Aunt Marge turned and looked at Beth. Confusion filled her eyes. “It’s a picture of my great Uncle Albert with his son Robert. I remember him. What I don’t understand is that there is another child in the picture. A little girl, age six. The writing on the back of the picture says ‘Robert, age 10 and Arabella, age 6. Arabella was my great-aunt’s name, but she died in childbirth when Robert was four. Her daughter was still born. Did the family lie? Could this be his child? If so, why didn’t I ever meet her?”
A small voice could be heard crying. Aunt Marge inhaled sharply.
“Who’s crying? Aunt Marge, what’s wrong,” asked Beth.
“Look, Beth. Arabella is holding a rose. This is a black and white photo so it’s possible it was a dark red rose, but it appears black in the picture.”
The crying stopped.
Beth raised her eyebrows at her aunt. “I’m calling Kellie.”
“Maybe she’ll know if it’s Arabella crying. Do you think this is a black velvet rose?”
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Kellie listened to Beth’s fears and Aunt Marge’s questions. She asked what time the noises had woken them, but didn’t tell Beth that she had also been awake at the same time. “I’m going to do some research. I’ll drop by your house after you and Aunt Marge are back from the funeral home.” Beth agreed, and Kellie hung up her phone.
She looked at Rufus. “Well, boy, you’ll have to stay home alone for a while. I need to research Beth’s family.” Rufus barked, walked over to his bed and dropped down onto it. Kellie shook her head and mumbled, “I wonder if he understands me.”
Rufus looked at the sliding glass door leading to the second floor deck and growled. The shadow leaned against the deck rail and looked into the room. “What’s wrong now, boy? You love sleeping all day.” She smiled, and Rufus whimpered as she left the room.
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Aunt Marge and Beth sat across from the funeral director to discuss Janelle’s funeral plans. “We are Janelle’s only relatives besides an aunt, uncle, and cousin who live out of state. I would like to have Janelle cremated and a simple memorial service. Janelle wouldn’t want anything large or fancy.”
The funeral director nodded as he jotted down notes. “Did you bring the pictures of Janelle’s life? We can have a nicely framed collage made and set it on an easel next to Miss Devenly’s urn.”
“That sounds nice. We would also like to have some softly colored flowers? Maybe carnations would look nice. Her favorite color was peach.”
“Yes, we can do soft peach and white flowers. It will look quite lovely. Would you like to choose an urn? There are several in this brochure. We also have some in our casket room you can view.”
“No,” said Aunt Marge grabbing the brochure. “This one that looks like pink marble with the golden swirls will be perfect. Also, no roses, she hated them.” Aunt Marge knew it was a small lie, but the thought of roses at the memorial service made her shudder.
“Very well,” said the funeral director, “We can hold the memorial service at one the day after tomorrow. Please have your pastor phone me after you meet with him, and we can coordinate the music or religious segments you would like added.”
Aunt Marge nodded. Beth thanked the funeral director. He shook their hands and walked them to the front door.
As they walked to the car, Aunt Marge said, “I’m telling the pastor to keep it as simple as possible. Janelle wouldn’t want a major fuss. After the way she has treated us, I could skip a service, but in my heart she’s family and I couldn’t do that.”
“I know Aunt Marge,” Beth said. “I feel the same way.”
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Kellie found the courthouse in the small town where Beth and Aunt Marge resided. Fortunately, the entire Devenly family had lived in the town all their lives, and their records were there in the Clerk of Courts office.
Kellie greeted the woman behind the desk and explained why she had come. “We only have records computerized for the past fifteen years. The rest are in bound volumes in the next room. Do you have an approximate idea of the date you are searching for?”
“Yes, I have an exact death date for a young woman and still born child. Her name was Arabella Devenly.”
“Follow me, we’ll find that volume.” The woman entered the room and checked the dates on thick black leather bound books. She pulled the one she needed and lay it on the table. Paging through, she found the death certificate for Arabella Devenly.
She looked up at Kellie and said, “Here’s the certificate, but there isn’t any mention of a still born child. Usually back then it would have been noted on the mother’s death certificate since they rarely named the children.” She paged through several more pages and said, “I have looked a few months ahead and am not able to find any other death certificate for a Devenly child.”
Kellie raised her eye brows. “Is it possible the family received the wrong information and the child didn’t die at birth?”
“That’s quite possible. Records get lost or are only kept in a bible and are copied wrong. Here’s the book that would correspond to the same time except it contains birth certificates.”
Kellie watched as she paged through the book. “I found it, a birth certificate for a girl weighing approximately seven and a half pounds. Sounds like a healthy weight. Child was named Arabella. Parents listed as Albert and Arabella Devenly. Mother listed as deceased. Father’s address listed as one of the homes on the other side of town. It’s a run-down area now and may not be there. They razed quite a few dilapidated homes several years ago.”
“Thank you, could I get copies of the death and birth certificate? Also, could I look through a few more months of death certificates to see if the child died as an infant?”
“Certainly, take your time and I’ll make your copies.”
Kellie glanced through approximately fifty more pages. It was a small town, and she was able to cover two years. She decided to give up. She returned to the office and asked, “I couldn’t find any death certificate for the child. Could it be possible she died somewhere else?”
“I doubt it. We may be a small town, but for about seventy years we were the biggest in the area and we’d have the records here. Also, I’m not sure Mr. Devenly would travel with an infant. We also didn’t have any foundling homes in the area. It is most likely a mistake. Quite often people forget to record the date and a well-meaning relative fills things in years later.”
“I’m sure that’s it. Thanks for your time.” Kellie paid for her copies and walked to her car. Her mind raced with possibilities. She didn’t believe for a minute that someone had entered the wrong information in the bible. She had seen the entries herself. The handwriting and ink was different. It must have been entered at a later date. Something happened to Arabella Devenly, and whatever it was intrigued Kellie.
Chapter Five
Kellie pulled into Aunt Marge’s drive, and Beth was waiting on the porch. She ran toward the car and began to speak as Kellie alighted. “What happened last night was frightening. I’m worried about Aunt Marge, but she loves this house. Now that she found the picture of her great-uncle with a little girl she thinks we have a mystery to solve. She won’t leave the house.”
“Your aunt may be right. I found some interesting information. Let’s go in and talk to her.”
“Yes, please come in.” Aunt Marge was waiting just inside the door and handed the picture to Kellie as she entered.
“What do you make of this? How can that be Arabella? She was dead when this photo was taken.” Aunt Marge’s shoulders slumped. Beth helped her to the sofa.
“Maybe not,” Kellie said as she sat in a chair across from Aunt Marge. “I went to the City Hall and pulled your Aunt Arabella’s death certificate. There was no mention of a stillborn child. I found a birth certificate for a healthy child born to your great-aunt and great-uncle named Arabella. I went through two years of death certificates, but never found one. The clerk said if she died anywhere in the are
a they would have a record of it.”
“Why would they hide her? I never met her, and I only remember meeting Robert once. He was a few years older than me. I was surprised to find a picture of her. The rose is strange to see in the picture. It’s like the ones we find in the house. Arabella would be close to my age. Why didn’t we ever meet?” Aunt Marge asked dropping her head and rubbing her hands together.
Kellie leaned back and said, “Then I’m at a total loss. It appears the mystery ends here.”
The crying began in Janelle’s apartment and filled the house. Heart wrenching sobs echoed through the house.
Kellie said, “Arabella?”
The crying stopped immediately.
“I don’t understand this,” said Aunt Marge.
Kellie said, “It’s possible Arabella died near the time your great-uncle killed himself. Their spirits may be connected. It could be why you hear them both. I felt a child’s spirit in Janelle’s apartment.”
“Then it needs to be torn down,” Aunt Marge insisted.
The attic door slammed.
Kellie said, “I agree, but it seems something may try and stand in your way. I had my grandfather’s home torn down. I know a contractor who is very capable at building demolition. I’ll bring him here the day after Janelle’s service. I know you will be busy for a few days.”
The women agreed, and Kellie walked toward her SUV. She left a message on Randy’s cell before she pulled out of Aunt Marge’s drive. The feeling something eerie was happening in Janelle’s apartment was overwhelming.
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Randy returned her call after she returned home. Kellie explained the situation, and Randy said he was agreeable, but asked if they could discuss it over dinner. This time, Kellie said yes. She hadn’t dated since she had met Drew early in her college freshman year. She felt giddy as a school girl. Hearing the excitement in Randy’s voice made her feel more comfortable. He would pick her up at six.
She hung up and phoned Taylor at work. Kellie was excited, and Taylor became just as excited. They discussed what she should wear and how she would fix her hair. For a moment, Kellie felt like they were back in high school. Giggling like schoolgirls, Kellie promised to tell Taylor everything the next day.
Kellie decided on a pale green dress and pulled her hair back loosely and added a wide clip at the nape of her neck. It was the way she preferred to wear her hair when it wasn’t loose. Her door chimes played a soft melody precisely at six. Rufus barked twice. He beat her to the door.
Excited to see Randy, but well trained not to jump on people, Rufus’ tail wagged so fast his backside wiggled along with his tail. Randy ruffled his hair and Kellie told him to sit. Rufus sat immediately.
“He listens well,” Randy said.
“Yes, and you’re lucky he does or your suit would be covered in hair,” Kellie smiled.
“If you’re ready, we could leave now before he changes his mind and attacks me,” Randy smiled and then broke into laughter. Rufus barked and danced around the living room in circles.
“I think you’re right.” She smiled back and then commanded, “Rufus stay.” Rufus sat and let out a little whine as Kellie and Randy left.
Randy pulled up in front of an Italian restaurant that recently opened. “Will this do?” He glanced at Kellie.
“Of course, you know I love Italian food.” For a moment, the memory of her grandfather possessing the waiter at the Royal Hotel restaurant the last time she ordered an Italian meal flashed through her mind. She pushed it away knowing he was dead and gone. She took a deep breath, looked at Randy, and said, “Ready?”
They enjoyed a delicious meal, and while waiting for dessert Kellie explained what Aunt Marge needed in detail.
“If the structure was attached to the original house, it should be easy to remove. We’ll remove the roof first after we check to see if he added studs or just nailed a wall inside against the outside of the house. Once the roof is gone, we can see how it’s attached. When it’s down, I will do my best to restore the original house to the way it looked before the addition. Do you think that will work?” He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows.
“Yes,” said Kellie as the waiter placed a plate of Tiramisu for two and two forks between them.
Their eyes met several times as they enjoyed their shared dessert. She could tell his feelings for her had grown, and she was beginning to feel them, too. Saying goodnight flashed through her mind. He’d stay if she said yes, but she wasn’t quite ready. As he grabbed the last of the dessert, her anxiety increased.
Randy walked her to her door and unlocked the deadbolt for her. She stepped inside. He was on the outside at the edge of the doorway. Holding her hand, he gently pulled her to him and kissed her. She kissed him back. He slid his free arm around her and pulled her to him. Their kiss deepened, and she felt her desire stir, but gently moved back.
“I’m not ready for this next step. I hope you understand.”
“I assumed that, but you can’t blame a guy for trying. I’ll see you at Aunt Marge’s every day. Before you know it, the house will be done, we’ll go out again, and then we’ll see.” He winked at her and jumped off the porch. He turned and waved before she shut the door.
She leaned against the closed door wishing she had let him stay, but the pain Drew had put her through stopped her. She loved him for over seven years before he decided to end their marriage and loved him after he filed for divorce. When her love turned to hurt and then to anger, her love for him died, but she was a bit leery of beginning a new romance.
She closed the door and hurried upstairs. Rufus was barking out the front window as Randy walked to his truck. When Kellie entered her bedroom, she thought she saw someone or something reflected in the floor length mirror on her jewelry armoire. She spun, but the shadow was gone. She laughed at herself thinking she had been investigating too many mysteries.
Her cell rang. “Hello.”
“Hi, how was your date?”
“Claudia, how did you know I was on a date? Never mind, I know you picked up some cosmic vision.” Kellie began to laugh.
“I’m a psychic, Kellie, it’s what I do, but there’s more.”
“More what?” Kellie bit her lip and furrowed her brow. Claudia never called just to chat.
“You’re being followed by some sort of entity. I can’t tell what it is, but it’s evil.”
“What?” Kellie dropped down on the bed and called out for Rufus. He bounded in the room barking at the sliding doors and then stopped and sat next to her.
“All I can see is a shadow,” Claudia said. “I can tell it’s evil, but I think it’s some form of spirit and not a demon.”
“Well, that makes me feel much better. What does it want?”
“I’m not sure. Right now I feel it wants something from you, but isn’t ready to make itself known. It stays near your home and is outside in the fields when Rufus is in the house with you. Rufus can see it. It follows you when you are in town. When you travel more than a few miles, it returns to the field since Rufus is usually in the house.”
Kelli stared at her phone and shook her head. Pushing the speaker button she lay back on her bed.
“What should I do?”
“Nothing, I only wanted to warn you that something is following you and it’s not human.”
“I don’t want to move to a hotel again to get away from a spirit.” Kellie’s fists balled up in anger.
“It wouldn’t help. It stays close to you except when you are near other spirits like at the Devenly home. It would follow you to a hotel here in town. You would need to put distance between you.”
“Okay, I’ll keep Rufus close and you tell me whatever else you might learn.” Kellie wiped a tear from her eye.
“I will, take care, Kellie.” Claudia broke the connection and Kellie did her best not to cry. She was tired of dealing with evil spirits.
########
Kellie tossed and turned most of the night. Her sl
eep was interrupted several times by a loud male voice telling her not to tear down the Devenly house and a small child crying. She was convinced both spirits haunted the Devenly house but not sure why.
Not being able to get back to sleep at six, Rufus nudged her with his nose. “Are you having bad dreams, too?” He barked at her laying his head on the edge of the bed near her pillow.
She mumbled to herself, “I’m sure the old man’s voice belongs to Albert Devenly, but could the child be Arabella? If so, why is she crying?” She’d asked herself that question several times and could never figure out the answer.
Tossing off the covers, she looked at Rufus and said, “I can’t sleep. Are you ready for our jog? You’re staying close to me today.” Rufus barked, and Kellie pulled on her navy blue jogging suit.
They jogged their usual path toward the park. Halfway into their run, Kellie began to slow down the way she did every day. When she reached her favorite bench, she sat for a few minutes and drank some water. She turned the bottle over and allowed a small stream to pour out. Rufus had learned to lap up the water from the stream. While Rufus drank, an idea hit Kellie. Even though Aunt Marge lived in an adjoining county, there might be some information at the Oaklin University Library. Kellie shook off the quick memory of meeting Drew for the first time in the library, and her mind returned to the mystery at hand.
Kellie and Rufus finished their jog. She poured food in Rufus’s dish and gave him fresh water. After a quick shower, she pulled on jeans and a red sweater. Pulling her hair into a pony tail, she was ready for breakfast and a trip to the library.
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Aunt Marge hung up the phone and looked at Beth. “My attorney said since there was never any paperwork between Albert and Bertram that the apartment can be torn down. Also, we have the right to look for Janelle’s will and store her belongings in the shed. Legally, I’m her closest legal relative now. If there is a will, her things will be given to whoever she wished. If there isn’t a will, the county will decide what happens to them. Either way, we can empty Janelle’s apartment. I think we should start today. Tomorrow is the memorial and the next day the workers will be here. I think they would move the heavy items to the shed if the small things are moved. I’ll pack, and you can carry boxes.” Aunt Marge sat back to catch her breath after her long declaration to Beth.
BLACK VELVET ROSES Page 4
