by Rose Pressey
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” I pulled the phone from my bag and handed it to him. “I tried the number this morning, but it had been disconnected, I suppose. It said it wasn’t a working number.”
“That sounds suspicious.” Brannon frowned.
“That’s exactly what I thought,” I said.
Brannon and I continued eating our food, drinking the coffee, and discussing the list when Dana walked over.
“I hope I’m not disturbing your conversation,” she said.
“Not at all,” Brannon said.
“Do you have time to sit with us?” I asked.
She glanced over her shoulder. “I suppose I have a few minutes. I wanted to speak with you anyway.” Dana pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Is everything all right?” I asked. “I mean, have you seen the ghost around here lately?”
“As a matter of fact, this morning the door opened on its own. We heard footsteps too,” Dana said.
“Nothing violent though?” Brannon asked.
“Thank goodness, no. Do you think that will happen?” she asked.
“If it hasn’t shown any signs of violence yet then I doubt it will,” Brannon said.
“I agree,” I added before taking a sip of my coffee.
“I just don’t want to scare my employees. I’ve lost several already because they were too scared to work here,” Dana said.
“Maybe if you explain to them that the ghost isn’t here to harm them…”
“I’ll give it a try. I just hope that they believe me. Any news on the murder?” She looked around to see if anyone was listening to our conversation.
Brannon gave me a look. I knew that meant he didn’t want me to discuss many of the details. I’d have to tell Dana later. Not that I wanted to do something that Brannon wouldn’t like, but sometimes he was protective of details that were fine to reveal. I’d never tell anything that would jeopardize the case.
“I think the police have some leads,” I said.
“As a matter of fact, Rip is helping me track down some leads,” Brannon said.
Dana’s eyes widened. “Really?”
I was as shocked as she was that Brannon had revealed that much to her.
“Just doing some research to track down a car,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
“The car that hit the woman?” Dana asked.
“Possibly,” I said.
“I hope you can track it down. What happened to that girl is horrible,” Dana said.
“You’re telling me,” Haley said from behind Dana.
I jumped a bit. Haley had finally returned. Out of nowhere she’d popped up behind Dana. Obviously, no one else noticed her. I tried to pretend she wasn’t there.
“You know, something just hit me,” Dana said.
“Good thing it wasn’t a car. ’Cause let me tell you, that is not a pleasant thing,” Haley added.
Oh, my goodness. I couldn’t believe she’d just said that.
Dana jumped up and headed toward the back. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where is she going?” Haley asked.
Should I tell Brannon that the ghost was here? He’d probably be upset if I didn’t. He was taking a drink of his coffee. I’d wait until he finished so he wouldn’t be shocked and drop the cup.
“Is this your boyfriend?” Haley asked.
I nodded when Brannon wasn’t looking.
“Good-looking guy. Handsome chiseled jaw, thick hair, and dreamy eyes. I approve.” She gave a thumbs up.
“Something wrong?” Brannon asked.
“The ghost is here with us,” I said with a tilt of my head.
Brannon looked to his left. She waved. Before Brannon could ask questions, Dana marched out from the back door and back over to us.
“I think I saw the murdered girl here at my shop,” Dana announced.
“What?” Haley asked.
“When was she here?” I asked.
“A couple weeks ago,” Dana said.
“That’s right. We came in here for coffee. I’d almost forgotten.” Haley smacked her forehead.
“She was a customer here, right?” I asked.
“Yes, how did you know?” Dana asked.
“Lucky guess, I suppose.” I glanced over Dana’s shoulder at Haley.
Brannon looked around as if he knew Haley was talking to me.
“Good one.” Haley laughed.
I couldn’t keep it a secret from Dana that Haley was here much longer.
“Was she here alone?” Brannon asked.
“No, she was here with a man,” Dana said.
Brannon and I exchanged a look. He was thinking the same thing as me. The person she was in here with could be the killer. Then again, it could be someone totally not related. I needed to ask Haley who she was here with. Maybe that would spark her memory.
“Do you think you have video that shows the two of them together?” I asked.
“I knew you were going to ask that. That’s why I went to the back so that I could check my video. It popped into my head that she had been here. Then I remembered the date and time, so I checked the video. I saved it on this memory stick for you.” Dana looked from me to Brannon, unsure who she should give it to.
I was nice and allowed Brannon to take it. After all, he was the detective. I was just the amateur sleuth.
“I don’t know whether to be impressed or slightly creeped out that she remembered seeing me,” Haley said. “She is displaying some stalker characteristics.”
Oh, now she was just being ridiculous. She should be thankful that Dana remembered.
Brannon took the stick from Dana’s outstretched hand. She looked at me as if she wanted to apologize for handing it over to him.
“Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to ask if you would look at your video and see if the camera picked up anything outside.”
She frowned. “The police asked for video of the accident. Unfortunately, the camera outside had stopped working. I have to get a new one.”
“Oh, that is a bummer,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me that, Brannon?”
Brannon raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t ask.”
He should have known that I would eventually get around to wanting surveillance. At least we had some video of the inside of the coffee shop.
“Well, I really need to get to the library. Thank you again, Dana,” I said.
“We’ll let you know if anything comes of this,” Brannon said as he pushed to his feet.
As we started to walk away Dana touched my arm. “Sorry that I gave the stick to Brannon. He is the police though.”
I laughed. “It’s okay, Dana. I understand.”
“I think I’d feel better if you were the one working the case exclusively,” Haley said.
I’d have to let her know that Brannon was a great detective and I had complete faith in his ability to solve the case. He was good at his job. Though sometimes everyone needed a little help.
“I’ll stop by to talk with you soon.” I hugged Dana goodbye and then hurried out the door with Brannon.
“She feels guilty that she didn’t give you the video?” Brannon asked with a chuckle.
“Exactly,” I said as we slipped into his car.
“Just don’t mess this up,” Haley said from the back seat.
She’d already gotten into the car. It looked as if she’d be riding to the library with us.
“There’s something I should tell you,” I said.
Brannon glanced over at me as he pulled away from the curb. “Uh-oh, I don’t like the sound of this.”
“What is it?” Haley leaned forward from the back seat.
“The ghost is here in the car with us,” I said.
Brannon looked in the rearview mirror.
“He can’t see me?” She waved her hands.
“She was in the coffee shop, but now she’s with us here,” I added.
“Did she say anything then? What is she saying now? Doesn’t she know who she was with at the coffee
shop? Can’t she remember who hit her?” Brannon asked.
“I can’t remember everything,” she said with an irritated tone.
“She doesn’t remember,” I said.
A minute later Brannon pulled the car up to the library. All seemed as quiet as we’d left it. I couldn’t wait to get the windows repaired. That was seriously bugging me. Brannon and I got out of the car and headed up the path toward the library doors. He kept glancing over his shoulder.
“Is she back there?” he whispered.
“Yes, she’s following us,” I said.
“He looks good from this side too,” Haley said.
I shook my head, giving her a silent warning to behave.
“Oh!” Haley called out after a few moments of silence. “I just remembered something.”
Brannon had his attention focused on the library. He had no idea she was talking.
“What is it, Haley?” I asked.
“I know who the ghost was that was at the coffee shop.”
“How do you know that?” I pressed.
“What is she saying?” Brannon asked.
“Something about a ghost,” I said.
“It’s not just something about a ghost.” Haley scoffed. “The entity was from the school. Someone conjured it up there. They were trying to do bad things to people. When they tried that the bad stuff came through.”
“How do you know this?” I asked.
She couldn’t remember who had killed her, but she remembered this?
“When I was in the coffee shop earlier something was trying to talk with me. It sparked my memory,” she said.
“Something?” I stopped at the bottom of the library steps.
“Something evil,” she added.
This wasn’t good. If there was something bad at the coffee shop, then we had to get rid of it immediately.
“Why would they take something bad to the coffee shop?” I asked.
“Something bad is at the coffee shop?” Brannon asked.
I nodded. “According to Haley.”
“Not according to me,’ she said. “According to the bad thing that’s there. It followed Dana from the school.”
“Was this the person who killed you? The one who conjured the bad things?”
“I think so,” she said.
“That makes sense,” I said.
“What makes sense? None of this makes sense to me because I can’t hear what the ghost has to say,” Brannon said.
“An evil spirit followed Dana back from the coffee shop,” I said.
“You’re lucky you didn’t pick up one there,” Brannon said.
My mind drifted back to seeing the ghost of the woman at the library. Then to the strange incidents that had occurred lately. Maybe I had brought something back with me.
Brannon raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t pick one up, did you? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“It’s just that I saw a woman here at the library. I didn’t recognize her. Maybe she came from the school.”
Brannon shook his head. “Ghosts are everywhere.”
"Well, duh,” Haley said.
“What did this evil entity look like?” I asked.
Haley shrugged. “She was wearing an old-fashioned dress. At first her face was normal then it turned red and scary. Her eyes glowed.”
“Oh, no,” I said.
“What?” Brannon asked with worry in his voice.
“Haley just described the spirit I saw here. I guess the spirit I saw is bad after all.”
“We’ll have to take care of it. Plus, at the coffee shop too. Maybe we’ll get lucky and Dana won’t find out about this,” Brannon said.
“That’s unlikely. I don’t think anything gets past her,” I said as I headed up the library steps.
When I opened the library door and we stepped inside, Annie was by the reference desk as if waiting for my arrival. Her eyes widened. Haley stopped in her tracks. Apparently, they saw each other. At the same time Tammy strolled through the door behind us. At least there were no signs of an evil entity. Now if I could just keep it that way.
“What’s going on in here? Why are you standing there like that?” Tammy asked.
Brannon frowned. “I think she’s seeing the ghosts.”
“Ghosts?” Tammy asked with a raised eyebrow. “As in two?”
“Oh, it’s the girl from the séance.” Haley eyed Tammy up and down.
At least she’d stopped staring at Annie.
“The ghost of the murdered woman is here and Annie too. They can see each other,” I said.
Haley walked over to Annie. Annie didn’t run away but she didn’t look happy either. My phone alerted me to a text message.
Who is she and why is she here?
“Annie, this is the ghost I was telling you about. She’s here so we can help her find her killer.”
“That’s the plan,” Haley said, leaning against the reference desk.
Well, I just hope she behaves herself.
“I’ll see to it that she does,” I said.
“What did she say?” Haley asked.
The library door opened and the man who was here to fix the windows stepped inside. He gave us that same strange look as we just stood around.
“Good morning,” I said. “The windows are right over there.”
He nodded and headed toward the windows.
“I should get going,” Brannon said.
“Bye, handsome.” Haley waved.
I walked Brannon to the door as the others waited by the reference desk. Tammy had no idea that the ghosts were standing there with her.
“I’ll let you know if I see anything on the video,” Brannon said.
“Fingers crossed.”
I hurriedly kissed him goodbye since I had an audience watching. Haley wiggled her eyebrows when I glanced over at her. I hoped Brannon called with good news about the killer soon.
I made a beeline for the computers. Only a couple people were in the area, so I had my pick of which one to sit at. I needed to research the Walton Academy. Any info about it would help at this point.
“What are you doing?”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that Haley stood behind me. My phone alerted me to a text.
I’m behind you too.
Looking over my left shoulder, I spotted Annie.
“Looks like I have an audience,” I whispered.
“What are you doing?” Haley asked.
“I want to find out more about Walton Academy. Why would anyone go there to conjure a demon?”
“Because it’s a spooky place. Nothing more than that, I suppose,” she said with a wave of her hand.
It didn’t take long for me to find old photos for the school. The oldest ones were from just a few years after the school opened. Students and teachers stood together for class photos. Of course, I didn’t recognize any faces until the photo of the class of Ms. Moore. Her face was familiar to me right away.
“It’s the spirit I saw here in the library,” I said.
“The demon?” Haley asked loudly.
“Well, I don’t think she was a demon.”
“Maybe she was,” Haley said, leaning closer. “Yes, that’s the face I saw at the coffee shop before it turned evil.”
“We have to know more about her.”
“This is worse than before we knew anything at all. It will drive me bonkers if we don’t find out,” Haley said with a wave of her hand.
My phone dinged.
She’s already bonkers.
I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. Haley noticed this though.
“What did she say?” Haley asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“If I could grab your phone, I would,” Haley said with narrowed eyes.
It was a good thing she couldn’t.
“I don’t know what else I can find out about her. She was a teacher there, but that’s all the info I have here. One thing I know for sure, we have to help h
er though. My guess is a demon has taken over her spirit. And it needs to go away so that she can cross over from the school.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to cross over.” Haley stared at her feet.
Why would Haley say that? Did that mean she didn’t want to cross over too? Soon I’d have a library full of ghosts all the time. At least Mrs. Clatterbuck stayed at the graveyard. If the thought ever crossed her mind though she’d show up here. She’d claim if I invaded her turf then she could invade mine too.
“Do you remember anything from the school? I whispered so that no one would overhear me.
“Memories come back like a movie playing on a screen. Maybe Roxanne was there with me that night. I just can’t remember.”
“What about Roxanne? What can you tell me about her? Why would she be there? Why would she not tell me if she was there?” I asked.
“She was a good friend from what I remember. Although she was a bit pushy at times.” Haley said.
“How so?” I pressed.
“A couple days before I went to the school, I remember Roxanne wanted me to sign papers for her. I remember not wanting to, but she insisted.”
“What type of papers?”
“That I can’t remember,” Haley said.
This doesn’t sound right.
I agreed with Annie. Something seemed weird about Haley thinking that Roxanne might have been at the school.
“Enough about me though. How will you get rid of the demon?” Haley asked.
“That’s the demonologist’s job,” I said.
This is scary. I never thought a demon could take over a ghost.
Annie seemed upset which made me sad. I wished I could make her feel better.
“Don’t worry, Annie, it’s a rare occurrence,” I said.
***
Later that afternoon everyone had gone for the day. Well, except for Annie and Jane Austen. They were around somewhere. As for Haley, she had disappeared again. I was just getting ready to lock up when a cold wind whipped by me so forcefully that it almost knocked me over.
“What the heck?” I grabbed the nearby table to steady myself.
Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. The next thing I knew, the ghost of the woman was advancing on me quickly. Her red glowing eyes were fixed on me. I screamed out and darted to my left. I knew this was not a friendly ghost. Nor was it one like in the cartoons with rattling chains and a bed sheet draped over it. This was the demon Haley had told me about.