by Rose Pressey
Brannon walked back over to where I stood. He looked stressed too, but that was understandable under the circumstances. He didn’t mention the fact that I had gotten out of the car. He had to know that I would come and stand around with everyone else. Everyone watched as he stepped over to me. They probably wanted to listen in to the conversation.
“Talk to you later.” I stepped away from Ruby.
“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” Brannon studied my face.
I had no idea how to act. “No, I don’t mind.”
“Based on the identification the victim’s name is Ashley Juliet.”
"That’s what I was afraid of,” I said.
“We need to figure out when the last time anyone saw her alive was.”
“Well, we walked into the shop and then I was at the back telling everyone stories… come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing her inside. I don’t remember seeing her boyfriend either. I guess the last time I saw them together was at the bookstore.”
If he’d taken her behind the building while I was telling stories, that would have been plenty of time to kill her.
“We found her body behind the shop, so somehow she got back there,” Brannon said. “We just don’t know how.”
“Whoever did it might have been caught on camera. Have you looked at the surveillance cameras from inside the shop and outside?” I asked.
“We’ll work on it, but I don’t know if they were at the right angle at the back of the shop. Who knows if they will show us anything.”
“Have you talked to the boyfriend about it? Of course you have… silly question. What did John say?” I asked.
“The same thing he’s been saying from the beginning, that they were together and then she disappeared. It doesn’t make sense and it doesn’t add up.”
“So you don’t believe him?” I asked.
Brannon stared right at me. “I don’t think so, no.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how was she murdered? I mean, how do you know she was murdered?”
He looked around, as if he wasn’t supposed to share this with me. “She was strangled. There’s obvious signs of a struggle, so it has to be murder. Markings on her neck, etc. Anyway, we’re going to take the boyfriend in for questioning.”
“Do you need anything else from me?” I asked.
“Not right now, but I’ll let you know. I can give you a ride home.”
“It’s not that far. It’s really not necessary. I know you have a lot of work to do.” It seemed as if they had their man, so I wouldn’t be worried about walking the streets of Devil’s Moon. Sure, there were murders, but I felt safe here now.
“I insist on giving you a ride,” Brannon said.
Another officer called Brannon over.
“See, you’re busy,” I said. “I’ll walk. You can almost see my apartment from here. I’ll call you soon as I get there.”
He sighed. “Okay, you can walk, but I’m having someone follow you in the patrol car. Then call me immediately.”
“That doesn’t even make any sense,” I said.
“That’s the way it is,” he said.
“Fine. I promise I’ll call.”
Brannon kissed me goodbye and I headed out toward my place. I just wanted to get in and away from all this craziness. I hoped that I didn’t spot Ruby again. I really didn’t want to talk right now. I was lost in my thoughts, trying to figure out what had happened. The police suspected John. That would mean that he had to have sneaked out while we were doing the tour, or they never went into the antique shop to begin with. Had there been enough time to murder her? Ashley could have been killed while we were standing outside, wondering where she was. After all, we hadn’t checked the back of the store. That thought sent a chill down my spine.
A fine mist of rain chased me as I hurried down the sidewalk. The eyes of Devil’s Moon remained on me with every step. Spirits were hiding just beyond the edge of this dimension. Traffic had all but disappeared, only a few remaining cars. The sidewalk was all mine at the moment. It felt as if I was suddenly the only living resident of Devil’s Moon.
I peered over my shoulder. The police car was driving slowly on the road beside me, so I wasn’t alone after all. I’d almost reached my place when I happened to glance over and saw a car sitting by the curb. A strange man was sitting behind the wheel. He was staring at me, which made me feel extremely uncomfortable under the circumstances. I had told Brannon that I would be fine, that it was safe, but maybe I was wrong. I opened the little iron gate that led up the path toward my apartment. Thank goodness the officer had followed me home.
Chapter 6
After arriving home and changing into my pajamas, I settled down on the sofa with a cup of hot tea to read the diary. I had to know more of what happened. I’d been so busy all day that I hadn’t had a chance to read anymore of the book. I’d been thinking about it a lot ever since. Sarah Tyler’s husband was gone now and she had to run the household alone, which was no easy task since she had all of the chores to do. Plus, the children were small.
The more I read, the more I felt like I knew her. I flipped the page. That was when a strange man arrived. He offered to help her with things around the house. In my mind I was telling her, No, don’t do that. But obviously she had done so. She needed my help years ago. I wouldn’t be able to stop her now. Not unless I invented a time machine. Who was the strange man? All we knew about him was that his name was Jacob. I knew she was desperate for help, but come on, the guy was a stranger. There was just something about him I didn’t like right away.
*
I woke up with a start. I had dreamed that I was the woman in the diary and danger was lurking around every corner. That was when I realized I had fallen asleep and it was morning. Light flooded the room. I frantically looked at the time on my phone. I was running really late. I had to hurry up and dress, then get to the library. After practically jumping into a pair of navy blue pants and a white and blue sweater, I shoved my feet into a pair of beige-colored flats and ran for the door.
Today was my day to be there early. Tammy and Monica wouldn’t be there for another couple of hours. Of all the times for me to be late. If what’s her face found out about it, I would never hear the end of it.
Plus, I still had to walk to work, so I stuffed the diary into the bag and took off toward the library. There was no time for dillydallying today. No stopping for coffee or a yummy croissant.
When I stepped into the library, I flipped on the light and the space flooded with light. Usually, Annie and Jane Austen greeted me at the door, but today they weren’t there. That was odd.
“Hey, you guys, I’m here,” I called out.
I didn’t get an answer. There was a heaviness in the room though, like I was trying to breathe through a thick fog. It had never felt that way before. I’d experienced this feeling in other places though, haunted places… bad places. I didn’t like the feeling. I tried to ignore it as I crossed the library floor to the reference desk. Since I’d been running late, I needed to hurry and get things prepared before people arrived. Usually I didn’t mind being alone in library, but today that was different. I just couldn’t shake this feeling.
I was behind the reference desk checking in books when I noticed a sound. I paused to listen, trying to figure out where it was coming from. It definitely sounded like footsteps, but I was alone in the library. Annie usually didn’t make a sound when she moved. And Jane Austen’s little paws never made any noise either.
Suddenly panic flowed through me. I was not alone in the library. I didn’t know what to do. Should I go see who was there? I supposed I had to… I was the only one here and I was the librarian. It was my job.
This was an old building and maybe it was just something settling, shifting. It was my imagination that turned another noise into what sounded like footsteps. I didn’t want to call Brannon without really being sure. I wouldn’t disturb Brannon for this.
I moved out from
behind the reference desk. I would just go check it out myself. It sounded like it was coming from upstairs. It always had been extra creepy up there. I paused at the end of the steps, wondering if I should call out to see if anyone answered. But it wasn’t like a burglar was going to say, “Yes, I’m here, come get me.”
So I sucked in a deep breath and then ascended the stairs. Annie and Jane Austen were still nowhere in sight. I could have used the extra presence at the moment. I made it to the top of the steps and then turned to the left to go down to the rooms we used for meetings and other events. The hardwood floors made noise under my steps. It was definitely what I’d heard.
I came to the first room on the right and slowly opened the door, inch by inch. When I peeked my head in, no one was around. I stepped in really quickly to make sure there wasn’t any place to hide, but no one was in that room. I moved down the hall to the next room. I did the same thing for each and every room up there. Still, I found no one. Whatever the noise was, it was gone now. More and more I began to think it had been my imagination.
I headed back downstairs to finish my work. Surely Jane Austin and Annie would be there when I got to the bottom.
Just as I reached the reference desk the sound came again. The footsteps seemed like someone wearing boots. Clomp, clomp, clomp. Was Annie playing a trick on me? She could do that if she wanted to—she had done in the past with patrons. I hoped that was the case this time.
“Annie, this isn’t funny. If you’re playing games come out and quit hiding.”
Yesterday had been a stressful time and I didn’t need any more this morning. I stepped out from the reference desk again to see if I needed to go look for Annie, but that was when the dark shadow zoomed past me. The wind brushed my hair and blew papers from the reference desk off onto the floor. I thought that I was going to fall forward, it had moved so strongly by me. It had even knocked the wind out of me. That was definitely not Annie. I didn’t know what it was, but it had an evil feeling. I just wanted it to go away.
I really was worried for Annie and Jane Austen. Where were they? I had to find them. Was this thing keeping her away? How had an evil spirit gotten into the library?
“Annie, where are you? This is important. I need to see you.” I stood in the middle of the floor.
My arms were thrust forward in my best karate position, even though I didn’t know karate. As if that would help me against a spirit. What would I do? Fight the evil spirit away? How could I do that when it didn’t have a human body? I had to be ready to fight though. This thing had attacked me. It was evil and I was alone. That made me vulnerable and the perfect target.
Just then the front doors opened. I spun around and screamed. Tammy and Monica were headed my way. Right away Tammy frowned. She realized something was wrong. Maybe it was due to the fact that I’d screamed out.
Tammy rushed over to me. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
“I was just attacked by a black shadow figure.”
Monica acted as if she hadn’t even heard me as she marched toward the reference desk. She plopped her big book bag down on the corner.
“What? Are you kidding me? In the library? Oh, my gosh. I’m scared,” Tammy said.
I hated that I had to tell her, but she had to know. I hoped this thing didn’t attack her too.
“I was here alone. I haven’t seen Annie or Jane Austen, which is really freaking me out. Then I heard footsteps, so I went upstairs to check it out.”
“You shouldn’t have done that alone. You should call the police.” Tammy pulled out her cell phone.
I stopped her from dialing. “No, really, it was nothing.”
“The shadow attacked you, so I’d say it was something,” she said.
“But what are the police going to do? They can’t arrest an evil spirit.”
Tammy moved the phone down. “No, I suppose they can’t, can they.”
“I wish they could,” I said.
“What do you think it was?” Tammy asked.
“I don’t know, but I wish I knew.”
Why now? We had a cemetery out front and the library seemed to have been safe for the most part—nothing had ever attacked me like this. So why now? It looked like I was going to have to do some investigating in the library. I wondered what would happen if I turned on my digital recorder.
My phone dinged. I had a text message.
Sorry I couldn’t come in here.
I looked around and spotted Annie and the cat.
“What do you mean, Annie?” I asked.
Something was blocking me. I was stuck in the other part of the library.
“Have you seen anything strange?” I asked.
No, but I felt something bad. It kept me out of this area all evening. Plus Jane Austen too. She stayed with me. I knew she was scared when she was hissing at something.
I wasn’t going to stand by and let this evil spirit bother the cat. Harassing an innocent animal made me furious.
“As long as it’s done for now, maybe it won’t come back,” I said. “At least not until I can do something to get rid of it. Brannon and I will have to sage this whole place.”
“You better hope Mrs. Agnew doesn’t find out about that.”
“Well, I’m not going to say a thing to her.”
“You know I won’t,” Tammy said.
Tammy and I went behind the desk so we could try to do a little bit of work and remain somewhat normal.
“So what about the book?” she asked. “Did you find out anything else? You never called me.”
“I meant to, but it was getting late. I ended up reading and I fell asleep.” I moved a stack of books. “There was a strange man who showed up and that’s where I left off.”
“And you’re still not reading?”
“I was running late for work this morning and then all this happened. I just haven’t had time.”
“I don’t think I could put it down,” Tammy said.
“Well, I’ll be reading more as soon as possible. Plus, I want to research and find out who this woman is, and where I can find her descendants.”
“You’re not going to give away that book before you discover exactly who she is, are you?” Tammy asked.
“No, of course not. What, do I look crazy? Don’t answer that.”
“Wasn’t going to,” Tammy said with a laugh.
After doing a little bit more work, I decided to look up the name that was in the book again. Maybe I’d find out more. Sarah Tyler, author of the diary, was from Devil’s Moon, but that was all I had been able to discover other than her name in the death ledger. I had names of her children and husband from the diary, but nothing to go along with them. Surely she still had distant relatives in Devil’s Moon. They would probably want the book back. If it was my ancestor who had written this diary, I would want the book too.
I was sitting in front of the computer when I thought someone was behind me. My panic level went up, but when I turned around in the chair, Brannon was behind me.
He smiled. “Did I scare you?”
“I figure that’s pretty evident by the look on my face, don’t you think?”
He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. For a moment, I was lost in his kiss. The sweet taste of his mouth took my breath away. Finally, I snapped out of it and met his gaze.
“How’s it going?” I whispered.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the murder.
“No new clues yet. It’s still early. I just came by to check on you and make sure you were all right.”
He seemed more worried than usual.
“You seem as if something is wrong,” Brannon said.
Now he had shifted the focus on me. I supposed I should tell him about the attack.
I sighed and then said, “The negative energy that has appeared in the library… well, it attacked me.”
“It attacked you?” His eyebrows furrowed.
I nodded. “It swooshed right toward me and then I
fell to the ground.”
“Then what happened?” he asked.
“Thank goodness nothing after that, but I think it’s growing more aggressive by the minute.”
“We have to do something about it.”
“Yes, but that’s enough about the haunting for a moment. There’s something you’re not telling me. You might as well tell me. You know I’ll get it out of you eventually,” I said.
Chapter 7
“I just came by to tell you that the boyfriend has been arrested. I can’t tell you more,” Brannon said.
He knew to give me a warning. I’d ask for more information anyway.
“Really? Did John confess?” I asked, ignoring what he’d said.
Brannon looked at the book on the counter to avoid my stare. “No, he didn’t. To be honest with you, I think it was a little too soon to arrest him. I don’t think they have enough evidence.”
“So you think that he’ll get off?” I asked.
Brannon paused. I knew there was something else on his mind.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong.”
I stared at him. “You don’t think John did it?”
“No, I don’t suppose I do, but I’ve been wrong before. I’m probably wrong this time.”
It was a little concerning that Brannon thought the guy was innocent. If John didn’t do it, then who did? I knew it wasn’t the shop owner, Mr. Byrd.
“Listen, I have to work a little bit late tonight, but I’ll be around when the tour is over, okay? Call me if you need me.” Brannon looked around the library.
I wondered if he sensed the dark presence too. I watched as Brannon walked out. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said.
I was busy working when I felt someone watching me. It didn’t seem as if it was a ghost this time, so I glanced over and noticed a man standing by one of the stacks. The man wore blue jeans with holes in them and a black t-shirt. His dark hair was cut short. He was pretending to read a book, but he was definitely staring at me. This was awkward because he looked away when he realized I had noticed him. But then again, sometimes people got caught staring. It didn’t mean anything weird, so I went back to my work.