Jill’s scream slices through the air, and I quickly raise my eyes just in time to witness Nina execute a sharp turn, swerving to avoid colliding with a parked car on the side of the road.
“I’m sorry,” Nina shouts, her eyes darting between the road and the rearview mirror.
“It’s okay. We’re…okay,” I manage, my breath ragged and heart pounding. “He’s gone.”
Nina exhales heavily, easing off the accelerator and sinking back against the seat.
Jill’s hands shoot up in the air, and she erupts into cheers as if we’re fugitives who narrowly dodged a capture in a high-speed chase. Apparently oblivious to the fact we were being hunted down by a ghost with ill intentions.
“That. Was. Awesome,” she exclaims, clapping her hands enthusiastically, while both Nina and I can only shake our heads in disbelief.
That’s Jill for you—the friend who thrives on adrenaline rushes.
The remainder of the ride home is silent, save for the soft snoring of Jill from the front.
As we skid to a stop in front of Jill’s condo, Nina and I exchange relieved glances.
“That was too close for comfort,” I say, rubbing at my chest.
“But we made it.” Nina’s voice is filled with relief as we share a collective sigh. “What was that, Ally? Was it a poltergeist?”
My lips press together as I think through the specifics. “It was a regular ghost, but one who wasn’t good in life or death if I had to guess.”
“You don’t want to go back there and help him on to the afterlife?” Nina asks, one side of her mouth tipped up slightly.
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “My life means more to me than that. I’m coming to learn that messing with things I don’t understand isn’t in my best interest.”
She nods her head. “I’m happy to hear that. You need to keep yourself safe.”
For Ava, I won’t take chances without having the right people with me to help navigate the unknown. That spirit back there will have to stay put.
“What are we going to do with her?” I ask, tipping my chin toward the sleeping beauty who hasn’t so much as moved since she fell asleep.
She chuckles, shaking her head. “Let’s carry her in.”
As we stumbleinto the rented condo, something we found online, exhaustion weighs heavily on me, but the events of the night refuse to be brushed aside. I lead Nina into the living room, eager to piece together what happened at the abandoned estate.
“The ghost…the one that was chasing us,” I start, trying to organize my thoughts in a way so as to not confuse Nina. “It was with Harlan earlier tonight at the bar, drilling holes into the side of his head.”
“Harlan?”
I nod, swallowing hard as the memory of the ghost’s haunting gaze floods back to me. “I think it’s connected to Chelsea Grayson’s death.”
Nina’s brow furrows as she listens intently. “Connected? How is that possible?”
I take a deep breath. “Remember the dream from the other night? The one with the stranger?” I ask, and she tilts her head tothe side. “On the napkins at the bar in my dream, there was a strange symbol—one with triangles and an eye.”
Her mouth opens and then shuts. “I do remember the dream. But what does that have to do with tonight?”
“I saw that same symbol on Harlan’s forearm and behind a woman’s ear at the bar.”
“The exact symbol or a similar one?”
“The same,” I say, eyes boring into hers. “The bartender told me that it’s linked to some secret society.”
She chews on her bottom lip, eyes narrowed in concentration. “I hear what you’re saying, but it’s a big leap to connect them to a murder back home.”
“The woman at the bar with the tattoo, she was from New York. What if they have ties to New England?”
