Page 196 of Love at First Fright

My eyes landed on the saw. I lunged for it, fingers closing around the handle. I pressed the blade against the metal bands, triggered it—

Nothing. The blade shrieked against the metal, sparks flying, but didn’t even leave a scratch.

I dropped it with a curse.

Vivian drifted down to stand beside me.

“You need to float through and see what’s going on!” I demanded.

She frowned. “The basement is sealed. We can’t get in there. Never have been able to. But… this probably means… Bat likely can’t get out.”

“I’m going to absolutely bloody murder him.” The words escaped before I could stop them.

Vivian’s crimson lips curved into a smile. “Bit late for that, darling.”

Right. I pressed my forehead against the cold metal of the door, throat tight, chest aching.

What the hell was I supposed to do?

I pushed past Vivian and took the stairs back up two at a time. Back in the corridor, I started pacing. Think. Think.

Police? I could call them. Explain that multiple people had vanished into a basement behind a magically sealed door. They’d send someone eventually. Probably some young constable who’d dismiss it as a prank. Who’d walk into this nightmare wholly unprepared.

Who’d die because I’d called for help.

I moaned softly, pressing two hands to my face.

Gerald, then. Ring Gerald. Warn him Brad was very possibly dead. At minimum, ask for bloody advice on what to do when a malevolent ghost imprisoned your colleagues behind an impenetrable barrier.

I fumbled for my phone. No signal. Of course not. This godforsaken manor never had signal. I’d have to go hunt for it upstairs, all while Brad, Father Ashworth, Evelyn, and Harrison were being devoured downstairs.

“Sir.”

Molly appeared beside me, her hands still wringing. “Stay here. I’m going to find Tom.”

“The gardener?” I couldn’t help but snap. “How is Tom going to help right now?”

She’d already vanished.

Thunder cracked overhead. The manor’s lights flickered.

I kept pacing. Four steps one way. Turn. Four steps back. My glasses slipped down my nose and I shoved them up with shaking fingers.

Bat was down there. With that thing. That presence that had murdered God knew how many people over centuries.

What would it do to him now? Could it hurt a ghost? Destroy one, even?

My chest constricted. I couldn’t breathe.

Another crack of thunder, closer this time, shaking the manor’s bones.

The lights flickered once, twice, then died completely.

Fucked. I was completely and utterly fucked.

Molly reappeared in a swirl of grey, Tom materialising beside her.

“There’s another way in,” she gasped, words tumbling out in a rush.