Hidden Voices (Tess Schafer-Medium)

by Deborah Hughes

  Ted seemed quite sure they were Indian beads and although I have never seen an Indian bead before, it made sense considering how old they were. “They are in perfect condition.” Ted reached in and scooped up a handful and when he did, a large flat stone about the size of my palm was revealed.

  I immediately reached for the stone and as I picked it up, the hairs on my arm, still standing mind you from the earlier reaction to the beads, now tingled. The feeling of cobwebs brushed across my face and my heart began to pound in earnest. If Sheila was here, then something really important was going on. But how in the world did a box of beads and a smooth flat stone have any significance to the Buck curse? I returned the beads to the box and examined the smooth stone in my hand. It was oblong and of perfect spherical dimension. It was only about a quarter inch thick and it was smooth as glass. As my thumb rubbed over its surface, it actually began to shine up more. I continued to rub the stone, noting how fast it warmed in response. The smooth surface became almost reflective. Mesmerized, I could no more pull my gaze from that stone than I could make my heart slow its pounding. I heard Ted say something but it sounded far off and then suddenly I wasn’t in the room with him anymore.

  My consciousness became merged with that of a young girl and I found myself crouching low in a thicket of brush. Her heart pounded loud in my ears as we peered through the branches at the scene before us. An expanse of grass led to the edges of a rocky coastline. Beyond that was a stretch of mudflats and then the ocean itself, stretching on into forever, it's gently rolling surface reflecting the bright sunlight as if a million diamonds floated upon it.

  Small row boats dotted the rocky shore wherever it was possible to land one. Men dressed in heavy dark clothing that was not typical of today’s fashions were scattered everywhere. Whoever I was sharing this vision with, she was not happy with what she was seeing. Trepidation ran rampant and it was all she could do not to turn and run. The stone in my hand was nearly too hot to handle and I looked down at it curiously. The hand holding it was of a dark complexion and very slender. The rock suddenly heated to such a degree it made me gasp and I pulled from the vision.

  “Tess? Are you okay?”

  Ted’s worried voice penetrated the fog cluttering my thoughts and I blinked several times to ground myself back to the present. “It’s okay, Ted. I think I was connected with whoever owned this stone.”

  Ted looked nervously around him. “Are we surrounded with ghosts?” His voice cracked and he visibly tried to man up. “If so, they are friendly I’m hoping?”

  It was hard not to laugh because he really looked a contradiction of emotions. He eyes looked terrified but he was trying to hold himself as if he weren’t afraid of a damned thing. “No ghosts, Ted. Relax.”

  Ted stood up and I did the same. He nodded toward the box. “Keep it. Indian beads aren’t going to bring in much money. There’s a gazillion of them around.” He indicated the flat stone in my hand. “Although that’s interesting, I can’t imagine it being worth anything either. Hematite is common enough.”

  I wanted to hug him, I was so excited he was going to let me keep what we’d found but I refrained from doing so and instead gave him a beaming smile. “Thank you, Ted. I promise if they do turn out to be valuable, I’ll let you know and return them.” Then I remembered that they hadn’t even bought the property yet and he really had no say in the matter. “Who owns the building now?”

  “Mr. Owens owns the building, but we’ll be taking it off his hands very shortly.”

  “Mr. Owens? And where can I find him?”

  “He lives out of state…Florida. It’s his uncle who is overseeing the sale of the property. Why?”

  “Well, I probably should let him know what we found. It’s only right.”

  Ted gave an unconcerned shrug. “I don’t really think they’ll care.” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card. “Here’s the numbers. The uncle’s name is Ridley Truman. The other name is the nephew but Rid is the one you need to call.”

  I tucked the card in the back pocket of my jeans and motioned toward the door. “I think I’m done here.”

  Looking much relieved, Ted waved a hand for me to precede him from the room. I thought it very gallant because he looked like he wanted to make a run for it. Despite his enthusiasm to quit the premises, Ted forced himself to walk sedately beside me as we made our way down to the front door. Once we were out on the porch, I could easily see Ted’s overwhelming relief. He looked very much like he was surprised and happy to have made it out alive. He caught my eye and grinned sheepishly, knowing I wasn’t fooled one bit.

  “Well, that was interesting. I’m heading off to meet with Rid now. I’ll let him know what we found but I’d appreciate you waiting to contact him either later today or maybe even tomorrow. I’d like to clear up our business before you go distracting him with beads.”

  I was okay with that. It gave me more time to figure out the mystery surrounding their existence before Mr. Truman decided to take them from me. Despite what Ted said, I had a very strong feeling that Rid was not going to want to part with this little treasure, worthless or not.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Ted and I no sooner parted ways when I felt my cell phone vibrate. Knowing who it was before I even looked, I hastily pulled it out of my pocket, glanced at the caller ID to confirm my suspicion and began smiling with inner joy. It was going to be so good to hear his voice again. “Hi, Kade.”

  “I know I shouldn’t call in case you are busy or in a trance, but I was feeling…I don’t know how to describe it, but I felt I needed to call.” His voice was low, deep and sexy and I had to stop walking to better enjoy it. Chills of pleasure raced from my ear down through my spine and out across my skin.

  “That’s fine, Kade. I was about to call you anyway. We just left the Tenney house.”

  “How did it go? Did you get to chat with the long dead Colonel Buck?”

  Laughing because I knew he still thought it strange to be having conversations like this, I sank down on a short brick wall that shored up the front lawn of an old house now converted into business offices. “No, I didn’t talk to him but I do think he was there.”

  “So? What happened? Are you going to make me ask for every detail?”

  I could tell he was smiling and it made my grin widen to the point that I actually wondered if it looked unnatural. A discreet glance around didn’t offer up anyone staring at me as if I had gone off the deep end but I toned down the smile and lowered my head in an attempt to blot out the world and enjoy our connection. “Well, I might if it means listening to you talk.”

  There was a silent pause then Kade’s voice went gut-wrenching, toe-curling deep. “Tess Schafer, you are making this time apart very difficult. Especially when I hear that teasing tone. What makes it worse is that I can pretty much picture the look on your beautiful face right now and that alone drives me crazy. I miss you.”

  I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t. Two years I went without hope of forging a loving relationship with a man ever again and now it seemed to be happening. I wanted to take the feelings and hold them tight. But, as always, the bone-chilling fear that soon followed those thoughts took over. What if I lost him in a freak accident? My body stiffened in reaction to the question and I knew I was going to jeopardize this relationship if I allowed those sorts of thoughts to manipulate my life. “Why don’t we discuss the Tenney house and talk about…other things when you get here tomorrow?”

  “Of course. No problem. But the fact is, I’ve been asking you for details and you’ve yet to tell me a thing.” Kade’s reply was quick, the low rumbling quality gone. He understood my fears and even had some of his own. The easy way he allowed us to be was one of the things that made him so endearing.

  Clutching the phone and wishing it was him I was holding, I tried to focus on the topic I’d just insisted we restrict our discussion to. The vision of the bloody face came to mind and suddenly I had no problem getting back t
o the matter at hand. “I encountered a male spirit, a big guy, not very friendly but not threatening (blood wasn’t threatening though it usually indicated something along those lines). He was covered in…red.”

  “Red?”

  “Well, it looked like blood but I can’t be sure.”

  “What?” His voice rose on mild alarm. “Well, I don’t like the sound of that at all.” He paused for only a second and then rushed on before I could reply. “Maybe I should come out there today.”

  “As much as I would like to see you, there’s really no need to change your plans. Besides, I will feel guilty if you don’t finish that painting. I told you he wasn’t threatening. I think he was trying to show me something.” Remembering the box now resting on my lap, I could barely contain my enthusiasm for its find. “You’ll never believe what I found, Kade!” When I paused to see if he’d make a guess, he expelled an exasperated breath.

  “Well? Are you going to hold me in suspense forever? I’m not getting any younger, Tess.” He laughed.

  I laughed with him and thought how good it felt to do so. I really believed, on that day when Mike and Tootsie died, that I would never laugh again and yet with Kade, it happened often. “Indian beads. At least that’s what Ted says they are, and a flat smooth stone that’s very shiny. It makes my body tingle when I rub it, like an invisible electric current is stirred up or something. It’s the strangest thing. It also sent me into a vision. I connected with a girl. I think she used to own the stone.”

  “Wow, Tess, that’s really interesting. Where did you find them?”

  “Hidden in a secret compartment in the fireplace.”

  “And how is it that you found it there? Let me guess…you used the same technique that helped you find the entry to the tunnel we nearly died in?”

  Remember the incident to which he was referring, a shiver passed through me. I still felt bad about that. “Yes, and let’s not talk about that, Kade. I don’t like to think about it.”

  “Well, I mostly focus on how cozy it got in there anyway. The almost dying part is pretty much forgotten when my mind wanders down that avenue.”

  His voice had gone sexy again and my breath caught in my throat. For a moment I closed my eyes and tried to reign in my raging hormones. “Kade,” It was supposed to be a warning to behave and stay on topic but it came out sounding breathless. My face turned red, I knew it because I could feel it. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I was sitting here getting all hot and bothered for him. The fact that I was in fact feeling that way made me a little uncomfortable. We weren’t there yet in our relationship and I didn’t want to encourage him to think that we were. I wasn’t ready.

  “Sorry. Please tell me more about your find and your vision.” All impersonal and businesslike. Thank God.

  “She was holding the stone in her hand.” And a very young hand (early teens?) it had been, too. Was it the girl at the cemetery that I encountered the day before? “The stone got really hot which I found interesting. But anyway, she was hiding in the trees and watching a bunch of boats land on shore. There were a lot of men there, about thirty or so, I would think. She was not happy to see them. That’s all I got.”

  “Were the men armed?”

  “It wasn’t a military raid, Kade.” He being an ex-Marine, it figured he’d go there. “It wasn’t like they were storming the beaches.”

  Kade laughed. “Okay, so what did they look like?”

  “Not sure. I’m going to make a guess that it was during the first explorations of Bucksport. At least, I think we were in Bucksport.” Frowning, I thought about the shoreline in my vision and then realized that I hadn’t seen anything like that around here. Bucksport was located along the Penobscot River and although it emptied into the ocean eventually, I didn’t think that occurred anywhere close by. My vision clearly showed a beach on the ocean. I think I saw islands in the distance but for the most part, it was a vast endless ocean that stretched in the background. I had focused so much on the men that I didn’t think to pay much attention to the surrounding area. Darn it.

  “So they were British?”

  “Kade, really I’m pretty sure it was American colonists. Not the British.” I had to laugh then because I could just see his face turning slightly red.

  “Oh right. Well, colonists then. They must have had muskets on them, I’m sure they didn’t leave home without them.”

  More laughter but now Kade joined in. “Maybe but I didn’t really notice.”

  “So how does any of that tie in to Colonel Buck and his curse?”

  Sighing, I shook my head. “I have no clue. But, the universe is helping me out. I’ll figure it all out eventually.”

  “So you are sure you are okay until tomorrow? The bloody face guy won’t haunt your dreams or show up in your bedroom?”

  His concern was genuine and it touched me deeply. He was so understanding about me and my gift and how it affected me. Mike didn’t like for me to talk about it. “I’m fine. As I said, I think he wanted me to find that box filled with beads.”

  “So that Ted fellow didn’t take the box?”

  “He told me to keep it but I think I should clear that with the actual owners of the building. I’m going to call him later this evening. Ted wanted me to wait because he was headed over there to discuss the sale and he didn’t want there to be any distractions.”

  “Understandable. Okay, sounds like you have a plan. Maybe the guy can shed some light on the box and what the objects might mean.”

  “Maybe.” We both went silent for a moment and then a crowd of teenagers started coming my way on the sidewalk. Probably headed to the ice cream parlor as it was actually getting quite warm. I stood up and finished the short walk to the B&B. “I’ll call you later and let you know how it went with Mr. Truman.”

  “Okay, Tess. I’m nearly done with the painting, a few touches here and there. We’ll discuss tomorrow later on tonight.”

  I didn’t want to end the call but I was now entering the B&B and Barbara was waiting. “Until later then, Kade. Bye.” I put my cell phone in my back pocket then looked at Barbara. “Got anything cold to drink?”

  “Just made a fresh pitcher of iced tea, how does that sound?”

  I pulled my sweater off and hung it on one of the hooks in the small entryway and headed for the sitting room. “Sounds perfect.”

  “Hang tight, I’ll be right back.” Barbara rushed off toward the kitchen and I sank into the rocking chair beside the one Barbara seemed to prefer. The sitting area was cozy, the wall space containing lots of shelves filled with knickknacks, animal figurines, angels and Victorian teacups. Pictures of people and beautiful scenery were hung in every available spot big enough to hold one. And books were everywhere. The bookcase on the wall next to Barbara’s chair was crammed full with many more stacked on the floor. Small braided rugs were scattered here and there and a couple hassocks were available for weary feet. I slipped my shoes off and propped my feet up on one of them. Feeling relaxed and happy, I cradled the small copper box on my lap and waited for Barbara to rejoin me.

  “Here you go, my dear.” Barbara returned carrying a tray with two full glasses of iced tea and a plate of freshly made cookies. She set the tray down on the stand between us and handed me one of the glasses.

  “Thank you, Barbara.” I drank half of it down and then set the glass back on the tray so I could pick up a cookie. “These smell delicious.”

  “They are lemon cookies, an old family recipe.” Barbara watched with satisfaction as I gave the cookie proper appreciation. “So how did it go at the Tenney house?”

  I finished off the cookie and gave her a thumbs up. “If you share that recipe with me, I’ll be forever grateful.”

  Barbara smiled. “Consider it done. I’ll copy it down for you later today. Now spill.”

  I tapped the box on my lap and Barbara’s gaze lowered to it. Her eyes widened with curiosity and flew back up to my face for an explanation. “We found a little tr
easure.”

  “No way!”

  “Before I show this to you, let me tell you the story first.”

  Barbara leaned forward in her chair, her gaze fixed on me as if I was about to provide her with the secret to the universe. Although I was pretty excited with my find, I hoped Barbara wasn’t disappointed when I told her that I didn’t make much contact with spirits. Seeing one wasn’t the same as having a bona fide interaction.

  “The house has lots of memories embedded there…old energy. There might be ghosts hanging out but I didn’t really feel like any of them were attached to the place, you know what I mean?” At Barbara’s nod that she did in fact know even though I didn’t really think she did, I went on with my story. “Well I encountered the spirit of a man on the stairs going up to the third floor. I don’t think he’s haunting the third floor, though, or any floor for that matter. I think he came because I was there. But anyway, he didn’t much like me or maybe I should say that he doesn’t trust me though he knows he has no choice but to deal with me if he wants my help.” Though why he should have need of me, I hadn’t a clue. Perhaps this box and its contents would eventually lead me to that discovery. The niggling feeling that he wanted something from me was too strong to ignore. I’d be seeing him again. Even though my insides tightened up with apprehension, I told myself to relax and let it be. A bloody face wasn’t great to look at but viewing a little blood never hurt anyone. Surely I could deal with it? “We didn’t communicate with each other. Ted showed up and he went away.”

  “Do you think it was Colonel Buck?”

  “No. He was…different.”

  “Different? In what way?”

  Now here I had to be careful because although Barbara was fascinated with the idea of ghosts, she was also afraid of them. “I’m not sure how to explain it. He didn’t seem to be of a type I am familiar with. He had an air about him that was…different.” I shrugged my shoulders because honestly, I didn’t know how else to describe it. “Maybe I’ll learn more as time goes on. But for now, we’ll leave it at that. We then went into a room on the second floor that Ted said was used for dignitaries or VIPs. I knew as soon as I entered that a lot of plotting and important discussions took place there. This is where I felt Colonel Buck’s energy though I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was his ghost. But anyway, I went to the fireplace and suddenly the big strange man I encountered on the stairs is back. It startled me and so I have to admit here that I turned tail and ran.”