Restless Spirits

by Michelle Scott

  Jeremy put the papers into his briefcase, and snapped it shut. “You don’t have to tell me twice, but Grant will fight this. He’ll never believe that malicious spirits are out to get him.”

  Then Ethan would find a way to make him understand. If Grant remained stubborn, David could lie about there being a gas leak or something. Ethan would stay in the house to try and soothe the spirit, but the sooner everyone else was out, the better.

  “I’ll go talk to Tessa,” Jeremy said. Before he left the library, he glanced around the room nervously. Maybe the experience had affected him more than he dared to admit.

  A soft brush of air against Ethan’s cheek brought with it the strong odor of roses. Ethan turned to see the pages of the old Bible fluttering. Although he was eager to leave the library, Ethan went back to the large book. The pages had flipped open to the middle of the book. The Psalms. A single, red rose petal lay there. Just above it were four words underlined in red. Ethan’s breath caught when he read them. “A psalm of David.”

  David had been underlined twice.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ethan fled the library, his heart pounding. That double-underlined name scared him even worse than the visitation. David had been marked by the ghost. Did she want something from him? Or did she blame him for something? Was that red mark a warning or a plea?

  The only thing Ethan knew for sure was that he had to get the others out of the house. Meredith was enraged and picking targets. First, she’d attacked Dr. Rosenbaum and now Jeremy. Who knew what she had in store for David.

  He would track down David first. David was sensible. If he knew Tessa was in danger, he’d persuade her to leave. Once Tessa left, Grant and Doctor Rosenbaum would follow. Then Ethan could stay behind and figure out how to deal with the ghost.

  He decided to start at the cottage. However, he became sidetracked when he heard a pair of angry voices coming from Grant’s study.

  “But he is helping her! It isn’t his fault that she collapsed in the nursery.” To Ethan’s surprise, the voice belonged to Jeremy. He hadn’t thought that the attorney would defend him.

  “He’s filling her head with all kinds of nonsense.” Grant wasn’t yelling, but his voice was louder than normal. “Besides, she’s my wife. I’ll be the one to judge who is helping her and who isn’t.”

  “Why don’t you let her make up her own mind?” Jeremy argued. “She’s your wife, not your possession!”

  “Get out!” Grant ordered.

  Ethan stepped away from the door just as Jeremy burst through it. The attorney nearly ran him over.

  “You!” Grant bellowed to Ethan from inside the office. “What have you been telling my wife?”

  “Only the truth,” Ethan calmly. He wouldn’t let this petty tyrant bully him. “There is a spirit haunting this house, and it’s becoming more and more unstable. It isn’t safe to for anyone to stay here.”

  Grant’s face turned even redder. “I want you out of this house. Now!”

  “No, I’m staying.” Ethan came into the study and planted his hands on Grant’s desk. “All of you need to leave, so that I can deal with the spirit.”

  “This is my house. Don’t think you can make me leave it,” Grant said. “Jeremy, I want you out of here. Take this troublemaker with you. I don’t want him under my roof.”

  “Listen to him,” Jeremy urged Grant. “A lot of odd things have been happening here. What would it hurt for you and Tessa to stay away for a night?”

  Grant’s glare seemed to cleave Ethan in two. “Either you leave now, or I’ll make some phone calls. The first one will be to the police, and the second one will be to the Ladds. I’m sure they could use another witness in their lawsuit against you.”

  “You don’t understand!” Ethan said.

  Grant came around from behind the desk looking as if he meant to get physical. “Get out!”

  “Grant!” Tessa stood in the doorway looking appalled. “What on earth is going on?”

  Grant reluctantly stepped away from Ethan. Before Grant could speak, Ethan said, “You need to leave the manor, Tessa. It isn’t safe to be here.”

  Grant pushed past him to reach his wife. “Nonsense. Everything is fine, my dear.” He took her hand. “Your brother’s friend is overreacting.”

  Tessa’s wide eyes looked from her husband to Ethan and finally to Jeremy. “I’m not leaving this house.” She spoke quietly, but firmly. “Ethan, I’m sorry, but I can’t abandon my baby.”

  Ethan ground his teeth in frustration. How could he make these people understand? The chandelier, the attack on Jeremy…it was only a matter of time before the spirit hurt someone. Maybe even killed someone. “You have to listen to me,” he begged. “Meredith is very upset. She’s lashing out.”

  “Meredith?” Grant asked. “You’re calling this ‘ghost’ Meredith?”

  “It’s her name,” Ethan insisted.

  Tessa left her husband and came over to Ethan. She put her hand on his arm. “Please, Ethan. I think you need to leave. Just for a while.” She glanced at her husband. “You can come back tonight. We’ll have a séance.”

  “Over my dead body,” Grant growled.

  “Let me talk to my husband,” Tessa said. “We’ll sort this out. Please.”

  Ethan’s hands were curled into fists. With great effort, he relaxed them and drew in a deep breath. He wouldn’t have minded leaving – it would help put David behind him – but he worried about the others. Unfortunately, short of dragging them off against their wills, there wasn’t much he could do. He’d do as Grant ordered and go to town, but he wasn’t giving up on the idea of getting everyone to safety. Once he regrouped, he’d be back. “I’ll need a ride into Groveland.”

  “I’ll take you,” Jeremy offered.

  Ethan wondered if he should tell David goodbye. Then he shoved the thought aside. The less he had to do with David the better. He collected his suitcase and guitar and met Jeremy outside on the driveway. The attorney drove a low-slung, red, sports car with tinted windows and a set of golf clubs in the back. He already had the engine running. Ethan wedged his suitcase and guitar behind the seat and climbed in. Immediately, Jeremy took off.

  When they reached the end of the long driveway, Jeremy hammered the accelerator. The trees on either side of the road flew past them. “You had to know he wouldn’t leave that house.”

  “I had to try,” Ethan said.

  Jeremy offered a mirthless grin. “Grant may be my client, but he’s also a bastard. Just ask Michael Rooks.”

  “Grant’s partner?” Ethan asked, surprised.

  “Partner. More like exploited employee. On paper, the two of them were equals, but reality was another matter. Michael was the brains, but Grant was cunning. He outfoxed Michael by buying the rights to that patent for a pittance. Michael didn’t realize its true value, and had to sit back and watch as Grant reaped the rewards.”

  Ethan wasn’t surprised by the news. Grant didn’t seem like the type to let an opportunity go unexploited. “He is ruthless.”

  “Especially when it comes to Tessa,” Jeremy muttered.

  Although Grant insisted that he only wanted what was best for his wife, he was definitely single-minded about what that was. “He doesn’t want to hear that she’s being visited by spirits.”

  “No, he doesn’t. All he cares about is that damn medication. He listens to Rosenfeld as if she was the oracle at Delphi.” He nudged the gas again, and the car immediately responded. The ride was so smooth that the car seemed to flow over the dips in the road and around the curves. Being an attorney must have paid well for Jeremy to have afforded such a magnificent automobile.

  “Are you any closer to finding out about Tessa’s voices?” Jeremy asked.

  Dr. Rosenbaum’s words still troubled Ethan’s mind. “I wonder if part of the reason she can’t remember that night is because she had something to do with Faith’s death,” he said cautiously.

  “I don’t know what would make you say somethi
ng like that,” Jeremy growled, “but Tessa would have never hurt that child.”

  Ethan didn’t think it was possible, either, but hearing it said out loud was a relief. No, Tessa must have blocked out the memory for another reason. Most likely because finding her infant daughter’s body had been too traumatic.

  “Who put that idea into your head?” Jeremy demanded. “Was it that snooping maid they have? Wait, no – it was Rosenfeld, wasn’t it?” His hands tightened on the wheel. “Did she say something to you?”

  “She thought that it might be the reason that Tessa can’t remember anything,” Ethan admitted. “Although, I don’t believe it.”

  “You’d better not! Tessa isn’t capable of something like that.”

  As they entered the tiny town of Groveland, Jeremy eased up on the gas. Groveland was a disappointing place, nothing more than a few, small businesses strung along the road. The town itself abutted the rocky shores of Lake Superior. No doubt, the place was busier in the summer when the tourists came through. Now, however, it had an empty, neglected look that was almost as unsettling as Thunder Point manor.

  Jeremy drove past a bar, a gas station, and a combination grocery/hardware store before turning into the driveway of a well-preserved Victorian house. A carved, wooden sign proclaimed it as the Three Pines Bed and Breakfast. Jessica’s car was parked in a small lot off of the driveway. Hopefully, there were still rooms available.

  “This should be a lot more comfortable than Thunder Point,” Jeremy said. He eased into a spot besides Jessica’s car. “I couldn’t sleep at all when I stayed there.”

  “You stayed there?” Ethan asked.

  The attorney’s face reddened, as if he’d been caught in a lie. “Only once. I was doing some work for Grant, and a snowstorm rolled in. No one was getting in or out. Grant put me up for the night.”

  “When was this?”

  Jeremy looked away. “The night that the baby died.”

  Ethan’s eyes widened. “Do you remember anything about that night?”

  “I remember all of it, but I didn’t know the baby had died until Tessa started screaming. My bedroom was on the opposite end of the house. I ran to her, but Grant got there first. Tessa was hysterical, and he was trying to get her out of the nursery and away from the child. I had to help restrain her. It was the worst night of my life.” When Ethan tried to ask him another question, he put up his hand. “I don’t want to discuss it anymore. Just find a way to help Tessa.”

  Although Ethan was burning for more information, he respected the request. Jeremy’s haggard expression told him that he wouldn’t be getting any more answers.

  Inside, the Victorian bed and breakfast was as neat as the outside. With its hardwood floors, plaster ceiling medallions, and leaded glass windows, the place was like an elegant, old woman dressed in her Sunday best. The walls were lined with sepia-colored pictures that showed historic views of Groveland and the Lake Superior shoreline. A fire blazed in the hearth making it warm and welcoming, unlike Thunder Point manor.

  Ethan rang a bell on the desk and waited. A moment later, a middle-aged woman wearing an apron came through a door. She offered a bright smile. “Welcome to Three Pines. I’m Emily Howard.”

  “Ethan Rhoades. I was hoping you had a room available.”

  “We do. You’re lucky it’s not the tourist season.” Emily consulted a logbook lying on the desk. “I have a nice, single room on the third floor. It’s a climb to get up there, but it has a private bath.”

  “Sounds good,” Ethan agreed. As he was filling out the paperwork, he noticed an old picture of Thunder Point manor hanging on the wall. A vintage Lincoln town car with white-walled tires and running boards sat in the driveway in front of the house. Standing at attention by it was a chauffeur dressed in black.

  Ethan pointed at the picture with the pen in his hand. “When was that taken?”

  Emily took the picture from the wall and turned it over. “1927. It’s a picture of my grandfather. He drove for the Muir family for thirty years.” She handed the photo to Ethan.

  Ethan studied it, letting his eyes slowly travel over the car and then the manor. Suddenly, he blinked. In the uppermost story of the house, a woman’s face peered from behind a curtain. Although the picture was very grainy, he had the distinct feeling that it was Meredith. “Do you know who this is?”

  Emily put on a pair of reading glasses and put her face close to the picture. “Well, I’ll be! That picture has been hanging here for years, and I never noticed a woman in the window before. I have no idea who she is. But my mother might. She’s the historian of the family, and she’s always been fascinated by the Muirs. Probably because she grew up at the manor.”

  Ethan’s heart jumped in his chest. If he could find out more about the Muirs, maybe he could find out what Meredith wanted. “Can I talk to her?”

  “Certainly, but she’s upstairs taking a nap right now.” Emily took Ethan’s credit card and ran it through a reader. “She loves to talk about the old days. She’ll talk your ear off if you let her.”

  Ethan smiled. Perfect.

  Footsteps came down the stairs. Looking up, Ethan saw Jessica. She had changed into jeans and a bulky, black sweater. She stopped halfway down when she spotted him. “Oh. Ethan. What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve come to stay,” he said. “The manor house was getting a little crowded.”

  “I see.” She slowly descended the rest of the stairs. “Now I’m starting to think that this place is too crowded.”

  Ethan’s face clouded. He hadn’t expected such an unfriendly welcome. “I’ll try to stay out of your way.”

  “You came from Thunder Point, too?” Emily asked. When Ethan nodded, she said, “Grant Muir must be running off all his guests.”

  “It’s not Grant,” Jessica said tightly. “Ethan, I was about to get dinner at the restaurant across the street. Would you join me? I want to talk to you.”

  It didn’t sound like an invitation to a friendly conversation, but it was probably best that they confront each other. Ethan brought his things up to the third story room, and came back down to join Jessica.

  They said nothing to each other as they crossed the street to the restaurant. The sky had cleared up, but it was even colder now. To the left, Lake Superior was as flat and gray as the backside of a mirror.

  They took a table in a far corner of the restaurant. The place was crowded with families, all of whom seemed happy and carefree. Ethan envied them. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been without worries. Long before the incident with the Ladds, that was for sure.

  Jessica ordered a grilled chicken salad. Ethan, a burger and fries. When the waitress left, Jessica said. “Tell me about David.”

  Ethan tried not to squirm. “What do you want to know?”

  “Don’t be coy,” she snapped. “He talks about you all the time. The two of you were supposedly best friends in college.” Her gaze never wavered, but she was nervously tearing her napkin into tiny pieces.

  “Yes, we were best friends,” Ethan admitted. His mind flashed back to when he and David would sneak away to have secret make out sessions. Holding David in his arms was always the best part of his days. And nights. What he wouldn’t give to have that again. “We were fraternity brothers.”

  Jessica finally dropped her eyes. “You have feelings for him, don’t you?”

  Ethan’s first instinct was to deny it, but would good would that do? She deserved to know. “I do,” he said softly.

  “And does he have feelings for you?”

  “I don’t know,” he confessed.

  Their food came, but neither of them ate. Ethan pushed a puddle of ketchup around with one of his French fries, and Jessica poked at the chicken breast with her fork. All around them was quiet laughter and happy conversation. They were an island of misery in a sea of conviviality.

  “We’ve been together for seven months,” Jessica said. “That’s one of the longest relationships I’ve ever h
ad. David is so kind and courteous. Such a gentleman, and so chaste.” She sighed. “I had thought it was because he’d been brought up so conservatively, but there’s another reason, isn’t there?” When Ethan didn’t answer, she continued, “I never suspected it of him, but looking back, I should have realized it. You should see his face light up whenever he talks about you.”

  David’s face lit up when he thought about Ethan? Ethan suppressed a smile. His heart, which had felt like a solid block of ice since their argument, began to melt.

  “I’m sorry about how rude I was earlier,” Jessica said. “When I saw the two of you together, I knew. I guess I’m just jealous. I want that in my life. What you two have.”

  “We don’t have anything,” Ethan argued. “David isn’t ready for it.”

  “He’s in denial,” Jessica agreed.

  “And I don’t know how long that’s going to last.”

  “He’ll come to his senses. He can’t be that happy around you and not see it.” She offered a tight smile. “He’ll be happier with you than he ever was with me.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” Ethan said sincerely. “This has got to be hard for you.”

  She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I knew that he never really loved me. I guess that I never loved him, either. I loved the idea of him, though. He was the kind of guy who made my parents giddy with happiness. They thought of him as Mr. Right. I guess he’s just not Mr. Right for Me. I’m just glad that we didn’t take it any further.”

  “It would have been messy.”

  “Very messy.” She pushed lettuce around on her plate then dropped her fork. “I can’t do this right now.” She stood and gathered her purse. “I don’t blame you, but this is really hard.” She turned and left, nearly knocking into David who had come up to the table without either of them noticing.

  David took her by the shoulders. “Where are you going?”

  She stepped out of his grasp. “I need to be alone to think.” Before he could respond, she pushed past him and left the restaurant.