I stared at him. This entire fiasco just kept getting better and better. Noah had me by the short-and-curlies at every freaking turn. “You mean, like, getting-possessed-by-my-asshole-dead-relative losing time?”
“I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “But there have been a couple of times I’ve been somewhere and not known how I got there.”
“Did you happen to have a dusty old corpse in your hands one of those times?”
He hesitated, as though he were actually trying to remember. I didn’t know whether to smack him or feel sorry for him. “No, but once I came out of it in the woods behind my grandmother’s house, and another time I was in Paugussett.”
“The state forest?”
“Yeah.”
I stared at him. “Dude, that place is huge. It’s like a thousand acres.”
“More like eight hundred, and that’s only on one side of the river. I came to in my car, so I don’t even know what I was doing there.”
I stared at the stained satin lining of Noah’s casket. Douche-bag ooze, yummy.
Suddenly, the coffin lid slammed shut, and Kevin brought both of his fists down hard upon the aged wood. “Son of a bitch!”
I flinched as grave dust flew, but I let him get his aggression out. I knew how it felt, and I wasn’t going to get in the way of that. I mean, if I’d found out some ghost had been using me as its personal meat suit, I’d be pissed, too. Wren had taken me over once without my knowledge—I’d been unconscious at the time—and that was enough of a pisser, even though she’d done it for good reason.
By the time Kevin had gotten his rage out, he was sweating and dirty, and the casket was still pretty much intact—they made those things sturdy.
“So,” I began, keeping my voice as neutral as possible. “You know anyone who does hypnosis?”
He had his hands braced on the coffin. His knuckles were bloody, and when he turned his face toward me, he stared at me through a mess of curls. You know, he was kinda cute when he was mad. I could see why Wren had a crush.
And right now I’d so prefer her pining over Kevin than dating a seemingly brilliant, villainous dead guy powerful enough to possess his descendants to the point of complete takeover.
“No. Well, maybe Chuck.”
Chuck was a weird guy who sold us iron rings and could see Wren but couldn’t talk with her. He seemed a little too...stoned to be of much help. But we were in a tight spot. “Call him.”
Kevin took out his cell and swiped his finger across the screen. A few seconds later he spoke. “Hey, Chuck. It’s Kevin McCrae. Give me a call. I need to ask you a question.”
“Of course you got voice mail,” I moaned. “I’m losing more ground than I’m making. Come Halloween night I’m just going to be ripped apart by ghosts and not be able to do a single thing about it.”
“Wren wouldn’t let that happen.”
I shook my head at the certainty in his voice. “She’s not herself lately.”
“She likes him.”
“Yeah, well, she has rotten taste in guys—except for you, of course.”
He actually smiled at me. “Flatterer.” His smile faded. “I won’t let him rip you apart.”
Now I was the one who smiled. “Thanks. I guess we should get out of here before any of your other ancestors get curious and want to try you on.”
“Good idea.” We shoved the empty casket back into its notch and shut the door.
As we walked out into the darkening day, I said, “You know, it’s funny. Wren and I have been back in town since the end of August. We grew up here, and this is the first time I’ve even heard of Noah.”
“So?” Kevin pushed hair out of his eyes and slipped the lock into place. “I’ve been here my whole life and never heard of Josiah Bent.”
“Yes, but you knew about Wren. And we’ve been to Haven Crest a few times now. I guess I just think it’s weird that Noah chose the week of Halloween to suddenly appear and sweep my sister off her feet—and try walking in yours.”
Behind his glasses, Kevin’s bright blue eyes narrowed. “You think he planned it?”
I realized that it made me sound paranoid, but, hey, my paranoia had served me well in the past. “He’s had his remains moved. That’s a pretty good indication that he’s up to no good. And, yeah, I think he did plan it. He didn’t even let on he knew who you were when he asked Wren about you. I think knowing you’re our friend gave him a little extra thrill when he possessed you and made you work against us.”
“Bastard.”
“Exactly. He needs Wren to take his revenge against Emily—our ancestor who was like me. She told me that Noah has her imprisoned somehow. He blames her for sending his sister’s spirit on. She says he committed suicide so that he could become a vengeful spirit and get a little payback. He was like you—a medium. Apparently you guys can get really bitchy after you die.”
Kevin shoved his hands in his pockets as we walked along the gravel path. “So, what you’re saying is that our ancestors have bad blood between them.”
“Yup. You and Wren are a regular Romeo and Juliet, except that she’s already dead.”