THE NEW SIXTH SENSE # 17

THE NEW SIXTH SENSE # 17 Doctor Johnathan Rhoades, medical doctor, and licensed psychiatrist. A man who DARES to look PAST the obvious, and discover what is at the HEART, of patients conditions. The following is case-file number 17, of Doctor Rhoades highly unusual approach to treatment, of mental disorders. Case-file #17 would mark another, new level, of "bizzarre", even for me. The reason was simple. According to the case-file, this time, it was not a patient, whom I was to diagnose. This time, I was being requested to diagnose a property. A piece, of land, and a building. Now, sure, everyone knows that ALL buildings have "personalities", but, if the case-file were accurate, this place had a bit much "personality". The claim was being made that people, who "visited/trespassed" on the property, were disappearring. The property appeared to be the "prime suspect", for no other reason than the fact that it was the last place each "victim" had been known to be bound for. As for the photo's, contained, within the file, these could have been any, of over 1,000, left-over, "haunted houses", which counties just had not taken down, yet. What I found most curious, and decided to mention, as early on, as possible, was the mention that the accused property was, reportedly, a "make-out" point, for the younger generation. This did not make sense. If people were afraid that a property was TAKING lives, then WHY would people be using it as a "make-out" spot? I intended to make a POINT of inquiring, about this. After renting a car, at the airport, I was set to drive, directly, to the city council hall, for my primary meeting. That is, until something "called" to me, as if ASKING me to visit the subject location, first. Normally, since I do not receive such sensations, upon arrival, I would have suggested that it was just imagination. The problem, in this case, was that voices seemed to be calling to me, asking "Help us." This is why, on my G.P.S. device, instead of calling up the address, of city hall, first, I called up the address, of the funeral home. While the roadway, from the airport, to town, could have used some re-paving, what astonished me was when I approached the driveway, for the funeral home. I might have been prepared, for "No Trespassing" signs, but what I was NOT prepared for was to see a "Road closed: Out of order" sign, on the drive way. This confused me since, for as far as I could see, the driveway was in good condition (for its age). When I checked the "Road Closed" sign, and found that it was not even bolted down, I moved it just far enough, aside, to allow my car to pass. After that, I put the sign back in place. (As a precaution, in case someone might think this road was "public".) Driving, cautiously, up, and over, a hill, I could neither mistake the funeral home, nor its environs. While, from a distance, the funeral home did appear just as dank, and shabby, as the photo's showed, this was just as deceptive as the grounds looked, from a distance. Even I, a medical man, could see that, at sometime, in the past, the wild plants had been well-tended flower beds. To my surprise, not only was there a lake present, behind the main house, but a playground, as well. (The people, who had operated this place, had understood that children grieve, differently, than adults.) Still, despite all of the rust, and over-growth, of plants, the location had a sense of formality. A sense of order, and purpose. Still, the voices seemed to be drawing me towards the house. It was like they were begging "Come closer. Closer." Stepping onto the wrap-a-round porch, I noticed that this place had not been painted the drab grey, which it presented the public. Even my un-trained eye could detect various colors, on pieces, of wood which, for the most part, were protected from the weather. While I had no idea what the design, of the front door was, I could tell, by the massive piece, of ply wood, covering the center, of the door, that the wood was either protecting the public from broken glass. That, OR, the ply wood was protecting the age old glass. From feeling around the edges, I could tell that, whatever it was, it was of an oval shape. That, and the wood, of the frame, was of high quality lumber. What I cannot understand was what happened, when I reached out, for the door handle. As if "out of nowhere", just before my hand touched the door handle, a heard a loud "bloop-bloop", behind me, followed by "Dont move. Stay right where you are." When I asked "May I ask why?" The voice said "You are trespassing, on private property. Unless you have good cause, I am placing you under arrest." As the male voice approached, Doctor Rhoades heard what sounded like a weapon, being un-holstered. When Doctor Rhoades would ask "May I ask why you have un-holstered your gun?" The voice had said "You may not. Now, lets see some identification. Nice and slow." When Doctor Rhoades removed his credentials, from his pocket, and presented them, open-faced, he thought he glanced a police officers uniform. When the voice said "It says, here, that you are a doctor?" Doctor Rhoades would say "That is correct. I am a medical doctor, and a psychiatrist." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "May I lower my hands, and turn around, now?" The officer would say "Why not. I dont see no weapons. Just STAY where you are, until I check in." After Doctor Rhoades would say "No problem, by me." He would listen, as the deputy called him in. When the response was "He is due, at the council hall. Before you bring him in, ask him just WHAT he THINKS he is doing, out there?" After the deputy would respond "Roger. Over and out." Then the deputy would turn, to Doctor Rhoades, asking "Well, doc? You heard the man. WHAT ARE you doing, out here?" Doctor Rhoades would say "Since I have been called in, to review this property, I was on my way, into town, when I THOUGHT I saw something?" When the deputy would ask "Something like WHAT?" Doctor Rhoades would say "If I could identify what I saw, I would not have used the term "something"." The deputy would say "Fair enough. Now, I will escort you to your correct destination." Following the deputies lead, Doctor Rhoades could, almost, sense the pleading of "Dont leave us, Please!". The doctor had projected "I will be back, soon. Just relax, until then." From the moment, when the deputy, and the doctor, entered the building, they could hear a mans voice near-shouting "There are NO ghosts! How many times do I have to tell you that." When another, female, voice would ask "Then, tell me where Leroy, and Monica, are." The male voice would shout "I TOLD you. I dont know." When the female would say "Why dont you admit it. That HOUSE got them." The male would say "Dammit, Irma, there aint no proof of that. Now, stop trying to cause trouble." It was after Irma stomped out, of the building, that a man, looking angry enough to eat metal, would see the deputy, and the doctor, then ask the deputy "Who is this fool?!" The deputy would say "Sheriff, this here is Doctor Rhoades. The man the mayor invited into town." The sheriff would bark "I know what our fool mayor did. It dont make no difference. Houses, and "ghosties" do NOT just make people vanish. People vanish when they dont want to be discovered." Doctor Rhoades would point out "Interesting, if true. The problem is evidence. How do you intend to prove your conjecture?" When the sheriff would ask "Prove my con-what?" Doctor Rhoades would ask "How do you intend to prove your point?" When the sheriff tried to look "mean" as he asked "What was that con word you just used?" Doctor Rhoades would say "The word is con-jec-ture. It means that you believe that something is true. This leaves the question of PROOF. HOW do you intend to prove you are correct?" The sheriff would say "I dont have to "prove" myself, to any out-of-towner. If I say the people are just gone, then they are, just, gone. End of story." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "Is that what you are telling the families, of the missing?" The sheriff would say "Mister, for a city feller, you sure dont know much. Un-like your big city police departments, all I have is myself, and two deputies. One on the day shift, and one, for nights. Now, just HOW do you expect me to search this whole county, with just three of us, to cover everything?" Doctor Rhoades would suggest "That may be one of the reasons why I am here. Now, why dont we go, have a "talk", with the people I was sent to meet with." The sheriff would add the condition "Just so as we understand each other. I dont want NO talk, of "ghosties", understand? If anyone mentions it, dont act like you believe." Doctor Rhoades would promise "I will do my professional best." This would be exactly what this community needed, as the doctor was brought before a large group, of people, all of whom were claiming that "monsters", "demons", and so forth, had taken their family members. And all by the merest coincidence, had been heading for the funeral home. While Doctor Rhoades would take to asking "witnesses" "What do you THINK you saw?" and "HOW do you KNOW that is what you saw? Could it not have been..." Even the abandoned cars, found on the property, COULD be explained, with little effort. What, it seems, that the people, of this town, did not know, of the outside world, was just how often people arrange to "disappear". While Doctor Rhoades had not handled such cases, himself, as part, of the medical profession, he was required to be well-read, on various nerouses, and what caused them. Thanks to modern technology, it was even easier, than ever, for people to vanish. IF they wanted to. Someone even sold "New Identity" kits, on the internet. These kits explained everything from buying un-trace-able cars, to changing wardrobes, to faking death. While some people were caught, after having bumbled the process, the best cons were, never, found. Two, of the bumblers, whom Doctor Rhoades had read about, were a man, and a woman. The mans stupid mistake was in the fact that, AFTER he made it look like he died, in a fiery car crash, he had been stupid enough to return to a self-storage unit, for something he had forgotten. He had ignored the "Premises under electronic surveillance" signs. The time-stamps, on thee video, PROVED that the man was alive, hours after the crash. The womans mistake was that, after she created a scenario, where it APPEARRED that she had been murdered, for some cash she was carrying. The mistake was that, even as police were investigating the "crime scene", the woman decided to return to her home, for a family, photo album, she had, previously, forgotten. This blunder was added to by the fact that two, of her neighbors were willing to swear that they had seen her, at her house, AFTER her death was reported. Both cons were, currently, in prison, on felony charges of faking their own deaths. The question was "Even if this were the case, what was the motive?" While Doctor Rhoades would, openly, admit that he was no expert, on automobiles, the doctor did ask to see both the reports, and the vehicles, which were found at the funeral home site. When Doctor Rhoades had asked the police "Were there any other tire-marks, at the scene?" The deputy would say "Doc, that place was a BUSINESS. We could pull tracks from almost every vehicle, in town. Even my own cruiser marks are out there." Still, with police permission, Doctor Rhoades would load up, on herbal, pipe tobacco, as well as his other "equipment", then head back out, to the funeral home. For some reason, it just didn't add up, that people would use such a well-known location, to plan escapes. The risk, of exposure, would be as likely as 2-to-1. What Doctor Rhoades had not thought about, until this gathering, were the local legends, about "ghosts". In fact, the very, local stories, which the sheriff had warned the doctor about. Now, Doctor Rhoades understood the warning. Several people, at the meeting, were insisting that it was the "ghosts", of the dead, which had taken loved ones. When Doctor Rhoades had asked "ON WHAT do you base that conclusion?" and the local seemed confused, the sheriff would ask "What the doc means is "HOW do you KNOW that someone took your kin?"" When the local would say "I SAW them! I watched them, moving about." While the sheriff just shook his head, and groaned, having heard this story, so many times, already, the sheriff was happy to let Doctor Rhoades take over, at this point. This is when Doctor Rhoades, calmly, took out his note pad, and pen, then asked each witness for a time, and date, when they would be available, for a PRIVATE discussion. When a panicked woman would, nearly, screech "What happens to my child, while you are doing your talking?" Doctor Rhoades would speak, calmly, as he promised the woman "The more information that I have, the sooner I may be able to locate your missing family. Now, who would like to be first." As locals began lining up, to share information, with the doctor, the sheriff would duck out, of the meeting, and return to his duties. Maybe, the mayor had been right, in calling in the psychiatrist. The doctors presense DID seem to have a calming effect, on the populace. That is, until three nights later. This was when, after a couple had gone missing, for twenty-four hours, that the police invited Doctor Rhoades to join in the search, of the funeral homes grounds. For reasons, un-clear, even to Doctor Rhoades, the families, of the missing, insisted that the funeral homes ground be searched, IMMEDIATELY. Doctor Rhoades noticed how calm the sheriff seemed to be, as the group went to investigate the property. A property search yielded no automobile nor any personal belongings. The day-time deputy did locate some fresh tire tracks. The sheriff would suggest "Either they went, willingly, or, maybe, the girl was taken, and the boy followed." Since neither the sheriff, nor the doctor, could find either drag marks, or evidence, of a struggle, neither would say, conclusively, that ANY event had occurred, at this location. Sure, it was NEAR the funeral home, but what did that "prove"? Still, even as the police gathered evidence, Doctor Rhoades would sense the spirits, of the funeral home, calling out, to him. When Doctor Rhoades stepped away, from the police, and engaged his "third eye", the doctor had a hard time, dealing with what he saw. While locals, whom the doctor had spoken with, so far, had stated that the funeral director, was well-respected, and dedicated to the care, of the deceased, what Doctor Rhoades vision showed him was an entirely different man. When the vision showed the doctor a vision, of the funeral director, not as a compassionate man, but as a man, who enjoyed inflicting PAIN, Doctor Rhoades would question "Am I witnessing the truth?" In the first, of several, visions, which came to the doctor, he watched as a young woman was stripped down, to her underwear, then bound, to a bed frame, before the funeral director would take a leather whip, and swat her flesh. All while calling her un-holy, for some reason, regarding a funeral. The next image, Doctor Rhoades guess that he could understand. After all, the man, being lashed, this time, had asked a girl away from a long, boring, funeral, and the two had some erotic fun, while the funeral went on. Now, the man was lashed, to the bed frame, stripped to his shorts, and the funeral director was procliaming "Defiler of the dead. Since you have no respect, for the dead, around you, I will show you the meaning of respect. While other visions showed Doctor Rhoades vandals, and trespassers, as well as others, who had crossed the land, it sees that the funeral director was the most passionate, about the sanctity of the dead. It was not until the day-time deputy roused the doctor, asking "We are finished, here. If you want, you can ride back to town, with me." On the ride back to town, when Doctor Rhoades would ask the deputy "What would you, or any one else, know, about the director, of the funeral home, himself?" The deputy would say "Best place I can think, to check, would be the local library. Just be careful of Miss Prudy. That woman can "smell out" a persons true intentions, in seconds." Doctor Rhoades would promise to be both respectful, and discreet. As a result, of this promise, Miss Prudy would take as much as an hour, to figure out what the doctor was searching for. When Miss Prudy would inform Doctor Rhoades "The funeral director was a man of principals. He was dedicated to the sanctity, of the burial experience." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "What would he do, if a person did NOT show the deceased proper respect?" Miss Prudy would say "Depending on how "bad" he felt the dis-respect was, his reaction might be a subtle as a whispered warning." "What about if the man felt that a person was either openly profane, or if the person did something, which was of terrible "taste", at a funeral?" Miss Prudy would look about, then whisper, to the doctor "You never, heard this, from me." When Doctor Rhoades would say "I understand." Miss Prudy would whisper "It is not in the official records, but word has it that the funeral director took action, himself, against those, who violated the sacred ground, of the cemetary." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "In what way?" Miss Prudy would say "If you, really, want to know, go, check out that place, yourself. Check the basement. Check it GOOD. Now, if you will excuse me, I see I have other customers awaiting my assistance." Doctor Rhoades was left to read through countless reports, all of which described the funeral director, as one of the best men in the state. The funeral home was listed as "The most respectful place", to hold a funeral, within five counties. What Doctor Rhoades found odd, as in strange, was how little vandalism, occurred, in the nearby cemetary, even on Halloween. While small parties were, often, broken up, by police, the only damage done was for the vandals to pick up their mess. And, WHAT did Miss Prudy mean when she said "Check out that basement. Check it, GOOD!" What was that all about? When Doctor Rhoades would, next, visit the Hall of Records, asking for any information, on the funeral home, the clerk would say "Sorry, sir, but that place was built before official blue-prints even existed. All I can show you are drawings, which were done." When Doctor Rhoades would say "That will be fine", the clerk would lead the doctor to some very dusty, old, volumes. To the doctor surprise, the clerk would ask "Please be careful, with these documents. The Hall of Records has been asking for digitizing, for YEARS. All we hear is that "When the county can afford it." Doctor Rhoades would say "I understand. I will be very careful, with the documents." (What Doctor Rhoades had not mentioned, to the clerk, was that he had no intention of handling the documents, by hand. He had snuck in a digital camera.) What the psychiatrist had not considered was the fact that, with many, old, buildings, blue-prints were little more than sketches. Doctor Rhoades was just thankful that he had read up, on digital photography, and would be able to highlight, and enhance, the photo's. Another problem, and one which the psychiatrist could NOT solve, with technology, was the fact that, when some, older buildings had been built, not everything had been listed in the plans. After Doctor Rhoades had photographed all that he could, his next stop would be his temporary quarters, and a call, to a collegue. In case the phones were tapped, Doctor Rhoades used words, which only certain people understood. Doctor Rhoades felt that, IF the phones were tapped, he did not want any persons knowing what he had in mind. It was not that the psychiatrist wanted the notoriety, of being the discoverer, it was that he did not want persons, currently unknown, to sabotage the property, before the doctor could complete his research work. Two days later, when the equipment, its operator, and his overland vehicle arrived, the worker had whispered, to Doctor Rhoades "Just in case." Two hours later, it would seem that this precaution was "paying dividends", when the truck pulled up to the drive, for the funeral home. On his past visits, Doctor Rhoades had seen, and moved, a simple, construction, barrier, marked "Road Closed". On this visit, and to Doctor Rhoades astonishment, the construction barrier was gone. Now, the construction vehicle faced a wall, built of masonry block. This is when the worker asked Doctor Rhoades "Permission to travel overland?" When Doctor Rhoades would wave a hand, while saying "Proceed", the overland vehicle would, as carefully as possible, drive over the wooded area. The driver would do his best to leave as little evidence, of passage, as possible. Once at the funeral home, while Doctor Rhoades could, psychically, "hear" the souls, crying out for help, the doctor noticed that his driver felt the presence as well. By the time the police arrived, at nightfall, and shot up the visitors machines, while mentioning "Doctor, I thought we made it clear, to you. We do NOT want you off, by yourself." Doctor Rhoades thought it was hilarious, the way a deputy brought forth the doctors laptop computer, then put five bullets through the "core", of the device. Both the scanner operator, and Doctor Rhoades, would spend three hours, at the police station, while the city council tried to decide what to do, next. The mayor had been observed, slapping the heads, of two people, a man and a woman, who suggested "Just get rid of the bodies." The mayor had asked "Do you want both the state police, AND federal authorities, coming down here?" When another man asked, the mayor would say "Simple. With their machinery destroyed, they have NO evidence. Even if they publish a report, the lack of evidence will make it no more than another, ghost, story." In order to depart town, alive, Doctor Rhoades, and the scanner operator, would sign the most generic document, which they had, ever, seen. A document, which promised non-disclosure, under penalty of law. What the document FAILED to define was WHAT it was that neither man was supposed to mention. It was not until the men were back, in the scanner operators lab, that the man asked Doctor Rhoades "Doc, WHAT are you smiling about? Our equipment is all destroyed." Doctor Rhoades had responded with "Our mechanical equipment might be destroyed, but not our information." Sure enough, while Doctor Rhoades was a "miracle worker", with the mind, he was clue-less (as most of us are), about on-line storage, of documents. It had been a patient, who had clued the doctor in, about on-line, document, storage. The patient had even assigned the doctor a code-name. This way, only the doctor could access his files. Now, inside the scanner operators lab, Docotr Rhoades would go on-line, open the files, and show the scanner operator what no one, else, had seen. From what the men could see, it seems that the funeral home had been built on top of an old, mine, shaft. The magnetometer showed that the shafts were built of rebar, and concrete. Just enough to stabilize the shaft, and tunnels. When the scanner produced a crystal clear image, of most of the underground, there were spaces, where the signal was distorted, by some form of energy. Still, the place looked positively beautiful. While the scanner had noted the presence, of the garage, a distance from the home, Doctor Rhoades hopes were dashed when all the scanner showed was funeral home vehicles, and some classic vehicles, which local records showed that the funeral director owned. Doctor Rhoades idea, that the missing cars were being stored, underground, evaporated, when the scan turned up no trace of the automobiles. When Doctor Rhoades began to wonder, aloud, if the cars had been dumped into the lake, the scanner operator would say "Too many cars. Too small a lake." When the scanner operator would suggest "Too bad they wont let us test the cars, in that garage." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "WHY?", the scanner operator would say "Consider this. If someone had access, to the funeral home, what would prevent this person (or persons), from driving a victims car away, to be dumped, then hitch a ride, back to the funeral home, with the driver?" Doctor Rhoades would suggest "Plausible, but how to PROVE." The "answer" would come, hours later, and after bboth men had, un-knowingly, fallen asleep, in the scanners office. In the "vision world", as Doctor Rhoades referred to the "dream world", a man came, to the doctor, asking "Can you help us?" When Docotr Rhoades would ask "How may I be of assistnace, to you?" the mans spirit would say "I need you to find my body. That, and my mistresses." When Doctor Rhoades would, calmly, ask Tell me more?" The spirit would inform Doctor Rhoades "It was not until AFTER we were married, that I found out just how "possessive" my wife was. Anytime I even SPOKE to another woman, my wife insisted that I was starting a new affair. After my wife "caught" me, five times, she refused to let me sleep in my own bed. This is when I DID begin an affair. She was an out-of-town woman, who said her husband was just as paranoid. The last thing I remember was driving her out, to the funeral home, looking at the lake, and doing man-woman things. After that, everything went black." When Doctor Rhoades had asked "Do you remember WHERE you parked?" The mans spirit would say "Tire marks were gone, years ago. Its been decades, since our deaths." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "Do you know where you are buried?" It was at this moment, when the scanner operator would whisper "Doc, who is that guy you are talking to?" The spirit would fade, after whispering "I dont know if I can tell you, but I CAN show you." While Doctor Rhoades, and the scanner operator, would use totally seperate roads, to re-enter town, and enter the property, at seperate times, no one had any idea what the doctor was doing. The problem, that the doctor, and the scanner, had, with Marks (the ghosts) directions was that Mark lead the two to one of the very spots, where energy distorted the image, from the scanner. Mark would, then point to another distortion, saying "Emily." When Doctor Rhoades would ask "How do we prove this?" The scanner operator would suggest without 3-D, all was can do is dig." This would be when Mark would ask "Why dig? There is an old shaft, inside thhe funeral home." Doctor Rhoades would be the first to say "Son, I understand your grief. The problem is that the house is locked up." The WAY Mark said "Come with me", gave Doctor Rhoades a chill feeling. After Mark walked the doctors, to the front door, of the funeral home, thewn said "Wait here", there was nothing the men could do, but wait. Moments later, the men heard the door un-locking, then it opened, and Marks spirit waived a hand, saying "Come on in." The one thing no one had mentioned, to the living, was that the shaft, inside the house, had stairs. The men would not have to climb ladders. After Mark found, and pointed out, his remains, he took a short walk, then said "Emily is over here." It was not until the scanner operator would find other remains, and haddle up, to Doctor Rhoades, that the doctor would whisper "Relax. They have been dead, for a very long time. They wont hurt you." Mark would add "You have my WORD, as a ghost, that none will harm you." When the scanner operator would ask "Who are all of these people?" Doctor Rhoades would say "A very good question. Care to supply some information, Mark?" Even as Mark began pointing out skeletons, whisps, of smoke, would drift up, from bodies, swirling in the air, for a moment, then solidifying into human bodies. Just as Doctor Rhoades had suspected, once the funeral home was closed, the property became a meeting place, for people, to have affairs. Doctor Rhoades had little doubt that, if he checked UNDERGROUND magazines, he would find this place listed. Still, this left the question of "What happened to the cars, these people had driven? Where could a person hide up to five DOZEN cars?" The idea, that the cars were just "dumped" made no sense, now, since so many cars, going missing, or turning up, abandoned, would have been enough to alert atleast the state police. When Doctor Rhoades took a look, at the inside, of the front door, he understood the REAL reason why the window was boarded up. It was the etched glass. It portrayed the likeness, of a man and woman, enjoying some sex. Between this, and the supposed adulterers, buried beneath the home, Doctor Rhoades would be surprised that there were not MORE reports, coming in. Still, even if the missing adulterers were buried, beneath this house, this left not only the question of WHO had murdered, then buried, the people, but what had become of the victims automobiles. In Doctor Rhoades mind, it would have been so much easier if the adulterers/missing persons, had, simply, changed identities, and used clothes, and cars, purchased with cash. In this scenario, the cars could have been dumped, either in a river, rock quarry, or even a forest. A case, of runaway lovers, would be the easiest to explain. The problem was that this case involved murder. That meant that there was a motive, to be un-covered. Murderers, like other criminals, had motives. When Doctor Rhoades had a hacker friend check on the savings, and checking, accounts, of the missing, there was no leads, here. None, of the missing, were worth huge sums. Most just had regular bill-paying money. When the scanner operator suggested that sex might be the motive, Doctor Rhoades would say "If the killings were by spouses, THAT would make sense. Problem is, these people were nowhere near their homes. Even revenge killing did not make sense. This, since most arrangements had been made only a single day before arrival. That was no time to plan anything. When Doctor Rhoades reviewed the funeral homes records, again, he found that, while the man lead a proper life, the funeral director never "judged" anyone. He simply accepted fee's, and carried out family wishes. When the scanner operator asked about those, who came AFTER the funeral director, Doctor Rhoades would say "There was no, next, funeral, director. Once the man died, the business was closed." This is when the scanner operator would ask "I wonder WHO installed the glass, in the front door, and WHY? I mean, I just dont see a funeral home as a whore-house." Doctor Rhoades realized that the man had a point. A point the doctor had missed, until that time. Sure, the funeral home might have closed, but WHAT had come, AFTER the funeral home? Several hours, of investigation, later, and Doctor Rhoades had discovered that the funeral home HAD been purchased. This, by an out-of-state, investment, group. It was this group, which had the etched glass installed, in the front door, and promoted the place as a "hide-away". According to the records, the place had been profitable, atleast until patrons began disappearing. This, Doctor Rhoades, noticed had begun when the management company had hired a reclusive Christian to watch over the place. Management had hoped that a person, with Christian values, would keep the place, in proper order, while honoring guests privacy. Doctor Rhoades did not like the direction his mind was thinking, at this point. The doctor was opposed to "invading" anyones religious values. The question was: How FAR would a Christian-values person go, to prevent "sin"? To test his theory, Doctor Rhoades brought in two, of Heidi's fellow actors, and instructed them, on what to do. If the doctor was correct, the murderer would attempt to strike. Instead of renting as car, as, originally, planned, the scanner operator suggested buying an old junker. It would, ofcourse, be made comfortable, for the actors. As per instructions, the actors parked the car in the correct place, then, acting like an adulterous couple, they would pretend to carry on, just loud enough to attract attention. This, the "couple" would do, while the sheriff, and his deputies, along with Doctor Rhoades, would observe. It seems that the spirits had been correct, even about the timing. The sheriff, and party, watched as the suspect moved about the car, pouring what the sheriff would say looked like a mixture, used to keep demons underground. Once the car was encircled, the suspecct brought out an enormous weapon, and began attacking the car. Now, the sheriff had the evidence, which he needed, for arrest. The actual arrest was not so simple. In fact, the deputy had to shoot the suspect, with five darts, before the suspect went down. When the actors inquired, even the sheriff had a hard time accepting WHO the suspect was. It was the reclusive, hard-core, Christian. The suspect had to be held, in maximum security, since hospital staff could, barely, contain them. In fact, throughout the processing, the woman just kept saying "It is against the will of GOD. Adultery is satantic evil. The un-holy MUST be punished! They must be! Satan MUST be kept under control!" While Doctor Rhoades would smile as he thought "If Satan did everything he was accused of, he must be on triple-time pay, and with a fantastic benefits plan." After the local lab identified the substance the woman had used, to trap the spirits, then created a counter-agent, Doctor Rhoades, the scanner operator, and the sheriff, would, ALL, be on -hand, when Doctor Rhoades would spread the mixture around the funeral home. As the mixture blended into the ground, theh sheriff, and the scanner operator, stood, motionless, and dis-believing, as whisps of smoke began to appear, to the living. When the whisps took on human form, Doctor Rhoades would find himself receiving dozens of whispered "Thank You's" from the spirits. Spirits, which would, then, glide away, like angels. When the sheriff would ask "Did we, REALLY, see that?" Doctor Rhoades would ask "What doo you THINK you saw?" The way the sheriff would say "Nothing. Nothing at all." Doctor Rhoades knew the truth. As for the bodies, and the home, the decision was made. Since all that was left was bones, and the house was of historic significance, both would remain as is. A monument to the best of man-kind, and a resting place, for the deceased. May they rest in eternal peace.