Perception (Apparition Investigations #1)

Case #2: Hell's Gate: Part 9

I dropped by computer bag, jacket, and purse beside the front door. Not on the coat rack, like I should have, but just on the floor and out of the way. I was too tired to hang them properly. Libraries always seemed to sap me of strength.

Regardless, they began floating up to the coat rack.

"You don't have to do that," I said, watching as my jacket floated upward.

"It's good practice," Cyril said. The jacket hooked itself onto one of the bottom rungs. "Besides, I wouldn't want you to trip."

I reached down and picked up the computer bag as the purse floated upward. I placed it around on one of the back rungs. "How're things here?" I asked, very aware that I hadn't heard from Oliver yet.

Cyril knew what I meant. "He's in her bedroom. He hasn't come out all morning."

I sighed and lowered my voice. I didn't know if ghosts had sensitive hearing, but I wasn't banking on it. "Do I need to call her here?"

"No."

"Are you sure? It might cheer him up."

"It would. But then Bronte would inevitably leave once more and his mood would darken more than it currently is. No, I think it would be best to wait for her to return on her own volition. To spare him the pain of her return and subsequent departure should we rush this."

"But he's taking it out on you."

"Better me than you."

"You don't deserve it."

"No, but as a friend, I'll bear it. Then when it's passed, our friendship will be the stronger for it."

I blinked. "Wow. That's some Gandalf-level wisdom right there."

He chuckled. "It's not the first time Oliver's felt so low."

Of course. I felt like kicking myself. I kept thinking of them as Cyril-and-Oliver, the single unit who'd popped up in our apartment. They'd had lives before. Both living and dead. They'd lived other places, interacted with other humans.

There was still so much I didn't know about them.

Like their names.

God, why hadn't I even asked for their names?

"Cyril, what's your—"

My phone interrupted me. It buzzed in my pocket, my Legend of Zelda ringtone swelling to break the stillness of the apartment. "Just a second," I said, pulling it out. "Rose, I saw you like ten minutes ago."

"Fifteen. What did they say?"

I slid the phone up so that the speaker wasn't right next to my mouth. "Cyril? Rose wants to know if we can try out some equipment. What we're going to take to Hell's Gate tonight."

Despite not seeing his face, I could hear the frown in his tone. "You're going to Hell's Gate tonight?"

"Rose wants to record data at the same time Esperanza was last seen there. Maybe it'll help us find her."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"I'll be there. And so will Noah." He hesitated and I frowned. "Do you want me to tell her no?"

He sighed. "Have her come. She's welcome to bring whatever equipment she deems necessary. But I don't like the idea of you going to Hell's Gate at night—not with a child having gone missing from there."