“We need to,” Tony said firmly.
Matt felt as though he had been punched in the gut. “You of all people should be telling Jorden to stay as far away from that place as possible.”
Tony granted Matt half a smile, but it was weak and quickly faded. “I know how you feel about her and I understand your need to protect her, but she wants to do this and no matter what you may think, you don’t have the right to tell her that she can’t.”
Matt wanted to scream; Tony of all people should have been on his side.
“You love her and I understand that,” Tony said candidly, “and it’s about damned time you realized that, but don’t let that interfere with this investigation.”
The comment was like a slap in the face and Matt had to stop himself from staggering back and off the steps.
“And if it will make you feel any better, I’ll head up there with her,” Tony more commanded than suggested. “And we should probably take Isis too. Between the two of them they’ve got to pick up something.”
Matt had to tamp down his temper and eventually gave him a reluctant nod. “Fine,” he finally allowed, “but the team isn’t to be up there for more than an hour. If you haven’t picked up anything by then, it isn’t likely that you’ll pick up anything at all. I want all three of you carrying a digital recorder. I also want an EMF reader, digital camcorder and thermal camcorder along for the ride. I don’t want anything missed,” he said then started for the door but stopped himself. “And if Isis goes into one of her trances I want it recorded with both the thermal and digital camcorders as well as a digital recorder.”
“Of course,” Tony said then placed a strong hand on Matt’s shoulder, though the squeeze he gave was anything but reassuring. “And for the record,” he said, “I think that you’re a good man and I like the idea of you and Jorden together, but if you hurt her you will have to answer to me.”
Matt understood Tony’s protectiveness and to be honest he thought of Tony almost like a brother. But worry had consumed him and Matt returned Tony’s firm glower. “And you know how I think of you, but if anything happens to Jorden up in that bell tower you’ll have to answer to me.”
No more words were necessary and both men headed back into the cottage.
When they entered the dining room Jorden was standing with her arms folded in front of her chest. “Is it settled?”
“You, Isis, and I will head up into the bell tower tomorrow night,” Tony stated before Matt had a chance to say “no” again.
“I’m going with you,” Nigel stated firmly. “And before there’s further argument you know that if whatever is in the bell tower is Alberto Santini, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone there who speaks Italian.”
It was a weak argument seeing as that all analysis would be done after the fact. “I can’t afford to lose any more investigators on the first night investigating the hospital. Tony, Isis and Jorden will go up into the bell tower for no more than one hour. If they haven’t found out anything new by then so be it. We already have enough evidence from the tower without needing more. Once that hour is up, our full focus will be on the hospital and surrounding grounds for the rest of the night and the following couple of days,” Matt ordered.
Nigel started to open his mouth as if to argue further, but then must have thought better of it because his mouth closed back up without a word.
“Don’t worry about it Nigel,” Saph said with a sympathetic smile. “According to the information we got, Doctor Santini was fluent in several languages including English. If it is him in the bell tower and he’s an intelligent haunt and not residual, he’ll be able to understand us and communicate with them.”
The mood in the room had grown incredibly tense and Matt almost regretted his tone with the others, but he knew that he couldn’t back down or this investigation would never get finished.
A sudden blast of wind pushed through the front door as it swung open and all heads turned to see Jonas enter the cottage.
“When did the wind pick up?” Jesse asked in a tone not quite as casual and he’d intended.
“Just started actually,” Jonas said as he pulled off his windbreaker and hung it on the rack beside the door. “What’s going on? Did I miss a meeting?”
“Not at all,” Matt said almost monotone. “You’re right on time.”
Jonas looked at all the faces in the room until his gaze finally settled on Jorden’s. “Am I to assume that you found out more than you hinted at when you went to the hospital?”
Jorden didn’t bother answering the question but instead it was Matt who spoke up. “Why didn’t you tell us that you had a personal stake in this investigation?”
Jonas smiled and circled the table until he found an empty chair where he took a seat in between Isis and Ana. “Because I knew that you wouldn’t have agreed to allow me to stay at all.”
“I didn’t necessarily agree to allow you to stay the first time, but had you been honest and told us what happened from the beginning, I certainly wouldn’t have argued against your presence here,” Matt said to everyone’s surprise. “It bothers me that you felt it necessary to lie to us about something so vital and it makes me wonder just what else you’ve lied to us about.”
Jonas’s face remained confident but Matt had been a cop and private investigator long enough to know when someone was worried or lying and Jonas’s eyes spoke volumes.
“For instance,” Matt continued, “what exactly have you been doing the last four and a half hours or so? I know that you couldn’t have possibly been going in and out of any of the buildings here or the cemetery, because going anywhere on this island alone isn’t something that I would allow any of my investigators do let alone an inexperienced guest.”
Jonas’s gaze stopped wandering and he kept it fixed on Matt. “My mother died when she had a heart attack upon leaving the bell tower. I’ve been there thinking and even trying to talk to her – to find out if she’s still there or not.”
Matt continued to stare into Jonas’s face and still didn’t believe him.
“I’ve heard that those who die here stay here and I need to know if she is, in fact, here,” he said with a bit more conviction.
Still, the words didn’t ring true to Matt. “And that took four and a half hours?” he questioned.
Jonas donned a thin grin that was anything but amused. “If you lost someone here how long do you think you would take to try to contact them?” he questioned. “And I wasn’t looking at my watch,” he added with a sneer.
Matt continued to stare at Jonas with cold eyes. “Well I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” he said. “I’ve had a camera set outside of the bell tower since the night Jorden got sick and we picked up the eerie EVP. If you were there, you’ll be on the video.”
Jonas’s grin faded but he didn’t argue further and Matt knew that he had caught the man in a lie, though the extent of it was uncertain.
“I suggest that we all head to bed,” Matt said finally. “We’re going to be spending the entire day setting up equipment and taking a look at these places in the light of day.”
Quietly the group in the dining room began to disperse until all who were left were Jonas, Jorden and Matt.
“So what were you really doing out there for four and a half hours?” Jorden asked calmly.
“I was at the bell tower, and if you truly do have a camera pointed in that direction you’ll see that,” Jonas assured.
There was still some hesitation there and while there might have been some truth in his story, he was still holding something back. The turmoil in his eyes was clear enough and if it were possible, Matt knew that he would be able to hear the wheels in Jonas’s mind turning. “What else were you doing?” he questioned.
Jonas took a deep breath and rested back. “This discussion is libel to get loud. Maybe we should take this outside.”
Matt wasn’t going to argue if it meant that he was going to finally get the truth from the man and he gave him a
nod before he led the three of them outside.
Indeed the wind had picked up and there was a chill in the air that hinted at another storm approaching.
“Well?” Jorden urged as the door closed behind them.
There was another moment of hesitation where Jonas took in not just one, but two deep breaths, which hinted to Matt that neither he nor Jorden was going to be pleased. “My partners aren’t exactly looking for a clean bill of health from this place. With the increase in interest among most things paranormal, more specifically ghosts, they think that it would be novel to have a slightly haunted resort. If it were too haunted it would drive away customers but at the same time the fad at the moment is too strong for it to not be haunted at all. Both Seth Crandall and Stanley Cushman don’t believe in ghosts and hauntings, and think that it isn’t haunted at all and they pushed to have an investigation that would discover just enough going on here to pique interests. And when the fad finally wears itself out, the resort will still be popular enough to do without.”
Jorden’s green eyes were bright with angry fire and it was a look that Matt very rarely witnessed. “Exactly what did you do?” she almost growled.
Immediately Jonas grew defensive. “I didn’t do anything,” he stated firmly. “In fact I argued against coming out here in the first place. When you saw me in the square it was them to whom I was speaking. They told me that they had several devices planted that would give the impression of EVPs or EMFs. That was why I couldn’t join you and the others for dinner. I had to get back here and find the devices. When I found out where the playback devises were, I removed them…” he said then looked directly into Matt’s angry face, “…and that’s what I did for three of the last four and a half hours.”
Matt wanted to rip the man apart but Jorden’s hand on his arm calmed him enough to keep a rein on his temper. “Exactly what kind of playback devices are we talking about?” he questioned through a clenched jaw.
“All audio with the exception of a small transmitter in the refectory that created a temporary EMF. The audio playback devices were located in the refectory, the People’s Church and in the hospital on floors three and four,” Jonas informed without hesitation.
Matt continued to glare at Jonas but as much as it galled him, he felt that this time the man was telling the truth. “What did you do with the devices?”
Jonas hesitated again. “Why?”
Matt’s temper started to grow again. “I need to hear what’s on those devices so that I can eliminate the bullshit from our evidence collection!”
Jonas’s eyes flared as much as Matt’s and it seemed that they were at an impasse.
“Please Jonas,” Jorden pled in a much calmer tone.
Matt wasn’t sure if he appreciated Jorden’s interjection or her suddenly kind and understanding tone.
After another moment Jonas took in another breath only this one seemed more like a sigh of defeat. “They’re in the cottage’s cellar,” he mumbled just loud enough for Matt and Jorden to hear.
“We need those recorders,” Matt insisted.
“The only entrance is outside,” Jonas said then led the way around to the side of the house.
Had Jonas not led them personally, neither Matt nor Jorden would have even known that the entrance was there. Most of it was overgrown with vines, though it was clear where the growth had been disturbed.
“What’s that?” Jorden asked as she grabbed onto Matt’s arm.
Matt stopped, looked and listened but nothing grabbed his senses. “What?”
“I hear something.”
Both Matt and Jonas stepped away from the cellar door then stood perfectly still.
It was hard to hear anything but the rustling of the branches and the leaves of both trees and bushes as the wind continued to blow and gust, but there was something. It was low at first, but Matt was sure that he heard it too.
“You do hear it…right?” Jorden asked.
“I hear something,” Jonas confirmed.
The trio stepped around the side of the house and walked a bit down the path that led to the monastery grounds.
It was clear…it was ringing.
“It could be the wind moving the clapper in the bell,” Jonas said just loud enough to be heard over the whistling around them.
“Sure,” Matt said as he took a step closer towards the monastery grounds with Jorden holding tight to his side. “If the bell was still there.”
Before he could stop her Jorden ran into the house just to run back out a moment later. She then ran straight for the bell tower alone, though she must have said something when she was in the cottage because Tony and Isis were hot on her heels. It took every ounce of determination for Matt to ignore the ache that was increasing in his knee as he ran to catch up to the runaway trio. By the time he reached them they were already halfway up the tower’s spiral staircase.
In spite of the fact that he was absolutely furious with the three of them, he didn’t say a word. They were already in the middle of an EVP session and he’d already caused one disturbance when he charged up the stairs after them, giving them all a start.
“Are you Doctor Alberto Santini?” Jorden questioned. “Did you jump from the bell tower eighty years ago?” She paused a moment and though Matt couldn’t see her he could hear the uneasiness in her voice and thought for certain that she was getting a sick feeling again. “Do you know that you’re dead?” she asked out of the blue as she and the others stepped onto the landing where the bell once hung.
The sound of the ringing bell had ended some time ago but the oppressive thickness in the top of the bell tower was stronger than it had been the two nights they were up there investigating.
“I know that you’re here Doctor Santini,” Isis said. “Please talk to us.”
Only silence followed the plea.
“Why did you jump from the tower?” Jorden continued, though her voice strained. “What were you running from? Why are you free now?”
The air around them grew even thicker.
Matt found his way to Jorden and as though she knew that he was beside her, she stepped closer and leaned into him. “Are you all right?” he asked in a low tone near her ear.
He felt her nod. “Can you tell us who is here with us or are we alone?”
A gust of wind blew suddenly up the stairs and pushed all of them back near the arches. It may have been his imagination, but Matt was certain that the wind lingered for a brief moment just before it blew through the arches with enough force to make all four investigators grab onto whatever they were near and hold on in order to avoid being pushed through the arches themselves.
“I think that we’re done up here,” Matt said then grasped Jorden’s hand to force her to follow in case she argued, however that was far from the case. All four of the team members jogged down the stairs and none of them slowed until they were well out of the tower.
Rain started to fall as the sky finally opened up, yet none of them seemed able to move. Every pair of eyes was trained on the bell tower and Matt was sure that they all saw what he saw…and that was impossible.
“Oh my God,” Isis gasped. “Tell me I’m not the only one seeing this.”
“You’re not the only one seeing this,” Tony said with a deadpanned expression and monotone, deep voice.
“Sono libero!” was called out from the top of the bell tower then without warning, all four team members watched as a form standing in one of the pair of arches facing them freely and gracefully dove to the muddy ground below.
In spite of herself Jorden screamed and turned away even though the form disappeared before making contact with the ground.
“I don’t suppose that any one of us thought of bringing along a video recorder of any kind before we rushed out of the cottage,” Matt said as he stared at the place on the ground where the form should have landed.
“A-audio,” Jorden said as she pulled away from him.
“Audio,” Isis confirmed.
&
nbsp; “Video,” Tony said; surprising them all. “But the battery’s dead.”
Matt wanted to laugh, though not out of amusement. “When did that happen?”
Tony shook his head as the rain started to pour down with more force. “Don’t know. I started recording when we hit the tower.”
“Well let’s get out of the rain and review what we did or did not get,” Matt said as he pulled Jorden back to the cottage and the others followed. “With any luck we got something to show the others, because no one is going to believe us.”
“Sure they will,” Jorden said. “They’ll just be pissed that they didn’t get to see it too and it does nothing for our clients. They want proof, not stories.”
“No,” Matt growled, remembering what Jonas told them. “They want stories. We need the proof.”
It seemed to take forever for Tony to cue up the video on the desktop computer. The laptops would have been faster, but Matt insisted on the desktop because of the larger, flat screen monitor. Still, no one complained as they crowded around the desk.
Of course it took a little more time when Tony cued up Jorden’s digital recorder to sync with the video so they could both hear and see what happened.
When Tony hit play, the IR video playback started, as did the audio that accompanied it. The first thing they heard was the faded ringing of the bell just before it died out altogether.
“Is there anyone here with us?” Jorden’s voice asked. Through the IR, Jorden’s face was pale, though it was difficult to have any kind of positive tone when the only hues were in shades of gray. Still, she looked almost fragile, though at that moment she couldn’t recall feeling any uneasiness. “We’re looking for Doctor Alberto Santini or Evangeline Harper. Are either one of you here?”
The sound of rapid footfalls following after them echoed in the bell tower and the video turned to Matt, who jogged up after them.
The Haunting of Isola Forte di Lorenzo Page 17