The Shem Bay Haunting (Jack Raven Ghost Mystery Book 3) Read online

  The lidérc is a supernatural being of Hungarian folklore. Why do I even know this word? It has three forms. The strangest is a chicken that lays black eggs. I’m sure the housekeeper didn’t mistake me for that. Its other forms are a devil and a satanic lover.

  I wonder just what Pratt told her about me that would cause her to think me a demon. If I could decipher the other words she yelled, I might be able to figure it out.

  I’m tired from the long drive and want to get settled before my mandatory dinner with Pratt. It’s almost six o’clock and already dark out. I’m getting more irritated by the second when my phone rings.

  It’s Pratt and he’s acting like nothing is wrong. I’ve already explained in my message what the problem is, so I let him know that something is indeed very wrong. He says he’s twenty minutes away and will see me soon. Again he doesn’t bother to say goodbye, and I’m reconsidering whether he’s going to see me at all.

  I rinse the salt water off the wolfdog and give him a drink from the fancy water fountain. It’s started to rain and we’re looking a little on the hobo side of life as we crawl in the back of the jeep to dry off.

  True to his word, twenty minutes later headlights blind my eyes before a silver Lincoln Town Car pulls into the parking area. The interior light comes on and I can see Pratt, much older and forlorn than his photo, sizing up my blackout jeep. We travel in different circles.

  I get out, seeing as he isn’t, and go to the driver’s door. He waits until I’m standing next to him to lower the window.

  “Ms. Raven?”

  “Call me Jack,” I say, with attitude.

  “Yes. Well, if you’d like to follow me, we can go to the house now.” With that he raises the window, and I have to step away from the boat of a car to avoid getting knocked over. I’m so glad I charged Pratt my premium rate. I’m going to earn every penny.

  The doctor is standing at the door looking impatient when I get out to join him. I lean back into the jeep to tell Mojo not to get too excited because we might not be here long.

  Jankovic is standing in the entrance waiting to take Pratt’s coat and briefcase. She gives me a devil’s glare and I return it. Pratt sighs when he gets a good look at me.

  “I hope your trip was a pleasant one.” I can tell he’s taxed in uttering the words.

  “Things were pleasant until I got here over two hours ago.”

  “Yes, well….”

  I step inside and Pratt steps back. The man’s aura is as large as his ego, but it’s thin and wavering. Fear of me? I doubt that. I’m sensing more sadness than fear. Sympathy on my part might have been possible two hours ago.

  “Mrs. Jankovic, please show my niece to the guest house so she can freshen up before dinner.” He looks at his gold watch and tells me dinner is in fifty minutes. He hopes that will give me enough time. I can tell he doubts it will.

  I follow Jankovic through the kitchen to the backdoor and across the property to a house that is as big as my own. The waves are crashing beneath us and they are all I can hear. Of course, there is nothing else to hear since Jankovic isn’t talking.

  She unlocks the door, hands me the key, and motions for me to go inside. She turns to go then turns back. “You should go now.”

  “Go where?” I ask, with my arms crossed.

  She cowers and hurries away. Her murky green aura wobbles as she follows the path back to the house. Hmm, victim mentality and something else that’s being blocked from my read on the menacing little munchkin.

  Perfect. A pompous doctor who’s keeping secrets and a chicken fearing housekeeper who thinks I’m a demon and wants me to Bgon. Despite Pratt’s rule that I not talk to the woman, I need to know what’s up with her.

  I go and retrieve the jeep and Mojo then we check out the guest house. It’s none too shabby. It has a huge picture window in front that looks out over the Pacific Ocean. The furnishings are tasteful, expensive, and stuffy. I hang my one and only pantsuit in the bathroom in the hopes a few wrinkles will fall out while I’m in the shower. Thirty minutes later, they haven’t.

  I turn on the television for Mojo and make my way to the main house. I figure I should go the way I came, but the back door is locked. After knocking a few times without a response, I go to the front door. I’m giving it two knocks then I’m changing my clothes and going out for fast food.

  Jankovic opens the door and looks at me like I’ve got a chicken head. She does a once up and once down of my pantsuit, and I return the insult while reminding myself that she may be a valuable source of information, chickens aside. She leads me to Pratt’s study without a word and watches his face as he motions for me to sit.

  When the door is closed behind her, he tells me he thought he mentioned that the dinner hour was formal.

  “I don’t own a ball gown,” I say. “I’ll go find a drive-thru.” I slide to the edge of the seat and Pratt exhales while piercing his lips, making what sounds like a deflating balloon. He starts to say something that I know will boil my blood, so I cut him off.

  “Listen, Doc. I’m here about your haunting not to play dress up doll for you. Debutantes don’t do eradications. If you want the job done that you hired me to do, forget the pretentious fanfare and let me get to work. Your attitude is your problem, but you’re wasting your time and money on things that will never happen where I’m concerned.”

  I’ve left Pratt speechless. I can tell because his mouth has moved a few times but nothing’s come out. His eyes dart around before he gets back to staring at me. “This is my home.”

  “Which is haunted. If you want it to stay that way, I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

  Pratt shifts in his seat, probably due in part to my use of an unapproved term. I look at the medical books that line the walls and the oddly humorous plastic skeleton in the corner. I hope it’s plastic anyway.

  “I do not want you to leave, Ms. Raven. This is a very difficult situation. I’m having a hard time accepting that your being here is anything more than a preposterous error on my part. I admit that I considered telling you not to come.”

  Pratt’s eyes are trailing around his desk. Not even he believes all his words. He seems confused, but mostly sad. His aura is dull and getting closer to his body, and his energy is too flimsy for possession to be his problem. If possible, I’d think the man was… fading.

  “Perhaps you should think about it overnight and give me your decision in the morning.” I start to get up and it jerks his attention back into the room.

  “No. Please accept my apologies. We’re getting off to a bad start. Let’s begin again. I’m grateful that you agreed to come here. Please join me for dinner, and later we can discuss what you need from me to get this done as quickly as possible.”

  I start to ask him about Jankovic’s chicken, but Pratt is already standing and waiting for me to do the same. He leads me to the gray and gold dining room and holds my chair for me. Three gold candelabra set on the long table. I sit at one end, the doctor is at the other.

  As if on cue, Jankovic enters the room and silently begins serving us. The entire performance is macabre. All that is missing is Boris and creepy organ music. Jankovic stands at attention in the corner.

  We eat in silence. It’s the longest and most delicious hour I’ve ever spent. Although several times I worried what lidérc-destroying substance the woman may have put in my food.

  Finally, we return to Pratt’s study and he pours two sherries. It’s dry and too sweet and it has my head spinning in circles. Pratt too is noticeably more relaxed.

  I tell him about my experience with the photo of his room. He gently swirls his sherry and appears to contemplate my words, which I sense he’d prefer not to hear.

  “Mrs. Jankovic mentioned the term lidérc when I first arrived. What can you tell me about it?”

  Pratt pulls back and crunches his face like a skunk just walked into the room.

  “It’s a demonic creature in Hungarian folklore,” I say, when he doesn’
t answer. “She referred to it in refusing to let me in the house. Maybe she’s confused about why I’m here. It might help to clarify things. I’d like to talk to her about the activity here and—

  The doctor closes his eyes and shakes his head then raises his hand as if to shield himself. “The woman is very superstitious. She began working for me when she came to this country nearly twenty years ago. I’ve learned to accept her antiquated belief system. She’s an excellent housekeeper; I overlook many of her… idiosyncrasies. You mustn’t let her distract you.”

  Pratt’s taken my glass and has his back to me at the bar. “Again, Ms. Raven, I’m asking you to respect my privacy, which includes not discussing this matter with my housekeeper. I’ve agreed to let my daughter tell you what she experienced. I know what’s best, so please leave it at that.”

  He returns to his desk, raises his glass to me and waits. “To your success,” he says, and taps my glass.

  The sherry is more bitter when it should be less, but it goes down smoothly and keeps my mouth shut. I take another sip and when I look up, Pratt is smiling at me for the first time. The room is spinning and his eyes feel prickly on my skin. I feel stuck to my chair. The sherry falls to the floor and snaps me out of my trance. I start to stand and fall back.

  Jankovic is in the room to clean up after me. Pratt helps me to the sofa. I hear laughter that I think is in my head. As soon as the woman leaves, I apologize and excuse myself.

  I take the back door and feel Jankovic’s eyes on me as I stumble to the guest house.

  Chapter Ten

  §

  It’s after ten when Mojo’s poking finally wakes me. I know my alarm went off at six but don’t recall shutting it off. I let him outside and make coffee.

  What went on last night? I was either drugged or I’m no match for sherry. I don’t even know how I made it back to the guest house or what I said before I left Pratt– oh right, with his ruined carpet. I’ve never been great at making flawless first impressions. My record is maintained here.

  After a few sips of coffee, my head is clearing then I hear screaming. My guess is that Jankovic has met the wolfdog. I run outside, still in pajamas that I don’t remember putting on last night. My little adversary is a few feet from the main house with a broom. Mojo is sitting near her, staring.

  “It’s okay.” The words catch in my throat. “He won’t hurt you.”

  Jankovic is shielding herself with the broom and now looking terrified of me. I fully admit I’m not giving my best performance. “Really, he won’t hurt you.” I wrap my arms around me feeling more naked than I am.

  She scans me head to toe then grunts loudly and turns back to the house. “Good morning to you too,” I say, under my breath. Thirty minutes later, I’m dressed and ready to get to work.

  Last night, I told Pratt I wanted to start my investigation in his room. I also vaguely remember telling him he should inform Jankovic that I’m to have the run of the house. I think he agreed to my request.

  No one answers when I knock on the back door. It’s not locked so I go in and call out a couple of times. When there’s nothing but silence, I head to the stairs. I’m half way up when I feel eyes on me. Jankovic is at the bottom of the staircase looking up at me. It’s time to set things straight with the woman.

  “Did Dr. Pratt inform you that I’m to have full access to the house?”

  “No dog,” she shouts.

  “He’s a wolf. Answer my question.”

  She pulls her head back and I take two steps down.

  “Doctor say no dog.”

  “That doesn’t answer the question I asked you. Let’s get something clear right now. I’m here because Dr. Pratt wants me to be here. You seem to have a big problem with that, which is going to get even bigger if you cause me any problems. Don’t you dare threaten me with your chicken monster again. Don’t you even think about touching Mojo. And stop sneaking around to watch me. Do you understand?”

  She turns on her heels and waves an arm in the air. I go charging down the stairs with the wolfdog behind me. She hears us coming, screams, and takes off running to the kitchen. When I catch up with her, she has her broom posed to strike. I grab it and point it at her. “Do you understand, Mrs. Jankovic?”

  She hangs her head and starts to cry. Great. I made the housekeeper cry. I lean the broom against the wall. “I’ll take that as a yes,” I say. “Now, please don’t follow me or interfere with what I’m doing here, and you and I may get along just fine.”

  Mojo cocks his head at me then glares at Jankovic. I roll my eyes at him and tell him it’s the sherry after effects then I head back to the stairs.

  “You go away now.” I hear this and assume it’s Jankovic, but she’s nowhere around.

  “Why’s that?” I yell. She doesn’t answer.

  Once upstairs, I watch to see if the old woman sneaks out to spy on me. I’m not sure why I reacted the way I did, but I know I don’t need her adding to my problems here. When I don’t see her, I go to one end of the hallway to try to sense the energy.

  I can tell from the photos that I’m on the opposite end of the floor from Pratt’s bedroom. I want to see how much the energy changes as I walk towards it. All eight doors in the hallway are closed; stay out is the message.

  Pratt said Mackenzie will be home tomorrow afternoon. Then she’ll be in the house for the weekend, along with her nanny, before returning to school on Monday when her governess will also be in the house for a short time. He agreed to let me speak to Mackenzie in his presence on Saturday. Sunday I’ll have the house to myself until early evening.

  I’ll have too few hours over four days to figure out if Pratt’s bedroom is the hot spot, find out who is doing the haunting, and determine how I’m going to convince the apparition to leave. Totally doable, if I stay away from the sherry.

  I close my eyes, say a prayer, and ask for a vision. When I don’t get one after a few minutes, I walk slowly down the hall. My fingers trail across the wall and doors as I try to connect with the energy. I can smell fresh bread baking downstairs. A stained glass window behind me sprays bright, warm light on the floor. The house has elements of normality– not many, but some.

  Every several feet, I stop to close my eyes and ask if a spirit is present who would like to communicate. I’m doing that when I hear a crash downstairs. I wait and watch for Jankovic. Now the house is eerily quiet. That’s something I noticed at times last night. It’s as if it doesn’t have permission to be otherwise. More of Pratt’s rules, I suspect. When Jankovic doesn’t appear, I continue down the hall.

  A few more starts and stops and I’m standing at the end of the hallway in front of the double doors to Pratt’s bedroom. The door handles are large antique brass with lion heads and long curved handles. The lions are facing each other with their mouths wide open. I put my hand on the wood, close my eyes, and wait. Catch me if you can. I hear a child’s giggle and turn around. There’s no one there.

  “I can’t catch you if I can’t see you. Why don’t you show yourself? I’m here to help you.” I hear a radio or television downstairs and wonder if it was either that I heard. I reach for one of the door handles and the door opens on its own.

  Standing in the doorway, I close my eyes and listen. There’s another loud crash and this one doesn’t sound like it came from downstairs. I check the hallway, ready to give chase again.

  Mojo’s gone to lie in the sun beneath the stained glass window. The colors are freakishly dancing on his fur. I shake my head and walk back to the staircase. No crashing, banging, or Jankovic.

  I call the wolfdog to Pratt’s bedroom. The drapes over the terrace doors are open and the room is surprisingly bright, but the air is sadly heavy. I sit on the king size canapé bed that doesn’t come close to filling the room.

  I pray to Saint Benedict then ask, “Is there a spirit here who wishes to be heard? Please speak to me or give me a vision so that I know you are here with me.”

  There’s no noise fro
m a furnace, ticking clock, or appliance. The house doesn’t make a single crack or pop.

  “I’ve come to help you resolve what is keeping you from moving to the light. Know that I am here for you.”

  There’s a shout in my head and I open my eyes. For a second, I think I see a shadow by the bed; the same place I thought I saw an angry Pratt in my mind. There’s nothing that I can see or sense other than residual energy. Still I close my eyes and say a protection prayer before trying again. “I’ve come to help you crossover. Please make your presence known to me.”

  Mojo has joined me on the bed and is lying in the middle of it, which I doubt would go over well with the doctor. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear the wolfdog had his own glass of sherry last night.

  I close my eyes and reach out to the figure in my mind’s eye. “In love and light, please come forward and make—

  A scream jolts me and this one isn’t from a spirit. The wolfdog is at the door growling. I go to it, but it won’t open. Neither of the handles will turn. When I figure out the lock has engaged, I pop it out, yank the door open, and hurry to the stairs.

  Before I take the first step down, I see Jankovic laying flat on her back in the entryway, crucifix style.

  Chapter Eleven

  §

  Jankovic is speaking Hungarian, and I’m trying to calm her down and get her to speak English. I manage to help her up off the floor and into a nearby chair. So far, the only word I’ve understood out of the woman’s mouth is lidérc.

  After getting her a glass of water, I come back to find Mojo standing in front of the woman doing his ghost pose. Interesting.

  She’s still sitting in the chair, but now has her apron over her head. “She’s not dead,” I tell the wolfdog. He snorts and goes to lie in the sun again.