School Spirits: Kyrie Carter: Supernatural Sleuth, #2

By Leta Hawk

Sometimes a campus ghost story…

Kyrie Carter is thrilled to accompany her best friend JoEllyn to their alma mater, Willow Lake College, for a ghost hunt with the campus Paranormal Club. She is pleasantly surprised when celebrity ghost hunters Drac and Gabe Petery show up with their team. She is not so pleasantly surprised when her critical former teammate Spook Steele shows up with them.

…is more than just a story.

What begins as a routine investigation soon turns dangerous as Kyr encounters a malicious spirit in the bell tower of Appleton Hall. Further research shows that a suspicious fire had claimed the life of a female student in 1958. After Spook becomes a victim of a similar fire in the bell tower while investigating, the team realizes they are dealing with more than a simple haunting.

Kyr and Spook must once more put aside their differences to piece together what happened in the bell tower. The mystery deepens as they discover that everyone—townspeople and campus administrators alike—seem determined to keep the truth hidden about the events of that night. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bumblebee Road Publishing
• Release date: Aug 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536519938

Book preview

Acknowledgments

My sincere appreciation goes out to those who have accompanied me—or whom I have dragged kicking and screaming—on this publishing journey:

To my husband Mike and my sons Wesley and Wayde for putting up with my piles of notes and unfinished stories all over the house, my hours of hogging the computer, and the schedules we’ve had to juggle for all my author signings and events. I’d promise to change, but we all know that won’t happen.

To all my author friends who know how crazy and sometimes discouraging this writing life can be. Thank you for your words of support and encouragement, and for your advice, whether solicited or unsolicited.

To all the folks at Lock Haven University who shared bits and pieces of campus lore. So many of those stories became seeds for things that happened in this book, or that may happen in the next. And yes, Lou, thanks to you as well, even though you burst my bubble by telling me the real story (non-story?) of Russell Hall Mary.

A much belated thank you to Dr. John Way, one of my geology professors from LHU, who passed away in 2012 as I was writing School Spirits. Thank you for all the knowledge you shared and the friendship you offered. I honor your memory through Kyr’s geology professor, Dr. Keane.

And most of all, thank you to God, Who gave me the desire and the ability to write, Who stirred the fire within when fear or frustration threatened to put it out, and Who continues to give me stories to tell.

Unbodied presences, the pack’d

Pollution and remorse of Time,

Slipp’d from oblivion reënact

The horrors of unhouseld crime.

Some men would quell the thing with prayer

Whose sightless footsteps pad the floor,

Whose fearful trespass mounts the stair

Or burts the lock’d forbidden door.

Some have seen corpses long interr’d

Escape from hallowing control,

Pale charnel forms—nay ev’n have heard

The shrilling of a troubled soul,

That wanders till the dawn hath cross’d

The dolorous dark, or Earth hath wound

Closer her storm-spredd cloke, and thrust

The baleful phantoms underground.

From Low Barometer

By Robert Bridges

CHAPTER ONE

Tom Cochrane assaulted my ears as JoEllyn turned up the volume and began singing along to Life Is a Highway, one of our road trip songs from college. My fingers drummed on the center console, but not in time to the music. I needed an outlet for the nervous energy pulsing through my veins, and with at least another half hour’s drive ahead of us, I really had no other options.

Almost as soon as we’d pulled out of JoEllyn’s driveway it had begun, a sense of unease that thrummed in my ears and coursed through my body before coming to rest in the pit of my stomach. Cursing my tendency towards motion sickness, I dug through my purse for some Dramamine. Now, more than an hour later, I felt groggy, but the uneasiness remained. If anything, the closer we got to our destination, the more the butterflies in my stomach resembled bats—or were they vultures? I groaned inwardly, recognizing the feeling for what it was, one that I’d come to know all too well in the few months since I’d begun ghost hunting. If experience had taught me anything, it was that I was in for another wild ride on the paranormal side.

As JoEllyn slowed to make the turn onto the road that would take us over Bald Eagle Mountain, I shifted in my seat and closed my eyes. Only one mountain and twelve miles of open highway now separated us from our alma mater, Willow Lake College, where we would do an on-campus paranormal investigation. JoEllyn and I had been college roommates, and we’d shared many interests during our time at Willow Lake. The main differences between us were that she was outgoing, flirtatious, and quite girly, while I tended to be a quiet, bookish tomboy, which made us at times an unlikely pair. Obviously, one of the interests we shared was a fascination with all things paranormal. We had each had our own ghostly experiences throughout childhood as well as in college, and those experiences were often the topics of our late-night chats.

After graduation, JoEllyn had worked at the college tutorial center for a couple years, during which time she had founded the Paranormal Club. She had always begged me to come back to Willow Lake for a visit and to go on a ghost hunt. I had made plans to visit so many times, but then something always got in the way—my job, the passing of both my parents within two years of each other, and a broken engagement. After JoEllyn moved to the Harrisburg area not long ago to be closer to her boyfriend—now fiancé— Brad, any thoughts of my returning to Willow Lake had been shoved aside, until now. When she told me she was joining the Paranormal Club for an investigation on campus this weekend, I decided that this time, nothing would stop me from going back. Besides revisiting one of my favorite places in the world, I looked forward to investigating some of the unexplained experiences I’d had in the quiet little college town.

Breaking into my thoughts, JoEllyn turned down the volume and asked, So, Kyr, this is your first time back to campus since graduation. Excited?

I pushed a stray lock of red hair out of my face, and smiled, making an effort to squelch the unwelcome apprehension that threatened to overshadow this weekend. You know it! But from what you’ve told me, I may not even recognize the place.

It looks like a different campus, all right, with all the renovations and new buildings going up, but you’ll still be able to find your way around.

Recalling one of the more recent changes I had read about in the alumni emails, I lamented, I can’t believe they tore down the old shoe factory. Remember how creepy that building was, especially at night? I always expected a hand to reach out of one of those broken windows and grab me when I walked by. A shudder raced down my spine at the memory despite the bright, sunny day.

JoEllyn reached over and thumped me on the shoulder. "You’re lucky someone or something didn’t grab you, always walking around alone at night the way you did. I hope you don’t still do that."

You know I would never do that where I live now. I glanced out the window at the new housing developments springing up where farmland used to be. However, I do plan to take a walk down Memory Lane—or at least along the river—after our investigation tonight.

Good, she said simply. As I looked over at her, I could see that she was nervously chewing her top lip, something she only did when she was hiding something; she was terrible at keeping secrets.

JoEllyn? Is there something you’re not telling me?

She glanced over at me, her green eyes wide with feigned innocence. Why no, Kyr. What makes you say that?

Because you look guilty. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at her. I should know that look. Guilt was a feeling I was well-acquainted with.

Oh, psh. She waved a well-manicured hand at me. I’m not guilty of anything.

Okay, if you say so. I shrugged, turning back to the window as if I didn’t care. We were about halfway up the mountain now, so I scanned the trees for deer or bears, mentally counting to ten. I knew she wouldn’t hold out for very long.

Before I got to eight, she let out a huff. "All right, all right. It’s supposed to be a surprise, but guess who will be joining us on this investigation?" She looked like a firecracker trying not to explode.

I stared at her for a second before it hit me. No way! Petery Paranormal is coming on this investigation, aren’t they? How did you arrange that?

JoEllyn laughed, her cheeks pink with excitement. "I had nothing to do with it. Ed and Phil from the campus Paranormal Club set it up. They contacted Petery Paranormal and told them how much activity there has been since all the renovations began on campus. Drac and Gabe thought it would be fun to do an investigation with a college group." JoEllyn was positively tickled to death that the Paranormal Club had continued to grow in popularity even after she left. I also knew how much she wanted to meet Drac and Gabe Petery, founders of Petery Paranormal and stars of the Project Boo-Seekers TV show, something I had already checked off my bucket list.

I smiled to myself, remembering that weekend last October. I never thought I’d meet the stars of my favorite paranormal reality show, let alone investigate with them, and the whole experience had been a dream come true. That was, until things started getting out of hand. I shuddered as I recalled how quickly the activity at the Berkeley mansion had gone from being a little frightening to downright dangerous, as we dealt with a vengeful ghost, a hundred-year-old double murder, and secrets hidden away in the house. I still bore a couple scars from the fire at the mansion that had landed me in the hospital. My hand went to my stomach as the vultures came to life once more.

JoEllyn interrupted my thoughts. Are you okay? I thought you’d be excited to see Drac and Gabe again.

Oh, I am, I responded quickly. I’m just hoping this investigation isn’t as wild as the last one.

Oh, Kyr, I’m sure it won’t be.She was quiet as she concentrated on navigating the hairpin curve at the crest and then shifted into a lower gear as we began descending the steeper north side of the mountain. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she asked, So, do you ever hear from that Steele fellow your Aunt Julia told me about? 

It was my turn to let out a huff. Leave it to JoEllyn to bring him up. Oh, for Pete’s sake! I’d like to forget I ever met him! Meeting Spook Steele was one of the unpleasant experiences I’d had during that first investigation. Now that she had reminded me of him, I tried unsuccessfully to push him out of my thoughts, not wanting him to take up residence in my mind.

Honestly, between your rants and the way Julia goes on about him, I seriously want to meet this guy. Julia did say he’s easy on the eyes. JoEllyn gave me a sidelong wink.

I rolled my eyes, hoping I wasn’t blushing as I lied, I couldn’t see past his arrogance to notice. The truth was, his brooding, dark brown eyes, his shoulder-length chestnut hair, and his wicked grin were still as clear in my mind as they were the night I’d first laid eyes on him.

JoEllyn was quiet for the next few minutes as we continued our descent down the winding road, and I relaxed, certain that the topic of Spook Steele was now closed. She soon slowed down as we came into the town that was nestled at the foot of the mountain. As she cruised to a stop at the town’s only red light, she looked over at me, bemused. Spook certainly left some impression on you, didn’t he?

I let out a frustrated sigh, realizing she wasn’t quite done yet. Giving her a wry smile, I replied, I guess so. Of course, I left one on him too. I still cringed inside thinking of the hurtful things I had said to him, not to mention the fat lip I had accidentally given him in the graveyard. Without thinking, I muttered, If only he were like Gabe. I had begun crushing on the younger Petery brother the first time I saw Project Boo-Seekers, and meeting him in person had only intensified those feelings.

The light turned green, and JoEllyn gave me a stern look before proceeding through the intersection. "Kyr, you know I have the hots for Gabe as much as you do, but he is married. You need to stop wishing it otherwise."

Knowing she was right, I said nothing. At the edge of town, JoEllyn made a sharp left turn and took the on-ramp towards the highway that led into Willow Lake. As she waited for a lone tractor trailer to pass before merging onto the highway, she continued, more kindly, Look, I know this probably isn’t the time to be giving you love advice... Then don’t, I thought irritably, not wanting another impromptu therapy session about my inability to move on after Trevor. There was nothing she could say about that topic that hadn’t already been said a hundred times in the past few months. She must have read my expression, because she relented. Okay, I won’t go there again. My tight-lipped, triumphant smirk was short-lived as she continued, But I will say that you need to stop putting Gabe Petery on a pedestal. Daydreaming about being with him may be fun... She couldn’t hide a lecherous grin as she fanned herself with her free hand. A lot of fun, but Kyr, daydreaming about someone you can’t have to avoid the possibility of being hurt again, honey, that’s no way to live.

We fell silent again, both lost in our own thoughts as we made our way up the interstate towards our destination. My mood didn’t stay dark for long, however. As JoEllyn took the ramp that led into downtown Willow Lake, I leaned forward in my seat, eager to see the town where I had spent my college years. We stopped at a red light coming into town, and I pointed to a small restaurant on the corner. Oh, the Mustang Grill! I exclaimed. I wonder if old Pete still works in the kitchen.

JoEllyn snorted and replied, No doubt! Remember how he always had that cigarette hanging out of his mouth? I swear ashes were the secret recipe in his chili.

The car behind us honked its horn, and JoEllyn turned her attention back to the road. Seeing that the light had turned green, she turned left onto Market Street, and I looked around, amazed at how much had changed. The music store stood empty, its painted logo faded and a For Rent sign hanging in the window. Greenberg’s Drug Store had been replaced by a CVS, and Doc’s Bar and Grill, where I had celebrated my 21st birthday, had been demolished and replaced by a parking lot. Wait, there’s a Subway. Didn’t that used to be that smelly old pet store?

JoEllyn chuckled and raised an eyebrow. I told you things have changed. Wait till we get closer to campus.

My heart sank as I saw how many of the family-owned businesses had either been replaced by chain stores or just sat empty. So much for my trip down Memory Lane, I thought forlornly. Suddenly a corner hair salon caught my eye. Oh, Rita Rae’s is still here. I had shared a studio apartment above Rita Rae’s with another student one summer when I worked at the library. My roommate usually spent the night over at her boyfriend’s, so I was often alone. One night, a dish towel had flown off the counter past my face and landed on the floor six feet away, which at the time was the scariest thing I had ever seen. Oddly enough, I had never mentioned it to my roommate, but I had frantically called JoEllyn and told her what had happened. She had always been more welcoming of paranormal activity than I was, so while I had freaked out over my experience, she had merely laughed about it and assured me that whatever spirit was in the apartment likely meant no harm. Still, I had slept with the lights on after that. Do you remember my crazy experience there?

I sure do! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so freaked out. I wonder if anyone else has had experiences there. JoEllyn grinned over at me. Wouldn’t it be fun to check out that apartment?

I shrugged noncommittally, knowing we really wouldn’t have time to pursue that rabbit trail. We had turned onto Belle Vista Avenue and were nearing campus when my eyes flew open in surprise. Just as JoEllyn had told me, there where the crumbling, sprawling brick shoe factory had stood, a brand new student housing building was going up. Many people had called the shoe factory an eyesore, even while we were in college at Willow Lake. Still, despite its downright spooky exterior, I had always thought it had character and was a reminder of the town’s history. Without it, the street just didn’t look the same, and I felt as though something important were missing. Wow, was all I could say. As we passed the site, I turned in my seat and craned my neck, still in disbelief over the transformation.

JoEllyn nudged my side, and I turned around. Before us lay the Willow Lake campus. She slowed down as we passed the Graham E. B. Lawrence Fine Arts Building and a couple of residence halls. My jaw dropped as I saw the three-story building that used to be the one-story dining hall. Arthur-Ambrose Campus Center? I exclaimed, confused. When did the dining hall become a campus center?

JoEllyn laughed, About three years ago, when Dorothy Arthur passed away and left her entire fortune to the college. You had to have seen the Alumni newsletters. She quickly related the story of Mrs. Arthur, who had never herself attended Willow Lake, but had been adopted by one of the clubs on campus as a service project. The members helped her maintain her modest yet comfortable home after her husband passed away suddenly. Everyone had assumed she was a widow struggling to make ends meet, so it was a shock to everyone when the college was named the sole beneficiary of her estate, which was worth several million dollars. I guess it pays to be nice to people.

That’s what my grandma always said, I added, as we turned onto Fernwood Court, which would take us around to the back of Douglas Hall, where we were meeting Ed, Phil, and Amber from the Paranormal Club.

JoEllyn pulled into a parking space behind Douglas, and we got out of the car. Two people were standing just inside the back door, and they came out to meet us. JoEllyn stepped forward confidently and shook hands with a tall, blond man wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a red 2 Cellos sweatshirt. She introduced herself and me, and the man said, It’s so nice to finally meet you, JoEllyn; we’ve heard so much about you and how you got this club off the ground. We’re so glad you could come. I’m Ed, and this is Phil.

I stepped forward and shook Ed’s hand. As I reached for Phil’s hand, I was a bit taken aback. I had expected Phil to be a man, but Phil was a tall, willowy, raven-haired woman. She seemed to pick up on my momentary confusion and laughed, Phil is short for Philesia. I get a lot of strange looks when people first meet me.

I smiled back at her, instantly at ease. Well, with a name like Kyrie, I can say that I share your pain.

Ed said, Amber will join us later this evening. She works in Admissions and won’t get off till five. She already met with Drac and Gabe, and they’re setting up over at Palmer Hall.

Not a problem, JoEllyn responded. So what’s on the agenda?

Phil motioned towards Palmer Hall, a classroom building that also housed the student computer labs and the campus radio/TV station. We’ll go over and touch base with Petery Paranormal. We’re going to set up Center Command at Palmer and take advantage of the computers and all the other media equipment. I gathered that Phil was the Paranormal Club’s tech expert.

The four of us headed towards Palmer Hall. As we followed the narrow sidewalk to the back of the building, I could sense the others’ excitement as they anticipated meeting Drac and Gabe, and whoever else they may have brought along from Petery Paranormal. I smiled, recalling how I’d felt the first time I met them, and I had to admit, I was just as excited to be seeing them again. As we came around the side of the building and caught sight of the Petery Paranormal vans, JoEllyn suddenly grabbed my arm and let out a little squeak. Ed and Phil turned around to look at us, and Phil’s sparkling eyes told me that she was trying to contain her excitement too. JoEllyn giggled like a schoolgirl and asked, So what do you think Drac and Gabe will say when they see you?

Before I could answer, Ed interrupted, Oh, that’s right! You’ve already investigated with them!

I smiled nervously and bit my lip. They might pack up and head back to New York after what happened the last time...

Oh, stop! JoEllyn exclaimed, giving my shoulder a slap. I’ll bet they’ll be happy to see you again. Why don’t you hold back so they don’t see you right away? Then jump out and surprise them.

Ed and Phil agreed, and then started towards the Petery Paranormal vans. While they went around to the back to meet Drac and Gabe, I quickly dashed to the side of the van so they wouldn’t see me. I heard Ed and Phil introducing themselves to Drac and Gabe, and Gabe asked, Is the other group here yet?

Ed introduced JoEllyn first to Drac and then to Gabe. I bit back a laugh as the usually-confident JoEllyn McFadden stuttered and stammered like a star-struck teen.

Drac sounded surprised as he asked, Are you the only one from your group who could make it?

As though someone had flipped a switch, JoEllyn instantly recovered her composure. No, I actually brought along our resident supernatural sleuth.

My eyes widened in mortification, and I hissed, JoEllyn! Gabe had jokingly called me a supernatural sleuth during the Berkeley mansion investigation, and I had in turn mentioned it to JoEllyn, who had found the moniker so clever that she had it put onto a T-shirt that she’d given me last Christmas. The T-shirt I had for some reason decided to wear for tonight’s investigation. I wanted nothing more than to slink back to the car and dig my hoodie out of my duffel bag, but JoEllyn caught my eye and gestured enthusiastically for me to come out. Pasting a smile on my face, I stepped out from behind the van with a cheery, Hi, guys..

The Petery brothers looked at each other and laughed. Drac came forward and caught me up in a hug. Kyr! So you found yourself a paranormal group after all! That’s awesome!

Gabe was next, giving me a bear hug and picking me up off the ground. It’s great to see you again, Newbie! He put me down and took a step back. Noticing my T-shirt, he chuckled and asked, Or are you going by Supernatural Sleuth now?

My eyes shot daggers as I glanced at my former best friend. I tried my best to sound glib as I quipped, Well, I do like the alliteration of that title. Kinda goes with my name.

Gabe tossed his head back with an easy laugh. That’s as good a reason as any. It’ll be great to investigate with you again.

I made a face. Let’s just hope this investigation doesn’t turn out to be as crazy as the last one.

Gabe cocked his head and joked, "Well, if you’re involved, how could it be anything else?"

Drac stepped forward and nudged Gabe, suddenly wary. Speaking of the last investigation, Kyr being here is kind of unexpected. How do you think this will go over with...? He motioned with his eyes towards the other Petery Paranormal van. Lynette, one of the other investigators, had just peeked around the side of the van and said something to someone else inside, then started towards us.

I was just about to ask Drac what he meant when out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement. I glanced toward the van, and my stomach dropped. I felt the color drain out of my face as I saw none other than Spook Steele.

CHAPTER TWO

Judging by the look he was giving me, I assumed that Steele was just as unhappy to see me as I was to see him. We stood for several moments staring each other down; the only things missing were guns, ten-gallon hats, and a high-noon sun. I became aware of JoEllyn’s hand on my arm, and I noticed that Drac had inched closer to Steele. Ed and Phil looked uncertainly between Steele and me, and Lynette pressed against the van as if anticipating a physical confrontation.

Drac tried to lighten the mood. Well, we know Spook and Kyr already know each other. He quickly introduced the others. Then looking at Ed, he finished, We’re still waiting for Amber, right?

Still eyeing me questioningly, Ed said, Yes. She’ll be through with work in about ten minutes.

The next quarter hour seemed to last an eternity while we all made small talk to pass the time. Steele and I stayed as far away from each other as we could. JoEllyn sidled up to me and tried not to make it obvious that she was sizing up Steele. "So that’s the infamous Spook Steele? Your aunt was right; he is quite the hottie!"

I gave JoEllyn a withering look and was just about to give her a sharp reply when Gabe sauntered over. So, JoEllyn, we’ve heard a lot from Kyr about you. How long have you ladies known each other?

JoEllyn fluttered her eyelashes. "Oh, Gabe, you can call me Jo. Recalling her admonition to me about my emotional attachment to a married man, I raised an eyebrow at her, which she ignored. We met here at Willow Lake, in a literature class, of all places. We had quite a fascinating debate over The Crucible. After that, we discovered we had a lot in common and ended up rooming together for three years."

She turned on her charm and engaged Gabe in a conversation about ghost hunting, entertaining, and whatever else popped into her head. I tried to stay focused on what they were saying, but my eyes were drawn over Gabe’s shoulder towards Steele, who was leaning against the other van, talking and laughing with Ed and Drac, and smoking a cigarette. Cigarettes disgusted me, and seeing him carelessly flicking ashes onto the parking lot and blowing smoke into the air made me shake my head and wonder what other bad habits he might have. Still, I couldn’t help watching the way his jaw moved when he took a drag, or the way the wind kept blowing his hair into his face. As much as I hated to admit it, JoEllyn and Aunt Julia had a point that the man was handsome. Very handsome.

I didn’t realize I was daydreaming until Gabe waved his hand in front of my face. I blinked hard a couple times and pulled my attention back to him and JoEllyn. Gabe’s dark eyes sparkled at me, and the playfulness in his voice made my heart skip a beat when he asked, You’re not falling asleep on us, are you? It’s not even dark yet.

JoEllyn jumped in with a chuckle, I don’t think she’s falling asleep. I think she’s dreaming with her eyes open. I knew by the tone of her voice that she had caught me staring in Steele’s direction and was obviously drawing the wrong conclusion.

I stammered, Oh, stop...I’m not...I wasn’t...oh, forget it. Lowering my head to hide my reddening face, I stalked over to where Lynette and Phil stood chatting. I heard JoEllyn laughing as I walked away, and she began talking to Gabe in a lowered voice. I suspected their conversation had turned to Steele, so I tried to ignore them.

As I approached, Phil was just telling Lynette about her most recent Etsy purchase, a crocheted throw that resembled the night sky, complete with constellations. I gathered from this tidbit that she was either an earth science major or was interested in astronomy or mythology. Obviously taking in my flushed cheeks, she asked, Everything okay, Kyr?

Still flustered, I forced a smile. Yeah, they’re just picking on me.

Lynette laughed, Good old Gabe, always trying to be the life of the party. In the late afternoon sunshine, I noticed that her hair was an even deeper shade of red than the last time I had seen her, and she had added some streaks of blue and teal.

Phil and I laughed along with her, and I glanced over at Gabe and JoEllyn. My breath caught as I noticed Steele had walked over to them and was now talking to Gabe. JoEllyn smiled slyly and said something to Steele. I expected him to give her the cold shoulder as he had done to me, but to my irritation, he didn’t.

Lynette’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I guess we can assume that you and Spook didn’t miss each other one bit, how ‘bout it?

I snorted. You got that right. I crossed my arms and glared in his direction. I’ve never seen anyone with such a big chip on his shoulder.

Well, Lynette said, "You know he can be a little stand-offish till you get to know him."

Phil twirled a lock of her long black hair. Well, he’s sure not being stand-offish with JoEllyn.

My chest tightened as I continued to watch him. I hadn’t missed the fact that Steele was indeed chatting quite comfortably with JoEllyn, and Phil pointing it out only made it worse. I tried to tell myself that it didn’t bother me, but the sting of tears in my eyes betrayed what I felt deep down inside. I had always been the girl who got along with everyone, and the idea that Steele had taken an instant dislike to me when we’d first met was admittedly a blow to my ego.

At that moment, Ed raised his hand to someone, and Phil said, Sweet, here comes Amber. Now we can get this show on the road.

Lynette and Phil started towards Drac and Ed, but I stood for a moment watching Steele. He saw Amber approaching and gave Gabe and JoEllyn a nod before heading over to the other van. He looked my way, and our eyes met briefly. The friendly openness vanished from his face and was replaced by the cold arrogance that he seemed to reserve just for me. He looked away, and I felt my face grow hot as he turned his back towards me. As I stood there, uncertain of where I should go, my eyes met Gabe’s. His questioning look only increased my irritation towards Steele. I closed my eyes for a moment to clear my mind and took a deep breath. Steele was not going to ruin this investigation for me. Gabe and JoEllyn headed over to where Amber was already giving an overview of the buildings we would be covering. Like a lot of college campuses, we’ve had reports from many of the buildings, but the most activity seems to be in the Lawrence Fine Arts Building; McKenzie Hall and Borland Hall, which are both residence halls; and Appleton Hall, which used to be a residence hall but was recently converted to an administration building.

Drac stuck his hands in his pockets and raised his eyebrows at Gabe. Looks like we’ve got some ground to cover. Care to show us around the hotspots?

Sure, Amber replied, pulling her long, curly, blond hair into a ponytail. She glanced at JoEllyn and me and said, One of you two should probably come along on the tour since you’ve both lived on campus and know some of the stories about these buildings.

I looked at JoEllyn, whose eyes glittered with hopeful eagerness. I knew she wanted to accompany Drac and Gabe, and by rights I knew she should go since she had spent more time on campus than I had, but I really didn’t want to remain behind where I’d have to work with Steele. In the end, I decided to be professional. You should go, Jo. You’ve been around on campus longer and have heard and experienced more.

JoEllyn’s eyes lit up, and I knew my assumption had been correct. Are you sure you don’t mind?

I nodded. I’ll help get set up and catch up with you later. I knew JoEllyn would share the experiences I’d had, and I was certain I could stay out of Steele’s way for the time it took them to do the tour.

Okay, Drac said in a