Middlebury Sanitarium (Moving In Series)

Brian Roy is the brainchild behind the Leonidas Group, a ghostbusting organization with a track record of incomparable success for tracking down and annihilating ghosts. This time, however, Brian may have met his match with his latest job investigating Middlebury Sanitarium! Occupied by a host of undeads, Middlebury Sanitarium has a history of drugging its residents to prevent them from entering the grounds at night and becoming a part of the "lost brigade" never to be heard from again. From a vengeful King who ruthlessly protects his royal domain, to Clyde a faceless soldier who's still fighting WWI--Brian's got his hands full! And then there's the boneyard... Now, Brian teams up with an old vet caretaker, Ken Buckingham, to de-ghost the place. But the shrewd, kindly old man has a few secrets up his own sleeve that even Brian could have never anticipated.

From the Inside Flap

Chapter 1: Middlebury Sanitarium The King waited patiently. He had learned the difficult practice over decades. Now he stood on the widow's walk of the house and looked down upon his domain. He could see the small light in the guardhouse glowing. The old man would be there, the King knew, with a pipe in his mouth and a book in his hand. Yet the old man was a good watchman. He patrolled the King's land and protected his houses. He was perhaps gentler than the King would prefer, but the guard was a man who maintained the peace. A loud creak followed by a thump, shattered the silence of the King's quarters. He turned away from the window and made his way down a flight of stairs to the main hall. He paused and listened. Footsteps on the floor. The King retreated into his study and went to stand by the fireplace. He rested a hand on the marble mantle but kept his eyes on the doorway. A red light played across the hallway's parquet floor, and the King heard voices. "...don't have to worry," a man said. "Why don't we have to worry, Ben?" another man snapped. "You didn't tell me there was going to be a guard! Christ, if we get caught, I'll lose my chance at making partner!" "Calm down, Chad," Ben replied. "You know, for a big brother you're a pansy sometimes." "Shut up, you're not the one risking anything." Ben laughed. "Yeah, I am. Another trespassing charge and I go away for a while. And not to Valley Street Jail, either. The men's prison in Concord. World of difference from what I hear." Chad sighed, and the two men appeared in the doorway. They stopped, and the King examined them. Tall young men clad in identical clothing of all black. They had even rubbed some sort of coloring onto their faces, for while they had the rich coloring of Africans, they had none of the features one could attribute to Americans of the race. Nor did they enjoy the fine, beautiful facial structures of the Masai or the Zulu. Common crooks, the King decided. "Look at this detail work," said Ben. "Wow," Chad said in a low voice. "Will it be safe to take pictures in here?" "Of course," Ben said, slipping his phone from a pocket. "What about the security guard?" "Chad, did you see him? The guy's got to be at least seventy. Besides, when I scoped the place out last night the majority of the time he's in there puffing away at a pipe and reading." "What if he walks around?" Chad said nervously. "I mean, what if he does some sort of patrol?" "Gimpy as hell I bet," Ben answered with a chuckle as he put his flashlight away. "Anyway, my scaredy cat big brother, let's get some pictures." "Don't call me a scaredy cat," Chad grumbled, shutting off his own light. "I don't like it." "I know," Ben laughed. "Why do you think I do it?" "You're a pain." "Yup." They were taking pictures of his house. Anger boiled up within him, and the King stepped away from the hearth. Chad paused and lowered his camera. "Did you hear anything?" "No," Ben replied as he took a picture of the tin ceiling. "What do you think you heard?" "A footstep." "Naw," Ben replied, moving to take a picture of the wainscoting. "I didn't hear anything, Bro." The King made his way between them. Ben lowered his camera. "I felt something, though." "Cold?" Chad asked. "Yeah," Ben started, but the King interrupted him when he slammed the door closed. "Jesus!" Chad yelled, spinning around. "Oh my God," Ben whispered. The King took a step towards them. "What?" Chad asked, turning to look at his brother. "I snapped a picture just as the door was closing. Look." Ben held his camera out to Chad. "Oh Sweet Mary Mother of God," Chad said, crossing himself. "Is it a person?" "I think so," Ben said. The King moved closer. "It's cold in here," Chad said. "We need to leave," Ben said. "We need to leave now, Chad." "Okay," Chad said. "Alright." Ben tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Come on, Ben," Chad said nervously, "let's go." "I'm trying." "Try harder!" "It is no use," the King said. "I do not wish you to leave." And the King unleashed his wrath.

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