“I’m sure she wouldn’t...they had us turn in all of the permission slips at the beginning of the year. Even then I doubt she really looked when she signed them,” Cici said with a shrug. Josie laughed, as helicopter as Verny could be about some things, she could be extremely lax about others.
“So what about this boy that you're seeing?” Josie asked. She had heard about Verny and Cookie’s failure when they spied on Cici and her new love interest and were caught almost immediately. Since then she hadn’t heard any updates.
“Mike,” Cici said a little dreamily. “He’s really great. We’ve decided that we're going to the prom together.” This must be a big deal because of the way Cici emphasized it. Josie never really understood the draw to the prom, but she wasn’t about to ruin it for Cici. “That’s a few months away,” Cici added, as explanation.
“So you guys are serious then?” Josie asked, not wanting to sound like a spy for Verny but still curious.
“Yeah, we’re officially dating now,” Cici said, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
“That’s great to hear. Has he met Verny yet?” She asked. “I mean actually met her?” Josie added remembering that Verny kind of met him on her espionage trip.
“Not yet,” Cici said. “I’m not sure if he’s ready for that.” She said this loudly, making Josie look around. She laughed when she saw Verny standing behind the entryway to the living room hiding.
“I’m not sure that he’ll ever be ready,” Josie agreed.
“Whose side are you on?” Verny asked, crossing her arms. “I’ll meet him at some point, even if it’s not until he picks you up for prom.” The statement was somewhere between a warning and a threat. In response, Cici only groaned in annoyance at her mother.
“Are you taking the bus to the Charleston House?” Josie asked before the conversation could become an actual argument. As close as they were, she wasn’t interested in ending up at the center of a fight between mother and daughter.
“I can take the bus, or I can drive,” Cici said with a mischievous grin that looked somewhat like Cookie’s.
“I’m here,” Cookie said bursting through the door. She had a small bag with overnight toiletries and a change of clothes, but it was nothing compared to the trunk Verny had. “Sorry I’m late...I was making sure that Buttercup was all settled.”
“Oh! Buttercup,” Josie exclaimed. “Who is she staying with? I can watch her.” One more last-ditch effort to stay home and avoid going to the Charleston House. She felt goosebumps form on her arms at the thought of staying there overnight.
“She’s with a dog sitter, and she’s fine,” Cookie said. “And you’re going to be fine. Even if there is such a thing as ghosts, those paranormal investigators will be there, and I’ll bet they can keep you safe.”
“How?” Josie asked. “They aren’t ghost fighters – they are ghost hunters and I’ll bet you that if they ever get any real evidence, they'll run away faster than anyone else.”
“What paranormal investigators?” Cici asked, her interest piqued. She was a fan of anything horror and paranormal.
“I forgot to tell you,” Verny said, light hitting her forehead. “A group of four paranormal investigators came into the deli yesterday. They are going to The Charleston House as well. I guess they run a blog or something?”
“The Paranormalists?” Cici asked excitedly.
“We didn’t catch the name of their blog, did we?” Verny asked.
“I didn’t,” Josie said with a shrug and Cookie looked confused as well.
“Really?” Cici asked disappointed.
“I thought you might know them, though,” Verny said.
“If you didn’t get the name of their blog, how do you know?” Cici whined. Her excitement replaced with frustration.
“Well, we got their names,” Verny said. “I think it was Sam, Cody, Avery and who was the quiet one?” She asked.
“Simon?” Cici asked, clearly recognizing the names. “That is The Paranormalists, oh my gosh, they are huge!” She exclaimed, her excitement returning. “They’re a really big deal.”
“They were very humble then,” Josie said. “They said it was just a hobby.”
“Well, it is just a hobby, they all have regular lives and jobs, but I’d bet you that their blog and videos pay them more than their day jobs do. They get millions of views. The Paranormalists are my favorite investigators.” Cici was a ball of excitement in the way only a teenager can be. “They're really going to be there?”
“Yeah, it’s the whole reason they came to town,” Verny assured her. “I think they're going to be doing a full-on investigation. I expect they'll bring equipment and everything. They seemed pretty serious.”
“They are,” Cici said nodding. “I’m so excited, I can’t believe that they're going to be there. I've been following their blog for years. I hope they find something.”
“I don’t!” Josie said. “Not that there is anything to find,” she added, attempting to sound nonchalant. Logically, she didn’t feel that way but she couldn’t make herself not scared regardless. There was always a shadow of a doubt that maybe some people did get left behind after they died.
“There’s plenty to find,” Cici said. “The Charleston House has had so many people die in it in terrible and violent ways, it’s impossible that there aren’t spirits haunting it.”
“Some might say that spirits are impossible,” Cookie replied. She loved the paranormal but was also skeptical of it.
“Lightning would be one of those people,” Verny said. “And he’s going to be there too.”
“He is?” Cici asked. She didn’t know him very well but had been regaled with some of his stories from her mother. “I hope he isn’t rude to them.”
“He’s already made his opinions well known,” Cookie said with a laugh. “He was at the deli as well. They didn’t seem too offended though,” she added when Cici looked horrified.
“No, I’m sure they weren’t,” she said recovering. “They’re all really cool. They’re goal isn’t to prove the existence of the paranormal to non-believers but to entertain those that already believe. No matter what proof is found, people will always try to explain it away.”
“You must be a really big fan,” Josie said. “One of them said something similar yesterday.”
“I’m not surprised,” Cici said. “It’s basically their moto.”
“It sounds like it,” Verny said.
“Are we ready to go?” Cookie asked, suddenly cognizant of the time. “We’ve got to go, or we’ll be late. The tour starts at 5 o’clock sharp.” Cici popped off of the couch.
“I’m not,” Josie said grimacing.
“Yes you are,” Cookie grabbed her suitcase and looped her arm around Josie’s and pulled her off the couch. “We’ll be with you the entire time. It’s not like it’s a haunted house where things will pop out at you with hired actors, it’s not even a haunted house. More than likely it will be a boring historical house, and nothing exciting will happen.”
“I guess you’re right,” Josie admitted. All the talk of ghosts and spirits had made her imagination go a little wild. “Just don’t leave me alone ever.”
“Not even if you are going to go to the bathroom?” Verny challenged, making Cici giggle.
“Not even then,” Josie responded crossing her arms. After a moment of silence they burst out in giggles. “I guess I’m ready to go.”
“I’m driving,” Cici announced, which might have been the scariest thing any of them had heard that day. Cici wasn’t a licensed driver yet, and only had her permit. She wasn’t exactly a bad driver, but she was a bit over confident. Cookie and Josie had sworn that they would never drive with Cici again after the last time. There had been more than one near accident, and Josie almost upchucked in the backseat from all the starting and stopping.
“Aren’t you taking the bus?” Josie asked. The thought of another car trip with Cici was more frightening than the Charleston house.
“I thought we could all go together,” Cici said, her face falling. “And I could get some practice driving.” She shrugged, hoping that they would agree.
“I’d love to go together, and you can definitely use the practice,” Verny said, shooting a quick glare at Cookie and Josie before grabbing the keys and handing them to Cici. Not only was the idea of being in the car with Cici driving scary enough, but Verny’s car was a death trap. A gymnast would have difficulty sliding into the back seat. With heavy sighs, Josie and Cookie followed Verny and Cici out to the car of agony.
“The bags are going to have to go on your laps,” Verny said with a grin. Cici and Josie climbed in as best they could while Verny watched with a smile. She knew exactly how they felt about her car, and it was because of this that she offered and insisted on driving most often. “Here,” she said pushing the bags into the back onto their laps.
“Oh my gosh,” Cookie said as the suitcase landed on her lap. “You packed enough for a month! Are you moving into the place?” Verny ignored her and pushed the front seat back causing Cookie to squeak as the case pushed into her stomach. That was the last of the conversation while Cici focused on driving, Verny focused on telling her what to do and Cookie and Josie focused on not losing their lunch.
Chapter Four
Though the Charleston House was not set up like a haunted house, they definitely played into the gimmick of it. Josie felt like it was a bit in poor taste, but she supposed that it was up to them if they wanted to use their family’s tragic past to make some money. They had a lurch-like doorman bring them into the main room. It took a few moments before Josie could make herself go inside the grand house. The house itself was bigger than any house she had been in before. It was probably four or five times the size of her childhood home, which she had felt was huge when she was young.
Arriving at the house they drove up a long semi-circle driveway. A valet wordlessly took their keys and drove off. Verny attempted to ask him where they were going to park the car, but he didn’t respond.
“He’s not going to get a tip,” Verny said crossing her arms. The driveway was bricked with intricate patterns inlayed that created a mosaic of sorts. The front door alone was more opulent than they had imagined. They had all seen pictures of the house, but the photos didn’t do the house justice. When Cookie and Verny had broken in they only saw the back of the house, which was plainer in comparison. Even driving past the house you couldn’t get a good look. It was situated at the end of a long driveway and behind large hedges that kept it hidden almost entirely from the outside world.
“Wow,” Josie said as they walked in. Cookie let out a low whistle. The doorman refrained from speaking to them but led them wordlessly toward the dining room. They weren’t able to stop and look at everything they wanted to but took comfort in the fact that they would be able to see the entirety of it during the tour and overnight.
They were the last to arrive. The Paranormalists where already there, with more equipment than any of them had expected. They had camera’s, lighting, and sound equipment in addition to their paranormal investigative tools like ghost box’s and EMF readers. It looked like a real film production or something of that caliber.
“That’s a lot of stuff you have there,” Verny said, happy that for once she hadn’t packed the most. Though they had an actual reason to have a lot of things where Verny just packed for every possible and impossible scenario. Cici seemed to be a bit star struck by them and went a bit shy.
“We take things seriously,” Cody said with a friendly smile. “Good to see you all again,” he added. There were a few others with the group standing in the dining room. The Charleston House only opened its doors to a handful of people each year. A few other kids from Cici’s school were there and a family with a younger boy as well but aside from Lightning, The Paranormalists and the three women that was it.
“And you,” Verny replied, getting ready to introduce Cici to them. She felt like that would have to earn her some good Mom points.
“Quiet please,” The tour guide interrupted her before she had the opportunity. “My name is Griselda and I am your tour guide this evening.” She fit the aesthetic that the Charleston heirs were clearly going for, right down to her name, which Josie was certain wasn’t real. She was dressed in all black with a shock of gray hair tied tightly at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were set deeply into her face creating dark shadows underneath them. It was as though she was a corpse and had been woken just to take them on the tour. Josie felt uneasy, maybe it was more like a haunted house than they had expected.
“Hi Griselda,” Cody said waving to her. This made the group of high school kids, including Cici, laugh. The Paranormalists scurried to start recording as soon as she began talking. Cody was wearing some kind of body camera strapped to his chest. Sam was holding a larger camera and Simon had the same kind of body camera but on his head.
“Yes, hello,” she said not interested in their antics. “I will start by covering some ground rules for the house. Please remember that people live here, it is not a museum or a sound stage...it is a home and should be treated with respect. The entire house is available for tour. This includes bedrooms, but nothing should be touched or moved in any of these rooms. The main rooms are freer for your use as they are exact replicas of what Nathaniel Charleston’s house would have looked like when it was first built.
“Obviously, recording video and audio as well as taking photos is acceptable however we ask that no flash is used. Some of the art and furniture is very old and flash can damage it.” She eyed The Paranormalists as though they were bound to ignore this rule at some point. “I will take you on a tour of the house and the gardens. This tour will take about an hour depending on how many questions are asked.”
There was no way it would only take an hour with the group they had. Lightning alone could extend the tour by at least half an hour, and The Paranormalists would probably add even more time. “Once the tour is concluded, a dinner will be prepared for you. It consists of Nathaniel Charleston’s favorite foods and will be the only food allowed in the house for the entirety of your stay. Before dinner is served, I will leave you to spend the night as you see fit. In the morning I will return to collect you and you will all leave.” She had an air of formality to her that seemed like it was from another era. Everything about her put Josie’s teeth on edge.
“I don’t like this,” she hissed into Cookie’s ear. Cookie shushed her, dismissing her entirely. “I really don’t like this.” She felt like she was in a haunted house and a bunch of clowns were about to attack her from all sides. Griselda looked directly at her having heard what Josie said. The piercing eye contact made her even more uncomfortable. Maybe the woman’s name was real, and her look was her own. Perhaps she just fit in perfectly with what the Charleston heirs wanted.
“I will end this with a warning,” the old woman said, still staring directly at Josie. “This house is not for the faint of heart or weak of spirit. It is alive with the spirits of the dead, whether you choose to believe it or not, it is the truth. People leave here different than when they arrived. They have experiences and if you are not open to this, then I suggest you leave.” Josie felt like she had made it to the front of a really long line at a roller coaster and had one more chance to bail before being strapped in.
“Why would people live here if it’s ‘alive with the spirits of the dead’?” Lightning asked, unamused by the theatrics. He was already disappointed with the tour and it hadn’t started yet. It seemed that the Charleston House had become nothing more than a gimmick for the paranormal instead of the rich slice of living history that it was.
“Well, it’s their home,” Griselda said as though it was obvious. Josie thought to herself that if she lived in a haunted house no matter how much it was her home, she’d have a for sale sign in the front yard. “And the spirits are mostly docile, or they are family. It’s not as though the spirits here are malevolent, they are just stuck between our
world and the world beyond. Unable to move on because they were taken before their time.”
“They're docile except for Nurse Jane, that is,” Sam said. Griselda was clearly annoyed and unaccustomed to people interrupting her opening speech and questioning it.
“Nurse Jane is a myth,” she replied, making Lightning smile from ear to ear. “She does not even exist on any records and they were meticulous about their records here when it was a tuberculosis hospice.”
“That’s not what our research showed,” Sam disagreed.
“We’ll keep that to ourselves until we publish our findings,” Simon interjected before Sam could divulge this new information that they supposedly had. The women were startled to hear him speak, especially with such authority. His behavior in the deli had made them think that he was shy and meek, but here he displayed leadership. Sam shot him a look as though she wasn’t finished talking and wanted to tell everyone about whatever evidence they had, but she didn’t continue. It almost seemed like he was in charge of the group now that they were investigating.
“I doubt there is any legitimate new research into the woman,” Griselda said.
“She’s a total product of fiction and anything you think you found out is likely to be as well,” Lightning said, his frustration palpable. He wanted to learn about history, not fictional accounts of fictional people. Josie felt a little more confident after such certain denials that Nurse Jane was real. She seemed like the most terrifying spirit should they come across any...and without her to be scared of, what was left didn’t seem like they would be malevolent. Well, except for Edward who killed his brother and sister in law.
“Now that that is settled, can we begin the tour?” Griselda asked rhetorically as she was already heading out the door. They ended up back at the front entrance, which was odd. Why have them walk all the way to the dining room if they were only going to walk right back? Surely Griselda could have done her speech out there. To Josie’s relief the lurch-like man was nowhere to be seen. He looked ghostlier than their tour guide. On the other hand, the lack of his presence meant that he could be anywhere ready to jump out and scare her. “This is the grand entrance, it was only used by esteemed guests of the Charleston’s, even Nathaniel and Elise only used it on special occasions. More often they would enter through the door off the kitchen as it had a more direct route from their car park.”
Haunted Homicide Page 3