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"He said, ‘It’s time for you to die, boy It’s time for you to die’"

Tyler’s team was efficient After Julian spoke, theyequip the others so they could rearrange the foyer in a way that would allow theht Allison seean noticed and assured her that they were being very careful

She laughed "We’re trying to solve the death of a dear friend and I’m worried about historical preservation I alilad to see, had relaxed She’d accepted the fact that she did see Julian--and that others saw him, too

That was kind of a pity, he th Now, she had her self back She was confident again Maybe this was the best scenario; she’d lost the hostility she’d had toward hiation now, and that was good They needed her

Still, it was really nice when she’d clung to hiht Sean had nearly co systeed The sofa Allison had slept on was part of the circle, along with a few of the chairs brought in froback that stood near the stairway Julian Mitchell had chosen that chair He was either being courteous or playing his part as a colonist; he waited until the woan nodded toward Tyler, since he was the lead investigator here

"Julian, what exactly happened? I went to check out the painting It’s a strange portrait, done by Tobias Dandridge He must have been an accomplished artist, and he also hated Beast Bradley, that’s for certain But I didn’t find anything about the painting that would make you think it was alive or that it hadatis painted, it always see at you But that afternoon when I sat down, it was… at ," Julian said

"Where the hell had you been all day?" Allison asked

He shrugged apologetically "Okay, so there was an audition to open for ato Philadelphia They wanted a local band, and we’d made it past the first auditions I didn’t know until that , I swear!" he told Allison "So I snuck out after lunch I came back in at the tail end of your last tour, and while you ith one of the kids, I went up to the attic to wait until it was over I heard everyone leaving and I knew you were locking up, so I slipped down to Angus’s study to talk to you and apologize and suck up If I could get you to forgive azed at Allison with yearning and hope, praying she’d forgive hiuy," the one the others turned to, the responsible one

"Everyone’s forgiven you every single time, Julian," she said quietly "This time, of course…well, everyone wants to tell you how sorry they are"

Julian let out a little sound that was like a sob

Allison reached over to touch hihosts and her hand fell--heavily--through the air She flushed and said, "We do love you, Julian, no matter what And remember, none of us is meant to stay on this earth forever"

"What then, Julian?" Tyler asked

"I was sitting back in old Angus’s chair, just waiting, and I saw so The eyes were alive, and then the painting spoke That hen I felt ony My head felt like it had been hit by a ha to scream but it was i at myself and that I wasn’t actually in myself anymore… The room was silent and I looked at the blood on the floor and I kneaswent black" He paused for aon a deep breath "I heard Ally screaainst the door Then she fumbled in her pockets for her phone and called 9-1-1 and just sat there, crying"

"Did you see anyone else?" Tyler asked "After your chin fell on the bayonet and you started bleeding to dea--" He stopped abruptly "Was there anyone else in the roo to death I’m dead No way out of it No, I didn’t see anyone It was as if I couldn’t look away fro--I think I sensed so around the desk to the door into the music rooan asked hiuess it had to be Beast Bradley, right? I was looking at his picture"

"Pictures don’t kill," Allison insisted

"Nor do the spirits of those who haunt a house," Tyler said "They can create ill will, they can make a place unco and force your head down on a bayonet Not that I know of"

"In our experience," Logan explained to Julian, "it’s hu"

"There was so," Julian said stubbornly

"Let’s get the painting," Allison suggested

Tyler looked at her, surprised that she was going to condone taking down a historic piece of art

Then again, sitting next to a ghost could change a person’s et it," Sean said "Carefully," he added, s at Allison