{"title":"PAPERBACK","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"bss","title":"The Complete Berkley Street Saga: 9 Books of Action-Packed Horror You Won't Be Able to Put Down (FREE U.S. SHIPPING)","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/13vtVTu9S9E8Z9q51E-WL7lDwQlWeRpll\/preview\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Professionally Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGet 9 horror-packed books, guaranteed to send shivers down your spine!\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn abandoned house. A forgotten evil. Home sweet home...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan returns to his hometown of Nashua, and the childhood memories that have haunted him throughout his life. Something sinister prowls the shadows of his family home. And darkness threatens to destroy all he holds dear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwenty years ago, the dark force took Shane's family. They vanished within the halls of their shadowy old house. Now, more relatives have gone missing. But a childhood memory stirs in his mind - a long-forgotten encounter with a sinister presence that has always lurked just out of sight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo confront this malevolent evil, Shane must peel back the secrets of his former home. His investigation will take him on a journey that challenges everything he thought he knew about himself and his past. But can he banish his demons once and for all?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr will the darkness consume him…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis digital box set contains the complete Berkley Street series. Nine terrifying novels of supernatural horror guaranteed to chill you to the bone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat people are saying:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Fast-paced, well-written, and genuinely creepy.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \"Shane is one of the best characters I've ever read. He actually fights back instead of running scared.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Amazing! Stephen King, move over for your successor…\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This series of books would make a good TV series.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"It’s rare to find horror that actually makes you care about the characters. These books do exactly that, and then they terrify you.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Berkley Street (Book 1)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Lighthouse (Book 2)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Town of Griswold (Book 3)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Sanford Hospital (Book 4)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Kurkow Prison (Book 5)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Lake Nutaq (Book 6)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Slater Mill (Book 7)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Borgin Keep (Book 8)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Amherst Burial Ground (Book 9)\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 156.8px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEBOOK\/PAPERBACK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e807 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIOBOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e66 hours and 14 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 1: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane Ryan had never seen a bigger house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTheir new home looked like a castle, with two towers and tall, narrow windows. Shane counted six chimneys. A pair of giant, thick trees stood on either side of the wide front door. A thick stone wall, nearly as tall as Shane’s father, protected the whole property.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do you think, kid?” his father asked as he parked the car in the long driveway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it a castle?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother let out a pleased laugh, and his father shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No, kid. The Andersons, well, they were really wealthy. They wanted it to look like a castle on the outside, but on the inside, well, it’s a regular house.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh,” Shane said, trying not to sound disappointed. “So no secret passages or anything?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who knows?” his mother said, gently slapping his father on the arm. “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Shane’s father said, winking at him in the rearview mirror, “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on,” Shane’s mother said. “Let’s go inside.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis father turned the engine off, and Shane dutifully waited for his mother to open the back door of the Cadillac before he got out. The September air was warm and still smelled like summer. Shane saw the grass in the yard was freshly mowed and all of the windows shined. Each gray stone seemed to glow in the sun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How big is the yard?” Shane asked, looking around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well,” his father said, following his son’s gaze, “you could fit eight of our old yards into the front yard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane said, turning and looking at the expanse of grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“In the side yard there’s a garden,” his mother said, “there’s also a pond in the backyard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane felt his eyes widen. “A pond?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup,” his father said happily. “And you know what else, kid?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s full of fish. We can go fishing whenever we want.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane whispered. “Wow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane’s parents laughed happily, and he followed them up the front walk. His father took out the house key, unlocked the large door and opened it. Shane stepped into the biggest room he had ever seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA huge set of stairs stretched up into darkness, and dim pieces of furniture filled what he realized was a hallway. Close to where Shane stood, a tall grandfather clock ticked away the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd behind the tick of the second hand, Shane heard whispers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone whispered in the walls.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 2: SHANE, MARCH 20TH, 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fan hummed steadily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up in his narrow bed as the cool air dried the sweat on his body. He took long, deep breaths and looked at the clock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSix in the morning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe closed his eyes and forced away the last remnants of his nightmares. He reached over to his bed table, took the bottle of whiskey and glass off of it and poured himself a small shot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane drank it quickly and returned them both to their place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy security blanket\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought bitterly. He got out of the bed, took the three steps to his bathroom and climbed into the shower. Shane turned on the water and forced himself to stand under it until it warmed up. Finally, with the water tolerable, he scrubbed himself rigorously and then rinsed off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bare minimum to get clean and rid himself of the stench of fear and sweat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce out of the shower, he dried off and looked at himself in the mirror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThin face. Haggard eyes. No hair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAlopecia areata\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought, running a hand over his smooth scalp. His pale skin looked sickly in the light of the fluorescent lamp above the mirror. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eUnexplained hair loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePretty sure I can explain it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Shane thought angrily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith a shake of his head, he forced himself to focus on his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, went back into his bedroom and got dressed. A pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. Running shoes and a pullover sweatshirt of dark gray. Absently he rolled the wedding band on his ring finger as he walked to his kitchenette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOatmeal for breakfast. Strong coffee. Vitamins. A banana and two pieces of rye bread toasted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo matter how much he ate, though, he wouldn’t get up over one hundred and forty-five pounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTall and thin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJust like dad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put his wallet in his pocket, took his phone and his keys, and left his apartment. The noises of the world fell in around him, and he did his best to ignore them. He took his walk alone in the early morning light. The streets were clear of snow, although salt and sand crunched beneath his feet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWinter had slipped by New Hampshire and snow had been a rare sight. Ice, however, had visited more than once, and the streets were always treated for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought the urge to stop at the Paki’s corner store for a pack of cigarettes, but he walked by. He reached the top of Library Hill, walked around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and made his way back to his apartment on Locust Street.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce inside, he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and went to his laptop. He powered it up, logged into his work account, and looked to see what needed to be translated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmong the work emails, he found one from O’Connor Law Associates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOh, Jesus, what now\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e? He thought, opening the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart leaped at what it said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDear Mr. Ryan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, the email began.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWe are pleased to inform you the proceedings regarding your family’s home at 125 Berkley Street have finally finished.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe house is yours, per your parents’ wishes, and your uncle and aunt have exhausted their financial and legal options.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePlease call my office at your earliest convenience so we might sign the appropriate paperwork and give you the keys to your home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSincerely,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJeremy O’Connor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat back and stared at the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe keys to my home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane leaned forward and jotted the number for the firm down on his notepad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I’ll find them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he told himself, joy and rage twining together in his heart. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I will find them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 3: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up and turned on his light. His heart beat quickly, and he looked around his large room. The curtains were drawn on the tall windows. His books were lined neatly on his shelves. Legos were scattered across the floor by the old fireplace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?” the voice asked again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane twisted around in his bed. Neither his mother nor his father was in his room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe couldn’t tell where the voice came from. His mouth was dry, so he swallowed, wet his lips with his tongue, and said in a low voice, “I’m awake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good,” the voice said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt came from behind his dresser.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why? Why is it good?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because they don’t want you here,” the voice said. “They don’t want you. Here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart thumped heavily, and he managed to ask, “Who?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Don’t ask,” the voice said. “I want you here. I’m lonely.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane tried to speak but couldn’t. The sound of his blood as it rushed through him nearly drowned out his own thoughts. “Why are you lonely?” Shane whispered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve been here a long time. Such a very long time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bureau started to move, inch by inch, into the room. It swung out slowly from the wall, and a dark shadow appeared.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt took Shane a moment to realize there was a passage in the wall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA soft scrape slipped out of the darkness, and it was quickly followed by a sigh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe speaker stepped into the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA girl. Perhaps eight or nine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDead, dead, dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe smelled like death, and her skin was shrunken, pulled tight across her bones. Her lips were stretched in a gruesome smile, and long teeth protruded from her yellow jawbone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m lonely,” she said, stepping into the room. Bits of fabric fell from her ragged, gray dress. Her brown hair was tied back with a faded red bow, and the bones of her feet cracked as she walked. “I’m lonely. I want to play.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49348519919895,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET SERIES","price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361086775575,"sku":"berkley1-9","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47030601875735,"sku":"berkley1-9e","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51555755819287,"sku":"berkley1-9ebab","price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Berkley_1-9_BSpread_45-_v3.jpg?v=1764756268"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet1","title":"Berkley Street: Fast-Paced Supernatural Horror (Book 1)","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/13vtVTu9S9E8Z9q51E-WL7lDwQlWeRpll\/preview\" height=\"75\" width=\"400\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Professionally Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAn abandoned house. A forgotten evil. And a Marine who won't back down.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan returns to the house on Berkley Street, the monstrous castle where his parents vanished over 20 years ago. After a brutal legal battle, it's finally his. But the house has been waiting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Shane's aunt and uncle disappear within its walls, Detective Marie Lafontaine labels him the prime suspect. Now Shane has 48 hours to find them and clear his name, or lose everything.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the house isn't just haunted. It's alive. And the sinister entity Shane first saw as a child, the thing with the face in the pond, has been waiting two decades for him to return.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt remembers Shane.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it wants revenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan is a trained Marine. He came home to find answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow he's fighting for his life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd Berkley Street is just the beginning. The mystery of his parents' disappearance runs deeper than Shane could imagine—across nine haunted locations, nine books, and one veteran's war against the supernatural. Most readers finish the entire series in under 2 weeks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWill you?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/scarestreet.com\/products\/bss?variant=49348519919895\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/scarestreet.com\/products\/bss?variant=49348519919895\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUNLOCK THE COMPLETE 9-BOOK SERIES — 50% OFF TODAY!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat people are saying:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This haunted house story is more slasher flick than suspense—the ghosts are physical and violent.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Amazing! Stephen King, move over for your successor…\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This series of books would make a good TV series.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"It’s rare to find horror that actually makes you care about the characters. These books do exactly that—and then they terrify you.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Shane is one of the best characters I've ever read. He actually fights back instead of running scared.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 156.8px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEBOOK\/PAPERBACK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e219 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIOBOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 Hours and 51 Minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePART OF SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eBook 1 of 9\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 1: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane Ryan had never seen a bigger house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTheir new home looked like a castle, with two towers and tall, narrow windows. Shane counted six chimneys. A pair of giant, thick trees stood on either side of the wide front door. A thick stone wall, nearly as tall as Shane’s father, protected the whole property.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do you think, kid?” his father asked as he parked the car in the long driveway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it a castle?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother let out a pleased laugh, and his father shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No, kid. The Andersons, well, they were really wealthy. They wanted it to look like a castle on the outside, but on the inside, well, it’s a regular house.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh,” Shane said, trying not to sound disappointed. “So no secret passages or anything?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who knows?” his mother said, gently slapping his father on the arm. “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Shane’s father said, winking at him in the rearview mirror, “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on,” Shane’s mother said. “Let’s go inside.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis father turned the engine off, and Shane dutifully waited for his mother to open the back door of the Cadillac before he got out. The September air was warm and still smelled like summer. Shane saw the grass in the yard was freshly mowed and all of the windows shined. Each gray stone seemed to glow in the sun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How big is the yard?” Shane asked, looking around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well,” his father said, following his son’s gaze, “you could fit eight of our old yards into the front yard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane said, turning and looking at the expanse of grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“In the side yard there’s a garden,” his mother said, “there’s also a pond in the backyard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane felt his eyes widen. “A pond?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup,” his father said happily. “And you know what else, kid?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s full of fish. We can go fishing whenever we want.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane whispered. “Wow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane’s parents laughed happily, and he followed them up the front walk. His father took out the house key, unlocked the large door and opened it. Shane stepped into the biggest room he had ever seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA huge set of stairs stretched up into darkness, and dim pieces of furniture filled what he realized was a hallway. Close to where Shane stood, a tall grandfather clock ticked away the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd behind the tick of the second hand, Shane heard whispers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone whispered in the walls.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 2: SHANE, MARCH 20TH, 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fan hummed steadily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up in his narrow bed as the cool air dried the sweat on his body. He took long, deep breaths and looked at the clock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSix in the morning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe closed his eyes and forced away the last remnants of his nightmares. He reached over to his bed table, took the bottle of whiskey and glass off of it and poured himself a small shot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane drank it quickly and returned them both to their place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy security blanket\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought bitterly. He got out of the bed, took the three steps to his bathroom and climbed into the shower. Shane turned on the water and forced himself to stand under it until it warmed up. Finally, with the water tolerable, he scrubbed himself rigorously and then rinsed off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bare minimum to get clean and rid himself of the stench of fear and sweat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce out of the shower, he dried off and looked at himself in the mirror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThin face. Haggard eyes. No hair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAlopecia areata\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought, running a hand over his smooth scalp. His pale skin looked sickly in the light of the fluorescent lamp above the mirror. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eUnexplained hair loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePretty sure I can explain it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Shane thought angrily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith a shake of his head, he forced himself to focus on his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, went back into his bedroom and got dressed. A pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. Running shoes and a pullover sweatshirt of dark gray. Absently he rolled the wedding band on his ring finger as he walked to his kitchenette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOatmeal for breakfast. Strong coffee. Vitamins. A banana and two pieces of rye bread toasted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo matter how much he ate, though, he wouldn’t get up over one hundred and forty-five pounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTall and thin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJust like dad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put his wallet in his pocket, took his phone and his keys, and left his apartment. The noises of the world fell in around him, and he did his best to ignore them. He took his walk alone in the early morning light. The streets were clear of snow, although salt and sand crunched beneath his feet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWinter had slipped by New Hampshire and snow had been a rare sight. Ice, however, had visited more than once, and the streets were always treated for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought the urge to stop at the Paki’s corner store for a pack of cigarettes, but he walked by. He reached the top of Library Hill, walked around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and made his way back to his apartment on Locust Street.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce inside, he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and went to his laptop. He powered it up, logged into his work account, and looked to see what needed to be translated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmong the work emails, he found one from O’Connor Law Associates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOh, Jesus, what now\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e? He thought, opening the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart leaped at what it said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDear Mr. Ryan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, the email began.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWe are pleased to inform you the proceedings regarding your family’s home at 125 Berkley Street have finally finished.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe house is yours, per your parents’ wishes, and your uncle and aunt have exhausted their financial and legal options.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePlease call my office at your earliest convenience so we might sign the appropriate paperwork and give you the keys to your home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSincerely,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJeremy O’Connor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat back and stared at the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe keys to my home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane leaned forward and jotted the number for the firm down on his notepad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I’ll find them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he told himself, joy and rage twining together in his heart. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I will find them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 3: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up and turned on his light. His heart beat quickly, and he looked around his large room. The curtains were drawn on the tall windows. His books were lined neatly on his shelves. Legos were scattered across the floor by the old fireplace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?” the voice asked again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane twisted around in his bed. Neither his mother nor his father was in his room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe couldn’t tell where the voice came from. His mouth was dry, so he swallowed, wet his lips with his tongue, and said in a low voice, “I’m awake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good,” the voice said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt came from behind his dresser.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why? Why is it good?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because they don’t want you here,” the voice said. “They don’t want you. Here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart thumped heavily, and he managed to ask, “Who?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Don’t ask,” the voice said. “I want you here. I’m lonely.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane tried to speak but couldn’t. The sound of his blood as it rushed through him nearly drowned out his own thoughts. “Why are you lonely?” Shane whispered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve been here a long time. Such a very long time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bureau started to move, inch by inch, into the room. It swung out slowly from the wall, and a dark shadow appeared.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt took Shane a moment to realize there was a passage in the wall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA soft scrape slipped out of the darkness, and it was quickly followed by a sigh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe speaker stepped into the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA girl. Perhaps eight or nine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDead, dead, dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe smelled like death, and her skin was shrunken, pulled tight across her bones. Her lips were stretched in a gruesome smile, and long teeth protruded from her yellow jawbone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m lonely,” she said, stepping into the room. Bits of fabric fell from her ragged, gray dress. Her brown hair was tied back with a faded red bow, and the bones of her feet cracked as she walked. “I’m lonely. I want to play.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":48880689905943,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49508310712599,"sku":"berkley1","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47040842793239,"sku":"berkley1e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51540127219991,"sku":"berkley1ebab","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Berkley_Street_PBM1_3773083d-832f-4bf0-a9e4-3f68f88100c4.jpg?v=1773303538"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet2","title":"The Lighthouse: Berkley Street Series Book 2","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSunny skies, murderous spirits...\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRetired Marine Shane Ryan is a ghost hunter whose troubled past haunts him almost as much as the ghosts he encounters in the line of duty. He’s the best. And his reward for excellence? The punishment of being in high demand for jobs to eradicate the worst kind of ghosts – the kind that kill.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHis latest assignment is an idyllic island setting with sunny skies, crystal blue ocean and a venerable old lighthouse that makes the scenery picture perfect … except for the malevolent, murderous ghosts marring the living portrait. If Amy, the owner, wasn’t Marie Lafontaine’s cousin, Shane would have steered clear of Squirrel Island and its diabolical dead. But Detective Lafontaine is his do-or-die friend. He’d do anything for her. Even face Dorothy, the undead Evilena who kills anyone invading her unholy domain. Add two shipwrecked couples to the mix and Shane has more trouble than he wants to handle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShane’s mission is clear: rid the island of Dorothy and her band of undead while keeping his new charges alive. But how could he know that staying alive meant facing the worst evil ever imagined?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e227 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 12 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-026-1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eAugust 28, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 25: IN THE LIGHTHOUSE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane didn’t like the lighthouse. Granted, he disliked the keeper’s house more, but the lighthouse was a close second.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCourtney felt the same way. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You okay?” he asked her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe nodded, her gaze traveling up the stairs. “Do we need to go up there?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Maybe tomorrow night,” Shane answered. He sat down beside her, draped his arms over his raised knees, and looked up to where the young man, Dane, had been killed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why tomorrow?” Courtney asked. “Why not today?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m hoping someone will come and check on me in the morning,” Shane said. “I haven’t checked in since I arrived.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And if they don’t come?” Courtney said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Then I break the lantern,” Shane said. He fished out his cigarettes, lit one, and blew the smoke away from her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why not now?” Courtney asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s too risky,” Shane said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe was silent for a short time before she said, “Because if you shatter the light and there’s already a rescue crew on its way, they might not be able to get to us.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe nodded. “Exactly. If we break it tomorrow during the day though, whoever monitors the light on the mainland will send a boat out immediately. It has to be standard procedure because the lights are always on, they have to be for safety. Which means there has to be a boat on standby at all times. More than likely, a Coast Guard patrol boat. Maybe even a cutter. But there’ll be one ready.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And they’ll take us off the island,” she said softly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I hope so,” Shane said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What about the bodies?” Courtney said, looking at him. “Eileen’s neck was broken. Dane was ripped apart.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ll deal with the fallout of their deaths,” Shane said, the cigarette trembling in his hand briefly. “I don’t want to go to prison for a couple of murders I didn’t commit, but I’d rather be alive than dead and trapped here forever.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You think that’s what happens?” she asked softly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I do,” Shane said. “When I was up there, the ghost who killed Dane said he needed help to clean the lighthouse. I’m assuming that was why he killed Dane.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What? Like some undead indentured servant?” she asked, her voice quivering with a hint of revulsion and fear.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Exactly.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What if he needs more?” she asked, trembling. “What if one isn’t enough?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane reached out a hand, and Courtney took it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We’re in here together,” he said softly. “We’ll be okay. We know what to look out for.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe hesitated and then asked, “What about Scott?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Scott has a choice to make,” Shane said gently, without any malice. “He can come and be safe with us, or he can sulk in the keeper’s house. It’s really his decision.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” she whispered. “You’re right.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCourtney leaned against him, pulling his arm up and around her shoulders. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do we do now?” she asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Now,” he answered, “we wait to see what happens, if anything.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do you think it’ll be a quiet night?” she asked hopefully.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “I think someone will come in, and they’ll be coming for us. Maybe more than one of them.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49386925621527,"sku":"THE LIGHTHOUSE","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361016619287,"sku":"berkley2","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47041319436567,"sku":"berkley2e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51540128596247,"sku":"berkley2ebab","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_2.jpg?v=1699417260"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet3","title":"The Town of Griswold: Berkley Street Series Book 3","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnseen predator, deadly trails, welcome to Griswold.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTaking a much-needed break, ghost hunter, Shane Ryan, spends a day exploring an old New England town. What starts as a hike, becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse with a malevolent ghost who preys upon unsuspecting visitors. Shane has seen his share of bad spirits, but nothing could have prepared him for the evil predator dogging his trail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAbel Latham is the scourge of Griswold, a deathly quiet town populated by the undead. Abel stalks the hapless victims who stumble onto his unholy ground before torturing them to death. The police rarely notice who's missing until two brothers disappear and the only clues are the boys' abandoned trucks and blood. Lots of blood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough shaken by the gruesome details of Abel's depraved life and dreadful crimes, Shane knows his new job is to end Latham's reign of terror and his vengeance for blood. As Shane hunts his ghostly mark, he prays \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003ehe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e won't be the next grisly artifact found in Griswold Forest!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e225 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 14 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-002-5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eSeptember 24, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 0.72; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 34: UNINVITED GUESTS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane was good and buzzed by the time he finished his tea party with Eloise. He sat alone in his study, the last cigarette of his pack in his mouth, unlit. There was a fresh carton in the kitchen, but it was too far to travel when he couldn’t feel his legs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI could ask Carl\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Shane thought, grinning. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe might do it. He might not. Too tired to call for him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane looked at the lighter on the table beside him, reached out, and missed it. He swore, and the cigarette fell out of his mouth and onto his chest. Shane frowned and thought, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI am not that drunk\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe patted around his chest for a moment, picked the cigarette up, and returned it to his mouth. For a moment, he eyed the lighter, and then figured he would wait.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDon’t want to light myself on fire.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe doorbell rang.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTiredly, Shane looked to the study door. Carl appeared a moment later, passing easily through the thick wood. “You’ve guests, my friend.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How many?” Shane asked in German.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Three,” Carl replied. “Men. Police, from what I can see.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe doorbell rang again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane rolled his eyes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Will you answer it?” Carl asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sure,” Shane said, pushing himself upright. He hesitated and then got to his feet. For a second, he swayed unsteadily, but he shifted his weight and maintained his balance precariously.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And if they arrest you?” Carl said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane chuckled. “Then I’ll sober up in jail tonight. Not worried about it, Carl. So don’t.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl shook his head and slipped away.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFor a third time, the doorbell rang, and Shane yelled out, “I’m coming!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarefully he made his way out of the study, down the hall, and to the front door. He opened it, saying, “Come in, gentlemen.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe three men looked at him warily as they entered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put a hand out to the wall to keep himself upright. “Follow me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe led them back to the study, dropped into his chair, and watched them as they entered the room. They sat without waiting for permission.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sighed and examined the men. One he knew. Henry Martini, the State Trooper. The other man, a little older than Martini, had the bearing of a police officer, and Shane thought he had seen the man at the barracks in Manchester. The oldest of them Shane had never seen before. But on the man’s jacket was an American flag pin, the Vietnam War campaign pin, and a small, blue-enamel combat infantryman’s badge.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe’s a hard case, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane thought. He glanced at what remained in the whiskey bottle, considered it for a moment, and then decided against it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You’re drunk,” the old man said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Almost,” Shane said. “But I plan on getting drunk, and remaining so for several days.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We’d rather you didn’t,” Martini said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane waited to hear why.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMartini cleared his throat and then introduced the men. After he did so, the veteran, Gordon, said, “You’ve seen Abel Latham.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup,” Shane responded. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eGuess I’ll need the drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe reached out to pour it and Donnie said, “Don’t.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA bolt of anger raced through Shane. “Donnie, this is my house. I’m going to drink as much as I want.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl came into the room and stood behind the visitors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You’re too drunk already,” Henry said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will take the bottle away from you until we’re done,” Donnie added angrily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane smiled. “Best if you don’t try, Donnie. I’d hate for us to get off on the wrong foot.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePicking up the bottle, Shane started to pour the drink, and Donnie stood up.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn German, Shane said, “My friend, if you would.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl stepped forward, put his hands on Donnie’s shoulders and pushed him back down onto the couch. Donnie’s exclamation of surprise filled the room as Gordon and Henry looked at him in shock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What the hell just happened?” Henry asked uncomfortably.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDonnie was rubbing his shoulders, glancing around nervously. Carl still stood behind him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That was my friend, Carl,” Shane answered, lifting his glass and taking a drink. “Carl is dead. Has been for an extremely long time. But he is my friend. This is my house. And if I want to get so drunk that I wake up in my own puke on the floor, that’s what I’m going to do.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Unfortunately,” he continued, “your arrival has sobered me up somewhat, and I don’t particularly want to be sober right now. I have extremely bad coping skills, as you can see by the nearly empty bottle of whiskey at my elbow. Now, if you gentlemen will kindly explain to me what it is you want, we can all be about our business, whatever it may be.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe drank a little and waited for someone to speak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHenry finally broke the silence. “Can you tell me what happened at the Roy house?” he asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe question surprised Shane. “There was an intruder.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“There’s more to it than that,” Henry said. He leaned forward. “I know it. They ran a paranormal website. Something happened.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399116661015,"sku":"THE TOWN OF GRISWOLD","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47043379495191,"sku":"berkley3e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361029529879,"sku":"berkley3","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_3.jpg?v=1699417397"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet4","title":"Sanford Hospital: Berkley Street Series Book 4","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe nurse from hell awaits you...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSanford Hospital. A Victorianesque monstrosity with creeping ivy and the infamous Ward E, home of the soon-to-be-dead. This is where ghost hunter, Shane Ryan, ends up for his burn treatments. Courtesy of the Veterans Administration system, the retired Marine is cut off from his private doctors and thrust into the arms of a hospital with one special nurse from hell; Nurse Ruth Williamson, who is as dead as they come.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Nurse is a whole new breed of undead. She has a cadre of helpers who are loyal to the grave. Her twisted sense of mercy is death to the dying … and the living if they get in her way. And Shane Ryan is in her way.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGathering his new friends and a few ghostly comrades, Shane takes up arms against the unholy regiment to fight the good fight. He can’t allow the Nurse to continue her killing spree. She is not God and her legacy of death must be stopped. Although she has a few more tricks up her sleeve, Shane’s mission is clear. The Nurse must die. And stay dead. Once and for all.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e219 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8 hours and 35 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-004-9\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eJune 07, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 3: At the Manchester Veteran’s Hospital\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane Ryan sat in the main waiting room of the VA Hospital in Manchester. He had his arms folded across his chest and his head bent down. Around him, people talked, a television played, and he did his best to stay calm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn his back pocket was a folded and creased letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The message inside had informed him that as of the first of September, he could receive treatment for his burns at the newly reopened Sanford Veteran’s Hospital. Since the VA was able to offer him treatment, the letter had continued, the government would no longer pay for any services obtained through private doctors or institutions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Son, are you alright?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane lifted his head and was caught off guard. A man in a monk’s robe stood in front of him. The man was short, his head was shaved, and he looked like he had endured a hard life. His face was etched with wrinkles. One eye was cloudy, the other was clear, the iris a bright blue. Several small scars worked their way up the side of his face and into the scalp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes, Brother,” Shane said, gathering himself. “I am. Thanks.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“May I?” the monk asked, nodding to the chair beside Shane.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Sure.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe man sat down and offered his hand to Shane. “Dom Francis Benedict.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Shane Ryan,” he said, shaking the hand. He looked at the monk and said, “Never thought to see a monk in here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Well,” Dom Francis said, smiling, “part of the rules of my order require that we reach out to those in need. And since I’m a veteran too, I figured this was a good place to be. Plus, my Abbot gave me permission.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You’re a vet?” Shane asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis nodded. “Army. What about you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Marines,” Shane replied. “Career man. Legged it for a while. Too long, actually.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe monk chuckled. “Yeah. It’s definitely not easy on the knees or the back. What’d you do after you were infantry?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Linguistics,” Shane said, “mostly Pashto and Arabic.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn Pashto, Dom Francis said, “I’m impressed. Not too many can speak it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane laughed, shaking his head and saying in English, “Okay, I need to know, how did \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eyou\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e learn Pashto?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I was an 18 Delta,” Dom Francis said, smiling softly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Special Forces?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis nodded. “Fifth. Spent a little bit of time in Afghanistan.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Damn,” Shane said appreciatively. “Yeah. I did a few tours there as well. What made you shift from the Army to religion?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Combat,” Dom Francis said. “I was weapons. I got hit pretty badly on my last rotation through. I decided if I made it out, I was going to join the Benedictine monks. I went to school at St. Anselm’s in Manchester before I enlisted. What about you, how’d you learn Pashto?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Honestly,” Shane said, “I just picked it up listening to some of the interpreters speak it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis raised an eyebrow. “Can you do that with any language?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Are you sure?” the monk asked in Chinese.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Of course, I’m sure,” Shane said, answering in kind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis smiled. “Did the Marines know about your special ability?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Shane said, shaking his head. “And I was perfectly happy with them not knowing either. They would never have let me out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I’m surprised they let you out anyway,” the monk said. “There aren’t too many who can speak Pashto. Even when I was medically discharged, they gave me a hard time. They wanted me to stay in at a desk.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Not for you?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Dom Francis said. “Definitely not for me. I joined Special Forces to get out and see the world. Free the oppressed. All the good stuff. Not to sit there and teach.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What do you do now?” Shane said. “When you’re not here?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Teach,” he answered, with a wry smile.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane laughed until his sides hurt, and he was still laughing when his name was called. He wiped a tear from his eye as he stood and held out a hand to the monk. “A pleasure, Dom Francis.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe man shook it as he stood up. “I’ll be around. If you ever need to talk, you can leave your name here, or call up to the college. Ask for Dom Francis. Don’t ask for Benedict. There’s got to be ten of us who took the name.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399239868695,"sku":"SANFORD HOSPITAL","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47044253352215,"sku":"berkley4e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361046831383,"sku":"berkley4","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_4.jpg?v=1699417436"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet5","title":"Kurkow Prison: Berkley Street Series Book 5","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar against time and the undead...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShane, and Frank, two ghostblasting military vets, have a new job – the gruesome ghosts of Kurkow Prison. When one of the clueless new owners cuts the iron chains that keep the deadly ghosts locked inside the prison, the property becomes hell on earth! Shane and his brother-in-arms can’t believe the inherent stupidity of the new owners. Fools, Pete and Ollie, forge ahead, ignoring Shane’s warnings and unleash a spectral horde on Gaiman, New Hampshire!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTaking over the town, the undead kill everyone in sight. Shane and his comrades wonder why the ghosts are focused on Mulberry Street. As the battle rages on, the men discover the town is covered in a shroud of secrecy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHoping to stop an Armageddon, Shane and Frank wage war against time, a winter freeze and vengeful ghosts. It’ll take all their combined battle skills, supernatural experience and the courage to be as savage as their unholy enemies to save the few brave survivors waiting on a savior. As the truth about Mulberry Street unravels, Shane and crew unearth the deepest secret … which lies very, very close to home!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e225 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e6 hours and 48 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.51 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-005-6\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eJanuary 06, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 3: Gordon Capullo and the Prison \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGordon Capullo sat in his Super-Duty pickup and waited, a cup of tea in one hand and the morning paper in the other. He had spent most of his adult life in vehicles, traveling from one job to another. Constructing homes and buildings, then inspecting the same. The interior of the Super-Duty reflected his nomadic job.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA mint scented air-freshener was clipped to one of the vents over the radio. On the passenger side floor was a trashcan, strapped in with a bungee cord. His metallic green thermos, filled with traditional Chinese tea, protruded from a cooler packed with a variety of healthy snacks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBeneath the cooler was a copy of the day’s Boston Globe, another of the Boston Herald, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Manchester Union Leader. A reprint of the classic Batman by Bob Kane was tucked between the cooler and the back of the seat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe only items missing from the truck were his wife and his dog, and Gordon had buried both of them years earlier.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGordon took the Telegraph off of his lap, turned the page, glanced over an op-ed piece on one of the Presidential candidates, and wished Libby was still with him. He looked at the cell phone on the seat beside him and felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he remembered how he would never receive another text or call from her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSighing, Gordon closed the paper, folded it back into its original form, and put it beneath the cooler with the others. He started up the truck to let the heater run for a few minutes, and he looked out the windshield at the prison.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGordon was old enough to remember the accident which had closed the facility. And the investigation into the incident. The wave of suicides that had followed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe crunch of wheels on snow caught his attention, and Gordon turned to see a small, black sedan pull in beside him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe didn’t recognize the man in the passenger seat. A bald man, perhaps in his forties, his face etched with lines of grief and anger. Scars climbed up out of the man’s shirt, sprawling across his neck and up the back of his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe driver’s side door opened and Gordon laughed out loud.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe turned off the truck’s engine and got out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Frank!” Gordon called out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Gordon,” Frank said, laughing and walking around the front of the car. “Ollie didn’t tell me he had you on this job.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe two men shook hands and hugged. Gordon stepped back and looked at the younger man.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Who else would he hire?” Gordon asked. “You look good, Kid. Better than I was led to believe.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Oh?” Frank said, raising an eyebrow. “Who’s been talking smack?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Who else?” Gordon sighed and shook his head. “Pete of course.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrank rolled his eyes. “Peter.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe passenger side door opened, and the bald man got out. Frank stepped aside and said, “Shane Ryan, this is Gordon Capullo. The whole reason I joined the Army.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGordon shook Shane’s hand, the other man’s grip firm and polite. “A pleasure, Shane. And, Frank, you best keep that information to yourself. Your mom’s not so old that she wouldn’t hit me upside the head with a frying pan.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“True,” Frank said, chuckling. “She’s got a good throwing arm too. I could never outrun her. Luckily, she only used the wooden spoons as projectiles.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Anyway,” Gordon said, folding his arms over his chest to keep his hands warm in the cold air. “What are you doing up here? Last I heard you were in a religious order.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I was,” Frank said, the humor leaving his face. “Things didn’t work out, so I left.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You or them?” Gordon asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Me,” Frank said. “All me. The Order was great. They took care of me, I just couldn’t stay there anymore.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399267787031,"sku":"KURKOW PRISON","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47044997284119,"sku":"berkley5e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361053810967,"sku":"berkley5","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_5.jpg?v=1699417486"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet6","title":"Lake Nutaq: Berkley Street Series Book 6","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSinister whispers echo from Lake Nutaq...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRunning from his own demons, Shane Ryan ends up in a cozy little cabin in New Hampshire waiting out a snowstorm. Despite the idyllic setting of ice frosted trees and snow covered lawns, Shane’s peaceful hideout is suddenly plunged into chaos. A Micmac ghost army, led by Broken Nose, goes on a rampage of torture and murder. Shane may be a ghostbusting expert, but without his fighting gear, his chances are slim in winning the battle against a supernatural horde.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith Shane missing, Frank knows deep in his gut that his friend is in trouble. He pulls out all the stops and enlists the help of The Englishman, a lunatic who has a passion for killing. They both head to the one place Shane might be – Lake Nutaq.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the trio prepares for battle, Shane realizes it’s time to fight fire with fire, rage with rage and death with death! When they face Broken Nose, Shane sees the medicine man has commandeered an army of the dead to carry out his brutal blood killings. Frank and Shane live on the edge of danger but nothing could have prepared them for the malevolent evil unleashed to destroy them…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e223 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e6 hours and 55 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.51 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-006-3\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eFebruary 25, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 4: At the Clubhouse\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClark approached the front door of the clubhouse cautiously. He didn’t see any footprints in the snow, or paw prints either, but that didn’t mean something or someone wasn’t in the building. The wind could have opened the door. Or a squatter could have found his way down the road and decided the clubhouse was a better option than one of the cabins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEither way, Clark didn’t want to take any chances. In his right hand, he held a two-pound sledgehammer, his left arm extended, palm out and prepared to push anything away from him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello?” he called, stepping into the clubhouse. Clark glanced around. There was a smattering of wind-blown snow across the polished wood floor. All of the tables were covered with sheets. The backs of the chairs making each table look like a crowned ghost.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello?” Clark called again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone or something whimpered. The sound came from the back, near the kitchen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe went to the right wall and crept along it, keeping an eye on the closed door to the kitchen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“If you’re in there, it’s okay,” Clark said, his voice breaking with fear. “I ain’t going to press charges. You just need to get out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe paused, then added, “Hell, if you need it, I’ll give you a ride into town.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA pot or a pan rattled in the kitchen, and Clark stopped, a few feet from the door. The sledgehammer shook in his hand, and he switched it from his right to his left.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on out now,” Clark said, his voice hoarse, the words painful to speak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI hope to God it’s just a cat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought, and he took the last few steps to the front door. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHell, I’d even be okay if it’s a raccoon.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe closed door was without a handle, a brass push plate instead of a doorknob.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis hand trembled and his fingers touched the cold metal. All the noise behind the door ceased, and Clark hesitated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThen, with a sharp exhalation, he pushed himself forward, thrusting the door open. It bounced off the wall, rebounded, and cracked against his extended arm, numbing it. In the dim light filtering down through the skylight above, Clark saw a small shape hunkered in the far right corner. A pile of small frying pans was nearby, but Clark focused on the figure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt looked to be a child, crouched low in the protection of the corner’s darkness. The air was harsh and cold, smelling of something wet and foul.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hey,” Clark said, his courage returning at the sight of the invader’s size. “Hey. What are you doing in here?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe child shook its head, long, dark brown hair hiding its face from him. A long, winding moan escaped from its chest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How did you get in here?” Clark asked, lowering the sledgehammer. “Are you alone?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStill, the child refused to speak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Listen,” Clark said with as much authority as he could muster, “you’re in a lot of trouble. I’m going to have to call the cops, you know.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClark stepped further into the room, letting the door swing closed behind him. When it had, a shadow to his left caught his eye, and Clark turned to look at it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt towered above him, reaching from the old boards of the floor to the tin panels of the ceiling. Waves of cold emanated from the shadow and Clark took a horrified, fearful step backward. The sledgehammer fell from his hand, slamming into the floor and denting the wood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClark glanced over to the child, who had straightened up. Its face was pale, the features elfin and fine, the eyes wide and light blue. Clark couldn’t tell if the child was a boy or a girl, its long, dark brown hair ragged and unkempt. A thick, dark gray, woolen blanket was wrapped around it. From the fabric’s depths, a pale, thin hand clutched the blanket closed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClark opened his mouth, to ask what the creature was, to see if the child had come with it, but he couldn’t.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe air was stolen from his lungs, his mouth robbed of his words as he realized he could see through the child. He caught a faint glimmer of the stovetop through the child’s face. A sharp, piercing scream exploded in to the silence of the kitchen, dropping Clark to his knees. He clamped his hands over his ears.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA second later, his own scream joined the first as a cold and brutal hand grabbed his neck from behind, and started to squeeze.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399338336535,"sku":"LAKE NUTAQ","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47046973063447,"sku":"berkley6e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361065083159,"sku":"berkley6","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_6.jpg?v=1699417801"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet7","title":"Slater Mill: Berkley Street Series Book 7","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA deadly race, where time is the enemy...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA soul weary Shane Ryan has physical and emotional scars—souvenirs of his gruesome occupation. His latest job is in Nashua, a sleepy little upstate New Hampshire town that’s been awakened by a rampage of murders in Slater Mill. The body count is escalating at an alarming rate. The police have no motive or suspects regarding the grisly killings and the residents are scared!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs he prepares to leave for Slater Mill, Shane is visited by an old acquaintance whose timing couldn’t be worse. Shane’s personal demons are driving him to the edge and he’s running out of time to save himself and stop the slaughter at the mill. Finally, armed and ready, he heads to Nashua to take down the ghost behind the killings, Pierre Gustav, who is just as brutal in death as he was in life!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe minute Shane reaches the old abandoned building, his senses are jangling. The mill is deathly silent as a ghost crew mans the machines. Shane focuses on Pierre, knowing the merciless specter must not win this battle. Shane isn’t afraid to die; at one time, he would have welcomed death. But it’s not in him to quit. Now facing the deadliest fight of his life, Shane only has one goal: destroy Pierre Gustav or die trying…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e245 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 55 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.56 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-007-0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eMarch 29, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 5: Visiting with Brian and Jenny\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You look terrible,” Jenny said after she had let Shane into the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane grinned. “What, you don’t think the one-eared look is in this year?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe slapped him on the shoulder, shaking her head. “You better not be here to try and convince my man to go on a little ghost adventure.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Shane said. “I’d like him to stay alive. Nope, I just came for some research help. Nobody’s better than you two.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“See,” Jenny said, grinning, “flattery will get you everywhere.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrom the den, Brian called, “Don’t sweet talk her, it just makes it worse for me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenny rolled her eyes and said, “Come on. Let’s go see Mr. Congeniality.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChuckling, Shane followed her into the den where she went and sat down beside Brian on the couch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Damn,” Brian said, his eyes widening. “You look like you’ve been worked over.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A few times,” Shane admitted, dropping into the chair across from them. “How have you two been?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Evidently better than you,” Brian said, his tone serious. “What happened?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A lot,” Shane said. “Too much. I don’t know. It’s been pretty rough.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Looks like it,” Brian said. “Anyway, tell us what you need. All you said over the phone was you wanted information.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That’s pretty much it,” Shane agreed. “I didn’t know if either of you knew anything about the Slater Mill in Nashua?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian shook his head, but Jenny’s eyes narrowed. A heartbeat later she said, “Yeah, yeah, I think I do.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe got back up and left the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane looked to Brian, but his friend shrugged, saying, “Man, I don’t even know what she has for information anymore.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenny’s footsteps rang out on the stairs and then moved across the hallway of the second floor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We have a few minutes,” Brian said, chuckling. “She went into her library. Place is chock full of books, and articles. I swear she’s got way too much on ghosts up there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“More power to her,” Shane said. “I definitely need some help on this before I poke my nose in there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Brian said. “Tell me what’s going on.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Have you read the Telegraph?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Brian said. “Thing’s a rag. I stopped reading it a year or so ago after I found spelling errors in their headlines.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Understood,” Shane said. He settled back in the chair and told Brian about the two murders, and what he had seen in the photograph.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Seriously?” Brian asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Damn,” Brian muttered. “Well, you definitely came to the right place. Jenny’s got a ton of stuff on both Nashua and Manchester. Not so much on the little towns around the cities.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Fine by me,” Shane said. “All I need is info on the Mill right now.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAbove them, a door closed and a moment later, Jenny was on her way back down the stairs. She appeared carrying in her hand a slim, dark blue book. With a smile, she handed the volume to Shane, and then returned to her seat beside Brian.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was nothing written on either the book’s spine or cover. When Shane opened it, he found he had it upside down and had to turn it around before he could read it. The title page stated the book’s name was “Mishaps at the Slater Mill.” It had been published in 1911.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That’s a list of all of the deaths that occurred in the Mill,” Jenny said. “Both when it was being built, and when it was in operation.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane flipped through the pages. The book was arranged by year, starting in 1841, and continuing until the year of publication. In each section, the deaths were arranged alphabetically by surname, with information on the individuals and their manner of death concisely described.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe book was a litany of horrors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOn one page alone, Shane saw three men who had died after having an arm torn off by “Machine Number 5” on the third floor. Blinding was common, as were the loss of fingers and toes. More than one child was listed as a fatality as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399348527383,"sku":"SLATER MILL","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47068276261143,"sku":"berkley7e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361069474071,"sku":"berkley7","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_7.jpg?v=1699417860"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet8","title":"Borgin Keep: Berkley Street Series Book 8","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA building that combines the horrors of both worlds...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShane Ryan and his ghostbusting partner, Frank Benedict, have been killing ghosts all over New England. He’s always thought the jobs were random until he runs into The Watchers, an elite group who’s decided Shane is a threat to their own sinister plans. Their leader, Harlan Canus, sends Shane a gruesome message that can’t be ignored.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarie Lafontaine joins Shane and Frank as they descend on Borgin Keep, which is set in the lush hills of Vermont. They discover The Watchers have a few ghastly secrets of their own, hidden within the chilling castle. Emmanuel Borgin, long dead, has an uneasy alliance with Watchers. Alliance or not, Shane is determined to finish the job … even if it means destroying Harlan right along with the deadly Emmanuel!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe trio searches the hidden passages and secret rooms for Emmanuel’s bones, realizing Borgin Keep is a shifting house of horrors. From the flesh-eating undead to faceless demons, Emmanuel throws his worst supernatural minions at the crew. Shane knows he’s got to stop Emmanuel and Harlan or more innocents will die, suffering unspeakable torture, and agonizing deaths.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFailure is not an option, but annihilating the uncanny ghost and his grisly castle could be the last job Shane ever completes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e221 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e7 hours and 56 minutes\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-008-7\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eApril 26, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 4pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 36: Another Phone Call\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan’s days were becoming worse instead of better, and his mood was not improving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMs. Coleman stood in his office, her body rigid and tense. She had delivered the bad news and it was obvious she expected his wrath to fall upon her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNormally it would have, but a dim part of Harlan was impressed with her refusal to run from the room. Courage and intelligence seemed to be in short supply in the organization of late and he didn’t want to punish it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Ms. Coleman,” he said, forcing his voice to remain even and neutral.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sir?” she asked, the question a squeak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Please take the rest of the day off,” he said. “I want nothing, thank you. Only leave the office, do something pleasant, and return to work in the morning at your usual time. I will call if something changes.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes, sir,” she replied, and he could hear the relief filling her words.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHer discipline continued to impress him as she walked calmly from the room, easing the door closed behind her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA few minutes later, he heard the main door thump as she left for the day.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and trying to ignore his pounding headache.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was, it seemed, suffering a setback for every bit of ground he gained. Less than an hour before, the phone had rung and Jenna had called in. She had reported the first good news he had heard in days. David had been removed by Emmanuel, which ensured there would be no loose ends in that regard. While Harlan had regretted the necessity which required the death of David, the man had chosen an unfortunate time to leave the organization.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenna’s good news had been quickly followed by bad news, and from her as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan had learned of Abigail’s continued existence. Somehow, the woman hadn’t died in the Keep. From what he was told she had lost her limbs, and she was more than likely insane, but she was still alive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd alive meant she was a danger.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan had never had any doubts about her capabilities and her ability to survive in Borgin Keep was justification for his thoughts on her. She would die soon enough, as long as she didn’t have any other food, although David might help her in that sense.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd what if Emmanuel manages to trap her soul?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e Harlan wondered. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhat if she decides she wants to stay a little longer? How will that come back on me?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe sighed and forced himself to examine the second bit of bad news he had received.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane Ryan wasn’t dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFar from it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man was alive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd the Lieutenant was dead, murdered by the ghost who had been brought in to end Shane. Which meant Harlan had lost all of his avenues of influence into Nashua, a city which still had several structures on the ley lines.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLet us not forget the loss of the ghost\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought bitterly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd the inability to return the possessed wire to Elmer would mean either a hefty payment in like objects to the collector, or the refusal of the man to help them again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan snarled and slapped his palms down on the desk, knocking the phone out of its cradle. He snatched it up, slammed it back into the base, and fumed as he sat in his chair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA moment later, the phone rang and Harlan leaned forward to read the caller ID.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAll he could see was a random assortment of numbers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe phone stopped ringing at ten.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLess than a minute later, it rang again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce more, it was the same random numbers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt stopped ringing at nine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe pattern repeated itself until Harlan answered the call after it had gotten down to three rings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who is this?” he yelled into the phone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“My, you’re a little testy,” Shane Ryan said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan was shocked and couldn’t respond.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I can hear you breathing,” Shane said, chuckling. “Which is good.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do you want?” Harlan said, in perfect control of himself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I want to chat,” Shane said. “See how you are. Find out what the weather’s like down in Boston.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You could always come down,” Harlan replied. “You have the address.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I may,” Shane said. “Don’t count it out. When I do though, it’ll be to finish this whole show up.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And what if I send someone up there first?” Harlan inquired.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane let out a pleased laugh. “Oh, Harlan. You already have. Two observers in the house across the street. Someone to set fire to my house. The Lieutenant. And let’s not forget Lisbeth. Did you forget her, Harlan?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Harlan growled. “I certainly did not.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Excellent,” Shane said. “Fantastic, really. You know, I’ve been doing a bit of research on your organization. Fascinating stuff. I’m not quite sure what your endgame is, but I’m looking forward to helping you fail.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHarlan’s heart beat erratically in his chest. He tried to speak but his anger refused to allow words to form.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will find out,” Shane said and the joking, playful banter was gone from his voice. It was replied with a cold, hard edge. “I want you to understand that. You need to remember, Harlan, that I have one of your little workers with me. And they like to talk. I like to listen. You should too. Soon, and I mean very soon, you’re going to hear something you won’t like.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399358226711,"sku":"BORGIN KEEP","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47069249962263,"sku":"berkley8e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361073242391,"sku":"berkley8","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_8.jpg?v=1699417904"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet9","title":"Amherst Burial Ground: Berkley Street Series Book 9","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShane’s time has run out...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmherst, New Hampshire, is known for its lush landscapes and pastoral beauty. It’s also the home of The One, a hideous little ghost boy named Samson, who’s been dead for centuries and feeds off the life force of the living. His smile is as alluring as he is deadly. Now, Shane Ryan must destroy him before Samson grants the Watchers eternal life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShane is weary, depressed and in love with a ghost. If that’s not bad enough, his depression is leading him into reckless behavior on his job. He’s no longer a ghostbuster as much as a killing machine. He’s obsessed with annihilating the Watchers and their properties, one ghost and one human at a time. But his personal life is on a collision course with his professional mission and his friends are worried.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen Shane finally finds Samson, the encounter is cataclysmic. With demonic glee, the lethal specter relishes the thought of killing the ghost hunter. Fueled by hate, Shane’s obsession to destroy the Watchers and Samson drives him to the edge. As events spiral into a dark place, Shane realizes their end could also be his own…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e236 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8 hours and 35 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.54 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-009-4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eJune 07, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 3pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 18: MORE BAD NEWS\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenna and Gabby sat in Clair’s office. Their eyes were sunken, their faces drawn. They looked as if they hadn’t slept well in days and Clair didn’t care.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClair took pills each night to sleep. And it had gotten bad enough that she washed them down with a glass of wine. Only she and the twins knew what was going on, what it was that Shane and Frank were doing to the organization.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt has to be them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, she thought, stifling a curse.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How many?” Clair asked, hating the stiffness in her voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Three on Monday night. Two more on Tuesday,” Jenna answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“They took a breather on Wednesday and Thursday,” Gabby continued, “and then hit us again yesterday.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClair glared at Gabby until the woman added, “Another three.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Damn it!” Clair snarled, slapping the top of her desk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“At least they’re small,” Jenna said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“The size doesn’t matter here,” Clair spat. “Every single one of them is necessary now. Rousseau didn’t return. We have the One. We’re not losing one ghost in each house. Oh no, we’re losing all of the dead it siphons energy from. It is a horrific ripple in our little pond.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do you want us to go to Shane’s house?” Jenna asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you serious?” Clair asked after a stunned moment of silence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sure,” Gabby said, nodding and glancing at her twin. “It’s just him and his buddy, right?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClair took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and said, “Were either of you ever informed as to why these two gentlemen are an issue for us?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Jenna said. “We only know that they were causing some trouble.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe phone on the desk rang before Clair could enlighten the sisters. A look at the base showed a button labeled “Emilio and Sadie” flashed. Something about the pair tugged at her memory but it wouldn’t reveal itself. Frowning, Clair reached out and answered the call.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello?” she asked, her voice sharp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why hello,” a man said. His tone was harsh and unforgiving. “Who’s this?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Evidently the wrong number,” Clair retorted and slammed the phone back into its cradle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBefore her hand had left the receiver, the phone rang again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe same line flashed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFeeling anger flare within her, Clair snatched up the phone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You have the wrong number,” she began, but the man on the other end cut her off before she could finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Where’s Harlan?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“He’s not here,” she replied, warily. “Who’s this?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This is Shane Ryan.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClair straightened up. “Shane.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes,” he said. “Who are you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m Clair.” The twins leaned in, all hints of exhaustion gone as they listened intently to the part of the conversation they could hear.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You’re in charge now,” Shane said. It was a statement, not a question.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I am,” Clair replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What happened to Harlan?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I had him strangled,” she responded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA snort of laughter came through the line. “Good. Well, I have to ask, how do you like my work so far?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHatred boiled within her. Gritting her teeth together, she replied, “I’m not. When are you going to stop?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Just as soon as I’ve crushed your organization,” Shane replied in a voice so low as to be almost inaudible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You can’t,” Clair stated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Maybe not,” Shane conceded. “But I’m going to try. And now, I know how.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe left an unasked question in the dead space between them and when Clair didn’t speak, he did.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I know about the One,” Shane said. “I know where it is. And while I figure out what to do about it, how to go about destroying it, I’m going to continue to disassemble the Watchers. A single ghost at a time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And what makes you think you’ll succeed?” Clair hissed. “What makes you think we can’t stop you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49399395909911,"sku":"AMHERST BURIAL GROUND","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47070451368215,"sku":"berkley9e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361081499927,"sku":"berkley9","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/Plain_9.jpg?v=1699417937"},{"product_id":"movingin1","title":"Moving In: Moving In Series Book 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003eHe found the house of his dreams. And unleashed his greatest nightmare…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eBrian Roy just wants to get away from the stress of city life. Escape the noise, the crime, and the anxiety of his high-pressure job. So when he and his wife move into a beautiful old farmhouse in the scenic New Hampshire countryside, he can finally relax and find some peace.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut when he discovers a dead body in the woods and a burial ground in his basement, Brian could never imagine the shocking history of the house or its former occupants that comes to light.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe old farmhouse’s shadowy corridors hide a legacy of secrets, bloodshed, and pain. And Brian’s family are not the only ones who roam the house’s dark rooms…\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSoon, Brian finds himself locked in battle with a supernatural entity of unimaginable evil - the spirit of a deranged child, who tortures and kills with diabolical glee. It has been watching, waiting. And now that Brian and his family have moved in...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s time to play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e164 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e5 hours and 43 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.37 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-011-7\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eJanuary 26, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 4: Brian and the Furnace Technician\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian was on his second cup of coffee, and extremely wary of the house, when the technician from J. Lawrence Hall called and said he’d be there in about half an hour.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian took a break from setting up his office and walked out into the hallway, glancing down at the kitchen. Nothing was going on there, so he went into the parlor. He had thought about telling Jenny what had happened in the kitchen before he went to bed, but part of him doubted what he had seen. He had enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine, and a Booker’s, which was more than he usually did. Plus, there was the stress of the move and the whole dead poacher thing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere were a lot of mitigating factors, but Brian couldn’t shake the feeling something real had occurred. Why it had occurred, he had no idea. He couldn’t ignore it, though.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDeciding he would bring it up to Jenny after dinner, Brian worked on his office until there was a knock at the door.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian called out, “Here I come.” He put down his printer, wondering where the hell he’d put the damned thing’s power cord.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eGrumbling and shaking his head, Brian walked to the front door and opened it. A young man stood on the porch, holding a canvas tool bag in one hand and adjusting his glasses with the other.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Brian?” the young man asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Brian indeed,” Brian said, extending his hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe young man shook it. “I’m Jack from J. Lawrence Hall. You have a furnace that needs a little attention?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I hope it’s just a little attention,” Brian said. “Come on in. The basement’s this way.” Brian led Jack to the basement door, which was surprisingly still closed. He opened it and turned the light on before leading the way down the narrow wooden stairs. The smell of earth and age rose up to greet him as a chill settled in around him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Dirt floors?” Jack asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“On the other side of the furnace,” Brian said. “Someone put some concrete down at one point or another. Some of the piping for the furnace does run through the dirt section, though.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe basement was empty except for a few broken chairs and a half a dozen wooden apple crates that had come with the house. At the far end of the basement, under the kitchen, the furnace stood off slightly, to the left. A slim doorway was beyond the furnace, a pair of pipes branching off into the darkness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I don’t know if there’s a light in there or not,” Brian said, nodding towards the doorway. “I glanced in with a flashlight when we bought the place, but that was it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Not a problem,” Jack said. He looked around and smiled. “It’s nice to work in an open area. Some people have years of stuff piled around, and others have a mess.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I can’t even imagine,” Brian said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJack chuckled. “Good times, I’m tellin’ ya.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian laughed and shook his head. “Okay. Listen, if you need anything, I’ll be upstairs.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sounds good to me,” Jack said, putting his bag down beside the furnace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian left the young man to his work and went back to getting the office ready. The indicator on his cell was flashing when he walked into the office, and he picked the phone up off of the desk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDid the furnace tech show up yet? \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenny had texted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe’s here now. Give you an update soon, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian texted back.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe put the phone down, picked up his coffee, and frowned when he took a sip and realized it was cold. He carried the mug into the kitchen and put another pot of coffee on. From under the kitchen, he heard Jack working. Occasionally the pipes rattled as the young man checked something.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSoon Brian was back in the office. He found some Motorhead in his music library and dropped the phone into the docking station. In a moment, the office was filled with music, and Brian nodded along happily in time to the beat. He took a sip of his coffee and then started hunting again for the cord to the printer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThree and a half boxes later, he found it, mixed in with a package of padded yellow mailers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian held the cord up, shaking his head. “How the hell does that happen?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Brian!” Jack yelled from the basement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47203378299159,"sku":"moving1e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387015471383,"sku":"9798894760117","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361102766359,"sku":"moving1","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_MovingIn_1.jpg?v=1703095379"},{"product_id":"movingin2","title":"The Dunewalkers: Moving In Series Book 2","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eAn uncommon mission. An unholy realm. And ghostbusting on a whole new level…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter the death of his Army comrade, William Engberg moves into a simple New Hampshire home against the backdrop of the turbulent foam crested waves of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s the ideal place to write and get on with his post-military life. Except for one thing. He has unwanted house guests—ghosts—and he wants them gone!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDetermined to reclaim his home, William hires Brian, a ghostbusterpreneur, to clean house. Armed with knowledge from a rare journal on how to vanquish the dead, Brian goes to work only to discover his worst nightmare. Ready or not, Brian must deal with his own ghostly demons once and for all if he’s going to save William…and himself!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e182 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e5 hours and 57 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.41 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-012-4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eMarch 10, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 4: Leo’s Journal: September 20th, 1998\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo walked down Cushing Avenue, his hands in his pockets as he made his way towards Edgewood Cemetery. Occasionally he saw people.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSome of them were even alive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMost of them who were this close to a cemetery, however, were dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSome of them knew it. Others did not. Those who did not tended to be younger. Fresher. Some had been buried as recently as the month before. A few ghosts had even been there since the cemetery’s founding. Many knew they were dead. They knew they were dead, and they were quite pleased with the fact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSome of them even knew Leo could see them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThankfully they were rather benign, more curious than aggressive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello, Leo,” a young woman said as he entered the gates of the cemetery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo paused, flanked on either side by the large granite pillars of the entrance. Black, wrought iron fencing stretched around the perimeter of Edgewood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe young woman, or rather the ghost of the young woman, sat by her headstone. She wore a simple outfit of black and white, her bonnet on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePatience Burchinal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDead at sixteen from consumption.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBorn November 14th, 1774.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDied November 1oth, 1791.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo smiled at her. “Good morning, Miss Burchinal.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe young, narrow faced ghost smiled at him in return. “Where are you going? To see your grandmother again?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I am.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You are devoted.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe bowed his head slightly. “I hope you will have a good day, Miss Burchinal.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will,” Patience replied, and Leo left her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe saw others as he walked, some who recognized him, as Patience had, and others who weren’t sure if he was real or not. He waited for them to address him. He felt no need to interrupt them, or confuse them if they continued to remain in the cemetery. It was their business, not his.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKeeping to himself Leo walked to where the new graves were situated, in the far right corner and behind the keeper’s brown house. Here he saw quite a few of the dead. None of them seeming to know quite what the world was about. Part of him wanted to help them, yet the other part knew he didn’t know how.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo focused on his grandmother’s grave. The headstone had been put in a few weeks earlier and fresh sod placed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWarm temperatures and plenty of rain had caused the grass to leap up around the markers and the stones.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo came to a stop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was indeed fresh grass growing upon her grave. Except for one place. Exactly where his grandmother’s heart should have been.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI do not think she is even here,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e he thought.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e She could have killed Denise Nadeau.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo turned around and started walking back the way he had come. He put his hands behind his back and clasped them. He kept his head bent and focused more at the chipped and cracked asphalt of the cemetery road than at anything around him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Leo?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe looked up at the sound of Patience’s voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe wore a look of concern.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes?” he asked pleasantly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is all well?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I am not sure,” Leo answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it with your Grandmother’s grave?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Will you tell me?” she asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo told her of the bare patch of earth. The absence of grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePatience shook her head, making a warding sign with one hand. “Your grandmother walks.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Where?” Leo asked. “And how? She is dead.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“She is full of spite, Leo,” Patience said softly. “She will walk until she has slain those she must.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eConfirmation. “\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHow might I find her?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You need to remember whom she despised,” Patience replied. “You need to remember those she might wish to harm.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo nodded. “Thank you, Patience.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You are welcome, Leo,” Patience said. “Will I see you again?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes,” Leo answered. “I will be back.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLeo turned his attention from the young woman and left the cemetery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe needed to find out who it was his grandmother might wish to harm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387211948311,"sku":"9798894760124","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47203857531159,"sku":"moving2e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361111941399,"sku":"moving2","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_MovingIn_2.jpg?v=1703095989"},{"product_id":"movingin3","title":"Middlebury Sanitarium: Moving In Series Book 3","description":"\u003ch2\u003eMiddlebury Sanitarium—where the undead guard their secrets, and an old caretaker holds the key.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrian Roy is the brainchild behind the Leonidas Group, a ghostbusting organization with a track record of incomparable success for tracking down and annihilating ghosts. This time, however, Brian may have met his match with his latest job investigating Middlebury Sanitarium!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOccupied by a host of undeads, Middlebury Sanitarium has a history of drugging its residents to prevent them from entering the grounds at night and becoming a part of the “lost brigade” never to be heard from again. From a vengeful King who ruthlessly protects his royal domain, to Clyde a faceless soldier who's still fighting WWI—Brian’s got his hands full! And then there’s the boneyard…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNow, Brian teams up with an old vet caretaker, Ken Buckingham, to de-ghost the place. But the shrewd, kindly old man has a few secrets up his own sleeve that even Brian could have never anticipated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e190 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e6 hours and 52 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.43 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-013-1\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eApril 1, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                    \u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;text-align: center;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:24pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#434343;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 5: Ken, Middlebury Sanitarium, September 2nd, 1969\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#434343;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen parked his pickup in the lot right outside of the guardhouse in front of the Middlebury Sanitarium. Behind the small structure loomed the buildings of the facility. Birds sang in the branches, the air smelled of autumn, and screams cut through the early morning chill.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen stood by the truck and listened.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had heard screams before. Plenty of them. But there was a difference between men who were in physical agony from gunshot wounds and artillery versus what Ken was hearing now.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThese cries were full of horror. Terror. Rage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe cacophony hurt his ears.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eAn older man in a pressed uniform stepped out of the guardhouse and walked to Ken.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Son?” the man asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen blinked then he looked at the man. “I’m sorry, sir.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man smiled. “No worries, son. No worries. It takes most folks by surprise when they first hear the Factory.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“The Factory?” Ken asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Inside joke,” the man said with a tired smile. “You’re Ken Buckingham?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I am,” Ken said, offering his hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man shook it. “Gus Delianos. You’re here for the third shift position.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I am.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on with me,” Gus said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen followed him as Gus walked up to the guardhouse where another man around Gus’s age sat with a newspaper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Alex,” Gus said, “I’m taking Ken here on a quick tour.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eAlex looked up, nodded, and then he returned his attention to the paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eGus chuckled and stepped back onto the main road. As Ken walked beside the man, Gus asked, “So, how long were you in?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Four years,” Ken answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Regular infantry?” Gus asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes. You know,” Ken said, “you’re the only place to even give me an interview.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Not surprised,” Gus said. “When I got home from the Pacific in forty-seven, people wanted to just put the war behind them. And when they sent me off to Korea, hell, people didn’t even know we were there or what was going on after that one.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How long were you in for?” Ken asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Two years in the Pacific,” Gus answered. “Then the Corps activated my reserve unit and sent me back for another year in Korea. So, three altogether.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Two wars.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“One war and a police action, if you listened to Truman. Which I didn’t,” Gus chuckled. “Anyway, I want to let you know this place gets a little strange after dark.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How so?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well, for starters, most of the poor folks in here get sedated for the night. Means it should be quiet, but it’s not.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eGus came to a stop in front of the small house. The home was built of brick, and the curtains were drawn against the morning sun. The yard was well maintained, an apple tree neatly trimmed and heavy with fruit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This place,” Gus said, gesturing to the house, “hasn’t been occupied in years. Work here long enough and you’ll find out why. My point, though, Ken is you’ll see and hear things when you’re doing your rounds. This house, this is one of the worst. Lights, voices, yelling, fighting. All of it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eGus waved his hand around the campus. “You’ll see people who aren’t here. Might even talk to them. Might even be chased by them.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen looked at the older man and tried to see if Gus thought Ken was a rube.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eGus didn’t.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe sincerity and concern in his eyes were shocking.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:1.38;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I do all of the hiring when it comes to security, Ken,” Gus said, looking at him steadily. “There’s a reason why my boss tells me to choose combat vets. They’re steady. They don’t get the itch to bug-out. There’s something bad here, Ken. Something real bad. We protect the residents as best we can. Not their fault they’re loony. Hell, there are some boys here from the war, from Korea, and Vietnam, too. Even got a couple from the Great War. Uncle Sam may have shoved them in a corner, but we’re not going to let them be in the dark if we can help it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387233149207,"sku":"9798894760131","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47204141596951,"sku":"moving3e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361120428311,"sku":"moving3","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_MovingIn_3.jpg?v=1703096195"},{"product_id":"movingin4","title":"The First Church: Moving In Series Book 4","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA dreadful clash between the living and the undead...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrian Roy is a ghost hunter extraordinaire. His latest adventure involves headless Japanese soldiers wreaking havoc in a New Hampshire church. The stats are grisly. Two boys blinded. Another boy shot. Cops killed. The bodies keep piling up and the ghosts’ thirst for vengeance is as insatiable as their thirst for saké!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe phantom soldiers cut a swath of murder through the congregation until all that’s left of Brian’s local allies are Jim Bogue and his grandfather, Luke Allen, who is a blind Marine vet. They are all that stand between the dreadful ghosts and the helpless locals. Even as a second threat lurks in the shadows, just as deadly as the gruesome specters, the ghostbusters race against time to save the town.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhile trying to protect the living, Brian and his crew are thrust into the unforgiving world of the undead. When the last battle finally begins, Brian wonders if he’s met his own personal Hiroshima...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e216 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 12 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x .049 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-014-8\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eMay 28, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 3: Jim Gets Ready for Dinner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt fifteen years old, Jim Bogue looked like he was twelve. He was too small for his age and too thin. His dad told him that on a regular basis.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe glasses he wore made him look younger.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe’d heard enough Harry Potter jokes to last him a lifetime.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBut Jim had inherited his mother’s hazel eyes and her father’s harsh features.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had his dad’s hair and bad attitude.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis father was away on a deployment to Afghanistan, though, so Jim didn’t have to worry too much about the ‘gentle’ slaps his Dad gave when he had a drunk on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“James,” his mother said from the kitchen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe looked up from the Star Wars book he had started to read and said, “Yeah?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Dinner time, kiddo.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJim slipped a bookmark in, got up and went into the kitchen. The table was set for three, which meant his grandfather was on his way down. While his mother set a pot roast on the table, Jim took the water out of the fridge and filled all three glasses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe thump of his grandfather’s cane on the stairs sang out loudly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJim smiled at the sound, and he went and opened the narrow door to the hallway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThrough the darkness, his grandfather descended.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA moment later, the man stepped into the light, paused and smiled.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I can hear you, James,” his grandfather said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Of course, you can,” Jim said, smiling. He stepped aside and the blind man moved easily into the kitchen. With several quick taps of his cane, Jim’s grandfather found his chair, pulled it out and sat down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hi, Dad,” Jim’s mother said, bringing a bowl of mashed potatoes to the table. She set them down and gave him a quick kiss as she brushed his white hair back behind his ears.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello, Karen,” he said with a grin. “Carrots, too?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Of course,” she said, turning to the stovetop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe turned his head to Jim. “And you, how was school today?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“About the same as every day,” Jim said. He grabbed the salt and pepper, brought them to the table and sat down across from his grandfather.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man frowned. “Who did you fight today?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Dad,” Jim’s mother said, putting the carrots on the table. “He didn’t get in a fight today.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“He did,” his grandfather said. “I can smell it on him. What have we said about fighting?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Not to,” Jim said sulkily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Did you?” His mother asked, surprised. She stopped by the sink and looked at him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes,” Jim said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Carlton Talbot,” he said, taking his napkin off the table and making a big production of spreading it over his lap.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why?” she asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because he’s a bully,” Jim said, trying not to snap at her. “I don’t like it when he pushes me. And I hate it when he pushes other people.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who did he push?” his grandfather asked sternly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“John Petroules,” Jim said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“The crippled boy?” his mother asked as she sat down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” he answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What happened?” his grandfather asked. “What did you do?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I punched him,” Jim answered. He took a sip of his water and saw that his hand didn’t shake.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Where?” His grandfather said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Kidney,” Jim replied, and before any other questions could be asked, he said, “no, I didn’t get in trouble. Mrs. Couture was out of the room when everything happened.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Did you get hit?” his mother asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah. Matt Espelin hit me just before the teacher came in,” Jim said. “But I don’t care. I’ll get him tomorrow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” his mother said angrily, “you won’t. You know how I feel about fighting.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on, mom,” Jim said. “You married dad, he’s a soldier. Grandpa was a Marine.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I am a Marine still,” his grandfather snapped. “I also gave my eyes for our country, Jim. Your mother and I don’t like you fighting. You know that. Do not get Matt back tomorrow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJim opened his mouth to answer, but his words were drowned out by the roar of sirens.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387248025879,"sku":"9798894760148","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47204686037271,"sku":"moving4e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361128227095,"sku":"moving4","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_MovingIn_4.jpg?v=1703096339"},{"product_id":"movingin5","title":"The Paupers' Crypt: Moving In Series Book 5","description":"\u003ch2\u003eTrapped in an icy fog with no escape but a crypt ruled by a malevolent spirit...\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrian Roy, ghostbuster extraordinaire, is forced to admit the chills and thrills of his career are taking a toll on his bad ticker. To save his life, he takes a no-stress job as Superintendent of Woods Cemetery and can’t be happier … until dead people – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eangry\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e dead people – rear their grisly heads and grasping hands, pulling him back into his old job!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrian’s first day quickly goes downhill when fog descends like an icy fortress, separating him from the outside world. Caught between a rock and a tombstone, he takes refuge in his office and learns there may be one way out. The crypt.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRuled by a malevolent spirit, the crypt and its undead residents are determined to make Brian their latest victim. When Brian’s wife, Jenny, learns what’s happening, she takes matters into her own hands. With the help of a ghost hunter, Jenny goes after her husband. But, nothing – absolutely nothing – can prepare them for the horrors they’ll face!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e203 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 05 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.46 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-015-5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eJune 03, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 5: The Call, 7:50 AM, May 2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003end\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e, 2016\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian stood still and hoped he wouldn’t faint. His blood pressure had dropped, and his lungs seemed empty of oxygen. And even as he was able to realize and comprehend all of it, the voice continued to speak. The terrible, hideous voice of nightmares.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Hello, Mr. Roy.” The voice was cold and hard, it grated on the nerves and reminded Brian of every bad dream and horrific experience he had ever suffered. It was worse than nails on a chalkboard, worse than the screams of a dying man.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian’s hands shook.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I can almost smell your fear through the phone lines,” the voice whispered. Brian couldn’t tell if the speaker was male or female. “You’re terrified. And you should be. You’re not supposed to be here.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Woods Cemetery doesn’t need a caretaker, or anyone else,” the voice continued.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“We’ll leave then,” Brian managed to whisper hoarsely.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Oh no,” the voice said, chuckling. “It’s far too late for leaving. You should never have come. Be careful out there, Mr. Roy, the fog is getting thicker.” And the call ended.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian’s mouth was dry as he hung up the phone. He looked out the window and saw the speaker had told him the truth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnything beyond the iron fence was hidden by the fog. His world had been shrunk to the size of the cemetery. The fog formed a barrier which followed the lines and angles of the cemetery’s border with a sinister intelligence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“John,” Brian said, and he looked over at the older man.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor the first time, Brian noticed the huge scar on the right side of John’s face. A mass of twisted and cratered flesh which consumed the entire cheek and part of the forehead. The man’s short silver hair was swept back, and the right eye was a dark, red globe.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJohn smiled sardonically and nodded his head. “Just saw it?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I did,” Brian confessed. “I’ve seen a hell of a lot worse, though. Did time as a forward observer. Saw a little combat.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJohn nodded and stood up. “Bad call?” he asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian nodded. “Really bad. Let’s get out of here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Lead the way,” John said, gesturing to the door. “Lead the way.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWith a sigh, Brian stepped over to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out into the cold air. His breath rushed out in a great white cloud.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Damn, it got cold,” John muttered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“It’ll get colder,” Brian said, shutting the door. He turned to walk to the gate and stopped.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn horror, he watched as the gates slammed closed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What the …” John asked, confused. “How in the hell did they close themselves?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBefore Brian could offer up any sort of an answer, the rattle of the chain interrupted him. The heavy steel links which he had so carefully looped around the cross piece of the left gate, only an hour earlier, moved of its own accord.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe watched, stunned as it moved with all of the grace and ease of a serpent, slid around and through the bars before it finally found its own end. For a brief moment, the lock dangled, open and free, and then it snapped through the end link and closed upon itself. The ‘click’ of the tumblers was nearly smothered by the fog.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Oh Christ, we’ll have to climb the fence,” John said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian put his hand on the man’s arm, and when John looked at him, he shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Why?” John asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I don’t think it would be the best thing,” Brian answered, looking around. Shadows flickered in the headstones, shapes and figures. Darkness and flashes of white.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Maybe not,” John said, “But I can’t stay here. Old as I am, I’ll try my luck,” John said, a note of stubbornness in his voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian dropped his hand and took a step back toward the safety of the office.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJohn looked around and then he walked forward. He passed close to an old and weathered headstone. The marker was slate, the inscription on it faded from centuries.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA hand, gray and foul to the eyes, shot out. The fingers were crooked, powerful and quick like a spider’s as they snatched at John’s leg.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEven as the dead thing latched onto the man, John let out a high pitched scream, one full of pain and terror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrian stepped forward, wary of his heart, and winced as John was pulled down. A second hand slipped out, met its mate and locked around the ankle. Again, John screamed, jerked his leg back and tried to free himself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387256512791,"sku":"9798894760155","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47204831723799,"sku":"moving5e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361132126487,"sku":"moving5","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_The_Paupers_Crypt_FF.jpg?v=1722534873"},{"product_id":"movingin6","title":"The Academy: Moving In Series Book 6","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the death toll rises, Brian Roy must reckon with his deepest fears...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrian Roy’s heart can’t handle another ghost – his wife would kill him long before his bad heart does! Yet, he can’t leave his cousin Mitchell hanging. Mitch is principal of the Academy. After a cataclysmic senior class prank, the school is in shambles and dark secrets in the cellar escape. Bodies are piling up and Brian has no choice but to step in and hopefully save Mitchell and his school.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOld Nathaniel Weiss, a cunning conversationalist, was the founder of the Academy. Greg Weston, a powerful pugilist, was a graduate long ago. The two sinister spirits wreak havoc as Mitch and Brian race against time to stop them from smooth-talking everyone into doing their deadly deeds or beating them to death! It’s war and Brian needs to prepare for a deadly battle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the undead rise again, Brian faces a specter more deadly than any he could ever imagine. He realizes he’ll have to face his own personal demons … and only time will tell if he’ll be the victim or the victor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e215 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 19 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x .049 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-016-2\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eAugust 03, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;text-align: center;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:17pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#434343;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 5: Bringing Back the Portable\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eMitchell didn’t feel well as he returned to the administration building. The Deer Stag House had left him with a sense of dread. A deep, primal fear had burrowed into his heart and refused to be dislodged by the warmth of the sun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe hurried up the stairs and into the building, making his way quickly to his office. He saw the lights were off, and Marilyn wasn’t at her desk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Marilyn?” Mitchell called out as he caught sight of his own door open.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Marilyn?” he asked again, walking around her desk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe stopped abruptly, turned, and vomited onto the floor. The remnants of his breakfast splashed up and stained his khakis. He dry heaved several times before he was able to straighten up, wiping his mouth off with the cuff of his sleeve.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eMarilyn was hanging from the chandelier mount. Her pretty, light blue blouse had been knotted around her neck. Her eyes, which had been a sparkling green, were dull and glazed. Her once neatly-brushed and set hair was in disarray, and her tongue protruded from her mouth like a fat worm in a garden plot. Her pale flesh was sickening to look at, her breasts heavy in the plain white bra she wore.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhen she had died she had wet herself, the urine leaving a trail down the inside of each leg and dripping slowly, rhythmically onto the top of his desk. Her blue, flat shoes were neatly placed in front of his desk, the heels touching one another on the wood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eMitchell caught sight of a piece of paper on the desk with words written on it. He recognized Marilyn’s neat, professional script. Numbly, he walked into the room, vaguely registering the broken coffee mugs and the sheets of paper scattered everywhere. When he reached Marilyn’s shoes, he looked down at what she had written.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eI’ve had enough.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe had signed it as well. The great, flourishing signature he had seen her use when writing birthday wishes to a staff member.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height:2.4;background-color:#ffffff;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size:13pt;font-family:'Twentieth Century',sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe sharp, bitter stench of Marilyn’s urine filled his nose and Mitchell stiffly left the room, his legs feeling as though they were of wood. He staggered to her desk. He picked up her phone, but there was no dial tone. Slowly, he returned it to its cradle, and he took his cellphone out. His hands shook as he dialed nine-one-one.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387270340887,"sku":"9798894760162","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47205391204631,"sku":"moving6e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49361137336599,"sku":"moving6","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_The_Academy_FF.jpg?v=1722535328"},{"product_id":"movingin1-6","title":"Moving In (The Complete Series - 6 books)","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1TGdhuLaqTLy19kAAXCyu9_74iwS1MEgu\/preview\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Professionally Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLimited Time Offer: Get the Moving In Series paperback with free shipping. We'll throw in the ebook and audiobook for free.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOnly 100 copies available.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrab yours before they're gone.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eHe found the house of his dreams and unleashed his greatest nightmare…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrian Roy just wants to get away from the stress of city life. Escape the noise, the crime, and the anxiety of his high-pressure job. So when he and his wife move into a beautiful old farmhouse in the scenic New Hampshire countryside, he can finally relax and find some peace.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut Brian quickly finds himself thrust into a terrifying world of the supernatural. Joining forces with others who have faced similar evil, Brian becomes a reluctant ghost hunter, fighting a deadly shadow war against the sinister forces infesting his town. And it will take every ounce of courage and will to purge his neighborhood of the paranormal entities lurking in the shadows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrian’s war against the supernatural has begun. He will do whatever it takes to protect his family and town. Even if it means losing his soul in the process…\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis digital box set contains the complete Moving In series. Six bone-chilling novels of supernatural horror guaranteed to keep you reading past the witching hour…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat people are saying:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\"I love that Brian doesn't just sit there and scream like a victim. He loads his shotgun and goes to work.\" - Addy C.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003c\/strong\u003e\"Finally, a horror series where the characters aren't complete morons making stupid decisions.\" - Ben M.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003c\/strong\u003e\"It's like an episode of Ghost Adventures but with real stakes. I couldn't put it down.\" - Emma B.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✅ Moving In (Book 1)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✅ The Dune Walkers (Book 2)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✅ Middlebury Sanitarium (Book 3)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✅ The First Church (Book 4)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✅ The Paupers’ Crypt (Book 5)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e✅ The Academy (Book 6)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e821 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e40 hours and 18 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 3: Brian and Jenny in the House\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What the hell was that?” Jenny asked, looking up from her crochet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian looked up from his book, blinked, and reran the sound through his head. “Sounded like a rifle.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That was close by,” she sighed. She looked back down at the scarf she was making.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Brian said. “Probably somebody poaching on our land. At least it’s not some dumbass doing a drive-by with some cheap SKS on South Willow in Manchester.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“True,” Jenny said. She looked over at him. “Are you going to check it out in the morning?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian shook his head. “In about half an hour. If they did get something, I want to give them plenty of time to get it ready to move. After that, I’ll go out there, make a lot of noise, bring the big LED flashlight. More than likely, they’ll see me and hear me. Should cut down on any more poaching. If it doesn’t, well, I’ll fire off a few shots myself next time, let them know we’re not playing around.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sounds good to me.” Jenny grinned, blowing him a kiss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian grinned and went back to his book, finishing off his second glass of wine and a few more chapters in the Dumas biography he was reading. Thirty minutes later, the mantle clock, which was one of the few items that had been unpacked, struck seven. Brian put his book down and stood up, stretching. He took his phone off of the side table, slid it into his back pocket, and walked to the hall closet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe basement door was open again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrowning, he closed it, calling out to Jenny, “Hey, the basement door was open again. We’ll have to get a new lock or something for it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Okay,” she called back. “I’ll put it on the list.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian went to the closet, dug his coat out, and took a flashlight from the bug-out bag on the closet floor. “Be back in a little while. See if I can find anything.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Be safe.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will,” he answered. Brian turned on the porch light, opened the door, and walked out into the cold night air. After he closed the front door, Brian stood on the porch for a few moments, getting adjusted to the cold.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt felt good.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe could smell the wood smoke from the fireplace, and under it, Brian could smell snow in the air. The sky was clear, the stars sharp and bright. The moon was nothing more than a sliver, but that too shone brightly. From somewhere nearby, possibly the old barn at the edge of their property, Brian heard an owl calling out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI might get used to this, he thought. There was a definite lack of ambient noise but it felt good, in a strange way.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNodding to himself, Brian put on his gloves, turned on the flashlight, and walked down the stairs and onto the front lawn. He closed his eyes and once more replayed the sound in his head, remembering where he had been sitting in the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNot the front, he thought. Not the sides. Straight back, towards the woods.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith the flashlight illuminating his steps, Brian walked around the side of the house, the grass crackling beneath his sneakers. He kept a steady pace, moving farther away from the house. The tree line was perhaps a thousand yards from the back door, and he suspected he might find the remains of a deer there. It would be the best place to wait. The deer wouldn’t go out too far from the tree line, not since it was still hunting season.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe open fields would be too dangerous for them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAs Brian neared the treeline, he swept the flashlight from left to right and back again, looking for any indication someone had been around. Then, at the edge of the flashlight’s range, he caught a glimpse of a salt lick and something on the ground. Brian frowned.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA deer had been baited and shot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAs he got closer to the salt lick, though, he realized there were two shapes on the ground, and while one was definitely a deer, the other shape was dressed in woodland camouflage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh shit,” Brian said out loud. He broke into a trot, careful of his footing on the grass, knowing the treads on his sneakers were a little too smooth for good traction.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn a minute, he reached the body. The dead man was lying on his side in a mess of congealing blood offal. A rifle hung loosely off the hunter’s shoulder, and a skinning knife was a few feet away from the open right hand. Carefully, Brian took hold of the hunter and turned the body towards him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe look of fear and horror frozen on the man’s face caused Brian’s heart to skip a beat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 6: William Engberg’s Place\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe ride to Wells was smooth and uneventful. The town, located between Ogunquit and Kennebunk, was right over the southernmost border with New Hampshire. Brian hadn’t been there for over a year, the last time he and Jenny had decided they needed to wander around the cold Maine coastline.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was pretty, though, and it was the off-season. No summer folk, but old school Mainers who barely tolerated the rest of New England and who had no use for anyone beyond the ancient borders.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian liked the attitude. It fit right in with his own most of the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe turned right onto Coast Road, following the winding asphalt which, in turn, followed the beach which was on his left. Old, dull street lamps cast their rough light onto the pavement. Most of the homes on either side were closed up, their owners gone south for warmer climates. The Kia rocked slightly with a harsh wind driving in off of the Atlantic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was nothing in the forecast about a storm, but the weathermen were more wrong than they were right as far as Brian was concerned, and he would hate to be caught near the ocean in a storm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDrowning was definitely not on his list of things to try.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSoon he found himself at what he assumed was the end of the road, and he came to a stop. The houses ended on either side and only dunes and grass continued on either side. The last house on the left had the number fifteen, though.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian sat in the car, the heat turned up. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and looked at the dunes, the grass, and the small parking lot up and to the right. Then he saw the road curved slightly to the left, around one of the dunes. A glance at the telephone poles showed wiring continued on to another pole a little further down, and then onto yet another.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDamn, Brian thought. The road keeps going.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTaking his foot off of the brake, Brian drove forward through the parking lot and following the road.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe asphalt followed the dunes, and Brian followed the asphalt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAbout half a mile later he came to the house. White with green trim, a blue pickup in the driveway. Smoke curled up from the chimney into the night sky, and light slipped out around the edges of drawn shades in the windows.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA battered green mailbox, leaning haphazardly to the left had a large white ‘11’ painted on its side.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLooks like I’m here, Brian thought. He pulled into the driveway behind the truck, his wheels loud on crushed stone. Brian shut the car down, sent Jenny and Sylvia each a quick text, and got out. In the cold winter air, he stretched. His muscles ached from the drive. He reached back into the car, pulled on his gloves and hit the button to open the trunk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClosing the door behind him, Brian went and got his gear out, making sure everything on the car was locked and secured before walking up to the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe knocked on the door loudly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who is it?” a voice asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This is Brian,” Brian answered. “From the Leonidas Group.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe door opened, and a tall young man answered the door. The man’s black hair was clipped short, and he wore a thick sweater and khaki pants. He had on a pair of work boots with the laces untied, and he smiled tiredly at Brian.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on in, Brian,” the man said. He stepped aside and closed the door once Brian was in the small house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m William Engberg,” he said, extending his hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian shook it. “A pleasure.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Thank you so much for coming up here,” William said. “Can I get you a cup of coffee or anything?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Coffee would be great,” Brian said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good.” William walked around a small sofa and to a kitchenette. “Take a seat in one of the chairs, if you like.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian glanced around, saw two club chairs on either side of a bookshelf and took the one on the right. He put his bag on the floor beside him. Across the room, a low fire burned in the hearth. In a moment, William had water boiling in the kettle and came and sat in the other chair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian took a notepad and pen out of his bag as well as a digital recorder. “Do you mind if I record our conversation?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWilliam shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Excellent,” Brian said. He pressed the red button on the recorder, set it down on a coffee table and smiled at William. “Okay, William. Tell me what’s going on.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWilliam gave him a nervous smile. “This is kind of ridiculous for me, okay?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 17pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 9: Introductions are Made\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen hadn’t needed an alarm clock for over thirty years. He woke up every day at four o’clock in the afternoon.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe never had to worry about being asleep when night fell.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBy four thirty he was finished with breakfast, a shower, and had his uniform on for the night. If he needed to run errands, he did so. If not, he made his way to the Sanitarium’s library. No one had ever bothered to remove the books. A tragedy, as far as Ken was concerned, but a boon at the same time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere were over twenty thousand volumes. A large portion was extremely outdated medical and psychological texts, but there was still a healthy selection of literature. Newer stuff, like Brooks’ zombie book, he picked up at the Middlebury tipping station. A small shed served as a place for people to put things they thought could be used again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen was thinking about the tipping station when the phone rang.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrowning, he walked over to it, took the handset off of the receiver and answered the call. “Hello?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Ken, it’s Carl,” Carl said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Carl, what can I do for you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve got a guest at the Factory tonight.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Ken asked, a chill sweeping through him. “Why?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well, you know how the Gaiman Foundation is looking to buy the place?” Carl asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Evidently they want someone to check the place for ghosts.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hell,” Ken said, “place is haunted as hell.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“They don’t want our opinion,” Carl said with a sigh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“So this guy’s hired by the State?” Ken asked, frowning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“By the State’s real estate agent,” Carl said. “From what I’ve heard the State’s already irate.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How come?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“They wanted this guy to sign off and say the place was fine. Evidently he said he wouldn’t.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen chuckled, smiling. “Okay. Maybe there’s hope. Where is he?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I had Derek put him in the head nurse’s old place.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why the hell did you put him there?” Ken snapped. “Jesus, Carl.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Carl asked, confused. “Where was I supposed to put him?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hell, he could have crashed here with me. He shouldn’t be on the grounds alone. You know better, Carl.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Dan’s there,” Carl said defensively.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And Dan’s a good guy,” Ken said. “He can’t handle protecting someone, though, Carl. Damn it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you heading there, then?” Carl asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Of course,” Ken said angrily. “I’ll be there in a few.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen hung up the phone and shook his head. He needed to get to the head nurse’s house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe took his small ring of master keys down off of the rack, slipped the leather strap connected to them around his belt and snapped it shut. He pulled on his coat and his pipe, tobacco, and matches went into his right pocket. He picked up his two-way radio, turned it on and tucked it into his breast pocket. A moment later he had on his watchman’s cap and gloves, and he closed the door to his house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA sharp wind cut down from the northeast and burned his nostrils, the scent of impending snow heavy in the air.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBad storm coming, Ken thought, glancing up at the dark clouds rolling down from Canada. He had enough food stocked, of course, he was a born and bred New Englander. You didn’t play with Winter. More often than not the Old Man would sweep down from the north and bury you. No matter what the weathermen said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen zipped his collar to the top so it covered his chin and he quickly velcroed the protective flap over the zipper. He followed the brick path from his front door to the sanitarium’s main road and he took it towards the head nurse’s house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe two-way radio squawked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen grumbled and fished it out. He keyed it and said, “Go ahead, Dan.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You on the main road?” Dan asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Going to the library?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Not yet,” Ken answered. “Just talked to Carl about the guest.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh. Yeah. You know they put him in the head nurse’s place?” Dan asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen rolled his eyes but kept the frustration he felt out of his voice. “Yup. Keep your ears open, Dan. I’ll be by around eleven, just as always.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Okay, Ken. Base out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKen put the radio away and as he followed a curve in the road, his destination appeared. In the stillness, the sound of the generator ripped through the air. Light spilled out from the windows of the dining room and reached for the cemetery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOf all the damned places, Ken thought. He fought to keep his anger down. Carl did some stupid things, but he hadn’t risked anyone’s life before.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 22pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBut does he even know he’s risking this man’s life? Ken asked himself. Does Carl even understand? Really understand?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49407484789015,"sku":"MOVING IN SERIES","price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49443551412503,"sku":"moving1-6","price":64.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47288760926487,"sku":"moving1-6e","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51555757523223,"sku":"moving1-6ebab","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Moving_In_Box_1-6_PBM3.jpg?v=1761964799"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection1","title":"Collecting Death: Haunted Collection Series Book 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffff00;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe eyes of a cuddly child’s toy glow with demonic fire…\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExhausted from an academic conference, mild-mannered historian Victor Daniels wants nothing more than to return to his loving wife. But when he finally arrives home, he finds only tragedy and heartbreak. His wife has been brutally murdered. And the only clue is a blood-soaked stuffed toy, with a sinister gleam in its eye…\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOvercome with rage and guilt, Victor teams up with a paranormal expert to track down the origins of the strange toy. And together they discover a tangled web of haunted collectibles and bloodshed, all pointing towards one man—Stefan Korzh…\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA tragic childhood and a mansion filled with haunted antiques have driven Stefan mad. Each cursed item in his ancestral home carries a legacy of terror and death. Now, he seeks to unleash his family’s haunted collection upon the world, spreading chaos and fear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTime is running out, and Victor is the only one who can stop this madman’s diabolical game. But how far will Victor go to find justice for his wife?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd will he make the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of countless others?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e219 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e7 hours and 35 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.49 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-017-9\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eSeptember 28, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 33: Slipping Away\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia,serif; color: #434343; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe window to the spare bedroom opened out onto the roof of a side porch. Sue was thrilled when the sash went up without a sound, and at the ease with which she was able to remove the screen. She set the aluminum frame onto the bed and went silently back to the window. Her body was still recovering from her last high, but the food she had gotten in her before that, as well as the meals she had eaten with Rolf, had given her a surprising amount of energy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSue slipped out the window, lowered herself down onto the roof and paused there, hands keeping her steady on the asphalt shingles. She listened for noise from within the house that would have told her the two men had heard her, and she scanned the street for any sign of lingering police.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSue didn’t see any law enforcement, and the house was silent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe slipped forward along the roof, saw that the windows below her were dark, and eased herself over the edge. For a moment she hung there by her fingers, then let go, dropping the last few feet to the ground, the tall grass deadening the sound of her landing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe stayed in the shadow of Victor’s home, his neighbor’s house dark as she hurried along towards his back yard. When she reached the corner of the house, she hesitated, took a deep breath, and then sprinted towards the hedges that marked the end of Victor’s property. Her body was tense as she ran, ready for the audible click of a motion sensor light coming on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eYet neither Victor nor his neighbor seemed to have one, and she made it to the hedge without being noticed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe covered her mouth as she took in great gulps of air. After several minutes, she pushed her way through the thick bushes and into an open field. She found herself looking at a baseball diamond, the backstop illuminated by the moon. A pair of dugouts, painted deep green, flanked the baselines, and beyond that was a parking lot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere were no cars or people to be seen, and Sue let out a sigh of relief. She kept to the bushes, following the curve of the outfield toward the chain-link fence that marked the boundaries of the field. Briefly, she contemplated climbing the fence, but she saw an open gate behind the first base dugout, and she hurried to it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSue had reached first base when she heard a noise in the closest dugout. She froze, hoping it was an animal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello, Sue,” a man said, his voice a high, nasal pitch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe came up out of the dugout, a short, squat man who looked as though he had been chiseled out of brick, with far too much left over on his stomach. In his left hand, he held an aluminum baseball bat. He wore a pair of dark blue slacks, and a lighter blue shirt with a nametag and company patch on it that she couldn’t quite make out in the moonlight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How have you been?” he asked, stepping between her and the exit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who the hell are you?” she snapped.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe grinned. “It’s Rolf, Sue. Rolf. Although I am sure, I sound different. This man’s voice is nothing like my own. But, as you know, the old saying is true. Beggars can’t be choosers. He’s not nearly as lithe or nimble as you. But he does get the job done. A strong brute. And he likes his wine. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn vino veritas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, correct?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSue shook her head, confused and afraid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I want to go,” she told the dead man. “I just want to leave. I’m trying to get away.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What did you tell them about me, Sue?” Rolf asked, stepping closer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSue moved back, heart pounding with a growing fear.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What did you say about our time together?” he whispered. “Hm?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe stuttered as she answered, “Nothing. I swear. I didn’t tell them anything about you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis nostrils flared, and he chuckled.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I smell a lie,” Rolf said in a gentle voice. “A pungent and foul falsehood. Wouldn’t you agree, young Sue?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe shook her head violently, her eyes flickering from left to right as she sought a means of escape.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Look at me, girl,” he said, his voice soft and sweet, “turn your eyes back to Rolf now.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHyperventilating, Sue did so, and she saw a gentle smile on Rolf’s face as he swung the bat in long, lazy arcs from right to left and back again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Would I hurt you?” he asked, his voice soothing. “Would I do anything to you, my dear, little friend?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387316019479,"sku":"COLLECTING DEATH","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47290086916375,"sku":"hc1e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363337609495,"sku":"hc1","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-1.jpg?v=1703097759"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection2","title":"Walter's Rifle: Haunted Collection Series Book 2","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\" data-mce-style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003eThe gleaming muzzle of a rifle burns with an insatiable desire, and its new owner is all too happy to comply…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaunted items are traversing the country and its ghosts are wreaking havoc on their new owners. At the center of the chaos is an old rifle possessed by a blood-thirsty specter, who dreams of massacres at every turn. Meanwhile, lurking in a nearby mailbox is an antique novel, possessed by a monster who takes pleasure in agonizing, heart-stopping torture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStefan Korzh’s plan is unraveling flawlessly and he can’t imagine a better way of seeking revenge on the world. But Victor Daniels and Jeremy Rhinehart won’t let that happen. Recovering from their grisly encounters with the dead, they’re more prepared than ever before. They work on finding the sources of bloodshed and imprisoning the crazed collectibles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith murderous ghosts continuing to raise the death toll, Victor and Jeremy have their hands full. They race against time to stop the mayhem and save innocent bystanders. Fueled by their quest for revenge, each step brings them toward the culprit behind all the horror. But as they get closer to catching this madman, they discover how dangerous Stefan Korzh truly is…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e213 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 50 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.48 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-018-6\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eNovember 09, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 5: Conversations\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalter wiped the barrel of the rifle down once more, then set it on the table beside other pieces of the weapon. He had cleaned them all, oiling the wood of the stock and the leather of the strap. The shell casing had been reloaded, a fresh .30-06 round placed within it, waiting for the simple, chemical reaction that would send it hurtling down the barrel towards another target.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Why do you love it so?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalter shifted his attention from the disassembled rifle to Brown.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe dead man stood by the back door, half hidden by the shadows. What Walter did see of Corporal Jonathan Brown was more than enough. The former Marine Corps sniper had suffered a brutal death on the island of Peleliu, and his ghostly form reflected that.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Why did you?” Walter asked in return.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrown chuckled. “Fair enough. When do we go out again?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Tomorrow morning,” Walter replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrown stepped forward, the kitchen light passing through the gaping hole in his chest. The tattered remains of his left arm hung from the upper portion of his sleeve. A large portion of the corresponding hip was gone as well, the dead man walking with a curious hitch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Are you sure you don’t want to turn it on yourself?” Brown whispered. “Don’t you want to know what it would feel like, that round punching straight through?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalter felt an uncomfortable tug. Part of him did want to know. He could only imagine how it might be, the sensation of barrel pressed into the soft, under portion of his chin. The build-up of pressure in his finger as he prepared to pull the trigger.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalter laughed and nodded to Brown, who chuckled in return. The dead man came forward and sat down at the table. A curious act considering Brown was a ghost.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“If you didn’t want to kill so much,” the dead man said, “I’d be able to convince you to blow your brains out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I figured as much,” Walter said. “You know, I didn’t think the rifle was really haunted.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrown snorted. “You’re the only one. Everyone else did.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“How many?” Walter asked, sitting back and picking up the trigger assembly. He turned it over in his hands as Brown answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Let’s see,” Brown said, rubbing at his chin with his sole hand. “I had a sailor pick me up off a coast guard boatswain when they took the rifle off the island in 1945. Convinced him halfway back to Pearl Harbor. Rifle passed on to a fellow on the ship, but he sent it home. Think he died off Okinawa. Anyway, didn’t see anybody again until 1955. Least that’s what the woman told me before I got her to put the barrel in her mouth and pull the trigger with her toe. That was funny.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalter nodded, snickering at the image.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrown smiled, revealing crooked teeth behind his thin lips. His face was gaunt, the cheeks and chin covered with coarse black hair. The same quality and color covered his head, and it was only slightly longer than that on his face.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“After that,” Brown continued, “there were a couple of kids. Another woman in New Jersey. Disappeared into a police locker for a while, but I talked another fellow into stealing the rifle. He pulled the trigger on himself and then somebody else stole it. I don’t know. Maybe three more after him? Then I ended up in a place with a lot of other ghosts. Couldn’t convince the woman there to do it. Sure as hell couldn’t talk her son into it either. That boy had some problems.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Did he?” Walter asked, getting to his feet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yup,” Brown said. “Hell, I didn’t start killing folks until I was in the Marines. This boy, he started when he was thirteen.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalter nodded, impressed. He went to the refrigerator, took out the almond milk, and went about the process of getting a bowl of granola ready.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You eating that squirrel food again?” Brown asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes,” Walter said over his shoulder.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Why don’t you eat some meat, boy?” the dead man demanded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No need to kill animals,” Walter answered, as he had before. “They haven’t done anything wrong.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrown snorted. “Don’t think that fellow we shot the other morning had done anything wrong.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Of course he did,” Walter replied, bringing his food back to the table. “Everyone’s done something wrong.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Even you?” Brown asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Walter answered. “I don’t do anything wrong.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Killing’s not wrong?” the dead man inquired.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387337941271,"sku":"WALTERS RIFLE","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47290152911127,"sku":"hc2e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363392168215,"sku":"hc2","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-2.jpg?v=1703097897"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection3","title":"Blood in the Mirror: Haunted Collection Series Book 3","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA mirror’s gleaming reflection bears untold secrets of a dark and haunting past…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStefan Korzh is at it again, and while Ivan’s deadly ghost has thrown a wrench into his son’s plans, the spiteful road to revenge continues. More haunted items from the family’s notorious collection are appearing with new owners. Worst of all is a pen possessing an inviting glimmer that can destroy whoever spills its demonic ink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJeremy Rhinehart and Victor Daniels are in a desperate rush to stop the mayhem, and seem to be headed in the right direction…but somehow, the closer they get, the harder things become. And they are slowly finding that they’re not the only ones who want Stefan dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the histories of the possessed collectibles continue to reveal themselves, more objects emerge, and old family secrets are contained within the elegant ridges of the compact mirror. Everything hangs in the balance, and it’s up to Victor to discard his tragic demons and stop Stefan before the streets are lined with more bodies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut as Victor and Jeremy continue their quest against evil, they discover a terrifying force lurking in their midst. Nothing is ever as it seems…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e201 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e7 hours and 21 minutes\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.46 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-019-3\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eDecember 22, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCHAPTER 38: A CHANGE OF PACE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I swear to God,” Victor said, glancing over at Jeremy in the passenger’s seat, “I am going to change the damned ringtone of your phone.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJeremy smiled apologetically and answered his ringing cell phone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes,” Jeremy said, “this is he.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA frown creased the older man’s brow as he said, “No, no I wasn’t expecting any guests. Yes, of course, I’ll let you know if anything is missing. No, all of the dresser drawers were closed.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJeremy closed his eyes and sighed. “Is it the top drawer? Well, I had around a thousand dollars hidden in a sock, which, evidently, was not well hidden at all. Alright, thank you very much, officer. I do appreciate it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA look of concern flashed over Jeremy’s face. “I’m terribly sorry to hear that. Yes, well, I certainly will, sir.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen Jeremy ended the call, Victor asked, “The house was robbed?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Apparently,” Jeremy replied, opening his eyes. “But the only thing stolen seems to be some money. The detective sounded disappointed when I stated that no one was supposed to be there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Do you think someone stole one of the pieces?” Victor asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJeremy shook his head. “He didn’t mention that any of the cabinet doors had been forced, and they’re all locked. Something else is going on. An officer was found dead outside of our home. Foul play has been ruled out, although the detective feels as though someone scared the officer to death.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor looked sharply at Jeremy. “Do you have any idea as to how the officer might have died?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Unfortunately, I do not,” Jeremy said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“We’ll have to look into it later,” Victor said, “we’re here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor signaled and turned left onto Chestnut Street in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. They followed the road to the end, parked in front of 174 Chestnut, and looked at 176 as the sounds of traffic on US-119 filtered through the closed windows.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What do you think?” Victor asked after several minutes of silence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I think,” Jeremy answered, “that I am still rather gun shy about any property owned by Mr. Stefan Korzh. Our wounds have not healed sufficiently for us to go blithely into danger.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor nodded his agreement, reflecting upon his own foolishness when he entered the destroyed property, and was confronted by Ivan Korzh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Well,” Victor said, after a moment, “whether we’re ready or not, we need to at least rule it out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I suppose,” Jeremy said, and the two men exited the vehicle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor waited until the older man limped around to the front of the car, his cane thumping on the asphalt. Together they advanced on the house, Victor’s eyes darting from window to window, down to the door, and back again. It was a small cape that looked out of place amongst the well-kept houses on the same street. Like the other buildings Korzh owned, the one before them had seen far better days. The paint had peeled in long, ragged strips from the wood siding, and more than a few of the faded, decorative blue shutters had fallen from the windows to lay in the tall, unkempt grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA chipped set of brick stairs led up to the front door, the screen in the storm door torn and ragged. The main door was a dull gray, streaked with rust near the hinges. To the right of the house a driveway, narrow and grass choked, led into the back of the property. The house was the victim of benign neglect, and Victor doubted they would find any trace of Stefan within.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJeremy seemed to feel differently. As they came to a stop at the driveway, the older man’s eyes narrowed. “Let us go around back, shall we?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor shrugged and nodded his assent. Jeremy took the lead, and Victor remained half a step behind. They approached a side door, an old white and black aluminum awning hanging haphazardly over it. These steps, like those at the front of the house, were of brick and seemed eager to crumble underfoot. Ignoring the danger, Jeremy limped his way up to the door and tried the handle, Victor watching as it turned easily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJeremy hesitated and glanced at Victor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNodding, Victor said, “I’ll go first.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA small smile of relief flickered over the other man’s face, and Victor stepped aside so Jeremy could return to the driveway. When the way was clear, Victor ascended to the top, opened the door, and entered the kitchen. The room stank of mold and rodent urine, a foul mixture that caused his eyes to water. He noticed a thick line of salt spread across the threshold, and iron nails hammered into the floor, the heads bent over one another to form a solid barrier against the dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor stepped over the iron and salt barrier to make room for Jeremy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile the older man made his way into the kitchen, Victor looked around. A large thimble, roughly the size of a tumbler, caught his eye and he stepped closer to peer at it. The old metal was dull, the crossed thatches engraved into it blurred from age. Words had been etched into it as well, and Victor reached out to pick it up to read them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Stop!” Jeremy snapped, and Victor stopped, his hand inches from the over-sized thimble.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Take your hand back, Victor,” Jeremy said. “Before someone takes it for you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387349901591,"sku":"BLOOD IN THE MIRROR","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47290197180695,"sku":"hc3e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363404947735,"sku":"hc3","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-3.jpg?v=1703097995"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection4","title":"Hank's Radio: Haunted Collection Series Book 4","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA man’s seductive voice emanates from an antique radio, luring women into his murderous embrace…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s business as usual for Stefan Korzh as he continues to send haunted antiques onto unsuspecting buyers. Despite going into hiding, his desire to punish the universe for his own misfortune remains unchecked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVictor Daniels, now more than ever, is focused on grabbing Korzh by the neck and making him feel the full extent of his pain and suffering. But plans change when a suave ghost from the 1940s leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake. Hank, a sly and charming specter, uses a mahogany-colored radio to reach his victims...lonely, elderly women in nursing homes who find him hard to resist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile, Tom Crane is slowly adjusting to the life of a homeschooled student, spending his days immersed in books from the local library. But brewing underneath his scholarly demeanor is his insatiable thirst for revenge. With Victor occupied, Tom embarks on a dangerous mission to confront the man behind his misery.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe lives of Stefan, Victor, and Tom become more and more intertwined as they continue to play the blood-riddled sport. When old friends – and enemies – reveal themselves, they discover that anything is possible in a game filled with ghosts and vengeance.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEven the hunter can become the hunted…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e219 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e7 hours and 50 minutes\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.49 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-020-9\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eFebruary 15, 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 36: A Quick Stop\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBontoc had pulled into the gas station on a whim, and was surprised to see Stefan Korzh’s truck there. He wasn’t sure as to whether or not the man would actually be in the curiously dark station, but it was worth a quick look.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen he opened the door, Bontoc found himself facing a filthy, foul man holding Anne Le Morte.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor one of the few times in his life, Bontoc was surprised by the situation that he had discovered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThat moment was short lived, ended as a thin young man hurtled out of shadow and slammed a shoulder into the man with the doll. The act, Bontoc realized instantly, was done to save him. And while the man who held Anne Le Morte would not have been a threat to Bontoc, he did appreciate the boy’s gesture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eYet even as it occurred, the entire building shook as Anne let out an enraged shriek.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA girl behind the counter let out a short, terrified scream that ended abruptly. A swirling mass of dust and debris clouded his vision, and turned to wet, heavy plaster that clung to everything as Bontoc fell to his knees. The boy was sent sprawling into a display of chips, and the man with the doll somehow managed to get to his feet. The earth continued to shake, and parts of the ceiling fell. Alarms began to sound off by the pumps, and the pungent odor of gasoline reached his nose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe safety valves on the pumps would let go, and the entire station would erupt into a fireball as the tanks beneath the concrete pads exploded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBontoc got to his feet and went forward, following Anne’s caretaker out through the emergency exit, where he grabbed the stranger by the arm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe peered into the man’s mad eyes and hissed, “Listen to me, get her far from here. And do it now. Her work is not done, so neither is yours. Do you understand me?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe man’s eyes widened, and he went to pull free, but Anne Le Morte murmured something in her patois that Bontoc didn’t catch. Her caretaker jerked his arm free of Bontoc’s grip and nodded his assent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Good. Get out,” Bontoc said, and he turned and went back into the store. He moved quickly through the debris, stepping through the scattered snacks and knocked over racks. His eyes darted about, searching for the boy who had helped him, and Bontoc saw the teenager at the counter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy, who was so thin and so determined, was in the act of dragging the limp body of the cashier over the counter.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne handed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBontoc smiled, admiring the boy’s tenacity. He would have left the girl, but the boy—the boy was better than most.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Go,” Bontoc said, taking her from the teenager, “I will carry her.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy nodded, cradling his left hand against his chest as he picked his way out of the gas station.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Do you smell the gas?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I do,” Bontoc answered. “Go across the street, to the abandoned McDonald’s. I can see Jersey barriers there that we can hide behind.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy didn’t argue but only did as he was told.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBontoc liked the child all the more for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThey crossed the street and situated themselves behind the barrier. Bontoc gave the girl a cursory inspection and found that she had several abrasions on her head. She was concussed and would need medical attention.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs would the boy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBontoc put the girl down and turned his attention to the boy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“How badly are you injured?” Bontoc asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBefore the boy could answer, the gas station exploded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe blast was terrific, knocking them both down, despite the protection of the barriers. Boards were torn from the McDonald’s, and the golden arches were sent spiraling into the forest behind the building. Remnants of the gas station went tearing through the air, smashing into trees and the McDonald’s. Bontoc’s ears rang and his head pulsed, his stomach twisted and coiled and had he eaten anything earlier, he would have vomited on the boy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy was thrown as well, rolling several feet before stopping himself and scrambling back to the safety of the barrier. Bontoc watched, amused, as the boy leaned over the girl and shielded her from the minute the debris began to rain down from the sky.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrom a distance came the sounds of fire engines and emergency vehicles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Your hand,” Bontoc said. “How is it?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy held the injured limb up, and Bontoc saw it was in poor condition. Long strips of flesh hung down, revealing the bone underneath. Black splotches dotted the boy’s pale flesh, and Bontoc knew that he was looking upon frostbite. He had seen it before, on others who had handled possessed items for too long.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy would lose most, if not all of his hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You are in poor condition,” Bontoc said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy gave him a death’s head grin, all hate, and fury.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387396268311,"sku":"HANKS RADIO","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47290292863255,"sku":"hc4e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363411796247,"sku":"hc4","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-4.jpg?v=1703098265"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection5","title":"The Burning Girl: Haunted Collection Series Book 5","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBright red flames emerge with the strike of a match, devouring everything in sight…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStefan Korzh’s desire to destroy the lives of everyone around him knows no bounds. Even as he’s hunted by enemies, Stefan shows no signs of slowing down. His deadly collection of antiques continues to spread and help his dreams become reality.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile, Victor Daniels and Tom Crane have managed to build some resemblance of an ordinary life. They remain more determined than ever in their fight against Stefan, and will stop at nothing to put an end to the horrors of the Korzh collection. But life tends to take nasty turns when ghosts are involved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStefan’s latest threat is the fire-obsessed Molly, whose deadly ghost emerges from the pages of a novel. With the simple flick of a match, she satisfies her addiction for scorching buildings and burning flesh.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVictor and Tom quickly find themselves in the middle of a bloody trail of chaos, chasing after an enemy that will test the limits of their strength.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd they must hurry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBecause it doesn’t take long before Molly craves her next fiery fix…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e199 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 24 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.45 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-021-6\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eMarch 31, 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCHAPTER 18: MORE BAD NEWS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJenna and Gabby sat in Clair’s office. Their eyes were sunken, their faces drawn. They looked as if they hadn’t slept well in days and Clair didn’t care.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClair took pills each night to sleep. And it had gotten bad enough that she washed them down with a glass of wine. Only she and the twins knew what was going on, what it was that Shane and Frank were doing to the organization.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt has to be them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, she thought, stifling a curse.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“How many?” Clair asked, hating the stiffness in her voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Three on Monday night. Two more on Tuesday,” Jenna answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“They took a breather on Wednesday and Thursday,” Gabby continued, “and then hit us again yesterday.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClair glared at Gabby until the woman added, “Another three.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Damn it!” Clair snarled, slapping the top of her desk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“At least they’re small,” Jenna said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“The size doesn’t matter here,” Clair spat. “Every single one of them is necessary now. Rousseau didn’t return. We have the One. We’re not losing one ghost in each house. Oh no, we’re losing all of the dead it siphons energy from. It is a horrific ripple in our little pond.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Do you want us to go to Shane’s house?” Jenna asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Are you serious?” Clair asked after a stunned moment of silence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Sure,” Gabby said, nodding and glancing at her twin. “It’s just him and his buddy, right?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClair took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and said, “Were either of you ever informed as to why these two gentlemen are an issue for us?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Jenna said. “We only know that they were causing some trouble.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe phone on the desk rang before Clair could enlighten the sisters. A look at the base showed a button labeled “Emilio and Sadie” flashed. Something about the pair tugged at her memory but it wouldn’t reveal itself. Frowning, Clair reached out and answered the call.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Hello?” she asked, her voice sharp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Why hello,” a man said. His tone was harsh and unforgiving. “Who’s this?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Evidently the wrong number,” Clair retorted and slammed the phone back into its cradle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBefore her hand had left the receiver, the phone rang again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe same line flashed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFeeling anger flare within her, Clair snatched up the phone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You have the wrong number,” she began, but the man on the other end cut her off before she could finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Where’s Harlan?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“He’s not here,” she replied, warily. “Who’s this?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“This is Shane Ryan.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eClair straightened up. “Shane.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes,” he said. “Who are you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I’m Clair.” The twins leaned in, all hints of exhaustion gone as they listened intently to the part of the conversation they could hear.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You’re in charge now,” Shane said. It was a statement, not a question.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I am,” Clair replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What happened to Harlan?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I had him strangled,” she responded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA snort of laughter came through the line. “Good. Well, I have to ask, how do you like my work so far?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHatred boiled within her. Gritting her teeth together, she replied, “I’m not. When are you going to stop?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Just as soon as I’ve crushed your organization,” Shane replied in a voice so low as to be almost inaudible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You can’t,” Clair stated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Maybe not,” Shane conceded. “But I’m going to try. And now, I know how.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe left an unasked question in the dead space between them and when Clair didn’t speak, he did.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I know about the One,” Shane said. “I know where it is. And while I figure out what to do about it, how to go about destroying it, I’m going to continue to disassemble the Watchers. A single ghost at a time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“And what makes you think you’ll succeed?” Clair hissed. “What makes you think we can’t stop you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387418190103,"sku":"THE BURNING GIRL","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47304487633175,"sku":"hc5e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363421167895,"sku":"hc5","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-5.jpg?v=1703098415"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection6","title":"Knife in the Dark: Haunted Collection Series Book 6","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003eA knife flashes in the dark, on a brutal hunt for flesh and blood…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStefan Korzh continues to unleash his bloodthirsty collection onto an unsuspecting world. But as his past catches up with him, he discovers that there’s a price to pay for his murderous desires. Death waits at his doorstep and it causes him to act in ways no one could have ever anticipated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKorzh’s efforts are still going strong as haunted antiques continue to grip the world in their claws of terror. The latest is an eerily cold, silver class ring that drives its wearer into a frenzy for human flesh. A brutal urge to plunge a knife deep into innocent bystanders is overtaking the residents of Concord, New Hampshire, and no one is safe.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn unlikely alliance is formed between Ariana Leckie and Victor Daniels on their hunt for Stefan and the collectibles. They’re determined to bring an end to the misery he has caused, no matter the cost. But first, they have to address the threat growing in front of them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeanwhile, Tom Crane is enjoying his life with a loving father figure, a caring girlfriend, and a growing list of friends by his side. But his life is thrown into chaos when an old acquaintance drags him into their quest for revenge. Trapped and alone, Tom must find a way to escape before he’s too far gone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs their lives collide, they’ll soon discover that vengeance exacts a heavy toll on both the living and the dead…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e203 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 40 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.46 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-022-3\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eMay 27, 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCHAPTER 4: A DARK DREAM\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGwen opened her eyes, rolled over and vomited.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBile spewed out of her mouth and burned her nostrils. She gagged, threw up again, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDrawing in great, shuddering breaths, Gwen groaned as she thought about the mess that she had to clean. She looked down and froze.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInstead of her bed, Gwen was looking down at asphalt, dimly lit by an orange streetlamp at the end of a small alley.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrantic, Gwen pushed herself against a wall and looked around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTrash and debris littered the cracked and broken ground of the alley. Battered brick walls flanked either side and there were no windows until the second floor. Rusted fire escapes were suspended above her, and graffiti-covered steel doors were closed and secured.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd beside Gwen was a body.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA strangled scream escaped her throat as she scrambled backward, slamming her head into the brick behind her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGasping for air, Gwen stared at the corpse, and she had no doubt the man was dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe lay on his back, throat cut so deeply that his head hung by a thread of skin. Blood covered the man’s once-white shirt and soaked the front of his black pants. Battered black Nike sneakers were also damp, their dirty soles surprisingly free of his blood. His arms were spread wide as if he was awaiting crucifixion. Dark brown hair stuck to his head in damp clumps and was spread out with the vile semblance of a blood-soaked halo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBeside the body was a knife. It was a folding knife; black and stamped with the letters SOG.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOh no, s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehe thought, her inner voice building up to a panic. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOh no, no, no, no!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe lifted her hands up to clutch her head, but stopped, horrified when she saw she was covered in blood as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFor a moment, she froze, mind completely incapable of understanding what she saw, and then a shudder tore through her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe scrambled forward, snatched the knife up from the ground, and wiped the blade off on the man’s pants. Closing the weapon, Gwen got to her feet, eyes darting around the narrow confines of the alley.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe tore off her jacket, wiped her hands on it until most of the blood was gone, then turned it inside out. Shuddering, she pulled the jacket back on, her skin crawling as the sticky, cool blood touched her. She stuffed her hands into her front pockets, licked her lips nervously, and then hurried down the alley to the street beyond.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA glance to the left showed she was on Singleton Street. Three blocks from home if she followed the sidewalk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGwen didn’t.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInstead, she forced herself to walk casually to the next alley and turned towards it. Grinding her teeth, Gwen continued at her steady, mild pace, the minutes ticking past.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen she reached her building, Gwen climbed the stairs two at a time, got into her apartment, and sank against the door when she closed it. Sobbing, she drew her hands out of her pockets, and for the first time, she noticed she was wearing a large class ring on her right index finger.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe went to take it off, but her skin was swollen, the jewelry stuck. Her mother would know how to get the ring off. Gwen couldn’t ask her though. They hadn’t spoken in years, and she knew she couldn’t call about the ring.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMom would want to know why, s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehe thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhere the ring came from. Am I in trouble, again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGwen let out a short laugh, but it came out so maniacally that she clamped her hand over her mouth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShower. Take a shower, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eshe told herself, getting up to her feet and swaying dizzily. Stripping off her blood-stained clothes, Gwen made it into the shower and scrubbed herself clean beneath a sputtering spray of near-boiling hot water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe dried off hastily, wrapped the towel around her chest, and walked numbly to her small kitchen. From the counter, she reached for a bottle of wine, removed the cork, and took a long, bitter swallow. The alcohol rushed through her system, and she quickly took several deep drinks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWith her mouth stinging from the wine, Gwen left the bottle on the counter and stumbled to her bed, where she collapsed. She stared up at the cracked ceiling, the paint-stained a dull yellow from the previous tenant’s nicotine habit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGoosebumps rippled along her flesh and Gwen shivered, pulling her blanket up over her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe tried to think, sought to remember what had happened and why she had been in the alley. But nothing came to her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe last memory she had was of approaching someone in the pub.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Tell me, Gwen,” a soft voice said, “did you enjoy it?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGwen froze, unable to move. She recognized the voice. It was the same one she had heard when she had been drinking at the pub.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I know you can hear me,” the stranger said, and movement on the far wall demanded Gwen’s attention.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUnable to look away, she watched as the shadow across from her solidified and took on definition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA young man, perhaps only a decade younger than herself, stood before her. The man wore olive-drab fatigues and black combat boots. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal well-defined forearms, and there was a sinister strength that exuded from the stranger.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Who are you?” Gwen’s words came out in a hoarse, desperate whisper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You don’t remember our earlier conversation?” the young man asked. When Gwen didn’t respond, the stranger sighed. “Very well. You’re wearing my ring, you foul little drunk. My name is Richard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGwen’s eyes flicked down to the ring on her hand, and she resisted the urge to cut her own finger off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What happened?” Gwen asked. “Why was that man dead?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I happened,” Richard smirked, settling down on his haunches. “And he’s dead because I wanted him to be dead. He was annoying. And a thief. And all thieves should be dead. Don’t you agree?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Gwen answered, horrified. “No!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“That’s a shame, Gwen.” Richard smiled. “Because as long as we’re together, you’re going to help me make a lot of people dead.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGwen tried to wrench the ring off her finger, but as her hand wrapped around it, she found Richard upon her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387431592215,"sku":"KNIFE IN THE DARK","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47308167446807,"sku":"hc6e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363427885335,"sku":"hc6","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-6.jpg?v=1703098792"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection7","title":"Last Breath: Haunted Collection Series Book 7","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eManic laughter echoes through the night as victims struggle for their last breath…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMysterious deaths continue with every haunted item Stefan Korzh releases into the world. Horror and mayhem are felt everywhere, from trailer parks to the hallowed bayous of New Orleans. But as he finds himself pushed into a corner by those who want him dead, Korzh goes to great lengths to establish an unlikely alliance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe only thing more threatening than his desire for revenge is the new ghost he has set loose. Appearing as a frail elderly woman, Martha’s inviting smile is as deceitful as her looks. It masks a terrible cruelty as she draws the final gasps of air from her victims, and delights in their pleas for mercy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeanwhile, there’s no rest for the trio caught in the midst of Korzh’s games. Victor and Ariana are close to uncovering the key to mysteries that haunt them, and come face to face with secrets that will change the course of their lives forever. Even Tom’s attempts at an ordinary life are shattered with a stark reminder that nothing about him can ever be normal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith terrors closing in from all sides, each will have to go to great lengths to survive. There’s no escaping the horrors they must face, or the pain they must endure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe stakes have never been higher, and one mistake could end up being their last…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 153.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e215 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8 hours and 8 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 35.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 35.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6 x 0.49 x 9 inches\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-023-0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eJuly 06, 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 4: The Statue Stands Tall\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Do you want me to come in with you?” Tom asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor shook his head as he pulled on his leather gloves. “No, thank you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I can help,” Tom said, and there was a sulky note in the boy’s tone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor paused and smiled at him. “Tom, you’re the only person in the world I trust to help me. That’s why I want you out here. If I don’t come back in fifteen minutes, then I need you to come in after me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTom grinned.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What?” Victor asked, adjusting the iron ring under the glove.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Nothing, I guess,” Tom said. Then, laughing, the boy added, “I thought for sure you’d ask me to call Shane or someone.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Victor said with a chuckle. “Not at all. But in all seriousness, if you do have to come in, and it looks bad, call him.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe boy nodded. “I will.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Thanks.” Victor took a deep, nervous breath and said, “Okay. See you soon.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe climbed out of the car with a heavy, lead-lined bag in his left hand and he glanced up and down the deserted street. The sun had set a short time before, and the streetlights were dim reminders of night’s advancement upon the city of Pittsburgh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe storefront Victor focused on was dark, the store itself only recently abandoned. He had read of several deaths at the business. All involving a ball-peen hammer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd the store had sold only the bare minimum to the few residents of a dying neighborhood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut I had read about that hammer,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Victor thought, approaching the store with growing trepidation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMoran and Moran had included it in a list of items purchased by the Korzhs. And while it should have been locked away in their collection, it had gotten out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd how did that happen, I wonder?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor’s thoughts became focused on the door and the chain looped around the handle and a railing. The glass in the door was broken though, and Victor bent down and scooted in easily. He waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimness, and as they did, he took stock of the store.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNothing remained of the merchandise or the shelves that would have held them. The walls were discolored where refrigerators and smaller shelving units had stood, giving the walls the appearance of a man with mismatched teeth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThen his eyes saw the hammer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe old wooden handle looked rough and abused, as did the misshapen head of the tool. It should have been thrown out decades earlier, and Victor wondered if anyone had ever tried.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe approached the hammer cautiously, eyes darting from shadow to shadow, seeking out the dead man he knew would be near.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Hello,” a voice said in front of him. “Have you remembered your measuring tape?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA shape stepped forth from the darkness behind the hammer, and Victor saw Claude Hamilton. He was a short, squat, powerfully built man with a barrel chest and a stomach to match. The dead man had been a shop teacher in the 1930s, until he had gone insane during class and beaten a trio of teens dead with the hammer. Waiting for his trial, Claude had killed a cellmate and paralyzed a guard.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe had died while being transported to the trial.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Victor admitted, “I don’t have it with me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ghost picked up the hammer and swung it experimentally. “Do you remember what I told you the last time that you forgot your measuring tape?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“That you were going to beat it into my head to remember?” Victor had read the witness statements.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes,” Claude said sadly. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe lifted the hammer up above his head and advanced on Victor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor forced himself to wait until the last moment, then he stepped aside and slammed his fist through the ghost’s large belly as the hammer passed by him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe tool clattered to the floor and Victor scooped it up, his heart thundering as he thrust the hammer into the heavy, lead-lined bag. He closed it before the dead man could reappear and he stood in the semi-darkness, panting and trying to slow his racing heart.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen he regained his composure, Victor straightened up and headed for the door.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHow many more of these has Stefan Korzh sent out into the world?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e he wondered, and then shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTime, he knew, would tell.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387447419159,"sku":"LAST BREATH","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47308212175127,"sku":"hc7e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363437584663,"sku":"hc7","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-7.jpg?v=1703098888"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection8","title":"Ticket to Death: Haunted Collection Series Book 8","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA faded old ticket glows with an unholy light…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistorian Victor Daniels never planned to devote his life to battling evil spirits, or tracking down a collection of cursed antiques unleashed by ruthless occultist Stefan Korzh. But after months of clashing with paranormal threats, he’s developed a reputation as an investigator of the strange and bizarre. So when a rash of mysterious deaths strikes Victor’s home state, an old friend reaches out to him for help.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs Victor investigates the chilling mystery, he is shocked to discover that the victims all died by drowning… within the safety of their own homes. Another cursed antique has been unearthed, a ticket for a steamer ship that sank over a century ago. The worn scrap of paper is haunted by the vengeful ghost of a passenger, and it must gather the souls of the living to complete its final voyage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBefore Victor can put a stop to the murderous spirit’s killing spree, Stefan takes their blood feud to the next level, when he captures Victor’s adopted son. Following the madman’s trail to his sleepy hometown, deep in the Pennsylvania woods, Victor must confront his nemesis face to face.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe final clash between good and evil has begun, and only one man can emerge victorious…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e199 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 1 minute\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.45 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-024-7\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1587%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.4723%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eAugust 07, 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n    \u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e\n      Read a Sample\n\u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\n  \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/button\u003e\n    \u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\n        \n                 \u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 5: Taking a Look Around\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor glanced over at Tom and asked, “Are you okay?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Hm?” Tom blinked and looked at Victor. “Oh. Yeah. I’m fine.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Okay,” Victor said. After a moment, the traffic light turned green, and he stepped on the gas. “So, I’ll be back tonight. You’ll be good with lunch and dinner?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes,” Tom answered. “Iris will stop by to make sure I eat and all that good stuff.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor nodded as they turned onto Iris’ street. “Alright then. I’ll text you when I get into Green Tree, and when I’m headed back.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Sure,” Tom said, getting out of the car. “Good luck. And be safe.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I will,” Victor said, waving goodbye as the boy closed the door and walked up the long cobblestone path that led to Iris’ front door. Victor waited until Tom was let in before he pulled away from the curb and started on his trip.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe traffic from Fox Cat Hollow to Green Tree was light, and within a few hours, Victor found the condominium development that Sara had spoken to him about. He drove around the private roads and found the unit where the odd death had occurred. Victor slowed down and focused his attention on the houses on either side of the condo, and the woods behind it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eI can get to the back of the house through the trees, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehe realized and felt a pang of guilt. His face burned with shame as he thought about the secret pleasure that breaking into something brought him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt was an aspect of his personality that he had a difficult time accepting, despite its usefulness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSatisfied with what he had seen, Victor left the condominium development and searched for a place to park his car that wouldn’t draw too much attention.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAt least the car’s plates are from Pennsylvania, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ehe thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThat shouldn’t make it stand out too much.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEventually, Victor parked in the lot of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, took a bottle of water out of his car, and slipped his iron ring onto his finger. He stretched a little to get the kinks out of his back, took a drink, and started the long walk towards the back of the dead woman’s house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter getting lost twice, Victor arrived after 45 minutes of walking.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe remained in the tree line, watching the back of the house, looking for any item that might be out of the ordinary.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNothing drew his attention, and after half an hour, Victor stood up and approached the home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe moved toward a back porch and climbed the stairs gently, mindful of where he placed each foot. Some of the boards were soft beneath his feet, the rotting wood threatening to fall apart at his touch. He made it to the top without incident, and Victor was pleased to find the porch in considerably better condition than the stairs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen he reached the back side, he propped open the screen door and took out the lock pick tools he had made in the basement of his own home. There was a sense of pride and embarrassment as he used them. He had crafted them and they worked the way they were designed to.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWithin a minute, he undid the deadbolt, and thirty seconds later, Victor swung the door open.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eImmediately, he noticed the chill in the air and felt a strange, electrical sensation ripple along his exposed skin. When he glanced down at his forearms, he saw that the small hairs stood on end, and goosebumps had erupted along their length.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he crossed the threshold.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe woman, according to Sara Milton, had died in the bathtub.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor glanced around the room, getting his bearings, and saw the door to the garage was open as if it had been flung wide and forgotten about. He marked it as an item of interest and proceeded further into the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor found the downstairs bathroom, which lacked a tub, and then he made his way upstairs. Both of the spare rooms had quarter baths, but it was the master bedroom’s bath where he found the tub.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHis teeth chattered from the cold as he stepped onto the tile. He flicked on the bathroom light and looked around the room, searching for anything out of the ordinary.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Who are you?” a voice asked from behind him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictor turned around and saw a naked young woman standing in the doorway, blocking his exit from the bathroom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“My name’s Victor,” he replied, forcing himself to relax. “What’s yours?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe frowned, then smiled. “Nancy.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Hello Nancy,” Victor said. “Do you know where you are?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I’m home,” she answered. “I shouldn’t be.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387460264215,"sku":"TICKET TO DEATH","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47308233212183,"sku":"hc8e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363443810583,"sku":"hc8","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-8.jpg?v=1703099645"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection9","title":"Death Rattle: Haunted Collection Series Book 9","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA baby’s rattle sounds the final chime of death…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter months spent chasing down one haunted item after another, historian Victor Daniels is exhausted. His relentless battles with the sadistic Stefan Korzh have taken a heavy toll, and he longs to end their supernatural feud once and for all. But first, he must deal with one last cursed item released from Korzh’s collection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith no time to rest or recover from their last paranormal encounter, Victor and his adopted son Tom travel to the shadowy streets of Groton, Massachusetts. There, they face a familiar enemy— a malevolent spirit Victor has fought before, and failed to defeat. This fiendish ghost haunts an antique baby’s rattle. Those who hear its chilling sound are faced with a ghastly death, and an afterlife of eternal suffering…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs they confront this vicious foe, Victor knows that Stefan still waits for him in the shadows. Their confrontation is inevitable. Everything has been leading Victor to this one final battle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the haunted depths of the Korzh’s ancestral home, Victor and Stefan must come face to face. And only one man will live to see the dawn.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e207 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e7 hours and 29 minutes\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.47 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e979-8-89476-025-4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eSeptember 21, 2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 4pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 15: Awakened and Disturbed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA harsh knock on the front door jerked Stefan awake, and he sat up groggily. He blinked, waited a moment while the unknown stranger hammered on the door, and finally was able to see the clock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e12:25 in the morning,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e Stefan thought angrily, getting to his feet. He adjusted his eye patch and frowned. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI wonder why the hell the police are here at this time of night.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe considered arming himself, but then he decided against it. Since the death of Officer Colette, Stefan had affected the guise of a mild-mannered accountant. Carrying a sidearm would quickly dispel that image and land him in an interrogation room far faster than he liked to think about.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDon’t make the mistake of thinking that they’re stupid,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e he chided.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe knocking increased, and Stefan let a worried expression settle onto his face. He wasn’t worried at all, but an accountant who had never even run a red-light before would be upset.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hold on, please!” Stefan called.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe shuffled loudly to the door, undid the safety-chain, released the deadlock and pulled the door open.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt wasn’t the police.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA disheveled, stinking man dressed in the stained and filthy uniform of a Boy Scout grinned stupidly at Stefan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes?” Stefan asked warily. His eye darted around the street, searching for the undercover police vehicle that had been parked outside since the death of Officer Colette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe car was gone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShaking his head slightly, Stefan asked. “How can I help you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man swung clumsily at him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan deftly dodged the blow, catching hold of the man’s wrist as it went past. With a sharp twist and a small amount of pressure, Stefan bent the arm back and out at an unnatural angle. It was a move designed to incapacitate an attacker, and it failed utterly with the assailant.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan heard the shoulder and elbow joints pop almost simultaneously. A flash of pain raced across the attacker’s face, but it didn’t slow him down. The man seemed almost immune to the physical effects of Stefan’s attack as if he couldn’t allow himself to feel it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eInstead of cringing and shrinking away to nurse his sudden injury, the stranger tried to lash out with his free hand, but he was ineffective with that as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eYet despite his inability to fight, the stranger had managed to get a foot into the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFurious and fearful of what might come next, Stefan tried to shove the man backward, fully out of his home, and then she screamed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEvery window in the house broke. Each light bulb exploded in its socket, plunging the house into darkness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFear swept over Stefan and he stutter-stepped backward. He felt blood trickle from his nostrils and pool in his left ear. His entire chest throbbed with pain from the power in the scream, and Stefan knew one fact with utter and profound terror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnne Le Morte had arrived.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe stranger, Anne Le Morte’s new caretaker, pressed into the house, and Stefan struck out, smashing the man’s nose with the palm of his hand. He heard the cartilage break, smelled the sudden rush of blood, and heard Anne Le Morte’s high, sweet laugh fill the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe caretaker let loose with a wild swing, and it glanced off the side of Stefan’s head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was painful enough to bring his attention back to the problem at hand and strong enough to knock him backward.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn a heartbeat, Stefan recovered. He grabbed the caretaker by the collar of his shirt and jerked him into the house. Kicking the door closed behind him, Stefan turned on the man and delivered a series of rapid blows, driving the man back toward the kitchen. A cold, detached attention to detail settled down over Stefan, and he understood exactly what each punch, kick, elbow, and knee strike did.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe felt first the left, then the right orbital sockets break under his fists. An elbow destroyed the man’s jaw. A knee also crushed his genitals and brought forth a stinking stream of vomit. Two rapid forearm strikes cracked, then shattered ribs, sending at least one jagged end into a lung. Teeth were first loosened, then knocked out by repeated blows to the front of his mouth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan drove a knee into the man’s stomach, and the caretaker collapsed, unconscious to the floor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePanting, Stefan listened, trying to hear if the police had noticed the attack.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThen a cold and terrifying thought entered his mind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhy had she sent in the caretaker?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe ambient illumination of the street lights drifted in through the windows and Stefan stood rooted to the floor, listening. His body raced as he ran through scenarios and situations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe ghost had lain in wait for him for months outside of the warehouse. In the end, she had been robbed not only of the pleasure of killing him but of the services of a skilled caretaker as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man who lay on the floor seemed to have been nothing more than the bottom of the barrel. A tool that had the misfortune of stumbling across her path.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eRegaining a small measure of control over his thoughts, Stefan straightened up, and then he felt a cool, uncomfortable breeze.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt wasn’t the harsh, unforgiving chill of the dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49387478221079,"sku":"DEATH RATTLE","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47308255658263,"sku":"hc9e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49363452920087,"sku":"hc9","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_HauntedCollection-9.jpg?v=1703099885"},{"product_id":"hauntedcollection1-9","title":"The Complete Haunted Collection Saga: 9 Books of Action-Packed Horror You Won't Be Able to Put Down (FREE U.S. SHIPPING)","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1UqBqcUe1kAx4QtPh1-rf2jf0-kXva_Ji\/preview\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Professionally Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e9 Books. 66+ Hours. One Historian Who Refuses to Run.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomeone's selling haunted objects online. And they just mailed death to your doorstep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cursed rifle that forces its owner to kill. A mirror that traps souls in its reflection. A child's toy that whispers suicide. These aren't artifacts gathering dust in a museum. They're weapons. And occultist Stefan Korzh is packaging them up and shipping them to innocent families across America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost men would flee from such evil. Victor Daniels hunts it down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA widowed historian armed with salt, iron, and a lifetime of research into the occult, Victor knows the rules of the supernatural world. Ghosts can be bound. Curses can be broken. And Stefan Korzh can be stopped. Teaming up with his adopted son Tom Crane, Victor wages a cross-country war against the deadliest antique collection ever assembled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut as the body count rises and the hauntings grow more vicious, Victor discovers that some secrets are more terrifying than any ghost...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWHAT READERS ARE SAYING:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \"I couldn't put this series down and went through the entire collection (9 books) in less than a week. Ron Ripley is fast becoming one of my favorite authors of horror stories. The plot moves forward and the characters are personal.\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \"I love these series because I love haunted ghost stories. Wish they made a TV series about this. It is an intense series. 5 haunted possessions out of 5\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \"The story captures you on every page and is in a class by itself.\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e1. Collecting Death\u003cbr\u003e2. Walter's Rifle\u003cbr\u003e3. Blood in the Mirror\u003cbr\u003e4. Hank's Radio\u003cbr\u003e5. The Burning Girl\u003cbr\u003e6. Knife in the Dark\u003cbr\u003e7. Last Breath\u003cbr\u003e8. Ticket to Death\u003cbr\u003e9. Death Rattle\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eComplete series. No waiting. Just 1,900+ pages of salt, iron, and the things that refuse to stay dead.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEBOOK\/PAPERBACK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e1,911 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIOBOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e67 hours and 39 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 3: Old Time Radio\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKristine Tring sat in the small room that served as both living room, and den in the Mayor Maurice Arel Assisted Living Home. In spite of the arthritis in her hands, she held a pair of overly large knitting needles. She worked at a slow, careful pace. Her thoughts were not on the prayer shawl she knitted, nor were they on the people at St. Joseph’s Hospital who would be the eventual recipients of the shawls she made.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eInstead, her mind was far away. December was only three days away, and with it would come the anniversary of her brother Kevin’s death. They had been twins, and he had died in Korea in 1951. Seventeen years old and dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSeventeen years old and he had never grown any older.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe plastic needles clicked in the stillness of her apartment, her hearing aids turned down, so the loud television sets of the neighbors on either side and above her were inaudible. With the death of her only niece on her deceased husband’s side the year before, Kristine had gotten rid of her telephone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was no one to call, and no one to expect calls from. The few friends she had, lived in her building, and she would see them at breakfast, or perhaps in the recreation room for coffee.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA flicker of light caught her eye, and her hands stopped as she looked up.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAcross the room was the one, unnecessary heirloom she had kept when she moved into the Arel Home. A tall, Zenith floor model radio. It was in poor shape, having been battered and beaten by herself and Kevin when they were children.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd now the faceplate on it was lit with the old, yellow glow she remembered so well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe stared at it for a moment, not understanding how the radio could be working.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe plug had broken a decade earlier, and before that, one of the vacuum tubes had broken.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was a nonfunctioning relic, nothing more.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBut there it was, lit as when she and her siblings would sit and listen to the Phantom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eConfused, Kristine turned the volume on her hearing aids back up.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good evening,” a man said through the speaker, his voice smooth and pleasant. There was an arousing, enticing quality to his voice. It made her want to listen to him, and to nothing else. “This is Hank McErney, and I’m here with you, are you here with me?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKristine stared in surprise, not sure what to do.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello,” Hank said, chuckling, “didn’t you hear me, young lady? Yes, you with the knitting on your lap.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKristine straightened up in the chair, taken aback even as she said, “Yes. Yes, I hear you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh, very good,” Hank said. “Tell me, what’s your name?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Kristine,” she replied. Her stomach tied itself into knots she hadn’t felt since she had been a teenager, and she didn’t quite know what to do.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Kristine,” Hank said in a pleased voice, “a pretty name for a pretty girl. I’m curious, Kristine, why are you inside on a night like tonight? Shouldn’t you be out there cutting a rug with some dashing young man?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No one asked,” Kristine answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That I can’t believe,” Hank said, “no one?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Kristine said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Let’s take care of that, shall we, Kristine?” Hank asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe world bent and twisted, and shifted into shadow as the warmth was torn from the room. And a moment later, a man stood in front of the radio, and she knew it was Hank McErney.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was tall, his black hair flipped to one side in a style that had gone out of fashion in the forties. An Errol Flynn mustache graced his upper lip, and his nose was aquiline. His chin was square cut, as were the shoulders of the suit coat he wore. A cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth, and there was an air of calm assuredness about him that Kristine found appealing. Hank McErney was a ruggedly good-looking man, and Kristine’s heart fluttered in a way she didn’t think was possible anymore.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello, Kristine,” Hank said, and his voice was even more powerful in person than it had been on the radio.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello,” she replied, blushing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis isn’t real, she thought. I must be having a stroke. Or a heart attack. Am I dying?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 6: Paranoia Runs Deep\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan felt miserable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhile he had never enjoyed his trips beyond his compound, they had taken on a terrible life of their own. Each time he was compelled to leave, he did so knowing full well that the man who had tried to kill him remained at large. And that was in addition to the fact that the police might connect Stefan to Jeremy Rhinehart’s murder in Fox Cat Hollow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fear reminded him of when his half-sister had hunted him, and he despised it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had spent additional funds on establishing motion sensor lights farther up the road that lead to the warehouse. Stefan had also added an extended ring of cameras to the perimeter, and when he went into the observation room shortly after having woken up, there was an alert on his home screen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe monitoring software he had installed had picked up and isolated the wireless feed he had been trying to hunt down since the failed attempt on his life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan quickly typed in his passcode, accessed the account, and looked at the feed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhat he found drove a cold, hard spike of mixed hatred and fear into his stomach.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was looking at not one video feed, but four. Whoever was watching him had placed a camera on each side of the building. No matter where Stefan exited his home from, the unseen watcher would know it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan stared at the screen for a moment longer, then, with an angry grumble, he turned the monitor off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSwearing under his breath, Stefan stood up, shoving his chair back before he went stomping out of the room. He went to the kitchen, skipped his morning coffee, and reached for the vodka. Without bothering with a glass, Stefan opened the bottle, brought the mouth of it up to his lips, and took a long, bitter pull from it. He only stopped when he needed to breathe, his mouth burning, and his eyes watering from the strength of the alcohol.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan gripped the counter with one hand to steady himself, then he took another, smaller drink.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe knew it had to be the man who had tried to kill him. And Stefan felt certain his father and stepsister had put the man up to it. The stranger had been skilled. Extremely so, and Stefan suspected that the man had misjudged Stefan’s own capabilities.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt wasn’t a mistake the stranger was apt to make twice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFurious, Stefan brought the bottle back with him into the observation room. He turned on the monitor, immediately exited the feed for the enemy’s cameras, and sat down. In silence, Stefan brought up his sales and pondered over them. He tried to focus, realized that he wouldn’t be able to, and shifted his attention to the newspapers where he had shipped various items off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis anger increased, rising to a steady speed until he shoved the mouse away from him and pressed his hands against his eyes. The websites were empty of any sort of information regarding the dead and the damage they could inflict.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eGrinding his teeth in frustration, Stefan took a deep breath and reminded himself it was only a matter of time before something happened.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDropping his hands from his face, Stefan took hold of the mouse and began to search his sales again, hoping to find something there to appease his anger.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere wasn’t.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eStefan snarled and threw the mouse across the room, the plastic shattering against the wall. He sat in the chair for several minutes, irate and unable to move.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFinally, when he had calmed down, Stefan opened his desk drawer, took out a new mouse, and went through the familiar motions of getting it ready.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 12: Adventure and Excitement\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVictor had managed to fall asleep in his bed rather than the chair in the study, and by doing so, he had obtained a good night’s sleep. When the sun had risen, so had Victor. He had eaten breakfast alone, and he was halfway through making his travel plans when Tom walked in, yawning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe boy rubbed his face with his hand, the left sleeve of his pajama top hanging loose. Tom only put on the prosthetic in the morning when he was going to work out first, and it still shocked Victor when he saw the empty sleeve.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How are you doing?” he asked as Tom waved at him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe boy shrugged and got himself a glass of water.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Late night?” Victor asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Tom said, putting the empty cup down on the counter. “Just tired. Bad dreams. You know?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVictor nodded. He knew all too well about bad dreams. The nights when he managed to get through to dawn without them were few and far between, and they were to be treasured.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Any big plans for today?” Tom asked, taking a box of Fruit Loops cereal down from a cabinet and carrying it to the table.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I need to go up to Concord,” Victor explained.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTom’s eyes widened in surprise as he sat down. Then, fumbling with the box top, he said, “Concord, Massachusetts?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Victor said, shaking his head, “Concord, New Hampshire.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You’re spending a lot of time up in the granite state,” Tom said. Victor watched the boy hold the cereal box against his chest and fish a handful of the multicolored loops out. The teen ate them dry, waiting for Victor’s response to his statement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I have to,” Victor stated. “At least right now. Seems like Korzh sent another item out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHatred flashed through the boy’s eyes, but he regained control of himself instantly. “What happened?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVictor gave him all of the information he had been able to dig up on the internet about the ring. He watched the boy’s jaw tighten, his fingers twitching.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do you want me to go with you?” Tom asked after a moment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVictor shook his head. “I need you here, on the off chance that another item should show up in Fox Cat Hollow. It’s unlikely, I know, but there’s the possibility it could happen.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What should I do if it does?” Tom asked. “I’m not exactly a hundred percent here, even with my prosthetic on. I’m just not that skilled with it yet.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I need you to be my eyes and ears,” Victor replied. “Read the papers. The local stuff and the ones you can find online. Make sure that you use your new name, too. If anyone asks.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTom rolled his eyes and asked, “Why Jeremiah?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I don’t know,” Victor answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTom shook his head. “I don’t like it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You don’t have to, Tom,” Victor replied. “You just need to use it. Can you see if you can get Iris to call you Jeremiah in public, too? And, speaking of Iris, try to keep her out of anything that might pop up, okay?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTom frowned. “She won’t like that. Iris does what she wants.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVictor couldn’t help but smile. “I figured that. That’s why I said try. The last I heard, Korzh is still in the area. And so is Anne Le Morte.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTom paled slightly at the name. He had faced the doll once before at the gas station, and the boy was fully aware of how dangerous the ghost could be.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you okay with that?” Victor asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTom nodded, the color easing back into his cheeks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good. I should be leaving in about half an hour,” Victor said. “Unless you need something from the store.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Tom said. “I should be alright. Iris will come over later. If I need anything, I’ll ask her to bring it. She’s usually okay with that.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I figured she would be.” Victor smiled. “Okay. I’m going to finish getting my stuff together. Make sure you keep your phone on and with you, even when you’re spending time with Iris.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Tom said, grinning. “I will.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe boy stood up, still pressing the cereal box to his chest. “Have a safe trip. You’ll send me a text when you get there?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Of course,” Victor said. “I’ll talk to you soon, Tom.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe boy nodded, smiled, and left the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVictor sighed and tried to focus on his trip. He didn’t like leaving Tom alone but bringing him to deal with another killer wasn’t a priority.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe boy would be safer in Pennsylvania than New Hampshire.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49443273179415,"sku":"HAUNTED COLLECTION SERIES","price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49443525951767,"sku":"hc1-9","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47308326666519,"sku":"hc1-9e","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51617823392023,"sku":"hc1-9ebab","price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/1-WEB_HCS1-9_BSpread_45-_v3.1.jpg?v=1766719839"},{"product_id":"eloise1","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003eYou're invited to Eloise's tea party...\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-79elbk h-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-1n7m0yu\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-testid=\"conversation-turn-25\" class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col lg:w-[calc(100%-115px)] agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\" data-message-id=\"99495370-4071-4a7a-bf95-98e5b7d0e3d3\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn the haunted halls of Berkley Street, Eloise remains a girl untouched by time. Her past has \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ebeen shrouded in mystery, until now...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWitness Eloise's touching bond with a woman mourning the loss of her daughter, an unseen companionship with a child in solitude, and her battle with a treacherous spirit dwelling in the shadows.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eInside this collection, you'll find seven bite-sized tales that will scare and surprise you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ePrepare yourself for a\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e window into Eloise's thrilling world, as she navigates life with childlike wonder and ghostly encounters. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet the haunting begin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e3 hours and 8 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e9798894760674\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eFebruary 16, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFighting Shadows\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCarl stood with Eloise in the doorway to the butler’s pantry. They watched as the domestics went about their business in the house, little bees in their hive, always working no matter what else was going on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere was always work to be done in the household. Floors and walls needed to be scrubbed, food cooked, gardens tended, clothing washed, and a dozen more tasks every day. In a normal household, it would have been tumultuous. In the Anderson house, it was chaotic. Sometimes catastrophic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost everyone knew the danger that lurked unseen in the darkness. Or at least some of it. All of them told stories about the cellar. Carl had learned that even before he’d died. Even before he’d seen what waited in those shadows. And that was only the beginning of their troubles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe girl, Vivienne, was worse than those things below. She held them in thrall and wielded a dark control over them that made her by far the most dangerous thing in the house. None of the servants knew of her. None alive, anyway. And there was Anderson himself, a petty and spiteful man not above killing for any reason, it seemed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePersonal gain was the motive behind some of his crimes. Rage was clearly the reason for others. Those wretched things in the cellar had all crossed him at one time or another. Nothing would stop him from taking his ire out on one of his servants if they crossed him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe house itself was another thing altogether. Carl had come to learn that it was an entity of a different kind. Not alive, of course. But not dead like himself and Eloise, for it had never been alive. But it was capable of acting, of doing things. It could move and change. It could make rooms appear and disappear seemingly at random.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere was intelligence there, but one Carl did not understand. Perhaps housing so many of the dead for so long had allowed the building to act like some kind of machine, using the dead as batteries. It was powered by their energy, by death itself. Perhaps. It was a question to which Carl had no answer. But the house was sometimes as dangerous as the things within it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Who is that?” Eloise asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCarl watched the servants going about their business.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnderson had hired a new maid after the poor girl who was left barren by the Dark Ones could not bring herself to return to the house. It had been a difficult process to find someone new. Carl had no doubt there were rumors in such circles about working in the house on Berkley Street.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Her name is Felicity,” Carl said. He had overheard when she was introduced to the rest of the staff. “She comes from Colorado.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I’ve never been,” Eloise said absently, causing Carl to chuckle. “Why is she here?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“She is the new maid.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No one saw fit to tell her what happened to the previous maid?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I do not think that information was made available to her.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I am disappointed,” Eloise grumbled. “One of them could have warned her.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“They take the same risk as the new girl,” Carl pointed out. “They all choose to pretend things are not as they are.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEloise shook her head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Do you think that’s what they do? Pretend?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes. To protect themselves from the truth. From their fear,” Carl said. He knew the servants did not want to work for Mr. Anderson. They feared for their lives. But they feared defying Mr. Anderson just as much, if not more. There was no way to win for them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThat no one would be bold enough to warn a new girl away from the job was not a surprise to Carl. That was how people were. They might not wish her ill will, but for some of them at least, having a new face, a new body, meant one more person between them and the dangers of the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn the wild, animals traveled in herds for protection, fully knowing that predators would still pick off one or two, but usually the slowest and oldest. Most would survive. Maybe everyone in the house felt the same way. Most would survive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEloise left, unhappy with the servants and uninterested in learning more about the new maid. Carl stayed behind, watching Felicity being shown around the house and having her duties explained. He followed them from room to room as the girl nodded sometimes and asked questions every now and again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFelicity seemed to be a quick study, and she clearly had experience as a maid elsewhere. Within several days, she had a good understanding of the layout of the house and what was expected of her. Never once in that time did anything unusual happen. The spirits of the house left her alone, Mr. Anderson was barely present, and the house itself did nothing to show the true nature of where she was working.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCarl was not with her all day every day. He drifted in and out. He liked to go for walks in the garden sometimes, and along the edges of the property. Sometimes, he loitered about the oubliette with his remains. On the odd occasion, he even indulged Eloise in a game.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhen he returned to the new girl, she always seemed in good spirits. He found himself conscious of his presence near her and wondered what made him so interested. It was not a romantic interest; the girl was very young, and his feelings were not of that nature. At some point, he realized he had developed a curiously paternal feeling.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe knew what Felicity was walking into. And as Eloise had said, it seemed that no one was warning her of the dangers. Carl felt like he needed to keep an eye on her just in case something happened.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539412853015,"sku":"9798894760674","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":47927043391767,"sku":"eloisee","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":47927043424535,"sku":"eloise","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Eloise_vol.1_FF.jpg?v=1731328178"},{"product_id":"leo1","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Leo Moreland Vol. 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003eFace your darkest fears...\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-79elbk h-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-1n7m0yu\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-testid=\"conversation-turn-25\" class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col lg:w-[calc(100%-115px)] agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\" data-message-id=\"99495370-4071-4a7a-bf95-98e5b7d0e3d3\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeo Moreland is more than just a paranormal investigator. He helps the living and the restless find peace in an unforgiving world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoin Leo as he confronts a spectral voice tormenting cab drivers, faces the dangers posed by an unearthly childhood friend, and battles a centuries-old witch that threatens to consume everything in its path.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis anthology features seven bite-sized tales that delve deep into the supernatural, letting you experience Leo’s terrifying past like never before.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReady for a haunting you’ll never forget? Download this collection now and let the nightmares begin!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3 hours and  11 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e9798894760728\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eMarch 08, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWitch of the Woods\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe surveyor set up the TST and checked that it was working properly. The total station theodolite had never failed him—it was brand-new equipment, after all, and fairly state-of-the-art. But he went through all the steps, following the manual on his iPad, just to be sure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt’s not because I don’t want to go into the woods,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e he told himself. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI am a professional. I am used to working alone in remote areas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eI am not a frightened schoolboy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJust a few months ago, he had been in Mexico surveying an ancient burial site, working with a team of archaeologists. He enjoyed that kind of work, the sense of contributing to human knowledge. Being near the dead didn’t bother him. He didn’t believe in legends, curses, or ghosts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOr at least, he told himself he didn’t. He’d been reminding himself of that for a few days now.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe equipment checks were finished. The TST was working fine, a little miracle of modern science. Now he could carry the reflector into the forest, drive that pole into the ground, and control the theodolite remotely. No need for an assistant. A very efficient, modern approach.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhich required him to go into the trees. Alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe surveyor glanced back at the highway, just a dozen yards away. He was not far from the outskirts of Nashua in the pleasant and peaceful state of New Hampshire. Cars, trucks, or buses had been passing every few minutes. None were passing now. His van sat looking slightly forlorn. He felt a sudden urge to pick up his gear, get into the van, and drive home. Claim that there was some hitch with the equipment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eVery unprofessional, of course. And he couldn’t afford to blow this job. It was the last day. He’d pretty much covered the whole area. He told himself not to be foolish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Think of the money, buddy,” he breathed, the timeless mantra of the regular working stiff. “Baby needs a new pair of shoes.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe picked up a telescopic pole, checked the black box on top, and wiped the lens of the reflector. It was fine, like the total station. No more excuses to delay. He turned his back on the highway and set off through the trees. A hundred yards or so was all that was needed. He’d determined the lay of the land. After this, it was up to the contractor to rip it up and build a fancy gated community.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe woods were not especially large, just badly overgrown, seemingly left unmanaged for decades. Storm damage and occasional fires had prevented them from becoming completely impassable, but it was still a hard slog. He thrashed at some bushes with the pole to clear a path. A small bird fled, wings beating frantically, and the man felt a pang of guilt at having disturbed it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThen, he noticed that no birds were singing. They had been just a few minutes earlier. Now, all that disturbed the air was a light breeze stirring the branches above him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Scared them, is all,” he muttered. “Focus, for chrissake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“For Christ’s sake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe words were almost indistinguishable from the restless movements of the trees. He looked around, seeing no one, and told himself that he had not heard someone speak. An overworked imagination, fueled by absurd folktales, had tricked him. He was tired. The sun was far down in the west. A distinct autumn chill was in the air. He needed to get the job done. Then he could take his paycheck and find a place in town that served cool beer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe forged through the undergrowth for a few more yards, glancing back to make sure he still had a line of sight to the TST. Then, he found a suitable spot for the reflector. He rammed the pole’s spiked tip deep into a drift of leaves beside a fallen trunk. The pole went in easily but then moved. The leaves stirred.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThen a small face appeared, pale and contorted with pain and rage. He had stabbed someone!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539647897879,"sku":"9798894760728","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":48017332535575,"sku":"leoe","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":48017332502807,"sku":"leo","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Leo_vol.1_FF.jpg?v=1731400096"},{"product_id":"moran1","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of James Moran Vol. 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003eInheriting his family's legacy proves more perilous than precious for James Moran…\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-79elbk h-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-1n7m0yu\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-25\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col lg:w-[calc(100%-115px)] agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"99495370-4071-4a7a-bf95-98e5b7d0e3d3\" class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaunted relics hide chilling secrets in Moran \u0026amp; Moran, a family-owned antique shop where the past refuses to stay buried. Each meticulously chosen artifact throbs with a supernatural presence, beckoning to a world where spirits linger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow James as he embarks on a dangerous family mission against a vengeful spirit, deciphers cryptic warnings from a restless spirit trapped in a skull, and protects powerful artifacts from a sinister collector.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis anthology features seven thrilling tales that plunge you into the mysteries of Moran's world. \"\u003cem\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of James Moran\u003c\/em\u003e\" promises to blur the lines between ancestral curses and hauntings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload your copy now and delve into the eerie world of James Moran!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 hours and  55 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9798894760759\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eMarch 22, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA Gamble\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJames Moran looked at the small, paper-wrapped parcel on his desk. The handwritten note that came with the package offered little information.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Use caution when opening,” it read.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBlack ink on white cardstock. The penmanship was simple, neither messy nor particularly artistic. It was blocky and masculine. The note was signed \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eR. J. Dante\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJames had to think for a moment to recall the name. It rang a bell but was not immediately known to him. A man from Nevada, he recalled, that he had met decades earlier. Dante was not a dealer of haunted items, but he had sold some ancillary to his actual business which was—if James remembered right—fortune telling. He supposedly offered Vegas gamblers an edge by letting them know when luck was in their corner.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt had been a full twenty years since James spoke to R. J. Dante and he had never given him another thought. They had met at an estate auction during which several haunted items were made available. They’d been seated next to each other by chance and had chatted during lulls in the evening. He must have given the man his business card.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJames flipped the card over to find more writing in smaller script on the back:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCame across this near Tahoe. Thought maybe you’d know what to do with it. Wasn’t as lucky as I had hoped it would be.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNothing else was included, not even contact information for Dante so James could inquire about whatever he’d been sent. The return address on the package had not been filled out, but there was a Nevada postmark.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was James’ initial assumption that any mysterious package he was sent was dangerous. Even one that someone chose to send through the United States Postal Service. It did give him pause, however. What would have happened if inspectors opened it for a routine search to make sure it was not contraband?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe carefully removed the paper, though he was certain the warning had not been meant specifically for the wrapping. No ghost was ever held at bay by brown paper. Still, he didn’t want to miss anything should something have been loosely packed inside.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWithin the wrinkled paper exterior was a cheap wooden box. It looked to be balsa wood, perhaps, or maybe even some kind of pressboard formed in a factory from glue and wood pulp. He doubted it cost more than a few dollars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe box was tied shut with twine and taped with plain sticky tape on two sides, which James couldn’t help chuckling about. Mr. Dante was no expert in haunted items or their handling, if that was indeed what he’d sent James.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was grit on the wood and the paper. He rubbed his fingers together, feeling the grains, and lifted his fingers to inspect them more closely. White crystals. Salt. He’d been sent a box of salt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn a pinch, salt would hold any haunted item safe and secure. Lead was the preferred method as it was much sturdier. It confirmed that there was something hidden in the box, however. Something Dante felt needed caution to handle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJames set the box aside, still tied and taped. If he needed caution to open it, he would exercise caution just as the note had warned.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAfter finishing up the work he’d been attending to before the mail arrived, James locked the doors and headed to the basement. Hidden away behind his office, the basement below Moran and Moran was home to several rooms in which he was forced to store highly valuable and often highly dangerous items. It was also the safest place to inspect new items to determine what he was dealing with.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe first room at the bottom of the stairs was what James had dubbed the study. It held a simple cell sealed with lead-infused glass from which no spirit could escape. It also afforded him the ability to inspect haunted items safely from the other side and, occasionally, chat with ghosts whom he did not know enough to trust out on their own.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo living soul besides James had been in the study before, though Shane Ryan had seen a work-in-progress version that had since been dismantled upstairs. It was something he wished he’d had years earlier.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Now, let’s see what sort of artifact you are,” James said, setting the cheap wooden box on a table in the glass cell. He cut the twine and removed the tape before leaving the room and closing the glass door behind him. The lead in the glass would seal in any spirit and prevent it from leaving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539664445719,"sku":"9798894760759","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":48119317233943,"sku":"morane","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":48119317201175,"sku":"moran","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_James_vol.1_FF.jpg?v=1731398822"},{"product_id":"jimmy1","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Jimmy Hsu Special Edition","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDive into Jimmy Hsu's world of terror…\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-79elbk h-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-1n7m0yu\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-25\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col lg:w-[calc(100%-115px)] agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"99495370-4071-4a7a-bf95-98e5b7d0e3d3\" class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVenture into the shadows of Anger, New Hampshire, where a teenager with a unique ability fights a war hidden from the naked eye. This anthology features Jimmy Hsu’s chilling encounters with entities beyond the grasp of ordinary men. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoin Jimmy as he races against time to save his friend from a vengeful spirit, comes face to face with the horrors of a haunted pet cemetery, and confronts the undead in an abandoned neighborhood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cem\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of Jimmy Hsu Special Edition\u003c\/em\u003e\" is an anthology like no other. This collection brings together 28 of Jimmy Hsu's most thrilling stories originally featured in the Night Terrors, Short Horror Stories, and Scary Stories anthologies, plus a bonus of 4 never before seen shorts guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrepare yourself for a terrifying adventure, where each whisper holds the key to untold stories. Get your copy now!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e611 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e18 hours and  52 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e9798894760773\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eMarch 29, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSummer Camp\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 20pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBy Ron Ripley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone told Jimmy Hsu’s parents that summer camp was a good idea, and they believed it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy suspected it was Father Michael at St. Patrick’s Church. His suspicion increased when it had turned out the summer camp he was going to attend was in Hudson, New Hampshire, at the Presentation of Mary Academy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy didn’t argue with his parents when they had told him about the camp. He didn’t pretend to like the idea either. His mother noticed that he wasn’t pleased.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy’s father, apparently ignorant of his son’s discomfort around others and with the great outdoors, left the room. His mother remained behind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This doesn’t please you,” she stated in Cantonese.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It does not,” Jimmy agreed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe forced himself to think before answering. It was difficult, and it was something he and the special education teacher had worked on quite a bit. “Because I don’t want to be outside.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe raised an eyebrow, waiting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“And other children don’t understand me. It will be a long week. I will have no place to be alone.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother nodded. “This will not be a bad thing.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy didn’t respond.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do you want us to send you to Hong Kong for the summer?” his mother asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy shook his head. He knew there were relatives there who would be happy to see him and to help him stay abreast of customs, but it was too different. He struggled enough when it came to navigating the town of Anger. Jimmy couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be in a city the size of Hong Kong.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well, this is the next best thing,” his mother said, switching to English. “You need to go out more, Jimmy, not less. Last summer you spent far too much time indoors. I will not have it again.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy suspected his parents wanted what they euphemistically referred to as “grown-up time.” Why they didn’t state their desire for carnal relations outright, he couldn’t understand. He filed the thought away. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMaybe there will be someone I can ask at camp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAloud, he asked, “When do I have to leave?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Monday,” his mother answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe blinked, surprised. “Tomorrow?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe tilted his head to one side. “Why so soon?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We didn’t want you to have too much time to think about it. I will help you pack tonight, then your father and I will drive you to the camp in the morning.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy accepted the statement, got to his feet, and left the room. It was nearly time for him to go to bed, and since he had no choice in the matter of his trip, there was no further need to discuss it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe morning came far sooner than he wanted it to.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBy seven, he had eaten his breakfast and was dressed, standing by the door as his parents spoke with each other in the kitchen. Their voices were low, and the words were difficult to understand. They were speaking Mandarin rather than Cantonese, and his knowledge of the language was not strong enough for him to pick out more than one or two words.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFinally, they finished their conversation, and in a short time, they were all in the car. His bag was on the backseat beside him, and in his hands, he held a new book his father had purchased for him on Friday. It was a large, old volume on fairytales and folklore in New England. His parents kept track of his browsing history on the computer, and since he never bothered to use any sort of incognito program, they knew how much folklore he researched. They thought he read the information for pleasure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhat would they think,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e he wondered, looking out the window, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eif I told them I knew all the information was true? At least most of it? What of the creatures in the woods, and the ghosts in the cemeteries and the houses?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHome Sick\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 20pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBy Ron Ripley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy Hsu knew how to hide.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had been picked on most of the time in elementary school because of his high- functioning autism, and there were some days in middle school when he didn’t think it was worth getting on the bus. Jimmy always did, of course. His mother would have been too upset to learn he was being picked on, and his father would have gone down to the school and gotten into a fight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy didn’t want either of those events to occur.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSo, he went to school.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMost days.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSome days, though, he knew it would be too difficult. Some days, boys like Carlton Erskine made it too hard.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy had known Carlton since kindergarten. Carlton had picked on him since kindergarten. Only once, in second grade, had Jimmy told his parents about how miserable Carlton made him, and he instantly regretted it. That moment in his history informed him as to how his parents would react if they were to learn Carlton was still picking on him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy didn’t want that.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAll this passed through his mind as he lay in bed, the old-fashioned thermometer in his mouth, placed under his tongue. His mother sat on the bed beside him, dutifully counting the seconds until she could remove the thermometer and see what his temperature was.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy wasn’t feeling well, and he hoped it was the beginning of a cold and not the threat Carlton had delivered on the bus the previous day.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Open up,” Jimmy’s mother said in Cantonese.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe did so and his mother removed the thermometer. She frowned and Jimmy waited. The frown was unreadable, as were most of his mother’s expressions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You have a fever of one hundred,” she informed him, and set the thermometer down on the bed table. “I am going to give you a fever reducer. Do you need me to stay home with you today?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy knew a smile was required, although he was never certain as to why his mother enjoyed such emotions. Still, he smiled and shook his head. “No, thank you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe frowned again. “Are you sure?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will leave food for you, if you become hungry,” she told him. After a moment’s hesitation, she leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. “Try and sleep. It will be best for you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will try.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe forced himself to smile again as his mother left the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy lay in bed and listened as she spoke with his father. There was no argument about whether Jimmy should stay home. His father deferred to his mother in all things when it came to raising and caring for him. He suspected it was due to his paternal grandmother who raised Jimmy’s father alone in Hong Kong.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eClosing his eyes, Jimmy yawned, opened them, and realized he had fallen asleep at some point. His clock, in the shape of Lloyd from the Lego Ninjago series, showed it was eleven fifty-two. He wasn’t certain how he had managed to sleep several hours without noticing, but he suspected some of it was due to the fever he felt working through him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was sweat on his brow, and his bedclothes were damp with it as well. He sat up and had to remain still for a moment, his head pulsing. Jimmy was thirsty, and without any further hesitation, he stood up and stumbled into the bathroom. He filled his cup and drank it quickly, then winced at the way the water seemed to churn in his stomach.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe remained in the bathroom for a short time, uncertain whether he would throw up.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhen he felt it was safe to venture out, he did so by taking short steps and making certain he wouldn’t be too far from the bathroom if he had to rush back.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eReaching his room, Jimmy held onto the doorjamb and waited. When he didn’t faint or become weaker, he decided to try the stairs. His feet tread softly on the hall carpeting. Once he stood at the top of the stairs, he gazed down them and realized he couldn’t navigate them safely in an upright position, so he sat down and slid down on his behind, doing so carefully, moving onto one stair at a time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt the landing for the first floor, he shakily got to his feet and refused to look back up the stairs. With one hand on the wall for support, he walked into the kitchen and stopped, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of the sun as it streamed in through the window over the sink. As he stood there, he heard a faint laugh, a sound that made him shudder.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eGwen Speaks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBy Ron Ripley\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy Hsu knew ghosts were real.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had seen them. He had spoken with them. Jimmy had even been hunted by them. They were, as far as Jimmy was concerned, another aspect of life in Anger, New Hampshire.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNothing more and nothing less.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fact that there was a rumor of a ghost on South Boston Road was interesting, but it was not disturbing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Jimmy.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe looked over at his mother. “Yes?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why are you standing there?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe blinked and considered the question. After a moment, he replied, “I was thinking of where I would like to go for a walk.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe swallowed nervously, disliking the unpleasant way he felt when his mother appeared to question his motives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I would like to walk along South Boston Road,” he told her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because there is a rumor of a ghost there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe smiled, and a look of relief flashed across her face. While his mother believed in ghosts, she did not believe American ghosts were a threat. The ghosts of Asia, the world she had left behind, they were dangerous.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmerican ghosts were not the same. They would not eat her son. She did not believe that they would harm him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy had no intention of telling her otherwise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What will you do if you find one?” she asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I will speak with it,” he admitted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Will you be going alone?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe hesitated, as if unsure as to whether she should continue with her questioning, and for a moment, Jimmy hoped that she would stop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe did not. Indeed, he knew she could not.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe was his mother.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How far on the road will you go?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe closed his eyes and brought up the image of the map in his mind, his photographic memory placing the spot perfectly. Without opening his eyes, he stated, “I will be traveling two-point-one miles along the northeast axis of the road. It is said that the ghost lingers near a ditch in the road.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe opened his eyes and saw his mother peering at him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How many books are in there?” she asked softly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy blinked. “In my mind’s library?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It may take me a few minutes to go through the titles,” he informed her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe shook her head. “No. Give me an estimate.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe winced at the word, but he did as he was told. “Somewhere in the range of two thousand.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother chuckled. “It is impressive.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I only do what must be done,” he responded, confused at her statement. “All the books must be stored and cataloged properly for retrieval.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I know.” She sighed. “Yes, you may go and look for your ghost. But you will be home in three hours, by one o’clock this afternoon. That gives you plenty of time to walk to the spot, investigate, and return home.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good. Go and be safe. Promise?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes, I promise, Mother.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy bent down, picked up his knapsack, and put it on. It was slightly heavier, packed with a small foldable shovel, additional iron nails, and several bags of salt, each of which was located in the exterior pouches of his knapsack.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJimmy forced himself to smile, knowing that it made his mother happy, and then he left the house. Within a few minutes, he settled into a steady, comfortable pace, and he cataloged the world around him as he walked toward the spot on South Boston Road.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWithout meaning to, Jimmy found himself counting his steps. After nearly a mile of silent introspection, he discovered the reason for his focus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe possibility of a ghost is not what is causing me discomfort,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e he rationalized. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt is the possibility of what the ghost represents.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49538855993623,"sku":"9798894760773","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":48119483826455,"sku":"jimmy","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":48119483859223,"sku":"jimmye","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51619069264151,"sku":"jimmyebab","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Jimmy_Special_Edition_FF.jpg?v=1731399613"},{"product_id":"eloise2","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 2","description":"\u003ch2\u003eEloise is Back to Haunt You…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-79elbk h-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-1n7m0yu\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-testid=\"conversation-turn-25\" class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col lg:w-[calc(100%-115px)] agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\" data-message-id=\"99495370-4071-4a7a-bf95-98e5b7d0e3d3\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDive into Volume 2, where we meet Eloise, a young ghost with an old soul, and witness her journey through life and an afterlife bustling with untold stories. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow Eloise as she decides to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night, explores a chilling passage between life and death where a malevolent spirit waits, and experiences the crushing blow of a hopeful escape revealing a heartbreaking truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of seven chilling tales, reveals the heart and soul of a ghost girl who can't help but make herself heard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload \u003cem\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 2\u003c\/em\u003e today and experience a chilling reunion with the ghost who refuses to be forgotten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 hours and 56 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9798894760681\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eMay 03, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 19pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eKiller of the Dead\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe servants said the man in the bowler hat could kill ghosts. Eloise did not believe that for a moment, but that was what they said. She had been creeping through the passageways of the house, listening to conversations, and hoping for something fun to help her pass the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThaddeus was not in the mood to play, and she couldn’t find him anywhere. She thought he might have been up on the fourth floor, but the house was not giving her access to it, so she stopped looking.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl was still in the oubliette. His body had long since rotted away, but sometimes he liked to just stay there with his bones. Eloise did not fully understand his infatuation with his remains. She had been forced by Vivienne to stay with her own corpse after she died, at least for a time, and she did not enjoy it one bit. It reminded her too much of the feeling of helplessness when she was trapped in the walls and no one could hear her. She did not like to feel helpless.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“He came in from Australia,” the gardener said in passing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I heard he was from South Africa,” one of the maids replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Never heard that accent before, so I don’t rightly know,” the cook added.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man in the bowler hat had been in the house since just before the sun rose. He arrived in a car driven by a grim-looking man in a black tuxedo who stayed outside. Mr. Anderson greeted him personally, which Eloise found unusual. Soon enough, they were talking business, and she left them to it because it was boring, and she hated being around Mr. Anderson. He was a bad person and made her feel bad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe man in the bowler hat was all anyone in the house could talk about. There had not been a guest in many months, and none were summoned by Mr. Anderson. His last guest had been Carl. That had not turned out well, so things boded poorly for the latest guest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I want you to answer any questions he has,” Eloise heard Mr. Anderson tell the staff. “Do whatever he needs you to do and defer to him as you would defer to me. Is that understood?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe had not heard the beginning of the speech or the man’s introduction, but it was clear Mr. Anderson was putting some degree of faith in him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAfter he spoke to the staff, they retired to the library together, and she did not want to eavesdrop there. Because of Mr. Anderson, and also because that was where Carl was. She did not want to disturb him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eInstead, Eloise found herself sinking down through the floor into the cellar. She did not go there often, but she was learning that there were times she could sneak in, usually around midday, and no one seemed to care. Vivienne did not come out often in the bright sun, and the Dark Ones seemed to sense it was out in full force and avoided it as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe could sneak into the cellar and watch the Dark Ones creep about. Usually, they ignored her as though she didn’t exist, but sometimes, they talked to her. Not often, though, and not for long. They easily lost track of conversations, and soon, everything degraded into hate and violence. But sometimes, if she was lucky, she could get one to focus on something for five or even ten minutes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe did not consider the Dark Ones friends. They were too unpredictable and too dangerous for that. Instead, they reminded her of wild dogs. Her mother always cautioned her against trying to feed or pet a random stray.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“They might look friendly,” she warned, “but they can bite.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Did you see the man upstairs?” she asked the assorted shadows. “They say he can kill ghosts.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe Dark Ones hissed and growled and cursed in angry whispers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No one kills us,” one said, creeping closer to her. She stayed still, feeling slightly nervous but not wanting to show it, as the shadow scuttled about. “We are life beyond death. We are forever.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe shrugged.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That’s what the domestics said.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Just a man,” another of the spirits replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Foolish man.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“More of Anderson’s lies.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Tricks,” the one close to her said. “If Anderson hired him, it’s a deception. Always deception.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Like when he hired Carl?” Eloise asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Carl Hesselschwerdt,” the Dark Ones hissed, several voices in unison.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539455385879,"sku":"9798894760681","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":48737674395927,"sku":"eloise2e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":48737674363159,"sku":"eloise2","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Eloise_vol.2_FF.jpg?v=1731329073"},{"product_id":"carnival1","title":"Carnival of Terror: Carnival of Terror Series Book 1","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/10kpzVCwZW762bCafauVlTreeDVrb93Tx\/preview\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe circus is coming to town. And terror follows in its wake…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen a man is killed under mysterious circumstances, retired marine and the world’s greatest ghost hunter, Shane Ryan, finds himself tangled up in the case. The trail of clues leads him to a sinister traveling carnival. And a string of new murders…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBacktracking along the carnival’s route, Shane discovers a ghost town filled with bloodthirsty wraiths. Battling these undead killers, Shane is barely able to escape with his life. But he manages to unearth a link between the murder victims and a hideous crime from the town’s sordid past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYears ago, a grave injustice led to bloodshed. Now, a dark, terrifying force has been unleashed: a relentless spirit, on a brutal quest for revenge. And unless Shane and his allies can stop it, more blood will be spilled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan hasn’t lost a battle with the supernatural yet. But this time, he may have met his match…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e203 pages\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 54 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-002-5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eJune 5, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"margin: 0cm; text-align: center; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; border: none; font-weight: normal;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"margin: 0cm; text-align: center; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; border: none; font-weight: normal;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"margin: 0cm; text-align: center; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; border: none; font-weight: normal;\"\u003eChapter 1: Hunting Grounds\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“A dead police detective. That is unusual,” Carl said in German. Shane looked up from the newspaper at his friend reading over his shoulder. Detective Warren Salisbury had been found dead overnight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“It is,” he agreed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“With frostbite. In this weather,” the ghost continued. Shane nodded silently and lifted the mug from the table in front of him, sipping his coffee as he continued reading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Did you know the man?” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“No,” Shane said. “And according to this, he wasn’t a local cop. Retired, too.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“It is suspicious,” Carl continued. Shane sipped his coffee again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Well, an out-of-town cop found in the Merrimack with frostbite when it’s sweltering outside does seem a little off.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“This man ran afoul of a ghost.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane closed the paper and set it on the table. He finished his coffee and pondered another cup as he set it down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Seems like,” he agreed. Ghosts in Nashua were not anything new, but this case was unusual. There was a witness, according to the paper. Ghosts that killed people rarely left witnesses.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“I find this very exciting. A hometown haunting. It has been some time since you had a local puzzle to solve, don’t you think?” Carl asked. Shane got up from the table and crossed the kitchen, pouring another cup of coffee.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Local puzzle? I’m not one of the Hardy Boys,” he pointed out. Carl shrugged.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“No. But you have been off all over the world chasing spirits. It is a pleasant change of pace to stay close to home.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“I haven’t been all over the world,” he replied. “And there’s nothing saying I’m getting involved with anything here, either.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“But surely you will at least go see what has happened,” his friend said. “We can’t have ghosts roaming town killing visitors.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane took another drink, scalding his tongue in his haste, and hissed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“No. Can’t have that,” he agreed. Carl scanned the paper on the table again. “They don’t name this witness. It might be hard to find them.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane grunted. It wouldn’t be hard. Carl knew that. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“You want me out of the house, Carl?” he asked. The ghost shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Of course not, my young friend. It seems like we have spent little time together lately. But I see this piquing your interest already.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“I was just reading the paper,” Shane pointed out. He finished his coffee while Carl commented on the weather and the other stories on the front page of the paper. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane put the cup in the sink and left the kitchen, Carl trailing behind as he made his way through the cold, dark house to the front door. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Why do you think the ghost left a witness to its crime?” his friend asked after Shane opened the door and stepped into the fresh air. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“You know it as much as I do,” Shane told him. “The cop wasn’t a random kill, and this ghost took him out for a reason. The witness wasn’t involved, and the ghost didn’t care that it had been seen.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eCarl grinned.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Very exciting. I look forward to hearing what you discover.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003e“Right,” Shane said, heading toward his car. It was good to know the dead in his house were still interested in living vicariously through him. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe drive across town to where the police had discovered the body was a short one. Shane recognized the spot from the photo in the paper, a sharp curve in the Merrimack River in a park where people sometimes went fishing or walked their dogs. When he approached, he could see police were still on the scene, and that the area around the river was cordoned off with police tape.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane parked on the street and walked along a path toward the river, watching from a distance as a forensics team picked through the reeds and muddy bank a short distance from their police van. Other pedestrians were in the park as well, rubbernecking the crime scene as people tended to do, and Shane wandered among them, just another face in the crowd.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHe got as close to the crime scene tape as he could without drawing any undue attention. The body had been removed, and he could see nothing obvious from his vantage point to indicate there even had been one. But there was something.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe current of the river was not remarkably fast, but there was a flow to it. The bend jutted into the park and, as a result, the area where the forensics team was working was clogged with sticks and other river detritus that built up along the shore. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eAmong the usual things one would expect to find along the bank, a handful of small, yellow flecks bobbed and danced in the river’s flow, stuck against the reeds and sticks. Shane stared at them, not entirely sure he could trust what he thought he saw. His best guess was that he was looking at popcorn.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eTurning away from the crime scene, he made his way upriver, as close to the water as he could given the weeds and mud along the banks. He caught a glimpse of another kernel every so often, rustling and bobbing on the surface where it’d been caught.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eA red-and-white-striped cup danced in an eddy a short distance ahead, and another was caught on the far side of the water. Shane kept walking, and the park gave way to a commercial area. He stuck to the river’s edge, likely trespassing on someone’s land, but no one called him out or even seemed to notice. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eNearly a mile separated Shane from where the body had been discovered when the land around the river opened up again. The smell of the popcorn preceded anything he could see, letting him know he’d come to the right place. It was soon joined by faint music that grew louder the longer he walked, an annoying and repetitive instrumental medley that made him think of the circus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHe wasn’t sure where he was, just a spot on the outskirts of town in what he would have considered open country. Now, however, it was less open. The field alongside the river was packed with trucks and vans and trailers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eBeyond them, farther from the river and in the heart of the field, a small village of tents had been erected along with a handful of carnival rides. The Ferris wheel in the center towered above everything. It was by no means big compared to the ones that existed in major amusement parks, but it still stood above the scattered trees nearby.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane left the river behind and made his way to the wall of tents and trucks that served as a makeshift border for the carnival. He ducked into the first opening he found, heading onto the carnival grounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eA scattering of patrons played games, rode rides, and ate a variety of fried snacks. The booths sold the same red-and-white-striped cups he’d seen in the river.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHe walked among the booths and tents, glancing at signs promising wondrous prizes for hitting targets or deep-fried delights for just a few dollars. Other tents boasted an array of sideshow freaks, something Shane didn’t even think existed anymore.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHis eyes were drawn to the tent of a fortune teller, the sign over the entrance naming her Madame Shiva. Below the sign and next to the pulled-open tent flap stood a ghost. He was an average-looking man, with uncombed hair that swirled to one side of his head and a slightly droopy eye. He stood there like he was waiting for a bus, just staring out at the world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane passed the ghost without saying anything, wanting to get more of a feel for the carnival and whether it was the source of the body downstream. The ghost by the fortune teller’s tent could have been the killer, but there was more ground to cover.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHe headed north along a row of game booths. The carnies shouted at him, offering him a chance to win any number of cheap stuffed toys, inflatable hammers, and more. He ignored them, watching the workers and the crowds instead, sparse though they were at that time of day.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eAnother ghost leaned against the wood structure of the final game booth at the edge of the carnival grounds. The carny operating the game—a ring toss where the prize seemed to be goldfish in tiny, plastic aquariums—gave no sign he noticed the spirit. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eLike the first ghost, this one looked bored, like he was slacking off at work, staring up at the clouds. He was taller and slimmer than the first ghost, and he wore thin, wire-framed glasses. If not for the clear stab wound in the center of his striped, button-down shirt, he could have passed for a schoolteacher or an accountant.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane ignored the second ghost and headed back the way he had come, on the far side of the midway this time, investigating booths and tents as he went. He saw no other ghosts by the time he reached what looked like the carnival’s main attraction, a conglomeration of tents bedecked with signs advertising a variety of freaks and human-oddity acts held within. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eA sign outside the main tent indicated the sideshow was closed but would open again in a few hours. He pulled the tent flap aside and entered anyway, slipping into the dimly lit and humid space unnoticed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe smell inside the tent was a mix of warm plastic, hay, and the popcorn-and-fry-oil smell of outside. While the sign in the tent promised the world’s strongest man, no one was present, leaving Shane to inspect the space alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0cm; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-indent: 21.6pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: black; background: white;\"\u003eNothing stuck out to him as unusual, and he continued to the next tent through an open flap, and then into the one beyond that. There he paused, taking in what had to be the biggest ghost he had seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49084321071383,"sku":"9798894760025","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49051142619415,"sku":"cot1e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49051142652183,"sku":"cot1","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/FF_The_Carnival_Series_1.jpg?v=1720110196"},{"product_id":"leo2","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Leo Moreland Vol. 2","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1bfQxmZGPLC-5bOoJife77OkltjvX-HIa\/preview\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-5f61cead-7fff-ae78-21fe-84b82801594b\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeo Moreland Returns with More Haunting Tales…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeo Moreland does more than chase shadows—he brings solace to tormented souls and those they haunt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin Leo as he unravels the chilling consequences of a ghost summoning gone wrong in an abandoned school bathroom, investigates a haunted condominium to uncover a gruesome truth linked to one of the residents, and confronts a malevolent spirit attached to a ring that drives its owner to darkness, revealing the sinister depths of its past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection features seven tales that explore the ghostly realms, drawing you into the frightful experiences that have marked Leo’s life. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEager for a haunting that will linger in your memory? Grab your copy of this anthology now and prepare to be engulfed by the shadows of terror.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3 hours and  45 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e9798894760735\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eJune 12, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSabrina Fair\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was just after 9 PM, and the autumn day was done. Mrs. Ledbetter had assembled a small group for the séance. There was a young gay couple, Chris and Conor, who were nervous and a little giggly but seemed to accept Sylvia as authentic. Very different was Joe Jackson, a well-groomed retiree of about seventy whose ramrod posture suggested he was ex-military. He seemed skeptical at first, but Sylvia’s manner—warm but professional—seemed to allay his doubts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I never thought I’d believe in ghosts,” Jackson admitted. “But I can’t deny the evidence of my eyes and ears. There’s something wrong here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I know!” Chris exclaimed. “We got back from a concert the other night and found all our clothes had been taken out of the closet and thrown around. It was like some maniac was trying on our things. So creepy!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSylvia asked the group to sit around Mrs. Ledbetter’s kitchen table, and for their host to dim the lights.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do we need to hold hands?” Chris asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Only if you feel comfortable doing so,” Sylvia replied. “It helps a lot but is not vital.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was a moment of silence, then Jackson grunted that it was okay with him. He had seated himself between the two women. With a circle established, Sylvia closed her eyes and leaned back a little. She took some deep breaths and cleared her mind of everyday concerns. The room, the people, and even the darkness were distant, then irrelevant. She could still feel the dry and callused fingers of Jackson to her right, and the softer flesh of Conor to her left. She was alone in the universe but for that human contact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is there a spirit here that wishes to be heard?” she asked quietly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was a distant, dull noise that might have been a door slamming in another apartment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“If any spirit wishes to speak to me, please come closer. Make your presence known.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis time the thud was closer and more pronounced. Then it came a third time, and the floor vibrated with an impact. One of the young men whispered, “Oh my God!” Somebody, probably Jackson, shushed them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who comes?” Sylvia asked. “Please speak if you can.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe reached out with her mind but found nothing to grasp. It was odd. Normally, a ghost produced a distinct temperature drop or set the hairs on her arms and neck erect. This time, there was nothing but a faint sense of confusion and melancholy. Another thud rattled crockery in the cupboards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Tell me your name, spirit!” Sylvia urged.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe voice that replied was feminine, plaintive, almost a wail of despair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sabrina, Sabrina…”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Sabrina,” Sylvia repeated. “Did you once live in this place?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No… no. He brought me…”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis was progress. Sylvia resisted the urge to interrogate the ghost too intensely all at once, but she had to find out if her theory about a collector’s item was true. It would narrow things down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who brought you here, Sabrina? Who brought you to this place?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo reply. Instead, there was a sudden, pungent odor. It was unpleasant, a chemical smell that suggested cleaning fluid. Before Sylvia could identify it, the smell faded. Then a kitchen drawer opened, the sound shockingly loud. Cutlery rattled. Sylvia thought of her dream and opened her eyes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe kitchen was dark, but a faint ray of light from outside was visible under the roller blind. Something was moving out of the light, something that gleamed. Sylvia shouted a warning and jumped up, breaking the circle. Confusion reigned for a moment, with Chris and Conor asking what was wrong. Then the light came on. Jackson was standing at the switch, frowning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA steak knife hovered just behind Conor’s chair. Chris saw it and screamed. The knife fell instantly, its point plunging into a floor tile.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It wanted to murder us!” Chris said, dragging the puzzled Conor to the doorway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I don’t think so,” Sylvia said, though she was a little shaken. “I think Sabrina—that’s the spirit’s name—I think she wanted to send a message. But she’s confused. Did anyone smell anything unusual?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539655762199,"sku":"9798894760735","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49107418874135,"sku":"leo2e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49107418906903,"sku":"leo2","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Leo_vol.2_FF.jpg?v=1731400668"},{"product_id":"eloise3","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 3","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1lEdv2MRRmrMFM1zkxJ1o8lNm-l0-w3An\/preview\" height=\"75\" width=\"400\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eEloise's Haunted Tea Party Returns…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDive into Volume 3, where we meet Eloise again, a young ghost with an old soul, exploring her existence through both life and a bustling afterlife filled with untold stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the afterlife with Eloise as she seeks closure with her deceased mother, battles the restless spirits of a tragic accident, and challenges a dark force imprisoning child ghosts, uncovering the profound ties that bind the living and the dead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of seven chilling tales, delves into the core of Eloise's spirit—a ghost who persistently makes her presence known. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 3\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e today and immerse yourself in a gripping encounter with the ghost who will not fade into obscurity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 hours and  52minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9798894760698\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eJune 19, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMother is the Name for God\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEloise had gone to the cemetery after her mother’s funeral and waited patiently in hopes that she might return, but she never showed up. She tried for several days, waiting there from morning to night and beyond, in sunshine and in rain, but there was no sign of her. Her mother had not returned as a ghost. There would never be a goodbye.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA year had passed since her mother’s death, and Eloise wanted to spend time with her, or as near to it as she could. Edgewood was surrounded by a wrought-iron fence that prevented the spirits within from leaving. It prevented Eloise from entering as well. But she could get close.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere were usually one or two ghosts in the cemetery somewhere, but she saw none as she approached. The ones she had met were very aloof and detached from reality, and they were not fun to talk to, so she often avoided them. But she was not there to talk that night, so it didn’t matter that much. She just wanted to be close. She wanted to pretend.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was no light near the cemetery, but Eloise no longer needed such things to see where she was going, even in the darkest night. She found her way with barely a glance up, instead focusing on the way her feet drifted through the grass, disturbing nothing and yet remaining level on the ground. She did not understand how it worked. How being dead allowed her to do some things but held her fast to other rules. It was a very confusing state to be in.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe could see the mausoleum from the iron fence and followed it to the place where it was closest, a stone’s throw from the big, stone building. Her mother’s body was at rest in there, and Eloise wondered what it was like. A morbid thought, perhaps, but she had spent so much time with her own corpse that the idea had lost any horror. A body was not a frightening thing; it was just a thing. An empty shell like one shed by an insect or the skin of a snake.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEloise sat in the grass near the iron fence and faced the mausoleum. The night was as still as any she had ever known, like it had been waiting for her to arrive. If her heart still beat, she thought it would be audible, the world was so quiet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello, Mother,” she said, feeling only a little self-conscious. “I hope it’s been a good year for you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe stillness swallowed her words, and she felt more comfortable as she continued. No one was there to hear her, but maybe her mother would, somehow. Eloise did not know where the other spirits went. Those that didn’t return had to go somewhere, she thought.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve been doing better. And I know my way around all over. I’m not afraid of anything,” she declared. “Well, nothing out here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA breeze she could not feel rustled some of the weeds that grew long at the fence’s edge. Blades of grass and dandelions fluttered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I wanted to say that I’m sorry you were so sad after I… disappeared. I didn’t mean to go. I didn’t want to. I tried to come back, and I tried to talk to you. Every time you came to the house, I tried to talk to you. I just didn’t know how.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe focused on the blades of grass, and the way they twitched and moved in the breeze. She wondered if they could feel cold or if they were like her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I wish I’d stayed with you that day. I could have stayed at the table with you and the lady of the house and just listened to you talk. I could have behaved like you wanted me to.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA dog howled somewhere in the distance, and the sound carried so faintly on the breeze that she was not even sure what she heard at first. It was as though the rest of the world were a sound she heard through a dream. All that existed was her and the iron fence, the still mausoleum, and the night.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I waited to see if you’d come back,” Eloise whispered to the quivering grass. “I thought perhaps if I did, then you would, too. I thought we could see each other again.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We can,” a voice replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEloise lifted her head. A shadow waited at the mausoleum door, a dark hand against the stone wall as it peered out from the open doorway. She got to her feet and approached the fence as close as she dared without touching it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe voice was hollow, like the breeze had wound through the mausoleum and found purchase in a way that allowed it to form words. It was not the sweet and comforting voice of her mother, but the voice of something lost and forgotten.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Mother?” she asked, unable to focus on the figure. It was shadow wrapped in shadow, as though it had pulled a cowl of night around itself to stay hidden. The shape was thin, wispy, and frail looking, but there was a sort of gracefulness in the way the thin, shadowy fingers caressed the stone wall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes,” the spirit replied. “My beautiful girl. I’ve missed you.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-indent: 22pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539481108759,"sku":"9798894760698","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49169149591831,"sku":"eloise3e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49169149624599,"sku":"eloise3","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Eloise_vol.3_FF.jpg?v=1731329921"},{"product_id":"frank1","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Frank Benedict Vol. 1","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1E5QtA0CzNxLALXIYxJWnSHZzQwuISFHl\/preview\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA New Chapter of Haunted Secrets Begins with Frank Benedict…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce a monk and now a mediator for the dead, Frank Benedict approaches each ghostly encounter with a compassion that soothes both ghosts and the living, guiding them with words of peace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin him as he uncovers the dark history of a prestigious school, confronts the tormented spirits of a couple haunting their former home, and faces a vengeful ghost at a women's shelter, each seeking to resolve their tragic pasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume features seven chilling encounters where Frank helps spirits reconcile with their pasts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Haunted Secrets: Tales of Frank Benedict Vol. 1”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e today, available in ebook, audiobook and paperback formats, and embark on a journey with a man whose life’s mission is to bring peace to those who are no longer living, yet cannot leave.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3 hours and  8 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e9798894760780\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eJuly 1, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Gray Man\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnyone who drove along Oxford Drive about fifteen minutes past the city limits would come to a sharp bend in the road. The place was technically called Brewster’s Corners, but the more widely known name was Hangman’s Bend. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe county placed warning signs, reduced the speed limit by ten miles per hour, and put reflective panels along the entire bend, and still, there were accidents every year. The curve was just too great, and because it was outside of town, few people adhered to that slower speed limit. On a cold night, if there was black ice, you could almost guarantee that someone would go off the road.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIf everyone was lucky, a car would only end up in the ditch. Some of the unluckier drivers might go right through one of those reflective panels on a post, cause serious damage to their car, and probably end up in a hospital. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEvery so often, a car would hit a spot just right and go through the trees and down the embankment. Those drivers rarely made it out alive. Hangman's Bend was responsible for at least twenty deaths over the years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDriving around Hangman's Bend during the day, a driver would see several roadside memorials set up by loved ones over the years. A wreath of flowers, some candles, and stuffed animals, usually a framed photograph, too. They were small, off to the side of the way of traffic, and there were far too many of them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the biggest problems with Hangman's Bend was that it had become an urban legend. The first recorded death was back in the fifties. There was a string of them throughout the sixties and seventies, and things seemed to calm down a bit in the eighties and nineties. However, for reasons no one could explain, fatalities began to pick up again after that.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMany of the drivers who died were young, and the forensics indicated speed and drinking were definitely contributing factors. They were mostly teens who partied and dared one another to see how fast they could take the Bend.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrank traced the urban legends back as early as the late eighties. That's when the story of the Gray Man began to appear. To hear the kids tell it, the Gray Man was a ghost that haunted Hangman's Bend. He appeared on cloudy nights as an old man in gray pants and a gray shirt. According to the story, if you saw him, you were going to die.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs with many such tales, the fine details were never that fine. It was unclear how the Gray Man's presence would kill you, just that it was an omen of your impending doom. It wouldn't necessarily be the night that you saw him, but all the stories agreed that your death would happen on Hangman’s Bend soon after, and it was going to be in your car.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“He doesn’t do it himself,” one source had told Frank. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“It’s just a sign. Jamie Barker said he saw him, and he died a week later,” said another.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrank would normally not have given much credence to an urban legend that was, by all accounts, fairly cliched and repeated across the country. However, some aspects of the Gray Man legend stood out. Not the least of which was that Frank had been called to look into it by a man named Davis Barker, whose son Jamie had died in an accident on Hangman's Bend.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBarker was convinced that the Gray Man legend was no legend. He didn't go so far as to say he believed it was a ghost, but he was convinced that something was out on that road causing drivers to crash. Whether it was a prank by some other kids or a dangerous psychotic, he feared his son had been murdered. If it was a ghost, then he felt Frank would be able to figure it out better than the police, who dismissed the father’s concerns out of hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“They don’t listen. It’s a dangerous stretch of road. Kids speed and act stupid. People die there. That’s what they told me,” Barker said to Frank. “My son was not some stupid kid. And he told me… in the hospital, before he died… that he saw this Gray Man there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“But you don’t believe it was a spirit?” Frank asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHe had met Barker at the man’s home shortly after the death of his son, when the police refused to investigate the possibility that it was anything more than an accident. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I don’t care what the hell it is. I want to know what happened to my boy,” Barker insisted. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrank told him he was willing to look into it and had set about asking some of Jamie Barker's friends what they had seen and what their friend had told them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere was an unsettling consistency among the stories once he started to branch out his investigation and talk to others. Everyone who claimed to have seen the Gray Man, although few talked about it, was dead. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrank only had the word of friends and loved ones to go by when it came to proof that these people had spoken about seeing something, but he couldn't think of a reason why any family would lie about a loved one's death.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNo one alive had seen the Gray Man firsthand, but the descriptions from the friends of three victims over the previous five years were strikingly similar. Gray shirt, gray pants, white hair, elderly, in brown shoes. He stood on the side of the road and just stared at the car as it passed. No one could see his eyes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49204304380183,"sku":"franke","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49539599827223,"sku":"9798894760780","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49204304412951,"sku":"frank","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Frank_vol.1_FF.jpg?v=1731395222"},{"product_id":"carl4","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Carl Hesselschwerdt Vol. 4","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1P-BomXE4JFkr57ai3s86bHY_m-5SFUvS\/preview\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-0a09b8b9-7fff-0e8a-8ece-0de5bb7be93a\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCraving more bone-chilling encounters with Carl?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-1 overflow-hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-79elbk h-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"react-scroll-to-bottom--css-misvr-1n7m0yu\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-col pb-9 text-sm\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-testid=\"conversation-turn-25\" class=\"w-full text-token-text-primary\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"px-4 py-2 justify-center text-base md:gap-6 m-auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-1 text-base mx-auto gap-3 md:px-5 lg:px-1 xl:px-5 md:max-w-3xl lg:max-w-[40rem] xl:max-w-[48rem] group final-completion\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relative flex w-full flex-col lg:w-[calc(100%-115px)] agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex flex-grow flex-col max-w-full\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"min-h-[20px] text-message flex flex-col items-start gap-3 whitespace-pre-wrap break-words [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-5 overflow-x-auto\" data-message-id=\"99495370-4071-4a7a-bf95-98e5b7d0e3d3\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert dark\"\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarl Hesselschwerdt is more than just a restless spirit. He delves into the mysteries of life and death, helping the departed find peace and the living understand the unknown.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJoin Carl as he grapples with life, death, and the unknown after a funeral aftermath, faces an eerie séance on the anniversary of his death, and confronts the haunting reality of a dying man in a dark forest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis volume features seven bite-sized tales that delve deep into the supernatural, letting you experience Carl’s journey like never before.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-2cb59766-7fff-49df-6c50-b26aa01eba68\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReady for a chilling adventure you’ll never forget?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Haunted Secrets: Tales of Carl Hesselschwerdt Vol. 4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e now and let the nightmares begin!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e103 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 hours and 48 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"979-8-89476-065-0\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":835,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"4\":{\"1\":2,\"2\":14001853},\"9\":1,\"11\":4,\"12\":0}'\u003e979-8-89476-065-0\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eJuly 18, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Twentieth Century,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePoltergeist\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl arrived at 762 Harper Street just before midnight. A scream pierced the silence of the sleepy street, muffled by the door before he even lifted his hand to knock. Normally, Carl would not have shown up so late for a job, but the situation was unique. And urgent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMuch of the work Carl had done in America was very mundane and businesslike, even if it involved him speaking to ghosts and negotiating peace between them and those who lived in their vicinity. The dead often wanted things very similar to what the living wanted. Peace and quiet were generally the most sought-after goals for both parties.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBased on what Mr. Abbott had described, the ghost in his house was not the kind that wanted to be left in peace. Abbott had described a vindictive, violent, and unpredictable spirit that had targeted the man and his family.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHaving only come to the United States from Scotland a couple of years earlier, the Abbotts had no immediate family in the area that could help them. Mr. and Mrs. Abbott had spent most of the money they had saved in their journey across the ocean in setting up a new home and starting their family. The idea of abandoning the house and moving somewhere else was not feasible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We’ve tried to live with it,” Abbott told Carl. “We’ve tried to ignore it, we’ve tried to make peace, we’ve tried to communicate. None of it works, and it keeps getting worse.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn their correspondence, Abbott explained that the presence in their house first made itself known nearly a year earlier. It was quite a bit longer than Carl had expected, especially given the way Abbott described the severity of some of its habits.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It set fire to our kitchen,” Abbott explained, “and when my daughter Elsbeth discovered it, she said she saw a man. A horrible, burned man, dripping with melting flesh. He called out for her. Called her by name.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAbbott had two daughters. The older girl, Elsbeth, was eleven. The younger one, Elaine, was nine. The malevolent spirit had shown a keen interest in both, more so than it had in Abbott or his wife. The children were what it focused on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAbbott’s letter detailed the girls being dragged into their closets by unseen hands, held underwater in the bathtub, and mysterious bruising on their bodies. He had tried to report it to the police, and they had blamed him for it, investigating whether he’d been violent to the girls or his wife.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe claimed the incidents were getting worse. The spirit was becoming more violent, and he feared what would happen if he left things too long.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A father is supposed to protect his family,” Abbott said. “And I can only stand by and watch as this invisible fiend terrorizes the people I love most. I would gladly suffer this beast’s wrath, only I can neither see nor touch this poltergeist that haunts us. Please, Mr. Hesselschwerdt, you are my last and only hope to save the lives of my girls.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl came as soon as he could, taking the train to Abbott’s home in Philadelphia. He arrived much later than expected and though he normally would not have come to a client’s house so late, he felt the situation merited his immediate attention.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe scream that came through the door was shrill and ragged. It sounded like it came from someone who had already screamed their throat raw and was still forcing sound to come out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCarl turned the knob and pushed the door in, entering the house as he knocked to alert those inside of his presence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hello?” he called out. “Mr. Abbott?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe found himself in a small vestibule, with a coat rack and a bench on which shoes were laid out. To his left, the house opened up into a living space in which a man and a woman in their bedclothes were already on their feet, their expressions shocked and confused.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAside from two sofas and two chairs, a sort of makeshift bed had also been set up in the center of the room. Several blankets and pillows were laid out, and two children sat up staring wide-eyed at Carl as he entered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Nolan!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49405518545175,"sku":"9798894760650","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49388232048919,"sku":"carl4e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49388232016151,"sku":"carl4","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Carl_vol.4_FF.jpg?v=1731394826"},{"product_id":"carnival2","title":"Mother of Darkness: Carnival of Terror Series Book 2","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDeep in the darkest shadows, evil plots its revenge…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan has seen enough darkness to last a lifetime. No matter how hard he tries to protect the innocent, a trail of death and bloodshed seems to follow in his wake. Now the world’s greatest ghost hunter is a fugitive, on the run from the FBI...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane and his sole ally, the ghost of a carny named Herbert, manage to outwit the authorities, and track this vicious enemy to a nearby children’s hospital. There, within its festering walls, the foe Shane seeks has taken refuge. She whispers from beyond the veil of death. And other spirits heed her call.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForced to battle an army of ghosts, Shane is outnumbered and outgunned. But he’s not going down without a fight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf his enemies want war, Shane will give them one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut can he survive long enough to uncover an even greater evil, lurking in the shadows?\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e207 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 50 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9798894760605\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eAugust 2, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 3: The Werewolf\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo one disturbed them on their walk to Mr. Rags’ house. Some residents gave Shane a dirty look in passing, but it wasn’t as bad as he and Herbert had feared. If the worst thing he had to deal with was dirty looks, he’d be okay.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eRags’ home was an old farmhouse at the end of a side road. The property was vast and unused from what Shane could see. Overgrown fields of weeds and wildflowers gave way to forest and part of the river far in the back. A half-collapsed barn sat a good trek from the main house, and a couple of sheds lay in equal states of disrepair. The large lawn was sprinkled with at least a dozen run-down, rusted-out cars and trucks.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eRags lived far enough from downtown that he was isolated on his land, with his nearest neighbor so far down the road that the house was barely noticeable from the lawn.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Mr. Rags was a big act in his day,” Herbert explained as they approached. “He was never with Bartolomy as a freak. He was more of… I’m not sure what you’d call him. A consultant? He helped Bartolomy Sr. spruce things up back before what happened with Lisette and Dash. Back when things were still good.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“He’s a freakshow expert?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh, definitely. He’s got hypertrichosis. Gave him a unique insight,” the ghost said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m not sure what that means.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHerbert looked at him as they walked up the overgrown driveway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s almost the opposite of you, I suppose.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThat description was even less helpful, but Shane didn’t press the matter. They had reached the farmhouse, a three-story yellow brick building that looked like it was on its last legs. Some of the brickwork on the chimney had already crumbled, and the outside shutters were more peeled paint than not. Everything looked tired and old.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe warped wooden steps of the porch creaked under Shane’s weight, and he hoped the whole thing wasn’t about to collapse. He pulled open an old aluminum screen door that screeched and whined on rusty hinges before he knocked on a thick wooden door that was once sky blue but now was faded and chipped after years of neglect.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You sure he still lives here?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Herbert admitted. “But where else would he be?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane grunted in response.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomething thudded and creaked inside. Shane waited and heard more creaking and then footsteps before the door lock turned. The hinges squealed, and the door opened slightly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA fur-covered face stared out through the crack, blue eyes narrow and fixed on Shane.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who the hell are you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Shane Ryan,” he answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThough he was mostly obscured by the door, it was clear that the man talking to Shane was covered in a thick coating of dark hair. Not an inch of bare flesh was visible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good for you,” the furry man said. He closed the door, and the lock clicked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Rags! Rags, it’s Herbert,” the ghost yelled through the door. He could have just walked into the house if he wanted, but Shane didn’t think Herbert had spent a lot of time acting like a true ghost in his afterlife.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe lock clicked again. Mr. Rags’ face appeared once more. Herbert came closer, and Shane backed up to allow him some room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Herbert? Jesus H. Christ, what the hell happened to you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe let the door fall open and Shane could see now that Rags’ entire body was covered in hair. He wore a tank top and boxer shorts, but his arms and legs and even his hands were covered. Ironically, his chest looked to have the thinnest hair, enough that the flesh could at least be seen beneath it, but the hair on his face and arms was as dense as the hair on his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I died,” Herbert answered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good gravy, big man, did you ever. Oh my stars, when? What happened?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Long time ago.” Herbert shrugged. “Heart gave out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eRags shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“’Course it did. What did I tell you, man? You can’t sit on your behind eating yourself to death.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I know,” Herbert said, smiling. “You look good.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I look like hell,” Rags countered. “Losing the hair on my chest. Who the hell goes chest bald? I’m going to look like this fella soon enough.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe pointed to Shane and sneered, and Herbert laughed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This is Shane,” Herbert said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I heard him the first time. The hell you two here for?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You must have been a real hit in the carnival back in the day,” Shane pointed out. Rags fixed him with a glare. He was several inches shorter than Shane, and beneath the furry frame, he looked extremely thin and frail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh, you brought a comedian. Are you going to tell me to look on the bright side of life? All the memories of the joy I brought to little girls and boys who pulled my hair and called me a monster for thirty-odd years? I’ll stick my hairy foot up your backside and we’ll see who’s a real hit.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49449697706263,"sku":"9798894760605","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49449697739031,"sku":"cot2e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49449697771799,"sku":"cot2","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_MotherofDarkness_FF.jpg?v=1721991712"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet1-3","title":"Berkley Street Series Books 1 to 3: Action-Packed Horror You Won't Be Able to Put Down","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1CtEk0xyVeEAPHO2nYdVToyZltv_lmOyO\/preview\" height=\"75\" width=\"400\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA haunted home. A buried terror. Step inside…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan returns to Nashua, the place where his childhood nightmares began. Lurking within his family home, a sinister force waits in the shadows. Darkness threatens to consume everything he cherishes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo decades ago, this dark power stole Shane's family, their disappearance echoing through the haunted halls. Now, with more relatives missing, a buried memory resurfaces—a forgotten encounter with a lurking evil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo confront this malevolent force, Shane must unearth the secrets of his past. His journey will challenge his understanding of himself and his history. But can he conquer his demons once and for all?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr will the darkness claim him…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis box set includes the first three books in the Berkley Street series. Three spine-chilling novels of supernatural horror that will leave you breathless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/scarestreet.com\/products\/bss?variant=49348519919895\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eUNLOCK THE COMPLETE 9-BOOK SERIES — 50% OFF TODAY!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat people are saying:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This haunted house story is more slasher flick than suspense—the ghosts are physical and violent.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Amazing! Stephen King, move over for your successor…\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This series of books would make a good TV series.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"It’s rare to find horror that actually makes you care about the characters. These books do exactly that—and then they terrify you.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Shane is one of the best characters I've ever read. He actually fights back instead of running scared.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Berkley Street (Book 1)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Lighthouse (Book 2)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Town of Griswold (Book 3)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEBOOK\/PAPERBACK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e667 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIOBOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e21 hours and 18 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePART OF SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFirst 3 Books in This 9-Book Series\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 1: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane Ryan had never seen a bigger house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTheir new home looked like a castle, with two towers and tall, narrow windows. Shane counted six chimneys. A pair of giant, thick trees stood on either side of the wide front door. A thick stone wall, nearly as tall as Shane’s father, protected the whole property.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do you think, kid?” his father asked as he parked the car in the long driveway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it a castle?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother let out a pleased laugh, and his father shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No, kid. The Andersons, well, they were really wealthy. They wanted it to look like a castle on the outside, but on the inside, well, it’s a regular house.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh,” Shane said, trying not to sound disappointed. “So no secret passages or anything?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who knows?” his mother said, gently slapping his father on the arm. “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Shane’s father said, winking at him in the rearview mirror, “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on,” Shane’s mother said. “Let’s go inside.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis father turned the engine off, and Shane dutifully waited for his mother to open the back door of the Cadillac before he got out. The September air was warm and still smelled like summer. Shane saw the grass in the yard was freshly mowed and all of the windows shined. Each gray stone seemed to glow in the sun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How big is the yard?” Shane asked, looking around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well,” his father said, following his son’s gaze, “you could fit eight of our old yards into the front yard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane said, turning and looking at the expanse of grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“In the side yard there’s a garden,” his mother said, “there’s also a pond in the backyard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane felt his eyes widen. “A pond?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup,” his father said happily. “And you know what else, kid?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s full of fish. We can go fishing whenever we want.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane whispered. “Wow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane’s parents laughed happily, and he followed them up the front walk. His father took out the house key, unlocked the large door and opened it. Shane stepped into the biggest room he had ever seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA huge set of stairs stretched up into darkness, and dim pieces of furniture filled what he realized was a hallway. Close to where Shane stood, a tall grandfather clock ticked away the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd behind the tick of the second hand, Shane heard whispers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone whispered in the walls.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 2: SHANE, MARCH 20TH, 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fan hummed steadily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up in his narrow bed as the cool air dried the sweat on his body. He took long, deep breaths and looked at the clock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSix in the morning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe closed his eyes and forced away the last remnants of his nightmares. He reached over to his bed table, took the bottle of whiskey and glass off of it and poured himself a small shot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane drank it quickly and returned them both to their place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy security blanket\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought bitterly. He got out of the bed, took the three steps to his bathroom and climbed into the shower. Shane turned on the water and forced himself to stand under it until it warmed up. Finally, with the water tolerable, he scrubbed himself rigorously and then rinsed off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bare minimum to get clean and rid himself of the stench of fear and sweat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce out of the shower, he dried off and looked at himself in the mirror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThin face. Haggard eyes. No hair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAlopecia areata\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought, running a hand over his smooth scalp. His pale skin looked sickly in the light of the fluorescent lamp above the mirror. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eUnexplained hair loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePretty sure I can explain it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Shane thought angrily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith a shake of his head, he forced himself to focus on his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, went back into his bedroom and got dressed. A pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. Running shoes and a pullover sweatshirt of dark gray. Absently he rolled the wedding band on his ring finger as he walked to his kitchenette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOatmeal for breakfast. Strong coffee. Vitamins. A banana and two pieces of rye bread toasted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo matter how much he ate, though, he wouldn’t get up over one hundred and forty-five pounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTall and thin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJust like dad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put his wallet in his pocket, took his phone and his keys, and left his apartment. The noises of the world fell in around him, and he did his best to ignore them. He took his walk alone in the early morning light. The streets were clear of snow, although salt and sand crunched beneath his feet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWinter had slipped by New Hampshire and snow had been a rare sight. Ice, however, had visited more than once, and the streets were always treated for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought the urge to stop at the Paki’s corner store for a pack of cigarettes, but he walked by. He reached the top of Library Hill, walked around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and made his way back to his apartment on Locust Street.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce inside, he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and went to his laptop. He powered it up, logged into his work account, and looked to see what needed to be translated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmong the work emails, he found one from O’Connor Law Associates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOh, Jesus, what now\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e? He thought, opening the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart leaped at what it said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDear Mr. Ryan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, the email began.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWe are pleased to inform you the proceedings regarding your family’s home at 125 Berkley Street have finally finished.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe house is yours, per your parents’ wishes, and your uncle and aunt have exhausted their financial and legal options.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePlease call my office at your earliest convenience so we might sign the appropriate paperwork and give you the keys to your home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSincerely,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJeremy O’Connor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat back and stared at the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe keys to my home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane leaned forward and jotted the number for the firm down on his notepad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I’ll find them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he told himself, joy and rage twining together in his heart. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I will find them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 3: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up and turned on his light. His heart beat quickly, and he looked around his large room. The curtains were drawn on the tall windows. His books were lined neatly on his shelves. Legos were scattered across the floor by the old fireplace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?” the voice asked again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane twisted around in his bed. Neither his mother nor his father was in his room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe couldn’t tell where the voice came from. His mouth was dry, so he swallowed, wet his lips with his tongue, and said in a low voice, “I’m awake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good,” the voice said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt came from behind his dresser.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why? Why is it good?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because they don’t want you here,” the voice said. “They don’t want you. Here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart thumped heavily, and he managed to ask, “Who?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Don’t ask,” the voice said. “I want you here. I’m lonely.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane tried to speak but couldn’t. The sound of his blood as it rushed through him nearly drowned out his own thoughts. “Why are you lonely?” Shane whispered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve been here a long time. Such a very long time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bureau started to move, inch by inch, into the room. It swung out slowly from the wall, and a dark shadow appeared.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt took Shane a moment to realize there was a passage in the wall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA soft scrape slipped out of the darkness, and it was quickly followed by a sigh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe speaker stepped into the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA girl. Perhaps eight or nine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDead, dead, dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe smelled like death, and her skin was shrunken, pulled tight across her bones. Her lips were stretched in a gruesome smile, and long teeth protruded from her yellow jawbone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m lonely,” she said, stepping into the room. Bits of fabric fell from her ragged, gray dress. Her brown hair was tied back with a faded red bow, and the bones of her feet cracked as she walked. “I’m lonely. I want to play.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49473954971927,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET 1-3","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49473955037463,"sku":"berkley1-3","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49473955004695,"sku":"berkley1-3e","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK + AUDIO","offer_id":51561647341847,"sku":"berkley1-3ebab","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Berkley1-3_3Books_v3.jpg?v=1764762869"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet4-6","title":"Berkley Street Series: Books 4 to 6 Bundle","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThree haunted places. One relentless fight against the dead. Are you ready for the terror?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Sanford Hospital, Shane Ryan faces his deadliest adversary yet: Nurse Ruth Williamson, a merciless ghost determined to end lives. With the help of new allies, Shane must put a stop to her twisted reign of terror once and for all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKurkow Prison finds Shane and his comrade Frank battling time and a horde of vengeful spirits after a foolish mistake unleashes them on Gaiman, New Hampshire. In a desperate fight for survival, they uncover a chilling secret close to home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Lake Nutaq, Shane's fight becomes a battle for his own life. Stranded and unarmed, he confronts a terrifying Micmac ghost army. As Frank races to his aid, the two face a malevolent force bent on their destruction. Will they survive, or will the darkness finally claim them?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree chilling tales. One relentless battle against the undead. Prepare yourself for a supernatural war like no other.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Sanford Hospital (Book 4)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Kurkow Prison (Book 5)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Lake Nutaq (Book 6)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e20 hours and 31 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePHYSICAL COPY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e670 pages\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9609204000055\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eJuly 27, 2018\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChapter 3: At the Manchester Veteran’s Hospital\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane Ryan sat in the main waiting room of the VA Hospital in Manchester. He had his arms folded across his chest and his head bent down. Around him, people talked, a television played, and he did his best to stay calm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn his back pocket was a folded and creased letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The message inside had informed him that as of the first of September, he could receive treatment for his burns at the newly reopened Sanford Veteran’s Hospital. Since the VA was able to offer him treatment, the letter had continued, the government would no longer pay for any services obtained through private doctors or institutions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Son, are you alright?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane lifted his head and was caught off guard. A man in a monk’s robe stood in front of him. The man was short, his head was shaved, and he looked like he had endured a hard life. His face was etched with wrinkles. One eye was cloudy, the other was clear, the iris a bright blue. Several small scars worked their way up the side of his face and into the scalp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Yes, Brother,” Shane said, gathering himself. “I am. Thanks.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“May I?” the monk asked, nodding to the chair beside Shane.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Sure.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe man sat down and offered his hand to Shane. “Dom Francis Benedict.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Shane Ryan,” he said, shaking the hand. He looked at the monk and said, “Never thought to see a monk in here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Well,” Dom Francis said, smiling, “part of the rules of my order require that we reach out to those in need. And since I’m a veteran too, I figured this was a good place to be. Plus, my Abbot gave me permission.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“You’re a vet?” Shane asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis nodded. “Army. What about you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Marines,” Shane replied. “Career man. Legged it for a while. Too long, actually.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe monk chuckled. “Yeah. It’s definitely not easy on the knees or the back. What’d you do after you were infantry?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Linguistics,” Shane said, “mostly Pashto and Arabic.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn Pashto, Dom Francis said, “I’m impressed. Not too many can speak it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane laughed, shaking his head and saying in English, “Okay, I need to know, how did \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eyou\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e learn Pashto?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I was an 18 Delta,” Dom Francis said, smiling softly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Special Forces?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis nodded. “Fifth. Spent a little bit of time in Afghanistan.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Damn,” Shane said appreciatively. “Yeah. I did a few tours there as well. What made you shift from the Army to religion?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Combat,” Dom Francis said. “I was weapons. I got hit pretty badly on my last rotation through. I decided if I made it out, I was going to join the Benedictine monks. I went to school at St. Anselm’s in Manchester before I enlisted. What about you, how’d you learn Pashto?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Honestly,” Shane said, “I just picked it up listening to some of the interpreters speak it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis raised an eyebrow. “Can you do that with any language?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Are you sure?” the monk asked in Chinese.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Of course, I’m sure,” Shane said, answering in kind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDom Francis smiled. “Did the Marines know about your special ability?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Shane said, shaking his head. “And I was perfectly happy with them not knowing either. They would never have let me out.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I’m surprised they let you out anyway,” the monk said. “There aren’t too many who can speak Pashto. Even when I was medically discharged, they gave me a hard time. They wanted me to stay in at a desk.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Not for you?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“No,” Dom Francis said. “Definitely not for me. I joined Special Forces to get out and see the world. Free the oppressed. All the good stuff. Not to sit there and teach.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“What do you do now?” Shane said. “When you’re not here?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Teach,” he answered, with a wry smile.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShane laughed until his sides hurt, and he was still laughing when his name was called. He wiped a tear from his eye as he stood and held out a hand to the monk. “A pleasure, Dom Francis.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe man shook it as he stood up. “I’ll be around. If you ever need to talk, you can leave your name here, or call up to the college. Ask for Dom Francis. Don’t ask for Benedict. There’s got to be ten of us who took the name.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK + FREE EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":49502476730647,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET 4-6","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":51607454646551,"sku":"berkley4-6ebab","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/BerkleyBox4-6_PBM_1.jpg?v=1725517830"},{"product_id":"eloise4","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 4","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eStep into the shadows once more with Eloise…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrepare yourself for the most haunting collection yet in \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 4. Eloise\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e returns, taking you deeper into the dark corners of Berkley Street, where the line between the living and the dead is perilously thin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin Eloise as she unravels the terrifying truth about the Dark Ones, embarks on a frantic search for a missing couple, and helps a lost spirit find peace on a journey home. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith each tale, you’ll be drawn deeper into a world where the living fear the dead, and the dead fear the secrets that refuse to die.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 4 is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. Grab your copy now!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e107 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 hours and 58 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-070-4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eAugust 19, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhen Death Dies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe scream from the cellar echoed through the empty spaces between the walls. It sounded like an animal had been trapped and was desperate to escape. Eloise froze in place when she heard it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe Andersons had been gone for several days. Eloise didn’t know where they were or when they would be coming back. Carl was out for a walk. She wasn’t sure where he had gone, nor did she care. Carl enjoyed his privacy, and sometimes, Eloise thought it was nice to be away from him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Did you hear that?” one of the maids asked the butler out in the hall when Eloise went looking for the source of the scream. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOf course, he heard it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Eloise thought. It echoed through the entire house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEloise knew no one would have made a sound like that if they were alive. It couldn’t have been Thaddeus, either, as he was on the third floor. He’d also never made a sound like that. A scream like that from the cellar could have only come from one place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe Dark Ones typically kept to themselves. There were occasions when one would slip out and creep through the house causing mayhem, but it was often at the behest of the girl in the pond, and she had kept to herself recently. When Mr. Anderson was gone, the Dark Ones usually stayed quiet. He was the source of their anger, and without him, they stayed out of sight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere were times when Eloise would go down to the cellar herself and spend time in the darkness with them. As twisted by anger and hate as they had become, they were still people at their core. Sometimes, they even held conversations and were something close to the people they once were. It was always dangerous to try to spend time with them, but it gave Eloise something different to do and someone different to talk to, so she felt it was worth the risk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe waited in silence, listening for any follow-up from below. No other noises rose through the house, and she began to wonder if perhaps the Dark Ones were just playing a trick. Of course, anyone in the house would want to investigate an unexplained scream, wouldn’t they? Even Vivienne would be curious if she did not know the source. Random screams were not everyday events.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith nothing more forthcoming, Eloise found herself perplexed. If it had been a trick, surely, they would have made more sound to draw someone in. But if it was not a trick, what could make one of the Dark Ones scream as though they were in pain? It dawned on her then that the conundrum offered only one solution. She would have to go down and check. Maybe that was the point.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe staff and Carl and the others tended to avoid going into the root cellar unless they had to. Eloise was the only one who voluntarily spent time there, though she did so carefully, and usually with a plan to get in and out, just in case. She had spent so much time down there, however, that she felt confident it would be easy to check if something out of the ordinary was happening.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You’re not going down there, are you?” Thaddeus asked when she arrived at the butler’s pantry.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Maybe,” she replied. “Why are you in here?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I heard a scream. I came to see if someone was hurt.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Someone?” she asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe boy shrugged.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I don’t know. I thought maybe one of the staff was here and got hurt. Who else would be screaming?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A Dark One,” Eloise suggested. “I bet they’re up to something.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Then why would you go look?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThaddeus was not the adventuring sort. Of all the ghosts in the house, he seemed the most content to do the least. Even Carl had more of a fire in him than Thaddeus, which Eloise thought was a shame. As a boy, Thaddeus was supposed to have a sense of adventure. A lust for life, as it were. Or at least a desire to break the rules sometimes. He showed very little of that.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Stay if you want. I’m going to see what happened,” Eloise said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“But Carl isn’t here. What if something is wrong?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Exactly. Carl isn’t here. What if something is wrong? We’re the only ones who can fix it. Think how cross he’ll be if he comes home and finds out you wouldn’t help me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“He won’t be cross,” Thaddeus replied. “He would tell both of us to stay away.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No one tells me what to do, Thaddeus,” Eloise pointed out.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49522860884247,"sku":"9798894760704","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49522860917015,"sku":"eloise4e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49522860949783,"sku":"eloise4","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Eloise_vol.4_FF.jpg?v=1731330552"},{"product_id":"carnival3","title":"Town of Shadows: Carnival of Terror Series Book 3","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eA Trail of Blood Leads to the Ultimate Evil...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eShane Ryan has faced supernatural evil beyond imagination. His body and soul bear the scars of endless battles. But he’s never faced anything like this…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA trail of death, murder, and bloodshed leads Shane to the isolated town of Burkitt. Years ago, a carnival massacre stained the streets of this remote village with blood. Now, evil once again rears its ugly head, and creeps through the hamlet’s shadowy streets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a disastrous encounter with the supernatural, the State Police have barricaded the town, cutting it off from the outside world. Shane and his ghostly accomplice, Herbert, must slip in undetected and fight their way through an army of deadly spirits to face the evil they seek to destroy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the depths of the enemy’s lair, our hero finds evidence of countless victims. And the mastermind of this symphony of torture still lurks unseen, ready to claim the ultimate prize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan’s mortal soul…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e207 \u003c\/span\u003epages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8 hours and 5 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-061-2\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eSeptember 02, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"line-height: 2.4; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 6pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 2: Wayfinding\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 6pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane finished his coffee. Three more state police vehicles passed during his time in the diner. He could only imagine what they were doing up the road. If the town repelled people, it was done so with feeling more often than not. The cops involved would have a gut instinct that something was wrong, but that was hardly enough for them to avoid an active investigation into a missing family.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCops dealt with bad feelings all the time. Something else had to have happened in Burkitt to make the police fall back and create a barricade, if that was indeed what had happened. Of course, the locals in Wallaceburg would be left out of the loop on the details. The police were trying to keep something under wraps.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do you think the town killed some police?” Herbert asked, as though reading Shane’s mind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Not openly,” he replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSmart ghosts stayed hidden and worked in shadows. Just because a cop couldn’t shoot a ghost didn’t mean that the living couldn’t cause problems for the dead, especially in a situation like this. Maybe the whole town of Burkitt would get bulldozed as a result.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNothing suggested the ghosts in Burkitt were geniuses, but a haunted town had to do something to stay under the radar for so long. Unless things had changed. Maybe the missing family was a tipping point, and now the spirits didn’t care. If that was the case, something could have happened to the police.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Then what?” Herbert asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Missing?” Shane suggested, keeping his voice down so as to not draw attention. “A few uniforms go in and don’t come out. The rest get spooked and block the town because they can’t find anything. Now, no one wants to go in, but they can’t admit it. Seems cowardly. So, they’re working on the idea that someone is in town. Crazed gunman, terrorist, whatever. Some excuse where the proper procedure is to stay outside the town limits.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“But then their men don’t get rescued,” Herbert pointed out. Shane shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Not until backup arrives. They’d call in some big guns. SWAT, or something heavily armed and armored. They’ll light Burkitt up once they feel they’re strong enough.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Then what happens to the family?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“They’ll try to find them. Save them. But if they are alive, and the ghost we’re looking for has them, it’ll use this as an opportunity. Put on a show, make a scene. It likes chaos, right?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“From what I recall, yes,” Herbert replied. The ghost turned a bunch of regular townspeople into a bloody revenge riot. It could do a lot worse with anxious, heavily armed police.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We need to get in there before the police do anything rash,” Herbert added.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We do,” Shane agreed. They needed another way into town, past the police barricade. They needed someone who knew about Burkitt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put money on the table and stood, giving Dorothy a quick wave across the room. She smiled and returned the gesture as he made his way back outside with Herbert.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do you have a plan?” the ghost wanted to know.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Go to the library,” Shane said. Louise, the town librarian, had a lot of local knowledge. She was also the only other person in town that Shane had really spoken to.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThey walked down the street from the diner toward the massive house that served as Wallaceburg’s library. In the light of day, the place looked a little more welcoming than it had when Shane first arrived. Louise was outside on the porch, sitting in a chair reading a book with a cup of tea on a table next to her. She watched Shane approach without saying anything until he reached the porch steps.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Mr. Ryan, back so soon? Seems like our town has charmed you,” she said, smiling over her book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s true; I couldn’t stay away.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“At least you came during daylight hours this time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Trying to be considerate,” he explained. Herbert said nothing and inspected the garden instead while Shane gestured down the street. “Seen what’s happening today?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I have seen some police,” she confirmed. “Something to do with you?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No. Something in my way.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLouise’s eyes narrowed. Her bird-like features looked even more prominent in the light of day. She reached for her tea and held it in both hands as though savoring the warmth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Of course,” she said. “You want to go back to Burkitt.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I do,” Shane replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe sipped from the cup.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Does this have something to do with Daschel Hooks?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHerbert perked up then, returning his attention to the conversation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“She knows about Dash?” the ghost asked. Shane ignored him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“In a roundabout way,” Shane told her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That’s a bit vague, don’t you think?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane smiled and nodded, looking back down the road toward Burkitt. It was much too far to see from the library, but it was waiting out there.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It has to do with why I was here before. What I was researching.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 2.4; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Murder,” Louise said. “The murder of someone from Burkitt.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49568509624599,"sku":"9798894760612","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49586056823063,"sku":"cot3e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49586056855831,"sku":"cot3","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Town_of_Shadows_FF.jpg?v=1724694092"},{"product_id":"berkleystreet7-9","title":"Berkley Street Series: Books 7 to 9 Bundle","description":"\u003ch2\u003eShane Ryan is out of time and out of options. The dead are rising, and this time, they won’t rest until he falls.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Slater Mill, Shane Ryan, scarred and weary, faces his deadliest battle yet against a ghostly killer on a murderous rampage. The clock is ticking, and Shane must destroy the brutal specter or die trying.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorgin Keep plunges Shane, Frank, and Marie into a castle of nightmares, where flesh-eating undead and faceless demons lurk. With deadly secrets hidden in every corner, Shane must annihilate the sinister forces before more innocent lives are lost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Amherst Burial Ground, Shane's relentless hunt for a lethal ghost boy, Samson, and his battle with the Watchers reach a fever pitch. As darkness closes in, Shane’s obsession could lead him to victory—or doom him forever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree deadly missions. One ghost hunter pushed to the brink. Can Shane Ryan survive the horror, or will the darkness claim him?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Slater Mill (Book 7)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Borgin Keep (Book 8)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Amherst Burial Ground (Book 9)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e24 hours and 27 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePHYSICAL COPY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e730 pages\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9609204000062\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eJuly 27, 2018\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 5: Visiting with Brian and Jenny\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You look terrible,” Jenny said after she had let Shane into the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane grinned. “What, you don’t think the one-eared look is in this year?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe slapped him on the shoulder, shaking her head. “You better not be here to try and convince my man to go on a little ghost adventure.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Shane said. “I’d like him to stay alive. Nope, I just came for some research help. Nobody’s better than you two.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“See,” Jenny said, grinning, “flattery will get you everywhere.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrom the den, Brian called, “Don’t sweet talk her, it just makes it worse for me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenny rolled her eyes and said, “Come on. Let’s go see Mr. Congeniality.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChuckling, Shane followed her into the den where she went and sat down beside Brian on the couch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Damn,” Brian said, his eyes widening. “You look like you’ve been worked over.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A few times,” Shane admitted, dropping into the chair across from them. “How have you two been?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Evidently better than you,” Brian said, his tone serious. “What happened?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A lot,” Shane said. “Too much. I don’t know. It’s been pretty rough.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Looks like it,” Brian said. “Anyway, tell us what you need. All you said over the phone was you wanted information.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That’s pretty much it,” Shane agreed. “I didn’t know if either of you knew anything about the Slater Mill in Nashua?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrian shook his head, but Jenny’s eyes narrowed. A heartbeat later she said, “Yeah, yeah, I think I do.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe got back up and left the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane looked to Brian, but his friend shrugged, saying, “Man, I don’t even know what she has for information anymore.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJenny’s footsteps rang out on the stairs and then moved across the hallway of the second floor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“We have a few minutes,” Brian said, chuckling. “She went into her library. Place is chock full of books, and articles. I swear she’s got way too much on ghosts up there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“More power to her,” Shane said. “I definitely need some help on this before I poke my nose in there.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Brian said. “Tell me what’s going on.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Have you read the Telegraph?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No,” Brian said. “Thing’s a rag. I stopped reading it a year or so ago after I found spelling errors in their headlines.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Understood,” Shane said. He settled back in the chair and told Brian about the two murders, and what he had seen in the photograph.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Seriously?” Brian asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane nodded.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Damn,” Brian muttered. “Well, you definitely came to the right place. Jenny’s got a ton of stuff on both Nashua and Manchester. Not so much on the little towns around the cities.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Fine by me,” Shane said. “All I need is info on the Mill right now.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAbove them, a door closed and a moment later, Jenny was on her way back down the stairs. She appeared carrying in her hand a slim, dark blue book. With a smile, she handed the volume to Shane, and then returned to her seat beside Brian.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was nothing written on either the book’s spine or cover. When Shane opened it, he found he had it upside down and had to turn it around before he could read it. The title page stated the book’s name was “Mishaps at the Slater Mill.” It had been published in 1911.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“That’s a list of all of the deaths that occurred in the Mill,” Jenny said. “Both when it was being built, and when it was in operation.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane flipped through the pages. The book was arranged by year, starting in 1841, and continuing until the year of publication. In each section, the deaths were arranged alphabetically by surname, with information on the individuals and their manner of death concisely described.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe book was a litany of horrors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOn one page alone, Shane saw three men who had died after having an arm torn off by “Machine Number 5” on the third floor. Blinding was common, as were the loss of fingers and toes. More than one child was listed as a fatality as well.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK + FREE EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":49602694086935,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET 7-9","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":51607464771863,"sku":"berkley7-9ebab","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_BerkleyStreetBox7-9_PBM3.jpg?v=1725543809"},{"product_id":"anderson1","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of the Anderson House Vol. 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eBehind every wall of the Anderson House, something dark is watching…  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eThe Anderson House hides more than its towering walls and shifting passageways reveal. Beneath the scent of lilac lies something far darker, waiting to ensnare all who enter. Its secrets are deadly, and those who venture inside rarely leave unscathed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead about the time Thaddeus had to face his deepest fears, how a business partner of Mr. Anderson’s met his gruesome end, and Roberto’s journey up to his final days and beyond. Each story is woven into the fabric of this haunting place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAre you ready to step into the darkness? Haunted Secrets: Tales of the Anderson House Vol. 1 is now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook format.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGet your copy today and witness the terror that refuses to stay hidden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e117 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e3 hours and 11 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e979-8-89476-273-9\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eSeptember 16, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBorn in Darkness\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHenry Allen Broomfield did not tolerate a cheat. The last man who tried to pull a fast one found himself with a broken nose and an empty wallet at the end of the evening, and that was just over a card game. When it came to bigger deals and bigger money, Henry had a commensurate response.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBroomfield had met Duncan Anderson three months earlier. They had crossed paths in Boston, and Broomfield learned that Anderson was something of a financial wizard. From what he had heard, Anderson could double an investment in as few as thirty days. He wasn't just a flash-in-the-pan success, either. His results were consistent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHenry wasn't normally the kind of person to fall for such a pie-in-the-sky story. He'd made investments and had some decent success, but he knew the risk of making a bad call. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn his mind, the market was less consistent than a game of cards. There were only so many ways fifty-two cards could be arranged and played. The stock market had infinite variables that were all too difficult to predict.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDespite his reservations, Anderson had some heavy hitters in Boston who vouched for him. Some were unknown to Broomfield, and their word did not mean much, but some he considered men of reason and wisdom. Their recommendations carried weight, and that was why he was willing to give Anderson a chance to prove himself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThey had met at a members-only club in Boston in the late autumn. Anderson was already in the lounge, a cigar in one hand and a double shot of whiskey in the other. Broomfield respected the man's drink choice if nothing else. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHenry joined him, and they shared a drink and some pleasantries. Anderson was not big on small talk, however, and he dived into the meat of the matter soon after. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I sense the trepidation, and I understand. You don’t know me from Adam. But you’re interested or you wouldn’t be wasting your time talking to me.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe spoke with a confidence that bordered on arrogance. Henry was certain the man’s demeanor rubbed many people the wrong way, but he found it refreshing. After years of dealing with people who trafficked in nonsense and double talk, it was nice to deal with someone who cut to the chase and didn't seem to be blowing smoke.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I can’t trust just anyone with my money,” Henry explained.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Nor should anyone who wants to keep their money and not be made to look the fool,” Anderson said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“The numbers you promise are outlandish, Anderson. You can offer double the money in a month? Unless you’re robbing banks, I’m not seeing it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This invention will change the world, Broomfield. We’re talking about innovation the likes of which we've never seen. Think of how the railroad opened the frontier. Or how the telegraph destroyed the Pony Express. Hell, think of the automobile and what it’s already doing. This is bigger than all of them.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“A bold claim made by carnival barkers and snake oil salesmen since before my grandfather was born. You need more than words.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnderson smiled around his cigar, showing his teeth. Henry finished his drink and set it on the glass table between them while the other man swirled his, letting the ice clink against the side of the tumbler.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you interested in taking a trip?” Anderson asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e***\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe train from Boston to Nashua took nearly five hours, but the journey was not unpleasant. Henry had never been to the town. He had spent little time in New Hampshire but found the state to be quite beautiful. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe trip was as enjoyable as one could expect an impromptu train voyage to be. Anderson walked the train like he owned the thing and arranged a poker game in the bar car with a pair of bankers on their way to Vermont. By the third hour, half the train was either watching or participating, and Henry made just shy of two hundred dollars. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnderson made a call before leaving Boston, and when they arrived in Nashua, his butler was waiting with the car. The drive from the train station to his home on Berkley Street was also pleasant enough. The town was quaint and quiet, not nearly as ostentatious as Henry expected for a man like Duncan Anderson. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnderson seemed like a man who should have plied his trade in Manhattan or at least downtown Boston or Philadelphia. That he kept his home in such a quiet, out-of-the-way place spoke of another side he had yet to reveal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhen they arrived at his house, Henry was impressed. It was a large, foreboding structure, set away from the street up a long driveway. The gardens around the house were robust and bright. Anderson had particular tastes and had cultured his home to match them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnderson led them through the front foyer. He sent a servant girl to fetch some drinks but said nothing to anyone else as he showed Henry to a staircase and accompanied him to the second floor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“My study,” Anderson said, opening a door and inviting Henry inside.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe room smelled of something floral that Henry had trouble putting his finger on. It was cold but brightly lit. Anderson took a seat behind a large oak desk and offered Henry a seat on the opposite side.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Pick something,” the man said, gesturing to his desk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m sorry?” Henry replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“An item from my desk. For a demonstration. Anything you wish.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHenry was not sure what Anderson was playing at, but he was willing to go along with it. Anderson had been tight-lipped on their voyage about what they would see when they got to his house. He assured Henry that he would demonstrate the power of his invention and convince him that an investment was the smartest choice. Seeing was believing, he had said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“The letter opener,” Henry said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTo the right of Anderson's hand was a silver letter opener that looked like a small dagger. Henry had seen similar styles and recognized Anderson's as a high-quality one. It was likely worth a decent amount of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Excellent,” Anderson said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 0pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe placed the letter opener in the center of his desk between them. Anderson's smile was confident and cool as he locked eyes with the other man. Nothing happened, and Henry began to grow impatient.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49643789582615,"sku":"9798894762739","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49625946390807,"sku":"ah1e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49625946423575,"sku":"ah1","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Anderson_House_vol.1_FF.jpg?v=1731400863"},{"product_id":"reaper1","title":"Call of the Dead: The Ghost Reapers Series Book 1","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eWhen ghosts stalk the battlefield, death is only the beginning…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eRetired Marine Shane Ryan has been waging a one-man war against evil for as long as he can remember. But when an old comrade is killed under mysterious circumstances, Shane's investigation leads him to Vakovia, a country teeming with restless spirits and dangerous secrets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eIn a war-torn city of the dead, Shane crosses paths with Reaper Company, an elite mercenary unit who fight with ghostly partners known as Spectral Assets. But can these supernatural soldiers be trusted? Or are they pawns in a darker conspiracy?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eShane soon finds himself caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and supernatural warfare. With both the living and the dead hunting him, he must use all his skills to survive. From haunted ruins to an underground labyrinth, Shane strikes back, bringing the fight to his enemy’s doorstep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eBut this may be one war Shane can’t win. Especially if his enemies won’t stay buried…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e201 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 51 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9798894762753\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eSeptember 30, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 4: Silvershore Consulting\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNighttime in Ravjek was hot. Inexplicably, it got hotter when the sun went down. Shane smoked a cigarette and sipped water from a bottle he’d picked up at the market, sweating and watching the Silvershore office. It was just after midnight, and there was still movement in the building.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane had watched eight men leave the office and not return. Each man left in one of the vehicles parked in the lot, heading out at nearly the same time around seven in the evening. He didn’t recognize any of them, but he didn’t need to. There was no mistaking they were military. They carried themselves like they were expecting trouble, and though none were obviously armed, Shane assumed they all were carrying. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSeveral vehicles remained in the lot. A guard was stationed on the roof after the sun went down that Shane had almost missed at first but noticed when the man got up to do a quick patrol at dusk. He was armed with a rifle. A second guard was stationed at the parking lot entrance, and a third moved as a shadow beyond the windows inside. It seemed excessive for a consulting firm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt least eleven men, Shane figured, but he suspected there were also others inside. An office light came on at some point, and though he saw no one in the room, he didn’t think the guard patrolling inside had turned it on. Shane had also not seen Luther Washington or Penn Leclerc among those who left or remained.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt just after five in the morning, a black SUV arrived at the office and paused for only a moment with the guard before pulling into a spot. Shane watched a figure in a suit get out of the vehicle under the motion sensor lights and enter a side door. It was not someone he recognized from earlier. Twelve men, then, plus Penn and Luther and the mystery man in the office all night. Fifteen. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAs sunrise came, Shane watched the roof guard pack in his weapon. A second figure was with him now. Not another guard, though. Not in the traditional sense, at least. Even at that distance in the dim light of early morning, Shane recognized a ghost when he saw one.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe hadn’t seen spirits leave with the others, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. The one on the roof was clearly with the guard, and the two even paused to speak for a moment as the guard cleared up his position, packing in not just his weapon but some garbage from a meal he had eaten.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBlakely having a ghost follow him out of the diner, and the roof guard working overnight with one, changed the dynamic of what Shane saw. If everyone at Silvershore had a spirit partner, then he had a team of thirty to deal with.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was just speculation on Shane’s part. He had only seen one ghost, but it was a spirit who had sat through a stakeout. That was not an accident; that was something Carl would do. If not a friend, then absolutely a partner. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought back exhaustion as the sun rose and the vehicles from the night before returned. They checked in with the gate guard, no more than flashing an ID or even just getting a visual check before heading in. Shane strained to get a closer look at what was happening.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe third vehicle pulled into the lot and while the driver busied himself with something, a second figure emerged. The features were impossible to make out, but the blood was clear. A face covered in a mask of it. A ghost.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane swore. Silvershore’s mercenaries were paired with spirits across the board. As a unit in the field, it would make them incredibly dangerous and almost impossible to fight. No living force would know what hit them if Silvershore came at them. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt would be difficult to get straight answers from anyone. If they knew Shane could see ghosts, it could dangerously tip the scales against him. That was information they’d want to keep to themselves. It was possible many of their clients didn’t even know that was how the unit operated. Their efficiency and skills would seem otherworldly and for good reason, but it would only make Silvershore seem more desirable and more valuable to clients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA team that could do the impossible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e Shane shook his head at the implication.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBlakely’s death was still a mystery, but it being either an accident or a consequence of some skirmish with militants was even less likely now. If the unit was doubled up with ghosts, there was no reason for Blakely to have stepped into the line of fire so easily. The ghosts should have been able to eliminate any threat before the living were anywhere near the barrel of a gun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane needed to find Blakely’s ghost partner. The half-burned man he’d seen in the diner would be his best source for answers. Finding him could be a challenge, though.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEveryone Shane saw from the night before had returned, and Shane made sure to leave no sign he had been at the ironworks lot before walking back the way he had come.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49696765640983,"sku":"9798894762753","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49678734459159,"sku":"gr1e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49678734491927,"sku":"gr1","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_CalloftheDead_FF.jpg?v=1727657277"},{"product_id":"reaper2","title":"Shadow Stalker: The Ghost Reapers Series Book 2","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eIn a haunted war zone, death lurks behind every shadow…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eRetired Marine, Shane Ryan, is on the run. Framed for crimes he didn’t commit, he is pursued by the mysterious Reaper Company and their spectral killers. Now, he must navigate treacherous borders, raging rivers, and the haunted wilderness of Vakovia to survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eAs he fights for his life against human and supernatural foes alike, Shane’s only hope is an unlikely alliance with the local spirits. But their cooperation comes with a steep price. And the world’s greatest ghost hunter soon finds himself taking on a powerful new foe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eForced to battle a ravenous spirit haunting a remote cemetery, Shane will stop at nothing to clear his name and unravel the dark secret of the Reapers. In a desperate bid for freedom, Shane must dig deeper into his reserves of strength and courage than ever before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eBut in the final conflict of the living versus the dead, the true enemy hides in the shadows. And they’ll strike when Shane least expects it…\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e207 \u003c\/span\u003epages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 36 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e9798894762753\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\" data-mce-style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eOctober 28, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChapter 4: Silvershore Consulting\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 8pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNighttime in Ravjek was hot. Inexplicably, it got hotter when the sun went down. Shane smoked a cigarette and sipped water from a bottle he’d picked up at the market, sweating and watching the Silvershore office. It was just after midnight, and there was still movement in the building.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane had watched eight men leave the office and not return. Each man left in one of the vehicles parked in the lot, heading out at nearly the same time around seven in the evening. He didn’t recognize any of them, but he didn’t need to. There was no mistaking they were military. They carried themselves like they were expecting trouble, and though none were obviously armed, Shane assumed they all were carrying. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSeveral vehicles remained in the lot. A guard was stationed on the roof after the sun went down that Shane had almost missed at first but noticed when the man got up to do a quick patrol at dusk. He was armed with a rifle. A second guard was stationed at the parking lot entrance, and a third moved as a shadow beyond the windows inside. It seemed excessive for a consulting firm.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt least eleven men, Shane figured, but he suspected there were also others inside. An office light came on at some point, and though he saw no one in the room, he didn’t think the guard patrolling inside had turned it on. Shane had also not seen Luther Washington or Penn Leclerc among those who left or remained.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAt just after five in the morning, a black SUV arrived at the office and paused for only a moment with the guard before pulling into a spot. Shane watched a figure in a suit get out of the vehicle under the motion sensor lights and enter a side door. It was not someone he recognized from earlier. Twelve men, then, plus Penn and Luther and the mystery man in the office all night. Fifteen. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAs sunrise came, Shane watched the roof guard pack in his weapon. A second figure was with him now. Not another guard, though. Not in the traditional sense, at least. Even at that distance in the dim light of early morning, Shane recognized a ghost when he saw one.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe hadn’t seen spirits leave with the others, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. The one on the roof was clearly with the guard, and the two even paused to speak for a moment as the guard cleared up his position, packing in not just his weapon but some garbage from a meal he had eaten.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBlakely having a ghost follow him out of the diner, and the roof guard working overnight with one, changed the dynamic of what Shane saw. If everyone at Silvershore had a spirit partner, then he had a team of thirty to deal with.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was just speculation on Shane’s part. He had only seen one ghost, but it was a spirit who had sat through a stakeout. That was not an accident; that was something Carl would do. If not a friend, then absolutely a partner. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought back exhaustion as the sun rose and the vehicles from the night before returned. They checked in with the gate guard, no more than flashing an ID or even just getting a visual check before heading in. Shane strained to get a closer look at what was happening.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe third vehicle pulled into the lot and while the driver busied himself with something, a second figure emerged. The features were impossible to make out, but the blood was clear. A face covered in a mask of it. A ghost.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane swore. Silvershore’s mercenaries were paired with spirits across the board. As a unit in the field, it would make them incredibly dangerous and almost impossible to fight. No living force would know what hit them if Silvershore came at them. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt would be difficult to get straight answers from anyone. If they knew Shane could see ghosts, it could dangerously tip the scales against him. That was information they’d want to keep to themselves. It was possible many of their clients didn’t even know that was how the unit operated. Their efficiency and skills would seem otherworldly and for good reason, but it would only make Silvershore seem more desirable and more valuable to clients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA team that could do the impossible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e Shane shook his head at the implication.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBlakely’s death was still a mystery, but it being either an accident or a consequence of some skirmish with militants was even less likely now. If the unit was doubled up with ghosts, there was no reason for Blakely to have stepped into the line of fire so easily. The ghosts should have been able to eliminate any threat before the living were anywhere near the barrel of a gun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane needed to find Blakely’s ghost partner. The half-burned man he’d seen in the diner would be his best source for answers. Finding him could be a challenge, though.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" data-mce-style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-mce-style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEveryone Shane saw from the night before had returned, and Shane made sure to leave no sign he had been at the ironworks lot before walking back the way he had come.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49758667407639,"sku":"9798894762760","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49758667440407,"sku":"gr2e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49758667473175,"sku":"gr2","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_ShadowStalker_FF.jpg?v=1729582441"},{"product_id":"eloise5","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 5","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eEloise has more to reveal… are you ready for more secrets?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003ePrepare for another unforgettable journey into the shadows in Haunted Secrets: Tales of Eloise Vol. 5. Eloise, the restless ghost of the Anderson house, continues to explore the chilling secrets of the house she haunts. With each passing day, the veil between life and death grows thinner, and Eloise is drawn deeper into the eerie mysteries that define her afterlife.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eExplore Eloise’s encounters with a mysterious spider, her eerie visit to a movie theater where fiction pales against her reality, and her discovery of a ghost dog that changes her view on the afterlife. Each tale reveals the tension between loneliness, wonder, and the dark secrets of her world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eEach tale pulls you further into a world where isolation, wonder, and dark secrets collide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"my-0.5\"\u003eGrab your copy now!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.157px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e78 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2 hours and 56 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e979-8-89476-071-1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.5938px;\"\u003eNovember 11, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 23pt; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 4pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe Playroom\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 12pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was a spider in the walls, and Eloise was fascinated by it. It had been a very long while since she had seen anything alive in the house, and now, there was a spider.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt had been some time since the Andersons had died, and all their servants and workers had gone away. The house had been empty for years. Aside from the plants in the garden, none of which were bright and cheery, the grounds of the house seemed to abhor living things.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eLong ago, birds landed in the trees and insects roamed the property, even into the house. That had ended some time ago, and Eloise hadn’t even realized it at the time. It was only when she saw the spider in the walls that she reflected on how long it had been since she had seen a spider or any other living thing in the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFor a day, she was infatuated with the tiny creature. With its pale, yellowish body and long, spindly legs, it wandered about and even set up a web between some support beams behind the drywall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSoon, she found herself feeling sorry for the creature. No insects would fall into that web anytime soon. As far as she knew, the spider was the only living thing in the house. It would starve to death if it stayed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You need to leave,” she told the spider. “It’s not safe for you here. You should be out in the world where there is food and water.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe spider, of course, understood nothing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Follow me to a window,” she told it. “I’ll let you out. There are many bugs in the yards nearby. Tasty flies and other things. A feast!”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe spider remained where it was.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ll get you to a window. You’ll see,” she assured the creature.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe had thought that maybe she could pluck it from its web and carry it, but she knew she no longer had the dexterity to do such things. Her ghost hands were not as nimble as they had been when she was alive. The cold that came from them would probably be enough to kill the spider. She couldn’t move it manually. She would have to think of something else.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe idea struck her that perhaps she could use a small stick or piece of wood to wrap up the web and just take the spider along with it. She could take that downstairs to a window and toss the creature in the yard, where it could escape to greener pastures.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt was not the best idea because, for the same reason: holding and manipulating a stick for a long period was not something she could do well. She had learned to move things, and she was better at it now than when she had first died, but it was still not easy. But she had to try.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe searched the house for something that might aid in moving the little creature and settled on a wooden spoon that had been left in the kitchen. It was only when she was halfway from the kitchen to her destination that she realized there was no opening in the walls for the spoon to pass through. She would have to either break a hole in the wall or abandon her quest.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 12pt 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“This isn’t fair,” she said, dropping the spoon. “He never hurt anyone.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe was alone in a hallway a short distance from the stairs. Carl and Thaddeus were not around, and Vivienne had been hiding for weeks. It had been too long since Eloise felt like she had anyone she could talk to, and as much as it pained her to admit it, she was lonelier than she had ever been.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49796276945175,"sku":"9798894760711","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49796276977943,"sku":"eloise5e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49796277010711,"sku":"eloise5","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Eloisevol.5_FF.jpg?v=1730739570"},{"product_id":"reaper3","title":"Vengeance from Beyond: The Ghost Reapers Series Book 3","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1icbUwvaxY8BsXrn2DhyIjJKrul33oCgC\/preview\" height=\"75\" width=\"400\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eOne man stands between darkness and light…  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"margin-top: 0in; line-height: normal; mso-hyphenate: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;\"\u003eShane \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;\"\u003eRyan returns to America with a deadly mission: to hunt down the mastermind behind the sinister Reaper Company. But when his quest leads him into a trap, Shane finds himself locked away in a nightmarish psychiatric facility, where the line between reality and madness is razor thin…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"margin-top: 0in; line-height: normal; mso-hyphenate: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;\"\u003eDrugged, beaten, and haunted by malevolent spirits, Shane must fight for his sanity and survival. As he uncovers a chilling conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power, he forges an unlikely alliance with a timid ghost, embarking on a harrowing escape that will test the limits of his supernatural abilities.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"margin-top: 0in; line-height: normal; mso-hyphenate: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;\"\u003eFrom the shadowy corridors of a haunted hospital to the chaotic streets of New York City, Shane races against time to stop a diabolical plan that threatens to unleash an army of spectral warriors upon the world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Default\" style=\"margin-top: 0in; line-height: normal; mso-hyphenate: none;\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;\"\u003eIn the final battle of good versus evil, how far will Shane go in the name of vengeance?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e205 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8 hours and 7 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e9798894762777\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1824%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5733%;\"\u003eNovember 27, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eClick… click… click.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe sound reached a door very close to Shane’s. He gathered his thoughts and focus, to prepare himself in case something happened. His mind began to wander as he pondered over what made the sound, then where Jester had gone, and what happened to the orderlies from when he was admitted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eIt was a long moment before Shane shook his head and realized he had lost his train of thought. How much time had passed since he heard the last click? He couldn't remember. Had it just been a moment? A whole minute? Ten?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane was staring up at the ceiling, and the sound had stopped. He rolled over in bed to look at the door, to focus on the tiny window in case something passed; a shadow, like it had the day before. There was no window to view this time. The shadow was there, but it was inside the room and blocking the door.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eIt was the shape of a man, just standing in the darkness in front of his door. Black on black, it was hard to determine if it was anyone he had seen before. For now, it was merely a shape.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe shadowy form moved, and Shane made out an arm. The spirit dragged a hand across the inside of his door until its fingernails reached the hinges with a loud click.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eWithout warning, the shape moved. It was on top of Shane in the blink of an eye, and he made out more of the figure. The ghost had been that of a man about Shane's height, with a mane of ragged, dirty blond hair hanging over his face.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane could see multiple scars in the pale flesh, not the result of accidents, but intentional cuts all over the spirit's face. It looked as though the blade of a knife or a razor had been used to create a patchwork of scars across every exposed skin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eTwo of the largest scars went from the corners of the ghost’s mouth and up his cheeks. Two more ran from his forehead down over his eyes, and then down his cheeks on either side of his nose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe ghost held Shane down by his arms and, even in the tangle of hair, Shane could see that his eyes had been sliced open.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane struggled in the ghost’s grip, and he felt the cold hands squeeze his wrists tightly. The ghost’s arm jerked, and he raised Shane's hand just enough to thrust it back, forcing Shane to punch himself in the face.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe spirit was humming, making strange noises as it repeated the gesture with Shane’s other hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane's muscles were incredibly weak. He pulled away, but the exhaustion in his body made it feel like he had spent the entire day working out and was now too spent to put in any effort. Just trying to pull away from the ghost felt like he was trying to lift a car.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe ghost didn’t speak, he just hummed and held fast, preventing Shane from getting the upper hand. At one point, he leaned in and bit Shane's forearm. Teeth like ice punctured the flesh as Shane started to scream, but the ghost forced Shane’s hand over his mouth to muffle it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eWhen the spirit pulled away, Shane saw blood running down his arm. Every crooked tooth had plunged into the flesh, but he had not taken a chunk. Instead, he had left a perfect imprint of his maw, marking Shane.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe ghost continued to hum softly and lifted Shane’s left hand. He took one of Shane’s fingers between his lips and bit down hard on the nail, pulling it until it tore away from the nail bed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eShane’s body jerked but refused to respond the way it should have. He was powerless against a ghost that sought to torment him. He could feel his muscles straining, trying to work, but every flex was like lifting a thousand-pound weight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe fingernail ripped off, and the sharp pain that shot down his arm was like burning electricity. He cried out between clenched teeth, and the ghost dropped his hand, pressing down over his face.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHe saw the mouth open, broken and stained teeth coming for his face, and he froze as the ghost’s gaping jaws settled over his left eye. He didn’t dare move as the ghost stopped, not following through on its threat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe world had gone black over Shane’s eye. He felt cold teeth like icicles, and the air coming from the ghost’s mouth threatened to freeze his eyeball. All he had to do was clamp down, and he’d bite into Shane’s cheek and eyebrow. If he had enough force, he’d be able to bite Shane’s eye right from his face.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe humming began again, and Shane held as still as a statue. He didn’t understand what the ghost was doing or why, but it was too powerful for him to fight in his condition. He needed more time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eWith a silent anger twisting in his gut, Shane relaxed completely. He let his arms go limp and lay there, not struggling or defending himself.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe spirit stayed where he was, pressed against Shane’s body, mouth locked over his eye socket. Shane felt something probe his face, cold and sloppy. The ghost’s tongue pushed into his eye socket, plunging into the corner, and then sliding across the eye’s surface like a slug. Shane clenched his jaw but didn’t resist.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eHe sensed the ghost was waiting to punish him for fighting back. It was like Dr. Loomis himself, expecting Shane to act a certain way so he could be corrected in whatever brutal manner he found appropriate. Shane would not play this round.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe ghost stopped humming and slowly pulled away. The tangle of hair hung between them, tickling Shane’s face. In the darkness, Shane could barely make out the spirit’s expression, but it seemed emotionless. It was neither pleased nor disappointed. It was blank and unreadable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe sliced eyes stared into Shane’s, and the ghost produced a curious sound the way a dog might when confronted with something unexpected. Shane made no sound and did not move.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eThe ghost began humming again as it slipped away, slowly and awkwardly walking backward toward the door. Shane didn’t turn his head to watch him go.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin: 0in; text-indent: .3in; font-size: 16px; font-family: 'Georgia',serif;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black; background: white;\"\u003eClick.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49877833122071,"sku":"9798894762777","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49850578206999,"sku":"gr3e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49850578239767,"sku":"gr3","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_VengeancefromBeyond_FF.jpg?v=1732286072"},{"product_id":"frank2","title":"Haunted Secrets: Tales of Frank Benedict Vol. 2","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1A0iftcxvKKEkvqu74CSh-y90VotQuGps\/preview\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eMore Chills Await as Frank Benedict Goes Deeper into the Unknown… \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrank Benedict has devoted his life to mediating between the living and the dead. With his deep sense of compassion, he helps spirits find peace and provide closure for those they leave behind.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow Frank as he goes undercover in a nursing home, investigates the haunting of a modern office building, and meets unlikely allies in an idyllic coastal village.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese stories explore the challenges of confronting the unknown and the resolve it takes to bring peace to the restless.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHaunted Secrets: Tales of Frank Benedict Vol. 2\u003c\/em\u003e is now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003enumber of pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e3 hours and 09 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e979-8-89476-079-7\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003eDecember 9, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" focusable=\"false\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 16pt; margin-bottom: 4pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: 'Tenor Sans',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAngel of Death\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEssex Gardens had suffered one of the worst public relations nightmares in history. The once-lauded retirement community near Stamford, Connecticut, was meant to be an assisted living facility for the elderly with round-the-clock medical care, high-quality facilities, and a caring staff.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIts ads tugged at people's heartstrings and were meant to assure you that your elderly loved one would not just be looked after but have fun and feel accepted. They would make friends, engage in activities, and be cared for non-stop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIn many ways, all of this was true. The Essex Gardens facility was very clean and advanced, and it offered a lot of great perks for residents. Most of the staff was incredibly courteous, skilled, and well-liked. There was even a James Beard Award-winning chef who managed the dietary restrictions of the residents while ensuring the food was still delicious.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was a reason, however, for the saying about one bad apple spoiling the bunch. In the case of Essex Gardens, the bad apple was devastating.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDr. Gregory Pasternak had been accused of murder. It's a cold, hard, fact that many people die in retirement homes. These facilities exist with everyone fully aware that, for most residents, this will be the last place they would live in. Death is inevitable and expected. Dr. Pasternak took advantage of that reality to his end.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe story made international headlines after the county coroner noticed a pattern. Dr. Pasternak’s patients tended to die with a greater regularity than those overseen by other doctors. Dr. Pasternak was also signing off on a lot of cremation certificates that he needed another doctor to cosign for.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAn investigation began while Pasternak was still working at the facility. The police were involved, as it seemed there was evidence Pasternak might have been behind the deaths of as many as fifty patients over the past seven years.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmazingly, the police concluded that there was not enough evidence to charge Pasternak with a crime. Given that all the bodies had been cremated, no formal complaints had been made, and they could pinpoint no motive, they could make nothing stick. This was when things went wrong for Pasternak.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eEither because he had grown extremely smug or because his madness was just so profound, Pasternak continued killing patients. Three more died under his care in the next two months.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBecause the coroner had already had suspicions from the first investigation, the new patients who died were investigated more thoroughly. While Pasternak had signed off their death certificates, listing a cause that fit the symptoms, the coroner dug a little deeper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eToxicology tests determined that each of the new victims had diamorphine in their bodies. One victim’s cause of death was listed as cancer, one as cardiac arrest, and one was chalked up to old age. The administration of a serious painkiller, in large doses, was too much to overlook.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDr. Pasternak claimed that he had not administered a fatal dose of drugs to any of the patients, but he was the last person to see them alive, and he was the person who signed off on their cause of death.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAfter the police arrested him, the story became even more sensational when he made his first public statement with his lawyer outside of the police station. Right on the steps, with cameras in his face and microphones lined up, Dr. Gregory Pasternak claimed innocence and put the blame on someone else inside Essex Gardens. He claimed a ghost had done it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe press had a field day with his statement, and pundits on various news shows argued the merits of his apparent attempt to lay the groundwork for an insanity defense.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo one believed him, but no one could understand why he had said it in the first place. Some questioned his lawyer, some questioned him, and some speculated he was trying to set the stage for a mistrial or another technicality to get himself off while making the whole thing into a callous circus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrank Benedict thought there was some merit to what the man said. He'd had an experience with a ghost who had doled out its perverse form of mercy by killing hospital patients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrank didn't necessarily think Dr. Pasternak was innocent. He had signed the death certificates and rushed the bodies through cremation, and regardless of whether he committed the murders or not, he had to have been complicit. He said he knew a ghost did it, and he could not have known that unless he’d seen it. To only come out with it after the fact suggested some level of involvement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe issue was that, if Pasternak was telling the truth, someone else was also responsible. No one would look into it, and really, no one could. The police were not going to arrest a ghost at a retirement home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBut even if Pasternak was convicted and sent to prison, there could still be a ghost at the facility. Maybe it would not kill any of the patients on its own, but maybe it would. Maybe it would rope in another doctor. Frank had to find out for sure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDespite the terrible blow the story had struck, the facility didn't close. Numerous residents had been on a waiting list for years to get inside. The cost was high, reflecting the perceived value. For many, there was no alternative.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo one wanted to be put on a waiting list somewhere else, and there was nowhere to go in the interim. The average family was not able to care for its elderly relative in their home. The doctor had been arrested, and that was reassurance enough for many that the facility was now safe.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe news also affected the staff, though. Some people did not want to be associated with an elder-care facility that was full of ghosts and murderers. It was a blight on the resume of most, especially those who were new to the field and felt they couldn’t use the place as a reference or rely on the experience to get them ahead. A lot of people quit, and that left openings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Mr. Benedict,” a woman in a business suit said, entering the lobby only minutes after Frank checked in at reception. She was taller than him and looked very serious, but sounded friendly enough as she extended her hand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Mrs. Albright?” he replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes, call me Carol. A pleasure to meet you. So, you’re looking for a placement on our nursing staff?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yes. I was a military medic for years and have been looking for something closer to home,” he lied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrank would have preferred to tell the truth, but he was fairly certain no one at the facility would allow him to search for a murderous ghost. If anything, they would be desperate to put the bad news behind them and pretend like nothing had happened.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well, our head of human resources is just finishing up with some meetings, but while we wait for her, let me show you around.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMrs. Albright walked Frank through the facility, showing off common areas where residents were doing crafts, watching television, playing cards, and socializing. She took him through some of the outdoor areas, physical therapy rooms, a spa, a dining room, and patient rooms.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe rattled off statistics about how many residents called the facility home, how successful it was in treating various conditions, feedback from residents on happiness and satisfaction, and everything Frank would have expected her to tell him. Naturally, she did not mention a word about what had happened, even though it was still in the news.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fact that she was the facility’s administrator and had taken the time to give him a personal tour meant that the situation was probably more dire than Frank first thought. They were desperate for staff, and she was trying to sell the place to him, rather than the other way around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBy the time Frank met with HR for his interview, Mrs. Albright seemed sold on him. He had already forwarded his resume, and the interview, which Mrs. Albright sat in on, was one of the most softball experiences he'd ever been through. They offered him the job within a half-hour.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrank arrived the next day for training. He was shown around by an enthusiastic young man named Barry who gave him a much more in-depth look at how the facility ran.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Can I ask you something?” Frank asked as they broke for their lunch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had been observing the facility closely the entire morning and had seen no sign of a spirit, but that didn’t mean there was nothing to see.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Pasternak?” Barry asked after lowering his voice and looking around. They were eating in the staff lounge, and only a janitor and a porter were in there with them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah. You believe his story?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBarry took a sip of a Coke through a straw and leaned in closer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“The ghost stuff? You believe in that?” Barry asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I believe in ghosts, yeah,” Frank replied.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBarry looked around again. Neither of the other men had looked in their direction.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Me too! Man, you don’t want to talk about that here; trust me. Albright will write you up in a second if she even thinks you might go home and watch the movie Ghostbusters. You don’t talk about that or Pasternak where anyone can hear.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Right,” Frank said, eating a sandwich he’d brought from home. “But what do you think?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Hell, man, I’ve seen it.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“You saw… the ghost?” Frank asked. The other man nodded and ate some chips from a bag.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve seen it, half the nurses have seen it, and I bet you five bucks Albright has, too.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Where?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Everywhere. Likes the patient rooms and the garden the most, but it turns up in hallways, the laundry, you name it. You don’t want to run into it alone, though.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it dangerous, like Pasternak says?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Do I think it’s the real killer, you mean?” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49911995531543,"sku":"9798894760797","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49911995564311,"sku":"frank2e","price":3.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49911995597079,"sku":"frank2","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Frankvol.2_FF.jpg?v=1733241513"},{"product_id":"shadow1","title":"The Shadow Hunt: The Shadow Hunt Series Book 1","description":"\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1qBkYAk9vV6V93uWEog1g2sEoDbsMfMIi\/preview\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhen  hunter  battles  hunter,  the  ultimate  evil  is unleashed…\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGhost hunter and retired Marine Shane Ryan has faced every form of supernatural terror imaginable, and he’s lived to tell the tale. But there are other hunters out there, and not all share Ryan’s brutal but fair moral code…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen a desperate ghost begs James Moran for help, the occult expert calls in Shane Ryan. As Shane investigates the murder of one of Moran’s former clients, he soon finds himself on a collision course with Beatrix, a ruthless rival ghost hunter. And to make matters worse, Beatrix seems to share Shane’s mysterious abilities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFacing off against the cunning woman, Shane must navigate a treacherous landscape of buried secrets and bone-chilling terror. It’s hunter versus hunter; in a deadly game of hide and seek.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut Beatrix has an ace up her sleeve, a sadistic spirit who feeds off pain and suffering. Can Shane defeat both of these powerful enemies, before they unleash a wave of bloodshed?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr has the world’s greatest ghost hunter finally met his match…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 137.2px;\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRINT LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e197 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIO LENGTH\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e7 hours and 36 minutes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePRODUCT DIMENSION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e6 x 0.5 x 9 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003e979-8-89476-281-4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLANGUAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePUBLICATION DATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eDecember 19, 2024\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: center; margin-top: 24pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Tenor Sans',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePrologue\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDroplets of blood splattered on the floor. Each one hit with a gentle thwap like a fat drop of rain. Solomon was trying to be quiet, but the flow of blood was not something he could control. The only way to silence it would be to slow down, and he could not slow down.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSometimes, during a storm, the wind found its way through warped wood and moaned down the wide, empty hallways. It wound through cracks and crevices and groaned like a disembodied voice while the whole house creaked and shifted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo storm raged outside that night. No wind snaked in through forgotten holes in walls to give voice to the empty passages and dusty rooms. It should have been quiet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSolomon paused to listen, the flow of the blood from his wounds running down his body and saturating his clothes. Footsteps in the distance caused the distended floors to creak and squeal. The weight of a body sliding the wood up and down rusty nails was like an abrupt, inhuman shriek. Solomon waited as still as a statue, listening to where the sound came from and, more importantly, where it was going.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe noise of old hinges screaming as a door was opened in the opposite direction caused him to whip his head back. They were on both sides of him now. He was running out of places to go.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSolomon quietly made his way down an empty, unlit hallway to a set of stairs. He didn’t want to risk leaving the house and exposing himself in the yard outside. He feared they would see him from the window, or that they had left someone outside to keep watch. The people pursuing him were thorough and relentless.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe basement of the house was pitch black. The power hadn’t worked in years, and there were no windows. There was one way in and one way out. All he had to do was stay out of sight until they were gone. He could hide from them down there. There were a hundred shadows, a hundred more dark corners, and concealed places. He could hide from the devil himself down there.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe descended the steps without a sound. He was like a shadow, unseen and unheard. They would eventually come looking for him, but if he stayed hidden, they would give up. They had to.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomething thumped, and the sound was much closer than he expected. They would reach the stairs soon, and he needed to be elsewhere. He was good at hiding. They knew that, though.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe basement was partially finished. There were many rooms down there and a maze of hallways were littered with clutter. It had become something of a dump over the years, the forgotten corner of a forgotten spot, layered with memories of a dozen people’s lives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe basement dated from a time when nobody had basements. Before the invention of the steam shovel, it was almost unheard of for someone to dig out a foundation under their home. It must have taken many laborers weeks to clear the space under the house when it was built.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis was no mere root cellar. This was a fully functional floor with stone walls. It was made with a purpose. Later owners had no idea what that purpose was, but Solomon knew. Dark intent was worked into the building’s structure from the ground up. He knew the basement was a good place to hide because it had been built as a place to hide things.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBoxes were stacked to the ceiling in some places, and there were shelves full of ancient lamps, dusty dinner sets, rusted tools, and crumbling books. Other corners were piled with decayed heaps of fabric, what had once been drapes and tablecloths and even tapestries. A fortune of ruin had been hidden away in the darkness, now home to dust and mildew and memories no one remembered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSolomon weaved through the detritus looking for a spot where no one would think to look. A furnace was down there somewhere, and a well that was hundreds of years old. Hidden away behind a secret shelf, there was even a room where the stone walls had long ago been stained brown with the blood of too many people whose screams were never heard by those upstairs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMore hinges screamed, the door at the top of the basement stairs this time. Solomon moved faster, his eyes searching in the blackness of that horrible place until he settled on a passage that allowed for quick movement between rooms when someone didn’t want to be seen. A secret passage once used to give a person the ability to spy unseen on the occupants down there.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSolomon crouched low and hid as best as he could. No one would know where to find him. No one alive knew of the passages, nor had anyone known about them for a century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe heard the creak of footsteps coming down the stairs. Heavy feet, straining the wood as they descended. The stairs were weak and had not seen much use in decades.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTwo people, Solomon thought. Maybe a third. He was unsure how many were in the house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce in the basement, they moved about quietly. The stone floor offered little opportunity for Solomon to hear his pursuers coming. He had to trust that they would have no luck in their hunt. He hadn’t left a trail; he never did. He hadn’t understood how they’d tracked him so far. How they’d tracked any of them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSolomon strained to hear them. The hidden passage muffled sound, the thick stone providing insulation from the outer world in more ways than one. He had to trust that he would be fine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was alone now for the first time in a very long time. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been by himself. The image refused to come to his mind. There was no time or place he could recall when he had been alone. The others had always been with him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThere was a time when he wasn’t in the house. He knew it in the way he knew the sun was on the other side of the world at night. Because he’d been told and because it made sense. But he had no proof. He had no firsthand experience. He couldn’t remember ever being anywhere else. Not anymore.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomething metallic tapped on a wall. Solomon resisted the urge to move. Fear was there, buried in his gut like a living thing. He wanted to flee, to run from the house and across the yard to the distant trees. He wanted to run until he found that sun on the far side of the world, in some distant land he’d only read about long in the past. But that could never be. He was trapped.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe metallic thing tapped again. One, two, three times, like someone testing the stone. Solomon stayed where he was and waited. They weren’t close yet. They were just looking. They were thorough; it was what they did.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWhen the strangers first arrived in the house, Solomon didn’t know who they were or what they wanted. But he had always been cautious. He wasn’t angry or confrontational. He held back and listened as they confronted Brewster.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrewster owned the house. Or he had a long time ago. He still liked to think it was palatial, a mansion worthy of fine people with good social graces and solid upbringings. He never saw it as a rundown trash heap. And he hated trespassers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eBrewster approached them right away. threatened and howled like a wild animal. And they tore his head from his body.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSolomon had not seen anything like it in all his years. It was quick and so nonchalant, like no one even cared. Brewster’s head came off like a cork in a wine bottle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eChaos erupted then, and Solomon was not the sort to waste time. He had always been quick on his feet. So he fled. One didn’t stop to ask for an explanation from people who removed heads, they just ran. So he ran.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe had heard them catch up with Lottie and how she begged for help for all of three seconds before her voice cut off with a sudden and final abruptness. He hadn’t seen her, but there was no mistaking the sound. He knew he would never see her again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThese people, whoever they were, had come to destroy everyone in the house. They came to kill; it was as simple as that. They were hunters. And now he was the only one left.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":49935712747799,"sku":"9798894762814","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK","offer_id":49935676539159,"sku":"sh1e","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"AUDIOBOOK","offer_id":49935676571927,"sku":"sh1","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_TheShadowHunt_FF.jpg?v=1733849347"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/collections\/Collection_Thumbnail__White_Paper_Back.jpg?v=1717593368","url":"https:\/\/scarestreet.com\/collections\/paperback.oembed?page=4","provider":"Scare Street","version":"1.0","type":"link"}