A Secret in the Attic (Mystery/Suspense/Romance)

by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  “Well, Claire, I always make it a point to review all cases before I begin to work on them. I have to say, this case is very interesting. Not to mention, after you ran out of here, I knew I had to treat this as more than just a case because of all the history and emotion involved.”

  I covered my face at his comments, hoping to hide the red hotness I felt sweeping over my cheeks. “I’m sorry I ran out of here, I was really nervous.”

  He put his hand on mine; excitement surged through me at his touch. “Don’t feel bad for running out of here. I admire you for coming back. I’m not sure I could be that brave.”

  He smiled a warm smile, his hand remaining on mine.

  Is he flirting with me or just being kind?

  I tried hard to focus, staring at the contracts to keep me from forgetting why I was there. Maybe if I’d been talking to the older version of him, I wouldn’t feel nervous because there wouldn’t be any attraction. Still, I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing no matter what, so I asked for a pen and began to sign my name to every page with the tell-tale arrows on them requesting my signature.

  Ben watched as I mindlessly signed each page. “Don’t you want to read over those contracts first before you sign them?”

  “If my mother trusted this firm, then I trust them.”

  He nodded a look of understanding. “Then we will move to the contracts for the manor and the cottage. Would you like me to send a team out to the property to clean it or anything for you?”

  “That won’t be necessary. It’s not like I’ll ever see it. Just leave things the way they are.”

  Ben opened an envelope and handed me a set of keys. “Just in case you change your mind.”

  I held them up to examine them. “Skeleton keys. How appropriate.”

  I pushed them back in his hand. I had no use for them. As tempted as I was to explore, my fear of the possible haunting of the place won over any curiosity I could possibly have for the property.

  Ben looked confused. “You don’t even want to see the place? I hear it’s very grand.”

  I squinted my eyes at him. “A house that’s been closed up with three ghosts for more than one hundred years? Not my idea of anything grand.”

  Ben winked at me. “I have to admit, I’m kind of curious. And who doesn’t love a good ghost story?”

  “Someone who doesn’t like dead things. I had a tough enough time being at my own mother’s funeral. Graveyards and haunted houses are not for sissies. And I am a big sissy.”

  “Would you like me to prove to you there are no ghosts in the manor?”

  “Is that what you meant by sending a team out to clean it up before I see it? What sort of team will you send? The Ghost Busters?”

  He laughed.

  “Don’t laugh at me, Mr. Avery. I’m serious.”

  “I thought we decided you were going to call me Ben. I wasn’t laughing at you, only at what you said. You’re very funny. If I go with you to see the property and prove to you there are no ghosts, will you go?”

  I thought about it for a minute. “Okay, Ben. But to be honest, I’m a little curious about the orphanage, but only because my mother lived there until she was only a few years younger than I am now.”

  “I would be more than happy to escort you and look things over for you. The senior partners have all toured the property, but I haven’t had the opportunity to see it yet. What do you say?”

  “I’ll go. But I’m not stepping one foot in the manor. Not kidding.”

  Ben smiled. “We can go tomorrow if you’d like?”

  “I’ll have to make it for Friday instead because tomorrow we’re having a birthday party for my mother at the diner. I know it’s a little strange, but I know it would mean a lot to Frank and Ida, and all my mother’s friends.”

  His smile softened. “No. It doesn’t sound strange. I’ll meet you here at ten O’clock on Friday. We can ride together.”

  I liked the idea of going with him, and thought about Emily, knowing she would want to go, but I wasn’t wild about the idea of having her and Isabelle in tow, especially when I wanted the chance to get to know Ben a little better. I was sure his kindness toward me was part of his job, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t take advantage of having a good looking man to protect me from the ghosts—if we should happen to run into any.

  ****

  The diner was packed. I was happy when I arrived fifteen minutes early, and saw that it was already standing-room only, just like the gathering after the funeral. Maxine was behind the counter with Ida trying to blow up balloons. Maxine and my mother had always made up funny stories about out-of-town customers, which included giving them names and occupations. Then they would talk to the customers over the course of their visit to see how many details they had guessed correctly. My mother usually won. She said that being with my father had taught her to judge a person’s character more closely, and to pay attention to details. She always did have an eye for details. It was one of the reasons I thought she could do better than the diner as a choice of occupation. Despite what I thought, my mother had been very happy working with these people, and they certainly loved her, as proven by their presence at her party.

  I took a plate of fries and sat in the booth that was reserved for Emily and me. When I put my purse on the seat next to me, I noticed the letter that Ben had given me from my mother. I pulled it out and ran my fingers over her handwriting on the outside of the envelope once again, as though I could somehow sense her presence in the lines of my name. I hadn’t yet been able to open it to discover its content, and still debated as to whether or not I was ready to read it, but I was still too afraid of what it might say.

  Emily plopped into the seat across from me in the booth. “Is that the letter?”

  I held it up to her. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to read it.”

  “You have to read it, Claire. Lucy wrote it so you would know her side of the inheritance story. She has a right to be heard, especially since she isn’t here to tell you in person.”

  She left me alone in the booth with my letter, and I wondered if I was really ready to read what would be my mother’s last words to me. I opened the envelope slowly, fearing what was inside; fearing the words of a dying woman, desperate to take her secret to the grave. I couldn’t understand why she never told me. Why she never found the right time to explain things to me in person. I suddenly resented the letter, and placed it back in the envelope with the intention to never read it.

  Before I realized, Emily snatched the envelope from my hands. “If you don’t read this right now, I will. I swear I will open it and read it out loud so you will have to know what your mother’s last wishes were. If you never know, then you will never be able to move on, and I can’t deal with crazy Claire. I need you sane and focused.”

  I reached up and snatched it back, intending to zip it up in my purse, but the look on Emily’s face made me change my mind.

  “Okay, I’ll read it. But I can’t do it by myself. Will you sit with me, Em?”

  She slouched down across from me and touched my hand. “You know I’m here for you, Claire.”

  She watched as I unfolded the letter, still unable to force myself to look at the writing on the page. I fumbled with the envelope, reading my name over and over, letting my eyes roll over each letter; Claire Isabelle Mayfield.

  “Claire. Are you alright? Do you want my help?”

  I lifted my head so our eyes met. I could barely see her through the tears that threatened to spill over. If I was already this emotional, how would I possibly get through the reading of the letter? I relinquished the pages to Emily and nodded my consent for her to begin reading its contents.

  Emily cleared her throat and began to read.

  My Dearest Daughter Claire,

  I’m sure that if you are reading this after I’m gone that you have a lot of questions. I can’t promise to answer all of them, but I promise an explanation of the inheritance you have been informed
of by this time. I know the lawyers will explain the technical details, but I will explain the emotional side.

  I had hoped I could be brave enough to tell you about all of this years ago, but the more time that passed, the more afraid I became of your reaction. I’m sure you’re angry now as you read this, but it was never my intention to hurt you, but to spare you hurt by keeping the knowledge of the inheritance from you.

  I’m sure you’re wondering why we didn’t live like royalty in the Blackwell Manor, but I had to hide it all from your father, who would have stripped us of every penny, and I would have nothing to leave you now. Please understand, I had to keep it a secret in order to keep him from stealing it.

  Another part of me wanted no part of the money or the estate since my true identity had been kept from me until I was 18 years old. I felt like such a prisoner all those years in the orphanage, being kept by the ones who could no longer take care of me…well, I don’t expect you to understand that part, but you know what a free spirit I am.

  When I met your father, I thought I would finally have someone to share the inheritance with, but I was wrong. He knew about it before he married me, and only married me to get his hands on it. When I denied the rumors and convinced him they were nothing more than rumors, he left. After he left, I found that I was pregnant with you. I met Frank and Ida, and the rest is history.

  I want you to enjoy what I couldn’t. I want you to accept this inheritance as your own and not mine. I only ever wanted it for you. It was never really mine because I couldn’t accept it, but I need for you to accept it and enjoy it because I never could. I hope your first thought is not to sell it, but to live in it and someday raise a family in it. From what I hear, the manor is well overdue for the laughter of children.

  Love,

  Mom

  Emily looked up at me to check my reaction. We both grabbed for napkins to wipe our tears. Neither of us said a word about the letter. Instead, we joined the party being thrown in my mother’s honor.

  ****

  Luckily, Emily got the hint without much explanation, so I was now on my way to Wellington with Ben. Nervousness mixed with anticipation over seeing what my mother had sacrificed for me. At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel the same mix of emotions toward my road-trip buddy. He wore jeans and a blue dress shirt, left un-tucked from his pants that matched his blue eyes. His brown hair seemed to have a little more gel than it had a few days before, and I could smell just the right amount of cologne as I sat across from him in his white Mercedes. He was quiet for most of the trip, commenting occasionally about a particular landmark here and there. I nodded as he talked, but for the most part, I looked out the window at the landscape of rolling hills and rows of maple and oak trees that had already begun to change color.

  “Do you have any questions before we get there? If you feel like talking about it, I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

  He was trying to pull emotions from me that I wasn’t ready to feel, but I had to admit, he did seem like a person who was easy to talk to, and I had a million questions.

  “I suppose I am kind of curious to find out how run down the property is. How long has it been unoccupied? Since just after my mother was born? That’s a lot of years to sit and decay.”

  “The property itself is actually well preserved. Both homes are brick, and the orphanage is stone, though you can’t get to the orphanage from the grounds of the manor or the cottage. You have to take the service road to get to it. When my father’s firm took over the property twenty-six years ago, they contracted a groundskeeper to maintain the entire property. It isn’t perfectly landscaped, but it isn’t too overgrown either, so I’m told. My father told me the porch and the scrollwork around the roof peaks could use a fresh coat of paint, and a few of the slate roof tiles have come loose. But for the most part, it looks very nice for its age.”

  I didn’t need that much information. I’d hate to hear what his answer would be if I had a real question.

  I remained quiet, only nodding as he continued to explain the layout of the property that even he hadn’t seen yet. I couldn’t really picture it in my head. I supposed it was one of those things where you had to be there to understand it fully.

  To finish reading

  THE APOTHECARY

  log onto www.LivingstonHallPublishers.blogspot.com

  or visit the same website you purchased this book.

  When Claire Mayfield suddenly finds herself the new heir of a property that has lain vacant for over one hundred years, she becomes leery of the rumors of the hauntings from the three young children who were said to have been murdered there. With a little encouragement from Ben, the lawyer who breaks the news of the inheritance to her, Claire agrees to explore the manor, but only on the condition that Ben accompanies her. Finding her attractive, he accepts the challenge, and the two embark on an adventure that will forever change their lives.

  Despite a few distractions and bumps along the way, Claire discovers her great uncle, Dr. Blackwell's, apothecary and traveling medicine show from the late 1800's, and even stumbles upon clues that could help her solve her ancestor's one hundred-year-old murder-mystery—all with a little help from a mischievous young girl who has been dead for over one hundred years.

  Written with the paranormal fiction fan in mind, this book offers a peek into the world of a ghost, and ignites the imagination, allowing the reader to experience paranormal communication within its pages. Because the young ghost’s feelings, emotions and worries are conveyed in a very real light, the reader will be drawn to her story, crying when she cries and smiling when she triumphs.

  OTHER BOOK DESCRIPTIONS…

  THE ANNIVERSARY

  Sam and Sadie Marie are about to go through the motions of celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary for the sake of their family and friends who are waiting to surprise them at the country club that Sam had redecorated to look like the dance-hall where they first met. When a severe lightning storm knocks the power out at the country club, Sadie Marie finds herself backward forty years in time to the night when they first met, but Sam is injured and doesn't remember her. If given another chance, will she choose Sam all over again, or will they go their separate ways?

  LITTLE WILD FLOWER

  Book One

  Jane Abigail Reeves was raised as a city girl. In 1977, at only fifteen, her family moved to a farmhouse in a rural Amish community in Indiana as a respite for her alcoholic mother. Jane hates farm life, until she stumbles upon Elijah, the Amish boy next door. As she slowly ventures out of her comfort zone, she begins to mimic her family’s acceptance of Amish living and realizes it’s a practical solution for squelching the dysfunction of her family’s past. Can a hippie-chick like Jane find friendship with a sixteen-year-old Amish boy, despite their cultural differences? Will their feelings for each other change as they grow up?

  LITTLE WILD FLOWER

  Book Two

  Just when Jane thought her life in the Amish community couldn’t get any better, tragedy strikes the Zook farm. Jane suddenly feels lost in the world she created with Elijah, and flees to her home town in search of her childhood friends. Will coming face-to-face with the pain of her childhood send her running back to the farm, or will she cling to the life she left behind as a teenage girl?

  THE TAMING OF A WILD FLOWER

  BOOK THREE

  Don’t miss the exciting changes in Jane’s life as she and Bradley pick up their friendship where it left off when they were children…perhaps there are some changes in store for them as well in THE TAMING OF A WILD FLOWER…BOOK THREE in the Little Wild Flower series.

  LITTLE WILD FLOWER PREQUEL

  BOOK FOUR

  UNTO OTHERS

  BOOK FOUR in the Little Wild Flower series takes you back to the beginning…back to Jane’s stormy childhood where this story began…don’t miss the conclusion to the Little Wild Flower series…look for the Prologue to this heart-felt series entitled UNTO OTHERS…


  MILK MAID IN HEAVEN

  A Novella

  Mitch Rutherford works the graveyard shift at a dairy farm within the prison work-release program. His only focus is on his upcoming release from prison, until he meets Emily Stuart, the farmer’s daughter just weeks before his release. Unwilling to compromise his release date or his friendship with Ethan Stuart; his boss and Emily’s father, Mitch struggles with his growing friendship with her. When tragedy strikes the dairy farm, Mitch must work together with Emily to prevent her father’s business from collapsing. It is then that Mitch feels he cares for Emily more than he is willing to admit…

  THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

  Vivian and George appear to be a normal, older couple with kind hearts and a knack for playing match-maker. Every year on their anniversary, they meet at the fountain in the park where they first met, hoping to lure young couples to the fountain, while boasting of its magical powers. But when Brett and Alisha happen upon them, both couples discover that appearances can be deceiving. With an agenda of their own, will the young pair be able to turn the tables on Vivian and George before it’s too late?

  RAVEN FINCH:

  THE CURSE OF THE DEAD WOODS

  RAVEN FINCH has been held prisoner her entire life by AGATHA, an evil witch. Her only friend is a ghost named KABUKI, whom Agatha conjured up to watch over her. After nearly sixteen years of solitude from the outside world, Raven uncovers secret passageways behind the bookcase of the library, and one door leads to the courtyard of ETHAN NOBLE, the mischievous, half warlock-half mortal, whom Agatha has forbidden her to go near her entire life. Discovering they share the same emerald green eyes and the same birth date, the two venture into the Dead Woods looking for clues as to the strange goings-on in the castle. What they find instead is Ethan’s mother cast as stone by another of Agatha’s spells. Together, they must battle spells and traps in a race against time to save Ethan’s mother and reverse the spell before the night of the harvest moon, or she will remain as stone for all eternity. But what about her mysterious look-alike and his mother? That’s a different story altogether.