“If I go, I mean, when I get bigger if I go, will someone watch out for Pip?”
“We’ll all watch out for Pip and the others,” said Eric.“Sutton, we saw Miss Farmer today.She said to tell you hello.We didn’t know she was a nun.”
“Oh, yeah.I thought everyone knew.They were really nice to us.Can I go see Pip now?”
“Of course, you can,” smiled Eric.Sutton ran off, then ran back to the group, hugging each of the men, giving extra hugs to the seniors.
“That kid is something else,” said Gaspar.“She reminds me of you, Luke.”
“Funny, I said the same thing to her when we spoke earlier,” he smirked.“She was incredibly brave taking all those kids on by herself.”
“Did you find out anything with the old woman?” asked Ian.
“Not a lot. The doctor and a woman were there the night the place caught on fire. So was the Mother Superior, who, as it happens, is now dead. I think they were giving sizeable donations to the orphanage to be able to take the kids,” said Luke.
Ghost nodded, biting his lower lip, beard and all.He looked back at Sutton, laughing and playing, finally being the kid she needed to be.
“If you want hunting partners, give us a call.This is one I want in on.”
For the remainder of the evening, the cafeteria was filled with music and childhood excitement.The kids were learning ASL faster than anyone expected, although with their genius, they shouldn’t have been surprised.It was clear that the hospital had not spent time teaching them such things.
Later in the evening, a group of men walked all the kids to their dorm rooms, they showered, got into clean pajamas, brushed their teeth, and snuggled in, almost instantly falling asleep.
Luke, Cam, Hex, and Eric stood at the door of the boys dorm, signing goodnight to them.The children smiled, confidently returning the sign.They walked next door to the girls’ dormitory and did the same.Samantha and Eden waved goodnight but it was Sutton, already fast asleep that made the men smile.
“That’s probably the first time that kid has been able to sleep without fear or worry in over a year,” said Hex.
“Well,” said Eric, “the good news is it won’t be the last time.”
They walked down the hallway and at the end, where the steps took them downstairs to the school, they noticed Grip, Jonathan, Nathan, and Eagle Feather.
“Why are you guys here?Is something wrong?” asked Hex.
“Nothing wrong.And we will keep it that way.We may be ghosts but we can still do some damage should we need to,” smiled Grip.
“Amen to that, brother,” laughed Hex.“Amen to that.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
At the team meeting the next morning, Ace, Code and Sly were all seated up front where the team of AJ, Tanner, and Hiro usually sat.The younger men shrugged their shoulders, seated with the team in the auditorium seats.
“I’m guessing you have something for us,” said Luke.
“We do,” nodded Ace.“The fire inspector was Chief Inspector Brian Carlisle.He’d been with the force for nearly thirty years.After his inspection of the orphanage, he suddenly retired and moved to Playa del Carmen.Two months ago he was found dead in his beachfront home.It was suspected gang involvement since the house was ransacked and his throat was slit.Ear to ear.”
“Nice way to go out,” frowned Hex.
“He had more than a million in his bank account and that was above and beyond his retirement.The amount was deposited three days after the inspection took place.”
“Well, that’s not damning at all, is it?” frowned Cam.
“There’s more,” said Sly.
“Of course there is,” grimaced Luke.
“Carlisle was the first man on the scene when the car that Sutton and Pip’s parents went over the bridge.He claimed he tried to save them but couldn’t because of the water depth.The water there is only about six feet deep.Carlisle was six one.”
“He ran them off the road,” said Eric frowning at the team.They all nodded.
