Unholy Ghosts - Stacia Kane 8 стр.

I didnt tell anyone. He reached for her arm, then pulled his hand back as if her skin burned. Someone found out, thats all I know.

Right. Sure. All those spies hiding in your bedroom.

Why would I tell? Youre not the only one people are looking at, you know. Somebody must have He glanced around the empty room, lowered his voice. Somebody must have heard us.

So somebody is probably listening right now, too. I have to go. I have work to do.

You cant have already gotten another case.

I did, and unlike some people, I really need this one. We dont all get handed Gray Towers.

That was luck.

Luck and a besotted Goody, you mean.

Gray Towers was a mansion on the outskirts of town with a reputation for being haunted. Unfortunately, the own ers had exploited that reputation, offering tours and going to the press with stories of various eventssounds, physical manifestations, even a psychic attackmaking the case extremely high profile. Doyle had Debunked it. Rumor had it hed earned close to a hundred thousand dollars, the biggest bonus ever given to a Debunkerten times the basic single-ghost claim amount. Several others were fairly pissed about that one, not least Bree Bryan, who had been next in the case queue.

The corners of his lips turned down. Why am I even discussing this with you? You dont believe me, fine. Whatever. Have a great day, Chessie. Good luck with your new case.

Watching him walk away was a mistake. The way his broad shoulders moved, the blue light bringing out highlights in his shoulder-length black hairthat hair was extremely soft, she remembered.

Following him was the fastest way to get to the Archives, but instead she took the longer route, heading out the door to the right past the elevator. This hall always made her skin prickle. Shed taken that elevator oncethe long, slow journey below the earths surface, and the silent twenty-minute train ride to the city itselfon her first evaluation visit, and she didnt have any real desire to do it again. Thats why she chose Debunking instead of Liaising. The City of Eternity wasnt a fun place, at least not to her.

What everyone else saw as peaceful and happy, a long, well-earned rest, seemed cold and impersonal to Chess. Seemed like a lonely hell only slightly worse than the one she lived in every day. And no matter how hard she tried to understand what everyone else found so agreeable, she justcouldnt. Another missing stitch in the fabric of her soul, another feeling she could not share with everyone else. Another thing that made her different and alone.

What everyone else saw as peaceful and happy, a long, well-earned rest, seemed cold and impersonal to Chess. Seemed like a lonely hell only slightly worse than the one she lived in every day. And no matter how hard she tried to understand what everyone else found so agreeable, she justcouldnt. Another missing stitch in the fabric of her soul, another feeling she could not share with everyone else. Another thing that made her different and alone.

Past the elevator on the left were the stairs, rising in a tight circle nestled against the wall. The old iron rattled under her feet. Nobody ever used these stairs, or this hall, for that matter. Only the Liaisers, and they didnt work on Holy Day.

Chess stopped about two thirds of the way up and dug for her pillbox. The extra Cepts shed taken for the pain in her hand were making her drowsy, and this was probably the only place in the entire building where she could be certain no one would watch. There werent even security cameras here, not after the Liaisers raised a stink about being observed as they prepared for their journeys. Chess didnt blame them. You had to go naked to the dead.

Her right hand didnt want to obey, so she was forced to set the pillbox on the stair next to her and use her left hand to open the clasp. It would have to be her right hand shed injured.

Inside the box was the little bag Bump gave her the night before. She took a long barrette from the inside pocket of her jacket. Its slide was just the right width for doing bumps, and had a convenient dip in the center. She pinched it between her left thumb and forefinger and scooped out a little of the powder. Her right thumb closed her nostril as she lifted the barrette.

Im telling you, something isnt right.

Bruce, Bruce. Youre overreacting.

Chess peered down between the bars of the stairs. What was the Grand Elder doing here with Bruce Wickman? Bruce was a Liaiser. They never seemed to talk to anyone but one another or the dead. And why talk here, instead of the Grand Elders office?

If they looked up they would see her. Good thing nobody ever did.

Im not, sir. The dead aretheyre unsettled. Im not the only one who noticed. If youd loan me some materials, I could speak to one of the old Debunkers spirits and see what they think.

What do you mean, unsettled?

Restless. Like somethings bothering them, scaring them. Weve been having a hard time communicating with them.

Their Festival just ended two weeks ago. They always get like this when their week of freedom ends. Dont you remember two years ago, Bruce, when they tried to escape three days after the gates closed? You were here then, werent you?

Yes, but this isnt

The Grand Elder pressed his palm into the center of Bruces back. It looked friendly, but Bruce jerked forward a little. Ill look into it, Bruce. You tell the other Liaisers that Im going to consider your request. But Im sure things will go back to normal shortly.

Bruce nodded unhappily while Chess tried to ignore the tiny flecks of ground Nip falling from her hairpin. Her foot itched but she didnt dare move, not on these loud stairs.

So Bruce thought the City was unsettled? Hmm.

The Grand Elder did have a point. As the anniversary of Haunted Week drew near, the same astrological and atmospheric conditions that had allowed them to come back in the first place prevailed again; the planets aligned, the magical energy of the earth underwent its yearly shift, and in that space the power surged enough to give the ghosts what they needed to break through. The exact moment of alignment didnt last long, of course, but it took a little time for everything to go back to normal.

Despite her unqualified affection for and respect of the Church, Chess had always wondered if the Festival was more than just a chance to remind people of their debt and celebrate the Church, was in fact unavoidable: the dead had to be released from the City in a controlled way, under Church-and-psychopomp guard, or they would escape on their ownwith dangerous results.

Not that it mattered. The Festival happened, end of story.

Okay, Grand Elder. Ill tell them. But pleaseplease consider it.

I will. Go on, now, Bruce. Facts are Truth.

Facts are Truth, sir.

The itch was starting to sting. The Grand Elder stayed where he was, staring at the elevator doors. Why didnt he just go already? He had places to be, and she had feet to scratch and uppers to snort.

What frightens the dead? he muttered, shaking his head. What could scare the dead?

Chapter Six

The symbols on the amulet werent in any of the standard books, which didnt surprise her. If theyd been there she would have recognized them. But it never hurt to look, so she did, going through every alphabet, finding only one match.

Etosh.

The word was only mentioned because it connected to another symbol in an example, though. No meaning was given. Dead end.

The Restricted Room would probably have more for her, but Goody Glass was manning the desk today, and Goody Glass hated her. The feeling was mutual. Chess didnt want to ask the nosy old Goody, with her pinched nose and hairy chin, to let her into the room. Too many questions would be asked.

So instead she headed for the cabinets on the far wall, doing a double take when the back of a familiar-looking head appeared. Not Doyle after all but Randall Duncan, another Debunker. If shed been paying better attention she wouldnt have confused them; Doyles hair was soft, shiny, and well taken care of, whereas Randys straggled down his back, a sign that he simply couldnt be bothered to have it cut.

He stopped as if he felt her eyes on him, his face breaking into a sunny smile.

Hey, Chess! I looked for you earlier, but I didnt see you.

With anyone else she might have asked why, but with Randy she didnt need to. Hed tell her. Subtlety was not his strong suit.

Everything good, Randy?

He nodded. Heard about the Sanfords. Tough luck.

Yeah. Just got a new case, though. Looks like a good one. I could sure use it.

He nodded. Couldnt we all? Or at least, most of us. Guess Doyle doesnt anymore.

She rolled her eyes to indicate agreement, and wished hed go away. Paying attention to him was a waste of time. She wanted to check those files and couldnt with him standing there.

Speaking of DoyleII have to tell you something. Something I dont think youre going to like, about him. Theres been a rumor about you two. You should know about that, what people are saying.

Yeah, Randy, I know. Whered you hear that?

He shrugged. I overheard one of the Goodys asking Doyle about it. He denied it, but, well, I just dont want to see you get hurt, you know? Doyles kind of a user.

Yeah. I know. Im okay, Randy, dont worry.

He peered at her from under his thick eyebrows, then nodded. Okay. Well, if you ever need anything, you know, even just to talk, you can always call me. Really.

He peered at her from under his thick eyebrows, then nodded. Okay. Well, if you ever need anything, you know, even just to talk, you can always call me. Really.

She nodded, just as if that was something she would ever do. Thanks, I might.

He patted her arm and left, throwing a little wave over his shoulder before disappearing into the stacks. So one of the Goodysshe bet it was freaking Goody Tremmell, thinking just because she handled case assignments she got to judge the Debunkers, toothought shed poke her sharp nose in, huh? No wonder everyone in the complex knew about it. Great.

She shook her head and slid the file drawer out.