Crumb Cake, Corpses and the Run of the Mill

by Rachael Stapleton

  Pike scanned the room. “My goodness, Juniper, are we in the same place? That sounds breathtaking. Honestly, how do you do it? How do you just walk into somewhere so dark and dingy like this and envision such a beautiful space?”

  “What do you mean? The space is already stunning. It’s a blank canvas and there’s so much character here to work with.”

  “Are these the original hardwood floors? They’re sort of beat up, aren’t they?” Pike shuffled her foot across the grist mill’s planks.

  Juniper continued her walk around the room. “They’re in such good shape, considering the age. Just a few scratches, of course. We’ll buff them out and, besides, a few scuffs and dents adds character. I’m gonna have a look around the upper floor. You two stay down here. I’m not sure how secure the floor is yet. It looks like they might have removed a support beam when they connected the buildings.”

  “Okay, we’ll have a look around outside. I’m looking forward to coffee on that future deck,” Pike said.

  Chapter Two

  T here was a sound coming from upstairs.

  Juniper climbed the mill’s staircase to investigate and tried to quiet her ragged breathing. The railing wobbled beneath her hand. First thing she’d do with her crew tomorrow was secure this place. What was that sound?

  The stairs opened up to another mostly bare floor. The arched windows and stone walls looked to be in good shape but the floor was a mess, it would need to be redone. There was an echoey gloom up here, making her think of her own Gothic Inn, she’d had the same feeling in certain areas of the house and whenever she’d strolled up to the cemetery on the hill.

  Juniper adjusted the hard hat on her head and turned her thoughts to work.

  As quietly as possible in her heavy work boots, she started walking again, passing through the space to the window where she’d seen the shadow earlier. As she got close, she paused and listened.

  Sure enough, she could have sworn she heard something—a sigh, and then someone clearing their throat.

  An audible noise none the less. It was coming from behind the door to the grain room.

  “Hello?”

  She walked over to the door and looked warily at it.

  “Hello?” she said again, cursing the tremor in her voice.

  She told herself that she wasn’t actually going to go all the way in, just a few steps so she could look around. And if someone was there-someone who didn’t belong—she would hightail it downstairs.

  She reached for the handle and turned, but the door didn’t open. She jiggled the handle a few times when she couldn’t get it open.

  Okay, that was it. She’d been determined not to get spooked, but she wasn’t about to be an idiot, either. Time to go downstairs. Later, with Jack and her team beside her, she would come back and try to figure out if anyone had even been there, or if it was simply swollen shut from years of water damage.

  “Junie!”

  Juniper wheeled around, “Oh, you scared me. I thought you were outside with Eve.”

  “Sorry. We came back in. What are you doing up here?” Pike said, appearing at her side.

  “I’m just trying to get into the grain room, but it’s stuck.”

  “Let me try,” Pike said with a grin. “I’m younger than you.”

  “Oh, please. Barely, and you bake cookies for a living.”

  Both girls laughed. Pike was in fabulous shape, but Junie did make a living out of swinging a sledgehammer.

  Still Juniper stepped aside and Pike grabbed the doorknob with both hands, pulling as hard as she could. She gave it a few more tugs before admitting defeat. “That door is stuck.”

  “I’ll have to replace it anyway so I’ll get one of the boys to come out and knock it down before your guy comes to clear out the milling equipment.”

  “Whatever you think,” Pike said with a shrug. “You’re the expert I’m gonna explore the other side.”

  “Be careful!” Juniper turned around and headed for the stairs, while Pike passed through the doorway into the second floor of the main house.

  Juniper had descended three steps when she heard the grain room door above her creaking open. At the same time, that single glowing lightbulb from below her flickered and went out.

  She held very still. Nothing happened.

  She continued to wait, holding her breath, for what seemed like forever.

  As she waited, she suddenly felt a strange warmth settling over her.

  Something—someone—touched her shoulder. She wanted to scream, but she was frozen with fear.

  She insisted to herself that whatever it was, it wasn’t real.

  And yet…when she turned around.

  He was there. A man.

  She gasped and he put a finger to his lips to silence her.

  He was now sitting at the top of the stairs. Well, on second thought, he was leaning over, holding his head in his hands. Even from below, Juniper could see he clasped a piece of jewelry in one of his hands and there was a dessert plate beside him. It smelled delicious.

  He leaped up, balling the pocket watch inside his fist.

  Juniper let out an involuntary scream. She braced herself, forcing herself not to run away. Pike was still up there.

  He was powerfully built with a thick moustache and dark eyes. Menacing yet attractive.

  Fear gnawed at her innards, and she forced herself to stand very still as he walked all the way around her, studying her.

  He was fading in and out. The image was perfectly clear one moment, ethereal the next. That’s when it occurred to her that he was wearing outdated slacks, suspenders and a white button-down shirt. He was a ghost. At least he was appearing to her normally, Juniper thought, and not merely out of the corner of her eye, like Victoria, the ghost of her own manor. It drove her nuts when that happened.

  Finally, he returned to stand in front of her. He unballed his fist, but the watch was now gone. Theoretically a ghost couldn’t hurt her. But Juniper didn’t want to put that theory to the test.

  Pike rushed through the doorway while Eve came up the steps to meet her. Grabbing Juniper by the forearm, Pike jerked her friend around to face her.

  “What happened? Was there a bat or something?” Pike asked in a panic, frantically glancing around the room.

  Juniper looked from Pike to where the ghost had been. The man was gone. Her heart pounding, Juniper took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly before looking back at Pike.

  “I was right,” Juniper said at last, sounding calmer than she felt.

  “Right about what? You scared the crap out of me! What made you scream? And why does it smell like cinnamon all of a sudden?”

  “You have a ghost.” Juniper smiled weakly.

  Taking a deep breath, Pike glanced around the second floor and called out, “Hello?” There was no response.

  “What did he look like?” Eve demanded. “Was he all bloody and zombie-like?”

  “Of course not,” Juniper muttered, looking into Eve’s face. “For a ghost—spirit—whatever the hell he was, he was good looking, in spite of his scowl. He looked to be in his early thirties, and by his manner of dress, I would guess he died in the 1920s or 30s.”

  “Another old-fashioned ghost? What is with you, can’t you attract the recently deceased?” Pike said.

  “Perhaps I attract a certain era.” Juniper walked toward the stairs.

  “What should we do?” Pike asked as she followed her down.

  Juniper stopped walking once they got outside and turned to face the other two. “I don’t know. Last time I called Daemon Wraith but he wasn’t a whole lot of help.”

  “The ghostbuster? You think we need him… is this spirit dangerous?” Pike asked.

  “Not unless you consider crumb cake and crying to be dangerous.”

  “Sounds like a Friday night for Pike.” Eve teased.

  Juniper let a laugh slip. “Sorry, Pike.”

  Pike glared at Eve and then turned back to glance up to the sec
ond-floor window. “I knew inheriting this place was too good to be true. Why in the hell did Rory Salazar will it to me?”

  Chapter Three

  T he girls soaked in the scenery as they walked back into town. Eve had offered to give them a ride in Black Beauty—as she so lovingly called her truck —but Juniper needed to clear her head. It was only a ten-minute walk and with horse farms, rivers and stone fences on either side of the road, a peaceful one at that. Much more peaceful than driving with Eve who liked to pretend she was a professional getaway driver—which, come to think of it, she sometimes was.

  Juniper tried to keep herself from thinking of the Mill’s ghost, but a terrifying thought popped into her head: what if seeing ghosts was now just apart of who she was? Like her new normal. She trembled at the notion. Living with Victoria was one thing, Victoria had saved her life, but seeing ghosts everywhere she went would be a nightmare.

  As they turned the final street, the historic section of downtown Bohemian Lake came into view. Old buildings, cobblestone streets, brick sidewalks and ornate black lampposts lined Maine Street. The Cookies & Corsets sign dangled above Pike’s shop—a pink and yellow striped logo that invoked the cheery aroma of cinnamon, clean laundry and caffeine. A bell chimed as Pike pushed on the front door and held it open for Juniper, announcing their entrance.

  “Took the two of you long enough!” Eve blurted, “Look who I ran into?”

  Juniper and Pike waved to Mallory and Nana Vianu as they approached. Mallory’s long dark hair was braided around her head as if it were a ring of flowers. She wore a long white dress embroidered with flowers and a blue suede purse. Wisps of purse tassels swayed with each swing of her hips. Like some Woodstock hippy who’d just stepped out of 1969. Nana stood beside her, a carbon copy, just forty years older.

  “I sense death around you” Nana, Bohemian Lakes favorite fortune teller waved her hands through the air.

  Not a great opener. Juniper thought.

  “Nana, it’s too early in the day to start with that.” Mallory said with a wink. “Let’s have coffee and carbs before we discuss doomsday.”

  “Good morning, ladies. I couldn’t agree more,” Pike chuckled. “What’ll it be?”

  “Two lattes,” Mallory requested. “And two raisin scones, please.”

  Pike’s assistant, Velma, went to work behind the counter grabbing not only the Vianu’s order but also Pike, Juniper and Eve’s. “Sit down, Boss.” She said handing the order over. “I’m here for another hour so you might as well let me do the work. That’s what you pay me for.”

  Juniper smiled at Velma. The young woman was a godsend to both Pike and Juniper, as Pike sometimes sent her across the road to help out at the taproom of the Gothic Inn when one of Juniper’s employees called in sick. It paid to own a business across from your best friend.

  “So, you saw a spirit?” Nana said as soon as they took their seats in one of the large corner booths.

  “That’s right,” Juniper replied, taking a long sip of her coffee. “Let me guess: Eve told you?”

  “I didn’t say a word,” Eve protested. “And, just so you know, I resent that remark.” She unwrapped her egg and sausage bagel and took a bite as she said, “even though I acknowledge its validity.” Which was only a guess at what she actually said because she had a mouthful of food.

  “There’s a residual energy with you still,” Nana said matter-of-factly.

  “Here?” Pike looked around.

  “A middle-aged man.” Nana pointed over Juniper’s shoulder.

  Juniper glanced behind her but saw no one.

  “Don’t worry. He’s not really here. It’s more of an echo of your past interaction that I can see.”

  “I can’t say I like the sound of that.”

  Pike glanced up from her coffee, “Why is the ghost of the mill—my new home— attaching itself to Juniper? It makes no sense. Why wouldn’t he have attached himself to me?”

  Eve snorted as she swallowed another bite of food. “Really, Pike, it’s not a competition. However, I’ll haunt you when I kick the bucket if it’ll make you feel better.”

  “No!” Pike said. “Definitely not. You’d probably leave crumbs even as a ghost.”

  “Sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.” Nana rubbed the sides of her head.

  “Did the man say anything to you?” Mallory asked Juniper.

  “No. Nothing. He was flexing his hands, playing with a pocket watch when I saw him… I had the impression he was stewing over something.”

  “What was he wearing?” Nana asked.

  “Dark dress pants, suspenders, a white shirt and a hat. Definitely not a recent death,” Juniper replied.

  “Hmm. I think I know what’s going on here. Mallory will come out to the mill with you tomorrow, won’t you dear?” Nana patted her arm.

  Mallory gave her Nana a sidelong glance but nodded.

  “That’s nice of you to offer, but are you sure,” Juniper looked to see if Mallory was actually okay with the suggestion.

  “Here’s my number.” Mallory scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to Juniper. “Text me the time you want to meet.” She finished off her coffee and stacked her and Nana’s empty plates, “We should head over to Peace and Light. The owner has some readings lined up for Nana.”

  Juniper tucked the paper in her jean’s pocket.

  “Don’t forget to text me.” Mallory said as she glided out the door.

  After contemplating Mallory’s words for a few seconds, Juniper snapped out of her reverie and finished off her own coffee and cinnamon roll. “Pike, I’ll see you later. I’d better get back to the Inn to check on things. I’ll go over everything with Jack and then we can meet tonight and discuss design plans, okay?”

  The uneasiness had lessened, Juniper realized, as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Mallory Vianu was dating Daemon Wraith, the ghostbuster who’d helped her with Victoria. She felt secure in knowing that she wasn’t the only one who could see ghosts and, from what she’d heard, Mallory was much more adept at communicating with the other side so hopefully she’d help Juniper wrap up all of this ghostly nonsense so she could get back to work.

  Chapter Four

  J uniper stood at the front door of the old mill, assessing Mallory’s strapless, harem-style jumpsuit as she approached. Juniper had dressed for the day in practical jobsite attire: jeans, boots and layered shirts. Knowing Mallory usually wore long dresses and skirts around town, she’d made sure to text Mallory instructions to wear pants and boots, since the mill was now a jobsite. Juniper smiled and hugged her in greeting. At least she’d thought to pull back her hair, even if it was in a loose fishtail braid. And she did have to give her points for wearing boots and not sandals, never mind that they were open-toed; clearly the girl had just never been around tools before.

  Taking a deep breath, she slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. The house was empty and she wondered if the ghost would show himself again. One thing she’d learned from living with Victoria: it wasn’t possible to conjure up spirits at will—at least not for her. Stepping aside to allow Mallory into the front entry she glanced around. The stale, musty air hit her—she’d have to air the place out.

  “H-hello!” she called out as she closed the door behind her and turned on the light. The light flickered. One more thing to fix—she added it to her running list. “Are you here?” Honestly, she prayed she wouldn’t get a response.

  Eerie silence engulfed the room. Walking across the mill’s large open space she headed into the main house and set her tool bag down on the table. A cobweb dangled from the large once-gold chandelier someone had attempted to install in the dining room. Juniper sauntered into the room and surveyed the mess. The leaky sink faucet from the nearest bathroom dripped in rhythm to her steps. She’d have to remember to tell Queenie about that later. The crew wasn’t due for an hour.

  She pocketed the keys, headed back into the other side and wrapped her hand around the banister, a
lmost afraid of what she’d find upstairs.

  “I’m getting a really bad energy in this part. Where did you see him?” Mallory asked.

  Juniper pointed up to the second floor.

  “Hmm. I wonder what happened down here. I feel a girl’s energy. Something bad happened. Oh, well. Lead on, then.”

  Juniper and Mallory climbed the rest of the way up the stairs, but there was no man in view. “Do you think he left for good?” Juniper asked.

  “Not a chance. That’s not usually how it works.”

  Juniper nodded knowingly, her own ghost at the Gothic Inn still lived with her so she had to agree. “I first heard noises from behind this door but it wouldn’t open. That’s what started everything.”

  Suddenly a power tool roared to life from below and Juniper felt a sickening drop in her stomach. She looked over at Mallory who also looked scared. Could ghosts work saws? Juniper forced her feet to move back down the steps. The sound had stopped and now the clomp of footsteps echoed on the porch.

  “He’s outside,” She whispered. Her eyes widened with fear and goose bumps broke out on her arms. A dark and foreboding feeling enveloped her. Shadows from the swaying branches outside played off the walls. Dirt covered the window, blocking a considerable amount of natural light. Juniper eased the rest of the way down the stairs, wishing she could quiet the click-a-clack of Mallory’s impractical boots against the plank floor.

  “Junie, babe. You in there?” The oh-so-familiar tone floated through the air.

  “Jack.” Juniper groaned as he opened the main door.

  Jack Young, contractor and partner extraordinaire, stepped inside and crossed his arms as he leaned against one of the exposed support beams that braced the second floor. Wearing jeans, a red skull cap and work boots, he looked like some sort of 1940s lumberjack.