Haunted Page 37

  Chapter Fifty-one

  August 23

  Parking Lot of Red Cay Moose Lodge: 12:00 A.M.

  "Chief Swenson?"

  At the sound of the child's voice, Craig turned and saw the Radsum girl--Janise, he recalled--waving at him from the window of her parents' car. They were just getting ready to pull out of their parking space.

  Craig walked over, tipping his hat. "What can I do for you, young lady?"

  "Oh, Chief, it's nothing," Mrs. Radsum said quickly.

  "Just a misunderstanding, I'm sure," added the girl's father.

  "I saw her do it!" Janise insisted vehemently.

  Both parents looked mortified. "Janise, we'll get you another doll," her mother said.

  "But it's wrong! She stole it, and Billy gave it to me, and I don't want another doll, I want the one Billy gave me."

  "Honey, you said it was broken--“

  "I don't care!" insisted the fairy princess.

  Alarm bells going off in his head, Craig lifted his left hand, signaling the parents to be quiet. "Janise, what kind of doll did Billy give you?"

  "It was real old and it was a boy doll. It was ugly and there was a big crack in it, but I really liked it."

  "What did it look like?"

  "He had dark hair and a little beard and, you know what, he even had eyebrows made out of real hair. He was like glass."

  "China?"

  "Yes, Chief Swenson. Like china."

  Shit! It couldn't be. "And Billy gave it to you?"

  "Yes."

  "Where did Billy get it?"

  "He found it in one of the tide pools."

  God help us, Peter Castle’s. back. Hiding his agitation, Craig merely nodded and asked mildly, "Who took your doll, princess?"

  "The lady we bought our house from."

  "I just can't believe that Miss Pelinore would do something like that, honey," her father said.

  "Me either," chimed in her mother.

  But I can. Craig cleared his throat. "I'm going to be seeing her in a little while. I'll ask her about it--"

  "Oh, no, please," said Mrs. Radsum.

  "I'll be diplomatic," Craig promised.

  "She stole it! I saw her do it."

  "Maybe it belongs to her," Craig said gently. He wasn't defending Theo Pelinore, he was stopping embarrassing questions. "Maybe she lost it and when she saw it, she didn't even think about anything but getting it back."

  The little girl nodded without much enthusiasm, though her parents made up for it. "If she stole it, I mean really stole it?"

  "Yes?"

  "Will you punish her?"

  "I sure will, Janise. I'll call you in a day or two, okay?"

  "Okay."

  "Evening, folks."

  He walked back to the cruiser, his mind racing. He was so tired, he had intended to beg off the Romero thing at Body House, but now he had to get out there. Eric was still inside the lodge talking with Holly and Doc Shayrock. Craig had to collect him, then stop by the station to take care of some business. He wouldn't get to the finger until twelve-thirty, at the earliest, but at least he'd get there. Masters had to be told about the reappearance of the doll.

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Body House: 12:09 A.M.

  "I really wish you'd gone back to Kelly's like we'd agreed, kiddo."

  Amber pulled past Romero's van and a half dozen other cars, including Pelinore's, and parked, then, taking the keys from the ignition, she tossed them to her father. "Oh, Dad, don't be such a worrywart! I wouldn't miss this for the world." She glanced back as Melanie nosed her rental car in next to the Bronco. Her dad had said virtually nothing about Melanie's appearance during the ride back to the house, preferring to talk about the costumes and the small-town gossip. She figured he was either really pissed at them for going behind his back, or he really wanted to be but wasn't. She couldn't stand not knowing any longer. She swallowed, and asked brightly, "Aren't you glad Mel's here?"

  "You shouldn't have--" he began, then paused. "But I'm glad you did."

  She grinned, amazed he'd admit it. "You should listen to me more often."

  "Don't get cocky."

  Melanie tapped her keys on the glass before Amber could reply, which was just as well--she didn't want to push her good luck. Instead, she opened the door and jumped down to the ground. Leaning against the hood to wait for her dad and Mel, she stared at the brightly lit house as it played peek-a-boo behind the whispery curtains of fog.

  Kelly, Rick, and Justin, along with some of the other kids, were at the pizza parlor right now and she really wished she were with them, but she wouldn't have enjoyed it because she was too worried about her dad, Melanie, and that witch, Pelinore. Maybe if she'd paid more attention this evening, she would have known he and Mel were getting along and then she could have gone, but she'd been having too much fun dancing with Rick to notice.

  Dad and Melanie were talking quietly on the other side of the car and, furtively, she watched them, hoping they'd get romantic. But so far, nothing.

  She turned her attention back to the house. When she'd told her dad she wasn't afraid, it wasn't exactly true, but to be honest, she was more afraid of what Pelinore might do than what might happen in the house--she really doubted that anything would happen anyway. Dad always maintained that pointing a camera in the direction of a spook guaranteed a lack of ghostly activity, and usually he was right. Also, although she tried to be cool about it, having Jerry Romero and his television crew here was really exciting and she didn't want to miss it.

  "You sure you want to do this, kiddo?" her dad asked as he and Mel joined her. "You can take the Bronco and go back to Kelly's."

  She hesitated, briefly tempted, then shook her head. "I want to watch Pelinore make an ass out of herself."

  He smiled slowly. "Well, I wouldn't want to deprive you of that. Just promise me you'll stick close. Don't go upstairs by yourself." He glanced at Melanie. "That goes for you, too. I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow."

  "I can't even go up to my room?" Amber asked. Boy, he's really nervous!

  "No."

  "Really?" Mild fear trilled down her spine as she realized he wasn't just nervous--he was scared. "Why?"

  "Nothing will happen at the séance," he explained. "I can almost guarantee it. But all the energy downstairs may stir things up in other parts of the house. Places that are off-camera."

  "We'll stick to you like glue," Melanie said. "Right, Amber?"

  "Right."

  A moment later they stood in the foyer of Body House, watching the chaotic activity of the film crew and the channeling group. Romero stood in the middle of the parlor, directing the placement of standing spotlights and the setting up of a round folding table, which was being positioned under the portrait of Lizzie Baudey. Pelinore stood beside him looking and sounding like a regal bitch as she instructed her scurrying little crystal-packers to do this or that for her. Finally, as a red tablecloth was thrown over the table, Romero looked over and saw them.

  "David, we were wondering where you were!" Romero strode enthusiastically over and pumped his hand, then kissed Melanie and Amber on their cheeks. "Amber, I didn't think you were going to join us!"

  Amber felt herself blushing. Looking at her fingers, she said softly, "I can have pizza any time, but it's not every day I get to see my dad expose a con artist."

  Melanie cleared her throat, obviously trying to hide a snicker, but David, standing just behind her, put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a little warning squeeze.

  Jerry Romero had lit up like a Christmas tree. He turned to David. "You don't believe Ms. Pelinore is a true psychic, then?"

  "Let's just say that I prefer to reserve judgment on these things until I see it for myself."

  "But you are going to attempt to expose her?" Romero persisted.

  "I'm not going to do anything but observe."

  "Besides," Melanie said smoothly, "I think Ms. Pelinore is perfectly capable of exposing herself without David's he
lp."

  Romero stopped cold, his expression briefly blank, then a slow smile spread across his face. "I believe you might be right, Miss Lord."

  "Jerry!"

  He glanced around. "Yeah?"

  "We're ready."

  Romero smiled. "We've got a seat for you in the circle, David, and you ladies can watch from the couch there, by the cameraman."

  "I don't--"

  "You're the star, David, you've got to be in the séance."

  Amber stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, "It'll really piss off Pelinore, Dad."

  He gave her a reproving look, but told Romero he'd do it and followed him to the table, where they seated him right next to Pelinore.

  Melanie and Amber got comfortable on the couch. "Good shot," Amber whispered, referring to Mel's remark about Pelinore.

  "Thanks." Melanie took the feather from her hair and ran her fingers over it. "So, I never saw that woman who was spreading rumors about you. Was she at the party?"

  "Oh. Oh, God, you didn't hear, did you?"

  "Hear what?"

  "She was killed. Chopped up into little bits."

  "I heard people talking about some murders. She was one of the victims?" Melanie asked, shocked.

  Amber nodded.

  "Have they caught the murderer?"

  "No. They aren't going to either, if Dad's right."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Did he tell you about the dolls?"

  "Yes..." Melanie answered slowly.

  "Did he tell you about Peter Castle?"

  "The name's familiar, but I'm not sure. We only had a few minutes to talk."

  "He was Christabel's lover--"

  Melanie nodded. "Yes, he told me."

  "Did he tell you Minnie Willard stole the doll?"

  "No."

  Quickly, Amber filled her in. "So that's why they can't catch the killer. He's already dead."

  Melanie stared at her. "And you believe this?"

  "Heck, the chief of police believes it."

  "You're joking."

  Amber shook her head. "No kidding. He even went out to the end of Widow's Peak and threw the doll into the ocean so that the ghost of Peter Castle wouldn't hang around town and kill somebody else."

  "Your father's persuasive, but I can't believe he's talked a cop into believing--"

  "Oh, well, after Chief Swenson saw the headless sea captain in the lighthouse, he was pretty easy to convince."

  "Slow down." Melanie set the feather aside. "The story about the ghost in the lighthouse is famous, and your dad told me about the romance between the captain and Lizzie. But I didn't know anyone had seen his ghost."

  "Oh, yeah. Eric, that's the chief's nephew, he's always been able to see him. After the doll broke, we all saw him. God, Mel, it was so gross! But then Eric found his head and he and Dad broke it and buried the doll right there in the lighthouse, where the captain hangs out. He's pretty handsome now that he's got his face back."

  "You've lost me, Amber. You and David will have to tell me more after these people clear out. It's just too fantastic." She grinned. "Especially the part about the chief of police buying into all of this."

  "Well, Dad told me that he's going to be here tonight, so you can ask him yourself."

  "Quiet, everybody!" called a gravel-voiced crewman. "We're going to roll."

  Romero, who had been bent over Pelinore giving her last minute instructions--or staring at her tits--rose and seated himself in an empty chair directly across from her. "Ready," he called.

  Amber settled comfortably on the couch and turned her attention to the séance table.

  "And five, four, three, two, one," called the crewman. "And action."

  The lights were slowly dimmed until the glass-encased votive candles flickered eerily on the table, underlighting the faces of the sitters. Except for her dad, Romero, and Pelinore, Amber didn't know any of the rest of them, though she was pretty sure that the youngest, a sandy-haired man in his early twenties, was a grocery clerk in Greenaway's. For some reason, that struck her as funny.

  "Everyone please join hands," Pelinore ordered imperiously. She waited for her sitters to comply, then continued on in the same tone. "Tonight, I will attempt to contact some of the spirits inhabiting this house, and perhaps send them into the light, but to do so I shall need everyone's cooperation. You must remain silent until the spirit indicates it is ready to answer questions, and you must remain seated. I will first call upon my guide, Spiros, and Reverend Alice will ask him certain questions before we go on." She looked at David and then at Romero. "Spiros is a benevolent teacher who lived thousands of years ago on the lost continent of Atlantis. He is here to offer us his wisdom and guidance and he presents no danger to anyone here. But--" She arched her eyebrows meaningfully. "But the poor misguided spirits within these walls may be very dangerous until we convince them we're their friends and want to help them."

  Give me a break! Amber and Mel exchanged a roll of the eyes.

  Theo was still yammering away, as if she were queen of the universe. "I must insist that, no matter what you see or hear, you do not break the circle. Keep your hands firmly grasped and on the table at all times. If the chain is broken, I, as your channel, am in great bodily danger."

  Break it! Break it! Amber glanced at Melanie and barely contained a giggle. They both knew that the main reason a charlatan psychic didn't want a circle broken was to ensure that she could perform her under-the-table hocus pocus with less chance of getting caught in the act.

  Pelinore closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Spiros, are you here?" A long moment passed, then her eyelids snapped open, her posture turned from relaxed to rigid, and she examined the others with bird-like intensity.

  "I am Spiros," she said, "and may you all be blessed."

  If E.T. were from India, he’d sound just like her. Amber clamped her hand over her mouth and didn't dare look at Melanie.

  "I have a question, Spiros," said a tiny middle-aged woman.

  Theo cocked her head as if she were ready to snag a worm with her beak. "Sister Alice, ask your question."

  "Tonight, Sister Theodora is going to try to release the spirits trapped in this house. I ask you to protect everyone here and to give us your blessing. In return we give you, as always, our eternal faith and devotion."

  Gag me. Amber tried not to fidget, wishing Pelinore would get on with the show.

  "As always, I am with you."

  "Can you give us insight into the nature of the spirits trapped here?" Alice asked.

  "They are legion--"

  Suddenly, the spotlight nearest Romero blazed so brightly that the sitters' skin looked paper white. An instant later, it exploded. Romero cringed but stayed put as sparkling bits of shattered glass fell into his hair. "Did you get that?" he called as one of his crew raced to the lamp.

  "Got it," called the man at the main camera.

  The minicam operator came around the table and focused on Romero.

  "Folks, things are starting to happen here. One of our lights has just exploded and now the room seems to be filling with some exotic flower scent."

  Amber jumped as something touched her arm, but it was only Melanie, staring at her questioningly. Amber leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Christabel's here." Melanie nodded and took her hand.

  "Beware!" Theo called in the Spiros voice. "There is danger here!"

  POP! Another light exploded, then three more, the sounds mixing with screams from several of the sitters and Romero's frantic cries of "Did you get that? Did you get that?"

  The revolting odor of decayed flesh began to underlie the jasmine, stronger than Amber had ever smelled it before, and as the final bulb exploded, she heard Romero doing a blow-by-blow, Pelinore doing Spiros, someone sobbing and someone else retching, all that behind her own breathing, which was loudest of all.

  Melanie's hand gripped hers like iron. "What--" she began to whisper, then stopped, as Christabel's laughter rang through the ho
use.

  "Jesus, did you get that?" Romero screamed.

  "Not registering," called the crewman.

  "Keep rolling!" Romero ordered as the crew scurried.

  "Not enough light, but we're rolling!" called the camera operator.

  "Fix the damn lamps!"

  "We're working on it, Jer," called the gravelly-voiced one.

  "Ted, turn on the overheads!"

  "They're not working! Mr. Masters, where's the fuse box?"

  "In the kitchen." David started to rise, barely visible in the flickering candlelight

  "Don't break the circle!" Alice ordered.

  "I'll show you!" Amber called out. She rose, Melanie with her, Ted following them as she headed toward the doorway that led to the dining room and through the kitchen.

  Suddenly, something cold and invisible slammed into her, and she fell backward, toppling Melanie and the crewman like dominoes.

  "Amber!" cried her dad.

  "We're okay, Dad!" she called, scrambling to her feet. As she helped Melanie up, Ted moved past them, his arms out in front of him. He reached the doorway and flinched back. "It's there," he said in a shaky voice. "It won't let us through."

  "Nonsense." Romero rose.

  "Don't break the circle!" Alice ordered.

  Romero glanced at her as he pulled his hands free. "We've got something real here, lady."

  Amber watched as Romero, followed by her Dad, ran toward them.

  The telejournalist, still talking into his mike, approached them. "What did it feel like?" he asked Amber.

  "David!" Melanie said as he put one arm around her and the other around his daughter.

  "Can you tell me what it felt like?" Romero persisted.

  "Feel it for yourself," David said, leading Amber and Melanie back to the couch with him.

  "Hold this." Romero handed the wireless mike to Ted, then put his hands out. "Jesus," he whispered. "That's cold." He took the mike, said something into it, then called his minicam operator over, refusing to listen to his protests that it was too dark to get anything on tape.

  An instant later, he backed up, then ran forward, barreling into the doorway. He yelled as he was thrown halfway across the room to crash into a side chair, face first.