Free Arcane Society Story 01 - The Scargill Cove Case Files by Jayne Ann Krentz Page A

who claims to speak to the dead. Can’t waste my time.
    Fitch said he’s not hiring me to get rid of a ghost. Just wants to know what happened.
    Something about Fitch. May be a low-grade sensitive who really is picking up on some bad energy.
    Still digging my way out from under the Hawaii case but told Fitch I’d take the job. Probably a mistake.
    This is a small town. If I refused the Fitch case, people would talk. Fitch might bring in an outside investigator. Not good.

July 15
    Up all night again. Probably can’t go on like this indefinitely. Maybe I do need an assistant.
    Getting low on coffee. Got to remember to pick up some more soon.
    Another report of a body found near a campground. Same MO. J&J agent says it’s a rogue. Like I needed a psychic serial killer problem.
    J&J will have to deal with the rogue. Regular law enforcement doesn’t stand a chance against guys like that.
    Regular law enforcement won’t even admit there is such a thing as the paranormal, let alone killers with psychic talents.

July 17
    Crashed last night. Fell asleep at the computer in the middle of reading the new classified report on the Nightshade case.
    Promised Fitch I’d stop by his bookstore today. Don’t have time for this. Should focus on Nightshade and the rogue.
    Need more agents. Like that’s gonna happen. J&J isn’t the CIA or the FBI. Don’t have unlimited resources.
    The rogue struck again. Another campground, another body. I’ll call the illusion-talent in Seattle. Guy gives me chills but he gets the job done. Sometimes it takes a killer to catch a killer.
    Went to see Fitch. Pretty sure now that he’s got some talent. Probably doesn’t know it yet, himself. He’s right. Bad vibes in that store.
    Back in the office with a cup of coffee. Thinking about Fitch. No such thing as ghosts but violence always leaves a psychic stain.
    Illusion-talent took the job. Same arrangement as last time. He deals with the rogue and I don’t ask any questions. Works for us.
    It’s raining but I’m going to take a walk on the beach. Need to clear my head.
    Only enough coffee left for one more pot. Got to remember to pick up some at the store.

July 20
    Just got off the phone with Zack. Knew he’d be a problem once they made him Master of the Society. Always demanding status reports.
    Should focus on Nightshade but I keep coming back to the Fitch case. Need to do some research on the former owner of the bookstore.
    Ran out of coffee. Going across the street to the Sunshine Café. Lousy coffee but it’s not like there’s a lot of choice in this burg.
    Marge at the Sunshine says Jenny the waitress just quit. Marge is looking for new counter help.
    Marge and I talked about how to find reliable help in a small town like Scargill Cove. Neither of us had any good ideas.
    Marge and I also talked about Fitch. She says she doesn’t think he’s been in the book business very long. Something about the guy.
    I asked Marge what she knew about Hooker, the guy who used to own the bookstore. Marge didn’t know much.
    The thing about Scargill Cove is that it’s one of those edge-of-the-coast towns filled with folks who don’t fit in anywhere else. Like me.
    In places like Scargill Cove you don’t ask questions about peoples’ pasts. Bad manners. Also dangerous.
    All Marge could tell me was that Hooker had arrived in town ten years ago and opened the bookstore. A loner.
    I’ve been in town for a while now, and I went into the bookstore only twice. Don’t know any more about Hooker than Marge did.
    Went online and checked out Hooker. Got nothing, which is always interesting. Guy had no past but paid taxes on time. Uh huh.
    So now I’m curious. Who was Hooker, and why did he suddenly sell up and leave town? Or did he do either?
    Looks like Hooker handled the sale privately. No real estate agent involved. Deed recorded properly. All taxes paid.

July 21
    Asked Fitch how he found out that Hooker wanted to sell the bookstore. Fitch said he