“I’m hoping to get rid of him. I mean, if he were the peaceful sort of spirit, I wouldn’t mind him being there. But slamming doors and scaring people? I can’t have that happening all the time.”
“Hannah told us that the activity ramped up when you guys began to renovate. That’s not uncommon. Any particular hot spots?” Amy asked in a soft voice as she whipped out a notebook and pencil.
“Yes, that is correct. The house was empty for quite some time before I got here. I was hoping to change all that. I think most of the activity happens on the second floor, in the nursery and the attic.”
Rex leaned forward and rested his chin on his folded hands. “I want you to understand that I am a sensitive, but I’m not an exorcist, so I don’t have any special skills for ousting ghosts. But I will be glad to lend whatever skills I do have to help you navigate this situation. I understand it can be frightening to have that activity happening around you.”
Jesse nodded in agreement. “The doors on the top floor slammed so hard I thought the place was going to fall in. It was the scariest darn thing I’ve ever seen. If I hadn’t seen it myself, I’m not sure I would believe it. We’ve been working in that house for weeks and have not had any problems. But now, it’s straight-up dangerous. Jerica, tell them what happened to you today at the river.”
All eyes were on me, and I fought the urge to kick Jesse under the table. Since he brought it up, I told the group what happened earlier and then concluded, “And Mr. Daughdrill was standing on the bank watching. Like he wanted me to drown, like he expected me to die. I guess I can understand why he would want to come after me. At least Harper went to her grave not knowing what a monster he really was, but I know him for who he is. He was never the kind of man who liked it when a woman had the upper hand on him. I know the type.” I avoided looking in Jesse’s direction. I hadn’t meant to drop hints about my past like that.
“That’s not quite true. She knew. Harper knew,” a voice from behind me whispered. I spun around to see Ben Hartley standing in my kitchen drenched with sweat.
“Ben! I didn’t hear you come in. Please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?” Ben’s face looked pale, and his lips were colorless.
“Yes. Water, please.”
“What happened to you, Ben?”
“I had a flat, and I’m not as spry as I used to be.”
I handed him a glass of water and said, “These are my friends, Ben. This is Hannah, and this is Amy and Rex. They’re here to help me with the house.”
With shaking hands, Ben sipped the water. “I don’t think you understand, Jerica. Some of those spirits can’t be pacified, and no amount of pleading with them is going to change that. They are dead and gone, and there’s nothing more you can do for them.”
The kitchen was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I didn’t want him to get worked up again, not after what he’d been through already. In an attempt to steer the conversation in another direction I asked, “What do you mean, Ben? What did Harper know? Did Mr. Daughdrill die that night?”
Ben put his empty glass on the table and buried his face in his hands. He sobbed, and I put my arm around him. What was it about this man that made me want to protect him? He seemed so broken, but I had no idea why. Hannah, Rex and Amy excused themselves and hurried off to the living room to give us some privacy.
Jesse grabbed some tissues and handed them to him. Ben said, “I’m so sorry, Jerica. I don’t mean to blubber like a child. And I know it was a long time ago, but it doesn’t make it any easier. You understand.”
I nodded. “Tell us what happened. What did Harper know?”
“Daughdrill didn’t die that night. She told me about it later, after we had become better friends. She and Addison were like my own two sisters. I admit I had a bit of a crush on Harper back then. Maybe I still do. Old man Daughdrill hated me. He’d complain to Mrs. Belle when I came around, but she didn’t say a word to Harper. I think she was proud of her, thankful in her own twisted way, but she would never say so. Oh no. She was never the kind of woman to admit she needed anyone. But really, she was needier than everyone.”
“Go on, Ben. Tell me more about Harper.”
“Mr. Daughdrill started coming around the school to see Addison. He would bring her presents like jewelry, but she never left with him. Harper was always there, running defense. But he was a master at manipulation, and he succeeded in driving a wedge between them, at least for a little while. Before he died, he practically moved into the house and took over. Her mother didn’t say a word.” Ben began to tear up again. “Harper wouldn’t want you to be in danger, Jerica. Please promise me you’ll stop the renovation. Let sleeping dogs lie, Jerica. Go back home and have a happy life.”
Jesse couldn’t hide his surprise. “Why, Ben? You haven’t given her a reason except to say bad things happened to the Belle girls. We know that. Don’t you think it’s time to let some sunshine into the place? Let Summerleigh breathe again?”
“You can’t see it. You see the house and want to love it, but nobody is happy there. Nobody is ever happy at Summerleigh. John Belle thought he could fix the place up. Look where it got him. Jeopardy, Addison, Harper…they’re all gone. You don’t understand. You haven’t seen what I’ve seen.” He sobbed again.
I cast an eye at Jesse and nodded my head toward the living room. Thankfully, he got the message and immediately left to apologize to Hannah and her friends. I heard the front door open and close as they left. I’d have to call her later.
More than anything, I wanted to know who that little boy was, but it wouldn’t be today. Ben Hartley was in no shape to drive home, and I couldn’t in good conscience ignore his wishes. Not while he was here, anyway. I sat quietly and waited for him to regain his composure. Jesse returned and sat at the table with us. I was glad to have him there.
“Now tell us everything, Ben. What have you seen at Summerleigh that makes you so afraid?”
“I’ve seen the devil there, Jerica. And he’s not going to leave. It was his place before they ever built Summerleigh. This is old land. Lots of deadly things happened here. Even the local native tribes avoided this patch of land. I tried to warn Harper. I told her what I knew, what my grandfather told me, but she didn’t listen. Not until it was too late.” Ben sounded confused, and it set off alarms in my nurse’s brain. I know these symptoms, don’t I? “At least she made it out alive. I am glad for that. I loved Harper Belle, you know. It broke my heart when she married that Hayes fella, but it is what it is. Water under the bridge.” He wiped at his eyes again. “When I lived here, I woke up to find flowers on my doorstep every now and then. How about you?”
I glanced at the flower on the table. It had withered a bit but was still a vibrant shade of blue. My heart sank. I wanted to believe Marisol had brought me those flowers. Had I been wrong?
“Yes, I’ve found flowers a few times.”
“Ah, but you never know who’s bringing them. Be careful what you invite into your home, Jerica Poole. Be really careful. Some things aren’t that easy to get rid of.”
Jesse stared hard at the old man, and I could see the uncertainty on his face. Ignoring the icy-cold feeling I had, I glanced at the clock. Suppertime. That’s what Ben needed, food and some rest.
“Jesse, how do you feel about grilling some pork chops? I’ve got some in the refrigerator. Are you hungry, Ben?”
“Yes, but I thought you wanted to hear everything.”
“I do, but right now I want to eat. Why don’t you get freshened up while Jesse and I whip up some grub?”
“That would be lovely. Thank you. I’ll do that.” He wandered off to the bathroom. Of course, he didn’t have to ask where it was. He’d lived here. He knew this house inside and out. And he knew Summerleigh.
Jesse touched my arm. “I hope you don’t intend to let him stay here. Something seems off about him. I know you want to see him as a sweet old man and everything, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.”<
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“I agree. But the less he hears about the house, the better off he’ll be. I don’t think Ben is well. I really don’t. Let’s cook supper and go from there. Thank you for being so patient with him. And me.”
Jesse grinned down at me and said, “Just show me the way to the grill.”
“Just out back on the patio.” I kissed his cheek playfully. He paused, like he wanted more, but Ben came back into the kitchen.
“I’m not interrupting you all, am I?”
“Not at all, Ben. Have a seat while I prep these chops.”
And for the next few hours, nobody talked about Summerleigh or ghosts. It was nice to pretend that everything was okay. Unfortunately, it was just the calm before the storm.
Chapter Eleven—Harper
“Loxley wasn’t at school today, Momma. Can’t we go see her?”
A haze of cigarette smoke swirled around my mother’s face, and she wore her usual lost expression. She always looked like this when she’d spent the previous night drinking, and she did that more and more as of late. “She’s better off with Dot. In fact, you’d all be better off.” And she was still drunk.
I hung up the phone and stared at the back of her head. Her hair was unbrushed and unwashed. She wasn’t dressed either. Addison and I would have to hoof it, and quickly, if we were going to make it to school on time. One more tardy and I would face Mr. Alfred’s wrath. And possibly his paddle. Too bad he couldn’t paddle Momma.
“Where’s Jeopardy this morning? Jeopardy?” It of course wasn’t Jep but Addison. She came into the kitchen wearing new shoes, and her hair was brushed and tidy.
“Morning, Momma. What’s for breakfast, Harper?” she said as she frowned at the empty table.
Am I the only sane one around here?
“You don’t have time for breakfast, your majesty. We’re walking to school this morning,” I said as I picked up my books from the table and slung my purse over my shoulder.
“I can’t walk to school in these shoes. They’re brand new!” she whined as she pursed her pouty lips. “Grandfather would be so mad if I scuffed them up before he saw me in them.”
That woke Momma up from her stupor. She rose to her wobbly feet and put her hands on the table to steady herself. “What did you say? Who’s buying you shoes, Addison Lee?”
Addison backed away from Momma, and I pushed her behind me as I reached for the back door. “We better go, Addison.”
“Okay,” she said as she scurried out of Summerleigh. “Bye, Momma.” I could hear her voice breaking up as she sailed down the back steps.
“Addison, you get back here!” Momma shouted after her.
I closed the door and left Momma to stew in her own juices. I caught up with Addison around the corner of the house. The overgrown hydrangeas made the perfect hiding spot. “Come on out, Addie. She’s too drunk to follow us to school. Take your shoes off if you’re worried about getting them dirty, but the walk might be hard on your feet.”
Addison clutched her notebook to her chest and looked down at her shoes. “These are the nicest shoes I’ve ever owned.” She didn’t take them off, and we walked together down Hurlette.
I smiled at her. “Yes, they’re very nice.”
Addison smiled back, but her expression changed. Daddy always said she would make a horrible poker player. She could never hide her emotions. “I’m sorry, Harper.” She grabbed my arm gently. “I tried to get you a pair too, but you know how Grandfather is. Maybe if you apologized to him, he’d like you again. I tried to explain it to him, how hard it was to live with Momma, but I think…I think you really hurt him. I mean, you did beat him with that poker.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. It was too early in the day to be stupefied twice. “He was beating Momma, Addison. How can you take his side? You’re my sister.”
“I know, and I love you, Harper, but you can be so strong-willed sometimes.”
“Where did you hear that?” I asked suspiciously. I needn’t have wondered. Mr. Daughdrill pulled up in his long black Master DeLuxe and rolled his window down.
“Would you like a ride to school, Addison? I’m going to town. I’ll be happy to take you so you don’t get caught in the rain.”
“Sure,” she said, but then she looked at me. “But can Harper go too? Like you said, it might rain and all.”
He cast a steely look at me. Now, Mr. Daughdrill would have made a fine poker player. You never knew what he was thinking. Never. “Of course, dear. Hop in, girls. You wouldn’t want to be late. That’s not the Daughdrill way. Your mother was never late for school. Not one day.”
“We’re not Daughdrills. We’re Belles,” I murmured as I walked to the car. Addison shot me an ugly grimace, and I rolled my eyes. I climbed in the back seat and listened to the radio as we pulled up into the schoolyard. I immediately began searching for Aunt Dot’s convertible but didn’t see it. I wondered if Loxley would be in school today, but I didn’t dare ask Mr. Daughdrill. When we arrived at school, I got out of the car and gave a half-hearted thank-you.
“Harper, a word of advice.” He waved me toward him, but I didn’t step any closer. “Don’t ruin things for Addison. She has a real future; she’s such a lovely young lady. It’s not attractive for a girl to be jealous of her sister.”
“I’m not jealous of my sister. And I have three of them, remember?” Cars were pulling in behind his, and I took another step back.
“Stay out of trouble, Harper. We can’t afford another scandal. I’ll see you girls after school. Make sure you are here and ready to go home.”
I stared after him as he pulled off. Addison was already in the schoolhouse; she’d left me behind, probably anxious to show off her new shoes. I guess I really couldn’t blame her. We rarely had new things. But at what cost? Why would he do that? I couldn’t imagine Mr. Daughdrill doing anything that didn’t benefit him directly.
The day dragged by. The only bright spot was a surprise invitation to go fishing with Benny and his little cousin Angie. I agreed to meet them at the river at four o’clock but had second thoughts later. I hadn’t been to the river since Jeopardy disappeared. Why was it nobody said her name anymore? I had that deputy’s phone number somewhere, and I made up my mind then and there to call him. Momma wasn’t going to do it, and I wanted my sister to come home.
I waited outside the school after the bell, but Mr. Daughdrill didn’t show up, and neither did my sister. It would be very much like him to leave me behind as a way to teach me a lesson. Yes, very much like him.
“Hey, Arnette?” I caught my friend as she walked out with her steady, a tall, skinny kid named Roger. “Have you seen Addison?”
“She left a few minutes ago. With your grandfather, I think. Did you see them, Roger? I ducked inside to get my sweater.”
Roger squinched his eyes and said, “You know, I think she did leave in that big black car. The new one.”
“Was she alone?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, her friend Bobbie Ann was with her. Need a ride? Did they leave you behind, Harper?”
“Yes, please. I guess she forgot all about me.”
Arnette rolled her eyes. “Sisters. I’m glad I have Roger here. Let’s take Harper home. It’s on the way to my house.”
“Sure thing, sweetie.”
Arnette shook her head. I could tell she didn’t like his nickname for her, but at least he was a nice guy. The ride home was long, not because the company was bad but because I was worried about my sisters. Loxley was with Aunt Dot, absent again today. Addison was off with our grandfather, and Momma was probably drinking herself to death. And God only knew where Jeopardy was. I didn’t want to believe she was really a ghost. That would mean she was dead, right?
We pulled into the driveway, and I got out of the truck before it stopped. “Thanks, you two. I’ll buy you both a Coke sometime.”
“Sounds great. Bye, Harper,” Arnette said with a smile.
“Bye,” I said as I walked up the steps of Summe
rleigh. I rarely came in the front door, but it was unlocked and I walked right inside.
I walked through the Great Room into the parlor. My grandfather was lounging in the red velvet chair, the radio on low, the newspaper in his lap. He sucked on his pipe and smiled at me. I didn’t return the smile. “Where’s Addison?”
As if she’d heard me, Addie walked into the room from the bedroom hallway. “Hey, Harper. Just the person I’m looking for. What do you think? Pink sweater with the green dress or the blue one? I’m not sure. Grandfather says pink, but I kind of like the blue.” She strutted around in her new dress and spun around for our grandfather, who complimented her on the color…and the fit.
“I don’t know,” I grumbled at her as I headed into the kitchen to find something to eat. Momma was on the phone, obviously with Aunt Dot, and I tried not to eavesdrop. When I opened the refrigerator, I almost passed out. It was loaded with food, a nice chunk of cheese, milk, butter and fruit galore. I couldn’t help but notice that these were all Addison’s favorites.
“You bring her home, Dot, or I’m going to call the police.” She paused and then said, “No, he’s not. I haven’t seen him. Now bring me my daughter.” She slammed the phone down and stubbed out her skinny cigarette in her seashell-shaped ashtray. “There you are. I’ve got some chicken laid out for supper. Are you up to frying it? I need to go lie down. I can feel a headache coming on.”
“No. I already have plans.”
“Well, those plans will have to wait. Someone needs to cook supper, Harper.” She walked out of the kitchen with her hand on her forehead.
I sighed, but nobody heard me. Same old, same old. Just then, I heard Ben calling me from the screen door. “Hey, we’ve been waiting for you at the river. You ready to go?”
I reached for a few strawberries and put the pint back in the refrigerator. I wasn’t cooking supper. I wasn’t doing any of it. I was going fishing. “You got a pole for me?”
The Ghosts of Summerleigh Collection Page 21