by Alexie Aaron
Mike opened his eyes and shook his hands. “They are tingling.”
“They are just adjusting to the calmness. How do you feel?”
“Less turbulent. How is this working?”
“I suspected for some time you’re a bit sensitive. We sensitives have to learn to arm ourselves with mental barriers from the influences of negativity. When I got ill in the garden, I was unprepared. Bev taught me a few techniques that should help me for a reoccurrence. Remember when Sabine had to leave the hollow? She is amazing but suffers from nerves which, like you, made her ill.”
“Good information. Thanks.”
Mia opened the door and turned on the lights. She and Mike started their inspection of the room.
Ted switched off his mic and turned to Burt who was monitoring the camera feeds. “Did you know Mike was gifted?”
“He has good instincts. I think his intuition is amazing. But gifted, no it never occurred to me.”
“I wouldn’t have called him sensitive, insensitive more likely,” Ted pointed out.
“Ah, but let’s not confuse being an asshole with being insensitive.”
“Good point. Ten points Hufflepuff”
“Hold on, wizard, how am I in Hufflepuff?”
“Denizens of Hufflepuff value patience, loyalty, hard work and fair play,” Ted explained. “With the exception of patience, that’s you.”
“Where do you see yourself then?”
“Ravenclaw.”
Burt nodded. “Mia?”
“Slytherin, just like Mike.”
“Really, that surprises me. Okay, Cid?”
“Do I really have to answer that question?”
“Gryffindor, and not just for the glasses,” Burt mused. He started laughing. “Here we are, grown men arguing over who we would be in a young adult novel.”
“We aren’t only grown men. We are grown nerds. Maybe even geeks.”
They heard a snoring from the living room where Cid had disappeared with his sleeping bag. Ted’s special coffee had the opposite reaction with him.
“Gryffindor is making an unholy racket,” Burt observed.
“Ah, leave the kid alone. This is his first all-nighter,” Ted said before turning his mic back on. “Status report, over.”
“The first bedroom’s bed was too soft,” Mia said.
“The second one was too hard,” Mike added.
“But wouldn’t you say this one’s just right?” Mia said to Mike.
Ted looked at Burt, narrowed his eyes and said, “Slytherin.”
“Did you say something, Teddy Bear?” Mia asked in her sweetest voice.
“Burt and I were having a Harry Potter discussion. Any ghosties to report?”
“Not attached to the south side of the west wing,” Mike informed him. “We are headed across the hall now.”
“Don’t forget the bathrooms,” Burt reminded them.
“On our list of must sees,” Mia confirmed. “The atmosphere of this floor is very electric. I’ve been shocked by static electricity twice, and I have gloves on. But so far no one has made themselves known,” she reported.
Mike and Mia entered the nursery. It must have been decades since a youth was raised in the house, but still the room maintained the youthful décor. “This is the room where Burt caught an image on the infrared. It looked like it stuck its head out and ducked back in,” Mike reported.
Mia moved about the nursery. She looked in the old fashion wardrobe where she examined it for panels and levers. She smiled as she found one. Mia pulled it and was rewarded with the back sliding open and a rush of cold air. “It’s an entrance to a passage. I’m not sure if it connects to the one I was in. You wanna take a look or finish this floor first?” she asked Mike.
“Let’s go in. This might explain the occurrence of the disappearing image.” Mike touched his com and reported their findings and their intent to explore.
“Be careful,” Ted cautioned them. “Do you want me to round up Murphy just in case?”
“Mike can protect me,” Mia assured him.
“K. I’m going to put the two of you on speaker so we can follow your progress, Tapakah.”
“That’s Ms. Tapakah to you, cherv’.”
“Ted, Mia called you…” Burt began.
“Worm,” Ted filled in. “That is so hurtful,” he feigned sadness.
This caused Mia to laugh. “Guys, I’ve just stepped into the passage. It is more like the landing for this iron ladder I’ve found. I’m going up,” she informed them.
“I’m following,” Mike added. “This is really remarkable; no one would ever suspect these were in the walls. I’m in a four by four chute with a ladder attached to one side.”
“I’m nearing the top. Shine your light up here, Mike,” she instructed. Mia saw before her a hatch type ceiling with two large sliding catches. She muscled them open and pushed upwards. She climbed up one rung, and as her eyes adjusted to the lights they left on, she saw that she was in the attic. Not far from where Burt was hurt. “I’m in the attic. I think we can debunk your infrared sighting as human.”
Mike followed Mia up the ladder and confirmed her thesis. “What I think happened is Burt and Audrey caught the intruder unawares on the second floor. He retreated into the wardrobe and climbed up to the attic. You two heard footsteps above you, which was him. You then ran up here, and he was waiting for you. Maybe at first he didn’t intend on hurting you. He was just slowing you down because he didn’t want to get caught. He knew we would search for you first instead of looking for him. That’s why he dragged you through the passage until you got jammed,” Mike informed Burt.
“So can we lower his threat rating,” Mia asked.
“I’ll take that into consideration,” Burt said, rubbing the back of his head.
“We’re going back down to finish the second floor. Might as well climb down the ladder; it’s quicker than going around,” Mia suggested.
“After you,” Mike said courteously.
“Such a gent,” she said as she lowered herself into the chute. Something grabbed her foot and placed it on the rung. “Murphy’s here. Hello, Murph, what’s shaking?” she asked as she disappeared into the chute.
Murphy moved with Mia and stepped aside as she exited the wardrobe. He watched as Mike moved his large shoulders through the space. Once the panel had been moved back into place, he started to communicate with Mia.
She watched as he mimed the tunnel and motioned the importance of going there. “Murphy wants us in the tunnel. Says that there is something we ought to see now. He is anxious about it. Murph’s usually laid back so I think we should abandon this floor for now and head into the tunnel. Ted, you want to join us and undo the booby-trap?”
“I thought you didn’t like tunnels, dear?”
“I don’t.”
“I’ll meet you at the entrance to the servants’ stairs. I’m going for your shotgun just in case we run into our friend in the basement.”
“Good thinking.” Mia looked at Mike and over at Murphy and said, “Let’s not waste any time staring at each other, we have a tunnel to look forward to.”
Mike led the way to the servants’ stairs. As he and Mia descended, he worked on closing the windows in his house as something was making his stomach hurt. “I’m feeling bad again, but I’m getting a handle on it.”
“Good. Keep trying to shut it out. I feel something too, but it seems to be directing it’s hatred to you. I’m guessing female.”
“Impossible,” he argued. “All the women love me.”
“Not my woman,” Ted said as they reached the bottom step.
Mia took advantage of the step to lean over and kiss Ted. “Yes, not your woman.”
Murphy scratched his axe on the floor.
“Time to get cracking,” Mia said. “Let Ted go first. We booby-trapped the tunnel,” she reminded Mike.
The three of them moved quickly through the passage, and when they came to the rigged screen door, they f
ound it untouched. Ted disconnected the door and set it to one side. Mia took the lead then as she could see Murph’s luminescence and didn’t need to fool with a flashlight.
The tunnel started to angle upwards, and soon Mia found herself panting at the exertion of the climb. Murphy stopped in front of her.
“Whoa guys,” she said so Ted wouldn’t run into her. She needn’t have worried; he was several yards behind her when she stopped.
Murphy pointed down at the ground. Mia could see the soles of someone’s shoes. Someone with very large feet. She moved beside the body, keeping her back to the wall. Mia saw the rise and fall of the man’s chest and reported, “Whoever he is, he’s still alive. There’s a bit of a gash on his face as if he was hit with something sharp.” She moved past him and continued her climb. The passage stopped at a set of open cellar doors. She poked her head out and found herself staring at the forest preserve to the east of the house. Turning around, she saw the house and part of the garden wall. “I think we should call the police. We can drag him out of the tunnel so we won’t have to explain the whole passage system to the cops.”
“911 has been contacted,” Burt reported. “I put in a call to Alan. Hopefully, he’ll get back to me before the cops arrive.”
Mia watched as Mike and Ted dragged the man out of the tunnel and towards the house. They laid him close to the building out of the cold night wind. Mia knelt down and went through his pockets. She came up with a wallet and car keys.
“Where’d he park the car?” she mused aloud as she handed the wallet to Mike.
He shined his flashlight on the driver’s license first then back at the face of the unconscious man and back again. He read, “David Bonner.”
“I’d say that’s an heir,” Ted said.
“Brilliant deduction, Sherlock,” Mia said. She drew out a handkerchief and applied pressure to the man’s facial wound. “Guys, I get the creepy feeling that he may have had an accomplice that left him in the dust. Maybe turned on him. Ghosts don’t often smack you with…”
“I found a shovel,” Cid called out as he emerged out of the darkness, surprising them with his presence.
“Don’t touch it,” Mia instructed.
“This is not my first crime show,” he grouched.
“Where’d did you come from?” Ted asked.
“Burt woke me up and sent me outside. I found the shovel near the front walk. There’s blood on the business end.” He tossed Mia her hoodie. “Thought you might be cold.” He handed the others their jackets and, lastly, covered the man with a blanket.
“Listen up, team,” Burt’s voice filled their ears. “The story we stick to is that we heard a commotion outside and went to investigate. After circling the garden and making your way back up to the house, you found the victim on the ground. We then called 911.”
“So you think telling them that a ghost notified us that your attacker was in the tunnel beat to near death with a shovel is a bad idea?” Ted asked in mock seriousness.
“Theodore Martin, one of these days…”
They heard the siren before they saw the lights. Mike and Cid walked into the parking lot to signal the EMTs to where the body was. Mia moved into Ted’s arms for warmth and reassurance. “Hang in there, they’ll never take us alive,” he said in his best James Cagney voice.
“I wonder why that’s not comforting. Teddy Bear, you have to work on your bedside manner.”
“After this investigation, I intend to do just that,” he replied.
Mia smiled but dropped it as the police rounded the corner of the house.
Chapter Twenty-four
The Cook County deputy sipped the offered coffee while he read back his notes. He looked up at the stunner in the hoodie and wondered how to get ahold of her phone number. “Do I have all of your contact numbers?” he said pointedly to Mia Cooper.
Mia was about to give the deputy her card when Ted spoke up, “We all can be contacted through PEEPs.”
Disappointed, the deputy nodded. “So let me get this straight. You guys have been hired to investigate the possibility of paranormal activity in this old house.”
Mia nodded.
“Are you guys for real?”
Mia nodded again. “You can call Sherriff John Ryan if you have any questions as to the validity of our organization.”
“Fine. Why do you think this David Bonner was outside of the property with a shovel?”
“I think that would be a question for Mr. Bonner. All I know is, we heard this commotion and found his body on the ground. We called 911.”
“Does he have any right to being on the property?”
“As far as we know, no. But Alan Jefferies would be a better source for this information. He is the lawyer that hired us to investigate this property.”
“Care to enlighten me about the injures I see on Burt Hicks and Cid Garrett?”
Mia took a moment to compose herself before answering, “Deputy, ghost hunting involves walking around in the dark. Burt is our primary camera man. He has the disadvantage of having to navigate in the dark, sometimes walking backward, looking through a lens. Cid’s glasses fogged up when there was a temperature change. He made a wrong step.”
“Did either of them come in contact with David Bonner outside?”
“No,” Mia said honestly. Burt’s been laid up half the night sitting in that chair. Cid did come out and bring us a blanket for Mr. Bonner,” Mia corrected. “So he did have contact with him.”
“I appreciate your honesty.” The deputy folded his report book and shoved it in his pocket. “I’ll be in touch if I have any questions.”
Mia nodded.
Ted escorted the deputy out. Mia trailed after them and enjoyed a bit of the sunrise as they watched the patrol car move down the drive.
“He wanted your phone number,” Ted said, pulling her close to him.
“He didn’t get it, thanks to you,” Mia said and turned and looked up at Ted.
“You’re not used to guys hitting on you are you?”
“Mike.”
“Besides Mike,” Ted asked.
“No, but it doesn’t matter as I’m not interested in anyone else but you.”
He bent down and kissed her. She responded. “We’ve got to get rid of the guys for a few hours,” he said in between kisses.
“Yes, lets.” Mia broke away and entered the house. She looked at the sitting wounded and proclaimed, “You guys look like shit. Time for you three to get some rest. A trip to Quick Care wouldn’t be a bad idea, Burt and Cid. Come to think of it, they could check out your intestinal problem too, Mike.” She walked over and gently removed the headset of power from Burt’s head and waved Ted over. “Ted and I will take the daylight watch. I’m so hopped up on coffee, I won’t be sleeping for a while. You guys get some rest.”
Burt was too tired to fight. Cid wanted to get his eye looked at. Mike had no energy left.
“Stay out of the walls and basement,” Burt ordered.
“Yes, sir,” Mia agreed.
“Okay, if someone can help me to the van. Cid, can you drive?”
“I think so. Mike, are you heading into the city or coming home with us?” Cid asked.
“I think I’ll drive you guys and get my guts checked out too. Ted and Mia have the common sense to bail if things get dicey here. Besides, Murphy is hanging around unless he is going back with us?”
“Either way, we will be fine. I imagine we’ll have to field some phone calls from Audrey and Alan, but otherwise we will just be changing batteries on the cameras and drinking coffee,” Ted informed them.
This satisfied the two partners, and Cid was relieved as he wasn’t sure about driving with one eye swelled shut on the three lane highway. They gathered their things and were out the door, leaving Mia and Ted alone in the house.
Aware of the cameras and their placement Mia asked Ted. “I have to go to the bathroom. Could you stand outside the door?”
His eyes lit up as he caught on.
“Sure, let me transfer the com to the iPad so I can still monitor the feeds.”
This accomplished, they walked into the main floor bath and continued what they had started on the porch.
~
Murphy moved through the rooms of the mansion. He tipped his hat to the maids who were up early changing linen. He listened to their chatter as he followed them from room to room. He recognized that they were stuck in a loop like One Feather was. He wondered what happened to them to stick their memories here in this house.
The woman who hung in the library was a complex creature. Hanging there, she was old and still, with the exception of the swing of the rope. But she also was young, appearing out of her chair and walking to the library door and opening it. She wasn’t aware of Murphy even though he was sure she was active. Her focus was on waiting for someone to arrive. She paced the floor from the door to the window, and as more time passed, she became agitated and angry. She rushed into the hallway and picked up the first breakable thing she could find and hurtled it at the wall and screamed.
Ted and Mia looked up as they heard the scream. Mia got up, but Ted put a firm hand on her arm explaining, “It’s all on camera.” He pointed to the monitor.
Mia watched as a young woman dressed in a wild paisley mini dress and white boots smashed another vase against the wall. Her long, straight dark hair swung around her shoulders, and she pounded on the door of the room next to the library before she dissipated. Mia pointed out the farmer that lounged against the library doorframe watching the woman have a fit. “Murph’s on the job. He looks bored,” she observed.
“Not as exciting as fighting monsters in the basement, I imagine,” Ted said and jotted down some notes. “Read back the digital time when she appeared, Money Penny.”
“Eight seventeen and thirty-five seconds.”
Ted stretched and smiled contentedly. He put his arm on the back of Mia’s chair and draped his hand on her shoulder. “You’re not used to this end, all the sitting, the watching and the waiting.”
“No, but the company is nice.”
“Just nice?”