Witching Hour (2 page)

“Not sure. I thought I saw something dart past that attic window.” Cal turned to Dave. “I realize you got permission for us to investigate tonight, but…are you sure no one’s here? It looked more solid than our usual encounters.”

Dave shrugged. “Beats the hell out of me. They said this place has been deserted for years but—”

“Nearly seventy, really.” Avery’s voice sounded behind him, and they turned as the man moved in behind.

Avery held up some papers. “I printed out some information I found on the Internet. Strangely, the history of this place is extremely limited, though I was able to unearth a few interesting facts. Seems the site this house was built on dates back to the mid-sixteen hundreds.”

Dave scoffed, grabbing a fist full of the sheets and shuffling through them. “That’s ridiculous. This house isn’t more than eighty years old.”

Avery glanced at Cal and Cal could tell the man was resisting rolling his eyes.

His brother gave Dave a curt nod. “Eighty-two to be precise. But I said this site, not this house. Seems there have been four buildings constructed on this property over a span of nearly four hundred years. The first three were burnt to the ground.”

Dave scowled. “Burnt? All three?”

“Seems the good people of Salem thought the women of the houses were witches.”

Dave laughed this time. “Come on, Avery. I can see the original…maybe even the replacement, but are you seriously telling me that someone burnt this house down in the early nineteen hundreds because they thought the owner was a witch?”

Avery merely smiled. “Not everyone adopts the beliefs of their times. And hatred can live longer than any of us, especially when it’s bred over the centuries.” Avery held up his hand when Dave continued to shake his head. “Look, whether that’s the real reason or not, it might explain why this place exudes such a dark presence. It means that more than just several random murders have happened here in the past fifty years and that the lineages date back hundreds of years.”

Dave sighed, some of the uneasiness lifting from his expression. “And that our chances of recording some proof just increased.” He gave Cal the first real smile since they’d arrived. “Witches, huh? I say let’s go talk to the ladies.”

Cal nodded, turning to follow Dave back to the front of the house, more than a bit confused at the man’s sudden change, when Avery snagged his shirt. He glanced at his brother, noting the worry creasing his brow.

Avery nodded after Dave. “You might want to keep an eye on him. Something’s…off about him.”

“I thought you said it was just the energy of this place? That the house was off not him.”

“I did but…just stick close to him.”

Cal frowned as Avery moved past him. He didn’t like the way this investigation was shaping up, and they hadn’t even stepped inside yet. He took a calming breath and headed for the front porch, flashing his light across the attic window one last time, wondering what it was that had darted past the glass just minutes before, hoping it was nothing more than some kids sneaking around on a dare. Dave and Avery were waiting by the door when he rounded the property, their heads bent close together as Avery showed him the gadgets Blake had made. Cal released the breath he’d been holding. At least the tension between the two men had seemed to have eased.

He stopped next to them, motioning to the door. “The place looks pretty sturdy for being abandoned.”

Avery chuckled. “Technically, it’s just unoccupied. According to the records, this house still belongs to the Winslow family. It’s been up for sale a number of times, but no one seems willing to buy it. The management company said no one’s lived here since the early forties.”

Cal pursed his lips. “But that means they only stayed for a few years after it was rebuilt.”

“And that simple fact makes you wonder why, doesn’t it?” Avery looked at the door. “What would make them leave that quickly? Why the property never sold, just sitting idle all these years? With the amount of land tied to it, the asking price would’ve been a steal.”

Dave shrugged. “Who cares, as long as it translates into evidence.” He nodded at Cal. “You got the key?”

Cal gave Avery a sideways glance, tossing Dave the key. “They said the lock’s a bit stiff.”

Dave fiddled with it for a few minutes, finally shoving the door open. He looked at them across his shoulder. “I’ll go left, you two go right, and we’ll ensure this place is empty before we begin.”

Cal grabbed his arm. “I think it’d be best if we stayed together.”

Dave wrinkled the crease above his nose. “Why?”

“A thousand reasons, really.”

Dave snickered. “Look, if you two don’t think you can handle a couple of teenagers making out in here, that’s your problem. Otherwise, we need to clear this house and get down to business. It’s already twenty minutes after midnight. I don’t want to lose this time…not when it increases our chances of getting some concrete evidence.”

He turned and yanked open the door, disappearing before Cal could do more than glance over at Avery. Avery gave him a slap on the shoulder then headed inside, moving off to the right. Cal cursed under his breath but followed suit, trailing behind his brother as they picked their way through what appeared to be an old parlor. Twin circles of light bobbed around the interior, illuminating different sections of the room, making the remaining areas seem even darker. A scattering of furniture still occupied the space, and other than a thick layer of dust, the pieces appeared to be in excellent condition.

Cal tapped Avery on the shoulder when he stopped beside an elegant loveseat. “Don’t you find it just a bit odd that the furniture hasn’t degraded or dulled in the past seventy years?”

Avery held out one of the machines. “With the way this needle is stuck to the right, I’d say it’s no coincidence. Something or someone is expending a lot of electromagnetic energy in this room.” He gave Cal a raise of one eyebrow. “Maybe it’s not just being used to appear and disappear.”

“Are you trying to tell me that the furniture is enchanted?”

“Enchanted. Entombed. Call it what you will, but unless they’ve got a caretaker who manages to keep the fabric in mint condition without dusting it, it’s not simply good fortune.” He motioned to the radio. “I think it’d be wise to do a session with Blake’s new gadget before we go upstairs. See if there are any spirits down here that might be able to give us some clues as to what else resides in here.”

Cal nodded, scanning the room again as they circled back to the set of stairs by the front entrance. Dave stood at the base of the staircase, recorder in hand as he mumbled quietly, his flashlight focused on the floor.

He looked up as they approached, giving Cal a wide smile. “Damn, this place is incredible. I swear it’s like stepping back in time. Everything looks original. There’re even pictures on some of the walls.”

Cal smirked. “Yeah. It’s perfectly creepy.”

Dave slapped him across the shoulder. “What’s wrong, buddy? Losing your nerve?”

“There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. Unless you think it’s normal to have a house that’s been vacant for decades be this pristine.” He waved his hand at the adjoining rooms. “Other than the dust, nothing seems out of place.”

“Maybe your brother got his facts wrong. If you ask me, this place hasn’t been abandoned for more than a few years.”

Avery sighed. “Or maybe there’s more going on here than a simple haunting.”

Dave gave them a wry grin. “Even better.”

Cal moved forward when a loud bang rattled the house. He glanced up, noting the cloud of dust in the air. Whatever had made the noise, it’d definitely come from upstairs.

Dave strode toward the stairs, ignoring Avery’s call as he took the steps two at a time. Cal watched his friend ascend, the man’s attention focused on the upper level. While Cal wasn’t one to dwell on danger or risks, he’d never seen Dave so oblivious to his surroundings before. As if he were merely going through the motions.

Avery gave him a concerned furrow of his brow before heading upstairs, keeping a noticeable distance away from Dave. Cal just didn’t know if it was so Avery could avoid the man or study him.

Cal ran a hand through his hair, picking his way along, listening for any further movement from above. Shadows chased each other along the walls as he rounded the top step, scanning both directions before turning right down the hallway and heading for the rear of the house. Muffled voices echoed along the corridor, and he stopped when he reached the last room. Footsteps sounded behind him as a hand landed on his shoulder.

Cal spun around, the beam of light making Avery’s skin look yellow. He grunted, giving his little brother a shove. “Shit, Av. You scared a few years off me.”

Avery gave him the same boyish smile he’d used as a kid, his teeth flashing white in the glare. “I checked out two of the rooms at the front, but they’re empty. Dave’s just checking the other one.” He leaned in after glancing over his shoulder. “I’m a bit…concerned about Dave. He doesn’t seem to hear a word I say.”

“Maybe he’s just focused on the hunt. He’s been a bit obsessive with this one.”

“Or maybe he’s not quite as strong willed as you think he is.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Avery held up his hands, palms out. “Easy, bro. You know I like Dave, but…shit, I’m not getting anything off the man now.”

Cal frowned. “But I thought you were worried because you
were
getting bad feelings off of him?” He shook his head. “Isn’t this better?”

“It’s not like that. I mean I’m not getting
anything
off him. As in nothing. No thoughts, no emotions. It’s like he just flicked a switch.”

Cal scrubbed a hand down his face, not sure how to reply when Dave marched down the hallway, the beam from his flashlight bouncing along the walls. He only slowed enough to edge past them before grabbing the handle of the door behind Cal.

Cal snagged Dave’s shirt, finally gaining his attention when he tugged forcefully on the sleeve. Dave glanced at him, yanking his arm free as he all but growled at Cal.

Cal moved forward, trapping Dave against the wall. “Damn it, Dave. What the hell is wrong with you?” He returned his friend’s glare. “First you bitch about Avery coming along then you start in about my family’s money. Now you’re acting as if we’re not even here! Either snap out of it, or I’ll drag your ass back to the truck. And don’t look at me like I can’t do it. We both know I’ve got four inches and twenty pounds on you, not to mention the fact my brother, Dylan, has taught me more than a few of his hand-to-hand combat techniques.”

Dave furrowed his brow before shaking his head, blinking a few times as he stared back at them. He seemed to focus for a moment before shoving Cal away. “Shit, Cal, you need to relax. Maybe I just want to get some evidence before it disappears, instead of dragging my ass around, worrying about stuff that doesn’t have anything to do with the investigation.”

“Disappears?” Cal ran a hand through his hair. “You haven’t stopped long enough to even gather evidence. And it’s not like the ghosts are going anywhere. Most likely their energy signature is somehow bound to the house. We need to slow down and get a better understanding of what we’re up against. Whether this is nothing more than some restless spirits or whether there’s something else here…something that’s messing with you.”

Dave rolled his eyes. “Nothing’s
messing
with me. Seriously, you need to stop listening to Avery’s wild stories. I realize the guy has great instincts, but he’s still just a kid with a lot to learn. I’m fine.” He shoved Cal back, reaching for the handle again. “Now I’m going to check out the attic and ensure we’re alone before we begin.” He sneered at Cal. “You can come along or stay here.”

Dave twisted the doorknob and yanked open the door, striding up the stairs without glancing at them. Cal swore under his breath, gaining the first step when Avery grabbed his wrist. Cal turned partway back, frustration clenching his jaw. If he’d doubted there was more to this house than a few resident ghosts, Dave’s bizarre attitude changes had successfully crushed those doubts.

Cal took a calming breath, noting the rigid line of Avery’s jaw as he repeatedly clenched it. He gave his little brother an encouraging smile. “Don’t pay any attention to him. It’s like you said. The energy in this place must be making him pissy. I’m sure he’ll be embarrassed of his performance once he realizes how much of an ass he was.”

Avery glanced up the stairs as he shook his head. “This isn’t about Dave taunting me. Hell, you and Dylan have teased me far worse than that, it’s just…this isn’t right. Dave…there’s something wrong, and it’s more than just a gut feeling. When he seemed to snap out of it for a moment back there, I sensed that same dark energy I felt when we first arrived. Only this time, it was coming
from
Dave…not the house.”

“So what are you saying? That he’s channeling the energy?”

“More like the other way round. The energy’s channeling through him.”

Cal frowned. “How’s that different?”

Avery kicked at the floor, seemingly reluctant to say what was obviously on his mind before he cursed and palmed the doorframe. “It’s different because it means the man’s under some kind of possession.”

Cal snorted. “You think Dave’s been possessed by an evil spirit?”

“This is more than just a spirit. And there’s no doubt in my mind it’s evil. Pure evil.”

Cal groaned inwardly, mulling the idea over, when something crashed against the floor above them, sending more clouds of dust billowing down from the ceiling. Cal took the stairs two at time, shouldering his weight against the door at the top, cracking the frame as the wood gave beneath the force. He barreled into the room, skidding to a stop as he fought to see anything in the inky blackness when his flashlight winked out. Avery ducked in behind him, the beam from his flashlight flickering around the room. Boxes and bits of furniture appeared in the circle of light before graying into the shadows as Avery moved the beam around, scanning every inch of the area. Cal shook his light, but something had already drained the damn batteries.