Chapter Twenty-Two

Julia and Greg’s plans to return to New York were cancelled so she could make a formal statement to Detective Watson and fuss over Theodore. He’d spent the night in the hospital and was released in the morning with plenty of stitches, his right arm in a sling, and a prescription for painkillers.

I went down to the police station first thing in the morning to make my own statement. Connor insisted on picking me up and driving me into town.

Last night, he’d taken me into the library, sat me in the wingback chair, told Charles to stand guard, and then made a cup of hot, excessively sweet tea. I’d begun to shake by the time the tea was served, and so Connor simply sat with me and chatted about nothing in particular for a long time. When my eyelids began to droop, he took me upstairs, scooted me into the bathroom with my pajamas, and then tucked me into bed. When I awoke, it was daylight, and Connor was asleep in a chair, hair mussed, tie askew, shoes off. Charles was snoozing on the arm of the chair, one paw stretched out and resting on Connor’s chest.

Man and cat started awake as I put the coffee on.

“Morning, Your Honor,” I said. “You don’t look very comfortable.”

Connor stretched his shoulders. Charles stretched his entire body. “I don’t want to make a habit of it,” Connor said, “but I thought someone should be here in case you had nightmares.”

“Slept like a baby,” I said. “Safe and sound. Don’t you have campaigning to do?”

“After I ran out of the Rotary meeting mid-speech last night, I probably should start making amends. But some things are more important. I told Dorothy to cancel all my appointments this morning.”

We smiled at each other. Charles purred.

Sentiment over, Charles leapt down and demanded to be fed.

Detective Watson called to tell us that David White had been charged with the murder of Jay Ruddle and the attempted murder of Theodore Kowalski.

*   *   *

Other than that, it was a normal day at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library. I thought we all might need some closure before Greg and Julia left, so I called Julia in the afternoon and invited them to the library, after closing, for a drink. I also invited my coworkers, Butch and Stephanie, Josie and Grace, Connor (of course!), Theodore, and Louise Jane.

Theodore came with Greg and Julia, as he wasn’t able to drive. Julia fussed over him, making sure he was comfortably seated and had a drink at hand, while Greg threw poisonous looks across the room.

I took Julia aside and spoke to her quietly. “How’s your mother doing?”

“After an initial attack of the vapors at the news that Dave was being charged with Grandfather’s murder, she settled down. She might have forgiven him for that, but she says she will never forgive him for attacking me. She’s at the hotel, not wanting company. She’ll be coming to New York with me tomorrow. We’re going to take rebuilding our relationship slowly.”

“I’m glad,” I said. We hugged each other and then rejoined our circle of friends.

“No malicious spirits at work, Louise Jane,” Charlene said, “Nothing but a deranged man. You must be disappointed.”

“What lead to his derangement, I might wonder?” Louise Jane replied. “Something tipped him over the edge.”

Charlene rolled her eyes. “Greed. Pure and simple.”

Louise Jane helped herself to another glass of wine. “Out there on the marsh, at dusk, spirits are at work. As we know, the spirits have a strong influence over those of weaker minds.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

“Stuff and nonsense.” Theodore tried to sound firm, but he wasn’t able to disguise the slight quiver in his voice.

Louise Jane ignored him. “I’ve sensed activity around the marsh for some time.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her long legs. Tonight, instead of her usual sneakers, she was wearing pink and purple rubber boots.

“Some time,” Charlene muttered to me. “Meaning since last night. Why don’t I put on some music? I’ll run up to my office and get my speakers.” And she was off before I could stop her.

It was a fun, casual party, and the mood was good. Louise Jane was the first to leave, saying she had a long day ahead of her. She got to her feet and headed out, but not before I noticed her giving Greg a long meaningful look and him nodding in return.

Strange.

“I’m off too,” Connor said not long after Louise Jane had left. “Another day of campaigning tomorrow. The end is in sight, thank heavens.”

“I hear the polls are promising,” Bertie said. “You have a strong lead.”

“The only poll that matters is the one on election day,” he replied.

“I’ve booked the rest of the week off work,” I said, “so I can be available to help out.”

He smiled at me. I walked him to the door, and we kissed good night lightly, aware of everyone watching us.

“Time to go,” Josie said. I exchanged hugs with her and Grace, and they left, followed by Butch and Stephanie.

Bertie, Ronald, and Charlene began to tidy up. I reached for a dirty plate, but they told me to sit down.

“The heroes of the day,” Ronald said, “get the night off dishes.”

“What’s the next book for your book club?” Julia asked me.

“We’d chosen Jane Eyre,” I said, “but Sam Watson suggested a Sherlock Holmes. I’m thinking of putting that to a vote.”

“Excellent idea,” Theodore said. “The Great Detective has inspired millions around the world with his—”

“Whatever,” Greg said.

When everything was neat and tidy once again, Bertie said, “Night all.”

Julia began to get to her feet.

“What’s the hurry?” Greg said. “Let’s have another drink.”

“It’s late,” Julia said. “I’m sure Lucy wants to get to bed.”

“I enjoy your company.” I smothered a yawn. Truth be told, I wanted them all to be gone.

“Julia’s more determined than ever to buy a place in the Outer Banks,” Greg said. “We’ll be back soon to check out property.”

“Don’t you have your new job to get to?” Theodore said.

The corners of Greg’s mouth twitched. “Julia has asked me to stay on, to help sort things out while she makes her decision about what to do with the collection.”

“Oh.” Theodore’s face fell.

Greg smirked.

Julia smiled at Theodore. “Perhaps you can come to visit me in New York. I’d love to show you around our home. My grandfather wasn’t a serious book collector, but he does have a few nice first editions in his library.”

Teddy beamed. Greg’s face fell.

“You too, Lucy,” Julia said. “I owe you so much.”

Greg’s phone beeped, and he pulled it out of his pocket. He read the screen quickly and put it away. “Never mind that other drink. Julia, it’s late. Let’s go.”

Julia stood up, and Theodore scrambled to his feet. I walked them to the door.

Julia thanked me once again, and I reminded her to call when she was next in town. She wrapped her arms around me, and I hugged her in return. When we separated, moisture in her eyes reflected off the light above the door. I might have had tears of my own.

I stood on the steps and watched the three of them start down the path. Then, to my considerable surprise, a low noise came from the side of the lighthouse.

“What was that?” Greg turned with a cry.

It sounded again. A horse’s neigh, lost, empty, full of despair.

A shadow emerged from the deeper shadows of the lighthouse walls. Moments ago, it had been a clear night, but tendrils of mist drifted across the ground. I sucked in a breath and stepped closer to the solid wall, still warm from the heat of the day.

A few feet from me, Julia, Greg, and Theodore stood transfixed.

The mist drifted, and an indistinct shape struggled to take form. I could see a long tail, the memory of four legs, a mane. That sound again …

“Be gone!” Greg stepped in front of Julia and spread both arms out as though to keep the creature away from her. “Come no closer!”

The shape began to turn. Where the head should be, two red lights flared. The eyes, the horrible red eyes, focused on Theodore. The creature neighed once again.

Teddy squealed, and he ran. He bolted down the path to the parking lot, wrenched the car door open, jumped into the back seat of the Escalade, and disappeared from sight.

“Be gone!” Greg cried again. He took another step toward the apparition, still shielding Julia with his body.

The creature backed up. It disappeared around the lighthouse, taking the rolling mist with it.

Greg wrapped Julia in his arms, and she didn’t pull away. “What on earth was that?” Her voice quaked.

“I don’t know,” Greg said, “But whatever it was, it’s gone now. I frightened it away.” He stroked her hair. “You’re safe with me, Julia. Where’s Theodore gotten to? Oh, looks like he’s hiding in the car. Never mind. Let’s get out of here.”

I ran into the lighthouse and slammed the door shut behind me. It was real. My ghostly horse was real. Others had seen it too.

Charles was snoozing in the wingback chair. He opened one eye and looked at me. He yawned.

Slowly my breathing returned to normal and I mentally examined myself. That had been scary, but not bone chilling. I’d seen something, and I’d been frightened, but I’d not felt anything deep in my bones. Tonight’s horse had been close to me, standing only a few feet away, but it had not reached into my mind the way I’d thought the one in the marsh had tried to do.

Animals were highly perceptive to the supernatural, or so I’d been told. Charles couldn’t have looked more bored, and this creature had been virtually on his doorstep.

I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, gathered my courage, and went back outside. The lamp over the door threw a pool of light onto the step, but outside its range all was dark. The Escalade was gone.

High above me the lighthouse beacon flashed. I switched on my phone’s flashlight and walked to the side of the building. I played my light across the ground. No hoof prints. No marks of any sort. I rounded the building. The soft earth was grooved as though a wheeled machine had been dragged across it. Footprints—human prints—accompanied the mark of the wheels. I placed my foot next to one of them to judge the size. Only slightly larger than mine. The treads looked like they were from rubber boots.

I followed the prints for a short distance. They headed toward the far side of the parking lot.

When Louise Jane gave talks at the library, she used no props. No sound and light show. No spooky music or ghostly effects.

Did she save those for other appearances?

I wouldn’t put it past her.

I remembered the secret look between Greg and Louise Jane. She’d been the first to leave, which was unusual for her. Greg had held off leaving until he got a text message, and then he’d abruptly hustled Julia out the door.

I kicked at the marks on the ground. Two suitors, one scared witless by the other. The only thing missing here was the shattered pumpkin; otherwise, this could have been a recreation of the end of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow when Ichabod Crane is frightened away from his pursuit of the heiress by his rival.

I went inside, locked the door, and called Charles to bed.

I’d brought a new book upstairs and was looking forward to getting into the Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng, which several patrons had recommended. But first, I checked the photos on my phone. I’d forgotten that I’d taken pictures of the hoofprints on the marsh the other morning. There might not have been a real ghostly horse outside tonight, but I had seen something over the past few days. I opened the app. The first picture that came up, meaning the last one taken, showed nothing. A black screen. I’d taken the pictures outside in daylight: something should have been recorded. But it hadn’t even picked up the marsh grasses. I scrolled backward. More nothing until I arrived at a selfie of Josie, Stephanie, and me taken in front of the lighthouse at the decorating party a couple of weeks ago.

I swung the phone toward Charles and snapped a picture. It came out okay. The tousled bedclothes, the snoozing cat, the warm light from the bedside lamp.

I put my phone on the side table and snuggled into bed. I fluffed my pillows, picked up my book, and began to read.