Gail nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I owe him big time. He’s a tough little dude. I saw Joanie’s classmates’ tutoring session the other night. Joanie’s not the only one getting romantic thoughts about our pint sized lothario.”
Janis did a quick braying laugh. “Little Mandy was all over him when Gail and I came in the room. You should have seen Joanie’s face, Dempsey. Tell him, Laura.”
“I don’t know whether it’s because the others are suddenly showing interest, or if she’s caught Denny fever, but Joanie wants him solo,” Laura agreed.
“It was so cute,” Connie added. “There’s Denny, red faced, and trying to tutor while being handled inappropriately. I think your Dad’s right about moving the tutoring session. Denny’s picked up some charisma since going on the serial killer hunt with you, Mike.”
“He’s golden with me,” Mike said. “His filming my encounter with Sanderson and the coach probably kept me from getting expelled from school. Stan and Jerry would throw the rest of us out on our asses if they had to make a choice between Super Denny and us.”
Mike’s statement elicited the expected laughter. They stood for the Star Spangled Banner, hands over hearts, and singing the words. Their example fired the entire section into performing the National Anthem with them, even though it had been an instrumental rendition from the field. Mike didn’t hang back. He had learned to sing the National Anthem when going to ball games with his Dad. His voice was strong and in key. His friends all knew he didn’t care whether they joined him in it or not. They did, and in harmony. When it ended, an older black man wearing a black Cal Poly sweatshirt reached over with his hand out to Mike.
“You kids sounded great. I come to a lot of games, and it’s a real thrill to hear a bunch of young kids sing the Banner with passion. Thank you.”
Mike was taken by surprise but he shook the man’s hand gratefully. “My Dad taught me. He was a marine in the first Gulf War. He always sings the National Anthem.”
The man’s craggy face lit up. “I was a marine in… oh hell, you kids don’t care about that ancient crap. Anyway, I-”
“I care, Sir,” Mike interrupted. “Vietnam?”
The man nodded his nearly bald head. “Yep, two tours. I wish I’d had a chance to serve in the Gulf. Anyway, thanks for the great harmony.”
Mike held onto his hand. “Thank you for your service, Sir.”
“Okay, kid,” the man chuckled. “I’m Craig Weston by the way. My son’s an assistant coach at Cal Poly. “Who’re you here for?”
“I’m Mike Rawlins, Sir. I have two best friends playing for Davis.” Mike’s admission was accompanied by laughter from his eavesdropping companions.
Craig cracked up, squeezing Mike’s shoulder. “You bunch ended up behind enemy lines, huh?”
Connie waved her hand comically. “I misjudged the interest in the game. These were the only five seats together I could get. I’m Connie. This preggo here is Laura, and Gail next to her, and Jan there in front of you.”
“I’m happy to meet you kids,” Craig replied, leaning back in his seat. “Enjoy the game, my young friends.”
“We will, Sir.” Mike turned around as the kickoff for the game ensued.
* * *
“Yessssssss!” Janis leaped to her feet as Jerry caught a pass, broke two tackles and ran into the end-zone with the go ahead touchdown.
“Sit down, bitch!” A guy two rows up ordered.
Mike clucked in a disapproving fashion as he gently tugged on Janis’s arm. “Best do what that gentleman says, Jan.”
“Frack you, Dempsey! My man scored, baby!” Janis continued dancing around as her friends clapped and enjoyed the moment, unaware of the malice they were eliciting from the Cal Poly fans around them.
Mike pulled at Janis’s wrist. “C’mon, Jan, you know how football fans are. We need to keep things on the down low rooting for Davis.”
Janis sat down. “Sorry.” She did a quiet happy dance in her seat which elicited laughter from her companions. “That was so good!”
“Yeah it was,” Mike agreed. “Jerry snatched the ball right out from between the defensive backs. That was tight.”
After the kickoff, and one run play, the Cal Poly quarterback threw down the middle. Stan picked it off in full stride. He broke tackles along the sideline and raced into the end zone with Mike and crew unable to contain their boisterous celebration. The boos and hisses around them awoke the Demon Inc crew to the fact they were acting out too much amongst rival fans. Mike chuckled and motioned everyone down with Connie being the last to perceive his caution as she leaped around in front of her seat. She looked around as the boos began getting through to her. She sat down.
“Whoops. Back to back boyfriend plays, Jan! That’s what I’m talkin’ about.”
Janis high fived her girlfriend. “Oh hell yeah!”
“Hey Brandy, why don’t you and your Aggie lovin’, ghost-bustin’ chumps take a hike. Yeah, that’s right. I recognize ya’ll!”
Noticing the tall angry, ebony skinned youth next to her for the first time, Laura bumped into Gail, edging away. “We…we’re sorry… no need to get upset.”
“Shutup, preggo,” Janis ordered, before turning her attention to the young man leaning toward their row seats threateningly. “Who you callin’ Brandy, Erkel? We got as much right to be here as your punk-ass!”
“Ease up, son,” Craig urged from his seat behind the teens. “They couldn’t get seats anywhere ‘cept here. No need to-”
“I ain’t your son! Stay the hell outta’ this, Pops!” When he turned back to his original prey, Mike was standing next to him.
“Sorry about the celebration. You said you recognized us. Did we do something to piss you off other than being Cal Davis fans?”
The young man threw a right hand sucker punch. Instead of landing, he found himself in an unbreakable hand hold that even the slightest movement on his part caused pain. He stared up at Mike’s face with rage, his mouth tightening as he hunched down to ease the pain. A security guard hurried down to them with his partner close behind.
“Hey… I saw that! He threw a punch at you. I’m-”
“It’s okay, Sir.” Mike released his captive as every eye in the seating area was on him, and the silence a remarkable thing amidst the noisy throng all around the section. “My friend and I were acting out a little too much. I’m very sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Startled, the security guard looked at his partner, who simply shrugged. He turned back to Mike with a stern look. “Okay, but no more acting out, or we escort you both out. Got it!”
“Yes Sir,” Mike answered without hesitation while keeping eye contact.
The stadium security man nodded and rejoined his partner. Mike gestured for the young man to stay quiet while he watched the security team move away.
Mike wondered if the guy was in one of the gangs they’d had to face off with in the last month. He needed to find out rather than just react. “Okay… you have our attention. What’s with all this? You said you recognized us. I’m Mike Rawlins. Tell me what the problem is.”
“Don’t play with this clown, Dempsey,” Janis cut in. “He don’t want nothin’ ‘cept trouble. Ain’t that right, Erkel?”
The young man’s features twisted indecisively as he looked from Mike to Janis. Craig moved out into the aisle.
“Look, kid, you got a beef eatin’ you up. I don’t know what this ghost-bustin’ deal is you’re talkin’ about, but Mike here could have had you arrested. Spill it.”
A murmur rose amongst the Cal Poly fans listening in on the confrontation, as the game was all but forgotten around the Demon Inc crew.
“I saw your gig on Alcatraz, and all the weird crap that’s been happenin’ since,” the young man admitted. “My Dad’s losin’ his business in Oakland, near the Coliseum. He owns an old warehouse there. He rents storage spaces. Lately… somethin’s screwin’ things up… messin’ with the people paying storage fees, and… and hauntin’ �
��em. You know… janglin’ things around and knockin’ things over. I’ll have to drop out of Cal Poly if he loses his business.”
Craig looked at Mike with dawning recognition. “Wait a minute. You’re the kid that saved that lost Manjetti boy… you and your dog… ah-”
“Demon,” the young man finished. “I… I figured they were some kind of reality hoax people. Seein’ ‘em here with my Dad’s business goin’ down set me off. I’m sorry. Hell, I know it’s all a money gimmick. I’ll-”
“I think we can help,” Mike interrupted with a quieting wave of his hand. Mike put a hand on Craig Weston’s shoulder. “I’m going to find out this guy’s problem. Can you look out for my friends while I do, Sir?”
“You bet, Mike. They’ll be fine.”
Mike could tell from the older man’s expression his Demon Inc compatriots were in good hands. “Thank you. We’ll be back.”
Chapter Three
New Gig
“You know my name. What’s yours?” Mike asked as he and his previous attacker threaded their way to the concession area.
“Greg Grenville.”
“What made you so angry about us?”
“I…I figured it was all a hoax, and ya’ll were makin’ money about somethin’ that’s really happenin’, but you ain’t doin’ shit to stop it.”
Mike stopped, gripping Greg’s arm. “It’s really happening, and we’re doing everything we can to stop it. Those YouTube videos you saw are real, Greg.”
Mike pulled Greg over out of the way as they reached the concession area. “Tell me what’s happening to your Dad. I’ll bring everybody to stop it.”
Greg’s twisted expression illustrated the disbelief he had for what Mike claimed “You…you really serious? Don’t play me, man!”
The darkness Mike fought off every day began to well up to the surface. “Look… you don’t want our help after all this whinin’ shit… then fine, walk away! You want a piece because your feelings are hurt then I’ll walk out of the stadium right now and you can have at it. Know this: once I start on you I don’t know if I’ll stop… and I expect nothing less in return.”
Greg looked into Mike’s eyes and saw death. All of the coddled notions he’d become accustomed to at Cal Poly because of his race disappeared in an instant. He remembered his Father’s resigned speech, when explaining why he couldn’t keep up with the tuition, even with Greg’s partial scholarship toward the BioMed degree. “I…I’m not used to anything I can’t deal with directly.”
“Good start,” Mike acknowledged. “I noticed you dropped the gangsta’ lingo just now. Let’s converse without it from now on. Are you cool with that?”
Greg hesitated, but looked away, his hands motioning acceptance. “Yeah… I’m cool with that. My Dad’s the best. He’s never asked for anything from anybody. About a month ago, strange things started happening at his warehouse. People complained about their storage units being broken into without any sign outside of it. Naturally, they figured someone’s doing it from the inside… like my Dad. The only point of fact messing up their accusations is that nothing’s been taken from them. My Dad thought we were being set up somehow, but nothing’s happened beyond the complaints of things in the storage units being moved.”
Mike nodded. “We’re going to help you. I assume there are ghost stories surrounding the warehouse your Dad runs, huh?”
Greg snorted derisively. “Yeah… but my Dad’s owned the place for thirty years. He didn’t just take over a couple months ago. Sure, there’ve been stories about the warehouse being haunted by victims from the late seventies’ drug wars when it was a major drug interaction area. At the time we’d heard that drug gangs rented the warehouse for major illegal buys, and some executions had been done there. It was the main reason my Dad was able to get it at a good price.”
“Fair enough. We can help you, or we’ll die trying. Does that mean something to you?”
“Ah…yeah… it does, Mike.” Greg extended a trembling hand.
Mike shook Greg’s hand with a strong grasp, hoping the empathy he felt for his plight came through. “My Dad owns an automotive repair shop and I know what I’d be feeling if what you’ve described happened to him. My friends and I are not comic relief carpetbaggers hoping for a quick money score. Disrespect any of us, and we’re through, understand?”
Greg smiled for the first time. “Yeah, Mike, I do. God bless you if your team can help my Dad. What’ll it cost us?”
“Nothing. We’re just getting started. Notoriety like you’ve seen on YouTube has been paying a lot of bills. Your situation is one we need to fight what’s actually a threat beyond a personal level. Two of my crew are playing in the game. I need them for anything we confront. Let’s watch the rest of the game. Then we’ll figure out the best course of action, okay?”
“I…I don’t know what to say. I-”
“Say nothing.” Mike put his arm around Greg’s shoulders, guiding him back toward their seats. “We’re into this Greg. Don’t put anything else in your mind about our motives. It doesn’t matter to me and Demon whether we make money or not. We’re going to do this no matter what.”
Greg glanced over at Mike speculatively. “Damn… Demon’s the real thing, huh?”
Mike chuckled. “He’s more than anything you can imagine, Greg. You’re going to meet him. He’ll rock your world, buddy.”
Mike gave his crew a little wave as he left Greg at his seat and continued down into their row. “We have a new gig.”
“You can really help that young man,” Craig asked.
“I believe so, Sir.” Mike sat down next to a stony faced Janis. “His Dad has a haunting problem that’s kind of in our area of expertise.”
“Maybe we should have voted on it before you contracted us all into another Haunt hunt, Dempsey. I figured you’d… you know… walk the guy up and break his arm or something. I didn’t know you’d get all kissy face with him.”
“The deal’s the same, Jan. Me and Demon are going. You don’t want a piece, then opt out. I know Denny, Stan, and Jerry well enough that they’re in too.”
“I’m in,” Gail immediately volunteered. “C’mon, Brandy, quit being so whiny.”
“Yeah, Brandy,” Connie piled on. “You prima donna.”
Laura started to pipe in but Janis had only to point a warning finger at her to shut down Laura’s comment.
“Fine! I’m in too. Anybody wantin’ to call me Brandy best be ready to throw hands.”
“Good to have you on board with this, Brandy,” Mike replied. He caught both shots Janis launched at him, squeezing her wrists until Janis’s facial expression acknowledged pain. “Sorry, Brandy, but I don’t like being smacked. Truce?”
“Okay…okay!” Janis rubbed her wrists Mike released as her friends laughed, including Craig who had been watching the interchange with obvious amusement. “You’re lucky I like you, Dempsey.”
“So, how are things here in football land?”
“You didn’t miss anything, Mike,” Gail replied. “Poly’s getting ready to punt. With only two minutes left I thought they’d go for it on fourth down.”
The last two minutes were nail biters as Davis nearly fumbled the punt return. Jerry caught a pass for a first down with only forty seconds to go. All it took was a quarterback kneel down after that to end the game. The Demon Inc crew said goodbye to Craig and gathered a despondent Greg as they exited.
“I thought for sure we’d kick your-”
“Don’t even finish that thought,” Janis warned.
Greg chuckled and nodded his head. “Sorry. I’m glad to have you all with me on this.”
* * *
“What the hell’s this?” Stan asked Jerry as they walked out of the locker room area. “I was figuring on a continuation of last night’s celebration.”
Jerry snickered, seeing their friends solemnly waiting for them with a guy they didn’t recognize. “It looks to me like a fun filled evening we didn’t plan on, pal. Two to on
e says we have a new mission.”
“I was more inclined to throwing down a couple shots and beers.”
“You know Mikey,” Jerry replied, watching Mike from a distance. “He has that I’m on a mission look and nothing’s going to change it. He’ll go without us if you want to sit on your butt at home. I’ll bet he’s co-opted our girls though, so we’ll be drinking alone. Might as well man up and save the celebration.”
Stan studied the faces as they approached. “Yep, you’re right. We’re on a mission. Boy, Haunt huntin’ two nights in a row with an accompanying football game. I guess it’s a good thing we’re in shape.”
Janis and Connie embraced them as they walked up.
“You guys were great!” Janis patted Jerry’s face. “Guess what?”
“We’re going after more Caspers.”
“You’re so smart.” Janis kissed him. “Guess who wants to do a back to back Haunt-O-Rama?”
“Why Mikey of course,” Stan answered for Jerry while hugging Connie. “Well, let’s get on the road. I ain’t goin’ without the weapons master.”
“This is Greg Grenville.” Mike explained Greg’s Father’s situation quickly. “You guys sure you want in after having to play football?”
“Of course.” Jerry shook hands with Greg. “Nice sweatshirt.”
“Not today it wasn’t. You two sure saw to that.”
Stan shook hands with Greg next. “Maybe we can fix your Pop’s business.”
“Thank you. What’s the weapons master?”
“That would be Denny Stossle,” Mike answered. “He’s the reason we didn’t end up Haunts ourselves last night. Did you see the vid from our Casper encounter group last night?”
“No, but I have seen the other ones on YouTube. They’re unbelievable.”
“They were walks in the park next to last night,” Jerry said. “You have your iPad, Laura. Show him the vid.”
Demon Inc (The Mike Rawlins Series Book 2) Page 3