to the passage of time or I could be gone forever.”

  “The big problem is that we can’t get our A team into the building. The salt-infused air may be part of the reason. Some kind of protection we don’t know about may be also in place.” Mike continued, “It’s been theorized that the entity did that to keep the military ghosts out. That’s why we can tie them into what is going on inside.”

  “I had an idea about the salt,” Cid spoke up. “If it is being run from a water softener through the humidifier then water is involved. If we could find the exterior shutoff valve, then we could start to dehumidify the inside and rid the air of the salt,” he suggested.

  Mike nodded. “Good. Put that on the list.”

  “We found a big chest buried in the woods. Looks like it’s been there a few years,” Mia told the others. “Homer and I need help extracting it. We don’t know if it’s the source of the trapped soldiers yet, but it’s odd that it would be there in the first place.”

  “Excellent. We may not want to open it yet, but we will bring it in out of the woods. I’ve got an interview with the widow of the man who now presides, at least, over the gym, tomorrow. I’m hoping she may shed some light on what kind of weird the coach was into. If we can identify the type of magic used, then we can proceed to sort out the chest responsibly. As we know, knowledge is power.”

  Mia was impressed with Mike’s handling of the situation. She would have opened the case first to discover what they were dealing with, and maybe blundered into something she couldn’t control.

  “Speaking of knowledge, Audrey has to leave soon. She has a drive ahead of her. She’s going to stay what’s left of the night in St. Louis and meet with Ira’s parents in the morning.”

  “Who’s Ira?” Homely asked.

  “He’s the boy the coach was in charge of who collapsed in the hall, running a drill during detention,” Audrey explained. “He may be the reason the man hung himself. The boy’s in a coma. Never regained consciousness,” she explained.

  “How old was the child when this happened?” Homely asked.

  “Twelve.”

  “Those poor parents. You mentioned the child was serving detention, was he a bad egg?”

  “From what I could glean from the lawsuit, Ira was top in his class, a shy boy that was taking community college classes in the evenings…”

  “Another Ted,” Cid explained. “Wait a moment. We found some of Ira’s homework assignment pa
pers in the geography room. That kid was beyond smart, he’s a genius.”

  “So how’d he find himself in detention?” Homely asked no one in particular.

  “I hope to find out by talking to the parents.”

  “Homely, how are you coming on the search for the former resting place of the Civil War soldiers?” Mike asked.

  “I’ve got a friend that participates in veterans’ activities. She puts wreaths and flowers on the graves of the forgotten. I’ll be talking to her after church tomorrow. If anyone’s disturbed a grave in a three county area, she’d know about it.”

  “Good stuff,” Mike said to Homely before he turned around and addressed the teenager, “Dave, I hate to put you on the spot, buddy, but you may want to think of a way to break it to Richie’s and John’s parents if we can’t get them out of there before curfew tomorrow night,” Mike suggested.

  “I thought about lying, but it’s lies that got us into this. Richie’s parents are going to freak. John’s I don’t know anything about. I just know him from school,” Dave confessed. “But I’ll do it. I suppose that means cops.”

  The adults nodded.

  “Sometimes we have to take a hit for the welfare of others,” Mia counseled. “Although, I think with Ted and Burt on the inside and us out here, we may just get them out in time. By the way, Cid, did Ted ever finish that energon cube?”

  “It’s got some bugs but will hold a mega dose of battery power, why?”

  “I’m thinking that once we rid the halls of that salt-watered air, we may want to rile the troops in order to create a distraction. Right now, the best they can do is exist. But after some vitamin B12 ghost-style, they may be able to band together and create enough mischief inside when the time is right,” Mia offered.

  “We’ll have to warn the guys,” Cid said.

  “I’ve got a wi-fi booster up on the second floor at the front of the building, but if someone wants to volunteer and climb in and dismantle the panel blocking the exit then…”