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“What?” Archie remembered that super-serious expression of Beau’s from back in the day. The more solemn Beau looked, the more likely it was he was concocting some ridiculous story. Not in these circumstances, surely?

But yeah, that derisive curl of Beau’s upper lip was a sure sign that, privately, he found the story funny. “Apparently matters came to a head during a seance at Leo Baker’s. John said he wouldn’t permit Azizi to insult or harass spirits who had honored them with their presence. Azizi accused John of being a fascist and objectifying ghosts. He claimed John was trying to keep them for house pets.”

Archie’s jaw dropped—which seemed to amuse further amuse Beau.

“What the... Are you serious?”

Beau raised a dismissing shoulder. “I don’t know if serious is the word, but according to the other members of the TPS, that was the reason Azizi was kicked out of the society.”

“He was kicked out?” That seemed like a surprisingly harsh action on John’s part, so the disagreement had to have been more significant than it sounded.

“Yep. Ordered to take his trusty portable electromagnetic field radiation detector and never darken their doorstep again.” Beau shrugged. “Sure, it sounds ridiculous, but you know as well as I do, they all take this stuff seriously. John included.”

There was no arguing that. Archie nodded automatically. Being cast out of the TPS would be a big deal for any of the members. Azizi would be no exception.

Archie tried to read Beau’s expression. “So Azizi’s in the wind?”

Beau grimaced. “In fairness, he doesn’t seem to have threatened John with anything but legal action, and the specifics of that were vague. It doesn’t look like he had any contact with John at all since the night at Baker’s.”

Archie opened his mouth, but Beau headed him off. “The fact that we haven’t yet verified that he flew to Nebraska, doesn’t mean he didn’t. And the fact that we can’t locate any family members, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Azizi’s an oddball. He lived alone and he mostly kept to himself. Neighbors, colleagues, friends, fellow ghost hunters, everybody says he’s secretive and strange.”

“Well, yeah,” Archie said. “We already knew that.”

Perhaps Beau shared some of the same memories, because his cheek creased. “We sure do.”

For a moment they grinned at each other. Archie changed the subject.

“What about Jon Monig?”

Was it his imagination or did Beau hesitate? And would that be out of consideration for Archie’s feelings or because he was still holding his cards close to his chest?

Monig’s claims were genuinely disturbing. Not that Archie believed them. For one thing, he felt certain two doctors would have been, well, smart about unprotected sex even with a regular partner. John was a careful and conscientious man. Nor had Mila ever struck Archie as the spontaneous, carefree type. But even more to the point, the John he knew would not have turned his back on his child, regardless of how that child came into being. It simply did not jibe with everything Archie knew of his former guardian.

But at the same time, where had Monig gotten the idea that John was his father? Was he delusional? Or had something or someone inspired that belief? A belief strong enough to harass John into taking a paternity test, and then rejecting the results when they didn’t line up with Monig’s expectations.

Could Mila have planted that idea?

Would John and Mila have continued to work together, to remain friends, if Mila had lied about something so damaging? Same deal if, hard as it was to believe, John had turned his back on his parental responsibilities. Would Mila have found it possible to work together and even remain friends?

It seemed unlikely to Archie. Although, maybe he wasn’t the best judge, seeing that emotional intimacy wasn’t really his strong suit.

Beau glanced at his watch. “Monig claims he wasn’t invited to the ghost walk. He says he spent a quiet night at home doing dishes, laundry, etc. He had the TV on, but wasn’t really watching it. He says he didn’t talk to anyone on the phone nor respond to any texts. He claims he went to bed early. He lives alone, so no one can corroborate.”

“No alibi.”

Beau agreed, “No alibi.” He rose and moved toward the door. “I’ve got to be in court in ten minutes, so I’ll leave you to it.”

“Right.” Archie gazed up at him. “Beau, thanks for this.”

He meant it. He was grateful. Still a little surprised. But genuinely grateful.

Some emotion—discomfort? wariness?—flickered across Beau’s face, but he moved his head in acknowledgement. “Just remember, you agreed to keep your head down. I don’t want to find out you turned up at Dr. Monig’s office asking whether she told her son that John was his father.”

Archie stared blank-faced at Beau, as though such an idea had never crossed his mind.

Beau made a sound of derision. “That’s what I thought. Don’t make me regret letting you run loose, Crane.”

“Run loose?” Archie echoed, understandably offended at being made to sound like a juvenile delinquent on the rampage.