by Rose Pressey
A WALK ON THE HAUNTED SIDE
Rose Pressey
"Rose Pressey’s book are fun!” Janet Evanovich
Praise for Me and My Ghoulfriends by Rose Pressey
“Rose Pressey spins a delightful tale with misfits and romance that makes me cheer loudly.”
Coffee Time Romance
“Her characters are alive and full of quick witted charm and will make you laugh. The plot twists keep you turning the pages non-stop.”
ParaNormalRomance
“I absolutely loved this book! It had me chuckling from the beginning.”
Fallen Angel Reviews
Rose Pressey’s Complete Bookshelf (click title to preview/buy)
Chase Charley Series:
Book 1: For Old Crimes Sake
Book 2: Seems Like Old Crimes
Haunted Tour Guide Mystery Series:
These Haunts are Made for Walking
A Walk on the Haunted Side
Haunted Vintage Series
Book 1 – If You’ve Got It, Haunt It
Book 2 – All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt (July 2015)
Book 3 – Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore (October 2015)
Maggie, P.I. Mystery Series:
Book 1 – Crime Wave
Book 2 – Murder is a Beach
The Halloween LaVeau Series:
Book 1 – Forever Charmed
Book 2 – Charmed Again
Book 3 – Third Time’s a Charm
Book 4 – Charmed, I’m Sure
The Hadley Wilds Series:
Book 1: Dead Girl’s Guide to Style
The Rylie Cruz Series:
Book 1 – How to Date a Werewolf
Book 2 – How to Date a Vampire
Book 3 – How to Date a Demon
The Larue Donovan Series:
Book 1 – Me and My Ghoulfriends
Book 2 – Ghouls Night Out
Book 3 – The Ghoul Next Door
The Mystic Café Series:
Book 1 – No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells
Book 2 – Pies and Potions
Book 3 — Spells a la Carte
The Veronica Mason Series:
Book 1 – Rock ‘n’ Roll is Undead
A Trash to Treasure Crafting Mystery:
Book 1 – Murder at Honeysuckle Hotel
Book 2 – Honeysuckle Homicide
The Haunted Renovation Mystery Series:
Book 1 – Flip that Haunted House
Book 2 – The Haunted Fixer Upper
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, incidents, places, and brands are the product of the author’s imagination and not to be construed as real. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Dedication
This is to you and you know who you are.
Acknowledgements
To my son, who brings me joy every single day and is the love of my life. To my mother, who introduced me to the love of books. To my husband, who encourages me and always has faith in me. A huge thank you to my editor, Eleanor Boyall. And to the readers who make writing fun.
Index
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 1
Sneaking into a dilapidated home with nightfall rapidly approaching wasn’t a great idea, but I was doing it anyway.
My name is Ripley Van Raden. My friends call me Rip. I guess it’s kind of ironic that I am a tour guide for haunted locations around town, with a nickname like R.I.P.
I’d recently moved back to my hometown of Devil’s Moon. I’d left years ago for college and never returned. Growing up I never thought I’d leave, but it just kind of worked out that way. When I’d discovered my now ex-boyfriend in bed with my now ex-friend—they weren’t just inspecting the sheets, by the way—I’d decided to make a change. That change meant coming home after ten years.
Things hadn’t changed much in my hometown. There was a new Walmart and McDonald’s, but more importantly, Devil’s Moon was just as haunted as ever. It could be argued that we had more than our share of ghosts.
Pots of yellow chrysanthemums dotted the sidewalks and old-fashioned wooden streetlights decorated the streets and guided the way during the night. Old buildings lined the main street in town. My favorite one was an old brick two story that had a black wrought iron balcony on the second floor.
Somehow I’d landed the job of head librarian at the town’s only library. I was beginning to suspect it was because no one else wanted the job. The library was haunted and that made some people stay away.
My career as head librarian kept me busy during the day. At night, I guided people around town, recounting stories of ghostly shadows and spirits hanging around to seek revenge.
There was no shortage of haunted locations in Devil’s Moon. Some folks in town wanted to ignore the ghosts, but I knew they were there. They’d made their presence known on many occasions. Ignoring them didn’t make them go away. As a matter of fact, I’d even spotted a new one at the library recently. But more about that later.
Local police officer Brannon Landon had asked me to accompany him on a ghost hunt at a rundown old house at the edge of town. This place looked like something out of a scary movie, with overgrown bushes covering the front porch and boards hanging from the ceilings. Believe it or not, I’d never been on an actual ghost hunt with all the fancy-schmancy equipment. My thing was talking about ghosts, not hunting them.
Ghost hunters usually worked in a group. I was used to doing the tour thing by myself. Did that make me a loner? Maybe I was a little, but I enjoyed talking with the people on my tours. I wasn’t so worried about getting actual evidence of a ghost. I didn’t need it. I already knew that they were real.
A ghost even communicated with me. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s the truth. She had a unique way of getting her message across. Somehow the ghost had learned how to manipulate my cell phone and computer. She left messages for me all the time.
So after Brannon had taken me on the ghost hunt, I’d decided to return to the house alone. I knew it was risky, but I couldn’t help myself. All the people on the investigation of the rundown house had been distracting. I wanted to take my time and poke around that old house at my own pace.
The old house stood on a small hill surrounded by oak, pine, and magnolia trees and overgrowth. The Italianate-style structure had red brick with black shutters. Of course most of the shutters were falling off or missing. Ornate detail embellished the tops of the windows with roof brackets acting as a garland around the top of the home. It looked like decorations on top of a cake.
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As far as I knew, no one had lived there since the 1970s. I’d heard a lot of rumors about the place, but so far I didn’t know fact from fiction. Right now I just had to make sure I didn’t step on a loose floorboard, fall through the floor, and become one of the ghosts before my time.
A chill had settled in the air. Halloween was almost here. Leaves had started falling, which gave a glimpse of the spooky place from the road. Setting foot in this place wasn’t for the faint of heart. Sure, I was used to creepy, but I still got a little anxious each time I put myself into a situation like this.
Brannon and his fellow investigators had gathered several pieces of evidence with their equipment, so I believed the place really was haunted. They’d captured the voice of a female stating that they should get out. That wasn’t the kind of message you wanted to get when looking for ghosts. Yet here I was going into this place all by myself.
I peered up at the creepy old building. It was now or never and I guessed I was as ready as I’d ever be to go inside. I had to remind myself that I would be fine. Yep, just fine.
As I neared the front porch a rustling came from my right. It was probably just a cat or a raccoon. Although the noise had been followed by what could have been footsteps, as if someone was walking over leaves. I brushed off the idea and moved toward the house.
I hoped Brannon didn’t find out that I had come back here alone. He would say it was too dangerous. Maybe he was right, but I figured a little peek wouldn’t hurt. I’d been in the house once, and nothing bad had happened. That meant nothing would happen this time, right?
There was something mysterious about the house that had lured me back. Poking around by myself had seemed like a good idea earlier in the day. Now that it was closing in on darkness, I was having second thoughts. I reminded myself that it was just an old house. Even if there was a ghost, I was used to dealing with them. I could handle this one as well.
Yet there was something different about this one.
I paused at the bottom of the steps. If I was going inside, then I needed to hurry up. It would be completely dark soon. The footsteps hadn’t sounded again, so it was probably just an animal.
I moved across the porch, careful of every step. After one last glance over my shoulder, I twisted the loose doorknob and opened the door just a little.
“Hello,” I called out.
I knew no one would answer. Well, no living person.
After inching further into the house, I closed the door behind me. The squeak from the hinges echoed around the empty home. It was a good thing that I’d brought a flashlight. Even though there was still a little light outside, the boarded-up windows made the inside of the house dark. Cobwebs covered every corner of the foyer. A window at the back of the room allowed a ray of dim light to stream in through a crack in one of the boards. The staircase sat on the right side of the foyer, inviting guests to go deeper into the house. Of course, I was just gullible enough to take that invitation.
As I moved closer to the staircase, floorboards creaked over my head. I froze and listened, trying to figure out where the sound had come from. Brannon and I had heard that exact noise when we were there, but we had never found the source. Maybe it was just a residual haunting. That would explain why it had happened at practically the same time on each visit.
After a few more seconds, I placed one foot on the staircase and then forced myself to take the next step. I inched up the staircase, reminding myself to breathe. I hated that the stairs’ treads made noise. It was as if I was disturbing a presence that was in the house. Not only that, but it felt like there were eyes on me with every step I took.
Once at the top of the stairs, a cold breeze whispered across my arms. I shone my light down the hallway to make sure there wasn’t an animal ready to attack. So far, I didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t something hiding in one of the rooms, waiting to jump out at me. I could deal with a ghost much easier than I could handle a creature, unless it was a cute kitty or sweet little puppy.
The series of staccato taps started again. No one was in the house but me, but it sounded like someone was walking down the hallway toward me.
I stopped in my tracks. It felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me. A female ghost stood in front of me. She was so close that I could almost touch her.
I’d seen ghosts before, but this one was by far the creepiest that I’d ever seen. With what looked like blood dripping from her head, and claws for hands, it was no wonder she held the spookiest spirit ever title. Her eyes glowed green as she stared right at me. I was so shocked that I couldn’t speak. What would I have said anyway? ‘How’s it going?’ ‘How about that weather we’re having?’ More sensible questions would be to ask her name and why she was haunting the house. But with the way she was staring at me, my ability to think was nonexistent.
While I debated with myself, the ghost vanished right in front of my eyes. Poof. I couldn’t see her, but when freezing air blasted me, I knew that the ghost was on the move. I didn’t want her tagging along for a ride in my body, so I figured it was best that I put my new white sneakers to use and get the heck out of there.
I hurried down the stairs, hoping that I didn’t miss a step and tumble to the bottom and land on my head. The thought of looking back to see if she was following me was terrifying. I decided to forego that action and keep trucking down the stairs. Based on the feeling that surrounded me, I knew she was hovering just over my shoulder, and there was no need to look back. Plus, if I didn’t look back maybe she would leave me alone.
Finally I made it to the bottom and practically skidded across the floor toward the front door. Her presence clung to me the whole way. When I got outside, the heavy feeling in the air eased. Thank goodness, because it had felt as if I was being suffocated.
I rushed behind the wheel of my car and punched the gas. Maybe there was a reason Brannon had said no one should go into this house alone. I’d never listened to advice though. Like when my mother had told me not to date my ex-fiancé Travis Becker. She was still reminding me how badly that had turned out. Yes, that was definitely one of my character flaws.
I glanced in the rear-view mirror as I pulled out onto the street. The creepy feeling surrounding the house made goosebumps pop up over my body. Now that I was out of there though, I wished I hadn’t been such a scaredy-cat. What would the patrons of my haunted tour think if they saw me run out of the house like Shaggy minus Scooby? Luckily no one was around to capture my frightened performance on video.
My apartment was in an old Victorian that had been split up. I had the whole third floor. It was a long walk up the stairs, but I liked having the top floor. It felt more like my own private retreat.
When night fell, like now, the house took on a whole new appearance, as if it transformed into a spooky alter ego. But during the day, the sun shone on the place, making the flowers surrounding the white front porch appear brighter and the blue façade even cheerier. The place was perfect for me and it had already started to feel like home. I’d settled into my apartment nicely, working at the library during the day and running haunted tours at night.
My living and dining room was a combined space, with a small kitchen at the back of the house. After climbing the stairs, I opened my door, tossed my purse on the nearby table and flicked my shoes off. I headed straight for the kitchen. I contemplated a glass of wine to settle my nerves, but I didn’t hold liquor well and one glass would probably give me a hangover. So instead I made myself a turkey sandwich of wheat bread with nonfat mayo and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. I plopped down on the sofa and turned on the TV. I was in the mood to just zone out in front of the television for the rest of the evening. The Hallmark Channel was calling my name.
After finishing my sandwich and watching an entire movie, I figured I’d catch up on a little work before bed. As I sat on the sofa looking through a few papers, cold air fell over the room. Since the temperature was chilly out, I didn�
�t have the air conditioning on, so I had no idea where this cold had come from.
Then again, maybe I did know where it was coming from. It felt exactly like the spirit at the haunted house.
Please don’t let the thing have followed me home.
Chapter 2
Next morning, I stepped out into the sunshine. With the bright blue sky and sunshine streaming down, last night seemed like just a dream. But I knew what I’d seen had been real. I’d never forget those green glowing eyes. Or that menacing feeling that had almost consumed me. But right now I had to force those thoughts out of my mind.
I made the short walk to Bilson Library. Being able to walk to work every day was a stress-reliever. I passed by the diner and the cute little shops that lined the main street of town.
The town’s library was impressive, to say the least. It was a large two-story brick Victorian Gothic-style building that loomed over everything. The center of the building had a tower with a steeply-pitched roof. Many windows covered the façade, allowing tiny glimpses into the building’s soul. Ornamental gables decorated the peaks and corners. The building had many stories to tell.
A chill fell over me every time I saw the place. That hadn’t changed since the first day I’d laid eyes on the building.
The oddest thing about the library though was the graveyard on the front lawn. The town’s first librarian was buried there, among other past residents of Devil’s Moon. That was a little creepy, but it was something I’d learned to deal with. The librarian’s grave didn’t bother me as much because I’d gotten a chance to meet her ghost. Yes, she haunted the library. Plus, she sent me text messages. I know that sounded farfetched, but it was the truth.
My best friend Tammy White also worked with me at the library. It made the day even brighter when I walked through the door and saw her smiling face. We’d been friends since high school. When I’d moved back to town, we’d had a chance to start our weekly shopping and lunch trips all over again.
