I scratched my head. I was dumbfounded. None of that helped me know what I was dealing with, let alone how to find it. The seawater connection was interesting. Was it some kind of sea monster? Did it live near the water?

I took out my phone and dropped Mo’Lock a text. I told him to tell the ghouls to focus on the shorelines, Malibu, Long Beach, places like that. He texted me back a thumbs-up emoji. I hate that shit.

“Tell me something,” Lynch said. “Is it true what they say about you?”

“That I’m trouble?”

“No . . . that you see and hunt strange phenomena?”

“The easy answer is yes.”

She smiled. “I think that’s fascinating.”

“You believe me?”

“Of course not. I just find it fascinating you would believe such things.”

“Such things . . . ?” I pointed to the bodies around the room. “How do you explain this?”

“I don’t know yet. But I’m positive there is a rational explanation.”

I was in no mood to argue. Let her believe what she wanted. Instead of debating I dropped a line to Wheatley.

“Any news?” he said without a hello.

“Apparently the bodies are made up of gelatinous seawater. I have some people checking the shoreline communities to see if there’s anything.”

There was a long pause on the other end, and then Wheatley said breathlessly, “Hold on a second. I need to check something.”

I waited. I smiled at Lynch, who was already back to her work and not paying any attention to me standing in her work area. I watched as she used a handsaw and gently sliced the top of a skull. When she started to remove the upper piece, pink fluid poured out all over the examination table.

Gross.

Wheatley came back on the line after a few minutes.

“The aquarium in Long Beach,” he said. “They reported a break-in a few nights ago and then again last night.”

Finally, something to go on. I told him I’d meet him in Long Beach and then I texted the ghoul and told him the same. I had no idea what we were dealing with, so I wanted some backup just in case. I thanked Dr. Lynch for the information and excused myself from the morgue.

It took me a little over forty-five minutes to arrive in Long Beach. There was a little downtown area where the convention center was, and nearby was the aquarium. It was late, so it wasn’t open. I parked the Nova on the curb and walked toward the building. I didn’t see Wheatley or any of the ghouls yet.