Page 15 of Mack's Horribly Hellacious Ghost Town
I asked questions of Gwyn as we walked to our SUV. “Were you on your way somewhere?”
She shrugged. “I was on the way to the bus stop. You can get a bus ride from the hotel into Morenci and the community center. I try to hang out there most of the time. The ghosts aren’t as bad in Morenci.”
To think she had to run away from home on a regular basis just to find some kind of peace.
“Did you walk from your house to here?” Mack frowned, casting a considering look back.
“It’s not far, maybe a mile altogether, from my house to here.”
I could see why Mack was concerned. If her parents realized we were staying in town, they might come after her again. We might have to move to a different hotel based on how this went down.
Gwyn settled readily into the back seat while I punched her address into my phone. As I backed out, I heard her speak in a low voice.
“Thank you so much for this. I know you didn’t expect me to ask for you, and it’s not like you planned all of this when you came to help me. If I’m too much, I can ask for someone else to take me.”
Awww dammit. She had to say that when I couldn’t hug her in reassurance.
Mack twisted in his seat and caught her hand. “Gwyn, you are absolutely not a burden. Okay? Something you have to understand, why we leapt so quickly to take you? I was just like you at your age.”
“What? Really?”
“Just like you.” Mack’s tone was level, but it vibrated with remembered grief. “I’m also from a haunted-as-hell small town. The only ones to believe me a Medium were my mother, sister,and two cousins. It was hellish, day in, day out, and there was no sense in it. The entire time I struggled, my mother knew of a Medium to send me to for training. She chose instead to keep me with her. I’ve found it very hard to forgive her for it. But you, ma petite chère, I won’t let history repeat itself with you.”
“Oh,” she breathed in understanding. “That’s why you’re so quick to take me? That makes so much more sense. Then, doubly thank you. I’m really so happy Agent Havili came for me.”
“Brandon,” I corrected her.
“Brandon,” she repeated with a bright smile.
“Now, something you should be aware of,” Mack said. “Brandon and I are engaged. You got an issue with that, speak up now.”
“Wait, wait, you’re work partnersandlife partners? That’s fire. Are all Mediums so lucky?”
“Some of us have siblings or friends as partners.” Mack relaxed completely. “But we’ll see how it goes with finding you an anchor. Don’t rush the process, okay? Finding the right person might take a while.”
Truth.
We pulled up to a ranch-style house probably built in the seventies, judging by its style. Two cars were in the driveway, so I assumed both parents were home. The place looked a little rough, bleached by sand and sun, as most of the town did. Gwyn dragged her feet getting out of the car, and I couldn’t blame her.
She’d barely hit the sidewalk leading to the front door when she stopped abruptly, stumbling back a pace. I reached for my rock salt pistol, instinct sending me forward.
Mack beat me there, his hand shooting out over her shoulder and latching on to something. “No. You do not harass her. Off with you or I scatter you to bits. Now.”
A beat, then his hand released.
I didn’t relax. “Honey? Scale of one to ten?”
“A three, and he’s gone. No problem.” Mack patted Gwyn on her shoulder. “It’s fine, ma petite chère. I have your back. Let’s go in.”
McNabb leaned in and muttered, “Do I assume they both just saw a ghost?”
“You can. It’s hella haunted, this town.”
“Don’t tell me that,” McNabb said sourly.
I shrugged apologetically. No changing the truth, though. I quickly pulled out my phone and started recording, as I didn’t think I would have time to set up once inside. I said the date, time, and location into the mic as I followed Gwyn.
She pushed through the front door much like you would if you expected someone to leap out at you from around a corner. More than likely ghosts did. She seemed marginally relieved to find nothing, but there was a catch in her voice as she called out, “I’m home! And you need to come here.”
