I could use a cup, he said mildly, following her inside and closing the door. He walked to the counter as she placed another pod in her coffeemaker. She turned to look at him, hopingto her surprisethat her house was clean and neat. She had the feeling that, ghost hunter or no, he was observant and perhaps judging her character through her living space.
Things might be a bit messy, she said, sweeping out an arm that indicated the sections of newspaper strewn on the table and her shoes and cape thrown on a chair. Sorry. Long night.
Looks pretty good to me, he commented.
What do you like in your coffee? Oh, and what are you doing here?
I told you. I need your help.
That doesnt answer my question about the coffee. What do you want in it?
Just black, thanks.
Of course. A fed from Texas. Black coffee. She handed him the cup, asking, What do you need from me?
Information about the people you work with.
Everyone fills out an extensive form in order to work at the house, and then has to pass an oral exam. Guides have to know what theyre doing. Believe it or not, the place gets a lot of applications. When the board hires, they want people who not only have a good grasp of history, but really love it. So they ask personal questions, as well.
Im aware of all that. What I want to hear is more about what youve seen. What you, personally, have observed.
She paused, eyes narrowing. You think one of my coworkers had something to do with this?
I dont think Julian Mitchell went crazy, trashed his workplace, then sat down and killed himself on a bayonetno.
Allison shook her head. Ive been through it and through it, with you and with the cops. I dont know what else I could possibly tell you.
Start with your day, he told her. Tell me about it again.
She sighed. It was pretty much like any other day, she said.
He took a sip of his coffee, smiling. I was looking for a little more detail than that. Were any of the tours unusual? Did anything stand out to you?
Yes, I found the body of a friend in the study, she said curtly.
Before he could respond, his cell phone rang. He excused himself and answered it, frowning as he listened.
Allison felt a chill; she knew it had something to do with whatever was being said.
A moment later he hung up. You took a family with two boys, Todd and Jimmy, on your last tour.
She nodded. Yes, why?
Their fathers in the hospital. He woke up in the middle of the night, screamed and fell into a coma. One of the kids was so hysterical when they reached the hospital that someone on staff called the police.
What? Why? Thats terrible, but
The boy, Todd, wants to talk to you. He said that youd understand. According to Todd, a ghost did follow them home.
3
The hospital was cold. Outside, the late-summer heat was beginning to wane and the day was still beautiful, but inside the hospital, Allison shivered against the chill that seeped into her bones.
She didnt want to be there; she wanted to run away. But Todd wanted to see her because for some reason he believed she could help.
And she wanted to help.
The two boys were seated in an otherwise empty waiting area. Todds mother was in with his father, and an attractive woman of about forty was sitting with the boys. Seeing Allison, Todd leaped to his feet and came running over to her. She was startled when he threw his arms around her but she comforted the boy, embracing him and stroking his hair.
He followed us home! He followed us home. That awful man followed us home. The beastBeast Bradley. He killed your friend and he made my father sick! Todd said, his words muffled.
Allison looked helplessly at the woman in the room and then at Tyler Montague.
Todd, she said gently. Ghosts cant do that. Really. Theyre justinventions, something we make up in our own minds. Your father She paused, praying this wasnt a lie. Your fathers going to be fine. Youre in an exceptionally good hospital and the doctors will find out whats wrong with him.
The woman who was with the boys had risen and come toward her, a hand extended. You must be Allison Leigh. Im Rose Litton, Todd and Jimmys aunt. Im sorry youve been asked down here. I know youre dealing with your own loss. But Todd was nearly hysterical and insisted that he see you.
Its all right. Its quite all right, Allison assured her. But it wasnt. She didnt know how to make this better for Todd.
She could only be glad thatas far as she knewthe ransacking of the attics office space had not been divulged to the media.
What do the doctors say? Tyler was asking.
So far they cant identify the physiological cause, Rose Litton said. Not yet, at any rate, but theyre doing a lot of tests. Early this morning, while he was still in bed at the hotel, Artie jerked up, screamedand fell into a coma. It was as if he saw something in his sleepor in his dreams. They believe he might have ingested some kind of hallucinogenic, which made him see something that terrified him, although they cant tell what it is or how this might have happened. They just dont know.
Allison touched Todds chin to get him to look up at her. The doctors here are the best. Theyll find out whats wrong with your father, she promised again.
Who are you? Rose Litton asked, frowning at Tyler. Forgive methats rude. I just knew the nurse had called the police station, asking about a way for Todd to see Ms. Leigh.
Not rude at all, Tyler said, reaching into his jacket and producing his credentials.
Special Agent? Rose Litton read, her voice worried.
Im here to discover what went on at the house, he told her. Please, dont be alarmed. We dont suspect any kind of true toxin. Allison would be ill, too, if there had been, and so could a hundred-plus other people who were in the house yesterday. Im not a doctor, but I do know there are many reasons for a coma, and the doctors here will get to the root of it. He hunkered down. Did you see what happened? Perhaps, earlier, your father knocked his head? Was he agitated, stressed out about anything?
Todd shook his head. Jimmy stood and came over to join them. No, my dad doesnt get stressed, Jimmy said. Hes a good guy. He yells sometimes, but not much. We had fun after we left the house. We went to a tavern for supper and Dad was okay when we went to bed.
Todd nodded vigorously. Yeah, he was fine. He let us watch TV for a while in the hotel. Then we fell asleep and woke up because Dad screamed. He just screamed in the middle of the night. We were scared cause Dad never screams and suddenly he did. He looked proud for a minute. My dad is really brave. It had to be something awful, a monster like Beast Bradley, to make my dad scream like that.
Thank you, Tyler said gravely. He stood again. You know, sometimes we have monsters in our minds, in our imaginations. Ill go speak with one of the docs, he said. In the meantime, you shouldnt worry. He smiled at Rose and set his hand on Todds head. Excuse me. Ill be back.
He left them, and Allison felt more awkward than ever.
He left them, and Allison felt more awkward than ever.
She tried to smile at Rose. Its great that you could be here.
Im only over in Hershey, Rose said. Not far at all. And Im glad to be with the boys. Her expression was pained, her eyes on Allison. Her silence seemed to say a lot.
I dont know whats the matter with Todd. Hes convinced its something from the Tarleton-Dandridge House. I hope you can reassure him.
The realization that this might have been a bad time to bother Allison seemed to come back to her.
I really am so sorry! Rose said. You lost someone last night. Tragically. Itsits all over the news. And theyre making it sound she glanced at the boys like awell, paranormal event.
Allison nodded. Of course. People love ghost stories.
There is a ghost, Todd insisted.
Jimmy gasped. We saw that a tour guide died at the house. It was on the TV news when we got back. My parents were worried. They hoped it wasnt you! he told Allison. Dad turned the news off. He says well get to know enough about the real world when were older. He frowned. Im sorry. I mean, Im glad it wasnt you, but Im sorry about your friend.
Todd took her hand and squeezed it. They were sorry, but Julian was an abstraction to them, a news story, while their father was lying here in a no-mans-land. Yeah, were really sorry, he said.
Thank you. Im the one who found him, and it was heartbreaking for me. Im going to miss him very much. But, Todd, like I was telling you, bad things just happen sometimes, even to good people. Listen, you have to trust the doctors here, and you cant get upset about the house or believe you have a ghost with you. Okay?
He looked at her stubbornly. The ghost likes you. You can talk to him. You can get him to leave my dad alone.
As Allison struggled for speech, Rose Litton shrugged apologetically.
All of us, every one of us, will do whatever we can for your dad, okay, Todd? Allison finally said.
Todd whispered a solemn Thank you.
A moment later, Tyler returned. He offered Todd an encouraging smile. Theyll keep at it, young man. Meanwhile, you stay calm and help your mom and little brother.
Todd nodded. He studied Tyler, and then apparently decided to trust him.
I will. Im going to help my mom and my family, Todd said. Please, help her, though, he said, glancing over at Allison. The ghost likes her.
Rose moved closer to Allison. I am so sorry, she said again. He was just crying and going crazy, and the idea that you might talk to him was the only thing that worked.
Well do everything we can from our end, Todd, Tyler said.
Allison noticed that the boy seemed to respond to him. He nodded. I can reach you if I need to, right?
Well be here, Tyler promised firmly. Ill even give you my personal cell number. You can call me anytime.
Todd gestured at Allison. She doesnt understand, he said. But she can help us, and you can help her. Please?
Ill do whatever I can, buddy.
He wrote down his cell number and handed it to the boy, then took Allisons arm to lead her from the hospital. She steeled herself not to wrench her arm out of his grasp.
When they exited, she moved away from him. That was wrong, she told him.
What was?
You made that poor boy think we could help him by convincing a ghost to leave his dad alone!
I didnt say that.
But you believe they exist!
Theyd reached his car. He leaned against the roof, looking over at her as she waited by the passenger door.
I went in and spoke with Mr. Dixons doctors. There is absolutely nothing physiological causing his problemnothing they can discover. Of course, theyre still testing. And he may come out of it himself. One of the theories his primary physician has is that he put himself in the coma to avoid some horrible fact or illusion hed seen in his own mind. Whether you want to believe Im a quack or not, you have to admit that the power of the human mind can be incredible. Maybe if we look into this and find something to say to the kid, the family or even Mr. Dixon himself, we can reverse the situation.
If we can find something?
You know the history and the house better than anyone else.
Allison lowered her eyes, remembering the way shed felt when Todd was in the house yesterday, so convinced that something evil was still alive there.
She looked back at Tyler. Im an academic. I believe in the power of men and women to do good or evil. I dont believe in spirits.
But you believe in history?
Of course. You cant not believe in history, she said.
Ah, but what about the famous saying: History is written by the victors. And sometimes the victors might exaggerate or lie or leave things out. Sometimes history has to be rewritten. It isnt an unchanging, monolithic entity. Attitudes change, and they change history. So do new facts as they emerge.
Allison sighed, wondering how the granite Texan could be so ethereal in his statements.
History didnt kill Julian Mitchell, she said. Or put Mr. Dixon in a coma.
Belief is everything, he countered. And, Allison, I do believe its obvious that something is going on. Even if by some remarkable chance Julian accidentally killed himself or just decided, Hmm, let me think of a really gruesome way to kill myself, it still wouldnt explain what happened in the attic.
Maybe Julian trashed the attic.
Why would he have done that?
I dont know! Why would he have sat down with his rifleand then leaned his head down on the blade? she asked wearily.
Those are things we have to know. Other people could die, Tyler said.
You mean Mr. Dixon. He wasnt at the house when he went into a coma.
No. But hed been at the house, and you found a friend dead there a matter of hours earlier. Dixon saw the news about Julians death before going to sleep.
So, he dreamed a ghost had followed him home and it was so real and frightening to his sleeping mind that he slipped into another realm, Allison said. I dont know the answers to any of it. I just know that its real and horrible and Im so tired I cant think. Will you take me home, please? she asked. Id just like to be alone.
He looked over the top of the car at her and Allison saw that his gaze was filled with disappointment. Of course. He wasnt going to get what he wanted. But it was more than that; it was disappointment in her, and somehow that was disturbing.
Certainly. Ill take you right home.
Allison had no idea why his reaction bothered her. It just did.
I really need some time! she said, almost pleading. Julian is dead. Not in a coma. Theres no coming back from that.
I completely understand. Really.
She slid into the passenger seat. He was silent as they drove and she watched him, feeling a clash of emotions. Life had become so painful and intense overnight. It was still hard to fathom that Julian was dead. She was still tired from last night. Shed discovered the body of her friend. Then shed dealtfor the first time in her lifewith the police, and with crime scene techs trying to find out what shed touched and what she hadnt. Later Adam Harrison and this man had shown up And today shed spent time with a heartbroken child. She was mentally and physically exhausted, and dismayed because she was disappointing a stranger. And now, she was staring at that stranger, wondering how someone with such a strong jawline and intense eyes, such a tall, powerful build and compelling presence, could be part of a team of ghost busters.