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“Coach Thompson?” Bella whispered, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What is he doing here?”

“Stay quiet,” Karl urged, gently squeezing her hand as they continued to watch the scene unfold.

“Are we clear on the plan?” the kidnapper asked, his voice low and menacing.

“Crystal,” Coach Thompson replied, a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

“Good,” the kidnapper said, nodding. “We will proceed as planned.”

As the two conspirators conversed, Karl and Bella noticed a faint shimmer in the air just behind Coach Thompson. Then, with a soft, almost imperceptible sigh, Clarissa’s ghostly form floated into existence. Her chilling gray eyes locked onto theirs for a brief moment before she disappeared back into the coach’s body.

“Did you see that?” Bella gasped, her heart racing.

“Clarissa’s possessing him,” Karl muttered, his jaw clenched in anger. “That’s how she’s controlling him. We need to tell the others.”

“Let’s go,” Bella agreed, her pulse pounding in her ears as they retreated from their hiding spot.

They sprinted back to their car, adrenaline fueling their every step. As Karl started the engine, Bella grabbed her phone, quickly dialing Fiona’s number.

“Guys, we’ve got big news,” Bella announced, her voice shaking with the weight of their discovery. “We saw Coach Thompson meeting with the kidnapper at the warehouse.”

“Really? What were they talking about?” Fiona asked, concern evident in her voice.

“They were discussing some sort of plan,” Karl chimed in, his grip on the steering wheel tight. “But that’s not even the craziest part. Clarissa was there too—she’s possessing Coach Thompson.”

“Are you sure?” Layla questioned skeptically, her voice crackling over the speakerphone.

“Positive,” Bella replied firmly. “We saw her float out of him and then go back in. She must be using him to carry out her twisted plans.”

“All right,” Max said, a hint of determination in his tone. “We need to regroup and figure out how to stop her. Meet us back at the haunted mansion.”

“Will do,” Karl agreed before ending the call.

As they sped away from the warehouse, Karl’s thoughts raced with the implications of their discovery. How far would Clarissa go to exact her revenge? And, more importantly, what role would he and Bella play in stopping her? Only time would tell.

Chapter Eleven