Keep on Haunting

by Rose Pressey

  I should have reminded Dana this wasn’t Weekend at Bernie’s. “No, it’s better just to leave him. The police will want to collect evidence.”

  “You don’t think this was foul play?” Dana’s eyes widened.

  “Of course not. They just treat any death investigation like that.” Did I sound confident when I answered her?

  She studied my face for a moment, as if she was trying to decide if I was being honest. “Okay, I guess we’ll just leave him then.”

  “It’s for the best,” I said.

  “This doesn’t seem right,” Dana said.

  I had to get Dana away from the body. I took her by the arm again. “Maybe we should step outside to the sidewalk. I’m sure you could use some fresh air.”

  “Thank you, Rip. You’re a good friend.” She patted my hand.

  I didn’t feel like a good friend. The spirit shadow was most likely at her place because of me. What were the odds that it had shown up at the library first? It was almost as if it had wanted me to come to the shop when this man had died. That seemed so strange and unlikely that I thought for a moment I might be losing it. I’d barely grabbed the door handle when the sirens sounded outside.

  “Thank goodness they’re here,” Dana said.

  I released a breath of relief too. At least now we wouldn’t be alone in this. The police cars pulled up in front of the shop with their lights flashing and sirens sounding. An ambulance arrived behind them. I opened the door and motioned for the police. I didn’t want to take any chances that they’d miss us. Two officers I recognized came toward us, but I didn’t remember their names. I had hoped that Brannon would be the first one to show up.

  “He’s right in there.” I pointed.

  The emergency medical technicians made their way into the shop behind the officers. Only a few seconds passed when one of the officers came back onto the sidewalk.

  He looked at us. “He’s dead.”

  I quirked an eyebrow. “Yes, we found him.”

  The officer put tape around the sidewalk to keep people out. We were on the inside of that scene. The thought hit me, and based on the look that Dana gave me, I assumed she had the same thought—what if they thought we were responsible for this man’s death? Okay, I was getting ahead of myself. We didn’t even know for sure what had happened to him. I was still going with the heart attack theory.

  “How long are they going to keep us here?” Dana sounded like she was panicking again.

  “I’m sure it won’t be long,” I said.

  She studied my face. I knew she didn’t believe it. I hadn’t sounded that convincing. When I heard a car pulling up I glanced back. Thank goodness Brannon had arrived. I wanted to run out from behind the tape and hug him. I knew enough not to do that though. He hurried out of the car and over to us.

  He took my arm. “Are you all right, Rip?”

  I supposed it would have looked strange to the onlookers if we’d hugged. Though everyone in town knew we were dating.

  “I’m all right,” I managed to squeak out.

  Brannon shifted his focus to Dana. “How are you, Dana?”

  “I’ve been better,” she said.

  “Tell me what happened,” Brannon said.

  I told Brannon everything that occurred. “So then we waited outside.”

  Brannon jotted down notes on his pad of paper. “Can you give me a description of the man who was with him?”

  I gestured. “He was probably your height. Six foot. He had a thick graying mustache. Gray in his dark hair too. It was cut short. He had a narrow nose with big brown eyes.”

  “You got a good look at him, huh?” Brannon asked.

  I nodded. He knew that I paid attention to detail.

  “Dana, did you notice anything else?” Brannon asked.

  She shook her head. “I suppose with so many customers I don’t pay attention to detail as much. What Rip said sounds right though.”

  “Is there anything else you noticed?” Brannon’s gaze traveled to me again.

  “The napkin on the table. It looked as if he was writing something when he died,” I said.

  “What was on the napkin?” Brannon looked toward the coffee shop door.

  “He only got to the letter C,” I said. “I left the napkin on the table.”

  “So you touched it?” he asked.

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “That was my fault.” Dana held up her hand. “I picked it up first. Rip just put it back on the table.”

  “His death must have been sudden if he couldn’t finish what he was writing,” I said.

  Brannon nodded. “Yes, I suppose it was.”

  The police had taken fingerprints from the cups on the table. I wondered if they’d be able to identity the mystery man. They brought out the body now. It sent a shiver down my spine. Dana and I watched in silence as they placed him in the vehicle. Brannon was inside the shop. When Dana touched my arm, I jumped.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said.

  “Oh, sorry, I was lost in thought.”

  “You’re going to be late for the tour. People will be waiting for you.” She gestured over her shoulder.

  “I suppose I could call Tammy and have her let them know the tour is cancelled tonight.”

  “I hate that this will cause you to miss your work. I know you need the money.”

  Brannon stepped back outside and paused our conversation. “We’re all finished, Dana, if you’d like to lock up the shop now.”

  “Does this mean we’re free to go?” I asked.

  Maybe I still had it in my head that I would be taken to the police station for questioning.

  “Yes, you’re free to go,” he said. “You’ll be late for the tour.”

  “When will you know what happened to him?” I asked.

  “We should hear something from the coroner tomorrow.”

  The officer was taking the crime scene tape away. The people who had been standing around watching were now leaving.

  Brannon looked at his watch. “Are you still doing the tour tonight?”

  “Yes, I guess I will. I hate to disappoint people. Oh, Dana, I almost forgot about the shadow.”

  She sighed. “Unfortunately, I haven’t forgotten. I’m just going to lock up and go home. I need to destress.”

  “I’m sure that the shadow won’t come back,” I said.

  Of course I told her that to make her feel better.

  “If you’d like I can have a look around,” Brannon said.

  “Maybe you could just check things while Dana gathers her stuff and then we can come back for a proper investigation,” I said.

  Brannon nodded. “I think that sounds like a good idea.”

  Dana took in a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay, that works for me.”

  “I’ll just go ahead and walk over to the graveyard while you all do that.” I gestured.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for me to give you a ride?” Brannon asked.

  I checked the time on my phone again. “It’s getting late, so I should get going.”

  Brannon leaned over and kissed me. “I’ll see you after the tour.”

  I smiled. “See you then. Dana, if you need anything please call me.”

  “Thank you, Rip.”

  I turned and walked down the sidewalk away from the shop. I felt bad for leaving Dana, but I knew she was in excellent hands with Brannon. Most of all, I hoped that the shadow spirit didn’t return to her shop. If it was me that it wanted then it should just follow me around. I hoped that this spirit wasn’t coming around as a precursor to death. The thought sent a chill down my spine.

  As I walked toward the graveyard, I passed a trashcan at the intersection of Main and First Streets. There was a coffee cup on top, just sitting there, as if meant for me to see it. I reached on top and picked it up. What were the odds that this was the man’s cup? Dana had written the name on the side. Denny. The cup was still warm. His name was Denny. I had to
get this to Brannon so he could get fingerprints. Though now that I’d touched it that might be impossible.

  Just as I was about to head back to give Brannon the cup a gust of wind blew the thing from my hand. With a massive swirling it flew out onto the street just as a truck drove by. The gust of wind almost knocked me down, but I managed to remain on my feet. The cup soared right into the back of the pickup truck and was now gone for good. It was almost as if an unseen force had caused this to happen. Someone didn’t want me to have the cup. At least now I had a first name.

  My thoughts raced as I made my way down the sidewalk toward the graveyard. To a passing tourist Devil’s Moon might seem completely normal. Trees lined the streets and townspeople walked up and down the sidewalks. Everyone moved in and out of the shops and cars cruised down the road. No matter how it appeared though it wasn’t quite so normal here. Devil’s Moon attracted the paranormal more than any other town. It was as if there was something in the air.

  Streaks of blue crossed the dusty orange sky as the sun descended over the horizon. It was that awkward time between night and day. Sometimes I never quite knew what to do with myself at this hour.

  I wished I had time to stop in and see Tammy at the tavern. When she wasn’t at the library or working at the salon she worked part time at the tavern. Tammy was the hardest-working person I knew. Sadly, there was no time to stop in for a visit. I’d have to tell her about what happened later. As long as the place wasn’t too crowded I would take the tour in there. The tavern was most definitely haunted. Just about everything in town was haunted.

  The calendar had just flipped to September and it had immediately brought with it cooler weather. It wasn’t completely fall, but there were cooler evenings and mornings. The temperature this evening was perfect with only a slight breeze. I hoped the rain stayed away long enough for me to finish the night’s tour.

  When the sun set it made Devil’s Moon considerably different. As soon as the street lights popped on traffic would die down. A few people would remain in town, walking along the sidewalks. Mostly they were headed toward the tavern and restaurants. The shops closed for the day. Everyone else cleared out and went home. Maybe they didn’t like seeing the ghosts that darted around town.

  Yes, this would be a perfect evening for the tour. Though there were clouds moving back in, probably bringing more rain. I was no meteorologist, but I felt like they would hold off for me until I finished the tour. A breeze carried across the wind, adding just a touch of coolness to the night air. That would make it even more atmospheric during the tour.

  My feet ached after a long day at the library. Now that would be followed by the tour around town. A car sped down Main Street. I jumped to my right to avoid the water that splashed up from the pavement as it passed, almost hitting me. If they kept driving like that they’d likely receive a ticket from the Devil’s Moon Police Department. A gust of wind hit me in the face like a splash of cold water. Where had that come from? That was far from just a gentle breeze. It was almost the strength of the wind that had knocked the cup from my hand.

  Loud chatter and laughter spilled out the tavern door. The band must be taking a break because the radio was playing in the background. Just past the tavern was the alleyway which led back to the old Devil’s Moon Cemetery. I’d decided to start the tour there because numerous sightings of ghosts had been reported there over the years. Plus, it was a spooky setting. I’d even made contact with a ghost at the graveyard. Mrs. Clatterbuck was like the overseer for the place. She didn’t particularly like that I brought people to the graveyard.

  I totally understood why she was protective of the graveyard. Though I had spent a lot of time fixing up the place. Plus, the money I made on the tour went toward keeping the place up and restoring the old stone wall that lined the outer edge of the space. The rest of the graveyard was enclosed in a black iron fence. The gate was flanked by tall oak trees. As I walked toward the graveyard I peered up at the trees. The owl was in his usual spot sitting on the branch watching me. I thought for sure he knew what time I came each evening and waited for me to arrive.

  Speaking of waiting for me to arrive… I figured I’d spot Mrs. Clatterbuck soon. She’d be waiting for me too. No doubt she’d warn me not to disturb the dead. That was never my intention. Mrs. Clatterbuck had appeared in the graveyard many times with her harsh demeanor and I’d always thought she was a real person. When I’d spoken with Brannon about her he’d let me know that he’d seen her too and that she was actually a ghost.

  It was no surprise that I would mistake her for the living though. She’d looked very much alive. She wore her gray hair up in a bun and always wore the same brown blazer and skirt. She even had a purse full of contents. I knew because she’d dropped it before and pennies, a comb, and crumpled-up tissue came out.

  As I walked down the alleyway another gust of wind barreled between the buildings like a freight train, almost knocking me to my feet. What the heck was going on around here? As fast as it had arrived things were calm again. I hurried the rest of the way to the graveyard and stopped at the gate. In my bag I had flashlights that I’d pass out to the tour-goers. Typically I left them with Tammy at the tavern for safekeeping, but I’d added new batteries to them today so I’d had them with me already. After the tour I would leave the flashlights at the tavern again. The tavern also sold the tickets for the tour. I was thankful to have the help from all the employees there.

  As the winter months approached darkness was the setting for all my tours now. Unlike in the summer months when it stayed light out until after the tours were over. This was good for setting the mood for the tours. Since the sun had disappeared over the horizon now darkness surrounded me. I checked the time on my phone. It was only a couple minutes until the tour stated. I hoped that the people showed up soon. The thought had barely left my mind when the sound of voices carried down the alleyway.

  Chapter 3

  A couple seconds later people appeared at the end of the alleyway. I waved and they headed over to me. Three men and two women were on the tour tonight. I couldn’t tell if they all knew each other or not. One of the women walked by herself, keeping a good amount of space between her and the others. When the group approached I took their tickets and handed out the flashlights.

  Once all of that was settled, I said, “Welcome to the Devil’s Moon Haunted Tour. Tonight I will guide you through the haunted streets of Devil’s Moon.”

  Everyone smiled and looked as if they were in the mood for a spooky tour. Well, except for the woman who appeared to be on the tour alone. Everyone was dressed casually except for her. She seemed a bit out of place in what I figured was her work clothing, as if she had just come from her job at the office. Maybe she’d been running late. I mean, after all, I was wearing my work clothes too.

  She was dressed to impress with dark slacks and a black sweater. She had her hair pulled back away from her face in a low ponytail. Her makeup was done nicely as well. The other tour goers were wearing jeans, sweaters, and comfortable sneakers. She smiled when I looked at her, so she seemed friendly even though she was a few steps away from the others. I had assumed that she had come alone. I was just glad that I had customers this evening and I was ready to get started.

  “We’ll start the tour right here in the graveyard.” I gestured over my shoulder. “You’ll want to use your flashlight and make sure to watch your step.”

  The gate moaned as I opened it and allowed everyone to enter the graveyard. I glanced around, but still saw no sign of Mrs. Clatterbuck. I had a feeling she would make an appearance before I finished with the tour tonight. With the aid of the flashlight, I guided the group around the headstones.

  Leaves crunched under our feet. The smell of musty earth circled in the air. The owl hooted from his branch on the oak tree. The gate banged and I jumped. The group screamed.

  “It’s okay, everyone. It was just the wind,” I said.

  “Are you sure about that?” one of the women
asked.

  Positive,” I said with a smile.

  It was a tiny fib because I wasn’t positive. No need to cause panic though. The group looked up at the trees to see if the branches were moving. Okay, the branches weren’t moving, but that didn’t mean there hadn’t been a gust of wind. I’d encountered several of them this evening.

  “A ghost probably did it,” one of the men said with laughter in his voice.

  “It just does that sometimes,” I said.

  The others stared for a moment longer, but finally turned their attention back to the graveyard. I hoped it didn’t happen again.

  Now that I’d recaptured their attention, I shared the story of the woman in the blue dress who was often seen floating around the graves. Yes, I’d seen her too. It had been a while though and I wondered if Mrs. Clatterbuck had chased her away. Speaking of Mrs. Clatterbuck, I checked over my shoulder. I thought for sure that I felt someone watching me. And it wasn’t the owl. He was all the way at the front of the graveyard.

  “Okay, if everyone will follow me, we can continue the tour by visiting some of the haunted buildings in town.” I pointed my light toward the gate.

  The group followed me out of the graveyard and down the alleyway. Other than the tiny glow from the flashlights darkness had settled around us. We made it out to the sidewalk and I paused in front of the tavern. The all stone building certainly looked as if it would be haunted. When I peered in the front window, it looked as if it wasn’t too crowded, so I would take the group inside.

  “This tavern was built in 1754. It was the first stagecoach stop in the state and is haunted by several ghosts.”

  I opened the door and allowed the group to step inside the building. Tammy was behind the bar pouring a drink. She tossed her hand up in a wave. The tavern had tables with chairs toward the front and a small stage that sat toward the back. Regular bands played here on the weekends. This was the first place I’d seen Brannon. He’d been standing at the back of the bar when I caught sight of him. I’d known right then that he was someone I wanted to get to know better.