sighing.
“Not by much, I’d wager,” Luke said. “Give it a year or two, James. You two will be good for each other.”
The three of them looked at Luke curiously, and the old man must have felt it. He grinned and said, “Some things, you just know.”
They stayed quiet for the few minutes it took for Lisa to get back with the drinks, but once she did, Reverend Joe spoke.
“The skulls are in the Church,” he said, repeating what the ghost of Jonathan Boyd had told them. “We need to find them.”
“Not only find them,” Brian said, “but we need to get saké as well.”
“Where are we going to get saké?” Luke asked.
Before Brian could answer, Jim asked a question, “What’s saké?”
“Japanese rice liquor,” Brian said. “And I know where to get it. Most of the liquor stores carry it, but if they don’t, there’s a store down in Nashua which usually has a couple of different styles in stock. So, the saké problem is simply a logistics issue. The real concern I have is the church, the size of it. There are a lot of places where things can be hidden, or so I figure.”
The Rever end nodded. “Lots and lots of places. The challenge, unfortunately, is seeing if we can find them before the ghosts attack someone else.”
“Do you think,” Luke said, “we might be able to intercept them?”
“How so?” Brian asked.
“What if one of us, say myself, were to remain in the Church while we sought out the skulls and picked up the saké?” Luke asked.
“The only issue I see with your idea,” Brian said, “is, unless I’m wrong here, you don’t speak Japanese?”
“No,” Luke said with a frown. “I’d forgotten about the language barrier.”
“Well,” Brian said. “I’ve asked around about Japanese speakers who aren’t afraid of ghosts, and I may have found someone. I’m hopeful the person will call.”
“Could we close off the Church?” Jim asked in a low voice.
Brian looked at him, as did the Reverend.
“What do you mean, James?” Luke asked.
“The ghosts attack people in or near the Church, right?” Jim asked.
The men nodded in unison.
“So, if that’s the case,” he continued, “why not close it down? Couldn’t we pretend there’s an issue with the Church and we can’t let anyone in?”
“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders,” Brian said, nodding in appreciation. “What about it, Rev?”
“Hm,” the Rever end said, rubbing his chin. “We have a couple of meetings scheduled, but obviously, nothing we can’t shunt aside to someone’s house. We could say there’s an issue with the heating system. No one likes to be cold, especially at the end of winter. Yes. Yes, I think Jim’s plan has merit.”
Jim smiled. Luke reached out, found Jim’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Let’s get the ball rolling on the failed heating system, then,” Brian said. “And let’s not discuss this with anyone else. As soon as I get a call back from the man who speaks Japanese, I’ll need to get into the church, Reverend.”
Rever end Joe nodded. “Not an issue, Mr. Roy.”
“Luke, do you think you and Jim could start digging into Mr. Boyd’s past? Specifically, around the time he died?” Brian asked.
“What in particular are you looking for?” Luke asked.
“Anything, really,” Brian said. “I’m wondering why the ghosts have appeared now when they’ve been quiet for fifty years?”
“James and I will see what we can find,” Luke said.
“We’ll figure it out, Mr. Roy,” Jim said.
“Please,” Brian said, “all of you can call me ‘Brian.’ Let’s finish our drinks and get this solved as quickly as we can. I don’t think I’m alone in saying this is a dangerous situation. And we shouldn’t let it get any worse than this.”
With the last word out of his mouth, the Reverend’s phone rang.
Reverend Joe had a look of confusion on his face as he took the cell out of his
“Not by much, I’d wager,” Luke said. “Give it a year or two, James. You two will be good for each other.”
The three of them looked at Luke curiously, and the old man must have felt it. He grinned and said, “Some things, you just know.”
They stayed quiet for the few minutes it took for Lisa to get back with the drinks, but once she did, Reverend Joe spoke.
“The skulls are in the Church,” he said, repeating what the ghost of Jonathan Boyd had told them. “We need to find them.”
“Not only find them,” Brian said, “but we need to get saké as well.”
“Where are we going to get saké?” Luke asked.
Before Brian could answer, Jim asked a question, “What’s saké?”
“Japanese rice liquor,” Brian said. “And I know where to get it. Most of the liquor stores carry it, but if they don’t, there’s a store down in Nashua which usually has a couple of different styles in stock. So, the saké problem is simply a logistics issue. The real concern I have is the church, the size of it. There are a lot of places where things can be hidden, or so I figure.”
The Rever end nodded. “Lots and lots of places. The challenge, unfortunately, is seeing if we can find them before the ghosts attack someone else.”
“Do you think,” Luke said, “we might be able to intercept them?”
“How so?” Brian asked.
“What if one of us, say myself, were to remain in the Church while we sought out the skulls and picked up the saké?” Luke asked.
“The only issue I see with your idea,” Brian said, “is, unless I’m wrong here, you don’t speak Japanese?”
“No,” Luke said with a frown. “I’d forgotten about the language barrier.”
“Well,” Brian said. “I’ve asked around about Japanese speakers who aren’t afraid of ghosts, and I may have found someone. I’m hopeful the person will call.”
“Could we close off the Church?” Jim asked in a low voice.
Brian looked at him, as did the Reverend.
“What do you mean, James?” Luke asked.
“The ghosts attack people in or near the Church, right?” Jim asked.
The men nodded in unison.
“So, if that’s the case,” he continued, “why not close it down? Couldn’t we pretend there’s an issue with the Church and we can’t let anyone in?”
“You’ve got a good head on your shoulders,” Brian said, nodding in appreciation. “What about it, Rev?”
“Hm,” the Rever end said, rubbing his chin. “We have a couple of meetings scheduled, but obviously, nothing we can’t shunt aside to someone’s house. We could say there’s an issue with the heating system. No one likes to be cold, especially at the end of winter. Yes. Yes, I think Jim’s plan has merit.”
Jim smiled. Luke reached out, found Jim’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Let’s get the ball rolling on the failed heating system, then,” Brian said. “And let’s not discuss this with anyone else. As soon as I get a call back from the man who speaks Japanese, I’ll need to get into the church, Reverend.”
Rever end Joe nodded. “Not an issue, Mr. Roy.”
“Luke, do you think you and Jim could start digging into Mr. Boyd’s past? Specifically, around the time he died?” Brian asked.
“What in particular are you looking for?” Luke asked.
“Anything, really,” Brian said. “I’m wondering why the ghosts have appeared now when they’ve been quiet for fifty years?”
“James and I will see what we can find,” Luke said.
“We’ll figure it out, Mr. Roy,” Jim said.
“Please,” Brian said, “all of you can call me ‘Brian.’ Let’s finish our drinks and get this solved as quickly as we can. I don’t think I’m alone in saying this is a dangerous situation. And we shouldn’t let it get any worse than this.”
With the last word out of his mouth, the Reverend’s phone rang.
Reverend Joe had a look of confusion on his face as he took the cell out of his
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