by Rose Pressey
I WANT TO HAUNT YOU HOME
A Haunted Tour Guide Mystery Short Story
by 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 Review
Rose Pressey’s Complete Bookshelf (click title to preview/buy)
Paranormal P.I. Series
What the Hex?
The Hex With It
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
Haunt the Haunt, Walk the Walk
Walk this Way, Haunt this Way
Take a Haunted Walk With Me
Hauntin’ After Midnight
Haunted Vintage Series:
Book 1 – If You’ve Got It, Haunt It
Book 2 – All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt
Book 3 – Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore
Book 4 – Haunted is Always in Fashion
Book 5 – If the Haunting Fits, Wear It June 2017
Maggie, P.I. Mystery Series:
Book 1 – Crime Wave
Book 2 – Murder is a Beach
Book 3 – Wipe Out June 2017
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
Book 5 – A Charmed Life
Book 6 – Charmed Ever After
Book 7—Once Upon a Charmed Time
Book 8 – Charmed to Death
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
Book 4—Ghoul of My Dreams
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 1
Since starting the haunted tour I’d come in contact with a lot of paranormal activity. My boyfriend Brannon had added to this since he was a paranormal investigator. His fulltime job was in law enforcement with the Devil’s Moon Police Department. In his free time he searched for answers to the unexplained paranormal.
Lately it seemed as if I attracted ghosts everywhere I went. I’d just finished a tour and was headed home when my cell rang. The number displayed on the screen wasn’t familiar. I hesitated on answering the call, but after a couple more rings curiosity got the better of me and I answered.
“Is this Ripley Van Raden?” the man asked.
Was he trying to sell me a burial plot? Or maybe an extended car warranty?
Reluctantly, I said, “Yes.”
“I’m so glad that I reached you.”
“Who is this?” I asked.
“The name’s Chandler Bryan. I just bought the old movie theater in town.”
“Right, I heard someone bought the place,” I said.
Why was he calling me? Would it be totally rude of me to ask? I prided myself on my Southern manners. If he didn’t tell me why soon I would be forced to ask.
“I’ll just get to the reason for calling. Not that I wouldn’t love to chat,” he said.
So he was being polite too. At least he was relieving my curiosity. My interest was definitely piqued.
“I need your help and I was told that you’re the person to call in these types of situations.”
I had a feeling I knew exactly what he was talking about, but I’d wait for him to actually say it first.
“What seems to be the problem?” I asked.
He paused and then said, “Devil’s Moon Theater is haunted. I can’t get any work done on restoring the place because the contractors keep taking off.”
Why did everyone think that I was the go-to person for all paranormal activity? Just because I ran the ghost tour didn’t mean I had all the facts. Sure, I’d been communicating with some of the spirits, but I didn’t consider myself a psychic medium. Mrs. Clatterbuck haunted the Devil’s Moon Cemetery where a lot of my tours took place. She was always warning me to stay away. The dead librarian Annie Gibson from the library where I worked talked to me through electronic devices and social media posts. I knew it sounded crazy, but it was true.
He sounded genuinely upset, so there was no way I could tell him no. Besides, what harm would it do for me to go and take a look? I wasn’t sure I could offer him any help, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt either. At least I hoped I wouldn’t make things worse.
“Okay, when would be a convenient time for me to come over?” I asked.
“As soon as possible is fine with me. The sooner the better,” he said.
“How about tomorrow after work?” I asked.
I would have just a little bit of time before the tour started and I could take a look around the theater. I wouldn’t necessarily be able to do a full investigation, but I could have a look around. I would want Brannon to go with me if he could because he had been investigating the paranormal much longer than I had. The only reason I ever did any of this was because he piqued my interest. Sure, I always wanted to know the answers to the unexplained, but I never took it to the level where I would actually use the
scientific equipment like he did.
I arranged to meet him tomorrow after work. After ending the call I headed down the sidewalk toward my new place. It felt strange going to a different location now that I’d moved out of my other place. The walk was a little farther too, so it made me have to walk alone in the dark a little longer. Maybe it was just because I had the ghost tour on my mind, but it felt as if someone was behind me.
The giant old oak trees swayed with the wind and the clouds covering the moon made the night even darker. I hurried my step, as if someone was trying to catch up with me. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure that no one was back there. So far, I was the only one on the sidewalk. It was right around eight p.m. and things in Devil’s Moon had considerably slowed down. Just my luck that the street lights weren’t working.
Up ahead, I spotted my house. The place still needed a lot of work, but over time I hoped to bring it back to its former beauty. Now it just looked like a spooky old haunted house. I suppose that was appropriate considering it really was haunted.
Chapter 2
The next evening I head toward the old theater. It was over at the corner of Broom Street and Sadler Avenue. I remembered walking by many times. Of course, it always had a spooky vibe. It had been out of use for many years. I was glad that someone had decided to bring it back to life. Now if we could just get the paranormal activity to settle down so that work could be done. A breeze drifted across the window and a leaf scuttled along the pavement in front of me as I walked. Unfortunately, Brannon had to work, so I was all alone for this investigation.
The front of the majestic building had four sets of doors and a glassed-over area at the front which had been where the tickets were sold. I stopped in front of the theater. This side of town had businesses that closed around five, so there was no one around. I suppose staring at the place wouldn’t do any good. I walked over and placed my hand on the darkened gold handle bar on the door. I pulled it open and stepped into the lobby area. Worn out red carpet covered the floor. An empty concession stand stood at the back of the area.
“Hello?” I called out.
No one answered. Why hadn’t the owner been in the lobby like had said he would? Being alone in here was a bit spooky. I understand why anyone working in the building would feel uneasy. However, was that all? Just the fact that the building was spooky might make someone feel creepy enough to think the place was haunted. I wanted to hear what things had happened to the people inside the building. I stepped over to one of the theaters and opened the door. Okay, that room was even scarier. The room was pitch black.
There was no way I was going in there alone. I was brave, but I wasn’t that brave.
“Is anyone there?” My voice echoed through the empty room. When no one answered I closed the door.
Walking to the other doors I checked each one the same way. It looked as if I was alone in the theater. If he wasn’t going to show up then I would just get out of there and head over to the tour. I didn’t have a lot of time to waste. Maybe something had come up. I wasn’t sure why he hadn’t called to let me know.
As I moved toward the entrance a loud crash rang out. I jumped and spun around. No one was around, but I knew I’d heard a loud noise from someone in the theater. Was another living person really here or was that the ghost? I suppose there were rooms I hadn’t checked and the owner could have been in one of them. Instead of looking in every inch of the place I pulled out my phone and dialed the owner’s number. Unfortunately, he didn’t answer the call either. I’d leave and talk with him later. As I placed my hand on the door handle to leave something grabbed me by the shoulder. The theater owner was standing behind me.
“Did I startle you?” he asked.
After I caught my breath, I said, “Yes, just a little. I’ll be all right once I return to a normal heart rate.”
“I’m sorry. I was locked in a projection room,” he said.
“How did you get locked in there?” I asked.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” he said. “I heard a noise so I went to check it out. I thought I’d be brave. I mean, honestly, I’m a grown man and I need to handle this. The next thing I knew the door slammed shut and I couldn’t get out.”
“That’s terrible,” I said. “The paranormal is obviously a mysterious thing, so don’t feel bad that you’ve asked for help. There’s nothing wrong with that?”
“I suppose not.” He released a deep breath. “Anyway, would you like for me to show you around?”
“Sure, but maybe we’ll avoid stepping into the projection rooms for now,” I said.
“Good idea. So what do you need to know about this place?” he asked.
“What types of things have happened and is there a specific area of the theater that seems more haunted than the others?” I asked.
“This room over here is the worst.” He motioned for me to follow him.
We stopped in front of the doors that led into the darkened room I’d seen just a few moments earlier. He stared at me and then looked at the door. I suppose he was waiting for me to open the door. Okay, I guess this was what I’d come for. I exhaled and then eased the door open. Yeah, it was still just as dark in there.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s dark,” I said.
“Just a second.” He ran over to the counter and grabbed a flashlight and then hurried back. “Here you are.”
I took the flashlight from him. “There aren’t any lights in this room?”
He shook his head. “They stopped working and I can’t get anyone in here long enough to fix them.”
Ugh. I suppose now he wanted me to walk in there all alone. Well, the other men working on this place might be scared, but I would suck it up and go in there. I flicked on the light. The white glow lit up a small area around me. It wasn’t much, but I guess it would have to do.
First I shone the light down the long aisle. There was no sign of the boogeyman so I supposed I would enter. I took a couple steps and then looked over my shoulder. Maybe he’d change his mind and come with me. He grimaced and didn’t offer to move into the space with me. I was on my own.
I pointed the light down the aisle and slowly made my way further into the room. Darkened theaters had always given me the creeps. At least he’d kept the door open so I didn’t feel completely isolated and alone. Once at the end of the aisle I turned to my left. Now I was in the middle of the theater. Rows of seats stretched out in front of me. All was quiet. I scanned the light around the room, but nothing seemed unusual.
A shuffling noise sounded from somewhere to my left. I spun the light around in that direction. Nothing was there … at first. Then without warning a woman appeared at the back of the theater. Her features weren’t clear since she was so far away and it was dark, but I knew by her silhouette that the figure was a woman. She wore a long dress that seemed out of place for this time period. My heart beat a little faster. I suspected this was the ghost who had been haunting the theater.
What would I do now? She didn’t move, but didn’t take her eyes off me either.
“Hello?” I called out.
She didn’t answer and completely disappeared right before my eyes. I’d seen ghosts before, but it never became any less shocking. I flashed the light around, scanning the space to see if she had moved to a different area. The woman was nowhere in sight. In spite of my nerves I moved further into the theater room. Now I was in the spot where the woman had been standing. I thought maybe she would reappear, although I hoped she didn’t pop up right in front of me. A little distance between us would be nice. There was no sign of her up here.
After walking up and then down the other side of the theater, she didn’t return. I decided to go out and tell him what I’d seen. Who was this woman and what did she want? Why was she hanging around Devil’s Moon Theater?
Chapter 3
What did you find?” the owner asked when I stepped out into the lobby area.
At least he’d
waited by the door for me, although I wasn’t sure what he would have done if the ghost had attacked me. Would he have run, screaming from the theater? I wasn’t even sure where to begin to tell him what I saw. Would he completely freak out? I was about to find out.
“Let’s go over here.” I gestured toward the main doors.
He followed me, but I knew he was shocked by the expression on his face.
“Something happened while you were in there?” He asked when we reached the doors.
“I saw a full apparition,” I said.
His eyes widened. “What does that mean? You saw a ghost?”
“Yes, I saw a ghost.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “I knew it. This is crazy. I mean, things had happened, but I guess I never thought there would be something that astounding occur.”
Little did he know that I seemed to attract ghosts.
“So tell me what happened,” he said.
“When I entered nothing happened. It was all quiet. Then I heard a noise from the upper section. When I looked that way I spotted her,” I said.
“The ghost was a she?” he asked.
I nodded. “She wore a long, ivory colored dress. I don’t think she was from recent times.”
“Why do you think she’s here?”
“That’s something we’ll have to find out.”
“If we find out why she’s here do you think we’ll be able to get her to leave?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I hope that happens, but there’s no guarantee.”
“What can I do?”
“We’ll come back and do an investigation. We can do a cleansing and see if the ghost will move on. In the meantime, I will research the theater and see if there’s any reason why she would be here. Maybe I’ll find out who she is.”
“When can we do this?” he asked.
