3 The Ghoul Next Door

by Rose Pressey

  Jennie offered more information. “You can hear people talking but never quite make out what they’re saying. A chill runs down your spine every time you walk into the basement, too.”

  “Well, basements can be very spooky places so I’m not surprised that that happens,” I said.

  “No, this is different. I know it’s a creepy space, but you feel it down there. It’s a heaviness in the air. It’s difficult to even breathe.”

  Another day in the life of me. Seeing and speaking to the dead wasn’t so glamorous when they spoke back.

  As we stood waiting for the producer to announce that we were wrapping for a break, a plate flew off the wall and zinged by Mindy’s head. The homeowner had removed most everything off the walls by this point, but apparently she had missed a few things. I should have insisted because I knew things would get bad with us there.

  Mindy had ducked and missed the dish, but what would happen next? Maybe next time we wouldn’t be able to avoid the flying demonic weapons. This thing certainly was nasty.

  Matt’s eyes widened. “I guess that’s a wrap for now.”

  “You think? Mindy almost lost an eye. I think that deserved a break,” I snapped. Wow, was I testy.

  “We’ve got some food coming,” Matt announced. “If you’d like to recharge.”

  I wasn’t sure I felt like eating, but I knew I needed to keep my strength up. I needed all the energy I could find. Everyone moved about the room and I stared, kind of in a daze. It was as if I was outside looking in the window at them. The whole situation was surreal. The spirit was talking in my ear, but I couldn’t see him. He was hiding. Just like a coward.

  “Why don’t you show yourself?” I called out.

  He didn’t answer. He liked to play games, but I was determined to win this one. I felt a stare on me and glanced over to find Mindy watching me.

  She moved closer. “You okay?” she asked.

  My hands shook from the adrenaline rush. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “It’s been a long morning, huh?”

  “You can say that again.”

  Chapter Thirty

  After filming, I was almost afraid to go back to the bookstore for fear of what I’d find this time. More vandalized books? Would the whole store be burned down? Everything was irritating me and I had no idea why. The letters hadn’t helped my feelings. I could almost feel the anger coming off the pages and seeping up from my purse. I had to know what the new letter said.

  Dear Homewrecker:

  You may think this letter is a joke, but I can assure you it is not. As long as you leave Callahan alone, nothing will happen. I warned you yesterday, but apparently you didn’t take me seriously. I’m working with Callahan now and we’re spending a lot of time together. There is no room for you in his life.

  Best regards,

  Ginger

  Best regards? What would she have said if she’d sent bad regards? Ginger wasn’t even afraid to sign her name. That was crazy. I had to know who this woman was. Maybe I needed to pay her a visit. But if she really was crazy that could be dangerous.

  I stuffed the letter back into my purse and hurried out of my car and toward Book Nook. I looked over my shoulder. I never knew when some crazy would be following me. Apparently I attracted all the crazies now.

  “Oh, you are popular. Ghosts hate you and so do the living.” Candy Cherry floated behind me. The venom oozed out of her words. Why did she hate me so much?

  “Don’t listen to her, Larue. She is being nasty,” Elvis said from over my shoulder.

  With my hand on the door, someone reached out and grabbed me. I whirled around with my fist in the air.

  “Whoa, Rocky, take it easy,” Mindy said.

  I clutched my chest. “Oh, my gosh. I’m so sorry. I’m just a little on edge.”

  I reached in my purse and handed Mindy the letter, then motioned for her to follow me inside.

  Beth looked up when I walked through the door of Book Nook.

  “This came for you today. It’s marked urgent on the envelope.” Beth waved the envelope in the air.

  My heart rate spiked when I recognized the cream-colored paper. Two in one day? This was crazy. Mindy stood behind me, leaning over my shoulder.

  I didn’t speak as I snatched the letter from her hand. Beth frowned.

  “I’m so sorry. I have no idea why I’m acting this way.” My hands shook.

  “Larue, are you okay?” Mindy asked.

  “Am I acting strange?” I asked.

  “Um, just a little.” She pinched her index finger and thumb together.

  Without offering a response, I ripped open the letter.

  “I told you that you are popular. Another lovely letter from your new friend,” Candy Cherry said snarkily.

  I didn’t give her the benefit of a response. She didn’t deserve one. All she wanted to do was make me angry—I had to fight my anger.

  “You should confront Callahan with this. Ask him what’s up,” Mindy said from over my shoulder.

  “I know,” I said while still reading the letter.

  I couldn’t believe this woman had sent another letter. She was crazy. I was seriously worried about Callahan’s safety… not to mention my own.

  In case you didn’t take the other letter seriously, I thought I’d send another. I meant what I said: stay away from Callahan. He doesn’t want to be with you. Typical guy, I know, but he doesn’t know how to tell you that he isn’t interested in you. So do yourself a favor, and leave him alone. Got it? Good.

  Best regards,

  Ginger

  Again with the best regards. What a psycho.

  “Do you think he knows about the letters?” Mindy asked.

  I rubbed my temples. “Honestly, I don’t know. There has to be something going on, right?”

  “Usually there is.” Mindy clucked her tongue. “We could go kick her butt.”

  “Oh, please. He is with his girlfriend. You are not the girlfriend. Callahan is playing you,” Candy Cherry snapped.

  Mr. Fine laughed, but the chuckles stopped when Elvis approached Mr. Fine and Candy Cherry. It looked as if he’d had enough of their taunting.

  “I hate this relationship junk. Why does it have to be so difficult? Why can’t you just meet someone, you get along, do things together, have fun and live life. Why is there so much freakin’ drama? I don’t like drama. I like quiet.”

  “You like quiet?” Mindy snorted. “You never get quiet. You have dead people talking in your ears constantly.”

  I sighed. “Don’t remind me.”

  “You need to ask him though. If he doesn’t know about the letters, then he needs to, and if he does know, then he needs to come clean with you. He can’t play two women.”

  “I guess technically he can,” I said.

  “Well, you’re not going to be one of those two women. Period. I’ll see to that.” Mindy placed her hands on her hips.

  “I’m supposed to see Callahan tonight. I’ll have to tell him then. I just hope I get the answer I’m searching for.”

  Mindy hugged me. “Let me know if anything happens. I’m going to teach a class. The women are going crazy without me there.” She stared at me when she pulled away.

  Mindy studied my eyes, but didn’t say a word. A look of fear spread across her face and she hurried out, the bell above the door jingling in her wake.

  Thank goodness Mindy hadn’t asked me to go. I didn’t have the energy to hang on to the pole. Not to mention that the anger inside me mounted. I hated this feeling and it wasn’t like me to feel this way. I pulled out the mirror from my purse. Blazing blue eyes stared back at me. I slammed the mirror down. I didn’t want to see it.

  The day couldn’t go by fast enough. I found myself watching the clock and unable to concentrate. I paced the length of the bookstore so much that I even got on the ghosts’ nerves. Not that it would take much to annoy nasty Candy or Mr. Fine. But I was even making Elvis nervous. He paced the floor behind me.

>   After I closed for the day, I hurried home, showered, changed into a little black dress and waited for Callahan to arrive. I’d show Callahan the letters and hope for the best.

  “Are you wearing that?” Candy Cherry asked while she picked fake lint from her red dress.

  “Yes, I’m wearing this,” I mocked.

  “You look gorgeous,” Elvis said.

  Normally, I would have swooned at the fact that Elvis Presley had complimented me. I mean, Elvis Presley! But my heart just wasn’t in it. The black feeling inside me made feel like the Grinch, minus the stealing Christmas gifts part.

  When the doorbell rang, I almost couldn’t breathe. I had no idea how Callahan would act when I showed him the letters. With heavy feet, I forced myself to walk to the door. Sucking in a big breath, I swung the door open. Callahan stood in front of me with a giant smile across his face. Damn, he looked good.

  “You look stunning,” he said.

  Okay, he chipped away at the blackness with that comment—only a little though. “Thank you,” I squeaked out.

  “Are you ready?” Callahan asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah, but first, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” My stomach turned. I hated confrontations.

  “It sounds serious.” Callahan’s brow furrowed.

  I nodded. “Yeah, it kind of is serious. Why don’t you have a seat on the sofa.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  When Callahan had settled on the sofa, I handed the letters to him. My stomach turned at the thought of him coming clean with me. I wanted the truth, but I wanted it to be positive. The answer I wanted to hear. The last thing I needed right now was bad news from him. Would I let Callahan go without a fight? Probably. I never wanted to be anyone’s second choice. No one ever wanted to be the second choice.

  Callahan took the letters and stared down at the pretty linen envelopes, then looked back up at me. He opened the first one, read it, then slipped open the next. When he saw that it was more of the same, he placed it back on the table and looked up at me.

  “I have no idea why she would have sent these letters. Honest, I would tell you, Larue.”

  I studied his gaze. Much to my relief, I believed him. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I did.

  “Is she really working with you?”

  He chuckled nervously. “I had no idea when I offered to help Mike that he was dating my ex-girlfriend. What are the odds?”

  “With my luck, the odds are pretty good.”

  Callahan stood and took my hands into mine. “Ginger was always strange. That’s why we’re not together anymore. I’ll talk to her, okay?”

  I studied his face. “Okay. I was worried about you, though.”

  “I was used to her antics. She’ll be fine. It’s her way of playing a joke. I’ll tell her it isn’t funny.”

  A joke? I for one wasn’t laughing at her idea of humor. “Do you think it has anything to do with the magic? Maybe someone is messing with us again,” he said.

  Anything was possible, but what if this was just his way out of this sticky situation? My belief in him had already begun to fade. Why did I always assume the worst? I was letting this negativity control me—the big black cloud hung over my head. But I’d been around too many men who allowed the lies to roll right off their tongues with perfection. Would I ever be able to trust a man? Would I ever have a trusting relationship?

  “Callahan, I’m suddenly not feeling well. I think I just want to go to bed.”

  He frowned. It looked as if I’d punched him in the stomach. “Can I help? Do you need anything?”

  I shook my head. “I just need to be alone.”

  I spoke the words, but I didn’t feel them. It didn’t matter though because there was no way I could stop myself from telling him to leave.

  Callahan stopped at the door and looked at me. “I’ll call to check on you.”

  I nodded but didn’t answer… and with that he was gone.

  I padded through the house. My ghosts were nowhere in sight which was completely weird and slightly unnerving. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt as if something was following me though. Were Mr. Fine or Candy Cherry making their forms invisible to me?

  For what seemed like the millionth time, I glanced over my shoulder. Nope. Nothing back there. Could something sinister completely hide from me? I was pretty sure the evil spirits could be invisible any time they wanted—just like the ghosts. That was totally not fair.

  As I sat on the sofa, I stared blankly out the window. My phone rang, breaking my reverie. I pulled it out from my purse and noticed Mindy’s number. I didn’t answer. I didn’t know why I didn’t answer, but something told me not to pick up. The worst part? Why was I listening to the voice in my head and where was the voice coming from? It wasn’t any of the ghosts around me. So who was it? Or what was it? Had the evil spirit followed me from the investigation? My thoughts were muddled.

  A few minutes later when Callahan called, I did the same thing—I ignored the call. This was no way to treat the people who I cared about, yet I couldn’t force myself to pick up the phone.

  As I stood by the window, a faint voice called out like a whisper across the wind. “You should just jump,” it said.

  That message chilled me to the bone. I was terrified. In no way did I want to jump and why was this voice telling me to do so? This was the last straw. This evil thing wanted to hurt me, and I had to get rid of it. I had isolated myself from everyone and that wasn’t like me at all.

  A noise sounded from outside. It sounded exactly like the noise Callahan and I had heard the other night. A twinge of pain ran through my body when I thought of that evening spent with Callahan, but something forced me to push the thought away.

  That power also pulled me outside, forcing me to leave the protection of my home. But I had to know what was going on; where the noise had come from. Maybe it wasn’t safe… maybe I was asking for trouble by going out there alone, but I had to face my fears. I had to take care of this on my own.

  I slipped on my shoes and coat and eased out the back door. Pulling my coat closer together for protection from the wind, I stood on the back porch and peered out into the darkness. A partial moon shone in the sky with lights twinkling through the breaks in the clouds.

  I’d turned off the porch light, so if anyone was out there they wouldn’t see me—at least I hoped they wouldn’t notice me. The night air was still and no noise sounded. My gaze was drawn to the woods just beyond my house. It was as if something was out there staring at me, watching every move I made and waiting for its chance to pounce. I wouldn’t give it the opportunity.

  As I turned to hurry back inside, a noise sounded from beside the house. I spun around, but couldn’t see anything in the dark. I stepped off the porch and made my way around the side of the house. My heart pounded in my ears. What if I wasn’t prepared for what I’d find? With that thought, a shadow zipped around the side of my house and I took off running after it.

  Yeah, I should have run the other direction, but I didn’t. What had I been thinking? I should have run back inside, locked the door, jumped into bed and pulled the covers up over my head. But no. Instead I ran after the thing—whatever it was.

  My long coat flowed in the wind behind me as I ran through the grass chasing this thing. Had it been a person or the caped shadow figure? It was so dark I didn’t know if it was a living and breathing person or a spirit. Either way, I wanted to know for sure. I had to know what it wanted with me. I hoped I didn’t find out the hard way that the thing wanted to kill me.

  As I made my way to the front of the house, I saw the shadow move around the other side of the porch. How long would this game of chase continue? Would we run around the house all night? I didn’t think I could keep up the pace for that long. Sure, the pole fitness had helped me, but I could only last for so long.

  My shoe slipped and I stumbled forward but caught myself before I fell face first in the mud. The rain had turned my yard into a
marsh. When I looked up, I spotted the shadow figure fading into the tree line. There was no way I was going in there after it. Whatever it was would have to go. I had a feeling it would probably be back. It wasn’t the last I’d see of the thing. But the question remained: was it a person or a spirit? It had moved just like the dark shadow I’d seen recently. Had someone really unleashed a demon on me from their black magic? It wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

  I hurried toward the back door before the thing had a chance to return. What had I been thinking by chasing something in the middle of the night? I’d lost my ever-loving mind. I rushed in, locked the door and flipped off the muddy shoes. I hoped they weren’t ruined.

  My breathing was still heavy from my nocturnal exercise. I moved over to the window to see if the thing had returned, but thankfully, I saw nothing. I needed a shower and sleep. I’d block this whole mess out of my head and worry about it tomorrow. I needed time to relax. The stress was getting the better of me.

  After a long hot shower, I slipped into my cozy pajamas and buried myself under the covers. There was nothing like the comfort of my bed to make me feel safe. As if nothing could possibly get me there. Well, as long as I didn’t stick my toes out from under the covers, because then for sure the monster under the bed could get me.

  The thoughts overwhelmed my mind so much that I finally resorted to counting sheep to take my mind off of what I’d seen. It must have worked somewhere around number a hundred and ten because I didn’t remember counting after that. But I woke up with a start the next morning.

  When I pulled my legs from the covers, I was shocked at what I saw. Panic rose from my stomach and my heart raced. My feet were covered in dried mud. My stomach turned. I knew I’d taken a shower the night before. I remembered. I had on the pink pajamas I’d put on, but the bottoms of the legs were muddy too. Had I been sleepwalking? There was no other explanation, right? I’d never done it in the past. Not that I was aware of at least, and I’d know by now. What had happened?