The Ghost and the Witches' Coven

by Bobbi Holmes

  “I need to call the police chief. He has to arrest the Parker sisters for kidnapping,” Danielle said.

  “He can’t really do that now. Where is the evidence?” Chris asked. “It sounds to me like that’ll need to wait until they get back here and can press charges.”

  Danielle let out a sigh. “I guess you’re right. He can’t really arrest them because of what Eva tells him.”

  “I’m not so sure about that,” Eva said.

  “What do you mean?” Danielle asked.

  “There is some evidence in that van,” Eva said.

  “What kind of evidence?” Chris asked.

  “A broken fingernail. Heather’s broken fingernail. I know it’s hers. She wore that same color of nail polish the day before the abduction, and I know they transported them up to the forest in the back of the van. She must have broken the fingernail then,” Eva said. “I didn’t remember to ask her about her nails when I saw her. Frankly, I forgot about the nail until Chris mentioned evidence.”

  It wasn’t difficult to get a search warrant for the van on Sunday night in spite of the fact there was no evidence of foul play, and Walt, Heather and Brian had only been missing for twenty-four hours. But the last time anyone had seen them, they had been together inside Pagan Oils and More.

  When the police first arrived at the Parkers’, no one was home. One police car parked down the street a bit, waiting for them to return. When the van finally pulled into the driveway on Sunday evening, the parked police car waited for backup before serving the warrant.

  They had just started for the front door after returning from the forest, when the police car pulled into their driveway. Bridget stood with her sisters, almost at their front door, and looked out to the street, wondering why there were two police cars pulling in front of their house and another one in the driveway. She hadn’t noticed the one parked down the street when they first got home. A moment later they found out why when Joe Morelli served a warrant to search their van.

  Joe watched as the team went through the van, looking for any clues. When one of them yelled, “Found something,” and then showed him a broken fingernail with purple polish, he remembered what the chief had told him when sending him out on the call.

  “The last time we saw any of them was when they walked into Pagan Oils. The Parkers claimed they all left out the back door, where they drove off and Brian, Walt and Heather were left standing in the alley. But what if they drove off with them in the van? Look for anything that might prove they were in that vehicle. For example, Heather has long nails, nails break. Danielle mentioned she was wearing purple nail polish that day.”

  Joe looked at the broken nail and frowned. “This is too weird,” he mumbled.

  Thirty-One

  Crackling firewood and forest night sounds broke the silence as the flames danced erratically, confined in the recently constructed rock border. Sitting on her tarp with its edges pulled up over her shoulders, Heather quietly studied Brian, who stared into the fire. Walt had fallen asleep on the other side of the campfire from her and Brian. She doubted he got much sleep the night before.

  “Are you okay?” Heather whispered to Brian.

  Brian, who sat on his own tarp, glanced to Heather, his expression unreadable. “Why do you ask?”

  Heather shrugged. “A lot has happened to you in the last day.”

  Brian let out a snort. “Not how I expected to spend my weekend, that’s for sure.”

  “I have to say, I’m rather impressed with how you’re processing all this.”

  Brian studied Heather for a moment and then asked, “When did you know you could see spirits?”

  “I had feelings—intuitions—growing up. Things that happened with my family. But my first vivid experience was the ghost at Presley House.”

  Brian stared at Heather but said nothing.

  “Oh, there really was a ghost there. Haunted the place every Halloween. He trapped Danielle and then later Lily in the basement. I could talk to him.”

  “At first, I just thought you were crazy,” Brian confessed.

  Heather laughed and then asked, “Just at first?”

  Brian shrugged. “I started seeing too much—experiencing too much—to not start wondering if there was more going on than I understood.”

  “You know, I didn’t see Walt at first. I mean, when he was a ghost. I would catch glimpses of him sometimes. But then my sensitivity got stronger and stronger, and I suspect I am as sensitive as Chris and Danielle now. They’ve been able to see spirits since they were kids,” Heather explained.

  “Does this ability—does it bother you? I mean, do you see it as a blessing or curse?”

  Heather considered the question a moment and then said, “I always felt—well, sort of like an outsider. But since coming to Frederickport and developing this gift—or curse—of mine, I guess I feel more at home, more comfortable with who I am, than ever before.”

  “Kelly claims you all share some secret,” Brian said with a chuckle.

  “Kelly may be Ian’s sister, but she can be a pain in the butt.”

  “If Ian knows, why doesn’t he tell Kelly? They’re close.”

  “It’s not as easy as you think. Heck, Lily knew about Danielle’s gift, and Walt haunting Marlow House when I moved here, and she was dating Ian then. But Ian knew nothing about it at the time. It’s not that simple to tell someone, no matter how close you are to them, without them thinking you’re nuts or trying to make a fool of them.”

  “Is that one reason Chris hired you? You have that in common?” Brian asked.

  “No. I think he hired me because I ran into his car and didn’t have the money to fix it.”

  “I imagine there are a lot of women who would kill for the chance to work for Chris Glandon.”

  “Why, because he has stupid good looks and is obscenely rich?” Heather asked.

  Brian grinned.

  “At first I thought he was super annoying.”

  “Annoying how?” Brian asked.

  “His looks, for one thing. When we go places together, and how women often react, I seriously want to barf. Sometimes I want to hang a sign around his neck announcing he’s gay so they’ll back off.”

  “He’s gay?” Brian asked.

  Heather laughed. “Not even close.”

  “You get jealous over the other women?”

  “Now you’re really not close. No, the fawning is just annoying. Maybe it wouldn’t be so much if it wasn’t so predictable. Actually, I would be happy if he would find someone and settle down, then I could just tell the women to back off, he’s already married.”

  “Are you sure you aren’t interested in him?” Brian asked.

  Heather shook her head. “Nah, we’re just good friends. I respect him. He really wants to help people. But he’s just not my type.”

  “What is your type?” Brian asked.

  Heather mentioned a couple of men she had dated since moving to Frederickport and asked Brian if he knew them.

  “I know who they are. Aren’t they a little old for you?”

  Heather shrugged. “Why? Aren’t they about your age?”

  “My point exactly,” Brian said.

  “Didn’t you have a thing with Darlene Gusarov? What was she, in her twenties?”

  “Please don’t remind me,” Brian groaned.

  “I’m sorry, but you have crappy taste in women,” Heather said. “I don’t think you’re in any position to play matchmaker.”

  “Who’s playing matchmaker?”

  “Sounds like that’s what you were doing with me and Chris,” Heather said.

  “No, I wasn’t,” Brian argued.

  “Anyway, sometimes both Danielle and Chris are a little too nice. I just want to smack them.”

  “Too nice?” Brian chuckled.

  “Seriously. If Danielle runs into some annoying ghost, she feels compelled to run after it and help it move on. And Chris, he really was quite goofy over Danielle, but gallantly step
ped aside for Walt. It would have been more interesting if they’d duked it out a bit. Of course, considering Walt’s abilities, maybe Chris did the smart thing.” Heather shrugged.

  “Don’t tell me you were the high school cheerleader getting the two guys into a fight?”

  Heather laughed at the idea. “Seriously? What, do I look like the cheerleader type? Hardly. I was the girl ditching class to join a protest.”

  “What kind of protest?”

  “Usually something to do with saving the environment or animals. But now I work for the Glandon Foundation, I can do more than carry signs.”

  “You like your job?” he asked.

  “Best job ever. It’s like this was the job I was meant to do. I tell you what, every day I thank God for running into Chris’s car.”

  Brian laughed. Heather joined him and then quieted and looked up.

  “Eva is back,” Heather announced.

  “Where is she?” Brian glanced around.

  “She’s not here yet,” Heather said, pointing upward and saying, “But the snow.”

  “What snow?” Brian frowned.

  “Oh, well, you can’t see it. But Eva likes a little drama with her entry.”

  The next moment Eva and Marie appeared, hovering over the fire, the snow vanishing.

  “I am so glad to see you!” Marie gushed.

  “Hey, Marie, I’m rather glad to see you myself. Heck, you can barge in anytime,” Heather said. “I just want to get back home so you can do it there.”

  “Marie?” Brian frowned.

  Heather looked at Brian and cringed. “Oh, we didn’t tell you about Marie, did we? You know, Adam’s grandma, Marie Nichols.”

  “What about Marie?” Brian asked hesitantly.

  “So this little camping trip has been a learning experience for Brian,” Marie said brightly.

  “Like Eva, Marie has stuck around,” Heather explained.

  “Who else?” he asked.

  Heather frowned. “Who else what?”

  “What other ghosts are hanging around?” Brian asked.

  “Currently, there is just Eva and Marie that I know,” Heather explained. “And that guy who was shooting at us, but I don’t know his name. Some stay for a while and move on, like your old girlfriend Darlene. She hung around for a while before moving on.”

  Brian rubbed his right temple with the heel of his right hand.

  “Walt seems to be sleeping,” Marie said, now hovering over Walt.

  “He didn’t get much rest last night. We’re supposed to wake him when we’re ready to go to sleep,” Heather explained.

  “No need to wake him,” Marie said. “I’ll look over you, so whenever you want to go to sleep, go ahead.”

  “I need to get back to Marlow House in case they need me,” Eva said. “I’ll see you both in the morning, and we’ll figure out where you are.” The next moment Eva vanished.

  Heather looked at Brian and said, “Eva left, but Marie is staying so we don’t get eaten by the wildlife.”

  “She’ll wake up Walt if she needs him?” Brian asked.

  “No reason to do that,” Heather said. She looked at Marie and said, “Show him.”

  The next moment the hunting knife Brian had set on a nearby rock floated up in the air.

  “See, she can move things like Walt can. And, if it is another mountain lion, she can communicate with it like he and Eva did.”

  Brian watched as the hunting knife floated back down to the rock. “So you’re saying Marie Nichols’s ghost is here. Really here?”

  Heather nodded. “Yes.”

  “Does Adam know she’s still here?” Brian asked.

  “No. We already told you who the mediums are,” Heather reminded him.

  “But the chief knows, right?” Brian asked.

  “Of course Edward knows,” Marie said before tweaking Brian’s ear.

  Brian let out a yelp, grabbed hold of the injured earlobe, and said, “Damn, I believe Marie really is here.” She tweaked his ear a second time, making him yelp again.

  “I don’t think Marie appreciated you swearing,” Heather said with a giggle.

  Thirty-Two

  Eva arrived back at Marlow House in time to see Chris lead Police Chief MacDonald into the parlor. Danielle sat on the parlor sofa with Max on one side of her and Bella on the other, while Hunny trailed behind the chief and Chris, her tail wagging.

  “Did they arrest the Parkers?” Eva asked.

  “Hi, Chief,” Danielle greeted him. “Eva just arrived. Did your people find Heather’s broken nail?”

  “Yes, we did,” the chief said.

  “And did you arrest them? What did they say? Did they tell you where they are?” Danielle asked in a rush.

  “I’m afraid not,” the chief said with a sigh. He started to sit down, but then paused and asked if Eva was sitting on the chair.

  “No, she’s over there.” Danielle pointed to her left and then asked, “Why didn’t you arrest them?”

  “If you’ll recall, the Parkers claimed one reason they left out back was because Brian and Walt offered to help carry boxes to the van. They didn’t deny the nail belonged to Heather but said it must have broken when they put the boxes in the van.”

  “How does Heather’s broken nail get in the van when Walt and Brian were the ones to take the boxes out?” Chris asked.

  “They claim Brian was carrying several boxes, and when he started to put them in the van, one began to fall, so Heather grabbed it and put it in the van. They say the nail must have broken then,” the chief explained.

  “I bet there were no boxes,” Danielle grumbled.

  Chris looked at Eva and asked, “Did they tell you how the Parkers got them into the van?”

  “No. We didn’t discuss it. From what I overheard from the Parkers, they were all unconscious when they tied them up. But I could find out.” The next moment Eva vanished.

  “What is she saying?” the chief asked.

  “She just left,” Danielle explained. “She didn’t know how the Parkers got them in the van, just that they were unconscious when they tied them to the trees.”

  “When we get them back tomorrow, I hope they remember enough about their abduction that we can press charges,” the chief said.

  “If not, they can always embellish what they know with what Eva found out,” Danielle said.

  “You mean lie,” Chris said with a snort.

  “I do not want to hear this,” the chief groaned. “I did not hear you just say that.”

  “It would not be the first time,” Danielle reminded him. “But at the moment, I’m more concerned about getting them home safely.”

  The discussion shifted to how they planned to locate the three in the morning. After about ten minutes of discussion, Eva reappeared, again not announcing her arrival with glitter or snow.

  “Eva is back,” Danielle said for the chief’s benefit.

  “According to Heather, she went into the shop to buy essential oils. When she brought her purchases to the counter, she noticed they had closed the front blind, but didn’t think much about it. They offered her chocolate chip cookies, telling her they needed a taste tester because they wanted to sell them in the store. She had just eaten one cookie when Walt and Brian came into the shop with one of the other sisters.”

  “I can see where this is going,” Chris said. “Walt and chocolate chip cookies.”

  “Chocolate chip cookies?” The chief frowned. Danielle held up her hand, silencing him so Eva could finish.

  “They offered some to Walt and Brian. And the next thing Heather remembers is being carried through the forest on a travois and then tied up to a tree. They tied them each to a tree, performed some chanting ritual, and then left. Brian woke up in time to see them leaving, but Walt was still unconscious. There were no boxes. They all passed out while still in the store.”

  “Good news,” Danielle told the chief.

  “What?” he asked.

  “You don’t
have to resort to giving false testimony to charge our kidnappers,” Danielle said.

  The house lights had been turned off. A horror movie played on the big-screen television, providing the only illumination in the living room. Brad and Kathy lounged on the sofa, watching the movie, their bare feet propped on the coffee table and a large bowl of buttered popcorn sitting on the sofa between them. They had already taken their showers, and each wore a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and a T-shirt.

  Eerie music played from the television while its screen flickered and darkened. Kathy shoved more popcorn in her mouth, a reaction to the scary scene before her. She gasped a moment later when she heard rattling by the front door.

  Brad hadn’t heard the rattling, but he heard the gasp, jolting him from the trancelike focus he had put himself in while watching the movie. He jumped and then snapped at his sister, “I hate when you do that!”

  “Shh, didn’t you hear it?” Kathy whispered, setting her feet on the floor. She picked up the remote from the coffee table and muted the television. Again, she heard a rattle. This time, Brad heard it too.

  “Someone’s breaking in,” Brad whispered, jumping from the sofa and looking for something to use as a weapon.

  The next moment the front door flew open, and what walked in was more terrifying than anything else they could imagine.

  “Mom?” Kathy squeaked as she stood by the sofa.

  “Why is it so dark in here?” Mrs. Stewart asked. She breezed into the room and flipped on the overhead light after slamming the door closed behind her. She carried an overnight bag, and a purse hung from one arm.

  “What are you doing here?” Brad asked.

  Mrs. Stewart dropped her suitcase on the floor, snatched the remote from Kathy, and turned off the television. She tossed the remote on the coffee table and looked at her son and daughter. “I need to talk to you two. I will be staying for a few days.”

  “You came all the way out here to talk to us…and this late at night?” Kathy asked.

  “Yes. It seems my ruby ring has gone missing. Snatched right from my jewelry box.”