Murder Lifts the Spirits

by Margaret C. Morse

  Not a smooth move, commented Blaze.

  "Thank you so much for attending." Kai's sweet voice brought me back. "I hope this meeting has helped you resolve your emotional turmoil."

  No one had been killed, so that was positive. The residents and Wyatt chatted quietly. It was good to see Dawn participating in group events, although she looked sad and wan.

  Marco darted over to me. "My ghosts and I are going to keep Wyatt busy, so you don't have to follow him."

  His announcement relieved me since Wyatt made me nervous and I needed to speak with Cullen.

  He called out, "Petra, can we talk once I'm installed back in the library?"

  "Sure," I said. I wanted his reaction to a plan that I'd come up with at dinner.

  Kai and Jake were using levitation spells to return the chairs to their places. I thought I'd help, so I pointed at a chair with orange cushions and black peg legs. "Move." Instead of going in the direction indicated by my finger, it flipped over sideways. I hurried over to move it by hand. After I lifted the chair up, I leaned down to straighten the dislodged seat cushion. I froze when in the space between the chair back and the cushion I saw a golf ball-sized white rock. It reminded me too much of the white stone creatures that had killed Cullen and Linc. I grabbed the rock and flung it across the room. I watched it land, sure it was going to explode or turn into a demon. "Destroy it!" I cried out. Jake charged over and whacked it with his wand.

  Kai and I ran up and stared at the white powder on the carpet.

  "Get rid of every trace," I urged. I wouldn't feel safe until Jake demolished it.

  Jake circled his wand above the powder and said, "Burn." Fire consumed the powder, leaving behind a black scorch mark on the wooden planks.

  "What happened?" Cullen asked, his voice shrill.

  "Is it gone for good?" I demanded.

  Kai passed her hand over the scorch mark. "I sense no magic or life here."

  "Too bad," boomed Marco behind us.

  Startled, I whirled around. "What do you mean 'too bad'? I found a white rock behind a chair cushion. White stone creatures led to the deaths of Cullen and Linc, so it's a red-button item for me. We didn't have time for debate. It had to be destroyed before it turned into something terrible."

  "I mean," said Marco, "too bad we couldn't have preserved it and studied it."

  "Someone tried to kill me," cried out Cullen.

  Kai hurried over to him, crossing the boundary line with no objection from Loki. I couldn't hear what she said but assumed she was soothing him.

  "Did I do the right thing?" I turned to Jake. I'd been really careless in picking the rock up.

  "Yes," he assured me, "we had to act quickly."

  "Oh, no," I said as I suddenly realized who'd occupied the chair. "Dawn was seated in that orange chair." I didn't want her to be the killer. There had to be some mistake.

  Marco tapped his brow. "My ghosts tell me the participants exchanged chairs several times for some unfathomable reason."

  "It keeps them on their toes," Jake explained. "All the participants sat in that chair at one time or another. We rotate them around."

  Kai turned to us. "Cullen wants to be returned to the library. He feels safer there."

  We had to wait while Jake and Kai performed reveal magic spells all over the library. Once they'd made sure no rogue stones or other devices lurked, Jake levitated Cullen with Loki perched on his head back to the shelf in the library. As soon as he was in place, Cullen announced, "I'd like to talk to Petra alone."

  Kai left, saying she'd check to see if Dawn needed support, and Marco had already disappeared to spend time with Wyatt.

  Jake nodded at Loki, who bobbed his head in return. "Call me if you have problems."

  Cullen waited till Jake left before blurting out, "If that stone had got to me and exploded, I would've been blown to bits."

  I could see why Cullen was upset. If his bust were smashed beyond repair, he'd be exterminated for good. Once the object containing an enmeshed ghost is completely obliterated, the ghost is destroyed and lost forever. Most states had laws forbidding such ghost extermination. However, caretakers who tired of their charges sometimes accidentally eliminated their enmeshed ghosts. So sad. The dog ate Aunt Emma's photo.

  I decided to be reassuring with Cullen. I'd wanted to question him about the lawsuit against Hailey, but that might make him defensive, and I needed his cooperation with my plan. "Cullen, I have a solution that should keep you safe. We'll send you back to Iowa to live with your parents and let them be your caretakers."

  "What?" Cullen's voice rose to a squeak.

  "My understanding is that most ghosts end up cared for by their families. I mean, who else would be willing to take on the responsibility?"

  "What if I don't want to go?"

  "What's wrong with going to Iowa? You were born and raised there. You must still have lots of friends in the area."

  A long pause while he chewed his lip. "My parents have always been very supportive of me. But I haven't stayed in Iowa in years."

  Since he was dead, he didn't have to worry about the weather or a job, but going back to Mom and Dad might seem like a downgrade. "During dinner, Jake forwarded some emails to me from your parents. They want you to come home. No one can guarantee your safety completely, but your parents do live in a gated community. They've promised to install additional security."

  "I have to think about it."

  I was pleased and surprised that he was willing to consider the move.

  "Here's the strategy, Cullen. There are all kinds of rules about mailing ghosts. To cut through the red tape, I'm going to have Marco and Jake ask the Wizards Council to speed up your transfer to Iowa." Surely Marco and Jake would cooperate with a proposal to get a high-maintenance personality like Cullen off their hands. "Look at the big picture. Right now, you know everyone at the ranch. Soon we'll leave the program. Strangers will come in. You'll be all alone. If you're in Iowa, you have your parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins, people who won't leave you."

  I paused to let him think. Cullen's departure might lead to an attempt to demolish him. If the killer did want to finish off Cullen, he/she would want to act before the move to Iowa. I could lurk in the secret chamber and try to catch the killer… No, even with Marco's help, I could easily be fooled by a murderer who was fast and tricky. Better to ask Marco about increased security.

  "I might go along with your plan," stated Cullen.

  Marco popped up in front of me. "My ghosts told me about the move while I was with Wyatt and Jake. We totally support it."

  "Great!" Amazingly, something was going to work out. "Can we add some security here? When word gets out about his move, there might be an attempt to destroy the bust."

  Marco surveyed Loki and the pictures of the empathic internees. "We'll be up all night talking. Cullen wants to know about our experiences as ghosts. But I'll put a lock spell on the door. Carlotta will be in the hall guarding the entry. That should do it."

  "Keep calm, and wait for instructions," advised Loki as I left.

  In the women's dorm Adrian propped herself up on her elbows in her sleeping bag. "What did you learn this evening?" she demanded.

  I stretched out and realized I didn't have the energy to give her more than the condensed version. "When Hailey tried to break up with Cullen, he threatened to sue her. Hailey told Wyatt about the threat, which does give both of them a reason to be angry at Cullen."

  She glowered. "Hailey is the victim in this mess. Cullen had no business threatening her."

  To me, being killed made Cullen the victim. "It's not a pretty story," I admitted. "I don't know how you'll feel about this, but plans are being made to ship Cullen to his parents in Iowa so they can be his caretakers."

  She snorted and flopped back, shutting her eyes. "I suppose that's one way to handle it."

  I wanted the residents to know the plans for Cullen so they could be ready for his departure. I texted the news to Ira
and Trevor plus Xara, thinking she'd like to be in the loop about Cullen. I assumed they'd spread the story.

  Snuggling into my sleeping bag, I didn't count sheep or blackbirds. I counted suspects and put Wyatt at the top of my list.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Saturday

  For breakfast I splurged on waffles topped with whipped cream and cherries to brace myself for whatever new crises arose. From chatter around the table, I learned everyone seemed to know about Cullen's move to Iowa, so my texts last night had been shared.

  Adrian, less grumpy this morning, said she approved if that's what Cullen wanted. Ira thought it a practical solution, and Trevor grudgingly felt it might work. We all agreed we needed a scheme to draw out the killer and planned to brainstorm at lunch.

  As I left the dining room, Dawn, who had been eating with Kai, asked to talk to me. She'd tamed her unruly hair by pulling it back into a stubby ponytail. Her eyes were red rimmed, and she kept biting her lips. We found a place in the hallway with no one close by—opposite the shrine for Our Mother of Mercy.

  The sight of her sad face reminded me that she needed help and that I hadn't talked with her since Linc died. She'd been with counselors, but I'd neglected her, absorbed in my quest to find the killer. I hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry about Linc." I'd been so preoccupied that my only thought of Linc had been to put his photo on my phone as the saver screen. The picture showed him celebrating his birthday at the ranch—I wanted to remember him when he lived and enjoyed life.

  She flung herself into my arms and wept, deep gulps that shook through me. Poor Dawn and Linc. She'd lost a friend, and he'd died young, his dreams unfulfilled. I tried to calm myself to say something reassuring but felt a sob bubble up my throat. We cried together, holding on to each other. What a relief to let go of my emotions. After our tears slowed, we stepped apart and swiped at our faces.

  "I miss Linc." She cleared her cloggy throat. "Do you think he'll come back as a ghost?"

  She didn't need to hear the statistic that only a small percentage of the dead reappeared as ghosts. What would give her hope? "Think how smart he was, what a brain. Ghosts are spiritual beings. If anyone had the mental strength to come back, he would."

  Her face scrunched up with worry. "Ghosts usually reappear where they died. No one's at the ranch to greet him if he returns. And Cullen showed up the next day. I've heard most ghosts come back quickly. I'm scared if Linc doesn't return soon, he never will."

  Blaze appeared on my shoulder. Marco, Marco, Marco, he squawked in my head. Yes, why hadn't I thought of it? Our own ghost whisperer. "Dawn, what about this? Marco is a very powerful ghost. I'll ask him if he could help us call Linc back. From what I remember, except for Marco, the ghost inmates of Pioneer House didn't die here. They died after they were released. Marco was strong enough to bring them back from places further than the ranch."

  Dawn grasped my hand. "Will Marco do it?"

  "I think I can talk him into it." I squeezed her fingers, pleased that she looked hopeful. One selling point for Marco would be that we could ask Linc what he knew about the murders. "I'll do my best."

  "It would be wonderful to talk to Linc," Dawn exclaimed. "Thank you." She hugged me and looked over my shoulder. "Hi, Jake."

  He smiled at Dawn. "Kai would like you to join her session."

  "I'll do my best," I repeated my promise to Dawn as she left.

  Jake studied me. "You've been crying. So was Dawn."

  Tears welled up. I couldn't stop being weepy. "Dawn and I had a good cry just now." I sniffed and wiped my face. "I hadn't spent time with Dawn since Linc died, and it all overwhelmed me." I took a deep breath. "I guess I hold my feelings back, and they explode when something triggers them." Jake opened his mouth, but I hurried on, "I know I need to work on that, but right now I have things to do. I have an idea of a way to help Dawn. I'm going to ask Marco to see if he can reach out to Linc's ghost and bring him to us. I'll pull myself together so I can approach Marco."

  Jake's eyes widened when I mentioned Linc's ghost. "Marco might help. I'd sure like to hear what Linc has to say."

  I leaned against the wall, needing support. "I guess I'm like everyone else, overwhelmed by what's happened, but I have to focus." That's the trouble with emotions—once they bubble up they keep erupting.

  "How about some help? Let me share with you the peace of Our Mother of Mercy."

  We went across the hall to her shrine. The stone-cast bell looked lonely as the only decoration on the wall.

  "I don't really believe," I said. "I'd like to, but I don't know how." I glanced at Blaze, who still perched on my shoulder. Don't overthink this, he advised me.

  Jake's expression radiated serenity as he extended his hand to the bell. When the blue light touched him, he pointed at me. As soon as the glow flowed over me, my muscles relaxed. I lost the urge to cry. Was it the magic of Jake's healing power or a supernatural touch? Don't ask, said a clear woman's voice.

  I started at the words, the blue light faded, and I stumbled sideways. Jake grabbed my arms, facing me, a surprised look on his face.

  Footsteps approached. Ira regarded us with raised eyebrows and announced, "I need to talk to Petra." He entered the men's bathroom.

  Jake, a rueful look on his face, dropped his hands.

  I patted Jake's shoulder. "Thanks. It's okay." I followed Ira, wondering how to explain.

  He leaned against the sink, arms crossed over his chest. "Witch."

  I traced the hard line of his right bicep with my fingertips. "I suppose it did look like Jake was holding me. I'll explain. I'm not the kind of silly person who enjoys making someone jealous."

  "What did I interrupt?"

  "Jake shared the peace of the Mother of Mercy with me. I heard a voice in my head. I didn't know what it was. Now that I have a second to think of it, I'm wondering if maybe the goddess did speak to me. I wanted to believe in her, so this could be the first step." If I didn't have two murders to solve, I'd be reacting more to this experience. "Hearing the voice startled me, and I lost my balance. Jake steadied me."

  "No one could possibly make that up." He frowned. "I should've told you before that I spotted you and Jake together in the barn after Linc died. It looked to me like you two embraced. So when I saw him holding on to you today—"

  "I understand." I saw how my actions with Jake could worry Ira. I hadn't enjoyed watching Hailey clutch Ira and gaze at him soulfully. "In the barn I wanted to do something for Jake. He sent staff around to help us, but no one comforted him. I think I did do Jake some good. I can see how you might have wondered about it." I pulled him close. "You're the one for me."

  He rubbed his lips over my hair. "I thought you were comforting him in the barn, so I didn't say anything. Today, I wondered. I should've noticed you were at the shrine for the Mother of Mercy. We should celebrate your hearing her voice."

  I kissed him hard, tasting him, stroking his arms, his back, pressing myself into him until he moaned. Something soft touched my shoulders. Blaze was draping us with toilet paper. Ira gently detached the paper and turned it into a white rose.

  As I was thanking Ira for the flower, his phone whistled and mine tooted. The message was succinct: Good news! The exorcism of the Disclaimer Ranch has been completed. All residents and staff will return Saturday afternoon. Hailey Silverstone.

  The news dissolved our romantic mood. Complications hit me. "Is this good news? I do want to go back to the ranch, but we won't be safe until the murderer is caught. And Cullen, will he go with us, stay here, or be sent to Iowa?" I dashed for the door. "Most important, if we're leaving, I have to get Marco working on calling out to Linc's spirit." I kissed Ira and bolted across the hall to the library.

  The handle of the door was ice cold and wouldn't budge. I'd forgotten Marco's plan to lock the door.

  Carlotta trotted over to me. "You are not to enter," she ordered. "Marco is gathering his forces to call out to the ghost of Linc Albany."

  "What?
I haven't had a chance to ask Marco yet!" I shook out my chilled hand.

  "Marco listened when you were talking to your friend Dawn. He acted immediately." She smiled. "If Marco thinks something is the right thing to do, he doesn't hesitate."

  "Great." I was a bit stunned to have my wish granted before I requested it. "What's going on in there?"

  Her face settled into its normal stern lines, although her eyes glowed. "When he summons a ghost, Marco can't have distractions. He has to conjure up all his energy. Plus he calls on the other ghosts of Pioneer House to join him. And he has five of the dead one's friends to help. Kai took four of her students." She touched the doorknob. "He's already hard at work. His efforts can change the environment. The first thing is the cold."

  I'd missed all the excitement. Feeling a bit deflated, I looked vaguely around the hallway, undecided about what to do. Ira had disappeared, probably for his first training group. With the library locked, Cullen should be safe. I didn't have to worry about him.

  "You can go to your session." Carlotta whipped out her phone. "You're scheduled for levitation exercises with Vidoc in the men's dorm."

  Boring, and in the smelly men's sleeping area. I trudged down the hall five steps then stopped. Now that things had quieted down, I had time to realize I had a headache. "Do you have any aspirin?"

  "There's a first aid kit in the dining room on the shelf above the canned peas. You can go there on your own. We've always had a security camera on the stairs and next to the basement exit door. I can keep track of you on my phone."