The Haunting of Hillwood Farm

by Kathryn Knight

  She paused to take it in again. The grassy hill on which the house was situated sloped down here to a sparkling lake that stretched back toward the distant tree line. To the right of the water, white split rail fences encircled wide pastures, and two horses grazed by the far side of one, near the woods. An appreciative sound escaped as she admired the picturesque landscape. “Wow, this is all part of the farm? The lake, too?”

  “It is,” Luke confirmed, settling his hands on his hips. “Although technically, that’s a kettle pond, formed by glaciers. The pond covers five acres, and then there’s all the woods, too.” He motioned toward the vast expanse of trees surrounding the fields. “The entire property is 27 acres total. The Turners go back to the Mayflower, and this farm has belonged to the family since the late 1700s. For a long time, it was a working farm, generating income from the sale of local fruits and vegetables and hay. It hasn’t been profitable in that regard for a while now, but we’ve managed to stay afloat by getting help from my dad’s business.”

  “It’s beautiful.” A warm breeze lifted her hair, and she tucked it back behind an ear. “What does your father do?” she asked as the three of them resumed walking.

  “He’s an attorney. He and my brother have a practice together now.”

  “My son John is very successful,” Alice added, her voice tinged with both pride and something like resignation. “He never cared much for rural living or manual labor, though, which is why Henry and I didn’t move somewhere else and leave the farm to him. He wasn’t really interested in living here, and when he got married, well, his wife Cynthia wouldn’t even consider it.” Shaking her head, she sniffed. “Thankfully, Luke loves this place like I do.”

  He nodded. “Hopefully I can get us back into the black, financially. I don’t want to see the property sold and broken up into subdivisions.”

  “That would break my heart,” said Alice, the words wavering with emotion.

  Silence spun out for a moment, and Callie’s chest tightened as she realized what kind of pressure Luke must be under. No wonder he was concerned about Alice spending money they didn’t have on something like a psychic. A thread of guilt twisted through her, and she reminded herself she hadn’t taken any money yet. Nor would she, unless she actually managed to help. After all, she wasn’t exactly flush with cash either.

  She searched for something to say to bring the conversation back to practical grounds. “So are you going to…um, farm something again? Like, crops?” God, she sounded idiotic.

  Luke chuckled, a deep, pleasant sound. “No, I think that ship has sailed for this property, at least in terms of growing and selling enough of anything that would turn a profit. We’re going to board more horses, now that I’ll be here to take care of them, and—”

  Alice cleared her throat with exaggerated force.

  He laughed again, reaching out to touch her shoulder. “Sorry. I meant, now that I’ll be here to help Gram take care of the horses.”

  Walking slightly behind them, Callie smiled as they exchanged a look filled with quiet humor. But she sensed something else flowing between them—shared grief, an unspoken truth. The new reality of Henry’s absence meant Alice simply couldn’t manage the farm duties on her own, especially if they had more horses to care for. Not without Luke’s living here.

  His gaze traveled over the mostly empty fields. “I’m thinking we could get more of our own horses, too, and eventually offer trail rides for the tourists.” He waved a hand at the expanse of woodlands fanning out from the fenced pastures. “Right now we only have six horses, and two of them are ours. We have room for a lot more in terms of acreage, and I’m going to add more stalls to the barn once I get my house finished.”

  The paved blacktop drive had given way to a dirt road once they’d passed the garage and started down the hill toward the barn, and Luke pointed out the remains of an older building under renovation, presumably the site of his eventual home. The sweet scent of freshly-cut lumber was replaced with the tang of hay and manure as they approached the barn.

  A different cat—this one a gray tabby—glanced up at them from a sunny patch of packed dirt as they entered the barn. Inside, the air was still and cool, dust motes floating lazily through shafts of light. One enormous brown horse stood in its stall, although the back door leading to an enclosed pasture was wide open.

  “This is Moose,” said Luke, running his palm down the horse’s mahogany neck. He scratched at the small white star between Moose’s wide, half-closed eyes and added, “He’s a homebody.”

  “Well, he’s got a nice home,” Alice pointed out. Opening her arms, she gestured to all the spacious stalls lining the center aisle. “Henry spent a lot of time in here. He found it peaceful.” Alice turned and looked at Callie expectantly.

  She didn’t feel much, just a thrum of unease vibrating through her like a plucked sting. And there was a good chance that was more about the way the two of them were studying her now than a supernatural entity.

  “It…is peaceful,” she began, searching for the right words. It was true she didn’t know how this so-called ‘gift’ worked, but when it had happened during her physical therapy sessions, it seemed like Karen’s twin sister’s spirit became stronger—and more demanding—with every encounter. “I can see why Henry liked to spend time in here,” she continued, twining her fingers together. “But I don’t feel anything right now.”

  To his credit, Luke kept his expression neutral, but disappointment pulled at Alice’s features.

  “Maybe if I spend more time here, and at the house.” The words seemed to fall from Callie’s lips of their own accord, and she drew in a breath as thoughts whirled through her mind. Was she crazy to even suggest that, given Luke’s obvious disdain for her presence? No. This was about Alice. It was Alice who had sought her out, Alice she had agreed to try to help. And there was something going on here. The warning of danger had come through the way other messages had in the past. And something—or someone—had poked her in the back. She wasn’t imagining things.

  Recalling the painful jab, she suppressed a shudder. Nothing had ever touched her physically like that before. She wouldn’t even think to imagine that.

  Alice nodded enthusiastically, hope lighting in her eyes. “Yes, of course.”

  Before Luke could say anything, Callie blurted out, “I wouldn’t accept any money, though, just for spending time here. I just want to see if I can help.”

  “We’d love that,” Alice quickly insisted, a broad smile spreading across her face.

  Callie wasn’t so sure about the use of “we” in that proclamation, but Luke remained silent. He must really care about his grandmother’s happiness to put up with this. She’d just figure out a way to avoid him while she was here. The property was certainly large enough to allow that.

  “Oh, I have an idea!” Alice clapped her hands together, flicking her gaze between Luke and Callie. “Why don’t the two of you go on a trail ride tomorrow? Callie said her schedule is pretty open right now, and Moose needs to get some exercise while his owner’s away. Callie can ride one of our horses.” Striding over to Moose’s stall, she reached up to smooth his thick mane. “You can show her more of the land,” she added, her tone growing slightly more forceful as she turned to face Luke.

  Callie’s mouth dropped open as she scrambled for a polite way to release Luke from his grandmother’s request. “Oh, no, that’s okay. I don’t really know how to ride. I was probably fifteen the last time I went.” The memory of that family vacation flashed through her mind, accompanied by a dull ache in her chest. Her parents had both been alive and healthy. So much had changed in ten years. Swallowing hard, she touched the dragonfly pendant hanging from her neck.

  Alice beamed. “Well, then, it’s about time you got back in the saddle, so to speak. Our horses are pretty docile, and Luke’s a good teacher.”

  She cleared her throat, twisting the necklace through her fingers. “I’m sure Luke doesn’t really have time for that.” Or
the patience.

  “Nonsense. You’d be doing us a favor. The horses need exercise, and I get tired easily these days. Plus, tomorrow’s my baking day. The ladies and I have our weekly get together tomorrow afternoon.”

  She didn’t believe for a second Alice often found herself too tired to ride a horse through the woods, if they were as docile as she claimed. Although Alice had injured her shoulder not too long ago, and she was still doing physical therapy with Karen, which was how she had found out about Callie’s abilities. Still, the injury didn’t seem to be preventing Alice from resuming her normal activities at this point. More likely, she just really wanted Callie to come to the farm tomorrow and spend more time searching for a connection to Henry, and the more plans that were set up, the less likely Callie might bow out with some invented excuse.

  It had already become quite apparent, in just a few encounters, that Alice was more than ready to meet any challenge with unwavering persistence if she was determined to make something happen. There was steel beneath that soft, sweet exterior. What concerned Callie more was the tiny piece of herself that suddenly wanted to go. It made no sense. This man thought she was a scam artist; he didn’t like or trust her. But there was something about him that tugged at her, a spark of chemistry humming through her veins. Surely one-sided, but she couldn’t deny that she felt it. Crazy.

  Alice stroked the horse’s muzzle. “I think this boy needs a treat. I’ll see if I can find a carrot.” Turning, she strode past the ladder to the hayloft and disappeared down a hallway.

  Pressing her lips together, Callie exhaled as she dragged her gaze back to Luke. “Sorry about that.”

  He shrugged. “No worries. It’s just a pleasure ride.” Adjusting his hat, he added, “The horses actually do need it, and you might even enjoy yourself.”

  “I’m sure I will,” she replied quickly. “It’s been a long time since I did anything for pleasure.”

  He gave her a long, appraising look, brows lifted. “Oh?” A few beats of silence spun out as something flashed in his eyes. The corners of his mouth twitched. “That’s too bad.”

  Flames swept across her cheeks. Oh, God. Could she have turned his original phrase into a more embarrassing comment? Even if it was fairly accurate. Her throat went as dry as the sawdust and packed dirt beneath her feet, and she forced a noncommittal sound out as she made a dismissive gesture with her hands that hopefully conveyed a casual ‘oh, well, that’s life’ response. Seeking to hide her crimson face, she crossed the aisle back toward the wide entrance to the barn.

  She stood in the middle of the doorway, folded her arms, and gazed out at the emerald fields. It really was beautiful here. Pulling in a deep breath, she willed her galloping pulse to slow down. Get a hold of yourself. It was just a silly slip-up…hilarious, really. But every nerve in her body had tingled as his gaze had raked over her, and she thought she’d sensed a hint of something deeper beneath his amusement…maybe a flicker of desire?

  Ridiculous. It was probably just profound sympathy for her dull, pleasure-free life.

  A sudden chill washed over her, and she glanced up, expecting to see a rogue dark cloud. But the sky was a clear, uninterrupted expanse of blue. A soft creak from directly above her head pulled her gaze higher, and she had a split second to register the pop of nails slipping from wood before an iron horseshoe hurtled down toward her upturned face.

  Crying out, she lurched forward, stumbling as the metal U cracked against the back of her head. Pain ricocheted through her skull, turning her vision gray. She threw out a hand to break her fall, but her forward momentum came to an abrupt halt as strong arms caught her around the waist. She gasped, blinking at the ground, her dragonfly pendant swaying wildly as if ready to take flight. Her sunglasses, tossed from their perch on top of her head, lay in the gravel-studded dirt.

  “Whoa.” Luke hauled her up, turning her toward him while he kept one arm firmly wrapped around her back. His blue eyes blazed with concern as they locked with hers. “Are you okay?”

  For a moment, all she could think about was the proximity of their bodies, pressed together in an intimate embrace. Then another shock of cold air swirled around her, clearing the haze in her mind and raising goosebumps along her skin.

  His brow furrowed, as though he had also felt the strange chill, and his muscles tensed. He glanced around, still holding her close.

  “Luke? Callie?” Alice’s voice floated out from inside the barn.

  They separated quickly, but Luke kept a steadying hand on the small of her back. “Out here, Gram,” he called over his shoulder before turning back to her. “You okay?” he repeated under his breath.

  She gave a shaky nod, heat rising in her cheeks once again. Lifting her hand, she touched the sore spot on the back of her head, wincing as her fingers encountered a sticky warmth. A crimson smear stained her fingertips, and she wiped the blood against her jeans.

  Luke muttered a curse, steering her back toward the barn. “Let’s get you sitting down.”

  “What’s happened?” Alice’s eyes grew wide as she came through the entrance, a bag of carrots dangling in her hand.

  “Nothing.” Callie pulled away from Luke’s grasp, smoothing her hair.

  “The old horseshoe fell and hit her on the head,” said Luke, bending to pick it up off the ground. He plucked two nails from the dirt as well, staring at them for a moment.

  “Oh, no! Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she insisted, pasting a smile on her face. She was coming off as quite accident-prone today, and all the attention made her feel foolish. But had it been an accident? At least Luke had actually seen the horseshoe fall. He couldn’t accuse her of inventing that for effect.

  “No, she’s not. She’s bleeding.” Luke closed his fist around the nails and glanced up at the spot where the horseshoe had hung as they crossed the threshold. “That thing’s been up there forever,” he said slowly, shaking his head.

  Motioning them all toward a narrow bench in the aisle, Alice moved a plastic bucket filled with combs and brushes to the floor. “Have her sit down for a minute. I’ll go get some ice.” She hurried off back around the corner, still clutching the forgotten carrots.

  Resigned, Callie lowered herself onto the bench. She really was fine, but she didn’t have the energy to fight Alice’s instructions at the moment.

  Luke stared at the horseshoe in his hand for a few seconds before depositing it on a shelf. He returned, his tall form looming over her. Adjusting his hat, he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that happened. You seem to be taking a beating today.”

  She lifted a shoulder. “It’s no big deal. I’m tougher than I look.”

  “I’m beginning to see that.”

  Another pulse of desire fluttered through her, and she was grateful when Alice came rushing back, gripping a worn towel bulging with ice.

  “It’s not pretty, but it’s clean,” Alice said as she raised the ragged bundle. “Let me look at it first.”

  Callie bent forward, tipping her chin to her chest, allowing Alice to probe her scalp with gentle fingers.

  “It’s not too deep,” Alice declared, settling the wrapped ice against the back of Callie’s head. She stepped back as Callie took over holding the ice, a frown still deepening the lines around her mouth. “Do you feel dizzy? Maybe Luke should drive you home.”

  Mortified, Callie shook her head, inadvertently grinding the ice cubes against her wound. Ow. “Oh, no, that’s not necessary. I’m really fine.” She swallowed past the lump swelling in her throat. It had been quite some time since anyone had been concerned about her welfare. While it was sweet, it was unwarranted in this case. And something she shouldn’t get used to. Thank God Alice didn’t know about her past, or she’d be dialing an ambulance right now instead of standing next to Luke, staring down at her alongside her grandson. Callie was starting to feel like a bug under a microscope.

  The sudden crunch of tires approaching had them all exchanging confused glances,
and Luke returned to the doorway to peer out. “It’s Mom.”

  Alice sighed, rolling her eyes.

  “And Ryan.” The engine cut off, and car doors opened and shut.

  Alice brightened a bit. “That’s my other grandson.” She hovered as Callie stood, seemingly ready to argue against this physical feat, but instead she just added, “He’s Luke’s younger brother. Only by a year, though.”

  They left the barn to join the others outside, and Callie glanced at the lumpy towel before hiding it behind her back. Only a small spot of blood. Good. She was more than ready to get out of here, especially with more family members arriving.

  A tall woman with toned arms and frosted hair swept up in a chignon pulled away from Luke, leaving a trace of coral lipstick on his cheek. She wore a well-fitting skirt with a coordinated short-sleeved sweater set and low heels. “I called ahead,” she said, a hint of annoyance lacing her tone, “but no one answered their phone.”

  “Like I said, we were all down here, and I forgot my ringer was off.” Luke turned to Callie, reaching out to return her sunglasses. “Callie, this is my mother, Cynthia Turner. And my brother, Ryan.”

  Ryan was a less rugged, more polished version of Luke, with the same thick chestnut hair, strong jaw, and handsome features. But no dimples appeared around his mouth when he smiled at her, and his lips were thinner. “Nice to meet you,” he said, echoing his mother.

  Both Ryan and Cynthia studied her for a moment, bouncing questioning glances between the other members of the Turner family. Finally, Cynthia looked pointedly at Callie. “Are you a friend of Luke’s, then?”

  “Oh, no,” Callie replied quickly, the seemingly permanent blush rising in her cheeks again. She realized her mistake, though, when she noticed the look of alarm passing over Alice’s face. Whoops. Now how was she going to explain her presence here?

  Inspiration hit. She waved her sunglasses in the direction of the barn before replacing them on top of her head. “I’m thinking of boarding my horse here.”