Damien Blackwood stood waiting in the parking lot with his hands clasped behind his back. He watched the entrance, anticipating an arrival. Damien was a middle-aged man with short brown hair and a face Ava compared to a sad-looking dog. That face scowled at the empty parking spot where Tessa Biggs was supposed to be parked. She was late.

Tessa was Damien's tech specialist. Part of the reason he was so upset at her tardiness was he needed the equipment set up as quickly as possible. When Damien finally spotted her old, beaten-up car pulling into the driveway, he grumbled. Damien watched while she parked in a spot and exited the car. Her cocoa-brown ponytail bobbed as she jogged over to him. Most people would have softened under her wide-eyed, apologetic gaze, but Damien had no time for cute puppy dog eyes.

"Damien, I'm so sorry. My car was giving me..." Tessa began, but Damien silenced her with a raised hand.

"I don't want to hear excuses, Tessa. You know how I feel about punctuality. Time is a commodity. But unlike money, you can't make more time. When you waste someone's time, you steal something they will never regain. Remember that!"

"Yes, sir," Tessa replied, staring at the ground.

"Get set up inside. Leo is waiting for you."

"Yes, sir," she said, fetching her equipment case from the trunk. Damien didn't help her lift or carry it. He entered the building instead. Leo spotted her struggling to carry it through the door and helped her. She locked onto his blue eyes and saw his apologetic gaze. They knew Damien was a jackass, but he paid well, and they valued the experience.

"What happened?" Leo asked.

"My car was acting up. Damien wasn't happy."

"Let me guess. He gave you the time lecture?"

"Yes," Tessa grumbled, setting the equipment case down and opening it. The crew helped her set up the tech area. Leo's dark, curly hair became more disheveled as they worked. The worst part was that the old winery didn't have great ventilation. They had sweat through their clothes by the time they finished, but Damien was still bone dry. He stood nearby, reading notes on his tablet.

"Are you done?" Damien asked, looking up from the screen.

"Yes, sir," Leo replied.

"Good. Pull up the video of Ava's investigation," Damien said, leaning over Leo's shoulder. Leo hated it when he did this, but he kept his mouth shut. "Skip to the scene with the apparition." Leo obeyed, resisting the urge to tell Damien to get a life and find a new obsession. Leo liked having a job too much to tell him off, but he felt he was reaching his breaking point. He didn't usually stay at jobs this long. When he reached the clip, Damien leaned closer to the monitor and muttered, "It's just light casting a shadow off one of her crew members. That's all. We can recreate it." Afterward, Damien stood up. Leo swore he heard his back pop. Damien looked around, and his gaze fell on something in the corner. He silently stared long enough that Leo thought he froze. "Continue setting up. I'm going to look around," Damien added, walking away.

Once Damien moved out of earshot, Leo bent down and picked up a gadget. "This is new," he said.

"Oh, yeah. I bought that yesterday. It casts a light grid in front of the camera, making it easier to see if anything moves through the area," Tessa explained. "Felix told me about it."

"Well, if Felix uses one, then we had to get it," Leo replied.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. It's a good gadget."

"Sure, that's why you bought it."

"You're so immature. I don't have a thing for Felix," Tessa groaned, moving away from Leo before he could annoy her further. As much as she liked having a break from Damien, she knew they needed to get started. Tessa searched for him and found Damien in the manager's office. She figured Damien was speaking on the phone because she heard a muffled voice as she approached. "Damien?" she asked.

The door opened to reveal Damien's disgruntled face. "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?"

"We're all set up," Tessa replied.

Damien glanced behind him before exiting the room. "Good, let's begin," he said. He returned to the main hall where his cameraman, Scott, awaited. Damien smoothed his clothes, cleared his throat, and motioned for them to begin filming. "Good evening, I'm Damien Blackwood, and welcome to Blackwood Mysteries. Tonight, we are at the Hillford Winery to examine the findings of a recent investigation. I hope to not only debunk but recreate this supposed evidence."

***

Meanwhile, Ben was getting checked out after his unfortunate run-in with Herman Blanchard. He sat on the examining table while Ava, Felix, Ami, and Malcolm stood before him. Ava looked apologetic, Malcolm seemed concerned, Felix appeared nonplussed, and Ami acted amused.

"How's your head, Rivers?" Ava asked.

"It's been better," Ben laughed.

"I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Well, not directly, anyway," Ava replied, rubbing her neck and looking away from Ben. Her comment confused Ben, but Ami didn't give him time to contemplate the meaning.

"How many fingers am I holding up, Ben?" Ami asked, raising four fingers.

"Thirty-five," Ben said.

"Yeah, he's fine."

"We'll see what the doctor says," Malcolm replied, shaking his head.

As if summoned by Malcolm's words, the doctor entered the room. Doctor Monroe was a tall, handsome man with salt and pepper hair. He smiled at Ava as he approached the examination table. She returned the expression while Ben raised his eyebrows at the exchange. Ava noticed and looked away.

"Mr. Rivers, I hear you fought a vase," Dr. Monroe said.

"Yeah, and I lost," Ben laughed.

"How did that happen?"

"It--fell," Ben replied because he still wasn't sure what had occurred. Ben had his back to the vase when it flew across the room, meaning the camera didn't even capture what would have been great evidence.

"I see. Well, we will test you for a concussion. Look directly at me," Dr. Monroe said before turning on a penlight and shining it at Ben's face. "Hmm, I'm seeing signs of a light concussion," he muttered while staring into Ben's eyes. More tests followed until Dr. Monroe confirmed his earlier suspicion. "I recommend someone monitor you overnight. They will need to wake you every few hours to make sure you're alright," he added.

"I'll do it," Ava replied, which earned her surprised reactions from her team, including Ben. "What? I feel responsible. Don't read anything into it," she added after a long sigh.

"I'd never do that," Malcolm said, raising his hands.

"Me neither," Felix added.

"Oh, I definitely would," Ami replied. "Girl, get your game on."

"You're killing me," Ava said, shaking her head.

***

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Ava drove Ben back to his apartment and promised to help him retrieve his car the following day. As they entered the building, she put an arm around him, earning her a questioning gaze.

"Sorry. I thought you might need someone to steady you," Ava said, removing her arm.

"No, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting it," Ben replied, smiling warmly. "But I can walk on my own." Despite Ben's reassurances, he fumbled with his keys when they reached the door. Ben dropped them, but Ava picked them up and unlocked his door. "Thanks," Ben said.

"No problem," she replied. When they entered the apartment, Ava stopped and stared. She swore she had never seen a place gleam. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. Everything sat in its place, and the appliances almost sparkled. "Wow. Do you have a maid?" she asked.

"Nah, it's just me. I clean the apartment," Ben said.

"You're very thorough."

"Thanks," Ben replied, throwing his keys into a basket near the door. "I have drinks in the fridge if you're thirsty."

"Okay. I might grab that in a second, but let's get you to your bedroom."

"Moving a bit fast, aren't we?" Ben asked, garnering a scowl from Ava. "Relax, I'm messing with you." Ava rolled her eyes and placed an arm around him again. "Ava, my legs work fine. I injured my head. Thank you, but I can make it on my own. Besides, I have to change," Ben said.

"Oh, okay. I'll wait out here," Ava replied. She watched Ben enter the bedroom and close the door. Once he disappeared, she looked around the room. Pictures and posters dotted the walls, each straight and evenly spaced. She spotted a poster for a movie called Lunatic on the Loose. It depicted a shadowy figure running with a knife in his hand.

"He really shouldn't run with sharp objects," Ava thought, making herself laugh.

Ava admired Ben's taste in B movies. She could appreciate liking them because she watched a few in her time. However, the pictures drew her attention. She moved closer and examined them. One was a family portrait from Ben's younger days. Ben looked remarkably like his father, but he had his mother's blue eyes. Ava also noticed a young girl in the picture. She had strawberry blonde hair like her mother. Ava touched the picture, but a voice made her jump and yelp.

"That's his sister," a child's voice said.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked from the bedroom because he heard Ava's reaction.

"Nothing! I stubbed my toe," Ava replied.

"Be careful. The furniture will jump out and get you," Ben laughed.

Ava replied with light laughter, but it was lifeless because she focused too much on the ghostly figure standing in Ben's living room. A small boy with mousy blond hair stared at her. He tilted his head when he realized she was staring at him.

"Can you see and hear me, ma'am?" he asked. Ava nodded, making the boy smile. "Finally, somebody can see me. Ben can't," the boy said, pointing toward Ben's room.

"W-what were you saying about his sister?" Ava whispered. She hated to pry, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"The girl in the photo is his sister, Molly. I've heard him talking about her. I think she went crazy."

"That's not a nice thing to say."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's what he said."

"It's okay. What's your name?" Ava asked, kneeling before him.

"Charlie Phillips, but my friends and family called me Rowdy," he replied, extending a hand. Ava tried to shake it, but she couldn't grasp him. Her attempt made the boy laugh.

"It's nice to meet you, Rowdy. How old are—were you?" Ava asked.

"Eight."

"And how long have you been here?"

"I don't know anymore," Rowdy replied, looking at the floor. "A long time," he added. Then, he looked up at her again and asked, "Could you help me find my parents? They moved out of this apartment, and I don't know where they went."

"What were their names?"

"William and Annie Phillips."

"I can look them up and see what I can find," Ava replied, trying not to cry. She made a mental note to write those names down and research them later.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Please, call me Ava."

"Okay. Thank you, Ava," Rowdy said. He attempted to hug her, but his arms passed through her. Ava shivered as a chill ran up her spine. Meanwhile, Ben's door opened, and he emerged in a t-shirt and basketball shorts. Ava refrained from commenting about his pasty, white legs.

"Who were you talking to?" Ben asked.

"I was talking to myself," Ava replied. "I swear I'm not cra..." she almost added, but she stopped when she realized what she was saying. "Sorry. I meant I'm not losing my—you know what I mean," she said. Ava wanted to hide in a corner somewhere once she shut up. She felt sure her face had turned a bright red.

"I think I know what you mean," Ben said, looking puzzled. He decided not to question Ava any further. "I'm not ready for bed. Did you want to watch some TV or something?"

"Sure, that sounds good," Ava replied, watching Rowdy out of the corner of her eye. She spotted him messing around in the kitchen. Rowdy was trying to open the pantry. Ava thought he might be looking for snacks. Sadly, his hand kept passing through the door.

"Is everything okay?" Ben asked because he noticed Ava staring at the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm good."

Ben shrugged as they sat on the couch. He found himself closer to Ava than he intended but didn't want to move. They awkwardly stared at each other briefly before inching apart as subtly as possible.

"Um, thanks for doing this, Ava. I appreciate it," Ben said.

"No problem. I look out for my crew. We're like a family," Ava smiled. "And I intend to make this up to you. After you recover, I'll buy you a beer. I promise."

"That sounds good," Ben replied as he turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. Ben couldn't settle on anything. He kept cycling through the stations, which normally would have bugged Ava, but she wasn't paying much attention. She kept glancing at Rowdy. He was still messing around in the kitchen. "Are you sure you're not hungry?" Ben asked, following her gaze.

"You know what? I could use a snack, but you stay here and rest. I'll get it. Just tell me where everything is," Ava said, getting up and heading to the kitchen.

"The pantry and the fridge are full. Help yourself."

"Thanks," Ava replied. She moved to the kitchen and leaned in to whisper to Rowdy. "What are you doing?" she asked as quietly as possible.

"I was trying to see if I could open one of these doors. If you can see and hear me, I want Ben to be able to."

"Has he ever seen you?"

"I think he did a couple of times," Rowdy shrugged. He reached over and tried again, but it resulted in another failure. Rowdy's shoulders slumped. "He always pretends like he didn't see it, though."

"Are you having trouble finding anything?" Ben asked.

"No, I'm just looking," Ava replied. She stood up and opened the pantry and almost gasped. Ben wasn't exaggerating. He had a fully stocked selection. She hadn't seen such an assortment of snacks since her last trip to the grocery store.

"He likes the licorice," Rowdy said, pointing to the second shelf on the left. "The red ones."

"Would you like some licorice?" Ava asked.

"Sure, that sounds great. Thanks."

Ava grabbed a handful before selecting some whole wheat crackers for herself. As she returned to the living room, Ben finally found something on TV.

"Hey, is this that show you were telling me about?" Ben asked, pointing at the screen. Ava looked up to see Damien's scowling face and matched the expression.

"Yeah, that's ol' Shade," Ava replied, sitting down and handing Ben the licorice.

"You're right. He does look like a sad old dog," Ben said. "So, what's his deal? Why does he dislike you?"

"We met at a convention years ago and got into a heated debate about the paranormal. He couldn't stand that he couldn't beat me in an argument. I think he has held a grudge ever since. Plus, we both operate here in town. Damien sees us as local rivals."

"Oh, he's based here?" Ben asked, looking surprised.

"Yeah, we run into his crew all the time. We think Felix has a crush on a girl on his team named Tessa, but Felix denies it."

This revelation made Ben laugh as he turned up the volume. "Is this a new episode?" Ben asked.

"No, this is a rerun. This is the one where he investigated the Valdez Hotel. We captured three EVPs and a moving shadow, but Damien tried to debunk everything. I don't know how he recreates our evidence so well. It pisses me off. He has everyone thinking I'm a fraud," Ava replied, throwing a piece of licorice at the screen. "Sorry," she said and stood to pick it up.

"I don't think you're a fraud," Ben said, giving Ava a reassuring grin.

"But you still don't believe in the paranormal."

"As I said before, I'm open to believing."

"You're telling me a flying vase didn't convince you?"

"I didn't see who threw it."

"You know one of us didn't do it."

"I'll admit I can't explain what happened, but that doesn't mean I'll jump to the ghost conclusion."

"Wow, you're a tough nut to crack."

"Look, I have a personal philosophy. Just because you don't know the explanation doesn't mean there isn't one. It simply means you haven't found it yet. We don't understand a lot of things in this world."

"Yeah, you're right about that," Ava replied, looking at Rowdy. He sat cross-legged on the floor behind them, listening to their conversation. "But keep an open mind, okay?"

"I will, and don't let Damien get you down. From what I've seen, his show is boring as hell," Ben said, making Ava smile.

They finished the episode, and Ben decided to go to bed. Ava stayed on the couch and continued watching the television, but she set an alarm. She had to wake him every two hours to check on him. Within minutes, Ava had to stifle a laugh because she heard Ben snoring, even with the door closed.

Two hours later, the first alarm sounded. Ava entered Ben's room and found it as neat and tidy as the rest of the house. She gently grabbed his shoulder and shook him until Ben's eyes fluttered open.

"Huh? Is it morning?" he asked, squinting at Ava.

"No, it's been two hours. I have to wake you, remember?"

"Oh, right."

"I've gotta ask you a few questions. What's your name?"

"Ben Rivers."

"What's today's date?"

"Um, March the twelfth."

"What's my name?"

"Ava Sinclair."

"What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

"What!?"

"Just messing with ya. Go back to sleep," Ava laughed.

Ben laid his head back down and started to close his eyes, but he noticed something behind Ava and sat bolt upright with a wild look in his eyes.

"What the hell?" Ben asked.

"What's wrong?"

"I swore I saw..." Ben mumbled, staring at the wall behind Ava.

"Swore you saw what?"

"N-nothing. It was probably just a mixture of sleepiness and my head injury. Don't worry about it," Ben replied, lying down and closing his eyes.

Ava turned around and saw Rowdy standing there, looking amused. "I think he saw me," Rowdy said.

"Maybe he did."

"Huh? Did you say something?" Ben mumbled.

"No, go back to sleep," Ava replied, gently patting Ben's shoulder. She had to admit he looked rather peaceful.