Apollo's Ghost-Hunting Daughter

Chapter 6

The National Newspaper Archives were a daunting place. The sheer amount of information was incomprehensible, which made digging for the right scrap all the more difficult. Luckily, Kipps and DEPRAC had been working with one of the curators and had turned up plenty of information for us to review. Kipps and his team had been here the past few days, and were waiting for us on the third floor, where a proper round of introductions were made. Despite the setback at Grimble Lodging House, we were just moments behind them.

"We grabbed some tables over there," Bobby Vernon said, gesturing with the massive clipboard in his hand. He was thriving in his element.

Kat Godwin and Ned Shaw seemed much less enthusiastic, but they each were each laden with books and photocopies. We closed in around three tables set in a U shape, which were littered with books from someone else's research project.

"I don't understand why people can't be bothered to pick up after themselves," Vernon commented, gathering up some of the texts.

I stepped forward to help, picking up one of the texts, which had been left open.

"Or why someone would care about ancient Mycenean shipping records," I added, scanning a full-page photograph of crumbling clay tablets, etched with symbols.

I was met with four confused expressions.

"You understand Ancient Mycenean Greek?" Bobby Vernon asked, and I managed not to wince, although, mentally, I was kicking myself for such carelessness.

"Just a little," I said flippantly, handing him the book.

"English, Gaelic, Ancient Greek...any other languages we should know about?" Kipps asked, selecting his own chair and setting down a stack of documents.

"I know some conversational French and I've been working on my Welsh," I said.

"Whatever for?"

"I've always had an ear for language, especially in song. But enough about that. What's your process? How do you typically approach a case?" I asked, choosing the seat beside Kat.

"Research," Kipps said. "We don't enter a house unless we know the history, and that is especially true with this case. We've been digging up information for the past few days. I was hoping to finally set foot on the property this afternoon, just to get a lay of the land. This is one that I don't want to approach lightly, especially since it was just past dusk when the boy was ghost-touched. I do not anticipate doing anything tonight. I'm aiming for tomorrow night."

"And the research thus far?"

Kipps turned to Vernon, who consulted with the massive clipboard. How the clip managed to contain the sheer volume of papers defied every scientific concept known to man.

"The house itself was built in the late nineteenth century on top of a property that, according to our research, burned down. The family was trapped inside, and five people died. The culprit was the second born son who was arrested and hanged. The motive was money, because his brother was going to inherit his parents' fortunes and title."

"Let me stop you really fast," I said, turning to Kipps. "That information right there is enough to tell me that no matter what we do, the house will be a magnet for terrible events. Even if we manage to clear out all the Sources, with something that potent literally beneath the floorboards, it will cause more events like this to happen. I'm surprised DEPRAC hasn't razed the property yet and buried it in salt and iron."

"That's what I said to Ewing, but there is someone on the historical society that is pushing for the house to be kept intact. It's out of our hands. If we remove the Sources and can prove that the house is still unsafe, then they'll have no choice but to raze it. Until then, they're maintaining hope that the haunting will clear once the Sources are gone."