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Dave raised his eyebrows. “You going to be able to sleep after this?”
“No, but…” Oliver blew out a frustrated breath. “Fine. But I’m going with you.”
“Okay…”
Oliver frowned. “I sense a but in there.”
“I’ll tell you right now, if there’s a pissed off ghost out there, you’d better be faster than me getting back to the room, or you’ll be locked on the other side of this door.”
“Very funny.” Oliver studied his expression a moment. “You are kidding, right?”
“Let’s go outside and find out.”
Dave handed Oliver the lantern then carefully, quietly, eased the chair out from beneath the doorknob and set it aside. He took back the lantern and put his hand on the knob. Oliver crowded up behind him, blood rushing in his ears and sweat coating his palms. Dave hesitated, then looked at him.
“Ready?” Dave whispered.
“No,” Oliver whispered back. “But let’s get this over with.”
Dave slowly turned the knob and pulled the door halfway open. The hinges let out a long creak of protest, and they both froze. Gooseflesh broke out all over Oliver’s body as he peered around Dave’s shoulder. Nothing moved out in the moonlight, and Dave quickly pulled the door the rest of the way open then stepped outside. Oliver followed and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. They looked each way along the length of the motel, but all Oliver saw was deep shadows that would provide perfect hiding spots.
“This place is like an Airbnb for ghosts,” Dave said in a low voice.
“Definitely a superhost situation.” Oliver looked the car over. “Car looks okay.”
“Yeah, far as I can tell. Wait here.”
Dave moved away and held up the lantern as he slowly circled the car. Oliver divided his attention between Dave, the trees on the other side of the parking lot, and the deep shadows crouching along the front wall of the motel. His heart was beating fast, and a permanent tingle ran up his spine. His senses felt heightened, flooded with sensory input that his brain was turning into descriptions he could use in his story about the place. Scared as he might be, this was the perfect spooky situation for his blog.
Oliver felt more alive and present in that moment than he had in a very long time. Even though he would admit to being scared and nervous, he also felt completely connected to the Morelock Motel and the ghost of the Vixen who haunted the place, as well as to Dave.
Dave returned to his side. “Car looks okay. Did you see which way she went?”
“No, I was too busy screaming and falling onto the disgusting carpet.”
“Oh, yeah.” Dave moved away a step and held up the lantern in order to give his pants a once over. “You might want to change.”
Oliver looked down and made a face as he gripped the fabric of his jeans between a thumb and forefinger, pulling the wet material away from his leg. “Gross. I’m going to have to wash these five times.”
“I think we’re going to have to do that with all the clothes we brought with us.” Dave looked around the area once more. “I guess we go back inside and try to get some more sleep.”
Oliver snorted. “Yeah. Sure.”
Neither of them managed any more sleep the rest of the night, and by the time the sun rose, they were both grumpy.
“We could pack things up and try to find an actual operating hotel,” Dave said.
Oliver considered the suggestion then shook his head. “I doubt there’s one close by. And after last night, I think we need to stay here onsite.”
“Beauchamp Sanandreu would be proud to hear you say that.” Dave yawned, then stretched out on the tarp across the bed. “I’m going to get some sleep while the sun’s up. I have a feeling we’re going to be awake most of the night.”
While Dave’s breathing quickly deepened into sleep, Oliver carried a chair outside to sit in the shadow of the overhang, leaving the door open to air the room out. He took his notebook with him and jotted down as many details about the night’s experience as he could remember. The woman’s face had been pale but heavily lined. But if he remembered correctly, Ruby Gallagher had been in her mid-twenties when she’d died. Was there some crazy old lady wandering the premises? Or had it actually been the ghost, her need for the attention of men having aged her over the years? Or was there perhaps another ghost wandering the premises?
A shiver went through him, a mix of fear and excitement. What if they discovered a second, unreported haunting at the motel? That would definitely get him some great traction in the online paranormal realm, and make Beauchamp really happy.
Dave emitted a loud, snorting snore from back inside the room, and Oliver smiled. What a trooper Dave had been the last couple of years, supporting him during all his crazy paranormal investigations. He’d also covered Oliver’s half of the bills when his monthly income had fallen short. All the while encouraging him to keep doing what he loved.
And telling him he loved him.
