The Old House (Haunted Series Book 16) (22 page)

Mike caught Mia a hundred yards from shore.  Mia surrendered and let him dunk her.  She emerged from the water laughing.  “You win.”

“Was there any doubt?”

“Ed would have been ashamed of me,” Mia said.  “But I couldn’t hurt you and your pretty face.”

“Yes, it is pretty, isn’t it?” Mike said, treading water.  “Let’s go back.  Your husband is only tolerant for so long, Cooper.”

The two swam slowly back, exchanging gossip and barbs.  Mark swam out to them.  Mia and Mike cleaned up their language just in time.

“That was so cool.  You guys are friends, aren’t you?”

“The best of friends, Mark,” Mia assured him and Mike.

“No better adversary to have than a good friend,” Mike said, meaning it.

“When Mia took off running, it was like hell was at her heels,” Mark reported.

“She can run faster.  If hell was indeed at her heels, you wouldn’t believe how fast Mia can go.”

“‘He that fights and runs away, May turn and fight another day; But he that is in battle slain, Will never rise to fight again,’” Mia recited.

“Tacitus, good choice, Cooper,” Mike said.

“What does an old Roman have to do with ghost hunting?”  Mark asked.

“Whoa, that’s above my head. Mike?”

Mike took his time with his answer.  “Mark, we can learn so much from the past.  When you go into a place that echoes with trauma, you try to prepare for it by investigating the past and taking good advice from those who came before you.  Tacitus lived a long time ago, but still his words ring with truth.”

“‘Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty,’” Mia quoted the senator and historian again.

“My, my, a classical education. I’m impressed,” Mike said.

“Don’t be.  That’s all the reading material my parents had that wasn’t about old bones,” Mia said.  Once she felt the sandy bottom with her feet, she stopped swimming.  “It’s time to give my husband hell for not defending my honor,” Mia said, winking at Mark.

Mike and Mark watched as Mia strode out of the water and picked up a towel as she scanned the beach for a weapon.  She picked up the remaining icy pitcher of drinks and tossed it across Ted’s sun-warmed back.

Mia ended up in the water again, this time upside down after being dangled at the end of the dock for a few torturous minutes.

“Wow, that guy is strong for a string bean.”

“You have to be a very strong guy to be married to Mia, Mark.”

“She is awesome though.”

“Wait, kid, until you ghost hunt with her.  She is beyond awesome,” Mike said.

Ted jumped in after Mia.  Soon everyone else was in the water.  Glenda, mourning the waste of good gin, was pleased when Audrey handed her Brian.  Edie sat down next to her and smiled as Sam planted a beach umbrella over them.  Cid took off his shirt and strode towards the water.

“I hate to say it, but that one has me thinking inappropriate thoughts,” Edie said.

“He sure is a looker.  Now, honestly, look around at the men.  Looking at them all, would you have thought that the squirt, Mia, would have chosen that one?”

Mia rose out of the water on Ted’s shoulders, challenging Cid and Mark to a chicken fight.

“No, but love is a strange thing.  It doesn’t ask for permission, it hardly makes sense, and it is wonderful and horrible at the same time.  Sam wasn’t my parents’ choice, but I love him.”

“Same with Mike’s father.  I miss him.”

“How long has he been gone?”

“Long enough that I have to look at photos to remember his face,” she said sadly.

Edie patted her new friend’s arm.  “At least you have that handsome son.”

“Yes I do.”

“Looks like your grandson has bested, Mia,” Glenda said, laughing as Mia was pulled off of Ted’s shoulders.

Cid turned to Burt and Audrey, “You’re next.”

Burt looked over at his researcher.  “We’ve got my weight and your nails…”

She nodded and got on his shoulders.  Burt charged Cid.  Mark overreached, and the two toppled.

Mia, who was floating nearby, exhausted, laughed.  Ted swam around her.  “Are you having a good time?”

“Yes, the best.”

“They may be a trial at times, but they’re our extended family,” Ted said.  “I don’t know what I’d do without all of you,” he said seriously.

“Come on, let’s get that barbecue going.  I’m hungry.”  Mia raced to shore so she didn’t have to hear Ted say, “You’re always hungry, Mia.”

~

Murphy neared the old house.  He knew that Burt wanted Mia and the PEEPs to experience the place for the first time tomorrow on film, but since he wasn’t being photographed, he decided it was in all their best interest to check the place out for himself.  True to Mark’s words, the place had good bones.  The roofline was straight, and although the exterior foundation had a few cracks in it, the place was solid.

He was glad that his farmhouse hadn’t fallen this far into disrepair before Restoration Realty bought it and renovated it and the barn.  But this pleasant four-porch abode had faced more than its share of storms. Wind and snow had collapsed two of the porches.  The tin roof was peeling upwards on the north and west side.  He heard the family stirring inside.  They were weak at this time of day.  He didn’t want to disturb or frighten them.  Even with good intentions, a man arriving, toting an axe, has to be frightening.

He moved towards the ley line.  He pondered who was Burt’s
good authority
on the line?  Did he talk to Sabine or was Beverly communicating with the investigator?  Either way, he moved clear of the distortion, afraid of where it would take him.  He worked his way back to the cottage to find sunburned but happy PEEPs eating hotdogs and hamburgers.  Mia was spooning out another helping of baked beans.  She turned and looked at him.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Fine for now,” he said.  “Brian?”

“Sleeping. Ted has me wired so I can hear him.  Although, I’m sure Cid can hear him without one of these,” she said, lifting her hair and showing him the baby com.  The baby com was a bright blue disc that fit around Mia’s ear like an ear jacket.  “Thank you for coming.”

“I missed you.”

“Me too.”

Murphy smiled and moved on to torment Mike.

Mia, Mike, Mark and Burt went through a sound check before heading towards the house.  Sam decided to hang back and watch from the command center.  Ted pulled a chair over and told him what to look for.  Cid was busy bringing Jake online.  Jake would move Curly and the Oculars around to film as much as they could.  Burt wanted the place totally covered with cameras but not until after the first walkthrough.  Ted, however, wanted his wife protected, so he and Cid had worked out a plan to do so without compromising Burt’s wishes.

Sam watched as the little critters crawled out of the file boxes.  “You guys are amazing.”

Ted smiled.  Cid nodded.  Jake, as Marvin, took a bow.

“Mia, stall a moment,” Ted requested.  “I’m sending Curly around back.”

Mia nodded.  “Mike, I’m having a problem with my pack,” she said, arching her back, trying to reach behind her.

“Mia, you nasty thing,” Ted said, shaking his head.

Mike spent five minutes adjusting the pack as Mia did her best to distract the investigator while Burt fumed.

“Okay, Mia, we’re ready,” Ted said.  “We better sleep with our doors locked tonight,” Ted teased.

“I’m ready,” Mia said.

Mike looked at her oddly.

“Not for that. There’s a child here,” Mia scolded.

Burt sighed and gave Mia and Mike
that
look.  He turned to Mark and said, “Okay, Mark, I’m going to have you lead Mike around the interior of the place.  Mia will hang back a bit.  She needs a little room to sense things.  I want you to talk freely, but watch your language.  Remember we’re on television.  Cooper, that goes double for you.”

Mia saluted.

“If at any time you feel uncomfortable and want to leave, just say so.  If you can’t talk - sometimes that happens when a person gets scared - tap the earcom three times. Ted or Cid will talk for you.  We’ll get you out of there.  There are no heroics.  This is a simple walkthrough for us to assess the situation here.”

“If I see a ghost, can I speak to it?”

“Yes.  Please do,” Burt said and patted the young man on the shoulder.

“Okay, team, let’s go.  Mike, start with the introduction.”

“Hello, everyone.  Today, we are in northwestern Illinois with Mark Leighton.  He’s asked us to investigate an old house where he has seen evidence of ghosts.  Mark, tell us about the place and how you came to discover it.”

Mia looked around, taking in the ambiance.  She didn’t like the feeling she got, the closer she got to the house, but the moment she stepped onto the porch, the feeling changed.  Instead of malevolence, she felt benevolence.  She stepped down and malice returned.  She got back up on the porch.

Mark and Mike had entered the house.  Burt waited for her, and she rushed in.  This room was large, the ceiling high.  She suspected that it was a large company room of some kind.  The room started to waver, and she was about to call for help when it settled down, as if it knew she was frightened.  It slowly came into focus.  “Oh my,” Mia whispered.  “The room is showing itself to me.  It’s beautiful, Ted.  Rich but worn furniture, and there are rag rugs here and there.  Rich reds and browns.”

Mike and Mark stopped.  “Here is where I saw the man the first time.  He was bent over a desk.  He turned and seemed to act as if he knew I was there but wasn’t sure if he could trust his eyes.”

“I knew he was in the house,” Sam said.  “I’m not going to punish him, but I will speak to him.”

“The pull of a haunted house is too much for kids his age,” Cid told him.

Mia moved to the spot and ran her hand along the roll top desk.  She raised the lid and saw a stack of papers.  “He was writing a book,” she said.  “By hand.”  She looked at the top paper.  “He was calling it
Strawberry Wine
.  I wonder if it survived the cleanout.”

Burt focused in on his sensitive.  Mia was captivated by something they couldn’t see.  He watched the childlike wonder that filled her beautiful features.  Gone was the seductress that teased Mike.  Here was the innocent child that had yearned for acceptance.  He saw her as a child with scabby knees.  He touched his earcom.  “Ted, what are you seeing?”

“Mia looking at nothing we can see.”

“Is it normal Mia or…”

“She looks the same as when she went in there.  Why?”’

“I’m seeing a four, maybe five-year-old girl.”

“Look over at Mike and Mark. What do you see?” Cid asked.

“Mike’s in his baseball uniform.  There is a big grass stain on his knee.  Mark looks the same.”

“The house is showing you how you see Mike and Mia. They sometimes act like children, so you’re seeing them as children,” Cid explained.

“Oh shi-oot, back to the shrink,” Burt said.

“Mike, do me a favor and look over at Mia.  What are you seeing?” Cid asked him, putting a restraining hand on Ted’s arm.

“I… Oh my, I see the Ice Queen.”  Mike shook his head.  “She’s back to normal.  What the fu… fun was that?”

“The house is giving you all a gift,” Cid said.  “Mark, this is Cid.  Look over at Mia.  What do you see?”

“An angel with luminous wings.  She’s wearing armor, but it’s still Mia.”

Ted leaned back and put his hands through his hair a moment and then leaned into the microphone and instructed, “Burt, switch to the ultraviolet lens.”

Sam put his hand on Cid’s shoulder.  “What’s going on?”

“They are having hallucinations.  Mia is seeing the house as it once was.  The others have convoluted images of each other,” Cid explained.

“Mia, talk to Teddy Bear.”

“Ted, the house is so beautiful.  I feel a breeze.  I need to close a window.  The rain is coming, and I don’t want the carpet to be spoiled.”

Ted motioned to Murphy to go in there.  “I’m sending Murphy in to get all of you out, just until we figure this out.”

“If you think it’s necessary,” she said.

Murphy leaped onto the porch and moved quickly into the room. Mia looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time.  “Hello, have we met?”

“Mia, it’s Murph,” he said, touching her face.

Mia snapped out of it.  “Hey, Murph, what’s going on?”

“We have to get them out, now,” ordered Ted.

“K,” she said dreamily, falling quickly back into the vision of the beautiful room.

“Mia, wake up!”  Ted called.

“Cid, get them out now!” Ted said.

Cid launched himself out of the truck and was inside in a flash.  He guided Mike and Mark outside before returning for Burt.  He took the camera from the investigator.  Cid maintained a firm pressure on Burt’s back and helped him down the steps.  Audrey and Sam were there to help the men over the brambles.

Murphy saw the besotted teen before him.  He knew this was fake.  He reached out and pulled Mia to him.  He staggered out onto the porch.  Mia started to come around.  He tried to step down, but she pulled him back.  “Look!”

He looked down and didn’t see anything.

“It’s the pit.”

He picked her up and propelled himself off the porch, landing free of what Mia thought was the pit.

Ted had left the com.  Murphy placed Mia in his arms.  “She’s not here.”

“Come on, Mia.” Ted tapped her face.  Her eyes were cloudy, but the longer he held her, the clouds disappeared.

“Ted?” she said, looking around, surprised to see where she was.  “Whoa, you’ll never believe where and when I was.”

Ted pulled her to his chest.  He held her tight. Mia heard his heart beating fast.

She waited until he was calmer before she pushed away.  “Put the camera on me.  I have to tell you what I saw before it fades.”

Cid focused in, and Mia began to talk about the room and the manuscript she found.  “I think that it’s important to find it. It’s called
Strawberry Wine
.  The house wouldn’t have shown it to me otherwise.  That house is living.  I don’t know exactly how this is, but it’s a living entity.”

Burt walked over and smiled.  “And cut.”

Cid lowered the camera.  He was sweating bullets.  Murphy moved behind him.  He gently pulled him away from the house and over to the command truck before Cid went all wonky too.

Audrey walked over with Mark.  “See, she’s fine.  Sensitives get a giant dose of whatever the rest of us get.”

Mia looked over.  “Sorry to scare you.  I wasn’t afraid until Murphy was going to step into the pit that surrounds the house.”

“The bad-feeling areas,” Mark said.

“Yes,” Mia said.  “It surrounds the place.”

Audrey looked at Ted and saw the worry on his face.  The poor guy had to deal with this each time Mia reached out to the other world.  How helpless he must feel.

Mia reached over and grabbed Ted’s hand.  “I’m fine.  Maybe I’ll sit the next tour out.”

Burt spoke up, “Do you think it’s safe enough to do the architectural tour on the exterior?”

“If you stay one…” Mia’s eyelids drooped, and she shook herself awake.  “Stay two yards away.  Whoa, I need some caffeine.  I’m falling asleep.”

“You heard her.  Cid and Audrey, prepare to dodge some brambles.  We roll in five minutes,” Burt ordered.

Mia staggered towards the command center.  Ted scooped her up and carried her over to the lawn chair inside.  “No OOBing,” he said before he let her fall asleep.  He came back and placed a monitor patch on her chest.  He wasn’t taking any chances she was going to OOB out without him knowing it.

He sat down.  “Jake, roll film from Curly and the Oculars on monitor three.”

Ted watched as the bots’ feeds were coordinated time-wise, and he was given a three dimensional representation of the room.  He saw Mia looking at something in the corner. She had such an interesting expression on her face.  Mike and Mark were moving out of frame into what he suspected was the living room or front parlor.  Burt had started to change lenses when he became fixated on Mia and then Mike.  Curly’s special lens showed a slightly different picture.  There were waves rolling in and out of the place.  Mia wavered slightly as she got caught in their pull.  He saved this film on a separate flash drive before concentrating on the exterior architectural tour.

Mark and Sam climbed in the back and watched the filming.

Murphy walked alongside the team as they talked about the building, the land, and then had a discussion on spotting a house with good bones.  Ted sat back, loving the way Audrey and Cid debated structure and personal preferences.

“From the outside, this house is weathered.  It’s lost two porches,” Audrey pointed out.

“Porches are easy to build,” Cid said.  “Back before air conditioning, a good porch with a three foot or so overhang lent shade and outdoor living space to a home.  You don’t need four porches.”

“Wouldn’t this house lose its charm without them?” Audrey asked.

“Think about it with a wraparound porch instead.”

“And cut,” Burt said.  “Great place to put in drawings.  Good job, team.”

“That’s some duo there,” Sam said.  “I’m not into ghost hunting shows, but I’d watch to see those two debate old houses.”

“I think it’s a great new facet to explore,” Mia said from behind them.

“Morning, sunshine, have a nice nap?” Ted asked.

“Yes.  Sorry about that.  Sam, Mark, sometimes the echoes get inside of me, and it takes tremendous effort to pull out of the waking dream.  Fortunately, I had Murphy to pull me out of there and Ted to bring me back to this world,” Mia explained.  “It’s kind of worrying, considering that doesn’t happen unless I put my bare hands on things.”

“Or people,” Mike reminded her from the outside of the truck.

“Yes, people, but I’m learning to block most input.  It’s like stealing thoughts.  It unsettles me.”

“Things forbidden have a secret charm,” Mike quoted.

“Ah but ‘All enterprises that are entered into with indiscreet zeal may be pursued with great vigor at first, but are sure to collapse in the end,’” she countered.

“Grandpa Sam, they can quote Tacitus.”

“I find it amazing myself,” Ted said, looking from Mia to Mike.  “You are the last two people on earth that I’d ever think read, let alone could quote Tacitus.”

“See, Mia, he thinks we’re stupid.”

“Wait, I didn’t say that,” Ted defended.

“Don’t worry, Mike. He can’t equate that pretty people can be smart,” Mia said and hopped off the trailer.  “Now let’s see if Burt has enough energy for another try.”

“Doghouse time,” Sam said and patted Ted’s back.  “I suggest flowers or chocolates.  It worked for me and my foot-in-mouth ways for forty years.”

Mark giggled.  “She winked at me as she left.  She’s not mad.”

“Phew.  You don’t want a mad Mia around.  She’s unpredictable,” Ted said, googling florists in the area.

“I say we try it again but move faster through the big room.  It’s the heart of the house.  Let’s get some film on the downstairs at least,” Mia said.