by J A Whiting
A happy smile showed on the boy’s face and before he skipped out of the room, he said, “I knew you could do it. I’ll go help Grandpa make your snack.”
When Chase was gone, Viv said, “If I ever have a son, I hope he’s a lot like Chase.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Lin smiled, and then her expression turned serious. “Viv, before the vision ended, I saw something else.”
Viv held her breath.
Lin said, “The painting of Captain Baker was hanging on the wall when Witters owned the house … before Mrs. Baker made the stipulation that the captain’s painting had to remain in the house every time someone new bought it.”
Viv’s mouth opened and then shut, and then she spoke. “Why would the painting be in here when Witters owned this place? It doesn’t make any sense. Wouldn’t Captain Baker have taken his portrait with him when he moved to the new house?”
Lin looked her cousin in the eye. “We need to talk to Anton.”
19
Lin and Jeff, and Viv and John spent the morning sledding on a medium-sized hill and skating on a large pond in the mid-island area. They’d hurtled down the hill on toboggans whooshing over the snow, laughing and shouting with delight at the speedy conditions.
Sitting together on a fallen log watching the other skaters glide over the ice, Lin took a thermos of hot chocolate and a container of brownies and cookies from the bag she’d brought along and passed them around.
Before heading out for the wintry activities, Lin and Viv met with Anton to tell him what had happened at the Snows’ house the previous evening.
The historian sat transfixed by the tale of Lin’s vision and he’d nearly fallen from his seat by the time she’d finished telling him the details.
“This is an incredible upgrade in your skills. You saw the murders take place. Wait until Libby hears this.” Anton couldn’t take his eyes off of Lin.
“I did have a vision once before,” Lin reminded the man. “Libby helped me that time though.”
“Now you’ve done it yourself.” Anton’s voice was full of excitement.
“I really didn’t do anything. Captain Baker sent the images to my mind,” Lin said.
Anton looked aghast. “You say that like it’s nothing special. May I remind you that other people cannot do what you are able to.”
“Well, some people do it. Libby can. It’s more like I’m an empty vessel and the ghost poured out his story into my head. I just took it in.”
Anton shook his head. “That is not listed under the category of ordinary human functioning. It is a very specialized ability. Please do not downplay its uniqueness.”
Lin shrugged.
“Anyway,” Viv said, “let’s get back to why Captain Baker’s portrait was still in the Tangerine Street house when the Bakers weren’t living there anymore. Can you look into it?”
Anton said, “I will certainly look into it. I’ll speak with my associates. But there may not be any records to explain it. Back in the day, furniture, artwork, and household items weren’t regularly listed in documents when a building transferred ownership. Unless there are some personal letters or notes that speak about the painting, all that’s left to us are assumptions and conjecture.”
“Maybe one of your historian friends will be able to help,” Lin said hopefully.
“I’ll also go to the historical museum and scour old records for any information I can find about the sale of the house from the Bakers to the Witters and what was included in that sale,” Anton told the cousins. “I’ll get in touch with you as soon as I know something.”
Lin and Viv thanked the historian and left his house to join Jeff and John feeling not very hopeful about learning the reason Captain Baker’s portrait had been left behind when he and his family moved out.
When they met their boyfriends, the young women reported last night’s news to them and John looked like he might faint.
“The ghost sent you a movie to watch in your head?” John asked in an unusually high voice. “This is possible? People can do this?”
“Some people can do it,” Viv said.
“It’s just a different set of skills,” Jeff tried to calm John. “It’s like some people are natural quarterbacks or can run a sub-four-minute mile or can understand black holes and quarks. Lin has a different set of abilities.”
“What’s a quark?” John asked with a furrowed brow.
“Who knows?” Viv said. “Well, someone knows, but not us. You see Jeff’s point? There are some things in the world that some people can do that are hard for others to understand or that are impossible for others to do, but that doesn’t make those people weird or scary.”
“I guess not.” John nodded. “I understand. Sorry. All this is new and, well, kind of amazing to me.”
“It’s okay.” Lin gave him a quick hug. “You’ll get used to it after a while.”
John chuckled. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it, but it sure is interesting.”
“So let’s discuss this,” Viv said as she filled her boyfriend’s cup with hot cocoa. “What are some reasons somebody would leave his or her portrait behind in the house they just sold?”
No one said anything.
“There must be some reason,” Viv said.
“He forgot it?” John asked.
“Really?” Viv tilted her head to the side. “Keep thinking.”
“The captain sold it to the new owners,” Jeff said.
“Why would the new owners want a painting of someone else on their wall?” Lin asked.
“I give up.” John took a swallow of the hot beverage.
“Don’t feel bad. We were hoping one of you might be able come up with a good idea because neither of us can think of a reason why the painting was left behind,” Lin said before biting into a brownie.
Darkness had fallen while the foursome had been talking and they packed up their things and headed back to the cars when Lin’s phone buzzed with an incoming text and after reading it, she looked up with a worried expression. “It’s from Roy Snow, Robert and Lila’s son. He’s asking if Viv and I can come to the house. They need to tell us something.”
“When do they want us to come?” Viv asked.
“Now.”
Lin and Viv arranged to meet Jeff and John for dinner later and then they hurried to the Snows’ house to find out what they wanted to share.
Roy flung open the front door as soon as the cousins had gone up the few steps to the landing. “I’m glad you’re here. Something’s happened.”
Noticing a board nailed over the sidelight next to the door, anxiety pulsed through Lin’s veins when she stepped into the foyer.
Roy ushered the young women into the living room where Robert, Lila, and Roy’s wife, Lara, waited for them.
“Thank you so much for coming so fast.” Robert stood up and greeted Lin and Viv. “The police left a half-hour ago.”
“The police?” Worry showed in Viv’s eyes. “Why were they here?”
“Dad and I were at my gallery in town and Mom and Lara had gone out to do some holiday shopping,” Roy explained.
“When Lara and I returned home, we came in through the side door,” Lila said. “We heard glass breaking. At first, I thought our ghost was wreaking havoc again, but a panicky sensation came over me and I knew Captain Baker wasn’t the cause of the breaking glass.”
Lin’s heart started to race. “Where was Chase?”
“He’d gone to a friend’s house,” Lara told them. “Lila and I were in the hallway on the main floor. We heard footsteps coming from the front door.”
“I pulled out my phone to call the police,” Lila said.
“At first, I panicked. I felt we were trapped … the intruder could easily reach one of us even if we ran. I became enraged,” Lila said. “I know it was foolhardy, but I couldn’t stop myself. I screamed at the person to get out of my house.”
Lara couldn’t hold back a smile. “I was proud of her.”
“I yell
ed to Lara to hand me the gun,” Lila said with a wink. “We don’t have a gun.”
“We heard another crash, and then the person dashed from the house,” Lara said. “I made the call to the police and Lila ran to the windows to see if she could get a look at the person.”
“It was already dark. I could barely make out someone hurrying away before he turned the corner.”
“It was a man?” Lin asked.
“It was definitely a man.”
“He broke a window at the front of the house? That’s how he gained entry?” Viv asked.
Robert said, “He broke one of the glass sidelights that are positioned on each side of the front door. Tomorrow we’re having them removed and replaced with wood. And in three days, we are having an alarm system installed.”
“What did the police say?” Lin asked.
“Not a whole lot,” Robert sighed. “There isn’t much to go on. Lila’s description could be the description of hundreds of men on the island. It was dark. It was too hard to see anything.”
“Besides how disturbing the break-in is,” Roy said, “another upsetting thing is the person must have been watching the house. He knew the place was empty. He knew we were all out of the house.”
“I can’t tell you how unnerving it is to know that someone has been watching us, learning our habits,” Lara said with an involuntary shake of her shoulders. “It makes me feel ill.”
Robert looked from Lin to Viv. “Lila and Lara didn’t touch anything in the foyer, hall, or living room until after Roy and I got home and the police left. The painting of the captain had fallen from the wall. A heavy glass statue was on the floor. There was a bit of blood on it.”
Understanding dawned on Lin. “The captain made the statue fall off the bookshelf and hit the intruder?”
“That’s what we think,” Robert said. “At first, the police were skeptical the blood on the statue belonged to the person who broke in, but then they thought the man might have cut himself when he broke the sidelight glass. They took the statue back to the station to take a sample of the blood.”
“We couldn’t very well tell the police that our ghost made the statue strike the intruder so we were relieved they thought the blood was from breaking the glass,” Lila said.
“We’re all very grateful for our ghost’s assistance in thwarting the intruder.” Robert looked to the painting that had been returned to its place on the wall and nodded.
Murmurs of agreement went around the room.
Roy said, “I doubt the blood will be analyzed. It was a petty break-in as far as the police are concerned. They’ll swab the statue and store the sample in case something worse happens.”
Lara groaned. “Like what? One of us gets killed the next time the intruder breaks in?”
A chill ran over Lin’s skin. “Did you tell the police about the odd offers for the painting? Do the police know how badly someone wants it?”
“We told them, but I don’t think they’re as concerned as we are,” Robert said. “There are a lot of valuable items in homes all over the island. Nothing that’s happened here is considered much of a threat, and in law enforcement’s eyes, the offers for the painting and today’s break-in are probably not even connected.”
“Of course, we all know differently,” Lila said.
“Do you think the intruder was attempting to steal the painting of Captain Baker?” Robert asked Lin.
“Yes, I do.” Lin glanced at the portrait hanging on the wall. “I felt it the moment I walked through the door.”
20
“I’m so glad we were able to get this place for the wedding,” Viv said.
“Other people had inquired about the date, but because I’m here so much, they gave it to us.” John dipped his spoon into his pot of crème brulee.”
“I knew there was a reason I chose to marry you,” Viv kidded her boyfriend.
“It’s perfect here. It’s going to be beautiful.”
Lin and Jeff exchanged smiles.
The two couples had eaten dinner in the boat club dining room and were enjoying their desserts at a table looking over the outside deck and out to the ocean where the moon shined a silvery path over the dark water. They’d deliberately avoided any more talk about the Snows and the painting of Captain Baker.
“How’s Leonard doing?” Jeff asked. “What’s going on with Marguerite?”
Lin said, “Leonard’s been uncharacteristically quiet the past few days. Whenever I bring up Marguerite, he shuts down completely and won’t say a word about her. It’s got me worried. I’m afraid she’s about to leave him.”
John shook his head. “She’d pick right before the holidays to take off? Seems cruel.”
“I don’t think holidays matter to a ghost,” Viv said. “To them, there isn’t any time, at least, not like we know it.”
“I think now is the time for Marguerite to cross over,” Lin said thoughtfully.
“Why do you think so?” Jeff questioned.
“I think the woman Leonard met at the lifesaving museum gala, Heather Jenness, is going to be important to him. I think Marguerite is aware of her and what she could mean to Leonard. I think she’s been waiting for someone like Heather to come along for Leonard.”
“Leonard needs a partner,” Viv said. “He needs someone he can hold hands with, hug, talk to. Even though Marguerite is in the house with him, it’s still a lonely way to live ... and it’s a constant reminder of what he’s lost.”
After more conversation, the foursome finished their coffees and desserts, and strolled outside to head to their homes. Jeff’s car was parked on Main Street and he offered to drive the others back to their places, but John was going to spend the night on his boat, and Viv and Lin wanted to walk because it wasn’t that cold and the night was so pretty.
Walking through town, the cousins talked about wedding plans, holiday shopping, and what they wanted to serve at their Christmas eve get-together. As they approached Tangerine Street, they both began to feel jittery from thinking about the recent goings-on at the house and the attached art gallery.
“I wish whatever is about to happen would just happen and we could get it over with,” Viv said taking her gloves out of her pockets and slipping them on.
“I’m not ready for it.” Lin tugged her hat further down around her ears.
“Will you ever be ready for it?” Viv eyed her cousin.
“Probably not.” Lin sighed.
“Have Sebastian and Emily made any more appearances?”
“None.”
“I guess they gave you the information you need,” Viv said. “Listen for the click.”
“I really hope the click sound doesn’t involve a gun.” Lin’s spoke with a discouraged tone.
“Yeah, me too.”
The young women walked in silence until they reached the Civil War Monument, where they hugged goodnight, and then Viv turned right to head to her house and Lin turned left to walk to her cottage.
It was late and the streets were empty and cloud cover had obscured the moon’s light making the neighborhoods especially dark … and suddenly, Lin felt alone and afraid.
She picked up her pace and when she reached into her pocket for the house key, it slipped from her gloved hand and fell to the ground. When she bent to retrieve it, she thought she spotted someone standing in the shadows a half-block behind.
Her racing heart jumped into her throat and nearly choked off her air supply. As she started away, she could hear the occasional scuff of a boot on the road.
Lin removed the glove from her right hand and placed the keys in-between her fingers in case she needed to use them as a weapon. She desperately wanted to look behind her, but didn’t dare do it so she wouldn’t alert the possible follower that she was aware and nervous about his presence.
Wondering if she would be able to outrun the person, she considered dashing down the streets to her house, but thought it might not be a good idea if the man was carrying a gun.
Lin berated herself for not accepting Jeff’s offer of a ride home.
If the man had a gun, wouldn’t he have used it on me already?
The footsteps sounded closer.
Lin bolted away, tearing down the lanes, hoping she wouldn’t hit an icy spot and go flying.
Reaching her front door, Lin jammed the key in the lock while yelling her dog’s name hoping his barking would scare the person off. “Nicky! Nick!”
In three seconds, the dog was on the other side of the door growling and barking like a wild animal.
Lin pushed the door open, rushed inside, slammed the door and locked it behind her, before falling to her knees and hugging her little brown dog.
“Good boy, good boy,” she whispered, and then stood with her index finger to her lips indicating to the dog to be quiet.
Lin slipped into the dark living room and sidled up to the window, being careful not to stand in front of it. She moved her head a little to look outside.
Nothing.
She and Nicky walked softly to the bedroom and repeated the maneuver.
No one was visible in the black, still night.
The kitchen was the next place they went without turning on any lights.
Lin’s heart pounded with such force she thought it might jump from her chest.
Seeing nobody outside on the deck, Lin pulled all the shades down and turned on one small lamp, and then she took her pepper spray from the kitchen drawer.
Sinking onto the sofa, she hugged Nicky tight.
“Was someone following me, Nick? Is he still outside watching the house? Maybe I imagined the whole thing. Maybe I should call Jeff. Let’s sit here for a while first. I bet I overreacted. I bet that person was just walking back home like I was. I’m too jumpy.” Lin chattered at the dog trying to convince herself she wasn’t in any danger.
“Why would anyone be after me? The painting isn’t in here. I’m kind of embarrassed that I acted that way. You’re a good boy for helping me.”
Lin kissed the top of the dog’s head and he pressed close against her.
After sitting and listening for thirty minutes, Lin realized the dog had fallen asleep across her lap and if he wasn’t on the alert for anything, all must be well, so she gently moved Nicky to the side and got up to get ready for bed.
