The first three days of the week passed quickly, and before they knew it the aroma of turkey baking woke them on Thanksgiving morning. Mrs. Decker made her special biscuits, but added pumpkin to them and served them with cinnamon butter. Drew ate one after the other. Kellie was concerned he’d never have room for Thanksgiving dinner that afternoon. She tried to take the platter of biscuits away from him, but Drew grabbed it back. He grinned and slathered another biscuit with butter.
Cole and Andrea stopped by to wish everyone Happy Thanksgiving. They also wanted to show off the diamond ring on Andrea’s left ring finger.
“He asked me last night. I couldn’t say no,” she gushed.
The girls hugged. Taylor and Kellie cried. Their joy sparkled in their eyes diminishing their worries Cole would never find true love after Emma broke his heart. Hunter and Drew slapped Cole on the back and shook his hand.
“I was nervous she would say no.”
“No way. I was hoping you’d ask for Christmas. This was a wonderful surprise. We’re not sure of the date, but we’re planning on sometime between next Thanksgiving and Christmas.”
“That’s a lovely time of year for a wedding,” Taylor said.
“My bridesmaids will wear Christmas green dresses. Will you both please stand up with me?”
“Of course,” Kellie said.
Taylor spun around, “Christmas green will be perfect with my red hair.” She curtsied and said, Yes, I shall.”
Kellie burst into laughter. “This is exciting and I can see Taylor is more than willing.”
The three girls hugged again.
Cole helped Andrea on with her coat and they left for her parent’s house.
“Another wedding next year, this is wonderful,” Kellie said as she settled onto the parlor sofa. “I can’t wait to help with the plans.”
“Christmas green dresses will be so pretty. I hope she chooses a frosty winter wonderland theme. I can’t wait either.”
“What is it with women?” asked Hunter. He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter who is getting married, they get excited.”
Drew shrugged.
Their guests would be arriving in a couple of hours. They needed to change clothes. Hunter ran down the hall to get to the shower first. Taylor laughed at him. “There are eight showers in this house. What’s he worried about?”
Drew shrugged as he headed up the stairs to his own shower.
########
It was a cold day even for late November. The wind was brisk, and leaves blew in tiny cyclones around the yard. Blue sky with an occasional white fluffy cloud passing by could be seen from each window. It was a perfect day for hours of baking, and the smell of turkey and pumpkin pie wafted throughout the house.
Kyle and Becky were the first guests to arrive. It gave all of them time to discuss recent events.
Kyle said, “My mom isn’t doing well in the nursing home. She needs to go back to rehab, but they won’t be able to take her until well after the first of the year.” His left hand lay in his lap, and he bounced his right hand up and down as he spoke. “I’ve hired therapists to help her as much as they can until she’s able to return to full-time therapy. It’s sad. She was beginning to try and speak.”
“She is? What was she saying?” Kellie asked leaning forward.
“We think it might have been her name. She was saying “mmmaa.” It sounds as if she was trying to say her last name.”
Kellie raised her eyebrows. “Wouldn’t it make more sense if she tried saying Sandra? Maybe she was trying to say Malone hit her. From what I’ve read about her accident, it’s quite possible the old man hit her intentionally. I believe he did.”
“Oh my, that could be it,” said Becky, her hand flying to her mouth. “When she understands, she blinks, or her eyes open wide. A few times we were visiting, and discussing when his body was removed. Whenever Kyle said Old Man Malone her eyes opened wide. We thought she recognized her name. What if…?” Her eyes filled with tears.
“What if she was trying to tell us it was him? I don’t refer to him as grandfather. I consider him an accident before my birth. I always say Old Man Malone.” Kyle added. “He may be the one who hurt my mom.” Kyle stood and strode to the far side of the room. His right hand balled into a fist. Becky approached him and placed her hand on his arm. He dropped his head and relaxed his hand. She reached for his hand and he smiled.
“Let’s pray your mom recovers enough to let you know. What about your animals?” Hunter inquired.
“The vet confirmed it was rat poison. There were traces left in their feed. It’s horrible. I’m going to concentrate on mom until spring so we’re not buying any new animals. I had someone from the Geological Society take soil samples from around the house and barn plus near the new house under construction and some randomly in the fields. I think he must have taken over 100 samples. I told him I don’t care what it cost. I need to be sure my soil is clean and safe.” He sat back and sighed. “So how’s everyone else?”
Drew filled them in on the strange events happening at the mansion. Becky’s eyes never blinked as she listened to Drew. Kyle shook his head slowly while he held her hand. After hearing the details, Kyle agreed with Drew that the same person was responsible.
“What we don’t know,” quipped Taylor,” Is it human or a ghost?”
“Ghost?” said Becky. “Could that be the reason he can do all this. The old man’s ghost has returned. We heard his grave was opened.” She leaned against Kyle wiping the last of her tears away.
Kellie interlaced her fingers and squeezed them tight. “Yes, but a ghost wouldn’t need to break out. Why would he come back now over a year after his death?”
None of them could find a plausible answer and decided they had a mystery on their hands. The doorbell chimed and they heard happy chatter as their guests arrived. It was time to table the subject of ghosts.
########
After a superb meal that rivaled their previous Thanksgiving feast, Hunter and Taylor invited her parents to see their newly decorated apartment. Taylor had turned it into a beautiful show place. Practically pulling her mom to the apartment, Taylor’s excitement grew. Flailing her arms and dancing a little, she showed off her new home. Happiness flashed in her eyes. Hunter and Mr. Stewart stood and watched a very animated Taylor point out each item that excited her.
They walked back to the parlor laughing and enjoying their conversation. Mrs. Stewart said to Kellie, “It’s so nice of you to allow Taylor and Hunter to live in that beautiful wing rent free until they save for their down payment.”
Taylor’s glee was hard to hide, “Mom, it gets better than that. We’re building a new home.”
“Isn’t that a bit expensive in this economy, dear?”
Her smile was contagious. “No, Mom. Look.” She pulled her mom to the front window of the music room. “See the big empty lot across the street? It’s ours or it will be after we pay off the house. Kellie owns it now and Hunter wouldn’t let her give it to us so we came up with a great idea. After the house is built and paid for, we can pay off the lot without interest. It’ll save us a lot, and Kellie and I plan on putting a fence between the edge of her house and ours so our kids can play without going into the street. It’s going to be perfect.” She hugged her mom.
“Slow down Taylor. You and Kellie planned all of this? What did Hunter say?”
“He agrees. He knows Kellie and I are closer than sisters and we’ll always be close.” Her eyes sparkled and her smile assured her mom that her daughter was happier than she had been in a long time.
A choice of several desserts was offered. Hunter consumed two pieces of pumpkin pie cover in whipped cream. Drew gobbled down a massive slice of pecan pie. Enjoying each other’s company, the others ate slowly. Their guests left for home well after dark. Cold was settling in quickly. A fire in the parlor fireplace warmed the room. Drew and Hunter fell asleep on the floor. A scarf she was trying to crochet occupied Kellie and Taylor was lost in a
fashion magazine.
Chapter Eleven
The following week brought near normalcy into the house and lives of the four friends. Hunter and Taylor returned to work. Drew was told the extra ten hours per week he was working would be permanent. At thirty hours, he would be eligible for health insurance.
Kellie returned to school carrying the scar of her loss, but making the best of things. No one at school knew about the baby. She didn’t have to deal with sympathetic looks or verbal condolences. Her need for revenge grew, but she had no idea how to enact any type of revenge against a ghost. Her stomach knotted each time she thought about him.
Drew’s joy about decorating the outside of the house for Christmas was catching. He had more lights added to the second floor with the help of a handy man. Hunter added more lights to the southern wing. Along with the manger scene from the previous year, Taylor added a snow family and several small lighted pine trees in wooden containers. When the men were done, the house would have fit into Santa’s village.
Kellie brought the box containing the battery operated window candlesticks to the dining room table. After putting fresh batteries in each candlestick, they waited for the clock to chime five o’clock to set the six hour timers. With only two of them setting the candles this time, it took them longer than last year. Memories of Emma’s help the previous Christmas touched Kellie’s heart for a moment. However, Emma’s betrayal of both her and Taylor erased it as quickly as it had arrived.
Kellie said, “If the lights come on and off at different times, it’ll make the house look more natural and lived in. We’ll place differently timed candles in each room.”
Taylor nodded rapidly as she tried to turn the candles to their “timer” position as quickly as possible. Kellie tried to keep up. They dissolved into gales of laughter when they finally finished the candles and had no idea which would light up first. “Well,” Taylor shrugged, “We’ll walk around the house at five tomorrow evening and see if they look okay.”
Putting up the tree was the next project. Although it was a pre-lit 9 foot tree with connected branches that fell into place when sat upright, Drew moaned and groaned while putting it up. Hunted grabbed the back of the tree and pulled, but they both looked more like a comedy team.
The four sat in the parlor admiring their perfectly lighted tree. It was agreed that after dinner the following evening they would decorate it. The ornaments would be brought down and placed in the parlor before they arrived home tomorrow said Austern.
########
Everyone was in a festive mood when they went to bed. The house had been quiet. Drew, in an amorous mood, barely gave Kellie time to finish her shower before he lifted her in his arms and carried her to bed. Their passion grew until both had been pleasured. His gentle snoring let Kellie know he was sound asleep.
Kellie was tired but not able to sleep. Holiday plans raced through her head. A glass of Mrs. Decker’s homemade eggnog was calling her to the kitchen. She rode the elevator to the first floor. Moonlight and a small light above the kitchen sink gave her enough light to find a glass and fill it with eggnog.
Leaning against the counter she enjoyed the peace and quiet of the house. She turned to place the glass in the dishwasher, and saw the figure in black with her grandfather’s aging face standing less than ten feet from her. Stepping back from him, the glass tumbled from her hand. The sound of breaking glass echoed in the large kitchen. The elevator door was closed blocking her retreat.
“Damn,” she yelled as she hit the button several times trying to open the door. The door began to slide open, and immediately a black fog rolled out of the elevator enveloping her. Recoiling from the fog, she couldn’t tell in which direction to run. Taking a chance, she headed for what she thought was the door to the dining room. She was right, ran through the doorway into the dining room, and out into the foyer. Kellie began her assent up the north staircase of the duel staircases when she stopped short on the second step. Her scream stuck in her throat. The figure in black was standing on the opposite staircase smiling at her. His piercing black eyes gleamed with delight. He knew he had her.
“Bam, bam” she heard the sound of a gun, and then heard it four more times. All six bullets hit the figure in black. His clothes shifted with each hit. Looking up, she saw Drew at the top of the stairs with a gun in his hands. Holding the gun tightly with both hands, he was staring at the figure in black.
“You got him, you got him. I saw it. He has to be dead.” Kellie squealed and jumped off the stair.
She turned back to check if the figure in black was lying on the floor, but he was standing there grinning at her. He took a step closer holding the stair rail wrapping his long yellow nails around it. His black eyes shifted from Kellie to Drew. His eyes shot back to Kellie and he grinned again. Then he slowly faded away.
A scream erupted from Kellie ricocheting through the mansion.
The gun shots had alerted Hunter, Taylor, and Austern.
The three rushed into the foyer, and Drew came down the stairs. Running his hand over each stair looking for blood, he found nothing but a bit of black soot. He knew he had hit the figure in black at least four of the six times he shot. Austern saw six bullet holes in the far wall of the foyer and checked each for blood. Nothing.
“It appears all six shots either missed him or went through him.”
“You hit him. I know it,” said Kellie. “With each shot you could tell he was hit. Where did he go? He seemed to melt into the air. He’s a ghost.”
“We must call 911,” said Austern his face calm, but his eyes gave away his concern “A neighbor may have heard the shots. It isn’t something we can hide, but it will be hard to explain.”
“They’re going to think I’m a bad shot and missed him six times. They won’t believe he’s a ghost. Go ahead and call, Austern. We might as well get it over with.” Drew sat down on the stairs to wait. He set the gun on the step next to him. Placing his elbows on his knees, he propped his head up with the back of his hands. “I’m going to be arrested,” he mumbled.
########
An officer arrived, interviewed each member of the household, and took a report. While he was interviewing Hunter, a detective arrived. Kellie was pleased it wasn’t her Uncle Mike. A third man arrived wearing a police jacket and carrying what appeared to be a small suitcase. He began examining the wall and removed the six bullets after taking at least twenty photos of the wall and surrounding areas. He took measurements and angles and told the detective all the bullets were shot from above.
“The top of the stairs is the correct angle. At first glance, I don’t see blood on the bullets. I’ll check them at the lab,” the tech announced. He packed up his things and left.
The detective looked straight at Drew and pointed at the wall. With one hand on his hip and the other pointing at the wall, he said, “Mr. Adamson, I strongly suggest you take several shooting lessons at the local firing range. From first appearances, you didn’t shoot anyone, and your intruder escaped. With such bad aim, you could have shot anyone accidentally. Next time you’ll be ticketed for reckless use of a hand gun. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” He dropped his head. “I’m sorry.”
The detective glared at Drew for another minute, nodded at the officer, walked to the front door, turned back and said, “Don’t forget. Take those lessons.” He huffed out of the door and down the front steps.
Drew bit his lip, balled up his fists, and stormed down the stairs. “Reckless use of a handgun? How was I supposed to defend myself by telling him I was shooting at a ghost? They’d have taken me away to the mental health center in handcuffs.” He sat on another stair crossing his arms over his chest. “Crazy Dr. Adamson,” they’ll call me.
“Drew, I saw the bullets hit him, and I saw him disappear. You don’t know what happened before you shot at him.” Kellie recalled her harrowing encounter in the kitchen.
“It doesn’t matter. If this gets out, I’ll be fired. This has to stop,
Kellie,” he stood, stomped down the stairs and into the library.
The four were convinced someone the police would never catch was wandering around inside the house. The security tapes showed nothing except the black fog in the kitchen. The officer had spoken to the guards. Nothing unusual was reported.
Hunter turned toward Kellie and asked, “Did the fog have an odor? It appears to be smoke.”
“It didn’t smell like smoke. I would have remembered that.”
Taylor said, “It reminds me of the kind of smoke they use in carnivals to make things appear or disappear, the proverbial “smoke screen.”
“Okay,” added Hunter, “If it was a smoke screen then we’re dealing with a human intruder. A ghost would be able to make it appear and disappear at will. The officer said there was a slight trace left in the kitchen even after Austern opened the windows.”
“What about the bullets? They went straight through him. He had to be a ghost. Maybe we have an intruder who can pretend to also be a ghost?” Kellie dropped her head in her hands and sighed. “I’m so confused.”
“That might be what he’s after. Human or ghost, he’s confusing us, taunting us, terrifying us, but for what reason?”
No one could come up with an answer to Hunter’s question. They all had busy days coming up and needed sleep, but sleep seemed unlikely.
########
The next evening a delicious meal and some spiked eggnog were enjoyed by all before they decorated the tree. Happy chaos ensued when they tried to decorate at the same time. They decided each would take turns adding an ornament. Drew sat back and said it looked better than it had the year before. Taylor and Hunter had also gotten a tree for their apartment. The two trees gave the house a lovely homey appeal from the outside.
The weekend was enjoyable. They decided to go out to the Pizza Pub on Saturday night, and met Cole and Andrea there for an entertaining evening. Andrea had settled Cole down a bit or was it love? He ate more pizza than anyone, but he drank far less beer, and was able to walk unassisted at evenings end.
OLD MAN MALONE RETURNS Page 10