It That Has No Name II: House On Highway 89

By P. S. Kessell

A young woman discovers that she has powerful, ancestral gifts when she and her friends become victims of an upper-level demon in a house infamous for unexplained deaths and mysterious occurrences. Amber becomes aware of her gifts as she has to defend her life and the lives of her friends, old and new, when they decide to spend Halloween night inside the house on Highway 89.

Amber meets Katie, a young woman who shares an interest in the supernatural while in a gift store owned by Katie. Katie had survived the horrors of this unnamed source of evil when she was a senior in high school. It was then that Katie learned about her own gifts, gifts her own family had decided not to share with her. She was lucky to survive that night with her life. She was the only survivor back then. Now, It is back!

Her friends have no idea of the hell they are awakening in that house. Katie is back to help Amber save her friends from the insane nightmares created by this demonic presence. It has power to control what one sees, hears, and experiences, causing real and terrifying threats to their lives. The demon has the ability to assume the image of any person or thing and terrorizes Its victims to death. Can Katie and Amber use their power to help their friends survive? Who else will come to help them? Only the pages of this thriller will tell.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781649520258

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Aftermath of a Gruesome Attack

October 2018

Detective Warren Baker returned to the house on Highway 89 alone that night. Afraid to enter it, he waited outside for emergency medical personnel and backup to arrive. The sirens could be heard in the distance. The police, coroner, and investigators would arrive soon, and he would have to explain what had happened. Only he did not have any answers to their certain impending questions about such a gruesome attack. All he knew was there were several dead teenagers in a house which had a history of unsolved murders. He knew that a murderer in a long, black robe with a skull mask was on the loose in Salem somewhere.

He went over everything in his mind. He pictured each teenager and the appearance of their dead body. His only witness had mentioned seven teenage victims, but he did not recall seeing the bodies of seven teens. There was one teenager whose body he had not found. He had been all through the inside of the house with Dr. Carrollton before taking him back to town. He decided that he should search the pool area and the sides of the house. He went around the side of the house where the cars were parked.

He found the last body. Large pieces of open flesh lay exposed on a meat hook as the rest of his body laid on the ground. It looked as though something or someone had beaten on him and ripped him open while he was hanging on the hook. But how? Oh, what a horrific sight, he thought. Could this have been accomplished by only one man? Detective Baker’s mind was torn between the belief in one murderer or more than one. His interview of Katie Carrollton might reveal the possibility of more than one murderer on the loose. He would have his department on the lookout for more than one potential suspect just in case.

It would be morning before he would be able to discuss the night’s events with Katie. He hated that he made that agreement with her mother, but he remembered what happened to Evie, his last survivor of a nightmarish experience in that same house. She didn’t make it an hour from the time they rescued her to the time that Dr. Jameson pronounced her death. Deep down inside, Detective Baker felt Katie was safer at home than she was in the hospital or in police custody. He couldn’t rule out the involvement of someone at the hospital or police department being involved in the murders. Someone with access to Evie that night must have done something to her that even the doctors could not explain. Detective Baker could not risk that person having access to Katie. He would send an officer to maintain surveillance on the Carrollton home to keep Katie and her family safe through the night.

The emergency personnel and police officers arrived. A couple of police officers taped off the crime scene until the crime scene unit could get there. Another couple of officers were charged with the responsibility of informing the parents of the deaths of their children. Emergency personnel were informed that no one needing emergency assistance was found in the house. The ambulances would transport the bodies to the morgue once the crime scene unit completed their tasks of marking and tagging the evidence and bodies.

Crime scene investigators worked all night to gather all the evidence from the scene, including the information gathered from the secret room in the house. The newspaper articles and clippings were collected. Whisperings of the town’s folklore began stirring on the first night as officers looked at the bodies of the teenage victims laying before them. When people discovered that the only survivor was the granddaughter of Rebecca Hamilton, stirrings became even louder as this added fuel to the fire.

Officer Christian Benton, a young, new police officer in the department, questioned Detective Baker on his decision to permit Katie to leave without being interviewed.

Do you really think it was a good idea to let our only witness go home without being interrogated first? Officer Benton asked.

Yes, I do, Detective Baker responded. Her mother will bring her into the station tomorrow morning. There is plenty of evidence for us to collect here before we speak to her anyway.

Don’t you worry about how much time can be lost in pursuing the people who did this by not having her complete description and maybe an artist’s sketch? Benton continued to inquire.

No. She shared with me what she saw, Baker replied.

For all we know, she could be involved in these deaths…

He grabbed Officer Benton and pulled him in close. I know that family, and she was not involved. Don’t go letting ghost stories get in your head and cloud your judgment. He released his grip on Officer Benton.

Benton straightened his uniform and regained his composure before responding to Baker, For the sake of all of us, I hope you’re right.

Detective Baker went inside the house to monitor the collection of evidence from the secret room. What was in those jars? For what were those items used?

Officer Benton recently completed the police academy and joined the local police department of Salem. He was young, having just turned twenty, but he graduated at the top of his class, so he commanded the respect of his colleagues. The United States Army wanted him to sign up and go through their sniper training course. He almost enlisted, but at the last minute, he changed his mind. He decided that being in his hometown was more important to him. Things in Salem were changing, and not in the ways he desired. He wanted to be there for the sake of a better Salem. That was important to him. After all, he had lived there his whole life.

Benton wanted to be assigned to watch over the Carrollton family to make sure that they remained safe on this night, but a more experienced officer was given that assignment. He had an ulterior motive for wanting that assignment. He wanted to make sure that the star witness showed up for her interrogation in the morning. He could not help but believe that she knew more than just a man in a long, black robe wearing a skull mask was responsible. All he knew was that he had to get assigned to work this case with Detective Baker. That was not going to happen with the way things started out between them.

Benton went into the house and found Baker in the secret room. Being careful not to get in the way or to interfere with photographers and other officers, he walked over toward Baker and started to make small talk with him.

So, what do you think some of this stuff was used for? Benton asked.

I don’t know, Baker said.

Will that be important to your investigation? Benton inquired.

I don’t know, Baker replied with a smirk, displaying his annoyance with the kid.

If it is important, I’m willing to tackle that part of the investigation for us, ya know, just puttin’ that out there, Benton stated.

What do you mean ‘for us’? Baker almost laughed. What makes you think I want a nosy, inexperienced, condemnatory judgmentalist on my team?

Okay, now, that was a little harsh, but I am highly interested in this case and the previous case that took place in this house. There could be a connection, Benton said. I graduated from the academy at the top of my class, performed well in high stress situations, and was successful in high crimes interrogation. All at the academy level, of course. Benton stated that last line under his breath.

What was that I heard? Yea, you have no experience to help me with handling a case like this, Baker said.

Aw, c’mon. Please. I will be open to where the facts lead me. I will follow your lead throughout the case. You could be my mentor, Benton said. Please. Salem is my home. Our safety here matters to me.

All right, you can be my sidekick. You assist in only the ways I tell you to assist. You pursue only what leads I tell you to pursue, and any ideas that just pop into your head at 2:00 a.m., stay there until you see me at about 8:00 a.m. Understood? Baker said.

Benton agreed and began immediately making sure all evidence was getting bagged for their future inspection. They worked all night long, but they knew that they could not break for rest. Soon, Katie and her mother, Christina Carrollton, would arrive for her interview with Detective Baker.

It was time to leave to meet the Carrolltons at the station. Little was spoken between the two officers as they went together to meet with them. This would be Benton’s chance to show Baker that he belonged on this case.

*****

As they arrived, the officer who kept watch over the Carrollton home reported nothing strange had happened that night. That was funny to Katie. She did not know how he could have missed the bright red energy ball she created in the palm of her hand or Jay climbing in and out of her window. The officer must have fallen asleep, she thought. Detective Baker escorted Mrs. Carrollton and Katie into an interrogation room. Katie knew that the wall of mirrors was really glass that enabled others to see into the room. She was not sure why there would be anyone behind that glass during her interview, but she sensed that there were people in there. She sensed that there were three people in there to be exact. She just did not know why.

*****

Detective Baker welcomed Mrs. Carrollton and Katie and asked them how they were doing, especially Katie.

Katie responded, I just lost seven friends in one night. How do you think I am doing?

That is something I want to ask you about, Katie. Do you think you need a counselor or a therapist to be here with you during our discussion? Baker asked.

No, she doesn’t, Mrs. Carrollton responded. I’m her mother. She has me.

Katie nodded in agreement with her mother.

I also must ask you if you would like to have an attorney present during your questioning, Baker said.

Of course not, Mrs. Carrollton stated. Katie has done nothing wrong. She doesn’t need an attorney.

Katie, again, nodded in agreement with her mother.

Then, we shall begin, Baker said. May I get you some water?

Benton came through the door just in time for the interview to begin. To Benton, it was an interrogation, though, not an interview. He had received strict instructions that he was to sit and listen and not ask questions or interrupt for any reason. Any questions or comments he had, he was told to write down for discussion with Baker after the interview was over. Benton had no choice but to agree. He took an empty seat in a corner.

Mrs. Carrollton and Katie had declined the detective’s offer for water and were just eager to get through this interview.

Katie, this is a video recorder. We will be recording this interview for future review, and though you are not a suspect at this time, I must advise you that you have the right to have an attorney present if you should choose to do so, Benton said.

Detective Benton, Katie is innocent. She did not do these things to her friends. We have no need for an attorney as I had already stated before you turned on the recorder, Mrs. Carrollton said. Please, let’s just begin.

Katie, tell me what happened on the night of October 13, 2018, Baker said.

Katie proceeded to tell what she knew happened that night, being very careful not to reveal too much information or information which she could not have known. That was difficult for her to do since she dreamed in detail the deaths of all her friends last night. She simply explained she never saw the murders of any of her friends because she and Jay hid from the man in a long, black robe and a skull mask. She informed Baker that she knew of the deaths of her friends because they found them while running from the man in the black robe. They concluded her interview after a few follow-up questions.

Did this man ever speak to you? Did he ever make any sounds? Baker asked.

No, he never said anything. I never heard any words or sounds, Katie replied.

Do you recall seeing any tattoos or distinguishing marks on his hands or his arms or his neck or his face? Baker asked.

No, there were no tattoos or marks, Katie replied. I have really told you all that I know.

I understand that, Katie, and I appreciate that. I have one more question for you. Did you ever see the man try to communicate with other men, like there may be more than one of them? Baker asked.

No, I never saw him try to communicate with other men in any way, Katie replied.

Katie, you do understand that we are only trying to help find out who killed your friends, Baker said.

Of course, she does, Mrs. Carrollton said. She has told you everything she knows. Now I would like to take her home, if that’s okay with you.

Yes, Mrs. Carrollton, that is fine. Baker said. If she thinks of anything else, please call me immediately. My cell phone number is on the back of this card. I am going to keep the surveillance on your house for another week just to be sure your family stays safe.

Thank you, Mrs. Carrollton said.

And, Detective Baker, I do understand that you are trying to help find who killed my friends, Katie said. I understand a lot more than you know.

Mrs. Carrollton and Katie left for home.

Over the next few weeks, Detective Baker and Officer Benton would review autopsy reports, interview witnesses from the scene of the automobile accident, search for a missing body, and search for a murderer of children who could even be well-known and respected in the community. As expected, Officer Barnes’s autopsy