by Lotta Smith
“In that case, this house will be left abandoned for a while. I think that’s not good for the building,” said the lady who asked about the age of the building.
“I know. Leo and I have a lot to consider….” Fiona stopped short as her eyes landed at Wesley Andreano. “Gosh, Mr. Andreano! What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Fiona.” Mr. Andreano waved at her. “I was watching Brian’s TV show and found your family home listed as the next destination, so I signed up for this tour without telling you, intending to keep it a secret and surprise you.” His cheeks were slightly flushed as he spoke.
Fiona’s eyes widened. “Wow, I’m almost shocked. How come I didn’t realize you were here until now?”
“I was keeping low profiles.” Mr. Andreano grinned. “Surprised?”
“Yes, I was so surprised.” Fiona turned to her husband. “Leo, this is Mr. Andreano, my boss. Mr. Andreano, this is my husband.”
After watching the two men shake hands, Fiona stood up. “All right, now let me introduce you to the storehouse. I hope you won’t be disappointed.”
“Oh my God, I’m so excited!”
“Me too!”
Along with other guests, Carrie and Lauren followed her almost bouncing.
“Bon voyage, everyone! Hope you encounter her late grandmother.” Leo waved before clearing away the cups and plates on the table. “I’ll stay here, as the ghost never appears when I’m around. Maybe I have low sensibility for them, or perhaps they’re avoiding me as a nonbeliever.”
“She’s a little shy around Leo. That’s what I’m worried about right now. I really hope she’ll pop up. When she was alive, she used to be a social butterfly, but I’ve heard something about one’s personality changing after death.” Fiona tilted her head to the side, as if considering her own words.
“All right, folks. Don’t make loud sounds that may scare the ghost away. Like Fiona said, ghosts tend to be bashful,” Brian reminded, prompting everyone to shush each other.
We followed her out of the manor and walked across the garden. We didn’t get to see much of the area as it was late and the outside lights were dimmed, but the slightly salty breeze coming from Norwalk Harbor was cool and comfortable.
As we went on and the white-walled storehouse came into the view, everyone oohed and aahed.
“That’s impressive.”
“No, impressive is an understatement. It’s magnificent.”
Listening to the tour guests muttering, I found myself overwhelmed by the size of the storehouse. At the same time, I noticed some kind of magical air surrounded the building.
“What’s up? Is everything okay?” Rick asked, brushing a stray lock of hair away from my forehead.
Then I realized I was grasping his arm like a koala clinging to a eucalyptus tree.
Taking a deep breath and loosening my grip, I said, “Peachy. It’s just that I have this magical, bewitched feeling that I can’t explain, you know?”
“Does your gut instinct say, ‘Danger!’?” Rick asked me, stroking my shoulder.
“Your feet might feel slightly cold,” I caught Fiona telling the group. “It’s funny to say such a thing in July, but I always feel that way.”
“Well….” I calmed my nerves and observed the storehouse. “No. I don’t feel anything dangerous. I think it’s okay to go inside.”
“Good.” Rick nodded and followed the group.
As soon as I set my foot inside the storehouse, I was greeted by an unexpected chill in July—as if I’d wandered inside a refrigerator.
Others seemed to feel the same. I noticed them rubbing their arms, and the people who couldn’t stop talking suddenly fell silent.
“Leo and I are thinking about making this place into a café. However, before we start remodeling, we’re stuck with the tidying up part,” Fiona explained, showing the space scattered with antique wooden crates and smaller boxes. “Both of us being such novices with history, and…”
While she was still talking, a noise that sounded like someone knocking on the wall echoed.
“The noise came from above.”
“Oh, this building has an upstairs.”
The tour participants started to chatter excitedly.
“One moment.” Brian raised his hand. “Let me check out the upstairs to see if everything’s okay.”
Then he gestured to Rick and me to come after him.
Brian went up the stairs, with Fiona, Rick, and me following. The group of tour guests were left by themselves, but they were within a few yards’ distance.
Suddenly, Brian looked back. “Fiona, did you write that?”
“Write what?” she asked, sounding puzzled. Then she gasped. “Oh my… that’s Nana’s handwriting!”
My jaw dropped.
Dear Club Paranormal Tourism guests, welcome to the Kimmelstiel Manor! was handwritten in black ink on the white wall.
“Why is it here? I wasn’t expecting this,” Fiona muttered, sounding shocked.
“I believe you,” I said, patting her hand.
“That’s beautiful penmanship,” Rick commented.
He sounded more amazed than shocked. Perhaps that had something to do with our latest encounter with a ghost that had been stuck with an antique ring. By accident, she ended up possessing his mother’s body.
Just like Rick said, the letters were meticulously written but flew so smoothly.
“Did you tell your granny anything?” I asked Fiona.
“Actually, yes.” She nodded. “This morning, I told her about expecting guests from Club Paranormal Tourism, but she didn’t show up at that time, so I thought she wasn’t listening. Oh my God….”
As the four of us chatted about the mysterious paranormal note written on the wall, Carrie joined us. “Did you say note?” she said.
“Yes,” Fiona replied. “We just came across a welcome note on the wall that wasn’t here in the morning.”
“Can we see it?” Lauren asked excitedly.
“Of course, help yourself. Be careful not to trip on the steps, okay?” As Brian spoke, the tour guests came up the stairs one by one. The exorcist then turned to Fiona. “Do you mind if they take some photos of your granny’s note?”
“Of course not. Nana will be happy, I’m sure.” Fiona smiled.
Everyone started snapping their phone cameras at the wall.
“Look, the letters are fading,” Lauren gasped, prompting others to take more and more photos.
“Wow! Look, the letters are changing!” Mr. Andreano exclaimed, and he was right.
Indeed, a new sentence appeared on the same wall.
Take your time. No need to hurry.
While everyone was taking photos and videos of the wall, I climbed down the stairs, trying my best to keep a low profile. I had a hunch that the letters were meant to entertain and distract the visitors.
When I reached the floor downstairs, an old lady in a floral-print Lilly Pulitzer maxi dress was standing there.
“Excuse me, are you Fiona’s grandmother?”
She nodded, smiling. “I am. You must be Mandy. I’ve heard so much about you from Fiona. Thank you so much for coming all the way from Manhattan.”
“Thank you for entertaining the tour guests. I hope we’re not bothering you,” I said.
“Bothering me? No. Of course not!” She threw her head back and let out a hearty laugh. “When you’re dead, you’re always bothered by the endless boredom, you know. By the way, feel free to call me Beverly.”
“Okay, Beverly. Nice to meet you.” As I extended my hand to show my courtesy—even though we both knew we couldn’t shake hands, we could at least pretend to—Jackie popped up from out of nowhere.
“Hello, Fiona’s granny! I’m Jackie, Mandy’s guardian angel,” she said perkily, literally bouncing.
“Oh, I didn’t expect you’d have a guardian angel.” Beverly’s eyes widened. “Nice meeting you, Jackie. Call me Beverly.”
“Of course!”
The t
wo ghosts exchanged air kisses. Of course, their kisses were always air kisses.
Beverly turned to me when she was finished with her introduction to Jackie. “I’m so glad to meet you both. I’m sure you ladies will protect Fiona, my baby, from harm’s way.”
“How may I help her?” I asked.
“Fiona is a nice young lady. However, she tends to be too trusting. This trait of hers may lead her to mayhem, and….” Beverly paused. “Mandy, please keep her out of harm’s way.”
“Beverly, I have a feeling that you know more about the harm approaching Fiona,” Jackie said. “Can you tell us more about it?”
“I wish I could.” Beverly shook her head helplessly. “All I can see is that grave danger is coming her way. I’m dying to know more, but unfortunately, that’s all I can say right now. Unlike what I used to imagine when I was still alive, you don’t have special skills such as predicting the future and finding true love for people. Still, when I saw Fiona walk inside the storehouse, I felt she was in danger. It was like a gut instinct. I don’t know why I felt that way, but I had to warn my granddaughter. Anyway, I was lucky Fiona was able to hear my voice. I’ve heard many horror stories about other ghosts’ loved ones unable to hear their voices, much less communicate with them. Also, chatting with someone like you is almost a miracle to me. Thanks again for coming, Mandy,” Beverly said, adding, “Of course, I appreciate your presence and your friendship, Jackie.”
“Me too!” Jackie gave Beverly a thumbs-up.
“Can you always communicate with Fiona?” I asked.
“I can at times, as we’re genetically related. However, our communication isn’t always open. Also, it’s not like I can convey everything I wish to tell her.” Then she looked at me in what seemed to be admiration. “You know, Mandy, you’re closer to Jackie and me compared to the rest of the living people.”
“I know!” Jackie chimed in. “Sometimes I almost forget that she’s on the other side of the world.”
“Excuse me?” My eyes widened.
“Come on, Mandy. Consider our words as a compliment.” Jackie winked, prompting me to roll my eyes.
Beverly’s hazel eyes sparkled with excitement. “My goodness! I’m so glad to meet you both. It’s been practically forever since I….”
But she didn’t finish her sentence. The sound of footsteps echoed in the air.
As someone came downstairs, Fiona’s grandmother disappeared.
CHAPTER 4
I looked around, searching for her. “Beverly? Where are you?” I called her name softly, not wanting to startle whoever was coming down the stairs.
“Beverly? Where are you?” Jackie called loudly, since most people couldn’t hear her.
“Can you feel her?” I whispered to Jackie.
“No.” She shook her head. “I think my new ghost friend prefers to keep a low profile.”
As the footsteps came closer, Jackie floated up to peek at who was coming.
“It’s her,” she said, bouncing back to me. “The woman with a name that sounds like an alias. What was her name? Oh yes, Susan White. She’s coming down.”
“Oh.” When I turned back toward the stairs, Susan had just reached the bottom. She sucked in air as she found me standing there.
“Hi.” I did a little finger wave at her, trying to be social. “What are you doing here?”
She didn’t wave back. “What are you doing here?” Frowning, her tone was demanding rather than a friendly greeting.
“Oh, I happen to be a history aficionado, and I was captivated by those boxes and crates from the past,” I lied.
“Oh yeah?” She snorted as if I’d uttered some profanity.
Beverly must have returned upstairs to resume entertaining her guests, as I caught people hooting and applauding. Apparently, the tour guests had forgotten about Brian’s guidance to stay quiet.
Susan glanced above her head. “What are they, kindergarten kids? I can’t believe they’re impressed so easily. What a ridiculous bunch of people,” she muttered, shaking her head.
“Aren’t you interested in paranormal activity?” I asked. “I thought everybody in this tour liked supernatural stuff.”
“That’s none of your business. In my opinion, ghosts and paranormal mumbo jumbo are so overrated,” Susan said curtly. “I think I’ll go out, I need some fresh air. I have a headache from the heat of the crowd and, of course, the noise.”
“Okay, perhaps you want to loosen up a little.”
Without acknowledging my words, she left the storehouse.
“What a rude lady!” Jackie stuck out her tongue while floating by my side. “Hasn’t her mom told her to keep her mouth shut when she can’t say anything nice?”
“I know,” I agreed. “Is she the danger Beverly told us about? You know, as soon as we heard her footsteps, Beverly went silent and….”
I paused midsentence, realizing someone else was coming down the stairs. I held my breath and scurried behind one of the crates. As they say, speak of the devil. The footsteps approached me when I was thinking about the danger, so I braced myself for whatever hazard, until that person said, “Mandy, are you down here?”
“Oh, it’s you, Rick.” I waved at him, approaching the staircase.
“Playing hide and seek?”
“Not really.” I shook my head. “You know, I had a gut feeling that Beverly might be here, which turned out to be right. Jackie and I had a little chat with her.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “What did she say about the danger coming Fiona’s way?”
“She didn’t go into details,” I said.
“I think she knew more about it, but for some reason she was hesitant to share that with us,” Jackie said, knitting her eyebrows.
She had a point, so I relayed her words to Rick. “Before we could ask more questions, Susan White, that lady looking bored and absolutely uninterested, came down, and Beverly disappeared. Jackie and I were discussing if that Susan woman was the danger coming Fiona’s way.”
“I see. That’s possible.” He crossed his arms. “So, where’s Susan White?”
“She went outside, saying she needed some fresh air.”
While I was filling Rick in about my encounter with Beverly and Susan, footsteps echoed and people came down.
* * *
“I was so impressed by the silhouette of rabbits dancing on the walls. That was absolutely fascinating!” one of the tour guests exclaimed as we went back to the salon in the main building.
“I know!”
“I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Others agreed one by one.
“Fiona, your grandma is such a darling,” Lauren said. “If you get the chance to see Beverly, let her know how much we appreciate her. I’m a huge fan.”
Everyone was excited after encountering the ghost of Beverly.
“Thank you so much, Brian!” an elderly lady with an air of elegance and sophistication exclaimed, offering her hand to the exorcist. “It was the most fascinating tour I’ve ever joined.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this little excursion.” Brian grinned, bending down and taking her hand. Straightening up, he continued. “But please remember I’m just a navigator here. Your fun night should be attributed to Fiona, who generously offered to host us. Thank you, Fiona!”
As he clapped his hands, everyone applauded, expressing their appreciation.
“It was nothing.” Fiona broke into a grin. “Actually, I should be thanking you for a wonderful time. At first, I wasn’t very sure about having you over. To be honest, when I learned the number of guests coming over, I was more scared than excited. Anyway, thank you very much for joining this tour. It’s been a while since I’ve had such a good time.”
We were savoring some rosehip tea served by Fiona.
Brian glanced at his watch. “Okay, folks, it’s about time for us to leave here.”
“Ooh… talk about time flies, especially when you’re having fun,” Carrie said longingl
y.
“You’re so right,” Lauren agreed. “Fiona, if you please, I’d like to visit here again.”
“Me too!” others chimed in.
“Hey, you’re winning over guests’ hearts before even launching your business,” Rick said. “Congratulations, Fiona!”
“Why, thank you.” Fiona beamed. “I’ll be more than happy to welcome you. And I promise to send you invitations as soon as we get your contact information and we’re ready to host you. Oh gosh, I’ve got to work harder, tidying up the storehouse, hiring contractors for renovation and everything.”
“Okay, folks, it’s time to go back to the city,” Brian announced. “Be careful not to leave your personal belongings here.”
As people stood up and moved on, I approached Fiona. “Phew, it took longer than planned. I hope you’re not too bothered.”
“No, of course not!” She chuckled. “It’s not like I’ll have to get up early tomorrow.”
“Okay. Brian will be coming back as soon as he’s loaded the tour guests on the bus. Let’s talk when he’s back, okay?” I said, unconsciously lowering my voice.
“That will be great. Thank you.” She clasped my hand. “So, did you feel anything spiritual about the storehouse?”
“Actually, I met and talked to your granny.”
Fiona’s eyes widened. “What? Real—”
“Brian, we’ve got a problem,” Baz, the bus driver for Club Paranormal Tourism, said as he came into the salon.
“What’s up?” Brian asked. “Don’t tell me the bus broke down.”
“No, I mean, it’s nothing like a technical glitch. But… it’s hard to say. You’ve got to come with me and see it yourself.”
“What?” Brian arched an eyebrow, but as Baz’s face stayed serious, he excused himself from the guests and followed the bus driver.
As one of the camera crew went after them, Rick stood up. “I’ll go and take a look.”
“Me too.” I followed them.
The moment Baz opened the entrance door, I blinked. I was expecting to see the moonlit garden, but all I could see was whiteness spreading all over the place—as if Jackson Pollock had decided to paint everything using just buckets of milky-white paint. The fog was so dense that I had a hard time seeing my own hand.