Ghost Girl in Shadow Bay: A Young Adult Haunted House Mystery (19 page)

"And what about Bry?"

"What about him?"

"Does he know you think his dad might be in
danger?"

"I haven't told him about what some would
call my silly omen," Peyton confessed. "Not exactly what you want
to bring up with your boyfriend between kisses."

"But don't you think you should--silly or
not?" Erica practically demanded. "I would if it were my guy's dad.
At least Bry could be prepared for the possibility rather than
caught completely off guard. If nothing happens, then you can play
it off as just some big misunderstanding. Either way you'd be
covered."

"You're right," Peyton said. Whether it was
risky or not to bring it up to Bryant, she owed it to him and Luke
to share her concern with them. Even if she came across as going
too far in her supernatural ramblings to the guy she was in love
with.

Better safe than very sorry.

Peyton chatted a bit longer with Erica, who
managed to cheer her up in spite of the weighty subject matter.
Erica promised to call on September 6th to make sure no one had run
into harm's way.

For Peyton, that day couldn't come and go
fast enough for more reasons than one. She felt like crying,
knowing it would be the third anniversary of her father's death. It
was the type of heartache she wouldn't wish on anyone.

Peyton also wouldn't want anyone to have to
go through the anguish Caitlyn St. Claire had fifty years ago.

Least of all my own family.

* * *

The next day during lunch hour at school,
Peyton and Bryant sat at a table outside. She'd told him she wanted
to talk, keeping him in suspense and her nerves on edge.

"What's up?" He lifted an apple from his
tray and bit off a chunk.

"It's probably nothing," she prefaced
uneasily, "but I wanted to mention it anyway."

His gaze narrowed. "Sounds serious. More
problems with Caitlyn or the house?"

"Not exactly."

This was much harder than Peyton wanted it
to be. And just when things were going so good between them. What
would he think now?

"Then what?" he asked anxiously.

She sighed, putting her tuna sandwich down.
"My stepfather brought a shotgun home yesterday. He said it was for
an ad campaign--"

"Yeah, so?" Bryant urged her along.

"So the night before I had a dream about
Vance using such a gun to, uh...shoot me, my mother...and
your
dad--"

He arched his brows. "You mean like Byron
St. Claire shot his wife, Caitlyn, and the caretaker fifty years
ago?"

"Yes," she gulped. "Look, I know it sounds
crazy, but I really am worried that there's some connection between
what happened then and what's happening now. Or what could happen
in the future--"

Bryant took another bite of the apple. "Are
you saying you think my dad and your mom are--?"

"No, I'm not saying that," Peyton made
clear. "I know they're not having an affair. Problem is...I'm
afraid that this simple fact may get lost in the shuffle if history
is determined to repeat itself."

"I'm not sure I'm following you--"

She made herself look into his eyes. "Okay,
I know I'm not making much sense, but I believe it's possible that
Byron St. Claire is pulling the strings somehow--with Caitlyn and
me just pawns--setting the stage for another horrible crime in that
house on September 6th."

"Wow, that's some theory." Bryant put the
apple down, frowning. "If it were anyone else, I'd just dismiss it
as crazy talk. But with the things that have been happening to you
in that house...who knows?"

"I don't want to freak you out or anything,"
Peyton said guiltily. "I mean, September 6th will probably pass
without anything happening. I sure hope so. I just wanted to warn
you and have you tell Luke to...I don't know, be extra careful that
day. Maybe even stay away from the house--"

"Okay, I'll do my part to make sure dad
stays put that day." He paused. "Now I want you to do something for
me..."

Peyton held her breath. "What?"

Bryant took her hand. "If nothing does
happen that day, I want you to try and put the haunted house thing
to rest. I believe you are somehow connected to Caitlyn's ghost.
But you can't let her or the house dictate your life by messing
with your head. Otherwise you'll just be miserable. I don't want
you to regret moving to Shadow Bay...or us being together--"

"I don't regret coming here and I
definitely
don't regret meeting you, Bry."

"Good. Same here, even if my girlfriend can
communicate with ghosts and other unearthly types."

Bryant chuckled to let Peyton know he was at
least only half joking, then leaned over and kissed her. She kissed
him back, treasuring the affection and the one thing in her life
she could count on.

Now she only wanted the next four days to
come and go without any trouble.

* * *

By Friday, September 5th, Peyton was
relieved there was no indication that anything out of the ordinary
was going on. The tension between her and Vance had more or less
subsided once he told her had taken the shotgun to work. It made
Peyton believe that maybe she had gotten everyone, including
Bryant, worked up over nothing. But with the stakes so high, Peyton
would gladly have done the same thing all over again if she had
to.

After school she went for a run, wishing
Bryant were beside her. But he was busy working on his car. Peyton
couldn't complain, though, since it was the transportation that
would take them to a movie on Sunday and then for something to eat.
She was already counting down the hours and no longer dreading this
Saturday.

On the way back, Peyton ran into Lily's
grandmother who was just coming home.

"Hi, Mrs. Kramer," she called out.

Frances smiled at her. "Hello, Peyton. How
are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Good to hear." She looked at her with one
brow cocked. "So no more visits from Caitlyn...or any other
ghosts?"

"None," Peyton uttered cheerfully. She
started to tell her about the ominous latest dream and the shotgun,
but decided there was no reason to.

"That's wonderful. Perhaps the appearances
and related occurrences have run their course and you won't be
bothered anymore."

"Yeah, that would be nice." Peyton hoped
Caitlyn was finally at peace wherever she was.

"I talked to Lily yesterday and she really
misses you. Just as I do." Frances put her hand on Peyton's
shoulder. "Promise me you'll come by every now and then and keep an
old lady company?"

"I promise," Peyton said, hugging her. "I
like spending time with you."

They said their goodbyes and Peyton ran the
last paces home. She saw Luke come around the side of the
house.

"Hey there, young lady." He was holding a
couple of mousetraps with dead mice in them.

Eww. Gross!
"Where did those come
from?"

"Caught them inside that secret passageway,"
Luke explained. "Been meaning to seal it off when I get the chance.
Your parents think it's a good idea."

"Yeah, maybe it is," Peyton conceded,
knowing the passage was tied to the tragedy of the past. It would
be best to put that behind them and bury whatever dark secrets it
held forever. She thought about her dream where Luke was shot dead
by Vance. The mere notion left Peyton feeling slightly off balance,
though she now believed her fears were exaggerated.

Luke cracked a smile. "Well, I'll just get
these critters out of here."

"Don't let me stop you." Peyton risked a
furtive peek at the lifeless rodents.

"By the way, if your mother or stepfather
asks, I'll be out of touch till Sunday afternoon."

"Oh...?"

"Yeah. Bryant suddenly had this idea of the
two of us doing the father-son camping thing for a couple of days
while the weather's still fairly pleasant."

"That sounds great." She grinned. "I'll let
them know."

Peyton suspected the camping trip was
Bryant's way of erring on the side of caution in keeping his father
out of harm's way, just in case her dream somehow became a living
nightmare. While she wanted to say that it probably wasn't
necessary after all to take it to that extreme, part of Peyton was
happy that Luke and Bryant would be safe somewhere else till the
day passed.

* * *

"I know you don't like broccoli, but eat it
anyway," Peyton's mother prompted. "It's good for you."

Peyton wrinkled her nose, though she could
think of worse veggies. She broke off a piece and forced herself to
take a small bite.

"There, satisfied?"

Melody smiled. "The first morsel is always
the hardest."

And the last morsel as far as Peyton was
concerned.

"Pass the rolls please, Peyton," Vance
requested.

She reached across the bowl of spaghetti and
meatballs for the plate with wheat rolls.

"So how's your ad campaign coming along?"
Peyton thought to ask.

"It's going according to plan," he said,
sounding pleased. "The idea is to portray the family values of the
1960s in the twenty-first century."

She gazed at him. "So how does a shotgun
accomplish that?"

Luke lifted a glass of cognac and sipped.
"Well, it's simple in a complicated sort of way. The ad will
feature a blue-collar worker with the gun by his side, surrounded
by his family. What we hope to portray is a close-knit family with
middle class values and a husband-father ready to protect his loved
ones, if necessary, from anyone who would try to harm them."

"Can't he protect them without using a
shotgun?"

"Of course. But that's not the point,
Peyton. The shotgun is merely a prop, for effect. The real focus is
on the love and loyalty of family that's not always found these
days."

"Well, I think it's a worthwhile campaign,"
Melody said. "Heaven knows we could use more love and family
loyalty these days."

"Whatever," muttered Peyton, as she wound
spaghetti around her fork. In her opinion, promoting guns for any
reason was a bad idea. But a sixteen-year-old didn't have much say
in the ways of the world, especially the business world.

At least the shotgun can't really hurt
anyone, unlike the one in my dreams.

"Say, I've got an idea." Melody looked at
her daughter. "How would you feel about going back to San Diego
next month for two or three days?"

Peyton's eyes lit up. "You're serious?"

"Absolutely. I know you miss your friends,
especially Erica. I miss mine, too. It might be a good way to
recharge the batteries."

"I'd love it!"

"Then we'll do it--just us girls, since I
know Vance is too busy with work."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Vance gazed
across the table.

"No," Peyton and her mother said in
unison.

He laughed. "So I guess it's settled.
Seriously, I think it's a splendid idea. I know things have been
tough on you here, Peyton, and I'm partly to blame for that. A
change of scenery would do you some good. And your mother as
well."

Peyton was surprised her stepfather didn't
try to stand in the way. Maybe he was mellowing before her very
eyes. She liked him much better this way.

"I think you're right," she said
wholeheartedly.

"I want this family to work and for both of
you to be happy. If that means loosening the reins a bit, so be
it," Vance said.

Peyton smiled. For once she was totally on
the same page with her mother and stepfather. She could hardly wait
to give Erica the good news.

A few days away from Bryant might seem like
forever and Peyton would miss him. Maybe he could come with them
and see San Diego for the first time.

The mere possibility excited her even more.
For now Peyton was just glad she could focus on something positive
instead of history perhaps repeating itself in this house fifty
years later.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT

Peyton opened her eyes to a torrential
downpour. She had no idea how she'd gotten from her bed to outside
behind the house. She looked up in the darkness and saw the faint
light coming from her mother and stepfather's room.

What's going on
?
Why am I standing
here in my nightgown getting soaked?

Just then Peyton heard a dog barking, giving
her a start. Turning, she saw Hugh run up to her. Bryant was close
behind. He had on his clothes, unlike her, and was also
drenched.

"What are you doing out here in the rain?"
he asked.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, and turned the
question on him. "I thought you and Luke were going camping?"

"Yeah, we were. But Mother Nature had
another idea." He looked up at the sky before turning back to
Peyton.

"What's happening?" She was totally
confused. "Am I dreaming this?"

"Not unless we're
both
having the
same dream," Bryant said, an edge to his voice. "My dad thought he
heard a shot coming from your house. He went to check it out."

"A shot--as in gunshot...?"

"Yeah, maybe."

"Oh no..." Peyton felt lightheaded as dark
thoughts surfaced.

"What?" Bryant appeared clueless.

"Don't you see...it's happening like in my
dream," she sputtered. "Your father, my mother, and stepfather all
together, at night, in the bedroom--"

Bryant peered at her. "What are you
saying?"

"Vance is going to
kill
them...then
us!" Peyton was convinced. "We have to stop him!"

Hugh barked as if in agreement.

"I'm not sure about that," Bryant muttered.
"But we'd better check it out anyway."

He took Peyton's hand and headed to the
house. Once they got closer, both noticed the opening to the secret
passageway.

"Dad must have used it to save time," Bryant
speculated. "We'll do the same thing. Come on, boy!"