Page 13 of The Penitentiary (Ghost Seekers Inc. #1)

“Just stay away from five. The rest of The Penn is haunted and evil, but five is locked down for a reason and not for the reasons the sign states,” Grace said.

“I hope our story helps, and I pray you learn from what happened to us. I don’t mind you sharing our story, but please can you blank our faces and change our voices? We still have to live here, and we don’t want the stigma of being ‘those women’, please,” Staci asked.

“Of course. It was brave of you to arrive back,” I replied.

“We can’t live our lives in fear. Sometimes I come out here at night and stare at The Penn. I try to face my terror, but it lives inside of me,” Grace admitted.

“If you don’t think me rude, I’d like to leave now. We’ve warned you; it’s up to you what you do with the warning,” Staci said, getting to her feet.

We all hugged her and Grace goodbye, and Harry said he’d be in contact with the disclaimers allowing us to use their footage. As Levi and Sunny escorted them to their car, we sat in silence and stared at one another.

“Cellblock five is off-limits. And I ain’t fuckin’ arguing about it,” Sunny stated when he came back in.

“Totally agree,” I replied, and Sunny blinked in surprise.

“We’d be fools to disregard a warning like that, and Callum needs to know what he’s heading into. Can we send him that footage?” Jack said.

“You’re going to let Callum go in?” Levi asked incredulously.

“Levi, what do you think we should do? Run around and film ghosts? We’re investigators, and sometimes we have to end a haunting. This one has killed people; we can’t leave that evil inside unchecked. Callum will need backup, and we won’t let him inside until he has it,” I stated.

“You’re not going in,” Sunny ordered me, and I bristled.

“No, I wasn’t going to. I have a baby to worry about, but if Jack accompanies Callum, Michelle and whoever Callum brings, that’s his choice.”

“I don’t want to step—”

“Stop, Sunny. This is my job, and I do it well. I would never endanger the team, and you know it. I’m not Jane, Tom, or Dick.

My team’s safety is paramount to me. I do not need you ordering me about and dictating.

Just remember when you sought justice, I walked beside you and didn’t give you ultimatums,” I said, and Sunny smacked his lips closed. He couldn’t argue that.

“We’re going back to the original plan for tonight. One team in cellblock six and the other in the dining hall,” Jack said.

“Yes, but everyone remains kitted out with Holy Water, salt, and the protective bags. Now we know there is something there, we take extra precautions,” I demanded.

I received nods in reply.

“Good. If you suspect a situation is bad, don’t push your luck; get the hell out.” Sunny stated.

“Agreed.” Jack nodded.

Sunny

As everyone split into teams, I couldn’t help but want to grab Callie and run.

But she was correct. She was a professional and wouldn’t ever risk someone’s health or their safety.

The whole scenario was now worrying me. What had been a fun, albeit frightening, investigation had now turned into a very serious situation.

If I kicked off like I wanted to, I’d alienate Callie, and it would be a downward spiral.

My marriage was worth more than that. It was a give-and-take, and we had a balance between us.

Despite my nature to put my foot down, it would backfire spectacularly.

Callie, while quiet, was not a pushover, and she’d kick back at me.

Instead, I’d stay by her side and protect her as best as I could.

I’d earned beauty, and Callie was my beautiful world.

I wouldn’t sacrifice that because I wanted to wrap her up in cotton wool.

Ever since she’d discovered she was pregnant, Callie had taken extra precautions.

Jack was handling the more dangerous stuff now.

And that was fine with both me and Jack.

He was a good man, and I knew he relished his job.

The team also adored Callie. There weren’t many calls for a full-time paid paranormal investigator.

With Callie, they were working their dream job and getting paid for it.

Sure, Callie did charge for private investigations or if someone called them in.

However, fifty per cent of their time was spent investigating somewhere, and that hadn’t paid until their series had grown in popularity.

Callie still paid them a salary, no matter what.

No, they all knew which side their bread was buttered on.

They all genuinely loved Callie and looked out for each other.

When I’d joined them, I’d been the outsider; it had taken months for them to get comfortable with me.

Now I was one of them, but I’d no doubt they’d take Callie’s side. That warmed me.

As sad as it was, I’d die before Callie. With our baby and her ghost-hunting family, Callie would never be alone, and that soothed my troubled spirit. I was fifty-three years old, while Callie’s thirty. Yeah, I’d die well before my woman.

Most of the time, the age gap didn’t bother me, but when I thought of Callie being alone for at least two decades, it saddened me.

I wanted to be unselfish and tell her to find someone else; she’d still be young enough.

But I couldn’t. Callie was mine, and that was it.

I didn’t want to think of someone else kissing her lips, stroking her hair, watching her sleep.

Call me a motherfucking asshole, I didn’t care.

I would never share Callie Dixon with anyone else. Never.

“Are you with me?” Callie asked, nudging me in my gut.

“Sure! Cellblock one, right?”

“Yup, things are meant to move there,” I replied.

“Yeah. Come on,” she said with a grin, but I could tell her energy was low. Staci and Grace’s story had done a number on the team. Nobody looked excited to investigate. It was time to make a decision.

“Put your shit away, all of you. Nobody’s investigating tonight, we’re going to get pizza and binge on corny movies,” I stated. I was amused by the relieved smiles that were shot my way.

“Done,” Jack and Callie said together.

“Tomorrow, we’ll squeeze in the two we’ve missed tonight,” I promised, and Callie nodded.

Callie - Friday, early evening.

I watched the spoon dance across the floor and laughed. “Thank you for that,” I said.

The spirit box squealed, and we heard the word ‘welcome’ come through.

“Can you do anything else?” Madi asked. She placed a ball on the floor, which lit up when moved, and backed away.

Tonight was much more light-hearted after yesterday.

Sunny had done us right. Pizza, popcorn, and cheesy movies had been perfect.

Staci and Grace had dropped a bombshell on us, and we were incredibly grateful for their honesty.

Callum was on his way from the airport, and we were wrapping up in cellblock one.

The activity here had been gentler, and it seemed the spirit wanted to amuse us.

Callum had stopped on the route and picked up a friend.

Michelle was already at the airport and had met them there.

She had someone with her, too, which had caused me concern.

I only had two bedrooms spare on the bus, but Sunny had reminded me that the downstairs couches also pulled out, so we had room.

I wondered who was with Michelle and knew I’d have my answers soon.

“Food fight!” Jack yelled over the two-way, and I looked up in surprise.

“What?” I radioed back.

“Fucking food fight!” Jack howled.

“Jack and Levi are being pelted with peas and what looks like rotten tomatoes,” Harry said calmly.

“Oh.” I blinked in astonishment, and a grin crept across my face.

“Don’t even think about it!” Sunny warned me, and I pouted.

“It will be fun,” I argued.

“No.”

“Spoilsport!” Madi hissed.

The spoon threw itself at Sunny’s head and beaned him.

I gaped before roaring with laughter. Sunny picked the spoon up and glowered before chucking it away from him. Seconds later, it smacked him back in the forehead once more.

“Oh my!” Madi exclaimed as we burst into laughter.

“Wait a minute, why is it a food fight?” I demanded as a thought hit me.

“Because Levi and Jack are throwing shit back at the invisible people!” Harry said sarcastically.

“No!” I gasped as I roared with laughter again.

“Yeah, they’re scraping it off themselves and launching it the way it was thrown from. The problem is—holy fuck!” Harry cried and went silent.

“What? What?” I demanded.

“They were missing their target as the spirit hurled an object at them from a different direction each time. But Levi just threw some tomatoes, and they hit something. For a moment, a man’s face appeared, and he didn’t look amused, and oh crap… Levi just got smacked with an apple!”

“This is being recorded? Tell me it’s on film!” Madi begged.

“Yeah. And everything’s just died down. I guessed the spirit used all its energy up,” Harry replied.

“I can’t believe I just had a food fight with a damn ghost,” Levi snarled over the two-way.

“We have a dancing spoon, which has hit Sunny twice. Our spirit isn’t impressed by Sunny,” I said, and Levi cackled in amusement.

“I wonder why! Surly fucker,” Levi taunted.

“I’ll give you surly fucker,” Sunny growled.

“Surly, old grumpy fucker,” Levi amended, and Sunny opened his mouth and choked as the spoon was shoved in. We all stared at each other in astonishment. Then a ball began lighting up and moving as someone played with it.

“I think it wants you to shut up. Would you like to keep that as a gift?” I asked, and the ball moved away from us.

“Thank you for interacting with us tonight,” I called as we headed for the exit.

Callum and everyone would be arriving about now.

I hoped they could do something about cellblock five; it wasn’t in me to leave a vicious spirit behind to harm people.

I just prayed we had the strength needed for an exorcism.