When the Spirit Calls (When the Spirit... series - Book 2)

by Thomas DePrima

  "I see. And after the inquest you didn't return home but chose to remain in Lake Georgina for the summer?"

  "Yes. I have a passion for antiques, and the Georgina Antiques store is probably the most wonderful antiques store I've ever visited."

  "Since you've been here, I understand you've only seen two spirits— that of the murdered woman and Papa Gianni. Is that correct?"

  "It was— until today."

  "Today?"

  "Yes. I'm referring to the spirit who appears to be with your crew."

  "I don't understand."

  "Oh, I guess you weren't aware of him. There's a spirit sitting in the doorway of your van."

  Katy Neilson turned to look at the van. At the same time, the cameraman swiveled the camera around.

  "I don't see anyone," Neilson said.

  "No, you wouldn't if you don't have the power to see spirits."

  "Uh, what does he look like?"

  Arlene stared towards the truck for a few moments, then said, "He's an older gentleman who appears to be about five feet, ten inches and a bit heavyset. He's wearing faded jeans and— red and white sneakers or tennis shoes."

  "Uh, what color is his hair?" Neilson asked.

  "I can't tell."

  "You can't see his head?"

  "I can see his head, but he's wearing a cap. It's like a baseball cap, but it's very unusual. The hat is divided into six different pie-shaped sections that were sewn together. They're all different colors."

  "What about his shirt?"

  "It's a grey tee shirt with a beer logo on it. Is it okay to mention the brand on the air?"

  "Yes, please."

  "It's a Budweiser logo. Wait a minute, he's just removed his hat. His hair is salt and pepper, what there is of it. The top of his head has no hair left."

  "Okay," Katy Neilson said after grinning, "now tell me honestly. Which one of my crew put you up to this? I need to know because I'm going to ring his neck when we're off the air."

  "No one put me up to this. You asked me to describe the spirit that seems to be traveling with you."

  Neilson drew in a deep breath and released it quickly before saying, "Okay. You win. You got me. Now, seriously, tell me which of these two guys put you up to this."

  "See, this is the reaction I always get when I identify a spirit to people who don't believe spirits really exist."

  "You're really serious?"

  "Never more so."

  "The person you just described is the engineer who used to accompany me on remote assignments. He died several months ago from a heart attack."

  "I guess he couldn't stand to leave the team and decided to stick around."

  Nielson smiled before saying, "Okay, I'll play along. Six months ago we were sent to Schenectady to interview a fire captain about a suspicious blaze. The man you just described and I were alone that day because it wasn't a live broadcast and I only needed a cameraman/technician. Tell me what happened after we got to the location. Oh, and tell me his name."

  Arlene looked over at the truck and began nodding, then turned towards Neilson. "He says his name, when he was alive, was William Bartholomew Winston, but everyone always called him Barty. He says he can't answer the rest because you swore him to silence that day, and he's never told a soul, living or dead."

  "Anybody could have known his name. We were together as a team for three years. I want to hear the rest."

  "He won't tell me or anyone unless you release him from his promise."

  "Alright, tell him I release him from his promise."

  "I don't have to tell him. He can hear you." Looking towards the van, Arlene nodded a couple of times and then turned back to face Neilson. "He says that as you were getting out of the van, you slipped on some ice, fell, and slid down a short embankment. He says your clothes were a muddy mess, and the dirt would have been visible even in a tight close-up. He insisted you change. So he drove you home to Rotterdam to clean up and put on a fresh outfit, but when you got back to Schenectady, the man you were supposed to interview had already gone home for the day. After that you always brought a change of clothing with you."

  Katy Neilson was temporarily speechless, and when she tried to talk, she could only stammer. "Uh, uh, um, that's right. How did you know all that? It was embarrassing, so I made him promise never to tell a soul."

  "I didn't know until Barty told me just now." Looking over at the truck, Arlene grinned and said, "Barty's laughing. He says he never told anyone about it until today, and he only talked about it today because you released him from his promise to never talk about it."

  Neilson looked over at the truck, then back at Arlene before saying, "Madam Arlene, you've just made a believer out of me. Uh, ask Barty why he's still riding along."

  Arlene looked at the truck and nodded, then turned towards Neilson. "He says he never had a family. He was raised in foster homes and never married. He says you were always like a daughter to him, and he had no one else, so he decided to stay here when he died rather than crossing over."

  "A daughter? Really?" Turning towards the truck, she said, as a few tears began trickling down her cheeks, "And you were always like a dad, Barty. You're welcome to ride along for as long as you wish."

  Pulling a tissue out of a pocket, she dabbed lightly at her eyes and cheeks before turning towards Arlene again. "Madam Arlene, if you don't mind me asking, how much do you usually charge for this sort of service?"

  "I don't charge for my services. I'm a college student who has to return to school in a few weeks. After helping Simona, I decided to stay on in Lake Georgina for a short time. I only knew about Papa Gianni because I visited the restaurant the day of the inquest and saw him sitting in a chair at the front of the restaurant near the cash register. And I wouldn't have met Barty if you hadn't brought him with you."

  "And these three spirits are the only ones in Lake Georgina?"

  "They are the only ones I've seen. Most spirits cross over to the immortal world when their bodies die. And, of course, the evil souls are immediately pulled down to the Underworld when their bodies die. They don't get to remain on this plane."

  "You do know that when most viewers see this interview, they aren't going to believe it's true."

  "That's fine with me. I'm not trying to sell anything. I only use my abilities to help where I can."

  "Well, you've sold me. Thank you for allowing me to interview you, and I wish you the best of luck in the future."

  Turning to face the camera as the cameraman zoomed in so only Neilson appeared in the frame, she said, "Thank you for tuning in today. I hope you're now as enlightened as I am on this topic."

  The cameraman held up his hand for a couple of seconds, then closed it into a fist as he turned the camera off.

  Neilson leaned over towards Arlene and said in a low voice, "You can really see Barty?"

  "Of course. How else could I describe him or learn the answers to what you asked if he wasn't here?"

  "I don't know, and I admit that I felt like someone pulled the rug out from under me when you so quickly and accurately answered my question about the Schenectady assignment."

  "Well, as I said, I'm not trying to sell anything."

  * * *

  Sheriff Canaar screamed at the television set when the interview ended during the planned broadcast time. It had been broadcast in its entirety with not a single word edited out. "You lousy bitch. What do I have to do to get rid of you? I want you out of my town— I want you out of my county— and I want you out of my state. You're not fooling anyone. You arranged that whole interview to make it look like you have supernatural powers. I'm onto you, and I'm going to get rid of you if it's the last thing I ever do as sheriff."

  When the phone on the table next to him rang, he picked it up and screamed into the mouthpiece, "What is it?"

  "Is that you, Sheriff?"

  "Uh, Chairman Godwell?" he said meekly.

  "Yes."

  "Uh, sorry I screamed, sir. I was just yelling
at the television."

  "Then I guess I should assume you just watched the same interview I did."

  "Yeah, if you're talking about that Watson girl."

  "I'm very disappointed in you, Joseph. I expected Miss Watson to be long gone by now."

  "I've tried everything I could. It's going to take dynamite to get her out of the county."

  "Then use dynamite."

  "What? You can't be serious."

  "I'm dead serious. I want her gone whatever it takes. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

  "Uh, I've tried everything short of murder."

  "Then try murder."

  "Uh, Mr. Chairman, I, uh, can't do that."

  "You'll do what I tell you to do. Now get rid of her. I'm done playing around. Make sure no one ever finds the body. And Joseph, if she hasn't disappeared from Lake Georgina within two days, someone else will have the party's support in the next election for sheriff. I'm sure we can find someone who can follow orders, since it appears we can't rely on you anymore."

  "Okay, Mr. Chairman. I'll do what I have to do."

  * * *

  Chapter Fifteen

  As Arlene and the others entered the antiques shop the next morning, Madam Elana greeted them with an enormous smile. "Madam Arlene, I recorded the news broadcast of your interview yesterday. They played the whole thing. Every word. It was spectacular. And for most of it, the shop's sign was visible in the frame. Thank you so much for doing it. The phone hasn't stopped ringing this morning. People from all over the state are asking for our address and shop hours. I've been directing them to our website so they can see images of the store's interior. The photographer did a wonderful job when he took them a few months ago. They make it look like the store is as big as a football stadium."

  "That's wonderful, Madam Elana. I hope you sell out the entire store. But don't sell that silver tea service I asked you to hold. I want to take that home with me when I go."

  "Don't worry. I packed it up and put it on the hold shelf with your name on the box. And I made a DVD copy of the interview for you. It's on the table downstairs. You can watch it when you take a break."

  "Great. Well, I guess we'll get back to work in the library and leave you to handle the flood of customers up here."

  * * *

  "Here's the arrest warrant, men," Sheriff Canaar said to the two deputies in his office. "Take care of this before you do anything else today."

  "Are you sure about this, Sheriff? Have you discussed it with the Lieutenant? I mean, this could get very messy, politically."

  "I've thought about it all night and got Justice Fornay to sign the warrant. I have to do this, regardless of how messy it gets. I'm the sheriff, and I don't have to discuss my decisions with Dick Bolger. Now, I'm ordering you to make this arrest. Do what I told you to do."

  "Yes, sir, Sheriff," the two men said almost in unison.

  After the deputies left, Canaar sat down at his desk and thought about the process he had just set in motion. No matter how the arrest went, there was going to be hell to pay in the days ahead. He had originally intended to have Lt. Bolger make the arrest but then decided to leave him out of it.

  * * *

  "Father Paul, there's a reporter named Katy Neilson on the phone," his housekeeper said as he entered the rectory and headed for his office. "She'd like to make an appointment to see you today."

  "Neilson? The one who interviewed Madam Arlene?"

  "I believe so."

  "Okay. Tell her I can see her here at— one o'clock."

  A few minutes later the housekeeper knocked on his office door and opened it enough to stick her head in. "She said she'll be here at one o'clock, Father."

  "Very good, Mrs. McGrath. Thank you."

  * *

  "Please have a seat, Ms. Neilson," Father Paul said after the reporter had been escorted into his office."

  "Thank you, Father. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I realize I'm coming on very short notice."

  "As it so happens, I have a couple of hours free right now. What can I do for you?"

  "Did you happen to see either of the interviews I've conducted here in Lake Georgina? One was with Maria Gianni, and the other was with Madam Arlene."

  "I saw both of them. My housekeeper recorded them for me."

  "Wonderful. I wanted to get your opinion of the situation."

  "To what situation are you referring?"

  "Why to the allegation that you have ghosts running all over the place in your community."

  "I wasn't aware that we do."

  "Father, you said you saw the interviews."

  "I did. In one we have a spirit who allegedly sits by the door of his family restaurant throughout the entire day, and in the other there seems to be a spirit you brought with you and who I assume will be leaving when you do. That hardly qualifies as ghosts running all over the community. As I understand it, you, like me and most of the residents in this community, can't see the spirits."

  "What about the spirit of the woman who was murdered?"

  "Madam Arlene has said she's only seen her twice."

  "Madam Arlene seems to be seeing spooks wherever she looks."

  "I thought you said in the second interview that Madam Arlene had made a believer out of you."

  "Oh, that was just show business. I, uh, didn't really become a believer."

  "Then how do you account for the fact that she was able to correctly identify your— traveling companion?"

  "I haven't verified it yet, but I suspect someone from the station alerted her in advance so she'd be able to pull that surprise on me."

  "And how did she know about your having slipped and tumbled down a small embankment in Schenectady?"

  "Obviously Barty must have told someone at the station, and they passed that information along to Miss Watson as well."

  "I see. Then you believe someone at your station knew exactly what questions you would ask if the situation arose where you had an opportunity to debunk Madam Arlene's statements."

  "Obviously."

  "And further you're saying that your reaction was completely faked."

  "Uh, yeah. Looked pretty convincing didn't it?"

  "Very. I congratulate you on your acting skills. The tears were very effective."

  "Wait a minute. You're not telling me she's sucked you in, Father, are you?"

  "I believe God has given Madam Arlene an extremely rare and most wondrous gift. And I believe she's completely deserving of it."

  "Wow. That is so unexpected."

  "Is this reaction more 'show business'?"

  "Uh, no. I'm genuinely shocked that she's taken you in."

  "And what would you say if I told you Madam Arlene has proven to me beyond a shadow of doubt that she is the genuine article? Namely, a good person of strong faith who can see and commune with spirits of the departed."

  "I can't think of an appropriate response. I'm speechless."

  "As am I, following your statement yesterday that you claimed to be a believer— and yet you now claim your statements were all a lie."

  "Father, I don't believe spirits are just roaming around everywhere, but I admit Madam Arlene did have me going for a while yesterday. And, uh, maybe I did even think I believed it— but only until I had time to work it out. Upon considerable reflection last night, I decided it had to have been faked. She's a con woman par excellence."

  "So now you're saying it wasn't just show business? Briefly, you really were taken in, as you said about me."

  "Father, you're confusing me. I don't know what I'm saying right now."

  "Ms. Neilson, have you ever seen an electron?"

  "What?"

  "An electron. It's a scientific term used by physicists."

  "I basically know what an electron is, but I fail to see how that's applicable here."

  "The point is that sometimes things exist that we can't see with our own eyes and that we must accept on faith."

  "So you're saying that what happened
yesterday during the interview with Madam Arlene was real?"

  "What I'm saying is that you should take some time to really think things through and decide what you believe, and— what you don't believe. You've had all the evidence laid out before you. Now it's up to you to make a decision about it. Perhaps you might consider calling your station and asking them about Barty. See if you can find anyone responsible for informing Madam Arlene about him in advance of the interview. If someone did, they'll probably have already circulated that information, and everyone working there has had a good chuckle over it. I think you'll find that no one there has spoken to Madam Arlene. And when they adamantly deny that anyone there had anything to do with setting you up, I think you'll have to decide if you could possibly believe what Madam Arlene said."

  * * *

  "Sheriff, what's going on with this arrest warrant?" Lt. Bolger said as he barged into Canaar's office without waiting for permission to enter.

  "Read the paperwork, Dick."

  "I did. You can't be serious with this."

  "I'm completely serious. Has the prisoner been processed yet?"

  "That's underway now."

  "Make sure all the i's are dotted, and the t's are crossed. I expect everything to be examined under a microscope by the best defense attorneys money can buy."

  "But the charge, Sheriff. Conspiracy to commit murder?"

  "Judge Fornay signed the warrant."

  "Was he sober?"

  "Is he ever sober? Look, just process the prisoner, Dick."

  "Okay, Sheriff."

  "And when the procedure is complete, put the prisoner in the temporary holding cell next to Macrone."

  "Macrone?"

  "Yeah, Macrone. Just do as you're told, Dick."

  * * *

  When the telephone connection completed, Arlene said, "Hello?"

  "Darling, what's going on up there?"

  "Momma?"

  "Yes, it's me."

  "I'm just surprised to hear your voice."

  "We haven't heard from you in a week, and we were very concerned after seeing you on the television. Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine, Momma."