Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio Read Free Book Online

investigating Rosewood should provide us plenty of drama. I don’t want
anything manufactured.”
    “Why not?” Bryce asked.
    Zach couldn’t believe his ears. “Why not?”
he echoed.
    Sara stuck her hand between them. “Bryce,
what I think Zach is saying is let’s let this situation play out. We got some
great footage today to start. Tomorrow, we’ll investigate the haunting and see
where it goes from there.”
    “Whatever.”
    Blood rising to his face and temples already
throbbing, Zach wasn’t about to back down an inch. “Not ‘whatever.’ If we’re
going to work together, we work together straight up, no tricks and no
backstabbing.”
    Bryce’s hands rose. “Halleluiah and Amen! I
was kidding. Christ, learn to take a joke. Now, if you’re accusing me of
something do it, but this isn’t a trial and it had better not be a lynch mob.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Just as it was said, pal.”
    Zach had no clue what Bryce’s point was. His
mounting frustration brought on the scent of Sailor Black. The smoke
mixed with the smells of Italian cuisine to create an odor Zach guessed would
saturate the lair of a mob boss. Although they probably smoked cigars.
    “Look,” he said, trying to clear his head.
“All I’m saying is that on my show, we do things by the book. We have checks
and balances to make sure our evidence is authentic. It’s reviewed
independently.”
    “Checks and balances,” Bryce echoed. “Sure.
I’ve seen how your audio and video reviewers authenticate evidence on your show.”
    “What’s wrong with that?”
    “What’s wrong with it? Dude, that’s the
difference between Demon Hunters and XPI . We don’t doubt that
haunts are real. We trust our clients and help rid them of evil spirits.”
    “We do pretty much the same thing, Bryce.”
    “No, you guys walk around all high and
mighty acting like you have all the answers. Well, you don’t. Point-in-fact?
That ‘ GrocersMart security video’ you’re all hot and bothered by?” Bryce
used two fingers on each hand to make air quotes. “It’s a fake, dude. It’s nothing
more than an Internet hoax.”
    Surprised, Zach said nothing.
    “Yeah, we researched it ad hominem .”
Apparently unaware or unconcerned that he’d used the term incorrectly, Bryce
ripped another piece of bread and waved it around as though celebrating a
victory. “I didn’t want to say anything while the cameras were rolling, but
anyone worth his investigative salt would have noticed that the stacks of Woods
Red Firelogs , which are clearly displayed on the video, weren’t ever sold
in Chicago stores. Plus, they were discontinued nationally two years ago—long
before some poseur claimed that video was from the GrocersMart built on
former Rosewood property.”
    Zach ignored the dig. “Okay, cool. One more
myth we can debunk on the show.”
    Bryce sighed. “I told Patrizia to study the
architectural blueprints, so we know the ins and outs of all the buildings’
layouts.”
    “And I’m just hearing about this now?” Zach
asked. It came out much harsher than he’d intended. The scents of red sauces
and sausages were drowned out by Sailor Black. His fingertips tingled.
Unlike most people in an argument whose heart rates sped up, Zach’s slowed,
making his thoughts distorted. “Why not first talk about it?”
    Calm down, godson.
    “Listen, Patrizia works for me—not you.”
Bryce’s voice rose. “I don’t need your permission or your advice. I’ll be the
one who tells my people what they will—”
    “Boys!” Sara pounded the table hard enough
to cause the silverware to jingle. The restaurant hushed and many of the
patrons inspected them curiously. “This isn’t a contest of whose dick is bigger
or smarter.”
    Zach wasn’t shocked at Sara’s language. She
wasn’t opposed to using flat out vulgarities in order to make her point. Bryce
stared at her.
    “If you guys want me to pull the plug on
this special right now, I