turned bright red, because I felt fiery warmth spread across my cheeks. All three women, and Ali-G, were looking at me in a way that let me know my transgression didn’t go unnoticed. At least by them. Tom and Tony, both boorish in nature, seemed oblivious.
Great. Just lump me in with the two Neanderthals in the group. Nothing like a slip of the tongue to hasten de-evolution. I resolved right then to do a better job of keeping my mouth shut until safe to open it again. At least in the presence of said company.
“ We could review the images from Jimmy’s photographs, but I’m afraid they are less conclusive than what Justin captured,” said Tom. “Tony’s results proved inconclusive as well.”
“ So, I guess that’s it for the preliminary run-through,” concluded Fiona, placing Justin’s photographs back inside the pack and returning it to Tom. “At least I’ll have something to offer Charlain when we chat this weekend.”
She complimented Tom again about his nice set up, and turned to leave the studio. But, so soon? Maybe she and the girls really did have some clubbing plans. As for me, I needed to leave in the next few minutes, as eight-thirty rapidly approached.
“ Wait a second,” said Tony, whirling around in his chair. “What about the shadow person we caught just before we left last night?”
“ Yes, I almost forgot!” Tom’s excitement peaked. I’m sure he’d kick himself later for the near-oversight. “It should only take a moment to get there, since we caught the figure using the infrared camera. It’s near the end of the video clip currently queued up.”
He was right. It took less than a minute, and since no one had previously viewed this video segment on Tom’s big screen, our collective amazement proved to be the most profound.
“ The figure looks so real…guys, I don’t think that’s a shadow person,” observed Jackie, squinting as if that’d help her see it more clearly.
“ I have to agree,” said Fiona, her suspicion evident in her tone. “Classic phantoms of this genre are featureless, completely. I can see the silver clip on the belt…and it looks like the figure is wearing a complete mask, like what I told Jimmy about earlier today.”
They all looked at her and then me. She held me in her gaze as well, probably wondering how much detail I left out from last night’s investigation. Perhaps she’s a little more irritated with me now, since it might’ve helped her define the images she psychically picked up from Dickey’s office earlier today.
“ It does look like some ninja dude,” I observed, feeling the growing weight of everyone’s stares. “Or—”
“ It could be a female,” offered Angie, drawing some of the attention away from me, thank God. She shrugged her shoulders in indifference. “Look at the figure...svelte in build. Granted, the person’s crouched in the bushes, and maybe it’s other shadows across the chest, but….”
“ She’s got boobs,” said Jackie, picking up where Angie left off.
“ I’m not so sure,” Fiona advised, shaking her head. “If that’s an actual phantom and not physically tangible, then maybe it is female. But if it’s somebody among the living…someone who followed you guys to the investigation, then I’m still convinced a male is involved here. Whoever killed my friends— our friends, since ya’ll have gotten to know them too—is a male. A bitterly angry guy.”
Just as she finished talking, a loud noise resounded from the house. At least that’s where I thought it came from, since it sounded like something heavy crashed onto the kitchen floor. Hearing anything outside the studio would’ve been impossible, given the main room’s thick insulation, if Tom hadn’t left the main door open ajar.
The color drained from his face, and I wasn’t sure he’d escape a real heart attack this time. Nor could I believe how quickly he clambered out of his chair and raced back to the house, with the rest of
Great. Just lump me in with the two Neanderthals in the group. Nothing like a slip of the tongue to hasten de-evolution. I resolved right then to do a better job of keeping my mouth shut until safe to open it again. At least in the presence of said company.
“ We could review the images from Jimmy’s photographs, but I’m afraid they are less conclusive than what Justin captured,” said Tom. “Tony’s results proved inconclusive as well.”
“ So, I guess that’s it for the preliminary run-through,” concluded Fiona, placing Justin’s photographs back inside the pack and returning it to Tom. “At least I’ll have something to offer Charlain when we chat this weekend.”
She complimented Tom again about his nice set up, and turned to leave the studio. But, so soon? Maybe she and the girls really did have some clubbing plans. As for me, I needed to leave in the next few minutes, as eight-thirty rapidly approached.
“ Wait a second,” said Tony, whirling around in his chair. “What about the shadow person we caught just before we left last night?”
“ Yes, I almost forgot!” Tom’s excitement peaked. I’m sure he’d kick himself later for the near-oversight. “It should only take a moment to get there, since we caught the figure using the infrared camera. It’s near the end of the video clip currently queued up.”
He was right. It took less than a minute, and since no one had previously viewed this video segment on Tom’s big screen, our collective amazement proved to be the most profound.
“ The figure looks so real…guys, I don’t think that’s a shadow person,” observed Jackie, squinting as if that’d help her see it more clearly.
“ I have to agree,” said Fiona, her suspicion evident in her tone. “Classic phantoms of this genre are featureless, completely. I can see the silver clip on the belt…and it looks like the figure is wearing a complete mask, like what I told Jimmy about earlier today.”
They all looked at her and then me. She held me in her gaze as well, probably wondering how much detail I left out from last night’s investigation. Perhaps she’s a little more irritated with me now, since it might’ve helped her define the images she psychically picked up from Dickey’s office earlier today.
“ It does look like some ninja dude,” I observed, feeling the growing weight of everyone’s stares. “Or—”
“ It could be a female,” offered Angie, drawing some of the attention away from me, thank God. She shrugged her shoulders in indifference. “Look at the figure...svelte in build. Granted, the person’s crouched in the bushes, and maybe it’s other shadows across the chest, but….”
“ She’s got boobs,” said Jackie, picking up where Angie left off.
“ I’m not so sure,” Fiona advised, shaking her head. “If that’s an actual phantom and not physically tangible, then maybe it is female. But if it’s somebody among the living…someone who followed you guys to the investigation, then I’m still convinced a male is involved here. Whoever killed my friends— our friends, since ya’ll have gotten to know them too—is a male. A bitterly angry guy.”
Just as she finished talking, a loud noise resounded from the house. At least that’s where I thought it came from, since it sounded like something heavy crashed onto the kitchen floor. Hearing anything outside the studio would’ve been impossible, given the main room’s thick insulation, if Tom hadn’t left the main door open ajar.
The color drained from his face, and I wasn’t sure he’d escape a real heart attack this time. Nor could I believe how quickly he clambered out of his chair and raced back to the house, with the rest of
Similar Books
