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“Okay.”

Nate set the seal on the counter, facing the window. If Leo had to be stuck in a toy, he could at least have a view.

“Why am I facing the window?”

“Thought you’d like the view.”

“No, I don’t want you doing things behind my back. Turn me around.”

Nate turned him toward the room.

“I’m still not talking to you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

At seven, Nate called Jonah.

His brother picked up on the fourth ring. “Nate? Why are you calling so early?” His brother sounded a little worried.

“You remember Bartholomew,” Nate said.

“…Your seal? Yeah, I remember him.”

“Was there ever anything strange about him?”

“Aside from the fact that you’re still taking him along to every job? No.”

Nate drank some coffee. If there was a way to say this that didn’t sound insane, he didn’t find it. “There’s a ghost stuck in him.”

Silence.

“What do you mean by that?” Jonah asked then.

“I mean exactly what I said. There’s a ghost stuck inside Bartholomew.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. But he’s been in there since last night. I can’t get him out.”

Another silence, longer, and then a sound that started as a cough and turned into a laugh. “You’re telling me your stuffed seal is haunted?”

“It is not funny!” Leo shouted from the counter. Apparently he could hear the laughter.

Nate tried to shush his brother, but failed. “You’re making the ghost angry.”

“Oh yeah? What’s he doing?” Jonah asked. “Waving his stubby flippers?”

“This is serious,” Nate tried again, but now he had to laugh too, because Leo was doing exactly what Jonah had described.

“Not funny!” Leo repeated.

His repeated outburst did not help his case.

Nate had to focus on his breathing to calm back down. Leo was right; this wasn’t funny. Except it kind of was.

“If you give me your address, I’ll come and take a look,” Jonah said.

“That would be great. It’s a bit of a drive, though.”