SUMMER OF EVIL

by Marianne Spitzer

  Taylor called out, “There’s a Brother James buried here that died in nineteen-thirty.”

  “Let me pull some of those weeds away,” Mike said. “Maybe we’ll find them.” He tugged at more weeds near the plot for Brother James when he found two more monks that died in nineteen-thirty.”

  “That answers the question of where the monks and Victor are buried. I think we’ll need a gardener to clean this up before we have any kids out here. If we make it attractive, maybe they won’t be telling each other ghost stories,” Kellie said. “I can hear the kids telling spooky stories now. It’s what we would have done when we were young.”

  Taylor shuddered. “We didn’t need ghosts and graveyards, we had Wills.”

  Kellie looked at Mike, “Speaking of Wills, Claudia called and told me she has a sense Wills has killed again. She senses at least two more women.”

  Mike kicked the dirt. “We don’t have a clue where he’s hiding. You still need to be careful.”

  “We will Uncle Mike.” Taylor hugged him.

  “Let’s go,” he said. “I’ve had enough of this place and I need to see if my men are finished.” He turned and strode toward the building.

  #####

  As they approached the front of the monastery, Kellie noticed the coroner’s van and car were gone along with the one the tech drove. The young officer standing near the front of the building had been replaced by another young officer.

  “Hi, Detective Stellion, I’m here to relieve Williams. He went back to the station.”

  “Thanks, Gonzales. You can leave, too. We’ll be out of here in a few minutes.”

  The young officer nodded and headed toward his patrol car.

  Mike, Kellie, and Taylor walked back into the building.

  “Uncle Mike, how will we be able to get contractors here to work on the building with police tape over the cellar door?” Taylor asked.

  Before Mike could answer, Bill came down the stairs from the second floor. “Hi, I’m glad you’re here. I can give you a partial report.”

  “How bad is it,” Kellie asked her eyebrows scrunching.

  “It could be worse.” Bill smiled. “The foundation is solid. This place was well built. The floors are okay, and I didn’t find any water leakage. That’s not to say the roof may not need to be replaced or repaired. We’ll find that out next week. For now, you’ll need a new furnace, plumbing, and wiring. Air conditioning would be a nice idea, but you’ll need to speak with several installers. This is a large building. You may need more than one roof unit. Also, if people are going to be here all day or overnight, you’ll need your own water source in case of a fire. There is a well for drinking and bathing. You’ll need a second well for fire safety. Depending on regulations, you might need to add automatic sprinklers inside.”

  Kellie’s face went pale. “That will cost a fortune. This project is bigger than I realized.”

  Taylor stared at Bill with her mouth open. She shook her head.

  Bill looked at the young women’s faces and continued, “Don’t panic. People in town and around the county for that matter are behind this endeavor. I’ll help you line up volunteers. Two of the biggest jobs will be window replacement and the unheated second floor not to forget the sprinklers.”

  “Unheated? Didn’t they freeze in winter?” Taylor crossed her arms.

  “Probably close to it, but I’m sure they had course wool blankets. They took vows of poverty along with silence. There are two large fireplaces on opposite ends of the main hall upstairs which helped. Also,” Bill continued as he pointed to the ceiling. “See the grate? There are several in the hallway floor which allowed some of the heat to rise from this floor to the second. Gravity heat wasn’t the best way to warm a building, but it may have raised the temperature a few degrees.”

  “Sounds awful,” Kellie said.

  “It’s not unusual. I have seen them in turn-of-the-century homes and depression era homes. Back then people wore heavy flannel sleepwear, socks, and even caps to sleep. Bundled under wool blankets or heavy quilts, they managed to keep warm. It was common for several kids to sleep in one bed both for financial reasons and warmth.”

  Mike laughed at the looks on Kellie and Taylor’s faces. “You two are the only child in your families. You have to learn to share. When we visited my grandma, my two brothers and I had to share one bed in the unheated attic. My sister was given the spare room, and my parents slept in grandma’s guest room. We survived.”

  Kellie ignored him and addressed Bill. “Please give us a list of needed repairs. If you are able to find volunteers that would be great. We’ll be holding fund raisers, too. Even with volunteer help we need a lot of supplies.”

  “That you will,” Bill said. “Hopefully, a lot of things will be donated, too. One good thing is that these walls were constructed with heavy block bricks. The walls are thick which helped insulate the building. While you will need to add insulation along with drywall, there isn’t any problem with bad insulation removal. I didn’t find any asbestos.”

  “That’s a bit of good news. Clarice is making a list of what we need. You could call her when you find out what’s needed,” Taylor said.

  Bill smiled, “I’ll do that.” He waved as he left.

  “That’s our cue to leave ladies, after you,” Mike said.

  They both hugged Mike and headed to the SUV.

  Kellie whispered, “Clarice isn’t making a list of anything. We don’t have anyone to do that.”

  “She is now or will be as soon as she knows she’ll be working with Bill,” Taylor grinned. “I’ll call her.”

  Kellie drove toward the highway and Taylor called Clarice. Taylor didn’t need to use the speakerphone to share Clarice’s answer with Kellie.

  “Problem solved,” Taylor giggled.

  #####

  Kellie’s week passed quickly. She took care of the charity paperwork and was receiving daily updates from Clarice, who was working well with Bill.

  Kellie’s cell rang. She recognized Clarice’s bubbly voice. “Bill called asking if there was anything new I could tell him about what we need. I said I couldn’t think of anything and then he asked me out to dinner tonight. He really asked me out.”

  “Well, enjoy it and don’t only talk about the charity. Get to know him. I think I see a romance brewing.”

  “Do you think so? I hope he likes me as much as I like him. I’ll let you know tomorrow when I meet you and Taylor at Lydia’s.”

  Kellie stared at her phone. “She was so excited she forgot to say bye.” She laughed as she called Taylor to share the news.

  Taylor invited her for dinner, and Kellie arrived home around nine o’clock. Tired from her long day and needing to be up early to meet the others at Lydia’s, she went straight to bed.

  #####

  A light in the corner of her room woke her a little after four in the morning. “Not again,” she thought, “this must be another spirit.”

  Kellie sat up, and Rufus began to growl. “It’s okay boy,” she said and Rufus jumped up on the bed next to her still growling at the light in the corner.

  Kellie turned on her bedside table lamp. “Who’s there?” She asked.

  A figure began to form in the corner. A woman with brown hair and gray streaks pulled back tightly off her face took a step forward. She was wearing a faded blue flowered house dress. A white apron was tied at her waist. She wiped her hands on the apron.

  “Why are you here?”

  “He killed me. Tell them he killed me,” she whispered. The spirit wrung her hands.

  “Who are you and who killed you?” Kellie leaned forward to hear the quiet spirit.

  “Luther’s ghost killed me. He’ll be back to hurt me. Help me.” As she faded out of sight, one last word “please” hung in the room.

  “That must have been Adelaide,” Kellie mumbled. “Another spirit needs help. I have no idea what to do.”

  Rufus dropped his head into her lap and whined. “I know boy
, it bothers me, too.”

  Kellie lay back down and fell asleep with her lamp left on and Rufus at her side.

  #####

  The next morning Kellie explained her dream to Taylor on the way to the house. “If it was Adelaide then I think it was her body they found in the cellar. I haven’t’ been close enough to another spirit to connect, I don’t think.”

  “It makes sense,” Taylor said. “She thinks you can help her. You showed concern for where Victor was buried. She connected to you maybe woman to woman.”

  Kellie sighed. “I think you’re right. I’ll see if she comes back and if Uncle Mike can let me know if they identified the body yet. If it isn’t Adelaide’s body they found, I might have another spirit on my hands.”

  Taylor and Kellie met Clarice at Lydia’s house a little after nine. “Not a word to Clarice about this okay.”

  Taylor grimaced, nodded, and agreed.

  #####

  The three women sat at the dining room table discussing what they needed and what they could do for fundraising. Clarice was bubbling with news of her date, but she kept it in until they finished business.

  Bill and his partner were checking out the roof. Kellie said a silent prayer they would be safe remembering Randy’s accident. She shuddered and glanced out the window as Cole’s car pulled up.

  “Cole’s car is here. I wonder if he brought Andrea.”

  The women watched Cole and Andrea as they walked from their car to the steps. They hurried to the front door to meet them.

  “Hi, I’m surprised to see you here,” Kellie said. She smiled at Cole’s fussing over his pregnant wife.

  “Hi,” Andrea responded, “Cole wouldn’t let me come here alone in case there were ghosts.” Andrea laughed, and Cole scowled at her.

  “It’s my job to keep them safe.” He patted Andrea’s stomach. “You should feel him kick. It’s amazing.” Cole’s eyes moistened and he blinked away any tear before it could fall.

  “He?” Asked Clarice. “Do you know it’s a boy?”

  “No, Cole’s being hopeful,” Andrea said. “The baby didn’t cooperate during the sonogram and we don’t know. He’ll just have to wait for a few more months. I think not knowing is exciting.”

  “Me, too,” Taylor added hugging Andrea. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

  “Deborah called me and asked if I would contact vendors and ask about possible donations. I thought seeing the place would help me explain. Oh, Hansen’s Dairy has pledged a year of milk and ice cream. Isn’t that great?” Her face lit up.

  “It sure is and Cole, no worries. The house isn’t haunted,” Kellie said.

  Clarice took Andrea’s hand and said, “C’mon, I’ll give you a tour.” Cole followed the two toward the kitchen.”

  #####

  Kellie’s cell rang. “It’s Uncle Mike. I left him a message earlier. Hi, Uncle Mike. I called to ask about the body found in the monastery. I had a visit from a spirit last night and all she said was that Luther’s ghost killed her. She had brown hair with gray streaks and was wearing a blue flowered dress and a white apron. She didn’t say anything else.”

  She listened quietly for a couple of minutes and added, “Then why would she say Luther killed her. An angry spirit could have enough energy to brick her into that wall after he killed her. I’ve experienced spirits moving heavy furniture like it was plastic when they were angry. People don’t brick themselves into walls. What about the dress? Okay, I will. Bye.”

  Kellie let out a loud breath and dropped her phone on the table. “He thinks I was dreaming again. The coroner’s report came back saying the cause of death was likely suicide. Doc Weaver thinks she bricked herself into the room and then plunged the knife into her stomach. He said there was enough evidence to show she bled out in the room, and the only injury was a nick on one of her ribs which was most likely made by the butcher knife found with her.”

  “But what about your dream? You saw her. I heard you ask about her clothes. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

  “Not to Uncle Mike,” Kellie said. “He thinks I caught a glimpse of cloth on the body, and it fueled my dream. He knows I can see spirits, but he can be so stubborn at times. Now, they will think Adelaide died by her own hand and not Luther’s.”

  Taylor drummed her fingers on the table. “Maybe you can prove them wrong.”

  “Maybe”

  They heard Clarice’s voice and changed the subject.

  Bill walked in the front door at the same time. “Hi again, I have great news. The roof on the house is in excellent shape. It won’t need any work. We’re heading to the monastery. I hope I can give you more good news.”

  “Thanks,” Kellie said. “We’ll be there soon.”

  Cole said, “We’re leaving. I didn’t mind bringing Andrea here, but I’m not letting her set foot in that old monastery.”

  “I agree,” Kellie said hugging Andrea. “We’ll see you soon. We need to have dinner soon.”

  “I’ll cook,” Taylor added. “Bill and Clarice you can come, too.”

  Kellie raised her eyebrows and Taylor winked at her.

  “Great,” Cole said as he and Andrea walked toward the door with Bill.

  Clarice dropped into one of the dining room chairs. “Did you have to include Bill?”

  “Of course, didn’t you see how he smiled? Didn’t your date go well?”

  “It was wonderful, but I don’t want him to think he’s being forced to be with me.” Clarice blushed and dropped her head.

  “He won’t,” Kellie said. She stood. “C’mon we need to head to the monastery.”

  #####

  Clarice watched Bill climb the ladder to the roof. “That man is sexy,” she murmured.

  Taylor pulled her arm. “Let’s go inside and see what we need to do.”

  Before they reached the front door, they heard the howling.

  “Hellhounds,” Clarice grabbed Kellie’s arm.

  “No, don’t worry. My Uncle Mike said it’s probably a lost dog or at worst a wolf.”

  “Okay,” Clarice stammered.

  They stood in the large foyer that led to several large rooms. “Where do we start?” asked Taylor.

  “I think,” Kellie suggested, “that we try and figure out what to do with each room.”

  “Any ideas,” Clarice asked still checking around for whatever made the howling sounds.

  “We know we should keep the dining room as is since it’s adjacent to the kitchen. We discussed having a day care, and I think the library would work. Two of the walls have floor to ceiling book cases. It’s an ideal size for a day care.”

  “Okay, that takes care of two rooms,” Taylor said. “What about the rest?”

  Kellie shrugged. “I’m open to ideas.”

  “The foyer is large enough for a reception area. It’ll hold a desk and ample seating. The big empty room next to the library could be divided into offices,” Clarice said.

  “Good idea,” Kellie said as she walked toward the room.

  “I want to check out the kitchen,” Clarice said as she turned toward the dining room.

  A few moments later the sound of howling returned.

  Taylor said, “That sounds as if it’s inside.”

  “Maybe it’s Luther.”

  Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of Clarice’s yell, “hellhound” followed by a blood curdling scream and a door slam.

  Chapter Eight

  “Clarice,” Kellie and Taylor called out in unison as they headed toward the kitchen and into the backyard. Clarice didn’t answer.

  “Where did she go?” Taylor asked.

  Before Kellie could answer, Bill came running from the side of the building. “I was on the roof when I heard Clarice scream. She ran toward the bushes.”

  Bill took off running, and Kellie and Taylor followed.

  They heard him call her name before they saw him. Clarice had entered the graveyard and was lying on the ground. Bill pulled his shirt off and
folded it into a large square and pressed it against Clarice’s stomach.

  “Call 911,” he yelled. “I think she’s been stabbed.”

  Kellie made the call while Taylor ran to help Bill with Clarice.

  “An ambulance is coming,” Kellie said when she ran into the graveyard.

  Bill looked up at her. His eyes were glazed, and blood covered his hands. The shirt he applied to Clarice’s wound was dark red.

  “I think she’s gone.”

  Taylor was on her knees holding Clarice’s limp hand. “Please don’t die, Clarice. Hang on.” Her face was pale as she looked up at Kellie.

  Bill asked Kellie, “Check for a pulse, I’m afraid to stop applying pressure to her wound.”

  Kellie tried but couldn’t find one. She shook her head. “I think you’re right, Bill.”

  Bill dropped his head but kept the pressure on Clarice’s wound until the paramedics arrived and took over. They worked rapidly on Clarice doing CPR and started an IV. After what seemed like an eternity, they spoke to Bill.

  They confirmed his fears.

  Covering Clarice with a clean sheet the paramedics said, “Don’t touch her. We’ll call the police.”

  Kellie stepped backward out of the small graveyard looking at Clarice lying at the foot of Victor Wentz’s grave her head surrounded by pink and purple wildflowers.

  “Luther did this to her,” she whispered to Taylor.

  Taylor nodded through tears.

  Bill pushed himself to his feet. “I need to wash my hands.” Holding out his hands with fingers splayed, his normally bright brown eyes were dull and sad.

  Kellie nodded. She and Taylor walked back to the monastery with him as they heard the sirens approaching.

  The monastery’s water hadn’t been on in years, and the outdoor spigot rumbled and spat air. Bill’s hands trembled. “I need to wash off Clarice’s blood.” He blinked away tears.

  Taylor touched his arm. “There’s a large birdbath near the front door. It rained last night. Maybe it’s full.”

  Bill hurried through the monastery and out the front door. Taylor held it open for him, and he ran to the birdbath. He scooped water into his hands over and over until most of the blood was off his hands and the water in the birdbath turned red. He ran to the back of his truck and wiped the remaining blood off his hands with a few shop towels.