Gertie jumped up and down in excitement. One would think the circus had just arrived.
“Maggie, you have been a bad mother. And wife, I might add,” I told her as she struggled in my grasp. “Never call a medium to your house to rid it of the ghost of your murdered daughter.” Her face sank even more and she started to cry.
“Please. Tell her I’m sorry. I never meant to kill her …” I cut her short because I slapped her across the face.
“Save it! You murdered your own daughter!”
“I didn’t mean to. I swear!”
By then Rich pulled me off of her and the cops took her into custody.
He shook his head at me.
“What?”
“You didn’t have to slap her. But you did get her to confess in front of us, so thanks for that.”
I laughed, not realizing that I had done that. I looked around for Gertie. She was standing at the edge of the woods, reaching out for something. Before she faded away, a man came into view and wrapped her up in his arms. They both flickered for a moment and disappeared.
“I don’t know how you did it,” Rich said, totally clueless to what had just happened right before my very eyes. “But you got her to confess and you found her. How did you know?”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I told you, her daughter told me. But, you don’t believe me, do you?”
He shrugged.
“Even after everything with Kayla?” I put my hands on my hips.
“I can’t tell everyone that you found this woman through her dead daughter. It isn’t logical whether I believe you or not.”
“You tell them the truth, Rich. You have to. It’s the only way.” I patted him on the shoulder and turned to find Hala on the front steps of the house.
“Did you know?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “No. I had no clue. I honestly thought she needed you to clear the house of an angry spirit. Until you told me to keep her occupied, then I saw some things in her.”
I supposed she was showing Hala what she had done. I didn’t really want to know.
“Gertie was angry. You should have seen her!”
“I would be angry, too. Come on, we’ll get you home.”
Chapter 23
I was still hyped up after I got home. I had actually succeeded in doing something good in this wacky world of mine. For once, the bad guy didn’t get away and I was the one who brought her down. So, needless to say, I was really excited and feeling great about myself.
Which didn’t happen too much anymore. I had been down about everything in my life, losing Lynley most of all. Now, I felt like I could use my gifts for good.
The whole drive back home Lyn and I talked about how I could use them in the future. She suggested that I help Rich solve some murder cases. It made me instantly think of Megan and how she stood by, watching her murderer walk the streets. Catching a killer today made me feel elated. What if I could use this as a career option? Sure, art was my passion, but seeing the dead was my calling. I would have to either answer its call and use my gift, or I would have to learn to ignore it.
I fell into Ephraim’s arms as he lay sprawled out on the bed. He opened his eyes and smiled upon seeing me next to him. I kissed him hard and heard Lyn say, “Oh, geez!” She stomped upstairs as Ephraim and I snuggled up closer.
He ran his fingers through my hair. “You look so happy!” He had noticed the change in me.
“I am. I did something tonight that I never thought possible. Ephraim, it was amazing.” I told him all about the night and all about Gertie. He listened intently and didn’t look away from me once. He seemed so proud of me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked after I was finished.
My smile wouldn’t leave my face. “Nothing, I’m great. Why do you ask that?”
“You just look, shocked. Like you didn’t believe in your own potential. I told you once that I thought you were going to do great things,” he said as he kissed my nose. “I was right.”
“I suppose I didn’t realize I could shock myself. I think I may want to help others this way. How do you feel about that?” I asked, biting my lip. Once Ephraim had told me that I shouldn’t let my gift define me. I was a little scared he wouldn’t support me if I went down this path.
He lifted my chin slightly, so that his blue eyes gazed deep into my own. “You listen to me, Brylee Branson. You are an incredible person and you do not let anything but greatness define who you are. Because what you did today was greatness and bravery at its best.”
I grabbed him tightly by his shirt and kissed him so hard we fell back onto the bed, wrapped in each other’s arms.
The next morning, I woke to the sounds of Ephraim in the kitchen. The music blared as he made breakfast, his normal morning routine. I stood up and stretched. I had slept so soundly.
I padded across the cold floor wearing only Ephraim’s shirt. It was freezing in the house. I needed a warm shower, so without interrupting him, I went upstairs and started the water. The night before replayed in my head as I let the water heat up. I was still so proud of myself. I thought of Gertie and how happy I was to see her move on. She was going to be so happy. Then my mind went to last night in Ephraim’s arms and I blushed just thinking about it.
The water was blessedly hot as I stepped into the shower. I was thankful that my dad had installed it when we moved in. Taking baths was nice, but nothing beat a warm shower on a cold day. Closing the curtain, I let the steam surround me and I lathered up my hair. It was going to be a beautiful day today. Finally, I would not let anything get me down.
Suddenly, the lights went out and the water went frigid. I shrieked and jumped back, slipping and falling hard on my ass. It took me a moment to get my bearings. The cold water still ran over me as I sat up to turn it off. My back sang with pain.
“Ah!” I screamed. I had never felt pain like that before. I looked down, searching in the dark for blood. I couldn’t see anything.
“Ephraim!” I shouted.
I hoped he could hear me up here, but it wasn’t likely. I would have to get up on my own. So I pulled myself up using the faucet. The pain in my back was worse when I was on my feet. I slumped over like an old woman.
I opened the curtain and came face to face with Agnes Barclay. I froze.
Her face was contorted and hideous, much like it was the first time I had seen her in my basement. It hit me that Evangeline was still controlling her and she was here to finish me off.
“Agnes, please. Wake up. Don’t let Evangeline control you.”
She stopped me by rapping her cold grey fingers around my neck cutting off my breath. I pulled at her fingers but her grip was too strong. She shoved me back, slamming me against the wall. Pain seared my back once again. I kicked at her, but she didn’t feel it.
It was useless. I was going to die at the hands of a ghost. I could see how it would all play out. Ephraim would be charged because how else would they explain it? He would find me up here sooner or later and by then it would be too late. He would find me dead, yet another loss in his life. What would he say to the police? That some ghost killed me?
Just as I started seeing blackness surround me, Lynley burst into the room. She wrapped her hands around Agnes’s face and pulled her off of me. I fell free to the floor and hacked until I could breathe again. Lyn and Agnes were in a heated struggle. They each had a pretty good punch. Lyn kicked her in the chest and Agnes flew through the second door and across the hallway. Agnes stood up and shook it off, charging Lyn.
“Lyn!” I choked out. She moved swiftly away, letting Agnes fly past her.
“What should I do?” Lyn asked.
I had no clue so I shrugged.
“We have to stop her somehow, but I don’t know any way to do that. I can’t fight her all day.”
Suddenly it came to me, something I had read or was told, I wasn’t sure. “Go away!” I yelled, my voice hoarse.
Sure enough, Agnes stopped dead in her tracks. “Ge
t out of my house! You are not invited here,” I yelled as I pulled myself up and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around myself. “Go! Go! Go!”
The confidence in my words drew her spirit down the hallway and she disappeared into nothingness. I knew she wouldn’t be gone forever; the curse kept her here. But my words were powerful.
“How did you do that?” Lynley asked.
“I just remember that if they scare you, you can tell them to go away. As long as you believe it, you can send them away. I didn’t know if it would work.” I fell to the floor. The pain was unbearable and I couldn’t stand. Agnes was trying to kill me and it was slowly working.
“Go get Ephraim,” I told Lyn, totally forgetting that she couldn’t. He wouldn’t hear her. “Shit.”
“It’s okay. I have an idea.” Lyn pulled me into her arms and lifted me off the ground. I smiled at her new found strength. She carried me across the floor to the top of the stairwell, where she set me down carefully.
“There.” She smiled.
The shock on my face must have registered because she giggled as she walked down the remaining steps.
I heard the radio downstairs change channels and then get much louder. She was trying to get his attention. “Ephraim!” I shouted. He came running up the stairs with a spatula in hand and once he saw me, he dropped it.
“What the hell? Are you hurt?”
“You have no idea,” I began. “Agnes just tried to kill me, mafia style in the shower. Then Lynley came in and karate chopped her ass. You should have seen it. Ouch.” The pain shot through my hip and down my legs.
“Did you hit your head?”
“No. My lower back and hip,” I said as I pointed to where it hurt. He looked me over and hid the smile he had. I knew he was proud of his sister’s heroics, but he didn’t want to let on. Probably for fear I would be upset he wasn’t taking my pain seriously. Except that wasn’t the case at all. Yes, the pain hurt, but Lynley kicking Agnes’ ass was the highlight of the whole year.
Chapter 24
I couldn’t miss school, even though the doctor wanted me to stay out for a week. My “fall in the tub,” as Ephraim and I called it, had scored me a bruised tailbone and hip. Luckily, nothing was broken, but it sure felt like hell.
I refused to let it keep me from school. I realized I was being stubborn as I shuffled through the halls, wincing at every step I took. The people in the halls stared at me, but I was so used to being stared at that I shrugged it off. At least up until Derrick Mayhew spotted me. He sauntered over, offering up assistance.
“If you were my girl, you wouldn’t be here today, Brylee. You’d be in my bed getting better,” he said, trying to sound sexy. “Ephraim is an idiot for letting you come here.” I pushed him out of my way. Bruises or not, I’d kick his ass if he touched me again.
“Derrick, you’re the idiot. Especially for thinking I need anyone’s permission to be here. Get out of my way,” I spat.
“Is it true?” he asked loudly so that his band of morons could hear him.
I rolled my eyes. Here we go.
“What?”
“That your house killed that girl? That it’s trying to kill you now?”
So, that’s the new rumor. It wasn’t far off. Except, the house wasn’t trying to kill me. If they only knew the half of it.
“Who told you that?”
“A little birdy,” he smirked.
“Yeah, I bet! Well, listening to witches gets you into trouble Derrick.”
His smile fell as realization set in. “Yeah, I know all about your family’s sick support of Evangeline. I’m sure she’s thrilled that you will all do her bidding now by spreading rumors. Good job. What do you get as a prize? A dog bone?”
I pushed past him even though it hurt like hell and went to my class.
School let out and Ephraim was there at the doors, waiting for me. Once I got to him, he let me lean my weight on him and he practically carried me to the truck. By then my hip and back were hurting so bad that tears were springing up in my eyes. He noticed and wiped them away once he sat me in the seat.
“You really should have stayed home. But you’re too damn tough! I’m going to go in and talk with the secretary, see if we can get arrangements made for the next two weeks.”
I folded my arms and shook my head. “No. That’s totally not necessary.”
He leaned into me looking very stern. “Your mom told me to look after you. I already let you get hurt in the shower and the way she sees it, it was my fault. It’s not necessary for you to walk the halls of this shithole while you need to be resting. I’ll get your work and you can do it from home.” He sat up and closed the truck door.
I watched him go in the school and I sank into my seat. He was right. Who was I trying to fool? I couldn’t walk around at school another day feeling like this. I dug through my bag and pulled out the pain killers the doc gave me. I had put off taking them, fearing the side effects. But the pain was terrible now. I had to take at least one.
I found a water bottle in my bag and swallowed the pill and the rest of the water with it. I silently prayed the pain would subside soon.
Ephraim got back in the truck and started up the engine. It roared to life and the heater blew on my face, making me feel even better. He was taking care of me when I needed him the most. I couldn’t help but feel warm and fuzzy.
“Your teachers will be emailing you your assignments for the next two weeks. You can thank me later.”
I grabbed his hand and squeezed a silent thank you.
By the time we reached Wilson Lake, I could feel the pill kicking in. I was getting drowsy so I let my eyelids fall shut and the truck rocked me to sleep.
I was dreaming and it felt so good to be here in this particular dream. I was at my grandma’s house, in California. She was in the kitchen making tea while I sat at the table and looked through old JC Penney catalogs.
“Here’s some cookies for your tea, Brylee,” she said handing me a plate.
I bit into one and smiled. Snickerdoodle, my favorite. She sat with me and sipped her hot tea as I blew on mine.
“Are you excited for college?” she asked.
“Yes, but I’m also nervous.” I realized then that I was only a little girl. My hands were small and I was wearing a dress that I had last worn in first grade. Why were we talking about college?
“I just want you to know that I know about all of your talents, Brylee. I know you can see the dead and its okay. I actually think you always could.”
I put the cookie down and stared at her in shock. “You do?”
“You were always such an open child. I think somewhere in our family we had some clairvoyants. When you were a toddler you used to talk to the ghost of my father, your great grandpa.”
“How did you know that I was talking to him though?”
“Because, you called him Grandpa Pat. His name was Patrick and you never knew him, he died way before you were even a thought.” She patted my hand and looked at me lovingly. “I have to go now.”
“No, don’t go. I like talking to you. I like these cookies.” I picked up the cookies for fear she was leaving because I wasn’t eating them, but she still got up and left the room.
“Babe, wake up,” Ephraim’s voice called to me over my dream.
I tried to wake myself up, but sleep was pulling me hard. I wanted to finish talking to my grandma. She knew what I was!
“Your mom’s on the phone. Brylee!”
I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. He handed me the phone and I took it as I rubbed the sleep from the corners of my eyes. “Hi mom. I was taking a nap,” I informed her. I looked around and noticed I wasn’t in the truck anymore. Instead, I was curled up in Ephraim’s bed. He must have carried me in.
My mom was completely quiet on the other line. “You there?” I asked.
“Yes … yes I’m here.” Her voice was off and it sounded like she had been crying. Her nose got stuffy and squeaky when she cried.
<
br /> “I have some tough news and I just don’t want to upset you. It’s about your grandma.”
“She died, didn’t she?” I asked. The dream made sense now. She came to me in my dream and made me tea and cookies, because that was my favorite thing to do at her house. She came to me to have one last chat before she left this world.
“I don’t know how you know that, but yes. She passed an hour ago,” she said, her nose squeaking again. “We had no idea how serious her health problems were until I got here. I took her to a specialist and he …”
“Mom,” I said interrupting her. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I didn’t want to call until after I had composed myself, Bry. I was sort of a mess.”
“No! That’s not what I mean. Why didn’t you call me when you got news that her health was serious? If you knew she was dying, why didn’t you tell me so I could say goodbye?”
My anger was boiling up inside of me now. My parents were living their life out there, forgetting about me and my feelings here. I might have gotten the chance to say goodbye to the one person who always had my back, but they had denied me that.
“Brylee, we didn’t want to upset you. You had just lost Lynley. Your dad and I thought your grandma would get better. We really did. But this morning she didn’t wake up. She stayed in a coma until she slipped away.”
I couldn’t hear anymore. “Okay, well you and dad grieve over there in California. I’ll be here in New Jersey, where you left me!”
I hung up and slammed the cell phone down so hard I heard the glass case break. Ephraim rushed to my side and pulled me into his arms. He held me and let me cry.
Chapter 25
My mom tried calling back several times and left a million messages, but I wasn’t ready to talk yet. My grandma had died and they hadn’t bothered to call me until an hour after her death. My anger, I realized, was more from abandonment than the fact that they didn’t tell me about my grandma. My parents had been my rock, my support system. My mom was not only my mom, but my closest friend. Or so I had thought. Now they had moved home and were having another baby. I was almost grown up so they were ready to send me off to college and start over again. I couldn’t blame the baby because it was innocent, but I did blame my parents for their foolishness.
The White Door Page 12
