Fic: Haunted

[csi_sanders1129]

Title: Haunted
Chapters: 1/?
Author: csi_sanders1129
Genre: Drama. Mystery. Supernatural. Suspense. Friendship (for now, will probably stay that way.)
Ratings: T
Word Count: ~750
Pairings/Characters: Damian Spinelli, Jason Morgan.
Synopsis: In which a Jackal PI case lands Spinelli in a haunted house overnight and things get seriously out of hand.
Comments: This chapter is really just the prologue of the story. Written as part of the hc_bingo  challenge, prompt: poltergeist. Also written for suerum . GH characters aren’t mine, reviews are loved, please enjoy!

Spinelli heads back to the McCall & Jackal offices slowly, hands shoved in his pockets to fend off the early November chill in the air. As he rounds the corner to face the building the PI office is located in, he frowns in confusion at the sight before him. Gathered in the street just outside of the entrance to the offices of McCall & Jackal, stands a group of five teenagers – three boys, two girls. They look anxious, maybe like they're up to something, maybe like they're just cold and impatient, but Spinelli has no choice but to approach them – after all, it is his business. And he's the one who'd gone and left his laptop in by his desk and that certainly won't help him get much work done tonight, forcing a return trip long after he should have been headed for home.

"Excuse me," he says, head ducked down as he slips by them to unlock the door.

"Hey. Hey, wait," one of them calls after him. "You work here? Is there any chance someone can see us? I know it's late, but we might have a case."

Spinelli bites his lip. He's supposed to be heading home, it's going on seven o'clock and he has things he should be working on for Jason and for other cases. But, nonetheless, he finds himself nodding. "Sure, come in. McCall & Jackal would be happy to be of assistance."

Once he corrals them into the office, they scatter about to find places to sit within the small office. He leans back against his desk and, as he absently wonders how long they'd been standing out there and what it is they want him for, he turns the heater up some so that maybe they'll start to thaw out.

"So," Spinelli starts, "what can the Jackal, that is I, help you with?"

One boy, who looks exceptionally fidgety, bites his lip and wrings his hands. He's the first to blurt out a reply. "Our house is haunted."

"Yeah, that's real convincing." Another boy sighs and rolls his eyes as he looks to the Private Detective. "Sorry. He's a little wound up right now. I'm Tyler Anson, this is my brother Josh. These are our friends and roommates Leah Sutton, Julia West, and Caleb Jansen." He gestures toward the three reaming teens scattered about the room.

Spinelli nods and offers Tyler a hand. "Damian Spinelli."

It's Leah who speaks up next, clinging to Josh for dear life. "We… we rent this big old house on the edge of town. We've been there for a few months now, but… Well, weird things have been happening."

"Weird things?" Spinelli repeats. "Like what, may I ask?"

"He's not gonna believe us." Caleb puts in from his spot on the other side of the room. "Hell, I'm not even sure I believe us."

Spinelli, however, is quite interested. "Perhaps you should explain, first and foremost, and then we'll proceed accordingly?"

Tyler shakes his head. "No. No, Cay's right. You won't believe us if we tell you. That's why we're here. We want you to stay the night at the house, see what you think of anything that happens. We'll pay you for the trouble, but we just need someone to prove, if only to us, that we're not all losing our minds."

"The Jackal is admittedly a bit apprehensive at the thought of agreeing to this case without much by way of information…" Spinelli frowns in thought, considering the potential risks of going into the house blind. "I'm not sure I can accept."

Leah and Josh look absolutely mortified. Caleb and Tyler don't look surprised. Julia is the one who speaks up. "If we'd asked you to go check up on boyfriends or husbands we thought we were cheating, you'd have to go on a stakeout or whatever, right?" She doesn't wait for him to answer. "Well, consider this a stakeout, but instead of sitting in your car for hours, you get to be inside."

"Yeah, exactly!" Josh agrees eagerly. "If you're worried about us being there, we'd be perfectly okay with staying somewhere else for the night. If… if you want us there…" He doesn't finish the sentence.

Spinelli regards them warily. They seem to be honestly concerned about the state of their house. "I'll need the address and a key. And I need to make a few phone calls, but I suppose it can be arranged."

Smiles and grateful 'thank you's come from all five of the anxious teenagers and Spinelli absently wonders what he's gotten himself into.