Haunting Danielle 28 The Ghost and the Birthday Boy

by Bobbi Holmes

  After slipping on her running shoes, she headed for the bathroom. Not wanting to wake anyone up, she didn’t turn on her bedroom light when she eased open the door. A night-light plugged into a nearby hallway socket partially illuminated the area. She had only opened the door a few inches when she heard steps coming down the attic stairs. It has to be Walt and Danielle, she thought, re-closing the door, leaving it open only a sliver.

  Standing inside the bedroom, she peered out into the dimly lit hallway. Silently, she watched as Walt and Danielle walked past her door and headed toward the stairs leading to the first floor. She waited until she felt they were downstairs before coming out into the hall.

  When initially deciding to follow Walt and Danielle over to the Marymoor property, Laura had considered taking her parents’ truck, yet she was afraid they would see her following them. The property wasn’t that far away, and the sun was coming up, so Laura decided to walk—or jog. I need the exercise anyway, Laura told herself. She remembered Lily telling her how Heather jogged every day on the beach. Laura had tried that once and found it brutal. Jogging on sand was not Laura’s thing, but perhaps she could do it on the streets from Marlow House to June and John’s property.

  Walt and Danielle were still in the garage at Marlow House when Laura took off running, keeping out of sight and in the shadows. Laura had gone a little over a block when she noticed headlights coming up the street in her direction. She assumed they were from Walt and Danielle’s car. Breathing heavily, Laura wondered how Heather did this every morning, especially on sand. Needing to take a break and to drop out of sight for a minute, Laura dived into nearby bushes. As she landed with an ungraceful thud, she heard the startled hissing sound of a cat, who ran from the bush, off into the darkness. Fortunately, she had not landed on the cat’s body, just its tail.

  Breathing heavily and rubbing a hand over her bruised thigh, she noticed her pants were now soaked from the wet ground. A moment later the Packard drove by without seeing her. She groaned and awkwardly got to her feet while wiping mud and dirt from her pants. Instead of jogging the rest of the way, Laura stuck to a fast run, while grateful she had done no actual damage with her geeky jump into the bushes.

  When Laura arrived at the property, she found Walt and Danielle sitting in the Packard. Overhead, to the east, the sun peeked over the trees. Laura assumed the Marlows were waiting for someone. Who? That she planned to discover. Creeping closer to the Packard while staying out of sight, Laura hid behind a grouping of bushes some six feet from the car. She cringed at the possibility of Walt and Danielle finding her there. What would she say to them?

  Laura didn’t have long to consider that thought. The next moment, Walt and Danielle got out of their car. She watched as they approached the open gate leading into the property, just a few feet away. The pair stopped walking.

  “Please don’t leave,” Laura heard Danielle call out. Laura didn’t believe Danielle spoke to her, since Danielle’s and Walt’s backs were to her.

  “I have something you need to hear,” Danielle said.

  Who is she talking to? Laura wondered. She expected someone to come walking out of the shadows. But instead of a person, what looked like a fallen tree branch lifted from the ground and flew toward Walt and Danielle. An instant later the branch froze in midair, hovering overhead a few seconds before falling to the ground. Laura threw a hand over her mouth and gasped.

  “Please don’t do that again,” Danielle asked the spirit standing just inside the gate. He ignored her request, and the next moment a small boulder lifted from the ground and flew in their direction. Walt focused on the incoming missile. It froze in midair, gently vibrating as the competing energy of Walt and Waylon pressed the boulder from opposite sides. And then, like fireworks at Fourth of July, the boulder literally exploded, sending bits of rock in all directions, raining down on them.

  “Would you stop that!” Danielle snapped. “Are you Waylon? We just want to talk.”

  Molly appeared. “Please leave. You’re frightening Waylon.”

  “Waylon is the one throwing trees and boulders at us, not the other way around,” Danielle told Molly.

  Molly looked at Waylon. “Don’t throw things.”

  “I didn’t mean to frighten him,” Danielle said. “But we just need to talk to you. We’re here to help.”

  “You can’t help us,” a third spirit said. The next moment, the spirit attached to the voice appeared. He stood to Molly’s right.

  “I assume you’re Sid? I’m Danielle, and this is my husband, Walt.”

  “Listen to Molly,” Sid said. “You need to leave before Randal comes back.”

  “I saw Randal yesterday,” Danielle said. “He’s not coming back. He told me he did some bad things, and he hurt all of you.”

  “Randal said that?” Sid frowned. “I don’t believe you.”

  “I also need to talk to some of your other patients,” Danielle told Molly. She then listed the names of the eight women Chris and Heather had seen.

  “Why do you want to talk to them?” Molly asked.

  “Because it’s time for them to go home. They should never have been sent here. None of them deserved to be sent to Marymoor,” Danielle said.

  A morning breeze replaced the stillness, sending the leaves overhead fluttering—yet only on the property where Marymoor Sanatorium once stood. Neighboring trees, not on the site, remained motionless. After a few moments the breeze died off, the leaves grew still, and eight transparent apparitions appeared, standing behind Molly, Waylon, and Sid. The Forgotten Women of Marymoor.

  “What do you mean we can go home?” one called out. “Is this a trick?”

  “It has to be. Randal must have found out we’ve been working together on a plan to expose him,” another one said.

  “It’s not a trick, and Randal is not coming back,” Danielle insisted.

  “Where is he?” one woman asked.

  “I assume facing the consequences for his actions,” Danielle said.

  “Do you really know what he did?” another woman asked.

  “Yes. Randal confessed his crimes,” Danielle said. “Which of you is Caroline?”

  “I am. Why do you call my name?” Caroline asked.

  “Your father was wealthy, and when he died, your mother remarried. Your stepfather was an evil man. After your husband died, your stepfather committed you to Marymoor, claiming your widow’s grief was something more serious, and Randal agreed with him. But he did it for the money your stepfather paid him,” Danielle told her.

  “They wouldn’t let me see my daughter! I begged them!” Caroline sobbed.

  “You can see her now,” Danielle said softly.

  “How can I do that?” Caroline asked.

  “Think back, Caroline, do you remember the last time you saw Randal? You didn’t feel good that day, you had a bad headache. You wanted to see a doctor. And you just wanted to go home. But Randal said you didn’t need to see the doctor, and that you were never leaving Marymoor. He told you to get used to your life, and he locked you in your room.”

  Caroline frowned.

  “Try to remember what happened,” Danielle urged.

  Caroline closed her eyes, trying to visualize that long-ago day. Finally, she opened her eyes and said, “I was so sick. I was alone for hours. And then my head stopped hurting. But I was still in bed. I watched myself sleep.”

  “You watched yourself sleep because you stepped out of your body,” Danielle explained. “You weren’t sleeping. Deep down you know the truth.”

  Caroline stared at Danielle for a few moments. Finally, she said, “I’m dead.”

  “And you don’t have to stay here anymore. You’re free. Free to go to your husband and daughter,” Danielle said.

  “Are you saying my daughter is dead?” Caroline asked.

  “Your daughter lived a long life. She married, had children and grandchildren. But that was many years ago. It was time for her to move on, and now it’s time for you to
move on.

  Caroline smiled at Danielle. “Thank you.” The next moment, Caroline vanished.

  “Which of you is Viola?” Danielle asked.

  “I’m Viola,” one of the women said as she took a step forward.

  “You married the wrong man. He wanted your money. He told everyone you died in Paris,” Danielle said.

  “I didn’t die in Paris,” Viola said.

  “No. You died at Marymoor,” Danielle whispered.

  Viola stared blankly at Danielle. Finally, she said, “I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to end it.”

  “And you did. But now you’re free to go. You’re no longer bound to Marymoor,” Danielle said.

  Viola smiled at Danielle and then disappeared.

  One by one Danielle called out the Forgotten Women of Marymoor, acknowledging what had happened to each one of them, giving them permission to move on. When only Molly, Sid and Waylon remained, Danielle said, “Molly, you tried to stop it. You found out what was going on. You confronted Randal.”

  Molly looked down at her hands now covered with blood. “He was so angry. He picked up a knife. And then Waylon walked in.” Molly looked to Waylon.

  “I was afraid. I should have helped you, but I ran away,” Waylon said.

  “It was too late to help her,” Danielle told him. “There’s nothing you could have done.”

  “I blamed Waylon,” Sid said. “He did nothing wrong.”

  “Like the others, you’re no longer trapped here. Randal is gone. He has to deal with the consequences of his own actions.”

  “Oh, my god, I’m dead!” Molly blurted.

  “It’s time for you to move on, Molly,” Danielle said gently.

  Molly looked at Waylon. She held out her hand. “Come, Waylon, it’s time to go now.” Waylon took Molly’s hand, and the two disappeared.

  Sid remained. He looked at Danielle. “I’m dead too, aren’t I?”

  Danielle nodded.

  “What’s going to happen to me?” Sid asked. “I did something bad. I killed Waylon, didn’t I? I remember now. I made it look like a suicide.”

  “Sid, face the consequences of your actions. It’s time for you to move on, too,” Danielle urged.

  Sid let out a sigh. “I’m tired of this place. I really wanted to get out of here. I thought about killing myself. Now I find out I’m already dead!” He vanished.

  Walt took Danielle’s hand. The two stood in silence for several minutes, staring at where the spirits had been standing.

  “You did good, Danielle,” Walt whispered.

  “Are they gone?” Danielle asked.

  “It certainly feels that way,” Walt said.

  “Let’s go home,” Danielle said with a sigh.

  Walt and Danielle turned toward their car, and when they did, they saw her.

  Forty

  Danielle’s eyes widened at the unexpected sight of Laura. Without thinking, she squeezed Walt’s hand. They both stared at Laura, neither one saying a word. Walt quietly reached down to loosen Danielle’s grip on his other hand, their eyes never leaving Lily’s sister.

  “Laura,” Danielle stammered, no longer squeezing Walt’s hand.

  Without saying a word, Laura abruptly turned and started running in the opposite direction.

  “Crap,” Danielle groaned. “What did she hear?”

  “What did she see?” Walt asked.

  “We’d better tell Lily.” Danielle took her cellphone from the pocket of her hoodie. “If we’re lucky, she’ll go straight to Lily’s and not to her parents.”

  “Why would she go to Lily’s first?” Walt asked.

  “Because something tells me going back to our house right now is the last thing she wants to do.”

  Lily opened the front door for Laura before she had time to knock. “Dani called, said you were probably coming here. Ian’s in the living room, waiting.”

  “I just want to talk to you,” Laura said.

  “But—” Lily began, only to be cut off by Laura.

  “Just the two of us,” Laura reiterated.

  Lily let out a sigh and led her sister into the living room. Sadie greeted them while Ian remained on the sofa.

  “Can you give us some privacy?” Lily asked.

  “Sure.” Ian stood up and gave the side of his pant leg a little pat, signaling to Sadie to follow him. They retreated to his study and shut the door.

  Laura sat on the sofa where Ian had been sitting, while Lily sat in the chair across from her. “Dani called. She said she and Walt saw you over at the lot, and that you ran off before she had a chance to talk to you. Said you seemed upset. What happened?”

  Laura stared at her sister. “Didn’t she tell you?”

  “A little. Why don’t you tell me?” Lily urged.

  “You’ll think I’m crazy.”

  “No, I won’t. Come on, Laura, tell me what happened.”

  Laura took a deep breath, exhaled, and started talking, telling Lily everything she had seen and heard at the Marymoor site, including exploding boulders and Danielle talking to imaginary people. Lily found herself relaxing because Laura was giving her the opening she needed to give her the explanation Danielle had suggested.

  “So you think I’m crazy?” Laura asked when she finished telling what had happened that morning.

  Lily smiled softly. “No. And I can probably explain what you saw.”

  “You can?”

  “Yeah, but I imagine you’ll think I’m crazy when I’m done.”

  “Go on,” Laura urged in a quiet voice, her gaze locked on Lily.

  “It’s about the rumors of the property being haunted. That used to be the site of the Marymoor Sanatorium, an insane asylum. None of us really took the stories seriously. After all, who believes in ghosts?” Lily grinned nervously.

  “Mom does,” Laura said.

  Lily let out a sigh. “Yeah, well, perhaps Mom was right. You see, after they bought the property, we saw some strange things over there. Some really strange things.”

  “Like rocks floating in the air and exploding?” Laura asked in a hesitant tone.

  Lily nodded. “When Heather and Chris were over there, they saw some strange stuff. Ian saw some things when he was over there, so did Walt and Danielle. Even Brian Henderson did. But Ian’s parents didn’t. I don’t think Joe and Kelly did. And if we said anything, you all would think we were nuts.”

  “Why were Walt and Danielle there today?” Laura asked.

  “First, I want to explain why we were all over at the Glandon Foundation instead of going out for dinner. We wanted to talk about what some of us had seen. I imagine Kelly told you that when Dani was little, she claimed to see ghosts. I’d be surprised if Joe didn’t tell her. And knowing Kelly, I expect she probably told you, especially with all this recent talk of haunted property.”

  Laura nodded. “Yeah. I knew that.”

  “Well, I doubt Dani really saw ghosts when she was little, no more than Rupert was real,” Lily began. “But over the years, Dani researched the topic and came up with a theory that since we’re all made up of energy, and when we die, they say that energy doesn’t die, then perhaps those places where some claim to experience hauntings are nothing more than that energy—trapped in some way. Considering the history of Marymoor, we figured trapped negative energy might be the explanation.”

  “Something was there.”

  “Yes. I agree. After we all talked on Wednesday night, we decided to investigate the history of Marymoor. Walt came across some information that suggested the head of the sanatorium had been taking bribes to incarcerate women who never should have been sent there. We decided, if anyone might haunt that place, it would be them.”

  “So Danielle was basically performing an exorcism?”

  Lily shrugged. “It sounds nuts. That’s why I never said anything. But we had to try something. And Dani and Walt feel it worked.”

  Laura slumped back on the sofa.

  “I hope it worked,” Lily mu
ttered under her breath.

  The two sisters sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Lily said, “I hate telling Kelly all this. It’s just going to cause problems between her and Joe. He would never imagine any of this might be possible.”

  Laura frowned. “Why do you have to tell her?”

  “For one reason, I had you tell her not to say anything about seeing us at the Glandon Foundation the other night, and I promised that in a few days I would explain why we were there,” Lily said.

  “That won’t be an issue,” Laura said. “All I told her was that I’d find out from you what was going on and suggested she not say anything right now. I didn’t tell her I’d already confronted you.”

  Lily frowned at Laura. “Why didn’t you tell her?”

  Laura shrugged. “You’re my sister. She doesn’t need to know everything that goes on between us. My first loyalty is to you.”

  Lily grinned at Laura. “Um, what time exactly did you guys stop over there the other night?”

  Brian Henderson pulled his car up in front of the Marymoor property on Saturday afternoon and parked. “You know, Kelly might drive up at any moment,” Brian teased after he and Heather got out of his car.

  Heather shrugged. “Hey, I decided if you don’t care, why should I?”

  With a grin, Brian walked around the car and took Heather’s hand. “Does this mean you’re bored with sneaking around?”

  Heather frowned. “Dang, I forgot about that.”

  Brian laughed, and together they walked hand-in-hand toward the chain-link gate. When they were a few feet away, they stopped and studied the property.

  “So they’re really gone?” Brian asked, no longer holding Heather’s hand.

  “I haven’t seen anything yet. It doesn’t feel creepy,” Heather said.

  “So Lily didn’t tell Laura everything?” Brian asked, his gaze still focused on the vacant lot.