“We know there was a body down here. In the trunk. You moved it, didn’t you?” Danielle called out. “Please show us where you put it, and then we will leave you alone. Unless you want to talk to me. Maybe I can help you.”
Silence.
“I have a gift,” Danielle called out. “I can often see spirits. But you have to show yourself to me. If you stay hidden, I can’t help you. Why are you here? Why do you come back to this house every Halloween? Or are you always here? People only notice you on Halloween?”
Silence.
Danielle sighed. “I don’t know Chief. I’m not getting anything. Other than the fact, this place is creeping me out big time. Can we go back upstairs? I’m getting claustrophobia down here.”
“Sure.”
MacDonald let Danielle go up the stairs first. When they got to the first floor, he suggested they check out the second floor.
“Maybe he is up here,” MacDonald said as they made their way up the staircase leading to the second floor.
“I just hope I don’t trip over the dead body. Maybe you should go first.” Danielle stepped aside when they reached the second floor landing, letting the chief lead the way. Together they explored every room on the upper level, even making it to the attic. Yet, there was not a glimmer of paranormal activity. Even the few remaining light bulbs, screwed into the chandelier over the entry hall, remained unlit.
“I thought it was worth a shot,” MacDonald said with a heavy sigh, when they were back outside again.
Danielle watched as he locked the front door. “Where did you get the key?”
“We had the locksmith come over yesterday. Still haven’t been able to get ahold of the owners of the property.”
“I’m really sorry I wasn’t able to help. But like I told you before, I can’t necessarily communicate with all spirits. I was never able to see my parents or my husband.”
“I just appreciate you giving it a shot.”
They were halfway down the walkway—leading from Presley House to the street—when they heard someone shouting for the chief. They looked up. It was Millie Samson.
“Damn,” the chief grumbled. “I wonder what she wants now. I’ll meet you at the car.”
“Okay.” Danielle paused a moment and watched as MacDonald walked down the street, meeting Millie half way. As the two talked, Danielle turned and faced Presley House again, giving it a final look.
She was just about to turn away and walk to the car when she noticed movement on the second floor. Using one hand to shield her eyes from the sun, she looked up into the bedroom window.
Their eyes met—Danielle and the ghost of Presley House. He looked much younger than she had imagined he would look. For some reason she had expected a spirit of an older person, not that of a teenage boy. The way he stared at her, she wondered if he knew she could see him. Smiling, she raised her right hand and waved at him. The gesture caught him by surprise. He clearly had not expected that.
Excited, Danielle glanced over her shoulder at the chief. He was still talking to Millie, some distance away. Anxious to tell the chief about the ghost and thinking they could return to the house and find the body, she looked back at the window.
The ghost looked at her and shook his head, as if to say no. Danielle frowned, not knowing what he meant. The ghost then pointed to the chief, and then raised a finger to his lips as if to silence her. He shook his head again—No.
It was clear to Danielle; the spirit did not want the chief to know he had shown himself.
“Sorry that took so long,” the chief said when he met Danielle back at the car.
Danielle glanced up at the house. The spirit was no longer standing in the window. “Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yes. Millie just wanted to rehash yesterday. She’s still upset about what the boys said about a dead body at the house.”
“Yeah, I can imagine,” Danielle said dully, getting into the car. Her gaze continued to focus on the upstairs window of Presley House.
“Is everything okay, Danielle?”
“Yeah, fine.”
Chapter Seventeen
Max greeted Danielle the minute she walked into Marlow House. He wove in and out between her legs, rubbing against her while purring loudly. Smiling, she leaned down and picked him up.
“Someone is happy to see you,” Walt said when he appeared the next moment.
“I see that.” Danielle grinned, rubbing the side of her face against Max’s neck. “Lily back yet?”
“No. I imagine Sadie’s enjoying her walk on the beach.”
“I love when Sadie greets me, but this is nice too.” Danielle kissed Max on the head.
Walt waved his hand. A lit cigar appeared. “He was worried about you.”
Danielle looked up to Walt as she carried Max to the parlor. “Worried about me, why?”
Walt followed Danielle. They both sat down in the parlor—Danielle in the love seat with Max, and Walt in the chair across from her.
“He didn’t want you going to Presley House.”
Danielle glanced down at the cat now curled up on her lap. “Presley House? What does Max know about Presley House?”
“That’s where he’s been living for the last few years.”
“Really?” Danielle looked down at Max and scratched his ear. Max opened his eyes, yawned, and closed his eyes again. “What does he say about the resident ghost? I assume he could see him.”
“According to Max, his name is Harvey. Did you meet him today?”
“I went into the house with the chief, but he wouldn’t show himself. Harvey, you say? That’s an old-fashioned name. Makes me think of that giant invisible rabbit.”
“Invisible rabbit?” Walt frowned.
Danielle chuckled. “It’s an old movie. I’ll find it for you to watch sometime. It’s a classic.”
“So your little trip today was a waste?” Walt took a drag off his cigar and then blew out a series of smoke rings. He watched them float upwards and disappear.
“When I said he didn’t show himself—that wasn't exactly true. He didn’t show himself when the chief and I were going through the house, but when we were outside, getting ready to leave, I saw him in the window.”
“And you didn’t go back in?”
“No. I had the feeling he wouldn’t communicate with me if I went back in—at least not with the chief there. In fact, I didn’t tell the chief I saw him.”
“Hmm… interesting. I take it you didn’t find the body?”
“How did you know about a body?”
“Max, of course. Did you find it?”
“Some teenage boys found it yesterday.” Danielle went on to tell Walt the entire story the chief had told, ending with the disappearing body and the smelly trunk. Walt, in his own way, communicated Danielle’s story to Max, who responded by meowing loudly.
“He doesn’t understand why Harvey moved the body,” Walt explained. “He was under the impression Harvey wanted the boys to find it.”
“Well, they did find the body,” Danielle pointed out. “Harvey looks like a teenager, by the way. Which probably means he died when he was young.”
“You think that’s always the case?” Walt waved his hand; his cigar vanished.
“What do you mean?”
“I wonder… if I had lived to—let’s say Marie’s age—would it be possible for my spirit to appear as a younger version of myself, or would I have to remain for eternity as an old man?”
“For one thing, your eternity isn’t here on this plane. If you’re capable of changing your clothes—which we both know is nothing but an illusion—then I would have to assume it’s possible.”
“Interesting thought…So what now? Are you going to tell the chief about the body?”
“I suppose I should. But I wonder what Harvey did with it. And why is he haunting the house? Did Max tell you?”
Their conversation was interrupted when Danielle heard the front door open and Sadie race into the house,
sliding as she turned to make her way into the parlor. Skidding on her way in she continued at full speed, charging straight for Danielle before coming to an abrupt halt and barking at Max, who was now standing on Danielle’s lap, hissing, his paw extended, batting Sadie’s nose.
“Sadie, stop that barking!” Ian said as he entered the parlor with Lily. “Or I’m going to leave you at home.”
“No you aren’t!” Danielle reached out and petted Sadie who was no longer barking but standing at attention, her tail and butt wagging energetically. Danielle had gently pushed Max back, preventing him from smacking Sadie. “These two are just going to have to learn how to get along. In fact, I see them becoming best buds.”
“Did you hear that, Sadie and Max?” Walt asked. “Danielle expects you two to become friends.”
Sadie and Max looked at Walt for a moment and then back to each other. They each sat down while never breaking their stare.
“See, they like each other.” Lily said cheerfully as she stood by Ian and looked down at the dog and cat. Max responded by giving Sadie a final smack on the nose, to which Sadie replied with a grunt before flopping on the ground, her chin resting on her paws as she looked up to the cat occupying Danielle’s lap.
“I hope Sadie isn’t going to be too much trouble,” Ian murmured.
Danielle looked up to Lily inquisitively.
“Ian has to fly to New York on Tuesday. I told him he could leave Sadie here.”
“Of course.” Danielle looked from Lily to Ian. “Business?”
“Yes. I was hoping to get out of this one. I won’t be back until the first.”
“You’ll miss Halloween?” Danielle asked.
Ian looked at Lily, reached out, and squeezed her hand. “Unfortunately.”
“You know Sadie is always welcome.” Danielle reached down and patted Sadie. “These two will get used to each other.”
“Lily told me you were going to try and get Max into the vet I use for Sadie.”
“Yeah, I’m going to call in the morning. But I need to pick up a cat carrier.”
“You could always just borrow one,” Lily suggested.
“Who do we know around here who has a cat?”
“Our new neighbor?”
Max crouched nervously in the cat carrier Danielle had borrowed from her neighbor, Heather. He peeked out from the small jail door into the examining room where Danielle waited for the vet. The only reason she had been able to get into the vet this quickly was because there had been a cancellation. She placed the carrier on the examining table but left Max locked inside, while she took a seat a few feet away. He meowed pitifully.
The vet assistant entered the room, introduced herself, and removed Max from the carrier, giving him a brief exam. She asked Danielle a few questions and then returned Max to the carrier and told Danielle the vet would be in shortly. She left the room. A few minutes later, she returned with the vet.
“Ms. Boatman, nice to meet you. I’m Doctor Lenard,” the vet said as he entered the room, extending a hand to Danielle who accepted it and gave it a brief shake. “I understand you’ve taken in a stray and want to make it official.” He turned his attention to the cat carrier.
“Yes, he sort of adopted me. His name is Max.” Danielle stood up and watched as the vet removed Max from the carrier.
“Max?” the vet sounded surprised. He stared at Max, who now sat on the exam table, curiously looking around the room.
“I know this cat,” Doctor Lenard said. “It has to be him, the markings are so unusual.” He gently pushed Max down on the table and proceeded to examine his belly. “I know I neutered this cat. This is Max.”
“Are you saying he isn’t a stray? He has an owner out there?” Danielle felt her heart sink. She had already become attached to the quirky and affectionate cat.
“I don’t doubt he was a stray. I’m just surprised you chose the name Max. That was what she named him.”
“I don’t understand, does he have a home or not?”
“He does now.” Dr. Leonard smiled. “I always wondered what happened to him. Hoped someone had picked him up and taken him in. But Max…I still can’t get over that… the same name!”
“Can you please tell me what you're talking about?” Danielle was confused.
“I’m sorry.” The vet laughed. “This just caught me by surprise. Mrs. Bentley, a sweet little old gal had just lost her cat, she was heartsick. One of my friends had taken in a pregnant stray and was trying to place the kittens. I told Mrs. Bentley, and she picked out a little black fellow with white ears. She named him Max.”
“You think he is my Max?”
“The markings are unusual. He appears to be about the right age—and he’s been neutered. I neutered Max for Mrs. Bentley.”
“So where is she?”
“About two years after she adopted Max, she broke her hip, and her family put her in a nursing home. It was supposed to be temporary, while she recuperated. One of the neighbors fed Max. There was a doggy door in the house so he was used to coming and going, but he always stuck around the house. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bentley came down with pneumonia while she was in the nursing home and died.”
“Oh, that’s so sad.” Danielle reached out and stroked Max. “So what happened to Max?”
“From what I understand, the day after she died, her daughter came to pick up the cat. She was going to take him to the shelter. But Max wasn’t at the house. He had disappeared.”
“So they didn’t take him to the shelter?”
“No. It was really strange, because Mrs. Bentley was in the nursing home for almost a month, and during that time Max stuck around the house. Neighbor saw him every day when she’d come over to feed him. Yet, right after Mrs. Bentley died, the cat vanished. It was like he knew.”
Danielle looked down at Max; her thumb rubbed his right ear. “I imagine he did.”
“If he is the same cat, and I would swear he is, I wonder where he’s been all this time.”
“You aren’t the only one who recognized him. Police Chief MacDonald had a story about him too.”
“Really?”
“He turned a cat over to animal control that looked just like this one. I guess Max was hanging out somewhere where he wasn’t wanted, and the guy who nabbed him had plans to toss him into the ocean.”
The vet shook his head. “People can be cruel when it comes to dealing with stray cats. I don’t understand that. If he was turned over to animal control, he must have been adopted out.”
“No. According to the chief, he escaped.”
The vet chuckled. “That sounds like the Max I remember. It’s almost as if he knew Mrs. Bentley’s daughter planned to take him to the shelter. I wonder where he has been living.”
Danielle suspected the late Mrs. Bentley had visited Max one final time—before moving on. She was probably aware of her daughter’s intentions and knew of the high kill rate of the local shelter, so she may have urged Max to leave before her daughter arrived. Yet, she kept that thought to herself. Instead, she said, “I think he’s been hanging out at Presley House.”
“Presley House? You mean that old boarded up house on the north side of town that everyone says is haunted?”
“Yeah. Someone I know says she remembers seeing this cat hanging around there,” Danielle lied.
“That would explain where he’s been. I imagine there are enough rodents over there to keep him from starving.” The vet smiled up at Danielle and said, “I guess you have a cat.”
Chapter Eighteen
When Danielle left the vet’s office on Monday morning, she couldn’t help but think about Presley House. She still hadn’t told the chief what Walt had told her about the body—according to the cat.
Lily and Ian had talked her into driving over to Astoria with them on Sunday afternoon; Ian needed to meet with Emma Jackson before he took off on Tuesday for New York. On Sunday evening, after she returned from Astoria, she had another private chat with Walt about Presley H
ouse and its resident ghost. The only thing Walt could discover from Max was that the ghost was named Harvey, and he returned to the house each year around Halloween searching for something. What he was looking for, Max didn’t know. Nor did Max know Harvey’s last name, although Danielle suspected it was Presley. She was certain he was one of the twins.
Danielle got back from the vet around ten in the morning on Monday. Still thinking of Presley House, she decided to do a little sleuthing before calling the chief with what she knew. After dropping Max off at home, she returned the cat carrier to Heather and headed off to the museum. If she were lucky, Ben Smith would be on docent duty. If not, there might be someone else at the museum who knew about Presley House’s secrets.
When Danielle walked into the museum late Monday morning, she found Ben Smith standing behind the counter at the museum gift store ringing up an order for a visitor. Still spry in his eighties, Smith regularly volunteered at the museum.
Just as he handed the small paper gift sack back to the customer, he spied Danielle. “Danielle Boatman, what brings you to the museum?”
The customer he had been waiting on nodded a thank you and went off with her package, to see what else she might find at the gift shop.
“I wanted to see you.” Danielle grinned.
Ben’s blue-gray eyes twinkled. “You know how to flatter an old man.”
Danielle stepped up to the counter, standing where the customer had been just moments before. “I was hoping you’d be working.”
“I’m off today. Just stopped in for a minute.”
“I had some questions for you,” Danielle explained.
“I hope I have the answers you need.”
“Thanks Ben,” an elderly woman called out as she hurriedly shuffled into the gift store from the direction of the restroom. She took her place behind the counter.
“No problem.” Ben told her. “I rang up a couple post cards and a book.”
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