“Janie, do you think this is funny?”
She reminded me of a teacher I had in grade school who scared the pididdly out of everyone.
“No, of course I don’t. Anyway, your idea to stay in the Honeymoon Suite sounds great. Can we do anything to help?”
“Just go about your regular duties and I’ll go about mine.”
“All right, then. I’ll go about my regular duty and cook dinner for us.”
The evening was uneventful if you don’t count Henry sliding Mrs. Banish’s plate off the table and moving her chair as she started to sit down.
“You’ll have to excuse Henry—he’s just afraid you’re going to send him away.”
No smile. The woman was completely void of humor.
“If Henry goes, so much the better. You really should stop worrying about him, Janie, and concentrate on your problem.”
“Mrs. Banish, I don’t want to sound rude, but it would help if you would lighten up a little.”
“If you’re dissatisfied with my services… ”
“Not at all. It’s just, well what I’m trying to say, Miss Schubert and I are a little uptight and your grim attitude isn’t helping.”
“Janie, I am what I am and if you’d prefer someone else, I’ll understand.”
“Don’t get your tush in a knot. I’m aware you know your business—I just want you to see a little humor in all this and lighten up.”
“This is serious business to me, so I’m afraid I’m as light as you’re going to see.”
“Okay, then.” I glanced at Miss Schubert who was trying to look anywhere but at me. “Let’s eat and you can get on about your business.”
* * * *
Putting away the last of the dishes, Cathy Schubert started in on me.
“You were a little hard on the lady, weren’t you?”
“Miss Schubert, is it okay if I call you Cathy since we’re sleeping together?” Seeing her nod, I continued. “Cathy, all I’m asking for is a little sense of humor. I didn’t call her here to conduct a funeral—I just want to get rid of this supernatural thing bugging you and my guests.”
“Why didn’t you tell her about some of the other people hearing noises?”
“To tell you the truth, I forgot. When we see her in the morning, that is, if we see her in the morning, yuk, yuk, I’ll tell her about that. Now, I need to have a little pow-wow with Henry out on the front porch. Do you want to join us?”
Cathy wrapped a strand of hair around her finger—an old habit she relied on when nerves took over. “Kind of you to ask, but no thanks. I’ll go on up to your room if that’s okay and read awhile.”
When I got to the porch, my stomach was going round and round like Mama’s old washing machine. Why did I get involved with this ghost-chasing lady in the first place?
“Okey dokey, Henry, are you here?”
Nothing.
“I hate it when you pout. I thought your antics with our ghost buster were pretty funny. Please feel free to do a repeat performance but not when our other visitor is around. Now, Mrs. Banish may not know it, but I think she could use your help. So, give it to her, okay?
The other thing, I’ve asked her to leave you alone. I don’t know if she will or not, but if you see things getting out of hand, vamoose. You know you’ve never told me anything about yourself— not that you could, but if things go wrong and you have to leave, I’ve enjoyed knowing you.”
I felt a slight pressure on my shoulder. “Henry, did you just touch me?”
I felt it again, this time on the other shoulder. “Thanks, my friend. Now, keep an eye on the Honeymoon Suite, will you? Don’t let Miss Sourpuss get hurt.”
* * * *
I’m usually up at morning light, but all the guests were gone and neither Cathy Schubert nor I opened our eyes until nine o’clock. We looked at each other half afraid to open the door.
Cathy spoke first. “Why do you think it’s so quiet?”
“I don’t know, but I think we should check on our friend, don’t you?”
“Lead the way.”
When they got to the Honeymoon Suite, the door was open, the windows were open, and Mrs. Banish was nowhere to be seen.
“Cathy, check outside and see if her car is there.”
“Yes, it’s right where she left it.”
“Okay, then she’s downstairs somewhere.” As I turned around, I noticed an imprint on the sheets. “Hold on a minute. Look at the bed—it looks like she just got out of it and feel the sheets—they’re still warm. Hold on, there’s something on the pillow.”
“What is it?”
“A wedding ring and it’s too small for Mrs. Banish’s fingers. In fact, it looks too small for anyone.”
“Is it engraved?”
When I took it to the window for better light, I heard a shuffling, metallic sound. I turned to see Cathy picking up something from the floor.
“What do you have there?”
“Have you lost something lately?”
“No, what did you find?”
“You’re not going to believe this—it’s a button off a military uniform of some sorts. I’m guessing Civil War. Before we go downstairs to find Mrs. B., tell me about the ring.”
“Well, it looks very old and the inscription is so light it’s hard to read. We’ll have to get a magnifying glass.”
When they got downstairs, the coffee was made, but Mrs. Banish wasn’t around.
“Cathy, this is more than a little spooky, you know? Let’s check out her car. It could be she just took an early morning walk, but the whole thing doesn’t feel right to me. What do you think?”
“It doesn’t feel right to me either. Janie, what do you know about previous owners of this house?”
“Nothing, zip. I intended to research it but just never got around to it.”
“Why don’t we go into town and check at the library or the Chamber. We might come up with something that would help.”
“Hold your horses. We’ve got a missing person here—Mrs. B., remember?”
“Are you saying something happened to her?”
“Yep, guess I am.”
I looked around like the missing woman was hiding in a corner.
“This can’t be happening, Cathy. Hold it—maybe Henry can help. Henry? Come on, Henry, we need you. Give me a sign you’re here.”
The napkin moved from the side of the plate.
“That’s my man.” I pulled out the chair and fell into it relieved my buddy was close by. “We can’t find Mrs. Banish. Do you know where she is?”
Nothing.
“Okay, so I forgot how to ask you questions. Here I go again. Did she take a walk?”
Nothing.
“Did our unwelcome guest have anything to do with her disappearance?”
Nothing.
“Cathy, let’s look at this objectively. Her car is here, there’s no note…”
“The coffee is made though—doesn’t that mean she’s around?”
“Not necessarily. It’s set to go off automatically at seven o’clock, but you’re right—it wouldn’t still be warm. Let’s go outside and check. She has to be on the premises.”
“I hate to push you on this, Janie, but I think we should call the police first. Something’s going on here and we don’t have a clue what it is.”
“You’re right again—I just hate to look like a fool if the woman is simply taking her morning walk.”
Cathy sucked in her breath forcing her lips into a round ‘o’ shape and then let it escape with a vengeance. “Look at it this way. What if we go outside and find her in the woods. Won’t the police suspect us then?”
“Gotcha. I’ll call while you pour some coffee in the thermos to take with us.”
* * * *
As soon as the authorities were contacted and I entreated Henry to come along, Cathy and I walked into the woods around the B&B praying we would find Mrs. B. with a walking stick entranced with rainbow colors in the fall leaves, bu
t that sight was hard to imagine. We were about a half mile into the area when I stumbled and almost fell.
“What the hell?”
Cathy stopped in her tracks a few feet ahead. “What happened?”
“Nothing. I just stumped my toe, but I don’t see anything. Keep going.”
I’d only gone a few more steps when I tripped again. “Okay, Henry, is that you playing tricks?”
A bundle of leaves whirled in the air.
“So, what are you trying to tell me? Damn, I wish you could talk—it’d make things a lot easier.”
Cathy’s eyes took on Garfield’s look again. “Look at the leaves, Janie, they’re swirling in coils along that path over there.”
“Come on, Henry’s taking us somewhere.”
“Are you sure we want to follow?”
I had already moved close to the leaves corkscrewing their way along the walkway.
“Hold on, friend, have you thought that this might not be Henry guiding us down the garden path?”
I stopped in my tracks. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that maybe whoever is causing these leaves to move like that may be our uninvited visitor—the same uninvited visitor Mrs. B was trying to get rid of. If we follow him, he may just get rid of us too.”
Icy droplets nipped at my spinal cord. “You’re right. Let’s go back to the house and wait for the police.”
Whoever, or whatever, stirred the leaves did so again with force and before we knew it, we were secluded in an avalanche of foliage.
“Stand very still, Cathy.”
“You think I’m going anywhere? What’s this about?”
I don’t know, but do you feel how cool it’s gotten?”
“Too much for September, right?”
“Right. Okay, when this spirit stops playing with us, run toward the house as fast as you can. If something happens to me along the way, get the police NOW!”
Cathy and I dashed onto the front lawn almost crashing into two police cars in the driveway. We could barely wait for the officers to introduce themselves before blurting out what had happened.
“Ladies, we can’t understand anything you’re saying. One at a time, please.”
I took charge and after explaining who Mrs. Banish was and why she was here, I noticed the two policemen looking at each other with amusement or sympathy—I couldn’t tell which.
“We’re not crazy.”
“We didn’t say you were. In fact, there are a lot of stories in these parts about ghosts roaming around.”
“Really? I had no idea. After we locate Mrs. Banish, maybe you can direct me to some of these folks. I’d like to trace the owners of this house.”
“Why don’t you ladies go in the house and get something that belonged to Mrs. Banish. We’ve got a dog with us back in the squad car that can help, but we need to let him sniff something of hers.”
I ran into the house taking the stairs two at a time, found a scarf in the Honeymoon Suite, and rushed it into the policeman’s hands.
When the officers started down the trail, I was on their heels. One of them turned with a stern look motioning me back to the house.
“I don’t intend to sit up there and wait.”
“We can get the job done quicker if you’ll just stay at the house. Please.”
I stomped back to the B&B mumbling words under my breath that I didn’t want anyone to hear.
* * * *
I was trying to get in touch with Henry when I heard the officers’ steps on the porch.
“Ma’am?”
“Come in. Did you find her?”
“I’m afraid we did. She was lying on the far edge of your property, by the barbed wire fence.”
“Is she hurt?”
“Yes, you might say that. Mrs. Banish is dead.”
My face turned ashen. “How did this happen?”
“Ma’am, we can’t say at this point, but we’ll know soon enough. Was anyone else staying here last night?”
“No, just Cathy Schubert and myself, but I don’t understand.
Was Mrs. Banish hurt in some way?”
“It doesn’t appear so, but the coroner will get to the bottom of this. While he’s on his way, I need to see the room the victim stayed in last night.”
“Why are you calling her a victim?”
Officer Wyatt smiled. “I’m sorry, Miss Pitts. Maybe I used the wrong word. Anyway, I need to see where Mrs. Banish stayed.” The officer scanned the room carefully and was turning something over and over in his hand when he came downstairs.
“Miss Pitts, did you know about this military button?”
“Yes, Cathy found it.” I nodded toward my friend. “Actually, we found two items in the room—an antique looking wedding band and that button from what looks like a Civil War uniform.”
“Is it possible these items belonged to Mrs. Banish?”
“Look, Officer Wyatt, I don’t presume to know anything about detective work, but Mrs. Banish made her living getting rid of ghosts and she didn’t appear to be the type to leave wedding rings on her pillow like a Godiva chocolate.”
“You’re sure these items weren’t somewhere in the room before Mrs. Banish arrived?”
“Absolutely. As soon as guests vacate a room, I clean it from top to bottom—I mean under the bed, in the closets, the drawers, and anywhere else one could leave items. Besides that, I get to know my guests pretty well during their stays and I would know if any of them collected Civil War memorabilia.”
“I’m sure you would. Off the record, Miss Pitts, there’s an old fellow who frequents a tavern over close to Devil’s Backbone, in Fischer I think, who might shed some light on this. In fact, I believe the name of the bar is Devil’s Backbone Tavern. Apparently this fellow has seen or knows people who have seen shadows that resemble humans in the tavern and along the ridge.
According to local stories, the shadowy figures are those of Confederate soldiers or Apaches—take your pick.”
“Do you believe these stories?”
“I’m not saying that, but I’ve found something else that might just add fuel to the legends.”
The women screamed “What?”
“I can’t say at this time.”
“So, you’re saying my B&B is haunted by a Confederate soldier who’s trying to give a wedding ring to his lost love after all these years?”
“I’m not telling you anything of the sorts. What I’m saying, maybe you should have a talk with that fellow I mentioned. I don’t even know his name, but the people running the tavern would know. No doubt about it—something strange is going on here.”
I turned to Cathy with a thousand questions etched like chicken scratchings across my face. “What about running over to that tavern now?”
“Fine, but don’t you think we should wait until we know more about Mrs. Banish?”
“Ladies, this is going to take a while. Why don’t you two head on over to the tavern and we’ll go about our business here. It won’t take you long and we’ll be here when you get back.”
* * * *
We hadn’t gone a mile before Cathy asked me to pull over—her stomach was turning like Lotto balls on a Saturday night. After she got back in the car and sipped a little water, she motioned me to go. Neither of us spoke while we rode along the 24-plus mile stretch of twisting road drinking in the beautiful visions of undisturbed property, home long ago to Indians and frontiersmen.
I finally broke the silence. “Man, I can see why this ridge is called Devil’s Backbone—it’s a little treacherous.”
“Tell you what, I’ll drive back so you can look at this delicious scenery. I tell you, Janie, I don’t like the reason we’re making this little trek, but it helps get our minds off Mrs. B, doesn’t it?”
“A little, but I’m more than a little spooked about all this. I don’t want to sound selfish, but I’m thinking about my business too, you know?”
“Understood. All this will pass and it will proba
bly bring people streaming to your doors hoping to see a ghost.”
I laughed at the prospect. “Maybe, but I’d rather just have Henry and his high-jinks than this other character.” I pulled into one of the scenic stops. “Cathy, I need to stop for a few minutes—my knees are jerking faster than a windmill spinning in a storm.”
“No argument here.”
After we found a scenic turnaround, we sat on a limestone barrier to look at the beautiful view stretching as far as the eye could travel.
“I didn’t realize we were so high.”
“Yeah, I read somewhere that the ridge has an elevation over 1,200 ft.”
“Look how far you can see, Janie. It’s not hard to imagine Indians running through this area, is it?”
“No, it isn’t.”
“I haven’t put this in words, but I want to now. Do you think Mrs. B. was murdered?”
“My God, Cathy, that’s what I’m afraid of. If she has been, I don’t think a ghost could do it and if it’s not our ghost, who?”
“I wish you hadn’t said that, my friend.”
“Well, we have to think about it. Look, I know you need to leave, but if you could stay a few more days, I’d appreciate it.”
“I wouldn’t leave you until this mess is settled. I’ll call work tomorrow—I have some vacation time left.”
My breath escaped in a relieved whoosh sound. “I’m so grateful you’re hanging in here with me. This is ludicrous, isn’t it? Who would think a few nights ago, you were standing at my door demanding to sleep in my bed?”
“Wellll, it wasn’t exactly like that.”
Laughter forced out some of the building stress.
“Okay, then. Let’s move on and find that old gentleman who can help us.”
* * * *
As we made our way to the tail of the Devil’s Backbone, we caught sight of the tavern. When we stepped into the bar, there was an overwhelming sensation we couldn’t put our fingers on. One thing we could tell, however, the barkeep was wary of strangers and didn’t like curiosity seekers, but he didn’t mind visitors cooling their throats with a cool beer and Cathy and I definitely needed a cool beer.
As we put our elbows on the bar, we smiled at each other sensing a step back in time.
“What will you ladies have?”
Dead and Breakfast Page 2
