“Sir, yes, of course. I want to help you. But—”
“I know you’re something, some law enforcement. I’ve seen you before. I know you come here, and I’m begging you! My daughter did not go off. She isn’t shopping. She isn’t angry with her husband. She didn’t run away. She comes here to honor me. We were close. Kyle gives her time alone at the grave, and then he joins her. She was kidnapped! I saw it! Of course, Kyle didn’t, he came when she’d already been swept away. He went to the office and they said they were so sorry, but they hadn’t seen her. He called the police and they . . . they said he couldn’t report her missing because she’d only been gone a few hours . . . but I know about such things. She has to be found soon, now, as quickly as possible! This can’t be . . . it can’t be for a ransom, they’re both just teachers! I don’t mean ‘just’ teachers; teachers are the most important people, really, but they don’t make much money.”
“Sir, sir, please, calm down. And let me get my husband. We are law enforcement, yes, FBI, a special unit. And Jackson is the field director for our unit, so if—”
“He can see me?” Cameron Adair interrupted.
She nodded. “We’ll need to know everything, and we will help you. You just must calm down and give us every detail.”
“I . . .”
He broke off and she turned to see Jackson had followed her. He was so concerned. He was a great husband—except when his concern became a little overmuch—and he was a great dad. He and Corby had enjoyed an incredible bond on Father’s Day, and she knew he would always be an amazing parent with their biological child and their adopted child.
She looked at the ghost of the man before her. She saw the anguish in his eyes. And she thought about his son-in-law, desperately searching for his pregnant wife.
“Jackson, this is . . .”
“Cameron Alan Adair,” the ghost said.
Jackson nodded to the man, adding, “I see by your uniform that you’re First Lieutenant Cameron Alan Adair,” he said. “I’m Field Director Jackson Crow. Of the Krewe of Hunters, special unit,” he said. “How can we help you?”
“They won’t file a missing person’s report yet!” Cameron said. “The police came out. An officer who told Kyle they couldn’t file a report because his wife wasn’t at a grave when he was supposed to pick her up. Kyle told them she’d never just walk off. And I saw what happened, and I jumped in front of the officer and tried to manifest . . . something! But nothing, and . . . my daughter. She’s a good woman, the best, kind and caring. She’s due in less than a week. Her first child. Please, you must help me. She was kidnapped.”
“Sir, we’ll help you,” Jackson promised. “I need to know everything you saw.”
Cameron Adair was looking at Angela. “I see you, too, are expecting,” he said softly. “You must know . . . how I feel, how her husband must feel . . . I’m worried sick. She’d never risk the baby for herself. I . . .”
“Please, sir, tell us what happened,” Jackson said.
“They flew! The crows . . . they flew out of the trees, as if in warning. She even murmured something about it. A murder of crows. And then . . . he was there. He came from across the path, but he just seemed to emerge from nowhere. He walked across the cemetery in a hooded cape of some kind, ridiculous for this weather. And he was wearing a mask, which no one would notice, most would applaud, but it was a mask that covered his face and his head. He walked straight to her. He walked with purpose and intent. He had a handkerchief or a cloth drenched in something that knocked her out instantly. And he carried her straight back across the path, fast, almost as if he flew like a crow. He walked through the graves and behind a mausoleum and . . . I ran. I moved as fast as I could, but they disappeared, they just disappeared. She was kidnapped and I saw it—and I was powerless!”
“He didn’t come by car?” Jackson asked.
“If he did, he parked far away. How could he have walked through the cemetery like that with others not noticing? There aren’t many people here today, and I know the world may be social distancing, but . . . he appeared from nowhere and he disappeared back to nowhere.”
“We have to search the cemetery,” Angela said. “He may have a family mausoleum, and maybe he hides out in it until . . . until an accomplice comes for him.”
Adam and Josh had joined them by then. Cameron Adair looked confused that Josh was with them, but then said, “Hello, young sir. Oh, this gentleman sees me, too,” he said, referring to Adam.
“No, I’m afraid my dad only sees me. And that took forever,” Josh said. “I heard you, though. I’ve brought him up to speed.” He gave his fellow revenant a grim smile. “My dad put these people together; they are great law enforcement agents, and they’re exceptionally gifted, too. Or cursed. Most often, I say ‘gifted.’”
“Thank you,” Cameron said.
“So Lieutenant,” Jackson summarized, “your daughter came to pay honor to you for the upcoming Fourth of July. She comes frequently, and her husband always allows for a little alone time for her before joining her, and they leave
