by J A Whiting
“I should do some paperwork for the bookstore, but it’s not going to happen.” Viv glanced at her cousin. “What do you think about Tim not coming with us today? Was he just avoiding all of us?”
Lin shrugged. “Maybe he really did have too much work to do.”
“Then I think he needs to hire some more help because working all the hours he does during the week is not healthy, not mentally and not physically. Tim’s going to run himself into the ground, and then what will he do?”
“I agree. It’s one thing to work hard. It’s another thing to work twenty-four, seven. He can’t keep up that pace. He’ll be miserable.”
“I hope Tim isn’t feeling so low that he canceled today. I hope that’s not the reason he didn’t come.”
“That thought crossed my mind, too.” Lin said. “If he’s depressed, he might not have the energy to drag himself out of the house and interact with people he doesn’t know.”
“It’s late or I’d tell you to text him.”
“I’m going to see him tomorrow. I’m bringing the table back to the Colonial. I’ll see how he’s doing then.”
“Good. That makes me feel better. I worry about him,” Viv admitted.
Lin gave her cousin an affectionate squeeze. “You’re a good person.”
“Have you seen your ghost lately?” Viv asked.
“Not recently.”
“Maybe he’ll show up soon and give you a clue about what he wants.”
“I sure hope so.”
The young women hugged at the corner of Main Street and said goodnight as Viv turned right and Lin took the road to the left.
“See you tomorrow for dinner.” Viv waved and disappeared into the darkness.
Lin’s mind was at work thinking about the day with friends, worrying about Tim Pierce, and going over details having to do with her ghost when she turned down her street and felt oddly chilly.
It wasn’t the cold from the evening air and it didn’t feel like the icy whoosh that surrounded her whenever a ghost was making an appearance.
This sensation was different and difficult to describe. She realized the chilly feeling didn’t cover her entire body, it was only at her back.
Fear gripped Lin’s stomach and she took a quick glance behind her.
No one was there.
She listened for the sound of footsteps.
No one walked nearby.
Feeling oddly vulnerable, Lin picked up her pace, and when she could see her house in the distance, she ran.
Pulling the key from her pocket as she dashed down the lane, she jammed it into the lock and flung the door open. Breathing hard, she slammed it shut and locked the door.
As she turned around, Nicky woofed and she almost jumped out of her skin.
The dog was sitting there watching her with his tail tapping against the floor.
“Nick. You scared me.” With her hand over her heart, Lin knelt and gave him a hug. “Good boy. I’m glad to be home. Foolish me. When I was walking, I let my mind race and I got myself worked up over nothing.” Lin let out a sigh of relief. “Come on, Nick, let’s go sit in the bedroom and do a crossword puzzle.”
14
After her workday was done, Lin placed the antique tilt table into her van and drove over to Tim’s house. When he opened the door, he looked surprised for second.
“Oh, gosh, I forgot you were coming. Sorry. I got so wrapped up in my work.”
“That’s okay. Here’s the table. I don’t think it will bother you anymore.”
“Great. Thanks.” Tim lifted the table from the front steps and set it down in the foyer. “Come in.”
“That’s okay,” Lin said. “I don’t want to keep you.”
“I’d like a break, if you have time for some coffee or tea.”
Lin accepted the invitation and went with Tim to the kitchen where he bustled around preparing the beverages.
“How was the bike ride? I was sorry I had to miss it.”
“It was a nice day. Come with us next time, if you can.” Lin sat at the kitchen island.
“I really want to. Something came up and I had to address it.” Tim filled a small pitcher with cream and placed a sugar bowl on the island along with two silver spoons. He poured coffee into the cups and set one down in front of his guest.
“How’s the work going?” Lin asked as she poured some cream into her coffee.
“It’s never ending. I need to learn to set parameters.” Tim took a seat next to Lin.
“That will help, otherwise it’s impossible to get your head above water. Leonard and I have to turn some potential clients away because we don’t have the time and it’s hard to find good, reliable workers. We want to do it all, but we’ve learned it isn’t a good idea to spread ourselves too thin.”
“I also have to get used to working remotely,” Tim said. “It’s not as easy as it sounds.”
“That’s one problem Leonard and I don’t have.”
Tim smiled. “No, you don’t have to deal with that. It’s pretty hard to landscape a yard remotely.”
Lin noticed that Tim hadn’t asked anything about the table and wondered about his disinterest. “I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with the table. It seems to have tapped itself quiet.”
Tim blinked and then said, “Oh. Good. Was it a pain to have it at your house?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, thanks. I hope it stays quiet.”
“How are you doing?” Lin asked gently.
“I’m good.” Tim took a swallow from his cup, and then he let out a long sigh. “I guess things aren’t great. I’m struggling with feeling alone. It’s a big house and I’m all by myself. I start to feel lonely.” The man shrugged.
“My cousin’s coming for dinner tonight. Why don’t you join us?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I have so much to do. Thanks, but can I take a raincheck?”
“Sure.” Lin nodded. “I was wondering … have you recently broken up with someone?”
“No, I haven’t. I haven’t been in a relationship for a long time.”
“Why not? Too busy with work?”
“It’s not that. I date. I just can’t seem to find the right woman. Sometimes I think I’ll never find who I’m looking for.”
“Don’t give up. She’s out there.” Lin smiled. “And she’s probably looking for you.”
Tim gave a quick nod.
Lin recalled Viv’s theory that there could be an angry spirit in Tim’s house interfering with the owner’s happiness. “What was your grandfather like?”
Tim’s face brightened. “He was a ball of energy. He was a lawyer, but he was also an artist. He painted, sculpted. He loved making art. He could be quiet and intense when he was working on a piece, but he was jovial and funny the rest of the time.”
“How long did he live here?”
“Oh, let’s see. About thirty years? He bought the house shortly before I was born.”
“Then clearly, he was happy here,” Lin observed.
“I’m sure of it. He loved this house. He loved the island.”
“You told me you came to visit when you were little?”
Tim nodded. “We lived on the west coast so we couldn’t come every year. When I was in high school, I didn’t come much anymore. There was so much to do with sports and friends and everything. I think I only came three of four times while I was in college and grad school, and then when I started working, I didn’t visit at all. I saw Granddad though. My parents moved to Boston and my grandfather would fly over to visit.”
“How did you feel when you visited here when you were little?”
“Excited. I loved the beach. We had a lot of fun. I loved Granddad. I always felt happy and comfortable here. I loved this house.”
“Do you still love it now you’re the owner?” Lin asked.
“Yeah, I do.” Tim nodded vigorously. “I just need to get out and meet people. I need to manage my time better. By evening, I’m exhausted.�
�
“Did you feel the same way when you were living in Boston?”
Tim’s forehead creased as he considered the question. “I guess not as much. I had friends and they always wanted to go out … for dinner, to a pub, to a sporting event. They wouldn’t let me say no.”
“You need to find some people like that here,” Lin joked.
“I know.” Tim looked pensive for a few moments. “Something feels like it’s missing here. It doesn’t have to do with my friends. It’s … I don’t know ... I don’t know what it is, but it picks at me. I’ve never felt like this before.” He looked sheepish. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I can’t articulate it very well.”
“You might just need time to get used to your new life here,” Lin said encouragingly. “The pieces will fall into place.”
Tim’s face dropped and he looked pained for a few seconds until he was able to shake it off. “I think so. You’re right. It’s a lot of change in a short time. I’ll settle in eventually.” The young man noticed Lin’s horseshoe necklace. “That’s a beautiful piece of jewelry.”
Lin’s hand went to her necklace. “Thank you. It’s an antique. It belonged to one of my ancestors. My cousin found it hidden in the ell at the back of her house. She gave it to me.”
“She didn’t want it for herself?” Tim asked.
“She thought I should have it. From what we know, I’m a lot like our long ago ancestor.”
“What a great connection to have to the past.” Tim paused again and he had a faraway look on his face.
“It sounds like you and your grandfather had a great connection with each other,” Lin said.
“We did. I had great fun with him. Sometimes, he’d set me up with the same art supplies he was working with and we’d paint together for a couple of hours. I felt very important.” Tim puffed out his chest and smiled.
“Do you still paint?”
“Not for a very long time. I should pick it up again.”
“This house is sure big enough,” Lin pointed out. “You should be able to find a workshop somewhere in all this space.”
“I should do that. Set up a studio in here. Get some art supplies. It sounds very appealing. Something to get me out of my business mindset and into something enjoyable and just for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love my business, but it would be really nice to just sit and paint and let my mind relax.”
“That’s a great idea. I bet your grandfather would be really happy about it.”
“Where can I find art supplies on the island?” Tim asked.
Lin told him about two places that sold art supplies.
“I’ll go tomorrow to pick up some things, some sketchpads, an easel, paints, pencils, pastels. Thanks for talking about this stuff with me. I never would have thought to start painting and drawing again.”
“I’m glad you got the idea to do it.”
Tim lowered his voice. “Listen, what was going on with that table?”
Lin chose her words carefully. “There were a few things it had to get out of its system.”
“Was it angry about something?” Tim asked warily.
“I don’t think so. It just needed some attention,” Lin was being intentionally vague.
“Should I do anything for it?”
“There’s nothing to do. It will be fine.”
“What started it up?” Tim looked directly at Lin. “Does it have something to do with a ghost?”
Lin didn’t want Tim to get worked up or worried about the issue since the idea of ghosts made him uneasy. “It might have, but it’s all good now. Nothing to be concerned about. I think the table won’t jump or wiggle or tap anymore. You should have peace and quiet from now on.” Her eyebrows raised with a new thought. “Have you ever considered renting out some of the rooms in the house?”
“I haven’t, no.”
“If you aren’t opposed to it, you might want to give it some thought. You could make some money from the rentals and you wouldn’t be living in an empty home. There would be people to talk with, cook with, eat with. And because the house is so big, you could get away from each other whenever you wanted.”
“It would be nice to have someone around to talk to,” Tim said, “and not always be cooped up by myself alone in the house. Maybe some short term rentals would be a good idea, although a long term renter might be better. I could get to know the person, not have someone new coming every few days.”
Lin nodded. “Just don’t bite off more than you can chew. Think about it before you jump in.” The young woman finished her coffee. “I should get going. Are you sure you can’t get away to have dinner with me and my cousin tonight?”
“I really shouldn’t. I have to buckle down and get some work done. Maybe I can make dinner for you and your cousin sometime.”
“That would be great.”
Despite Tim seeming more upbeat than when she arrived, Lin couldn’t shake off the sensation that something wasn’t right.
But what was it?
15
Lin and Viv chopped vegetables for a stir-fry dinner and made some rice and a green salad. The door was open from the kitchen to the deck and a warm, pleasant breeze came in from outside. Nicky and Queenie were in the meadow behind the house having an adventure.
“There’s something that feels off about Tim.” Lin filled a wooden bowl with greens.
Viv stirred the rice into the pot of boiling water. “How do you mean? He’s not sincere?”
“I think he’s very sincere. What I feel about him is hard to describe. There seems to be something bothering him and he doesn’t know what it is or he’s unable to articulate it.”
Viv said, “It’s probably the move to the island and the big change to his usual routine that’s got him feeling off. People make changes and think everything will be smooth sailing, but they forget that change can be difficult even when it’s a great thing or something you’ve always wanted. You need time to acclimate and transition to the new situation.”
“I think you’re right.” Lin added onions and tomatoes to the salad. “Even when it’s something you want or always dreamed of, you need time to get used to the change in your life. You expect you’ll be thrilled and happy, and when you’re not, you think something is wrong, but it’s only because you’re adjusting to a new normal.”
“Tim does need to get out of that house,” Viv said. “He needs people to interact with. He needs some fun, not just work, work, work all the time. What’s the good of having lots of money if you have no one to enjoy it with?”
“I wouldn’t know.” Lin mixed ingredients for dressing. “But, I’d like to find out … I mean the part about having lots of money, not the part about having no one to enjoy it with.”
“Win the lottery, will you? Then you can see how great it is to share it with me.” Viv added a little oil to the wok and heated it over the burner. “Do you want to go to the museum library tomorrow after work and try to find information about the other owners of Tim’s house? We can see if a lot of them met with misfortune. And if they did, we might want to talk to Libby about the possibility of an angry spirit living in Tim’s new home.”
Lin stirred some seasoning into the rice. “When I’m at the Colonial, I don’t get the sense that a spirit is living there. I don’t feel anyone’s presence, good or bad.”
“If you don’t sense a ghost there, then my theory is probably incorrect,” Viv said as she poured a little soy sauce into the wok. “It was a good idea though.”
“It was.” Lin became lost in her thoughts about what could be influencing Tim’s sad mental state. “There are too many questions and not enough answers. What’s bothering Tim, what does Ezra Cooper want? I know he told us he wants love, but what does that mean? I know I keep asking the same questions over and over.”
“We’ll have to keep asking them until we get answers.” Viv scooped the wok meal into a bowl and after putting on sweaters, they carried the food outside to the deck.
The setting sun created strokes of pinks and violets like someone had taken a paint brush and swept the colors across the sky.
Nicky and Queenie emerged from the field and plopped down on the patio to watch the birds flying overhead.
“Has Ezra shown up again?” Viv questioned.
“He hasn’t.” Lin spooned some rice onto her plate and placed some veggies over the top.
“I’m not surprised,” Viv sighed. “These spirits have to be so difficult. If I ever become a ghost, remind me not to be so mysterious and secretive when I want something.”
Lin chuckled. “I’ll remember to tell you.”
The cousins discussed what needed to be done for the wedding and Lin offered to talk to some flower suppliers she knew to finalize the bouquets and table centerpieces.
“The music’s taken care of and I’m doing the wedding cakes,” Viv said. “We’ve picked out our dresses, so that’s all set. I’ll look into having invitations printed. Then the four of us will have to talk about the actual ceremony … where we’ll have it, how it will be set up, the vows, the music we want, a justice of the peace.”
Lin’s eyes widened. “I’m glad you know what you’re doing, otherwise I’d be completely overwhelmed.” With a grin, she added, “Maybe we should elope.”
“It would certainly cost less,” Viv nodded.
“The guys would be fine with it. They’re so easy-going about the plans.”
“I think John would be disappointed,” Viv said. “He likes to mark an occasion. He enjoys special celebrations.”
“He’s getting his wish then,” Lin said with a smile, “too many plans have been made already to cancel the ceremony and reception. And anyway, I’m looking forward to the day.”
“Me, too. I’m really glad the four of us get to do this together. It’s going to be very special.”
“Why don’t the four of us get together for dinner tomorrow night and we can talk about the ceremony and how we want it to be?” Lin asked.
“Good idea. Let’s try that new restaurant on Centre Street,” Viv suggested.
