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Specter of Death- Part 23

          “Hang on a sec,” Kim interrupted. “Before anyone goes anywhere, we need to coordinate with Detective McDonald. The last thing we need is to interfere with her department. I’m going to call her first before anyone does anything, agreed?”

Unenthusiastic nods were the only sign of agreement but Kim ran with it. She picked up her phone and dialed Marie’s direct line. On the fifth ring, just as she was about to hang up, the detective answered.

            “Hey, Marie, it’s Kim. We think we might have uncovered something that will help decipher those symbols. Did you want us to—”

On the other end, Detective McDonald interrupted, leaving Bill, Angela and Gillian only speculation as to what was being said. With the exception of a few, “uh huhs,” Kim remained silent until she said goodbye. Her friends stared at her with wide, expectant, eyes.

            “She’s sending someone from her team over to find out what we’ve got and they’ll take it from there,” said Kim. “In the meantime, Doctor Tynesdale, why don’t you continue with your other findings?”

For twelve minutes, Dr. Tynesdale had a captive audience. He was free to prattle on about his theories and no one objected because they had no choice but to wait. On the thirteenth minute, a young woman wearing a trendy business suit entered the morgue.

            “Hello, I’m looking for an M.D.I. named Kim,” the woman said as she pulled out her credentials and flashed her badge. “Detective McDonald sent me.”

Kim stepped forward, extended her hand, and introduced herself.

            “Here I thought I’d met everyone on Marie’s team.” Kim chuckled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

            “Actually, I just transferred here. Detective Gabriella Sanchez and it is a pleasure to meet you too.”

Kim introduced the others to Gabriella and marveled that someone so young had already reached the rank of detective. Clearly, the others were surprised too but it was Dr. Tynesdale who addressed the pink elephant in the room.

            “Dear me! You look like you could be one of my students,” he exclaimed. “You must have been on the fast track to already achieve a detective’s position. If you don’t mind my asking …”

            “If she doesn’t, I do!” Bill interrupted. “That’s an inappropriate question and has nothing to do with the case, Phillip. I apologize, Detective Sanchez, on behalf of my colleague. Now, let’s just get back to the case.”

To speed things up, Kim filled in the new detective on what they’d discovered so far and their idea to check out The Seekers’ inner sanctum.

            “Sounds good. I’ll go check them out,” said Detective Sanchez.

            “Look, Detective, one of the victims was our friend and, well, I hate not being useless. Mind if I tag along?” Bill asked. “I won’t interfere or bother you. I need to do something to help even if it’s just keeping my ears open.”

            “And to keep an eye on the young detective, right? That whole bit about my age was planned, wasn’t it? You wanted to get on my good side so I’d let you come along.” 

Specter of Death- Part 22

In painstakingly slow and deliberate speech, Dr. Tynesdale explained the symbols found on the victims prior to Seth.

            “Now, here’s where we find something different,” the doctor said, pointing to an autopsy photo of Seth. “Up until your friend, the victims were all 'keys to the beyond.' This time, there is a key rune intertwined with this symbol here.” Dr. Tynesdale held up his tablet with a page from Seth’s Runeation. “However, it also resembles another symbol on page eighty-three so it could mean two very different things.”

    Sensing his colleague was more accustomed to giving lectures than offering his professional opinion for a murder case; Bill discreetly glanced at the ladies to see how they were holding up. Kim’s jaw clenched, in an effort to keep from interrupting, while Angela chewed on her lower lip. Gillian’s eyes had a glazed, distant appearance. It wasn’t until he noticed her hands—balled into fists so tight that her knuckles had turned white and Bill feared her fingernails would dig into her palms and draw blood. It was time for him to intervene.

            “Since time is of the essences here, Phillip, what can we do to aid in determining which symbols are correct?” Bill asked. “You know I’m willing to do anything I can to assist. I’m sure these lovely ladies would too.”

Angela and Gillian nodded in agreement. The ringing of Dr. Tynesdale’s phone cut off Kim’s verbal acknowledgement. From the doctor’s end, he uttered “ah, yes” and “I see” multiple times before the call ended. Again, the four friends waited for answers that seemed to never come.

            “It seems we were wrong in assuming your friend Seth created these symbols. Apparently, they are part of the teachings for a group called Seekers of the Astral Beyond, also known as The Seekers. There is an acknowledgement to The Seekers on the last page of Runeation.” Dr. Tynesdale explained. “My assistant informed me that The Seekers have; what I believe they refer to as … an inner sanctum, on the other side of town.”

            “I’ll go!” Gillian blurted out before the doctor could finish his sentence.

Worry creased Angela’s forehead and knitted her eyebrows together. Both Kim and Bill wore matching expressions.

            “Now, dear,” Dr. Tynesdale answered. “Please don’t take offense but I think this might be a better job for our mutual friend, Bill. I might be old fashioned but sending a beautiful, young woman into a hive of fanatics just doesn’t sound chivalrous … or safe! They could snatch you up and we’d never see you again. Cults like The Seekers have a terrible reputation.”

            “I can take care of myself,” Gillian objected. She hated being brushed aside simply for being a woman and her scowl showed it.

            “Jilly, we know you can,” Kim said as she placed a comforting hand on Gillian’s arm. “But, we have no idea who these people are. For all we know, they might be responsible for Seth’s murder. I think I speak for everyone when I say we can’t bear losing another friend. Maybe it would be best if we found another way for you to help.”

            “So, why is okay for Bill to go alone? If they killed Seth they can kill any of us,” argued Gillian.

            “You’re right, no one should go alone,” said Angela. “That’s why I am going with Bill. If it wasn’t for that shadow spirit thing following you, I’d be behind you going, Jilly, but until we know who or what that thing is … I think you should lay low.”

Specter of Death- Part 21

Dr. Tynesdale flipped through his handwritten notebook until he found the information he needed. In reality it only took a few minutes but it felt like an eternity. The tension in the room was palpable. Wide, eager eyes all focused on the doctor.

            “Ah, yes,” he muttered. “It says here the coding is found in your friend Seth’s book Runeation. Ha! That’s quite clever. It sounds like ruination but spelled R-U-N-E, like ancient runes. See?”

Holding up his page, Dr. Tynesdale pointed to the book’s title and chuckled. The others stared back him with veiled agitation.   

            “Ahem … yes, I supposed this isn’t the appropriate time for an amusing play on words. What I’m sure you’ll find fascinating is—”

            “Okay,” Detective McDonald interrupted. “I’m going to pick up a bunch of those books and get my department scouring them now. Thanks.”

She had already bolted down the hall before Dr. Tynesdale could respond.

            “Oh my!” Tynesdale exclaimed. “I didn’t get to tell her the rest. Anyway, these symbols have a most dire meaning. Now, on the first photo here … this victim was found several days after the murder. Our dear Kim did not have this one but look here at the brand on his chest, just above the heart. It’s not the same as the one on your friend, Seth, because they were in progression.”

The group leaned in to get a better view of the forensic and autopsy photographs. The shape burned into the victim’s chest resembled a stylized infinity symbol. Bill accessed the e-reader app on his phone to pull up Seth’s Runeation.

            “According to Seth’s book,” Bill added. “That symbol means ‘key to unlocking the beyond’ but it doesn’t say what the beyond actually is.”

            “That’s creepy!” Kim, Angela, and Gillian replied in unison.

Gillian’s skin rippled with goose bumps; she had a feeling about what ‘the beyond’ meant and it made her stomach churn. The shadowy figure that followed me back from the morgue, she thought, that thing is from the beyond. She felt a hand touch her back, just below her shoulder blade but knew none of her friends were standing behind her. 

Specter of Death- Part 20

            “Okay, it’s worse than crazy but I shouldn’t freak out?” Gillian gave a nervous chuckle and rolled her eyes.

            “It might be nothing.” Billy answered. “But I’ll explain it all when we get together with Kim and the detective. One of my colleagues from the university came with me and he can help so try not to worry, Jilly.”

As if on cue, Bill’s cell phone rang. On the other end, Kim relayed a message from Detective McDonald. They were all going to meet at the morgue around noon, assuming another body wasn’t discovered.

            “We’ll be there!” said Bill.

While they waited for noon, Gillian paced. Finally, Billy caught her arm and pulled her onto the sofa.

            “Okay, maybe you can’t wait until we’re all together. The truth is, I think you made contact with a spirit and when you didn’t say ‘goodbye’ it crossed over into our realm. Now, I don’t believe it can actually hurt you but what you believe makes all the difference.”

Stern-faced and resolved, Gillian raked a trembling hand through her hair. Outwardly, she appeared to wave it off without a care but inside, she could feel the presence of a dark spirit watching her every move.  

***

At noon, everyone assembled in Kim’s morgue. Dr. Tynesdale, still giddy with the extensive data he’d received, expounded on earlier theories and hypotheses on the symbolism of the ancient runes carved/branded into the corpses after their demise. Not in the mood for chit-chat, Angela interrupted his pondering. Too many of her friends were directly impacted; there was no time to waste.

            “No offense, Doctor, but we need real answers not hypotheticals. Can you decode whatever the symbol is, or not?”

            “Why, of course, my dear.” Tynesdale replied. “I was just explaining the progression, that’s all. The fascinating part is yet to come.”

Detective McDonald rolled her eyes. A voice in the back of her mind said, this bumbling idiot wouldn’t know a rune from graffiti. The thought both delighted and angered her thought she didn’t understand why.

            “You see, we were so focused on whether the symbols were Old Norse or Anglo Saxon that we almost missed the cipher in your friend Seth’s books. It wasn’t either … it was a mark of his own design in a book prior to Specter of Death. Thank heavens one of my grad students is a complete and utter suck up. Once she found out I needed some research she picked up every one of Seth’s books and has been scouring them ever since. Now, let me see … I had it right here.”

Kim choked back the urge to scream, “Get on with it!” After spending the entire morning with Dr. Tynesdale, she knew if anyone tried to rush him, he’d get flustered. Then it would take twice as long to extract the information. It’s like pulling teeth. 

Specter of Death- Part 19

Bill and Angela raced up the stairs taking them two or three at a time. Without bothering to knock, he threw his shoulder into the door jamb and crashed through. Gillian’s screaming stopped when she saw her friends. Her bloody hands trembled as she rinsed them under the tap. At her feet, a bottle of White Diamonds perfume had shattered to pieces.

            “Are you okay? What happened?” Bill asked.

            “Let me see,” Angela ordered. “Hmm, I don’t think you’ll need stitches but I’ll grab the first aid kit and get you bandaged up.”

Gillian pulled her towel tighter against her body as goose bumps prickled her flesh. Bill removed a bathrobe from the hooks behind the door and draped it around Gillian’s shoulders. She offered him a weak smile and muttered, “thank you.” Angela returned a moment later with the first aid kit and proceeded to bandage up her friend’s hands.

            “So, are you going to tell us what happened?” she asked.

Gillian scowled. “It was my own fault. I slipped as I was trying to—”

            “How ‘bout the truth, instead,” interrupted Bill.

Angela nodded her agreement and placed a reassuring hand on Gillian’s shoulder. “C’mon, Jilly, we’re your friends and we’re worried about you. We can’t help if you’re not honest with us.”

            “I—I know. I just don’t want you to think I’ve gone off my rocker. As it is, I’m starting to wonder myself… ever since the morgue.”

            “That’s probably a good place to start then,” said Bill. “Why don’t you get into some warm clothes and dry your hair first? We’ll wait just outside the door in case you need us, okay?”

Gillian nodded. The instant the bathroom door closed, she raced to dress in record time. While the thought of telling her friends what was going on was less appealing than a four-hour root canal, she hurried to not be alone.  True to their word, when she opened the door, Bill and Angela were waiting for her.

     Downstairs, the three friends flopped onto Kim’s cozy sofa and settled in for Gillian’s story. Angela carried in a tray with coffee and cookies; she had a feeling they’d be talking for a while. Gillian’s first instinct was to chug the coffee.

            “It’s decaf,” Angela said, smiling. “So drink as much as you want.”

Gillian set the mug down, grumbling that decaf coffee was sacrilege.

            “It is but you do not need another drop of caffeine coursing through your system, Jilly.” Bill answered. “So, let’s get to the bottom of whatever is going on here. What happened in the bathroom?”

            I should probably start before then,” Gillian admitted with a sigh. “It all started the night we used the Ouija board at the morgue. Someone or … something, touched me when the lights were out. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and then it gave a squeeze. It wasn’t Marie or Kenj and it wasn’t the firemen either. Believe me, I wish it was. Then, as I was driving home I kept seeing a shadowy figure following me. It crossed the road in front of me, it was lurking behind bushes; it was in my rearview mirror. Then, when I came inside, and we were all on the phone … I saw it in the yard. That night, it was in my room. At first, I thought it was Angela, playing a prank. Or, I should say I hoped it was Angela. It wasn’t. That brings us to the shower. Everything was fine. I had just turned off the water because I got a chill. Sorry, Angela, I think I used up all the hot water again. When I pulled back the curtain, it was there. I grabbed the first thing I could reach to throw at it but before I could release it, the thing’s hand enveloped mine and the bottle shattered. So, go ahead. Tell me I’m crazy.”

Gillian looked down at her bandaged hand and sighed. When she looked up, both Angela and Bill wore matching expressions of concern.

            “Listen, I don’t want to freak you out,” said Billy. “But you’re not crazy. It’s something worse.”

Specter of Death- Part 18

Bill draped his arm around Kim and gave her a friendly squeeze.

            “You looked like you could use a hug, my friend.” He said. “And for what it’s worth, I’m here to help. You don’t have to do this all on your own, okay?”

            “Thank you,” she whispered.

            “Don’t give it another thought. Look, I know you and Phillip have a lot of work to do so … I’m going to head over to your place to check on Angela and Gillian. Cool?”

Kim hugged him again and repeated her thanks but in typical Bill style, he gave her a playful poke in the ribs and laughed.

            “Don’t thank me yet; Phillip is going to talk your ears off. I’m simply saving myself.” he murmured before announcing his departure for Dr. Tynesdale’s benefit. “I’ll be back around lunchtime.” 

With a wink to Kim and wave to Phillip, he was out the door.

***

On the other side of town, Gillian and Angela huddled over a pot of coffee and nibbled at honeyed toast. Though Angela had made no mention of it, Gillian’s awkward behavior the night before left her apprehensive. Puffy, red eyes proved what her friends expected; Gillian did not sleep again that night. Instead, she downed another cup of coffee in three gulps and poured some more.

     Golden sunlight streamed through the windows sending a stab through Gillian’s retinas and into her brain. She raised a hand to shield her raw orbs and from her peripheral vision caught sight of it again. Someone was lurking in the shadows, watching and waiting. When she glanced back again, the shadowy form was gone; much like it had done the night before. You’re losing, girl. Have more coffee. She reached for the pot again only hear a voice behind her say, “Hey, save some of that for me.” With a squeal, Gillian jumped back, sending her coffee mug and Angela’s crashing to the ground. Shattered stoneware and coffee dregs swirled on the floor like a Jackson Pollock in brown.

            “Geez, Billy! You scared the crap out of me!” She exclaimed. “What are you trying to do; give me heart attack?”

            “You’re the second person to say that to me this morning.” Bill laughed, hoping a little levity would soothe her ragged nerves. “Here, I thought I was rather dashing but I seem to be traumatizing beautiful women. Hmm, I’m starting to develop a complex.”

Gillian threw a playful punch at his shoulder before pulling him into a bear hug. Angela finished cleaning up the spill before throwing her arms around her friends and giving them both a squeeze. She was relieved to see Bill, more than he would ever know.

     After a few more mugs of coffee, Gillian finally shuffled off to shower. Bill waited until he heard the water running to ply Angela with questions.

            “Kim said something happened last night and our Jilly was afraid ... like too afraid to turn off the lights. I found that hard to believe until I saw her for myself. Did she tell you what happened? There has to be more that she’s not telling us.”  

            “So far, she hasn’t told me anything. Maybe with you here, she’ll feel safer. I think she really believed I was trying to mess with her last night. She was talking as if I was in the room with her. I’ve never seen her like this and it’s freaking me out!”

Upstairs, steamy water from the showerhead caressed Gillian’s aching muscles. The heat soothed physically but inside, her nerves were raw and jagged. She allowed the water to pound into her flesh until a chill settled over her. Damn! I used all the hot water. Angela is going to kill me, she thought. A chuckle escaped her lips, just like old times. Still smiling she threw back the shower curtain and let loose a blood-curdling scream.