Part 23 (1/2)
”Yes. They both wanted the place pretty bad and they also both wanted it as a quick investment, so they agreed to partner on it.”
Sadie thanked Mr. Huett again for sharing information with her, and then she left. She let all the information sink in as she ran through the torrential rain. She dug out her keys and slipped quickly inside her car. Rain dripped off her ball cap as she stared at the neighboring older home that had been the scene of so much grief.
Maybe it was time to bring something holy into the house. She thought about what Herbert Sylvane had said to her about holy water being a natural cure to ward off evil. She rifled around inside her purse and dug out the bottle he'd given to her when she'd caught him blessing the room at the Hotel Pacifica. If she weren't such a scaredy-cat, she'd go into the house and toss around some holy water to see if it would help. But there was no way she was going into the house alone.
As if just thinking about it conjured up company, a car pulled up to the front of the house and out climbed Gayla. She had an oversized purse slung over her shoulder as she walked purposefully toward the house. Sadie waited until Gayla was opening the door and going inside before she decided to go and talk to her.
”Hold on!” Sadie shouted.
As she ran up the walkway, her cap did little to protect her from the rain, the wind blowing wet sheets sideways and soaking her pants.
Gayla looked startled when she turned around but smiled at the sight of Sadie scurrying up the walk toward her.
”What are you doing here?” she asked, opening the door wide for Sadie and then following her inside.
”I just paid a visit to the neighbor.” Sadie nodded in the direction of Roy's place.
”Why would you do that?” Gayla sounded annoyed. She slipped her jacket off and hung it, dripping, from the closet doork.n.o.b. Sadie slipped off her hat and coat and did the same.
”I just wanted to get some of the history of the place,” Sadie explained. ”I thought maybe if we knew more about what had happened here to create the haunting, we'd have a better idea of how to deal with it.”
”Do you want tea?” Gayla asked. ”I brought a kettle here for the workers to use and I've got a few tea bags in my purse.”
”Tea isn't my favorite, but thanks,” Sadie said.
They walked into the kitchen and Gayla flicked on the overhead lights. She went to the cupboard and took down a small electric kettle, then filled it up with water and plugged it in.
”I've got instant coffee, but no milk. Would you like a cup?” She smiled. ”It'll take some of the chill off.”
”Thanks. That would be great.” Sadie rubbed her arms against the damp coldness of the room.
”It sure is cold in here,” Gayla remarked, getting down a couple of Styrofoam cups. ”We keep the heat turned low because, of course, it costs a lot to heat a house this size.”
”I'm sure it's a small fortune,” Sadie said. ”I can hardly keep up with the bills at my own place and it's a third this size.”
”The bills at my condo are huge too,” Gayla confessed.
”I thought you were staying with a friend?”
Gayla turned her back to Sadie and got down a small container of instant coffee and took a tea bag out of her purse.
”Actually, it belongs to my fiance,” she said over her shoulder as she poured water from the kettle into the cups.
Sadie wondered why Gayla hadn't just said that right away.
”Well, it's a beautiful place.”
”Yes, well, we're only renting it,” Gayla remarked, turning around and handing Sadie her cup. ”Considering all the real estate I've owned over the years, it feels odd to stay in a place that's a rental.” She wrinkled up her nose in distaste. ”But the housing crash has taken its toll.” She raised her foam cup to Sadie's. ”Cheers.”
They touched cups and Sadie sipped the scalding, bad coffee.
”I came to take some measurements of the place,” Gayla said. ”If I can't get workers in here who don't freak out because of the odd floating apparition, I thought I might as well do a few cosmetic upgrades myself.”
She laughed in a high-pitched way that made Sadie wonder if Gayla had a few martinis before coming over.
”Come. I'll show you,” Gayla said, walking toward the living room at the front of the house.
Sadie followed and drank her coffee as she s.h.i.+vered against the cold. ”I've brought some holy water,” she mentioned as they reached the living room. ”Maybe we can toss some around and see if it helps.”
”Sorry, but been there, done that.” Gayla tilted her head and regarded Sadie. ”You really are quite the amateur at this, aren't you?”
”I told you right from the start that I'm a trauma cleaner,” Sadie said defensively. ”I don't know why you insisted that I help you when it isn't exactly my forte.”
”Believe me, it wasn't my idea,” Gayla grumbled.
”What do you mean?” Sadie finished her coffee and put the foam cup down on the fireplace mantel. ”Owen didn't seem to care one way or another; you were the one that kept insisting that I work with Madam Maeva's and-”
Sadie was startled by movement on the stairs. The spirit of Marlene hovered there, her eyes wild and terrified. Sadie glanced away and caught Gayla looking in the same direction.
”You can see her too!” Sadie exclaimed.
Gayla didn't reply and when Sadie looked back, Marlene was gone.
”You saw her. Don't try and tell me you didn't. I saw it on your face,” Sadie insisted.
”Doesn't matter,” Gayla said casually. She walked a few steps and pointed in the direction of the big picture window that was covered by heavy, old-fas.h.i.+oned draperies. ”I was actually thinking those new-style sheer blinds would look fantastic in here. They're relatively easy to install. I'm sure I could do it myself and it would really brighten up this room after a fresh coat of paint.” She held up the tape measure. ”Will you stand and hold it at the other end so we can get an idea of the window's size?” When Sadie didn't move Gayla added, ”We'll do ghost talk after. Let's get these measurements done.”
Sadie grabbed the end of the metal measuring tape and tugged it out as she walked to the opposite end of the window. ”That's why you insisted on using psychics to help you at the house, even though Owen could care less,” Sadie continued as she held the end of the measuring tape to the opposite end of the window. ”You've got abilities to see spirits too.”
”I don't know what you're talking about,” Gayla said in a bored voice. ”Hold the tape still.”
”You do so!” Sadie exclaimed, exasperated. ”Don't deny it. You saw Marlene standing right over there.”
”Marlene?” Gayla burst out laughing and then just as quickly looked seriously down at the measuring tape. ”Seventy-one inches.” She pressed a b.u.t.ton on the canister of the measuring tape and the metal retracted and snapped sharply out of Sadie's fingers.
”Yes. Marlene.” Sadie looked over and saw Marlene appear again on the stairs. ”There she is right now!”
Gayla nonchalantly looked in the direction Sadie pointed and shook her head with a look of disgust. ”That little s.l.u.t isn't named Marlene. Her daddy told me she was a hooker too. Her name is Iris.” She smiled meanly at the ghost. ”Aren't you, dear?”
”Iris!” Sadie gasped and tried to work her mind around that realization, but suddenly she felt woozy. She stumbled toward the fireplace and clung to the mantel.
”You-you drugged me!”
The room spun and tilted in a frenzied whirl and Sadie tried to fight the darkness, but it won.
Chapter 17.