The Inner Shadow (A Project Specter Mystery Book 3)

by Paul Seiple

  “Who are you?” Mason asked.

  Tom glared at Mason and smiled, but didn’t answer the question.

  “Look, I don’t know what the hell is happening here, but I didn’t sign up for this. I agreed to help Jaime get you in. That’s all,” Reggie said.

  “That’s not true, Reggie,” Tom said. “You agreed to have that whore dress you in a diaper while she spanked your ass.”

  “Who are you?” Mason asked again.

  Tom eyed him again, but didn’t answer.

  “Tell your truth, Reggie. It’ll set you free,” Tom said.

  “Shut up, you asshole,” Reggie said.

  He nearly knocked Terrence to the floor as he moved toward the bed. Reggie put his hands around Tom’s throat and choked him. Tom laughed. The deep growl bounced off the walls.

  “That’s it, bitch boy. Show the world your true self,” Tom said.

  “Calm down. Reggie,” Terrence said.

  He reached out to grab Reggie’s shoulder, but something blocked him. The hospital room lit up with a pale green glow. Kim shielded her face. Don and Mason turned away. Terrence fell on his butt and slid across the floor until his back was against the wall. He tried to stand, but an invisible force held him down.

  “Aura?” Kim said.

  “Don’t touch either of them.”

  A small greenish globe appeared in the center of the room. It morphed into the shape of a woman.

  “A dark elemental has attached itself to them. It becomes part of anyone who comes in contact with it,” Aura said.

  Reggie continued to choke Tom, who kept laughing.

  “He’s going to kill him,” Terrence said.

  “Choke me like you want to choke those whores,” Tom said.

  A static charge clung to Reggie’s wrists. His fingers loosened from around Tom’s throat until both hands were open, palms down.

  “Did Terrence touch either of them?” Aura asked.

  “No,” Kim said.

  A force pressed against Reggie’s chest, pushing him away from Tom.

  “What is happening? Who are you talking to? Who is Aura? What is touching me?” Reggie asked.

  Tom leaped from the bed. He split Aura in half, sending a green mist through the air. Tom knocked Reggie down and in a blink snapped the man’s neck. Terrence stood, but Kim blocked him from Tom.

  Aura materialized into a woman again. She touched Tom’s back. Her hand disappeared inside of him, near the top of his spine. He dropped to his knees. Tom’s face smashed against the linoleum floor.

  “I hated doing that, but he was already dead,” Aura said.

  “He’s dead?” Terrence asked.

  “Yes. Unfortunately, all who come in contact with the elemental die,” Aura said.

  “What is going on in here?” a uniformed officer asked, fumbling for his revolver.

  “Don’t let anyone you don’t know touch you,” Aura said before disappearing.

  The cop aimed his revolver at Kim. “I’m not going to ask again.”

  Mason took a step toward the cop, squinted, and read a name on the badge. “Well, Officer Denver, there was an altercation.”

  “I can see that. You’re all coming with me,” Officer Denver said.

  Nineteen

  “I’m not saying this is paranormal, or whatever your dad calls it,” Noah said, stepping into the hospital elevator. “But something really strange is going on.”

  “It’s like a virus,” Jaime said. “But not in a medical sense.”

  “Maybe it is. New viruses are being discovered all the time,” Noah said.

  “This isn’t of this world, Noah.”

  “Why did you leave?” Noah asked.

  The sudden change of subject caught Jaime off guard.

  “I took the teaching job. You know how long I’ve wanted to teach,” Jaime said.

  “No, the first time, after college?” Noah asked.

  “I… I had to get away from here,” Jaime said.

  “You mean, you had to get away from me,” Noah said.

  “You know why I left,” Jaime said. “You wouldn’t commit.”

  “Yeah, I remember. Six months later you were married,” Noah said.

  “Now is not the time to have this conversation,” Jaime said. She glanced at Noah’s arm. The flannel covered his flesh.

  “I’m not infected,” Noah said.

  The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. The doors opened. Jaime stepped out.

  “You’re right. Sorry,” Noah said, following her out. He reached for Jaime but pulled back. “I felt it too.”

  “What?” Jaime asked.

  “That night at the haunted house. Something grabbed my hand when we stepped onto the porch,” Noah said. “I ignored it.”

  “Are you going to ignore it this time?” Jaime asked.

  “I’m not sure I can any longer,” Noah said.

  “Good, ‘cause it’s not going to go away, and we can’t run from it this time,” Jaime said.

  Joe Rawley had been a corrections office for twenty-five years, and this was only the third time the job had sent him to the hospital. The first two were for breaking up fights and produced a broken finger and a concussion. This time was different. Joe felt fine except for the brief waves of rage he attributed to having to wait for over an hour and a half just to have a doctor clear him.

  Joe rolled his shirtsleeve up to his elbow on his left arm. The black marks weren’t as visible as they were back at the jail, but they were still there. It was odd. He hadn’t hit the arm. They weren’t any bruises. And they moved like trails of tiny ants marching just below the skin. But there was no pain, just a faint heat simmering beneath the flesh.

  The door opened. Joe rolled the sleeve down as if he was ashamed of the marks.

  “It’s about time. Can I get out of here?” Joe asked.

  “I can’t answer that, buddy,” Noah said.

  “Oh, it’s you,” Joe said. He laughed. “You’re the reason I’m stuck in the hellhole.”

  “Sorry about that. What did the doctor say?” Noah asked.

  “No concussion, but I already knew that. I’m fine,” Joe said.

  Jaime stepped around Noah. “Can I see your arm?”

  “What? Why?” Joe asked.

  “I told her about the marks.” Noah said.

  “I’ve seen them on other people, but not in person,” Jaime said.

  “You told her?” Joe asked.

  “She told me to look for the marks,” Noah said.

  “How do you feel?” Jaime asked.

  I feel like you’re violating my privacy, bitch, Joe thought. He swayed his head as if he were trying to shake off the punch rage just landed on his chin. “I said, I’m fine.”

  “Calm down, Joe. We’re just worried about you,” Noah said.

  “Worry about yourself,” Joe said. “You pushed Cobb. I told you something wasn’t right about him. You kept pushing. And now, I’m sitting here ‘cause I had to save your ass.”

  “What wasn’t right about Cobb?” Jaime asked.

  “Are you my doctor?” Joe asked. “Can you dismiss me?”

  “No, I can’t, but I can…”

  Joe interrupted Jaime. “Then shut hell up and be useful. Go find the goddamn doctor.”

  “All right, that’s enough, Joe,” Noah said.

  “Enough?” Joe laughed. “Fuck you, Noah.”

  Joe leaped from the bed and lunged at Noah. Jaime shoved Noah’s shoulder. Joe flew by him and slammed the side of his face into a sink. He laughed. His voice was much deeper. He shook his head again, as if he were waving off another punch. The sickening sound of Joe’s neck cracking startled Jaime. He set his sights on her. She put her hands, palms out, in front of her.

  “Relax,” Jaime said.

  Joe’s pupils blackened. “Stop telling me what to do, you bitch.”

  He moved toward Jaime. A loud pop echoed through the room, causing Jaime to cover her ears. Joe dropped to his knees before
falling onto his back. Noah looked at Jaime.

  “You OK?” he asked as he watched the blood pool beneath Joe.

  “Yeah.”

  “I had to shoot him. I couldn’t let him hurt you,” Noah said.

  “I know.”

  “Is it a demon?” Noah asked.

  “I don’t know what it is,” Jaime said. “But we need to find out before it spreads all over Cleveland.”

  Twenty

  Don stood at the wooden door with his face to the small sliver of glass. He felt like a caged animal as he watched nurses walk back and forth. It had been over forty years since Don had been involved in an interrogation.

  “Relax, you’re giving off a guilty vibe,” Kim said, flashing a grin. “The key is to stay calm. We’re all innocent until proven guilty.”

  Don laughed. “I’m not worried. So much time is being wasted just sitting in here. That elemental could be spreading throughout Cleveland.”

  “I know. We’ll get out of here soon,” Kim said.

  Mason sat in a chair, researching similar occurrences to what happened with Gardner. Aura sat beside him, sending messages to his phone from her mind. Only select people could see Aura. Only Don, Mason, Kim, and now Terrence.

  “She’s real?” Terrence asked.

  “Yeah. She’s connected to Remi,” Kim said.

  “And why can I see her?” Terrence asked.

  Aura looked at Terrence. She smiled and waved.

  “I’m not really sure how it works,” Kim said.

  Officer Denver opened the door and stared at everyone. Aura waved, but he couldn’t see her.

  “So, you’re telling me Gardner woke from a coma and attacked Reggie?” Officer Denver asked, dropping Gardner’s medical chart on a table.

  “That’s how it happened,” Don said.

  Something is bringing people’s inner shadows out of hiding.

  Mason read the message and responded.

  Are you familiar with any demon that could do that?

  Another message from Aura popped up onto the screen.

  I don’t think it’s a typical demon. It’s energy. It needs a host.

  “How about you? What did you see?” Officer Denver shouted to Mason.

  Mason didn’t look up from his phone. “I saw it exactly as Don told you.”

  “That leads to my next question, Mr. McDowell. What were you doing in Gardner’s room in the first place?” Officer Denver asked.

  The sound of a gunshot ended the questioning. Officer Denver left the room and headed toward the noise. Terrence and Kim followed. Don lagged behind. Mason turned to Aura. She was gone.

  Noah opened the door and waved in two cops. He informed the people huddled behind a desk at the nurses’ station there was no active threat.

  “What happened in here, detective?” a cop asked. His eyes were fixated on Joe Rawley’s body. The pool of blood now outlined the dead’s man’s shoulders.

  “Joe became violent and tried to attack Jaime. He left me no choice,” Noah said.

  The cop turned his attention to Jaime. “You all right?”

  “Yeah. Thanks to Detective Wright,” Jaime said.

  Officer Denver came into the room with his gun drawn.

  “Stand down, Matt. It’s not an active situation.”

  Officer Denver holstered his gun. “Did you shoot him, Jeff?" He asked the other cop.

  “No. Detective Wright ended the threat,” Jeff said.

  “Threat? What the hell is in the water around here?” Officer Denver asked. “Everyone is losing their minds.”

  Terrence and Kim stopped at the doorway.

  “Dad? Where’s Dad?” Jaime asked.

  “He’s fine,” Kim said.

  Jaime pushed by the cops. Don was walking toward the room. She ran and hugged him. “I don’t know what this is, Dad. It’s bad.” Given the situation, Jaime threw caution to the wind, forgetting Noah may be infected, and she may be infected.

  “I know, honey. Are you OK?” Don asked. “Tom Gardner was under its influence.”

  “Did he touch you?” Jaime asked. She pushed away from Don and looked him over.

  “No. I’m OK. Aura saved us at the last minute.”

  Jaime spun around, looking for the spirit.

  “She’s with Mason in the waiting area,” Don said. “What happened here?”

  “A corrections officer who saved Noah after Reverend Cobb became violent tried to attack me. I’d already figured out it transfers through touch. Noah shot him before he could get to me,” Jaime said.

  “Don McDowell,” Noah said, stepping between Terrence and Kim.

  “Noah Wright. I feel like I’ve aged two times since the last time I saw you,” Don said. He extended his prosthetic hand and pulled it back just as fast.

  Noah shot a puzzled look at Don.

  “Like I said, I’ve lived two lifetimes since the last time we saw each other,” Don said.

  He offered Noah his real hand. Noah extended his hand, but pulled it back.

  “I’m not infected,” Don said.

  “Sorry, but you can’t be too sure,” Noah said. He eyed Kim and Terrence.

  “Noah, these are my associates Kim Strode and Terrence Simms,” Don said.

  “What kind of associates?” Noah asked.

  “There will be time for that later. Let’s go catch up,” Don said.

  “I have a lot of questions,” Noah said.

  “I’m afraid I don’t have many answers… yet,” Don said.

  Twenty-One

  “Reggie’s dead?” Jaime said. “It’s my fault. I got him involved in this.”

  “You didn’t know the extent of the threat,” Don said.

  “I shouldn’t have called him,” Jaime said.

  Kim and Terrence walked behind Jaime. They kept silent. There was nothing they could say to make Jaime feel better. Mason was a few steps behind them. Noah walked with him.

  “Is this your first demon?” Mason asked.

  “What?” Noah asked.

  “Demon may be too general of a word. You know, some people call coke soda. It’s too general of a term. If I want a coke, I ask for a coke,” Mason said.

  Noah looked at Kim and Terrence.

  “You’ll get used to it,” Terrence said.

  “Is this your first dealing with the supernatural?” Mason asked.

  Noah didn’t respond. Jaime stopped at a door and waited for everyone to catch up before opening it.

  “What is this place?” Noah asked.

  Jaime switched on the lights. “It’s a satellite office Dad keeps.”

  “Why do you have an office in Cleveland?” Noah asked.

  “I figured it would be good to have for when I come home,” Don said, placing his briefcase on the table. He dropped his folded coat on the back of a chair.

  “You never come to Cleveland,” Noah said.

  Mason walked in behind Don. “Got any soda in the fridge? I mean coke.” He smiled at Noah.

  “You’ll have to forgive Mason. He’s been craving sweets since a recent trip to Africa,” Don said.

  “Only water,” Jaime said.

  “How about candy? Any of that?” Mason asked.

  Jaime smiled. “Beside the printer.”

  “OK, will someone tell me why normal, calm people are turning into raging lunatics?” Noah asked.

  Terrence and Kim took a seat at the table.

  “You’re cops, right?” Noah asked.

  “We used to be,” Kim said.

  Don took a folder from his briefcase. He showed Noah a photo of a blonde woman.

  “Is that the suspect from the diner explosion?” Noah asked.

  “Her name is Emma Zito,” Don said. “She was an up-and-coming marketing executive with no prior criminal history, not even a speeding ticket.”

  “Yet, she set the diner on fire?” Noah asked.

  “We think something possessed her before she entered the restaurant,” Mason said, unwrapping a mini Milky
Way candy bar.

  “Do you think the man who she interacted with before going in transferred it to Emma?” Jaime asked.

  “That man was Angus Thornberry. He will not be of any help. He’s dead.” Noah said. “How do you know Emma Zito is the suspect? All video from inside the diner was destroyed.”

  “How much have you told him?” Don asked Jaime.

  “Just that this is probably paranormal?” Jaime said.

  “Noah, we belong to an organization called Project Specter. Your mission as a detective is to keep the streets safe from crime. Our mission is to protect the world from a darkness that is constantly trying to infect it,” Don said.

  “No offense, but I have…” Noah paused. “… more unexplained deaths to solve than I have fingers. I don’t have time to play Scooby Doo games.”

  “You’re right, there isn’t video of the incident. But there was energy residue. Energy cannot be destroyed,” Mason said.

  Noah rubbed his forehead. “What are you getting at?”

  The white light coming from the bulbs in the ceiling changed color to a light greenish hue. Soon the entire room held a green tint. A scene projected against a bare wall across from Noah. It was the interior of the diner.

  “What the hell is this?” Noah asked.

  “As I said, energy cannot be destroyed. However, it can be read,” Mason said. “This is what happened at the diner.”

  Emma Zito was sitting at a table by herself eating soup. She rocked back and forth as if she were agitated. There was an altercation with an older woman at another table.

  “I don’t get it. How did you get this?” Noah asked.

  A dark green shadow appeared in a corner of the room. It took the shape of a woman. Features formed, but the shape remained translucent.

  “Aura,” Jaime said.

  Noah rubbed his eyes. “Aura? This can’t be real. Is that glow a ghost?”

  “It’s real,” Terrence said. “Believe me, I had a hard time coming to terms with it, too.”

  “I’m energy. If that’s too much for you, think of me as a spirit,” Aura said. “But don’t call me a ghost. I hate that.”

  “Sorry,” Noah said.