“Well, I think that whatever Gabe is worried about has to do with real-life human beings. And for the sake of your mom and the theater, the sooner we figure that out, the better. I think Gabe is seeing and hearing stuff, too, but he’s ignoring it because he thinks it’s some kind of setup.”
River lay back on the couch, taking in all that Larsen had just told him. “That’s some theory you’ve got going on.”
“Yeah, well, guess what? I think I’m right.”
“Listen, I’m not meeting Gina until eight o’clock. My mom has been asking me to come by and see the progress on the theater. I told her I’d try to do it this weekend. I was going to go tomorrow, because she’s meeting some friend in Palm Springs today, but maybe it’s a good thing she won’t be there. I think you and I should go by this afternoon. Gabe’s off, right?”
Larsen nodded. “Yeah, for sure. He told me yesterday he was going hiking at Indian Canyons with his kids. Okay, Riv, so why do you look like you’re hatching a bigger plan than you’re letting on? The look on your face is telling me to beware.”
“Nah. But I just remembered that the Jinxster is in town this weekend. She and Jess are going around town taking photos. Jess is doing something for her photojournalism class, and Jinxsy wants to develop a photo history of the new Mystekal. Anyway, I’m gonna call Jess and see if they’ll meet us. If there’s a ghost in that theater, we’ll find him. Take that to the bank, dude.”
Chapter 18
Jessie and Jinxsy had just pulled up in Jinxsy’s car when they saw River and Larsen approaching the back of the theater.
Jinxsy jumped out of the car and ran over to River, giving him a big hug that he happily returned. “Haven’t seen you in forever, Riv.”
“It’s only been three months since our last visit. But I know you have been suffering unbearable pangs of yearning since that fateful day you left Mystekal to get your business degree. I warned you being apart would be painful, but you chose to ignore me, and now I see the lines of distress etched all over your youthful visage.”
“What a truckload of BS. If you’re seeing ‘lines of distress etched all over my youthful visage,’ it’s because my face also serves as a bullshit meter, and it is totally on overload right now. But I’m happy looking at your face. Sorry I missed you on my last couple of visits home. Life is hectic, to say the least. And seeing how you were a part of my life almost every day for so many years, well, I guess three months is a long time … or maybe not long enough.”
“Ha ha. You know you love me, Jinxster.”
Jinxsy smiled and winked at River.
Just as Jessie had joined the group, Jinxsy turned to face Larsen. “Hi, I’m Jinxsy Patterson. I’ve heard so much great stuff about you, Larsen. Thanks for working here and helping to bring the theater alive.”
Larsen reached out to shake her hand. “I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate having this opportunity.”
River exhaled. “Nice choice of words, Jinxster. About bringing the theater alive. That’s the thing: I think it already was!”
Jessie brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes that the wind had blown in her face. “Like I told you when you called, Riv, you were on speakerphone, so Jinxsy heard everything. Lars, it sounds like you’re convinced the theater is haunted.”
Larsen looked uncomfortable. “Uh, yeah. Kind of.”
“Don’t worry too much because Jinxsy, River, and I are all ghost veterans. We’ll figure out what’s going on … maybe.”
“I hope so. Did River tell you that I actually met a lady ghost who lives at the Mystekal Sands movie theater? She’s the dead wife of my mother’s new boyfriend.”
“Say what? No, I sure didn’t know that. Wow, Jinx; looks like you’ve inherited more than just a town. Seems like you’ve got some former residents, too.” Jessie turned back to Larsen. “So, when you say that you met her, does that mean you actually had a conversation?”
“Yeah, I did. Inside a dark theater. Not too long after Riv and I first became friends. I had no idea she was a ghost until I found out later that she died. And then, about a month ago, Riv and I were having lunch at the Kafe, and I saw her outside the theater sort of hanging out near all of the people waiting in line. By the time I got to where she was, there was no sign of her.”
Jinxsy shook off a chill and began walking toward the back door of the theater as she motioned for everyone to follow. “I just can’t help but wonder if there’s any connection to everything that happened here two years ago. I mean, could that lady and this male ghost that Larsen and Arielle have seen in the theater be connected to my biological dad living as a ghost in the high school for all those years?”
Jessie looked overwhelmed. “My freakin’ head hurts. Reminds me of when my dad brought us this thousand-piece puzzle to put together when we were kids. I thought we’d never do it. But to answer your question, I think it’s very possible, Jinx. It’s just all so weird. It was hard enough to believe everything that I witnessed with my own eyes two years ago. And now to think that it’s all starting up again …”
River looked startled. “It has, Jess … damn, I hear it. Holy shit! Listen, it’s the song Larsen was telling us about: ‘Tonight’ from West Side Story. It’s so clear.”
Larsen put his hand to his mouth, but he couldn’t suppress his laughter. He reached into his side pants pocket and pulled out his ringing phone. When he saw the caller ID, he laughed heartily. “I definitely heard the song playing, and so did Lisa, but what you’re all hearing right now is my phone. It seems that River just butt-called me.”
Jinxsy and Jessie exploded into laughter. Embarrassed, River reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone that indeed was ringing Larsen’s number. “I did that on purpose. Just to get everyone ready for the real thing.”
Jinxsy was the first to call him out. “More bullshit. You so hate that you did that. I know you, River Dalworth. And jokes are never funny if they concern you and you didn’t initiate them. Hey, it’s okay, my adopted little brother; we all have chinks in our armor.”
`*`*`*`
Larsen, who had the keys, unlocked the back door of the theater. “I’d say ‘Ladies first,’ but in this case, I’m thinking you two would rather have River and me go in first.”
Jessie, who looked more nervous than Jinxsy, stood the farthest away with her camera hanging around her neck. “You’re a true gentleman, Larsen. Yeah, please, you guys go in first.”
Larsen entered first and flipped on the lights that illuminated the immediate area. Seconds later, River, Jinxsy, and Jessie followed behind him. There was complete silence as everyone stood in place and looked around, each set of eyes scanning in nervous anticipation.
Jinxsy was focused on the faded message board on the wall. As she squinted, she tried to read one of the notices that had nearly faded. Suddenly, she let out a harrowing scream. Before anyone could ask her what she saw, the answer came in the form of River, holding his stomach and howling with laughter.
Jessie playfully pushed her brother’s shoulder with her hand. “What did you do to Jinx, numbnuts?”
“He pinched me on either side of my waist. Scared the crap out of me.”
“I swear, Riv. No matter how old you get, you’re still going to be my little brother. And let me tell you something else, numbnuts. You’re going to have numb nuts if you keep it up.”
River was still laughing. “Oh, yeah, Jess. What are you going to do?”
Putting her hands on her hips, Jinxsy positioned herself in front of him. “She’s just gonna hold you while I take a red hot fire poker to your manly parts.”
Larsen winced. “Ouch.”
Having calmed down quickly, Jinxsy laughed. “Just like I said outside, Riv, you have to be the one pulling the joke, don’t you? Boy, it didn’t take you long to prove me right. Just can’t help yourself.”
“Hey, we’re ghost hunting here. A little levity is in order.”
Jessie took the lens cap off her camera, tu
rned it on, and started taking photos of everything in sight. Jinxsy resumed trying to read the discolored notice, while Larsen and River ventured a few yards down the breezeway to see if anything unusual was going on.
Larsen turned to River. “I wish Muggins was with us. He always knows when something is happening.”
“Yeah, I thought of that, Lars. Mom took him to Palm Springs because they’re real dog friendly there. He’s her bodyguard. Ha ha.”
“I know. He adores your mother. Well, we’re on our own today. Let’s go back to the girls. I want to see if Jinxsy was able to read anything on that old notice.”
Jinxsy looked excited. “I can see a little bit of it right here.” She pointed to some type that was larger than the rest. “Look, it says ‘West Side Story.’ They must have produced that show here. That would explain why Lisa and Larsen were hearing the song ‘Tonight.’ ”
Jessie didn’t seem convinced. “It doesn’t really explain anything. I mean, that’s quite a leap from knowing they did a show here to hearing the song play by itself decades later. You think?”
“Well, yeah, Jess. But we’re still a step closer. So, listen, Larsen, exactly where were you when you saw that guy? Were you back here?”
“No, I was in the main hall of the theater, and I was looking back this way. At kind of a distance, you know? Do you want to go out into the theater? You can see some of the new seats that were put in, and then you’ll also have the same vantage point I did. Hold on; I’m just going to go to the light booth so nobody is ghost busting in the dark. Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Jessie looked panicked. “Where’s the light booth?”
“It’s just off the lobby, to the right. Once the work is finished, we’ll be entering from the front door, so it won’t be such a long walk to turn everything on.” Larsen grabbed a flashlight that was hanging on the wall. “I’ll be right back, guys.”
Leaving everyone behind, Larsen opened the door to the theater and walked up the aisle toward the stairs. He had never been alone in there before, much less in the dark. All he could see was the path in front of him. Halfway to the light booth, he stopped and listened. He was so sure he heard something, but he couldn’t identify the sound. He wanted to turn around and shine his flashlight onto the stage, but he felt it would be rude and hurtful to anyone who might be there. Being anything less than a gentleman, even to a ghost, was not acceptable.
Pointing the flashlight to the floor, he stopped, slowly turning toward the stage. Very faintly, he heard what sounded like a cry for help. But once he was fully turned around, he couldn’t hear anything but his own heavy breathing. Turning again, pointing the flashlight ahead, Larsen hurried toward the house entrance doors and out into the lobby. Once there, he opened a black door in the corner of the lobby, where he climbed a small set of stairs to the light booth. After switching on all of the lighting, he took a deep breath, but his heart was still pounding. As he returned the same way he had come, once inside the theater, he saw River, Jinxsy, and Jessie coming through the door.
“Hey, dude. Took your own sweet time! We were wondering if the lights were gonna go on at all. It was like the darkness swallowed you up. Or maybe something else.”
Jinxsy was in awe as she looked around. “Wow. I was only here one other time, before any work was done, and I’m just blown away by how amazing everything looks. It’s gorgeous.”
As she began snapping photos of everything, Jessie agreed with her bestie that the work was incredible. “It’s just like Mom described it. Top-notch craftsmanship. So, hey, Larsen, although I hate to agree with River, it did take you kind of a long time to get to the light booth. Any reason?”
Larsen wasn’t sure if there was anything to tell. Maybe he heard something because he was expecting to do so. If he told the others, they might hear the same thing merely by the power of suggestion. “No, nothing unusual. I was just walking really slowly because the new carpet isn’t in yet, and as you can see, there’s a whole lot a person can trip over here. So, be careful, everyone. Go take a look at the new seats. They’re beautiful.”
Larsen stood in the aisle, watching the stage, while Jessie continued to take photos, Jinxsy inspected the seats, and River decided to walk up onto the stage. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Larsen watched as River slowly walked around the stage, then stopped. Jessie and Jinxsy were too busy observing the rest of the theater to notice, but to Larsen, it was clear that River was hearing or seeing something out of the ordinary.
River turned to Larsen, raising his voice so as to be heard clearly from the distance between them. “Man, it’s freezing here. Right on this spot. How come?”
Larsen hadn’t thought of it since the day he went in the theater to find Arielle’s hardware catalog and Muggins had become transfixed by something on the stage that Larsen couldn’t see. As he had run across the stage to the back, he remembered feeling a chill in the very spot where River was standing. He had forgotten about it and never mentioned it again.
“Aren’t you going to answer me, dude?”
Shaking his head no, Larsen just stood there. He didn’t know what to say.
River continued to stand in the same spot and look and listen. Once more, he turned around to talk to Larsen. “Someone’s crying.”
Jinxsy, who had finished looking at the seats, was now watching the exchange between the two friends. “Are you for real, Riv? Do you honestly hear someone crying?”
“I not only hear someone, but now I see someone. Man, he’s really upset.”
Jinxsy headed toward the stage. Just as she got to the stairs, River made an announcement. “He’s gone. I can’t see him or hear him anymore.”
Looking disgusted, Jinxsy headed back toward Jessie, who had been in a world of her own with the camera. “You know, I think the guy that Riv heard crying and happened to see for only seconds was the same one who pinched me. In other words, I call bullshit.” She turned to River. “Obviously, I know ghosts exist. I met my own father after he died. But that doesn’t mean that I’m gonna swallow every line of nonsense out of your mouth.”
River looked frustrated. “I’m not lying, Jinx.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I’ll prove it to you.”
Jinxsy’s curiosity was piqued. “How are you going to do that?”
“I’ll draw the dude.”
Jinxsy looked at River, then at Larsen and Jessie. “I’m sorry, I don’t see what that proves. You could draw anyone and say that’s the guy you saw. So don’t bother.”
Jessie grabbed her friend by the arm. “No, let him do it. For sure let him do it.”
River looked at his sister. “You want me to draw him?”
“Yup, I sure do. I’ve got to do something right now. But Jinxsy and I will be at the house in about an hour. When you’re done drawing the guy, meet us at home. Okay?”
“Yeah, sure, Jess.”
Whispering something frantically in Jinxsy’s ear appeared to change everything. Jinxsy was now her usual animated self. “Yeah, draw that guy like Jess said. We’ll see you soon.”
As the girls rushed out of the theater, Larsen and River exchanged looks.
“Hey, dude. I really did hear someone crying.”
“I believe you, Riv. I think I did, too.”
Chapter 19
Sitting next to River on the couch, Larsen looked on with amazement as he watched his best friend come close to finishing the drawing of the figure he claimed to have seen at the theater.
“I didn’t realize you drew so fast, Riv. Wow, I feel like I’ve got a front row seat to genius.”
“That’s pretty much the situation any time you’re around me, Lars. Ha ha.”
“Can I amend that compliment? In fact, can I take it back completely?”
“Nope. My ears have already soaked in your words. I’m a genius.”
Larsen laughed. “Not the most humble one I’ve ever met, though.” Watching River fill in the features on the face, Larsen starte
d to feel anxious. He was no longer in a mood to joke around.
River looked up. “Man, where did you go, Lars? What’s the matter? Hey … this guy looks familiar to you, doesn’t he? He’s the same guy you saw.”
“Maybe.”
“By the look on your face, ‘maybe’ means ‘hell yes.’ Anyway, I’m almost done. The girls should be here soon. They’ve been in the backhouse since we got here. Wonder what they’re doing.”
“They’re coming in now. I can hear them.” Larsen turned around and saw Jessie and Jinxsy entering the house through the kitchen door.
Without stopping, River continued to add the last touches to his sketch. “Good, because I’m done. Perfect timing.”
Glancing over to see the finished work, Larsen felt numb as he looked at the face of the boy in the sketch.
Jessie and Jinxsy came into the living room and walked right over to the couch. “Well, I’m glad to see you’ve been drawing, lil bro. Have you finished?”
“Yup!”
Jinxsy held out her hand. “Can we see your sketchbook, Riv?”
“What’s it worth to you?”
“If there was ever a time not to mess with me or your sister, this would be it.”
Jessie nodded in agreement. “Seriously, hand it over.”
Seeing the complete lack of amusement on both girls’ faces, River handed them the sketchbook and watched as their faces paled in unison.
“Holy ’effin shit, Jess!”
Astounded by what she saw, Jessie had no words. But River did. “Okay, now this is getting weird. Lars looks at my drawing and goes quiet, but I can understand that, because he’s seen the dude. But you two haven’t. In fact, you didn’t even believe me. So what gives with the pale faces and open mouths here? You look like you’re gonna faint, Jess.”
Alarmed, Jinxsy took hold of Jessie’s arm to steady her. “C’mon, Jess, sit here in your dad’s chair.”
Jessie sat down in Mick’s armchair and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
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