It almost seemed that time stood still for one long moment. In reality it was only for a split-second. As Aaron collapsed, a figure in heavy skirts rushed out from a corridor on the first floor, calling to him in alarm and horror. "Aaron!"
Perry stepped aside, stunned, as Marian Stuart ran up the stairs and over to Aaron's limp form. "Marian! How did you get free?!" he exclaimed.
"What?" Marian looked up from her examination of Aaron's bleeding arm, clearly distracted. "Free? I got a note from Janet Gwynne saying she knew who was after Aaron and to meet her in her classroom, but she wasn't there. And now coming back, I saw Aaron faint because of . . . of . . ." She turned to look down the stairs, her eyes widening at the sight of Tobin Wade coming to the bottom step and looking up in concern. "Oh . . ." She swallowed hard, trembling. "No, this isn't real. This is all part of the cruel trick someone's playing. No. . . ." She looked down at her husband, who turned his head to the side and groaned.
"This is quite real," Perry said quietly. "Actually, Tobin Wade saved Aaron just now from Ellena."
"B-But you . . . you can't be alive," Marian choked out, staring at their old friend turned enemy. "You can't be!"
"I am," Tobin said, his voice also lowered. "I'm sorry, Marian. I didn't want you or Aaron to find out at all, but I knew it would happen eventually once Aaron was targeted for this outrageous scheme. I still don't know what these people are after, but I'm guessing it's something in the school or on the grounds. Maybe under the ground. Or maybe in another cruel twist of fate, they just want the property the same as I did at the old school."
Aaron's eyes fluttered. "You're not really here, Tobin," he moaned. "It's a nightmare. Everything that's happened tonight is part of that nightmare."
"It's a nightmare, alright, but it's real," Tobin answered.
"How are you alive?" Marian asked, looking to him and then back to Aaron as she worked to stop the bleeding on her husband's arm.
"You're not alive," Aaron insisted. "You were struck repeatedly with a log. No one could have survived that, not even you, Tobin."
"I didn't survive it." Tobin gripped the end of the banister, not daring to come any closer than he already was. "Yes, that log finally killed me for real. But I guess the fates thought it was more fitting that I be sent back and live again, especially after my trick of faking my death in the past."
"Explain yourself." Perry looked hard at Tobin. "Were you alive again when Aaron was on trial for your murder the second time? How was it that your body's disappearance was not discovered at the morgue?"
"I was alive then, yes," Tobin admitted. "But that time I didn't come forward because I didn't remember who I was."
Aaron groaned loudly, placing a hand over his face. "More lies, more excuses! You can't believe what he says, Perry."
"Marian." Tobin looked to Marian, who was still silent and didn't seem to know what to make of any of this. "Even after all the abominable, unforgivable things I did, you still prayed that somehow, the Tobin Wade who had been your and Aaron's friend would come back. That happened. When I was dead, your prayers reached me. I couldn't believe what I'd done or how I'd ever let myself fall so far. I knew there was nothing I could ever do to make up for how I'd betrayed you and Aaron, but I still wanted badly to help you. And . . . I was told that I would be allowed to come back. I don't know why I was given that chance when so many others aren't. But I was, with the condition that I use the time I had to make my life over and make others' lives better."
Della, still badly shaken and still being restrained by Sergeant Brice in case Ellena took over again, looked from him to the Stuarts and back again. Brice narrowed his eyes, just listening, not sure what he thought of the tale.
"And you came back with amnesia," Perry stated rather than asked. He looked doubtful.
"Well, you don't think being hit repeatedly with anything hard wouldn't cause some damage, do you?" Tobin returned.
"No, I suppose not," Perry relented. "But if you were allowed to live at all, why not heal the damage from the injuries all the way?"
"Who knows why anything happens or doesn't happen," Tobin said wryly. "I wandered for some months in that state, not knowing who I was nor having any idea that the court case in the papers was for my murder. By the way, I don't know what happened at the morgue or why nothing was said about my body disappearing. I was in such a daze when I left.
"But then my memory came back—in bits and pieces at first, then the rest all at once. I remembered what a treacherous person I was. I knew I could never face either of you again." He looked to Aaron and Marian. "You just thought I was out of your life for good. I couldn't let you know otherwise. I couldn't put that burden on you."
Aaron finally pulled himself into a shaking sitting position, with Marian's assistance. "But why, Tobin?" he exclaimed. "Why did you take on a false name and go to work at a car shop, of all places? That would have been so beneath you before."
"That's why I did it," Tobin answered. "I was afraid of money, of wealth. I was afraid I would grow greedy again if I was presented with a lucrative and pleasant job. I chose the most unpleasant thing I could think of—working with cars.
"As for the name, well . . . David in the Bible was highly favored of God, until his selfishness and greed got the better of him and he fell from grace. It sounded like a good alias for me. I came up with the last name on the spur of the moment. It doesn't really mean anything, although Solomon was David's son. And I suppose in a way, David Solomon was the offspring of Tobin Wade."
". . . What are you going to do now?" Marian asked.
"I don't know," Tobin admitted. "I should really try to communicate with Ellena and try to help her understand what's going on and that Aaron isn't at fault in any way, but it looks like Miss Street is back in control again. And the night isn't over yet. Ellena's cohorts are still out there somewhere. They probably didn't even know Ellena was going to suddenly act on her own to try to kill Aaron."
"Then . . . they'll still have their own plans," Aaron realized, sickened.
"That's right," Perry said in concern. "Pete Kelton is outside looking for them."
"So is Lieutenant Drumm," Brice worried.
"By now they could have sneaked back inside to plan their next move," Perry said grimly. "That can't be allowed."
"And we can't forget about Mrs. Stuart being led away by a note supposedly sent by Janet Gwynne," Brice spoke up.
"I can't believe she's mixed up in this," Aaron objected. "Maybe someone just signed her name."
"That's possible," Marian said. "Or what if Janet really did have information and someone found out and took her?!"
Perry stiffened. "We'll have to find her," he determined. "Do you know what she was wearing tonight?"
"I don't remember seeing her tonight," Aaron realized.
"I did, once," Marian said. "She was dressed as a witch."
Perry nodded. "Alright." He looked to the Stuarts. "The safest place for both of you right now would probably be back in the gymnasium, surrounded by plenty of people."
"Then we'll go back there," Aaron determined, reaching for the banister to support himself as he pulled himself to his feet. Marian rose with him, keeping the handkerchief pressed over his wounded arm.
Della looked at the blood, her stomach turning. "Ellena did that," she spoke, barely above a whisper. "She did it using my body to wield the knife."
"And she would have done a lot worse if you hadn't insisted you wouldn't let her," Brice said firmly. "You stopped her from seriously wounding Dr. Stuart."
"And you stopped her from strangling me." Aaron looked back to Tobin at the bottom of the stairs. "You saved my life."
"That doesn't take away any of what I did to you and Marian in the past," Tobin said. "I'll never be able to make up for that."
Aaron slowly nodded. "I am grateful, Tobin, even though I don't fully understand. It's so much to process." He swallowed hard. "And forgiveness . . . and trust . . . can't come easily. I need time to really think about this, all of this."
"I don't expect anything from either of you," Tobin said. "And I'll try to make sure you don't see me again. I won't deliberately seek you out, not unless I have to." He stepped back, pulling up the hood of the Grim Reaper robe. "But I'll be around, at least for tonight. I won't let them kill you, Aaron."
"Tobin!" Aaron called, then hesitated. "Thank you."
Marian managed a wan but sincere smile. "Yes, thank you, Tobin. I'm . . . I'm glad our friend wasn't gone for good."
"I'm glad too," Tobin said quietly as he vanished into the shadows.
Aaron carefully started down the stairs in a definite daze, Marian holding onto his arm. "I still can hardly believe any of this," he said. "It still feels like part of a dream."
"But not a nightmare now," Marian softly prompted.
"No, not a nightmare," Aaron conceded. "Not if Tobin is sincere."
"I believe he is," Perry said. He came down the stairs to allow them passage, then looked up again at Della and Brice. In all the commotion and the astonishing revelations, he had not had any chance to really tend to Della or talk to her about how she was doing. And he knew she must be reeling from the magnitude of everything that had happened during the fight for control of her body.
Della definitely was, and only now that the current scene was ending and preparations for the next stage were beginning did she allow herself to really feel all the terror and heartache and panic from a few minutes previous. She slumped against Brice, shaking and shuddering as the tears came. He held onto her firmly and comfortingly, his heart going out to her.
Perry's heart twisted; he wanted to be up there with her too. But he needed to make sure the Stuarts returned safely to the gymnasium. He knew Tobin was still there, watching and waiting, but it would be better if at least two were present. He would have a heart-to-heart with Della when all of the chaos was over.
Brice watched as Perry and the Stuarts departed for the gym, followed by the black-clad Grim Reaper. "You won against Ellena, Della," he said kindly. "Perry and I knew you would. Give me that last piece of necklace. I'll take it away so she can't even try to get control of you anymore."
Della started to nod but then paused. "Wait," she said. "I think I should talk to her."
Brice blinked in surprise. "Della, why?" he exclaimed. "After everything she did . . ."
"I can still feel her presence," Della said. "She's confused and in a lot of pain. And . . ." She bit her lip. "I'm afraid she's growing angry at her comrades. If I can't calm her down, she'll probably just try to possess someone else if not me."
"But you can't even trust her," Brice objected. "Della, I don't think this is a good idea."
"Maybe not, but I have to do it," Della answered, laying a hand on Brice's arm. "Maybe I can even find out why her friends have been doing this to Dr. Stuart in the first place."
Seeing she was determined, Brice finally relented. "Okay. But I'll be right here if something starts to go wrong."
Della smiled. "I know."
In her mind, Ellena was pacing back and forth, definitely agitated. She seemed to sense Della's approach, as she only spoke when Della drew near. "I can't believe it," she said in a daze. "Tobin's alive. That's the one possibility I never considered when I couldn't find him anywhere in the afterlife."
"Who would consider it?" Della said gently. "Most people aren't able to come back from the dead. Tobin was given a rare gift."
"Yeah. And I almost threatened him!" Ellena whipped around to face Della. "Gerard told me this David Solomon guy was messing up what we were trying to do. He told me to call him up and tell him we'd kill him if he didn't lay off. So I called the place. He didn't answer, but if he had . . ." She swallowed hard. "I would've known right off the bat it was him." She shook her head. "I've only been in this whole thing because of him, and I could've ended up mixed up in a plot that would've killed him for real!"
Della hesitated, then carefully reached out and laid a hand on Ellena's shoulder. "But now you know the truth," she said kindly. "You don't have to go along with what they're doing any longer."
"Oh, I'm not going to." Ellena's voice had darkened. "Nevermind Aaron Stuart. I'm going to turn my wrath on Gerard and Eliza."
"How will that help anything?" Della exclaimed. "Ellena, I don't want you possessing me to harm anyone, no matter what they've done. If you really want to help Tobin, tell me what it is your friends want with Dr. Stuart. I can't believe they also want revenge on him."
"Nah, not at all," Ellena frowned. "Actually, Gerard never told me exactly what it is they want. He just said there's something somewhere here that they're after."
"And how would killing Dr. Stuart help them get it?" Della frowned too. "That would just bring the police and make it more difficult to look."
"Yeah, that's true," Ellena realized. "I guess I didn't even stop to think about that. I was just glad to think about Aaron getting what I thought he deserved."
"But you heard Tobin say that Dr. Stuart wasn't at fault, didn't you?" Della prompted.
"Yeah." Ellena looked to Della. "So I'm going to do what I can to help you. I can give you Gerard's cell phone number. I won't try to possess you, but you can pretend to be me and call him. Try to find out what he's up to."
"You don't know what he and Eliza are planning?" Della said in surprise.
"I don't know if they're planning anything," Ellena said. "They told me to try to get the Stuarts out of the party. But then they weren't around to take over and I decided I wouldn't wait for them."
"They were supposed to take over?" Della repeated.
"That's right. So something must have gone wrong for them to not be here." Ellena shrugged.
"Maybe that means Pete and Steve have them pinned down," Della said hopefully.
"Or they're hurting Pete and Steve," Ellena retorted.
Della didn't want to think about that. "Thank you, Ellena, for anything you can do to help," she said sincerely. "I truly appreciate it. I know Tobin will too."
"Yeah." Ellena averted her gaze. "Okay, the number." She recited it and Della memorized it just as quickly.
"First I'll see if I can get Pete or Steve to answer," Della said, definitely worried about them now. "Then I'll try Gerard."
"Suit yourself," said Ellena. "I just wanna see him and Eliza brought down now."
And, Della thought to herself in relief, that was a definite improvement.
xxxx
Pete gripped his gun, standing still in the shadows as he frantically performed a visual sweep of the area. No one was in sight, nor had they been during all the time he had been out here. And there was no blood on the ground that he could follow. The wounded man must have kept the injury covered or clutched.
The sound of someone in the grass behind him caused him to whirl, pointing his weapon right at the emerging shadow. "Wait!" a voice commanded. "It's Lieutenant Drumm."
Pete sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping. "Boy, am I glad to see you," he proclaimed.
"Perry filled me in on what's been happening," Steve said. "Has there been any trace of the people you chased out here?"
"Nothing." Pete slowly walked forward, his gun still clutched in his hand. "I know they couldn't have gone far, but there's just no sign of them!"
"Well, if they couldn't have gone far, they must either still be outside or else they doubled back and went inside again," Steve said.
"I haven't heard any cars start up," Pete said. "The parking lot's just right over there." He nodded to the next side of the building.
"Maybe they're hiding out over there anyway," Steve suggested. "Let's go over and look."
Pete was agreeable to that. But as he stepped forward, it felt like he was on top of something hard under the grass. "What the . . ." He bent down, feeling through the blades. "There's some kind of a door here!"
"What?!" Steve stared as Pete lifted a square trapdoor covered in grass. "I'm sure Dr. Stuart didn't know this was here."
"I'm sure he didn't either," Pete agreed, shining a flashlight into the hole. "But what's even stranger is if what these people want is down this hole. They wouldn't have needed to torment Dr. Stuart to get something from here."
"You're right," Steve said. "So it must be something else. Maybe the answer is in where this thing comes out." He slipped his gun back into its holster. "In any case, this could easily be where those two intruders went when they got away from you. Let's try it." He started down the ladder leading into the tunnel.
Putting his own gun away, Pete uneasily followed.
xxxx
Paul was tense and bewildered in the gymnasium. When he saw Hamilton coming in, he was even more surprised. "Hey," he called, going over to the district attorney. "What are you doing here?"
"I came because I was worried about Della," Hamilton replied. "Is she here?"
"Yeah, somewhere," Paul answered. "But I can't find the Stuarts or Janet Gwynne. Oh!" He stared in surprise as the Stuarts entered through a different door, Perry right with them. "Dr. Stuart's hurt," Paul exclaimed, seeing how Marian was holding his left arm.
"Well, that's typical," Hamilton retorted, hurrying over to the arriving group with Paul in tow. "Perry, what's going on?!"
"Hello, Hamilton, Paul," Perry said, definitely distracted. "I'm glad you're here; the behind-the-scenes events at this masquerade are getting out of hand."
"I'll say," Hamilton frowned. "Dr. Stuart, what happened?"
"It's a long story," Aaron mumbled. He sank into a nearby chair with Marian at his side. Concerned at the sight of the blood, Paul went to them to see if he could help.
"Hamilton, we have to find Ellena's cohorts," Perry told the district attorney. "They're here somewhere and who knows what they're plotting!"
"Fine, we'll find them!" Hamilton retorted. "But what about Della? And Ellena?"
"The Ellena problem isn't as serious right now as this other one might be," Perry said. "I'll explain later, but right now Della is in control again."
"Well, thank goodness for that!" Hamilton exclaimed.
"And here they come now," Perry said in relief, seeing Sergeant Brice enter with an arm around Della's shoulders. Della looked resolute and determined and, Perry noted, very brown-eyed.
"Perry! Mr. Burger!" Della smiled to see them, but then quickly sobered. "I've been talking to Ellena. She doesn't know what her friends are planning, but she gave me Gerard's phone number. I tried calling Pete and Steve first, but they're not answering. I thought maybe you'd like to be here when I try Gerard."
"Yes, I would," said Perry.
"What is going on here?" Hamilton said in bewilderment. "How can you trust anything that woman says to you, Della?"
"Oh, she wants to help now because she's angry at Gerard and Eliza for setting up this whole scheme and getting her to want to participate as revenge for Tobin Wade's death when Tobin Wade is actually alive," Della replied as she took out her phone.
"WHAT?!" Hamilton yelped.
"It's a long story, Hamilton," Perry said.
"But . . . Tobin Wade alive . . ." Hamilton shook his head. "Perry, is this case ever going to start making sense?"
"Actually, Hamilton, a lot of things made sense once I realized that truth," Perry replied. "But what's this about Eliza? Wade told me Gerard's lady friend was named Carola."
"Maybe they're the same person?" Hamilton suggested. "One name or the other could be an alias. Or a middle name."
"Perhaps," Perry agreed.
"It's ringing," Della announced.
After a moment the phone clicked and an irritated voice came on. "What is it, Ellena?"
Della put on her best imitation of Ellena's Southern accent as she replied. "I was wonderin' where you and Eliza are, Gerard," she said. "Don't you remember you were supposed to be here if I got the Stuarts out of the gym?"
"Unfortunately, we got held up," Gerard snapped. "Some guy shot at me in the dark."
"And hit you?" Della exclaimed.
"Yeah, right in the arm. And he came after us, so we had to get away."
"So . . . where are you now?" Della asked.
"We're back in the school. We got in without being seen."
"Well, that was a clever trick. How'd you manage that?"
"Nevermind. What's happening with the Stuarts?"
"I don't think they'll be leaving the gym any time soon."
"You said you got them out!" Gerard practically roared.
Della held the phone away from her ear. "I did, but they're back now."
"You should have moved on them yourself."
"I tried that. It didn't work!" Della hoped that wasn't the wrong thing to say.
Gerard let loose with a foul string of swearing that had Della cringing and Hamilton and Brice wincing. Perry's eyes narrowed.
"Okay," Gerard said at last. "Eliza and I are back in the drama department, getting costumes for real this time."
"But your arm's hurt!" Della protested. "How are you gonna be able to do anything?"
"New plan," Gerard said darkly. "We never told you exactly what we did to make the school seem haunted. Well, we're going to work with that full-blast."
Della's heart began to gather speed. That did not sound good. "So . . . how's that supposed to get rid of Aaron Stuart?" she asked.
"We're going to turn on all the crazy devices at once, including the cold rods we installed throughout the school to make certain spots get cold without needing an air conditioner to do it. When everybody's good and distracted and Aaron's freaked out by the 'vengeful spirits', we'll pipe gas through the ventilation system."
"Fatal gas?" Della asked. The men tensed.
"Well . . . I don't recommend sticking around to find out." With that, the call disconnected.
Della looked up at Perry, Hamilton, and Brice in horror. "That man is either insane or completely evil," she said. "It sounds like he's going to kill everyone in the gym just to get at Dr. Stuart!"
"It's possible it's just a knockout gas and they'll come in and murder Aaron while everyone is lying unconscious, but we can't just assume they don't plan to kill everyone," Perry said. "We have to stop them before they start this madness. I'm going back to the drama department, with Paul this time. Della, you keep trying to get Pete or Steve on the phone. Hamilton, Sergeant Brice, stay and watch over the Stuarts."
"Oh, wait a minute, Perry," Brice exclaimed, grabbing Perry's arm. "These people have already committed crimes and are planning another, huge one. The L.A.P.D. should be involved in their capture. I think the Stuarts will be alright in here for now, as long as Della and Mr. Burger stay with them."
Perry considered that and nodded. "You're right; they probably don't plan to murder the Stuarts until they turn the school into a haunted location en masse. I'd be glad for you to come with us, Sergeant."
Hamilton shook his head. "Acting like you're running the whole show, like usual."
"Oh Perry . . ." Della gave her longtime boss and friend a worried look. "Please be careful! And you too, Sergeant." She turned to Brice.
"We will be," Perry assured her. "I'll just go tell Paul what we're up to." He looked to where Paul was helping Marian to bandage Aaron's arm.
"I don't think we should wait," Brice countered. "They could already have left the drama room. I'm going now. Goodbye, Della." He laid a hand on Della's arm before hurrying out the door.
Deciding Brice had the right idea, Perry quickly chased after him. Della fell back, looking to Hamilton in distress. "What could possibly be so valuable here that anyone would be willing to kill someone, let alone dozens of innocent people, just to have it?!"
Hamilton gave her a grim look. "Unfortunately, Della, there are plenty of things that can bring out someone's worst side. You saw that on a smaller scale with that Tobin Wade character."
"I know," Della sighed, "and I don't understand that, either. But at least he's actually trying to make restitution. He seems very sincere and humble about it."
"Speaking of Tobin Wade," Hamilton said as he led Della over near the Stuarts and Paul, "how about you tell me how he's alive?"
"Alright, Mr. Burger, but I should warn you that it's a story with a very supernatural flavor," Della said.
Hamilton groaned. "Well, by now I half-expected that."