The Summoning

by Heather Graham

  “It’s all right. Kristi is fine. And the killers have been caught,” Dallas said.

  He turned around. Kristi was coming out of the house, smiling. She’d just greeted Jamie Murphy, and tried very hard to catch him up on everything that had happened before last night—he’d arrived just in time to find Kristi’s house swarming with ambulances and police, and he was, of course, still confused, but Kristi had just sent him off with Jackson and Angela.

  For once, the only people at the house were Kristi and Dallas—and, of course, now Justin and Monty.

  McLane House guests and staff were still in the hospital for observation.

  They’d found out that while Janet had been the descendent of Albert Huntington, it had been Granger who had started out in nursing school.

  He had used “Devil’s Breath,” or a street version of scopolamine, to lace the tarts to put everyone out.

  He’d used his anger with his daughter to keep her out of the house—telling her that he’d have a talk with Carl Brentwood and the possibility of them seeing each other in the future if she went with Claire to a professional photographer in the city for her own promo shots. Even though he and his wife were clearly some form of sociopaths, they loved their daughter, in their way.

  He later told them where they would find Simon Drake’s body—in a sewer near the Murphy house. Drake had been a real danger in Granger’s mind—he wanted to gather all the great stories regarding Savannah and publish them in a book about the city. He’d spoken with Ian as he was collecting his research, and Ian had promised to give him everything that he had.

  While not confined for observation as the others, Claire Danson and Lacey Knox were at the hospital, too—both lingering by Carl, determined that their love and adoration would help him get better soon.

  “Hey,” Dallas said, drawing Kristi into his arms as she reached him. He smoothed back her hair. “You’re okay, really okay?”

  “I’m better than I thought I would be,” she assured him. She glanced around Dallas’s broad shoulders at Monty. “I’m so sorry that I had to use that wonderful period photograph of you.”

  “I thank God that I could be of assistance in some small way,” Monty said. “Kristi, it’s your forgiveness I must ask. My Trinity... I loved her so much. I only pray you can understand.”

  Dallas felt something clench tightly in his chest, and he whispered, “I think we do understand.”

  “You can’t leave her, you know,” Monty said. “You’ll never be all right if you do.”

  “He has to leave. He’s with a very unusual and important unit,” Kristi said. “But,” she added, pausing for a smile, to look at Dallas, and then to say very softly, “I’ve got it figured it out. I did get to talk to Jonah at the hospital—briefly. I can do my work anywhere. Jonah and Genie and Sydney do fine without me, and I can come back every month for a few days... It is my heritage, and I love the house and all the people—living and dead—residing here. So...if you’ll have me...”

  Heedless of the ghosts, Dallas drew her into his arms. Their kiss was hot and deep, and very passionate, and still the sweetest he had ever tasted. It naturally spoke the words they hadn’t said yet, and when it ended, and he drew away, he did speak those words. “I love you!”

  She was smiling, but he searched her eyes before he spoke again. “And...you don’t mind. You really don’t mind coming with me, living my life...giving up so much of your own?”

  “Considering the fact that I haven’t worked at all now in quite a while, I may not have any work left here anyway!” she said.

  He smiled. “We have some time. There’s a great deal to be tied up here,” he said softly.

  And there was, of course. But he really did understand Monty.

  He thought about the time years ago, when he had been in the old forgotten cemetery, when he had seen his first ghost...

  When he had learned that the beauty of a soul could linger, and that knowing that could make him a better person to see that justice was done, that some could then go on.

  Kristi said softly, “I want your life. I think I could be good at it.”

  She turned from him then and walked over to Monty.

  Dr. Horvath and her team had come back. There had been a lot more digging, more bones discovered—and DNA tested, though articles found indicated whom the bones likely belonged to.

  While the yard was a bit of a mess, good things had come from it.

  Monty’s and Samuel’s bodies had been found.

  Fresh sod would be brought in—and Kristi had commissioned an artist to create a beautiful monument for her ancestors. They could be properly remembered now that Monty’s name had been cleared.

  As Kristi approached, Monty offered her something of a grimace. “As much as I hate to admit it,” she said, “I believe that Shelley was right, and that maybe now Trinity can come home—home to you,” she added very softly.

  The sun was playing softly through the moss that hung from the old oak trees.

  “Trinity, it’s all right. The truth is known, and he loves you so much. Monty loves you so much, Trinity, it’s all right...”

  Light dappled over the grounds, through the oaks and the moss.

  And slowly, so slowly, an image began to appear. The image of a woman, clad in a lovely blue gown, her pale face beautiful and radiant. She couldn’t quite speak, but she mouthed a single word.

  “Monty!”

  “Trinity!” the ghost cried, and he rushed into her arms, enveloping her.

  The sun burst down upon them; a radiant glow seemed to burn.

  And then the two were gone.

  For a moment, they were all silent.

  Then Justin spoke.

  “Well, I guess it’s just down to us,” he said.

  Dallas turned to him, grinning. “For tonight, my friend—it’s down to you. There’s a new hotel out on the riverfront, great spa, incredible rooms... We’ll be back tomorrow, of course, but for tonight, well... I thought we might need a bit of a break from...from history. Time alone. Just us. Just for tonight, all right?”

  He looked at Kristi, and she laughed, and she was back in his arms.

  “For tonight, and forever,” she promised him.

  * * *

  Keep reading for a special peek at the latest thrilling story in the

  Krewe of Hunters series.

  The Seekers

  by New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham.

  Available July 23, 2019, from MIRA Books.

  “Graham is a master at world building and her latest is a thrilling, dark and deadly tale of romantic suspense.”

  —Booklist, starred review, on Haunted Destiny

  Looking for suspenseful reads from New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham? Don’t miss out on the New York Confidential series, packed with deadly intrigue, exhilarating romance and heart-pounding suspense:

  Flawless

  A Perfect Obsession

  A Dangerous Game

  A Lethal Legacy

  “Intricate, fast-paced, and intense.”

  —Library Journal, starred review, on Flawless

  And make sure to catch up on the complete Krewe of Hunters series, featuring the FBI’s elite team of paranormal investigators:

  Phantom Evil

  Heart of Evil

  Sacred Evil

  The Evil Inside

  The Unseen

  The Unholy

  The Unspoken

  The Uninvited

  The Night Is Watching

  The Night Is Alive

  The Night Is Forever

  The Cursed

  The Hexed

  The Betrayed

  The Silenced

  The Forgotten

  The Hidden

  Haunted Destiny

  Deadly Fate

  Darkest J
ourney

  Dying Breath

  Dark Rites

  Wicked Deeds

  Fade to Black

  Pale as Death

  Echoes of Evil

  “Exceptional character development and world building...suspenseful elements that will leave you guessing until the end.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Darkest Journey

  Discover the electrifying Cafferty & Quinn series, where an antiques collector and a private investigator are drawn together in New Orleans as they investigate the city’s most unusual crimes:

  Let the Dead Sleep

  Waking the Dead

  The Dead Play On

  “Dark, dangerous and deadly! Graham has the uncanny ability to bring her books to life.”

  —RT Book Reviews on Waking the Dead

  Don’t miss other heart-racing stories from The Finnegan Connection miniseries:

  Shadows in the Night

  Out of the Darkness

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  The Seekers

  by Heather Graham

  1

  “The bodies were found in rooms throughout the inn. Four men, three women, each bludgeoned repeatedly with an ax, no fewer than ten blows on the least battered victim. Most lay sleeping in the rooms they had taken for the night. The proprietor, John Newby, was found behind the bar that served the tavern. It was also where he kept his books for his overnight guests.

  “The coroner brought in several men to serve as witnesses in the subsequent inquest—Creighton Mariner, a journalist, Frank Gold, a local butcher, and local farmers Grant Fisher, Ethan Guttenberg, and Bjorn Muller. Mariner wrote, ‘The killings were so frenzied and brutal that blood and brain matter were found in many a room. Truly, the sight was so gruesome one could only think of the work of a demonic hellhound. Yet, none of this compared to the discoveries deep in the basement where it came to light that John Newby was ridding himself of unwanted servants and guests in the most ghastly way possible.’”

  Keri Wolf, sitting at one of the hardwood tables in the Miller Inn and Tavern of York County, Pennsylvania, watched as Brad Holden gave his dramatic intro to the camera. She’d just met the man in person, but his ghost-hunter series had apparently become one of the hottest shows being independently produced on the internet. He had started off modestly, and—whether or not any of his “discoveries” were really true—he had managed, with his small group of paranormal investigators, to create his immense audience on his own. He was a slim, handsome, charismatic man, and it was easy to see how his enthusiasm transferred to a large audience onscreen.

  So large, in fact, he had a second special guest on this investigation besides Keri: the popular young actor Carl Brentwood, fresh off his video documentary of the McLane House in Charleston. Carl had been so successful with his shows filmed at the McLane House that, if she was correct in reading between the lines, he had purchased the old Miller Inn and Tavern where they were “investigating” reports of paranormal activity today.

  She was sure Brad’s charm had been convincing when he’d approached Carmen Menendez, Keri’s publicity agent, about joining in on this investigation. Which basically amounted to spending the night with ghost hunters at an inn where one of the most horrific crimes of the twentieth century had taken place. The exposure of working with the Truth Seekers could bring publicity for her books that could not be purchased at any price, Brad had promised.

  Keri was equally sure that Carl, the enthusiastic young heartthrob, being involved had also swayed Carmen into thinking this was a guaranteed, amazing publicity opportunity, and it would be an exceptionally effective way to sell books.

  And of course, it would be. Keri glanced across the table. Carl was seated with her; they were both to speak for the intro.

  Also, at the table was Spencer Atkins, the man who had sold the historic inn to Carl. He had promised Carl to help him in any way, except for speaking during any project that had to do with ghosts or the paranormal. Atkins was still a nice man—Carl owned the property now and could do what he wanted, and he was welcome to lean in to the paranormal if he wanted. Atkins just wasn’t going to be part of it. Atkins was simply watching the beginning of the project out of curiosity, and was due to head out at any time for an appointment in Philadelphia. He observed Brad Holden with patience and amusement.

  Carl had planned this episode with a great deal of enthusiasm. He was a believer. He glanced at Keri and smiled and gave her a thumbs-up; she had to smile back. Despite his immense popularity and the fact that he certainly had the accolades that would justify him behaving like a true diva, he was simply a very nice young man.

  They both glanced back at Brad as he gave the camera one of his big, we’re-all-in-this-together smiles and continued, “Welcome, folks, to another fantastic voyage with the Truth Seekers. If you’re joining us for the first time, I’m Brad Holden, and I and my fellow Truth Seekers—Eileen Falcon, Mike Lerner, Serena Nelson, and Pete Wright—welcome you to our online programming, offering you investigations of myth, legend, perception...and truth. We feel we’ll be bringing you something extremely special with this investigation.

  “We’re here at the Miller Inn and Tavern, and we’ll soon be settling in for the night. We’re getting our cameras all set, and dark is falling. Now, the past of this inn is well documented. The building was opened to welcome weary travelers in 1770, just as the ferment of rebellion became strong in the American colonies. It’s amazing just to think of those who stopped by—George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and even Patrick Henry stayed here, all enjoying the fabled hospitality of the Miller Inn and Tavern. While the inn already had a reputation for being haunted, luckily for America, those fine men survived.”

  Brad paused for a dramatic moment, allowing Mike Lerner, working the camera, to lower the lights. Then he continued, “It wasn’t until 1926, when several gruesome murders occurred here, that the inn would be placed into the annals of the bizarre and yes, my friends, the paranormal.” He turned to Keri, beckoning her before the camera.

  Not sure if she should take his hand and smile or run as far as possible from him, Keri stood.

  “The exceptionally lovely Keri Wolf, known for her The Way It Happened series, is here to join us for this investigation. Keri can tell us a little more about the history of this inn, her area of expertise, and why she found herself so fascinated by Pennsylvania Dutch hex stories—which led, we’re told, to the events of 1926, and our paranormal search of this tavern tonight.”

  Keri still felt uncertain, but she found herself standing in the pool of light in front of the camera, taking Brad’s hand.

  Carmen had assured her the group really searched for the explainable—before determining if anything was paranormal.

  Everyone knows Carl Brentwood! And Brad Holden is great. His video feeds of The Seekers garner millions of views. Between them, they have a huge audience. If we’re lucky, we’ll sell a tenth of their numbers in your books!

  So, here she was.

  She tried to smile as charmingly as Brad before speaking.

  “We’re between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh here, Brad, and as you said, there are many stories that go with the tavern, but the main story is this—on the night of June 27, 1926, a killer came in and brutally took the lives of seven people, among them Mr. Newby, the proprietor. The coroner, who was also the sheriff of
the small county at the time, brought in five men to help with the inquest. In their thorough search of the premises, they discovered Newby had kept a torture chamber in his basement, along with all manner of paraphernalia dealing with witchcraft and Satanism.”

  “So, folks,” Brad continued, “we’ll be doing a thorough, room-by-room investigation. Our cameras are set to record throughout the tavern, including the infamous basement chamber, where it is estimated Newby tortured and killed at least ten young men and women, covered the remains with lime, and buried them beneath the floor.”

  He was about to cut the introductory segment, so Keri spoke up quickly. “It’s a complex and incredibly sad story, whether ghosts do or do not inhabit the tavern. It’s believed Hank Bergen, the father of a young serving girl who had disappeared, lost his mind in rage and committed all the killings when he suspected Newby wasn’t the respectable man he pretended to be. Bergen was caught by a lynch mob, and his guilt or innocence was never determined in a court of law.

  “This story is further complicated by the fact the term Pennsylvania Dutch comes from Pennsylvania Deutsche and actually refers to the German population that settled this region. At the time of the incident, some locals had a strong belief that some of their neighbors were practicing witches. It was known Newby was of this creed. But until his chamber of horrors was discovered, it wasn’t known that he’d also been an avid student of Aleister Crowley, the British occultist, taking to extremes the tenet do what thou wilt.

  “As I said, the belief at the time and in the region in certain kinds of witchcraft—and the ability of one man to hex another—were broad. But the concepts espoused by Crowley and Newby’s actual practice of Satanism were not in any way general. To this day, we don’t know if Hank Bergen was the killer, or why he would kill the innocent guests at the tavern if he believed Newby had been the one to kill his daughter.”

  “And of course,” Brad said, “you’re researching that crime at this moment, with us here at the tavern. The spirit of Beatrice Bergen is one that many guests at the Miller Inn and Tavern have reported seeing. A young woman in a white dress, weeping. She’s trapped between worlds, seeking justice for her death. Maybe the ghosts of the dead will come out, as so many guests have believed, and help you on your quest. Thank you, thank you... And now!” Brad turned from her. “On to our man of the hour, the amazing Mr. Carl Brentwood.”