Mystery of the Windowed Closet Read online

  George spoke in Levi’s voice, “Adda, It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

  As the voice slowly faded away, George came out of his trance shaking his head as if he were just awakening from a deep sleep.

  “Are you ok George?” I asked.

  “Yes, my knee doesn’t hurt anymore. What happened?”

  Susan went to his side, putting her hand on his shoulder she said, “You’ve been in the trance about an hour longer than we were. Do you remember anything?”

  “I remember fighting with Daniel. Then, he seemed to disappear. I still heard Adda crying and pleading for someone to help her, but that too faded away. Was the blue bottle helpful?”

  “It was more than helpful, but there’s something we don’t understand.” Susan said.

  “What’s that?” he replied.

  “During the séance a question was asked- what the barn had to do with the house. Reacting violently the bottle spun around several times, then flew off the table and smashed against the wall. We were so anxious to follow a mist that we thought might be Daniels spirit we never noticed you weren’t with us. When we hurried back to the kitchen, we found you still here. Somehow, the shattered pieces of the bottle came together, and it was back on the table pointing at you.”

  Don picked up the bottle carefully examining it. “That’s strange. I don’t see a crack in it anywhere.”

  “Well, I told you it has the power to move on its own,” George replied.

  Looking at George with the statement he made, Don said. “I was a little skeptical when you said it George, but believe me, I’ll never deny what I’ve witnessed.”

  Don asked, “Delores, what’s your opinion on the bottle coming back together?”

  “I didn’t want to say anything, but with George telling us about it moving from room to room, I know now that it moved on its own in our motel room last night.”

  “It moved by itself?” I exclaimed.

  “Yes: When we got back to the room last night, I put it on the dresser. When I woke up this morning, it was on the floor next to the front door. I thought Don had put it there not wanting to forget it, but he said he never touched it. George gave it to me, but I think it wants to stay with him. I’d be afraid to keep it now. It obviously has a great deal of power, and the power seems to be with George and his family.”

  “Why do you say that? Do you think the haunting is finished?” I asked.

  “I think it may be. What do you think Sue?” Delores asked.

  “Let’s go over what we’ve learned. First of all, Daniels parents must have left the meeting after they saw Daniel wasn’t there, and Levi leaving.

  They no doubt went to the meeting in a carriage, and that’s evident by the carriage going up and down the road, looking for the house Adda and Levi lived in. The reason for their delay in getting there was probably from the road being so muddy. The carriage wouldn’t be able to travel very fast. As Adda remarked, ‘It’s been raining for days, won’t it ever stop?’ By the time they reached Levi’s, the house no longer existed and had since been replaced by the current home. The barn that had been the original structure was added to and didn’t appear the same because of the addition.”

  “Then how did they get from their time period to the present?” I asked.

  “It could be that the spirit of Daniel remained fixed on this location. Remember, where he hung himself still exists and he used that place, still wanting to be with Adda. When she was transported into the future by the tragedy of the more recent fire, he wasn’t able to bridge that gap.”

  “Then why is Levi in the same time period?” Frank asked.

  “He isn’t. Do you remember him saying I can hear you, but the house is different?”

  “Yes, I remember.”

  “The only connection Levi has to the house as far as I can understand is him being murdered by Daniel and his love for Adda. His failure to heed Adda’s warning, leaving her on such a stormy night might have something to do with it, but as I said, it isn’t an exacted science. What’s your opinion, Delores?”

  “It could also be the anxiety of Levi trying to get here and not being able to save Adda and their son,” Delores replied, “Like you said, ‘It isn’t an exacted science.’ As far as the happenings at the barn, I think you’re correct. That part is over with. As far as I can tell, the spirits in the house are no longer angry. Daniel’s not here and will probably never return. Levi realizes Adda’s in a different time period and since they can’t seem to connect. Levi telling her, ‘It’s not her fault.’ justifies in their mind the loss of Joshua, from her not being able to find him. With Levi’s voice fading, I think Adda chose to go back to the beginning of their marriage, when she was the same contented spirit I felt when I touched the stone with the word ‘Smythe’ inscribed on it in the basement.”

  I looked at Delores warily saying, “Then that means Adda may always be present,”

  “Not necessarily. Sometimes without the connecting spirits, they leave, or become dormant. That’s something you’ll have to wait to find out. If she isn’t gone, at least she won’t be demanding.”

  Don suddenly threw in a dig. “At least not like your ex.” We laughed.

  We were all still visibly shaken when Susan added, “It’s amazing. We’ve just witnessed something that happened over 200 years ago. A tragedy of love and murder, and we were able to live it firsthand. Ray, I think your problems are solved. I have a feeling they’re gone.”

  “Sue, without the power of you and Delores, I know we would have never solved this, I’m glad you came.” Turning to Frank I asked, “Frank, do you have any doubts now about what your sister was going through?”

  “No: but I realize what she meant by the hairs standing up on the back of her neck. Mine are still standing!”

  “Mine too!” replied June.

  “Come on George, I’ll get you home now.”

  “Not so fast,” he replied. “Last evening, I was invited for a cup of coffee with a shot of whiskey by Frank and his wife. I don’t want to get cheated out of my fee. I knew my grandmother spoke in the spirit world, but she probably never had any experiences like this- like to scare me to death. I’m ready for that coffee.”

  We laughed as we got up from the table.

  “I’m not quite finished with the spirit world yet either,” Don revealed.

  “What are you talking about? Do you still feel something?” I asked.

  “No. The spirit world I’m referring to is in Delores’s bag. I packed my own bottle of spirits for this trip.”

  “I think the coffee’s a good idea. Frank, if you don’t mind being the host,” I said.

  “June won’t mind. I think scaring up these ghosts created a monster. She’ll be looking for somethin’ else that will scare the hell out of me,” then laughed.

  As we walked off the front porch to go to Frank’s, I locked the door behind us saying, “It’s October, and Halloween is two days away. Hopefully I’ll be rid of my tenants who aren’t paying rent as you said, Sue. I wonder if it’s all worth it. Maybe I should have just done what Don suggested- tear the house down and start over again.”

  “I don’t think so Ray,” she replied. “If you need a little help, you can always call on me.”

  “You’re welcome to come, but I’ve always been told that two women in the same kitchen are bad luck.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Suddenly I had a serious thought, “Maybe it isn’t such a laughing matter. Adda was still here, and that means something must be still holding her. What could it be? Could it be the toddler? Without mentioning it to the others, I realized if she manifested herself in any way, I’d have to have another séance to rid her from my home. The power of the blue bottle and Susan’s ability may just do the trick. For now- I could postpone thinking about it. November was the m
onth that Frank’s sister was relieved of the problem- that was, until the next October, when the cool crisp air returns and the leaves begin to fall.

  Hopefully, as Sue expressed, maybe my spirits are gone and I won’t have to deal with them again- Or will I?

  The End?????

  Look for the sequel, “Mist in the Blue Bottle,”

  coming in the fall of 2020.

  Other publications forthcoming by this author:

  Coming in the fall of 2019: “New Hope,” a fiction murder mystery that takes place in a theatre in New Hope, Penna.

  You can also look into a current publication by this author, titled “Veronica.” a fiction murder mystery that takes place on Long Beach Island, New Jersey.