The Haunting at Sebring Hotel (A Riveting Haunted House Mystery Series Book 13)

by J. S. Donovan

  Sure, her mind would make debt or financial instability as the main reasons for staying, but the reason was abstract and probably foolish to most people who’d never felt truly unstable in their identity.

  Anna stood behind the lobby counter, pondering her exodus from Club Blue, but she knew she’d always find another reason to stay put. In a sense, the place of her freedom had become her new prison.

  Father Stephen exited the elevator. He wore a sweater and slacks suitable for the chilly season. His hair was neatly combed. A few bristles grew on his cheeks and neck. He hadn’t shaved recently. He approached the counter.

  “How are you, Stephen?” Anna asked politely.

  “Good, I, uh, wanted to apologize,” the priest said humbly.

  “What for?” Anna asked.

  “For not talking to you at the beach,” Stephen said.

  “That’s not a big deal. I forgot about it, honestly,” Anna said.

  “Be that as it may, it wasn’t right for me to leave you mid-conversation,” Stephen replied.

  “You’re forgiven, Father,” Anna said.

  It looked like a burden was just lifted from Stephen’s shoulders. Light returned to his tender face. “Is there anything you’d like me to pray for?”

  Anna said, “Oh, um, I’m not really religious.”

  Stephen replied, “I’m not really either.”

  “Isn’t it a sin to lie?” Anna teased.

  Stephen grinned. “I’m not religious. I’m spiritual. Relational. Yes, the latter is a more apt description.”

  “Is that like a New Age thing or…”

  Stephen looked horrified, “No, no. It’s still Christianity. In the first and second century, Christians were outcasts. They’d been driven from the synagogues and outlawed by the Romans. Followers from all walks of life met in secret, but yet proclaimed their faith openly. It's very different from what we have today.”

  Anna knew that. She nodded along to stay interested.

  “Long story short,” Stephen said, “That’s what I feel called to.”

  Anna said, “You must be very happy.”

  “I am,” Stephen replied.

  Anna stood awkwardly.

  Stephen interrupted the silence. “How about you?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you saying that to be polite?” Stephen asked.

  Anna nervously brushed her fingers through her hair. “I have problems like everyone else.”

  “Is it your children?” Stephen asked.

  “That’s rather personal,” Anna said sharply. She didn’t know why she had so much resistance toward the man of faith. He hadn’t wronged her in any way, neither had the church.

  Stephen locked eyes with Anna. “They’ve been seeing things.”

  “Huh?” Anna said, playing dumb.

  “Demonic manifestations,” Stephen said.

  Anna replied, “You’ve dealt with this type of thing before.”

  “Once,” Stephen replied.

  “What happened?”

  “I went to a woman’s house. She’d been acting strange, cutting herself, cursing, foaming at the mouth. I thought that stuff was only in Hollywood movies,” Stephen said.

  The story gripped Anna. “What did you do?”

  “I sat her down. We started talking. She seemed normal. None of the actions her sister had described were manifesting. I had a little doubt that she really had a problem, but being outside of the institutionalized church, I allowed myself an open mind in regard to the supernatural. I started talking to her about her life. All was good until I mentioned childhood abuse. The woman snapped. She started screaming and cursing. I was praying. After a few hours of praying against specific word curses, generational curses, and leading her through the salvation prayer, she was sobbing and worshiping God,” Stephen explained.

  “Well, thank God my boys aren’t in that state,” Anna said. “They just saw some things around the hotel that spooked them.”

  Stephen said, “Hmm.”

  “I thought they were just being dramatic, but they’re pretty convinced what they saw was real,” Anna explained.

  “Have they been going through any stress lately?”

  Anna chuckled.

  “I see,” Stephen replied. “Might I ask what?”

  “I really shouldn’t say,” Anna replied.

  “You can trust me,” Stephen said. “I promise whatever you share won’t reach another soul.”

  Anna sighed. “Well, Justin got accused of assaulting a girl from school and dropped out. Asher saw something on the fourth floor that scared him so bad he didn’t leave bed for days. Before that, he’s always playing his game or running around the hotel somewhere. I rarely see him.”

  Stephen said, “Well, the visions that they have had might be the result of trauma. Not everything is supernatural, but not everything is psychological either. How is the relationship with their father, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “He’s no longer around,” Anna replied.

  “I see… did he ever—ah, I feel that’s a conversation for another day. What I’m feeling right now is just to pray for you and your sons. Would that be okay?” Stephen asked.

  “Sure, do what you want.”

  Stephen outstretched his hand. Anna held it. His palms were soft.

  “Father, thank you for being here,” Stephen prayed. “I ask you to watch over Anna and her boys and protect them from evil. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

  Anna was surprised by how short the prayer was. She expected a talker like Stephen to go on for five minutes, not five seconds.

  Stephen said, “The Lord knows what’s happening. I feel Him saying that it's going to be okay.”

  I sure hope so, Anna thought.

  Stephen said, “Is it okay if I counsel you?”

  Anna said, “I don’t have the money for that.”

  “It’ll be free,” Stephen said. “I know I can talk a lot, but I’m a good listener, too. You don’t have to go through this alone. I don’t believe any of us are supposed to.”

  Anna said, “Maybe I’ll give it a try.”

  “Great,” Stephen said, “I’m free anytime. Until I can get a small group going, you’ll get priority.”

  “That’s sweet, and if you need a space to run your group, you can use the ballroom on Sunday mornings.”

  “Really?” Stephen said, excited.

  “Yeah, no one else is using it right now,” Anna said.

  Stephen thanked her. “I knew God called me here for a reason.” He walked to his room, a little pep in his step.

  Anna wasn’t sure why she opened up or allowed him to preach on Sundays. She could do with a change and perhaps Stephen could bring something special to the hotel with his group. At this point, Anna didn’t have anything to lose.

  She went back to work, dwelling on the priest’s words. It's going to be okay. It was simple, cliché even, but she couldn’t remember the last time she heard it. Her phone rang.

  It was the York Police Department.

  Confused, Anna answered.

  “This is Detective Dean Casey. Am I speaking to Anna Hall?”

  “Yes, Detective. What can I do for you?” Anna asked.

  “New evidence has come up regarding your husband’s passing. We need to talk to you at the York Police Department as soon as possible.”

  “I don’t understand,” Anna replied, feeling like the walls of her life were suddenly closing in.

  “We need to discuss the findings in person,” Detective Casey said. “Hello? Are you still there?”

  “Yeah… Yeah. I’m here.”

  “Would you be able to come by tomorrow?” Casey said.

  Anna shut her eyes. “That should—that should work.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Hall. Have a wonderful afternoon.”

  The call ended. Anna sank into her chair. She rested the phone on her lap and took a deep breath. She exhaled slowly. Just when she thought life was about to take a better turn,
the rug was ripped out from under her. She texted her boys, asking them to meet her in the office.

  Both exhausted, the teenagers arrived within ten minutes. It didn’t appear as if they had gotten any sleep either. We’re all miserable, Anna thought, almost ready to laugh if it wasn’t her life that was in shambles.

  The two boys stood before her desk.

  Anna said, “I have to make a trip to York. It may take a day or two.”

  “What’s going on?” Asher asked, concerned.

  “I just have to settle a few things with the police.”

  Asher’s countenance fell. “They don’t think you hurt Dad, do they?”

  “No, no, I’m sure it’s just to review some new findings,” Anna said.

  “But what if they blame you?” Asher asked.

  “They won’t do that,” Anna reassured him.

  “How can you know?”

  Anna gritted her teeth. “Please, Asher. I got this covered, okay? I just need you two to take care of the hotel while I’m gone. Can you do that?”

  Justin nodded slowly.

  Asher asked, “What about my homework?”

  “You’re just going to have to do both,” Anna said. “You guys know how things work. If there is a problem, call me, but only if it’s a big problem. I don’t want to reschedule my appointment.”

  “All right,” Asher conceded, though he wasn’t happy about the extra workload.

  Justin was silent.

  Anna asked, “How about you?”

  Justin said, “I’m fine with it.”

  Asher said, “Well, I have to get back to my homework.” He left without saying another word.

  Justin was going to follow when Anna called out his name. The seventeen-year-old turned to her. “Please, keep an eye out. If something happens to me, I’ll need you to watch over Asher.”

  “I know,” Justin said seriously. “Make sure something doesn’t happen then.”

  27

  Suspicious Behavior

  Asher made the controversial decision to call the police and tell them about the list of names. The officer asked Asher’s age. Upon hearing he was fourteen, the officer told him to stop making up crackpot theories about Club Blue. There were enough horror stories surrounding that place to fill twenty books. The officer’s negligence shocked Asher. He brought the information to Justin at the front desk. Like always, the hotel wasn’t getting many visitors. The brothers had time to talk.

  Justin said bitterly. “I don’t trust the police.”

  “Maybe if we show them the jewelry you found,” Asher replied.

  Justin's eyes darted around the empty lobby. He spoke in a low, angry whisper. “Keep your voice down. If the killer is around, he’ll know that we messed with his trophies and we won’t have anywhere to run.”

  “We should tell Agent Cameron,” Asher replied. “He’ll know what to do.”

  “No. He’ll keep us in the dark. The moment we turn over the information, we open ourselves up for an attack,” Justin said.

  “But there’s a pretty good chance the killer isn’t around. The last missing person was fifteen years ago,” Asher reminded him.

  “The last missing person he marked in that spot,” Justin said. “The killer could’ve just moved his trophy room elsewhere.”

  Asher said, “You know who I think it is? The concierge.”

  “The what?”

  “The guy who sold this place to Mom. He was super suspicious, and rumor has it that no one has been able to reach him since he sold the building. ‘Sides, he would know about all the secret passages,” Asher said.

  Justin thought about it. “Maybe you’re not so gay after all.”

  “I don’t know what that has to do with anything, but okay,” Asher said. Besides, I have a hot chick waiting for me right now, Asher thought proudly. He started thinking about Raven. He hadn’t spoken to her since the encounter on the fourth floor. The more he thought about her, the more beautiful she became. The dark circles under her eyes aside, she had a pretty face. Blemish-free, too, which was rare for girls his age.

  Justin snapped his fingers.

  Asher was torn from his imagination.

  Justin said, “You’re staring off like an idiot. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing, just thinking,” Asher said. “You know that Raven girl—”

  Justin replied, “Have you kissed her yet?”

  Asher’s face turned red. “What? No.”

  “Then why are you talking about her?” Justin asked.

  “Let’s focus on the killer, okay?”

  Justin said, “As I was saying, we shouldn’t tell Cameron. He is a suspect too.”

  “How come?” Asher asked.

  “Just because he works for the FBI doesn’t make him the good guy,” Justin said. “Let me tell you something, Asher. Never just trust someone because they’re in a position of authority. There are A-holes in every layer of society. You got to look out for yourself.”

  “I do,” Asher replied. “I’m the one who talked to the faceless man, remember?”

  Justin chuckled, “Whatever happened to being too scared to go up the top floor?”

  “I’m not scared. I’m smart and after a few days of thinking, I think it's pretty cool to say that I faced down a ghost,” Asher said proudly.

  Asher could tell his brother was impressed, even though he had his normal guarded expression.

  Justin said, “I’ve been watching the residents for a while now. They’re all suspicious if you ask me.”

  “And you want us to keep spying on them?” Asher asked.

  “Until we can be sure they’re innocent. True, people like Cameron would’ve been too young to have killed some of the victims, but he might’ve been involved in the rituals you talked about. Remember there is that old man who is a Freemason,” Justin said. “Lastly, there is that strange priest and the quiet mechanic.”

  “We can spy on them, but how will we know who is innocent?” Asher asked. “This guy has been killing for years and may know the layout of the hotel.”

  Justin said, “People are their true selves when no one is watching. Use the secret tunnels to your advantage.”

  Asher said, “This is getting exciting.”

  “Just tell me what you find,” Justin said. “I’ll man the desk and write down who is coming and going. Perhaps we can spot a pattern.”

  Asher went his own way. He started by following the priest mainly out of convenience. Asher knew how to navigate the network of tunnels on the third floor and reached his room easily. Standing behind the bathroom mirror, he saw the priest brushing his teeth. Asher felt weird knowing that he could see the man and the man couldn’t see him. The priest walked back to the living room. Asher scooted through the passageway. He was careful not to make any noise. He stood behind a painting hung above the TV. A tinted piece of glass covered by a thin layer of see-through paint allowed Asher to see the entire room. The priest walked to the window. He lowered himself to the floor and read his Bible.

  Asher watched him for a while, getting bored rather quickly. He hoped his spying would be like a movie where all the boring stuff was cut out. That obviously wasn’t the case. Asher pulled out his Nintendo DS and played his video game on mute. The hidden corridor was hot. Asher sweated like a pig.

  After forty minutes of reading, the priest stood. He started to pace and talked to himself. He mumbled mostly. Asher couldn’t make out the words. At one moment, he was laughing with the biggest smile and the next he was silently crying. Asher watched in horror. The man started to dance and sing like a madman before speaking in an unknown tongue.

  Asher shifted uncomfortably.

  The priest lifted his hands to the ceiling and loudly declared hallelujah. Asher stayed watching. After a long time of strange worship, the priest sat on the edge of his bed. He shut his eyes and his opened palms rested on top of his thighs. A large smile lingered on his face. Asher would’ve sworn that the man was high, but at no point did
he take any drugs. The priest stayed in that catatonic state. Asher took a note of it on his phone. Wanting to see the other guests, he left the unorthodox priest alone and continued down the musky corridor.

  He exited the secret passage, crossed the hallway, and discovered an access point through the janitor’s small closet. It led to the secret tunnels on Agent Cameron’s side of the third floor. He followed the tunnel to the last suite. He spied on the room from the other side of the living room wall mirror. The agent wasn’t home. His room was tidy. Everything was immaculately organized. Unsure when he’d be back, Asher returned to the hallway.

  He stepped out of the janitor’s closet just as the priest exited his room. Whistling, the priest walked in the opposite direction, not noticing Asher. He entered the stairwell. Asher jogged after him. He entered the stairwell, seeing the outside door closing. The priest was fast. Asher hurried down the stairs. He pushed open the outer door and watched the priest walking in the rain. His heads were in his pockets. His head was in the clouds. He welcomed the rain as he strolled through the woods.

  Asher stayed in the doorway where it was dry.

  The priest walked around for five minutes before turning back to the door. Asher closed it carefully. He raced up the stairs and peered down. He waited.

  Wet from the storm, the priest entered. He ascended the steps. Asher watched him return to his room. Asher went to the second floor and entered the room where Anna had discovered the skeleton. He wasn’t sure where the secret door was, so he spent a solid thirty minutes pushing on different walls and touching various objects. He pressed one of the tall wall mirrors near the closet. It spun around like a revolving door.