by Rose Pressey
I parked down the street and hurried over to the area where the carriage was parked. I would have to wait until the right time to ask him questions. I paid for the ride and waited for Mitchell to tell us that it was okay to climb up into the carriage. There were two women and a child going on the trip with me. I hoped they would be on my tour later, but it probably wouldn’t be a good idea with the young girl. Finally, Mitchell instructed us we could get in the carriage. I helped the little girl up into the seat.
“Thank you,” the woman said.
What would Brannon say if he saw me in here? He’d probably wonder why I hadn’t gone on the carriage ride with him.
Mitchell climbed onto the seat and took the reins. The horse began to clomp down the street. Mitchell started talking about some of the historic sites around town. I had forgotten that he would be talking during this ride. It looked as if I wouldn’t be able to talk to him until after this trip was over. What if there were more people waiting for a ride? Then I’d have to wait even longer to talk with him.
As the horse clip clopped down the street I check out the happenings around town. Katherine was coming out of the cupcake shop so I tossed my hand in a wave. She smiled and waved back. She probably wondered why I was on a carriage ride. So far I hadn’t recognized anyone else. There were probably a few people who recognized me though. My picture was stuck to windows in town at local businesses. I’d had posters made for my tour.
I checked out the store windows as we rode by. There was an awesome yellow sundress for spring in one of the boutique’s window. I needed to stop in some time to check on the price. It was probably too expensive. Fashion was the least of my worries right now. I was trying to distract myself with the pretty clothes and charming surroundings, but deep down the anxiety was still there. Until this case was solved it would always be there.
Spring was in the air, even though a sweater was still needed. White fluffy clouds covered most of the sun. Occasionally a ray would break through and briefly floor the area in a golden glow. Rain would probably move in later this evening. For now I would enjoy the first signs of spring—like the yellow daffodils popping up in front yards around town. I was trying to keep positive thoughts and thinking of warm days ahead was one way to do it.
We’d just made it around the corner when the woman asked Mitchell, “Is it okay if we stop? My granddaughter needs to get off. She ate a little too much ice cream and candy.”
Mitchell stopped the horse and I helped the ladies off. I thought about asking Mitchell to let me off too, but then I figured I could ask him about the asylum now. As we started down the street again, I leaned closer. “Do you know who I am?”
He glanced back. “Yes, you’re the girl who does the haunted tour.”
“Yes, I’m Ripley.”
“Nice to meet you, Ripley,” he said.
“Nice to meet you too. I have a question for you.”
“Sure, what is it?”
I hoped he didn’t mind me asking about the asylum. I wasn’t trying to be nosy. “It’s about the place your sister-in-law owns.”
He glanced back again. “Oh, yeah? Is there a problem?”
I leaned in closer to make sure he heard me. “Actually, I think so.”
I guessed there had been a problem… not so much now since the guy was dead.
“There was a man staying in the house. Or at least I think he might have been staying there. Patrick Greystone. He claimed that he owned the place. He wanted me to do a paranormal investigation there.”
Mitchell shook his head. “Yes, I know who you’re talking about. I told that guy to stay away.”
“So you’re aware that Patrick was coming around the place?”
“I knew he had in the past. My sister-in-law didn’t want anyone to really check on the place. I’m not sure why. She would send someone over there maybe once a year.”
“I can’t believe the place hasn’t fallen down by now.”
We made a loop around and were headed back to the starting point.
“Do you know why Patrick was going to the house?” I asked.
“He thought he could make money proving that there was a ghost there. He was just crazy, I guess.”
“So you know the place was haunted?” I asked.
“That’s what Patrick claimed. I never experienced anything. Of course I wasn’t there often.”
“Do you think Mrs. Gardner saw something and that was why she wouldn’t go back to the building?” I asked.
“I suppose it could be. I never thought about it. She’d always planned to turn it into a hotel.”
Just then I spotted something in front of us. There was a black mist. I knew it was a ghost. It was standing right in front of the horse’s path. I supposed I was the only one who saw it.
The ghost had to move. My heart sped up and my stomach turned. The horse continued down the street and the ghost stood there. It was as if it knew exactly what it was doing. The ghost was a black silhouette. Just like the one that had been following Brannon.
I glanced around and spotted Brannon on the sidewalk. That explained why the ghost was there. Brannon hadn’t looked over and noticed me. He was talking with someone else. I glanced back, hoping that the ghost wouldn’t be there. Unfortunately it was still there. We were on a collision course with the ghost.
The ghost zoomed toward us. The horse made a noise and reared up on its hind legs. Mitchell tried to get control of the horse again, but it wasn’t happening. The carriage wobbled to the left and then the right. I held on, trying not to fall out. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Brannon screamed out my name. Unfortunately, I didn’t think there was anything he could do to help me.
The carriage tipped again and I went tumbling out. I hit the pavement hard. My arm hurt and I narrowly missed hitting my head on the ground.
Everything seemed muted around me. I was in a bit of a daze. Then I looked up and spotted Brannon standing over me.
“Don’t move, Ripley. Can you hear me?”
“I hear you,” I mumbled.
Everything was becoming clearer now. My arm was hurting less, so that was a good sign.
Someone said, “I can’t believe the carriage crashed.”
I looked at Brannon. “It was a spirit. It was standing in front of the horse. He saw it,” I said. “It was the shadow that’s been following you.”
“Is there anything you noticed about that spirit that you can share?”
“It was just a silhouette. There was no face, but I felt the emotion.”
“What do you mean? What kind of emotion?” Brannon asked as he helped me walk.
I was fine, but it was nice having his strong arm around me, so I let him continue for a little while longer. Brannon and I had become closer lately. I believed it was our shared interest in the paranormal, but maybe there was more to it than that.
“This particular one seemed angry.” I hated to tell him, but I knew I had to confide everything I knew. “The anger was toward you. “
“That doesn’t surprise me,” he said.
People were watching us. It was no surprise though. The accident was quite a scene. I wished that it had never happened and I worried that I had caused it simply by getting in the carriage. I had to be careful of where I went from now on, although I was almost sure this spirit was really there because of Brannon. To be safe though, I would try to avoid any other activities like this one. I tried not to look at the people watching, it would only make me more uncomfortable.
Brannon helped me up and I limped over to his car. Luckily, my leg was feeling better by the minute. I couldn’t take time off from the tour because of an injury. Brannon helped assist with the carriage and make sure everyone was all right. After a few minutes, he returned to the car.
Brannon climbed behind the driver seat. “I can’t believe this happened. This thing is following you and now it hurt you,” Brannon said.
Brannon took me home. Unfortunately, the carriage would be out of c
ommission for a while. I was still freaked out that the ghost had tried to attack us. I knew that the spirit wasn’t after the horse or Mitchell. It was me the ghost wanted. Or was it making a statement to Brannon? He had been right there. I’d only seen the spirit when Brannon was around. That made me almost confident that the spirit was attached to him. Brannon suspected it too. I knew that made him feel bad.
Brannon and I stepped into my apartment. I collapsed onto the sofa.
“How about I fix you some comfort food? Then I can tuck you in. You need the rest. I still think you should have let the EMTs check you out.”
I waved my hand. “I’m fine. You’d do that for me?”
“Of course. What do you want? I make a really good grilled cheese.”
“With tomato soup?” I asked.
He smiled. “Absolutely.” Brannon headed to the kitchen.
“I still have to tell you about what I found out.” With everything that had happened I hadn’t had a chance.
Soon Brannon brought out our sandwiches and soup. We sat at the dining room table. For a moment, I was able to forget about the bad things that had happened. I would say it was the comfort food, but mostly it was Brannon. The fact that he had cooked for me helped.
“So if he thought the place was haunted that might explain why he wanted Alex over there. And his involvement with Heath.” Brannon finished his bite.
“Yes, I suppose it does. You seem as if something is wrong,” I said.
He shrugged. “I guess I’m still thinking about the spirit. None of this explains why the ghost was there today.”
Chapter 18
After the recent stress, I needed a treat. I was standing in the cupcake shop picking out a cupcake when my phone chimed. I knew Annie was at the library. She could only send the texts when I was nearby. It was probably Tammy. Brannon usually didn’t text. He was more of a phone call kind of guy. When I peeked at the screen though I realized it was from him.
Meet me at the funeral home. I have to show you something.
That was a bit enigmatic. What could it be? Had he figured out the killer? I was curious so I had to go.
Even though I wanted to head over there right away, I wasn’t about to leave the shop without my chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing and extra sprinkles. The guy behind the counter handed me the little white bag with my treat and I headed down the sidewalk. I thought about Brannon’s message the entire walk. I couldn’t imagine what he had to show me. I’d sent a text back to let him know I’d be there, but it had been undeliverable. That was strange, but cell coverage could be spotty in Devil’s Moon. I hoped he didn’t leave before I got there.
Yes, his text was definitely weird. I played over what clues he could have possibly found. I really couldn’t come up with anything. Why would he be sharing this with me? It seemed like they would just arrest the person who did it and then Brannon would share the info with me. Nevertheless, I was about to find out.
Before I reached the end of the street, I spotted Candace coming toward me. Since her stare was focused on me like a laser, I knew I wouldn’t be able to pretend that I hadn’t seen her. Just seeing Candace made me nervous. I pushed my shoulders back and stuck my chest out. Since it looked as if I was about to have a conversation with her, then I would have to be strong. I had no choice but to stop when she walked right in front of me.
“Hello, Candace, how are you?” I knew my smile looked fake.
“Ms. Van Raden, it’s nice to see you.”
There was an awkward pause. I knew she wanted to say something. Why was she being hesitant?
Finally she asked, “How are things at the library? Anything interesting?”
The way her mouth twisted at the corner when she asked the question made me think there was some hidden meaning in what she said.
I eyed her up and down. “Things are fine.”
She nodded. “Good to know. Well, nice seeing you again.”
She walked off. I looked back over my shoulder at her. As if some unseen force had pushed her, she fell to the sidewalk. The entire contents of her bag spilled onto the ground. I hurried over to help her pick up the items. I noticed the book right away. It was a novel by the same author as the title where I’d found the letter. A different book, but the same author nonetheless. Was that a coincidence? We exchanged a look and then she grabbed the book and stuffed it back into her bag.
“Thanks,” she mumbled and then hurried away.
That whole encounter had made me uncomfortable. I hurried down the sidewalk. Finally, I’d reached the funeral home. I paused out front. Brannon’s cruiser wasn’t there. Maybe he’d walked too. I released a deep breath and pushed forward. I really didn’t want to go inside, but I’d do it for Brannon.
I inched up the path. There was a hesitation in each step. Of course I knew why. The place was full of bad memories. Maybe it would be better if the killer was caught. I just wasn’t sure. The owner Meredith still wanted me to do the tours here, but it was hard. I made my way up to the door and turned the knob. Brannon must have gotten a key from Meredith. I poked my head in just a little, but didn’t see him.
“Brannon, I’m here,” I called out.
When he didn’t answer I stepped inside.
“Brannon, are you here?”
There was no answer. I didn’t know if he was in the other rooms and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to check. If he was in the house then wouldn’t he have heard me? Plus, I’d figured he would be waiting for me. I pulled out my phone and tried to text, but I had no service again. I guessed he was on his way. What would I do in the meantime? I didn’t want to wait inside so I figured I’d just wait on the front porch.
A noise sounded from somewhere. Great. Now I had to check.
I’d toured the house before so I guessed I would have to do it again. It sounded like footsteps. Either it was Brannon back there and he hadn’t heard me, or it was a ghost. I called out again as I neared the back of the house, but he still didn’t answer. That was when I knew it had to be a ghost. I didn’t even want to think that it could be the killer. Why would he come back to the scene of the crime? I stepped into the kitchen area of the funeral parlor. There was no ghost, no Brannon and, thank goodness, no killer.
As I turned around to leave the room a door slammed somewhere in the house. I froze, holding my breath. It had startled me. I wanted to call out for Brannon, but what if it wasn’t him? What if it was the killer? The evil spirits following Brannon around could be here. I was torn on what to do next. I decided not to call out to Brannon. If it was him he’d let me know. The footsteps came again. Just in case this was something nefarious I had to hide.
I looked around the room. To my left was a small closet. That was the only place I could hide. I opened the door and hurried into the tiny space. I closed the door, but then panic set in even more. What if I couldn’t get out of here? Maybe no one would ever find me. They would wonder what had happened to me. I’d be forever missing.
The footsteps continued. I had to remain calm. I held my breath, hoping that the footsteps would pass. I had to get out of this tiny space so that I wouldn’t hyperventilate.
After a few seconds of nothing, I decided maybe it was safe to step out of the closet. I inched open the door halfway, expecting someone or something to lunge at me. Thank goodness that didn’t happen. When I stepped out of the closet, I didn’t see anything.
I decided to go back to the front and wait outside. Maybe I would be able to get my phone to work. I checked the phone as I walked across the rooms toward the front door. Unfortunately it still wasn’t working. I hoped it would once I was outside.
I was happy to see the front door. Now I could get out of this place. It had too much of a spooky vibe. It was bad enough that the place was creepy because it used to be a funeral home, but given the fact that someone had recently been murdered in the house, what was I thinking by even coming in here again? I wasn’t sure I would even wait for Brannon. It seemed as if he wasn’t comin
g. If he had something to show me then he could call later. The strange feeling was just too much for me.
I grabbed the doorknob and twisted. When I pulled the door nothing happened. Immediately I freaked out. I pulled on the door again, but it wouldn’t open. Just like in the asylum it was stuck. I looked around as if somehow that would help me get the door open. Okay, remain calm, I told myself. There had to be a way to get out of here. Did I really want to risk checking the back door and the windows? I supposed that was better than being stuck in there forever. I got the feeling that the paranormal activity here was the same presence that had been at the asylum.
Once again I tried the door, but it just wouldn’t budge. It was as if someone had glued the door shut. Was someone standing on the other side keeping me from getting out? Since I couldn’t open the door I would have to try the window. I didn’t want to go into the room where I’d found Alex, so I went in the opposite direction. I pulled on the two windows that were closest to the door, but they were locked. If I had to I’d find something to break them. I’d give the door one more try before I did that though. Besides, what would I find to break the window?
I ran to the back as fast as I could so that could check the back door. It was like when watching a scary movie and then needing something from the kitchen. You ran as quickly as possible so the monster wouldn’t get you.
When I got to the back door, it was stuck too. This was no coincidence. Something was keeping me in the place. Had the same thing happened to Alex? I didn’t want to be the next victim. It was now time for me to panic. I’d have to find a way to break the window. Of all the places that I’d seen the ghosts, the one location I wasn’t surprised to witness them was in the funeral home. The fact that I had practically tiptoed through the place had done absolutely nothing to deter the spirits. Did I honestly think the ghosts wouldn’t hear me just by being quiet? Walking across the old floors made a loud of noise. I might as well bang a drum or set off an alarm. The ghosts were peeking over the banister at me when I inched further down the hallway. I would push through and act as if I didn’t see them.
