Harrison Investigations 1 Haunted (19 page)

Arabella, hearing of the wedding, was furious, but perhaps
more convinced that she must snag her errant lover into marriage.
Ryan was heading off to battle, and against the British, no one
believed that the pathetic little American army had a chance.
To be close to her new husband, Mary followed him around the
country as he went to war.

But somewhere in those days, the ambitious Arabella disappeared.
Regan himself was finally drawn into the battle, and killed
at Monmouth. Ryan Stone survived the war and returned with his
beloved Mary who produced no fewer than eleven children for him,
ten daughters and one son, who then proceeded to inherit the house
in his turn.

"Arabella!" Darcy murmured aloud.

She closed her eyes, and waited, trying very hard to open her
senses and her mind. She thought of the dreams or visions that had
plagued her.

The man, outside the house, coming in.

The woman, waiting.

It would make sense, she thought. Since apparently
Arabella wanted marriage and legitimacy, and Regan Stone
wanted nothing more than a mistress, they would have definitely
argued. If their affair was as passionate as claimed in the
history, they would have argued with a fervor.

Arabella probably knew intimate secrets about her lover.

She could easily have become a burden to him.

A tap at the door made Darcy jump.

"Yes?" Darcy said, drawn from her musings.

Carter stuck his head in the door. ' 'Hey, you've been at it a
long time. Dinner is ready. And you've had a long day. A rough
fall. Maybe it wasn't quite a Humpty Dumpty thing-you're not in
pieces and you're certainly all together nicely-but still, you need
a break."

"Thanks, Carter," she said. "And you're right. I'm coming.
Dinner sounds great."

He waited for her at the door. When she rose, put the book back,
and joined him, he slipped an arm around her in a brotherly
fashion.

"You're not scared off, are you?"

"Not in the least."

"Good. There's no way that a fall in the library had anything to
do with a ghost here."

"No, of course not," Darcy agreed. "They were just old
floorboards."

As they walked through the breezeway to the foyer, the front
door opened. Matt was back, in uniform. Darcy felt a bit strange,
noticing the way he looked over her close proximity to Carter.
Maybe Carter noticed Matt's look as well. His arm fell from her
shoulders.

"Hey, hardworking lawman," Carter said. "You made it back just
in time for dinner."

Matt nodded, glancing at Darcy. "You feeling all right?"

She made an effort not to grit her teeth. "I'm really feeling
terrific. You were the one who hit the floor, remember?"

"Ah, yes, the valiant, manly man of a sheriff!" Carter teased,
and yet, Darcy thought that there was just a slight edge to his
voice." Of course, Darcy is fine. She fell on all that terrific
muscle and sinew, eh, Matt?"

"Something like that," Matt said dryly.

Penny appeared in the foyer. "Matt! Great. I'm so happy you're
back in time for a real dinner. Where did you get to? You weren't
answering the cell, and Shirley said that you'd left the
station."

"I had some business out of the county," Matt said simply, still
looking at Darcy. Then he turned to Penny at last. "Go on and start
dinner without me. I'm going to take a quick shower and change. If
you'll all excuse me?"

It wasn't really a question; more of a statement. He headed up
the stairs.

"Well, ladies?" Carter said. He offered them both an arm.

Penny smiled and took one. "Honestly. You and Clint can be the
most wretched young reprobates in history, but then, you can be the
most darling men I know."

"We strive for 'darling'!" Carter said. "Come along." He looked
at Darcy, wiggling his free arm. "I'm working so hard on being
'darling,' Darcy. Give me a hand here!"

She smiled and accepted his arm.

"You should shave, Carter," Penny told him.

"I've worked long and hard on this beard!" he told her.

"You're still such a handsome fellow without it," Penny
argued.

"But I don't look like Jeb Stuart without it!" Carter
protested.

Penny sighed and looked around him to tell Darcy, "They called
Jeb Stuart 'Beauty' when he was at West Point, and not because of
his good looks, but because they thought that he was ugly as sin.
So he had to grow a beard! Carter, it's just the opposite with you.
You have a great face. The beard should really go. What do you say,
Darcy?"

Put on the spot, she shrugged. "I think he has to do what makes
him happy with himself," she said.

Carter studied her, slowly grinning. "That's the whole crust of
life, right in a nutshell, don't you think? We all have to do what
we all have to do-to be happy with ourselves."

"While we're living-and when we're dead," Penny said. She
shivered suddenly. "Oh, Darcy! I like you so very much, but I sure
do wish that you'd leave. I'm so worried about you."

"Penny, there's an expression that's not very nice, but it fits
the bill, I think," Darcy told her, then quoted, "It's not
happening. So five with it."

Penny grimaced. "That's just the point, Darcy," she said, and
there was a real shiver to her voice. ' 'I Want you to live!"

Clint came striding to the foyer from the dining room. "Excuse
me, people, but dinner is served!"

Penny walked ahead, touching Clint's cheek. "We're coming! But
stalling a minute is fine, too. Matt's home, showering and
changing."

"Well, then, Ms. Penny, you come and tell that to the cook!"
Clint said.

Clint and Penny moved on. Darcy started to follow.

Carter pulled her back. "Darcy, something there just gave me
chills, and I don't believe in chills. Maybe you should think about
this."

"What are you talking about?" Darcy asked him.

' 'I don't know. Just a feeling of discomfort. I don't think
that I believe that a ghost could be after you. No, I
definitely don't believe that. But still..."

"Still...what?" Darcy asked.

"There does seem to be some danger here for you," Carter said,
his words slow, as if he was struggling to understand his own
feeling. Then the look of worry left his face. "You're just too
gorgeous. Which means, of course, we'd like to have you around
forever. But not as a ghost! We want you to remain among the
living. Oh, what the hell am I saying? Come, my beauty! The dinner
table awaits."

Caught in his arm, Darcy walked with him toward the dining
room.

Then she was startled herself.

An icy chill suddenly swept up around her. Cold, so cold.

And she felt a strange tug....

As if someone was trying to get her away from Carter.

Keep her back.

Have her there...

Alone.

______ 9____

"So, our skull proves to be that of poor Amy, who has been
running around the forest looking for her head for years," Clint
said, helping himself to more mashed potatoes. "This means we
have to have a nice little ceremony and bury her skull, right?" He
looked at Matt.

"Oh, but of course!" Penny exclaimed, before Matt could
speak.

Matt arched a brow to her.

"We should bury it quietly," he said. "If we have a ceremony,
every idiot journalist from here to Alaska will be in the place,
making a big deal out of it."

"Matt, really!" Penny said with disgust.

Matt might be exaggerating, but he also had a point. People
loved stories like this one; the
New York Times
might not
pounce on it, but small papers and sensationalist rags from all
over would jump on that kind of a story.

"Actually," Carter said, "it wouldn't be so bad. It would be a
nice thing. A tidy end to the story. And the journalists would have
to write up the fact that the ghost had been put to rest. Once put
to rest, there would be no more hauntings. Right, Darcy?"

Darcy set her fork down. "The skull should be buried with the
rest of the body. Having a minister officiate would be nice.
Exactly what goes on other than that probably doesn't matter."

"None of it really matters anyway," Matt said. He sounded
irritated. Naturally. He didn't believe in ghosts.

Darcy chose her words carefully. "Whether Amy's ghost ever
actually ran around the forest or not isn't the point. We bury
people out of respect for the lives they led, and for those loved
ones left behind. Granted, Amy doesn't have any remaining relatives
in the area-that we know about-but she was still a living,
breathing human being. A pitiable one, considering the way that she
was murdered. In all due respect, we should see that her skull is
buried with her body."

Matt hesitated, then said, "Her skull can go near her body. She
was buried more than a century ago. God knows what shape she'd be
in now. The coffin was probably simple wood, long since
deteriorated. There are different laws regarding burial now. We can
do our best-since I suppose you're right, that it would be proper."
He looked around the table. "Go into any major museum, and you'll
find bones and skulls coming out of the woodwork. Dead is dead. If
there truly is life after death, I'd say it's pretty well confirmed
that we don't need our physical bodies once we get there."

"Matt, there's not a bit of the romantic in you!" Penny
moaned.

"What is romantic about a tragic murder?''

"The simple lightness of seeing that she is whole again, at
least in her final resting place," Penny said firmly.

Matt shrugged. "Penny, we'll see that the skull is
interred near the body, all right?"

"And we'll have a little ceremony?" Penny pleaded.

He threw up his hands. "Whatever you wish, Penny."

"Hey," Darcy asked, determined to change the subject. "Did any
of you all ever hear of a woman named Arabella?"

"Yes, there is a story about Arabella," Penny began. "She was
supposedly the bastard child of a far distant Stone who tried to
seduce the legitimate heir, eons ago. Scheming, conniving, and all.
But he married someone else. And she disappeared from the legend.
Why? Were you reading about her?"

"Yes, just now."

Penny was excited. "There's no story about her dying a violent
death."

"But she disappeared. Maybe she was murdered. She could be the
haunt in the Lee Room."

Matt pushed back his chair. ' 'Excuse me, ladies,
gentlemen. I hear the night air calling to me."

"But Matt!" Penny said.

He didn't reply. He pushed his chair in, then looked at Darcy.
"You're sure you're all right?"

They had managed to go through the entire meal without referring
to the episode in the library.

Darcy sighed. "I'm fine," she said.

"When you're tired, go up," he warned.

"Darcy, he's right," Clint said, looking at her
worriedly.

"I'm fine," she persisted.

"I agree. You looked darned good to me," Carter said
lightly.

Matt turned and walked out of the dining room. Penny folded her
hands and looked at Darcy excitedly again. "Arabella! I can see
what you're thinking. She disappeared from the records and
the area-because she was dead. Murdered by her traitorous lover. In
the Lee Room!"

"Something like that," Darcy said.

Carter groaned. "There wasn't a body."

"Oh, posh! A man who knew the area-years ago, before
forensic sciences were so advanced-could easily dispose of a
body," Penny said. She looked earnestly at Darcy. "I watch all the
forensic shows, so I know about these things."

Darcy looked down, hiding a smile. Then she looked at Carter.
"I'm afraid that even today, with all the police work and forensic
technology available, lots of bodies still disappear, and many
murderers go unpunished."

"I suppose," Carter said. With a shrug he added. "I'll let you
ladies play,
Murder, She Wrote.
'' He stretched and yawned.
"If you'll excuse me. I think I'm going to head out to play some
pool. Anyone want to join me?"

He looked hopefully around the table.

"Not tonight," Clint said.

"You sure?" Carter asked. "Darcy?"

She shook her head. "Thanks. Maybe tomorrow night."

Clint laughed. "Carter, you don't need to look like an old
hanged dog. I heard that our lovely new young city commissioner,
Delilah, plays pool a lot of evenings. Ah, hm. I'll bet you knew
that. Makes the Wayside Inn so much more appealing, huh?"

"She may be there, she may not," Carter said.

"Why don't you just ask her out?" Darcy suggested.

"Well, since I'm barking up the wrong tree following you around
like a coonhound with his tongue on the ground, I might as
well."

Darcy smiled at him, certain that he was joking, but feeling
just a little bit uncomfortable anyway. But Carter's smile deepened
and he winked. "So I should just ask her out, huh?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," she said.

"I'll give it some real thought. Meanwhile, I'm going to go play
pool and see if I run into her. Night, all."

With a wave, he left the room.

Penny stood. "Heavens. I forgot to make those fellows help clean
up!"

"I'd like a little busywork right now," Darcy told her. "We'll
get this all picked up in a matter of minutes."

She stood, gathering plates. Clint rose with her. "I guess I
didn't run out fast enough," he said, moaning to Penny, giving
Darcy a quick grimace.

"Young man, work is good for you."

"I'll have you know that I actually have lots of irons in the
fire. I'm just not sharing my activities until I have something
really sound to say."

Penny eyed him skeptically. "Hm." Then she took a casserole
plate and moved on into the kitchen.

Darcy rinsed dishes while Clint put them into the
dishwasher. He was amusing as they worked, finding a way to
break into a song regarding every comment Penny made as she put
leftovers into containers and then into the refrigerator.