#Book 1 - Page 25 (1/2)

Dex had stayed true to his word and remained quiet and attentive during the whole spiel. Even now he wasn’t saying anything. He just pursed his lips until he resembled a s.e.xy duck before digging into his breakfast. I tried not to watch him eat, even though I could see from the furrow between his brows that he was deep in thought, trying to make sense of what I told him.

We ate in silence. The longer he went without saying anything, the more torn up I felt inside. Did he believe me? Did he think I was mental? Because if there was anyone at this table who was mental, I knew it wasn’t me. That said, I did have a dead man trying to hand me an oil lamp last night.

“You actually believe all that?” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked slowly. “Of course. It happened. I don’t know how else to explain it but that’s what happened.”

I looked at him closer; my mouth dropped a little bit. Was he doubting this whole thing?

“You think I’m making all of this up? This was your idea.”

He laughed. “Come on, Perry. We didn’t really find anything the first time we were out here. I wouldn’t blame you for trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.”

I could barely form thoughts, let alone speak at his a.s.sumptions. “You think I’m faking it?”

“I think you see what you want to see,” he said, and shoveled an entire pancake into his mouth. I was too livid to even consider how gross that was.

I couldn’t help but reach across the table and grab his forearm. I squeezed it. Hard. He looked up at me, pancake frozen inside his wide yap.

“Dex,” I said, with as much intensity and seriousness that I could muster. “I’m not lying. I don’t care about any of this. You found me. In the end, you found me. I’m just telling you the truth. You think that lighthouse is haunted, you’re looking for all the proof, but I’m telling you now that I know it is. It is.”

He searched my face, while slowly chewing the pancake until it was gone. I didn’t know what he thought, but there was nothing more I could do at this point.

“Look,” I finally said. “I’ll prove it. Let’s go there right now. h.e.l.l, let’s go tonight. We can drive back to Portland after. I need to show you. I need you to believe me.”

He shook his head. “No can do, kiddo. I’ve got to get back tonight.”

“Why? What do you have to do? Is your girlfriend so paranoid that she won’t let you out of her sight for the weekend?”

He was taken aback at that and managed to laugh. “My girlfriend? Jenn doesn’t give two s.h.i.+ts if I’m there or not.”

That was news to me. I tried to not let that show.

“No,” he continued, “I’m just done with it. I don’t think I should get any deeper into this whole thing. I’ve got enough footage and, with your permission, I could combine it with what you shot last week.”

“What if I say no?” I countered, arms crossed.

“I’d say you’re being awfully stubborn and acting like a typical young girl who isn’t getting her way,” he shot back. “And then I’d shrug, wipe my hands clean of this whole thing and go home.”

“To your girlfriend who doesn’t even care if you’re there or not?”

He threw down his napkin. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t care. I just think you’re chickens.h.i.+t.”

“Excuse me?”

I could tell the anger was rising behind those eyes, but I didn’t care. I was past caring and beyond angry myself.

“That’s right,” I reinforced. “I think you are chickens.h.i.+t. You’re happy to call this whole thing off just because you are too scared to go back there because you actually think I am telling the truth. And the truth scares you.”

He leaned in closer across the table and this time grabbed my forearm.

“You scare me, Perry,” he growled and gave my arm a sharp squeeze. “You.”

I eyed his grip. He met my eyes and then very slowly, hesitantly, released me.

“This is going to be a really awkward car ride back home, isn’t it?” I asked, a trace of amus.e.m.e.nt in my voice. The whole situation was ridiculous.

He sighed and leaned back, pus.h.i.+ng his plate away from him.

“I hope I’m driving you as crazy as you’ve been driving me,” I said bluntly.

He shook his head and got out of the booth. “I’m going to go pay,” he muttered, despite the fact that I wasn’t done eating. It didn’t matter, though. I had had enough too—of the food, of everything. At least breakfast was free.

I watched him approach the till and decided it would be a good time to get a breath of fresh air before the h.e.l.lish ride back.

I walked out of the diner and took in a deep breath. I closed my eyes and looked up at the sky, letting the rain fall on my face and feeling like it was was.h.i.+ng away the dust that was acc.u.mulating inside my brain.

I exhaled through my lips, slowly and fully. I opened my eyes before I started to feel a bit off balance.

There was a woman, an old woman, standing directly in front of me. She was grinning a bright smear of red, waxy paint. The lipstick was on her yellowing teeth. My breath caught on the way out.

I had seen her before, in the lobby of my office.

I don’t know how long we stood there staring at each other. I felt paralyzed, unable to breathe, move or talk. She didn’t move either, just kept up that demonic grin.