William had only told Phyllis a little bit of this, however. He hesitated at her offer to go knock on his room door to see if he was available to talk. “I think I’ll see him tomorrow morning. He may want to breathe in the relaxing Atlantic salt air and enjoy the tranquility first. Are you finished here? I have reservations for us tonight at the Italian bistro, your favorite place.”
Phyllis gave Brenda a quick call to let her know she was leaving. Then she and William headed for home to get dressed before dinner. The Pendleton mansion on the hill overlooking the ocean and the town of Sweetfern Harbor still took her breath away. It had taken a few months for her to accept that this place was truly her home. William encouraged her to redecorate it any way she liked, and Phyllis soon found ways to tone down the formality of it.
After the sitting room and front entryway of the bed and breakfast emptied out of new guests, Allie started to close the office and prepare to leave for the evening. She checked in with one of the housekeepers who remained to see that guests had everything they needed until dinnertime.
Footsteps came hurrying down the main stairs toward the front desk. “I can’t believe we were so lax,” Grace Mitchell said in a rush. She hurried up to Allie. “Is there a costume shop in town? We totally forgot to bring our costumes.”
“Don’t worry about that. We have an entire room filled with costumes for our guests to use. You know about Randolph Sheffield’s theatre background? Well, he left behind a number of wonderful vintage pieces, and Brenda has also had other items tailor-made—cloaks and masks and things like that. I’m sure you will find something to wear. I can show you to the costume room now, or I can meet you in the morning to give you a tour of what we have to offer.”
Relief spread across Grace’s face. “Tomorrow morning will be fine. Thank you so much.”
Allie started to pick up her purse after Grace left when she heard other voices on their way down to the first floor.
“I am sure there are plenty of secret rooms and passageways in this place,” Jolene said.
“You could be right, but Brenda did say she didn’t know of any.” Marcus King displayed plenty of patience with his wife. They greeted Allie on their way outside. “The fall air is just the right temperature,” Marcus said. “We’re going to take a stroll before dinner.”
Karina Harris and Grace Mitchell also opted to go for a walk along the ocean before dinner. The other guests scattered to find their own interests, and the bed and breakfast grew quieter. Allie only heard the muted clattering of pans from the kitchen in the rear and she breathed in the scents of dinner.
Allie started for the back door where her car was parked. She stuck her head in the kitchen and told Chef Pierre goodnight. On her way, she saw Brenda and Mac walking together along the paths through the mum garden and waved at them. Brenda told her they would see her in the morning.
The bent figure darted along the tree line and into the woods, unnoticed.
2
Jolene was beautiful at age twenty-nine. She was aware of her fine features and yet didn’t flaunt it in front of others. She preferred to build on her career assets. She worked hard at the large New York City bank that employed her and was pleased to be recognized for her professional acumen rather than her looks. She had received plenty of offers to model as a teenager and a young woman and had turned down every one. She loved working with numbers and exceled in popularity with clients and investors as a star financial advisor.
The day Marcus walked into the bank, she was drawn to him immediately. Marcus King was a handsome dark-haired man in his mid-thirties. He carried himself well. She heard him ask her supervisor for the best financial advisor they had, and she found him sitting across from her. He preferred to approach her professionally, but it proved hard for him to retain that stance. Jolene asked pertinent questions in the same manner. She discovered he was an important man in the business world. He held the position of CEO of a well-known industrial company.
They clicked right away, and he hired her. By the end of that first session with Jolene, he offered her a job in his company. She declined. It had taken her a long time to build her reputation where she was. In the end, he knew it was fruitless to try to convince her. Instead, he decided to ask her out to dinner.
Jolene and Marcus fell deeply for one another. She liked to have fun outside work, and he went along with her likes. There was something alluring about her, especially when she threw herself completely into holiday parties. Halloween was no exception. Even her belief in ghosts and the paranormal fascinated him.
Now that they were married, he had picked the perfect getaway for them in Sweetfern Harbor, specifically Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. He knew the annual Halloween celebration at the bed and breakfast was widely renowned among those interested in such things. Jolene was thrilled when he showed her their reservations.
Even Marcus was caught up in the enthusiasm displayed by the other guests who checked in. He felt Jolene’s light tap on his arm before they had entered the sitting room earlier.
“I think I know that woman,” she said. Marcus looked at the person she referred to. “I’m sure her name is Lauren. Seth Hill was in love with her and they were ready to marry.” Marcus asked why they hadn’t. “His mother is an overbearing woman. She told everyone wild stories about Lauren’s family. I don’t recall exactly what since I didn’t care for Mabel Hill at all. She didn’t want her son to marry someone ‘like that,’ in her words.”
“She is happily married now, it seems,” Marcus said.
Lauren laughed with Ryan across the room and Jolene could see Lauren was happy with her choice. The more she talked with Lauren during the gathering, the more Jolene felt Seth lost out.
Lauren knew Jolene eyed her closely at times and was uncomfortable under her scrutiny. She finally turned to the woman next to her and decided to be blunt.
“I feel you are staring at me for some reason. Have we met?” Lauren asked.
A slight flush flooded Jolene’s face. “I’m sorry. I’m sure we met a few years ago. Did you attend a party at the Rockhill Country Club with Seth Hill?”
Lauren found it hard to swallow the last bite she had taken. When she recovered, she nodded in the affirmative. “I knew Seth at the time, and we dated…but that was before I found Ryan.” She turned to her husband and squeezed his arm happily.
“I’m happy you found the right one,” Jolene said. She had the grace to change the subject. “Do you believe in the paranormal?”
Lauren laughed. “I suppose there is such a thing, but I’ve never come across any ghosts. Maybe I will during the party. We’re looking forward to a ghost tour. I hear they offer one through all the rooms that are creepy in this place.”
“I’m hoping to encounter some. I’m sure there are secret rooms and hidden passageways here.” Jolene leaned forward. “In fact, I was sure I heard something moving around behind the hallway wall.”
Marcus chuckled. “You’ve said that before about hidden rooms, Jolene, and I hope for everyone’s sake, you stumble across one or two ghosts. At least let’s hope it’s not mice in the walls!” Everyone laughed at this.
She and Lauren edged closer and spoke in low tones. “I think Clive is a bachelor,” Lauren commented. “I don’t see a wedding ring, do you?” Jolene nodded in agreement. “Maybe he’s one of those types who travels in hopes of finding his soulmate.”
Jolene laughed aloud at that moment. Everyone’s eyes landed on her. She waved her hand to indicate she didn’t mean to be so rude. All resumed their conversations and Jolene spoke in a hushed voice to Lauren. “Perhaps he’ll take a ghost home.” Both women covered their mouths to stifle their next outburst.
After the initial meeting between the guests, Jolene latched onto Marcus’s arm and they headed for the waterfront. They talked about the amiable group of fellow guests and agreed they chose the best weekend to be there. They took deep breaths of the bracing autumn air and listened to the ocean waves.
; Lauren relaxed once she realized Jolene wasn’t there to criticize her. She wondered if Jolene knew about her past. If so, she seemed like a mannered woman who was not the type to bring up difficult subjects among strangers. For now, Lauren and Ryan focused on the celebration set for the next night. Lauren buried the past once again. It had been some time since she had come so close to reliving it.
Clive Wilson enjoyed small gatherings over finding himself in the middle of a large crowd. He liked the intimacy of the bed and breakfast. William had been right. He needed to get away and do something entirely different from his everyday life. Teaching at New York University tended to lock him into a boring routine at times. He had no idea what awaited him when it came to a celebration at Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. Phyllis and William were certainly caught up in it all. He smiled to himself when he recalled the earlier conversations. He didn’t doubt there were things the ordinary person didn’t sense when walking through the world, but he was a practical man. To believe in ghostly things floating around old buildings was the farthest from his reasoning. Still, he had no problem with others who did believe in such things. After all, it was Halloween and to be expected.
Before everyone left the sitting room earlier, Clive felt he had a kinship with them all. Brenda had made him feel welcome and offered ideas of how he could spend his time while visiting her bed and breakfast.
“Shops are open downtown until nine each night,” Brenda told him. “It is a short walking distance if you’re up for a stroll.” He smiled at her. “Or the ocean is right here.” Brenda pointed in the direction of the steps down to the beach area.
They both turned when they heard William’s voice. He invited Clive to join him in the gardens. The two friends caught up with one another until Clive went inside for the first dinner of his visit. William and Phyllis decided to walk in the crisp air to the restaurant.
The dinner at the bed and breakfast had proven to be lively, with conversation and good food. Clive breathed deeply and relaxed as he entered into conversations that had nothing to do with students or academia. Brenda answered a few questions about the bed and breakfast. No one mentioned the paranormal again.
As Sheffield Bed and Breakfast closed down that night, Clive Wilson knew he would sleep soundly. William had promised him before his arrival to take him around town, and that would be a good activity for the next day. His old friend William Pendleton was a different man now that he was married to Phyllis Lindsay, Clive reflected. He remembered how William’s former wife had held a tight rein on him before her sudden death a few years ago.
When Brenda and Mac reached their cottage, they were ready to turn in for the night.
By morning, clouds began to move in and then recede to allow the sun to peek through.
The staff at Sheffield Bed and Breakfast busily took care of last-minute details in anticipation of the party set to begin at six in the evening. The invitations to the guests in town encouraged everyone to entertain the party with creepy creations and costumes. There would be judges, and whoever won best entertainer would be presented with a free weekend stay at the bed and breakfast.
Brenda walked to the kitchen and conferred with Chef Pierre.
“I have everything in order, Brenda. Taste this stuffed pepper filling.” Brenda took a whiff of the fragrant, herb-roasted meat filling and then laughed aloud when she saw how he had carved the green and orange peppers into jack-o-lantern faces. She tasted the meat mixture and approved. “I will serve these eerie snakes as well.” A line of curvy, buttery dough snakes lay on baking sheets ready to go in the oven. She could tell her chef was thoroughly enjoying himself when he presented the snake-shaped calzones. “I have even more concoctions that I think your guests will love.”
“I don’t doubt that at all, Pierre. You have some great ideas. The tables will be set up and ready right at six this evening. We’ll have the entertainment contest after dessert. Judges are going to pick the best costume, too. Then the tours will begin.”
Brenda and Pierre were startled when they heard the clap of thunder. Lightning flashed across the wide kitchen window.
“It looks like we’ll have a spooky night with this storm coming in,” Pierre said.
“I really hope it isn’t short-lived. I’d like it to continue during the party and tours.” Brenda peered through the window and noticed a clearing in the sky that appeared as fast as the storm had. “I’m going to look at the weather report and see if more is coming later. Maybe this was just a prelude.”
“A real storm would certainly add to the atmosphere,” Pierre said.
The chef smiled at his boss. It proved easy for him to get into the mood of every event Brenda hosted at the bed and breakfast. This was no exception. Then he remembered something. “By the way, Brenda, have you had an exterminator inspect the premises recently? I’m convinced I’m hearing some kind of scratching in the wall near the back stairs. I wonder if a squirrel or other small animal has found its way inside.”
“I hope not. I have the building inspected yearly to make sure there are no openings anywhere so that won’t happen.” She asked her chef to tell her exactly where he heard the noise. Pierre showed her. The wall appeared solid. They walked outside and looked for any openings and found none. “I’ll have the inspector come back out and make sure.”
At the front desk, Allie was excited about the continuing preparations for the party. She met Karina and Grace as they came from the dining room. “I’m ready to take you to the costume room whenever you are. Just let me know when.”
“We’re ready now,” Grace said.
Allie led them to the end of the hallway on the second floor and opened the double doors leading into the large room that she and Brenda had decorated especially for costume selection. The guests gasped at the lavish fabrics and stunning dresses hanging from the racks. An antique three-way mirror gleamed at one side of the room, and a changing room awaited behind curtains nearby.
“I guess our choices will prove harder than we imagined,” Karina said.
Allie agreed there were plenty of ideas to choose from. She showed them groups of costumes arranged according to era and themes. “This collection features traditional Halloween costumes, creepy and spooky themes, but any that you see are acceptable to wear for the party. It’s the time of year to be whatever you want to be!”
Grace turned to her friend. “We’d better pick carefully. I mean to win the costume contest tonight.” They laughed like schoolgirls, and Allie joined them.
“I think I’ll choose this one. I can be the crimson countess,” Karina said, touching the rich velvet brocade of a dress that swooped to the floor. She stepped back and shook her head. “It may be too fitted, though.”
“Take that one,” Grace insisted. “You have the figure for it. And that tone of red will be perfect for you.” She looked through the rack. “What do you think about the cat girl costume?”
Karina laughed. “It is just like you to choose that one. Take it and we’ll pick out our masks and accessories. What are you going to be tonight, Allie?”
“I’ll tell the two of you but no one else. I chose to be a ghost maiden. I’ll wear all white and the dress is handkerchief-style. I have the perfect white mask with sparkles on it and a plumed headpiece.” Allie felt better after telling someone about her choice. She wanted it to be a surprise, but she was so excited about the outfit she had chosen that she wanted to share her secret.
Karina and Grace put the costumes in their room while Allie waited to accompany them downstairs. They chatted about performing. Karina told them she was drawing the line at that category.
“I’m definitely no performer, and besides, I would freeze up on the spot in front of all those people.”
The bed and breakfast buzzed more than usual that morning, which promised a great night ahead.
Lauren and Ryan Meyers pulled out their costumes to make sure they were pressed and ready. One of the housekeepers had ironed the wrinkles out.
“I don’t know why you chose to be a zombie, Ryan.” Lauren shook her head but couldn’t hide her smile.
“I like the way zombies walk. I have my act ready for tonight. Are you getting up there to try for a prize, Lauren?”
“I doubt I can compete against you, Ryan.” In truth, she had no desire to perform. “I’m counting on you to win. I want to come back soon. Don’t you think it’s the perfect getaway? This place is wonderful.”
“It is for sure. If I win, we should come back in the summertime. I hear they are famous for the sailboat races around Independence Day in July. We could do some sailing, too.”
They talked about things they read in the brochures that detailed year-round events in Sweetfern Harbor.
“We have to get through this big celebration and then plan to come back for others,” Lauren said. Adrenaline raced through them while they donned their costumes.
In the bustle of preparations, guests and staff passed through the hallways all day long. Perhaps because of the noisy excitement, no one heard any more faint noises from behind the walls of the hallway, except for Chef Pierre, who made a note to talk to Brenda again once the big party was over. Fright Night kept him busy, and there was no time to stop and investigate the rodents any further.
It was late afternoon when Hope Williams came through the back door laden with Halloween treats catered from her bakery. Pierre greeted her and sent two of his assistants to retrieve the rest from her van. She told him she was going to find Brenda and check on Allie, too.
Brenda met her in the hallway near the kitchen. Hope admired the décor that had changed the usually sunny and friendly-looking bed and breakfast into a spooky, dramatic scene perfect for the Halloween party. She was proud of Allie.
“It looks like another storm is brewing out there, Brenda. I wanted to get everything delivered before an onslaught of rain.”
Hidden Entity Page 2
