Twilight: Bay City Paranormal Investigations, Book 3

turn out to be the explanation in this case. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d set out to investigate a possible gateway, only to find something much more benign at the heart of it.
    He wished he could ignore the inner voice whispering that none of those other cases had sounded so uncomfortably close to their experiences at Oleander House and South Bay High.
    At ten o’clock, the group stood on the rambling verandah in front of the Kimberley Inn, waiting for Lex. David and Dean had their heads together, talking in low tones while they reviewed the contents of the big equipment bag Dean carried. Bo stood talking to Andre. Going over last minute details, from what Sam could hear. Sam stared up at the heavy gray sky, feeling unaccountably left out.
    Slipping a hand into the crook of Sam’s elbow, Cecile leaned close. “Y’all are going to contact us, aren’t you?”
    Sam nodded. “Yeah. There’s a radio in the manager’s office here. Bo talked to her and arranged for us to call and talk to Andre in a couple of days.”
    “Good. That makes me feel better.”
“Me too.”
Cecile glanced at Bo. “I know you’re not happy
    about this, Sam. Are you and Bo okay?”
He knew what she meant, and he appreciated it.
Smiling, he patted her hand. “We’re fine. At least, we’re not fighting, which is something. I think we’re both
getting better at the fine art of compromise.”
Cecile laughed. “Yes, I’ve noticed.”
At that moment, a dark blue, mud-splattered SUV
pulled up in front of the Inn. The driver’s side door
opened, and Lex hurried around the front. “Hi, guys,”
she called. “Come on, we need to get started. I need to
get back to the Lodge in time to help with dinner. We’re
one short without Harry.”
“Is that the guy who disappeared?” Dean asked,
trotting down the steps to the SUV.
“Yes, it is. Harry Norton.” Lex shook her head.
“Terrible thing. He’s worked at the Lodge for eighteen
years. Such a sweet, wonderful man. It’s been awful, not
knowing what happened to him, and Carl and I have
hesitated to hire anyone to fill his position, since we’re
still hoping he’ll turn up.”
“Good God, your employees don’t live up there all
the time, do they?” David’s expression reflected
horrified disbelief.
Opening the back of the SUV for the team’s
equipment, Lex shot David an amused look. “No, they
don’t. They’re usually on the mountain for two weeks
and off for one. It’s an unusual type of schedule, which
makes it difficult to hire people. Most of our employees
are young people with no spouse or children. Harry
was—is—our oldest worker, in both senses of the word.
He just turned fifty last month.”
Sam and Bo glanced at each other as they
descended the steps side by side. Lex’s words and the
grief on her face made it clear that she wanted to believe
Harry was still alive, but felt in her heart he wasn’t. “I guess that’s all of our stuff,” Bo said, slinging
his backpack into the back of the SUV beside Sam’s. He turned to Andre, David and Cecile, who stood shoulder to shoulder at the bottom of the verandah steps. “Good luck with the rest of the investigation here. Y’all know what to do. And be sure to call us on the manager’s
radio if there’s an emergency.”
David nodded. “Will do, boss-man.”
Hurrying forward, Cecile hugged first Dean, then
Bo and finally Sam. “Be careful, okay?”
“We will, don’t worry.” Sam patted her back,
kissed the top of her head and let her go. “See y’all in
four days.”
“You have the directions to the trailhead, don’t
you, Andre?” Bo asked as he opened the front passenger
side door of the SUV and climbed in.
Andre patted his back pocket. “Right here. I’ll be
there at four o’clock on Thursday.”
“Okay.” Bo smiled at the three remaining at the
Inn. “Bye. Y’all be good.”
Dean pulled open the back door of the SUV and
climbed in. Sam slid in beside him, closed the door and
rolled down the window. “Bye, guys,” he called as Lex
hopped behind the wheel and began steering the vehicle
down the narrow cobblestone drive. “See you soon!” All three called goodbye, and Cecile blew them a
kiss. Dean leaned over Sam to wave out the window at
them. When they rounded a corner of the drive and lost
sight of their friends, Dean settled back into his seat and
buckled his seat belt. Sam rolled up the window, cutting
off the flow of chilly air from outside.
“Looks like that winter weather