by Rose Pressey
“This is the one.” Anthony’s voice rose as he pointed and I moved closer.
We joined him in front of the aged tombstone.
“See, the name…Cooper C. Garret. Just like the clown messing with you claims is his name. Died in 1874.”
“What? Are you serious?” I pointed the flashlight, casting an eerie glow on the old stone.
“Well, that’s my point. He’s using some dead guy’s name.”
“This isn’t the same guy. Anthony, I cannot believe I let you drag me all the way out here for this. This is crazy. Why on earth would he pick a man who died over a hundred years ago to impersonate? Wouldn’t he pick someone who’d recently passed away?” I stared at him.
He considered my words, then said, “Well, I don’t know. I just know that there’s something fishy about him. I have a feeling.”
“I have a feeling, too. And my feeling is I want to be home in my warm cozy bed. Now, if you’re done with these shenanigans, I’m leaving.”
I whipped around and weaved back around the headstones, listening for more strange sounds. If I could make it out of there alive, I swore I’d never listen to these ghosts’ lame ideas again.
“Fine, Larue, don’t listen to me, but you’ll see I’m right about him. You can’t live a lie forever. And he’s living a lie.” He pointed with his index finger from emphasis.
“Is that right?” I said over my shoulder.
I didn’t mention that maybe Anthony was lying to himself about being dead and needing to go to the other side.
“Don’t you want to visit my grave?” he asked with melancholy in his voice.
I stopped in my tracks. He might as well have punched me in the stomach. How could I say no?
“Of course I do, Anthony. I wouldn’t miss it for anything,” I said, trying to comfort him with my words.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, what do we need to look at your grave for? It looks like all the others.” Seth huffed.
“Now, Seth, let’s pay our respects to the dead.”
He chuckled.
“Laugh all you want, old man, but I bet my tombstone’s bigger than your tombstone.”
Okay, I’d heard it all now. Men never tired of comparing sizes. We moved down the row of graves until Anthony stopped in front of his.
“Aren’t your family members buried next to you?” I asked.
“No, I guess when I died they found the best spot they could for me. They’re buried across town. I visit often.” He looked down, avoiding my gaze.
“That’s nice.” I nodded.
Talk about awkward. We stood in silence for several seconds.
“Um, it’s a nice spot,” I added, at a loss for words. What else could I say?
“Yes, yes, it is a very nice location,” Mae said, as she nodded.
“A great place to spend all of eternity,” I added.
“Okay, that’s enough reminiscing, let’s get out of here,” Anthony blurted out.
Without another word, he floated ahead of us. I’d never understand Anthony. I wouldn’t even attempt to figure out what went on in his head. There was no way to navigate the male mind…especially the dead male mind.
As I stepped forward, a dark shadow dark shadow darted from one tree to another. My breathe caught in my throat. The shadow figure was back. We froze as we watched it glide from the old part of the cemetery. No one said a word as we watched it fade into the darkness, the glowing ring around it disappearing. My senses were on high alert. A prickly sensation ran through my body.
“Look at that house,” Mae pointed, drawing my attention away from the dark shadow.
I looked to my right. My eyes widened. A mansion sat at the graveyard’s edge. The shadow figure reappeared in front of the mansion, gliding across the way and disappearing when it reached the home.
“That house wasn’t there before,” I said, as I stared wide-eyed.
“No, it wasn’t. It’s never been there. I’d remember if it had been.” Anthony moved a little closer in that direction.
“The house had to be there. Maybe you just didn’t notice it,” Seth said.
“I’m buried here. Don’t you think I’d remember a house right there?”
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
Light shone through the windows. The house stood three stories high with intricate cornices, a sizeable amount of windows, several chimneys, and a porch that spanned the length of the home. It sat alone atop the hill. The same white glow that outlined the dark shadow figure contoured the home, as if a glowing aura surrounded the spectral mansion.
“Did you all see the dark shadow disappear when it reached the front porch?” I asked, looking at the ghost gang.
They nodded without saying a word.
“Let’s check it out.” Mae moved closer to where Anthony stood.
Seth twisted his hands. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. It would be considered trespassing. I don’t want you to get in trouble, Larue.”
“I’ll just go a little closer.” I looked to Seth, then back at the large home.
“Don’t forget about the shadow we just saw.” He reminded me.
I stopped on the spot. Yeah, there was that little thing to consider. Before I had a chance to move further, a gasp cut through the night air.
“It’s gone,” Mae said.
“I don’t believe it. It just disappeared.” Anthony’s voice rose to a level I’d never heard.
“A ghost house…I don’t know what to say. I think I may have peed my pants.”
“Maybe you should have worn an adult diaper,” Mae said.
“Let’s get out of here,” Seth said.
Chapter Thirty-Five
My bed never looked so good. Unfortunately, none of the ghosts were following the ‘stay out of my bedroom’ rule. They paced across the hardwood floor in front of my bed. Well, Seth and Anthony paced. Mae lounged in the overstuffed chair that sat in the corner beside the fireplace.
“I stopped by Callahan’s place,” Seth said. “And it was no easy task, let me tell you. You know how much energy it takes to zoom from place to place. Anyway, there’s something wrong. I’m worried about him.”
“What do you mean, there’s something wrong with him?” I asked.
“I’m not quite sure. He just doesn’t act himself. Call him,” Seth said.
“No,” Anthony exclaimed.
Not this again. Seth was right. I should at least attempt to call Callahan again. I owed him the real explanation for the conversation he had overheard. I needed and wanted to make things right between us. I missed his delicious lips and his smile and body…well, you get the idea. He was sexy, smart, and fun and I wanted to see his gorgeous face again. I wanted to tell him about Mindy and get his advice. See what he thought. And if what Seth said was right, well, this situation was getting extremely dire.
I picked up the phone and dialed his number. My breath caught in my throat and my hands shook. I hadn’t been this nervous since Mindy forced me to take that helicopter ride over the Atlantic shore last summer. The other end of the line rang and rang, but he didn’t answer. Was he avoiding my calls? Of course he was. Maybe Cooper had convinced him I was snobby and rude, as well. It didn’t seem Callahan’s personality to believe gossip. The only explanation was the one I didn’t want to believe. Had it really happened again? Had Cooper used black magic on Callahan, too?
I hung up. “He didn't answer,” I said to the expectant faces staring at me.
“Give him a chance. Try again in a minute,” Seth said.
“Yes, you should try again,” Mae said. “He’s too gorgeous to let him slip away.”
Anthony dropped something on the other side of the room. “Sorry.”
I think he just wanted to get my attention since we were talking about Callahan and not him.
“So we need another plan.” Seth clapped his hands together. “We can’t wait around for Becky to give us details.”
“I can’t come up with another plan rig
ht now. I’m exhausted and I can’t think straight.”
“We have to act now. You said Mindy was a good spy. What would she do?” Seth face had grown more solemn.
“Well, she would have spied on Cooper to see if he was practicing black magic. But I don't own binoculars.” I sat up in bed. “I can buy some. Wal-Mart is open all night and, since I doubt I'll be sleeping much tonight, I might as well go.”
“Spying. Now we’re talking,” Mae said. “Never done it, but I'll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure.”
“Do you know where this Cooper fellow lives?” Seth asked.
“No, but I know where Brianna lived and, if Cooper took over her shop, I bet he took over her home as well.”
“Good thinking.” Anthony winked.
After grabbing my purse and locking the door behind me, I climbed into the car. The gang piled in with me. “I never thought I’d see the day I was headed to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night with a bunch of ghosts to buy binoculars.”
I so needed a vacation. Things kept getting crazier. Who knew what would happen next? After a bit of bickering between Anthony and Seth about which product was superior, I picked the binoculars I thought were best. I had to keep Mae from touching everything in the store; she really liked Wal-Mart.
“The socks are two for one dollar. That’s a bargain. Do you need socks, Larue?” Mae asked.
I continued my trek toward the door. I had plenty of socks.
We climbed back into my old car and headed toward Brianna's…or should I say Cooper’s house. What exactly I was looking for, I didn't know, but with any luck, I’d see something to help sort about this madness. Maybe Mindy, Callahan, and Cooper were there having a big party and lots of fun without including little ol’ me. Heck, the whole town was probably there. Cooper probably had plans to cast a spell on the whole town of Magnolia. I had to stop him before it was too late. Becky and the coven were taking too long.
We pulled up to the curb and I cut the headlights. My car backfired when I turned off the ignition.
“Can’t you all buy decent vehicles?” Anthony remarked.
“I’ll get around to buying a new car. Leave me alone. I like my car,” I said.
The house was located in a gorgeous neighborhood with large estate homes. Most had gated entrances but, luckily, Brianna's former residence didn't.
Anthony let out a whistle. “Wow. Someone was loaded.”
“Yeah, she had a few bucks to throw around. She should have bought a nicer personality with some of that money, though. Did I say that out loud?” That wasn’t nice of me, but sometimes the truth hurt.
I grabbed the plastic shopping bag and pulled the binoculars out. Sneaking out of my car with a sick feeling planted firmly in my stomach reminded me I’d just done this with Mindy a short time ago. The old Mindy would be so proud. I’d been convinced Mindy and I would go to jail that day. Now look, I was doing it without her prodding. Not that I’d decided to do this all on my own. Seth, Mae, and Anthony hadn’t tried to stop me.
“Please, don't let me be arrested,” I murmured.
How would I explain why I was snooping in the dark with binoculars? It sounded as bad as it looked. I made my way up the street with the ghosts trailing closely behind me. The bushes lining the sidewalk concealed my movement nicely, and I was thankful. When I reached the house, I paused, taking in a deep breath. The crisp scent of fall leaves hit my nostrils.
“I don’t suppose I can turn back now,” I said.
It was more of a statement than a question. I knew I needed to do this. What surprised me, though, is how easily I accepted that fact. I’d complained when Mindy made me do it the first time. Well, I guess technically she didn’t make me. I could have always said no.
“You did already purchase the binoculars,” Seth said. “And they weren’t cheap. You might as well use them.”
That was a paltry attempt at rationalizing this outing, but I’d take it.
“Okay. Let’s do this.” I motioned over my shoulder for them to follow my lead. As if they wouldn’t do that anyway. I should be so lucky.
I eased through the yard, staying on the outer edge in case I needed to make a quick getaway, then hid behind a tall tree.
“Can you see anything?” Mae asked.
“Not yet,” I whispered as I held the newly purchased spy wear up to my face. Lights shone from the windows and, although I hadn't seen him yet, I had a feeling Cooper was somewhere in the house. Who else could it be?
Sure enough, after a few minutes, he came into view. No sign of Mindy, though.
“I see him,” I said as I held the binoculars up to my eyes.
“What's he doing?” Mae squeezed in beside me.
“I'm not sure. He has items in a brown paper bag, and he’s lifting them out one by one.”
“Why don't we go in and see what we can find out?” Anthony asked.
“He can see you, remember?”
Anthony frowned. “We’ll be really sneaky. There’s no way he’ll know we’re there. We can hide from you when we want to…oops.” He looked the other way, avoiding my gaze.
I scowled. “We’ll discuss that later.”
Hmmm. Sending in the ghosts wasn't a completely awful idea. I'd done it in the past, sending Abe Lincoln and the gang to spy on Brianna. And I would learn things a lot faster if they were on the inside, where maybe they’d hear something pertinent to the situation—like a phone call or spell. If Becky knew what type of spell maybe it would be easy to break.
“Do you want us to go in, or not?” Anthony tapped his foot impatiently.
“I guess that would be okay,” I said.
Before the words had slipped out of my mouth, the ghosts were gone. Poof. All that was missing was the smoke. I held the binoculars up again and saw the three of them attempting to hide in the corners of the room. Anthony knocked something off the table onto the floor. He was playing games with Cooper, and I couldn't help but let a giggle escape my lips. He deserved it for being evil. The entire Garret family must be that way.
I watched as Cooper pulled everything out of the little brown bag. He’d been startled when the vase fell to the floor, but it was short-lived. He’d picked it up and continued with whatever he was doing. He didn’t seem to notice the ghosts. So far they were doing a good job of hiding on their reconnaissance mission.
There was no sign of Mindy, which was a good thing. At least they weren't having a party without me. Not that I’d want to go anyway. Or, heaven forbid, I spotted them getting it on. That was the last thing I needed to see. Kind of like catching your parents making out. Sick.
After a few minutes, and not much happening, the gang disappeared from Cooper’s and popped up beside me again.
“So, what did you learn?” I asked.
“Well, I'm no expert,” Seth said, “but it appeared to be some sort of magic spell.”
It felt as though the wind had been knocked out of me. I couldn't catch my breath. It was the confirmation I’d expected.
“I knew he was doing black magic. He said he wasn’t, but I knew he couldn’t be trusted.”
“Are you all right?” Mae asked.
No words would form. I couldn't answer.
“Darlin’, talk to me.” Anthony wrapped his arms around me.
The embrace felt good, even if it was a ghost. The warmth from his arms wrapped around my shoulders penetrated my clothing. My energy slipped from my body, allowing Anthony to manifest clearer than I’d ever seen a ghost before.
“I should have known what he was up to,” I said breathlessly. “He has Mindy and probably Callahan under a spell, just like Brianna did with Callahan. Mindy does whatever Cooper tells her to do.”
“How can we stop him?” Seth asked.
“That's the thing, I have no idea. Karyn’s in the hospital. Who do I turn to for help, if not her? Becky doesn’t seem too concerned. I wonder what the other coven members are saying about Cooper?”
“There’s one way to find out…ask them.” Seth leaned against his cane.
“Let's get out of here before he catches us spying on him. He'll turn us into frogs. Well, he’ll turn me into a frog, he can't turn you all into anything, since you can hide from him. Or maybe he cast spells on y’all. Heck, I don’t know. Come on, I’m rambling again.”
“Yeah, I’m glad I know he can see us, now I’ll know to hide from him.” Anthony said.
“I’m not happy with you.” I glared at him again. “We need to have a little talk about this newest revelation.” I knew I’d heard breathing by my ear the other morning.
“That’s not important right now. What’s important is that I want to get Cooper Garret for doing this to you. I am so mad.” Anthony's complexion turned red, replacing his normal pallor. The image of his crimson face was so vivid. He was furious. I didn't know a ghost could be that angry.
“Let's go, Anthony, before you implode or something.”
As I moved across the lawn, I could have sworn I saw the dark shadow in my periphery. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. We hurried back to the car. Well, I hurried while the rest of them went ahead, appearing inside my vehicle long before I even reached the driver’s door.
“Thanks for waiting for me.” I smirked.
I pulled away from the curb, thankful to put distance between Cooper and me. And not to be in handcuffs. Anger bubbled inside me. I don't know what I’d do to Cooper if I got my hands on him.
I had Karyn’s help last time, but that wasn’t an option now. Becky seemed unconcerned with the whole situation. Maybe now I understood why Karyn hadn’t asked her to be coven leader.
“I don't know what to do.” I blew out a deep breath. “I can try to contact the coven and see what they think I should do. Karyn wanted me to lead the coven when I don’t even know what to do in this situation? What a joke.”
Everyone remained silent, lost in their own thoughts, contemplating how to solve my problems. Imagine that. Ghosts stuck between this world and the next and they were worried about helping me. I should be helping them cross over.