“Oh. Well, if you stick around we can get you some identification made up, but in the meantime, we’ll rely on Leonard to acquire the police reports. I’ve found that I can pose as an insurance investigator and pull it off. It lets me question family members and witnesses without getting their back up like they do when you try to play a reporter.”
Nodding, I said, “I understand that, reporters asking questions after a death in the family is messed up.”
It was nearly dark, but the hamburger joint the clerk had mentioned was easy to spot. Neon lights lit a nearly full parking lot. Gail pulled the van off the road and backed into a parking space at the lot’s perimeter.
“We didn’t get to talk much about the job,” I said as we met outside of the van.
“Yeah, I’ll cover it while we eat, how’s your appetite?”
“Pretty good, breakfast was a long time ago,” I said.
“That pint of whole blood didn’t fill you up?”
“Hah, you’re the funny one today.” I grabbed the door a step ahead of Gail and opened it.
“Thanks,” she stepped past me and waited inside. “I guess getting a reprieve from the grim reaper will lighten anyone’s mood.”
She pointed toward a booth near the back wall as a waitress noticed us. I followed Gail and found that she slid into the side facing the door. I had planned to sit there but figured she could watch the door as well as me. If it had been anyone else, I’d have asked her to swap seats with me, but Gail had a veteran’s distaste of sitting with her back to the door. I hadn’t been that way until I joined the Army.
The waitress dropped off tumblers of ice water and menus. Gail ordered coffee for both of us and the waitress left. I took a moment to glance over the various burgers and then set the menu aside. I found Gail had already set down her menu.
“Okay, about tonight. Leonard identified two other professors who were at the museum opening. I expect one of them is going to be hacked up tonight. Leonard is trying to determine which one and if he can’t, we’re going to break into the museum, and look for some evidence of what’s killing these people.”
“Okay, then we have a fifty-fifty chance of getting the right one unless Leonard comes up with something specific. That’s not great odds when someone’s life is on the table,” I said.
“Well, we could split up and cover both of them, but I really don't want to do that to you. We don't know what we're facing so therefore you might not have any idea how to stop it if you're by yourself. Either we’ll get a definite target or we’ll hit the museum first. Maybe there’s evidence or something else there that’ll help us decide.”
“So what do you think is doing it?”
Gail shrugged and then lifted one hand in a motion for silence. A second later the waitress set two coffee mugs and a carafe on the table. She took our orders; Gail got the same “house special” burger and fries that I ordered. I knew we were soul mates.
As soon as the waitress stepped away, Gail continued, “Could be a number of things. It’s suspicious that these killings are occurring immediately after the museum opening. That could mean it has something to do with the museum itself. I checked and it’s a Native American history museum. So I’m thinking they’ve awakened a spirit, maybe a protector spirit or just a poltergeist from some long dead native. If it doesn’t have anything to do with a violation of some grave or sacred site, then I’d guess one of the professors sicced something nasty on the others.”
“Why would anyone do that? It seems kinda farfetched.”
“Not as much as you would think. Look at the alibi, the perpetrator can be in another state when the actual murders are occurring so he’d be pretty much covered from a law perspective. Most bad guys don’t know there are hunters who make a hobby of getting justice when there’s supernatural evil involved.”
“That makes sense. Have you actually had to kill humans?”
Gail glanced over my shoulder and then nodded. “Yeah, one witch and one fool who came across a summoning book. Most of us don’t like hunting humans. However, if they’re delving in spirits, demons, or witchcraft, what’s the law going to do to them? First, the cops wouldn’t believe it was possible; second, the cops wouldn’t have any way to prove they’d done the deed.”
Gail shook her head and sipped at her coffee. “I wish I could say it was distasteful, but what are you going to do, they’re killing people who are defenseless from that kind of attack. Someone’s got to stop them.”
I shook my head. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t. You have the experience; I’m just a spear-carrier.”
Gail chuckled. “I never pictured you as a spear-carrier, Jesse. I know you’re not sure you want to do this full time, but trust me, it’ll get into your blood.”
I glanced at the spot on my arm where the Band-Aid covered the IV site.
“Not like that, silly.” When I grinned, Gail went on. “The museum closes at eight; I figured we’d take a quick swing by there and determine if there is or have been any spiritual energies playing around.”
“Just how do you do that? Do you have a magic ball or do you use an Ouija board?”
“Joking, I like that, after what you’ve seen the last three nights I wasn’t sure you could keep it up. It’s a good sign. No, we’re a little higher tech these days. Great-granddaddy might have used those, but we use EMF meters. They won’t tell you what you’re finding, but they at least indicate that there’s something to find.”
“And if there’s something there, how do you handle a spirit?”
