Chapter Six

When they reached the stairs, they both stopped, hearing a man’s deep voice behind them.

“Whoa, you two! I ain’t no spook!”

The sisters turned at the same time and saw a tall man with long white hair tied back in a low ponytail. His hair matched a white beard. The man stood staring at them from the doorway of the room they had just left. He wore overalls and a black-and-white-striped railroad cap.

“I’m Steve, the caretaker Joshua Devaux hired to watch over this place.” The man held out his hand as he walked toward them. Cayce shook his hand with apprehension, and Harri followed suit, giving a half-hearted wimpy shake, not her usual.

“So you two must be the fearless sisters, Cayce and Harri. Joshua told me you were coming to sort out our ghost problem.” Steve chuckled as he combed his beard with his hand. When he saw the sisters not laughing, he cleared his throat and started over.

“Sorry about scaring you. I thought sure you heard me call when I came in the front door. I thought I heard you in the other room ’til I got in there. Guess I’m a little spooky-looking, if you’re not expecting me to be standing behind the door you’re opening.”

“So the door goes to the next bedroom and not to a closet?” Cayce asked, trying to cover her embarrassment and lack of bravery.

“Yep. No closets here,” he answered and then added, “but lots of skeletons.” He cocked his head at Harri and smiled, and then winked at Cayce. “Just kiddin’, ladies.”

“You’re a real funny guy, Steve. Just don’t do it again, or you might find yourself being beaten over the head by Louis Vuitton.” Harri smiled, but Cayce knew her sister was serious. Harri was petite but could be really dangerous when carrying her big, heavy purse—especially when she packed her Glock, which she always did when they traveled.

“Louie who?” Steve cocked his head again. “Is that your boyfriend?”

“Just ignore my sister, Steve. By the way, I’m Cayce McCallister, and this is my fearless sister, Harri Wellington.”

“Pleasure to meet you both. Now, let’s get your luggage to your rooms, and I’ll make us a pot of coffee.” Steve passed the two and headed down the stairs past them. “Guess I owe you for scarin’ you like that.”

Harri’s mouth flew open when she saw the kitchen in the hotel. The modern appliances were either camouflaged by wooden doors or were reproductions of the early 1900s but with modern mechanisms. A huge walk-in freezer and a pantry were stocked with everything imaginable for the gourmet chef. Harri found packages of frozen huckleberries as well as dried and canned ones in the pantry.

“Oh, boy! Your interest in these huckleberries must mean you’re going to figure out Janie’s huckleberry fudge recipe.” Cayce rubbed her hands together as she reached for a package of gourmet coffee. “Here you go, Steve. You do owe us for scaring the bajiggers out of us, so you make the coffee.” Cayce handed the coffee to their bearded host.

Harri came out of the pantry holding flour, baking powder, and a can of huckleberries.

“I’ve got something else in mind. Huckleberry scones. My own recipe, but I’ll replace raspberries, my used-to-be favorite, with huckleberries. It will take a few minutes, so save some coffee.”

A short time later, the three were munching away on scones.

“Well, here’s the first item for your cookbook. Reckon you can make these in a Dutch oven over a campfire?” Cayce looked at Harri and cocked her head sideways like Steve had done earlier.

“Don’t remind me of the camping thing. I’m still wondering where I’ll take a bath and find a potty.” Harri put her last bite back on her plate. “That’s it. I’m stuffed. By the way, Cayce, that was dinner.”

“You don’t have to worry about a restroom, Harri. Joshua has taken care of all of that. In fact, most of the workers have been on the wagon trail for the last few days, building outhouses and doing some special landscaping around the hot springs. I hope you brought your swimming suits. Don’t reckon you’ll want to skinny dip like the locals.” Steve did not give one little glance at the sisters as he left the table. “More coffee?” He filled his cup and then topped off Cayce’s, with Harri declining.

“Hot springs?” Cayce and Harri asked in unison.

“That must be the reason Joshua told me to bring a swimsuit. The stinker. I guess he wanted to surprise me. He knows how I love Chico Hot Springs in Montana.” Cayce smiled over her coffee cup, remembering the last trip she’d made to Chico with Joshua. She also remembered the encounter with the resident ghost, Percy, at the old hotel there.

“You didn’t know ’bout the springs?” Steve looked at Cayce. “Well, there are mineral springs all in these mountains. Some of ’em are red, but the ones on the land Joshua bought are all crystal clear.”

“You mean mineral springs like the ones famous for their medicinal benefits?” Harri asked.

“I bet you’re thinking about our favorite Victorian inn in Tennessee, the Thomas House, aren’t you?” Cayce directed her question to Harri and then turned back toward Steve to explain further. “The original hotel, named the Cloyd Hotel, was built in 1890 at Red Boiling Springs for clients seeking the healing powers of the red mineral springs’ water. The Thomas House also has paranormal activity.” Not waiting for Steve to comment, Cayce asked, “So how far to these mineral springs? I might want to check them out before we go on the trail with Joshua.” She looked at Harri to gauge her interest.

“Yeah. I wouldn’t mind taking a dip…wearing my swimming suit, mind you. I’ve read that mineral springs are like a fountain of youth for the aging.” Harri rubbed the crows’ feet around her eyes, and Cayce remembered Harri had mentioned working on those little lines with some extremely expensive creams.

“Oh, you don’t have to go that far. There’s a bathhouse right out back. The mineral springs at Bar None are called Cole Springs, after the old pioneer who found ’em. That’s where Belle got the name for the hotel. She was businesswoman enough to know not to name a hotel after herself, since she was hopin’ to establish a different kind of clientele from the cat house. Cole Springs backs right up to the hotel and supplies water for the bathhouse. The mineral springs were a real drawing card before and after the mine shut down. Bartholomew Cole, the old trapper that discovered ’em, claimed the hot water cured him of the Arthur-i-tis, as he called it.” Steve chuckled.

“And yes, it’s clean and safe, so don’t worry about that. The crew updated it, and the health department for the county checked it when they inspected the rest of the water before any construction started. Joshua Devaux’s a good businessman. Can’t wait to meet him. I was gone when he came here not long ago. Only talked to him on the phone.” Steve took his dishes to the sink, rinsed them off, and put them in the oversized commercial dishwasher before heading to the door.

“You mean you have a phone, or a cell phone that works here? Mine is as dead as road kill.” Cayce was anxious to talk to Joshua and give him a report.

“No. Cell phones don’t work here, but Hank Coulter gave me a satellite phone so Joshua could contact me. You’re welcome to use it.” Steve stopped at the door. “’Preciate the vittles. Them scones was mighty good, Miss Harri. Anything else I can do for you ladies?”

“No, we’re good. And thank you for bringing up our luggage. So your cabin is right out back in case we need anything?” Harri pushed back the curtain and looked out the window at the fast-approaching dark.

“It’s actually a little farther than that…over at the edge of the woods. Don’t worry. There ain’t nothin’ here that’ll hurt you.” He opened the door to walk out but then stopped. “But they might make you hurt yourself.” Steve laughed loudly as he closed the door behind him.

“I can’t decide if I like him or not. Just when I think he’s okay, he makes a smartass comment and laughs. The audacity!” Harri took the rest of the dishes to the sink and rinsed them before putting them in the dishwasher. “I guarantee you we’ve had many more experiences than he has. Hurt yourselves! Indeed!” She rubbed her bruised arm.

“And just to prove we’re not scared, let’s get our swimsuits on, get our flashlights, soap, and towels, and check out the bathhouse. Okay, Harri?” Cayce got up from the table, but waited for her sister’s reaction.

“You bet. Let’s hit it.” Harri left the kitchen and headed up the stairs without hesitation.