Arcane Society Story 01 - The Scargill Cove Case Files

night again. Probably can’t go on like this indefinitely. Maybe I do need an assistant.
    Getting low on coffee. Got to remember to pick up some more soon.
    Another report of a body found near a campground. Same MO. J&J agent says it’s a rogue. Like I needed a psychic serial killer problem.
    J&J will have to deal with the rogue. Regular law enforcement doesn’t stand a chance against guys like that.
    Regular law enforcement won’t even admit there is such a thing as the paranormal, let alone killers with psychic talents.

July 17
    Crashed last night. Fell asleep at the computer in the middle of reading the new classified report on the Nightshade case.
    Promised Fitch I’d stop by his bookstore today. Don’t have time for this. Should focus on Nightshade and the rogue.
    Need more agents. Like that’s gonna happen. J&J isn’t the CIA or the FBI. Don’t have unlimited resources.
    The rogue struck again. Another campground, another body. I’ll call the illusion-talent in Seattle. Guy gives me chills but he gets the job done. Sometimes it takes a killer to catch a killer.
    Went to see Fitch. Pretty sure now that he’s got some talent. Probably doesn’t know it yet, himself. He’s right. Bad vibes in that store.
    Back in the office with a cup of coffee. Thinking about Fitch. No such thing as ghosts but violence always leaves a psychic stain.
    Illusion-talent took the job. Same arrangement as last time. He deals with the rogue and I don’t ask any questions. Works for us.
    It’s raining but I’m going to take a walk on the beach. Need to clear my head.
    Only enough coffee left for one more pot. Got to remember to pick up some at the store.

July 20
    Just got off the phone with Zack. Knew he’d be a problem once they made him Master of the Society. Always demanding status reports.
    Should focus on Nightshade but I keep coming back to the Fitch case. Need to do some research on the former owner of the bookstore.
    Ran out of coffee. Going across the street to the Sunshine Café. Lousy coffee but it’s not like there’s a lot of choice in this burg.
    Marge at the Sunshine says Jenny the waitress just quit. Marge is looking for new counter help.
    Marge and I talked about how to find reliable help in a small town like Scargill Cove. Neither of us had any good ideas.
    Marge and I also talked about Fitch. She says she doesn’t think he’s been in the book business very long. Something about the guy.
    I asked Marge what she knew about Hooker, the guy who used to own the bookstore. Marge didn’t know much.
    The thing about Scargill Cove is that it’s one of those edge-of-the-coast towns filled with folks who don’t fit in anywhere else. Like me.
    In places like Scargill Cove you don’t ask questions about peoples’ pasts. Bad manners. Also dangerous.
    All Marge could tell me was that Hooker had arrived in town ten years ago and opened the bookstore. A loner.
    I’ve been in town for a while now, and I went into the bookstore only twice. Don’t know any more about Hooker than Marge did.
    Went online and checked out Hooker. Got nothing, which is always interesting. Guy had no past but paid taxes on time. Uh huh.
    So now I’m curious. Who was Hooker, and why did he suddenly sell up and leave town? Or did he do either?
    Looks like Hooker handled the sale privately. No real estate agent involved. Deed recorded properly. All taxes paid.

July 21
    Asked Fitch how he found out that Hooker wanted to sell the bookstore. Fitch said he drove through town one day. Bought a book.
    Fitch says he got to talking to Hooker, who said he was ready to move on. Fitch was retired and looking for something to do.
    Fitch says the idea of running a bookstore appealed to him so he and Hooker did a deal. Doesn’t know where Hooker went.
    Definitely bad energy in that store. Told Fitch I wanted to walk through the place, including the basement, soak up the vibes.
    Fitch says the basement is stacked wall to wall with old junk. Says he hasn’t had time to clean it out.
    Turns out the place used to be a bank. Old vault in the basement hidden behind a pile of crates. Fitch looks surprised. Maybe he is.
    Vault is locked. New, high-tech lock, not the original. What are the odds that we’re going to find out what happened to Hooker?

July 22
    Got a crypto-talent in from Oakland to open the vault. Hooker’s body’s inside. Not a pretty sight. Smell almost knocks us out.
    Scratch marks on the vault door. Looks like the guy tried to claw