“Because people who get stalked develop an emotional attachment,” Mike said. I was at his place.

“Right. But it’s more that I also…look, I know how the world works, and I don’t want to erase somebody from existence. No matter what they’ve done.”

Mike nodded. “I can see that. But at the same time, is he ever going to leave you alone?”

“When I prove to him that he has no chance, I suppose. Snag is, that he seems…honestly, the more I avoid, the harder he chases.”

“Some men are like that,” Mike muses. “Sometimes it gets them into trouble.”

“But really, I suppose the ideal would be to get him locked up back in Hell for a few centuries. Long enough for him to move on to being obsessed with somebody else.”
“Or find somebody else who actually likes him.”

I shook my head. “He doesn’t want somebody who likes him. He wants somebody who can give his ambitions in Hell a leg up.”

I thought about that. I thought about it for quite some time. “And do we want him getting a leg up?”

Mike shook his head. “Probably not.”

“But even if I get a spirit bomb, I won’t use it.” I was determined on that. “I mean, I can’t use it myself anyway.”

He nodded again. “I need to get to the station.”

He’d been reinstated. The family, though…they were not being treated well. They were basically being accused of lying to try and get justice for others.

I thought of that little girl, and it was quite painful. I really hadn’t wanted to do this to them. It wasn’t any more just than Mike losing his job. So, I needed to find some way to help them.

Money wouldn’t, but it might be the only thing I could offer. Not much, but…

I had to do something, but it could wait. It could wait until the spirit bomb issue was dealt with.

I couldn’t call Clara without risking giving her away, assuming she was already trying to worm her way in. Maybe she could convince them she would be a perfect back up to their witch if they taught her how to do it.

It was the only magic they’d shown, though. Maybe it wasn’t a witch we were dealing with. Who else could make spirit bombs?

A witch, a shaman or…a priest. I headed out quickly – Mike’s place was empty anyway – and headed for William’s church.

I could sense something was wrong even as I approached the place. I could smell something was wrong.

And when I got there, there was a fire in the building.