Part 22 (1/2)
”Although there have been many theories regarding the ident.i.ty of the Villisca ax murderer, no one was ever found guilty of the heinous crime. Now, a hundred years later, the malevolent shadow of a heinous crime hangs over this home and eight victims still cry out for justice.”
An eerie silence fell, our collective breathing, in and out, in and out, the only sound in the room.
Throughout Keelie's recitation I'd tried to distance myself from the words, tried to think of anything but the story she told, the story of a tragic and horrific murder that took place in this very home while the innocent victims lay sleeping and oblivious in their beds.
You're surrounded by big, tough men, I reminded myself. Patrick and Manny and two st.u.r.dy cameramen were just steps away.
”The owners wouldn't give us permission to use candles so we'll have to make do with these penlights. Manny,” Keelie was saying, ”lights please.”
Manny flipped his bada.s.s flashlight off and the room went dark. Well, darker. The light from the cameras cast creepy shadows on the walls and around the room.
”Now, everybody put their fingertips on the thingy here. That's right. Nice and easy. Eww. Gross. Who's the nail biter?”
Frankie s.n.a.t.c.hed his hands back. ”I think I'll keep Debbie, er, Dixie company,” he said.
”Everyone must clear their minds completely,” Keelie said.
”That shouldn't take long.” That observation came from ”Debbie's” corner of the room.
”Clear your mind and let it flow throughout the house, out, out, into the great beyond. We are reaching out to the spirit or spirits in this house. Spirits, are you there?”
”Uh, excuse me.” I raised my hand. ”Could I have some clarification here? Which spirit or spirits are we reaching out to? Victims of violent murder spirits or...ax-wielding, murderous psycho spirits?” My voice did a quivery vibrato number at the end.
”Does it matter?” Keelie asked.
”Uh. Yeah. What part of ax-wielding, murderous psycho spirit did you miss?”
”Listen, Turner. If you want to wimp out-”
”You smell that?” Langley said.
”Smell what?”
”That smell. It smells like-”
Bacon.
Shhh!” Tiara hushed. ”Listen! Did you hear that?”
”Hear what?” Keelie said.
”That.”
I strained to listen.
Thump.
”Did you hear that?”
”It came from upstairs.”
Thump. Thump.
”There it is again.”
”Hey! Who's moving the mouse?”
”Mouse?”
”The pointer! The indicator! It's moving!”
I stared down at our fingertips. The pointer was moving.
Thump! Thump!
”Listen! There it was again!”
”Shhh!”
”I don't like this.”
”Knock it off! Quit pus.h.i.+ng the pointer!”
”I'm not!”
”Are too!”
”Am not!”
Thump. Thump. THUMP!
”What the h.e.l.l!”
”Oh. My. G.o.d!”
”Turn on the lights! Turn on the lights now!”
Camera lights bounced off the walls in a frenzied dance.
”Where's the light switch?”
”Manny?”
”Just a minute. Manny's light won't work.”
”You're s.h.i.+tting me.”