obvious, you must not disclose where you learned what I am about to
reveal.”
Zach chuckled. “Okay, you’ll be my ‘Mark
Felt.’”
Her expression remained blank.
“My ‘Deep Throat’—like in Watergate.”
“Oh yes. Of course.”
If Zach didn’t know better, he’d have
wondered if she’d ever even heard the terms. The old lady might just be
nervous. Or have Alzheimer’s.
Zach raised his right hand the way he had
when he was in Boy Scouts. “Whatever you tell me, I give you my word that I’ll
not disclose your identity to anyone.”
She beamed.
“Then first, you must be very careful. There
are forces here the likes of which you may never have before encountered.”
“Like?”
She scowled as though tasting something awful.
“As in demonic forces.”
“How do you know?”
Her mouth twitched as it had before. “My
mother told me.”
“Okay,” Zach said. “How about if you start
from the beginning?”
“We don’t have time for that now. I need to
go, but I will tell you more after you verify what I’m about to tell you is
true. Otherwise, it may be too overwhelming. You might think I’m crazy.”
“I’d never think you’re cr—”
“Listen,” she said. “You’ll have to
investigate all the fires. With only a cursory look, you’ll not see it, but
they’re all connected.”
“The fires across the street?” Zach nodded
toward Rosewood.
“No. Well, yes and no. The fires there. And
the fires over there.” She pointed at the dual empty lots near the bungalows.
“They’re all related to fire here long ago and the fire that destroyed the
Pullman Market Hall. Connected even to the fire that burned down the White
City.”
Zach didn’t know what to make of it. “The
White City?”
“Yes. They were all started by one man.” Her
face darkened. “I’ve told you enough for now. Once you have verified what I’ve
told you is true, we can speak again.”
“How will I contact you?”
“We can meet here again. Shall we say
tomorrow night?”
“Sure. What time?”
“About this same time,” she said, already
inching away. “After eleven.”
“Wait. Can I walk you to your car? I want to
make sure you get home safely, Evelyn.” He not only wanted to ensure her safety
but to prolong their conversation a few more minutes.
“Oh no,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “I’m
not going home just yet.”
She turned and made her way toward the GrocersMart adjacent to the coffee house. Zach looked at his watch again. No wonder that
she’d been in a hurry. The store’s closing hour was quickly approaching.
Apparently the secretive old girl kept some late hours.
Chapter Seven
“Okay,” Sara said to him looking no more
frazzled than she typically did the first day of shooting. “Are we ready?”
Zach nodded and waited for Sara to get her
cameras rolling. There were two HD camera operators and a few members of the
production crew holding boom microphones. After a season on the air, Zach
thought it funny how easy it was to ignore them swarming around.
When he sensed everyone was situated, he
strode to the gates and held his hands out to his sides. “ Xavier Paranormal
Investigators and Demon Hunters , welcome to Rosewood Psychiatric
Hospital!”
“Woot! Woot! Woot!” The Demon Hunters
startled him with the signature cheer normally reserved for Bryce. They thunked
their fists together in rapid succession while they barked. Zach’s fellow XPI members clapped a bit less enthusiastically at first but quickly picked up
steam to match their rivals’ intensity.
“In just a little while, Rosewood’s
custodian will be here to open these gates and give us a full guided tour of
the grounds. But first, to kick things off today, we’re going to have a
briefing about the property presented by our phenomenal Historical Researcher,
Wendy.”
As much as Wendy’s selfish dating behavior
had been criticized, no one questioned her on-camera awareness and presence.
She flashed
reveal.”
Zach chuckled. “Okay, you’ll be my ‘Mark
Felt.’”
Her expression remained blank.
“My ‘Deep Throat’—like in Watergate.”
“Oh yes. Of course.”
If Zach didn’t know better, he’d have
wondered if she’d ever even heard the terms. The old lady might just be
nervous. Or have Alzheimer’s.
Zach raised his right hand the way he had
when he was in Boy Scouts. “Whatever you tell me, I give you my word that I’ll
not disclose your identity to anyone.”
She beamed.
“Then first, you must be very careful. There
are forces here the likes of which you may never have before encountered.”
“Like?”
She scowled as though tasting something awful.
“As in demonic forces.”
“How do you know?”
Her mouth twitched as it had before. “My
mother told me.”
“Okay,” Zach said. “How about if you start
from the beginning?”
“We don’t have time for that now. I need to
go, but I will tell you more after you verify what I’m about to tell you is
true. Otherwise, it may be too overwhelming. You might think I’m crazy.”
“I’d never think you’re cr—”
“Listen,” she said. “You’ll have to
investigate all the fires. With only a cursory look, you’ll not see it, but
they’re all connected.”
“The fires across the street?” Zach nodded
toward Rosewood.
“No. Well, yes and no. The fires there. And
the fires over there.” She pointed at the dual empty lots near the bungalows.
“They’re all related to fire here long ago and the fire that destroyed the
Pullman Market Hall. Connected even to the fire that burned down the White
City.”
Zach didn’t know what to make of it. “The
White City?”
“Yes. They were all started by one man.” Her
face darkened. “I’ve told you enough for now. Once you have verified what I’ve
told you is true, we can speak again.”
“How will I contact you?”
“We can meet here again. Shall we say
tomorrow night?”
“Sure. What time?”
“About this same time,” she said, already
inching away. “After eleven.”
“Wait. Can I walk you to your car? I want to
make sure you get home safely, Evelyn.” He not only wanted to ensure her safety
but to prolong their conversation a few more minutes.
“Oh no,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “I’m
not going home just yet.”
She turned and made her way toward the GrocersMart adjacent to the coffee house. Zach looked at his watch again. No wonder that
she’d been in a hurry. The store’s closing hour was quickly approaching.
Apparently the secretive old girl kept some late hours.
Chapter Seven
“Okay,” Sara said to him looking no more
frazzled than she typically did the first day of shooting. “Are we ready?”
Zach nodded and waited for Sara to get her
cameras rolling. There were two HD camera operators and a few members of the
production crew holding boom microphones. After a season on the air, Zach
thought it funny how easy it was to ignore them swarming around.
When he sensed everyone was situated, he
strode to the gates and held his hands out to his sides. “ Xavier Paranormal
Investigators and Demon Hunters , welcome to Rosewood Psychiatric
Hospital!”
“Woot! Woot! Woot!” The Demon Hunters
startled him with the signature cheer normally reserved for Bryce. They thunked
their fists together in rapid succession while they barked. Zach’s fellow XPI members clapped a bit less enthusiastically at first but quickly picked up
steam to match their rivals’ intensity.
“In just a little while, Rosewood’s
custodian will be here to open these gates and give us a full guided tour of
the grounds. But first, to kick things off today, we’re going to have a
briefing about the property presented by our phenomenal Historical Researcher,
Wendy.”
As much as Wendy’s selfish dating behavior
had been criticized, no one questioned her on-camera awareness and presence.
She flashed
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