Vickie laughed. Yeah, yeah, honestly, I know!
So! Back to earth here. Griffin is on his way? Roxanne asked.
In a roundabout way, Vickie said. Well just have dinner and go to my place.
Youll go to your place, Roxanne said. She shivered. I want to stay a mile away from whatever it is you have going on!
Vickie didnt blame her friend; Roxanne had gotten a concussion when shed been dragged into the investigation during the Undertaker case. She might have been killed.
Oh! What I saidit sounded absolutely horrible! Roxanne said, wide-eyed. I mean, Id like to think that Im a good friend, that Id be with you through thick and thin, but
Its okay! Vickie assured her.
You two will want to talk. Do you think that Griffin caught the person who attacked Alex? Do you think that Alex is safe now?
I dont know. Griffin seems to think that theres more than one person involved.
Oh! Then...maybe Alex isnt just rude, or forgetful, or having an emergency with his dog, Roxanne said.
He doesnt have a dog, Roxanne, and I am getting more and more worried.
Vickie managed a smile for her friend. Its okay. Go home. I do understand. And Griffin will be tired and we will need to talk. So, well finish dinner...and hope that Alex is okay. That hes just being rudeand the danger facing him is going to be from me! Vickie said. She tried to speak lightly.
She just didnt believe that Alex was rude. He was too good a guy.
And that meant...
She tried to keep her worry at bay as they ordered and made small talk as they waited. She didnt do so very well. She picked at her food. And finally, Roxanne said, Hey, lets go. I have to wrap up my latest painting to bring to a gallery at Copley Square tomorrow. And youre not enjoying your time with me. And Im enjoyable. So lets just cut it short. I know youre worried.
They left the restaurant, walking together as far as they could to their apartments, and then warning each other to keep their eyes out for trouble.
Both women carried whistles and macesomething Griffin had insisted on after all the trouble during the Undertaker situation.
But Vickie reached her apartment with no one doing anything other than giving her a nod in acknowledgment as they passedthat was Bostons method of a smile, she thought. A nod!
Entering her apartment, she called Griffins name, but she didnt believe that hed returned yet, and he hadnt.
Her apartment, however, wasnt exactly empty.
It appeared that a young couple was seated on her sofa.
They were both just teenagers, and attractive. He had been a high school football hero, well-built, charming, quick to smile. She had been a light-haired, light-eyed beauty, incredibly sweet, tragically naive. They were really adorablecompletely absorbed with one another...
And dead.
Of all things, they seemed to be watching a marathon showing of The Walking Dead on Netflix.
The boy was Dylan Ballantine. Hed saved Vickies life when shed been a teenagerand hed haunted her ever since. A good thing, since hed helped incredibly in the recent Undertaker situation. His family had been involved, and Dylan dearly loved his family.
The young lady...
She was newer at being a ghost.
Tragically, shed been a victim of the Undertaker.
Vickie saw the remote on the coffee table and picked it up to turn the volume down.
Hey, she said to the two.
Hey, Vickie! We didnt expect you back yet! Dylan jumped up, looking as guilty as a teen caught petting in the back seat of an old Chevy. We thought youd be late, that you and Alex would go on forever and ever over all youd dug up! Dylan added. We arent really TV hogs, you know.
Its okay. You know youre welcome to the television. Im happy that you guys are enjoying your...
She almost said lives!
Enjoying each other, being together. Enjoying...
The Walking Dead? Dylan asked, amused.
Youre ghosts, not zombies, she reminded him. Dylan did have a wicked sense of humorhed spent years totally enjoying tormenting her, trying to make her speak to him in public and, in short, look entirely crazy.
Years ago, Vickie had been babysitting when an escaped serial killer had targeted her. Her chargeNoah Ballantinehad been born after the death of his older brother, Dylan, whod been struck by a drunk driver at seventeen. And when the psycho had been in the house, Dylan had materialized before Vickie, warning her to grab Noah and get the hell out.
Terrified, she had done so. At that time, Griffin Pryce had been a cop and was out on the street, and hed been the one to bring down the man who had been about to kill her and Noah.
While shed felt an instant connection to Griffin, she hadnt seen him again until he had returned to Boston as an FBI agent, looking into the Undertaker kidnappings and killings.
But while the ghost of Dylan Ballantine spent much of his time in his parents home, which wasnt far from Vickies, hed apparently made it his vocation in death to haunt Vickie, down in New York City when she had been at the university, and again here, in Massachusetts, since she had moved back. Hed actually become an amazing friendalthough one who still liked to taunt her in public and make her appear to be insane when she forgot herself and responded to him.
And now, Dylan had a friend of his owna ghost friend.
Darlene Dutton was a couple years older than Dylan, but she was equally sweet and innocent. She had been the first victim of the Undertaker murders. And while she had seen justice done, it appeared that she liked learning about the spirit-world-on-earthand being with Dylan. So it seemed she was sticking around.
Dylan was now an experienced ghost. He was quite capable of manipulating items, like moving a can of pop a few inches or using a remote control. And he had no problem making himself seen to those with the special gift of seeing the dead. Vickie had noticed that while most of the population didnt see Dylan or Darlene, they did often stop and frown when the ghosts passed, or shiver, as if aware that theyd been brushed by someone or something that they hadnt seen.
Alex didnt show, Vickie told them.
Dylan immediately looked perplexed. Alex couldnt see Dylanhe didnt see ghosts. But Dylan had tagged along with Vickie to a couple meetings with Alex.
He liked the nerdy historian. And he admired him.
Alex didnt show? I think he lives for his time with you and other friends with whom he can actually talk a lot of history. I dont mean that in a bad way, but... Its weird he flaked.
Ive told Griffin that Alex didnt show up. Well figure out something when he gets here. By the waysince I doubt you guys watched the news at any pointGriffin stopped one of the attackers tonight. A head-smasher, just like Alexs assault. And the guy killed himself rather than be taken.
Wow, heavy, Dylan said, very serious despite his words.
Thats extremely scary, Darlene agreed. She hopped up off the sofa. Vickie is worried, and Griffin is headed home. Lets go, Dylan. We need to leave them with some privacy. Well go see how Noah and your folks are doing.
Sure, yeah, sure, we should get out of here, Dylan said. He looked worried, though. Darlene is right. Griffin is going to be wrecked after a night like that. Hell want to talk.
Sure, yeah, sure, we should get out of here, Dylan said. He looked worried, though. Darlene is right. Griffin is going to be wrecked after a night like that. Hell want to talk.
Hell want to be alone, Darlene said softly.
Thats fine, Vickie said.
No, youre in a relationship now. Cant let it grow ho-hum, Dylan said, grinning at Vickie.
Thank you. Ill remember that! Vickie said.
Dylan, really, Darlene murmured.
Its fine. Dylan has enjoyed tormenting me for years, Darlene. And Im sure it will all be okay.
No, none of it sounds okay, Dylan said. Alex is a cool guyit wont be okay until you know that hes all right. Dont forget, were always here when you need us.
But you dont need us tonight, Darlene said firmly.
Not to worry, Vickwe always come back to haunt you! Dylan told her, trying for a light grin.
Haunt meand help out, she reminded him. Remember, Im quite accustomed to you and that we bothGriffin and Iappreciate the two of you very much.
I just wish my parents watched The Walking Dead, Dylan said, shaking his head in puzzlement that anyone wouldnt want to watch the series from beginning to end. And Noah, well, hes great, hell put on anything we want, but...hes only nine.
Maybe in a few years we can do a marathon viewing with Noah, Darlene said.
That will be fun! Dylan agreed, grinning at Darlene. But then his grin faded and he turned back to Vickie. I will see you tomorrow. We need to know everything that went on with Griffinand, most importantly, with Alex.
Absolutely, Vickie said.
She watched them go. They both simply disappeared through the wall. When Dylan came to visit when she was home, he made a point of knocking. Only emergencies caused him to do anything less thoughtful or proper.
When they were gone, Vickie tried Alexs number again. No answer.
Maybe hed lost his phone. Nohe would have called her from another phone. Actually, hed have been at a store in two seconds to get anotherhe had a Facebook group that talked about all kinds of history, travel, weird places and such similar things, and she was pretty sure that Alex went into withdrawal if he couldnt catch up on the latest at every possible opportunity.
She opened the app and checked Alexs Facebook page.
He hadnt been on the site in over twenty-four hours.
She called Griffin quickly then. He didnt answer at first. Frustrated, she plopped down on the sofa in her parlor.
Her phone rang right back.
Griffin.
You all right? he asked.
She smiled; she could tell he was trying to keep any touch of anxiety out of his voice. She knew that hed always be concerned about herit was part of what he did for a living, and by vocation. He saw too much that was bad.
Fine. Im home. In the apartment. I had an idea. Can you trace Alexs phone?
Well, there are a lot of legal ramifications, Griffin said.
Ill report him missinghow about that? she asked.
You know, unless we have good reason, twenty-four hours is
We have good reason! He was clunked on the head. He had a police guard for a couple of weeks after. Go figurehe disappears after that guard is taken off.
The attacks appeared to be random, Griffin reminded her. No community has the manpower to watch victims endlessly, especially when it appears the danger has moved on.
I know that.
He could be fine.
No. I dont believe that even as a ray of hope anymore, she said.
Okay, well take the angle that something is wrong. Well get a missing-person report going, and...well get into his phone records, Griffin said. Im in a paper tangle right now as it isIll get Barnes to have a man from the right department get everything started for Alex. Lord, if hes just off doing...doing whatever scholars do...well, I guess thats the best-case scenario. But well treat him as a missing person and work on finding him with all possible resources, okay?
Much better. Are you coming home soon? she asked.
Well, he told her, his tone ironic, Ill be a little longer now.
Dont be too long.
You going to make it worth my while?
Hmm. You bet, she told him.
Aha.
I can be full of surprises, she assured him before hanging up.
Restless, she headed into the kitchen, made herself a cup of tea and then settled down at her computer with the pad of scribbled notes shed made from research sites and her own library.
Ever since seeing the scrawled quotation on Alex, shed been looking up Satanism and witchcraft in Massachusetts.
Most of what she could find on witchcraft had to do with the travesty of justice that had occurred during the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. Shed recently turned in a nonfiction book for a university press that had dealt with the Puritan rule in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with a special focus on Puritan ministers. While Cotton Mather had saved a few witches, by caring for them himself, hed also been instrumental in the executions that had occurred in Salem. There had been a few other trials and executions of so-called witches in the colony, as well. It seemed so appalling now and, in her mind, so ridiculous she couldnt believe anyone had abided iteven in the devil-fearing darkness of the early days of the colony.
Of course, Salemand surrounding areasalso had a nice population of modern-day real witches: wiccans. They were an acknowledged religion and Vickie had friends among them. They didnt cast evil spellsthey lived by a threefold rule, where any evil done to another comes back on one threefold. It was a pretty good framework for not hurting people!
But there were instances of Satanism rather than witchcraft that had taken place in Massachusetts. According to the Puritan fathers, there would be little difference. In the Puritan world, witches danced naked in the moonlight, signed the devils book and frolicked with all manner of decadence and enjoyed the pleasures of the fleshin return for being wicked, of course.
The first accusations of witchcraft had occurred in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1645. Hugh and Mary Parsons had accused one another. Hugh was eventually acquitted; Mary was set to hang for the crime of killing her childby witchcraft, or so the records implied. Between 1645 and 1663, eighty more people were accused and thirteen women and two men were put to death.
The fear of the devil had begun in Europe in the 1500sthousands were put to death, burned at the stake or hanged, or through some other even more painful means. In comparison, what went on in the colony was pretty tame.
But even then, there were dissenters, and there were those who were ready and eager to take a faith and twist it around and give it a few new guidelines.
At the same timecirca 1665Ezekiel Martin was growing stronger in influence among the young people swayed to his sect.
Missy Prior was a stunning young Puritan woman, an orphan who survived through selling produce from her small garden and from doing handcraftsmending and sewing. Ezekiel Martin wooed the girl.
She turned him down. Sweetly. She talked about her youthand mourning for her parents.
Ezekiel was hurtdeeply offended.