“Lawrence residence. Who may I say is calling?”

Gracey rolled his eyes at the childish voice that answered the phone. “Mattie, it's Gracey.”

“I’ll go tell my dad.” The phone cracked against the surface of the table without waiting for Gracey’s reply. He heard Mattie yelling “Dad” through the phone. Gracey adored his partners kids. He didn't have any of his own, so he spoiled them as much as possible when he saw them.  

“Hey, Gracey. What’s going on?” 

It didn’t take long until Deputy Lawrence picked up the phone. It was just that Gracey was impatient to get a move on that the minute or so waiting seemed like an eternity. “Another few bodies were found in the Castle. I’m heading up there now.”

“Hold on. Who found them? That place is closed up. No one in or out," Lawrence said. 

“Some kids went there as a game. Staying in the “haunted” castle.”

“God dammit!”

“Yea. That’s about what I said too. Julie was not amused.”

“Julie is never amused with you. Why you insist on being sweet on her is beyond me. The office harpy is NOT who I would want to be married to.”

“To each their own.”

“Your taste is weird. There’s a reason she’s not married yet.”

“There’s also a reason I’m not married either.”

“Touche’.”

“I’m on my way to the station. Wait for me.”

“Nah. You finish your dinner. The bodies aren’t going anywhere. I’ll head up and secure the scene. You call the coroner and get him out there, alright?”

“You can’t go up there without backup.” 

“I’ll be fine. I got the radio, my gun, and my badge. There are very few people who would want to mess with me.”

“Someone just murdered more than fifty people up there last week!”

“None of them were cops.”

“Just wait for me. I’ll be right there.”

“You won’t. If I have to keep arguing with you then those kids might decide to mess with the bodies. Just get the coroner to come over from the other town.”

Lawrence sighed. “Alright. Just don’t take any chances. You don’t know if it was the work of one person, or a group of people. Don’t let your guard down just because they are kids.”

“Not planning on it.”

Gracey hung up the phone and rushed out of the building to his patrol car, not even giving Julie more than a quick goodbye.