With her hand on her chest she said, “My heart is racing and my hands are shaking. I’m so frightened.”
“What happened?” Austen, kneeling in front of her took her hand.
“Please lock the doors to the south wing don’t let him get in here.” Her eyes filled with horror when she glanced in the direction of the south wing.
Hope was so adamant; it panicked Mrs. Decker. She rushed nearly running to the wing entrance and quickly locked the doors.
Austern asked, “Who are you talking about?”
“I don’t know.” She threw her hands over her face again. “I was cleaning the kitchen and sweeping the floor. I was at the edge of where the kitchen meets the hall when I heard a noise.” Tears ran down her cheeks again. “I looked toward the hall, and a man was standing there.”
“What did he look like?” Austern gripped one if his hands with the other and looked straight into Hopes’ eyes. “It is alright, Hope. You are safe now.”
“He was dressed all in black. He was tall with graying hair. He reached for me, and instead of normal fingers he had long, thin fingers with talon-like yellow nails.” She held out her hands turning them over. She dropped her head. She lifted it again looking back at Austern her eyes pleading for help. “I screamed and was so frightened. My knees collapsed. I knew he was going to kill me, but you came instead.”
Austern looked at Mrs. Decker and shook his head. He looked back at Hope. “You sit here and relax. I’m going to call the police, and Mrs. Decker will make you a cup of tea. Kellie will be back from class soon, and I will drive you home after the police leave.”
Hope nodded and dried her tears on her apron.
########
The police took a quick report and checked the house. They couldn’t find an intruder. They said they would file a report and make sure Detective Stellion received a copy. Kellie was pulling up as the squad car was leaving. She hurried into the house. Her eyes opened wide and her hands covered her mouth as she listened to Austern explain the afternoon’s events. Hope was sipping her tea. She was trying to breathe slowly to calm down.
“I’m so sorry, Miss Kellie. I didn’t finish mopping the floor for Miss Taylor and Mr. Hunter.” The tea cup rattled against the saucer she held in her trembling hand.
“That doesn’t matter. I want you to finish your tea and rest. Then I want you to go home. If you’re too shaky to drive, I’ll take you. I also know how to mop a floor, and I’ll finish it for you.” Kellie laid her hand on Hope’s arm. She smiled. “Don’t give it a second thought.”
“Thank you, Miss Kellie. You are so kind. I’ll be able to drive once I finish my tea. I’m feeling better already.”
Kellie smiled and went into the kitchen to speak with Austern.
“Do you have any idea who was in there or how they got out?”
“No, and the police said everything was locked up tight from the inside.”
“Then we do have a ghost,” she spun on her heel and left the room. Drew found her in the parlor. She was sitting in a chair with her arms folded, and looking at her mother’s painting.
“Kellie,” he whispered.
“Hi, I heard you come home, but thanks for not scaring me.” She glanced up at him, her eyes showing concern.
“Austern told me what happened. I don’t understand it.”
She bit her lip and answered, “Neither do I, how could someone get in here?”
“Let’s discuss it over dinner.” He winked at her. “C’mon sweetie, smile. We’ll figure this out.”
“Not until I mop the kitchen in the south wing. I promised Hope I would do it. She was terrified of going in there. I don’t blame her.” She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “While I finish the floor, you need to stay with me. I don’t want to be in there alone either.”
He raised an eyebrow, “When I walked in, I saw you staring up at your mother’s painting. Are you talking to her?”
“Sort of, not out loud, but I’m thinking. Last year her spirit helped me discover my grandfather’s cruelty and evil dealings. If her spirit is around, I’m sure she’ll watch over me and keep my grandfather from hurting us. I hope.”
He hugged her. “Let’s get that floor done. I’m hungry.”
“Deal.”
She took his hand, and they went into the south wing to finish the cleaning. After enjoying a delicious meal, Drew read a book as Kellie did some class work.
########
Drew wasn’t sure what time it was, but he knew it was the middle of the night. It was dark outside. Kellie was not in bed, and the hall light was on. He rushed out into the hall to look for her. Noticing the door to the third floor open, and the stair case light burning, Drew hurried up the stairs. The third floor was dark, but the door to the attic was open and the stairs lit. He rushed up into the attic knowing there wasn’t any reason for her to be up there. Drew found her standing by the huge glass viewing window which faced the backyard. It also gave a clear view of the small graveyard south of the house where her mother’s urn was buried. The last time he found her there alone, she was speaking to her mother’s spirit. He was apprehensive about approaching her.
He whispered, “Kellie.”
“I’m okay, Drew. I came up here hoping I might see a light from my mother’s head stone the way I did last year. If my grandfather’s a spirit, she would be here, too. I’m so confused. I can’t imagine any reason my grandfather’s spirit would be here. Why now? We need answers, but where do we look?” She was bathed in moonlight, her eyes pleading with him.
“I don’t know.” He frowned and looked down at his feet. “I’m confused and cold.” She saw he was wearing only his boxers.
“We have discovered many of his evil dealings. If there are more, what does it matter? I don’t care. No one else will care. You can’t put a dead man in prison.” She turned to look back out the window. Tears filled her eyes as she glanced at the small cemetery. “He was so evil.”
“I know. There’s a reason for what happened today. I’m sure we’ll find the answers. Let’s go back to bed.”
“Okay.” She shivered. The attic had turned cold. Dressed only in her thin nightgown, she wrapped her arms around her to try and warm up. Chills ran down her spine. She needed to get warm. She turned, screamed, and the attic door slammed throwing the attic into blackness.
“Drew, where are you?”
“I’m here; don’t move until I find the light switch.”
He flipped the switch, and the attic was bathed in soft light. He rushed to her, and she collapsed into his arms.
“Why did you scream?”
“Didn’t you see him?” She hung onto Drew with one hand and pointed at the door with the other
“Who?” His brow furrowed as he looked at her.
“The man in black was right behind you. I screamed. The door slammed. He disappeared, and the room went dark.”
Austern entered the attic, winded from his climb up the stairs. His face was red, and he bent forward as he tried to catch his breath.
“Are you both alright?” He looked up at Drew and Kellie huddled together in the middle of the room.
“Yes, but I think I saw the man who frightened Hope.”
“As long as you are okay, I will call the police.” He leaned against the door jam and sighed, his breathing returning to normal. “They said to notify them, if he returns.”
Drew and Kellie slowly walked down to the third floor and took the elevator to the first floor. Kellie was shaking too hard to walk all the way down. Drew settled her in the parlor and raced upstairs to get a robe for each of them before the police arrived.
Once again the officers took a report. It would be filed, and Detective Stellion would get a copy. They had already questioned the outside guards. Drew thanked them and walked them to the door.
On the way up to bed, Kellie said, “Maybe Taylor and Hunter shouldn’t move back. Do you think we should move, too? Are we safe?”
“Let’s talk with them tomorrow. No one has been hurt. We were scared. For all we know, your grandfather had this planned before his death as a way to control you after he died. He was a mentally ill man.”
“Okay,” she said as she tried to drift off to sleep in his arms. Her eyes popped open with every small noise. Eventually sleep overtook her.
########
Kellie drove up Willow Way toward home and saw the furniture delivery truck in front of the house. It meant Taylor was back, and their furniture had arrived. She was excited to see her best friend. They had never been separated for more than a day or two since they were three. Even the summer Kellie went to visit her grandparents in Arizona for six weeks, Taylor came along. Each set of parents planned vacations that would accommodate both girls. They were more like sisters than friends.
Kellie rushed in the kitchen door and saw the doors to the south wing were open. She dropped her back pack on the floor. Taylor had to be home.
“Taylor, are you in there?”
“Yes, I’m right here.” Taylor’s head popped out from behind a chair in their living room.
They hugged and cried until Hunter laughed at them. “The two of you are the only people I know who cry more when they’re happy than when they’re sad.”
Taylor glared at him, “Don’t pick on us. I missed her.”
Kellie added, “Mrs. Decker knew you wouldn’t want to cook, might not have groceries, or pots and pans. She’s made a huge welcome home dinner. She’s also made food and goodies for the gift opening tomorrow. Your mom took care of asking all the people she thought would like to be there. It’ll be at two tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s perfect. This place is so clean. Where’s Hope? I know she cleaned, and I wanted to thank her.”
Kellie twisted her long blonde hair around her right forefinger. “Hope called this morning and quit.”
“What?” Taylor twisted her lip. “I thought she liked it here.”
“Maybe we should discuss this with Hunter present.”
“Discuss what?” Hunter asked walking out from the bedroom.
“If you want to stay or not.” Kellie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
“Why? What happened now?” He leaned against the wall, raised his eyebrows at Kellie, and said, “Well?”
“A couple of things, but the one that might freak you out is Hope said she saw a man dressed in black in here when she was cleaning yesterday. We called the police, and no one else saw anything.”
Taylor said, “Then there’s nothing to worry about. I love this place. It’s so big. We could never afford an apartment half this size. It’s like we’re neighbors. I was thinking while we were on our honeymoon about whether we should buy a house or build one. We could build a new one since we’re saving money on rent.”
“Umm,” Hunter said. “I’m not sure we should stay here so building a house wouldn’t be something we can afford.” He began to put items he had unpacked back into boxes.
“Yes, we’re staying, and I know exactly where I want to build my home.” Taylor stomped her foot and placed her fists on her hips.
“Where?” asked Kellie tilting her head and pursing her lips.
“Right across the street, if you’ll sell us the lot. Our yards would be connected since this street ends in a circle. Our kids would grow up the way we did. They’d be as close as siblings. It would be a dream come true.”
Kellie and Taylor hugged. Their smiles were wide and eyes gleaming with excitement.
“If you want to build a house across the street, I’ll give you the lot. Hunter would complain, but we could come up with some kind of financing where you pay me for the lot after paying off the house.”
Hunter stood there and shook his head. He knew once they made up their minds there was no way he was going to change them. He knew he was going to live across the street from this haunted house whether he liked it or not
Drew arrived home and knocked at the door of the south wing entrance. He expected Taylor and Hunter were home and Kellie would be with them.
Taylor ran up to him throwing her hands into the air. “Hi, Drew. It’s so nice to see you. We’re going to be neighbors forever. After we save enough money for a down payment, we’re building a new house on Kellie’s lot across the street. Our kids will grow up together. Isn’t that the best idea you ever heard?”
“Yeah, I guess.” He looked at Hunter, and Hunter shrugged. Drew’s furrowed brow and frown let Taylor know he wasn’t sure about the idea.
“Don’t act like jerks,” Taylor quipped. She turned her back on the guys and strode over to talk with Kellie.
The girls disappeared into the main house to see about dinner, and Hunter asked Drew about the intruder.
“I don’t have any solid info. Neither do the police. Hope saw him and screamed. By the time anyone ran in here, he was gone. He resembled the man Kellie saw upstairs. They were both dressed completely in black.” Drew walked to the window and surveyed the yard. “I can’t imagine who it is.”
“You can’t believe it’s a ghost.” Hunter ran his hand through his hair.
“My gut says no. My mind is playing tricks on me. I don’t know what to think mainly because he isn’t showing up on the surveillance video.” He turned toward Hunter, rubbing his finger along his upper lip.
Drew continued, “Also, we have new locks. How could anyone get in or out of here? I added a second lock to the basement tunnel entrance and at Kellie’s suggestion; we sprinkled the tunnel floor with talcum powder. Any human would have left tracks. There never are any. We also have two guards patrolling outside each night.” He slid his hands in his pockets and stood there staring at Hunter.
“I’m at a loss for words.” Hunter twisted his lip and glanced around the south wing, his new home. Dropping his head and staring at the floor, he mumbled, “I hope Taylor is right, and we’re all safe here.”
Drew understood Hunter’s need to protect Taylor. Being married changed things, at least it did for him. “We’ll find the answers and keep the girls safe. One way or the other, we’ll get to the bottom of this.” Drew patted him on the back. “C’mon, let’s see what Mrs. Decker made for dinner.”
Hunter and Drew were quiet during dinner. Both young men attacked the food and cleaned their plates. Worried looks on their faces didn’t dim their appetites. Taylor and Kellie seemed to speak nonstop about the gift opening. Drew wondered if they tasted the food at all.
Taylor’s smile broadened. “I’m so excited. We need a lot of things for the apartment, and I’m hoping they’re in all those gifts piled on the parlor table.”
“You certainly have a haul there, and your mom took a stack of envelopes home with her. I hope they’re filled with checks. Austern brought an extra table in for the gifts,” Kellie laughed.
Taylor beamed when she saw the enormous pile of beautiful wrapped gifts.
“Me, too,” said Hunter as he reached for a second helping of roast beef.
Taylor bubbled, “This is like Christmas Eve.” Her brown eyes sparkled in the candlelight.
They finished dinner and Hunter and Taylor excused themselves. Kellie could tell from the looks they exchanged that the newlyweds needed to be alone.
“We have a few things to do before tomorrow’s party. I want to be sure it looks perfect when my mom and dad see where I’ll be living.”
“I understand. Good night.”
“Goodnight,” Taylor said as she took Hunter’s hand and followed him to the south wing and their new apartment.
Drew said, “I hope our creepy figure in black doesn’t scare them away.”
“If he does, we’ll go, too. Taylor and I will be neighbors. I’ll have two houses built next door to each other, but not before having Randy demolish this one. Here me, old man? If you’re haunting this place, I called today and there are no laws against tearing a home down. This one will not exist if you don’t leave us alone.”
The grandfather clock
chimed once, and Drew’s eyes opened wide in surprise.
“He answered you.”
“No, it’s thirty minutes after the hour. It always chimes once.” She tried hard not to laugh, but it was difficult to control her glee at his reaction.
“Oh, okay. I’m going to watch TV.” He barely smiled, too full of roast beef to do much.
“I have a paper to finish. I’d like to get it out of the way so I can enjoy the weekend with Taylor and the party.” She frowned and shrugged. “I’d rather watch TV, too.”
Everyone had a quiet night. Nothing or no one wandered the halls all night.
Taylor and Hunter’s gift opening was a huge success. They received nearly every item they hoped for. Their family and friends had been generous. One large box decorated with dozens of colorful ribbons contained a complete set of gourmet stainless steel cookware. Other gifts ranged from lovely crystal candlesticks to wooden salad bowls. What few items they needed would be purchased with the generous amount of monetary gifts they received. Mrs. Decker outdid herself with the buffet and treats including a lovely mini-wedding cake decorated with tiny foil wrapped imitation gifts.
Chapter Eight
October rolled into November, and the cold began settling in. The beautiful gold, red, and brown leaves had fallen from the trees giving the yard a barren look. A few flurries covered the grass and Kellie said at least it looked pretty when it glistened. The woods on the north side of the house looked cold and empty. Kellie shuddered when she looked out the window at the empty tree limbs. She preferred the trees full and green.
Drew walked up behind her and placed his arms around her waist. She leaned back against him and sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Drew asked.
“A year ago we were all so happy even if Mrs. Casey was trying to scare us away. Emma was here, and life was great.”
“It’s great. Granted Cole moved, but he has Andrea. We have to be happy for him. Taylor and Hunter are blissful. Besides,” he turned her around to face him, “Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks. You know what that means? Christmas! Lights, decorations, remember last year. We can do it up better this year.”
OLD MAN MALONE RETURNS Page 7
