by Fiona Grace
They all walked back into the office. Tandy sidestepped every time Albee moved in a suspicious way. Inside the office, the conference table was clean and ready to be used. Albee opened up his bag and took out some sheets of paper before passing a map to Johnny and Mia.
“What are you doing?” Graham said.
“We want to hear Albee’s presentation,” Johnny said.
“What’s the point?” Graham said. “With Cindy dead, we can’t access the property.”
“Not necessarily,” Johnny said. “After all, someone owns the Elmswood House. We can contact them. But first, let’s see what we’re dealing with.”
“All right,” Ollie Cooper said. “Let’s hear what Albee has to say. Jake, can you set up the cameras? We might as well film this in case we ever do the show.”
Jake and Will set up the cameras, lights, and sound equipment as Sylvie placed her computer on one of the desks and leaned back in a chair with a pair of headphones perched on her head. Tandy sat next to Sylvie. He was used to waiting while the crew filmed. There was a sense of relief, to have something to do instead of trying to figure out their next move. They all retreated out of the shot leaving only Mia and Johnny facing Albee.
Sylvie gave a thumbs-up to Graham, who was acting as the director.
“Action,” Graham said.
“The Elmswood House has an unusually high number of ghosts,” Albee began. “A terrible tragedy occurred there in the 1980s. But the area has an even darker history, which I will reveal to you now.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The cameras rolled as Albee Abernathy cleared his throat and tugged at his gothic sleeves. For some reason Mia wasn’t nervous. Being filmed paled in comparison to the earlier events of the day. A steely calm stole over her. One camera was recording a steady shot of Albee, while Jake was poised, ready to zoom in on Mia’s and Johnny’s reaction shots. Sylvie was engrossed in her monitor as they filmed
“These maps illustrate the haunted areas of the Elmswood House,” Albee said, pointing to the drawings sitting on the table before Mia and Johnny.
Mia kept her eyes slightly turned down so that her reaction was a little muted. She had to admit, she didn’t really trust herself. Even though she was far away from the Elmswood House, the place had a way of getting to her. The last thing she wanted was the camera to catch her at a moment of weakness.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tandy lying with his head on his paws, keeping watch over her.
“The first thing people think of when they tour the Elmswood house is the infamous Browder family murders,” Albee began. “I’ve placed red X’s where the bodies of the wife and two boys were found—and blue X’s for the ghost sightings. As you can see, the locations match.”
“Most of the sightings are in the upper bedrooms,” Johnny said.
“And in the yard and woods around the house,” Albee said. “There’s an old abandoned playground, grown over to one side of the house.”
Mia struggled to keep her breathing measured. She tried not to think about Lydia and all the unanswered questions she brought up.
“Most of the sightings were recorded by the Carol family,” Albee said. “The couple that moved into the house within a year of the tragedy.”
“Connie and Dean Carol?” Mia said.
“Yes, Dean reported seeing a number of ghosts and even took a famous photo of a child peeking out from behind a hedge.”
He passed the photo around the table. Mia picked up the photo and felt a creepy sensation waft through her limbs. The ghostly face of Lydia looked out from behind some bushes. She felt her heart speed up.
“But this isn’t Todd or Bobby,” Mia said. “Who is she?”
“An older ghost,” Albee said and grinned, giving his face a sinister appearance.
Mia stared at the ghostly young girl with a growing sense of dread.
“How much older?” Johnny Astor said.
“There are only theories,” Albee said, tracing a bony finger over the picture. “I believe this is a seventeenth-century ghost—Lydia Humphrey.”
Mia immediately recognized the name. Finally, all that research she’d done was paying off.
“Are you talking about one of the daughters of John Humphrey?” Mia said. “The first deputy governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony under John Winthrop?”
“The same,” Albee said. “The governor was one of Swampscott’s most prominent citizens. He built a house in sixteen forty that still stands to this day.”
“The oldest house in Swampscott, located on Paradise Road?” Johnny said. “What does the Humphrey House have to do with the haunting on Elmswood?”
Mia had to admit she was impressed with Johnny. He had really held his end up on the research lately.
“An excellent question.” Albee grinned, flicking back his dark hair.
The more Mia got to know Albee, the more she realized he was less of a warlock and more of an occult nerd.
“Well?” Mia said, frustrated by his theatrics. “What is the connection?”
“The Humphrey house wasn’t always located on Paradise Road,” Albee said. “The house was moved in eighteen ninety-one.”
“Moved?” Johnny repeated. “How is that possible?”
“When Swampscott developed the Olmsted District, they wanted to preserve the town’s history so they used a wide, flat platform pulled by a team of horses to move the Humphrey House to Paradise Road.”
“Where was the house originally located?” Mia asked.
“Elmswood Road,” Albee said and held up a photocopy.
Mia stared at the picture in shock. The fear she had felt earlier roared back to life. In the center of a snowy field stood the house Mia had seen in her dream. The one Lydia had pointed to through the fence. The house that stood alone in a field of snow behind a gnarled old tree.
“You think Lydia Humphrey is haunting the original site of her family home?” Mia said. “Why would she do that?”
“John Humphrey abandoned some of his children in the colony. The story goes they were preyed upon by the unscrupulous. Lydia Humphrey, who was baptized in Salem, went slowly mad. She disappeared from history, but legend has it she wandered into the snow and was never seen again. Right here, on Elmswood Road.” Albee held the picture up for the camera.
Suddenly Mia felt sick. Was she seeing ghosts? Or maybe she was going mad like Donnie Browder. She felt overwhelmed, unable to let go of her skeptical side but also unable to deny that she’d seen a little girl in a cloak on the property, or that she had dreamed of the Humphrey House and Lydia.
Mia put on a brave face and tried not to think about her fears.
“Amazing work, Albee,” Mia said. “What do you think, Johnny?”
“I say it’s time we explore the Elmswood House,” Johnny said.
“Cut!” Graham said. “That was fantastic!” He turned to Ollie. “We’ve got to find a way to get onto that property. Did you see how great that was?”
“I’ll see if I can track down Connie Carol,” Ollie said, nodding in agreement. “Good work.”
Mia pushed her hands against the table, fighting back the sick feeling. Tandy darted over to where she was sitting and started licking her hand and arm.
“Mia? Will you step outside with me?” Johnny said.
“Yes, thanks,” Mia said. Johnny was clearly aware she wasn’t feeling well.
Sylvie nodded toward Johnny. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she said, concerned for Mia.
Johnny took Mia’s arm and guided her through the front door with Tandy trotting behind. Outside the sun was setting as Mia sank down on the stone steps. Tandy sat on one side of her and Johnny on the other.
“What happened in there?” Johnny said. “I saw the way you reacted.”
“I’m not sure,” Mia said. “Some of the things he said got to me.”
“I’ve seen you like this before,” Johnny said. “That night at Howard Street Cemetery and the day we went to the Elmswood Hou
se. What happened that day anyway?”
“I saw something I can’t explain,” Mia said.
Johnny reached over and tipped up her chin until she was looking at him.
“You have to trust me, Mia,” Johnny said. He looked at her with a strange intensity that both thrilled her and made her feel like she was being pulled into something against her will. But there was also something in the way he looked at her that cut through her fear. She did trust Johnny, so as hard as it was, she was going to be honest with him.
“Okay then, I saw her,” Mia said.
“Who?” Johnny said.
“Lydia Humphrey.”
“You saw the ghost in the picture?”
“Yes,” Mia said. “And I’m afraid I’m going to see her again.”
***
Johnny, Sylvie, and Mia walked back to the Essex Street apartment building. Tandy was happy to be in familiar territory and was delicately cataloguing each scent along the path to Hatter’s Emporium. The streets were filled with tourists buying mementos of their witchy stay in Salem and the air smelled of popcorn, syrup, and almonds.
“Hold on a second,” Sylvie said. “I have to get some caramel corn.”
As Sylvie got in line, Mia glanced at Johnny. He was deep in thought, brows knitted slightly together.
“I know you don’t want to admit it,” Johnny said, stepping closer to Mia. “But I’m starting to think you’re a sensitive.”
“A sensitive?” Mia said. “What do you mean by that?”
“Someone who can sense the astral plane, you know, like Hazel Prophet.”
“Me? Are you kidding?” Mia said, shocked. “I’m a skeptic.”
“Listen, Mia, this is the second time you’ve seen ghosts.”
“Just because I saw a kid running through the backyard into an overgrown area,” Mia said, “it doesn’t prove she was Lydia Humphrey. The whole thing could be a coincidence.”
“What local kid wears a cloak?” Sylvie said, holding a bag of fresh caramel corn. She offered some to Mia and Johnny and they each took a handful of the salty sweet crunchy concoction. “You’ve got to admit, Mia, the fact you keep seeing things is weird. And the girl in your dream called herself Lydia.”
“Yes,” Mia said. “But I might have read about Lydia Humphrey somewhere. My mind could have pieced it all together.”
“At least be open to the possibility you’re sensitive,” Johnny insisted, protectively. His voice unleashed a flock of butterflies in her stomach.
“I promise to keep an open mind,” Mia said, trying to ignore the nervous sensation Johnny always seemed to ignite in her.
“Being a skeptic in Salem is hard work,” Sylvie said. “Why don’t you just cut to the chase and say yes, ghosts exist and you’re psychic.”
“Are you insane? And abandon all reason?” Mia said. “Never!”
“Never say never,” Johnny said and they all laughed together. It felt good to be with her friends after such a horrible and shocking start to her day.
“It was so awful to find Cindy at that rundown house,” Mia said. “She was dressed in a suit, skin bright red, not breathing, and her car was running in the garage. Who could have killed her?”
“Well, I don’t believe it was a suicide,” Johnny said.
“Did she have enemies?” Sylvie wondered.
“We should find out,” Mia said. “According to Detective Waite of Swampscott PD, everyone in town knew her. He wasn’t buying the suicide angle either. The day we walked through the house, Cindy mentioned she was going to meet a client who would solve all her problems—Mr. Fat Cat. Remember?”
“Oh yeah, how can we find out who that was?” Johnny said.
“I actually have an idea about that,” Mia said and pulled a skeleton key out of her pocket. “Cindy’s partner Doug Tanner gave me this key. I think I should return it tomorrow and try to take a look at Cindy’s appointment book.”
“I’m in,” Sylvie said. “Let’s do it.”
Tandy jumped up and wagged his tail, just before Mia’s phone rang.
“Good boy, look who’s psychic now?” Mia laughed as her sister Brynn’s picture lit up the screen. “I better take this. Brynn? Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner—”
“Mimi! Where have you been? Something terrible has happened.” On the other end of the phone, Brynn was nearly breathless and clearly upset.
“What?” Mia said, disturbed by the intensity in her sister’s voice. “What’s going on? Where are you?”
“I’m at the Salem Inn,” Brynn said. “Jeffrey’s been attacked!”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Attacked? By whom?” Mia said. She could tell Brynn was in a state because her voice always went up an octave when she was stressed out.
“By this stupid room! I need you here now,” Brynn said frantically.
“All right, we’re just down the block,” Mia said. “We’ll be there in five minutes.” Mia shoved the phone in her pocket as Tandy started jumping around.
“What’s going on?” Sylvie said.
“Brynn’s in trouble. She’s staying at the Salem Inn—Room Seventeen.”
“Room seventeen?” Johnny said. “But that’s the haunted room.”
“That’s just down the block, let’s go,” Sylvie said, shoving the caramel corn into her bag. Then Sylvie started running and all Johnny and Mia could do was try and keep up. Tandy couldn’t believe his luck and sprang after Sylvie, leaping over any obstacle. They passed Hatter’s Emporium and Tom Hatter, the owner and Graham Stone’s father. The old man waved as they ran past.
“Where’s the fire?” he called out from the doorway.
“We’re meeting Mia’s sister,” Sylvie yelled.
“Will is upstairs putting up that cat run,” he yelled.
Mia gave a thumbs-up as they shot past the Emporium and another half a block. By the time they reached the red brick building with white columns, they were all breathing hard. The black sign hanging above the door featured a golden pineapple surrounded by gold letters which spelled out The Salem Inn.
Sylvie held the door open as Mia burst into the sleepy inn and ran up to the desk where a clerk looked up, startled. He was dressed casually, sleeves rolled up, sorting through a stack of mail. Mia skidded to a halt in front of him.
“I’m here to see Brynn Middleton,” Mia said.
“There’s no one by that name here,” the clerk said.
“I mean Brynn Middleton Costa,” Mia corrected herself. Until this moment, she had thoroughly forgotten all about her brother-in-law. Jeffrey Costa was a slight man, not very tall, with a short man’s complex. He would have been handsome if he weren’t so mean. He was someone Mia didn’t like to think about. She was convinced he was out to get her.
“What room?” the clerk said.
“Room seventeen.”
At the mention of the haunted room, the clerk raised his eyebrows.
“Oh dear,” he said. “There’s been an incident.” He picked up the phone and covered the mouthpiece. “You must be the sister?”
“I am,” Mia said, concerned.
“She said you were coming,” the clerk said and spoke into the phone. “Ms. Costa? Your sister’s here. I’ll send her up.”
“What kind of incident?” Mia said.
Johnny, Sylvie, and Tandy walked up to the desk behind Mia.
“You better go up and see for yourself,” he said and turned his attention to Tandy. “We’re pet friendly! Yes, we are! Good boy! Straight up the stairs and around the corner.” He pointed to the main staircase.
Mia, Johnny, Sylvie, and Tandy headed up the stairs and down the hall to Room 17. They knocked, and as if on a spring, Brynn opened the door. She was impeccably dressed, as usual, wearing a short jacket and gold jewelry with her hair tucked behind one ear. But despite her superficially tidy appearance, Mia could see the stress in her eyes.
“Brynn? What happened? Are you okay?”
“Mimi! Thank God you’re here,�
� Brynn said, upset. She swung the door open wider. It looked like a cyclone had moved through the room. Papers were scattered everywhere. Brynn’s luggage was already packed and waiting by the door. Mia was relieved to see she was still wearing the bracelet Hazel had given her the day before. But Mia’s brother-in-law, Jeffrey, was another matter.
He was pale and disheveled, seated on a love seat by the end of the bed, holding a damp cloth against his head. In the center of the room was an open briefcase, half filled with papers. Jeffrey glared at Mia and when he moved, Mia saw that he had a goose-egg-size lump on his forehead.
“Ouch! What happened?” Mia said.
“Nothing happened,” Jeffrey spat out. “Just a stupid accident.”
“It started an hour ago,” Brynn said. “First there was a thumping sound, like a ball bouncing on the ceiling. I called downstairs and they said, ‘Don’t worry, that’s the ghost boy.’ Can you imagine! Then the door handle started to rattle. The sound got worse and worse. You wouldn’t believe how loud the noise got, like a train! All of a sudden the TV flipped on, you know, gray static. Then it flipped off again. Anyway, Jeffy was resting on the bed, so he got up to adjust the TV, all grumbly and annoyed, and he tripped on his briefcase and bumped his head. Papers flew everywhere, like a rush of wind blowing everything into the air.”
“That’s awful,” Mia said, but it occurred to her that Brynn’s description sounded less like a ghost and more like Jeffrey just being clumsy.
“Then I heard it…” Brynn said, her face recoiling in terror.
“Heard what?” Sylvie said.
“A woman laughing,” Brynn said, her eyes wide and her cheeks drained of color. “She was laughing at Jeffy!” She straightened her jacket nervously.
Mia realized the last time she’d seen Brynn this wired was when she was waiting to see if she’d made the cheerleading squad. Mia glanced at Sylvie, who had slapped a hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“So, the ghost pranked you?” Sylvie said.
“Pranked?” Brynn said.
“The ghost made you slip and then laughed,” Sylvie said.