The Mystery of the Courthouse Calamity (Eden Patterson: Ghost Whisperer Book 1)

by Constance Barker

  “What the frick!” Matt exclaimed. He looked at Syd accusingly. “Are you trying to be funny?”

  Syd was standing a good 10 feet away from him and the chair. “I’m fast but not that…”

  Suddenly the gavel began levitating. Matt and Syd started backing away from the judge’s bench. Matt fiddled quickly to turn on the video camera and start taping. I walked in front of the bench, staring up at the gavel as it floated above the judge’s bench. I watched as it lazily hung in the air. Syd came to stand next to me as Matt continued to back away towards where Goog had been sitting. I heard Luke call my name from the middle of the room.

  “Eden, maybe you and Syd should back away from the bench.”

  “Why is it the women are up here and the men are cowering in the back?” Syd side whispered to me.

  I kept my eyes on the gavel. “Someone’s got to run this rodeo, might as well be us.”

  “Hello…we’re here to help,” I said to the gavel. I really didn’t know where to direct my conversation with said spirit…the judge’s chair, the gavel…or the toilet. Luckily we’d started in the courtroom first and not the women’s restroom.

  “If you’d like to make your presence known, maybe we can help. I know you’re angry or hurt…something’s bothering you. We can help you get your point across. You just have to let us know who you are and what is going on before we can help.”

  A giant BOOM permeated the building. We all stood dumbstruck waiting for what might come next. Suddenly water began racing into the courtroom.

  “Must have been another exploding toilet,” Matt remarked as we all ran out of the courthouse, but not before getting our shoes soaking wet. “This town really needs to get a handle on their plumbing.”

  “Plumbing had nothing to do with that flying gavel and moving chair,” Syd said as we congregated outside the courthouse. Luke was on his cell phone calling the Mayor.

  Matt waved his hand. “The two are connected. It’s probably kids getting their kicks out of scaring the bejeebes out of the grownups. A firecracker in the toilet would probably cause the explosion.”

  “What about the gavel and chair?” Poor Goog was shook. We’d encountered slightly moving objects before and he’d seen me talking to the air (I was talking with ghosts but my team can only take my word for it) but none of us had experienced anything like this.

  Matt put his hand on Goog’s shoulder. “It’s remote control buddy.”

  “But you couldn’t find anything.”

  “Doesn’t mean there’s nothing there…I just didn’t find it.”

  Sometimes it was good to have Matt around. Not only could he run our equipment seamlessly, he also calmed Goog’s nerves and it didn’t hurt to have someone on the team who looked at things from a non-believer in the paranormal point of view. He kept the rest of us on course, even if we didn’t all agree. However, Syd wasn’t buying it this time.

  “Nope, there was nothing on or in that gavel to make it levitate.”

  Matt shrugged. “Could have been an illusion. Magicians do it all the time with mirrors.”

  Syd looked straight at him. “I picked the gavel up and held it in my hand Sherlock.”

  Matt turned to Goog. “Let’s get you a stiff drink my man, you could use it.” Matt always changed the subject when he didn’t know how to respond.

  Luke placed his cell phone into his pocket. “Mayor’s sending over a cleanup crew so we’re done for tonight. Let’s go back to The Hitching Post, get something to eat, and go over our plans for tomorrow.”

  “They got any booze at your Mom’s joint?” Matt asked.

  “No, but you can get some on the way,” Syd answered.

  “Nobody’s getting snookered tonight,” I replied. “A bottle of red should suffice.”

  “Yes Mom,” Matt relented. “Let’s go Goog…I’ll drive the truck.”

  Chapter Five

  After the fiasco at the courthouse we headed back to The Hitching Post and grabbed dinner. After a delicious meal of salmon, grilled veggies and cheesecake for dessert, along with a couple bottles of red Merlot, we were ready to get down to business in the back room.

  I started going over my checklist first. “Diagrams and maps? Check. Radios and walkie talkies? Check. Logging scripts? Check! Hey Matt. How’s your stuff looking?”

  Matt was holding a pencil in his mouth while carrying around a clipboard. He released the pencil and eyed the clipboard. “We’ve got MEL and REM meters. We’ve got a new EDI meter, ELF zoner, FLIR camera. We’ve also…”

  Syd rudely interjected as she grew impatient. “Your product description S-U-C-K-S. Come on, English!”

  Matt morphed his terminology into much easier terms. “Basically, our ghost can’t even release a silent fart without us knowing he’s there. We’re in good shape.”

  Alrighty then.

  Syd raised her hand. “Do we have a chaplain on call to do an apparitional exorcism if we need it?”

  I came prepared for this issue – somewhat. “We do. I’ve got a church pastor who made it very clear that he does not believe in ghosts, but offered to help us if we need him. He just wants 24 hour notice. He’s a little hard to deal with because he’s stubborn and set in his ways. Maybe a spook will get him to open his eyes and see things differently.”

  Goog thought of another issue. “How do we handle the skeptical people in town who think we’re scammers, or that we’re just plain crazy? Before you and Luke arrived at the courthouse there were several people saying we were con artists. Most of them were old men.”

  Ah yes, the older generation wasn’t kind to us folks who ran ghost hunting services. I would love for them to meet Grandpa Winky. He could tell them a thing or two. Honestly, I’d just like to see Gramps again.

  “Tell them that they can raise their concerns at the next selectmen meeting – which is now thirty days away. Alternatively, they can mail in a complaint that will take five days to arrive, then five days to be processed. We will then supply a response, which will take five days to get back to them. By that time, we’ll be done and gone.”

  Luke snickered. “Your obstructionism is so cute. Thank you for not doing that to me while we were dating.”

  I winked at him. “You were too good-looking.”

  Syd rolled her eyes. “Okay, let’s go over what happened at the courthouse.”

  Goog sighed. “Do we have to? It’s imprinted in my brain already. I probably won’t sleep for two weeks.”

  Matt reached over and poured Goog another glass of wine. “Here, this will help.”

  “Forget that,” Syd replied. “My Mom can fix you a raving hot toddy. Guaranteed to help you sleep like the dead…oops, I mean a baby.”

  Matt stood up from his chair. “I thought you said they didn’t serve any liquor here.”

  “They don’t. But Mom’s got a little bottle of Jack Daniel’s stashed away…or she used to. Want me to ask Googy? I’m sure she can fix you right up.”

  Goog shook his head and yawned. “That’s okay Syd. I’m a little sleepy now that the wine’s had time to work on me.”

  “Get some rest everybody. We’ll meet back up here at 8am sharp,” I said. Luke stood as well and I followed him out to the parking lot.

  “So you think we’re ready for tomorrow?” I asked.

  “I hope so.” He didn’t sound very convincing.

  That night I laid awake in our hotel room listening to my husband gently snore. My quest to find Grandpa Winky had taken me in many directions and into the lives of people I would never had met if not for his early visits in my life. I was glad for this journey. Maybe this is what Winky had in mind for me all along. Perhaps he knew this business would lead me on a passage that would not only help me but others as well, both human and earthbound spirits. However, I’d never encountered anything like what occurred today and it made me anxious. More than ever I wished Winky was with me. I tried to feel his spirit, that comforting presence, but alas it wouldn’t come. But I held out hope.r />
  Chapter Six

  The next day the sun shone bright through the crack in the hotel drapes. I heard Luke already in the shower. It was harder for me to wake up. I was more of a night owl. The small coffee pot made sputtering sounds. Luke must have started it before he got into the shower. I poured the powdered creamer into the Styrofoam cup then filled it with coffee. My cell phone rang as soon as I took my first sip. It was Syd.

  “You up already?” I asked.

  “You know me…I wake when the birds start chirping. A casualty of growing up in Appalachia in a cabin with woodpecker holes.”

  Syd grew up poor in Appalachia. Her mother Patty became pregnant with Syd when she was 16. Syd’s father died in a coal mining accident when Syd was three so she never really knew him. Five years after his death, Syd’s aunt Susie sent for them to come and stay with her and run The Hitching Post. Syd’s mother had stayed there ever since. However, Syd’s growing up years in Appalachia had made her tough skinned. She could ream anyone a new one if they so inclined. But there was a soft side to Syd as well. It didn’t come out often, and I’d only seen it a few times myself. She kept it buried for reasons unknown to me.

  “Goog and I are down here at the library. One of the employees has been helping us, showing us clips of old newspapers from over 100 years ago. Also some books of the history of the town. Found some interesting stuff affiliated with the courthouse. If that guy Jeffrey can set up a meeting with the lady historian, maybe she can shed more light on what we’ve found.”

  “So are you going to tell me what it is you two dug up?”

  “Nope. We’re heading to The Hitching Post for breakfast. Tell you all about it over some thick sliced bacon, fried eggs and biscuits and gravy.”

  I could feel my stomach grumble with the words. “Okay, we’ll meet you there in 30 minutes.”

  “Hey Doll.”

  My handsome hubby was already dressed and combing his hair. “Who was that?”

  “Syd….she said her and Goog found some interesting info at the library. Said she’d explain over breakfast at the Post.”

  “Good, we already have an appointment with the historian for this afternoon.”

  “Oh really…I didn’t hear your phone.”

  “You were snoring too loud to hear it.” I didn’t believe that for one minute. Well, maybe I do since I usually wake myself up snoring like a bleating goat.

  “So Jeffrey got us into see her huh?”

  Luke looked in the mirror as he finished combing his hair. “Yep. Said she’d be glad to talk to us and that she has her own ideas on the haunted courthouse.”

  The Hitching Post was busy for a Wednesday morning. Syd, Goog and Matt were already seated in a round corner booth so Luke and I slid in next to Syd. We were given the side eye by a few of what I determined were regulars to The Hitching Post. Syd’s Mom came out to take our orders, then turned to a few of the old codgers who were sitting nearby and gave them an earful.

  “Red, Joe and Pete, this here’s my daughter Sydney and her friends. I want you all to stop giving them the business and welcome them to our small community.”

  “Didn’t know that was your daughter Patty. Nice to meet you all,” Red answered. “We heard you’re part of some ghost bustin team?”

  Luke thankfully answered as Patty walked away. “Well we’re more like ghost whisperers.”

  The men looked at Luke like he had two heads. Way to go my man!

  “I mean, we try to talk to the ghosts and find out what’s bothering them.”

  The men stared. My man was sinking fast.

  I decided it was time for me to toss him a life preserver. “Basically we’re here to see if there is some kind of energy that’s trapped within the confines of the courthouse and see if there is a way to release it.”

  I wasn’t much better at explaining but they did seem to relax a little…then Syd spoke up.

  “Naw…we’re going to kick the ghost’s butt from here to eternity.”

  The men chuckled. “Well something’s going on down there. Judge Rockingham won’t step foot inside the place from what I hear,” Pete said.

  “You sure it isn’t kids using some of new technical gadget causing all the ruckus?” Red asked.

  Patty placed a large urn of coffee on the table along with our cups. “What in the world could levitate the judge’s chair with him still in it.”

  Red stifled a snort while the rest of them snickered. Wow, no one was fond of this judge.

  “That’s a good question Patty,” I said pouring myself a cup.

  “You can set up items to move remotely,” Matt said. “But it would be difficult to make them fly through the air with that much weight.”

  “Yeah, well I hope you can find out what’s causing the commotion and get rid of it,” Red said as he raised his coffee cup to his lips.

  By that time our breakfast orders had arrived and we ate like it was our last meal. Something about home cooking makes me ravenous and Patty and Aunt Susie’s cooking was some of the best. After feeding our hungry bellies we got down to business.

  “Okay I’m curious, what did you find out at the library?” I asked.

  This is where Goog could really shine. He found that he loved researching. To him it was like putting a puzzle together and I totally got that. If this was a disgruntled spirit, we had to find out the who and the why of the situation.

  Goog placed a folder on the table and opened it. Inside were photocopies that he passed around to all of us. “I made some copies of various items of interest. This first item is about poltergeists.”

  “Assuaging an angry poltergeist. Interesting. You think it’s a poltergeist?” I asked.

  Goog shook his head. “No. I think there are three poltergeists. Poltergeists are notorious for causing objects to hurl around. They are troubled spirits and cause a lot of commotion and destruction.”

  Syd’s impulsivity was causing her to want to plow ahead without thinking. “Ok. I’ll go call the pastor for an exorcism.”

  Luke raised up his hands and interjected. “Hold it. That might be a waste of time, because I don’t think it will work.”

  She popped up her shoulders to make a shrug. “Why wouldn’t it work?”

  “An exorcism only works to remove evil spirits. We aren’t sure that these spirits are evil.”

  “I don’t know Luke,” Syd replied. “Tossing the judge from his chair 8 feet off the ground doesn’t sound like a love song.”

  Matt popped in and offered a few thoughts. “I’ll be honest. I was always very doubtful that ghosts are real. I even openly questioned our legitimacy as a company.“

  We all stared at Matt.

  “However, we’ve got a serious problem, and I think we need to put our heads together and figure it out.”

  Luke gave Matt a nod and continued. “Anyway, the fact that the ghosts are destructive and violent doesn’t prove that they’re evil. It does, most likely, prove anger. It’s possible for someone to be angry, but not evil. If the ghosts are angry, but not evil, then trying an exorcism would be pointless.”

  I agreed with my husband and liked his reasoning. That still didn’t change the fact that I wasn’t sure how to handle an angry spirit. First we had to find out who was angry and for what reason. “Okay, so how do we know if they’re angry, since they won’t communicate with us?”

  Goog fielded my question with a concession. “Admittedly, that’s a hard question to answer. My suggestion is that we try to find something that happened on or right before the first day that the violence began. Part of this challenge is a chronological one. We have to get the dates and times right.”

  “I’ll call Amber and find out the exact day the violence started. So what else did you find out?”

  “There’s a bit of interesting history to this town,” Syd explained. “You know the train goes through here right?”

  “Yeah I heard the train whistle at 2am this morning,” Matt replied.

  “Really,”
I said. “I didn’t hear it.”

  Greg looked at me. “Ummm…snoring.”

  I punched him. “Go on Syd.”

  “Anyway, back in the 1870’s there was a big train robbery here that was blamed on several brothers.”

  “What’s so big about a train robbery?” Matt asked. “They had them all the time in the Old West.”

  Goog was too excited to let Syd continue. “They were one of the first train robberies…at least that’s what the rumor was. Nothing to really substantiate the story though. But these boys were ruthless. Lot’s of pillaging and theft.”

  “Were they ever caught?” Luke asked.

  “Many times,” Goog answered. “But their daddy always got them off. The librarian told us we could go to the map office in town and they have old records dating back to the early 1800’s when the city was founded, but the story goes that their father, old man Cowling, owned half the land the city was sitting on at the time, and he’d always pay off any visiting judge when his boys were incarcerated.”

  “So Cowling was their name?” I asked.

  “Yep, that’s what the librarian told us. She didn’t know much more than that but said Ms. Baker, the historian would know a lot more.”

  I topped off my coffee….one of my weaknesses. “Anything else about the courthouse?”

  Syd shook her head. “Didn’t have time to look too much further. We were going to head back there after breakfast.”

  Luke took his cell phone out of his pocket. “Let me call Jeffrey and see if Ms. Baker would like to meet us at the library instead of her home this afternoon. Maybe there’s a conference room we can use there and we can grab any historical documents they may have as well. Kill two birds with one stone.”

  Chapter Seven

  The Manchester library was more modern than I had envisioned it to be, with a huge children’s library and even a teen’s room. The lady who had taken care of Syd and Goog earlier ushered us into one of their small conference rooms where we could plug in our laptops and Google what couldn’t be found within the confines of the library. Jeffrey had the day off and said he would escort Ms. Anita Baker to the library.