Love Letters from Heaven

by Debbie Peterson

  She brushed off the back of her jeans. “I don’t see any lights coming from inside the house. In addition, I don’t see anything back here that even remotely resembles a caretaker’s bungalow.”

  Justin shrugged. “Maybe Rachel, her groundskeeper, butler, or whoever, lives inside—down in the basement—along with the bats.”

  “Only one way to find out,” said Justin. “Come on. Let’s go around to the front and do something really brazen.”

  “Like what?” she asked.

  He flashed a grin. “Ring the door bell.”

  The moment they stepped onto the porch and faced the door, her well-rehearsed speech fled her mind. Her heart pounded loud in her chest as she turned her gaze toward her cousins. “What should I say if someone actually answers?”

  Jared chuckled. “Isn’t that what you counted on? Didn’t we come all of this way in the hope we’d find your mysterious heiress right here?”

  She nodded. “Yes…yes, we did.”

  “Then just tell her why you’re here,” Justin said. “I’m sure when she knows you’ve come to ask her one very important question regarding good ol’ Donald Martin, she’ll invite you in with open arms.”

  Katie huffed out a breath. “I never once said my question had anything to do with Donnie. Why do you keep saying stuff like that?”

  As both cousins laughed, Jared shook his head. “I want you to look us in the eye right now and tell us that it doesn’t.”

  Justin put a hand on her shoulder as he fixed his gaze to hers. “Do keep in mind we’re standing right next to you. Should someone open that door, you will have to speak. In turn, we will hear every word you say. Might as well come clean now. You’ll be less embarrassed that way.”

  She bit back the witty retort that begged release. Instead she pushed Justin out of her way. With reluctant steps, she approached the bronze doorbell but stopped short of her destination.

  “Yeah, that’s what we thought.” Jared laughed as he leaned against the brick wall and pressed the button for her.

  The melodious chimes seemed loud enough to wake the dead. She listened for footsteps, but nothing interrupted the silence that followed. How long they stood there waiting she couldn’t say. Longer than any reasonable person might, she supposed, since Jared took hold of her hand and tugged her close to his side.

  “Either no one lives here, or no one deigns to answer,” he said. “So—this is your show, Katie. What would you like us to do now?”

  Justin’s gaze darted back and forth between her and Jared. “We could just break into the place and see if we can find a clue or two as to Rachel’s current whereabouts. I mean, there’s bound to be something in there.”

  “Or we could call Gina and see if she’s had any luck,” Jared said.

  Katie couldn’t respond to either suggestion. For just as the words left her cousin’s mouth, the deadbolt as well as the latch clicked, one a split second behind the other. The doorknob made a rough shimmy to the right and then turned toward the left in like manner. For the life of her she couldn’t tear her gaze away from that handle no matter how hard she tried. At once the air grew heavy as the door creaked, moaned, and stuttered its way open. The smile she had pasted on her face faded away. For no one stood in the doorway.

  No one.

  Instead of the person they all expected, nothing more than a dark, empty foyer invited them inside.

  Chapter Twelve

  None of them moved from where they had planted their feet. As they stared into the darkness, Jared took in a deep breath and gave it a slow release. “Most unexpected.”

  “Yes indeed.” With the utmost in caution, Justin swept past them and stepped into the house. Jared grabbed hold of her hand, firmed his grip, and followed a step behind.

  “Hello?” he called out. “Is anybody home? Look—I assure you, we’re not here to disturb your peace, vandalize the place, or cause you trouble in any way. We’re here to speak with Rachel Jameson on a matter of great importance and nothing more. Hello?”

  No one responded.

  Justin fumbled around for a light switch. He found one off to the right of the door and flipped it. In turn, he awakened one sluggish bulb in the crystal chandelier above them. The faceted candelabra globe offered no more than muted light. Once her eyes adjusted, Katie settled her gaze on the grand staircase in front of and to the left of the large foyer. She’d never seen anything like it. The intricate work of newel posts, balusters, and hand railings were something to behold. Exquisite crown molding and wainscoting set the tan and cream fleur-de-lis wallpaper off to absolute perfection. At the top of the stairway, a set of French doors with frosted glass reflected the dim light of the chandelier.

  In that same moment, a shadow of movement behind those doors caught her attention. Another reflection from somewhere below? Shadows from windswept trees perhaps? Or must something altogether different claim responsibility for what she saw?

  Jared gently nudged her, and she all but vaulted off the floor. “What?”

  This time he didn’t laugh over her whispered response. He cocked his head to the right. “Maybe we should take a look in there first.”

  She turned her gaze toward the formal drawing room. At the far end of the spacious room, a floor-to-ceiling bay window separated two grand pianos. White, diamond tufted Victorian furniture and tables rested on highly polished, wide plank wooden floors. Persian rugs with a peacock motif in hues of blue, green, and white accented the large room. A huge, white marble fireplace centered the wall to her left. The unique artwork on the mantel and side pillars would amaze anyone who saw them. So did the framed landscapes and portraits on the walls. She couldn’t help but wonder what Donnie Martin thought when he stepped inside for the very first time. Did he feel out of place? Did he ever feel at home here?

  Justin shook his head. “I don’t think there’s anything in there that would give us a clue as to Rachel’s whereabouts. I mean there isn’t a single tub of Cheese Whiz, bag of chips, peanuts, or pretzels on any of those tables—much less any mail tossed around the place. How boring is that?”

  Jared bobbed his head. “I concur. So I wonder if there’s an office or library in this ugly rat hole.”

  The off-handed comments, surely meant to lighten the mood, made her smile. “I don’t know. If there is, do you think we’ll find it on this floor?”

  He turned and met her gaze. “With the luck we’re having, we’ll find it upstairs and in the last room we check. Of course, we won’t know if I’m right until we explore each of the rooms down here.”

  Her stomach turned over at the very thought of climbing those steps. She took in a few deep breaths and prayed she wouldn’t lose her dinner. “Let’s hope we find something or someone down here.”

  Justin grinned as he gently chucked her chin. “Are you scared, little Katie?”

  She pushed his hand away. “I’d rather use the term uncomfortable, if it’s all the same to you. After all, we really shouldn’t be in here.”

  “I don’t see why not,” Justin said. “If whoever didn’t want us in here, whoever wouldn’t have opened the bolted door and let us in.”

  “I think you mean ‘whatever’ opened the door, don’t you?” Jared asked.

  “One in the same, brother, one in the same.”

  As Justin moved down the hallway, they followed. The first door he opened led them into the elegant dining room. Once they searched every cabinet and cubbyhole, they wandered into and through a kitchen that would delight the fussiest chef. Along the way, they peeked inside closets and cupboard doors. Finally, they discovered the large conservatory. The magnificent room with marble floors took up the entire east wing of the house, that on any other day, she would’ve loved to explore. They found nothing out of place in the opulent home, nor did they find a single shred of paper that would help them locate Rachel.

  Jared lifted a brow as he turned his gaze toward Justin. “Up the stairs?”

  “Might as well,” Justin replied.
“After all, we don’t want to leave a stone unturned and later wished we’d turned it, right?”

  “Nope, not even if we have to visit the attic.”

  Katie gulped as they headed up the steps. Jared took the lead. Justin sandwiched her between them as he brought up the rear.

  About half-way up, Jared swung out his arm and halted their progress. “Did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?” Justin asked.

  “Shh. Listen.”

  Katie held onto her breath as she turned her ear toward the landing. Again her heart took off. Seconds felt like minutes as she stood rooted to the spot. All the while she didn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. Just as she opened her mouth, what sounded like a drone of garbled whispers wafted down the stairway. A series of intense chills raced up and down her spine. “What is that?”

  “I’m not sure,” Justin said.

  “Do you think it’s the wind coming down through all of the chimneys in the house?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “No, the wind wouldn’t sound like that. Not even if it wailed in every fireplace in this house. Besides, I don’t recall it being particularly windy, do you?”

  Jared narrowed his eyes. “Do you know what I think? I think someone’s up there, and whoever it is just might have company.”

  “If that’s the case, why wouldn’t they just come down and talk to us then?” she asked.

  “Maybe our heiress has become a recluse and has a difficult time greeting her guests. On the other hand, perhaps she has a couple of bats in her belfry and wants to play hide and seek.”

  “That wouldn’t be good,” Justin murmured.

  “You know what,” she said, “maybe we should just go.”

  “No, not yet,” Justin said. “We’ve come this far, let’s at least go to the landing, knock on the door, and see what happens.”

  She took in a deep breath and let it go as she nodded. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not, but if it can lead us to Rachel—”

  Katie held onto Jared as they climbed the rest of the stairs. Once they arrived at the top, he knocked at the door and stepped back. She stared at the handle with a strange mix of dread and anticipation. Despite the long wait, nothing happened. The doorknob didn’t move. The whispers had also stopped and just as suddenly as they had come.

  “I’m going in.” Jared grabbed the knob and opened the doors. Once inside the hallway, he hit the switches on the wall. All the sconces on both sides of the area lit up.

  Justin urged her reluctant feet forward. They crossed the threshold into the large hallway. She counted three doors on the right side, two on the left. At the end of the hall a window that matched the ones she saw out front, offered a spectacular view of the vast Jameson property. She also spied another hallway that extended in both directions. Paintings as well as multi-colored marble pedestals with a variety of unique sculptures on top of them, decorated the magnificent hall.

  “Okay, ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ fans, shall we see what’s behind door number—” Jared clamped down on his mouth as all of the lights dimmed. At the same time, a flash of lightning lit up the window. A deafening rumble of thunder followed. An instant later, a torrent of rain pounded against the glass. Katie stared at the sight. Her mouth went dry as a wave of dizziness overcame her. Without conscious thought, she stepped back and bumped into Justin. In response, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight in a protective embrace.

  The last door on the left flung open. Katie’s heart dropped into the pit of her stomach as Quinn Jameson strode out of the room. He headed straight for them. Anger marred the young man’s features. He didn’t look at them, rather it seemed he looked past them as if they weren’t even there.

  “No,” he yelled over his shoulder. “I already told you, I’ll no longer follow your orders like some sniveling coward without a mind of his own. Go ahead and cut me out of your precious will for all I care. Your money and your holdings mean nothing to me, old man. They never have. When will you ever learn that?”

  “Get back here at once!” Gustavus flew out of the room right behind his son. His wrinkled face, twisted now with hatred and loathing, scared her half to death. He grabbed the back of Quinn’s shirt and whirled him around so that his son faced him. His hands slid down the boy’s arms as he held him in an iron grip. All the while, the devil himself couldn’t have looked any more menacing. “Do not defy me, boy. You will do as you’re told!”

  Quinn pushed him away and as he backed up, he shook his head. “No. I won’t. I’ll no longer be your pawn or your reluctant cohort in the despicable game you’ve played. I refuse. Do you even halfway understand that?”

  “You’ll not destroy my reputation,” Gustavus snarled.

  Quinn lifted a brow. “Your reputation, Father? You lost that a long time ago, alongside your honor. At least with all those who should matter most.”

  Gustavus bellowed his rage. The old man drew back his hand and struck his son full across the face. Quinn tumbled backward. As the boy fell, the side of his head slammed against the sharp corner of the pedestal nearest them. He landed on the floor at their feet. With a bit of effort, Quinn rose up on an elbow and wiped at the blood now trickling down his face. The scene faded away into oblivion as father and son gazed into each other’s eyes. The lightning, thunder, and rain disappeared as the hall lights returned to their former brightness.

  For a time, no one said a word. No one moved from where they stood. They all just stared down the hallway.

  “Dude!” Jared recovered first. He grinned from ear-to-ear and smacked Justin on the back. “Did you see that?”

  Justin snorted. “Don’t be stupid, man. We all saw it.”

  “So much for ghosts that don’t exist, huh?”

  The moment Jared made the comment, something clicked. Katie turned to face them. “Residual haunting.”

  Jared drew his brows together as he shook his head. “What?”

  “Residual haunting. I heard about it on one of Mom’s TV programs. It’s…it’s like a film from out of the past. The ghosts, in this case Quinn Jameson and his father, are not really there. Experts in the paranormal say it’s an imprint on time, created by a high level of emotion or trauma. One that will play over and over again. Some say it repeats on the anniversary it took place. Others say it can replay far more often and even as much as daily. From what I saw, the scene definitely qualifies.”

  “How do you know who those people are?” Jared asked.

  “I’ve seen pictures. Lots of them, in fact. However, I must admit, I didn’t expect to see them coming out of that door as if they were alive and well. A door, by the way, that’s still shut.”

  Justin stroked his chin as both cousins shifted their gaze to the door in question. “Maybe that’s why we can’t find dear Rachel, or anyone else for that matter, at home. If I had to witness something like that every day of my life, I’d move out too.”

  “And in less than a heartbeat.” Jared moved a couple of steps forward. “I wonder if we’ll find the old man’s office or library behind that door.”

  Justin gave it a nod. “Let’s go have a look-see.”

  Though her heart had yet to resume its normal pace, she followed her fearless cousins down the hall. Justin took hold of the handle and with a bit of effort, pushed the door open. In the same instant the most putrid air she’d ever encountered belched out at them. As she lifted a hand to cover her mouth and nose, a dark swirling mist at the back of the room stole her attention. The thing moved toward the center. Only then did the vile, misshapen mass transform into the ghost of Gustavus Jameson.

  His entire being emitted hostility and malice. She couldn’t blame the image on residual haunting. Not this time. The unearthly specter shook with unleashed fury as he gazed at each of them in turn. Fear, such as she never experienced before, took hold of her. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t scream.

  “Get out!” He pointed at the door as he stormed toward them. The floor shook beneath
their feet while the windows rattled. “Get out of my house!”

  Jared grabbed her hand and headed for the stairway, with Justin at their heels. They didn’t stop until they arrived at the fence behind the house. As Jared released her hand, he leaned over, placed his hands on his bent knees, and laughed.

  Justin joined in his laughter. “What a rush. Wait ’til the guys hear this story.”

  Jared stood straight, took in a much needed breath, and shook his head. “They’ll never believe us. Never.”

  Justin nodded. “Yeah, well, would you?”

  “No, I guess not.”

  “Exactly. So moving right along—I think maybe it’s time we get out of here. After we do that, we’ll call Gina. Maybe she’ll restore a bit of sanity to this very bizarre evening.”

  “You have her number with you?” Jared asked.

  He patted his pockets. “No, I think I left it in the truck.”

  “Then shall we?” Jared turned toward her with his fingers twined together in invitation.

  An invitation she immediately accepted. After they all had scaled the fence they made their way to the safety of the vehicle.

  Once inside, Justin grabbed the napkin and took his cell phone from his pocket. “That’s strange,” he said. “I should have a full battery, but it’s dead.”

  Jared handed him his. “Here, you can use mine.”

  As Justin pressed the button, he shook his head. “Would if I could, but I can’t so I won’t. Yours is dead too.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  “This just keeps getting weirder by the second. Katie? How about yours?”

  Katie turned the black screen toward them. “Same.”

  “All right.” Justin leaned forward and took hold of the key. “Let’s get the heck out of here before we all die. We’ll go back to the diner and ask them where we can find—”

  Jared huffed out a breath. “Now what?”