by Bobbi Holmes
“What a lovely little bathroom,” Lily called out to Danielle, who was standing in the entry hall.
“A bathroom? Good, I could use a bathroom.” Danielle walked toward the powder room.
Walt stood silently and watched as the redhead smiled but said nothing, and then turned away leaving him alone in the small room. He wasn’t alone for long. The brunette came barreling in, slamming the door behind her before turning in his direction. She stopped abruptly, her dark eyes wide as she stared at Walt before letting out a bone chilling scream.
Chapter Two
Lily rushed into the small powder room. Grabbing Danielle by the forearm, she jerked her friend around to face her.
“What was it? Is there a mouse or something?” Lily asked in a panic, frantically glancing around the room, prepared to jump on top of the commode if necessary.
Danielle stopped screaming and looked from Lily to the mirror. The man was gone. Her heart pounding, Danielle took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly before looking back at Lily.
“It’s nothing,” Danielle said at last, sounding calmer than she felt.
“Nothing? You scared the crap out of me! What made you scream?”
“I thought I saw something that wasn’t there. It’s been a long day. I think I’m just tired, over excited.”
“Don’t do that again!” Lily scolded. “I think I about wet my pants!”
“Sorry.” Danielle smiled weakly.
“I’ll let you use the bathroom.”
“I think I left my cellphone in the car,” Danielle lied, touching the back pocket of her jeans where she’d tucked her phone. “Would you mind running down to the car and getting it while I use the bathroom?”
“Sure, no problem.”
Danielle dug her car keys from her jeans’ front pocket and tossed them to Lily. Standing at the powder room door, she watched her friend dash from the house. After Lily closed the front door, Danielle walked to the table where she’d placed her purse and house keys. Removing the cellphone from the back pocket of her pants, she tucked it into her purse.
Taking a deep breath, Danielle glanced around the entry hall and called out, “Who are you?” There was no response. Why does this stuff happen to me? Danielle asked herself.
Prepared to call out again she turned around, and came face to face with the man who just moments before had been standing in front of the pedestal sink in the small half bath. This time she didn’t scream.
“I’m the one who should be asking the questions. Who are you, madam?” Walt demanded.
“Oh crap,” Danielle muttered, looking into Walt’s face. For a ghost—spirit—whatever the hell he was, he was good looking, in spite of his angry scowl. If he was a living man, she would guess he was in his late twenties or early thirties, and by his manner of dress, he was on his way to a costume party dressed as a character from The Great Gatsby, considering his vintage suit.
“We’ll have to talk later. Lily will be back in just a few minutes and she can’t see you.” Danielle walked toward a window by the front door.
“What are you talking about?” Walt followed her to the window.
Danielle stopped walking and turned to face Walt. “Who are you anyway?”
“I’m Walt Marlow. This is my house. The more important question is, who are you and why have you broken into my home?”
“Your home? Yeah right…just my luck…” Danielle grumbled. She turned back to the window and glanced outside to see where Lily was. “I knew inheriting this place was too good to be true.”
“Unless you give me satisfactory answers, I shall ring for the police.” Walt threatened.
“Sure. Tell me how that works out for you.” Danielle turned from the window and faced Walt, her arms folded below her chest.
“What did you mean inheriting this place was too good to be true? Young woman, if someone has told you you’ve inherited this property you’re being swindled. My grandfather built this house, it has been passed down to me and I’ve lived here all my life. As you can see I’m alive and well, which means you’ve been hoodwinked.”
“Oh my, is that how it is?” Danielle sighed wearily. “Still alive, hey?”
Danielle hadn’t screamed minutes earlier because she had seen a ghost. She screamed because she thought a man was hiding in the house. The fact Walt Marlow was not a living man changed everything; Danielle Boatman knew a few things about ghosts.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Walt snapped.
“Do you…umm….live here alone?” Danielle wondered if there were any other spirits floating around nearby.
“I live here with my wife. I’m not sure why that’s any of your business.”
“Is she here now?” Danielle glanced around.
“I said I will ask the questions!” The truth was Walt couldn’t recall the last time he had seen Angela.
“I tell you what…” Danielle glanced back out the window and saw Lily come up the walk. “My friend is…well, is kind of shy. So I don’t imagine she’ll want to talk to you. We’ll have a quick look through your house—you can watch, make sure we don’t steal the silver—and then we’ll leave. I’ll come back later and we can have a nice little chat.”
“What exactly do we have to chat about?” he asked.
“I got down to the car and remembered you had your phone. Remember you checked it for the time. You probably stuck it in your purse,” Lily said as she walked into the house.
“I’m sorry Lily, I just looked in my purse, and you’re right. I was just coming to tell you.”
“You’re lying to your friend,” Walt accused.
“That’s okay. You ready to check out the rest of the house?” Lily asked cheerfully.
“I can’t wait.” Danielle flashed Walt a smile and then looped her arm through Lily’s, guiding her down the hallway.
“You aren’t going to scream again, are you?” Lily asked.
“I hope not.” Danielle glanced over at Walt who trailed beside them.
They came to a set of double doors. Letting go of Lily’s arm, Danielle reached for the doorknobs.
“It’s the library,” Walt explained. “I don’t like people going in there.” He let out a little grunt when Danielle opened the library doors and the pair went into the room. Annoyed, he followed them inside and asked them not to touch anything. Lily ignored his request and picked up a bisque figurine, turning it over in her hand.
“That’s quite breakable, please put it down,” Walt said impatiently.
“This is beautiful,” Lily said as she examined the figurine. “I expected the house to be empty, not all this furniture, those books…it’s like someone still lives here.”
“Someone does live here, now please put that down,” Walt insisted.
“It’s quite amazing this house hasn’t been vandalized over the years,” Lily said as she set the figurine back down on its table and went to take a closer look at the floor to ceiling book shelves lining two of the four walls in the dark paneled room. Leather bound books filled the shelves.
“Yes…quite…” Danielle glanced from Lily to Walt, noting the look of frustration on Walt’s face. He really has no idea she can’t see him, Danielle thought.
“And it’s all yours!” Lily walked to a portrait hanging on the far wall.
“Yes, it is all mine and please don’t touch anything else,” Walt ordered, following Lily to the portrait. Danielle trailed behind Walt, wishing she’d come to the house alone so she could have a real conversation with him. If she tried to do that now, her friend would think she’d lost her mind. Danielle Boatman learned at a young age to conceal the fact she occasionally saw spirits. When having what appeared to be one sided conversations with imaginary friends, people around you tended to want to lock you up in a cozy room with padded walls.
“Oh my god…I wonder who he was,” Lily asked in awe as she studied the life size portrait.
“It’s Walt Marlow,” Danielle said, looking up at th
e enormous painting. “His grandfather built this house.”
“I thought you didn’t know about the house’s early history?”
“Umm…well I don’t know much. It’s something I just…just remembered.” Danielle glanced nervously at Walt who stood silently at Lily’s side. He was obviously the subject of the portrait, and if in fact he was Walt Marlow—then this house was named for his family.
“He was certainly a handsome man …no hot. I mean wow…I wouldn’t kick him out of bed!” Lily giggled.
Danielle cringed and looked over to Walt who was now staring at Lily, an unreadable expression on his face.
“He’s okay,” Danielle countered with a shrug, still looking at Walt—not the portrait.
Walt’s gaze shifted to Danielle, their eyes met. Arching his brow inquisitively, his lips twisted into a smirk-like smile.
“Okay? God, those blue eyes alone. Hell, I bet all he had to do was look at a woman and she’d start taking her clothes off.” Lily focused her entire attention on the portrait.
Walt and Danielle continued to look at each other. Breaking into a full smile, he moved his gaze up and down her body in an exaggerated gesture before cocking his head ever so slightly as if to say—well, start stripping.
Wrinkling her nose, Danielle frowned at Walt. What she found most annoying was the heat swelling in her cheeks, shading her complexion a rosy tinge.
Noticing Danielle’s blush, Walt said, “Serves you right, you deserve to be embarrassed. Young women should not be barging into other people’s homes uninvited.”
Danielle was about to suggest to Lily that they leave now and come back in the morning. She could plead a migraine, which wasn’t entirely false. Unaware spirits made her nervous and this one definitely was clueless in regards to his state of being. His presence could alter her plans—yet to what extent couldn’t be determined until they had a nice little chat—a private one. Danielle was just about to make the suggestion when Lily turned her attention to the portrait hanging next to Walt’s. Just as large as his, the second painting was of an attractive woman fashionably dressed in the styles of the mid-1920s. Obviously painted by the same artist as the first portrait, Danielle guessed she was Walt Marlow’s wife.
“She’s rather lovely, in a pouty-spoiled sort of way.” Lily critically assessed the portrait, paying special attention to the feather embellished hat, fashionably set atop a head of blonde bobbed curls. “It’s a shame hats aren’t in fashion anymore. I love how they used to dress. Do you know who she was?”
“I suspect she’s Walt Marlow’s wife.” Danielle looked at Walt, noting the silent way he studied Lily, his expression unreadable.
“They must have had healthy egos.” Lily chuckled.
“Why do you say that?” Danielle asked, her gaze still on Walt who stood silently on the other side of Lily.
“The size of the portraits, for one thing. I can’t imagine commissioning an artist to paint a life size portrait of myself and then hanging it in my home.”
“Lily, let’s go back to the motel. I have a horrible headache,” Danielle said abruptly.
“Now?” Lily turned to Danielle. “We still need to look at the rest of the house.”
“We can come back in the morning. I just need to go to the room and lie down for a while.”
Although disappointed with Danielle’s sudden desire to leave Marlow House and return to their motel room, Lily didn’t try to dissuade her. It had been a long drive from Sacramento California, each taking turns driving so they wouldn’t have to stop midway. They’d checked into the Seahorse Motel before coming over to see Marlow House.
Walt said nothing and silently watched the two women leave.
• • • •
“Are you okay Dani?” Lily asked twenty minutes later as the two walked into their room at the Seahorse Motel. “You haven’t said a word since we left Marlow House.”
Lily walked to one of the two queen sized beds in the room and sat down on the edge of its mattress. She watched as Danielle walked to the sliding glass door leading to the balcony and opened it, letting in the cool ocean breeze. The room was clean and cheerful, yet well worn. Aside from the two beds, the room’s furnishings included a dresser, nightstand, television, small table and two chairs.
“I’m sorry, Lily, really. I guess the traveling just caught up with me.”
“That was a long drive. Getting up before day break and driving straight here wore me out too. But I have to say, after you let out that scream you seemed a little on edge. What did you think you saw?”
“I didn’t see anything.” Wearily, Danielle took a seat on one of the two chairs.
“The house is really in great shape, at least from what little I saw. If the other rooms look half as good, you could probably open for business with very little renovation—if any at all.”
“Oh my…” Danielle closed her eyes. A haunted B and B, some people love that sort of thing.
“You do still want to do it, don’t you?”
“Sure. My plans haven’t changed. I’m just a little tired, that’s all. I think I’ll run down to the store and get some aspirin.” Danielle stood up abruptly.
“I’ll get it for you, you lie down and rest.” Lily stood up.
“No, you did most of the driving the last few hours while I napped. Why don’t you go ahead and take a shower while I go out, then I can take mine when I get back. I’ll pick up a pizza when I’m out, and then we can get to bed early and get some rest, before heading back to Marlow House in the morning.”
“Are you sure? You have a headache, I can drive.”
“No, you stay here and take a shower, relax. There are a couple things I need to pick up at the drug store anyway. No reason for us both to go.”
Forgive me for lying to you, Lily. But I need to have a private conversation—with a ghost.
Chapter Three
Danielle stood at the front door of Marlow House. Key in hand, she hesitated a moment before unlocking the door and going inside. She wondered if he would make himself seen again. One thing she had learned over the years: it wasn’t possible to conjure up spirits at will—at least not for her.
Taking a deep breath, she slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. Walking into the front entry of Marlow House she glanced around.
“Hello!” she called out as she closed the door behind her and turned on the light. “Mr. Marlow, are you here?”
There was no reply. Eerie silence engulfed the room. Walking down the entry hall she set her keys and purse on the same table she’d placed them on earlier.
“I’ve asked you not to put your keys there. You’ll scratch the table,” Walt snapped. Danielle jumped a little from his abrupt appearance yet she didn’t scream. She snatched the purse and keys off the table.
“I don’t remember you saying anything about it.”
“I didn’t?” Walt pondered her words for a moment. “Perhaps I didn’t. But I thought it. Those keys will scratch the table.”
Danielle stuffed the keys into her purse before setting the purse back on the table. Walt frowned, but he didn’t tell her to move the handbag.
“Where did you get keys to my house? Did Joanne give them to you? Did Joanne send you?”
“Joanne?” Danielle asked.
“The cleaning lady. She has a set of house keys.”
“We need to talk, Mr. Marlow.”
“Where’s your friend?” He looked over her shoulder as if Lily might suddenly appear.
“She’s back at our motel room.”
“Odd bird. Seemed incapable of looking a man in the eye—yet quite capable of expressing her, well, shall I say, less than lady-like remarks.”
“Whatever…How about we go into this room.” Danielle pointed to the door leading to the first room she and Lily had gone into. “We can sit down in there and have a nice little talk.”
“You certainly have a habit of making yourself at home.”
“I think it’s somet
hing you need to get used to,” she muttered under her breath.
“You don’t make any sense, young woman.”
“Can we please just sit down and discuss this?”
“Very well, let’s go into the parlor.” Walt gave her a little nod then led the way to the closed door.
Parlor? How quaint, I like the way that sounds, Danielle thought.
He opened it for Danielle and allowed her to enter first. Danielle went to a chair and sat down. Walt took a chair facing her.
“Why don’t you begin by telling me your name and your true purpose for coming here.”
“My name is Danielle Boatman.”
“Danielle Boatman?” Walt frowned. “I’ve never heard of you before.”
“Mr. Marlow, you say you were born in this house—can you tell me the last time you left?”
“The last time I left? I don’t see where that’s any of your concern.”
“I’ll be happy to tell you why I’m here, but first I need you to answer some questions for me.”
“Miss Boatman—or is it Mrs.?”
“Actually, it’s Ms.” Danielle smiled.
“Miz? What in the hell is a Miz?”
“Okay…miss…or just Danielle. Call me Dani if you like.”
“Miss Boatman, you are the trespasser, not I. Therefore you will answer my questions, not the other way around.”
Danielle leaned back in her chair and got comfortable. She eyed Walt Marlow. He really was a handsome man; Lily was right. Danielle wondered how he had died and why she had never heard of him before today. Considering the portrait in the library, he was attached to the property.
“Sir, this will go so much easier if you simply answer my questions first.”
“Do you want me to call for the police?”
“Go ahead.” Danielle smiled sweetly.