Page 4 of Lost Echoes
His last recalled memory was of a rabbit in the woods. Not exactly earth-shattering.
“I think I got into that locked storage room.”
“The one the universal key didn’t fit into?”
“Yeah.”
“How’d you get in?”
“I think someone brought me in...” His voice trails off. “But I’m not sure. Everything’s still fuzzy.”
“It always is.” I sigh. “Who took you there?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. But I’m thinking either Laurel or her wackadoodle sidekick.”
“We’ll keep trying. Maybe Ember will find something useful. Every time I go to her room, she’s glued to her computers. Did you know she’s using more than one? It’s like she’s in a movie or something.”
Our niece has been hunting for anything she can find about the Radley institution and its evil namesakes. She’s learned more about digital archeology in the last month than anyone paying for a college-level course on the subject.
“Hopefully.” He doesn’t sound very optimistic. “Did you figure out if your childhood journals had anything about the hospital or the hypnotics or weird drugs?”
I twirl a strand of hair around a finger. “Well, one of them mentioned a part of the east wing of the mansion.”
“Did you find anything?” Now he sounds excited.
“No. I haven’t worked up the nerve to check. You know how much I hate exploring this house.”
“It really isn’t that bad. At least the main area isn’t. You should move back in.”
“Don’t waste your energy trying to talk me into it. I love my cottage.”
“Okay, okay. Do you want me to explore that wing with you?”
I suddenly feel lighter. “You’d do that? Really?”
“Of course. When?”
“I’m here now. At the entrance.”
“Nice. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll join you. You’re near that creepy suit of armor?”
“Unfortunately.” I glance over at the statue that I’m not convinced doesn’t still have bones in it. It always feels like it’s watching me.
“Be there soon.” The call ends.
I relax a little. Maybe this won’t be so bad with Ryker. I won’t be alone, and he isn’t scared of anything.
He clearly hasn’t spent enough time in the Brannon mansion since he isn’t freaked out by it yet.
I play a game on my phone to pass the time and distract myself as I wait for him, but then the game glitches and finally freezes altogether.
No signal, even though I didn’t move from this spot where I was talking to Ryker. Seriously, I don’t know what’s creepier—all the cold spots in this house or the random no-signal areas that seem to change every hour.
Old floorboards creak and groan in protest at the weight of someone headed my way.
I hold up the old journal, ready to use it as a weapon if I have to. Not that it would do much against a ghost. Or a human, for that matter.
Ryker rounds the corner, appearing from one corridor. He has two large flashlights and face masks. The guy is always prepared for anything. He holds out one of each for me to take. “You ready?”
