Alex stared back at the building, his mind racing. The windows were dark and empty, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something or someone was watching them.
"We need to find out more," he said finally. "About him, about the house, about… everything."
Emma looked stricken at that thought, her face turning ashen.
Jordan stepped closer to him, her expression cautious. "You're not thinking about going back in there, are you?"
"Not tonight," Alex said, though the thought had crossed his mind. "But I can't let this go. That letter, the handwriting, it doesn't make sense. And Anderson knows more than he's letting on."
"Obviously," Taylor muttered. "The guy was practically auditioning for the role of Creepiest Man Alive."
Emma shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Do you think he sent the letter?"
Alex shook his head. "No. It's Tobias's handwriting. Anderson didn't write it."
Jordan frowned. "Then why is he still hanging around this place? He said the office has been closed for years."
Chris snorted. "Maybe he's a ghost too."
"Not funny," Emma snapped.
Before anyone could respond, a deep, throaty laugh echoed from the direction of the building.
The group froze, their heads snapping toward the sound.
Anderson stepped out of the shadows, his face illuminated by the dim glow of the streetlights. He was leaning casually against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest, a wide grin stretching across his face.
"You kids," he said, shaking his head. "You should've seen your faces."
Alex blinked, his confusion mingling with a rising sense of indignation. "Wait… you were messing with us?"
Anderson's grin widened. "What did you think? That this place was haunted?"
Taylor let out a strangled laugh, his voice high-pitched with lingering fear. "You… you're joking, right?"
Anderson straightened, stepping into the parking lot. "I mean, I wasn't lying about the building being creepy. And I didn't make it slam the door if that's what you're thinking. That was my son; God bless his soul; he gets so easily bored. However, this place has its quirks of its own. But yeah, I leaned into it a little."
"You scared the crap out of us!" Emma exclaimed, her face flushing red.
"That was the point," Anderson said, clearly unapologetic.
Alex stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "Why? Why mess with us like that?"
Anderson's grin faded slightly, his tone growing more serious. "Because you're poking around where you don't belong. I wanted to see how serious you were. And now I know."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jordan asked, her voice cold.
"It means you're not going to stop," Anderson said, looking directly at Alex. "Am I right?"
Alex didn't answer. He didn't have to.
Anderson chuckled again, turning back toward the building. "You're persistent. I'll give you that. But persistence doesn't always pay off, kid. Be careful what you're digging up; you might not like what you find."
He took a card out of his jacket and handed it to Alex.
"If you are still determined to be stupid, come see me tomorrow."
With that, he disappeared into the shadows, the door creaking shut behind him.
A short while later, the group piled into the car in silence, the weight of Anderson's words hanging over them.
As Alex started the engine, Jordan glanced at him from the back seat. "So… what now?"
"We keep going," Alex said firmly, though his grip on the steering wheel betrayed his unease.
Chris sighed, slumping in his seat. "Great. Because tonight wasn't traumatizing enough."
"Next time," Taylor muttered, "I'm bringing holy water."
Despite everything, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that Anderson wasn't done with them yet.