Hidden Entity

by Wendy Meadows

  Allie Williams chatted with a few guests, and when she heard her mother’s voice, she joined the women. “I hoped we’d have a storm tonight,” she said. “This will be a perfect Halloween. I have the lanterns cleaned and ready, Brenda. They are in your office.”

  Brenda thanked her. “I feel good about everything. This will be our best yet. And I’m so glad we have guests who are so enthused, too.”

  “To say nothing of everyone from Sweetfern Harbor who’s coming,” Hope said. “All the shop owners have lined up extra staff to take over while they are here at the party. Molly offered to bring more coffee if you need it, Brenda.”

  Brenda assured her they were ready, and she wanted those who worked so hard downtown to simply bring themselves. She looked forward to a night celebrating with her friends and fellow business owners. With her friends and her staff by her side, the night would be simply perfect.

  3

  While guests donned their costumes, Brenda and Mac walked through the main floor. Mac was impressed with the way the décor turned out. Lights were dimmed to a soft glow and they took a last look at the dining room. Chatter from the foyer reached them, and Brenda took a deep breath.

  “Are you ready, Detective?” she asked her husband.

  “I am if you are, Mrs. Rivers,” he replied, lifting her hand to kiss her fingers like the gentleman that he was. With a happy smile, Brenda and Mac went to their cottage to get dressed, too.

  Mac and Brenda opted to dress in Victorian garb. Mac’s old-fashioned three-piece suit had long tails and made him look like a gentleman detective or a duke from old England. Brenda’s dress, bordered with satin ribbon, fell in beautiful rich colors down to the hoop skirt. Before greeting the first partiers, they positioned their masks. By the time they walked together to the main house, everyone seemed to be arriving at the same time, and Brenda jumped right into her hostess duties.

  “Please, enjoy yourselves and mingle. Dinner will be served in the main dining room. There are tables set up also on the veranda. I hope you all have a frightfully enjoyable evening,” Brenda said with a little wink.

  When the crowd of guests had all arrived from town and the bed and breakfast’s overnight guests had descended in their costumes, the variety of costumes created a stunning display of colors in the spooky gloom of the lighting. Guests swayed to the background music with cups of sparkling blood-orange punch in hand. When Chef Pierre and his assistants announced the dinner, everyone marveled at the inventive Halloween-themed food, from the snake stromboli to the jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers. The crowd favorite was the miniature sausages Pierre had wrapped in narrow strips of flaky pastry to look like mummy fingers. Everyone got a kick out of the creativity of the feast, and after they were happily stuffed, the crowd mingled in the sitting room and the formal living room, enjoying the music.

  Once the party was in full swing, attention was drawn to the delectable desserts paraded out on massive silver trays. Allie grinned to see her mother’s sweet treats being admired by everyone. There were miniature jelly tarts designed to look like monster eyeballs and chocolate spiderweb brownies, and everyone raved over the flavor of the lemon meringue cupcakes with little ghost faces and red velvet cupcakes with red licorice devil horns.

  Allie and Phyllis took turns selecting classic Halloween songs for the party to enjoy until the small band they hired was ready. Eerie tunes floated throughout the bed and breakfast until it was time for the entertainment competition.

  The double doors opened wide between the sitting room and the dining room and the first entertainer walked to the front of the crowd. He was a manager at the local bank. He bowed and then proceeded to perform a few impressive magic tricks with his wife as his assistant. Everyone clapped. The next few performers also showed considerable talent, and the panel of judges consulted after each one in low whispers.

  “What number are you, Ryan?” Lauren asked.

  “I’m up next.” Ryan wobbled in his zombie gear, legs and arms stiffened to emphasize his role. “I have the scariest performance of all of them.” He grinned behind his mask when his number was called.

  Lauren shivered when she saw the fake knife in his hand. Her husband was talented when it came to entertainment, but she wished he had chosen something else. Memories shot through her mind of the last time she saw someone walking with a real knife in hand. The party around her faded as the memory overtook her senses. She had watched in fascination and horror as the figure walked beneath her window and onto the neighbor’s lawn. Even through the closed window, she heard the frantic voice calling out, followed by moans as he crumpled to the ground. The more her memories flooded over her, the more she sank deeper within herself. The laughter in the room jolted her back to reality.

  She shook her head and tried to focus on her husband, the entertainer, capering at the front of the room for everyone’s amusement and telling zombie jokes. She meant to tell Ryan everything about her early teen years, but after Seth Hill, her first love, rejected her, she didn’t want to risk losing Ryan, too. She was convinced that after Seth’s affluent parents learned the truth about her, they must have threatened Seth with something that meant more to him than she did. It terrified her to think that the truth about her might scare away Ryan one day, too.

  However, she realized, perhaps if Ryan did know her story, he wouldn’t have dressed as a zombie and carried a knife with him. Or perhaps, she thought with a sinking feeling, they would never have married and come to Sheffield Bed and Breakfast to begin with. Her mind jerked back to reality again when she saw the audience draw back from the zombie as he awkwardly made his way through the crowd nearest the front.

  He pretended to slash everyone as he walked stiffly among them. Each pulled back in fear and then laughed as he passed them by. His demeanor came across to his wife as a crazy man in a frenzy. Lauren took small breaths in quick succession and drew back. Ryan’s eyes caught hers and something made him smoothly end his performance. Everyone clapped as he made his way back to her side.

  “Are you all right, Lauren? You seemed shaken.” Ryan chuckled. “I guess that means I really am a better actor than I thought. I’m sure you and I will be back here for that free weekend after all.”

  Lauren smiled faintly. Ryan was distracted as those around them told him how convincing he had been during his act.

  From across the room, Brenda watched the pair and she, too, noticed genuine fear in Lauren’s eyes. It lasted briefly, but long enough for Brenda to note it. She edged toward the couple and congratulated Ryan on his performance. Lauren had removed her mask and wiped her brow with her sleeve before she returned it to cover most of her face. In that fleeting moment, Brenda noted she was paler than usual.

  “Are you all right, Lauren?” Brenda said. “It is a little warm in here with all of these people. We can get you something cool to drink.”

  Ryan voiced his concern. Lauren agreed with a nod to Brenda and followed her to the buffet. Brenda assured Ryan she would get something cold for Lauren. She insisted he return to his new fans. Lauren chose a cold glass of orange punch.

  “Ryan should go into acting as a career,” Brenda said.

  “That is something he has always loved, but he has said that he must make a living and he’s not sure we can manage it. It would take some time for him to become good enough.”

  They chatted for a few minutes until Brenda was certain she could pose another question without seeming to intrude. “Lauren, you looked upset during the last part of Ryan’s act. I’m curious what it was that unnerved you.”

  Lauren assured Brenda she felt fine. “You were right about how warm the room was getting. I think that’s what hit me. I did feel a little faint. I’ll finish this glass of punch and then find Ryan. I know you have plenty to do, Brenda. Don’t worry about me.”

  After the hostess left, Lauren thought about Ryan’s love for her. She wished now that she had told him long ago about the horror she witnessed at age fourteen. Ryan once hinted about hav
ing children, but she avoided speaking about it, even though he still occasionally mentioned the topic. That was the one thing she didn’t want to risk, and she couldn’t tell him why. Not yet. But most of all, she should have told him that her family member had been incarcerated in a mental hospital. She vowed to tell him the next morning. If he left her, she would have to deal with the consequences. She could no longer carry her hidden past in silence.

  Her attention was drawn back to Ryan, who seemed to be searching for her. Their eyes met, and she hurried to his side just in time for the judges to announce he won the contest. He hugged her tightly before they walked to the judges’ table to retrieve the gift card.

  Brenda then announced the winner of the costume contest. Karina Harris blushed when she had to walk to the front of the crowd in her fitted crimson dress. She was presented with a generous gift card to be used in any of the shops in the downtown area of Sweetfern Harbor.

  Chef Pierre and his assistants helped clear the leftover food from the main meal. They efficiently restored order to the dining room and spread clean orange and black tablecloths again over the tables. Pierre directed his staff to do the same in the attached veranda. Snacks and goodies from Sweet Treats were placed everywhere. The tables were laden with tempting delicacies.

  A few of the bed and breakfast guests decided to retire for a brief respite in their rooms to freshen up. The Meyers hesitated and then decided they would do the same. Lauren wanted a quick shower before coming back downstairs for the late-night tours. Sweat clung to her body inside the heavy costume.

  “I wouldn’t worry about showering again, Lauren. With more of a crowd coming in, no one will notice.” Ryan pulled his wife close to him and she joined in his laughter, though she still felt uneasy.

  “I suppose you are right about that. I may as well finish the night like everyone else. I do want to wash my face, at least. It will help me cool down.” Ryan nodded and took the key card out of his pocket to unlock their room.

  When Lauren and Ryan opened their door, they stood frozen in shock. Their belongings had been moved. Not exactly ransacked—but something was clearly amiss. Their suitcases lay on the floor in front of the closet where they had been sitting neatly on luggage racks when they left for the party. Pillows on the bed slumped over the foot of the bed instead of neatly at the headboard as before. It appeared to be mischief rather than vandalism.

  Lauren spoke first. “You don’t think this is part of the Halloween shindig, do you?”

  “Of course not. No self-respecting bed and breakfast would come in like this without our permission. I doubt Brenda and Mac would do something like this. It’s strange that nothing has been destroyed…why scatter our stuff like this?”

  “Who could have done it?” Lauren said. She pointed to her small jewelry case. It was opened, and her cherished pearl necklace looped over the side of it. “That’s the necklace that Grandmother left my mother. After my mother died, it passed to me. Thank goodness it’s still here, but surely it wasn’t a thief if they didn’t take it.” Lauren shuddered. “I feel so vulnerable knowing someone handled such a precious object.” Tears edged her eyelids.

  Ryan put his arm around her and pulled her close. “Wait right here, Lauren. I’m going to find Brenda and Mac. Someone will answer for this. I’ll leave the door open and be right back.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Look around in case something else is missing. If you need to, go out to the hallway quickly and yell your head off if you have to.”

  While Ryan left to look for the owners, Lauren walked slowly around the room. She took a second look and saw a folded piece of paper that stuck out from beneath the jewelry box where her necklace had been moved. If she hadn’t looked closely, the note was so small she might not have seen it at all. She snatched it up and read. “Seth is waiting for you.” She crumpled the note in her sweaty palm and felt her heart beat fast. She dropped the wadded note when she heard Ryan’s voice in the hall, returning.

  “Nothing appears to be missing. But someone has been in our room. Look at it.” He stood at the doorway and motioned for Brenda and Mac to enter ahead of him. “Someone has obviously invaded our privacy.”

  Lauren stood with her fists clenched. Her ashen face grew taut. Brenda hurried to her and told her to sit down for a few minutes to catch her breath.

  “We will look into this,” Mac said, his mouth set in a grim line. “Only Brenda has the master key card, and there are no extras other than the two you were given.” Mac snapped photos of the initial disarray while he talked. Brenda quickly closed the guest room door, not wanting anyone to eavesdrop from the hallway.

  Ryan opened his mouth to protest the lack of privacy once again until he noticed Lauren. He sat next to her on the bed and pulled her against him. “They will get to the bottom of this, Lauren. It’s okay. Try to relax.”

  Mac called his fellow detective Bryce to join them from downstairs. Brenda secretly glanced at her watch. Tours would begin in less than five minutes. She assured the Meyers they were safe and promised to have someone stationed in the hallway to make sure no one else attempted to enter. “Maybe if you rejoin the party, it will take your mind off things for a while. In the meantime, the detectives will take your statements and gather any evidence they can find.” Lauren thanked Brenda and she told Ryan they could do nothing at this point anyway. Brenda breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll go back downstairs with you. Tours are almost ready to begin, and I’m in line to be the first tour guide.”

  Mac and Bryce remained in the room for a few minutes longer and then went downstairs and into Brenda’s office off the foyer. Mac pulled Brenda aside just before the first tour was to begin. “This baffles me. Only the main room was in disarray and nothing in the bathroom. No signs yet of forced entry or anything stolen. Do you think the guests left the door unlocked by mistake and someone decided to prank them?”

  “That could explain it, but something tells me there is more to it.” Brenda glanced at her watch again and then felt Phyllis and Allie looking at her with impatience. “I have to get moving, Mac. It’s time for the first tour.” She thought about Mac’s remarks. “I really do think something else is up. Only the overnight guests have been up to their rooms. I don’t believe they would pull that kind of prank with the pending celebrations and all the people who are expected to be in the building.”

  “That makes sense, Brenda. I’ll stay here with Bryce and we will lock it behind us until tours are over. I’ll let you know if we find anything unusual or telling.” He assured her he would have an extra plainclothes officer on the floor. “He can put on one of those costumes and he’ll fit right in.”

  Brenda began to gather her first tour group and was getting into the spirit of the Halloween party again when she heard a comment.

  “I am sure I heard something through one of the walls on the second floor,” Jolene King said. “I heard it when I walked down the hallway.”

  Marcus shook his head as onlookers took in everything she said. “Jolene, I’m sure it was just a room you were hearing. Perhaps in an old house like this, the walls are thin.”

  “That can’t be it,” Jolene said quietly, looking around her, adding, “I’ve been listening, and none of the rooms upstairs leak any sounds into the hallway. And the spot where I heard it? There’s no room there that I could see.”

  “Maybe we’ll hear it on one of the tours,” a woman said excitedly.

  “I’m going to be careful in case it jumps out in front of me.” Her companion enjoyed the conspiracy theme and others went along with it.

  Marcus frowned skeptically and muttered something about air vents and old pipes as the group got ready to follow Brenda on the tour.

  Jolene had thoughts of her own. This was shaping up to be the best Halloween she had ever experienced. She would prove to everyone there was not only a hidden room, but a paranormal entity living in Sheffield Bed and Breakfast.

  Brenda listened to the excited conversations and decided to use the story
as a way to draw tourists in along the tour.

  She deepened her voice when she turned to her group. “Is everyone ready to be scared out of your wits? Fright Night holds secrets you can’t imagine. Keep your lanterns on, my friends. You never know what waits for you along the dark corridors of Sheffield House.”

  A few nervous giggles escaped from the tourists. The dimmed lights throughout the bed and breakfast were dimmed lower. When Brenda reached the third step on the stairs, she paused abruptly, her face tense as if listening to unknown sounds. Her face looked eerie in the faded light when she turned to her group. She shook her head in mock sorrow and then resumed her somber steps.

  Phyllis and Allie commented they hoped to put on such an act for their groups as well. “Brenda’s a natural. She really knows how to get everyone’s attention,” Phyllis said. She and Allie began to gather their groups.

  As for William, he enlisted Clive Wilson’s help with the arriving tourists who were beginning to form a long queue on the front porch and steps and pathway of the bed and breakfast. He explained that Mac and Bryce were called to an emergency and he needed someone to hand each visitor a number. Clive felt relieved to have a purpose and told visitors to hang on to their numbers.

  “As soon as your number is called, your group will join one of the guides. In the meantime, enjoy refreshments and one another,” he said, gesturing to the punch and cider and sweet treats laid out temptingly on a table on the wide veranda.

  William handled crowd control on the sidewalk along with a young officer appointed by Mac. As the party-goers chatted amiably in the near-dark of the party, waiting for their tours, the night sky began to cloud over and lightning flashed.

  “They can’t all stand out here with that storm coming up,” the young police officer worried, turning up her collar against the wind that started to bluster through the surrounding trees.

  William agreed. “They’ll have to stuff themselves inside, but we’ll manage. You’re just in time, Clive,” William said, seeing that Clive had finished handing out all the numbers. “Take as many as possible to the enclosed veranda off the dining room. There is plenty of food for them to indulge.” He slapped his friend’s back lightly.