Shades of Summer (The Haunting Ruby Series Book 1)

by Joy Elbel

  When I ran out of tears, I turned to him for answers. “How did it happen? What did that thing do to her?!”

  “I don’t know, Ruby. I can’t see any visible wounds. But if there’s an answer, I’ll get it for you—I promise you that. I’m so, so sorry. I know how much you loved her. And she loved you, too.”

  Those words brought on another flood and he stayed there on the floor with me, comforting me until it receded again.

  “Are you strong enough to stand? You can lean on me—I won’t let you fall.” He helped me to my feet. “Do you want to hold her?”

  I’d never touched anything dead before so I didn’t know what to expect. I was frightened yet curious at the same time. I never got to say a proper goodbye to Lee and didn’t want to have that same gnawing regret with Mimi. Zach led me to the futon and I sat down. He retrieved her little body from the bathroom and carried her to me. He sat beside me and held her with me.

  She was cold and stiff and there was nothing about her that felt real. It was hard to make the connection between what she had been and what she was now. I held her close and cried into her fur.

  Zach pulled out his phone. “If anyone can tell us what happened to her, it’s Andy.”

  I rocked back and forth with her while they talked, lost in my memories of her. And memories of thinking she was spoiled and needed to learn a lesson just shortly before her death.

  “Andy will meet us at the shelter in about ten minutes. He said he’ll do a necropsy if you want.”

  “A what?” I had no idea what that was.

  “A necropsy. It’s what they call it when they do an autopsy on an animal.”

  “Oh.” I visualized the autopsies they show on TV. Brains and other organs scattered on tables while a heartless medical examiner chomped on a roast beef sandwich. “But I want to be able to bury her whole—not in fifty pieces.”

  “It’s not like what you see on television. I watched him do one before. He’s very respectful. You’ll still be able to bury her. I promise. But it’s your choice—you can think about it on the way, okay?”

  I nodded my head. Zach held Mimi while I got up and found her favorite blanket to wrap her in. I tucked her favorite toy in with her and carried her downstairs that way. Zach kept one arm wrapped around my waist to steady me. As we walked to the car, Dad and Shelly pulled up.

  Not sure of what to say to them, I let Zach break the news. I sat in his car as he told them what happened and where we were going. When I looked in the rearview mirror, I was just in time to see Shelly give him a big hug. I tried to imagine the same scenario only with Lee instead. Would there ever have come a time when Shelly would have approved of him the way she did Zach? I knew Zach was special but it was reassuring to have a second opinion.

  I walked away with mixed feelings about the findings from Andy’s necropsy. He determined that she had a congenital heart defect and most likely wouldn’t have lived long even under the best circumstances. His theory was that something got her heart pumping at a dangerous level and if she was afraid of storms, the thunder and lightning from last night could have been enough to do it. I knew it wasn’t the storm but I let him think that was the answer. Andy found a box that was the perfect size for her and gave his condolences.

  Zach said he would help me find the perfect spot for us to lay her to rest. He got a shovel from the garage and dug a hole near the tree line in the back yard. I placed the box in the hole and Zach suggested we say a few words.

  “I love you, Mimi, and I’ll never forget you. You helped me through a really rough time in my life and I want to thank you for that. I’m sorry I didn’t spend time with you last night. I shouldn’t have left you alone here. Please forgive me.” I couldn’t say another word so I cried into Zach’s shoulder instead.

  Then it was his turn.

  “Mimi, I wish I could have gotten to know you better. I want to thank you for being there for Ruby when she needed a friend. I promise to take care of her and be there for her unconditionally the way you were. Rest in peace.”

  I watched as he placed the dirt back into the ground around her. I couldn’t believe she was gone—not to mention the way in which it happened. I was thankful that Zach insisted on coming inside with me. What would I have done if I had found her on my own?

  When he was finished, he placed a rose on the mound. “Do you want to go for a walk? We can talk if you want or you can just clear your thoughts. Whatever. I want you to do what’s best for you right now.”

  “What’s best for me is you. I want to tell you everything.”

  He put his arm around me and kissed me on the top of my head. “I’m ready to hear it. Don’t hold anything back. Let’s go.”

  We walked into the woods behind Rosewood until we found a cool grassy spot to sit. We leaned back against the trunk of a large tree and I started from the beginning, from when Lee and I met. He listened intently to my every word. Then came the difficult part—retelling the details of the night he died. When I explained that I felt responsible because what I promised him that night made Lee not turn the car around, Zach shifted around uncomfortably.

  “Does it bother you that I’m talking about him that way? You know, how I used sex as a bargaining chip?” It was definitely bothering me. Did he feel the same way I did when he explained what almost happened between him and Misty?

  “Yeah, but not for the reasons you must have in mind. Of course I don’t want to hear about you getting intimate with someone else—even if it was before we met. What bothers me the most, though, is that you said you weren’t sure you wanted to do it—that it didn’t feel right but you were going to do it anyway. I’ve never pressured you in any way, have I?”

  How could he even remotely think that? He was nothing short of perfect. “No—of course not! You’re wonderful—perfect actually. It’s not like that with you at all.”

  He exhaled slowly. “I don’t ever want you to feel like that. If we get to that point in our relationship, I want it to be because it’s right for both of us. Don’t worry that I’ll get tired of waiting for you and move on. Relationships shouldn’t revolve around sex. I’ve told you before—you’re in control.”

  “I know. And I have to admit, with you it’s the exact opposite. I have to struggle to hold myself back more than I ever will you.”

  “Really?” He looked at me oddly, surprise mixed with something indiscernible.

  “Really.”

  He hugged me closer. “Go on with your story.”

  I told him about the aftermath of the accident and how miserable I was last summer.

  “So that’s how you got those scars on your hand and forearm. I wondered but I didn’t want to ask.”

  The scars were so light I could barely make them out myself anymore. “How did you even notice them?” I asked with surprise.

  “I notice everything about you. The way the sunlight looks in your hair. The flecks of gold in those gorgeous hazel eyes. How you look away when I tell you how beautiful you are.” He caught me looking into the distance and he reeled me back in. “There—just like that.”

  I knew his face so well but I never realized he paid attention to me the same way. “Since we’re on the subject, can I ask how you got this scar right here?” I put my finger to the long healed wound on the bridge of his nose. “I have a feeling there’s a good story behind it.”

  “Oh, that. It was while I was playing football. I took a rough hit and my helmet got knocked off. My nose got broke—bled like you wouldn’t believe. It was the third quarter and we were down by ten points so I stayed in the game. I threw three more touchdowns and we won it. Played a few more games before it healed, too. It’s the worst physical pain I’ve ever felt.”

  “You kept playing with a broken nose? Are you crazy?”

  “No—just determined. I didn’t want to let the team down. I can endure anything as long as things turn out okay in the end.”

  He was tougher than I even imagined. He was the kind of guy who
would fight to the end for something he cared about. It was a good thing too—because loving me was going to be a rough journey.

  “Wow! You never cease to amaze me.”

  “Enough about me. Finish your story.”

  There could never be enough about him but I went on with my story anyway. I told him every detail of what happened to me since we moved into Rosewood and what Rachel and I went through. When I was done, he laughed. I was confused.

  “What could you possibly find funny about everything from last night?” There was a defensive tone to my voice and I had to admit I was a bit pissed off.

  “Sorry, I just think it’s funny that Rachel thinks she knows so much about ghost hunting, that’s all.”

  “She said she watches some reality show about it, Ghost Stalkers, I think?” He laughed hard at that but I still didn’t see what was so humorous.

  “It’s funny because she only watches that show because she thinks Damon—one of the ghost stalkers—is hot. She spends the entire hour talking about how cute and how brave he is. She freeze-frames every five seconds to check out his latest tattoo. I doubt she’s ever even heard a word he’s said in the entire two seasons it’s been on. Boone absolutely hates the guy.”

  It sounded like something Rachel would do so I finally got the humor in it. I did consider checking out that Damon guy, though—I like tattoos too!

  “I’m done laughing now. I promise. You do have a serious problem on your hands, though. Why won’t you tell your dad or Shelly about it?”

  “Because I’m afraid of what Dad will think. There was a point last summer when I was so depressed he considered taking me away somewhere, if you know what I mean. I don’t want him to think I’ve totally snapped.”

  “But if Rachel and I can back up your story, what then? He’ll have to believe you.”

  If it could only be that easy. “He’ll just think you’re trying to protect me—to stop him from sending me away. He won’t believe you. You have to understand—we need to keep this a secret.”

  “But you need help—correction, we need help. I’ll do anything I can to help you. And I have an idea, if you’re okay with it.”

  “What is it?” I got burned from trusting Rachel so I was cautious not to get too excited before I heard his plan.

  “Trust me. I really have an answer this time. But it involves bringing in a third party.”

  “It’s not an exorcist or anything is it? I’m not sure I believe in all of that stuff.”

  “No. Better. There’s a real ghost hunter right here in Charlotte’s Grove. And I know where to find her.”

  “And she won’t tell anyone else?” All I needed was for some stranger to show up telling them I was a lunatic.

  “I don’t think so. But we can ask her about her privacy policy before we breathe one word of it to her. What do you say?” He looked at me pleadingly and there was no way I could say no.

  I decided to go with my gut and let him take control of the situation, all the while hoping I wouldn’t regret it later.

  “Okay, what’s left to lose?” Famous. Last. Words.

  23. Wait! I Have to Do What?

  Zach parked the car along Main Street and turned off the engine. I still had no idea where we were going but I let him take my hand and lead me down the sidewalk. As we approached each storefront, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of help we could find in a jewelry or clothing store. Or a candle shop which was exactly where he stopped and opened the door for me to enter. Something Wick-ed, the store I saw on the first day in Charlotte’s Grove and forgot all about wanting to check it out.

  “What kind of paranormal help are we going to get in here?” I asked as I stepped onto the blue tile floor. “I already tried smudging with incense and it didn’t help, remember?”

  Zach smiled and pointed to a sign in the bottom right hand corner of the window. “S.P.I.R.I.T. Headquarters, Rita Darcangelo Founder” it read.

  “S.P.I.R.I.T.? Are they anything like Ghost Stalkers?” After last night’s fiasco, I certainly hope not.

  He shook his head. “No, much better. These people do it for real, not for the camera. Not a single pretty boy with ink either.” He seemed all too happy to add the last comment.

  The shop was amazing. The candles were all unique and covered every possible inch of table and shelf space. The air was infused with the scents of hundreds of different candles that somehow combined into one sweet aroma. The walls were a rough decorative finish painted in a pale shade of lilac. The colors and odors all whispered a message of tranquility and serenity. I wanted to move my stuff in and call it home.

  I couldn’t see a single soul in the shop aside from us, but Zach strode up to the counter and called, “Rita?”

  A muffled reply came from the room in the back. “Coming!” A moment later a woman with vibrant red hair appeared at the counter.

  “Zach! What brings you here on a Saturday afternoon? They didn’t change the pickup date for the shelter did they?” She bustled around the shop straightening the few things that were out of place on her way to the front door. She flipped the sign to read ‘closed’ and returned to where we stood.

  “I have a few things put together but I wasn’t expecting you so soon. She looked at me. “And you definitely aren’t George.”

  “No, Rita, we’re not here for your donation. This is my girlfriend Ruby. We’re here because she needs some help. Help with the paranormal.”

  “Oh! Well, follow me then.” She led us to the room in the back and motioned for us to take a seat. She sat down in the black leather office chair across the desk from us. “Tell me what’s going on.”

  Zach quizzed her about whether or not what we told her would be kept confidential and she assured us that it would be. After spending so much time hiding the details of my situation, I was about to tell my story for the third time in less than twenty four hours. It was overwhelming to say the least. I was running on too little sleep and Mimi’s death sat heavy on my heart. And I was about to tell my deepest secret to a total stranger.

  I sighed heavily, not knowing where to start. “I’ve been experiencing paranormal activity since my family moved into town. At first I thought it was my boyfriend who died last summer but I don’t think so now. I think my house is haunted.” For the first time I considered that it was the house—not me—that was ghost ridden. It was somewhat of a weight off my shoulders. I liked the sound of it so I said it again, more confident this time. “I think Rosewood is haunted.”

  She looked like I just handed her keys to the White House. “Rosewood? That gorgeous mansion outside of town?”

  I nodded my head.

  “Tell me everything. Don’t leave out a single thing.”

  She sat there fascinated as I described every strange event I endured since moving to Charlotte’s Grove. She didn’t say a word but I could tell that she believed me. And that was all I really wanted.

  “So what can I do to get rid of whatever it is that’s torturing me?”

  She leaned back in her chair. “You should have brought her to me sooner Zach. I’m afraid that last night’s attempt at a séance has probably done more harm than good.” She shook her head. “Let me guess, Ghost Stalkers?”

  Zach snickered. “How did you know?”

  “Those idiots do more harm than good for our profession.” She quickly added, “But I’m sure your sister meant well.”

  “She did,” I replied. I didn’t hold it against Rachel and I wanted Zach to know that.

  “I understand that you don’t want to get your parents involved. I will respect your privacy. But since I won’t have access to the area, you’ll have to handle it on your own. There are four things you will need to do though. And you’ll need to follow my instructions to the letter.”

  I would do anything to get rid of that ghost so I could move on with my life. Move on with Zach. “Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

  “First of all, dig that spirit board out of the garbage
and bring it to me. I don’t really quite understand how they work, but they have some sort of power. I need to bind it with salt and seal it in glass ASAP.” Fine by me—I didn’t want that thing anywhere near me.

  Then she pulled out a drawer and handed me a purple velvet bag. “This is blessed salt. Usually I would suggest using it in every area of the house, but it seems like the activity is centered on the attic so just sprinkling it there should be enough.”

  “Blessed salt? I haven’t been to church in over ten years so it probably won’t work for me.” I tried to hand the bag back to her but she refused to take it.

  “Attending church has nothing to do with it.”

  “Okay, if you think it will work, I’ll do it. What else?”

  “I need for you to do some research on the house. If you can identify the entity, it will be easier to expel it. Ghosts are here because they want something. It’s your job to find out what it wants. Track down previous owners—see if they can shed any light on the subject. They may hold the key. And doing research on Rosewood should be easier than for most houses—it’s a landmark so there’s a lot of information on it at the library and the historical society. You’ll want to look for any suicides or violent deaths.”

  “I can do that. What’s the last thing I need to do?” I could spread the salt tonight but at this hour the research would have to wait until tomorrow. I crossed my fingers in the hope that her last instruction was something I could start on right away too.

  “This could prove to be the most difficult part.” She furrowed her brow and studied us closely. “How long have the two of you been dating?”

  Good question. I didn’t know exactly how to answer that. There was no clear moment when Zach officially asked me to be his girlfriend. In my heart, I felt like we’d been together since the moment we met. I decided to stay silent and let him answer her. I didn’t have long to wait.

  “This whole ghost business really complicated our relationship. But if I had to narrow it down to the one moment when I knew I wanted to be with her, I’d have to say it was the day we met. And that was June 1st.”