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"It was o," Will said, as if that should soften it "I haven’t been able to keep up with that other glove since It’s always… lost"

For once, Evie didn’t knohat to say She hadn’t really thought of her uncle as very human He was more like a textbook who occasionally remembered to put on a tie But it was clear that he was, indeed, human, with a deep wound named Rotke

"I’m sorry," she said after a pause

"Yes Well We’ve both lost someone, I suppose" Will turned the picture toward the wall

Evie’s hand sought the co she wanted to ask Will, had wanted to ask hihosts were real Only now did she feel brave enough to do so "These stories about people co with the spirits of the dead, mediums… Could you really contact someone froaze followed Evie’s hand as it held fast to the pendant at her neck "It’s best to let the dead lie in peace," he said gently

"But what if they aren’t at peace? What if they seeain and again?" Evie felt tears threatening again She’d turned into a regular orks lately She fought it "What if they’re trying to get through to you and tell you so, only you’re not quite on the trolley?"

"What if they’re trying to harm you?" Will said "Did you ever think of that?"

No She hadn’t But James? James would never hurt her Would he?

"People tend to think that hate is the erous," Will said "There arethe places and people who meant the most to thee stories"

"Unc, if you believe in ghosts and goblins--"

"I do not believe in goblins…"

"The goblinesque," Evie said, rolling her eyes "Why is it you have such trouble believing in God?"

"What sort of god would let this world happen?" he said, holding her gaze ahis pocket watch "I believe it’s just tiade Shall we catch it?"

"Sounds swell"

Will flipped on the radio Oather, there will you find Captain Nightfall and his Secret Brigade as they fight the forces of iniquity and keep the citizens of this country safe from allroom filled with sound effects andto put the wicked in their place

But it wasn’t enough to chase away the ghosts

Rain beat gently against the s The trees of Central Park boind And on the street in the dark, a whistling could be heard as John Hobbes walked the sodden blocks to the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult He passed easily into the old s, witches’ letters, and spirit photographs Mere trifles Child’s play Uainst a typhoon In two days’ time, none of it would matter, anyway But first, there ork to be done Whistling, John Hobbes visited the old library It was cloaked in night’s gloom, but he could see the untidy desk with no trouble He saw very well in the dark now First he slid open the drawer and left a s There on the desk he saw it, winking out fros That would do Yes, that would do nicely He dropped it into his pocket and left the hty John, does his ith his apron on…"

Upstairs in his bedroo, but all was quiet now, and so he rolled over and went back to sleep

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

Memphis walked the leaf-strewn streets of the Upper West Side, pulling his coat closed against the brisk breeze It was truly fall now Chi the wind The nights had weight Everything will be fine, Meet to the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult Sister Walker had told hihost to hirief and weariness But between Isaiah’s trances, Gabe’s visitation, and the dreanore, and Me on