Echoes (Whisper Trilogy Book 2) (27 page)

“That won’t work, Mr. Samson,” Dane said. “The show format works better if the two of you are in separate locations. More drama.”

“I don’t give a shit about drama or this show. My only concern is for my wife’s safety.”

“Steve, it’s okay.” Melody said quietly.

“No it’s not okay. This has been one screw up after another since we got here.” He turned towards Dane. “Either we stay together, or we go home. It’s your call.”

“Mr. Samson, your contract clearly states—”

“I don’t give a shit what the contract says. I say we stay together.”

Dane exhaled, and looked around the group, who all watched him for a response.

“Okay, sunset is due at around five-fifteen tonight, so if you could all join your respective teams in the lobby at around ten past, we can be on our way. Those who are on my team, it’s looking like it could rain tonight, so make sure you dress for it just in case. This is going to be a great show people. Try to enjoy it. Mr. and Mrs. Samson, you and I can discuss this better in private.”

As people dispersed, craning their necks to see if they could catch anymore of the conversation, Dane sat down and motioned Steve and Melody to join him. They reluctantly sat.

“Fred, could you just give us a few minutes to talk?” Dane said to the producer.

“Yeah, no worries. I’ll make myself scarce.”

They waited until they were alone, and Dane rapped his fingers on his clipboard.

“Look, off the record. I completely understand why you are concerned about this. Believe me, my brother knows my feeling on this too. I told him he should have left you both alone and out of this. Unfortunately, Henry has always been stubborn.”

“I appreciate that,” Steve said, calmer now the scrutiny of the crowd was off him. “Surely you understand where I’m coming from. I can’t leave my wife alone out there. It’s far beyond anything we are willing to do.”

“I get it, truly I do. All I wanted to point out to you was how different this is to the picture we’ve painted. I can see how the initial idea of being separated really does seem illogical, however, the reality is that this is a television show. At no time will any of you be alone. We have crew members out there with you, as well as the rest of the teams.”

“That may be so. No matter what you have, I get the impression you’re not taking this entire situation seriously,” Steve said, giving Melody’s hand a gentle squeeze. “We’ve already lost a lot to this place. More than anyone could ever understand. Just coming back here has taken a huge amount of effort. Splitting up just doesn’t feel right.”

“Steve, it’s okay,” Melody said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t mind if we have to be separated for a while.” She turned towards Dane. “Will it be for very long?”

Dane shook his head. “An hour, two tops.”

“I think we can handle that, don’t you?” she said to Steve.

“I don’t like the thought of leaving you alone.”

“I won’t be alone. It’s not like before. A couple of hours. Let’s just get it done and we can go home.”

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”

“Want? No, I don’t at all. What I want is for this to be over so we can get back to our lives. I’m too tired to argue anymore. Let’s just do what they ask.”

“I don’t like this, any of it. Not after what happened last time.”

“This is different. Whatever I felt back then, whatever aura or magic it held, it isn’t here anymore. This is just a hotel. It doesn’t scare me. Two hours is a good price to pay if it means we get our lives back.”

“You’re absolutely sure about this?”

Melody nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Don’t feel pressured into agreeing.”

She smiled, a genuine, warm expression which, for a brief second, banished away the years of stress and toil.

“This place doesn’t scare me anymore. I thought it would, in fact, I thought I would run out of here screaming. Whatever was here died with the house. I’ll be absolutely fine.”

Steve nodded and turned to Dane. “Okay, it looks like you have your way.”

“Please don’t take this personally. I’m just doing my job the same as everyone else. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have dragged you up here. It doesn’t seem fair.”

“If only your brother had felt the same way…” Steve said as he got out of the chair, wincing and gritting his teeth.

“You okay there?” Dane asked.

“I’m fine. I don’t need any help.”

“I personally guarantee you, everything will be fine. This isn’t my first rodeo. Paranormal investigation is my bread and butter. It’s how I put food on the table.”

Steve wanted to tell him he was wrong, and despite his confidence, he couldn’t possibly comprehend what it was like to feel the violating presence of whatever once inhabited the house. He chose not to though, partly because he suspected it would be a complete waste of his time, and in part because Melody was right. Nothing at all about their stay to date had given any indication of the sinister atmosphere which had accompanied their brief stay at Hope House. Maybe, just maybe, they were worrying over nothing. Worries or no worries, thanks to Henry, he still had to come clean to Melody about what had happened on the night of the fire. He had been telling the lie for so long he hoped he could remember the truth. He was partly relieved to be getting it off his chest and ridding the last demon from the dark place inside him. He looked at Dane and took Melody’s hand in his.

“If anything happens to her tonight, I’ll be coming after you.”

“I promise you, everything will be fine.”

“It better be. I’m not happy about this, not happy at all. My wife makes her own decisions and I support them, even if I don’t agree.”

“Understood. You have nothing whatsoever to worry about.”

“Okay then, in that case, I suppose we’ll see you in a few hours.”

They walked arm in arm to the lobby, neither looking back. Seeing the coast was now clear, Fred approached Dane, and stood beside him.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. Just a few nerves. Can’t say I blame them really. It must be hard to come back here.”

“Lucky for us they did, eh?”

“Yeah, I suppose it is,” Dane mumbled.

“This is gonna be a great show. I can feel it. This place has a hell of an atmosphere.”

“You feel it too?” Dane said, half turning towards Fred.

“From the minute I got here. I was fine even as far as the road in, then it felt like I’d crossed a line and I could feel it. You were spot on when you described it like the air before a storm.”

“I’m glad it’s not just me, then. When the Samson woman said she didn’t feel anything here, I thought it was just my imagination.”

“Definitely not. There’s an energy here, that’s for sure.”

“As you know, I’m not easily freaked out, but I’ll be the first to admit I don’t like this place. I can’t quite explain it, being here makes me feel…”

“Dirty,” Fred cut in, a brief smile forming on his fleshy lips. “It makes you feel like you need to shower and wash off whatever is in the air.”

“Yes!” Dane said.

Fred had nailed the feeling exactly. The place felt grimy.

“Hardly a surprise really,” Fred went on. “When you look at the history of the place and what happened here, all those deaths, it’s no surprise something got left behind.”

“Let’s just hope it leaves us to do our job,” Dane muttered.

“This coming from our great skeptic? I never thought I’d see you become a believer.”

“It’s not that I’m a believer, it’s more I have less reason to disbelieve now. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, I think it does actually,” Fred mused, clapping Dane on the shoulder. “All the more reason to have a great show and get the hell out of here, eh?”

“Absolutely. I don’t mind admitting I’m not looking forward to this, Fred. Not one bit.”

“It’ll be fine, I guarantee it. Is everyone in place, the actors in the woods I mean?”

“Yeah, they know what to do and when to do it, although I feel bad about it.”

“Come on, think about it. We go out there, give these people the scare of their lives. They get an experience they’ll never forget, we get to keep our jobs, and your brother gets this place off to a successful start. Win-win if you ask me, eh?”

“I suppose so. Either way we can’t do anything about it now. I’m gonna go get some rest. I’ll see you back down here at five.”

“Is there a room for me to freshen up in?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Dane said with a grin. “My mind is all over the place. Come with me and I’ll get you a key to one of the empty rooms.”

VII

The rain had held off until just after four. Then, for an hour, a light drizzle had been falling, giving the trees a glossy sheen. Melody was standing by the window, looking at the light fading over the treetops, and attempting to come to terms with what Steve had just told her. It was one puzzle which had never been filled in. On the night of the fire, after she’d regained control of her body and managed to climb back down the tree, she had run back to the house. The glow illuminated the night sky. The heat had been savage, and she was sure that Steve must be dead. It was only then she’d seen him face down in the snow, his skin an angry red and peeling from muscle and tendons beneath. She’d had no idea what had happened. It was only later, when his burns had been dressed and his status had changed from critical to stable, that they were able to talk. She had no reason to doubt him when he’d told her Donovan had broken in with the intention of getting revenge on Steve for attacking him in his shop. It was perfectly plausible when Steve had told her that Donovan had started the fire, not anticipating how quickly the old wood would take flame, and had become trapped and perished while Steve barely escaped with his life. It was the version of events they’d both told the authorities, who’d promptly closed the case, seeing no reason to further investigate. Their prime suspect was already dead and had left a trail of horrific crimes behind him. Questioning that version of events had never entered her mind. There was no scenario where she could have seen Steve having the desire or reason to lie to her about it, something which had changed thanks to Henry Marshall.

After he’d left their room, and Steve had asked her to sit down, he’d told her part of the truth, and after leaving Dane in the foyer, he’d filled in the rest. Although she had been angry about the deception initially, now she had taken the time to chew it over, she fully understood why he’d done it. Life had been hard enough in those first few months without having potential murder charges thrown into the mix. It could even have been worse if Steve had told the authorities about how Donovan’s spirit had inhabited its own dead body, and Steve had been helped by the spirit of a slave who had died in the early eighteen-hundreds.

Nevertheless, the lies had hurt, especially as he had been so convincing and equally as good at hiding them for nigh on eight years. It was obvious Marshall had something to tie Steve directly to the circumstances of Donovan’s death, otherwise it wouldn’t have been mentioned. She was starting to build up a picture of Henry Marshall, and it wasn’t one she particularly liked. Here was a man who was manipulative, ruthless and single-minded. He also seemed incredibly determined to make the hotel venture a success. It was these factors which had made them dismiss any thought of it being some kind of bluff. Steve had conceded there was every chance the evidence was there if the investigators chose to look closer, and it was for that reason they had felt compelled to stay and do as they had been asked, even without any guarantees Marshall would even stick to the agreement. It was all hinged on a combination of hope and blind faith.

Steve put his hands on her shoulders and kissed the back of her head.

“We can do this,” he said, joining her in looking out over the forest.

“I’m not sure I can.”

“I know you can. Think about Isaac. We’re doing this for him.”

“I know. I just keep thinking about what happened last time… what if it happens again?”

“It’s different now. We’re with people. All we have to do is get through this next few hours then we can go home.”

She stayed quiet for a moment, content to be close to her husband.

“Do you remember the last time we looked at this view?” she said eventually.

“Yeah. It was sunset when we first came to look around. I remember how beautiful you looked in the sunlight. It’s a memory I’ll never forget.”

“It’s hard to believe how quickly things changed. Those people who we were are as much a part of this place’s past as anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the people we were are gone now. They died with the house. We’re… different now. We’re broken. Shells of who we were.”

Steve gently turned her to face him, and looked her in the eye.

“I don’t believe that. In fact, I think if anything we’re stronger now than before.”

“How so?”

“Look at what happened. Donovan trying to rape you. The near drowning in the river. The baby. The fire. Dealing with what came after.” He smiled at her on the one side of his face which still moved and took her hands in his. “We couldn’t have handled that if we weren’t strong. I know for a fact I wouldn’t have made it through the surgeries and those dark times when I was stuck in the hospital without you. I leaned on you hard, and you never wavered. You were a rock.”

“I don’t see it,” she said as tears blurred her vision.

“You should. Maybe it’s coming back here that finally made it clear to me. Either way I get it now. You think I saved your life and feel guilty for it. The truth is you saved mine.”

“I don’t understand,” she whispered.

“When I was in that hospital bed after the fire, the pain so bad even the slightest movement was agonizing, I always knew you were there. Whenever I would feel like giving up, whenever I felt like I would rather die than continue to suffer any more agony, I fought because I knew you were there for me. You made me fight enough to be able to see my son grow up.”

“We’ve never talked about this before,” she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

“It never seemed right. And of all places I didn’t expect it to happen was here. I think because of everything else we’ve talked about today, this was as good a time as any. Maybe this is what was meant to happen. Maybe we were supposed to come back here to resolve this and wipe the slate clean. Maybe, just maybe, this will give us some closure. Let’s face this head on, let’s deal with this then we can get out of here and start to live our lives again.”