The Ghost and the Halloween Haunt Read online

  “So how did the stuffed animal get in the crib?” Kelly snapped.

  Instead of trying to answer the question, Joe stared dumbly at Kelly for a moment. The next minute he left the room and let Sadie out of the office. The dog immediately rushed into the nursery and planted herself next to the crib.

  “Perhaps this worked out after all,” Marie said cheerfully, looking down at the content dog and then over to the sleeping baby. While the dog and baby might have been worry-free, Kelly and Joe looked troubled, still trying to figure out how the stuffed animal had moved across the room from the rocking chair and into the baby’s crib.

  Twelve

  A small wooden table and two kitchen chairs had been set up on Marlow House’s front porch under the overhang for ticket sales and admission to the haunted house. Bundled in a green parka, knit cap and leather gloves, Lily had been manning the table for most of the evening.

  “Why don’t you head on home,” Danielle told Lily when she joined her on the porch. It was almost eleven thirty. “I can take over.”

  “Not sure if I want to go home.” Lily snickered. With her arms crossed over her chest, she rubbed her shoulders with gloved hands.

  “You mean you aren’t ready to deal with the magic Pooh Bear?”

  “Pretty much.” Lily stood up and shivered. “But I would like to go home and take a hot shower. So you’ll have to tell Ian about it before he comes home. Give him the heads-up. I haven’t had a chance to tell him what happened.”

  “How are you going to handle it when they tell you?”

  “I think I’m going to look at them like they’re crazy. Give a condescending nod, and tell them I know how exhausting it can be watching a baby. Sometimes our mind plays tricks on us.” Lily grinned.

  “And that will work?”

  Lily shrugged. “Or I could just tell them Marie’s ghost put the stuffed animal in the crib.”

  Danielle laughed and gave her friend a hug, telling her goodnight, thanking her for helping, and extending well wishes for a peaceful night’s rest. After Lily left a few minutes later, Danielle watched her cross the street to go home. She was curious to find out in the morning how it all went—what conclusion would ultimately be drawn regarding the stuffed animal moving from the rocker to the crib.

  Now sitting where Lily had been a few minutes earlier, Danielle pulled her cellphone from her pocket. She checked to see if there were any new text messages from any of the haunted house crew. There weren’t. Just as she set her phone on the table, the front door opened, and Ginny walked outside, no longer dressed as a ghost.

  “I have to go home,” Ginny said. “I left the costume in the parlor. I hope you’ll let me help tomorrow. It was lots of fun.”

  “Certainly. But let me get someone to walk you home.”

  Ginny shook her head. “No, you don’t need to. My uncle is here.”

  Danielle glanced to the street. “He is? I would like to meet him.”

  “He’s down the street,” Ginny explained. “He told me to come home at eleven thirty, that he would meet me halfway. I looked out the upstairs window and saw him. He’s down the street waiting for me. But I have to go. Bye!” The next moment Ginny rushed off the porch and down the walkway and into the dark night.

  “Well, I guess I’ll just have to meet him tomorrow,” Danielle muttered to herself.

  It was after midnight and the front gate at Marlow House had been latched with a “closed” sign attached to ward off any lingering haunted house customers. Ian and Chris brought the table and chair indoors from the front porch, and all the foyer lights were turned on, transforming what had been a dark forbidding dwelling into a brightly illuminated home.

  It was decided Evan and Eddy could wear their costumes home. It would save them time getting ready for Saturday night. Both boys were sleepy, and the chief hoped they would still be awake by the time they arrived home. He didn’t want either of them sleeping in their costumes.

  The moment Eddy climbed into the back of his father’s car, he stretched out on the seat and promptly fell asleep. MacDonald looked down at his exhausted son and shook his head. “I knew I should have had you guys take those off before we left.”

  “Where am I going to sit? Eddy is taking up the whole seat,” Evan whined.

  The chief looked from his sleeping son to his youngest, who stood shivering on the sidewalk. “Go ahead and sit up front.”

  “Wow, you never let me sit in the front!” Evan said excitedly, rushing to the passenger side of the car.

  The chief leaned into the back seat and awkwardly belted in his sleeping son. He then slammed the car door shut.

  “This is just for tonight,” the chief told Evan as he climbed into the car and buckled up.

  A moment later MacDonald steered the vehicle away from the sidewalk, turned the car around, and began heading down the street.

  Unlike his older brother, Evan was much too wound up to sleep. He looked out at the dark night, playing over in his mind all that had happened that evening. It had been so much fun, especially since he had the privilege of helping with the haunted house and wasn’t just touring it like many of his friends.

  He was just thinking about how Eva had helped them when to his surprise the headlights of the car fell on what appeared to be a man walking in the middle of the dark road. Evan expected his father to hit the brakes, but when he didn’t, Evan shouted, “Stop! Look out!”

  MacDonald slammed on his brakes, his heart now racing. He looked around, but saw nothing. “What?”

  From the back seat Eddy groaned and woke up, grumbling, “What is going on?”

  Evan pointed to the man they had almost run over. “There! You almost hit him.” Evan watched the man run toward Marlow House.

  “Hit who?” MacDonald asked with a frown.

  “What’s going on?” Eddy whined again from the back seat.

  “Right there!” Evan insisted, now wiggling out of his seatbelt so he could sit on his knees and turn in the seat to have a better look. He pointed toward Marlow House, and in the next moment he watched as the man disappeared.

  Walt, Danielle, Chris, Heather, Ian, Marie and Eva sat in the living room, winding down from the long evening and exchanging ideas on what they should do different the next night.

  “It’s late,” Chris said with a yawn. “I think we should all sleep in. Tomorrow I’ll buy lunch, and we can all go over this then.” He yawned again.

  Ian glanced down at the cellphone in his hand, reading a text message. He looked up and said, “No. We can go over this now. No reason for us to rush home.”

  Danielle chuckled. “Kelly and Joe are still at your house, aren’t they?”

  Tucking his phone back in his shirt pocket, Ian nodded. “They want to talk to me about how someone must have gotten into the house. They don’t want to leave Lily and Connor alone.”

  “Oh dear. I am so sorry, Ian,” Marie muttered. Danielle relayed Marie’s comments to Ian.

  “It’s okay, Marie. Actually, it’s kind of funny.” Ian grinned.

  “Right. That’s why you’re sitting there and don’t want to go home,” Chris teased.

  “Hey, I feel your and Lily’s pain. Remember the time Walt decided to pack for Cheryl?” Danielle asked.

  “I was just trying to help,” Walt said in his defense.

  “That was before Heather and I moved here,” Chris said. “But I’ve heard the story, and it did make me laugh.”

  “Wasn’t so funny when they thought it was evidence I’d killed my cousin,” Danielle reminded them.

  Ian stood up. “Okay, if you braved the ghostly suitcase fiasco, I suppose I can deal with flying Winnie the Pooh.”

  “I prefer possessed Winnie the Pooh.” Heather snickered.

  “Take that back!” Danielle said in mock seriousness. “Winnie’s sweetness is almost sacred!”

  Heather stood up and stretched, giving a yawn. “Whatever. I gotta go sleep.”

  Chris stood. “Me too. It was
fun, guys. I’ll walk you home, Heather.”

  “Thank you. Protect me from all the ghouls and goblins,” Heather said.

  “Nah. If we run into any ghouls or goblins, you’re on your own,” Chris told her.

  Danielle and Walt stood.

  “Yes, it was a good night,” Danielle said.

  “One advantage of not having a flesh and blood body, I’ve nothing that needs to be rejuvenated weighing me down. The night is young! I think I’ll pop over to the Astoria cemetery and catch up with a few friends.” Eva looked to Marie. “Would you like to join me? There are a few souls I’d like you to meet.”

  “That sounds like fun!” Marie said before she and Eva vanished.

  “Well, goodbye to you too!” Danielle called out.

  “Which one left?” Ian asked.

  “They both did. I have to wonder what Adam would think about his grandmother gallivanting at all hours of the night with a silent screen star,” Danielle mused.

  Standing under the hot stream of water, Danielle closed her eyes. She hadn’t realized how tired she was until she had stripped off her clothes and stepped into the shower. Twenty minutes later she stepped back into her bedroom, her hair now damp from the recent shampoo.

  “You were in there a while,” Walt said as Danielle approached the bed. She wore fleece pajama bottoms, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and her damp hair was combed straight.

  Leaning against the pile of pillows stacked in front of the headboard, a book in his hand and light coming from the lamp on his nightstand, he watched as his wife climbed into bed with him. With his left hand he lifted the blanket, welcoming Danielle under the covers.

  “It just felt so good, I didn’t want to get out.” She snuggled up next to Walt. He closed his book and set it on the nightstand. With his left arm he drew her close, giving her a loving pat.

  “It was fun tonight, wasn’t it?” Walt asked.

  “I’m actually surprised I got into the whole haunted house thing, especially considering my experiences.”

  “What, that you lived in a haunted house for two years?” He gave her another pat.

  “I never really thought of Marlow House in those terms—I mean, not a haunted house like you would associate with Halloween. Those are supposed to be scary. Marlow House has always been comforting to me, even when it was a haunted house. No, before, when I thought of a Halloween-like haunted house, I thought of Presley House. And that, well, not a comforting memory.”

  Walt reached over and turned off the lamp, sending the room into darkness. He snuggled down and took his wife in his arms, holding her.

  “That is all behind you,” Walt said as he kissed the top of her head. “Only fun haunted houses for you.”

  Danielle giggled and then moved closer in his arms, her head resting on his warm hard chest. She could feel his heart beat. They lay quietly together for a few minutes when suddenly a loud thud broke the silence. They both sat up.

  “What has Max tipped over now?” Danielle groaned.

  Walt reached out and turned on the bedside lamp.

  The next moment they heard a meow and then felt something—a cat—jump onto their bed with them.

  Walt looked down at Max. He studied him a moment.

  “Max just told me the sound woke him,” Walt said.

  Before Danielle could question Walt, they heard another crash, as if something had broken on the hardwood floor downstairs.

  “Someone is in the house with us,” Danielle whispered. “Should I call the police?”

  “Stay here,” Walt said, climbing out of bed.

  Danielle reached out and grabbed at his arm. “No! It’s dangerous!”

  Another crash came from downstairs. Walt looked at Danielle and then glanced to the closed bedroom door.

  “Okay,” he whispered. “You’d better call the police.”

  Thirteen

  Lucy’s Diner was the only restaurant in Frederickport open twenty-four hours. It was a popular stop for late night fishermen, workers getting off the late shift, and partiers who had closed down the local bars and needed something to eat before heading home.

  Knowing Brian’s second shift was about to end, Joe had given him a call after leaving the Bartleys’, asking him to meet them at Lucy’s Diner. Brian arrived first and was already seated at a booth, looking over the menu, when Joe and Kelly walked into the restaurant.

  “Did babysitting work up your appetites?” Brian asked when they walked up to his booth. “I thought there was some sort of rule about keeping the refrigerator filled with snacks for your sitter.”

  “I wanted to talk to you,” Joe said after he scooted into the bench seat after Kelly.

  “You won’t believe what happened tonight,” Kelly said as she picked up a menu.

  Joe then went on to tell Brian what had happened at the Bartleys’, with Kelly periodically interjecting a comment. He paused a moment when the server came to take their order, but continued with the story after the server left the table.

  “What did Lily and Ian say?” Brian asked. “I bet Lily was freaked.”

  “No. That’s the odd thing. She didn’t seem upset at all,” Kelly said.

  Brian frowned. “Seriously?”

  Kelly nodded. “I don’t think she believed it happened.”

  “She thinks you just imagined it all?” Brian asked.

  “Lily said something about how exhausting it can be to look after a baby. That there is just so much to do and think about that she often goes to do something, forgetting she had already done it,” Kelly explained.

  “Ahh.” Brian nodded. “She thinks one of you put the stuffed animal in the crib and just forgot about it.”

  “Yes,” Joe said. “But that is not what happened. I saw Kelly set the stuffed animal on the chair, and we both left the room together. We were on the couch the entire time, watching television.”

  “Any chance Sadie put it in the crib?” Brian asked.

  “Sadie?” Kelly frowned.

  “Sure. Sadie is a smart dog. Maybe they taught her to fetch the stuffed animal and drop it in the crib. I could see something like that happening,” Brian suggested.

  “That would be a possibility if Sadie wasn’t shut in Ian’s office at the time,” Joe said.

  “So what do you think happened?” Brian asked.

  “I’m thinking the only thing that could have happened, someone came in the back door from the beach. There were a lot of people driving up and down Beach Drive tonight. Someone came in. Not sure why. Maybe just a prank, and when they left, they locked the back door.”

  “So it wasn’t locked earlier?” Brian asked.

  Kelly cringed. “We didn’t check it. But we should have.”

  Brian let out a sigh and sat back in his seat. “Maybe Pearl Huckabee was right.”

  “Right how?” Joe asked.

  “She didn’t think the haunted house was a good idea—that it would bring too many people and riffraff to the neighborhood. Apparently it brought one prankster a little too close to the baby.”

  After leaving the diner, Brian decided to take a drive down Beach Drive instead of heading straight home. While he wasn’t sure what he expected to find when he turned down the street, he certainly hadn’t expected to see two Frederickport Police cars parked outside Marlow House and Walt and Danielle standing on the front porch.

  Parking his car behind one of the other police cars, Brian then got out of the vehicle and sprinted up to the house.

  “Did they call for backup?” Danielle asked, half kidding, when Brian reached them.

  “What’s going on?” Brian asked.

  One of the officers standing with Walt and Danielle proceeded to fill Brian in on what had happened.

  “All the doors were locked, so we have to assume whoever it was locked it on the way out,” the officer said.

  “Very considerate,” Walt scoffed.

  “Yeah, after breaking my vase and tipping over several chairs,” Danielle said. “I’m jus
t glad the vase is the only thing they broke.”

  “We’re thinking it might have been someone who came for the haunted house and didn’t leave,” the officer suggested.

  “I really don’t know how that could have happened,” Danielle argued. “I was careful to keep track, making sure everyone who came through the front door left.”

  “Someone obviously didn’t leave,” the officer said.

  “Perhaps they came back later, through an open door,” Brian suggested.

  Danielle shook her head. “We checked all the doors. But I suppose it’s possible someone came in through the pet door. A small child could get through it. Of course, they would have to climb the fence or tree to get in. We have that gate locked.”

  “We were just going,” the officer told Brian as he shut his notepad.

  Brian glanced at the front door and then looked at Danielle. “You think I could come in for a moment? I need to talk to you both about something.”

  Danielle looked down at her wrist, but then realized she wasn’t wearing her watch. She imagined if she stayed up a couple more hours, she could probably watch the sun come up.

  Flashing Brian a weary smile, she said, “Sure, why not.”

  A few minutes later Walt and Danielle sat with Brian in the parlor, both wearing robes over their nightclothes. Outside, the two police cars that had answered Danielle’s 911 call were just driving away.

  “I think whoever broke in here tonight may be the same one who broke into the Bartleys’ earlier,” Brian told them after he took a seat on the chair facing the sofa.

  “Umm, are you talking about Connor’s Winnie the Pooh ending up in the crib?” Danielle asked.

  “You know about that?”

  “Umm…yeah…Lily told me.” Danielle wondered if she should have pretended she didn’t know, considering she hadn’t really talked to Lily since she had left earlier that evening, and as far as Kelly knew, Lily wouldn’t know what had happened until Kelly told her.