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was absolutely nothing spooky about it.
    Gessner walked down that hall, and Nate and Carrillo followed. Halfway down the hall, he stopped at a particular locker.
    â€œJim Boltz’s locker,” he said.
    â€œThoroughly searched by myself and the health department,” Carrillo reminded them.
    â€œBut did anyone notice this?” Gessner pointed to a small scratch mark in the upper right corner of the door.
    They examined it closely. Nate put on a pair of glasses for an even closer look.
    â€œWhat about it?” Carrillo asked.
    â€œA hanging man,” said Nate.
    â€œExactly,” said Gessner.
    Carrillo had to take a second look. “Well, I’ll be.”
    â€œI checked the lockers of the other two victims, Tod Kramer and Doug Anderson. They have the same mark, a tiny hanging figure scratched in the paint. The connection with Abel Frye is obvious.”
    â€œI checked the lockers of the other two victims, Tod Kramer and Doug Anderson. They have the same mark, a tiny hanging figure scratched in the paint. The connection with Abel Frye is obvious.”
    â€œSo,” said Nate, “whether it’s a ghost or not, somebody’s up to something.”
    â€œCould be a sick prank,” said Carrillo. “Something done after the victims were hit.”
    â€œOf course,” said Gessner. “But you’ll notice the five-pointed shape, as if derived from a pentagram, a symbol used in witchcraft. These days, witchcraft and satanism among high school students are not uncommon, and from what I hear from the students, they could be happening here.”
    â€œAre you saying the victims were hexed? ”
    â€œI’m saying that a certain group could exist in this school that would wish them harm.”
    Carrillo smirked. “Eh, as long as they’re not packing guns I’m not too worried.”
    â€œ I worry about what would make them want to harm others in the first place.” Gessner gestured at the strange symbol. “Kids usually get into witchcraft for the same reasons: the desire for power, the need for self-esteem and to be a part of something, the need to have some kind of control over their lives, especially when life treats them cruelly—” Then he added, “—when other kids treat them cruelly.”
    Carrillo cocked an eyebrow. “So you think these jocks were picking on somebody?”
    Gessner looked at them both, a sadness in his eyes. “Kids can be terribly cruel to each other. We don’t know the half of it. We don’t always see it. The kids don’t report it.” Then he added with a touch of anger in his eyes, “And all too often the teachers allow it—and some even encourage it.”
    â€œSo now somebody’s trying to get even.”
    Gessner spread his empty hands. “From here on out, gentlemen, we have nothing but unknowns.”
    â€œSo let’s just round up these witches and start asking some questions,” Carrillo said.
    â€œWe don’t know who they are,” Gessner said.
    â€œCome on, you see the kids every day!”
    â€œNot all of them. That’s simply not possible.”
    Carrillo was careful to keep his voice down. “How about Ian Snyder? That kid put a straight pin through his tongue right in front of a teacher and then asked her what she’d do if he ever pulled a gun on her. He’s been suspended a couple of times.”
    â€œDo you honestly think he’d tell you anything?” Gessner asked.
    Carrillo didn’t have an answer for that. They all knew it was highly unlikely.
    â€œAnd for every Ian Snyder there are at least ten wallpaper kids.”
    â€œUh, excuse me,” said Nate. “ Wallpaper kids?”
    â€œThe kids who just blend in. They never say anything, never call attention to themselves, never cause trouble, certainly never talk to their high school counselor, and that’s the problem. We don’t know what they