“At first, I wondered if perhaps it was Jake’s recently deceased mother who was haunting the restaurant. I figured maybe she was mad about her son getting fired or something, or that maybe she’d had a history with Shakeman.”
“Makes sense,” Belinda agreed.
“But then, when I saw Jake’s mother in the woods, I figured they couldn’t be the same.”
“They don’t sound the same. One sounds like an angry, violent ghost.”
“And the other gentle,” Sonja finished the thought.
“This is sort of complicated,” the volunteer librarian admitted.
“And I have no idea if the ghost really was involved in the murder or not. For all I know, it was Jake or Handy acting alone.”
Belinda mused, twiddling her thumbs while she thought. Standing up, she went to the shelf and pulled a book down. “I have a hunch, but let’s double check.” Opening the book, she flipped to a page with some frightening looking drawings on it. One showed a demonic looking figure emerging from a pool of water. It looked remarkably similar to the ghost in the flame. “You may be dealing with an elemental spirit.”
“Elemental?” Sonja asked. “What does that mean?”
“They are a slightly rarer entity that paranormal investigators sometimes confuse with a poltergeist.”
“Just like we thought,” Sonja noted.
“Right, but they aren’t a poltergeist. They have some control over the four elements—earth, air, fire, and water. They can often use the air element to move objects, make them float, things like that.”
“Hence the confusion with a poltergeist.”
“Exactly.”
“And it explains the strange fire.”
Turning the book toward her friend, Belinda pointed at a section of text. “These types of entities are created by the residual anger or hatred of someone who has died. Even if the rest of the spirit moves on, the anger stays behind.”
“Great,” she sighed, “We’re dealing with something that’s made up of pure anger.”
“Unfortunately,” Belinda agreed.
“How do we get rid of it?” she asked.
“You’re going to hate me.”
“Another séance?” Sonja groaned.
“A ritual, yes. The catch is, anyone who might have been connected to that anger in life has to be present.”
“How am I supposed to know that?” Sonja asked. “We don’t even know where this thing came from.”
“Well, you said you saw Jake’s mother in the woods?”
“She did, and she asked me to help.”
“I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it’s possible.” She shifted in her chair, flipping the page. “How did the spirit in the woods act?”
Sonja shrugged. “She was the most lighthearted and playful spirit I’ve ever met.”
“Just as I thought.” Pointing at a picture, Belinda showed how the anger of the deceased is left behind while the rest of spirit moves on to the next life. “Maybe, she didn’t cross over. Maybe, her spirit was split into two—the hateful part, and the loving part.”
Sonja’s eyes widened with recognition. “The loving part didn’t cross over because she was worried about her son. She said she made a lot of mistakes in life, so she stayed here to make sure he doesn’t make the same ones.”
“Exactly, and the anger stayed behind for someone else.”
“Tanner Shakeman,” Sonja declared.
“Sounds right to me.”
“But why?” she asked. “What happened between them that made her so hateful?”
CHAPTER 16
* * *
Sonja arrived at the Firehouse Grill for the third time that day and was growing pretty sick of seeing the place. She’d written down the instructions for the exorcising ritual from Belinda’s book, but needed to know the reason for the spirit’s presence before she could do anything about it.
She had a feeling she could get some answers from the restaurant’s new owner, Dickson.
Walking in the front door, the host smiled at her. Before she could say anything, Sonja just cut to the chase. “I need to talk to Dickson Briarson.”
“Okay. Let me go get him for you.” Walking off, she disappeared into the kitchen. Moments later, she emerged with Dickson close behind.
“Sonja,” he greeted her. “What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you,” she insisted, “privately.”
“I’m a little busy at the moment, but I think I can spare a minute or two.” He motioned toward the stairwell, and Sonja followed.
Coming up into the office, she was surprised to see a mess of papers everywhere. “What happened in here?”
“Our resident ghost,” he noted sarcastically, shaking his head.
“You don’t believe the restaurant is haunted?” she asked.
He tilted his head to one side, glancing up as he thought. “I do and I don’t,” he admitted.
“How’s that?”
“I do know that there have been some strange things going on here lately. Case in point.” He gestured to the chaotic room of papers and folders.
“But?”
“But I haven’t had a close encounter with a ghost to believe in them, do you get me?”
“I Totally understand.”
“Overall, I think ghosts are created by us. We get spooked, or scared, or paranoid. The next thing you know we’re seeing ghosts.” He shook his head mournfully. “No, I think Tanner was really beginning to lose it near the end.”
“Speaking of the deceased, maybe you can tell me what his relationship was with Jake Pitman’s mother.”
“Pitman’s mother? You think they had a relationship?”
“That’s what I’m asking you,” Sonja pointed out.
“Well, I’m not aware of any relationship between them,” he chuckled lightly. “Why, is that what Jake told you? I wouldn’t believe a word he said.”
“Why is that?” Sonja asked, folding her arms.
“Because he’s a liar, of course.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“Is this conversation going to go on much longer? I have things to attend to.” His upper lip was beginning to bead up with sweat, indicating a level of anxiety on his part.
“What makes you say he’s a liar?” she reiterated her previous question.
Clasping his hands behind his back, Dickson’s lip twitched irritably. “He lied at work all the time.”
Sonja tapped her foot impatiently, not totally satisfied with that answer. Something told her that Dickson was lying. “Any specific instance?”
“Not off the top of my head.”
“Try to remember, please,” she begged. She was desperate for something, anything that would connect Jake’s mother to the former restaurant owner.
“I really don’t know,” he confessed. “I will say that Tanner did seem to hate the boy.”
“And you don’t find that suspicious at all?” she asked.
“Tanner wasn’t the most amiable man, as you yourself should know.”
“Jake believes there was some sort of grudge there.”
Dickson looked at his watch and sighed. “I really need to get back.”
“You’re lying,” Sonja accused, getting fed up with this charade. “I know you’re hiding something.”
Dickson sighed. “I’m sorry. If you’ll excuse me—” Turning to walk down the stairway, an explosion of papers erupted from the floor in his face, as if someone had thrown them at him. Letting out a surprised shout, he stumbled backward onto the floor.
A low and sinister chuckle echoed through the office.
“What the heck was that?”
As the papers fluttered down, a small wallet sized photo landed on his chest.
Sonja instantly recognized the woman smiling in it. It was the ghost from the woods. “And what is this?” she demanded, picking it up and showing it to him.
“A picture. So?”
“This is Ja
ke Pitman’s mother. What is it doing in Shakeman’s office?”
Dickson closed his eyes and shook his head, realizing he’d been caught. “Why couldn’t Tanner have gotten rid of it like I told him to?”
“You better tell me what’s going on.”
Groaning, Dickson got to his feet. “Fine. You win. I was trying to preserve some decency for my friend, but clearly, you have no respect for the dead.”
“You have no idea.”
Sighing, he took a seat behind the desk. “Tanner was in love with her at one time, the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”
“When was this?”
“Oh, years and years ago. He was making a fool of himself, acting so in love that he was neglecting the business.”
“Now that is something I can’t imagine,” she admitted.
“Anyway, I—as his best friend—was trying to talk some sense into him. She was clearly just a gold digger, looking to make a profit. He didn’t believe me, of course.”
“So, what happened then?”
“He found out that she was also seeing another man.”
Sonja had a good idea who that was. “Did he know who?”
Dickson shook his head. “No, luckily. Otherwise, he might have tried to kill the man.”
“I see.”
“She had a message on her answering machine from him, talking about looking forward to their nights together. He never said who he was in the message.”
“But that ended it?”
“Basically. Tanner was angry and hurt and told her to get lost, so she left town.”
Sonja was beginning to piece things together.
“Unfortunately, no,” he admitted. “She came back a few years later and said she’d had a baby. She told him that it was his.”
Sonja’s jaw almost hit the floor at this news. “She told him he was the father?”
“That’s right, but by that point, he was so bitter and mean and business oriented that he didn’t want anything to do with the kid. He was still hurt by what she did.”
“Let me guess,” Sonja offered, “she told him that he owed her child support of some sort?”
“Look, Tanner didn’t want a scandal. He was afraid it might hurt business—since that was the only thing he cared about anymore. Instead of going through lawyers and paperwork, he just paid her off every few months.”
“And why did he hire her son, then, if he hated her so much and wanted nothing to do with her?”
“One of our shift managers hired him, not realizing who he was.”
“I see,” Sonja whispered.
Jake’s mother had been playing both men for fools, all to get money. No wonder she had said she didn’t want her son to make the same mistakes. Lying, cheating, and stealing money. The men, of course, had been unwise not to ask for a paternity test.
Either way, there was some bad blood flowing here—and Sonja decided it was time to put an end this charade once and for all.
“About that ghost,” Dickson asked, looking around at the mess of papers. “Was that laughter just now . . .”
Sonja narrowed her eyes at him. “It was a ghost.”
Dickson sighed and looked around as if expecting to see someone standing there. “Okay, I give. How does your friend Maddy get rid of these things?”
CHAPTER 17
* * *
“I’m not sure about this,” Dickson whispered to Sonja as they stood in the dark dining room of the Firehouse Grill. Maddy and Sonja had worked to move the tables to the sides and make a space in the center of the room. Additionally, they had outlined a circle with electric candles to mark the boundaries of where the ritual would take place.
“What do you mean?” Sonja asked.
“Is this usual?” Dickson asked. “I mean, the candles, the weird chant, this all seems to be a bit much.”
She looked up at him. “Is there a specific restaurant policy of how to deal with ghosts? If so, I would love to hear it.”
“This stuff isn’t supposed to exist,” he shot back.
“We can call this whole thing off,” she offered, knowing he wouldn’t do it. “I mean, if you don’t mind owning a haunted restaurant.”
“Fine, fine,” he gave in “Let’s just get this over with.”
The door swung open, and the rest of the group arrived. It was nearly two in the morning, and many of the attendees at this event looked tired. Those who were there—by Sonja’s request—were Thomas Handy, Jake Pitman, and Dickson Briarson.
With Maddy and Sonja that made five in the circle.
“Mr. Briarson,” Handy commented as he walked toward them, “this hardly seems like a wise business choice for the Firehouse Grill. I mean, I know some spooky things have been going on, but a séance?”
“I’m only here at Sonja’s request,” Dickson admitted truthfully, “same as you.”
“But what if word gets out that your holding occult rituals here? We could lose a lot of business.”
“I’ve got it under wraps, Mr. Handy. It’s no concern of yours.”
“It is if my job ends up on the line,” he grumbled.
“I’m not sure why I’m here,” Jake confessed, standing off to the side nervously bobbing back and forth on his heels.
“Just bear with me,” Sonja asked them. “Please, everyone step inside this circle of candles.”
“This is ridiculous,” Handy sighed, but did what Sonja said anyway. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” He shot a glance at Dickson again.
Soon, they were all set up. Maddy stood at the head of the circle and everyone else stood along the edge. “Now,” Maddy explained, “this all has to do with Perry Pitman.”
“That’s what you said on the phone, but what does that have to do with all of us?” Handy asked
“Tanner Shakeman believed he was haunted. Sonja and I are aware now that the person haunting him may be Perry Pitman.”
“My, mom?” Jake exclaimed. “Why would she haunt him?”
“I don’t even believe in ghosts,” the cook complained.
“Wait and see,” she noted.
“Let’s get on with it,” Handy sighed.
“Okay,” Sonja instructed, “Everyone hold hands.”
Despite a few groans of distaste, everyone obeyed.
“Maddy?” Sonja asked. Because of her semi-celebrity status as a psychic, Sonja had asked her to run the ritual, to add some credibility to the event for those who may be skeptical.
Maddy nodded and began. “Hail to the element of earth,” she spoke in a hushed tone. “Hail to the element of air. Hail to the element of fire. Hail to the element of water.”
It appeared as if all the electric candles were growing brighter around them.
“Elemental spirit of anger and hatred,” she called, “are you here with us tonight?”
There was a moment of silence.
“This is a joke,” Handy huffed.
Almost as soon as he did, there was a popping noise behind him and he jumped. “What was that?”
Everyone looked. The bulb on the electrical candle had burst and was then replaced with a real flame.
“T-That’s a parlor trick,” he insisted.
Suddenly, all in a sequence, the candles began to burst one by one—each turning into a flame.
“Elemental spirit of anger, what is the source of your hatred?” Maddy shouted.
The flames suddenly grew higher, like pillars, trapping everyone inside the circle.
“What is this?” Handy shouted. “Make this stop.”
“You’re going to burn my restaurant down,” Dickson protested.
Suddenly, as quickly as the flames had risen, they went out. Maddy went limp but didn’t fall down.
“W-what happened?” Jake mumbled.
Suddenly, Maddy started making a moaning sound that was so loud it sounded like a tornado. Every chair, table, and item not nailed to the ground began to shake.
“Make it stop,” Handy screamed, letting go of the pe
ople next to him and stumbling into the middle of the circle. “Make it stop.”
Maddy lifted her head and opened her eyes—revealing an orange light so bright that it almost looked like she had a fire in her skull. The wailing sound came to an end and the strange creature looked at the man who was standing in the middle.
“W-What do you want?” he shivered.
“To curse you,” the spirit spoke with an older woman’s voice, slightly altered as if through a voice distortion device. “You killed the target of my hatred.”
“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he defended, not sounding very convincing.
“Of course, you do,” she said. “Don’t you remember lacing the steak marinade?”
“I didn’t do it,” he argued, “I didn’t kill him. Anyone could have gotten that ground peanut powder down and sprinkled it on. It was sitting right there on the top shelf, for crying out loud.”
“Curse you,” the spirit whispered again wickedly, the voice only deepening. “Now my vengeance will never be complete. Now I can never find the fulfillment of killing him myself.”
“I-I didn’t do it,” he shouted, running forward and grabbing Maddy by the shirt. “I didn’t do it.”
Maddy, possessed by the spirit, leapt forward and pushed Handy to the ground.
“I will take you with me,” she growled.
“Elemental Spirit,” Sonja recited the final words of the ritual, “with your vengeance complete, pass onto the next world, where you will no longer know defeat,”
Instantly, the spirit began to scream inside Maddy, the voice fading until the glow disappeared from her eyes. The young psychic fell to the floor, the elemental gone from inside her.
CHAPTER 18
* * *
“That was, some parlor trick,” Handy gasped for air as Maddy, now herself again, stood up from him.
“What happened?” she asked.
Everyone was silent, staring at the cook.
“Y-You don’t honestly believe what she said?” he asked. “This was all a joke, a game, something to scare us.”
The group, all narrowing their eyes, continued to stare the man down.
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